Chapter 86 The Ancient Silk Road
And so, this dramatic yet childish scene unfolded smoothly.
After Old Man Chen finished speaking, the scene remained silent for a long time, and no one dared to say a word.
The people present seemed stunned by this action and were speechless.
Luo Yin stood there dumbfounded, watching helplessly as Old Man Chen launched into a tirade of curses. Only then did she realize that they seemed to have misunderstood and had actually made things worse.
"Grandpa, please calm down!"
Seeing that the person was panting heavily after speaking and about to faint from anger, Luo Yin had to calm him down first, no matter how much she thought about it.
But Old Man Chen wouldn't listen to any of that this time, yelling, "Get out! Get out!"
"Get out of here, you bastards! What did you just say? I told you not to move and not to come any closer."
"And what about you guys? What's wrong with your ears? You're all a bunch of idiots!"
Brother Du finally realized that it seemed they were the ones who had done something wrong.
She hurriedly came up to him to apologize, "Grandpa, I'm so sorry. It must have been a misunderstanding. We were afraid you would get poisoned again, so we were probably just worried!"
"Yes, yes, we really didn't mean to, it was just an emergency."
"How are you? What happened?"
"Is anyone injured? What's the situation at the scene?"
Several comrades rushed over to inquire about their situation.
The old man quickly wiped his face with his sleeve, avoiding their gaze. He snorted coldly and turned away aloofly.
He wouldn't tell anyone what just happened, lest he embarrass others for no reason.
"It's nothing, it's just a misunderstanding. By the way, what happened inside the house? Is someone really poisoned?"
The visitor paused for a moment, then shook his head and explained, "I don't know either. Old Master Xia told us not to eat for now, as Dr. Yu and the others are still carefully examining the situation."
"That seems a bit strange. Let's take this opportunity to patrol the area again and see if anything has gotten in."
Brother Du and his comrades worked together and quickly escaped.
Before leaving, he gave Luo Yin a wink, reminding her to keep an eye on the old man.
Luo Yin nodded in agreement.
Those present naturally heard their conversation. Luo Yin noticed that the old man was constantly moving around the large vat, occasionally tapping and touching it with a wooden stick.
She didn't say anything, but just waited silently on the side.
They checked the areas he had knocked on every now and then, and soon several hurried footsteps came from inside.
It turned out that it was Elder Xia and Elder Zhuang from inside the house who had come to see Elder Chen with the researchers behind them.
"Xiao Luo, what's the situation now?"
Luo Yin pointed at the old man, implying that he was still investigating.
Everyone stared at him with serious and tense eyes. Inside the room, Dr. Yu and Master Ganda also concluded that the symptoms seemed to be caused by accidentally ingesting some poisonous substance, resulting in simple abdominal pain and nausea.
We've already seen someone induce vomiting and take antidote pills, which temporarily calmed them down.
However, since it is unclear what he ate, we may not know whether there will be any further complications until his symptoms flare up.
As Dr. Yu and Master Ganda began a thorough examination of the surrounding area, a group of researchers also got busy.
Then came the reason why Elder Xia and the others appeared here.
It was precisely because of Old Master Chen's words that most of them avoided an accident, so it seems he knew the reason behind it.
The group just kept watching and watching.
Those with experience and knowledge seem to understand what he's looking for, but those who don't understand are completely bewildered, like looking at flowers through a fog.
Compared to Professor Xia, Professor Zhuang was the quickest to react to this discovery.
He exclaimed in surprise, then stared intently at the towering tiles on the rooftop not far away.
The weather began to clear up, and the foggy morning turned into a bright and sunny one.
Even the dilapidated and decaying mountain temple seemed to gleam in the sunlight.
But others saw it differently; they only saw Professor Zhuang staring intently at Old Chen in front of him.
His unusually intelligent eyes were filled with confusion and astonishment.
Finally, the stagnant and tranquil space was broken.
"There was definitely something wrong!"
Chen Dong spoke with a confident expression that said, "I guessed right."
“What went wrong? Mr. Chen, please tell me quickly.”
