Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3940 The Qiao Sisters: The Hidden Truth

Professor Tang stood in front of the empty plaza of the Fukuoka Period Museum.

The autumn wind howled with a chill, ruffling Professor Tang's somewhat gray hair.

The Fukuoka Period Museum is similar to many other museums in other regions.

The museum's main building presents an aesthetic that deliberately blends modernity and antiquity...

However, this kind of "deliberate" approach results in something that is neither fish nor fowl.

The lines are clean and simple, with a strong geometric feel, and the huge floor-to-ceiling glass curtain wall reflects the gloomy sky.

The sharp, angular lines, resembling cut-out blocks, present a modernist style that is cool to the point of being indifferent. However, what represents the aesthetics of ancient heritage is an archway similar to the Arc de Triomphe, and several individual wall panels that have been deliberately angled and placed.

Everything was so neat and orderly.

It's like taking the chaotic time from thousands of years ago, carefully disinfecting, organizing, and sealing it, and then placing it in this huge, temperature- and humidity-controlled transparent display case.

But can this carefully packaged display truly reflect the appearance of ancient times?
A complex sense of weariness welled up in Professor Tang's heart.

The museum before us is in a situation remarkably similar to that of many archaeological projects today.

In order to attract attention and to make the silent clay and broken pottery speak, dazzling technology, elaborate narratives, and even slightly sensational speculations are necessary.

The essence of archaeology is to get as close to the truth as possible, even if the truth is fragmented and contradictory...

However, when funding, public attention, or even pressure for local development become invisible guiding principles, the pursuit of truth can sometimes be distorted into a performance under certain circumstances...

The performance is about "discovery," about "meaning," about presenting an "ancient" world that can be easily understood and admired by the public...

This behavior, in turn, worsened the environment for archaeology.

The Gresham effect is not limited to the financial economy.

Professor Tang recalled the rudimentary factory sheds at the construction site in Quanzhou, and the few fragile shards of pottery on the pit wall that seemed to crumble at the slightest touch. He could hardly bear the weight of reality that the director had mentioned on the phone.

There were no performances there, only awkwardness...

The predicament of insufficient evidence, the predicament of time constraints, and the predicament of the huge gap between grand historical narratives and tiny physical fragments.

Most of his archaeological work involved groping his way inch by inch amidst the earthy smells and awkwardness.

Professor Tang sighed and pulled the zipper of his down jacket up even further, as if to ward off some invisible chill.

Lamenting is useless; whether it's a performance or an embarrassment, hopefully we can find some clues in this carefully 'selected' and 'organized' collection.

Professor Tang strode forward, his leather shoes making a clear, solitary sound on the granite floor, toward the concrete archway that seemed to swallow up all noise. Inside was an ancient world rearranged and reassembled, and he was about to discern some dust that might have been missed in the rearrangement.

As soon as I entered the exhibition hall, I heard a suppressed yet deliberately amplified sound...

A group of middle school boys and girls dressed in matching outfits were chattering away in front of various display windows in the exhibition hall. They huddled together in twos and threes, talking, discussing, and even arguing in suppressed voices, hoping to be heard by others…

A young woman wearing glasses, acting as a guide, proudly explained, "Look, this is a replica of our country's ancient armor, meticulously woven from countless small iron plates, showcasing unique defensive wisdom! And over here, a replica of a warship based on historical records, with its tall superstructure, provided superior visibility and command capabilities during navigation in inland waters—a testament to our ancestors' maritime technology!"

The junior high school students exclaimed in amazement, "Sukko-i!" and "Kakui!"

Young faces pressed against the glass, their eyes sparkling with pure longing for the "great creations of ancient Japan".

A boy with spiky hair excitedly gestured: "Our own armor is definitely the coolest! It's way more powerful than the foreign armor in the movies!"

Another girl pointed to the ship model and exclaimed, "It's amazing that we could build such big ships in ancient times!"

Professor Tang paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the display cases.

Is Japanese armor-wearing powerful?

Isn't that supposed to be a trash can for sorting armor?

