1 001 The ghost of the Han Dynasty princess in the middle of the night

In the spring of the tenth year of the Republic of China, this place is a wilderness in a certain location in Luoyang, Henan Province of Central China. At this moment, it is deep into the night, surrounded by utter silence.

"Mei'er, are you ready?" Father Jian Tianhong said to his son Jian Yumei.

"Yes, father!" A still youthful Jian Yumei handed over the rope strapped to his body to his father.

"Alright, I'm about to descend. Make sure you hold the rope securely!" Jian Tianhong said.

"I understand, father. You can rest assured!" Jian Yumei replied.

"Alright, I'm going down now. Be careful and call me immediately if anything happens!" 

"Okay, father. Please take care!" Jian Yumei responded.

As his father descended into the abyss, Jian Yumei gazed at the pitch-black night sky, reminiscing about his father and their shared experiences.

Father Jian Tianhong hailed from the Guanzhong region of Shaanxi Province, making a living as a tomb raider year-round. His entire life was spent traversing far and wide in pursuit of wealth. 

Jian Tianhong's career as a tomb raider was meticulous and cautious. He abided by three principles: never plunder the tombs of revered historical figures, refrain from grave robbing when sensing ominous signs, and light a stick of incense upon entering a tomb; if it extinguished suddenly, he wouldn't proceed.

Jian Yumei remembered his father's teachings about the natural order of things. Those revered by history were protected by divine providence; disturbing their resting places invited heavenly retribution.

Regarding sensing ominous signs, Jian Yumei recalled his father's wisdom about discerning the signs of danger or safety, though such signs were often elusive to ordinary individuals. Jian Tianhong never claimed to be a sage but trusted his intuition honed through experience to guide him. 

As for the extinguishing of incense, Jian Tianhong understood that some tombs held a peculiar vitality. A living tomb, offering protection to its master and inhabitants, differed from a dead one, incapable of safeguarding them or their spirits.

"If the incense extinguishes, it means the tomb is alive. The master of the tomb is warning the tomb raiders that the tomb cannot be plundered. Ignoring this warning would invite divine punishment, resulting in various ominous occurrences," Jian Tianhong once explained to Jian Yumei when she asked about such situations.

"Father, what kind of ominous occurrences might happen?" Jian Yumei remembered asking her father this question.

Upon hearing Jian Yumei's question, her father's face suddenly showed a look of terror. "There will be... it's terrifying, don't ask. Just remember what I told you!" Jian Tianhong said.

Jian Yumei recalled the many stories her father told her about tomb raiders, some successful and some not. In any case, the lesson was to "treat with awe," as her father often said.

Suddenly, Jian Yumei was startled by the strange cries of birds emanating from the nearby woods. Her heart skipped a beat.

At the age of seventeen, Jian Yumei had accompanied her father for several years. Her father had explained, "Mei'er, ordinarily, few people in our line of work bring their children along. But only you can help me. Finding someone you can trust in this business is rare; many times, partners turn against each other. I've seen such tragedies with my own eyes. Two tomb raiders, working together, one lowered into the tomb, handing over countless treasures to the other waiting above. Then, the one above, seized by greed, intentionally cut the rope, causing the one below to fall to their death. That's why I can't trust outsiders! Besides, your mother passed away early, and there's no one else to take care of you. It's fate; you have to follow me in this business!"

Fortunately, Jian Yumei's father wasn't very greedy. He only conducted business once or twice a year. This time, Jian Tianhong had his eyes set on a mansion in his hometown. The owner of the mansion was planning to sell it at a discount as he needed to leave town. Jian Tianhong had visited several times since learning of the sale.

Every time he returned, he would tell Jian Yumei, "Mei'er, that house is really nice. There's a small garden in the courtyard, and the surrounding buildings are very elegant. The wood used in the house is of excellent quality, and the carvings on the window frames and decorations are exquisite. If we could live in that house, it would be worth it for a lifetime!"

Driven by a strong desire to purchase the mansion, Jian Tianhong brought Jian Yumei along for this deal.

Jian Yumei remembered her father carefully studying the feng shui of the area when they arrived. Standing on high ground, he looked out over the desolate land.

"It should be here!" Jian Tianhong said.

"Father, have you been here before?" Jian Yumei asked.

"Yes, I've been here before. I always felt the feng shui here was excellent, a treasure trove of feng shui. So, I made a note of it and waited for the opportunity to come!" Jian Tianhong said.

To determine if there was a large tomb, Jian Tianhong disguised himself as an antique dealer and chatted with the locals in the village. 

Jian Yumei remembered her father asking an elderly man after having noodles in a noodle shop, "Old man, are there any legends in this village? For example, were there any important people buried here in the past?"

The old man squinted his eyes, "Our village is quite unique. The most peculiar thing is that when it thunders in the summer, we always hear strange roars. The people in our village say that a Han Dynasty princess was buried here, murdered by someone. That's why whenever there's thunder, she gets angry with the heavens!"

"Oh, are there any other legends about that princess

 in the village?" Jian Tianhong asked.

"Legends? There are many. They say that the princess never died for a thousand years, with a beauty that surpasses all others. She often roams the village at night! Several villagers have seen her, nearly scared to death. But she never harms anyone. The village has always believed that it's because of her protection that the village has remained peaceful for a thousand years, regardless of the chaos of the times. No matter the dynasty or the turmoil, the village has never suffered major destruction or disasters!" the old man said.

"Oh, I see. It's truly unique!" Jian Tianhong said.

Perhaps it was the strong desire to purchase the mansion, or perhaps there were no premonitions. Jian Yumei hadn't heard her father mention any ominous feelings about this operation.

Her father began the search for the burial ground.