Chapter 3, starting with a piece of broken jade

None of us spoke, yet before long, Ming Lao had someone deliver the map. Generally, I do not look at maps; the first reason being that I am not skilled at interpreting maps like the one processed by Ming Lao, and the second reason is that I am not responsible for examining maps.

It seems like a line from a folk song. The madman said, and then he looked at the blueprint and recited: "Kaifeng City, city upon city, with several layers underground"

He looked at us, seemingly puzzled, as this was the first time he had encountered such a situation. In the past, every time before going out, Ming would always provide a map that clearly marked our destination. However, this time, it contained only an encrypted message. Such information would only be understood by a madman, and he was the only one who could comprehend it

Beneath Kaifeng City, there are a total of six cities buried, with the topmost being the Kaifeng City of the Qing Dynasty, and the bottommost being the important town of Bianzhou from the late Tang Dynasty. However, this is merely the current assertion, as the city at the very bottom is not Bianzhou, but rather Weidaliang City.

I possess a small and exquisite gold-digging talisman, which was given to me by this master. It is said to have been passed down from his master to him, and then to me. I wear this talisman around my neck, and the master told me that it would ensure my safety when I go underground. In addition to telling stories, he also taught me how to dig, how to distinguish soil colors, how to sense graves, and various other techniques related to excavation. Although during that period I had never actually gone underground, naturally, what he taught me was merely theoretical. In addition to telling stories, he also taught me how to dig, how to distinguish soil colors, how to sense graves, and various other techniques related to excavation. Although during that period I had never actually gone underground, naturally, what he taught me was merely theoretical.

I said: "Could you specifically explain the situation of Weidaliang City at https://m.hetushu.com?"

The madman said that the reason for the stacking of Kaifeng City is something that can be understood with a little attention to history; it is all due to the flooding of the Yellow River. The most famous instance of burial should be the capital city of Dongjing during the Northern Song Dynasty, which, despite being a thriving metropolis at the time, was buried underground, not to mention others.

Old Ming fell silent, and I was unsure whether he knew who my grandfather was. He was then assisted by someone nearby and left, leaving only the five of us in this secret room

In addition, I remember that my family seemed to be teaching me how to become a qualified tomb raider since I was young, especially my grandfather, who even went so far as to invite a master for me. It is said that this master was a retired tomb raider who had washed his hands of the trade. He loved to tell stories, most of which were about his bizarre experiences in the field. At that time, being young, I mostly did not believe these strange tales, thinking that many of them were exaggerated to scare me. It was only later, when I entered this line of work myself, that I realized he was telling the truth, at least most of it was true, because the rest I had not yet experienced.

I just thought of my grandfather

The madman said: "At present, I am still unable to ascertain the relationship between Weidaliang City and the shattered jade we are searching for. I only know that Weidaliang City was the capital of the State of Wei during the Warring States period. Later, it was destroyed during the wars of Qin's unification of the six states. Subsequently, the Yellow River breached its banks, and it was completely buried underground."

Xiaofeng asked, "But since it has been buried underground, it should be beneath Bianzhou City. How could it possibly be missing? It can't have just disappeared into thin air, can it?"

We are a unified small team of five, with clearly defined roles. Xiaofeng and I are responsible for going underground to retrieve items, and I also serve as the team leader. Ninghuan is in charge of locating graves, digging holes, and keeping watch. Yecheng is responsible for supporting Xiaofeng and me; sometimes, when we are overwhelmed, he will join us underground, although such instances are rare. Fengzi is responsible for reviewing maps, discussing travel routes, and managing supplies. More importantly, he is the only one who can communicate with Ming Lao after we go underground. Occasionally, when Xiaofeng and I are unable to cope, he will also join us underground, but these occasions are infrequent. Fengzi is tasked with reviewing maps and discussing travel routes as well as supplies, and crucially, he is the only one who can contact Ming Lao after we descend.

Thinking of this, I put away the broken jade and decided to visit my fourth uncle's shop, as there were some questions I had been wanting to ask him

I understood his meaning, so the madman left first, followed by Ye Cheng and the others who also returned one after another. In the entire secret room, I was left alone. I held the shard of jade from the table in my hand; this piece was exactly the same as the one my grandfather showed me back in the day. I remembered that from the side of this shard, one could see a red stain, and this piece also revealed the same.

