However, Guan Yang shook his head and explained, “I don't know if the other items were obtained from previous tomb robbing, but we only found a few things this time when we blasted the tomb.”

As he spoke, Guan Yang took out a few items from memory. Everyone quickly looked over and saw that there were indeed very few things, and they didn’t seem very valuable. The only thing that caught everyone’s eye was a metal token the size of a palm.

“What is this?”

At the same time, Yu Feibai curiously picked up the token and saw that characters were inscribed on the front. On closer inspection, the characters appeared ancient and were blurred by soil rust.

“Qianniu Guard?”

Yu Feibai barely managed to make out a few characters and exclaimed in surprise, “This seems to be an official title from the Tang Dynasty.”

“It should be…”

Wang Guan pondered for a moment, recalling, “In the Tang Dynasty, there were Left and Right Qianniu Guards, belonging to two of the Sixteen Guards of the Southern Yamen. They did not command garrison troops; their sole duty was to guard the emperor with their swords and serve as personal attendants—the emperor’s inner circle bodyguards, much like modern Zhongnanhai security.”

“Tsk tsk, quite a prestigious background,” Yu Feibai chuckled. “Being close confidants of the emperor, probably some kind of general. No wonder they could be buried on the coveted Mangshan Mountain.”

“Possibly.”

The others nodded lightly, finding Yu Feibai’s guess plausible.

After all, Qianniu Guard was a designation, and there were more specific official ranks within it, such as Inspector General of the Qianniu Guard. The popular TV drama in recent years, Detective Di Renjie, often featured Li Yuanfang, who held this title.

Although the title of Great General sounded impressive, it didn't change the fundamental nature of the Qianniu Guard as bodyguards. The top brass of the bodyguards were essentially still bodyguards. It wouldn't be surprising if they were ordered by imperial decree to protect the Prime Minister.

Of course, as is well known, whether ancient or modern, foreign or domestic, secretaries, drivers, and bodyguards close to the leadership can often "borrow the tiger's might" and enjoy considerable "respect." At the very least, no one dares to offend them easily, especially in ancient times, where such a position was truly awe-inspiring and highly envied.

That was a side note. Regardless, seeing that the spoils from the tomb robbing only amounted to a few items, Officer Yang expressed great disappointment. In fact, he wasn't the only one disappointed; the tomb robbers, upon discovering the grand tomb, were also furious and cursed their bad luck.

“By the way…”

Just then, Guan Yang’s eyes flickered. “There’s something I’m not sure if I should mention.”

“What is it?”

Wang Guan’s heart stirred, and he quickly asked, “Did you discover anything unusual in the tomb?”

“Uh… yes.” Guan Yang hesitated before nodding. “When we entered the tomb, we found a rather hidden robber’s tunnel. The others were only angry and didn't notice the tunnel, but I did observe that the mud traces in the tunnel were quite fresh, suggesting it was dug not long ago…”

“How fresh?”

Everyone was stunned and vaguely understood Guan Yang’s meaning.

“Based on my experience, no more than four or five days,” Guan Yang confirmed confidently. He was known as Eagle Eye and had a knack for identifying soil. Saying this meant he was quite certain.

In reality, Guan Yang hadn't intended to complicate matters, but seeing Officer Yang frown, clearly dissatisfied with the case, he decided to drop more bombshells to secure his own position. Back in Songyuan, he didn't have to give Liu Sheng face because he hadn't been implicated, but now that he was stuck on the same boat, he needed to be more careful.

“Meaning, you were a step behind.”

At this point, Yu Feibai said with interest, “Someone acted even faster. I wonder if they managed to dig out anything good?”

“Absolutely a massive haul.”

Guan Yang was one hundred percent certain. “These things here were left behind because they weren't worth looking at for them. This suggests how great their gains must have been.”

There was a faint, almost imperceptible envy in Guan Yang’s tone. Even if he were out of the profession, his understanding of the industry told him that in such a ‘grim’ economic climate, hitting a tomb packed with treasures would be a matter for ‘universal celebration.’

Of course, Guan Yang’s words also presented Officer Yang with a dilemma. The case could have been smoothly closed, but now a new lead had surfaced—was he intentionally stirring up trouble?

“...We will investigate this matter seriously.”

Seeing Officer Yang’s frown deepen, Guan Yang was startled, realizing he might have overplayed his hand.

But it didn't matter much. With confirmations from Wang Guan and Yu Feibai that Guan Yang had tipped them off, leading to the successful arrest of the tomb robbers, Officer Yang decided not to dwell on Guan Yang ‘dampening the mood.’

Naturally, accompanying them to the police station to assist with the investigation, give statements, and identify He Laoliu and the others was procedure; Wang Guan and the others were no exception. Thus, led by Officer Yang, they proceeded to the police bureau. After resolving a slew of tedious matters as quickly as possible, it was already eight or nine in the morning.

Emerging from the police station, the streets were already bustling with activity. Streams of people and vehicles moved back and forth as shops began to open. Teahouses serving breakfast were particularly thriving, packed with patrons.