"Yes, yes, you didn't let us touch the water in this tank before, is there something wrong with this tank?"
Many people have examined it privately, checking both the inside and outside of the tank thoroughly, but it turns out to be just an ordinary water tank.
"Come, come, follow me and I'll tell you the reason."
"Young people should learn more; it won't hurt!" The old man was clearly speaking to someone when he said this.
When Luo Yin saw him urging her to study, she showed no panic.
She seemed even more enthusiastic than when she was chasing rankings at school. "Please stop keeping me in suspense."
"I need to find another person to testify for me. By the way, where is the guide?"
"Guide, Dalai!"
"I'll go find it, I'll go find it."
Someone exclaimed in surprise, and after asking what had happened, they found out that he had led the way in that direction. Soon, the soldier who had taken over called him back.
Darryl, eager to make a difference, quickly returned.
Upon arriving at the entrance of the small temple, one would find the courtyard almost entirely filled with people.
Apart from those on patrol, on guard duty, and the sick, it seems that everyone else is here.
"Cough cough, what's going on?"
With so many eyes watching him, Dalai was nervous, scared, and even felt a sense of panic.
Someone explained the reason to him. "It's alright, Master Dalai, don't worry. Just wait here for a moment. We need to ask you something."
"Okay, okay, I'll tell you everything I know."
"Master Dalai, you mentioned before that this mountain is often shrouded in fog, especially during the rainy season when it is shrouded in continuous rain and fog, right?"
Blind Chen changed the subject and brought it up first.
Dalai nodded, confirming what he said. "Yes, that's exactly right!"
Blind Chen nodded, "Okay!"
"Let's put that aside for now and talk about why someone suddenly felt a stomachache while we were eating." He stared into empty, lifeless eyes, his gaze sweeping around as if emanating boundless sharpness.
“We rested here yesterday, so why did we not feel any pain yesterday, but started experiencing symptoms today? Can you think of any differences between yesterday and this morning?”
Once the topic was raised, everyone started brainstorming and guessing the reasons.
"The food is different, but it's all food we brought, and we didn't pick any wild animals from the mountains."
"It can't be that. The problem must be in the water. Could there be something in the water after a night?"
“It must be water. Old Chen mentioned it before. I remember we fetched the water from a nearby ditch to cook last night, but we used yesterday’s sediment to make porridge this morning, so it doesn’t matter!” The man continued, “When we got up this morning, a section of the stream had collapsed, and a lot of mud got in. We didn’t use it because we thought it was unclean.”
"That's the reason for this jar."
Yes, it all comes down to this same tank.
"Mr. Chen, we can't guess. Please tell us the reason."
"That's right!"
"Your analysis is correct, but it misses the point."
Blind Chen beckoned them over. "This matter is actually quite simple. Anyone with broad knowledge will understand. Why don't you experts and teachers come closer and take a look?"
Luo Yin, who was standing nearby, quickly hid behind him and then carefully pulled him back to prevent him from bumping into anything.
Be careful not to fall.
Xia Ming looked at the crowd, then nodded and followed a few of them forward.
Everyone looked around and observed the limited space in front of them, and soon someone noticed something unusual.
Professor Zhuang looked grave, his brows furrowing in surprise and confusion before he looked at Xia Ming in disbelief.
"This, this is..."
Xia Ming had clearly noticed this as well, his eyes filled with fervor and shock as he looked at his old buddies.
He immediately stopped Zhu Laozhuang from saying what he was about to say and hurriedly told the rest of the people to go back inside.
Then they called over Captain Jiang and others, and set up posts in front of and behind the small temple to prevent anyone from eavesdropping.
Seeing that things were not going well, Luo Yin hurriedly prepared to slip away.
Unexpectedly, the old man turned the tables on her and kept her there.
"Grandpa, please relax. This is not something a lowly comrade like me can handle. I really have no such ambition. Please let go."
Not only was Old Man Chen caught off guard, but he also cleverly pulled and pushed the man, exposing him to everyone.
"Come on, show your face!"
"Anyway, it's not like I came for nothing."
