Dig Your Own Artefacts
In a strange twist, a few of our party decide to volunteer for some hard manual labour. Guided by an imperial scholar, the group of twenty-odd volunteers are to dig for artefacts. Being told of the long hours and gruelling work ahead of them, as well as the commensurate pay, each volunteer is offered the opportunity to stay and work or leave.
Cheng Nenfa is happy to stay. 'Maybe we'll get to keep something.'
'No you won't.'
'How do you know?'
'This isn't a 'Pick Your Own Strawberries' farm.' We explain to Cheng how digging for priceless artefacts under the direction of an imperial scholar works, hopefully helping to prevent his getting a hand chopped off for stealing.