Chapter 41: The Tomb of Emperor Hui of Jin [9]

Down the pit

Su WanTing's delighted 'dig' sentence had just fell, then suddenly came the rustling of the wind and the blown willows swayed wildly in the forests; like it was lamenting. The atmosphere suddenly grew eerie.  Zhang Qiu did not know if it was an illusion, but he obviously felt cold and gloomy.

The Liu brothers, whom had just taken out the Luoyang's shovel, were frightened by the present situation and took two steps back. Unexpectedly, they dared not start.

“Why are you stopping? Aren't you guys or the Earth Masters down the pit with guts?” Su WanTing said sarcastically.

Bald Head had never been very respectful to Su WanTing, but this time he took the lead in saying, “Give me the tools.” Da Liu handed the Luoyang's shovel to him, and to his surprise, he felt like a gust of wind drilling into his wrist like the cold that could penetrate into his bones; he could not help retreating. Bald Head glared and grabbed the Luoyang's shovel. At the side, Pingquan looked at the shovel that Xiao Liu had handed over. The two looked at each other and plunged it straight into the soil.

The shovels went deep into the earth. Then in a split second, Zhang Qiu felt the wind around had stop.

“No. It's okay.” Da Liu said with some delight and trembling lips.

Zhang Qiu felt that it was not so simple. Sure enough, after the air was still for a second. Suddenly, at the mere rustle of leaves in the wind, echoed the crackling sound of the willows' branches. The sound was very loud and strange. It was not like the usual wind blowing at all.

Da Liu was so frightened by that, his legs turned soft and he almost fell to the ground. Xiao Liu, beside him, hurried to help. “What's wrong with you, brother?” Since the last hysteria, his brother had been too timid. Who knew what dream he had to actually make him scared and looked like a quail.

The wind whining like it was weeping.

Da Liu's legs shook. He put all his weight on his younger brother and stammered, “There– there are ghosts, many ghosts, ghosts all over the tree.”

Zhang Qiu looked around and saw no ghosts, but the eerie view of the forest was no better than all ghosts. This place was indeed very evil. Zhang Qiu could not help but think of the little eunuch who claimed to be a maidservant.

What was it called——

“Your Excellency, save maidservant.”

“Maidservant is Ling Dang.”

“Someone is going to kill you.”

The voice was clearly ringing in his ears, but when Zhang Qiu looked back, he saw nothing. Li Shu saw Zhang Qiu looked back suddenly, so he asked, “What's wrong?”

“Didn't you hear anything?” Zhang Qiu saw Li Shu shook his head, he whispered, “Remember the ghosts pounding the wall that I said last time had a ghost who claimed to be a maidservant? Second's wife said that he might be a eunuch. Just now, he spoke to me again.”

Li Shu's eyebrows wrinkled slightly. Zhang Qiu repeated what the self-proclamed Ling Dang had said. Li Shu's face sank when he heard that 'someone is going to kill you'. Zhang Qiu was also nervous about what Ling Dang had said.

They whispered in each other's ears here, but over there, Su WanTing was angry and cursed a few words. She grabbed the Luoyang's shovel in Pingquan's hand and started doing it herself. She dug carelessly without the ordered method. Pei Qing took the shovel in Su WanTing's hand and said, “step aside.” Su WanTing smiled and took two steps back. When Pei Qing shoveled down, the whining wind stopped.

Su WanTing snorted alongside him, pointed to the shallow pit on the ground and scolded Pingquan and Bald Head several times: “Useless, dig now!” After that, she looked back in the direction of Zhang Qiu's group of three for a swept.

In the bright moonlight, when Zhang Qiu saw Su WanTing's eyes, he suddenly trembled. Not because of his timidity, but because just then Su WanTing's pupils shrank in an instant; her eyes were very white, just like those of the zombies in the biochemical crisis. After looking once again, when Su WanTing smiled at Li Shu behind him, the shrinking pupils were nowhere to be seen.

Zhang Qiu's suspicion did not dissipate. He dared to a.s.sure himself that he had never mistaken anything he saw.

