A Mysterious Expedition to the Western Xia Royal Tombs
The story takes place in the 1990s, a special era when the antiques market was rife with undercurrents and archaeological exploration existed alongside illegal grave robbing. The protagonist, Zhou Sanliang, is a minor figure who helps people appraise antiques at the market. His parents died young, and he grew up fending for himself on the streets. He has an unusually sharp instinct for antiques of all kinds. Fatty, Zhou Sanliang's childhood friend, is reckless and hotheaded, yet utterly devoted to him. Driven by hardship, both men hope to change their fortunes by finding treasure in an ancient tomb.
The tomb they have heard about lies in the vast desert of the northwest. It is said to be a mysterious Western Xia royal tomb. In those days, when information was hard to come by, Zhou Sanliang happened to learn of the tomb from a dying old man. With his last breath, the man pressed an old, yellowed piece of sheepskin into Zhou Sanliang's hand. Faintly drawn on it were strange symbols and markings pointing deep into the desert. The discovery awakened Zhou Sanliang's yearning for wealth and the unknown, and he decided to take Fatty along on this dangerous tomb-hunting expedition.
