Chapter 164: Witchcraft
Chen He's voice was not loud, but it was like an ice pick, piercing the eardrums of everyone present.
"Your Majesty, this is only the first 'miracle'."
As soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Yan'an took action.
He was still kneeling on the ground, but he fumbled and took out something from the wide sleeve of his official uniform.
The object had a strange shape, like a trident made of metal sheets. It was made entirely of metal and shone with a cold light under the candlelight in the hall.
"Your Majesty, please look at this."
He raised the metal reed high with both hands and handed it to the emperor on the dragon throne.
A eunuch hurried forward, took it carefully, and presented it to the emperor.
The emperor's gaze shifted from Chen He to the strange piece of metal, his brows furrowed into a frown.
"What is this?"
Zhou Yan'an's voice sounded again, without a trace of emotion, but every word was clear.
"Your Majesty, this item was taken from the 'Divine Bell'."
Divine clock!
As soon as these two words came out, everyone in the hall was in an uproar again.
If the "circling purple air" is the beginning of the miracle, then the "ringing of the divine bell" is the ironclad evidence that pushes this divine will to a climax!
That ancient bell that had been silent for a hundred years was ringing without wind, and its sound echoed throughout the capital. Could this be fake?
Zhou Yan'an seemed to see through everyone's thoughts and continued to explain without waiting for the emperor to ask any more questions.
"Your Majesty, are you aware that there is a large water-powered mill less than three miles from the divine bell?"
The emperor nodded slightly. This was not a secret.
Zhou Yan'an's voice suddenly rose a few notches, carrying a righteous aura of revealing the truth.
"The mill works day and night, turning the huge stone mill. The vibrations it generates, though imperceptible to the human ear, will continuously transmit through the solid earth to the ground beneath the ancient temple!"
He raised his hand and pointed at the metal reed in the eunuch's hand.
"And this thing, I call it a 'resonance reed.' Simply mount it on the inner wall of the bronze bell at a specific angle..."
"When the large machinery in the distant mill suddenly starts or shuts down at a specific time, such as midnight, the powerful instantaneous vibration waves it generates will be transmitted through the ground and accurately reach the ancient temple!"
"At that time, this tiny reed will resonate violently due to this specific frequency!"
"And its resonance is enough to drive the bronze bell weighing a thousand pounds to emit a melodious and heavy sound!"
"This is the truth behind 'The Divine Bell Rings Without Wind'!"
silence.
Deathly silence.
You could hear a pin drop in the entire side hall.
Everyone held their breath and widened their eyes, as if they were seeing this world for the first time.
It turns out...it turns out that the mighty bell sound was not God's will?
It turns out that it was just a... scam?
Lu Jiuxiao collapsed on the ground, his body shaking like a sieve, and a strange "ho ho" sound came from his throat, but he couldn't utter a word.
The two miracles that he was proud of were now torn to pieces by Zhou Yan'an in the simplest and most brutal way!
He's finished.
He was completely finished.
In this suffocating silence, a discordant voice suddenly rang out.
"Father!"
It’s the third prince Xiao Jingren!
He couldn't bear it any longer, and suddenly stood up from his seat, pointed at Zhou Yan'an with a sullen face, and shouted harshly.
"You can't take his side of the story!"
"This is pure nonsense! Absurd!"
His eyes were red, like a trapped beast that was forced into a desperate situation.
"A mere mill and a few scraps of copper and iron can actually activate the divine bell? Who would believe this?!"
"From your perspective, he is clearly colluding with Shen He, spreading lies and misleading the public!"
Zhou Yan'an slowly turned around and faced the furious Third Prince. His stern face was now full of integrity.
He straightened his back and was full of righteousness, as if he could cleanse all the filth in the world.
"Your Highness."
His voice was as steady as a mountain.
"Am I speaking nonsense..."
He paused, staring straight into Xiao Jingren's eyes with a sharp gaze, and spoke word by word.
"Later, Your Majesty may send for the reed to be replaced in the clock, and then for the mill to be re-established according to the method I have described."
"You'll know once you try it!"
Just try it and you’ll know!
Zhou Yan'an's four words were so resounding that they hit Xiao Jingren's heart like four heavy hammers.
Xiao Jingren's face turned pale in an instant.
He subconsciously took half a step back, and the arrogance in his eyes disappeared at a speed visible to the naked eye.
try?
How to try?
He only knew that Lu Jiuxiao boasted that he could communicate with heaven and earth and bring about miracles.
As for how the bell rang, how would he know!
just in case……
What if, as Zhou Yan'an said, a mill and a scrap of iron could make the divine bell ring...
Xiao Jingren's Adam's apple rolled violently, and cold sweat had soaked his back.
He didn't dare to gamble.
At this moment when the situation was tense and the third prince was in a dilemma.
Chen He's gaze fell gently on Chu Yue, the head of the Medical Department, who was standing not far away with her head lowered.
A look.
Just a look.
Chu Yue immediately understood.
She took a deep breath, walked out of the queue, moved lightly with lotus steps, came to the center of the hall, and bowed gracefully.
"His Majesty."
Her voice was as clear as the collision of jade, and it was particularly pleasant to the ear in this tense atmosphere.
"Your servant, I also want to show my ugliness."
The emperor raised his eyebrows and shifted his gaze from his good-for-nothing son to the pretty female doctor.
"Oh? What's up?"
Chu Yue did not answer immediately.
She first said respectfully to the eunuch beside her, "Please, sir, bring me a candlestick."
The eunuch did not dare to delay and quickly brought a lit candlestick.
The flickering candlelight reflected Chu Yue's calm face.
Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, she slowly took out a neatly folded piece of paper from her bosom.
That piece of paper looked ordinary.
"Your Majesty, please look."
Chu Yue unfolded the paper, which was covered with densely packed words written in ink, which seemed to be a prayer for blessings.
She didn't ask anyone to present it, but instead did something that no one expected.
She held a corner of the paper close to the candlelight.
“Sizzle—”
The flames instantly licked the paper and quickly spread upwards!
“Bold!”
The queen shouted sternly, "What do you want to do by setting fire to the palace?"
Chu Yue seemed not to hear anything and just held the burning paper quietly.
A strange scene happened.
The blazing flames seemed to have life!
It jumped and spread on the paper, but strangely avoided some places!
The flames devoured most of the ink, burning the paper into curled black ash.
However, in that charred area, a few words were miraculously preserved!
The flames seemed to avoid them deliberately!
After a moment, the fire went out.
Chu Yue let go of her hand and let the remaining paper ashes fall to the ground.
She bent down, carefully picked up the fragment that was not completely burned, and presented it with both hands.
"Your Majesty, please look."
The eunuch stepped forward again and placed the fragile, charred piece of paper before the emperor on a tray.
Sitting on the dragon throne, the emperor narrowed his eyes.
On the remaining piece of paper, amidst the charred black, there were a few white words, so clear that they were dazzling!
"The divine heir has come to the world, and the country will last for thousands of years"!
It is exactly what the blood words showed at the beginning!
The emperor's pupils suddenly shrank!
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