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Chapter 416 - 416: Shocking the Three Kingdoms Fans! Guan Yu in Cao Cao’s Tomb! (1)
Chapter 416 - 416: Shocking the Three Kingdoms Fans! Guan Yu in Cao Cao’s Tomb! (1)
Chapter 416: Shocking the Three Kingdoms Fans! Guan Yu in Cao Cao’s Tomb! (1)
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Luo Feng moved towards the monumental artifact ahead of him, drawn by its imposing size. The exhibit occupied a substantial area and was filled with numerous items. Stretching from left to right, it spanned nearly twenty meters.
At the forefront stood eight majestic steeds, all constructed of bronze, partitioned into two groups of four. Each horse, crafted to scale, looked lifelike and radiated an air of grandeur. Behind these horses was an enormous chariot, also made of bronze. Despite being mere burial objects, their opulence was genuinely astonishing.
In front of the chariot, a few rotted clothes hung from a stand made of golden Phoebe Zhennan wood, next to which was a wooden cabinet. On top of the cabinet, there was a pair of withered and decayed shoes. A table placed further ahead held a selection of musical instruments: ancient guqins, cymbals, and drums. The sight of these artifacts, so rarely found in historical relics, left Luo Feng somewhat intoxicated.
Swallowing the excitement that bubbled within him, Luo Feng chose not to disturb the instruments. Instead, he continued his exploration, quickly discovering a wooden platform with five levels. Each level was filled with a variety of weapons: bows and arrows, spears, square halberds, and a very sharp-looking axe. Crafted, it seemed, from refined steel, the axe was decorated with cloud patterns and bore a semi-circular blade. A dragon motif was etched in the middle of the axe.
After the platform with the axe, there was a square table holding a large-bellied jade vase. The livestream viewers, who had accompanied Luo Feng on this twenty-meter journey, were thoroughly satisfied.
Whether it was the bronze chariot, the instruments, or the weapons, all were seldom seen and elicited exclamations of awe.
“But why aren’t all the weapons stored together?” one viewer asked.
“Indeed! It would make sense to put all the weapons in one place, wouldn’t it?” added another.
“Host, please open that jade vase. I have a feeling there’s something inside!”
“That axe… It’s stunning. Look at the dragon engraving! I wish I could feel its sharpness firsthand,” said a third viewer.
“Are you trying to see if Yang Zhi’s blade really does kill without drawing blood?” responded another.
Luo Feng spoke up, “You don’t realize, these aren’t mere weapons or trinkets. These are the ‘Nine Bestowments’.”
“Eh? The Nine Bestowments? Luo Feng, what is that? I’ve never heard of it,” asked Li Shishi through her earpiece. As she and others could not enter the tomb, they had to communicate with Luo Feng via radio.
“I’ve heard of it, I think it’s some sort of ancient reward system?” Su Meiji suggested, admitting she was not entirely certain but remembered something from her history books.
“Meiji, you remember correctly. That’s more or less what it means!” Luo Feng nodded and explained to the curious listeners, “The ‘Nine Bestowments’ were nine types of ritual vessels awarded to nobles and high-ranking officials by ancient Chinese emperors. They were the highest form of honor.”
The term ‘Bestowments’, was used interchangeably with ‘gifts’ in the pre-Qin era due to their phonetic similarity. However, after the Han dynasty, the term was pronounced as ‘xi’, consistent with its original pronunciation, while carrying the meaning of ‘gift’.
The nine bestowed objects were: Chariots and horses, clothes, musical instruments, red doors, palace stairs, Tiger Guards, an axe, bows and arrows, and jujube wine, as recorded in “The Book of Rites”.
Luo Feng then elaborated on each item and their significance. emDhasizing that these gifts were not randomly given; they held deep significance.
“The first recipient of the Nine Bestowments during the post-Qin period… was the influential official, Wang Mang! In the Western Han Dynasty, Wang Mang had great merit and was well-liked. However, his reception of the Nine Bestowments wasn’t initiated by the emperor. Rather, it was he who had his subordinates suggest to the emperor to give them, effectively forcing the emperor’s hand, much like when Cao Pi persuaded Emperor Xian of Han to abdicate.”
“After receiving the Nine Bestowments, Wang Mang committed an act that tainted their significance: he usurped the Han throne!”
“His precedent left a stain on the reputation of the Nine Bestowments!”