Therefore, the location of the secret passage had to be such that everyone in the Prince's mansion could reach it quickly. The location of the ancestral hall in the Prince's mansion was extremely ingenious. Although it was located at the rear, every courtyard had an unobstructed path leading directly to it. Moreover, the courtyards were interconnected, so even a panicked person could easily reach the ancestral hall by familiarizing themselves with the routes.
Typically, intruders wouldn't focus their attention on the ancestral hall first, undoubtedly giving the people inside the palace valuable reaction time. As for the ancestral tablets on the altar, it was even harder to connect them with a secret passage. In this sacred space, any action seemed like a desecration and disrespect to the ancestors.
However, the people who designed this secret passage back then possessed extraordinary wisdom. They placed the passage in a place where their ancestors protected their descendants, which was not only unexpected but also contained the intention of the ancestors to protect their descendants, making it extremely ingenious.
Because this concerned the lives of one or two hundred people in the Prince's mansion, Gu Qinlan did not make the matter public, nor did she reveal it to anyone else in her family. She worried that someone in the mansion might be careless and leak the secret of the secret passage. Once the location of the secret passage became known, the enemy might attack from both sides, and the consequences would be unimaginable.
Therefore, the exploration of the secret passage had to be carried out in secrecy. Gu Qinlan only took Sang Qian and Hongye with her. Before entering the passage, Princess Duan tightly grasped Gu Qinlan's hand and said worriedly, "My child, you can't go down. This passage hasn't been opened for decades, and it may be hiding all sorts of poisonous insects and snakes. What will we do if you get hurt?"
Seeing the tears glistening in Princess Duan's eyes, Gu Qinlan quickly comforted her, "Mother, don't worry, I have made thorough preparations. Look at my heavy clothes and the medicinal powder prepared by Luo Feng that I'm covered in; any poisonous insects or snakes will avoid me."
Then, she leaned close to Princess Duan's ear and whispered, "Mother, I'm always worried about the people below, especially when it comes to matters of life and death for our whole family. We need to be extremely careful. Don't worry, I will have Sang Qian and Hongye protect me from the front and back to ensure that nothing goes wrong."
After calming Princess Duan down, Gu Qinlan led Sang Qian and Hongye into the entrance of the now-open secret passage.
Princess Duan watched them leave, her heart filled with anxiety, her hands clenched tightly together. Finally, unable to bear the pressure, she knelt before the ancestral tablet, praying for the ancestors' protection: "Please, ancestors, bless Qinlan with safety. She is devoted to the Zheng family; ancestors, please protect her!"
During her prayers, Princess Duan couldn't help but shed tears. At that moment, she truly accepted this daughter-in-law from the bottom of her heart. No, she was not only a daughter-in-law, but also someone she relied on and trusted.
Although she initially had some reservations about Gu Qinlan, deep down she always held him in high regard.
She had only ever felt this kind of trust from her mother-in-law before, but it was different from the feeling she had from her mother-in-law.
Beside her exceptionally wise mother-in-law, she felt a strange sense of peace, but also suffered from the pain of being confined. Life became extremely oppressive, making it difficult for her to breathe freely.
Compared to Gu Qinlan, her experience was much richer. She not only felt that reassuring warmth, but also basked in the glow of respect and tolerance.
This kind of treatment was something she had never experienced before in her life.
It can be said that Gu Qinlan has become her spiritual sustenance.
As long as her daughter-in-law was by her side, even if the sky fell and the earth cracked, she firmly believed that things would turn around.
She was indeed apprehensive about this daughter-in-law, fearing that something might happen to her.
The secret passages of Prince Duan's mansion were built with exceptional care.
The four walls are made of solid bricks and stones with smooth surfaces. Although narrow, allowing only two people to walk side by side, the height of the passage is high enough for people to walk upright without feeling oppressed.
However, this long-unused secret passage was filled with dampness and a musty smell, and snakes, insects, and rodents were everywhere, making the odor suffocating.
Gu Qinlan had to tightly cover her face with a handkerchief to filter the air before she dared to breathe carefully.
Fortunately, the entire passageway is well preserved, with no section collapsed.
The three of them groped their way forward in the dark passage, and after about half an hour, they finally reached the end.
At the end of the passage was a gloomy tomb!
In the very center of the tomb chamber, there was an ancient coffin.
In the pitch-black tomb chamber, a black coffin sends chills down one's spine.
Even Gu Qinlan, who had lived two lives and had been resurrected, couldn't help but feel a trace of fear.
Sang Qian, on the other hand, appeared unusually bold. He instructed Hongye to protect Gu Qinlan, while he carefully carried the torch toward the coffin.
When he recognized the name engraved on the coffin, he immediately knelt down and kowtowed three times deeply to the coffin.
Gu Qinlan and Hongye both showed expressions of surprise.
"Protector Sang, which esteemed elder of the Zheng family is resting here?"
Those connected to the Zheng Family Ancestral Hall must be descendants of the Zheng family.
Sang Qian knelt down and replied, "This is the first heir of the Zheng family, Ancestor Zheng Molin."
Upon hearing this, Gu Qinlan quickly knelt down and performed a grand salute to the coffin.
"Ancestor above, I, Lu Dinglian's wife Gu Qinlan, have disturbed your peace today in order to protect the family. I hope you will forgive me. The capital is in chaos and the court is unstable. I am not knowledgeable enough to quell the unrest in the city, nor can I protect all the people in the city. I can only use this secret passage to protect the lives of nearly two hundred members of the Zheng family. I pray that you will show your power and protect the Zheng family so that we can safely overcome this calamity."
Although this ancestor has been gone for four or five hundred years, his illustrious name still lives on and he is hailed as the war god of the previous dynasty.
Legend has it that he single-handedly stormed the enemy camp, successfully rescued the captured former crown prince, and killed the enemy commander-in-chief in one fell swoop.
After him, the Zheng family served in the military for generations, displaying unparalleled loyalty and bravery.
However, the Zheng family's glory aroused the jealousy of the previous emperor, and they were eventually framed for treason, nearly facing extermination.
It wasn't until the founding emperor of the Western Wei Dynasty, with his keen insight, reinstated the Zheng family, who had been living in seclusion in the Jin capital, that the Zheng family was able to return to the public eye.
The resurgent Zheng family no longer disregards the safety of the family for the sake of national interests, as it did during the previous dynasty.
They deeply feared repeating the mistakes of their ancestors, and therefore were extremely cautious, avoiding involvement in power struggles. They fought in times of war, and retired to the countryside in times of peace.
Otherwise, given the Zheng family's military achievements, they should have long ago been granted titles and positions, becoming pillars of the nation.
Over the long course of time, this hidden passage is undoubtedly a precious legacy that the Zheng family ancestors painstakingly carved out, hammer and chisel by chisel, over several decades.
Its purpose is nothing more than to prevent the recurrence of historical tragedies.
When discussing the wisdom of the Zheng family ancestors, they were well-versed in the art of planning ahead.
However, this wisdom and experience were gained at the cost of countless lives and youth.
Gu Qinlan's heart grew heavier.
Sang Qian quickly composed himself and said calmly, "The Zheng family's ancestral tombs are located deep in the Qiuyun Mountains on the outskirts of the city. No wonder we've been wandering around this rugged place for so long."
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