Chapter 66 Stone Steps

I said to Dajinya: “Master Jin, you are not cold miserable me, if I know what characteristics, I still need to ask you ah?”

Dajinya said: “Aigoo, you see my mouth, habit becomes natural, how to say are pouring antiques that set of rhetoric, pretense, pretense of sophistication, so that the buyer kan dizzy, kan convinced.”

Fatty said on the side: “That is, the old gold you are really enough can, do not look at what time it is now, now this occasion, we do not Kan Dashan, there is one to say one, there are two to say two, the real say.”

Dajinya even said yes, then we just talked to continue to say: “I’m not doing archaeological mouth, to say anything else I do not dare to be so sure, but the characteristics of this Western Zhou human face is very obvious, I once saw the profile in the Luoyang Museum, leaving a very deep impression, so I dare to assert that the human face of the stone coffin is the Western Zhou.”

Western Zhou human face carving decoration of the biggest feature, lies in the facial lines smooth and smooth, no gender characteristics, only ears larger than normal people, but from the face of men and women, young and old, and the Chinese generations only the Western Zhou revered Thunder pattern, look at the bottom of the stone coffins in the Temple of the Underworld, a layer of all the Thunder pattern of the decorations, it can be said that this is the best proof.

On the contrary, before the Western Zhou, Yin Shang period unearthed a number of cultural relics, there is no lack of facial carvings or grain pattern, but they appear pale and simple more than smooth and smooth enough, and gender characteristics are obvious, silkworm eyebrows round eyes, large nose and wide mouth for men, which is taken from the emperor four legends, after the Han Dynasty, the face of the human face decorations, as well as carvings, facial features are more obvious, the man’s face has a beard.

I listened to the words of the big gold teeth, understand his meaning, from Yin Shang, there will be human face carving and casting process, only to the Western Zhou period, suddenly appeared a weird genderless face modeling, and after that the aesthetic and craftsmanship and returned to the previous style, I asked the big gold teeth: “Why is it that this period of the Western Zhou alone, there will be such a change? ”

Dajinya said that would not be clear, have to find an expert to ask to go, although he can see the face carving on the stone outer coffin, belongs to the Western Zhou craft modeling, but can not say carving this bizarre stone face, in fact, is based on what reasons and background produced.

I asked Dajinya, “What does the legend of the four faces of the Yellow Emperor refer to?”

This legend is widely circulated, most of the study of history and early antiques know a little, big gold teeth replied: “As the name suggests, it means that the yellow emperor has four faces, front and back, left and right, each long one, respectively, gazing at different directions, there is also a saying that refers to the yellow emperor sends out four messengers to inspect the four directions.”

I said, “I see, but this seems to have nothing to do with the stone coffin in the Underworld Hall, that stone coffin has five faces on the work, the coffin lid has one towards the top, could it be that the stylization of the faces, is related to the tomb owner?”

I know to ask is also in vain, the three of us are now like falling into five miles of fog, can not discern the southeast and northwest, from the words of the big gold teeth to deduce, and not necessarily be able to confirm, that the stone coffin and these weird tomb wall belongs to the product of the Western Zhou period.

Dajinya saw me half-believe, then added a few words: “If this neighborhood can find some tripod, or engraved with inscriptions somewhere, then it can be further confirmed.”

Fatty asked, “Old Jin you still know about inscriptions? Usually I haven’t heard you talk about it, I can’t imagine that you are so knowledgeable, looking at your hairstyle it doesn’t quite match with the knowledge in your stomach, it’s true that you can’t judge a book by its cover.”

The big gold teeth stay big back head, every day are touching a lot of hair oil, has been made fun of by the fat man, at this time to see the fat man and take the hairstyle to say things, only to remember their own head shape half a day did not take care of, and hurriedly spit into the heart of the hand, put the hair back wiped, and bared his gold teeth and said: “understand can not dare to be, but if you find the inscriptions, I look at a glance, but can also be seen out is not of the Western Zhou Dynasty. ”

Three people discussed for half a day, also did not discuss what a son of ugly c and e to, in front of the tomb road, both sides can pass, but do not know where it connects, there is a gap in the head, the top is parked in the human face of the giant coffin of the Underworld Hall.

