In the very center of the tomb chamber was a stone pedestal, and on this pedestal was placed a circular bronze object that resembled a steering wheel.

Inside this bronze object was a five-pointed star shape, which looked very peculiar.

At the time, I thought this thing was a unique artifact in the Qu Shang Underground Palace, as unique as scorpion feces.

Later, I learned that similar "steering wheels" had also been unearthed from the Sanxingdui sacrificial pits, and a total of six pieces had been unearthed. The shapes, structures, and sizes of these bronzes were all very similar, not much different from the one in the Qu Shang Underground Palace.

The academic name for this artifact is the Sun Wheel. The most mainstream theory now is that it represents a symbol of sun worship. Friends who have been to the Sanxingdui Museum have definitely seen it, and I won’t go into the meaning behind it.

Speaking of which, back then in the tomb chamber of the underground palace, looking at this bronze "steering wheel," I felt that it must be a switch for some hidden passage.

I said, "Look at this bronze object, doesn't it look like a car steering wheel?"

Hu Wazi clicked his tongue and came over to examine it for a moment, nodding and saying, "It really does! Isn't this just a steering wheel? What? Could it be that the ancestors more than four thousand years ago knew how to drive cars?"

Lao Wei said, between laughter and tears, "Don't be silly. There weren't even steam engines or internal combustion engines in that era. How could they drive cars? It just looks a bit like a steering wheel in shape. The actual function is definitely different from a steering wheel."

Hu Wazi had a rash personality and often acted without thinking. Hearing me say that this bronze object looked like a steering wheel, he simply grabbed the disc and twisted it hard to one side.

With a creak, the tomb wall directly in front of us suddenly changed. The bricks that were originally attached to the wall like wall tiles actually moved, changing their original order!

It seemed I was right! This was indeed a mechanism!

But Hu Wazi's sudden action scared the others into a cold sweat!

Especially Lao Wei, who stared and shouted, "Hu Wazi, what are you doing?! Have you forgotten how that old woman locked us in the tomb chamber? You don't even know what kind of mechanism this is, and you're messing with it randomly. What if you lock us all in the tomb chamber again?"

Hu Wazi also realized that he had done something wrong, and said with a silly smile, apologizing, "Sorry, I was impulsive, but it looks like this mechanism is nothing, not a door-closing mechanism."

Lao Wei said, still frightened, "In the future, you must consider the consequences of your actions. Don't be so reckless. There are mechanisms everywhere in the underground palace. Sooner or later, something will happen to you!"

Hu Wazi was a little impatient with his words, and nodded, "Got it, got it, never again!"

However, although Hu Wazi's behavior was excessively reckless, it showed us how this mechanism worked.

By turning this "steering wheel," we could change the order of the patterns on the tomb wall, and the change in the order of the patterns on the tomb wall might open a secret passage.

Xiao Liang thought so too. She pointed to the patterns on the tomb wall and said, "Look, the patterns on this tomb wall are actually in a disordered sequence. I guess if we restore these patterns, we should be able to find the secret passage to the Crystal Palace."

Hu Wazi looked up and immediately pinched his forehead in a headache, saying, "Good heavens, how can we restore this? I just turned that steering wheel, and the patterns on the tomb wall have become even more chaotic."

Xiao Liang smiled and said, "Let me do it, you don't need to restore it."

She knew that Hu Wazi belonged to the kind of person who was simple-minded and well-developed, and it was more painful for him to use his brain than to kill him.

For this kind of intelligence puzzle, we still had to rely on Xiao Liang.

At this time, Yin Huan She (Silver Ring Snake) walked over and said, "Xiao Liang, I'll study with you. I've seen similar mechanisms in an ancient tomb in Shanxi before."

Yin Huan She (Silver Ring Snake) was indeed a well-known Zhiguo Ren (expert) in the underworld. She could not have gained this reputation at such a young age solely based on her unique Suogu Qigong (clavicle skill).

As soon as Xiao Liang heard this, she nodded immediately and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you, Sister She (Snake)."

Yin Huan She (Silver Ring Snake) said with a smile, "We are all in the same boat now. Helping you is helping myself. You don't have to be polite. Come on."

After finishing speaking, Xiao Liang and Yin Huan She (Silver Ring Snake) started operating the steering wheel together. After a simple try, the two immediately discovered the pattern of this mechanism—

Turning the steering wheel clockwise would change the orientation of three patterned stone bricks on the tomb wall, and turning the steering wheel counterclockwise would change the orientation of five patterned stone bricks on the tomb wall.

There were a total of six stone bricks on the tomb wall, which meant that in the process of turning the steering wheel, two stone bricks would rotate repeatedly. Regardless of whether the steering wheel moved clockwise or counterclockwise, these two stone bricks would rotate.

This stumped me. I stared at the tomb wall for a long time, unable to figure out how to solve this problem.

At the critical moment, Xiao Liang's brain was still more useful. She turned the steering wheel twice and immediately said with a smile, "I know."

Yin Huan She (Silver Ring Snake) was startled and asked blankly, "Holy crap? Girl, you already know? I've done this question once before, and I don't even dare to say I know."

Xiao Liang didn't say much, but instead spoke with actions, first turning the steering wheel counterclockwise, then clockwise, and then counterclockwise again.

Then a miracle happened!

The six patterned stone bricks on the tomb wall were indeed all facing the same direction. This puzzle was actually solved!

"Done!" Xiao Liang said with a relaxed expression, as if she had completed an insignificant task.

Yin Huan She (Silver Ring Snake) was stunned and said half-jokingly, "Girl, your brain is too good. If you weren't a member of the Gongjia (police), I would have hired you to be my Tuizi (assistant)."

Lao Wei quickly said, "Sister Yin Huan She (Silver Ring Snake), don't talk nonsense. Xiao Liang is a graduate of a regular police academy, with impeccable credentials. How can she be a tomb robber with you!"

Yin Huan She (Silver Ring Snake) said with a smile, "I was just joking, why are you taking it seriously!"

As the mechanism was solved, a piece of the floor next to the tomb chamber suddenly popped up.

With a "click," we looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the place where the floor popped up was indeed a secret passage!

"Found it! The secret passage to the Crystal Palace has been found!" Hu Wazi shouted excitedly, and then wanted to dive in.

Lao Wei quickly stopped him, "Wait, before going down to the tomb passage, first test the air composition inside. Be careful of suffocation!"

After saying that, he took the air composition detector and went in for a turn. Only when the instrument lit up green did he let us go down one after another.

This secret passage snaked downwards, and for some reason, it was pitch black inside. Even with several flashlights illuminating it, it didn't seem to brighten up at all.

Yin Huan She (Silver Ring Snake) asked in confusion, "What's going on? Are everyone's flashlights out of power?"

Xiao Liang glanced at it and shook her head, "That's not right, my flashlight is still quite bright, but I don't know why, it just doesn't illuminate this secret passage..."