"Please don't be silly, I really can't do this." Luo Yin saw several gazes directed at her, and realizing she couldn't escape, if she heard any more important news, the consequences would be the same as that operation, adding a lot of unnecessary trouble.
Don't let Loin's young age fool you; he's well-versed in workplace rules, especially when it comes to things that are really not your business.
Even she couldn't guarantee that she wouldn't accidentally expose the secret one day.
When she's sober, she can keep her mouth shut, but there are always times when she's not sober or rational.
"Alright, Xiao Luo, you can stay too."
"Yes, we happen to be short of someone to keep records, so we'll trouble you, Xiao Luo."
Old Shi happily took out his notebook, and Luo Yin could only smile helplessly. Then, she opened the thick stack of papers and wrote on a new page: "11:30 a.m. on April 12, 1977, south of Xiong Guan Town in the hinterland of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan, in front of the temple on Wufeng Mountain."
"Sudden incident, suspected food poisoning, two people injured. The true cause is under analysis and discussion. The investigation process is recorded here. Participants: Chen Dong, Xia Ming, Zhuang Yongshou, the eight-person protection team led by Jiang, and recorder: Luo Yin!"
With a few quick strokes of the pen, Luo Yin clearly summarized the preceding events.
The subsequent dinner allowed Loin's provisional report to be circulated at numerous large conferences and special locations, and later it was cited as an important source of information at many international archaeological analysis conferences in various countries.
This really earned her a good reputation.
"At first I was wondering why Old Chen wanted us to come and inspect. I thought it was nothing, but I didn't know until I looked closely that the color of the roof tiles was very strange."
"Yes, Captain Jiang, could you please help me remove a few of these tiles?"
Even though Jiang Cong found the request strange, he still nodded in agreement.
He had two comrades move some stones, and they quickly piled them up to a height. Immediately, someone stepped on them and, at their request, pulled a few tiles from the top.
The comrade holding it was somewhat surprised at first, but after a few more taps, he looked down at the tile in his hand.
"Captain Jiang, the weight of this tile is wrong."
"Oh, is there a problem?"
Team Leader Jiang looked at the senior experts who wanted to do this and thought to himself, "As expected, cultured people can tell where the problem is just by looking at it. And those with skills are also very capable."
He silently admired Old Chen once again, thinking that he truly deserved to be called a veteran craftsman.
"Let me see, let me see."
Zhuang Yongshou took it with great enthusiasm and examined it carefully. It looked no different from an ordinary tile, but there were obvious differences in weight and details.
"Look here, there are obvious signs of oxidation and corrosion. It is indeed made of bronze."
"Why are these tiles made of bronze? Who did this?"
"Judging from its style and scale, it doesn't seem to be an official creation. The shape and specifications are complete, but there are some flaws that are obvious at a glance. It's probably something made privately by the people."
With Lao Zhuang's final decision, the room fell into a chill.
Even though Luo Yin didn't know anything else, she still heard the word "bronze" very clearly.
What kind of person would dare to touch bronze?
She gasped, her eyes filled with shock and worry.
Sure enough, without her saying anything, the faces of the veteran comrades were already quite grim. These were all veteran comrades who had dedicated decades to the field of archaeology, and they were already deeply saddened just by seeing these things.
"I really don't know who's so bold as to actually get their hands on this stuff. What a pity!"
"Old Zhuang, don't be anxious. Perhaps it wasn't melted down from old objects, but rather fired by yourself. Look at these tiles, they are badly damaged on the outside, but the material inside has fewer impurities than the bronze objects we've seen before. Besides, this area is rich in mineral resources. If we go back a dozen years, there might have been a genius here."
After Teacher Shi finished speaking, the atmosphere in the room fell silent once again.
Old Zhuang hurriedly asked him to take a look, "Old Xia, take a close look, are the materials of these tiles somewhat different?"
Actually, the best option right now is to send it to a professional research institute, where there are systematic and sophisticated equipment to check the mineral content and specifically analyze the age and time of the bronze artifact.
This kind of precise and scientific judgment is the most accurate evidence in archaeology.
