Chapter 0242 – Professor Meng

“Elderly man, the ground bedchamber of this tomb has been destroyed. However, judging from the sealing soil layer next to this, the project back then must have been very vast, and I think the person buried here must have been of honorable status, and if I’m not wrong, it should be one of the three tombs in the Tang Dynasty, the Qin Mausoleum of Emperor Xuanzong, the Jing Mausoleum of Emperor Xianzong, or the Guang Mausoleum of Emperor Wenzong, right?”

Zhuang Rui said what he had in mind, he didn’t know whether it was right or wrong, because the ancients valued funerals the most, and the great tombs in this land of Shaanxi were too many, it wasn’t necessarily only the emperor who could build a bedchamber on top of the tomb, some vassal kings, too, had this right.

Zhuang Rui’s words let the old man’s face, showing a hint of surprise, although the country know the Tang Dynasty, can also say like Li Yuan, Li Shimin or Tang Xuanzong and other emperors’ names, but only a few more famous emperors, like Zhuang Rui so even called out the year number of the people, that is a handful of people.

“Young man you are talking about the eighteen tombs in Guanzhong, right? There were only eighteen emperors in the Tang Dynasty, how did you guess these three?”

The old man didn’t comment on Zhuang Rui’s answer, but went on to inquire.

“There were a total of eighteen emperors in the Tang Dynasty?”

Zhuang Rui didn’t know if he answered right or wrong, he had read it all from that literature. As he was about to answer, the old man’s question suddenly rang in his head, and his heart froze for a moment.

“This old man can preside over an archaeological excavation here, he can’t even be confused about this basic question, right? Could it be that ……”

Although the eighteen tombs in Guanzhong were more named, it didn’t mean that there were only eighteen emperors in total in the Tang Dynasty ah! Zhuang Rui clearly remembers, from Tang Gaozu Li Yuan, to Mourning Zong Li Zhu Tang dynasty perished, a total of twenty-one emperors, only in the late Tang dynasty broke out in the Yellow Nest Uprising, after the court weakened, the various clans embraced the military self-importance to the Tang Zhaizong time, was after the Liang Tai Zu Zhu Wen clamped on, when the puppet emperor, not long was killed by Zhu Wen, the last emperor of the Tang dynasty after his Tang Mourning Zong, but was poisoned by Zhu Wen to death! After him, the last emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Tang Aizong, but by Zhu Wen was poisoned to death, and died in the territory of Shandong, naturally, there is no mausoleum in Shaanxi.

So looking at the twenty-one emperors of the Tang dynasty, Wu Zetian is buried in the same cave with Emperor Gaozong, and then remove Zhaozong and Aizong two last emperors, there are only eighteen mausoleums, which is the origin of the eighteen mausoleums in Guanzhong said.

“Old man, there are eighteen tombs of Tang emperors in Guanzhong, but there were not eighteen Tang emperors, right? I remember it should be twenty-one, and the Qin Tomb of Emperor Xuanzong. Xianzong Jingling Mausoleum and Wenzong Guangling Mausoleum are exactly in this neighborhood, but if you are asking me which emperor’s mausoleum it is, then the kid really can’t answer.”

Zhuang Rui feel in front of this old man, a little cunning, actually under a set to their own drill, if you say it again, then, he will certainly be confused by him around, so will know all of their own say out, then frankly informed the old man, I know so much, you do not ask again.

“Not bad, young man, good answer, to be able to know all this is already not easy, my old man can guarantee that as long as you can pass the written test, you will definitely be accepted by that old man Meng.”

After the old man heard Zhuang Rui’s reply, a satisfied look appeared on his face, and he actually opened his mouth and made a big deal out of it, that look. As if he himself could make the decision.

Zhuang Rui’s heart is quite a bit of disbelief, even Uncle De and Professor Meng such a good relationship, do not dare to say such a thing, I do not know this old man in front of him, where to come from the bottom of the air.

Just when Zhuang Rui heart slander, a local archaeological department staff came over, said to the old man: “Professor Meng, rest almost, and then dry a little while we can go back, wait for the sun to go down and then come back!”

“Professor Meng …… Meng?”

Standing on the side of Zhuang Rui, after hearing the staff’s name, can not help but a little silly, he again stupid, but also know that this Professor Meng, is certainly in the future their own mentor, not to mention that Uncle De also said a few days ago, the Beijing University of Professor Meng this period of time in Shaanxi.

No wonder Zhuang Rui did not guess beforehand, after all, Shaanxi is so big, how could he not think, in this remote mountain valley, he could actually encounter Professor Meng, the archaeological world’s leading figure, this thing is also too coincidental a little bit!

Prof. Meng said to the staff, “Let’s get started! But be careful, and call out to me when you’ve dug something up.”

“You’re called Zhuang Rui, right?”

After explaining to the staff member, Professor Meng looked at Zhuang Rui and saw Zhuang Rui nodding his head in acknowledgement before continuing, “Some time ago, Zhonghai’s De Lao Di recommended you to me, almost praising you as a flower, old man I don’t believe it. But it’s better to be known than to be seen! Not bad, although it is not from the class, but the foundation is still good, as long as you pass the written test, my side is no problem.”

