Chapter 280 - The Seaside Cenotaph

Safe?

Rao Shuang didn't think Tang Jinnian's vague words clarified anything.

What did he mean by "safe"? Was he worried someone might desecrate the cenotaph? Or was there something valuable buried in the grave?

Rao Shuang couldn’t make sense of it as they climbed the narrow path upward.

The terrain grew steeper. Before long, the forest ended and they reached the open hilltop. A breathtaking view of the endless blue sea and sky unfolded before their eyes.

It took Rao Shuang a few seconds to get accustomed to the sudden openness. She raised her hand to shield her eyes, squinting as she surveyed the area. She couldn’t tell whether or not the feng shui was good, but the scenery was so beautiful it seemed to cleanse the soul.

The sea breeze carried the sound of rustling leaves from the forest. It sounded louder and more harmonious than the surf crashing against the shore below.

The hilltop clearing wasn’t particularly large. The edge of the cliff was visible from where they stood, and there was a meticulously maintained grave not far from it.

It was clear that no expense was spared on the construction of the seaside cenotaph. Its headstone was entirely white, radiating a soft luster, though it was hard to tell whether it was made of white jade or ivory.

The grave mound was reinforced with green stone and was more than half a person high. However, it also seemed that very few people visited to pay their respects, giving the area a sense of profound emptiness.

Rao Shuang shook herself from her reverie. Seeing Tang Jinnian already at the headstone, she quickly followed him.

"This is..." Rao Shuang hesitated. "Your father?"

"

Mm

." Tang Jinnian replied absentmindedly, his gaze sweeping across the surroundings, taking in every inch of the area except for the headstone itself.

Rao Shuang tilted her head.

"What are you looking for?"

Tang Jinnian walked around the hilltop with his hands behind his back. He lightly answered, "I'm seeing if anyone’s been up here."

Rao Shuang seemed to catch on, following Tang Jinnian’s movements with her eyes. "Are you... on guard against something?"

Tang Jinnian stopped his examination and stared directly at Rao Shuang.

She met his gaze fearlessly and continued, "Or... are you here for something else?"

Tang Jinnian stared at Rao Shuang for a long moment without speaking. Finally, he shook his head with a smile and said, "I prefer women who are a bit more naive."

Rao Shuang couldn’t tell if Tang Jinnian was complimenting or insulting her. Either way, it made her angry.

Tang Jinnian didn’t give her a chance to explode. Having finished surveying the hilltop, he stopped in front of the grave. Rao Shuang watched as he took out his jade tobacco pipe and removed a white jade pendant that had been hanging from the pipe’s stem.

Tang Jinnian played with the jade pendant in his hand for a moment before pressing it into a circular groove on the headstone. The pendant fit perfectly, seamlessly embedding itself into the stone.

Rao Shuang narrowed her eyes.

So there really is something here,

she thought.

Her mind was still racing when she saw the headstone in front of Tang Jinnian begin to sink slowly into the ground until only the very top remained visible. Behind the headstone appeared an opening just large enough for a person to stoop through.

"What are you spacing out for?"

Tang Jinnian’s scolding snapped Rao Shuang out of her astonishment. He was already halfway into the opening, so she hurried to follow.

As soon as Rao Shuang entered the tunnel, she heard a soft

click

behind her. She couldn’t tell what mechanism Tang Jinnian had triggered, but the headstone began to rise again, sealing the entrance. When the last sliver of sunlight was cut off, the tunnel was plunged into complete darkness.

"Tang... Tang Jinnian?" Rao Shuang couldn’t help feeling uneasy in the pitch darkness.

Crackle—

A spark flared to life. Tang Jinnian's face appeared in the dark, illuminated by his flickering firestarter. "Follow me," he said.

With the light to guide her, Rao Shuang realized that beneath her feet was a spiral staircase leading downward. She peered down only to see the bottom of the stairs disappear into an endless void of darkness beyond the weak light.

Rao Shuang wanted to ask where this place was, but noticing Tang Jinnian silently walking ahead, she couldn’t bring herself to voice the question.

The firestarter’s glow was faint, barely enough to illuminate the path ahead. The darkness distorted her sense of space and time. Rao Shuang felt like they had been walking forever, yet Tang Jinnian showed no signs of stopping.

Suddenly, Tang Jinnian stopped. Rao Shuang quickened her pace and realized that the stairs had ended and they were finally standing on flat ground.

By the firelight, Rao Shuang saw a stone door in front of them. In the shadows, she couldn’t see what Tang Jinnian was doing, but the rumble of moving mechanisms echoed around them. The stone door began to rise slowly, and soft white light seeped through the cracks, eventually flooding the entire space.

Rao Shuang’s mind went blank. Her mouth formed the shape of a gasp, but no sound came out. Her eyes widened, and her pupils quivered faintly.

She couldn’t help but be stunned. What lay beyond the door... what was right in front of her had far exceeded her expectations. She couldn’t gauge how large the space was, but it extended several blocks at the very least.

Rao Shuang belatedly realized why their descent had taken so long.

Tang Jinnian must have hollowed out the entire hill.

But where was the light coming from?

As soon as she solved one mystery, another followed. Rao Shuang looked up in confusion.

Alright, the dome was visible under the illumination and was supported by countless massive wooden beams. But the light... where was it coming from?

Rao Shuang turned her head and finally discovered the source.

On the surrounding walls and even the floor, scattered all around, were luminous pearls emitting a soft white glow.

Rao Shuang felt faint. She wondered if even the imperial palace in the capital could boast such extravagance.

"Come over and help," Tang Jinnian called from afar.

Rao Shuang then noticed that Tang Jinnian had moved to the center of the cavern, where a jade-green table stood. He was now standing in front of it.

Rao Shuang approached, her gaze filled with complicated emotions as she stared at Tang Jinnian. Without acknowledging her, Tang Jinnian placed his tobacco pipe on the table and removed his rarely-removed golden-threaded gloves. He pointed to a spot behind her and instructed her, "Move that chest over here."

Following his gesture, Rao Shuang turned to look and noticed that, in addition to the luminous pearls, the cave contained various other objects. There was a wide array of cabinets, neatly stacked chests, and intricate mechanisms and tools whose purposes she couldn’t decipher. The chest Tang Jinnian referred to, however, looked more like a tall wardrobe—taller than Rao Shuang by at least two heads and was as long as three beds put together.

Rao Shuang suspected Tang Jinnian was intentionally giving her a hard time, how could she possibly move such a thing? It wasn’t until she approached that she realized the chest was fitted with wheels underneath.

She glanced back at Tang Jinnian, who had already walked to another area. There, a simple shrine stood, housing only one memorial tablet. Rao Shuang guessed this must be the true resting place of Tang Jinnian’s father.

Even with wheels, Rao Shuang still struggled to drag the chest to the table. Meanwhile, Tang Jinnian lit three sticks of incense at the memorial tablet, bowing respectfully before turning back.

Rao Shuang watched as Tang Jinnian tied up his hair, washed his hands in a small pond in one corner, and then donned a set of clothing.

"What exactly are you going to do?" Rao Shuang couldn’t help but ask.

Standing in front of the chest, Tang Jinnian glanced at Rao Shuang before turning his gaze back to the chest. Rao Shuang heard him mutter, "Next time, I’m definitely making that Mute pay up."

Then, he yanked the chest open.

The doors swung wide, revealing rows of puppets neatly hanging inside.