Chapter 20: The Enigmatic Qingyang

I stood rooted to the spot, my brow furrowed slightly. The "Three Autumns" treasures should have been in the Qianling Mausoleum, yet Qingyang had been having Qiunuo copy them since she was a child. Even more mind-boggling was the fact that Qiunuo could write out the *Chuigong Collection*—a work beloved by Empress Wu Zetian—without even knowing what it was. Judging by this, Li Zhao had never intended to tell her.

Yue Qianling studied archaeology, so she knew full well the weight of the *Chuigong Collection*. However, all current evidence suggested that this anthology was most likely in the Qianling Mausoleum.

"There isn't a single word about the contents of the *Chuigong Collection* in historical records," Yue Qianling said, looking at me with confusion. "How did you know that what Qiunuo was writing was the *Chuigong Collection*?"

"Precisely because no one knows about it, Qiunuo herself didn't realize what she was copying all those years," I said, taking a deep breath. "The *Book of Burials* is considered a rare treasure, the only one of its kind. Fortunately, I had read it, and it contained a very brief mention of the *Chuigong Collection*. That is why I was so shocked."

"That makes it even stranger," Yue Qianling asked curiously. "Qiunuo said she was copying Tang Dynasty literature transcribed by Aunt Li. So, how did Aunt Li come to possess the *Chuigong Collection*?"

I suddenly recalled the words Li Zhao had spoken that night, seemingly unintentional and offhand. Panic surged through me, and I grabbed Xiao Lianshan.

"Drive me to the Qianling Mausoleum! Now!"

I rushed out in a flurry, nearly knocking over Gu Anqi, who was just entering.

Xiao Lianshan parked the car at the foot of the Qianling Mausoleum. Before the car had even come to a complete stop, I jumped out and ran all the way to the Wordless Stele, where I stood with my hands on my hips, gasping for air.

Seeing my urgency, Xiao Lianshan followed me closely, fearing something might go wrong.

"Brother, why did you suddenly run all the way out here..."

I raised my hand to signal Xiao Lianshan to be quiet; I needed silence to think.

Qingyang had once told me that entering the Qianling Mausoleum was not difficult; one only needed to grasp the meaning of the Wordless Stele. I had come here that day and pondered it for hours, yet I couldn't understand the significance of Empress Wu Zetian erecting a stele without an inscription.

Li Zhao had hinted that instead of wondering what the stele meant, I should consider who it was meant for. But I still couldn't grasp her intent.

Now, however, putting all the events together, an answer emerged—one I could hardly believe myself.

I took a deep breath and looked up at the Wordless Stele.

"Who on earth did Wu Zetian intend for this stele to be seen by?"

Hearing this, Xiao Lianshan answered without a second thought.

"Brother, is that even a question? She obviously erected it for future generations. You don't expect it to be for herself, do you? She’s been dead for thousands of years. Do you expect her to crawl out of the mausoleum every night for a stroll?"

I shook my head and gave a bitter laugh, but the smile soon froze on my face. My lips trembled, and I said in a panic:

"Could it be... that she really did erect it for herself to see?"

Seeing my grave expression, Xiao Lianshan patted my shoulder.

"I was just joking. You don't actually take that seriously, do you?"

I rubbed my weary face and turned back with a strange expression.

"Lianshan, you go back first. I have things to do."

"I'll go with you."

"No need!"

Xiao Lianshan knew that once I had made up my mind, there was no changing it. After driving him back to Jingzhao, I returned alone. I walked for a long time, lost in thought. By the time I reached Qingyang's house, it was already night, and the snowflakes drifting from the sky were growing larger.

Qingyang opened the door and, seeing me standing there alone, asked with surprise:

"Yan Hui, why are you here all by yourself so late?"

"Aunt Qing, I think I’ve figured out the meaning of the Wordless Stele."

Qingyang froze for a moment before regaining her composure and smiling faintly.

"Since you have grasped the meaning of the stele, go find Aunt Li in the Buddha hall. She has been waiting for you, saying that once you understood, you would certainly come."

I nodded. When I reached the Buddha hall, I noticed that Qingyang had not followed me. I stood at the door, feeling uneasy, and remained silent for a long while before gathering the courage to push open the door.

Li Zhao sat before the shrine, her prayer beads moving rhythmically in her hands. She showed no surprise at my arrival, not even shifting her position.

"You’ve come at the right time. Your Aunt Qing just brewed a pot of tea. It would be a shame to enjoy it alone on a snowy night. You can keep me company."

I sat opposite Li Zhao, feeling somewhat tense.

"Aunt Li, I have figured out the meaning of the Wordless Stele."

