131: Chapter 131 The Perilous Interior of the Underground Palace

According to Cui Wenzi's account, when the construction of the underground palace first began, hundreds of thousands of people were tasked with digging diagonally downward on a square plot of land measuring 460 meters in length and width.

It was like an inverted funnel, being excavated diagonally all the way down.

The three-dimensional structure of the underground palace was large at the top and gradually became smaller layer by layer as it went down.

There were nine layers above the main chamber of the palace, and likewise, nine layers below it.

Each layer was nine meters deep, totaling nine layers.

Nine times nine is eighty-one.

The depth of the underground palace reached eighty-one meters!

"Oh!"

Zhao Fusu couldn't help but ask, "Did the previous mention of 'passing through three springs' refer to groundwater?"

Zhao Fusu asked this because he felt that since the palace was dug so deep—deeper than any well in Xianyang—it was impossible for there to be no groundwater.

"Yes!"

Cui Wenzi said.

"The term 'passing through three springs' means we drilled through three layers of groundwater."

"To solve the groundwater problem, we used molten copper for casting around the perimeter, and any gaps were sealed with raw lacquer."

Cui Wenzi spoke, and to give Zhao Fusu a more intuitive understanding,

He took out a notebook he carried with him and drew a schematic diagram on it with a brush.

"Oh, I see!"

Zhao Fusu looked at the diagram and understood.

They had essentially created three massive metal rings to block the water.

In addition, a waterproof wall with a thickness of forty meters was constructed to divert the groundwater.

Zhao Fusu nodded to himself.

As expected, the intelligence of ancient people was not much different from that of modern people.

Even though ancient technology was backward, they had their own unique methods.

Zhao Fusu continued to descend layer by layer.

He looked at the surroundings of the corridor.

"His Majesty the Head of State, for the next stretch of the road, you must follow me closely."

Cui Wenzi's expression suddenly became solemn as he looked at the soldiers crowding around Zhao Fusu and said, "The same goes for all of you."

"Are there traps?"

Zhao Fusu's expression also changed.

He had actually seen many traps along the way.

In many hidden locations such as the tomb gates and passages, he had seen mechanical repeating crossbows. Cui Wenzi had also warned him to be careful not to trigger them.

Once a trap was triggered, they would automatically fire, and bolts would rain down.

"Yes,"

Cui Wenzi said, "On the floor tiles ahead, we have set pit traps. Movable wooden boards are placed over the pits, and sharp blades and spikes about 10 centimeters long are installed beneath them. When a tomb robber steps on a board, it will immediately flip, and the person will fall into the pit to be impaled by the sharp blades."

"The linked trapdoors we have installed here are even more advanced; after the first group of people falls in, the trapdoors can immediately return to their original state, allowing for repeated use."

Repeated use, my foot!

Zhao Fusu was speechless.

He couldn't tell which floor tile was a pit trap.

If he took a wrong step, he would fall into a pit.

Zhao Fusu walked every step with extreme caution.

He was afraid his next step would land on a linked trapdoor.

Zhao Fusu marveled once again at how truly brilliant the minds of the ancients were.

He also felt a bit of regret; why had he let his curiosity get the better of him and entered the interior of this underground palace?

If he wasn't careful, he wouldn't even know how he died.

Zhao Fusu grit his teeth.

In any case, he was already here.

Despite the extreme danger, with the chief designer leading the way, Cui Wenzi would be the first to die if anything happened.

After struggling to calm his nerves, Zhao Fusu continued to follow Cui Wenzi, step by step, through the pitch-black tomb passages of the underground palace.

At the depth he had reached, not a single ray of sunlight could be seen anymore.

If the torches were extinguished, it would be so dark that he wouldn't even be able to see his own hand in front of his face!

Thump-thump, thump-thump!

Zhao Fusu's heart was beating rapidly.

Not only was Zhao Fusu feeling incredibly tense, but Deputy General Pang, who was protecting Zhao Fusu's safety at all times, was also extremely nervous.

He paid constant attention to the safety of their footing.

One of his hands gripped Zhao Fusu's arm.

In case Zhao Fusu fell into a pit, he would be able to catch him in time.

"His Majesty the Head of State, watch your head up ahead."

Zhao Fusu looked in the direction Cui Wenzi was pointing, and his scalp instantly went numb.

Hanging from the ceiling of the tomb passage ahead were razor-sharp swords with their blades pointing downward. Once someone stepped on the floor tile beneath a sword, the hanging blade would fall and impale them.

Damn!

Zhao Fusu grit his teeth.

Inside this underground palace, he was truly risking his life.

He was starting to have second thoughts.

However, Zhao Fusu was curious about what the bottom of the palace actually looked like.

