Literary references penned hundreds of years after Qin’s time reported that the tomb had twice been entered. First by rebels in search of weapons three years after the First Emperor’s death, then 700 years later for plunder. Scattered ashes, fired earth, and the broken warriors themselves suggested that the first violation may well have occurred. Few of the weapons the warriors once carried had so far been found. But the mound itself was not part of that first violation, and no one knew for sure if the second invasion ever occurred. He’d read Shiji and knew that there well could be rivers and oceans of mercury inside, part of an elaborate representation of Qin’s empire, and this could pose a problem. Though thought of as medicine in ancient times, mercury was anything but and most likely contributed to the First Emperor’s death. The fool would ingest an elixir each day of quicksilver, thinking that it would grant him immortality. Then again, looking at the mound that had stood for over two thousand years, Pau thought that perhaps Qin had been right after all.
Here was his immortality.
Mao himself had taken a keen interest in what was happening here. The Cultural Revolution was seven years past. Gangs waving their little red books of Mao’s thoughts were long gone, thank goodness. Schools and universities had reopened. The army was stable. Commerce had returned. China was again engaging the world. Warriors from the First Emperor’s time—a massive, silent, heretofore unknown underground army—might be helpful in steering Mao’s master blueprint for nation building. So the government had assumed control of the site, sealed off by the military, and workers were searched on both arriving and leaving. Some looting had occurred, mostly brass arrowheads sold for scrap. Several had been arrested and examples would have to be made, for nothing could jeopardize the area’s potential. The Chairman had told him to do whatever was necessary to preserve the find.
Mao trusted him and he could not disappoint.
So he’d ordered more exploratory digs.
Shiji made clear that there were countless aspects to the tomb complex. Already the digs had proven fruitful. Areas of interest had been identified. In one, horses and a chariot were discovered. Not representations, but the bones of horses and an actual chariot. What else lay in the earth around him? He could only imagine. It would take years to discover it all.
“Minister.”
