Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3941 The Qiao Sisters: The Storm in the Shadow Tide
Inside the study of the future emperor's palace, the fragrance of incense wafted, yet it could not dispel the gloom and doubt that clung to Sun Quan's brow.

After learning that Da Qiao had disappeared from the villa, Sun Quan soon received news that Xiao Qiao had also disappeared.

Interestingly, the Zhou family didn't seem to have any intention of hiding the news; on the contrary, they allowed it to spread quickly...

What does this mean?
Sun Quan couldn't help but have many little ideas.

"Has Commandant Zhou arrived yet?" Sun Quan asked, rubbing his temples.

There aren't many cavalry in Jiangdong...

But Zhou Xun was just a cavalry captain!
Hey!
That's it!
"Commander Zhou has arrived and is waiting outside," the guard outside the door whispered.

"Announce." Sun Quan straightened his clothes, the weariness on his face gradually disappearing.

Zhou Xun, dressed in plain clothes and with a sorrowful expression, entered the study with steady steps, bowed respectfully to Sun Quan, and said, "Greetings, my lord."

Sun Quan sized him up, a gentle expression appearing on his face. "We're all family, no need for such formalities. Get up and speak... You tactless fellow, hurry up and get a seat!"

Although Sun Quan's last sentence seemed to be an order to reprimand the servants, Zhou Xun's heart skipped a beat...

Sun Quan smiled warmly, first inviting Zhou Xun to sit down, then having someone bring him some fruit and dried fruit. He then said, seemingly with great concern, "Gongjin's passing has deeply grieved me! If Heaven had eyes, and the gods had spirits, I would gladly take his place, exchanging my own life for Gongjin's recovery… But alas, alas! Fate is cruel! Alas! You…you need not grieve too much, please accept my deepest condolences…"

Zhou Xun immediately rose from his seat and bowed, tears streaming down his face. "If my late father knew of my lord's actions, he would surely be... would be grateful even in the afterlife..."

"Hmm..." Upon hearing this, Sun Quan smacked his lips and his eyebrows twitched slightly.

What did Zhou Xun mean by that?
However, Sun Quan quickly stood up and personally helped Zhou Xun to his feet. He squeezed Zhou Xun's arm and patted his shoulder, seemingly concerned for his health. "Ah, you are so thin and frail; you shouldn't be too sad... Please accept my condolences."

Zhou Xun bowed in thanks again, then sat down once more.

Sun Quan instructed his servants to fetch some items, then asked Zhou Xun, "You mustn't grieve too much; you must take care of yourself... Hmm, these past few days... has everything been peaceful at your residence?"

Zhou Xun bowed his head and said, "Thank you for your concern, my lord. Everything at home is fine. My mother and I are strictly observing the mourning rites, staying at home in mourning, and dare not disobey."

"Hmm," Sun Quan nodded, asking casually, "Recently, there have been some rumors circulating in and around the city, saying... Lady Xiao Qiao, hmm... her whereabouts are unknown?"

Zhou Xun was taken aback. "My lord... how did you know about this? Consort Xiao Qiao... suddenly disappeared without a trace. She probably went out to visit a friend on her own, and the family hadn't noticed... We're sending people to search for her now..."

Sun Quan narrowed his eyes. "Out...visiting friends? Where might you have gone? Do you...know anything about it?"

Zhou Yu's first wife, whether out of her mind or willing to expose her family's dirty laundry to slander Xiao Qiao, actually claimed that Xiao Qiao had gone out to "visit friends" during the mourning period for her husband's death.

Sun Quan looked at Zhou Xun with a calm gaze and a concerned tone, as if he were an elder concerned about the family affairs of a junior.

Zhou Xun felt a slight chill and quickly replied respectfully, "Your Majesty, I have been observing mourning these past few days. Apart from my morning and evening greetings, I have been reading at home to calm my mind. I have not heard any rumors circulating outside. As for the matter of Consort Qiao… I only learned about it later… These matters of the inner quarters are all managed by my mother, and I am not very clear about them, so I dare not and should not inquire about them."

Sun Quan gave an "oh," then frowned and said, "This is where you went wrong! Lady Xiao Qiao, after all, has a special status... her sudden disappearance is bound to arouse suspicion... I am also very worried... If someone with ulterior motives takes this opportunity to cause trouble... this would be extremely detrimental to Gongjin's reputation after death! How could you not report it immediately, but only search for her privately?"

