Chapter 59
After all, it was a mausoleum, buried underground for hundreds of years, never seen the light of day, unfathomable, and always felt eerie. Fortunately, Li Chengqian was the grandson of Taizu, and following him, Lin Nanjie suddenly felt a lot warmer.
The tomb robber had already dug a passage around the outer perimeter of the tomb. The passage was made of blue bricks, with hard stone slabs underfoot, and it smelled of a chilly odor that had not been ventilated for a long time.
The entire tomb passage was silent, like a deep black hole. There was not a single sound except for the footsteps of two people, one in front and one behind, which landed on the stone slabs with an eerie clarity.
Only the fire starter in Li Chengqian's hand was lit. Lin Nanjie looked around cautiously, and saw the same stone walls everywhere.
Li Chengqian seemed to realize something and slowed down his pace, waiting for Lin Nanjie to catch up.
"Your Majesty, why don't we wait at the entrance of the cave until Commander Ao comes over."
"I don't know if the gang of thieves has left. If we run into them, it will be very dangerous."
Li Chenghuan did not stop walking: "I just looked at the cave entrance. It seems that no one has entered or left here for a long time."
Lin Nanjie followed closely, and the scary corpse beetles, blood zombies, and giant dumplings in the novels, movies, and TV dramas he had seen began to play out in his mind one after another. He subconsciously stretched out his hand, wanting to grab something and hold it.
Once you start to get nervous, heart sounds will keep coming out:
[It is said that the corpse beetles in the ancient tombs hatched from the dead, could burrow into the human body, and finally burst out from the brain. ]
[There is also the ancient practice of burying people alive. After a person dies, if the tomb is disturbed by external forces, they will suddenly turn into blood zombies, and will surely die if they encounter them... And...]
[Prosperous, strong, democratic, civilized and harmonious... I am a firm materialist! ]
Li Chenghuan was forced to accept the terrifying scene in Lin Nanjie's mind and was silent for a moment.
It's a bit scary when you first walk in.
He raised his eyes and looked around at the dark tomb passage. This huge mausoleum was buried deep underground, and there was a dull and cold smell in the air.
Li Chenghuan suddenly spoke up: "After Emperor Taizu ascended the throne, he abolished the previous dynasty's rule of burying living people with the dead. The imperial mausoleum was a huge project, designed and built by the Ministry of Works. The layout was designed according to orthodox feng shui rules, emphasizing the right time, right place, and right people. Only in this way can the people of Daqi be blessed with good weather and peace."
Li Chengqian's voice came slowly in the darkness, neither light nor heavy, just enough to soothe Lin Nanji's frightened mentality.
Lin Nanjie's nerves slowly relaxed, and he looked at Li Chenghuan with a hint of inquiry.
[Are you telling this to me? ]
Li Chenghuan stopped and tilted his head to look at him: "So, usually you should read less stories that may mislead young people."
Lin Nanqi lowered his head in embarrassment.
However, at this moment, his ankle was suddenly brushed by something, which felt slightly cool, like the hair of something.
Lin Nanqi jumped up instantly: "Ahhhhh! Help!"
Lin Nanjie's terrified screams echoed throughout the entire cemetery. For a moment, the narrow and long tomb passage was filled with echoes.
Lin Nanjie became even more terrified. In fear, his body reacted first and he subconsciously bent down and hugged the living person next to him.
The two of them suddenly leaned against each other. Li Chengqian's body froze and he raised his hand to grab the man.
Lin Nanjie's voice trembled: "Yes, there is something!"
Li Chengqian shone the tinder on the ground and said, "We have been digging the hole for so long, there is no guarantee that foxes or weasels from the area may come in."
Li Chengqian raised his eyebrows: "You seem to be quite courageous on weekdays, why are you afraid of ghosts?"
When Li Chengxuan moved the tinder back, he saw Lin Nanjie squatting on the ground, hugging his thighs tightly, with his eyes closed and his whole body trembling slightly.
Lin Nanqi had tears in his eyes. He shivered and squeezed out words from between his teeth: "Can humans and ghosts be compared?"