What is "the best in the world"?

The so-called hanging armor, in its method of connecting the armor plates and its overall shape, clearly shows traces of the evolution of the "tube-sleeved armor" and "two-piece armor" of the Han Dynasty in China, especially the shoulder cape structure and the rectangular arrangement of the armor plates...

Of course, due to the limitations of Japanese metallurgical technology at the time, there were some signs of degradation in the structure of certain armor plates. For example, the protection against vital areas such as the chest and neck was practically nonexistent.

And then there are the tower ships, which are known as the "crystallization of navigation technology." Their basic hull shape, rudder and oar structure, and even the concept of "tower ships" itself are deeply imprinted with the eastward transmission of tower ship technology from the Spring and Autumn Period to the Han Dynasty in China...

Professor Tang quickly glanced at the explanatory text on the display board and found that it only briefly mentioned "ancient my country" and "research and development," without mentioning at all the technological dissemination and influence of China, especially Jiangdong Shipbuilding.

A complex emotion swept through Professor Tang's heart. It was not anger, but a deeper sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion or reflection), a sense of helplessness that comes with a scholar who has insight into the truth of history but can only face selective narration.

The "greatness" these children perceive is actually built upon a partially truncated and embellished narrative...

Professor Tang knew that any interruption or correction would be meaningless and inappropriate at this moment.

He traveled a long way, not to be a history teacher for these children...

And these people certainly wouldn't welcome a history teacher like him...

Professor Tang walked expressionlessly past the group of teenagers who were immersed in national pride.

The children's cheerful chatter and the guide's ambiguous words gradually faded behind him, becoming background noise.

His gaze passed over the gleaming displays of "national treasures" and fell upon the simple, unsightly, and even colorless artifacts...

According to a basic theory in antique appraisal, items with a gleaming sheen are almost always from last week...

True antiques possess a restrained, understated brilliance.

There, ugly and somber artifacts await, devoid of clamorous praise, bearing only silent marks of earth on pottery urns and wisps of cloud hidden within fragments of silk, waiting for an inquirer who can decipher their millennia-long silence.

……

Fukuoka Museum

……

Winter of the tenth year of the Taixing era.

Thirty li east of Ruxukou lies an unnamed, wild ferry crossing.

The river flowed like thick ink, swallowing the sunlight and the outlines of the distant mountains.

Near the shore, in the shallow waters of the reeds, the surface was shattered into trembling golden scales by a few restless, flickering torches.

There were no bugles, no banners.

Dozens of figures emerged from the woods on the shore, wading across the cold, muddy mudflats, and rushed toward the shadow of the enormous creature in the water.

That was a large ship.

This is a cargo ship used by merchants in Jiangdong to transport grain, fodder and cloth. The ship is shorter and stouter than a multi-storied ship. At this moment, all the decorations on the sails and masts that could indicate its origin have been removed. In the darkness, it looks more like a clumsy water beast lying in wait.

The ship has a deep draft, indicating that it is fully loaded.

Lugi wore a coarse brown linen coat over his armor, and his waist knife was tightly wrapped in cloth.

As Lu Su's confidant, he originally had no connection with Zhou Yu, and he himself knew that such a voyage was almost certainly a matter of life and death, but he still came without fear. He was not only responsible for leading the team, but also for returning to report to Lu Su after stabilizing the Qiao sisters.

Around Ruji, there were dozens of other men dressed simply and walking with a steady gait.

There were also seven or eight burly old women.

They were all military personnel, relatives, or clansmen who had served under Zhou Yu for many years or had direct connections with Lu Su. They all understood the risks of going to sea...

For people of later generations, in an era where everything is about making money and maximizing profits, it may be difficult to understand why these people would do such things, and they might even think that these people are idiots. However, in the Han Dynasty, these people represented the most orthodox social morality at that time.

At the heart of their protection and entourage were two slender women draped in heavy hooded cloaks.

Even with the hat brim hanging low, the slight glimpse of her chin as she hurried along was still so exquisite.

Her composure even in haste is truly admirable.

