The Empress's First Running Dog

Chapter 673 Opening the Coffin! The Empress's Social Death

The tombs of all the emperors of the Dayu Dynasty are located in the "Northern Mausoleum", which is a place located north of the palace, past the back lake, and then a short distance northeast.

The mausoleum of Emperor Taizu of the Yu Kingdom is located at the deepest part of this mausoleum complex.

Under the night.

Zhang Yan waved his sleeves, rode on a cloud, and carried his two disciples and Zhao Du'an into the night. They flew over the city walls and headed straight for the mausoleum.

Considering that what they had done tonight was truly disgraceful, the group deliberately waited inside the Celestial Master's Mansion for an hour or two. Only when it was late at night and all was quiet did they finally set off.

"call--"

A night breeze caressed my face.

Soon, the four of them descended from the sky, silently drifting into the core area of ​​Beiling and landing on the roof tiles of a building.

The imperial mausoleum is a vast mausoleum complex, and the mausoleum of Emperor Taizu is surrounded by a special government office responsible for guarding it.

But now it was too late, and all the officials in Beiling had gone to sleep, with only a few lamps lit in the courtyard.

However, from this vantage point, one can still clearly see soldiers patrolling the city walls near the tomb, their torches licking holes in the thick night.

The clouds in the sky obscured the stars, and in the silent night, the calls of some unknown birds could be heard.

"The mausoleum of Emperor Taizu is just ahead."

Zhang Yan stood with his hands behind his back, his black priest's robe blending seamlessly into the night.

Zhao Du'an steadied himself on the roof tiles and lowered his voice:
"No... I mean, aren't we being a bit too high-profile?"

Zhang Yan rolled his eyes and said indifferently:
"Don't worry, I've already released a trick to deceive you. The guards here at the imperial mausoleum are just ordinary soldiers, so this trick is enough. What truly protects the imperial mausoleum are the mechanisms and even the magic arrays within the mausoleum."

Jin Jian gripped his staff in one hand and furtively adjusted his glasses with the other, whispering:
How do we get down?

Zhao Du'an had a contingency plan for this problem, and now he spoke confidently:

"First of all, we are only here to investigate, not to rob a tomb... and tonight's events cannot be known to outsiders, so forcibly entering is not an option."

Secondly, the tomb was completely sealed off after the burial, and there was no so-called door.

So my idea is that we first use teleportation to get past the top layer of loose soil and into the underground tomb passage or chamber, and then deactivate the traps... Anyway, we'll make some noise inside, and no one outside will know."

Zhang Yanyi remained noncommittal, only squinting and calculating for a moment before saying:

“There is a magic array blocking the outer layer of this tomb, but with me here, I can naturally protect you and help you get past it.”

Pretty!

Zhao Du'an turned to look at Jin Jian again, and the young priestess puffed out her chest and said:

“I can teleport you, but…”

Her expression showed some difficulty and confusion:

"But I can't guarantee where it will appear randomly. I can only give you a general direction."

Zhao Du'an smiled and said:

"It's alright. Although the tomb structures are different, there must be a lot of space underground. You can rely on your senses later. Even if we appear in the soil, with our cultivation level, we can instantly compress the soil and create a small space."

Gongshu Tianyuan, standing nearby, was already itching to get started. This priest, who had reached the [Craftsman God] level, had his eyebrows raised high on his chubby face.

Instead of carrying his large bamboo tube tonight, he used a treasure chest. The short, stout priest placed the treasure chest on the ground, opened the lid, and magically produced two iron shovels, which he tossed to Zhao Du'an and Jin Jian respectively.

He carried one on his shoulder himself, and said with a smile:
"I can't guarantee anything else, but leave the dismantling of the mechanisms inside the tomb to me. You guys take these shovels and follow my instructions once we're inside."

It is exhilarating to finally have the opportunity to display one's talents and realize one's ambitions.

Leave professional matters to professionals. As long as the tomb is not violently damaged, tonight's operation must indeed be carried out under the command of Gongshu Tianyuan.

Zhao Du'an took the shovel, looked at the team members with admiration, and felt that they were truly "full of talent"...

“In that case, let’s prepare to take action, Celestial Master.” Zhao Du’an looked at Zhang Yanyi.

The old master, with an air of superiority, nodded slightly and raised his hand, as if preparing to make a gentle wave.

According to the plan, the soldiers standing guard on the distant city wall will simultaneously fall into an illusion.

The group then took the opportunity to enter, and after leaving, they dispelled the illusion. Even if someone noticed something suspicious, they wouldn't be able to open the grave to confirm it.

"Let's go, we're going to the top of the tomb." The group, carrying shovels, were about to set off.

Just then, the old Celestial Master's ears twitched, his expression changed slightly, he stopped casting the spell, grabbed Zhao Du'an's sleeve, and whispered:

"Someone's coming! Hide!"

