Chapter 6, the sixth member

Of course I remember that; it was the task before last, and it was also the only time I failed since I started working for Old Ming. It was not just me; almost our entire team failed because we followed the map given to us by Old Ming and found that place. Indeed, there was a large tomb below, but it turned out to be an empty tomb. Inside, there was the appearance of a burial chamber, yet there were no burial goods or coffins whatsoever. According to our estimation at the time, it should at least be a feudal lord's tomb from the pre-Qin period. We were astonished that such a large tomb could be entered without any effort, and there were no traps or mechanisms inside. However, once we got in, we discovered that apart from stones, there was nothing else. At that time, we were still surprised that such a large tomb could be entered without any effort, and there were no traps or mechanisms inside. However, once we got in, we discovered that apart from stones, there was nothing else.

The madman said: "Indeed, if you pay attention to the map, you will find that both of these places are located by the Yellow River"

I noticed his words slightly; he referred to you, not to you all. I squinted at him, and his statement—or rather, the old saying—seemed to carry a deeper meaning. However, I said nothing more and simply remarked: "Then welcome to your joining."

Even though we all found this matter quite strange at the time, no one had the leisure to dwell on it. As time passed, the incident faded away. However, now that a madman suddenly brings it up, I feel as if I have been struck by lightning, because I sense that this matter may not be as simple as it seems

After the madman finished speaking, he looked at me and continued, "I have not yet mentioned these to Old Man Ming"

Thus, we first sat down to drink tea. The place was crowded and noisy, so we refrained from discussing matters related to the fields and instead engaged in some casual conversation. However, neither the madman nor I are particularly talkative, so after just a few words, we fell silent, lost in thought as we observed the flow of people in the restaurant. Especially the madman; I noticed that his gaze was unfocused, and I could not discern what he was truly thinking about.

The madman said: "I indeed thought of something, but whether this is the main connection, I still do not know. Have you noticed any commonalities between Longtan Gorge's North Gully and Kaifeng?"

Moreover, even when he saw us, he displayed no particular expression. His demeanor was not exactly serious, yet it was not that of a blank face either. In short, I found his expression quite strange, especially paired with such a nearly pallid face. If it were not for his otherwise decent appearance masking these oddities, I might have truly thought he was a zombie crawling out from underground.

Halfway through, the madman suddenly tilted his head and asked me a question: "Xiao Yuan, do you still remember the time we went down to the Longtan Gorge North Gully?"

I did not expect his response, and I was somewhat surprised. I know that many people and book titles have specific origins, just like my name, so I speculate that his must be the same, although his name is rather peculiar.

I asked: "Why did this matter come up all of a sudden?"

The madman once again posed a question that I am not very good at answering, but I still thought about it seriously. The Longtan Gorge North Gully is located in the northwestern direction of Luoyang, while Kaifeng is situated to the southeast of Luoyang. Given that these two places are located in opposite directions, I truly cannot think of any commonalities they might share

After a long while, I saw him, who had originally seemed as wooden as a log, suddenly wave his hand behind me. I turned around and saw a man of similar age approaching. His hair was cut very short, and he appeared energetic and capable, but he was very pale, to the extent that it seemed he had not seen the sun for many years. The first word that came to my mind upon seeing him was a rather derogatory term—"pretty boy".

Therefore, I have always found it quite perplexing why there is an empty tomb beneath. Even a burial mound should be constructed to resemble a proper tomb, yet it appears as if it has been completed but never used. Moreover, it has been buried underground for nearly several thousand years.

The madman and I emerged from his apartment; it was nearly evening outside, and the streets were bustling with pedestrians, quite noisy. Throughout the journey, the madman did not utter a single word. I knew his temperament was somewhat peculiar, having learned some of it during our previous outings, and I had experienced it a few times. However, today I felt that his silence stemmed from a different reason, as I had not forgotten the strange look of distraction that had crossed his face moments ago; it seemed as if he had suddenly recalled something.

After about ten seconds, he seemed to suddenly come to his senses, then awkwardly smiled at me and said: "I almost forgot, you haven't met Xue yet. You are the team leader, and on the road, you will need to cooperate more closely."

After greeting the madman, he sat down and then looked at me and said: "You must be He Yuan, I often hear Ming Lao praise you."

It is natural to feel strange, and even now I cannot come to terms with it, for this was my first failure in the field. I may not remember all the places I have been over the years or how many graves I have walked past, but that particular instance remains vividly etched in my memory. I nodded and said: "Of course it feels strange, and I am even more curious to know what you think of it now that you bring it up again"

We entered but returned empty-handed, having found nothing inside. Fortunately, during that occasion, Elder Ming did not insist that we must find something; it was merely a routine outing. Thus, regarding our return with empty hands, Elder Ming said nothing. Later, he only had the madman inform us that the information he provided was incorrect, and so this matter was considered settled and forgotten.

People are not entirely indifferent; at the very least, they are more talkative than I am. Therefore, I smiled at him politely and said, "Mr. Ming, you are very kind; your name is quite special"

I said: "Their common affiliation with the State of Wei is certainly not the key point; I believe you are referring to another connection."

But as I looked into the madman's eyes, I found that there was not a trace of color in them. I could basically confirm that he was not lying, so I nodded and said: "I believe you"

He no longer engaged in pleasantries with me, but instead took something out of his pocket and handed it to me, saying: "This is something someone asked me to give to you"

The madman thought for a moment and said: "Originally, I had almost forgotten about this matter, but when I saw Xue, he brought it up. At that time, I didn't pay much attention, but now that I think about it, don't you find that tomb to be rather peculiar?"

Xue, however, showed no expression, yet his eyes were fixed on me. Then, he began speaking with the exact same tone and pace as his first words: "What is innate can only be endured."

At this moment, the madman said: "Xiaoyuan, I need you to make a decision. Before we go to Kaifeng, we should first visit that empty tomb. I have always felt that there is an inevitable connection between these two places, and there are some matters that I can only discuss with you once we are inside. For now, I must ensure that it remains unknown to anyone."

Then the madman ordered the dishes, and when Xue Zilai arrived, he greeted us at www.hetushu.com. After that, he remained silent, making the meal quite awkward. When it came time to settle the bill, he said to me: "I will work in the fields with you from now on. Ming Lao said I should help you."

The madman fell silent again, turning his gaze away. I did not know what he was thinking; in any case, I felt that something was off about him. However, I did not ask him, as I knew that if he wanted to tell me, he would do so. Otherwise, asking would only be a source of annoyance for me.

I glanced at him: "But you will eventually tell him, as it is your duty."

As we were speaking, we arrived at the small restaurant where the madman had arranged to meet Xue. In order not to attract attention, the madman specifically chose an utterly ordinary restaurant. When we entered, Xue had not yet arrived.

By the Yellow River, in Kaifeng, there are cities stacked upon cities, and at Beigou, there is an empty tomb. It seems that there is still no connection among these, so I looked at the madman in confusion. The associations he has in mind surely cannot be so trivial

I nodded, fully aware that the madman was referring to Ming Lao. Then the madman casually tidied up his belongings and mentioned that he had made an appointment with Xue at a restaurant just two blocks away.

The eccentric behavior of the madman has made me somewhat alert. What is it that cannot be spoken of in front of others? The five of us can be said to share life and death; it is fundamentally impossible for any of us to betray one another. So, what is the madman wary of?