Chapter 442 - 442: Astonishment! The Clue to the Divine Needle of the Sea Appears!
Most people’s understanding of the Shang- Zhou period is gleaned from television dramas like ‘The Investiture of the Gods’ or similar mythological shows and movies. Official historical documents are few and far between. However, to understand what was right or wrong, it is crucial to consider the perspective of those involved in the actual events, rather than that of later generations.
Reflect upon a time when the power of kings and nobility existed in mutual symbiosis. As soon as royal power escalated to a certain point, it would collide with the rights of the clans, leading to conflicts and contradictions. Ultimately, the king would be dethroned by various feudal lords and nobles, with the subsequent dynasty echoing this cycle.
Once a royal family had established itself, it would aim to fortify its own power. If this power escalated to a certain extent, the nobles and feudal lords, incapable of tolerating it, would rebel. This situation, however, only prevailed before the Qin Dynasty.
The scenario shifted after the Qin era. The chasm between the rich and the poor amongst commoners was vast. Affluent officials and nobles would seize lands and indulge in luxurious lives, while ordinary folk struggled to make ends meet. This disparity incited peasant revolts, throwing the country into chaos and ultimately toppling the dynasty.
A newly founded dynasty would initially recognize the importance of the people and delegate authority generously. However, as soon as a certain threshold was crossed, the wealth gap would reemerge, causing another wave of peasant revolts. Was this not the case at the end of the Han, Tang, and Ming dynasties?
These were the wheels of history, relentlessly rolling forward. Despite ongoing progress, it was impossible to escape this cyclical pattern.
“I struggle to understand. Is this not the type of ruler a new era should embrace, one who can perceive what others cannot?”
“Would the Zhou royal family have held significance if Emperor Xin had reigned for a few more decades?”
“At its core, it’s a power struggle. The royal family yearns to solidify power, and the nobles seek increased benefits.”
“And what about Daji? Why is there no reference to her?”
“Indeed, why not? She ought to be a figure standing alongside Emperor Xin!”
Luo Feng placed his mobile phone down. He circled the Nine Zhou Ding and declared, “Now it’s confirmed, this is indeed the Nine Zhou Ding crafted by Da
On observing this, several scholars nodded in agreement. The ancient text on the cauldron revealed that it was indeed significant cultural relics dating back to the early Xia Dynasty. There was no denying this was the authentic artifact. Moreover, the Bureau of Antiquities had already categorized it as a treasure, with the character “Yu” etched in large letters, verifying its identity as the Nine Zhou Ding.
The following day, hundreds of soldiers solemnly and securely transported the Nine Zhou Ding down the mountain. Luo Feng had intended to handle the delivery himself, but the officials asserted that such an artifact necessitated the highest safety measures. Therefore, they decided to assist Luo Feng in transporting the Nine Zhou Ding to the assigned location, willingly deploying troops at no expense.
Their work here, however, was far from complete. Although the Nine Zhou Ding had been retrieved, the team continued to excavate the Oracle Bone Script site.
Online, the content translated by Luo Feng from the bronze cauldron had certainly spread. Particularly, the records concerning King Zhou of Shang had provoked substantial internet discussion. Initially, everyone perceived Emperor Xin as a despot, but now, an impressive number of supporters had surfaced.
Regardless, Luo Feng, engrossed in studying photos, remained detached from this. He was utterly intrigued by the Divine Needle of the Sea, as mentioned in the ancient text.
Luo Feng had scrutinized numerous pieces of the ancient text. Upon viewing the photos in his hand, he paused for a moment. “Is the Divine Needle of the Sea in the north?”
“Or the south?”
“Or somewhere else entirely?”
Luo Feng slowly scrolled through the photos. These oracle bones documented divinations concerning the Divine Needle of the Sea. Every pertinent prophecy had been recorded; some had answers, while others did not.
Yet, divination, when viewed positively, could be regarded as divine guidance. On the other hand, it could be dismissed as a series of bizarre tricks. Could there be any scientific basis for occurrences like the direction of a tortoise shell crack, which were completely unpredictable?
“Another flood erupted in the south today. We need to locate the Divine Needle of the Sea to control the flood!”
“The Divine Needle of the Sea? Could it be near the turbid river? The divination affirms this!”
“Is the Divine Needle situated in the Yangcheng region? The divination affirms this!”
“We’ve discovered the Divine Needle and mitigated the flood of the turbid river!”
They’d found it?
How had they located it?
Had they relied solely on these tortoise shell divinations to locate it?
Could it be this straightforward?
Luo Feng was flabbergasted. One moment, he discarded the divinations as foolishness, questioning their effectiveness. The next, he was astounded by the ancient people’s divination, which definitively indicated that the Divine Needle had been discovered.
Luo Feng found this absolutely extraordinary.
The south?
The turbid river?
Yangcheng?
These were the three most pivotal clues.
As for the south, it was generally understood to refer to the region south of the ancient Shang Dynasty. The turbid river likely referred to the Yellow River in that era. Yangcheng was presumed to be a capital city from that period.
Thus, they had located the Divine Needle of the Sea along the Yellow River stretch near Yangcheng, successfully alleviating the flood..