Su WanTing was not human.

Over there, the Liu brothers had taken over. After all, Pei Qing was not an Earth Master; he had strength but no excavating skill. He might not be able to dig it even until tomorrow morning came.

Pei Qing's face did not looked good, especially impatient with Su WanTing's manner, but he still had not said anything.

Zhang Qiu then told Li Shu and Pixian Hui w.a.n.g about his discovery. Pixian Hui w.a.n.g swept a circle around Su WanTing. “There's a hint of smell.”

“The smell of Jin LaoDa.” Li Shu added.

Zhang Qiu was shocked. He whispered, “Su WanTing is Jin LaoDa?” This guy is actually not dead yet?!!!

Li Shu shook his head. “No.”

Zhang Qiu breathed a sigh of relief; no was good because Jin LaoDa was a nightmare. He heard Li Shu continued: “It's Su WanTing that smells like Jin LaoDa; rotten, but well hidden.”

Pixian Hui w.a.n.g added at the side, “This Su WanTing appeared to have deeper skills than Jin LaoDa's.”

Zhang Qiu looked at Su WanTing; an eighteen or nineteen year old girl. Seven years ago when Jin LaoDa met the people behind him, Su WanTing had acquired more than any evil law practiced by Jin LaoDa. Did she start at a young age?

Su WanTing seemed to be aware of his eyes, that when she turned her head, she showed an inexplicable smile across the long distance; which appeared somewhat sinister and terrible under the moonlight. Then she turned back and whispered something to Pei Qing. Pei Qing's expression could not be seen clearly, but obviously he did not want to continue talking to Su WanTing. He started lifting his legs to go to their side, but he was stopped by Su WanTing. Pei Qing immediately got angry.

“You'd better hold back. I won't help you.”

Su WanTing was in front of Pei Qing. Zhang Qiu couldn't see his face or hear anything, so Pixian Hui w.a.n.g whispered their conversation behind him, “Brother, did you forget that Mama had made you to take care of me before she died? You had lost me, and now you don't want to take care of me?”

Zhang Qiu was taken aback. But the next second, he reacted to second's wife describing Su WanTing's speech to Pei Qing.

Pei Qing's expression seemed to be at bit emotionally moved; his mouth opened and closed. At the end, he shook Su WanTing's arm away and walked towards them.

Zhang Qiu had never expected that Pei Qing and Su Wan Ting were siblings. But was not Su WanTing, Su Zhicai's daughter? Zhang Qiu was in a fog. When he saw Pei Qing coming, the three people behaved as usual. Pei Qing did not know that they had heard the conversation between him and Su w.a.n.gTing. His expression still had a little uncontrolled anger. He just nodded and stood at the side; his thought unknown.

Xiao Liu, the smaller man over there, had gone down the dug up robber's hole and bringing detonators, which after about an hour or so, it opened up.

Su WanTing's face was overwhelmed with joy and took the lead to go down. Upon seeing this, Pingquan beckoned. “Take along all the stuffs down the pit.” He glanced at Da Liu, who was somewhat feeling faint, and hesitated, “Or you can stay.”

Da Liu himself wanted to agree, but he could not help trembled upon the cold wind blew behind his neck. “I–I'll go down with you guys, too.”

Pingquan no longer cared, only thinking that Da Liu had lost his chain at the critical moment, and had little courage. He would never seek after him again if he had any work to do.

–

Su WanTing started first, followed by Pingquan and the few, then Pei Qing, Pixian Hui w.a.n.g, Zhang Qiu in the middle, and Li Shu in the end.

Second time was a charm. Zhang Qiu climbed down very fast this time. He did not know how long it was before he heard someone shouting 'arrived'. He didn't even feel tired.

Pixian Hui w.a.n.g came down first, Zhang Qiu followed him to the ground, and Li Shu came down behind him. Someone flashed the flashlight around, and Bald Head's voice rang, “Su WanTing is missing.”

Zhang Qiu looked all around and sure enough, he did not see Su WanTing.

