Chapter 1344 - 1020: The Left General’s Tomb Is Right Below

Everyone gathered around, except for Wo Xue, who, despite her curiosity, was mindful that Shang Ruyi was still lying unconscious on the bed. Thus, she could only stand by the bedside, craning her neck to look across the room.

Ashina Zhuxie looked down at the wooden plank, deeply embedded in the ground, with a copper handle on it.

He had never seen this before and said, "What is this?!"

"If I’m not mistaken,"

Wang Shaoqiu slowly bent down, reached out, and touched the copper handle. No one knew how many years this plank and handle had been pressed under the mat; the board looked new, but the handle was already covered in patina, clearly seldom used. Wang Shaoqiu gripped the handle and tried to pull, but the plank didn’t budge.

Ashina Zhuxie said, "Let me try."

After speaking, he reached out to grip the copper handle, feeling the heaviness, obviously not from the plank itself. He gritted his teeth and pulled hard upwards—

With a muffled "bang," it was as if some dull thunder exploded beneath their feet. Ashina Zhuxie stepped back twice, having pulled the plank open, revealing a pitch-black, bottomless hole below. As soon as the plank was opened, a gust of wind rushed in from behind them, lifting the slightly disheveled hair of several people who had slept through the night, all blowing towards the hole.

"This is—"

Even though the hole was pitch-black, everyone’s eyes lit up.

It seemed that the mystery behind Young Master Jia’s sudden disappearance lay before them. However, this hole definitely wasn’t just about his disappearance. After all—no one would dig a hole under their house in the mountains without reason!

Wang Shaoqiu looked up at Ashina Zhuxie in surprise: "Khan, it’s correct!"

This time, Lei Yu was also unable to ignore it: "You mean—"

Wang Shaoqiu said, "Left General’s Tomb, there might be clues related to Left General’s Tomb below, or..."

The rest of his words gradually faded away, but even if he didn’t say it, everyone had the same guess upon seeing the hole hidden beneath the mat—Left General’s Tomb might just be below.

And Young Master Jia, he might just be one of the Zuo Family members!

Soon, everyone was prepared because they didn’t know how big the hole was or whether Young Master Jia had further traps outside. Therefore, Ashina Zhuxie picked only seven or eight strong soldiers to go down with him. The guards accompanying Shang Ruyi were curious but didn’t dare act rashly since Princess Qin was poisoned, unconscious, and her life was uncertain. If they all went underground searching for treasure and ignored her, they risked having their heads cut off by the Emperor upon return.

Unexpectedly, Lu Xiao insisted on going down.

Though she hadn’t complained during the journey, everyone knew she was a delicate dancing girl. So, although many admired her beauty, no one truly took her seriously.

Little did they expect, she insisted on going into the hole.

Even Wo Xue couldn’t help but frown and lowly said, "Miss Lu Xiao, down there—might be something dangerous. If you go down as a woman, and meet danger, no one can protect you."

Lu Xiao found a rope in the house and tied it under her armpits for easier movement, saying, "Thank you for your concern."

Seeing her like this, Wo Xue furrowed her brows even tighter.

She absolutely wouldn’t leave Shang Ruyi, who was unconscious, to take risks. But since Lu Xiao was, in every sense, someone Shang Ruyi had brought from the Shen Family, they had a responsibility for her life and safety. Especially because Shang Ruyi had expressed a desire to find the Left General’s Tomb more than once; to just ignore it wouldn’t be right. Wo Xue thought it over and found two agile guards, asking if they were willing to accompany Lu Xiao down.

The two guards immediately agreed.

To them, protecting such a beautiful woman wasn’t considered hard labor, and given Princess Qin’s emphasis on Left General’s Tomb, even if they couldn’t get anything, they would have an explanation upon returning.

Then, having prepared, the group was ready to enter the hole.

Though the lid was just opened, and the depth was seemingly endless, judging by the sound of a rock thrown into it, the hole was only about one Zhang deep. By shining a torch at the entrance, they could see the jagged, pitch-black rock walls below. So, they tied a rope to a tree outside, let the other end fall into the hole, and a bold Turkic soldier jumped in first.

A shout was immediately heard.

People above quickly asked, "What happened?"

The man muttered a curse, seemed to look around, and then everyone heard the sound of him sucking in a cold breath, saying, "Below here... it’s huge, there’s a path, someone has definitely been here!"

Everyone understood even more clearly.

So, they descended one by one, with Lu Xiao being the last. Though not entirely defenseless, she had experienced many life and death crises in her lifetime, yet jumping into such a dark pit with an unknown future was her first time; her legs involuntarily trembled.

But, thinking of the possibility that Left General’s Tomb might be inside, with potential wealth that the world desired, and perhaps being able to follow Shang Ruyi to Luoyang someday to see Xiao Yuansui after a long separation, she took a deep breath, tightened her grip on the rope, and even before jumping in, her palm bore a blood mark.

They would reunite soon!

With such a reunion, she couldn’t convince herself to present him only a broken body and mind. If she could find Left General’s Tomb, perhaps Xiao Yuansui would be happier.

Thinking like this, Lu Xiao regained her courage, took a leap while gripping the rope—

Watching her vanish into the hole with flowing garments, Wo Xue sighed softly, sat back by the bedside, and took Shang Ruyi’s hand.

Upon the moment of entering the hole, Lu Xiao felt darkness engulf her, an indescribable moist and cold scent snaking into her nose like venom, almost suffocating her. Her hand clutching the rope stiffened, nearly falling, but fortunately, she was caught by the people below.

"Miss Lu Xiao, are you alright?"

The person catching her was one of the guards Wo Xue previously instructed, one named Li Miao and another Gao Chen, both in their early twenties, young, strong, and sharp-minded. After steadying her, they let go but extended their arms for her to grab and stand firm.

Lu Xiao stumbled slightly, feeling her feet on cold, hard, and uneven stone, she exhaled deeply.

Then she lifted her head and looked forward.