Da Qiao, holding her sister's hand, couldn't help but turn around and look back.

Darkness enveloped the surroundings, with only scattered lights nearby...

Xiao Qiao held tightly to her sister's arm, her eyes fixed firmly ahead as she surveyed the large boat moored by the water.

The tall masts of the large ship resembled blades piercing through a cage.

"Quickly, board the ship one by one!" Ruji lowered his voice. "First, bring up the two old women and take good care of the two ladies!"

The torchlight illuminated the area around the ship.

The gangplank was narrow and slippery, resting on the gunwale and swaying slightly with the current.

Xiao Qiao suddenly noticed that there seemed to be deep lines carved on the wooden gunwale. The lines were not ordinary diamond patterns or waves, but winding, connected head to tail shapes of strange beasts. The lines were simple and even somewhat ferocious, and they seemed to be slowly moving under the flickering torchlight.

"ah……"

Xiao Qiao was startled and instinctively gasped.

Da Qiao was pulled back to reality by Xiao Qiao's voice, and instinctively grabbed her tightly, "Don't be afraid, I'm here, I'm here..."

Although Da Qiao's mind was still in turmoil and she had no confidence in the future, she was the older sister and had to support Xiao Qiao, even though Da Qiao's own hands were still trembling.

"What is it?"

Rugi noticed something was wrong and stepped forward to ask in a low voice.

Xiao Qiao raised her hand and pointed to the hull side of the boat, "What...is carved over there?"

Lugi looked in that direction and said, "That's Bai Ze."

"Oh..." Xiao Qiao nodded.

When boatmen from Jiangdong traveled long distances, they often asked craftsmen to carve this pattern on the hull of their boats to ward off water monsters and pray for safety.

This merchant ship, which was temporarily requisitioned and converted, clearly still retains the most basic wishes of its original owner.

The men, in pairs, quickly and orderly carried their few bags and boxes onto the ship. They tried their best to walk quietly when they landed, but the heavy cargo ship still made a dull thud, which was particularly clear in the quiet night.

The two Qiao sisters boarded the ship. As they passed the carving, Xiao Qiao deliberately reached out and touched the white patterns on it. The slightly rough texture seemed to strangely give Xiao Qiao a sense of illusory peace. "Please protect us..." Xiao Qiao whispered.

The deck was slightly crowded and cluttered.

There were extra buckets of fresh water, pickling jars, and spare materials covered with tarpaulins to protect against the wind and waves.

Luji called to the man to gather and put away the various items.

The rough-looking old woman then escorted the two Qiao sisters into the cabin.

The cabins had been modified, with several rooms clearly opened up and used as living quarters for the Qiao sisters.

Although it was large enough for a regular cabin, it was still quite different from the pavilions and terraces they were familiar with, filled with the fragrance of flowers and expensive agarwood.

The old woman looked at Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao with some worry. After all, from the layout and utensils to the pervasive smell of water, rotten wood, and the lingering odor of the various goods that had been stored there, everything clearly indicated that this trip was definitely not a leisurely or comfortable journey.

Even the bedrooms of the two Qiao brothers inside the ship's cabin were simply two small spaces separated around the bed by curtains, with dry reed mats and bedding laid out.

This is the limit of what can be done...

Da Qiao looked at it and remained silent.

Xiao Qiao grasped Da Qiao's hand tightly, gently instructing the maid to arrange their belongings, then smiled and said to Da Qiao, "We haven't been together for so long... Now it's great, we can be together every day again, just like when we were little!"

Da Qiao squeezed Xiao Qiao's hand in return, saying, "It's just that my sister has suffered..."

"No," Xiao Qiao shook her head, "No matter how tough it gets, can it be worse than when we were fleeing? We survived that time, so what is there to be afraid of?"

"Hmm." Da Qiao looked at Xiao Qiao with some surprise, "You... little sister, you're stronger than before..."

"This is Zhou Yu's last wish! I must fulfill it for him!" Xiao Qiao looked at Da Qiao, her eyes shining brightly. "Sister, you must help me!"

