"What's wrong?" Zu'an was shocked and instinctively became alert, thinking there was some danger.
But then Mi Li said, “According to the regulations for tombs, the number of tomb passages represents the status and glory of the deceased. The highest level has four tomb passages in the east, south, west, and north. This type of tomb resembles the ancient Chinese character “亚” (ya), so it is generally called an “亚”-shaped tomb, and only the emperor is entitled to it. The next level has only two tomb passages in the north and south, which is called a “中”-shaped tomb. This is generally the tomb of a king or a high-ranking noble. The size of the tomb varies depending on the status. The next level has only one tomb passage, which is called a “甲”-shaped tomb, and this is generally enjoyed by nobles.”
"Generally speaking, the owners of these three types of tombs were all of very high status in life. However, this tomb only has a vertical shaft and no tomb passage. According to the rites, the owner of the tomb is of ordinary status. But looking at the scale of the ancestral hall outside, the rich funerary objects around it, and the fact that he was buried close to the royal mausoleum, no matter how you look at it, the owner of the tomb should have been a high-ranking official in life. But his tomb is so... so simple."
Zuan said, "Perhaps the tombs of the Yin and Shang dynasties are different from those of later generations. I'll go and see if there's any jade cong that Jiang Jiang is looking for."
A large number of burial objects were placed around the coffin, but they were not clearly visible from here.
Fearing for his safety, Pei Mianman jumped into the grave pit with him.
The burial pit was surrounded by various funerary objects, most of which were bronzes, as well as some jade, pottery, bone, ivory, shell ornaments, and so on.
The north side of the coffin was filled with various bronze tripods. In ancient times, tripods were not only cooking vessels, but also symbols of power and status.
In the pit south of the coffin were placed the personal belongings of the tomb owner, including square zun, square jia, square yi, yan, lei, yu, gu, and jue. Ancient burial practices emphasized treating the dead as if they were still alive, so these items were buried with the tomb owner.
Of course, Zu An didn't recognize these strangely shaped bronze vessels; Mi Li explained them to him on his behalf.
As the Empress of Qin, she was well-informed and knowledgeable. In addition, she had read through the royal library before, making her even more knowledgeable. Explaining these things gave her a sense of satisfaction that her talents were finally being displayed.
Unfortunately, Zu'an wasn't interested in these things, and not wanting to interrupt her enjoyment, he could only change the subject: "There seem to be weapons on both the east and west sides. Hmm, what's that weapon?"
Zuan noticed that there were many bronze weapons on both sides, including many long spears, halberds, and arrows. However, another weapon was a bit strange, somewhat like an axe, but with the blade facing upwards.
“Those are axes!” Mi Li said solemnly. “These are not ordinary weapons. They are not usually used for actual combat on the battlefield. They are mainly symbols of power. They are often granted by the emperor to generals, giving them the power to conquer all directions and dispose of officers at will. 1, 2, 3… There are seven axes. It can be seen how extraordinary the tomb owner’s status was in the army. But why have I never heard of him?”
“Back then, unlike later generations, there were no historical records to preserve them, so it’s normal that you haven’t heard of them. Since there are no jade cong here, let’s look for them elsewhere.” Zu’an originally planned to take some bronze artifacts with him. You know, in his time, these were all priceless national treasures.
But then I thought about it again, and these things aren't worth much in this world. Besides, they're just ordinary objects, nothing special, so they're useless to me.
Just then, Pei Mianman's voice came: "Wow, this thing is so cute."
Zu An rushed over, thinking she had discovered the jade cong, but to his surprise, she was looking at a bronze artifact with a smile in her eyes.
The bronze artifact was somewhat special. It was shaped like a water buffalo, but it was quite different from the common cattle. The buffalo was robust, with its head extended forward and its mouth slightly open. Its eyes, ears, nose, horns, belly, tail, and other physical features were all vivid and lifelike.
Its body is covered with various animal patterns such as dragons, birds, tigers, and elephants, with unique and magnificent shapes and intricate and exquisite patterns.
Although it looks fierce overall, its head is tilted slightly and its mouth is open a crack, making it truly adorable. No wonder Pei Mianman likes it so much.
"If you like it, we can take it with us." Zu An took Pei Mianman's small hand and smiled indulgently.
Mi Li, standing to the side, rolled her eyes.
“No need,” Pei Mianman thought for a moment and shook her head. “Since this item was a burial object of the tomb owner, he must have liked it very much in life. We shouldn’t take what belongs to someone else, and besides…”
She glanced at the huge coffin beside her, lowered her voice, and leaned close to Zuan: "This place is too eerie. What if we take something and the owner gets upset and comes out to settle scores with us?"
Zu An couldn't help but smile. He had always seen Pei Mianman being incredibly bold outside, but he never expected her to be so afraid of ghosts and monsters.
It was Mi Li's voice that came: "Stop being all lovey-dovey there, there's still one place we haven't checked."
Noticing her gaze fixed on the coffin, Zu'an was startled: "You're going to open the coffin?"
Mi Li snorted: "Of course, the best burial items are often inside the coffin. The jade cong you're looking for might be inside."
Zuan swallowed hard: "Isn't that a bit inappropriate? It disturbs the deceased's peace."
"Nonsense!" Mi Li retorted directly. "This is an opportunity. It would be the biggest fool to pass by a treasure trove and not take advantage of it. Not to mention you promised that girl, and you also need to find the exit mechanism. This tomb is so unusual; perhaps there are some crucial clues inside."
Zuan knew she had a point, especially after thinking about the girl's tragic experience, and finally made up his mind: "Alright then!"
My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
