Chapter 201 Honghui's Diary 1
"Hello everyone, we are currently at the emergency excavation site for the protection of the Western Qing Tombs. The Western Qing Tombs is a mausoleum complex where two generations of emperors, father and son, are buried together. Emperor Yongzheng and Emperor Chengtai of the Qing Dynasty are both buried here..."
[They dared to desecrate the tombs of King Sejong and King Gojong? Would the royal family have agreed to that?]
[Don't you see the news? It's because of the earthquake and flooding; this is a rescue excavation.]
The royal family wouldn't want their ancestors to be flooded either.
[Looking forward to it! King Sejong accomplished so much, but it's a pity his reign was too short and there aren't many records. I'm so curious about what he left behind.]
This father and son have such a good relationship; even after Emperor Chengtai died, he wanted to be buried with his father.
[Who doesn't know that Emperor Chengtai is a "daddy's boy"? Chengtai, Chengtai, he himself said that he inherited the peaceful and prosperous era built by his father, and the only thing he can do is not tarnish his father's reputation.]
A century has passed. Faced with the industrial revolution and the Enlightenment, feudal rule has become a thing of the past, and the emperors of the Qing Dynasty have chosen to reconcile with the times.
Today, the royal family continues to exist in another form, not holding political power, but more like a mascot of the country.
"As we all know, after Emperor Yongzheng died, he was buried in the Tai Mausoleum, which is the largest and most complete in the central part of the Western Qing Tombs. Emperor Gaozong, on the other hand, specially built his own tomb below the Tai Mausoleum, in a semi-enclosed and protective manner. Therefore, our expert team will enter the Wei Mausoleum, where Emperor Gaozong is located, first."
The term "daddy's boy" is truly fitting; he was devoted to protecting his father's empire during his lifetime, and even in death, he wanted to guard his father's tomb.
[Sobbing, I'm crying so hard! The mausoleums are all called Weiling, the one that protects Emperor Shizong's Tailing Mausoleum.]
It is said that Emperor Chengtai had a habit of keeping a diary, but this had never been discovered before, and the royal family had not displayed it. Could they all be in his tomb?
[Even if there were a diary, it would have weathered away over the years.]
[Didn't King Sejong pass on a royal treasure to King Gojong before his death? King Gojong never passed it on to his descendants. Was it put in the burial goods?]
[Where did you read this unofficial history? It's truly a royal treasure; how could Emperor Gaozong not pass it down to his descendants?]
...
The comments section was filled with all sorts of opinions. As the most talked-about father-son duo of emperors, the excavation of the tombs of Emperor Yongzheng and Emperor Gaozong of the Qing Dynasty has attracted worldwide attention.
Under the live broadcast camera, the gates of Weiling, which had been sealed for a long time, were opened.
"Friends, our experts are about to enter Weiling! I wonder what new discoveries they will make..."
As the archaeologists and royal representatives entered the Weiling Mausoleum under the protection of soldiers, the host could not hide his excitement. This was the Weiling Mausoleum, the tomb of Emperor Chengtai!
Although everyone jokingly calls him a "daddy's boy," Emperor Chengtai's achievements are by no means inferior to others. The "Yongzheng Prosperity" is not solely due to Emperor Yongzheng's efforts. To inherit his father's legacy and achieve what he has already surpassed 90% of emperors in history.
Emperor Yongzheng was known for his "strictness" in his early years. However, there is no record of Emperor Chengtai being bad in historical books or in the records left by officials.
How many people wouldn't like such a perfect emperor who is filial, good-looking, has a good personality, and is capable?
A staff member emerged from the tomb entrance, indicating that everything was fine inside and the live broadcast crew could enter. The host then led the cameraman inside: "Viewers, we are now about to step inside the Wei Mausoleum and witness firsthand the history of the Yongzheng Emperor's prosperous reign..."
As they descended from the entrance to the underground palace, listening to the detailed explanations from the archaeologists ahead, a flurry of comments appeared on the screen. Soon, amidst the anticipation of the crowd, they pushed open a large stone door.
[An empty hall?]
[Wait, there seems to be something on the platform?]
Is this a burial chamber? It looks so strange.
[Won't it have been stolen?]
