Chapter 272: The Potala Palace

Fan Debiao and Liu Dashao both greatly admired Jia Zhuanyuan. In this day and age, it was rare to find someone who valued loyalty and righteousness, so they said to him, “We’d like to trouble you to come with us. Once we find it, you don’t need to get involved. After we come out, we’ll split the proceeds fifty-fifty!”

To their surprise, Jia Zhuanyuan replied, “I’m not going for the money. Truth be told, although I may not have the strength to hunt for big targets in this part of Shaanxi, a single tomb raid is usually enough to support me in my old age!”

Everyone had been excited, but this trip to Tibet faced challenges due to a lack of experienced guides. Jia Zhuanyuan, with his extensive experience and past adventures in ancient cities, naturally became the team leader.

Jia Zhuanyuan said, “Let’s make this clear beforehand: I’ll only be in charge of navigation. The key decisions must be made by Mr. Liu here.” Everyone agreed with this arrangement.

Jia Zhuanyuan continued, “Don’t underestimate Tibet’s desert areas. Everyone knows there are ancient cities there. Not only the Chinese, but even foreigners are getting involved, pretending to conduct ancient manuscript research while secretly smuggling valuable artifacts overseas!”

By “valuable artifacts,” Jia Zhuanyuan meant gold, silver, jade, and ancient coins.

“Of course, the worst part is that these guys don’t even spare stone tablets or stone statues—things you wouldn’t even recognize. They take everything, worse than bandits!” Jia Zhuanyuan laughed and said, “Once, I encountered a foreigner with yellow hair, jabbering away in a language I couldn’t understand. They carried off a stone tablet while leaving behind more valuable items. I just couldn’t figure out what was wrong with these foreigners’ minds.”

Liu Dashao knew that the stone tablet must have significant cultural value; otherwise, the foreigners wouldn’t have gone to such great lengths to carry a heavy stone away.

“What’s even more terrifying are our own countrymen. In the past, the Tibetan warlords had cavalry units specifically tasked with tomb raiding, using dynamite everywhere. They then used the proceeds to buy foreign guns and cannons to expand their armies, defending against other warlords and ensuring their own rule as local tyrants.”

Jia Zhuanyuan said with concern, “Back then, we encountered one such group. Fortunately, we dodged quickly; otherwise, we would have been killed before even reaching the ancient city.”

To be honest, tomb raiders feared warlords the most. Throughout history, many warlords have used various pretexts to rob tombs and profit from the dead, purchasing weapons with the proceeds. The most notorious example was Sun Dianying, who, under the guise of military exercises, actually looted the tombs of Emperor Qianlong and Empress Dowager Cixi, making a huge fortune. When the last emperor of the Qing Dynasty, Emperor Xuantong, abdicated, the Eastern Qing Tombs still had guards assigned to them, following Qing dynasty protocols. There were also Banner and Green Standard Army troops stationed there to protect the tombs, with the Zongrenfu and the Ministry of Rites handling all related affairs. However, those Banner troops were only formidable during the Qing Dynasty. When they faced Sun Dianying, they couldn’t even hold onto their basic means of survival.

“However,” Jia Zhuanyuan changed his tone, “those Tibetan cavalry units were initially quite arrogant. Later, one cavalry unit went out searching for a major tomb, plundering several tombs of the Hui kings before heading deep into the plateau. Not a single person returned, not even a horse was found. They vanished without a trace. After that, the warlords became more cautious and focused on other ways to secure supplies, which actually benefited us!”

After finishing their last task, the group decided to set off immediately. Apart from a few clothes, Fan Debiao didn’t let anyone bring anything else. He said he would arrange the necessary supplies once they arrived in Tibet. Thus, Liu Dashao, Fan Debiao, Cai Qingchong, Jia Zhuanyuan, and Yang Weidong, a reconnaissance soldier sent by the People’s Liberation Army, headed toward the nearest city with an airport.