"Okay, I'll help you." Da Qiao replied without hesitation.

Without Xiao Qiao's intervention, Da Qiao might have remained imprisoned until her death. Da Qiao lost her husband and her children; all that remained was Xiao Qiao before her…

On the deck, Ruggie did a final inspection and, finding nothing wrong, ordered the gangplank to be pulled back.

"Weigh anchor! Oars slowly, off shore!"

The command was quickly relayed.

The massive hull trembled slightly as dozens of long oars gently propelled it, clumsily breaking free from the mudflats' grip. But it quickly regained its agility and slid slowly into the inky water, creating ripples.

The torches on the shore were quickly extinguished and discarded, and some people bowed to Lugi on the bow of the ship in the darkness to say goodbye.

The small mudflat was immediately swallowed up by darkness and silence again, as if no one had ever been there.

"Splash, splash..."

The sound of water surging.

Rugi on the ship breathed a sigh of relief; at least for now, this phase had been a success.

They left this place of trouble...

However, the future remains fraught with danger.

Lugi stood at the stern, watching the riverbank silhouette gradually recede into the distance, becoming increasingly blurred and merging with the darkness, and couldn't help but let out a long breath.

This wasn't his first time at sea, but this time...

As the night wind began to rise, it swept across the river, stirring the sail ropes on the mast with a low, mournful sound.

The auspicious pattern on the ship's side silently disappeared into the darkness.

Ahead on the route lies a darkness more unpredictable than the pursuers.

……

……

Deep within the mansion of the Sun family, the ruler of Jiangdong in the Great Han Dynasty.

In a sense, although Emperor Sun later bestowed many titles upon himself, his actual official title within the original political system of the Han Dynasty was only General Who Subdues Barbarians and Governor of Kuaiji.

This put Sun Quan in a somewhat awkward position from any perspective.

If Lao Cao's paranoia stems from betrayal, then Xiao Sun's paranoia stems from the mismatch between his position and authority. Having a low rank but high power is a major problem in itself.

This has become a deep-seated worry for Comrade Sun, a scar that cannot be touched!
The sound of the water clock seemed particularly heavy in the silent corridors, drop after drop, as if hitting people's hearts.

Sun Quan had not yet gone to bed. Several scrolls of military reports from the Jingzhou front were piled on his desk, and the candlelight cast his shadow on the wall, which flickered incessantly.

Intelligence from the front lines was confusing and conflicting, with conflicting accounts.

Some say Liu Bei betrayed his country, while others say he captured Jiangling...

Should he trust that intelligence?
Or can't we trust any of them?
Sun Quan pondered for a long time, wishing he had the all-weather, all-universe perspective of a keyboard warrior.

After thinking it over and over for a long time, until his head ached, Sun Quan still couldn't come up with anything. He rubbed his temples and was about to get up when he heard hurried footsteps outside the study door.

"My lord..."

The one who entered was Lü Yi, a trusted academy official. His face was unusually pale in the dim candlelight, and his breathing was somewhat erratic and difficult to control.

Lü Yi stepped forward, his voice barely audible, "My lord, something has happened... at the Ruxukou villa... something has changed... Lady Da Qiao... is missing! The twelve guards and maids were all drugged and remained unconscious for half an hour before waking up... the back gate of the villa is wide open, and I followed the trail all the way to a deserted riverbank... but it was already deserted..."

"What?!"

Sun Quan slammed his hand on the table, causing the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to shake violently.

"Gone? What do you mean gone?! Useless...useless!"

Sun Quan's chest heaved violently, his eyes blazing with fury that seemed capable of igniting and destroying everything around him. "A good-for-nothing wretch!"

Lü Yi lowered his head deeply, remaining silent and not daring to answer.

Sun Quan gritted his teeth, 'I sent a whole squad! And they couldn't even keep an eye on an unarmed woman! They let her escape right under our noses?! Drugged?! What a clever tactic! What a clever tactic!'

Sun Quan imagined the soldiers sleeping soundly, and a sense of shame at being fooled surged through him, along with anger.

