Chapter 71: A Masterpiece of Craftsmanship
Chapter 71 Ingenious Craftsmanship
Good heavens!
It turns out that the southern branch of the Golden Gate was used for tomb raiding!
It is said that the world of martial arts is vast and full of wonders, but who would have thought that those connected with the imperial court are the most sinister!
Mining and tomb raiding combined—it's all just a blood bag for the imperial court.
Let alone Zhenhu Division, even if it were placed together with the Imperial Guards and garrison troops, the imperial court would still secretly maintain such a slush fund.
Being targeted by the Golden Gate and forming a grudge is not just troublesome, it's extremely troublesome!
When roaming the world, one should certainly uphold justice and chivalry.
But if the Eight Treasures Pavilion gets involved in the Golden Gate incident...
He was somewhat worried.
When he looked at Wang Sumo with slight hesitation, he found that someone was not worried at all. Curiosity and curiosity were written all over their face, and their eyes and brows were full of questions: "Old Zhu, did you often team up to explore caves and rob tombs in the past?"
Bai Cen: "..."
Bai Cen was speechless; there were some people who genuinely weren't worried at all.
Faced with such excitement, they practically had "I'm so excited!" and "I want to hear it!" written all over their faces.
Old Zhu must have gradually come to understand the owner of the Eight Treasures Restaurant. He genuinely enjoyed watching and listening to the excitement. In his earlier years, he had followed the seniors of the Golden Gate into tombs and witnessed many things that challenged human nature. He also disliked the deceit and hypocrisy of the martial arts world. On the contrary, he admired Wang Sumo's personality: "I love watching excitement, I also listen to gossip, but I'm also very clever."
“I’ve been to many places and seen countless treasures of gold and silver, but anything related to the dead and tombs is always accompanied by danger and accidents…” After Zhu Weng finished speaking, well, Bai Cen sat back down on his own. He didn’t blame his employer; he wanted to hear it too!
Zhu Weng truly believed that the people in the Bazhenlou caravan were grouped together by their kind.
He is indifferent to fame and fortune, living half in the world of martial arts and half outside of it, but he is still willing to listen to and watch the excitement.
"The Golden Gate does vastly different things in the North and South, so it cannot be simply unified and managed in the same way, nor can it recruit the same people or raise similar disciples. It can only be divided into two factions, North and South, with their own relationships. It is only for the convenience of the court's restraint and control that they are all placed under one sect."
"And so, the Golden Gate in the north, which is related to gold mines, is called Gold Mining. The token that Young Master Bai saw in the north before should be from the Gold Mining lineage; and the token in my hand is the Gold Tracing."
Tracing back to the source, it means stealing gold and jewels from the tombs of our ancestors...
"This name is quite flattering," Bai Cen remarked jokingly.
It's better to just call it tomb raiding.
Wang Sumo rested her chin on her hand and asked curiously, "I've heard that there are sects related to tomb raiding in the martial arts world. Could these sects conflict with Sujin? If there is a conflict, then there should be a lot of news about Sujin in the martial arts world. But this is the first time I've heard this from Elder Zhu."
Yes, Bai Cen couldn't help but look at Wang Sumo a little more.
It must be said, it was very meticulous.
Zhu Weng nodded: "Miss Wang is right, but whether it's tomb raiding or tomb raiding, because of the special nature of their work, they are mostly not done alone, but in groups. Other similar sects might cooperate, but the tomb raiding sect almost never does. There are many tombs in the world, but very few sects are capable of tomb raiding. Tomb raiding is an extremely dangerous thing, and those who have explored two or three famous tombs will most likely retire from the business after that. These sects mostly do not want to be remembered in the martial arts world, nor do they want any sect feuds or anecdotes to be spread."
"Make a fortune quietly, then retire from the business, and don't let your competitors interfere." Bai Cen made the final decision.
“That’s right,” Zhu Weng agreed.
"So, even if the Su Jin faction serves the imperial court, is there such a thing as washing one's hands of the trade?" Wang Sumo specifically looked at Zhu Weng.
Old Zhu also readily admitted: "Yes, as long as you complete the tasks according to the different levels of the five levels of tombs, A, B, C, D, and Mao, each with corresponding values, you can retire from tomb raiding once you have accumulated enough values. Lucky people don't need to go into tombs many times."
"Then those who are unlucky and never achieve anything will have to work until they are very old?" Bai Cen hesitated.
Wang Sumo wondered, "But if someone keeps going into tombs and never finds anything, yet still manages to live, isn't that just another kind of good luck?"
Bai Cen: "..."
Bai Cen suddenly realized, "Oh, that's true."