Sima Qian said that at the deepest part of the underground palace, mercury was used to symbolically recreate the rivers, lakes, and seas of the natural world, with mechanical devices used to keep it circulating, showcasing a dynamic water landscape.

On its ceiling, an astronomical star map was painted, while the ground mimicked the geographical terrain—possibly using different materials to represent mountains and rivers—and whale oil was used for the lamps.

Zhao Fusu was very curious about what that actually looked like.

Damn it!

Zhao Fusu cursed inwardly. Since he was already here, he might as well go down and see.

Next time, no matter what, he wouldn't come back. He would just let that kid Hu Hai deliver the First Emperor's golden coffin to the deepest part of the palace.

After leading Zhao Fusu past the section with the swords overhead, Cui Wenzi said to him, "To prevent grave robbers, we have set quicksand traps around the perimeter of the tomb passages. Once a robber digs into a passage, quicksand will gush out and instantly fill it, burying them. Moreover, boulders are mixed into the quicksand, increasing the lethality and destructive power of the trap."

"I see!"

Zhao Fusu nodded slightly upon hearing this.

No wonder those experts of later generations didn't dare to excavate Qin Shi Huang's underground palace; besides fearing the public security organs, they also feared these endless traps.

Just then, Cui Wenzi spoke up again.

"Above the tomb passage ahead, we have installed iron-chain suspended stones. We use pulleys to hang stones of various sizes."

"Under the stone slabs of the passage, we have laid bronze seesaws to sense external pressure."

"The chains extend down from the ceiling slabs, connected by hooks and release mechanisms. As soon as they encounter external pressure, they automatically detach, and the massive stones fall, crushing the tomb robber into a meat patty."

Hearing this, Zhao Fusu carefully avoided the stone slabs where the bronze seesaws were buried.

If he accidentally stepped on one, it would trigger the switch, and the massive stones overhead would fall—that was no joke.

Zhao Fusu looked up at the large stones hanging above, which weighed one or two hundred catties each. If they fell, he would certainly lose his life.

Zhao Fusu couldn't help but gulp.

He marveled once again at how excessively dangerous this underground palace was.

"We have also set up many decoy burial chambers within the passages."

"Like these few, for example."

Cui Wenzi pointed to the tightly closed chambers ahead and said, "We have filled them with a large amount of miasma."

"In these other chambers, we have injected a large amount of methane, and we have placed phosphorus under the chamber doors."

"As soon as a chamber door is opened, the phosphorus will ignite, which will then detonate the methane, burning any intruders to death."

Zhao Fusu's pupils constricted slightly as he listened.

He had to admit, to prevent grave robbing, there were truly many traps!

After walking through the deep tomb passages for half an hour, they finally reached the lowest level of the underground palace.

"This is the Profound Palace!"

Cui Wenzi introduced it to Zhao Fusu.

"Mm."

Zhao Fusu nodded slightly.

He looked at the oil lamps lit all around and the star map painted on the ceiling, unable to stop marvelling.

What made his pupils constrict the most were the mountains and plains on the floor.

Wasn't that pattern the map of Great Qin's territory!

As expected of the First Emperor!

Zhao Fusu sighed inwardly; even in death, he still held Great Qin in his heart!

He had brought the territory of Great Qin into his own tomb!

Zhao Fusu looked at the silver rivers and oceans in the shapes of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers.

This was all mercury. Based on the scale, Zhao Fusu estimated there were a hundred tons!

What Zhao Fusu found miraculous was that the mercury was actually flowing!

Yes, just like the Yellow River and the Yangtze River flowing down from high mountains.

The mercury rivers were also flowing from high mountains toward the mercury sea.

Such a miraculous sight made Zhao Fusu unable to resist asking Cui Wenzi, "How was this achieved?"

"Is it the siphon principle?"

Zhao Fusu felt that if a siphon device was used, it would be possible for the mercury to flow on its own.

Cui Wenzi smiled and said, "Does Your Majesty the Paramount Leader think the mercury is flowing in a continuous cycle?"

"Is it not?"

Zhao Fusu couldn't help but ask curiously.

"It is not so,"

Cui Wenzi laughed. "What is flowing is groundwater, not mercury."

"Mercury is heavier than water, and mercury and water do not mix."

"Therefore, the mercury settles at the bottom, and the water flows on the surface of the mercury."

"Thus, we see the color of the water as silver and assume it is mercury flowing."

"In fact, the mercury is embedded at the bottom of the riverbed, and it is the water that flows."

"I see!"

Zhao Fusu couldn't help but admire the ingenuity of the ancients.

"That ocean is where His Majesty the First Emperor's auspicious metal coffin will be placed."