Zhao Du'an was suddenly startled!
The guilty party quickly hid on the other side of the roof ridge, crouching down and clinging to the ridge with both hands, cautiously peeking out to look south towards the cemetery.

Sure enough, a commotion could be heard outside the mausoleum. It turned out that a group of soldiers and officials guarding the outer perimeter of the Beiling Mausoleum were escorting a carriage as it arrived at the "ancestral mausoleum" archway.

Instantly, the minor officials stationed inside the ancestral mausoleum awoke with a start, carrying lanterns and pushing open the door. Rubbing their sleepy eyes, they were immediately taken aback:
"Sir, may I ask what has happened?"

An elderly female official from the Hall of Mental Cultivation in the palace stood beside the carriage, waving the gold token in her hand, and said calmly:

"Zhao Shaobao has important business to attend to at the ancestral mausoleum tonight. This is His Majesty's order; seeing it is as if you were seeing His Majesty."

A group of minor officials guarding the tomb were shocked and immediately knelt down.
"We were unaware of your arrival, Junior Protector. We have failed to greet you properly..."

The carriage curtain was lifted, and a figure draped in a black cloak slowly stepped out. Beneath the loose cloak was Zhao Du'an's indifferent face. He nodded arrogantly and said:
"I have urgent business to attend to. You shall all immediately leave the mausoleum."

"...obey!"

The group of officials hesitated for a moment, but considering Zhao Du'an's status as the imperial consort, they quickly agreed and immediately got up and walked out.

And some people ran back and called down the soldiers who were standing guard on the city wall.

Soon, even the palace guards and female officials who had come with the carriage withdrew outside.

……

The back of the roof ridge.

The group of people who had been spying on him were stunned and all looked at Zhao Du'an, who was also looking completely bewildered.

Gongshu Tianyuan's expression changed, and he stared at Zhao Du'an warily.
"Brother Zhao... are you... real or fake?"

Zhao Du'an almost burst into a tirade, glaring at him fiercely:
"If I were an imposter, could I have escaped the Celestial Master's discerning eye?"

Zhang Yan was greatly pleased.

Jin Jian lowered his voice and said:
"So what's with that imposter down there?"

How the hell should I know... Zhao Du'an's mind was in a mess. He held his breath and continued to spy.

At this moment, as everyone else had left, only Zhao Du'an remained standing beside the carriage under the archway.

Then, Zhao Du'an's figure suddenly changed, becoming that of a woman, and his facial features were also adjusted, transforming him into the appearance of Xu Zhenguan.

Gongshu Tianyuan's eyes widened:

"It's a puppet I created... It's His Majesty... Waaah!"

Zhao Du'an suddenly covered his mouth, and then, under the shocked gaze of the four tomb raiders, the Empress sneaked back into the carriage, seemingly to retrieve something.

When she came out again, she was holding a sturdy iron shovel...

The four tomb raiders: "..." Under the cover of night, the Empress, carrying an iron shovel, walked into the courtyard alone.

Xu Zhenguan looked a little nervous, partly because she was currently only in a puppet body, and apart from being able to change her appearance with the help of the puppet and use some shallow martial arts, there wasn't much else she could do.

On the other hand, the fact that the current emperor was digging up the graves of his own ancestors undoubtedly put considerable pressure on the empress's mind.

In fact, Xu Zhenguan hesitated for a long time before finally choosing to come here.

Did our ancestors not die?
This guess is both incredibly tempting and incredibly important.

After leaving the Zhao residence, Xu Zhenguan was torn between her inner thoughts and her own. In the end, being a rebellious descendant herself, she secretly made a decision: to sneak over and take a look, to confirm it for herself...

"Ancestor, please do not blame me. Your unworthy son Zhenguan had no choice but to resort to this desperate measure for the sake of the Great Yu Kingdom and the eternal glory of our royal family..."

"Descendants promise that they will only take a look and will absolutely not disturb their ancestors' peaceful rest..."

Xu Zhenguan had completely lost his imperial aura at this moment. He was carrying a shovel and acting suspiciously, just like a naughty child.

Finally, Xu Zhenguan climbed the steps to the city wall and quickly reached the location near the ancestral mausoleum via the parapet.

However, at that moment, the divine sense that ultimately belonged to the Heavenly Emperor within her kicked in. Xu Zhenguan's eyes suddenly sharpened, and she almost instantly turned her head, staring at the rooftop not far away, and sternly rebuked:
"who!?"

The rebuke wasn't loud, but it made the faces of the four people change.

The four exchanged glances. Zhang Yan shook his head, indicating that although he could cast spells, the Empress's discerning eyes would definitely be able to recognize him...

"Get out here now! What kind of lowly scoundrel dares to trespass on royal territory!" The Empress, wielding a shovel, raised her eyebrows and murderous intent.

After a short silence.

Behind the roof ridge, four men, each carrying a shovel, silently stood up.

The five people exchanged glances, and the air instantly fell silent.

