After a brief discussion, Liang En and his team chose the southern wall as their target. The reason was obvious: this wall bordered a wasteland rather than farmland.
To be honest, conducting this preliminary exploration under the watchful eyes of a herd of cows and farmworkers wasn’t exactly ideal, especially since they hadn't found any clues yet and hadn't been able to apply for a permit.
Using the cover of bushes, Liang En and his team quickly began their excavation work with the probes and shovels they had brought. Since these items were exposed on the ground, they quickly locked onto their target and began digging.
The items were buried much shallower than expected, so it only took them half an hour to complete the excavation and understand what they had uncovered: a wooden mud-brick wall two meters thick. In the heartland of China, it might have been just a bit sturdier than the average village wall, but on the steppe, especially in the desolate northern plains, it was certainly a formidable fortification.
This discovery also indirectly proved that the people who built this structure were indeed very important, which is why they expended so much time and effort to construct this small palace in such harsh conditions.
He no longer believed this was a city because the space within the walls was simply too small. Instead, it was more likely to be a palace or similar structure rather than a city.
The most compelling reason for this conclusion was that he found a massive, un-gilded bronze door knocker at what appeared to be the main gate of the southern wall—an item very similar to one in the museum. Such an item was unlikely to be found in a city, where practicality and durability would have been prioritized over aesthetics.
Especially since this was the Xiongnu and not the industrious Han Dynasty, creating such exquisite bronze artifacts would have been extremely difficult and unlikely to be used in non-essential locations.
“If this is indeed a palace, that’s even better. A palace has more archaeological value than an ordinary city,” Joan of Arc remarked as she watched the cows leisurely grazing on the grassland. “But the question now is how we can go over there to inspect it.”
“Those cows are being watched. If we just walk over there with shovels and start digging, we’ll definitely need their permission, or we’ll be in big trouble,” she added.
“You’re right,” Liang En nodded. “I should apply for a permit. Fortunately, this task should be relatively simple, and if everything goes smoothly, we should have the permit by tomorrow noon.”
The efficiency of Russian bureaucracy has always been an enigma. Sometimes, a simple task could take ages, while at other times, it’s surprisingly quick. But Liang En had a way to speed things up.
As it turned out, Liang En obtained the crucial permit the very next day. This was partly because they had enough clout, and partly because this was just an exploration permit.
After all, Russian law states that items found underground on state-owned land belong to the state, and an exploration permit only allows excavation without the right to remove the items.
But for Liang En, it didn’t matter whether he could take the items or not. As long as he was allowed to conduct the exploration, that was enough. So, as soon as he got the permit, he headed straight to the farm.
The farm had been leased to several families for dairy cow and goat farming, and after Liang En showed them the permit and negotiated with them, he quickly got permission from the land's lessee.
However, Liang En had to pay a small price for this permission, such as hiring the middle-aged couple for logistics and food services at a rate 120% above the local market price.
Having already determined the situation within the walls from previous observations, Liang En was able to quickly locate his target with just a few probing attempts.
After a brief excavation, he found that beneath a relatively thin layer of soil lay the stone foundation of a building. The overall scale was quite large.
“Without a doubt, this must be an important site,” Liang En said seriously after two days of exploration, during which he had gained a clear understanding of the situation. “And it definitely belongs to a palace-like structure.”
According to the excavation results, the entire site covers 1,500 square meters. The central hall measures 12 by 12 meters, and both the hall and the underground sections of the buildings have heating channels made of stone.
However, more detailed information wasn’t something the two of them could handle alone, even with their extraordinary powers, due to the sheer size of the site.
But that didn’t mean they found nothing. Through their digging, they discovered a severely rusted ring-handled knife, square and protruding ripple-patterned clay blocks, fragments of an oval green jade vase, a bronze buckle, and pottery pieces with plow and ripple patterns.
Like the jade ornament they had found earlier, the items discovered here were a mix of Han and Xiongnu characteristics. However, compared to the relatively rare Han items, most of the artifacts here were of Xiongnu origin, with even some from the Western Regions.
For example, among the pottery fragments they found, the cylindrical vessel shards and the rippled and grooved pottery fragments were similar to Xiongnu pottery unearthed along the shores of Lake Baikal. And the agate beads they found were unmistakably of Western Region style.
However, the biggest find for Liang En’s team was the discovery of five or six complete *wadang* (roof tile ends) and fragments that could be pieced together to form a dozen more, confirming that the building was indeed of Chinese architectural style.
*Wadang* are the decorative and protective attachments at the ends of roof tiles in ancient Chinese architecture, primarily used to adorn and protect the eaves.
The *wadang* they found were inscribed with words and patterns, including depictions of the Four Divine Beasts—“Vermilion Bird,” “Black Tortoise,” “Azure Dragon,” and “White Tiger”—indicating that these were not just practical items but also held artistic value.
For example, among the *wadang* they unearthed were ones inscribed with phrases like “Long live the Emperor” and “Eternal Happiness,” further proving a connection between this site and China.
“What do you think these items are from?” Joan of Arc whispered as she looked at the findings from the past two days. “I believe they belonged to someone from China or someone closely connected to China.”
“I think so too,” Liang En nodded after hearing Joan of Arc’s assessment. “But the question now is, who was that person?”
The value of a relic is determined by many factors, but for historians, its historical significance is the most crucial. Stories or famous figures associated with the site can greatly enhance its value.
Therefore, having studied under Liang En for a long time, Joan of Arc naturally hoped to uncover information about this palace, as only then could their excavation work be considered complete.
“That will be difficult because we haven’t found any clues,” Liang En smiled. “So, for us, finding the true owner of this palace won’t be an easy task.”
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