An eight-year-old kid emptied his scumbag father's warehouse and followed his grandparents into

The mechanism for opening the secret passage was strikingly similar to the one in Cui's mansion in his memory—it was also three bricks on the stone wall that looked ordinary but actually contained a secret, and needed to be pressed in a specific order.

Jing Chunxi had no idea what to do, but Xu Zize seemed to have known it all by heart. He just touched the wet brick surface with his fingertips and pressed the buttons one by one accurately.

There was a dull "click" sound, and the bluestone slab, which had originally fit tightly with the surrounding ground and was covered with slippery moss, slowly slid to one side, revealing a hole extending downward, exuding a cold and chilly air.

Unlike the Cui Mansion, this entrance was not covered by a wall, but was directly exposed on the flat ground, making it more abrupt and hidden.

"Xi'er, be careful with your step. These stone steps must be extremely slippery." Xu Zize whispered to her. He took the lead and stepped down two steps. After standing firmly, he lowered the torch in his hand slightly to illuminate the way under her feet. At the same time, he reached back without hesitation, firmly held Jing Chunxi's arm, and helped her walk down the slippery steps step by step.

The steps were steep and narrow, extending down a dozen steps before a sharp turn and another dozen steps down. After that, there was a flat platform about two meters long, covered with a thin layer of loose soil, making it silent to walk on.

At the end of the platform, after going down seven or eight steps, you will finally reach solid ground.

"Brother Xiaokang, wait a moment, I'll light a plate of sandalwood." The air in the cave was stagnant, filled with a strong, stale smell mixed with mud, rotten wood and some indescribable smell. It was completely different from the Cui family's secret passage, which was regularly maintained and cleaned and had water flowing through it.

Jing Chunxi had already considered this and had taken a delicate, flat box from the brocade pouch she had brought with her. Inside, several plates of fine sandalwood were neatly stacked. She deftly took out a plate and lit it with the fire in Xu Zize's hand. The light, soothing aroma began to dispel the unpleasant odors around her.

Xu Zize silently watched her in the light of the fire. Her tranquil profile was coated with a warm halo by the dancing firelight, and her focused expression looked particularly moving.

His heart suddenly softened, and an indescribable warmth and a strong desire to protect her intertwined and surged, just like the smoke of the sandalwood in her hand, lingering and spreading, almost drowning him.

He suppressed the urge to hold her in his arms again and whispered, "Xi'er is really thoughtful."

The lit sandalwood is carefully placed in a special enamel box with fine air holes on the wall. The lid of the box is connected to a thin silver chain so that it can be carried in the hand. This way, it is safe and the fragrance can be easily dispersed.

Holding this wisp of fragrance, I felt that the air in the deep dark passage, which had been silent for who knows how many years, no longer seemed so suffocating.

The darkness ahead sank deeper, the torchlight barely illuminating the limited area beneath their feet. Further ahead, the path suddenly split into two: one branch continued forward, a deep, narrow passage that seemed to have no end.

In the light of the fire, one could vaguely see the wet reflection of water on the stone wall, and the air became increasingly damp and cold; on the other side was a taller small door, the door panel was made of thick solid wood, it looked extremely strong but the paint was already peeling.

The door was closed tightly but not locked, like a silent puzzle.

Xu Zize raised the torch and carefully examined the direction of the two paths and the dampness of the stone wall. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "This secret passage is very damp going forward, and it seems to lead to the lakeshore. And this small door," he used the torch to illuminate the seam where the door frame met the ground, "should be facing the backyard."

He reached out and pushed the small door. It was heavier than he had imagined, and it made a teeth-grinding creaking sound as it slowly opened inward.

The space inside the door wasn't as cramped as one might imagine, but was instead as large as a main room in an ordinary household. As expected, there wasn't the dampness of the secret passage here, but rather, it was unusually dry, with a faint scent of dust floating in the air.

There were a bunch of things scattered around the house. Looking closely in the light of the fire, most of them were tools for digging soil and rocks: the iron pickaxes and shovels were already rusted, with deep and light reddish-brown rust covering the original metallic luster; and the wooden handles were mostly rotten, and some would even break at the touch.

If they hadn't been holding the plate of sandalwood that was emitting a fresh scent and hadn't covered their mouths and noses with thin silk handkerchiefs, the smell mixed with rust, rotten wood and old dust would have been unbearable.

After passing through this warehouse full of discarded tools and then through an open, wider doorway, the scene in front of you suddenly opens up.

The two of them couldn't help but stop and let their eyes adjust to the suddenly larger space.

After glancing around, Jing Chunxi was the first to look up. He pointed at the faint but clearly visible rays of light filtering through tiny cracks overhead, and lowered his voice in surprise, "Brother Xiaokang, look up there! There must be a vent, and light is coming through!"

Xu Zize raised his head and looked at the fire carefully, nodding his head in agreement: "It is indeed a clever idea. This way, the air will circulate more. Look at the direction and dispersion of the light."

He analyzed intently, "If it's not a cave or crevice in the rockery, then it's a disguised well opening in some courtyard, most likely disguised as an ordinary drain."

Jing Chunxi was impressed when he heard this. If it was a real drainage outlet, this place would have been soaked in water and mud when the rainy season came. Xu Zize's speculation was reasonable.

"The layout here reminds me of the basement of the Tao family." Jing Chunxi looked around with a torch in hand. In one corner of the huge space, a small kitchen area was separated by simple bricks and stones. A stove and kitchen utensils were all available, and a lot of firewood that had long since dried up, turned black, and rotted was neatly stacked next to it.

On the other side were simple furniture such as beds, tables, and chairs. Although covered in dust, they still maintained their original shape. A few weapons, not much corroded, were leaning against the wall.

There were several large ceramic water jars in the corner of the kitchen, with a few sacks scattered around them. They vaguely looked like grain, but they were obviously very old. Even if they were sealed well, the contents would have long since rotted into mud.

Except for the small partition in the kitchen, most of the space is empty, leaving an unobstructed open space in the middle.

"This looks like it was built in a hurry," Xu Zize frowned slightly and whispered to himself, "Time was tight, and we only had time to prepare the most basic necessities for survival. Everything is improvised."

Jing Chunxi didn't know how to respond. A sharp pain surged in his heart. He just subconsciously held his hand tighter, trying to convey a little silent comfort and support.

Xu Zize felt the warmth and strength coming from her palm, and immediately squeezed back with force. The force almost made her feel a little painful, but also made her feel extremely secure.

"Is... that it? This is impossible." Xu Zize held up the torch and looked around the basement again, his eyes sharp, not wanting to miss any corner.

Although the room was large, its layout was simple, allowing for a broad view of the entire space. The empty space in the middle was particularly striking, devoid of any other objects or compartments.

"No matter how hasty we are, we shouldn't stop here. Even food and daily necessities have been moved and stored here!" Jing Chunxi also found it unbelievable.

What's more, the entire princess's mansion on the ground is well preserved, without any signs of violent destruction or hasty escape, which shows that there was time and no one to break in and discover this place by force.

Xu Zize should be most clear about this.