105: Chapter 105 The Fragrant Corpse

Immediately, Professor Zhou walked toward Ye Xiao at the conference table and asked,

"Xiao Ye, do you have any unique insights regarding the history of Emperor Jiajing using living humans for alchemy?"

As soon as these words were spoken, all the experts in the Symposium instantly turned their gaze toward Ye Xiao.

Regarding the claim that Emperor Jiajing used living humans for alchemy, a trace of doubt rose in everyone's hearts.

However, no one could provide any explanation for it.

In the hall, whether it was the professional historians or these archaeologists,

their understanding of this period of Emperor Jiajing's history was clearly inferior to Ye Xiao's.

Therefore, Ye Xiao might be the only person here capable of providing a correct interpretation of this history.

Upon hearing this, Ye Xiao pondered for a moment before slowly recounting this harrowing piece of history.

It is said that before the Renchen Palace Coup,

recommended by the elderly Shao Yuanjie, Tao Zhongwen entered the palace as an Alchemist to refine pills for Emperor Jiajing.

Because Tao Zhongwen had accidentally cured a prince's smallpox, he was deeply trusted by Emperor Jiajing.

During his long period of alchemy, Tao Zhongwen initially achieved no results.

During this time, he lived in constant fear and trepidation.

He was terrified that Emperor Jiajing would discover he actually didn't know how to refine the Elixir of Immortality that could lead to ascension.

After much thought, Tao Zhongwen came up with a method he considered brilliant.

That was—using women's menstrual blood, combined with the morning dew from flower leaves, to refine pills.

At that time, Emperor Jiajing's mind had already been clouded by alchemical pills; in other words, his brain wasn't quite right.

He believed Tao Zhongwen's words, believing that medicine refined from this formula could truly grant him immortality.

Thus, Emperor Jiajing was greatly pleased and hurriedly ordered Tao Zhongwen to begin the alchemy.

However, women's menstrual blood wasn't something that could be collected just by saying so.

Emperor Jiajing could not tolerate waiting, so he directly ordered Tao Zhongwen to refine a type of pill that could induce menstruation.

At that time, many palace maids were unable to touch meat for weeks or even months because of this, forced to subsist on vegetarian dishes to barely stave off hunger.

After consuming these Menstruation-inducing Pills, many women suffered from irregular cycles and were deeply harmed.

Ultimately, many palace maids died because of this.

During that period, the palace maids could be said to be living in constant fear.

Once chosen, they would be forced to take the Menstruation-inducing Pills, a fate worse than death.

So finally, many palace maids united and planned to assassinate Emperor Jiajing, causing a great fire in the palace!

But in the end, Emperor Jiajing managed to escape by luck.

This is the famous Renchen Palace Coup in history.

Many experts present also had some recollection of this absurd historical event where palace maids attempted to assassinate the emperor.

Immediately, Ye Xiao pointed at the four stone pillars around the alchemy furnace on the screen and said,

"If I haven't guessed wrong, the skeletal remains on those should be the remains of women!"

Hearing this, Professor Zhou hurriedly contacted Professor Yang in the tomb, asking Professor Yang and the others to identify the remains on the stone pillars.

Sure enough, Ye Xiao's guess was correct.

The owner of these remains was indeed female.

After receiving confirmation, Ye Xiao couldn't help but shake his head slowly and said,

"The strange patterns on these stone pillars should be for collecting women's menstrual blood."

"The menstruating women were tied to the pillars, and their blood flowed down the grooves on the pillars to be collected by the Alchemists for pill-making!"

As he spoke, Ye Xiao suddenly fell silent.

Then, he looked back at the Live Stream Room, and only after a long while did he finally speak slowly,

"This Emperor Jiajing must have intended to continue refining the Elixir of Immortality even in his tomb, so as to achieve his goal of ascending to immortality!"

"The ninety-nine palace maids buried alive outside the door were likely intended for his alchemy!"

When Ye Xiao finished speaking, the room was already in an uproar.

The Live Stream Room also exploded, with bullet comments filling the entire screen.

The complexions of the many experts at the Symposium couldn't help but turn somewhat unsightly for a moment.

But suddenly, as if remembering something, Ye Xiao's voice rang out again:

"If that's the case, there should be other bodies in this Alchemy Room. Look for them!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the experts present couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

Professor Zhou then asked in confusion,

"Other bodies?"

Ye Xiao nodded slowly and said,

"That's right. Even if he ascended, it's impossible for Emperor Jiajing to refine the pills himself!"

This time, everyone understood.

In other words, there would be Alchemists buried with him in this Alchemy Room.

Professor Zhou immediately relayed Ye Xiao's words to Professor Yang and the others in the tomb.

Immediately, Professor Yang led the Archaeological Team members to begin searching within this Alchemy Room.

And sure enough,

under everyone's search, they discovered another side chamber on the southeast side of the Alchemy Room.

Inside this side chamber, two prayer mats were placed.

On the mats, two men wearing Alchemist hats and dilapidated grey Taoist robes sat in meditation.

For some reason,

as soon as everyone entered this side chamber, they smelled an extremely rich medicinal fragrance, which caused their spirits to jolt.

For a moment, the archaeological scholars present showed looks of astonishment and said one after another,

"What a strong medicinal fragrance!"

"Is it another scent emitted by something like that ancient jade from earlier?"

"It doesn't seem like it! Could there be some kind of medicinal stone hidden here?"

...

The experts present all found it strange and began searching the room.

In the Symposium, many experts noticed the medicinal scent but didn't find it particularly extraordinary for a moment.

So they didn't say anything.

However, sitting at the conference table, Ye Xiao's brow couldn't help but furrow slightly.

Finding a medicinal scent in an Alchemy Room was obviously not strange.

But one had to realize that hundreds of years had passed; even the most fragrant medicinal herbs would have long since rotted away.

How could such a rich medicinal fragrance still be emitted?

Ye Xiao instantly became alert, his eyes fixed on the large central screen.

...

The side chamber wasn't large, at most about twenty square meters.

Besides the two prayer mats in the center and the two corpses upon them, there were no other items.

After investigating the rest of the area, the experts' gazes finally landed on these two strange corpses.

"This medicinal fragrance... it seems to be coming from this corpse?"

One of the team members twitched his nose and said somewhat uncertainly.

Professor Yang turned and asked in confusion,

"Xiao Tang, are you sure?"

The team member called Xiao Tang first nodded, but then, reacting, he suddenly shook his head.

This scene left everyone present somewhat dazed.

They completely failed to understand what Xiao Tang was trying to say.

Seeing everyone's expressions, Xiao Tang hesitantly and slowly voiced his thoughts.

"When I walked past this corpse just now, the fragrance suddenly grew stronger, which is why I guessed it might be coming from the body!"

...