I said to Dajinya and Fatty: “We are in a very awkward situation, so much so that we can’t figure out what place we are in, but if this tomb passage is really what Dajinya said about the Western Zhou building, then I can judge the pattern of this place, the ancient tombs of the Shang and Zhou Dynasties were not as luxurious as the Tang Dynasty, but the scale is relatively large, the base of the stone is divided into halls and built, but also divided into a number of layers, not a flat structure, we have just entered the robberies. Not a flat structure, we just entered the robber hole, was blocked by a large stone wall, that thick and large stone wall, is likely to be the outer wall of the Western Zhou ancient tomb, a distance from the main tomb, but I still can’t figure out how it just popped up, heck, this time, to go out, it’s really hard.”

Fatty said, “Old Hu, I think you don’t want to think about it, this is not something we can figure out, originally I thought that the combination of the three of us, basically any ancient tomb can be set up, to have your technology, to have the experience of Lao Jin’s experience, to have the power, I’m not blowing it, I can at the very least top the two of you right… …”

Dajinya interjected, “Technique experience and power, we are not lacking, but I think we lack brains.”

Fatty said, “Lao Jin, haven’t you heard that three ignorant cobblers are better than Zhu Geliang, aren’t the three of us much better than the cobblers.”

I said to Fatty and Dajinya: “I think technical experience and physical strength, we are not lacking, but we still lack a goddess, a goddess of fortune, our luck is too bad, go back to think of a way to turn around, let’s not dawdle with this, the more I think about it, the more fucking confused, if it is the Western Zhou Dynasty’s ancient tomb structure, the bottom layer of the tomb is leading to the burial pit, there will not be an exit, I see or first go back to the upper level of the tomb, I think it’s better to go back to the upper level of the grave. think it’s better to go back to the upper level of the Underworld Hall first, and then look for the exit of the robber hole.”

Fatty said, “Wait a minute, should there be any treasures in the burial pits, why don’t we go by the way and get two pieces before going back to look for the robber’s hole, returning empty-handed is not our style, otherwise it would not be a waste of time.”

Dajinya said: “or forget it fat master, you that bladder meat thick don’t know tired, my two legs are filled with lead, we still don’t have nothing to do, according to Hu said, go back to look for robber holes is not lost the best strategy, and then again this place is so strange, who can guarantee that there is no trap in the tomb, then we regret it is too late.”

Fatty saw me and Dajinya insisted on climbing back to the upper level, so he had no choice but to lead two geese to act with us, and suddenly said, “Hey, I say, do we have to pry open that stone coffin, and see if the dead person there has such an odd face? Maybe there’s a mask or something, if it’s gold it’ll be worth a fortune.”

Dajinya and I didn’t pay attention to him, this kind of situation how to have that kind of mood, I hold Dajinya, pushed him up to the hall of the underworld on the tomb passage, fat man and I also climbed up successively.

Underworld Hall has not changed much, the large stone coffin carved with a bizarre human face, is still quietly parked in the corner, we put all three flashlights lit, searching the ground for the entrance to the robber’s hole.

The entire Underworld Hall was empty except for the six stone shelves prepared to hold the six jades, and the stone coffin in the corner, there was nothing extra, it was unimaginable that a Tang Dynasty Underworld Hall held a stone coffin from the Western Zhou Dynasty.

Fatty pointed at the place we just climbed out and said, “Where is the rest of the exit here, isn’t the place we just climbed out the same place as the previous robber hole?”

With my flashlight on, I looked down at my feet and saw that it was indeed the cave that we first climbed into, but how did we jump down to the tomb passage? I have not yet allowed me to think carefully, the big gold teeth also found: “Hu master you see that next to the stone coffin, more a …… step.”

I and the fat man according to the direction of the big gold teeth said to see, really in the stone coffin next to, God did not know the ghost of the emergence of an upward and line of stone steps, stone steps wide, each layer is the whole of the large stone stacked and become, I went to the bottom of the upward light, flashlight light columns to the darkness swallowed up, more than a dozen meters away from the black hole, can’t see the situation above.