Wang Guan and the others chose a teahouse with a relatively pleasant environment. They hadn't slept all night, so they needed strong tea to wake up and fill their stomachs.

They were genuinely hungry. When the waiter served the steaming, fragrant buns, no one stood on ceremony, diving in and devouring everything in a frenzy. A moment later, with their stomachs settled, they regained some composure, sipping their tea to moisten their throats while starting to chat.

“It’s over, it’s all over.”

What passed for conversation was mostly Guan Yang lamenting with a long, mournful face.

“What’s over?”

Everyone was clearly puzzled. Yu Feibai straightforwardly asked, “Aren’t you fine? You performed a major service, got yourself cleared from this incident, and left no criminal record. Why the long face?”

“Are you worried about revenge from He Laoliu and his crew? Don't forget, Officer Yang said that while tomb robbing might be minor, using explosives is a serious criminal offense, enough to get them several years,” Yu Feibai remarked casually. “By the time they get out, you’ll be long gone from Luoyang. Are they really going to track you down for revenge?”

“I’m not worried about that,” Guan Yang shook his head. “He Laoliu’s revenge is a distant worry; I’m not thinking about it. But after this incident, my reputation in the Luoyang circles is ruined. I doubt anyone will want to associate with me now.”

“Circles? What circles?” Wang Guan asked softly. “The shady circles?”

“Uh…”

Guan Yang looked awkward, clearly having been hit where it hurt.

“Illicit paths are never sustainable in the long run,” Wang Guan shook his head. “You might get rich, but can you spend that money with peace of mind?”

“Of course, with peace of mind…” Guan Yang mumbled. “No stealing or robbing, why wouldn’t it be peaceful?”

Even as he said it, Guan Yang knew Wang Guan was speaking the truth. Take He Laoliu, for example; setting aside his crime of harboring tomb robbers, just the act of fencing stolen goods was enough to get him into deep trouble.

If you constantly walk by the river, you’re bound to get your shoes wet. Guan Yang didn’t believe that lingering in the gray area would lead to any good outcome. Once the gray gets too deep, it inevitably turns black, and escaping then becomes impossible.

Thinking of this, Guan Yang sighed helplessly. “What good is worrying? Besides this, I have no other skills.”

“Do you remember what I said back in Songyuan?”

Wang Guan smiled slightly. “That offer still stands; you might want to reconsider.”

Talent is rare, and Wang Guan genuinely appreciated Guan Yang’s abilities—specifically, his skill in appraising antiques, not his grave-robbing expertise.

Furthermore, the Head Shopkeeper Cao Xiang had also voiced concerns recently. With the rapid development of the Shiyi Pavilion, he was struggling to manage everything alone. Although he had assistants, the two employees lacked the capability to handle critical moments; they were fine with general tasks but couldn't take charge when needed. After careful consideration, Cao Xiang hoped Wang Guan would recruit a Second Shopkeeper to assist him.

Cao Xiang understood the importance of delegating authority, and Wang Guan was certainly capable of that, agreeing with the suggestion. However, he was still considering candidates for the deputy position. Although it was a shopkeeper role, the prefix 'Second' explained everything. Someone with ability would naturally possess a certain pride and might be unwilling to serve under someone else.

Wang Guan, of course, wouldn't consider someone incompetent. After much thought, he realized Guan Yang was quite suitable: capable, and on good terms with Cao Xiang, meaning he would likely cooperate rather than engage in internal conflict.

For this reason, Wang Guan extended the offer again, though he wasn't sure if Guan Yang would accept. If he did, that would be ideal. If not, Wang Guan wouldn't be overly disappointed. After all, while top-tier talent is rare, there is certainly no shortage of capable people. If Guan Yang refused, it might not be his own loss, but rather his missing out on an opportunity.

“This…”

Guan Yang was hesitating, and after some internal weighing, he made a decision, asking tentatively, “If I work for you, what kind of compensation would you offer?”

“That’s not my purview,” Wang Guan smiled immediately and stated frankly, “The Head Shopkeeper needs a deputy. You need to contact him yourself; convincing him to give you good treatment is up to you.”

“Is that so? Then I need to consider it further…”

Guan Yang put on a look of indecision, but everyone knew he was feigning reserve. They didn't expose him, just smiled and continued their casual talk.

Not long after, everyone had eaten their fill, paid the bill, and left, planning to return to the archaeological camp to check on the progress of the underground palace excavation. In Yu Feibai’s words, he wouldn't be a true man until he'd been inside the underground palace; he had to visit it before he could rest in peace.

Accustomed to Yu Feibai’s exaggerated phrasing, no one paid attention to him, and they simply walked out of the teahouse. With Fang Mingsheng around, there was no need to call a taxi; a luxury vehicle was naturally waiting to take them.

“Wait a minute!”

However, just as they were preparing to leave in the car, Yu Feibai glanced over unintentionally and exclaimed in surprise, “Look, that person seems to be…”