Is it possible... that the Grand Ancestor Emperor... is still alive?
In the Zhao family courtyard, by the pond, when Zhao Douan slowly voiced this speculation, he clearly saw the face of the Empress reflected in the water showing a shocked expression, and then her slender eyebrows slowly raised.
Regarding this speculation, which could be called "absurd," the Empress did not imdiately refute it, but after thinking for a while, she asked, "Why?"
Zhao Douan hesitated for a mont, shaking his head, "I can’t provide evidence, it’s just a guess. Besides, wouldn’t any emperor be unwilling to die? It’s not like he didn’t have ans to live forever. Tuoba Weizhi is an example, and Pei Niannu too. If the forr was a coincidence from Qi Country’s experint, then what about Pei Niannu? I actually suspect that Xu obtained a lot of things from the heritage left by Qi Country back then, including thods to make the Divine Soul eternal..."
Xu Zhenguan seriously pondered and then said, "But the demise of our ancestor was confird by countless people back then, including many powerful witnesses of that era..."
Zhao Douan glanced at her and said, "When Xu Jianwen died during the Xuann Coup back then, there were also many witnesses."
Xu Zhenguan was suddenly at a loss.
This was evidently a stain on her history; if she had realized Xu Jianwen’s Fake Death back then and pursued it in ti, many subsequent events would have been different.
"How can he be the sa as our ancestor? Xu Jianwen’s cultivation was extrely low, so it’s easy to impersonate him, but our ancestor had astonishing cultivation. Not to ntion anything else, just the physical body alone, no one could imitate. Moreover, his life cultivation dispersed, didn’t it? That Dragon Essence is still with you." Xu Zhenguan tried to find an angle to explain.
But Zhao Douan said, "But this possibility does exist, doesn’t it?"
Xu Zhenguan paused, reluctantly nodding, "In theory, it’s indeed possible, but..."
Zhao Douan seriously said, "Speaking of which, the last ti I devoured Master Gu Huo’s mory, I seed to get a hint from it. He helped Xu Jianwen back then not only to enhance his own cultivation but also seed interested in the royal tomb, possibly related to the Netherworld Sect? However, this mory is too fragnted, very incomplete. I’m wondering if those evil cult magicians know sothing?"
Xu Zhenguan was stunned again. She wanted to say that the royal tomb is a treasure of feng shui; not to ntion the rich Spiritual Energy, it’s normal for people to covet the burial artifacts inside. But she keenly sensed a hint of probing in Zhao Douan’s words, and her pretty face changed slightly, cautiously saying, "What are you really trying to say?"
Zhao Douan suddenly squeezed out a smile, a bit awkwardly saying, "Your majesty, see, we’ll enter the Golden Door in a couple of days, and no one knows what lies ahead, and all this relates to our ancestor. So, for safety’s sake, isn’t it necessary to verify a little? What I an is... is it convenient to visit our ancestor in the tomb?"
The Empress was stunned.
The air was quiet for several seconds.
Then Xu Zhenguan suddenly stood up from her chair, glaring at her fiancé angrily, her voice raised a few pitches, "You want to dig up our ancestor’s grave?!"
"Shhh! Keep it down..." Zhao Douan hurriedly stood up, smiling and reaching out to appease, "It’s not digging up the grave, just opening the coffin..."
"Say that again!?"
"...Ahem, isn’t this considering the bigger picture." Zhao Douan said a bit awkwardly.
Indeed, this was difficult to discuss, regardless of the reason, but under non-essential circumstances, just because of a baseless speculation, to go and excavate the Royal grave seed quite presumptuous...
Moreover, this is an extrely filial feudal society. Not to ntion anything else, if the Empress agreed to dig the grave, as long as information leaked, her reputation as Emperor would be ruined; official history might not dare ntion it, but folk history would certainly see her reputation lost forever.
"Of course, I was just saying." Zhao Douan noted her displeasure and quickly tried to make ands.
In the night, under the lantern’s light, the Empress’s fair face changed variably, showing an expression of extre inner conflict, as if two little figures in her mind were battling fiercely, wavering indeed.
Rationally, she agreed with Zhao Douan’s view; since everything involves our ancestor’s shadow, it’s indeed worth gathering information before entering the unknown door.
But emotionally... she found it sowhat unacceptable.
As the Empress stood by the pond feeling conflicted, You Jinhua and her daughter gently tried to call from the other end of the hanging flower door: "Your... majesty? Dinner is ready..."
Hence.
Zhao Douan simply escorted the Empress to the dining hall, and she clearly felt relieved, temporarily halting the topic.
Tonight, the dinner specifications at Zhao Mansion were grand, though there was only one table. Due to ti, many grand dishes couldn’t be prepared, appearing slightly "simple," yet it was the best the residence could offer—colorful, aromatic, and flavorful. Especially the tableware for dining, they were brand-new, precious official kiln antiques of imnse value, given as gifts by the Capital’s nobles during Zhao Douan’s celebration.
Zhao Douan and the Empress took their seats, You Jinhua and Zhao Pan accompanied them.
Although it wasn’t the Empress’s first visit, it was her first al with them; mother and daughter felt imnsely restrained, You Jinhua squeezed out a smile, several tis wanting to serve food to the "daughter-in-law" but dared not, even the usually gutsy Zhao Pan beca timid, suppressed by the Empress’s aura, dared not make a sound.
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