The tombs here were arranged in a very strange way. They seemed to be built according to the terrain, but for those who died at the same time, there were differences in their tombstones and the like. It was extremely abnormal.
"It seems to be a formation," Xiao Jinghan also felt something was amiss.
"Find a Taoist priest," Yi Qing ordered.
Although she was a time - traveler, she didn't believe in ghosts and spirits. However, those with a guilty conscience would believe in such things.
It wasn't long before a Taoist priest was brought here. Thinking he was going to make a fortune, he cowered as soon as he saw this place.
"Take a look at what's wrong with these tombs," Yi Qing looked at the timid Taoist priest and thought he must be a fraud.
"I'm just an ordinary Taoist priest. I can't handle this," the Taoist priest looked embarrassed.
"Why not?"
"Look at this cemetery. On the surface, it's a geomantic treasure land that can bless the descendants. But the burial method is wrong. Coupled with the arrangement and the formation, it's a place for raising ghosts to make fortune. If the person who buried them was even more vicious and used talismans on the corpses or buried cinnabar around, those ghosts wouldn't even be able to escape. They would have to linger here. After a long time, their resentment would grow stronger. I really can't do this," the Taoist priest bowed and begged for mercy.
"Dig the tombs and open the coffins," Yi Qing ordered. "First, use the grave - robbing shovel to pierce the tombs."
Generally speaking, the so - called heavy yin energy in a cemetery was just caused by the rotting and change of the corpses after burial. Over time, there would be some gases harmful to the human body.
"You can't dig," the Taoist priest panicked. "Releasing the resentful ghosts will cost lives."
Xiao Jinghan glanced at the Taoist priest, and the priest didn't dare to say a word.
Several soldiers first used the grave - robbing shovels to pierce a few holes, and then slowly dug open the tombs. They found that the people inside were not buried face - up but in a strange posture, as if praying.
"See, I was right," the Taoist priest immediately got excited.
"But we're fine," Yi Qing wondered what the Taoist priest was so excited about.
The Taoist priest immediately cowered. "This general has such a strong aura of killing that no ghosts dare to approach, thus protecting us."
"Go find some Taoist priests with high cultivation levels to hold a religious ceremony for them," Xiao Jinghan said and then led Yi Qing away.
"Wait a minute," Yi Qing squatted beside the tomb pit. "Pick up that rib."
The guard went down and picked up the rib Yi Qing had pointed at. Yi Qing carefully examined it with a handkerchief as a cushion.
"Poisoned," Yi Qing said looking at the color of the bone.
Most poisons at present were arsenic, which was a sulfide, so it would change the color of the bones.
"Let's go," Yi Qing wrapped up the rib and left.
Xiao Jinghan took the bone. Although he didn't believe in any evil spirits, he didn't want Yi Qing to be exposed to such things.
When the two of them arrived at the palace, the emperor was having lunch. Seeing them come, he waved his attendants away.
"Come, come, come. Sit down and eat with me," the emperor wanted Yi Qing to know how unpalatable the palace food was.
Yi Qing placed a rib on the table.
"You've come all the way. Why bring a gift?" the emperor said and reached out to pick it up.
Yi Qing watched the emperor's self - satisfied look and didn't remind him.
"What's this?" the emperor looked at the rib wrapped in the handkerchief. "A bone?"
"Yes," Yi Qing nodded.
"What do you bring a bone for?" the emperor put it down and was about to continue eating.
"A human bone," Yi Qing said directly.
The emperor immediately put down his chopsticks and wiped his hands with a wet handkerchief. "Take it away, take it away. Hurry up and take it away."
Xiao Jinghan took it to one side.
"Why do you two bring a human bone into the palace?" the emperor looked at the two of them.
"We inquired and found that all those who followed Xie Xiuxian to execute the entire Guo family back then were dead. So we went to visit their tombs and found that not only was a vicious formation used there, but there were also traces of poisoning on the bones of the deceased," Xiao Jinghan explained.
Hearing Xiao Jinghan's words, the emperor lost all appetite. "You mean..."
"We found Duke Yuan. Duke Yuan said that they were able to leave the capital smoothly back then because of the help of Prime Minister Guo. So, there's another hidden story behind the death of Prime Minister Guo's family," Xiao Jinghan said very definitely.
The emperor stared blankly at the two of them and motioned to Xiao Jinghan. "Come with me." Then he walked away.
Yi Qing was left alone to eat. The imperial cuisine was just so - so. No wonder the dog emperor was always so hungry.
The emperor took Xiao Jinghan to the imperial study and closed the door.
"Do you know what you're doing?" the emperor looked at Xiao Jinghan. "If Prime Minister Guo was wronged, then I was wrong."
"The emperor is not wrong. The emperor was deceived by Xie Xiuxian."
"But it still means I couldn't tell right from wrong. What if other things are dug out because of this? What should I do?"
"The emperor forced Qing'er to get involved in this matter," Xiao Jinghan had known this from the beginning. Otherwise, the queen wouldn't have gone to find Yi Qing.
"I..." the emperor was extremely helpless. He hadn't expected this matter to be related to the Guo family.
He suddenly remembered what Yi Qing had said, that the deposed emperor was also a legitimate prince. What exactly had Prime Minister Guo done wrong to deserve the execution of his entire family?
He thought it was just someone who was dissatisfied with his handling of the Xie family. He wanted to find that person and reason with them. He didn't expect this matter to be more serious than Xue Bozheng's.
"How will the queen face this after this matter?" the emperor looked at Xiao Jinghan.
"Qing'er and I have discussed it. At that time, she will become sworn sisters with the queen."
"I thought it was just about the disappearance of the Xie family. I didn't expect it to lead to the execution of the entire Xie family," the emperor said a bit angrily. Xie Xiuxian was already despised by the world. If there was such a thing, he would have to execute Xie Xiuxian to appease the people. But how could he execute Xie Xiuxian?
"There's no 'what the emperor thought'," Xiao Jinghan fell silent.
"Go and eat. I need to think," the emperor was very irritated now.
He had wanted them to help solve the problem, but instead, they had created a bunch of problems.
Xiao Jinghan went to accompany Yi Qing for lunch. Although the taste of the palace food was not very good, the ingredients were really excellent. Yi Qing had almost finished eating.
"What on earth does he want to do?" Yi Qing asked when she saw Xiao Jinghan coming.
"Think it over carefully," Xiao Jinghan didn't care about the emperor anymore.
"He really should think it over carefully."
"Do you want to go and see the queen later?" Xiao Jinghan looked at Yi Qing.
"Okay."
The emperor needed time to think. After Yi Qing finished eating, she went to see the queen. The queen was playing with the crown prince. Since the crown prince was bitten by a bat, the queen had been taking care of the crown prince day and night.
"Do you have a result?" the queen sat beside Yi Qing and talked to her while keeping her eyes on the crown prince.
"It's not a good result," Yi Qing said dejectedly.
"Can there be anything worse than being infamous?"
"Only the execution of the entire family can appease the people."
The queen stopped and slowly turned to look at Yi Qing. What on earth could make Yi Qing say such a thing?
Yi Qing didn't avoid the queen's gaze. Anyway, the queen would know sooner or later.
"Just say it. Since you've said so, there's nothing I can't accept," the queen said calmly, but her heart was clenched tightly and her fingertips were cold.