Bald Head snorted coldly. “I knew this woman wanted to fish us with a deal first. Like her hard-hearted and shameless father, she set up a plan to s.n.a.t.c.h my things, but my things are not so easy to get s.n.a.t.c.hed.”

“s.n.a.t.c.h your what?”

Bald Head looked at Pei Qing and sneered. “Are you familiar with Su WanTing? I advise you that this woman is a terrible stuff[1]. It's better to stay away from her. Don't get chewed until all remain are the bones.” After a pause, his face was reluctant. “The father and son both set up a trap to cheat me for the box. This time, I must s.n.a.t.c.h back the box with interests.”

It turned out to be a case of opportunity.

Zhang Qiu looked around. The robber's hole was directly brought them to the burial chamber with many figurines in bright colors. Looking at their faces and clothes, they should be from Han Dynasty. The eunuchs held various musical instruments in their hands and handmaids made various dancing gestures. This group of people should be the dance and musical troupe.

Bald Head did not have patience for this; he hurriedly swept around, obviously thinking about Su WanTing. He promptly urged them: get a move on, the good things are still behind and so on.

Zhang Qiu had no objection. When, they went out of the accompanied burial chamber, there was a long corridor at the front and rear. They didn't know which way to go. Zhang Qiu looked at Li Shu subconsciously. Li Shu asked him, “Which one do you want to go?”

Instantly, Zhang Qiu remembered when Li Shu had made him chose the way at the tomb of Shandong's General, which ultimately reached a very deceptive ending. He hurriedly shook his head. Pei Qing pointed at the back and said, “Walk here.”

Bald Head's face showed that he did not believe Pei Qing, thus he pointed at the front direction, “Here, keep up.”

Pingquan and Liu brothers looked at each other and made a choice; they followed Bald Head. In their opinion, Pei Qing obviously knew Su WanTing all the way. A moment ago, Su w.a.n.gTing took his arm in a familiar way, and once she came down, she disappeared. It must be a trick. It would be a wonder if they believed Pei Qing.

Pei Qing stared at the figures of Bald Head and the few with indifferent expression, but one could not tell what he was thinking. He then turned around to Zhang Qiu and asked, “Do you guys believe me?”

As a matter of fact, Zhang Qiu was half-convinced. His sixth sense told him that Pei Qing was not a bad person. But on the pit surface, when Pei Qing confronted Su WanTing, he was obviously wavered. At the moment, Zhang Qiu did not know what to choose. Li Shu nodded and pointed in the direction Pei Qing said, “Let's go!”

On Pei Qing's face did not showed anything, but it could be seen that his mood was much lighter. Then, he took the lead.

“We don't know which way to go anyway.” Li Shu lightly said to Zhang Qiu.

Fine! It was the same as in Shandong; we did not know where to go, so just randomly picked a way is fine. Zhang Qiu did not even know what to roast at Li Shu, but he felt a lot of ease. If they just chose to go with Bald Head, it seemed not very good. In the bottom of Zhang Qiu's heart, he actually really believed Pei Qing.

He only hoped to not get hit on the face after a while.

–

A tomb appeared more than a hundred meters away. Zhang Qiu looked at the pattern of the stone door with a flashlight. Suddenly he heard the “bang-bang” gunshots, not far from them. Then there were several more, and there also were some disorderly footsteps coming this way.

Coa.r.s.e panting and talking noises.

Zhang Qiu tried to listen. “Is it Bald Head and them?”

Li Shu nodded and stared at the long corridor. “The Zongzis are chasing them behind, let's go first.”

It was a long corridor with side chambers in the middle. If they missed this one, they would not know where the next one was. The footsteps behind were getting louder and louder. Pei Qing had pushed the door opened. Zhang Qiu followed closely and heard Pei Qing's scream echoed throughout the corridor.

There was not a shadow of Pei Qing inside. The distance between front and rear was only a foot; Zhang Qiu squatted down and touched the floor. “It's moving. Pei Qing fell down.” He shouted Pei Qing's name below, but there was not even an echo of the stone thrown into the sea.

