This was the handiwork of the Han King, who had begun transferring valuables upon realizing that resisting the Qin army was futile.
"In history, the aristocrats of the Six Kingdoms were the backbone of the anti-Qin resistance. Raising armies required not only reputation but also wealth. Aside from their family fortunes, the royal treasuries played a crucial role in funding their efforts," Zhao Feng thought to himself.
"Damn it, could it be that the entire Han treasury has already been emptied?" Zhao Feng cursed silently.
He continued deeper into the vault, only to find more empty spaces. Judging from the dust patterns on the ground, it was clear that numerous chests had once been placed there.
"Damn it, did I get my hopes up for nothing?" Zhao Feng muttered angrily.
Pressing on, Zhao Feng explored the massive treasury, only to find it nearly completely cleared out. Finally, he reached the innermost section.
As soon as he stepped in, Zhao Feng's eyes lit up. He could sense a peculiar aura lingering in the room.
Before him were rows of shelves holding various jade artifacts. Though many had already been removed, and some were shattered on the ground, there were still plenty left behind.
While jade artifacts were less liquid than gold, anything stored in the royal treasury of Han was undoubtedly valuable. Zhao Feng counted hundreds of pieces at a glance.
The shattered jade fragments on the ground suggested that these items had been too fragile to transport in haste.
Instead of immediately stowing the jade artifacts into his personal space, Zhao Feng extended his spiritual senses, enveloping the items to examine them.
Through this, he observed faint wisps of energy clinging to the jade artifacts.
"Is this... spiritual energy?" Zhao Feng wondered as he detected the mysterious aura.
"Whatever it is, I'll figure it out later. For now, I'll take everything," he resolved.
"These jade pieces are worth a fortune and can serve as capital for my plans."
With that, Zhao Feng unleashed his spiritual power, quickly transferring all the remaining jade artifacts into his personal space.
As he walked through the vault, shelves were swiftly emptied, and soon his space was filled with a sizable pile of jade.
"This trip to the treasury was worth it," Zhao Feng chuckled.
The treasury had already been ransacked by the Han King, leaving Zhao Feng's actions undetectable. Who would suspect him, after all?
"Wait, something's off."
After fully extending his spiritual senses, Zhao Feng detected something unusual. He approached one of the jade shelves and gave it a gentle push.
It didn't budge.
"A hidden mechanism?" Zhao Feng instantly deduced that the shelf concealed a secret passage.
"For others, finding the trigger might be challenging, but for me, it's easy," he smirked.
Using his spiritual power, Zhao Feng quickly located a hidden lever on the shelf.
With a twist, a series of mechanical clicks echoed through the room.
The shelf against the wall slowly swung open, revealing a hidden passage.
"Just as I thought a secret chamber," Zhao Feng grinned.
However, as he examined the entrance, he noticed numerous fresh footprints, suggesting recent activity.
"Could it be... the Han King escaped through this passage?"
Excitement surged through Zhao Feng at the thought. Capturing the Han King would undoubtedly secure him unparalleled military merit.
Rather than rushing in recklessly, Zhao Feng called out, "Brother Wei!"
His voice carried through the treasury, and soon Wei Quan and a group of elite soldiers entered.
As they walked through the plundered treasury, Wei Quan's expression turned complicated.
"Commander."
In front of others, Wei Quan addressed Zhao Feng formally.
"The Han King has already transferred most of the treasury's contents, but I've discovered a hidden passage. It may lead somewhere significant. Guard this place well, and deliver these two heads to the military command center as proof of my achievements. I'll explore the passage alone," Zhao Feng instructed, handing over two severed heads dripping with fresh blood.
Wei Quan hesitated. "Commander, given how concealed this passage is, there could be an ambush inside. Should we report this and proceed with caution?"
"With my skills, Brother Wei, there's no need to worry. Just hold your position here," Zhao Feng replied confidently before stepping into the passage.
The hidden corridor was not pitch black; long-burning oil lamps lined its walls, casting a faint glow.
As Zhao Feng ventured deeper, he quickened his pace.
Soon, he arrived at an expansive chamber.
Three large signs greeted him: Herbal Hall, Armory, and Elixir Chamber all inscribed with the Han script.
Curious, Zhao Feng stepped into the Herbal Hall first.
A strong medicinal aroma filled the air as rows of shelves stocked with herbs came into view.
"This is a Herbal Hall, complete with everything you'd need," Zhao Feng remarked, his eyes scanning the inventory.
"Even a century-old ginseng... While it's not as potent as the thousand-year blood ginseng in the Qin palace, it'll still be great for my mother's health."
To someone with basic medical knowledge like Zhao Feng, the significance of this trove was obvious. Though these herbs weren't all of the highest grades, many were rare and unavailable to the common folk.
"Take everything. There's no need to hesitate," Zhao Feng decided.
Using his spiritual power, he swiftly transferred the entire inventory into his personal space.
With a nine-cubic-meter capacity, his space was more than sufficient to hold all the herbs.
Within moments, the shelves in the chamber were empty.
"Let's check out the Armory next," Zhao Feng muttered, anticipation building as he entered the next chamber.
Inside, the space was even larger, filled with shelves holding various weapons and armor: battle gear, spears, iron swords, bows, crossbows, and arrows.
"All the weapons confiscated by Qin Shi Huang to suppress civilian uprisings... No wonder the aristocrats of the Six Kingdoms seemed to suddenly produce arms out of nowhere during rebellions. This armory must have gone undiscovered after Han's fall. When Qin Shi Huang died, these weapons were undoubtedly reused."
Zhao Feng marveled at the historical implications while examining the inventory.
"With this chamber alone, equipping a fully armed force of 5,000 soldiers would be no problem."
The sheer number of weapons made Zhao Feng's eyes gleam with excitement.
"The Six Kingdoms' aristocrats had their hidden cards, no doubt. If Han has this, the other five kingdoms must have similar stockpiles."
"But for now, this treasure belongs to me," Zhao Feng thought with a fiery determination.