I can no longer calm down, then to the fat man and big gold teeth said: “Damn, this tomb is simply out of ghosts, robber holes into the tomb road, Tang Tomb in the Hall of the Underworld appeared in the Western Zhou’s stone coffins, and this moment came out of such a stone staircase, I think we go out on a limb, a road to the black, robber holes is certainly not go, if this is the Western Zhou’s tomb, then this in the stone coffins, next to the staircase, should be a way to the stone coffins, the staircase, the staircase, the staircase should be the way to the stone coffins. If this is an ancient tomb of the Western Zhou Dynasty, then this staircase next to the stone coffin should lead to the top floor of the tomb, where it is connected to the embedded road, so maybe we can go out.”

Fatty said, “Then what are we waiting for, I’ll go up first, you two follow.” The words did not fall, raised his feet and went up the stairs, walked up two steps, and suddenly remembered something, turned back and asked me: “Old Hu, you just said that what road? What is it for?”

I and the big gold teeth also stepped on the stairs, I said to the fat man while walking: “embedded road, to put it bluntly is a tunnel, repairing the tomb is not to hollow out the mountain it, hollowed out the soil and stone, all from the embedded road to the outside, the owner of the tomb into the coffin, they will seal the tunnel, to repair the tomb of the craftsmen slaves and so on, are buried alive in the inside, if you’re lucky, you may be able to find the craftsmen secretly If you are lucky, you may be able to find the secret passage left by the craftsmen, then you can leave this hell.”

Three people talk and walk, walk about five minutes, I suddenly found something wrong, just walked up the stone steps, I noticed the edge of the second stone steps, there is a crescent-shaped gap, may be the construction of the time knocked off, however, we every upward walk twenty or thirty steps, will find the same crescent-shaped gap, at first did not pay too much attention to, and then carefully counted, every twenty-three steps there is a. This is not a coincidence, we are not a coincidence, we will find the same crescent-shaped gap, at first did not pay too much attention to, and then carefully counted, every twenty-three steps.

This is by no means a coincidence, we may be circling around in place, I hastily greeted Dajinya and Fatty, don’t go any further up, so up, I’m afraid I’ll die of exhaustion, but not even to the head.

Three people hurriedly turned downward, however, the road below seems to have no end, from the steps up and down, walking quickly and effortlessly, but after walking for a long time, far towards the past our use of upward, but said nothing back to the Underworld Hall.

Three people have been tired gasping like a cow, big gold teeth physical quality is not good, this time tired of his breathing and rough and rapid, lungs huffing and puffing, like a broken bellows general.

I look at another walk down, will have to let the fat man carrying big gold teeth, but from this stone steps down, carrying a person, talk about how easy, and then do not know can not walk back to the underworld temple, so walk down is not a thing, so let big gold teeth and fat man rest on the ground.

Fatty sat on his butt on the ground, wiped the beads of sweat on his head, said to me: “My God, Old Hu, and then so tossed down, at most after a few hours, we starve also starved to death in this ghost place.”

We came to the fish bone temple with a lot of food, there are wine and meat, but in order to be able to load the treasures in the tomb, but also to bring some application of the simple equipment, so the food were placed in the fish bone temple, and did not carry with them, each person only carried a pot of water.

Although drilling into the cave before, eat and drink a meal, but tossed for such a long time, the stomach are beginning to drum, at this moment the fat man mentioned the word hunger, the three belly at the same time rumbling.

Now the situation is even more dangerous, ventured to break on the stone steps, was trapped in a general wall of ghosts on the steps, up and down can not be reached, it is better to think of another way in the Underworld Hall, can really should be the big gold teeth previously said that fat man’s words, when the time comes to regret are too late.

I sighed and cursed myself too reckless and impulsive, when in the army, if there is no such a problem, it is not now when the individual, really want to smack myself two slaps.

Fatty said to me: “Old Hu you now blame yourself is useless, we do not count this step, also have to be trapped in other places, you save some energy, think about there is no what fold.”

