"Xinzhan, you should also share what you've found with us. We've heard some things, but the details are unclear," Feng Jihu said.
Cheng Xinzhan nodded and began to explain the reason and sequence of events that had brought them here.
After finishing, he added, "Now, we need to go to the source to see what exactly went wrong—whether it was a natural disaster or man-made."
Everyone found a rock to sit on, and Jihu continued, "Jianmo, tell us about this Zhongdu."
Zhu Jianmo cleared his throat and began, "Zhongdu was built by the founding emperor after he seized the throne and established his capital in Jinling. It was designed to be a capital city, and it was said that once completed, the capital would be moved to Fengyang."
At the time, many civil and military officials, as well as members of the royal family, were puzzled and petitioned against it.
If the goal was to stabilize the south, then Jinling should remain the capital.
If the aim was to guard against the north, then the capital should be in Yan or Zhao.
There was no need to focus on Fengyang in Qingzhou.
But the emperor ignored the advice and personally ordered the prime minister to oversee the construction.
"Zhongdu was planned to cover five thousand acres, employing a million laborers. After six years of construction, the foundation was complete, and the city walls were erected. The emperor personally visited Zhongdu to inspect the progress and reward the workers. After his inspection, he returned to Jinling and, on the same day, ordered the construction to cease, citing excessive costs. Everyone was baffled, and throughout the Hongwu era, Zhongdu was never completed."
Later, when the Yongle Emperor moved the capital to Yan, which was far from Fengyang, the idea of moving the capital to Fengyang became impossible.
However, the Yongle Emperor didn't want to waste the foundation that had taken a million laborers and countless resources to build over six years.
He ordered the construction to continue, but on a smaller scale, suitable for a prefectural city.
The large city that was built could also serve as a guardian for the imperial mausoleum.
"Over the centuries, Zhongdu expanded repeatedly, eventually encompassing the imperial mausoleum. However, later emperors and members of the royal family were buried in Jinling and Yan, so this place was left unattended, resulting in the state we see today."
Zhu Jianmo finished his explanation.
Everyone frowned, clearly puzzled.
"A capital city, built with a million laborers, started and stopped at will—it doesn't sound like the benevolent emperor we've heard about," Wang Miaoyuan remarked.
"What mountain is that?" Xu Jishen pointed to a mountain behind the city.
"That's Longevity Mountain, also known as Dragon Mountain," Zhu Jianmo replied.
"And that one?"
"Phoenix Mountain, also known as Feng Mountain."
"Dragon and Phoenix guarding the Purple Star position—it truly is an imperial palace!" Xu Jishen exclaimed.
Cheng Xinzhan observed the city from a distance but couldn't make sense of it.
He turned to Zhu Jianmo and asked, "Do you have the original construction plans for Zhongdu and the imperial mausoleum?"
"Yes," Zhu Jianmo replied, pulling out a blueprint that showed the initial layout.
Cheng Xinzhan took the blueprint and compared it to the city, his frown deepening as he alternated between the two.
The others, noticing his intense focus, remained silent.
After about half an hour, Cheng Xinzhan placed the blueprint on the ground, and everyone gathered around.
He took out a brush with remnants of red ink and began marking the blueprint.
"This is the imperial mausoleum, also the head," he circled the mausoleum.
"This is Phoenix Beak, which connects to the mausoleum like a neck. The bell and drum towers are the two front limbs. Phoenix Mountain and Longevity Mountain are the two hind limbs. The Golden Water River is the auspicious cloud ribbon. And this, the city's foundation, is the body. Look, what does this resemble when connected?"
He sketched a shape with the red brush.
"A white tiger? Or a qilin?" Xu Jishen asked.
Cheng Xinzhan replied, "The white tiger rides the wind, while the qilin treads on auspicious clouds. This is a qilin. The mausoleum, as the qilin's head, is square and located in the west. 'Huang' (皇) sounds like 'gold' (金), and it belongs to the metal element. This is a 'Qilin Devouring Gold' formation!"
He muttered to himself, "The 'Qilin Gazing at the Moon' points the way, and the earth's veins end at the 'Qilin Devouring Gold.' Is there truly a qilin buried underground?"
After a moment of thought, he asked, "What is the Ming dynasty's elemental virtue?"
Zhu Jianmo answered, "The previous Yuan dynasty was of the metal virtue. The Ming dynasty overthrew the Yuan and inherited the fire virtue."
"I see," Cheng Xinzhan nodded.
The 'Qilin Devouring Gold' made a bit more sense now, but something still felt off.
The qilin had devoured the Yuan's metal virtue, gathering it here.
This was both the lingering aura of the previous dynasty and a killing intent, making it unsuitable for habitation.
So why build a capital here?
Could it be that such a grand setup was only meant to activate the formation? And once the formation was complete, the construction was halted?
But that didn't add up.
Later, the Yongle Emperor converted the capital into a prefectural city, where many ordinary people lived.
Logically, these people should have been harmed by the metal's killing intent, yet they thrived for centuries, and the city continued to expand.