Zhao Du'an clearly saw that, under the cover of night, the Empress's face changed from anger and vigilance to a murderous look.

First came the stunned silence, then disbelief, and finally, a gradual whitening of his face, as he instinctively hid the shovel behind his back.

silence.

Silence is Cambridge tonight.

After a long while, Zhao Du'an finally broke the silence with a shameless grin:
"Your Majesty, what a coincidence..."

Xu Zhenguan's face was filled with shame and indignation, and she gritted her teeth:
"Zhao! Du! An!"

……

……

After a while.

On the eerily quiet rooftop, the three members of the Celestial Master's Mansion stood alone in the distance, silent, their eyes occasionally glancing towards the city wall opposite.

Meanwhile, atop the city wall, the Empress sat with her back to the crowd, gritting her teeth. Zhao Du'an sat beside her, explaining in a low voice, spitting as he spoke:

"...In short, that's how it is. All the blame lies with me. I know this is extremely disrespectful, but it was for the sake of our Great Yu Kingdom and the long-term prosperity of our royal family that I had no choice but to resort to this tactic... I promise, I will only take one look and will absolutely not disturb the ancestors' rest..."

The Empress stared at him expressionlessly, her voice low and menacing:
"You spoke my words!"

"Huh? Really? No wonder it looked familiar..." Zhao Du'an was extremely embarrassed. He explained:
"I... I was worried that His Majesty, as a member of the royal family, might find it difficult to make a decision, so I took the liberty of doing this. It's for the best..."

The Empress's tone grew increasingly cold, even carrying a hint of resentment:
"Do you think I am the unreasonable person who would ask you to bear the blame in order to preserve my own reputation as an emperor?"

"No, no, no, His Majesty is a sage ruler throughout the ages, absolutely not..."

The empress said:
"Do you think I haven't considered this? Since this involves the ancestors of the royal family and is a matter for my royal family, I naturally have no choice but to take responsibility and will not entrust it to others."

"Yes, yes, that's why His Majesty came in person and didn't impersonate anyone at all."

"..." The Empress angrily reached out and pinched Zhao Du'an's thigh hard, making him wince in pain:
"I did not say anything……"

A while passed.

Zhang Yan and his two disciples then saw the emperor and his minister approaching. The empress appeared calm and composed, as if nothing had happened. She looked at Zhang Yan with a serene gaze, nodded, and said softly:

"Master Zhang also went to great lengths."

That statement is rather sarcastic...

Zhang Yan was immediately embarrassed. After all, as one of the most powerful magicians in the world, a god-like figure in the eyes of the people, digging up someone's ancestral grave in the middle of the night and getting caught was undoubtedly a huge black mark on his history.

He could only keep a straight face, avoid eye contact, and forcefully say:

"Your Majesty, it's getting late. Let's get down to business."

Jin Jian and Gongshu Tianyuan nodded frantically.

The Empress sighed softly and didn't press the matter further. To put it bluntly, both sides had lost face tonight, and if either side leaked the information, their public image would be ruined.

In a sense, the two sides reached a kind of "mutual deterrence," which actually ensured that neither side would reveal the matter.

Realizing this, the Empress seemed to forget her earlier displeasure and nodded, saying:
"Then let's go down together. It's perfect. With you all here, I can save some energy."

Zhao Du'an nodded and quickly explained his plan.

After listening, the Empress suddenly reached into her sleeve and took out a drawing, saying:

"These are the blueprints from when the imperial mausoleum was built. We can proceed according to the blueprints."

Zhao Du'an's eyes lit up. Having blueprints was obviously much more efficient than haphazardly figuring things out.

Immediately, everyone sprang into action.

Jin Jian cast the spell first, found the location according to the blueprint, and activated a full moon.

Zhang Yan then used magic to temporarily seal off the array within the imperial mausoleum.

The five-person group entered the full moon and soon appeared in an underground tomb passage.

Jin Jian used his staff as a torch for illumination.

Next, with the help of the blueprints, Gongshu Tianyuan began to dismantle the mechanisms inside the tomb using the skills of a master craftsman.

The journey was smooth and unobstructed. Soon, the group arrived at the main tomb and saw the huge coffin placed inside.

"Your Majesty..." Zhao Du'an looked at the Empress: "You came in person?"

Xu Zhenguan took a deep breath, nodded, handed him the shovel, first paid a respectful bow to her ancestors, and then opened the coffins one by one, placing her hands on the coffin lids inside.

The crowd gathered around the coffin, holding their breath. Jin Jian held the staff that emitted light, her small face tense.

A moment of silence.

"Unworthy descendants!" Xu Zhenguan gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and forcefully opened the coffin that had been sealed for six hundred years!

"boom!"

The coffin lid was lifted, and dust first filled the air. Then, everyone looked into the inside of the coffin.

Then their expressions changed simultaneously.

The coffin was empty.

(End of this chapter)