I thought about it and said, “This step, as if every twenty-three steps, will repeat the cycle once, up and down are so, we are now either up or down, can not go to the head ……”

Fatty said: “That’s over, this is the ghost hit the wall ah, absolutely right, never go out, can only be trapped alive here, waiting for the next set of inverted bucket to give us to collect the body.”

Dajinya listened to the words of the fat man, from the sadness, can not stop shedding two tears of sadness: “Poor my eighty old mother, and that eighteen little love, this life is counted not to see them …… If there is still a next life, I … … …I’m dead or alive I’m not doing this business …… anymore.”

The fat man was disturbed by him, said to the big gold teeth: “What is the noise, this time regret, what did you do earlier, die also die with a man’s appearance, and then cry a few times, I’ll you that gold teeth first to break down.”

The big gold teeth on their own this gold teeth as precious, almost and hair general importance, listen to the fat man to break his teeth, quickly reach out to cover his mouth: “fat master, I can advance with you said, we are dying people, you can give me to leave a whole body, don’t wait for me to starve to the point of not being able to move when the people take advantage of the danger to me this gold teeth to break.”

I said to the two of them: “you two don’t talk nonsense, his mother’s egg, say what we can’t starve to death in this ghost place, so death is too wimpy, to die also have to find a painful death.”

Fatty said: “Although the words are so, but in this place want to die painfully, but also not easy.” Said pulled out the paratrooper knife, said to me: “I think there are two ways, one is from the stairs to roll down and fall to death, anyway, there is no end to the steps, maybe outside the realization of the four modernizations, we have not rolled to the end, there is also a way to slit your wrists, if you can’t do it, I will cut a knife for the two of you, a release of blood is not far away from the death, I think this is the most painful way. ”

Dajinya said to Fatty, “When did you become so honest, Master Fatty, didn’t you hear the meaning of Master Hu’s words? If I understand correctly, his subtext should be: we are not in a desperate situation yet, we won’t die yet.” Turning to me, he asked, “Master Hu, is that what you just said?”

I said to Dajinya, “What I said just now was indeed in anger, but it seems like I’ve suddenly figured something out now, so you guys be quiet and let me think about it.”

Fatty and Dajinya saw that it was hard for me to come up with some clues, fearing that if they interfered any further they would lose this ray of hope, the two of them stopped talking at the same time, not daring to gasp for air.

I said quickly think of a way to, that is just a casual perfunctory, let them two people do not quarrel down, at this time quiet down, I will start from into the fish bone temple, until trapped in this stone steps of the scene, as over the movie generally in the mind to re-release once again, complete, as far as possible not to lose every detail.

After thinking about it, I don’t know how long, I opened my mouth and asked Dajinya: “We are in this tomb, it is really like hitting a ghost hitting the wall, no matter which way we go, something will somehow appear, Master Jin have you heard of ghost hitting the wall?”

Dajinya said: “I have heard of it, I have not seen it, when the Di’anmen Street side haunted for a while, causing the people in the vicinity of the twelve o’clock at night will not dare to pass from there, or has been wandering around until dawn, but also can not walk out of that one road. I have also heard some rumors, but what we encountered should not be a ghost wall, right? I heard that ghosts beat the wall is to go around in circles, which is so powerful, besides, we are wearing so many protective magic weapons, how can we encounter ghosts beat the wall.”

Fatty also said, “Old Hu you forget that you did not say it, feng shui good place, hide the wind and gather the gas, there will not be a non-dispersible ghosts, there will not be zombies and dumplings and so on, how is this kung fu and think of ghosts hit the wall?”

I shook my head and said, “I’m not saying that we encountered a ghost wall, but just want to confirm, confirm that the current situation is not a ghost wall, then my analysis may be correct.”

Fatty asked, “One person’s plan is short, two people’s plan is long, then you say it out, Lao Jin and I will help you analyze it.”

I thought about it and said to Fatty and Dajinya, “I seem to already know what it is that we’ve encountered, but …… I’m going to say it, so don’t be afraid of the two of you.”