Not only were the viewers in the live chat confused, but everyone who entered was also puzzled, looking at the empty tomb chamber with only a stone platform in the very center, their faces filled with doubt.
As a representative of the royal family and a descendant of Emperor Chengtai from countless generations ago, Ai Yue's face was even more unpleasant. At this moment, he shared similar thoughts with the viewers in the live chat, deeply suspecting that someone had already robbed their ancestor's tomb.
There is something on the stone platform.
Professor Lin, who was in charge of the archaeological excavation, remained relatively calm. After all, he had seen all kinds of tombs, so one more wouldn't make a difference. Seeing the faint protrusion on the high stone platform, Professor Lin immediately led his team forward to examine it.
Rather than staying put and being suspicious, they decided to go and find out for themselves. With their own thoughts in mind, the group slowly approached.
"A thumb ring?"
On the high stone platform, there was only a white jade thumb ring. There was nothing else, and no protective measures whatsoever. Everyone was even more confused, and the viewers outside the screen were also full of questions.
Professor Lin frowned. This was the first time he had encountered such a situation, and he couldn't help but look at Ai Yue: "Mr. Ai, do you have any recollection of this ring?"
The question wasn't about him, but about the secret records of the royal family behind him. Ai Yue understood this as well, and tried hard to recall what he had read before, the more he thought about it, the more familiar the ring seemed.
Looking at the empty tomb chamber and the jade thumb ring placed alone, could this strange arrangement be related to Emperor Yongzheng? After all, Emperor Chengtai's "love for his father" was officially recognized.
Upon thinking of Emperor Yongzheng, a flash of inspiration struck Ai Yue, and he blurted out, "It's Emperor Shizong!"
Faced with the surprised and curious gazes of the crowd, Ai Yue continued to explain: "According to records, Emperor Shizong had a white jade thumb ring that he never parted with, which he passed on to Emperor Gaozong before his death. If I'm not mistaken, this is that thumb ring."
[Such a large tomb chamber, and all they put in was a thumb ring?]
[King Sejong's thumb ring?]
[Didn't Emperor Chengtai love his father? Why is he just leaving the things his father left him on his deathbed like this?]
Could this be the royal treasure recorded in unofficial histories?
What's so special about a thumb ring?
The viewers on the live stream were confused, as were the archaeological experts present. It wasn't that they didn't understand why a thumb ring was a royal treasure—they hadn't believed in such a claim—but rather they didn't understand why Emperor Chengtai would place something left to him by Emperor Yongzheng here. Was there some symbolic meaning behind it?
After thinking about it, no matter what, this thumb ring has great historical significance. According to Ai Yue, this thumb ring carries the inheritance of imperial power. It is a small piece, but its value is immeasurable.
Professor Lin put on gloves, and the others took out professional utensils, preparing to take the ring out.
But just as his hand touched the ring, it emitted a faint light, startling everyone so much that they dared not move.
"What's going on? Could the legend be true? Is this really a royal treasure?"
As the light grew brighter and brighter, eventually floating into mid-air, everyone on and off the screen was stunned. No one could answer the question, yet they all answered it silently.
The hashtag #RoyalTreasure# quickly trended on social media, attracting more and more people to the live stream where they saw the white jade thumb ring floating in mid-air.
[Is this photoshopped? How could a ring fly away?]
Is it a high-tech thumb ring?
[This has shocked me for a whole year! How many things are hidden in history books? Could it be that immortality cultivation was possible during the Yongzheng era?]
I always thought the royal treasure was just a rumor, at most some gold and silver jewels. Who would have thought it would be a ring that glows and flies!
The royal family really kept it well hidden!
The royal family is also terrified. They really didn't know anything. If they had known about this, they would never have agreed to the excavation or the live broadcast!
There's nothing we can do right now; apart from the key personnel who rushed to the scene, everyone else can only watch the situation unfold on their screens.
The ring hovered in mid-air for a long time, as if it were investigating something. The white light it emitted shone on everyone, then passed over them one by one, and finally stopped above Ai Yue, where the light changed from white to red.
Under the panicked yet curious gazes of the crowd, the red light was projected onto the smooth stone wall opposite, gradually forming several large characters.
"Honghui's Diary?!"
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