Chapter 159 - 158: Exploded, An Unprecedented Shock!
Chapter 159: Chapter 158: Exploded, An Unprecedented Shock!
In historical circles, Xie Qingshi’s popularity was extremely high. The song "East Wind Disperses" was enough for him to dominate the music world, not to mention it was his breakout masterpiece, composed effortlessly in a single stroke when he was just sixteen.
Coupled with the fact that he was born blind and possessed striking good looks, he evoked deep pity and heartache, naturally garnering a large fanbase in later generations.
Some fans even wrote fanfiction for him where he finally gained his sight. However, without exception, Empress Taichu was always depicted as the villain in these stories and suffered a miserable end.
But now, staring at the four words "Return to the Beginning," the old professor’s brain completely short-circuited.
The reporter’s broadcast continued, "There isn’t much information available from the excavation just yet. However, we have interviewed professionals and confirmed that these music scores were composed around the time Linsu fell. We will continue to track this story for you, so please stay tuned!"
The livestream ended, but the assembly hall fell into a dead silence.
Just moments ago, they had been listening to the old professor meticulously explain the famous phrase, "Thirty-two years of this young master’s bones, all turning into dust across Jiuzhou." Yet, in mere minutes, that very line had been rewritten.
When this dying testament was first discovered, it was carved on Xie Qingshi’s tombstone. Even the King of Hong, who founded the Jiang Dynasty, had praised him, saying that despite his blindness, his integrity and character remained fully intact.
However, a tombstone was erected after his death. Naturally, a dead man couldn’t carve his own epitaph.
But the newly discovered scores were written by Xie Qingshi himself! Even an outsider to the field could easily tell which source was more credible.
Shi Changying stared at the large screen. It felt as if an earth-shattering wave had swept over her, pounding against her eardrums and making her soul tremble slightly.
Seeing the light of day once more—she experienced the tremendous shock of this idiom all over again.
While the old professor was still in a daze, his phone rang. Upon answering it, his expression instantly brightened. "Hello? Yes, I just saw the news too. I’m coming right over! I’ll be in Linsu by tonight at the earliest! Wait for me!"
Caring nothing for his image, he grabbed his briefcase and hurried off, leaving the crowd of students behind.
Teacher Mr. Zhou was also attending the lecture. He was beyond thrilled, wishing he could rush straight to the excavation site as well. However, as the head of the history department, he had to step up immediately to maintain order and arrange for a systematic evacuation to prevent any stampede.
The students were still immersed in shock, unable to fully snap out of it.
"Could Shi Changying be a prophet? The moment she raised her doubts, the historical community made a new discovery."
"It was just a blind squirrel finding a nut. It’s merely a coincidence, yet you’re treating her words like gospel?"
"Thank goodness we’re already seniors in high school. Even if there are new historical discoveries now, we won’t have to relearn everything. I just pity the future underclassmen."
Meng Shuyan scoffed lightly. "Her father claims to be a historical archaeologist, but he’s actually completely useless. As for her, growing up under her father’s influence, she also loves to spout nonsense about history. How can history be subjected to her questioning?"
As his words fell, the surroundings turned completely silent.
If this had happened earlier, quite a few people would have definitely agreed with him.
A boy slowly spoke up, "Young Master Meng, putting aside the history stuff for a moment, what you just said is completely wrong."
Meng Shuyan glared at him coldly. "How is it wrong? I’m just stating the facts!"
"That father and daughter are the victims. As someone who benefited from the situation, you have no right to criticize them," a girl shot him a look of disgust. "No matter how useless they might be, it’s not your place to say it!"
Ever since Shi Changying publicly revealed during the flag-raising ceremony that it was Xu Zhao Yu’s biological father who had swapped the babies back then, the entire school had learned the truth of the matter. Even if the Xu family wanted to hide it, there was simply no way to keep the secret covered up.
"You... you all..." Meng Shuyan’s face flushed bright red. Stiffening his neck, he couldn’t help but roar, "What does this have to do with us? My mother was just a baby back then! Could she have made such a decision?"
"Alright, Young Master Meng, stop playing dumb after reaping all the benefits," another boy said with a teasing grin. "If it were me, I wouldn’t want to give up a life of wealth and glory either. But since it rightfully belongs to them, you shouldn’t try to ostracize them. It’s not like your family can’t afford to raise an extra person."
As the students scattered, Meng Shuyan was so furious he couldn’t speak, violently smashing his fist against the wall.
His eyes were vicious, his teeth clenched tightly, and the veins on his forehead throbbed as he thought, "If only Ming Chengli and Shi Changying had never appeared, everything would be fine."
Meng Shuyan’s eyes flickered, forming a new plan in his mind.
***
The afternoon sun was just right, piercing through the clouds.
Shaoyuan was leaning against Shi Changying’s chair, gazing out at the scenery outside the window. He only rose languidly to return to his own seat when Shi Changying finally came back.
"Young Master, you have no idea how thrilling today’s lecture was!" Song Qingmu eagerly recounted the events that had unfolded in the assembly hall.
Shaoyuan raised an eyebrow slightly. "Oh?"
Lu Mi proudly chimed in, "Of course! Out of all those people, only our Yingying dared to raise any doubts!"
Without any psychological burden, Shi Changying used Ming Chengli as her shield once again. "My dad said it. He has always studied Xuan History and has pointed out many places to me where the logic simply doesn’t hold up."
"Actually, I also felt things were a bit weird when I studied Xuan History in middle school!" Lu Mi pondered for a moment before adding, "But I’m just a student. I learn whatever the history books teach me."
Song Qingmu scratched his head. "Last time, the Young Master mentioned that history might be rewritten, and I didn’t take it to heart. Who knew it would happen so soon?"
"It hasn’t reached the point of being rewritten yet," Shi Changying said in a calm tone. "It’s merely a new discovery. How could rewriting history possibly be that easy?"
It was just like how, even though she knew her grandfather had been murdered by that prominent family, and she had gathered evidence of their other crimes to send them all down to the Yellow Springs—marking her very first time exercising the absolute power to exterminate a clan to the ninth degree.
Yet, the historical records regarding the death of Xuan Shizong still stated that he had been strangled to death by a palace maid. Even when she ascended the throne as the Empress and held absolute power, she couldn’t change that piece of history because there was no hard evidence.
Shaoyuan met her gaze with a slight smile. "But since the seeds have already sprouted, they will eventually grow into towering trees one day, won’t they?"
Shi Changying didn’t reply. Lowering her eyelashes, she quietly pulled out her workbook and began doing her exercises.
Sure enough, the incident had also sent shockwaves across the internet.
[Can someone explain the meaning behind these four words, "Return to the Beginning"?]
[It’s very straightforward, isn’t it just the literal meaning? His soul returns to Jiuzhou, giving everything back to the Empress. What else could it mean?]
[Among the Four Great Young Masters, Little Xie’s lyricism really wasn’t that high; he always just wore his heart on his sleeve!]
[Little Peng: Thank you for the compliment.]
[Hiss... it sends shivers down my spine when you think about it. If Taichu truly ruined his entire life, why would he write the four words, "Return to the Beginning"?]
[That’s not the most terrifying part. It’s his dying testament—why did the only altered part specifically have to do with Empress Taichu?!]