Li Chengqian: …
It seems like I was scolded.
The fire stick in Li Chengqian's hand flashed, and he suddenly said in a suspicious tone: "Beside your feet..."
“Aaaaaaaaah!”
Lin Nanjie used his hands and feet to climb up until his feet were off the ground.
Li Chengqian's lips curled slightly: "Oh, I saw it wrong."
Lin Nanqi looked down in the dim light of the fire, and sure enough, there was nothing.
[Fortunately... I was scared to death! ]
Li Chengxuan raised the fire starter, and the warm light illuminated the space between the two of them.
Lin Nanqi's heartbeat fell silent instantly.
The two were very close to each other, not to mention that Lin Nanjie was almost hanging on Li Chenghuan. The distance was so close that he could hear the other's steady heartbeat.
Lin Nanjie blinked randomly and inadvertently looked at Li Chenghuan, and saw his focused eyes.
Lin Nanqi's eyelashes trembled slightly, and he had an indescribable feeling in his heart.
"Are you scared?" Li Chenghuan's steady voice rang in his ears.
Lin Nanjie felt his ears go numb, and he subconsciously raised his hand to rub it, and then he met Li Chenghuan's smiling eyes. He immediately felt something was wrong, and put his hand down uncomfortably.
[Why does it feel weird? 】
Lin Nan ignored the strange feeling and showed a look of having survived a disaster: "I am afraid of ghosts. I am sorry to make the emperor laugh."
Li Chengqian said softly: "It's okay, I won't laugh at you."
Lin Nanqi's earlobe felt numb again, and she didn't care about being scared anymore, so she quickly got off Li Chenghuan.
[It's strange. If the dog emperor scolded me in a sarcastic tone, I would feel better. But when he spoke in a gentle voice like this, it was... It was strange anyway.]
Lin Nanjie was struggling internally when suddenly a sleeve was handed to him.
Li Chengqian said in a steady voice: "Hold it."
Lin Nan's performance:
【. 】
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Lin Nanjie grasped Li Chenghuan's sleeves somewhat awkwardly, and felt much better. Looking at Li Chenghuan's leisurely pace, he was not afraid at all and asked, "Is the emperor familiar with this place?"
Li Chengqian: “I’ve seen the drawings.”
While talking, the two stopped.
There is no road here.
Lin Nanjie tried hard to find something to say: "I heard that there is a treasure related to the fate of the country in the tomb of the late emperor? Maybe the tomb robbers came for this."
Li Chengqian didn't know what he was thinking about when he heard this, so he smiled and said, "Really?"
Lin Nanjie immediately said, "I think it must be a lie!"
Lin Nanjie: [Indeed, what kind of treasure can bear the weight of something as important as national destiny?]
Li Chenghuan fumbled on the wall for a while, not knowing what he pressed, a door suddenly appeared on the originally flat wall and spun open.
Lin Nanqi leaned forward slightly and was blinded by the wooden boxes filling the room.
The two men walked in and found that all the wooden boxes were opened, but what was inside were burial objects, not treasures.
Li Chenghuan didn't know what he was thinking about. He looked at the mess in the room and suddenly said, "The treasure related to the country's destiny that you just asked about really exists."
Lin Nanjie's eyes widened: [Ah, it's been stolen. ]
Li Chenghuan: "It's just fake. How could something related to the fate of the country be put among the burial objects?"
Lin Nanjie suddenly realized: "Yes, it is related to the fate of the country, or it is a treasure, so it can only be the imperial seal."
Li Chengqian gave him a look that was not too stupid: "There are rumors that the real edict of succession is placed in Taizu's tomb. I think those people came here for this."
[Yes, it is the edict of succession. According to legend, Emperor Mingzong, who succeeded Emperor Taizu, was not the legitimate successor, but his elder brother, Prince Jin, was. This group of rebels fought under the banner of Prince Jin.]
Lin Nanjie pretended to be confused: "The edict of succession?"