Zhu Weng chuckled: "Indeed, Miss Wang is right. In the Su Jin lineage, those who go into tombs less often but can quickly retire, and those who go into tombs more often but never find anything but still live, are all lucky. There is also an unwritten rule in the Su Jin lineage: if a person goes into tombs twelve times and survives, that person can also retire."
"It sounds like this is even harder than officially retiring from the criminal world!" Bai Cen exclaimed.
Zhu Weng nodded gently.
Wang Sumo said leisurely, "Old Zhu, you left the Sujin lineage after washing your hands of the business, right?"
Zhu Weng smiled as he looked at her.
Bai Cen chuckled softly, thinking to himself, "Are people who can cook really smarter?"
Wang Sumo continued, "You left the Sujin lineage, having washed your hands of the trade, and settled in Liu Village. Liu is a common surname, but the villagers of Liu Village treat you, an outsider with a different surname, with such respect. Because of your request, the later-arriving carpenters of the Liu family were able to stay peacefully. Ordinary carpenters from other villages don't have that kind of prestige."
These things really did come together, and Bai Cen smiled as he looked at Zhu Weng.
“Old Zhu must have been serious in some way to earn the villagers’ trust!” Bai Cen added.
Wang Sumo chimed in, "Although it is said that true hermits live in the city, for those who have come from the Jin lineage, places like Liu Village are actually quieter, more stable, and harder to find than Shanhe Town and Guan Town."
After Wang Sumo finished speaking, Zhu Weng laughed loudly and said, "Girl, I've been here for decades and this is the first time I've ever enjoyed listening to someone speak so much."
“Then why don’t you just tell us all at once, Mr. Zhu, so we won’t be so curious?” Wang Sumo countered.
Zhu Weng stood up: "Please come with me, both of you."
Goodness! This was the first time Bai Cen had ever encountered someone who could make the other person so happy during a chat, even revealing secrets that the other person had kept hidden for many years.
Old Master He might have been the same way before.
Bai Cen thought to himself, and before following Wang Sumo and Zhu Weng into the house, he thought of leaving a note for Old Weng and Old Zhao, so that they might worry.
Once inside, Zhu Weng led Wang Sumo on a tour of the wooden handicrafts, all of which were handmade by Zhu Weng and were very exquisite.
Bai Cen, having spent some time wandering the world alone, was well aware of the value of wooden artifacts of this quality in the capital. Therefore, he was always very careful when moving around, for fear of bumping into or knocking them over.
But Wang Sumo clearly didn't have these concerns.
Zhu Weng explained the origins of these wooden handicrafts and what made them special, and Wang Sumo listened attentively.
The Bazhenlou restaurant travels all over the country, isn't it also a journey of thousands of miles, seeing different scenery?
"Young Master Bai, please close the door." That was the end of Old Zhu's introduction.
"Okay." Bai Cen did as instructed.
As Bai Cen closed the door, Zhu Weng said again, "Young Master Bai, turn that ship with a hundred boats and a thousand sails on your left in one direction and switch the positions of the bow and stern."
Hmm? Bai Cen had actually noticed the large ship called "Hundreds of Boats and Thousands of Sails" as soon as he entered, but because the carvings were so exquisite, he was afraid of accidentally touching it if he wanted to take a closer look, let alone try to turn it in a completely different direction.
If it can rotate, it's most likely a mechanism.
Bai Cen looked at Zhu Weng with a mixture of belief and doubt.
Since neither Grandpa Weng nor Old Zhao were around, it was just him and the owner. Although things seemed fine for the time being, who knew what was behind the scenes?
Bai Cen hesitated slightly, then looked at Wang Sumo.
Although he didn't speak, Wang Sumo nodded slightly.
Bai Cen understood tacitly.
Then, following Zhu Weng's instructions, he bent down, hugged the ship products with hundreds of boats and thousands of sails, and walked around them.
But this rotation didn't change anything, as if it was meant to rotate from the start?
Bai Cen looked at Zhu Weng warily, and Zhu Weng also said to Wang Sumo, "Miss Wang, the summer lotus decoration next to you can also be rotated."
Wang Sumo did as instructed.
However, similarly, after this pot of summer lotus was rotated, it seemed to have no reaction at all.
But when Zhu Weng smiled and reached out, he found one of the wine jugs among a pile of them on his right, and twisted the lid, a hissing sound filled the room. The screen beside him gradually parted into two, revealing a grand master's chair inside.
Wang Sumo and Bai Cen looked at each other in bewilderment. Zhu Weng stepped forward, squatted down, and pulled the mechanism under the armchair.
The space beneath the armchair slowly opened, revealing the entrance to a secret passage.
Go down the stairs, and you'll find a secret passage.
Good heavens!
Such a secret passage could be found in such an obscure little village!
