Siheyuan: tomb robbing? I am serious about hunting.

Chapter 1132 Yang Palace

Then she shouted loudly into the well: "Aunt Xiu Lian! The shoes embroidered by my mother are so beautiful. I will ask her to embroider a pair for you next time!" The water in the well made a "clattering" sound, as if Xiu Lian was agreeing. Tao'er looked at the ripples on the water, and suddenly remembered that when she was a child, her father would hold her in the same way and tell her the story of Xiu Lian. She thought of the red embroidered shoes embroidered by her mother, the ashes of her grandfather scattered under the poplar tree, and the peach blossoms by the well. She suddenly realized that some things have never disappeared - they are hidden in the peach blossoms, hidden in the well water, hidden in the stories of generations, and slowly passed down. That night, Tao'er had a dream. In the dream, she returned to her childhood and stood by the old well. An aunt in red clothes stood by the well, with her hair hanging down to her waist. She held an account book and red embroidered shoes in her hands and smiled at her. Next to her aunt stood an old man with a white beard, Uncle Lao Gen. He held a pipe and sprinkled peach blossoms on the poplar trees. There was also a woman in coarse cloth, Grandma Zhang Lan, holding a cloth bag filled with peach blossoms. They all smiled at Tao'er, but said nothing. But Tao'er knew what they were trying to say: protect this village, protect this well, so that the peach blossoms will bloom year after year, and let the story be passed down from generation to generation. The next morning, Tao'er went to the well early. On the stone tablet lay a pair of red embroidered shoes, with peach blossoms embroidered on the toes and a small "peach" character embroidered on the uppers, exactly as she had seen in her dream last night. She put the shoes away and placed them in a wooden box at home—a box that had now been passed down to her. Inside, besides the shoes she had embroidered, the peach blossoms Erzhu had picked, there was also a painting Nian Tao had drawn: an old well, a poplar tree with peach blossoms in bloom, and an aunt in red shoes standing beneath it. Days went on. The water in the old well still flows, so sweet that you can see your reflection in it; the poplar trees by the well still bloom peach blossoms every year, as bright as a ball of fire. Generation after generation, the people of the Red Star Production Brigade have guarded this well, this village, and that unforgettable past. In spring, Niantao would follow Taoer to the well to pick peach blossoms; in summer, Wang Tieniu would take the children to tell stories by the well; in autumn, Chuntao would sit by the well and embroider red shoes; in winter, Erzhu would sweep the snow that fell on the edge of the well, for fear that Xiulian would slip when she came out. They all knew that as long as the peach blossoms on the poplar trees bloomed every year, Xiulian would always be there. She guarded her account book, her red embroidered shoes, this old well, and the peace on this loess slope. As long as someone still remembered her, as long as someone still gave her peach blossoms and embroidered red shoes, she would never leave. That girl in red embroidered shoes and a long braid, she once stood at the landlord's door, stopping the villagers from stealing, tears welling up in her eyes, but no one listened. "I'm afraid what Mrs. Li burned was Xiulian's account book," Uncle Lao Gen continued. "That account book records which villagers went to Master Shen's house to steal things and how much they took—she wanted to return the things later, but before she could, something happened." From Warring States Strategist to Modern Celebrity, Chapter 1: The Xianyang Palace Collapses, Office Buildings Rise. In 332 BC, the bronze lamps within the Xianyang Palace burned dimly, casting the shadows of the occupants on the mottled palace walls, flickering. Su Qin, clad in a brocade robe embroidered with subtle patterns, wore the seals of the six kingdoms at his waist. The resounding clink of the seals was particularly clear within the solemn hall. He stood beneath the red steps, his posture as straight as a pine tree, his eyes as sharp as a torch, and he was spitting out refutation of Qin Prime Minister Zhang Yi's "Heng Lian" strategy. "Mr. Zhang Yi, this is wrong!" Su Qin's voice was so loud that it shook the dust on the roof of the hall. "Qin is a country of tigers and wolves. If the six countries each form an alliance with Qin, it may seem to temporarily avoid war, but in fact it is drinking poison to quench thirst! Today Qin swallows Han and Wei, and tomorrow it will attack Zhao and Chu. By then, the six countries will be isolated and helpless, and will surely be destroyed! Only if the six countries unite, swear an oath of blood, and jointly resist the powerful Qin can we ensure peace in the world!" Zhang Yi sat behind the table opposite, his fingers tapping the bamboo slips on the table, a sneer on his lips: "Mr. Su Qin is really good at talking big! The six countries each have their own ulterior motives. Han and Wei fear Qin like a tiger, and Zhao and Chu have always had grudges. What makes you think you can ask them to put aside their grievances and join forces? "Resist Qin? That's just empty talk!" "Not at all!" Su Qin stepped forward and unfolded the silk map he carried. The map, clearly marked with ink lines, showed the territories and rivers of the six kingdoms. "Han and Wei, though weak, control the vital routes leading eastward from Qin. Zhao and Chu, though at odds, neither wants to see Qin dominate. As long as the interests are explained and an alliance is promised, the six kingdoms will surely unite! Last year, I persuaded Marquis Su of Zhao, and he agreed. I then visited King Xuan of Han and King Xiang of Wei, and they also agreed to join the coalition. Lord Zhang Yi, your so-called 'different agenda' is nothing but wishful thinking on the part of the Qin court!" The civil and military officials in the hall murmured among themselves, many nodding in agreement with Su Qin's views. King Huiwen of Qin sat on the dragon throne, his expression shifting, his fingers tightly gripping the armrests. While he agreed with Zhang Yi's strategy of forming alliances, he had to admit that Su Qin's coalition strategy had indeed struck a chord with Qin. At that moment, a sudden rumble of thunder erupted from outside the hall. A fierce wind, carrying sand and rocks, roared in, slamming into the bronze tripod outside. A muffled buzzing sound shook the lamps inside, causing the flames to flicker. Then, a crisp crackling sound echoed from the ceiling. Everyone looked up and saw the central beam snap, sending a massive beam crashing down into the hall, sending sparks and wood chips flying. "Be careful!" someone cried out, and the hall erupted in chaos, with officials scattering for cover. Su Qin's vision went dark. The sounds of argument, exclamations, and thunder faded in an instant. His body felt as if pulled by a tremendous force, spinning around him. He instinctively reached for the table nearby, but found nothing, and fell heavily to the ground, losing consciousness. An unknown amount of time passed before Su Qin gradually regained consciousness. He snapped his eyes open, and the first thing he felt was a bone-chilling cold—not the blue brick floor of Xianyang Palace, but a hard, smooth, and cold "stone slab" that felt completely cold to the touch. He struggled to get up, but his entire body ached, as if crushed by something heavy. When he managed to sit up and look around, he was stunned. There were no familiar palace walls or palaces, no bronze lamps, and no officials in court robes. Instead, towering "stone towers" reached the sky—many times taller than the tallest city walls he had ever seen. Their walls were as smooth as mirrors, and their windows were neatly arranged, like countless pairs of eyes, staring coldly at him. On the road between the towers, countless "iron boxes" ran. These iron boxes, undrawn by horses, ran faster than a thousand-mile horse, making a beeping sound as they passed, startling him and causing him to instinctively shrink back. Even more shocking was the people on the street—they were dressed in strange clothes, some in short jackets and long trousers.