However, those of them currently abroad, facing such a massive and unexpected situation, can only pool their wisdom to avoid making mistakes in judgment and missing out on many possibilities.
"Yes, these ones are indeed as Lao Shi said, the exposed parts don't look very old."
Xia Ming turned his gaze back to the top of the building, "I wonder if there are any more up there?"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone outside got busy. Not only did Captain Jiang send seven of his men to assist, but Old Xia also called out several skilled men from inside the house to help.
Everyone was confused and didn't know how to start disassembling.
But seeing that the leader had given the order, everyone had no choice but to do it, so they ignored it and followed along.
As things got busier, everyone gradually discovered that these moss-covered and damp tiles were not ordinary tiles.
It turns out that when they came in the first day, no one noticed it because they were taking shelter from the rain and rushing to their destination.
If it weren't for Old Chen coming out to wash his hands today and accidentally looking up to discover the secret on the roof, they would never have realized that there was such an unusual thing happening in the temple in front of the hall.
They were busy all afternoon, and had practically demolished the area in front of the small temple.
The group successfully found 157 bronze tiles, each the size of an adult's palm, among the real tiles.
These items were simply processed and neatly arranged on the ground. Despite the limited resources, they still made a simple registration, and then the old expert looked at them one by one.
Trying to see something different!
But the result was not as expected; there were no traces of any markings.
With the discovery of the rooftop mountain, everyone then began a thorough inspection of the small temple, leaving no place unchecked.
Then they actually made a new discovery.
It was Comrade Xu Hongze who discovered the anomaly, and the location of the anomaly was between the main hall and the side hall.
At first, they searched back and forth, mainly checking if there were any other decorative items in the house.
After searching high and low, and after several groups of people had swept through the area, not only was a large part of the house empty, but the floor was almost completely wiped clean. It was precisely because of this large, empty area that he realized something was wrong.
"Is something missing here? The space doesn't seem to fit!"
Xu Hongze sensed something was wrong and hurriedly went to find Comrade Yun Shilan, who was familiar with the spatial structure.
Yun Shilan had studied under Master Hu for a period of time and had some knowledge of this subject. Sure enough, she came here to take a look and walked around the room a few times. She quickly realized that there was indeed a lack of space.
"Judging from the situation, it seems to be hidden, perhaps in a separate room!"
"There must be some treasure hidden there, but where is it?"
"Is there some kind of organization involved? I'll come find you." Hearing the commotion, You Lizhu intervened without hesitation; she was an expert in this area.
Luo Yin, who was resting in the corner, also came over when she heard this.
Upon hearing them talk about this, their eyes lit up immediately. "What are you looking for? I'll try it too. I'm the best at finding things."
She mimicked the movements from her memory and began tapping here and there on the wall.
He tried to hear something else, but those around him stopped him.
"Hahaha, Xiao Luo, stop knocking! You think you can find the entrance just because you hear an odd sound?" You Lizhu teased with a laugh, shaking her head under her serious gaze. "It's not that simple!"
Yun Shi Lai nodded in agreement, "Yes, Xiao Luo, the so-called small cubicles and hidden mechanisms are not found this way."
"How about this, you watch from the side and see how we do it." Yun Shilan stopped her, not wanting her to get involved.
Seeing that they were all like this, Luo Yin thought for a moment, agreed, and took a few steps back.
"good."
The following scenes opened a new world for the naive and inexperienced Loin.
The group of people on the scene seemed to have discussed something beforehand. Starting from the wall of the main hall and the side hall, they extended outwards, each taking a position, and then carefully inspected something.
Whether it's on the wall, the ground, the roof beam, or elsewhere.
Anything that looked suspicious was suppressed by them.
Strangely enough, what was originally an immovable, fixed spot suddenly became movable under these circumstances.
Luo Yin heard the sound of the heavy object being pressed down, and then the other three people followed suit, after which the wall in front of them began to shake.
Then, a dark crack appeared through the not-so-thick door.
"This...this is the cubicle?"
"Elder Xia, Elder Zhuang, we've made another discovery!"