Zhu Weng led the way, followed by Bai Cen and Wang Sumo.
The entrance to the secret passage is narrow, but once inside, it can accommodate two people walking side by side.
Zhu Weng opened the tinderbox in his hand, and one could vaguely see some of it.
"Uncle Zhu, don't you have a torch or something?" Bai Cen asked, because he couldn't see the road ahead very clearly, so he remained somewhat vigilant.
Mr. Zhu said, "This section is missing."
In the dim light, Wang Sumo could sense that although Bai Cen was walking beside her, he had subconsciously placed part of his sleeve in front of her, just in case.
Wang Sumo wasn't nervous at all. Instead, he asked, "Old Zhu, did you dig this tunnel?"
Bai Cen watched her in the darkness.
Although the tinderbox in Zhu Weng's hand wasn't very bright, in the dim light, Wang Sumo and Bai Cen still tacitly sensed each other's gaze. In the narrow and seemingly deep secret passage, being able to sense each other's gaze seemed inexplicably reassuring.
Old Zhu continued to lead the way, speaking gently: "I first came to Liu Village decades ago. At that time, the country was in turmoil, with years of war and people suffering. In this small village of Liu, one group of people would come to harvest the crops today, and another group would come to harvest the crops tomorrow. The villagers had a hard time surviving."
"I thought about leaving, but it's all the same no matter where I go. Once the war starts, we'll all be like rootless duckweed."
"I had just left the Sujin lineage then, thinking that I could finally live a peaceful life and no longer have to spend my days exploring tombs and going down into them, keeping company with those things. But I never expected that after leaving Sujin, I would realize that under the years of war, the people outside were not even as good as the ants in the ancient tombs."
“I was passing through Liu Village that day and stayed overnight in the village. I talked with the family there all night. In times of chaos, people tend to sympathize with each other. The family said that they had finally managed to save some grain, but they didn’t know who would steal it away in a few days. In a moment of impulse, I dug the first tunnel in Liu Village right in their house.”
Bai Cen blinked, still in the darkness, and exchanged a glance with Wang Sumo before continuing, "I've heard that in tomb raiding sects, disciples not only need to know the basics, but also have a specialty. Is Elder Zhu one of those who digs tunnels?"
After Bai Cen finished speaking, Zhu Weng laughed and said, "That's right, each of the Su Jin lineages has its own strengths. I am good at digging underground palaces. Whether it's going down into a tomb, escaping, or exploring, it will be useful. So I spent a few days digging a tunnel for that family in Liu Village. As long as the structure is reasonable, such a tunnel can not only store accumulated wealth and food, but also allow people to hide in the secret passage and escape from the war."
Even in the present day, let alone chaotic times, having such a secluded place would be safe enough.
Not to mention in times of chaos.
There is such a secret passage, which is equivalent to being reborn.
Old Zhu continued, "Next, as you've probably guessed, Liu Village isn't a large village, with only a few households. I stayed behind ostensibly as a carpenter, but in reality, I dug secret passages like these for every household in the village. During the later wars, every family in the village escaped danger thanks to these passages. This is what Miss Wang just asked: why do I have such prestige here even though I don't share the surname Liu?"
Bai Cen sighed, "Because everyone here is under your protection, Elder Zhu."
Based solely on what I saw of the food boxes at Zhu Weng's place, it's hard to imagine what would happen later.
Because of what Zhu Weng did, he gained the trust of the villagers, so when Zhu Weng spoke up, Lao Liu stayed safely.
Old Zhu was quite old, and the secret passage was dimly lit, so he walked slowly and it was only around this time that he reached the platform.
Upon reaching the platform, Zhu Weng stepped forward and used his tinderbox to light the torches on the wall.
With the torches, the surroundings were instantly illuminated.
Wang Sumo only then noticed that although Bai Cen seemed to be standing next to her the whole time, he was actually protecting her with most of his body and hands. If anything had happened when they went down the secret passage, he would have been able to react in time.
Now that the torches are lit, continuing like this would seem a bit contrived.
Bai Cen naturally let go.
"This place is so big!" Bai Cen exclaimed in amazement.
Wang Sumo also noticed that after passing through the secret passage and stairs, the place below, which resembled an underground palace, was much larger than the rooms on Zhu Weng's building.
Moreover, the bright torch indicates that there is gas flow, so the person will not suffocate.
Since they came down, they haven't felt any obvious difficulty breathing, but it is indeed a bit cold down there.
"Are these the stored supplies?" Bai Cen asked curiously, looking at the large boxes.
Zhu Weng nodded: "Yes, if we fill the container with supplies, we can stay here for half a year."
Haha!
Bai Cen was stunned.
Six months is actually about enough time.