Throughout the journey, Jia Zhuanyuan’s face remained expressionless, like a piece of wood. His hands were always in his pockets, and he wore a small leather hat once used by traitors in the old days, giving off an unsettling sense of mystery.

From Shaanxi to Tibet, they almost crossed half of China. Taking a car was impractical, especially with their important mission, so flying was practically their only option.

Fortunately, thanks to government connections, the difficult-to-obtain plane tickets were smoothly resolved, and even a first-class cabin was arranged for them. This made Liu Dashao, who had never flown before, ecstatic. He touched and looked around excitedly, unable to contain his enthusiasm.

Fan Debiao, an old hand at traveling, had accumulated some basic knowledge from years of following Da Guozao on journeys. At this moment, he was handing out copies of documents to everyone, introducing the culture, geography, and customs of Tibet.

“Everyone, you must read these materials carefully before reaching the destination. The Tibetan people have many customs and are very particular. Plus, they are known for their fierce and robust nature. If you offend their taboos, it could lead to serious problems!”

After hearing Fan Debiao’s words, Liu Dashao began reading the materials carefully. Tibetan customs were indeed numerous, making him feel overwhelmed. For example, sitting indoors required sitting cross-legged and upright, not stretching one’s legs or pointing the soles of one’s feet at others. One should not look around aimlessly. When receiving gifts, one must use both hands. When eating, one should not stuff their mouth full, chew loudly, or make noise while drinking. When drinking butter tea, the guest must wait until the host offers the tea with both hands before accepting and drinking it, and so on.

In his mind, Tibetans were usually seen as a race of near-barbarians, associated with galloping horses, animal skin coats, horn knives, and roasted yak meat. To be honest, dealing with such a race made Liu Dashao feel uneasy. Therefore, he read the materials particularly carefully. By the time the plane landed, he had practically memorized them.

Yang Weidong chatted casually with Fan Debiao and Cai Qingchong, getting along quite well. Only Jia Zhuanyuan sat alone in a secluded corner, slowly unrolling the “Hundred Tombs Scroll,” examining it over and over again, afraid of missing some insignificant but potentially crucial detail.

As the warm and sweet voice of the flight attendant announced their arrival, the plane landed steadily in Lhasa, Tibet. After several hours on the plane, everyone was already tired. Fan Debiao had good connections here, and with one phone call, he booked several rooms at a nearby Holiday Inn. Although it was their first visit to this magnificent place, everyone was too exhausted to stay awake. As soon as they brought their bags into the rooms, they fell asleep immediately.

The next morning, everyone got up early and felt quite refreshed. Fan Debiao asked everyone to stay there for a day until the equipment and necessities he ordered arrived. Besides, the terrain in Tibet was complex, and finding an experienced guide was essential for some tasks.

As the saying goes, sharpening the axe doesn’t delay cutting firewood. Liu Dashao nodded slightly after thinking it over.

Coincidentally, everyone was in good spirits and not the type to sit still. Rather than staying in the hotel all day, Liu Dashao preferred to go out and enjoy the scenery.

Thinking of this, he shared his idea with everyone. Fan Debiao was not someone who could sit still either, and Cai Qingchong was a typical quiet type. Yang Weidong was a rule-follower who had never been to Tibet and wanted to see the sights. Only Jia Zhuanyuan was someone Liu Dashao couldn’t quite figure out, but he seemed indifferent. When Liu Dashao mentioned the idea, Jia Zhuanyuan agreed without much concern.

The Holiday Inn was close to Hongshan Mountain. Although they didn’t know much about Hongshan Mountain, everyone was familiar with the famous structure on it—the Potala Palace.

It is said that the construction of the Potala Palace was closely related to Songtsen Gampo, the 32nd king of the Tibetan Empire. Legend has it that in the early 7th century, about 1,300 years ago, after Songtsen Gampo moved the capital to Lhasa, he specially built three nine-story buildings with a total of one thousand rooms on Hongshan Mountain to welcome Princess Wencheng of the Tang Dynasty. This was named the Potala Palace.

