Chapter 5: The Clue of the Madman

I shook my head, feeling that in front of a madman, I seemed to be utterly clueless. The madman smiled wryly and shook his head, saying: "Xiao Yuan, apart from working in the fields, you truly are illiterate."

I looked at the madman in astonishment. Could it be that Ming Lao had said something to him privately that he did not share with us, or was the madman concealing some important information from us at that time

It turns out that this person mentioned it to the madman, so I did not delve into how the madman specifically knew about the existence of the Eternal Life Tomb. I only asked: "So what exactly is special about this Eternal Life Tomb?"

The madman's expression turned somewhat unpleasant. After hesitating for a second or two, he finally said: "I don't know whether this should be said or not, but I seem to feel that Old Ming wants us to go underground not just to find Wei Daliang City."

I initially sought some answers from my fourth uncle, but instead, I found myself with even more questions, particularly regarding the grandmother I had never heard of before

I smiled and said, "Digging tunnels is Ning Huan's forte, so we need not worry about that."

I am not angry either; the madman speaks the truth. I want to know what clues the madman is trying to convey, so I urge him to speak quickly. Only then does the madman explain: "The royal surname of the State of Wei is Ji, which has a deep connection to the origins of Wei. You may not know that Wei is merely a title; if we were to elaborate, it is one of the vassal states of the Western Zhou dynasty.

I shook my head, as I have rarely delved into history and am almost completely ignorant of it. I only know that the Wei state we are looking for, Wei Daliang City, was one of the Seven Warring States. Aside from what the madman later mentioned about our matters, I truly know nothing else.

The madman's residence is a studio apartment that he rented to live in. When I arrived, he was facing the computer, looking at the information he had found. I could only see the screen filled with dense text and web document windows. Upon seeing me, he merely turned his head and said, "Xiao Yuan, come look at this."

This is the origin of the State of Wei. Tracing its roots, it actually derives from the feudal states of the Western Zhou Dynasty. Therefore, I have strong doubts that the Changsheng Tomb of Wei has significant connections to the Western Zhou.

The madman said: "In fact, almost every emperor has built a mausoleum for themselves, and even some feudal lords have secretly constructed quite a few. However, the mausoleum of the State of Wei is quite different. This mausoleum is said to have been built by Duke Wu of Wei during the late Spring and Autumn period. It is located beneath the royal palace of the city of Daliang in Wei. Duke Wu of Wei carried out this matter very secretly, to the extent that even the later kings, King Zhao of Wei and King Anli of Wei, were unaware of it."

The madman nodded, but then shook his head. He said, "I met the helper that Ming Lao sent us today; it was he who told me this. I do not know if this is what Ming Lao instructed him to convey."

Did Ming Lao tell you this

The madman did not stop here, as stated in the *illustrated* book. He said: "Although Xue did not mention it, one can find some clues from history. Do you know the Wang surname of the Wei state?"

As the madman spoke, he opened an image. It was a three-dimensional diagram, presumably created by the madman himself, but that is not the main point. The focus is on this image, which depicts a simulated three-dimensional view of Kaifeng City. Deep beneath it lies a funnel-shaped groundwater level. I asked the madman, "How far is the groundwater from the surface?"

I find this person's name quite peculiar; it seems to consist solely of a surname, likely a case where the surname and given name are shared.

These madmen have always been very organized in their actions, so I no longer inquired further. After saying this, the madman mentioned another matter, explaining that Ming Lao had added a new member to our team. Although I was somewhat puzzled, I could understand Ming Lao's intention. This operation, as the madman said, is extremely difficult and quite different from previous outings, so it is only natural to assign one or two skilled individuals to assist.

Later, I received a call from a madman. He said he had discovered something and urged me to come over immediately to take a look. It was difficult to convey everything clearly over the phone, so my conversation with my fourth uncle ended without resolution.

The madman said: "Xiao Yuan, do you know about the Changsheng Tomb of the Wei Kingdom?"

The madman shrugged and said: "This is somewhat unpredictable; we will only know once we get there and start digging. However, it should be at least over ten meters, not less than hetushu.com."

Although I felt overwhelmed by such a long list of historical events, I still discerned what the madman was desperately trying to explain. He was actually elucidating the connection between the State of Wei during the Warring States period and the Wei vassal state during the Western Zhou period. I understand that burial practices place great emphasis on lineage and heritage, so it is undoubtedly correct that the Changsheng Tomb built by Duke Wu of Wei is related to the Western Zhou.

