This secret passage led straight to Emperor Jingde's burial chamber. Emperor Jingde and Empress Dowager Jiang had both possessed extraordinary intelligence and deep cunning. In life, they had never spared these lowly craftsmen a second glance. To prevent such antlike little people from disturbing their peace after death, they had settled on the most thorough solution: exterminating them to the last man. Yet wherever there was oppression, there was resistance. Under the crushing weight of imperial power, the craftsmen had secretly left themselves a way out.
Master Craftsman Zong Yuan had simply never had the chance to use that escape route.
Emperor Jingde's burial chamber was extravagant in the extreme. Dragons soaring through a sea of clouds were carved into the ceiling, studded with Night-Luminescent Pearls that illuminated the entire chamber. Clouds were carved around the platform supporting the coffins, symbolizing an early ascent to bliss and entry into Heaven.
Of the two coffins, one was old and the other new. The old one belonged to Emperor Jingde; naturally, the new one belonged to Empress Dowager Jiang. Zong Tang took out a cotton cloth and wrapped it over his nose and mouth, then handed another to Hu Xiaotian.
Hu Xiaotian carried a face mask with him and put it on instead. Tomb robbing was an entirely new experience for him, but he had no idea why Zong Tang had come here.
Zong Tang moved with practiced familiarity. He told Hu Xiaotian, "After my father discovered that the Imperial Mausoleum had been robbed, he followed the Tomb-Robber's Tunnel here. All the burial offerings were untouched, and there were no signs of damage anywhere."
Hu Xiaotian chuckled. "Surely Ghost Physician Fu Wan didn't go to all that trouble digging a tunnel just to pay the place a visit?"
Zong Tang shook his