The Potala Palace is a stone and wood structure. The outer walls are two meters thick, with foundations directly embedded into the rock layer. The walls are entirely made of granite, rising dozens of meters high. At regular intervals, molten iron was poured into the walls for reinforcement, enhancing their earthquake resistance and stability. The roofs and eaves are wooden structures with overhanging eaves and upturned corners, covered with gilded tiles. The ridges are decorated with gilded banners, treasure bottles, makara fish, and garuda birds. The shiny roofs adopt the Xieshan and Zuanjian styles, reflecting Han Dynasty architectural styles. The walls under the eaves are adorned with gilded copper decorations, depicting Buddhist ritual objects and the Eight Auspicious Symbols, giving a strong sense of Tibetan Buddhism. The pillars and beams are covered with vibrant paintings and intricate carvings. One side of the building complex is the king’s sleeping quarters, the central palace has a stupa on its roof, and the other side is the harem. In autumn, the Potala Palace is entirely whitewashed, standing majestically on Hongshan Mountain, appearing even more sacred and grand. Therefore, the Tibetan people call it the “White Palace.”

“How magnificent!” Liu Dashao looked up at the distant, undulating architectural complex and couldn’t help but exclaim.

“Debiao, can we go inside and take a look at the Potala Palace?”

Fan Debiao shook his head: “If you come to Tibet and don’t visit the Potala Palace, you’ve truly wasted the trip. But today, you really can’t go in.”

“Why? Isn’t this a tourist attraction?” Liu Dashao was somewhat surprised after hearing this, as he had never seen a tourist spot that didn’t make money.

“Today is a religious festival for the Tibetan people, and everyone is inside paying homage, so it’s not open to tourists like us,” Fan Debiao explained helplessly.

“Oh, I see!” Liu Dashao nodded disappointedly. Behind him, Cai Qingchong and Yang Weidong also lost their enthusiasm.

“How about this?” Fan Debiao suddenly slapped his head. “I’ll take you all to visit a Tibetan market. It should be more lively than usual today, with people coming from far and near to join the festivities.”

“Fun?” Liu Dashao cast a doubtful glance at Fan Debiao.

“Haha, you’ve never been here, so you wouldn’t know,” Fan Debiao grinned widely. “The Tibetans are warm and hospitable. Going there will definitely satisfy you. Who knows, maybe a girl will take a liking to you.”

“Like me? You’re joking, right?” Liu Dashao was half-amused, half-embarrassed.

“Well, you never know. The local customs are quite open. It’s common for girls to show affection to their beloved during festivals. So, brother, are you feeling a little excited?” Fan Debiao winked, his tone full of teasing.

“Go away, go away, you fatso. Get lost,” Liu Dashao’s cheeks turned red with embarrassment as he saw Yang Weidong and the others laughing behind him.

“Come on, don’t pretend to be so high and mighty,” Fan Debiao smirked. “Who doesn’t know about your affair with my boss, that beautiful Ms. Wang…”

But before he could finish, Fan Debiao immediately stopped talking, as he clearly saw Liu Dashao’s face darken instantly.

“Big Brother…” Fan Debiao tugged at the corner of Liu Dashao’s clothes.

“Big Brother…” Seeing Liu Dashao remain silent, Fan Debiao became anxious.

He had spoken carelessly for a moment, unintentionally touching a nerve. After all, people like Master Diao and Wang Feifei were still missing, their fates unknown!

“Big Brother, don’t worry. Feifei is lucky and will be fine. Besides, isn’t Master Diao there? With him around, what’s there to fear?” Fan Debiao tried to comfort him.

Sighing, Liu Dashao said, “It’s hard to predict what will happen. Even Jackson and Zhong Kui died mysteriously in that strange place.”