Ming is a big shot in the treasure hunting scene around Luoyang, but he has basically stopped going out in person. Instead, he has retreated behind the scenes, directing those of us who work for him.

This is the first time I have encountered such a matter and *illustrated* books, so I asked the madman: "What information did Ming Lao provide?"

Thus, the question from many years ago resurfaced in my mind regarding the incident of my grandfather rising from the dead that night. I still remember the expression on my grandfather's face at that time; I saw anger in his eyes. At that moment, he was not a dead man. I have always felt that on that night, he came back to life for some unknown reason

This piece of broken jade was placed on the table, identical to the fragments of the jade figurine my grandfather showed me back in the day. It was this piece of broken jade that reminded me of these events. When I came to my senses, the masked Ming Lao had already called my name several times, and Xiao Feng beside me had already elbowed me several times.

The madman looked at the picture with some surprise and said, "Old Ming did not provide us with a specific location; he only gave us a clue."

I remained composed as Ming Lao repeated what I had not heard. He said, "Xiao Yuan, the five of you will go down to the field. I will arrange for the others. I need to find more fragments like this. I will provide you with the specific map shortly."

Later, I arrived in Luoyang and became a true earth master. The rules of the tomb raiders that my master taught me became my guidelines for going underground. I think this might be what people often refer to as subtle influence. More precisely, this master trained me to become a tomb raider. Looking back now, he probably regarded me as his successor, though at that time I did not fully understand his subtle approach

I, Xiaofeng, Ninghuan, Ye Cheng, and the madman

Upon hearing Xiaofeng's question, the madman wore a serious expression. His answer surprised us all; he said: "Beyond Bianzhou City, there is nothing but water. There are no traces to be found beneath the water, and Weidaliang City is not located below."

Perhaps it is due to the difference in surnames that I have had a lingering thought etched in my mind since childhood: I am different from the others in my family

Although Kaifeng has been specified as the location, it is quite large. Without a specific point of reference, it would be akin to searching for a needle in a haystack, a task that would be overwhelming for anyone

I nodded in agreement, and Ming Lao said, "Xiao Yuan, you seem a bit off today"

This is quite strange. Since Wei Daliang City is buried underground in Kaifeng, how is it that it cannot be found beneath Kaifeng? Where could Wei Daliang City possibly be? Is it possible that its history is merely a legend?

Many years ago, when I think back on the past, it seems endless. I gathered my thoughts; the reason I still recall these old stories from my youth after so many years is not due to nostalgia. At this point in my life, I hardly ever reflect on the past. The reason these memories resurface now is entirely because of this piece of broken jade before me. Moreover, I am still in the midst of Master Ming's secret meeting.

The madman gestured to us with his hands, indicating that he was also unclear about these specific circumstances. He then gathered the items on the table and said, "I can only provide you with detailed information after I have checked it. Since Ming Lao did not specify a particular time and place for the transaction, it means he is also uncertain about this operation. In other words, our journey may not only end in vain, but we may even encounter unprecedented dangers. Therefore, we must be even more prepared to ensure everything goes smoothly."

The madman thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps I can determine its approximate range."

My name is He Yuan. It is said that my grandfather specifically chose this name for me, but I do not know why he chose such a name. I have only heard my father say that my name is quite special, but no one has ever explained to me in what way it is special. Moreover, my surname He is not the family surname; my grandfather, father, and uncles all have the surname Zhou, yet I alone have the surname He.

The madman said: "This is the most critical point. It is not that Ming Lao does not want to mark the specific location, but rather that he simply cannot mark it. This is because Wei Daliang City has not been discovered to this day. It is not located beneath Bianzhou City, or rather, it may be there, but it has not been found at a sufficient depth. What Ming Lao wants us to find is clearly Wei Daliang City."

The madman stood up and paced in the secret room, then, as if he had finally made up his mind, he walked deeper into the room. After a long while, he emerged, and we all looked at him. He appeared very serious and then said: "Old Ming said he did not make a mistake; we need to find that place ourselves"

The erudition of the madman is something we cannot even begin to match. Hearing him say this, I directly asked: "Then why do they say that Bianzhou is the city buried at the very bottom?"