"Sister Yun, Sister You, you're both amazing!" Luo Yin excitedly stepped forward.
"Don't rush in. Who knows how long it's been since the air has entered this place?" Xu Hongze picked up his flashlight and shone it inside, only to find that he couldn't see anything at all.
Inside the walls on both sides, there was a thick, heavy layer of soil.
"I suppose the reason there was no sound before was because of these things. The thickness and material are very soundproof."
The senior experts who were called in were surprised to find that they had made a new discovery. They first praised the comrades, and then they all gathered around and looked at the space in front of them, which could only be entered sideways.
"This place is too narrow, it's very inconvenient to get in."
Those who are slightly taller and larger cannot get in.
"Indeed, but there must be something inside such a secluded place."
Xia Ming's eyes brightened as he looked through the flashlight again and again. "How did you find out?"
As they recounted their story, Elder Xia and the others deduced that this must have been a small mechanism built when the temple was originally constructed. Judging from the dust and traces inside, it was clear that no one had been inside for many years.
They then questioned Dalai and roughly concluded that the temple was probably built by the original inhabitants.
The exact estimated time is no longer possible, but judging from the buildings and structures inside, excluding signs of renovation, the exact time cannot be confirmed at this time.
But this crack gave them new hope. If something that could prove something was found underground, could it serve as material evidence to add a unique chapter to the cultural heritage of the temple?
Opinions varied, but the final decision was still to go.
However, they ran into trouble when it came to choosing who should go in.
In the end, everyone could only choose the relatively thinner comrades. After screening them all, most of them were eliminated, leaving only the few in front of them.
Among the male colleagues, several were young researchers, all of whom looked frail and thin.
Old Xia glanced at them and seemed uneasy. "These people are no good."
The women next to them were the three beauties: Luo Yin, Yuan Fang, and You Lizhu.
Yes, Yun Shilan wasn't selected because she's too tall. Although she looks thin, she's over 1.7 meters tall.
Because Xia Lao judged that the road ahead might be very narrow and blocked, he simply removed the tall people.
Looking at the row of young comrades who were of similar height, slender, with youthful faces and pure eyes, Elder Xia and the others really didn't know how to choose.
They really didn't have the courage to say it aloud, and they weren't going to let them in directly.
Ultimately, it was Elder Xia who made the final decision: "Let's do it this way. I'll lead the team in to take a look."
"No way, Lao Xia, your body can't handle it. Let me go, I'm stronger than you!" Shi Xinrong patted his arms and legs to show his strength.
Don't let Lao Xia's current appearance and wrinkled face fool you; from behind, he exudes the air of a refined gentleman.
That's right, one is him and the other is Lao Zhuang. These two are not only highly learned and unmatched in their professional fields, but they are also so handsome and outstanding, especially the one who is tall, over 1.8 meters, a head taller than him.
Mr. Shi, a southerner, had been depressed for most of his life, but unexpectedly, he benefited from this.
"Stop talking, neither you nor Lao Zhuang are as good as me, this time it's my turn."
"You, you, and you, all three of you, come in with me and take a look. Do you dare?" He pointed to three people, one of whom was You Lizhu.
The three chosen individuals nodded in agreement and then loudly echoed their support.
When Luo Yin saw that he had skipped over her and Sister Xiao Fang, her face turned sour.
Team Leader Huo suddenly said, "Old Shi, you only need to bring two professionals. We'll handle the rest, from leading to cleaning up."
"The space inside is definitely not big, and too many people won't work either. Don't bring too many people and they'll get stuck inside and won't be able to get out."
Everyone tried to find humor in their misery and burst into laughter.
Two more suitable people were quickly selected, and the group of six, led by Huo Sen and commanded by Shi Lao, went inside.
It looked like she had to suck in her stomach and carefully insert herself sideways right from the start.
The people standing nearby, with their lights on, held their breath, as if they themselves were going inside.
At this moment, everyone's eyes and attention were focused on this place, eagerly anticipating what major discovery might be made next.
