RPAGF Chapter 160 was a performance
Chapter 160 was a performance
"Hey, hey, Master, slow down! Put on your shoes, put on your shoes!"
Hearing a noise outside, Yun Zhao went to the door and opened it, only to find herself face to face with an old man with a white beard.
The old man's hair and beard were disheveled, and his eyes were red, as if he had been crying or excited. He looked nothing like the dignified and otherworldly Grand Elder of the Demon God Palace from before.
The Grand Elder belatedly realized his disheveled appearance and awkwardly straightened his hair and clothes. "Your Majesty, I... I usually pay great attention to my appearance, but I was in a hurry to see Your Majesty today, so..."
"It's alright," Yun Zhao smiled at him, "Want to come in and talk?"
The elder nodded cautiously.
This was clearly his courtyard, but he acted as if he were a guest, slowing his pace and breathing lightly, not daring to relax for a moment.
At this moment, Hesong finally caught up. Holding up the shoe, she gasped, "Master, your... your..."
The elder snatched the shoe away, "Ahem, Hesong, cover for me—"
After saying that, he pushed Hesong forward, hid behind her, and with a series of thumping noises, tidied himself up to be the dignified and composed elder again.
The Grand Elder invited Yun Zhao to take a seat and offered her a full bow, but Yun Zhao declined.
"Don't kneel, don't kneel, it's like you're kneeling before my memorial tablet."
Besides, the Grand Elder is such an old man; wouldn't kneeling before her shorten his lifespan?
The Grand Elder smiled and said, "Your Excellency is still the same as before."
After the three of them sat down, the eldest elder earnestly told Yun Zhao about the past, trying to help her remember some things.
Yun Zhao listened patiently, with He Song occasionally adding a few words. It wasn't until noon, when He Song reminded the elder, that he reluctantly stopped.
"Your Majesty, have you remembered anything? If not, I have a pill that can help one recall past and present lives. I will go and get it after lunch."
"Thank you, Elder. But I would like to ask if that pill has any side effects?"
Yun Zhao thought about it later and realized that all medicines have some degree of toxicity. If the pills had side effects, it would be better not to take them.
As for memories, let them take their natural course.
"Your Majesty, rest assured, the pill will only cause a little pain when it takes effect, and nothing else."
The Grand Elder hesitated for a moment, then told Yun Zhao the truth: "Your Excellency, I am not too concerned about whether you can regain your memories. I should still be able to live for a few more years. You can recover slowly. I can wait."
"But the Demon Realm can't wait, and our people can't wait even more. The Demon Realm is already..."
The Grand Elder told Yun Zhao about the changes in the Demon Realm over the years. He said a lot, explaining that he and the people of the Demon God Palace had been trying to maintain the status quo, but it was ultimately just treating the symptoms, not the root cause. It was more like doing twice the work for half the result.
After listening, Yun Zhao said, "You mean that as long as I regain my memories, I can open the passage between the Demon Realm and the outside world?"
The Grand Elder hesitated and said, "You are a demon god, and the demon realm is completely under your control. The passage was closed because you sensed that the human race was in danger of extermination, and you closed it to prevent it from affecting the demon realm."
Since Yun Zhao closed it, she must know how to open it.
Yun Zhao thought for a moment, then took out the magic brush. "Do you recognize this?"
The Grand Elder took it and examined it, then shook his head, saying, "Your Excellency, I do not recognize this. This is..."
"This is the passage, but I don't know how to open it."
The elder's eyes lit up. He studied the magic brush over and over, but no matter how many times he turned it over, he couldn't figure it out at all.
“Forget it,” Yun Zhao sighed, “Give me the pill. The pain will pass in a while. It’s more important to recover your memories and open the passage.”
The Grand Elder hurriedly rose and bowed to Yun Zhao: "Your Excellency's righteousness is boundless! Your subordinate and the people of the Demon Realm are deeply grateful!"
Yun Zhao waved his hand, "Don't be like that, I am the Demon God, it's what I should do, it's what I should do."
The Grand Elder remained silent and instructed Hesong to lead the servants to prepare the meal, saying they would talk after lunch.
They had just sat down at the table when someone came to report: "Elder, Miss Shi requests an audience."
"Oh dear," Hesong slapped his forehead, annoyed, "Your Majesty, I was so busy taking care of Master that I forgot to tell Miss Shi. What should I do to tell her?"
Yun Zhao didn't know much about the Demon Realm, so he asked the Grand Elder for his opinion, "Grand Elder, I heard before that the Shi family was originally one of the families in the Imperial City, but they were later expelled. Why was that?"
The Grand Elder explained, "It's all a misunderstanding. The reason the Shi family was expelled from the capital was because my subordinate and the Shi family's patriarch set up a trap."
"When my subordinates sent people out to find you, they were constantly obstructed and slaughtered by unknown forces. Their plans were even discovered by them, and the people they sent out suffered heavy casualties."
"My subordinates staged a play with Shi, having someone steal the sacred artifact from the Demon God Palace and frame Shi's family, thus driving them out of the imperial city."
"When Shi led his family out of the imperial city, he swore in front of everyone that they had not stolen the sacred artifact, that someone had framed them, and that he would find you, the Demon God, and ask you to avenge them."
"After that, the Shi family openly searched for you and the people who framed them, but in reality, both groups were looking for you."
"The other party may have believed that the people sent out by the murderers have never been thwarted in their slaughter."
Yun Zhao frowned. "Is it really worth sacrificing an entire family just to find me?"
For reasons unknown, when she traveled with Shi Beiqing, Shi Beiqing often talked to her about her family. Yun Zhao knew that the Shi family was despised by everyone in the Demon Realm.
She didn't know the reason before, and Shi Beiqing had never told her, but she knows now.
For this reason, the murderers suffered hardships that were not theirs to bear.
The elder smiled and shook his head: "It's worth it. If we can sacrifice some people to bring you back, then no matter how much we sacrifice, it's worth it."
"Besides, only your return can save the entire Demon Realm!"
The elder sighed, "The righteousness of the clan was paramount. Shi was also a man of strong character. Back then, I originally wanted to join the scheme myself, but Shi said that it would be difficult for me to act alone, so he led the entire clan into the scheme."
"We urge Your Majesty to restore your memories and clear your name of the murderer of your family!"
Yun Zhao nodded solemnly, "Definitely!"
He Song tried to fool Shi Beiqing by claiming that the Grand Elder had taken a liking to Yun Zhao and wanted to teach her a martial art.
Shi Beiqing remained suspicious and insisted on seeing Yun Zhao one last time. Only after hearing it with her own ears did she reluctantly leave.
As she left, she gave Yun Zhao a deep look and said that she wouldn't go home for the time being, but would wait for her at the largest inn in the capital.
After Shi Beiqing left, Yun Zhao asked suspiciously, "The Shi family has been searching for the Demon God. Does Shi Beiqing know something about it?"
Hesong and the Grand Elder looked at each other, then said in unison, "I didn't say that!"
Yun Zhao: "..."
“It’s not what you said. What I mean is that before you, or when Shi Beiqing met me, she probably already knew my identity.”
Hesong exclaimed, "But how did she know? I'm probably the only one in the entire Demon Realm who knows what you look like."