Seeing Zhuang Rui some shortness of breath, Professor Meng again gave him a shot in the arm, he is very satisfied with this student, undergraduate reading is not an archaeology major, for the history of the Tang Dynasty can know so much, called the four words of the Bo Wenqiang memory, and for people are very vigilant and meticulous, they used to give people a trap, do not know how many people circled, I did not expect to actually be this young man to recognize.

“Thank you Mr. Meng, thank you Mr. Meng.”

Zhuang Rui heart is also very happy, this is just a whim, want to come to see how other people are archaeological excavation, but did not expect to actually meet the future mentor here, which also saves Zhuang Rui and Uncle De later specifically go to Beijing to visit Professor Meng.

Prof. Meng was also very satisfied with his future disciple, and suddenly remembered something and asked, “Right. Xiao Zhuang, you have no problem with English, right?”

“English? No problem, writing and conversations are fine, general specialized translations, as long as you understand the relevant vocabulary, it’s not a big problem.”

Zhuang Rui didn’t understand what Prof. Meng meant, but still answered honestly.

After hearing Zhuang Rui’s words, Professor Meng nodded and said, “That’s good, review your knowledge of ancient Chinese, if you have time in September. Come to Beijing and I’ll give you some study materials.”

Zhuang Rui nodded his head and agreed, but in his heart, he was really a bit strange, could there be any kingly qi in himself? But just answered a question, this Professor Meng so love?

In fact, Zhuang Rui does not understand, from ancient times to the present, not only is it difficult to find a good master, this disciple is also hard to find, although it is said that diligence can make up for clumsiness, but a person’s talent, often will determine his future development.

So like Professor Meng, although it is said to be full of peaches and plums, but in addition to the early years of the disciples, now can be recognized by his disciples, is only a few, but also are with the side of the careful teaching, and in the classroom in the big lecture is completely different, he is now recognized Zhuang Rui enlightenment, naturally want to put him into the door.

Due to his age, Prof. Meng is no longer teaching in the classroom, and only takes a few postgraduates, and he has decided that after taking this group of disciples, he will not recruit postgraduates, in a sense, Zhuang Rui is also considered his closed disciple.

As for the matter of asking Zhuang Rui English, that is a drawback of the domestic examination education, according to the relevant provisions of the state, graduate school examination, must have English.

But like a lot of out-of-the-way specialties, such as painting and so on, it and English simply do not match, not a little relationship, and these students are often from childhood to learn this specialty, English is not pass is also a very normal thing, which makes many old professors obviously found a good seedling, but just can not be accepted under the door.

Once there was a well-known university professor, is because of this reason. He couldn’t recruit graduate students for several years, and finally resigned from the university in anger, causing a great social repercussion.

“It’s good to have confidence, since we’ve bumped into each other, come over and help! Familiarize yourself with the archaeological site first, don’t wait until later when you go to the site, see the ancient corpses and get scared, then my old man will lose face!”

Professor Meng did not ask why Zhuang Rui came here, he pulled up the strong man, in fact, he knew that Zhuang Rui could not help much, he just wanted to let Zhuang Rui feel the environment of the field, excavation of the emperor’s tomb, is not a frequent thing.

“Girl, a few of you come over here for a moment, don’t sneak around.”

Professor Meng saw Zhuang Rui agree, and waved to his granddaughter, who was standing in the distance and couldn’t stop looking this way.

“This is my granddaughter Meng Qiuqian, this one is called Fan Error, the one wearing glasses is called Yingning, the two of them are the graduate students I’m taking this year, Xiao Zhuang is going to take my postgraduate exams next year, you guys should get to know each other first, by the way, Xiao Zhuang, even though you’re older than they are, you can still call them senior brother’s ah in the future! Hehe.” Prof. Meng’s character was very cheerful, and he joked every now and then.

“Let’s just call Big Brother Zhuang! You can just call me Little Fan.”

Seeing Meng Qiuqian next to his mentor about to speak, Fan Error hurriedly grabbed the first exit and settled on his name.

“What Fan Wrong, how smooth the mistake is!” The little girl muttered under her breath.

Professor Meng glared at his granddaughter and said, “There are no rules, Little Fan, you first introduce the situation of this tomb to Little Zhuang, I still have to go and see if the piece of porcelain unearthed just now can be restored.”

“Brother Zhuang, go down and talk about it!”

Seeing Professor Meng turn around and walk towards the shed, apart from the girl, Fan Wrong and Ying Ning both sighed in relief, although Professor Meng usually didn’t put on any kind of teacher’s demeanor, but the kind of aura that was inadvertently revealed in his body made the duo feel a little uncomfortable.

This kind of temperament is very difficult to use language to describe, that is a personal cultivation and the deposition of culture, and reached a certain depth, can only be revealed, Zhuang Rui just stood to the side of Professor Meng, also feel a little ashamed of themselves.

“Little Fan, this tomb you guys are digging now, whose is it in the end?”

Zhuang Rui followed a few people and walked to the bottom of the pit, he had just used his aura to look down to a depth of seven or eight meters, there didn’t seem to be any coffins or anything like that down there ah!