After passing through the narrow passage, Hosen, who was leading the way, finally moved to a slightly more spacious area, where at least he no longer had to walk sideways. Old Shi behind him noticed the pause ahead.
They hurriedly asked what had happened.
Because they were unsure of what was happening inside, the six of them deliberately spread out, leaving gaps at the front and back for a few people to stand in, just in case something unexpected happened to them.
"It's alright. There's a large space ahead. Elder Shi, please wait for my message."
Huo Sen’s loud voice rang out from the other end, and Old Shi must have readily agreed.
Then tell the people behind to stop, and wait for their feedback.
Hosen shone his flashlight along the way and soon found that the road ahead turned in a different direction. He slowed down and then saw a downward-facing cave entrance not far ahead.
After checking that there were no threats around, Hossen carefully stood in front of the cave entrance and shone his flashlight around.
They discovered that underground was a winding staircase leading down, and below it seemed there was a large space.
What's inside?
Hossen's breathing quickened slightly, and he soon caught a heavy, rotten smell.
Thinking of the people behind him, he quickly turned back and told Elder Shi what had happened.
"Really? I have to go check it out!"
Old Shi was very excited, and his steps quickened involuntarily.
Hosen reminded him, "I haven't been to that area yet, so you'd better be careful."
"Yes, yes, don't worry, I know what I'm doing!" Shi Xinrong was overjoyed. At this moment, all his previous frustration was gone, replaced by excitement for the upcoming major discovery.
After a few conversations, the crowd outside gradually quieted down.
Everyone stood there for a long time. Soon, except for a few people who stayed behind to listen for any sounds, the rest of them were called away by Elder Xia and Elder Zhuang to help out.
Old Xia and Old Zhuang called Old Chen and Dalai over and began to sort through the information they had received from beginning to end to determine what the situation was in this place.
How could so many unknown situations occur?
Based on the discovery of the bronze tiles and previous information, Dr. Yu and Master Ganda judged that the two colleagues' gastrointestinal discomfort was likely caused by acclimatization issues during their long journey.
The so-called poisoning is nonsense; the rainwater flowing under the bronze tiles went into the large vat below.
They made me wash my hands and brush my teeth. Although some of it might touch my skin, the amount I actually ingested was not high.
After all, the lead content is certainly not as high as that of bronze cooking utensils or bronze wine cups.
These findings were confirmed by several senior experts and with Mr. Chen's nod of approval.
However, despite a continuous stream of documents and oral accounts, they were unable to find any information about these bronze tiles or the temple with its mechanisms; this situation seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.
So they broadened their scope, extending it directly to the entire southwest region, and then a new development came to Xia Lao's mind.
It is said that in May of last year, a local archaeological team discovered a large ancient burial complex in farmland in a small town under the jurisdiction of Kunming.
It is said that this burial complex covers an area of 5,000 square meters, and among the burial objects unearthed were bronze artifacts.
One is a classic bronze vessel used for sacrificial rites, and the other is a bronze drum with an ancient and simple design.
Unfortunately, there was no detailed information available for reference, and Xia Ming only knew about it from a few words mentioned over the phone.
He only made that connection because it was bronze.
He told a few people about it, and they all started discussing and speculating whether there was any connection between the two.
One of the daily tasks in field archaeology is to imagine all sorts of things when they cannot determine or confirm the age of the artifacts or the people involved in the events.
All possible speculations are put forward, and then corroborated by real data, historical records, and physical evidence, forming a chain of evidence for the qualitative new discovery.
Of course, the subsequent procedures and applications for every major human discovery and exploration are certainly not that simple.
But it is through repeated questioning and evidence gathering that these people uncover those facts that best reflect the truth.
Those around him who were hearing the news for the first time looked at Elder Xia with admiration.
Everyone admires his understanding of the real-time archaeological work, and it is likely that he made these preparations in advance.
People don't fight battles unprepared; indeed, with thorough preparation, one fears no demons or monsters.
"So, what's down there?"
Inside the crevice, Brother Liu stood at the entrance of the hole and shouted.
Two people had already gone down below, leaving Old Shi behind up there in case of an accident.
