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墨書 Inktalez
I couldn't let Fatty take charge; this matter was too significant and too dangerous.
I looked at Xiao Ting and said, "You take a break. I need to talk to Fatty."
I walked around the sand table and entered the courtyard, so angry that I didn't even glance at Fatty. He could tell I was genuinely upset and followed me into the courtyard. As soon as I stepped outside, I wanted to lash out at him, but thinking about Xiao Ting hearing it made me hold back my anger as I entered the living room. The backyard had a row of three tile-roofed houses; I occupied the easternmost one, while Fatty lived in the westernmost. The middle one served as a living room, dining room, and workspace—basically, all activities except sleeping took place there.
As soon as Fatty entered, I exploded, "Fat Man, are you crazy? You can't just agree to everything! If this were feasible, would I have refused so straightforwardly? I've shared life-and-death bonds with Xiao Guolin; if I could help him, I would have done it myself. Why do you think you can speak for me?"
Feeling guilty, Fatty could only force a smile as I vented my frustration. Once I'd calmed down a bit, he said, "Wait a moment; let me show you something."
Fatty went out, and I heard him enter the room on the west side. After a moment, he returned holding a wooden box. He opened it to reveal a jade plate with a diameter of about fifteen centimeters.
I was initially surprised and glanced at Fatty; this was a valuable item. Although I wasn't an expert in jade, I could still tell the authenticity and quality at a glance. The plate was white and warm in color, without any blemishes—it was an exquisite Sheep Fat White Jade Plate.
Having seen good things before, I couldn't help but reach out to examine it closely. However, as soon as I touched it, something felt off; this was a counterfeit. The fact that he hadn't displayed this jade plate prominently made my heart sink—there was something wrong with it.
I raised my head and stared at him intently. A flicker of embarrassment crossed Fatty's face before he quickly masked it with indifference. That fleeting change in expression didn't escape my notice. Coldly, I asked, "Did you steal this?"
Fatty hesitated before avoiding a direct answer and instead urged me, "Look at the pattern on the plate."
My anger flared again. Bringing Fatty into this line of work had always made me anxious; I knew he was bold and capable of anything. After spending time teaching him how to identify genuine antiques carefully, I feared he might stray into grave robbing or similar activities. Yet here we were; he had defied my intentions after all. I almost wanted to smash that jade plate.
Seeing my expression darken, Fatty hurriedly said, "Qiangzi, don't get mad; just look at the carving on it first. This is something I've specifically saved for you."
As soon as I picked up the jade plate, I felt something engraved on its surface, which made me so angry that I lost my focus. I resisted the urge to smash the plate in his face and turned it over.
I was instantly stunned; the outer side of the jade plate was intricately carved with four lifelike faces. This object was too familiar; I could never forget it. It was exactly what I had unearthed from the Totem Pillar during my Desert Archaeology expedition—the Human-Faced Statue. It looked identical.
At that time, I believed the statue represented four different human expressions or emotions. Now, seeing the jade plate, my perception changed completely. The two sets of carvings depicted the same individual, sculpted with identical features. This meant that the group of statues was not an abstract representation of a concept but rather pointed to a specific person, showcasing four of their emotions. My initial judgment had to be entirely overturned.
I thought carefully about the Totem Pillar we had excavated. The layered carvings of people and animals all faced upward, each with distinct expressions. Only the four differently expressed human faces were oriented downward, suggesting that this individual was likely the king or one of the earliest pioneers of this Ancient Civilization. They were either feared or revered by others, and these four expressions could correspond to various emotions and actions of the figures and animals on the Totem Pillar. What did the sphere at the top of the Totem Pillar represent? This person was already an object of great admiration; what more could be above them? If it were a Totem Pillar, there shouldn't be multiple totemic figures above it.
In an instant, my rage transformed into an obsessive contemplation. However, I ultimately reached no conclusion.
I sighed softly and set down the jade plate, asking Fatty, "Where did this come from?"
"Gansu," Fatty replied immediately.
Gansu again; the last time we discovered the Four Kings Beast Bronze Square Ding, it was also in Gansu.
Fatty pulled out a map and pointed to a location. "Here."
I glanced at it and realized it wasn't Shagou; it was quite far from there. My mind raced as I stared at the map, trying to figure out how to resolve this situation first. The current issue was that Fatty had promised to help Xiao Ting and dragged me into this mess. Not only did I need to dissuade Fatty from his intentions, but I also needed to extricate myself from this predicament. I had to clarify Fatty's motives first; otherwise, I wouldn't know where to start.
As I pondered how to broach the subject, I looked up and found Fatty's big eyes fixed on me. Seizing the opportunity when he saw me lift my head, he said, "I almost had a falling out with Wen, the Shopkeeper, over this thing. I had to run back to Qinling just to settle things with him. Qiangzi, when I saw this pattern, I immediately thought of those four facial patterns you told me about—am I wrong?"
I could only nod in agreement. "No doubt about it; they are absolutely identical."
Fatty's big round eyes widened with excitement as he exclaimed, "Qiangzi, is it possible that what you discovered last time was a large tomb? The maze inside could be its passageway, and the bugs are just traps to prevent tomb raiders. You might not have found the burial chamber; you've just been wandering in the passage!"
I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. Damn it, this guy is actually thinking about getting rich. His enthusiasm was almost unsettling.
I pressed my fingers against my temples and rubbed them vigorously. I reassured myself: at least now I knew his intentions, which meant I could respond accordingly.
I reached out and patted Fatty on the shoulder. "You're overthinking it. That is definitely not a tomb. I know more about China's burial customs than you do. Even for emperors, ordinary people wouldn't build their graves in low-lying areas near water. If it were about feng shui, that place has no mountains, no veins, and no hidden energy; while it may not be extremely unlucky, it's certainly not a good spot either. From a feng shui and geographical perspective, it's simply not suitable for a tomb."
"From a tomb raiding perspective, however, it’s quite suitable for burying one," Fatty replied dismissively. "I've been thinking lately: for any major tomb, the most important aspect is its security against tomb raiders. Feng shui and geography all originate from the Central Plains; if you look at that area from a geographical and historical standpoint, it has nothing to do with Central Plains Culture. You can't analyze it using Central Plains customs and practices. Common sense dictates that the deeper you bury something, the safer it is, right? Plus, that place is an endless desert; where would they find mountains or veins? In my opinion, the deeper it is buried, the more significant the tomb."
I listened in stunned silence. There’s a saying that ignorance breeds fearlessness? That phrase doesn’t quite capture him accurately.
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