Zhou Xun immediately knelt down, 'This...I am guilty...'

"Oh, we're all family... no need for this, no need for this... stand up and speak, stand up and speak..." Sun Quan seemed to speak urgently, but in reality, he spoke slowly. Only after Zhou Xun bowed did he tell him to stand up, and then asked, "This Lady Qiao... how could such a frail woman possess such methods? Someone must be manipulating things behind the scenes! Do you... have any thoughts on this?"

Sun Quan's words almost implied suspicion that the Zhou family might be dissatisfied with the reduction of their power, and might even unite with the remaining forces of Huai and Si to express their protest or create trouble by hiding or assisting Xiao Qiao's disappearance.

Zhou Xun, who was just about to rise, knelt down again with a thud upon hearing this, his back already soaked with cold sweat. He kowtowed deeply, saying, "My lord, please understand! When my late father was alive, he often taught us to be loyal to the emperor and the country, and to distinguish between public and private matters… My lord has been very kind to my father, and has bestowed generous rewards upon the Zhou family. We are deeply grateful and would never dare to harbor the slightest resentment. We would never dare to do such a rebellious and immoral thing, which would damage my father's reputation and betray my lord's trust! This matter has absolutely nothing to do with the Zhou family!"

Sun Quan pondered for a moment, then nodded. "Ah, no need for that. Get up. I believe you, I believe you… but haven't you noticed anything unusual?"

"During my period of mourning, I have refused all visitors and have had no contact with outsiders whatsoever! I am truly unaware of what Your Majesty has said, and the Zhou family could not possibly have been involved! I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly!" Zhou Xun's words were earnest, his posture humble to the point of being utterly subservient.

Sun Quan quietly looked at Zhou Xun, who was prostrate on the ground, and after a moment slowly said, "Alas, you've spoken too harshly. Please rise, please rise, please rise quickly... I naturally trust Gongjin's family traditions, and I trust you too... I was just asking casually, you don't need to take it to heart."

After Zhou Xun sat down again, Sun Quan waved to the outside.

The attendant stepped forward and presented Zhou Xun with the gifts that Sun Quan had given him.

Several bolts of plain silk, a pair of jade bowls, and a pair of bronze lamps.

There is also a long, narrow brocade box.

Sun Quan stepped forward, took the long brocade box, opened it, and showed it to Zhou Xun.

"Look... this is an ancient sword I acquired many years ago... its sharpness is truly rare... Gongjin once casually mentioned liking its design, but at that time... well, there were many inconveniences, so I never gave it to him..." Sun Quan said with considerable emotion, "Yesterday, in the back hall, I suddenly remembered this matter... alas, now that Gongjin is gone, I feel a deep sense of loss... today I bestow it upon you. You can take it back and bury it in an auspicious place beside Gongjin's tomb, so that... I may fulfill one of Gongjin's wishes from back then, allowing him to have a beloved object to accompany him in the afterlife!"

Sun Quan snapped the lid shut on the brocade box and then pushed it toward Zhou Xun.

Being granted gifts to accompany one's body during burial is a great honor.

but……

This is a sword!
Although Zhou Yu was a military general, it wouldn't be unusual for him to be buried with weapons and armor, but now Sun Quan is proposing to dig a new pit next to his tomb...

What does this mean?
Zhou Xun was filled with surprise and doubt, but dared not show it. He could only respectfully accept the gift and kowtow in gratitude for the favor: "On behalf of my late father, I thank Your Majesty for your generous gift!"

……

……

As Zhou Xun left the Marquis's residence carrying the heavy brocade box, he felt the sunlight was a bit dazzling, and the cold sweat on his back turned icy cold when the wind blew.

Upon returning home, he dismissed everyone around him and, alone in his study, carefully opened the brocade box.

Inside was a Han Dynasty sword, its scabbard inlaid with silver dragon patterns and entwined with gemstones, making it quite magnificent.

After a moment's hesitation, Zhou Xun slowly reached out his hand...

"Um?!"

With the longsword in hand, Zhou Xun was momentarily stunned.

The weight of this longsword seems a bit off!