Zhang Qiu's heart sank. Li Shu did not delay much; he hugged Zhang Qiu and said, “Hold tight.” He jumped down to the board, followed by Pixian Hui w.a.n.g.

When Zhang Qiu reached to the ground, he rushed to find Pei Qing with his flashlight. As a result, nothing happened. It was a tomb with three coffins, two of which were decayed and white bones spilled all over the ground.

“Where did Pei Qing go?” They were practically a foot distance jumped back and forth, where one could go in such a short distance?

Li Shu took two steps and went to the middle coffin. Zhang Qiu followed him and stared. The coffin lid in the middle was uncovered, and Pei Qing, who they were looking for, slept in it.

“Did he jump in to lay down himself? It's too -” leisure. Before Zhang Qiu finished, Pei Qing suddenly opened his eyes, which did not seemed like he had just fallen asleep; his eyes were full of vigilance. When he saw them, he loosened it a little. “Why did you guys come down?”

Zhang Qiu knocked on the coffin. “You come out of it first, and then talk. It's too terrifyingly unbearable.”

“What happened when you fell?” Pixian Hui w.a.n.g asked.

Pei Qing then noticed that he was sleeping in the coffin and jumped out while rubbing both sides of his arms. “I fell down and a dark shadow flashed in front of my eyes. Then I lost consciousness. I saw you guys when I opened my eyes.”

Shadow? Was there anyone else inside? Su WanTing?

Zhang Qiu thought about it, and shook his head. It was impossible. Pei Qing was tall, more than 1.8 meters, a soldier, and had a strong vigilance. Even Su WanTing could not make Pei Qing lose consciousness at such a short distance and then carry Pei Qing to the coffin before escaping.

“Perhaps there's another possibility; Pei Qing jumped down into the coffin himself.” Pixian Hui w.a.n.g suddenly said.

This was not impossible. Although Zhang Qiu never wanted to doubt Pei Qing, Pei Qing had so many doubts along the way.

“You don't need to goad me by sarcasm. I know what you want to ask.” Pei Qing looked at Pixian Hui w.a.n.g and said lightly.

Zhang Qiu was dumbfounded. What is goad by sarcasm?

Li Shu saw Zhang Qiu's blank face and looked at Pei Qing. “Since you are at the row end, there is no need to be afraid to let we know anything.”

“It was a family affair, so I didn't want to talk about it at first.” Pei Qing paused. “Su WanTing and I are brother and sister of the same father and mother. When I was ten years old, my mother died of illness. Tingting and I were sent to the orphanage. Not long after, the adoption came, I was not suitable because of my age but Tingting was. At that time, when she was four years old, we separated. Then I went to the army after high school and returned to Beijing after being wounded and retired. Only then did I know Tingting's whereabouts.”

“I had looked for her several times. She was doing well. Su Family is rich; I have nothing to worry about. But I did not expect half a month ago she took the initiative to contact me, and said that she needed my help.” Pei Qing didn't intend to keep people on tenterhooks, he immediately said, “She wanted me to accompany her to go down the tomb. She said there were important things in it. I don't know what can be in it. But I promised my mother to take good care of her. I broke my promise for decades, and she needed me, so I gave her a hand.”

“But I found that my sister had changed.” Pei Qing frowned. “At Changsha, the sweet fragrance first came from Su WanTing. Then I saw the Bald Head being dragged down. Under the water, Su WanTing was so intent on killing Bald Head that I knew it was not as simple as Su WanTing had said.”

Pixian Hui w.a.n.g looked at Pei Qing. “You didn't actually get hallucinate by the scent?”

“Our army is special. We have done this kind of training before.” Pei Qing finished and looked at Li Shu. “You actually heard it on the tomb's surface just now. She asked me to lead you guys to the front way.”

The Zongzis were at the front, Pei Qing took them to the rear, but it seemed that it was neither good now.

“Su WanTing might know you won't listen to her and she deliberately said to go to the front.” Li Shu looked at the protruding decorative design on the wall. “She's staring straight at us now.”

Footnote:

[1] Stuff here meant in the derogatory way. i.e: trash

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