"Is there a water source here?" Wang Sumo was also curious. They could prepare things, such as some roasted naan and smoked meat, but without fresh water, they couldn't stay for long.
"Follow me." Zhu Weng smiled, and Wang Sumo and Bai Cen followed.
In an inconspicuous spot, Zhu Weng reached out and tapped, then opened the stone cover that was hidden from view. It was so small that you couldn't see it unless you looked closely. Zhu Weng pushed the cover open and pulled the ring inside.
After a heavy hissing sound, a hole about the width of a person suddenly split open in the left wall.
Because I was carrying a torch this time, I could see much more clearly than in the secret passage I had just come down from. However, I could also see that the entrance to this cave was very narrow, not wide enough for people to walk side by side, so they could only walk one in front of the other.
It was only a dozen or twenty steps away. Using the same method as before, I opened the hole in front of me with a pull ring.
Zhu Weng exited through this cave entrance, followed by Wang Sumo and Bai Cen. The cave entrance, like before, seemed to connect to a secret passage and underground palace beneath another household.
"So, the area below Liu Village is connected by all these caves and secret passages?" Bai Cen was stunned.
This is absolutely ingenious.
Without sufficient time or ingenuity, it's simply impossible to make.
Wang Sumo also looked around curiously, afraid of missing any details.
"For safety's sake, the secret passage coming down from above needs to be long enough and dug deep enough so that sounds from the passage and the underground palace won't reach the top." That's why the descent we just took was so long.
All designs are strongly related to needs; only in this way can the secret passage below be safe enough, otherwise it would be just for show.
"Didn't Miss Wang just ask about the water source?" Zhu Weng lifted something that looked like a pot lid, and Wang Sumo and Bai Cen saw that it was a well. The wellhead was in a deeper part, and it was shiny, indicating that there was water.
Zhu Weng said, "Not every household has a well in its secret passage. This place is suitable. So, by connecting the secret passages through the cave entrance, there can be enough space for movement, air circulation, water supply, and storage space."
The smaller the space, the less it can be utilized, but by hollowing out the entire area beneath Liu Village, it can be put to good use.
"Wonderful!" Bai Cen couldn't help but exclaim.
Wang Sumo opened one of the large wooden boxes, which was filled with ironware—no, it should be called weapons.
"Is this the secret passage beneath Old Liu's house?" Wang Sumo asked Zhu Weng.
Old Zhu nodded: "Old Liu has a water source here, and he also stores weapons. If an emergency occurs, the villagers can use this to protect themselves."
"Please follow me, both of you." Old Zhu continued to lead the way.
Just like before, we passed through about ten tunnel entrances, winding and turning, and saw many underground passages beneath houses, as well as places to store clothes and such. The entire village cooperates with each other to ensure everything is taken care of.
After a while, Zhu Weng lowered a pull ring, and the long-awaited sunlight shone in, which was so dazzling that Wang Sumo and Bai Cen found it a bit blinding as they had adjusted to the light in the tunnel.
As Zhu Wengyi emerged from the tunnel entrance, Bai Cen exclaimed in surprise, "We just passed through here!"
Bai Cen realized: "So Elder Zhu knew we were coming because he saw us here."
Zhu Weng nodded: "That's right."
Wang Sumo also said, "Just now, there was a continuous exit from the underground palace. This should just be one of the exits."
"Yes." Old Zhu responded as he activated the mechanism, closing the exit and covering it with straw so that no clues could be found.
The three of them appearing here on foot doesn't seem out of place at all.
Just like the people who had been taking walks around the area.
Bai Cen suddenly realized, "No wonder there was a young man resting here when we came over. Was he on lookout duty in the village?"
Zhu Weng nodded.
"Let's go, the village entrance is not far ahead," Zhu Weng continued to lead the way.
Their carriage stopped at the village entrance. Old Weng and Zhao Tong should have been waiting for them there. Even if they suddenly appeared behind them, they would only think that they had taken a detour to leave the village and wouldn't think anything of it.
As Zhu Weng walked, he said, “After I left Sujin, I came to Liu Village and finally found a peaceful place. But more than ten years ago, people from Sujin’s lineage came to me and said that they had a tomb to descend into and wanted me to come down from the mountain.”
Wang Sumo asked in surprise, "Didn't you say that the Sujin lineage could retire from the business? You've already left, so why are you coming back to find me?"
Zhu Weng shook his head and sighed, "This tomb is very special. For hundreds of years, it has been a place that many tomb-exploration sects have been searching for. It is said that the treasures inside are as rich as a country, and there are also cultivation techniques that can cleanse one's marrow."
Hearing this, Bai Cen chuckled: "There's no such thing."
Wang Sumo stopped, undergoing a marrow cleansing?
[Author's Note]
There will be another update tonight.
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