Zhou Xun gripped the hilt, activated the spring, and gently pulled out...

"this?!"

Zhou Xun was stunned on the spot!

The scabbard is long, but the sword inside is noticeably shorter!

This sword is not a broken sword, because the tip is intact and the blade gleams with a cold light, clearly indicating that it was carefully forged and polished, but its length is only about half that of an ordinary longsword!
The short sword was paired with a long scabbard, which looked particularly abrupt and strange.

"What...what does this mean?"

Zhou Xun's face turned deathly pale instantly, and several terrifying thoughts flooded his mind uncontrollably.

Does the shortness of the sword symbolize a short lifespan?
Is this a hint that I... am about to die?
Or rather... should he commit suicide?
Moreover, digging a pit next to Zhou Yu's tomb would be...

Burying a sword in front of a grave is often intended to ward off evil spirits...

Suppress evil spirits!

Zhou Xun grew increasingly frightened, feeling as if the short sword in his hand weighed a thousand pounds, and he could no longer hold it, so it clattered to the ground.

Zhou Xun was pale, breathing rapidly, and felt as if the world was spinning.

"My husband? My husband?!"

Just then, Madam Zhou arrived. Hearing the commotion and seeing Zhou Xun's pale face, she immediately asked, "What's wrong? What's the matter?"

"Madam, save me!" Zhou Xun cried out incoherently, as if grasping at a straw, recounting how Sun Quan had summoned him, presented him with the sword, and how he had discovered upon his return that the sword was unusually short, causing him fear and anxiety.

After listening, Sun Luban carefully examined the short sword and its scabbard. She pondered for a moment, then suddenly smiled and reassured him, "My lord, you worry too much. If our lord truly harbored... ill intentions, why would he need such a cryptic method? A cup of poison and a secret order would be far more swift. This sword, in my opinion, is not an ominous sign, but rather... a warning and a means of self-preservation."

That's a very...

That seems to be true.

"What...what kind of security?" Zhou Xun asked, puzzled.

"Indeed," the lady analyzed in a low voice, "A blade in its sheath is not meant to be seen... If it's not taken out, how will anyone know its length? Perhaps the lord is using this to warn you, husband, that the Zhou family should remain calm and still, and not act rashly. Even if you have the ability, it's best not to reveal it... As for burying you beside the grave... it's probably to remind you to always remember this instruction and keep to your duty... If you bury me calmly, it shows that you understand this meaning, and that you have neither the intention nor the ability to cause trouble, so naturally you will have no worries..."

"Oh?" Zhou Xun asked, still somewhat doubtful.

However, after careful consideration, Zhou Xun felt that Sun Luban's words made some sense.

If Sun Quan really wanted to harm the Zhou family, there was no need for him to go through such a roundabout way.

Perhaps this is truly a stern yet subtle warning?
Looking at Zhou Xun deep in thought, Sun Luban felt a sense of helplessness, and even a touch of disdain...

Not all sons of the Zhou family are Zhou Lang.

There can only be one Zhou Yu...

Even if the person before you is Zhou Lang's son, he is still not Zhou Lang.

Zhou Xun was unaware of Sun Luban's inner turmoil. Helpless, he had no choice but to follow Sun Quan's instructions and, on a certain day, dig a deep pit at a location far from the burial mound next to Zhou Yu's tomb. He buried the sword of varying lengths, scabbard and all, covered it with soil, and tamped it down, without marking it.

This matter was quickly reported to Sun Quan...

When Sun Quan heard that Zhou Xun had indeed buried the sword as instructed and had not made any further moves or complained, the tension in his heart eased slightly.

However, this was only a slight relief, because in Jiangdong, the Zhou family was actually an outsider, and there was someone else who gave Sun Quan a bigger headache... The undercurrents in Jiangdong became increasingly strange with the disappearance of the Qiao sisters, becoming a huge shadow that Sun Quan could not shake off.

The real turmoil may have only just begun.

……

Textiles in Eastern Wu during the Three Kingdoms period
……

Yokooka Museum.

The museum always seems to be permeated with a unique chill due to its constant temperature and humidity.

Some people dislike museums because they feel that the items displayed inside are filled with "yin energy" and therefore bad for one's health...

In fact, this idea is wrong.