Thinking of the terrifying ruins of the altar in the photo, his heart trembled. These days, whenever he recalled that scene, he always felt as if a pair of eyes were watching him from behind, following him like a shadow, tightening around him until he could hardly breathe.

Could it be that there is a mysterious past in this place, waiting for someone destined, like me, to uncover it?

Or perhaps my fate has already been sealed, and one day, I will meet the same end as Jackson and the others, becoming a sacrifice to that hidden force?

And what about Da Guozao’s death? Why did his premature aging complications mirror exactly those of Ni Ren Zhang? The only difference was that Ni Ren Zhang managed to obtain the antidote—a wax pill—before his death, while Da Guozao was unlucky and met an untimely end.

“The Taiping Qingling Shu”—this thing that has haunted my every moment, what other secrets does it hold?

Why was I the chosen one?

Old Master Diao, that sharp-featured old man, was actually warm-hearted. He had always been very kind to me. And there was Wang Feifei, that pretty and lovely girl. Between us, there had always been a subtle affection.

Unfortunately, I hadn’t even had the chance to say to Master Diao: “Old man, thank you.”

I hadn’t even told Wang Feifei: “Feifei, I like you.”

And then they disappeared… vanished from this world.

Shaking his heavy head, Liu Dashao’s thoughts were in chaos, nearly fainting. If it weren’t for Cai Qingchong’s quick reflexes, he would surely have tumbled down from the mountainside.

“Brother, are you okay?” Cai Qingchong gripped Liu Dashao’s shoulder tightly, frowning.

“I’m… fine,” Liu Dashao struggled slightly, pulling away. But judging by his pale face, he still looked listless.

Cai Qingchong shot Fan Debiao a glare, clearly holding a grudge against the fat man for ruining everyone’s mood.

At this moment, Jia Zhuanyuan, who had always been quiet and reserved, finally spoke up: “Xiao Fan, the Master Diao you mentioned just now, is he really that capable?”

“Of course!” Hearing Jia Zhuanyuan’s doubtful tone, Fan Debiao immediately showed displeasure.

“As for Master Diao, I don’t know much about him. But I do know that he’s the top tomb raider in Hong Kong’s tomb raiding circles, and even our leader treats him with great respect. During our last adventure, he helped us a lot.”

“Oh?” Jia Zhuanyuan seemed to recall something: “Do you know the name of this Master Diao?”

“D-I-A-O, Diao, as in the surname. Then ‘De’ as in respected, and ‘Yi’ as in the number one. Master Diao De Yi.”

“Diao De Yi?” Hearing Fan Debiao’s words, Jia Zhuanyuan’s expression slightly changed, his eyes narrowing as if deep in thought.

“Senior, you know Master Diao?” Fan Debiao asked in surprise.

“Haha,” Jia Zhuanyuan smiled for the first time, stroking his silver beard: “More than just knowing him! Back then, the old Diao, Sima, and I were as close as brothers!”

Sighing deeply, he continued, “Unfortunately, after parting ways at the South China Sea, Sima met his end in a monster’s lair, and we all went our separate ways. I never expected that old Diao would still be in this line of work!”

“Oh, so that’s how it is!” Fan Debiao became excited: “Master Diao hasn’t been in this line of work all along. He opened his own antique and feng shui shop, but this time, due to special circumstances, he came out of retirement.”

“You’re saying that Master Diao, along with my female boss, might be in trouble?”

“I’m more than 60% confident that nothing will happen to them!” Jia Zhuanyuan smiled: “Master Diao’s skills are well-known. In some aspects, I can’t even begin to match him. As long as it’s not a catastrophic disaster, he can definitely get out unscathed. So, you can all rest assured!”

With Jia Zhuanyuan’s assurance, the oppressive atmosphere among the group immediately eased, and even the barrier between them and Jia Zhuanyuan began to dissolve.

Fan Debiao, in particular, was already showering the old master with praise. After comforting Liu Dashao as much as possible, the group continued on their way, eager to see the legendary bustling market as soon as possible.