Soon, we reached the end, which was marked by a thick, sturdy rammed earth wall.
These walls are rarely seen nowadays, but back in those days, they were commonplace in rural areas, towering over a meter high, crafted with stone hammers.
I've witnessed how these walls were built in the countryside, with several people digging at the base, soaking it in water for three days, and then requiring four or five individuals using a well rope to pull it down.
Just the two of us wouldn't manage to get through in four or five days; it was simply impossible.
However, as the saying goes, "One generation plants the trees; another enjoys the shade." There was a hole in the earth wall, about a meter high, as if inviting us to explore further.
"This is the handiwork of the Southern faction," remarked Bai Ruoxue.
"How do you know?" I inquired.
"A few years ago, the White Gang had some dealings with them. I personally witnessed their tunneling skills. There's no mistaking it."
Squatting down to pass through the earthen wall, we entered into a spacious area, shrouded in dim light, akin to peering through a telescope; the full scope wasn't visible, yet even so, the scene before us was astonishing.
Within sight were numerous wooden pillars, ranging in thickness, arranged in a regular pattern. However, due to the passage of time, they had decayed considerably, crumbling at a gentle touch.
Bai Ruoxue, wearing a puzzled expression, remarked, "It's strange. What could these pillars have been used for?"
I crouched down to examine the ground, where I noticed a layer of ash-colored debris, appearing to be remnants of rotted straw.
"Could there have been many houses here before?" I speculated.
Bai Ruoxue shook her head. "Impossible. Building houses inside a cave? That's absurd."
She then paced out the distance between two wooden pillars, measuring only about two meters apart.
"Look at this. Houses couldn't possibly be this small; they're even smaller than my dog's kennel."
Speaking of dogs, I had a sentence I'd been wanting to say to Bai Ruoxue, but lacking the opportunity until now.
"Miss Bai, there's something I've been wanting to say. Shall I proceed?"
Bai Ruoxue, always sharp-minded, immediately sensed that I was up to something.
"Perhaps it's best left unsaid. I'd rather not hear it."
"If you won't listen, then I'll still speak. As the saying goes, 'A man without a cat, a woman without a dog,' you..."
"Duguangting, I believe you're asking for trouble."
Bai Ruoxue bent down, picked up a piece of wood, and tossed it over. To my surprise, it was a bone.
"There are many bones here."
In a circular pit lay a multitude of bones, meticulously arranged, almost melding with the soil, resembling fossils.
Strangely, upon inspection, all these bones were left arms, lined up like frozen fish sold at the year-end market.
I swallowed hard and muttered, "So many. How many people must have died here?"
Bai Ruoxue shook her head. "Don't worry about the people of the past. Let's see if there's anything of great value."
Suddenly, my foot sank into an empty space, causing me to wince in pain. I nearly fell over, my cold sweat dripping profusely.
The pit was nearly two meters deep. With my height of one meter eighty, I had to stand on tiptoes just to peer over the edge.
"Give me a hand," I pleaded.
I reached out, and Bai Ruoxue pulled me up.
The pit wasn't large, only about one square meter in size, hidden much like the hole in the earthen wall, making it unnoticeable.
After searching through the pit, we indeed found some grave robbing tools. But what surprised us most was that the Southern faction had already begun using electric rotary shovels. After trying it a few times, however, the switch was rusted and immovable.
As the saying goes, "Great achievements come with just a cup of tea, worldly affairs are but a bottle of wine."
While Northern folks enjoy boasting and drinking, Southerners are pragmatic. Even their grave robbing techniques have surpassed those of the North.
Returning to the matter at hand, I trusted that Bai Ruoxue hadn't made a mistake. But how could there be a tunnel here?
Bai Ruoxue jumped in and carefully inspected the area. Soon, she exclaimed, "There are many bronze artifacts here!"
At her words, I jumped in once again. The space was small, and our bodies were nearly touching.
"Keep your distance."
"We're here for work; let's make do for now."
