They chatted all the way and soon arrived at the foot of Dabie Mountain.
Because they had brought many things for the sacrifice, Wang Qingyao brought Zhenzhu, Yin Zhu, and Zhizi along. With Yuan Bao, the group ascended the mountain path.
Dabie Mountain was a famous geomantic spot in the suburbs of Duanjing. The mountain was covered with abundant vegetation, lush and green, and many ancestral tombs of prominent families were built here.
Terraced steps were even built on the mountain, making the climb not too rugged.
However, it was still a climb. Even though Wang Qingyao's physical condition was better than that of ordinary young ladies and noblewomen, after walking a section of the mountain path, she was still out of breath and her legs felt weak.
Xiao Yun mocked her, "I told you you couldn't climb mountains, but you didn't believe me. Come, let's rest for a while, and then we'll climb again."
Wang Qingyao didn't pretend to be strong. She found a pavilion nearby, and Yin Zhu and the others served tea and pastries.
Except for Zhenzhu, Yin Zhu and Zhizi's physical conditions were not great either. They were panting even more than Wang Qingyao, their faces flushed from exhaustion. Zhizi, in particular, could barely stand steady when serving tea, spilling a little.
Yin Zhu had been practicing martial arts with Jin Tiao recently, so she was a little better than Zhizi.
Wang Qingyao beckoned them to rest and have tea and snacks together.
Yin Zhu grumbled, "It seems one can't even pay respects to ancestors without some sincerity."
Everyone laughed.
After resting for about half a cup of tea, they continued their journey. They climbed the remaining path without stopping, reaching the Xiao family's ancestral tomb in one go.
In modern times, Wang Qingyao had not seen many ancestral tombs of large families. In cemeteries, there was one tombstone per person, lined up. Even in the countryside, a small courtyard was the maximum size.
Upon seeing the Xiao family's ancestral tomb, she immediately widened her eyes.
My heavens, this was too big! It was built like a small park.
As expected of a prince, he had the grandeur of a prince.
The maids set up incense, candles, and offerings. After Wang Qingyao and Xiao Yun paid their respects, they asked Yuan Bao and the three maids to stand a dozen feet away.
Xiao Yun set up a small table on the ground and laid out brushes, ink, paper, and inkstones.
Wang Qingyao knelt before the tomb of Xiao Yun's great-grandfather. She activated her clairvoyant eyes, observing and dictating while Xiao Yun recorded beside her.
"The bones are intact and white, with multiple fractures. It appears they were crushed by a heavy object before death."
This was consistent with what the old imperial concubine had said about the death being caused by the collapse of a tomb robber's tunnel.
Wang Qingyao was not a professional forensic examiner, and could only draw such superficial conclusions.
Next was Xiao Yun's grandfather.
Upon seeing this, she was startled, her face changing drastically.
Xiao Yun noticed and asked curiously, "What did you sense?"
Wang Qingyao glanced at him, frowning, "My grandfather's remains... are greenish from the skull downwards..."
Xiao Yun was also startled, "Greenish?"
"Yes, a faint greenish hue, like... like the color of a green radish."
Xiao Yun tried to imagine the color of a green radish, but could not imagine human bones turning greenish.
Wang Qingyao said, "The bones are intact, with no obvious damage. The bones are greenish, which should be poisoning!!"
But the old imperial concubine had said that grandfather had drowned!
Xiao Yun was stunned and forgot to record it.
Wang Qingyao urged him, "Record it quickly."
Xiao Yun came back to his senses and quickly wrote down Wang Qingyao's words on paper.
Finally, it was Xiao Yun's father, Wang Qingyao's father-in-law, the previous Prince of Ding'an.
Wang Qingyao frowned, and Xiao Yun knew something was wrong again.
"Are my father's remains abnormal?"
Wang Qingyao nodded sadly, her voice unusually slow, "The bones are intact, with no obvious damage. From the skull downwards... they are a faint greenish hue, which should be poisoning."
And the old imperial concubine had also said that father had died of a cold.
Xiao Yun was completely stunned.
His grandfather and father had both died of poisoning, and with the same poison!
Then why did everyone say they died of a curse?
Why did they say that the men of the Xiao family did not live past twenty-five?
What was going on?
Xiao Yun did not understand, could not comprehend.
He had lived for twenty years, and for the first time, he felt so lost.
Wang Qingyao looked at him with sympathy.
She had not expected that two of the men who died from the so-called Xiao family curse had actually died of poisoning.
She had thought it was a hereditary disease!
This trip was truly worthwhile.
Wang Qingyao felt that she was close to breaking the so-called curse of the Xiao family men not living past twenty-five!
She walked to Xiao Yun's side. He had not fully recorded the "autopsy" of his father. She took the brush from his hand and completed the rest.
Xiao Yun felt cold and stiff all over. He felt unable to breathe, unable to move.
"What exactly is going on?"
He asked Wang Qingyao, and also himself, and heaven.
Wang Qingyao put away the record book and comforted him, "You should be glad. This shows that the curse of your Xiao family is nonsense, and someone is trying to harm you. As long as we find this person, you will be able to safely pass twenty-five."
"What you say makes sense," Xiao Yun said with a bitter smile.
Wang Qingyao patted his shoulder, "Next, we need to investigate from two aspects. First, who has such a deep hatred for your Xiao family that they would pursue and kill you for three or four generations? Second, what kind of poison is it that leaves no trace upon death but turns bones green after death?"