Team Leader Huo then took another more composed researcher downstairs, but after three or four minutes there was still no news coming back up.
"Captain Huo, Xiao Ke, are you alright? Say something!"
Old Shi was now in a panic. What kind of trouble had happened to these two boys because of her arrangements?
If something unexpected really happens, Lao Shi will be restless for the rest of his life.
"Everything's fine down here, just wait a little longer!"
Suddenly, a loud shout came from underground.
Judging from the location of the sound, it seems to be quite far away.
"Hey, why does this sound seem so close to us? How deep down there must be!"
Brother Liu wandered around, wanting to go down and take a look, but then he saw that the remaining person still needed his protection.
Trying to suppress the urge to attack, he said, "Hey, everyone, step back and make a safe space."
After a few more minutes, everyone heard footsteps approaching.
Next came two more people climbing up, one after the other. The two had different expressions, but both wore the same look of excitement and anticipation.
Upon seeing the boy's expression, Old Shi guessed that he had discovered something and hurriedly asked him.
"Old Shi, there's a winding passageway leading outwards below. I just tested it with Captain Huo, and we estimate there's still a long way to go, but we don't know where it leads."
"What, there's more?"
The good mood of anticipating the discovery of some cultural relics was interrupted by these words. Shi Xinrong frowned and then waved his hand to let everyone return the way they came.
"Let's go out first and discuss it with them."
The five agreed, and then they quickly followed the same path and left sideways.
Those waiting outside the gap heard footsteps clearly audible inside, and someone immediately shouted.
"They're out! They're out!"
"Quickly, turn on the lights!"
People gradually gathered around, their eyes filled with anticipation as they waited for them to appear.
When the last person came out, everyone was relieved to see that everyone had returned safely and no one was injured. They then handed them the warm water they had prepared and sat down to ask them about the situation inside.
Old Shi took a few sips of water and calmed his tone before speaking.
"The space inside is very narrow, you almost have to stand on tiptoe to walk. Luckily I'm relatively thin. But it was tough for the two soldiers like Captain Huo. Their hard muscles just had to scrape through."
Everyone looked at the two of them, and then they saw Brother Liu subconsciously touch his chest.
"Hey, don't even mention it!"
"Cough cough!"
Huo Sen's perpetually upright posture drew the attention of many people because of Xiao Liu's action.
After all, anyone with eyes can see that his physique is several points better than Xiao Liu's.
Those well-developed pectoral muscles stood out especially against the thin shirt!
Luo Yin subconsciously looked and looked again, her mind becoming absorbed in the art of the human body, unaware that the protagonist was already restless.
Hossen is very good at controlling his gaze, especially after everyone else has looked away, he keeps looking at them.
When Luo Yin looked up again, she was greeted by another pair of deep eyes.
He actually looked over here?
Loin was shocked!
"Ahem, keep going. After walking for about five or six minutes, I guessed it wasn't far, maybe seven or eight meters at most, when the place suddenly became larger, and the space on both sides was no longer cramped. Only then could we walk normally. At this time, the surroundings were still the same as before, with a thick layer of dusty soil."
Teacher Shi is very good at storytelling, and everyone in the audience listens very attentively when he starts speaking.
"However, there was nothing else in this passage except for the smell of dust and mold and decay. What was really different was that after walking a little further, not far, just a few minutes' walk, a cellar-shaped cave entrance appeared."
"The cave entrance?"
Knowing he was getting serious, everyone was eager to see what would happen next.
"What's down there? Could there be some treasure in the cave?"
"That's very possible. There might be something else stored in there."
Everyone has a vivid imagination and has already started to imagine how many precious cultural relics there would be.
But Mr. Shi dampened their enthusiasm with just a few words.
Elder Xia and the others also looked at him with complicated expressions.
"I didn't go down!"
"You'll have to ask them!"
He pointed to Captain Huo and Xiao Ke.
"I went down, but I didn't find anything underground, only a passageway leading to a distant place."
Hossen nodded in agreement!
"Can you find any other clues in the passageway?"