Moreover, using the imperial mausoleum as the entrance for devouring gold—didn't the founding emperor fear that his ancestors would rest uneasily?
Cheng Xinzhan seemed to have some ideas.
Pointing to the mausoleum, he asked Zhu Jianmo, "Before the founding emperor ascended the throne, were his ancestors' graves always here?"
Zhu Jianmo shook his head, "Originally, they weren't. After the emperor became a general, he returned to his hometown in glory and moved his parents' and siblings' graves here. He expanded the mausoleum multiple times afterward."
Cheng Xinzhan's eyes lit up, "So the imperial mausoleum and the capital weren't built at the same time?"
Zhu Jianmo replied, "Of course not. When the emperor started his rebellion against the Yuan, he began renovating his family's graves as soon as he gained some momentum. Before he ascended the throne, the mausoleum was expanded three times. After his coronation, he continued to expand it. By the second year of Hongwu, the mausoleum was largely complete, and only then did the construction of Zhongdu begin."
Hearing this, Cheng Xinzhan looked back at the map and seemed to understand something.
He muttered, "So that's how it is."
The others asked what he had discovered.
Cheng Xinzhan explained, "If we separate the imperial mausoleum from the capital, the formation changes." Overall, it still looks like a 'Qilin Devouring Gold,' gathering the world's metal energy into the mausoleum.
"But if we ignore the mausoleum and focus only on the capital, with the bell and drum towers and Phoenix and Longevity Mountains as the limbs, and view the Phoenix Beak facing the mausoleum not as the qilin's neck but as a large mouth, then the capital is no longer the qilin's body but a large-bellied fire pig!"
Thus, the mausoleum absorbs metal energy, forming a golden pearl, but this pearl is continuously drained by the fire pig, strengthening the capital and the Zhu family's dragon vein.
I dare say the mausoleum is a decoy; what's buried inside is definitely not the Zhu ancestors.
"Everyone nodded, though only Xu Jishen and Sun Miaoshu showed thoughtful, surprised, and agreeing expressions. The others simply agreed."
Logically, if the capital's dragon vein absorbs the Yuan's metal energy and uses fire to overcome metal, it should flourish.
So why is there a surge of yin energy?
"Xu Jishen asked. Cheng Xinzhan replied,"I'm not entirely sure.
It could be that the capital's dragon vein has gone awry, or perhaps something has changed beneath the mausoleum, and this change has been absorbed by the fire pig.
"Let's wait until sunset. As the yin energy rises and the remaining sunlight turns into golden light sweeping the earth, we might see some clues."
No one objected, so they waited.
Fortunately, the weather was clear, with no clouds in sight.
At sunset, golden light poured from the west, illuminating half the sky.
Using his qi observation technique, Cheng Xinzhan clearly saw that the mausoleum no longer had any golden light mingling with the sunlight.
Instead, a surge of yin energy rose from the mausoleum and was absorbed by the capital.
"It's the mausoleum," Cheng Xinzhan and Xu Jishen said simultaneously.
Xu Jishen glanced at Cheng Xinzhan.
He knew the qi observation technique, but he hadn't thought to use the sunset's remaining light to observe the golden and yin energies.
It wasn't something he'd read about in any books.
"We need to go to the mausoleum," Cheng Xinzhan said.
"Let's go. Otherwise, we've come all this way for nothing," Sun Miaoshu said with a smile.
Although the mausoleum was now surrounded by scattered residences, no one lived inside.
Under the cover of night, the group flew on clouds and descended into the mausoleum.
As they entered the mortal world, they felt a slight discomfort, though they couldn't pinpoint what it was.
It was like an inexplicable irritation.
Once they landed, Zhu Jianmo led the way.
The entrance to the mausoleum was clearly marked on the construction plans.
They walked along the wide, straight sacred path, flanked by stone figures and horses that gave off a somewhat eerie vibe.
However, as cultivators, they paid no mind and continued to the end of the path, where the entrance to the underground palace lay.
The entrance was blocked by a massive stone slab weighing a thousand pounds.
But, as cultivators, they didn't bother looking for mechanisms.
Sun Miaoshu formed a hand seal and chanted, "Virtuous Earth God, split the stone and open the earth, disperse!"
A flash of light later, the six of them disappeared, and the earth around them flowed like water.
Soon, their feet touched solid ground again.
The underground palace was illuminated by eternal lamps placed every ten steps, revealing a grand structure that seemed even larger than the one above ground.
Upon entering, they felt a slight presence of yin energy, but it was likely just the residual spirits of the tomb builders or sacrificial victims buried here for centuries—nothing that could corrupt the earth's veins.
"By the decree of the Supreme Lord, we release your lonely souls. All ghosts and spirits, may you receive grace in the four realms of rebirth…"
The six of them chanted the "Supreme Lord's Scripture for Resolving Grievances and Absolving Sins" four or five times, and the small ghosts dissipated into clear light.
"Xinzhan, take another look. Where is the source of this yin energy?" someone asked.