This is a blatant provocation against his authority!
However, after briefly venting his anger, Sun Quan regained control of his emotions, shrinking and solidifying his burning rage into a colder suspicion.

And the ones that spread from the back of the spine...

fear.

If she could charm the soldiers and maids at the Ruxukou villa, could she also charm the guards at the Sun family mansion?!

If the soldiers at the Ruxukou villa couldn't defend against the attack, then surely the guards at the Sun family mansion could?
Is this a form of protest?
Who?
Who could it be?!

What Da Qiao once represented is no longer important.

A few years ago, Sun Quan was indeed afraid that someone would bring up Da Qiao and cause trouble...

After all, it was Zhou Yu and Zhang Zhao who directly helped Sun Quan ascend to the throne!

Since the two of them could get Sun Quan to sit there, it meant that others could also sit there in the same way!
The first thing Sun Quan did after taking power was to eliminate dissidents and remove competitors and threats, and this remains true to this day!

So Sun Quan's first concern wasn't whether Da Qiao lived or died, but who was causing trouble?
Could this disappearance involve some enormous entity?
Who could so accurately pinpoint the gaps in the defenses of a villa?

Who can get their hands on a date rape drug that is subject to extremely strict controls?
Who could quietly take someone away from the heart of Jiangdong without alerting the riverside outposts?

The answer, like a silhouette emerging from the darkness, points to the powerful and influential families deeply entrenched in the Jiangdong region…

And even more local powerful figures who outwardly appear submissive...

And then there are those Huai and Si generals whose intentions are hard to fathom...

Sun Quan's face was grim, his brows furrowed, and his teeth clenched.

His mind was racing.

What is Da Qiao?
She was the widow of the late lord Sun Ce. Yes, that's right, the widow of the late lord Sun Ce, not his brother...

In the face of power, kinship is as fragile as a cicada's wing.

In a symbolic sense, Da Qiao's existence is a potential banner for some people.

Her disappearance, if cleverly exploited, could be the subject of countless stories…

Mistreated the widow of her former master?

Or perhaps...

Is it a revival under the guise of some orthodox name, or some kind of "last will"?
Sun Quan seemed to see countless gleaming eyes in the darkness. Those family heads who had bowed and toasted him at the banquet were probably hiding in secret rooms, plotting how to use this frail woman to shake up the political situation in Jiangdong!

"My lord, should we issue a warrant for arrest immediately? Block the river and thoroughly search all the key roads in the prefectures? Madam Qiao's features are distinctive, so it shouldn't be difficult to find her..." Lü Yi cautiously suggested, observing his expression.

"No!" Sun Quan immediately raised his hand, interrupting Lü Yi, "We must not act rashly..."

The anger in Sun Quan's eyes had vanished, leaving only the cold glint of a deep, still pool. "Better to remain still than act rashly… First, bury all those guards and maids alive… then transfer new guards… The villa will remain as before, guard duty shifts and supplies will continue as usual… Publicly declare that Lady Da Qiao is recuperating and will not receive any guests…"

Sun Quan paused, then spat out a few words through gritted teeth, "Then send more men to keep a close watch on the perimeter of the villa! Anyone who comes to pay their respects, visit the sick, or appears around the villa for any reason, keep a close watch on them! Find out who sent them! Remember... rescuing her... is not the goal... their purpose will eventually be revealed... keeping a close watch on them is far more useful than aimlessly searching for a woman..."

Lü Yi quickly bowed his head and accepted the order, saying, "My lord is wise! I understand!"

"Go and do it! Don't let me down!" Sun Quan waved his hand, dismissing Lü Yi.

Amidst the rustling sounds, Lü Yi disappeared outside the door like a mouse in the dark.

The study returned to silence, broken only by the occasional crackling of the candle flame.

Light occupies only a small portion of the space, while most of the space is filled with darkness.

Sun Quan suppressed his anger and fear deep within his heart once again, transforming them into the patience and vigilance of a hunter.

The waters of Jiangdong have never truly been calm.