Unlimited estates for rural beauty-Chapter 661: The Secret Chamber of the Imperial Study (4)
One walked ahead, another supported her. The palace maids trailing far behind did not dare to approach and disturb them. After covering some distance, Feng Xuxu spoke in a soft voice, "How is the construction of the reservoir going?"
"In places where the river is not too big, we’re clearing the silt. For the larger bodies of water, I’ve issued a notice for the local folks to relocate. The Imperial Court will provide silver for them to build new homes. As for their fertile lands, they’ve been given ample compensation, and we have found them new plots—land more generous than what they previously owned."
"Good, that’s good."
"My dear, I have made a model based on the plans you drew."
Feng Xuxu turned to him with surprise in her eyes, "Really?"
"Of course. Could I deceive you?" He looked at his astonished wife with pride, playfully arching his brows, the message clear without words ’See, how clever am I? Go ahead and praise me.’
"Why didn’t you say so earlier? Come, take me to see it." She pivoted and, holding onto him, began walking briskly back the way they had come.
Dugu Chen was startled and steadied her, "Slow down, slow down. It’s not going anywhere; why the rush?"
"Oh, I know my own body. Stop fussing and let’s hurry." Despite her words, she unconsciously slowed her pace and steadied her steps a lot more.
Dugu Chen had no choice but to lead her to the Imperial Study. There, he pressed a switch on a bookshelf, which slowly slid to either side, revealing a stone door behind it. He walked up to it and pressed a specific spot on the door, which then opened—all while Feng Xuxu observed closely.
"That seemed way too simple!" Feng Xuxu watched the entire process, finding it child’s play compared to the intricate mechanisms she had seen on television.
Dugu Chen turned and gave her a mysterious smile, "Simple? Heh, my dear, you couldn’t be more mistaken."
"Oh? Where did I go wrong? That mechanism indeed looks very straightforward!" Her hand reached out to touch the stone door but was caught by his larger one.
Feng Xuxu looked at him with suspicion, "Is there poison on this door?"
Dugu Chen nodded and then shook his head, leading her inside. As they entered, the stone door behind them shut with a sound. It was pitch black inside until Dugu Chen swept his hand through the air, and the room immediately lit up.
Feng Xuxu squinted slightly, waiting until her eyes adjusted to the brightness before fully opening them to survey the contents of the room. Along the walls, at intervals of a few meters, hung Luminous Pearls, their light illuminating the space.
A corridor appeared before her. Dugu Chen picked up his wife, quickly traversing the sectioned stone blocks underfoot. After crossing the stone blocks, he set her down again.
"What is that?" Feng Xuxu asked, after finding her balance, inquiring about the stone blocks they had just passed over.
"The Nine Palaces Grid. There are eighty-one blocks there, of which only nine are trap-free. The rest are all rigged with traps."
For Feng Xuxu, this was truly an eye-opening experience. Having been in this ancient time for so long, she finally met the so-called real traps. Curious to see what the Nine Palaces Grid held, she picked up a jade pendant she wore and looked at him, "What do you think would happen if I throw this onto it?" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖
Dugu Chen laughed affectionately, "It would cease to exist."
"Then, shall I throw it?"
Upon receiving his nod, Feng Xuxu dared to throw the object in her hand. The moment the jade pendant fell, with a ’click’, all the other stone blocks sank, leaving her chilled with sweat upon closer inspection. Except for the nine safe blocks, the rest, all seventy-two, had different traps within them—some had steel blades, others had corrosive fluids... and the jade pendant she had thrown was indeed no more. With such complex traps inside the room, she guessed that the door’s mechanism must also be anything but simple.
"Husband, why do I feel that the traps above are easily unveiled?"
"That’s because you’re only looking and don’t understand the significance within." He took her hand and started walking further inside.
"Then tell me about it."
Dugu Chen looked at her, "Do you really want to know?"
Feng Xuxu nodded vigorously.
"Because each time this secret chamber is opened, the switches on the door change places."
"So, you’re saying that when we leave, the switch on the stone door will change and won’t be the one I saw earlier."
"Smart."
"Even so, I can still distinguish where the switch is." Feng Xuxu pondered for a moment and then looked up at him confidently.
To her surprise, Dugu Chen seemed astonished and asked her, "You can open it?"
Feng Xuxu nodded assuredly, "Of course."