Leaving aside the fact that ancient bacteria and pathogens had not yet evolved to the level of later generations, is there anything in this world more bizarre than the human heart?

Once a person turns bad, there's really no point in talking about ghosts.

Natural disasters are often manageable, but man-made disasters are hard to prevent!
Professor Tang walked through the quiet area and headed towards the less crowded sections.

The late autumn light streamed through the high windows, casting a pale glow on the glass of the display cases, making each artifact from a thousand years ago appear even more profound and mysterious.

Tang Yan stood in front of the core display case of the "Yamatai Cultural Relics Area," his breath unconsciously held...

Is this it?
It was a large earthenware bowl, about forty or fifty centimeters in size.

The rough, reddish-brown surface of the earthenware is covered with traces left by craftsmen a thousand years ago...

The display case label simply states...

Earthenware bowl. Estimated date: 230-240 AD. Excavated from the Yoshino-sato site.

"Heh..." Professor Tang was both amused and exasperated.

This is not a simple 'clay pot'...

This must be a sacrificial implement!

Who uses a bowl that's forty or fifty centimeters in size to eat?

what?
Shaanxi?

That's a custom; if the bowl is too small, the oil-splashed noodles won't mix properly!

Japan has long suffered from food shortages. Even now, with its developed trade and economy, certain monopolistic enterprises deliberately restrict food supply to obtain excessive profits. How could anyone eat from such a large earthenware bowl on a daily basis?

In ancient Japan, only offerings to deities could be made using such large containers.

So logically speaking, this thing should at least be something used by the priests of Yamatai.

After all, in those days, the only people who could preside over the sacrifices to the gods and communicate with them were their priests.

But this "rice bowl" was placed in the "Yamatai Household Items Exhibition Area"...

What does this mean?
In the bustling "Royal Exhibition Area," almost everything was arranged and displayed around the golden seal, seemingly looking down on this "earthenware bowl"...

Perhaps the gold seal was more attractive, representing secular royal power.

Professor Tang knew that, in reality, the Yamatai Kingdom had long been a place where theocracy reigned supreme...

It could even be said that the theocratic system of the Yamatai Kingdom has continued to influence the current political landscape of East Japan...

But this is good, because no one pays attention to the earthenware pot, and no one disturbs Professor Tang's observation.

Professor Tang took out his phone and activated the magnifying glass function.

Unfortunately, as people get older, their eyesight inevitably develops some problems.

With the help of a magnifying glass on his phone, Professor Tang carefully examined a rather inconspicuous dark patch on the rim of the earthenware bowl.

It looks a bit like Tuqin, but upon closer inspection, it doesn't quite...

Some artifacts from the Eastern Japanese also have soil stains, but perhaps influenced by Western archaeology, some artifacts have absolutely no soil stains, regardless of the type of soil they were buried in.

The earthenware bowl has obvious soil stains, but Professor Tang felt that the dark brownish-black stain on the rim of the bowl looked somewhat like…

A certain type of paint.

Lacquer is not only used on wooden products, but also on objects made of other materials.

Of course, wooden products have the advantage of natural lacquer adhesion and are easier to make, but lacquer, as an ancient Chinese decorative item and even a tribute item for a long time, has also developed into many different varieties.

Chinese lacquerware declined at the end of the Han Dynasty, and was replaced by porcelain.

This shift in artifacts was not a simple replacement, but rather an upgrade and renewal of productivity and production technology. Without high-temperature kilns, there would be no high-temperature industry, no metallurgy, and certainly no large-scale use of porcelain…

In Japan, because kiln firing technology did not develop as rapidly as in China, lacquerware existed for a longer period than in China, and even developed its own lacquer culture. As a result, even today, some people in Japan are still proud of their lacquerware.

Because most lacquerware is made of wood, the lacquer on pottery is often just for decoration. Moreover, due to the different carrier materials, the lacquer on pottery is more likely to peel off. Not to mention being buried in the ground for thousands of years, even daily use will cause the lacquer to wear off more easily than on a wooden carrier.

Therefore, most pottery artifacts are assumed to be unpainted...

Except for a very few artifacts.

The patch of discolored material before us, whether in terms of shape or thickness, especially the slightly curled and peeled edges, is exactly the same as the fragments of pottery lacquerware from the Eastern Wu period of the Eastern Han and Three Kingdoms era that Professor Tang had seen in his research many years ago.

