Shen Sheng, also known as Wu Sheng, was born in the troubled times of the late Qing Dynasty. His family has been guarding tombs for generations. However, due to the loss of a secret palace tomb, he was exiled to the world and was accused of family crimes. As a tomb robber, Shen Sheng traces the lost "Mausoleum Book" in order to clear the grievances of his ancestors. He is a man of few words and cautious, good at reading fragments of ancient texts, and deals with life and death with dignitaries and strangers in the world. The story uses Shen Sheng's journey as a clue to connect the wilderness of the North, the water town of the South, the ancient Bashu Road and other historical features, revealing the cultural inheritance and moral struggle behind the tomb robbing skills. The core conflict is that Shen Sheng has always been swinging between "stealing" and "defending", fighting against power and destiny on his own, and finally distinguishing between loyal and traitor deep in the ancient tomb, and writing family legends. The novel combines factual writing and poetic narrative to show the dignity and belief of the tomb robbers, and outlines a hidden picture of China's underground world.