Li Zhao took a small sip, her expression unchanged. She said casually:

"Oh? You figured it out so quickly. I was just telling your Aunt Qing that you, Yan Hui, are a clever person and it wouldn't take you long to understand, though I didn't expect it to be this fast."

"But... but I don't know if my answer is correct," I said, lacking confidence.

"You have always been a very confident person. Why today..." Li Zhao poured me a cup of tea with a calm, faint smile. "This tea is Lushan Cloud and Mist, a premium green tea. Try it, calm your mind, and then tell me what you’ve thought of."

After drinking the tea, I felt much calmer. I took a deep breath and said:

"I met Qiunuo in Rongcheng. For a girl her age, her knowledge of Tang Dynasty culture far exceeded that of many experts who have spent their entire lives studying it. At the time, I didn't think much of it—there are always people more talented than others—and I simply assumed Qiunuo was gifted."

"Heh, it’s a good thing Nuo'er isn't here. If she heard someone praise her so highly, I don't know how happy she would be," Li Zhao said dismissively. "Whatever achievements Nuo'er has today are all thanks to her Aunt Qing. She has been with Qingyang since she was a child, and through constant exposure and Qingyang's personal guidance, Nuo'er has attained some success."

"Then I met Aunt Qing in Rongcheng for the first time. I was truly shocked by the entire 'North of the Fragrant Pavilion.' After meeting her, I began to understand why Qiunuo was so obsessed with Tang history—because she had an aunt by her side who was even more obsessed."

"You only got half of that right," Li Zhao said with a faint smile, pouring tea nonchalantly. "Qiunuo’s interest in Great Tang culture is a longing; she lives in a fantasy. But for Qingyang, it is a reverence for Tang history; she lives in the past!"

I nodded silently, the corners of my mouth curving upward as I muttered to myself:

"Yes, I suppose only someone living in the past could build a house like the 'North of the Fragrant Pavilion'."

"Go on."

"Later, I saw the basement in Aunt Qing's house. Every single item in there was a world-class treasure, yet what struck me was how casually they were displayed," I said, holding my teacup calmly. "At the time, I thought Aunt Qing was just incredibly wealthy, so it wasn't strange even for rare pieces to be treated that way. But thinking about it now, I was wrong."

"What do you think now?"

"Aunt Qing doesn't care because, to her, these things are not treasures!"

"Heh, continue."

"Aunt Qing gave me the other copy of the *Luo Xuan Divine Strategy*. I combined the two, revealing a map without any labels. At the same time, she showed me a painting by Wu Daozi that had never been recorded, which contained information about the 'Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Technique'," I said, my expression somber. "Empress Wu Zetian once possessed the 'Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Technique'. As a monarch, she should have known the importance of this book better than anyone. I believe very few people knew about it, and even if they did, given her nature, she wouldn't have left them alive."

"So you were curious why Qingyang would have these things," Li Zhao said, fingering her prayer beads.

"Aunt Qing seemed to know a great deal about the 'Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Technique'. It is a supreme secret of metaphysics, known to only a handful of people. I have only seen scattered mentions of it in ancient texts, yet Aunt Qing, a merchant, spoke of it like she knew it by heart. I was indeed curious," I nodded steadily. "Furthermore, Aunt Qing kept emphasizing that the existence of the 'Nine Heavens Hidden Dragon Technique' was dangerous, showing she knew its secrets, yet she had no desire to obtain it."

Li Zhao did not interrupt, simply pouring more tea and waiting for me to continue.

"As for what happened later, Aunt Li, you know. You had Aunt Qing produce the Buddha's true relic, which gave us the chance to enter the underground palace. I was in such a rush to find the Ming Fourteen Tombs that I didn't think much of it, but after these days of reflection, I realized a problem: how did you come to possess the Buddha's true relic?"

"The relic was something I obtained through a stroke of fate. What is it you don't understand?"

"The Buddha's true relic is a supreme sacred object of Buddhism, and every single one has a documented lineage. Only four were ever brought to the Central Plains. Three are currently preserved in the country, but the fourth disappeared without a trace."

"Yan Hui, are you suggesting that the relic I gave you is the one that went missing?"

"At first, I didn't think so, but then I realized there were coincidental connections between the two."

"What kind of coincidences?"

"In the fourth year of Chang'an, Empress Wu Zetian ordered the officials Cui Xuanwei and the monks Fazang and Gang to welcome the Buddha's finger relic into the palace for veneration. However, the year after she devoutly welcomed the relic, she passed away, yet the Buddha's bone remained in the Mingtang in Luoyang and was never returned. Later, the relic vanished!" I looked up at Li Zhao. "It’s related to the Tang Dynasty again. Given how many Tang artifacts Aunt Qing collects, it wouldn't be strange for her to have one more relic."