Suddenly, Zhuang Lao asked him questions, as if he were conducting research, about the dynasty in which it was built, the style of construction, and physical objects in the vicinity that could provide clues.
Xiao Ke hurriedly waved his hand, startled by the series of questions.
"At first glance, it looks like it's been around for quite a while, but I can't tell from the other signs."
"In that case, it seems we should make a trip there too."
Xia Ming stared intently at the crack. "Why don't we just tear this place down?"
After thinking for a long time, Old Xia finally spoke up.
To everyone's surprise, the honest and simple-minded Dalai hurriedly refused, saying, "No, no, this place can't be demolished."
“We won’t demolish the temple, we’ll just remove the excess soil in front of it,” Zhuang Lao explained.
"That's right, the temple will definitely not be demolished, it's just that the space in front is too small, which is really inconvenient."
Da looked at them and then turned to look at the wall. "That won't do either. It will damage this wall."
As he spoke, he stretched out his hands, blocking the way for the crowd.
Everyone seemed surprised and curious as they looked at him with astonishment.
"Guide, we really won't demolish anything. Besides, this temple is so dilapidated, it won't cause much loss whether we demolish it or not." Moreover, it would be worth it to lose something for the things inside.
However, the person clearly restrained himself and didn't say it out loud.
Dalai blushed as everyone stared at him, his dark, simple face bearing a stubborn expression.
“I know you are all good comrades sent by the government, but if this wall is torn down, this temple will not be any better. It will all collapse.” If there is dangerous weather at that time, the people who go up the mountain will have nowhere to shelter from the rain.
There is also the possibility of being...
Dalai dared not think any further. Since he was here today, he was determined not to allow them to make a move.
"Old Xia suddenly pulled this stunt, what are we going to do?"
Old Shi was dumbfounded; he hadn't expected that the first step would fail.
Xia Ming pondered for a moment, "Did we violate their taboos or prohibitions?"
They did a lot of background research on this operation, especially on the taboos of those dozen or so ethnic minorities, which they memorized.
But that's clearly not the case.
"By the way, what ethnicity is the guide?"
"They should be Yao people, judging from the fact that they live in a Yao village."
"Really? But I feel that although his daily behavior seems to be trying to be like the Yao people, some of the hidden details are very much like the Qiang people."
"A Qiang person?"
"What does that mean?"
Hearing Lao Zhuang say this, the people around him all pricked up their ears to listen.
"Actually, it was a coincidence. I once talked with an old Qiang person, so I knew some things that outsiders don't know. I happened to see that Dalai had done the same thing, so I paid attention to it."
"I don't know if you noticed, but when I first went to Dalai's house, their little bamboo house was very different from other houses. Besides being exceptionally clean and tidy, the whole family seemed to be very clean. Perhaps it was just a coincidence. But after meals, they didn't put the bowls and chopsticks horizontally on the bowls, they were very superstitious about the hearth when entering or leaving the house, they took off their straw hats as soon as they entered the house, they never brought mud back into the house, and most importantly, he even consulted the oracle before leaving the house."
Zhuang Yongshou spoke each word with profound meaning: "These are all in accordance with the taboos and customs of the ancient Qiang people."
"So that means Dalai really is an ancient Qiang person!"
"Hiss, I think I'm starting to understand something. No wonder, no wonder, so these bronze artifacts really weren't a coincidence." Old Shi looked dumbfounded.
He finally realized what was going on; no wonder he said it was so sudden.
Thinking about this location and combining it with historical records, there are indeed things that fit this characteristic.
Xia Ming nodded in agreement, and the three veteran experts exchanged glances, tacitly acknowledging each other's views.
They seemed to understand, but the rest didn't.
Everyone looked at each other, their eyes filled with confusion, as if they were surrounded by mosquito coils.
Seeing this, the three bigwigs shook their heads and said respectively, "Isn't it obvious that the route passes through Kunming, Xiongguan Pass, and Dali?"
"A clearly marked ancient Silk Road in historical records!"
"The Five-Foot Road!"
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Author's Note: One chapter still owed.
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