Chapter 768: The Hu Family's Past
Chapter 768: The Hu Family's Past
"I truly don't know what your grandfather, the State Preceptor, and those others were secretly discussing back then."
"But I do know how the Hu Family rose to prominence."
Facing Hu Ma's doubts, the grandmother also sighed softly, as if she felt sorry for him kneeling, and gently pulled him up to sit on the steps of the ancestral hall.
Gently embracing Little Red Tang on one side and patting Hu Ma's palm on the other, she sighed, "Nowadays, people say that the Hu Family is one of the Ten Surnames, with immense wealth and a grand reputation. They even dare to look down upon the Emperor."
"But the Hu ancestors were always law-abiding commoners and never held positions of nobility."
"Your Hu Family's rise began with your first ancestor, who lived over a hundred and seventy years ago. At that time, they weren't a prominent family. They merely witnessed the chaos in the world and saw the Emperor invite wayfarers from the world of martial artists to enter the capital. Back then, the Hu Family wasn't considered one of the skilled families."
"Your first ancestor was just a minor official in the government, sent to the Evil Suppression Bureau to help with liaison work and record-keeping for those wayfarers."
"But he had a keen eye. While doing his record-keeping duties, he noticed the increasing number of ghosts and spirits, the rise of malevolent spirits, and understood that a great change was coming. He realized that the wayfarers, once ignored by the court, had likely all mastered great skills."
"So, he decided to learn those skills himself. But the ways of the world are profound and mysterious, without any evidence or proof. Who would casually teach you the real secrets?"
"He tried to learn but couldn't find the right method. Instead, he delved into the rural areas, where necromancers freely practiced without restrictions. There weren't as many rules and regulations, so he abandoned his official position and traveled through villages, investigating and learning various techniques."
"He learned the basics in those villages, mastered the art of altar raising, served the Celestial Guardian, subdued evil spirits, and practiced Yin and Yang, gradually becoming skilled."
"Although he acquired skills, he never found the true method and didn't live a long life. Nonetheless, he passed on his skills to the second ancestor, who returned to the Evil Suppression Bureau. Gradually, relying on these skills, they rose from being the son of a minor official to gaining recognition."
"Generation after generation, the Hu Family established its position in the art of necromancy and became the chief enforcer in the Evil Suppression Bureau, standing alongside the Meng Family, who held the imperial seal. Together, they became the pillars of the Bureau."
"Then, twenty years ago..."
"..."
The grandmother gently patted Hu Ma's palm, telling him about the past, bit by bit.
The past unfolded before Hu Ma's eyes.
"Those years passed by so quickly..."
"Although malevolent spirits were rampant and the world was in turmoil, the various factions also gained power during those years."
"The physicians claimed to be Fatekeepers, the martial artists called themselves Year Guardians, but they were just a group of vagabonds from the world of martial artists. As their skills grew, they paid less and less attention to ordinary people, and after they became influential, even the Emperor couldn't suppress them..."
"However, at that time, the Evil Suppression Bureau still kept them in check, so they remained somewhat obedient."
"Until the State Preceptor came knocking on their door."
"..."
"The Dalaofa Religion had the greatest skills, and the other factions only gained momentum after the Celestial Guardian's descent. But the Dalaofa Religion had always been renowned."
"Especially after they were invited into the palace and the State Preceptor was appointed, their skills became even more formidable. Even the Evil Suppression Bureau, which controlled the other factions, couldn't manage them."
When the grandmother mentioned the State Preceptor, her voice clearly carried a tone of coldness and dissatisfaction.
She tried her best to present everything objectively to Hu Ma, but being a soul, she couldn't hide her discontent.
"It was he who started it all and made everything different."
"When he first visited, he met with the Hu Family's enforcer and the Meng Family, who held the imperial seal. I don't know what they discussed, but one day, news spread through the court, and I realized that some people had the audacity to..."
"That was the Emperor..."
"The true Son of Heaven, a deeply blessed Emperor, could suddenly disappear overnight..."
"Looking back now, not just me, an old woman, but everyone in the world would never have imagined such a thing."
"At that time, the skills of those vagabonds from the world of martial artists had grown significantly, but no one had ever thought they could be so powerful as to flay the Emperor in the Imperial Throne Hall and then curse the entire capital into a ghostly realm of the Netherworld."
"During that earth-shattering event, the Evil Suppression Bureau, which was supposed to uphold the Emperor's command and suppress evil spirits, showed no intention of intervening."
"Without the Evil Suppression Bureau's control, the other eight surnames became even more indifferent."
"So, overnight, the capital changed hands, and such a monumental event seemed like a minor affair behind closed doors."
"I did ask your grandfather about these matters, but he didn't tell me anything. I understood the gravity of the situation and knew that exposing him wouldn't harm him. It was just a change of dynasty, and I never thought I would live to see it. But even after the change, it didn't matter much..."