Cheng Xinzhan couldn't make sense of it.
"Let's go to the main coffin first and see if we can find any clues," he suggested.
No one objected.
Zhu Jianmo released a dozen puppet spiders to scout ahead.
The spiders crawled along the walls, ceiling, and floor of the passageway, but nothing happened.
They soon reached the main tomb.
"In the past, this place was filled with golden energy. Ordinary people would cough up blood and die if they stayed too long, so there shouldn't be any traps or poison here," Cheng Xinzhan said.
Zhu Jianmo entered the main tomb and, after muttering an apology to his ancestors, opened the coffins of the founding emperor's parents.
As expected, they were empty—no bodies, no mechanisms.
Cheng Xinzhan thought for a moment, then tapped the ground with his foot and asked Sun Miaoshu, "Brother Miaoshu, how far can your earth-traveling technique take us?"
"Forty li one way, or twenty li round trip."
"Shall we go further down?" Cheng Xinzhan suggested.
He felt that there was nothing of significance in the underground palace.
If there were any yin entities capable of disrupting the earth's veins, they would have sensed them by now.
Sun Miaoshu looked at Xu Jishen.
Understanding, Xu Jishen took out a bundle of yarrow stalks, dividing them between his hands.
Cheng Xinzhan watched as he shifted the stalks from one hand to the other, then held them between his fingers.
He didn't understand what was happening.
"Those are yarrow stalks. Jishen is performing a hexagram divination," Feng Jihu explained quietly.
Soon, Xu Jishen put the stalks away and said, "The hexagram suggests danger but no harm. We'll return safely."
Sun Miaoshu nodded and activated his earth-traveling technique, taking the group further down.
"Huh?" Sun Miaoshu's voice echoed in the darkness.
"What is it?" the others asked, unable to see anything.
"We've gone down about five or six li, but there's a barrier blocking us," Sun Miaoshu replied.
"Try moving sideways," Wang Miaoyuan suggested.
"Which direction?"
"Any direction. This barrier is likely protecting or sealing something below, but it can't be completely sealed off. There must be an opening somewhere. We'll just have to try our luck."
"Alright."
Their luck held.
Soon, they felt a bright light and entered an even deeper underground palace.
This level was narrow, with only a long passageway.
The walls were lined with niches containing strange animal statues.
There were no eternal lamps here; instead, the light came from phosphorescent stones and night pearls.
Cheng Xinzhan looked around and noticed that they were at the entrance of the passageway, where carved steps led up to a part of the upper underground palace.
"It's so cold!"
Unlike the second level, the moment they entered, they were hit by a bone-chilling cold, as if they had fallen into an ice cellar.
The cold seemed to freeze their very thoughts.
"Zhao!"
Cheng Xinzhan chanted a spell.
He threw out a paper talisman, which burst into transparent flames with a warm, yellowish hue.
The light from the flames dispelled the darkness and some of the cold.
The others felt better.
"The golden energy seems much denser here," Zhu Jianmo noted.
Everyone agreed.
"These are Hundred-Tonifying Agarwood Pills. They benefit the liver and spleen and help resist the intrusion of yin and metal energy into the body," Feng Jihu said, taking out a pill bottle and passing it around.
The bottle made its way to each person, and they all took a pill.
A warm sensation spread through their bodies, making them feel much more comfortable.
Zhu Jianmo led the way again, sending out a group of puppets to scout ahead.
After walking for about half an hour, Cheng Xinzhan saw light ahead, suggesting they were nearing the end of the passageway.
Zhu Jianmo slowed his pace, and everyone cautiously approached.
From a distance, the end seemed to open into a massive cavern.
Cheng Xinzhan couldn't see what was in the cavern, but it emitted a strange light—dark gold mixed with bright green and black smoke, giving the cavern an eerie glow.
As they neared the entrance, Zhu Jianmo slowed even more.
He carefully peered out, then quickly pulled his head back, his face a mix of fear, shock, and confusion.
He pressed a finger to his lips, signaling silence, then pointed outside, indicating that the others should look for themselves.
Sun Miaoshu followed closely behind Zhu Jianmo and also slowly peeked out.
After a few moments, he turned back, his face filled with confusion.
He shrugged, indicating he hadn't seen anything.
Zhu Jianmo looked even more puzzled and gestured for the others to take a look.
The rest of the group slowly approached.
Cheng Xinzhan was among them.
He leaned forward and looked down.
The strange dark gold and bright green light grew denser the further down he looked, mixed with black smoke that rose with a strong aura of death.
Just below the passageway, he saw a fiery red net.
The dark gold and bright green light shone through the net's gaps.
Beneath the net, the light had almost solidified, resembling water.
As his gaze moved downward, his pupils contracted sharply.
Yet, what lay beneath the swirling light was clearly reflected in his eyes.
The source of the light was a massive, mountain-sized qilin with green scales and golden horns, lying on its side!
Written during a business trip, with a splitting headache.
Please vote and recommend! Comments and messages are welcome!
(End of Chapter)