In essence, the Changsheng Tomb is not fundamentally different from ordinary imperial tombs; it is merely a designation that embodies the aspirations of successive emperors for eternal blessings. However, the madman claims that this particular tomb of the Wei state is quite different. Who would build a tomb beneath the royal palace? Moreover, it is constructed so secretly that even the descendants of Wei Wuhou are unaware of it. Could there truly be something unusual within?

During the late Spring and Autumn period, the Fan and Zhonghang families were destroyed, leaving only the Zhi, Zhao, Han, and Wei families as the four noble houses of the Jin state. In 438 BC, Duke Ai of Jin died, and Duke You of Jin ascended to the throne. The Han, Zhao, and Wei families divided the remaining lands of Jin, with only Jiangcheng and Quwo left for Duke You of Jin. From this point on, the Han, Zhao, and Wei were referred to as the Three Jins. In 403 BC, King Weilie of Zhou granted the Han, Zhao, and Wei families the title of marquis. In 376 BC, Marquis Ai of Han, Marquis Jing of Zhao, and Marquis Wu of Wei divided the remaining lands of Jin, deposing Duke Jing of Jin, and Jin was completely replaced by the Han, Zhao, and Wei families. In 403 BC, King Weilie of Zhou granted the Han, Zhao, and Wei families the title of marquis. In 376 BC, Marquis Ai of Han, Marquis Jing of Zhao, and Marquis Wu of Wei divided the remaining lands of Jin, deposing Duke Jing of Jin, and Jin was completely replaced by the Han, Zhao, and Wei families.

The madman shook his head and said: "I suspect that it is more likely soaked in water, and I doubt that the bottom of the funnel at https://m.hetushucomcom is an underground river, which runs through the city of Weidaliang. Perhaps the appearance of this underground lake is similar to that of an hourglass, and the city of Weidaliang is located within the hourglass below."

I said: "Are you saying that the city of Wei Daliang is beneath here? However, since the city of Wei Daliang has been buried below, shouldn't it be filled with silt like other cities, making it completely inaccessible?"

The madman said: "We can first follow this map to take a look. If it doesn't work, we can think of other options. However, I believe the possibility is quite high; it's just that it's located too deep, and I'm afraid the theft tunnel will be difficult to dig, which will require some effort."

However, after I saw the expression of the madman hesitating to speak, I felt that he seemed to have something else to say to me. I asked him, "Did Ming Lao say anything else?"

The madman listened and said: "This Xue did not say—Xue is simply the name of the person that Ming Lao sent to us."

Then the madman pointed at the map and said: "I speculate that there is a suspended underground lake further down where groundwater exists. At the bottom of the lake—specifically, at the funnel-shaped base—there may be a passage. Of course, this is still uncertain, but if it is true, then it should be the passage leading to Weidaliang City"

The madman forced a smile, which I observed but did not comment on, as my own smile was merely a superficial facial expression. The madman probably noticed this as well, and he said: "I have already discussed this matter in detail with Old Ming; he will prepare what I need, as something happened with people and books."

However, I feel that even without the madman's phone call, my uncle and I will soon have nothing left to say. He will never reveal a word about the matters he keeps hidden from me; I know his temperament.

I went directly from Fourth Uncle's shop to the madman's residence. He only informed me, and no one else was present. To be honest, although the madman and I are teammates, I am not very familiar with him. I only know that he is thirty-one years old this year and was brought out by Ming Lao, which makes him the only person in our team who can naturally establish contact with Ming Lao.

Traditionally, the founder of the State of Wei was Ji Gao of the Bi clan. After King Wu of Zhou defeated King Zhou of Shang, Ji Gao was enfeoffed in Bi, and his descendants adopted Bi as their surname. During the times of Duke Wen and Duke Xiang of Jin, clans such as Hu, Zhao, Xian, Qie, and Xu held considerable power, followed later by the powerful clans of Han, Wei, Luan, Fan, and Xun. After the mid-Spring and Autumn period, more than ten noble families controlled the political landscape of the State of Jin. Following intense consolidation, by the late Spring and Autumn period, only six families remained: Zhao, Wei, Han, Fan, Zhi, and Zhonghang, collectively referred to as the 'Six Noble Families'.

I then leaned in front of the computer, but upon seeing the dense text before me, I felt a wave of headache. The madman seemed to catch a glimpse of my expression and explained, "I have discovered the distribution of groundwater in Kaifeng, precisely at the location of the stacked cities, and the pattern of this groundwater is quite unique, resembling a funnel"

I know that since a madman can utter such words, he must not be speaking carelessly, so I asked him: "What do you mean by that?"