"..."
Hu Ma could understand why the grandmother, being a traditional person, found the change of dynasty so shocking.
But seeing her current calmness, he knew she had already come to terms with it, so he didn't say more.
"But I never imagined that was just the beginning..."
Grandmother paused, her brows furrowing as if in thought. "Many things that followed were beyond even my understanding."
"The Emperor's death was earth-shattering news at the time. On the first day, there was a palace coup, and by the second day, countless people were rushing to choose a new Emperor from the royal family."
"But no one expected the malevolent spirits who showed their true colors for the first time to be so ruthless. In the capital, seventeen royal families, totaling over a hundred thousand people, including several thousand associates, perished within a few days..."
"Such an event terrified the entire world and immediately triggered chaos."
"After that, countless demons emerged, and troops rose in various places, all vying for the throne under various banners."
"Amidst this chaos, when no one could see the situation clearly, the State Preceptor invited the Old Master to the Stone Pavilion."
"..."
"The Alliance of the Stone Pavilion?"
Hu Ma's heart stirred at the familiar name.
"Even though I was the Hu Family matriarch back then, I wasn't a Hu by birth. That's why I didn't enter the Stone Pavilion."
Grandmother sighed softly, "Your grandfather and your father went to the Stone Pavilion."
"I don't know what they discussed there, but amidst the chaos, these ten surnames from the world of martial artists managed to stabilize the situation."
"Throughout history, no one has ever seen such a thing. The Emperor was dead, his close associates were also gone, and no one in the court stepped forward to take charge. Yet, surprisingly, the world didn't descend into chaos."
"It was as if, relying on their unique abilities, these ten families had forcefully extended the life of the Duiya Empire by twenty years."
"..."
As Grandmother spoke, her eyes held not pride but deep concern.
"After that, our Hu Family's destiny changed."
She sighed, "Originally, the Hu Family held a position in the Evil Suppression Bureau with the authority to wield the Jade Saber. But the Hu Family's authority came from the Emperor. In terms of skill and reputation, the Hu and Meng Families were slightly inferior to the other eight surnames."
"But no one expected someone to kill the Emperor, and the Evil Suppression Bureau remained silent. As a result, the Hu and Meng Families became the greatest contributors to this significant change..."
"People say that after the new Emperor's enthronement, the Hu and Meng Families would undoubtedly rise in prestige."
"Even if the new Emperor didn't ascend, the Hu and Meng Families would still gain honor and glory. With the Evil Suppression Bureau's support, they could suppress the other eight surnames and enjoy wealth and prestige."
"But, surprisingly, the Old Master asked me during this time of glory if I was prepared to endure hardship."
"..."
Grandmother's eyes turned slightly sorrowful, distant, and silent for a long time before she sighed softly and continued, "No one, not even outsiders, could have guessed what happened next, not even me, who had been married to the Old Master for thirty years, received any news..."
"The Old Master summoned all the Hu clan members and discussed with them for a day before publicly separating from the Qingyuan Hu Family and establishing a new family lineage."
"All the family properties, estates, gold, silver, and even the bloodstone mines were divided up and given away, except for an empty mansion in the capital. He kept only the position in the Evil Suppression Bureau and announced his plan to leave the capital..."
"No one knew why, but he was willing to abandon everything and leave."
"Despite giving up so much, many still believed in him and were willing to follow. Your two uncles, your aunt, the elders of the clan, several old friends from the Evil Suppression Bureau, and those who sought advice, mediated disputes, and distributed incense..."
"They all voluntarily followed our family. I know the Old Master had privately discussed many things with them, but they kept everything a secret."
"The Hu Family, at the height of their glory, quietly abandoned everything and left the capital."
"It was still dark, and no one came to see them off..."
"..."
Grandmother's expression turned slightly wistful as she spoke, and she sighed softly, "But on the road, some people caught up with us."
"Some highly skilled individuals claimed that the Hu Family had taken what belonged to them and demanded its return."
"On that journey, members of the Hu Family, your two uncles, your great-uncle, your grandfather's disciples, and those who sought advice, mediated disputes, and distributed incense in the great hall and the small hall were injured or killed. They returned to Bright Province City, leaving a trail of blood..."
"Even the Meng Family joined the chaos at that time..."
"It was then that I finally understood what your grandfather and father had done."
"The news of the Hu Family's departure was spread by the Meng Family, but they were angrier than the Hu Family. They cursed the Hu Family for secretly making a deal with the State Preceptor, selling out their own bloodline just to..."
"Just to gain sole control of the Evil Suppression Bureau and the second name on the legendary Stone Pavilion roster..."
"..."
Upon hearing this, Hu Ma was stunned, raising his head in disbelief, "Is it really true?"
(End of Chapter)
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