The Imperial Mausoleum lay 230 li southeast of the Kang Capital, at the foot of Qixia Mountain. The site had superb feng shui and was where the emperors of Great Kang had been laid to rest for generations. The surrounding mountains rose and fell, looking from a distance like long dragons linked head to tail. The people of Great Kang also called this place Crouching Dragon Ridge, a name inspired by the shape of the mountains.
It was already dusk when Hu Xiaotian arrived. Hiding in the dense woods, he looked through the gaps between the branches and saw thousands upon thousands of laborers hauling stone and timber along the yellow dirt road ahead. Laborers kept collapsing from exhaustion, only for soldiers to rush over and beat them with whips and clubs. Hu Xiaotian sighed inwardly. Great Kang's fortunes truly had reached their end. Its people could not even fill their bellies, yet they were forced to come here and build the Imperial Mausoleum. Once their endurance reached its limit, a storm of unimaginable proportions would erupt.
Hu Xiaotian had come here solely for Murong Feiyan. This was hilly country, with no fierce wild beasts roaming about. He patted Little Gray's rump and whispered, "Little Gray, wait here for me. I'll be right back." He had brought no helpers. After all, he did not want anyone else to know he was coming to see Murong Feiyan.
Little Gray snorted, understanding Hu Xiaotian's words, and ambled off to graze in a grassy patch among the trees.
Hu Xiaotian quietly removed his outer robe and changed into the shabby clothes he had prepared beforehand. Under the cover of dusk, he slipped unnoticed into the group hauling stone. The men had placed wooden rollers beneath an enormous boulder measuring a full three zhang