Cui Wenzi pointed to the mercury sea.

Zhao Fusu looked at the large pool of mercury.

On the surface of the mercury was water.

This water was then discharged through special drainage channels.

Since the water was flowing,

It was conceivable that after the First Emperor's auspicious metal coffin was placed in the mercury pool, it would move around everywhere.

This probably symbolized that even though the First Emperor was dead, his coffin would still inspect the world!

"Amazing!"

"Truly amazing!"

Zhao Fusu felt that his eyes had been opened.

This time, his risk in coming to the underground palace had not been in vain.

Thinking about the way he came, carefully avoiding various traps, it was very dangerous, but it was worth it.

He saw that there were actually burial chambers on the surrounding walls of the Profound Palace.

"What are these burial chambers for?"

Zhao Fusu's questioning gaze turned toward Xuanjizi.

Xuanjizi answered, "These chambers will hold His Majesty the First Emperor's funerary objects."

"Such as gold and silver jewelry, vessels, clothing, calligraphy and paintings, ancient books, and other precious items."

Zhao Fusu was stunned.

Wait!

They're placed this deep?!

Zhao Fusu shook his head slightly; no wonder the First Emperor's underground palace had never been robbed.

You would have to dig down ninety meters!

Even if you avoided the trap-filled tomb passages and entered the Profound Palace, there were still these mercury rivers within it.

Zhao Fusu didn't dare to stay long in the Profound Palace.

The amount of mercury in the Profound Palace was far too much.

He had only stayed here for a short while and already felt lightheaded and uncomfortable.

Currently, the palace had not been sealed yet, so the air in the Profound Palace was still circulating with the outside world, and the mercury concentration in the air had not yet reached its peak.

Once the palace was closed and the air was no longer circulating with the outside, the mercury concentration would continue to rise. Then, the air in the Profound Palace would be filled with mercury vapor.

Once a person inhaled a large amount of mercury vapor, they would die of poisoning, and it could also cause severe damage to the nervous system.

Zhao Fusu thought to himself that it was no wonder that even with modern technology so developed, the state didn't dare to excavate the First Emperor's palace.

Over a hundred tons of mercury had been sealed underground for two thousand years.

If it were excavated and a large amount of mercury vapor diffused out, it could endanger the lives of the surrounding residents.

Zhao Fusu didn't dare to stay in the Profound Palace any longer and followed behind Cui Wenzi, heading out of the underground palace.

Looking at the endless traps in the tomb passages, Zhao Fusu would never go down into the palace again.

After exiting the underground palace, Zhao Fusu began to get busy with the arrangements for the First Emperor's funeral.

There were still many things that needed to be done.

Before the funeral procession, grand sacrificial ceremonies would be held at the place where the coffin was kept, such as the commencement of the funeral rites.

He had to lead the imperial family, civil and military officials, and others in performing rites, mourning, and reciting sacrificial elegies to express condolences and respect for the First Emperor.

A massive funeral honor guard had to be prepared, including various banners, streamers, ceremonial regalia, carriages, and horses, to display the First Emperor's nobility and majesty.

Funerary objects, such as the terracotta warriors, had to be arranged.

A week passed in a flurry of activity.

Finally, the day of the First Emperor's funeral arrived. After the sacrificial ceremonies were completed and the appointed time for moving the coffin came, the pallbearers lifted the bier, and the funeral procession officially began.

The First Emperor's golden coffin was placed on a specially made dragon carriage, carried forward by numerous pallbearers.

The funeral procession moved forward in a strict order, usually with an honor guard leading the way, followed by vehicles carrying funerary objects, as well as imperial family members, civil and military officials, palace maids, and eunuchs. Roadside sacrificial points were set up along the route, where local officials and commoners knelt to welcome the procession and mourn.

"Your Majesty!"

He Zhi looked at Ying Zheng with some unease.

Was it really okay to watch one's own funeral?

Furthermore, that auspicious metal coffin was empty inside.

The First Emperor wasn't in there.

If that auspicious metal coffin was placed in the deepest part of the palace and the palace was sealed, how would the First Emperor be buried when he truly passed away?

Once the underground palace was closed, if you tried to open it again, your fate would be no different from that of a tomb robber.

"Ying Zheng is dead. From now on, call me Zhao Zheng,"

Zhao Zheng said.

"This!"

After hearing this, He Zhi didn't know what to say.

"Your Majesty..."

"If the underground palace is closed, what shall be done then?"

"Heh..."

"Isn't that perfect?"

Zhao Zheng said, "The whole world will think I am inside, but who would imagine that it is merely my decoy tomb!"

"Those who have a grudge against me and want to find me to desecrate my corpse won't even find the right place!"