Upon closer inspection, as she had stated, bronze gui vessels lined the walls one after another, resembling murals.
Bai Ruoxue became excited and, in one swift movement, nearly leaned in for a kiss with me.
Simultaneously, we both leaned back to avoid an accidental collision.
She exclaimed, "We may have stumbled upon a burial vault."
A burial vault, however, was not filled with Maotai or Wuliangye.
During the Shang and Zhou dynasties, craftsmanship was highly developed, and bronze metallurgy reached its pinnacle. People stored their produced items and objects in underground vaults, known as burial vaults.
In 1976, archaeologists in Shaanxi's Fufeng and Qishan areas unearthed numerous burial vaults, containing a vast array of exquisitely crafted bronze artifacts, some of which even became national treasures.
Perplexed, I asked, "Wait, the burial depth of the bronze gui is only one meter, but the tunnel is nearly two meters deep. Why is that?"
Bai Ruoxue, now unwilling to engage in further contemplation, casually remarked, "Who cares? Dinner is almost ready."
"The air here is thin, and the Southern faction is quite adept. It's unlikely they would dig an extra meter down without reason. There must be some secret here."
"Oh, come on, let's hurry up."
At the scene were several brushes and hand shovels, common tools used in archaeology. The Southern faction was meticulous, it was their style, while the Northern faction would directly use shovels and picks.
Each of us took a shovel and began clearing the bronze artifacts. Soon, we unearthed a bronze gui, but it felt odd in my hands, unusually heavy.
"It seems like there's something inside."
As I instinctively placed the bronze gui on the ground, Bai Ruoxue immediately lifted the lid, and a savory aroma wafted out, making us both famished. I couldn't help but salivate.
"It's a pot of meat soup. I'm so thirsty; I'd love to have a hearty drink."
Bai Ruoxue looked at me, pursed her lips, and asked, "Can we drink it?"
"Why don't you try?"
Bai Ruoxue shook her head vigorously, saying she'd rather die of thirst than be poisoned to death, as it would be too unsightly.
Shaking my head, I thought, Women are indeed troublesome. Even at the brink of death, they worry about appearances.
Bai Ruoxue stirred the contents of the bronze gui with a shovel a few times, and the meaty scent quickly turned foul, akin to the putrefaction of animal carcasses, incredibly foul.
Suddenly, for some unknown reason, Bai Ruoxue's hand trembled, and she dropped the shovel, her soul seemingly fleeing her body. She lunged towards me, trembling violently, clutching onto me tightly.
"T-There's... There's something inside..."
Her words came out incoherently.
"Miss Bai, given your usual demeanor, what could possibly frighten you like this? Let go, I can hardly breathe."
Bai Ruoxue uttered a sentence that sent shivers down my spine, leaving me unsettled.
"There's a human heart inside, and it's still beating."
"What? That's absurd. Are you sure you're not mistaken?"
Bai Ruoxue, still in a state of shock, nodded vigorously.
Struggling to remain composed, I peered inside and saw a human heart floating in the broth, bobbing up and down eerily.
With a loud "snap," Bai Ruoxue closed the lid.
"Don't look. It's too horrifying."
Watching the scene before us, I couldn't help but shudder. In front of us were hundreds of bronze gui vessels, each containing a human heart, neatly arranged.
It was terrifying.
I asked, "Should we continue digging?"
Bai Ruoxue shook her head repeatedly. "No, let's stop. These 'Three Nos' products won't fetch much."
"Three Nos" products lacked inscriptions, decorations, ears, or feet. These bronze vessels were simple in construction, with low specifications, and naturally commanded only an average market price.
This must have been a sacrificial pit, but presented in this manner was simply unheard of, leaving us dumbfounded.
During the Western Zhou period, the practice of sacrificial burial was prevalent. Chariots, horses, cattle, sheep, and even slaves could be used as sacrificial offerings. However, this method was too peculiar, and things seemed far from simple.
After pondering for a while, I suddenly understood something.
"So, this place conceals the principles of Yin and Yang, as well as Feng Shui."