Li Chengqian did not expose the truth and nodded: "When Emperor Taizu passed on the throne, Prince Jin and Emperor Mingzong competed with each other, and Emperor Mingzong finally ascended the throne. But there are also rumors that Emperor Taizu favored Prince Jin. It is also rumored that the real edict of succession is in Emperor Taizu's tomb."
Lin Nanjie suddenly felt some sympathy: [Now that the rebels have obtained the imperial edict, they feel that they have a legitimate reason and are preparing to rebel! ]
Lin Nanjie suddenly asked, "Then they could have easily broken in and taken it?"
Li Chengqian frowned slightly: "This is far from the center of the mausoleum. But this matter may not be that simple, but the edict must be fake."
Lin Nanjie nodded.
[Yes, we can just take advantage of the rumors and forge an imperial edict. Why go to all the trouble?]
【Besides, this is only the outer perimeter of the tomb.】
[However, this group of rebels failed to dig up treasure in Taizu's mausoleum. Rebellion is a job that requires money, so they opened a temple on Jingren Mountain, which is very popular. ]
[Hmm... This time you not only want to rebel, but also want to catch the dog emperor in one fell swoop? ]
A murderous look flashed across Li Chenghuan's face for a moment.
Lin Nanjie followed Li Chenghuan, but was thinking: [How should I tell the emperor about this? ]
Li Chenghuan's murderous aura disappeared, and he seemed to be talking to himself: "It seems that this gang of thieves has been planning for a long time. I need to be prepared early."
Lin Nanqi immediately said: "Your Majesty is right. After all, the temporary palace is a bit far from the capital, and the defense is far inferior to that of the capital. Why not return immediately?"
Li Chengqian: "I will consider it."
Lin Nanqi breathed a sigh of relief.
After Li Chenghuan checked it, the two of them returned along the same route. When they got back to the cave entrance, Lin Nanjie took a closer look and said, "Your Majesty, it seems a little high."
"You stepped on my shoulders?"
Li Chengqian glanced at him idly and squatted on one knee: "Come up."
Lin Nan hesitated.
【Isn’t this bad? 】
Li Chengqian raised his eyebrows slightly: "Do you still want me to wait?"
Lin Nanjie said nothing. He used his hands and feet together and climbed out of the cave with all his strength.
After Lin Nanjie came up, he untied Yin Ye's reins and threw them to Li Chengqian: "Your Majesty, I will pull you up."
Lin Nanjie waited for a long time but there was no movement. Li Chenghuan had already come up.
Lin Nanjie: …
"Your Majesty is truly a master of martial arts!"
Although Li Chenghuan fell into the cemetery, his body was not in disarray at all. After coming out, he even straightened his outer robe.
When I came out, the moon was already setting in the west, and it looked like it was late at night. The emperor had gone hunting in the spring, and had not returned until late at night, so the palace must have been in a state of panic.
Lin Nanjie: "Your Majesty, it's getting late, let's go back to the palace quickly."
Li Chenghuan nodded and mounted his horse.
Lin Nanjie was about to follow when Li Chengqian extended his hand to him, "Get on the horse."
Lin Nanqi said awkwardly, "Your Majesty, I dare not. I'd better lead the horse."
Li Chengqian was silent: "I will not punish you."
Lin Nanjie hesitated: [What if? ]
Who knew that everything was taken away. Lin Nanjie watched in horror as his feet left the ground. After he stopped, he was lifted onto the horse and sat on it steadily.
Yin Ye sneezed loudly.
Lin Nan didn't know where to put his hands: [This, this, this is not me committing an offense. ]
Li Chenghuan pulled the reins, and the precious horse ran swiftly under the moonlight.
Not long after running, he ran into Ao Jingchuan who was looking for someone. Ao Jingchuan dismounted and knelt down: "I have failed in my duty, please punish me, Your Majesty!"
Li Chenghuan stopped his horse and said, "It's okay. I walked away on my own."
Ao Jingchuan breathed a sigh of relief, stood up, and then saw a figure behind Li Chenghuan. He was immediately frightened and broke out in a cold sweat.
Lin Lin Lin...Eunuch Lin!
He actually rode on the same horse with the emperor!
Who said that Eunuch Lin has fallen out of favor?