The White-Robed Chancellor

He was Lu Yan, a 28-year-old PhD in history from Peking University's Department of History, specializing in Tang dynasty economic history and landscape archaeology. He was following his advisor in excavating the remains of a late Tang village in Hongnong County, Guozhou. The sky had been overcast that afternoon. They were clearing out a Tang-era granary pit and had just uncovered half a pit's worth of charred millet grains and several pottery farming tools when a sudden downpour came crashing down. The pit walls had already been softened by the rain. He heard someone behind him shout, “Cave-in!” When he turned around, all he saw was a landslide of yellow earth bearing down on him. He still clutched half of a newly unearthed pottery spindle whorl in his hand. His vision went black, and he knew no more. Had he been rescued? Or...