Lacquered pottery jars from the Western Han Dynasty have been discovered in China. These jars were made of gray clay, lacquered all over, and painted with black, red, and white colors. After the Eastern Han Dynasty, lacquered pottery became very rare, which is one of the reasons why Professor Tang was so impressed by them.

Professor Tang examined it carefully and noticed that the faint, indistinct patterns on the broken lacquerware seemed to differ from the decorative style of native Japanese artifacts…

'Thump, thump...'

Professor Tang heard a strong heartbeat, unsure whether it was his own heartbeat or the lingering aura on the artifact that had rekindled after a thousand years!
Professor Tang practically pressed his face against the glass partition of the exhibition, carefully examining every inch of the earthenware artifacts. He noticed that near the bottom of the earthenware bowl, there seemed to be a ring of lines carved with some kind of tool...

"This is bamboo carving..."

Bamboo carving is the predecessor of chiseling.

The experience of carving patterns on clay with wooden tools preceded the development of engraving with metal.

As for civilizations that lack any basic metallurgical techniques for carving, and have no experience in accumulating crude artifacts, yet suddenly know how to finely carve various patterns and designs...

Professor Tang can only call it a miracle.

Professor Tang circled the exhibition window, trying to make out the patterns on the bottom of the earthenware bowls. He felt that the simple yet flowing combination of continuous wave patterns and dotted patterns was very similar to the patterns on the pottery shard he had personally picked up at the construction site in Quanzhou and studied repeatedly!

At this moment, the barrier of time and space was cracked open by this silent pottery urn.

Between 230 and 240 AD, this was precisely the period after Wei Wen's expedition to Yizhou, during which Eastern Wu's communication with Liaodong, Goguryeo, and even maritime trade was not completely severed...

What did this large earthenware bowl, used as an offering to the gods, hold?
Is it grain?
Or three sacrificial animals?

Or perhaps it's tea from Jiangdong?
Or perhaps even more precious spices?
silk?

Or is it a more symbolic document?
If it is confirmed that artifacts from the two locations share similar decorative patterns, then how can we explain how these items transcended time and space to appear across the three regions...?

During the Three Kingdoms period, since both Eastern Wu and Shu Han ultimately failed in market competition, many of the internal records and documents of the Eastern Wu and Shu Han groups were naturally incomplete.

Why did Wei Wen go to sea at that time?

Some speculate that Sun Quan sent Wei Wen to sea in search of immortals and elixirs, just like Qin Shi Huang did. But if that's the case, why couldn't Wei Wen just go and never return like Xu Fu?
Was Xu Fu too clever, or Wei Wen too foolish?
If it wasn't for seeking immortality, then what happened when only one or two out of ten thousand soldiers returned from the sea?
typhoon?

Tsunami?

plague?

Or was it something done by someone?

It's clear that Wei Wen brought 10,000 soldiers not simply for trade...

It was more like an expedition.

Unfortunately, it failed.

In the end, he became the scapegoat and took the blame for everything.

However, historical records have favored the use of the Spring and Autumn Period style since then. So, did Wei Wen only go to Yizhou?
After all, if it were just going to Yizhou, given the fighting level of the natives of Yizhou at that time, they shouldn't have been able to defeat Wei Wen. After all, the Eastern Wu of Jiangdong was quite capable in suppressing the Southern Yue, so it's not like they had no experience in mountain warfare.

So, could it be that besides going to Yizhou, you also went to some other places?
For example, here?

Is it to cover something up, or to avoid mentioning something, that the historical records omit mentioning Yamatai?

If this inference is true, then what exactly happened in the Yayoi tribe kingdom of Yamatai at that time?
Professor Tang kept thinking while trying to get a good angle to observe the clay bowl by lying on the ground, but unfortunately, because of the angle at which the bowl was placed, he couldn't make out the patterns at all...

『へんたい! ! ! 』

Suddenly, a sharp and extremely piercing sound rang out!

Professor Tang turned around in surprise and found a short, chubby middle school girl who had appeared out of nowhere. She was clenching her fists and holding them to her face, her greasy, fat face showing an excited expression, as if she had spotted prey. She shouted at Professor Tang in a high-pitched voice, "Ganmi Yarou!!!"