Liu Tián Qǔ nerves where shot. She wanted to take a sip of tea to wet her throat. Her throat was parched and ached slightly from screaming. However, her hands were shaking so bad she feared she would spill the tea all over.
Before anyone could even say anything to stop him. Wang Fèn Yǒng quickly stood up from his seat and walked over to where the stone had flown and picked it up. Both Liu Tián Qǔ and Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā jumped from their seats and screamed at Wang Fèn Yǒng in fright and shock. The Grand Prince also jumped up from his seat, simultaneously reaching for his sword to knock the stone from Wang Fèn Yǒng's hand.
However, Wang Fèn Yǒng was fine. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw that Wang Fèn Yǒng was fine. The stone once again looked like a glowing blue lace agate with flecks of gold surrounded by crystal clear Selenite crystal, just like it did the first time when Wang Fèn Yǒng picked it up.
It didn't turn into a glossy black like shungite stone with glowing pure white flecks as it did when Liu Tián Qǔ held it.
Wang Fèn Yǒng walked back over to the table carrying the knell stone. Wang Fèn Yǒng once again reseated himself at the table and placed the stone in front of him. Liu Tián Qǔ, Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā, and the Grand Prince also took to their seats once more around the high table. Everyone stared at the stone in front of Wang Fèn Yǒng as is it once more turned into an ordinary gray looking stone. Mixed emotions filled the air as everyone stared at the stone.
"Imperial Father, will you try? I want to see if it remain normal or turn weird again." Wang Fèn Yǒng requested of his father.
The Grand Prince silently reached out his hand and picked up the stone. As it did with Wang Fèn Yǒng, the stone turned into what looked like glowing blue lace agate with flecks of gold surrounded by crystal clear selenite crystal. Again everyone breathed a sigh of relief when the stone acted normal.
"I think the abnormality originated from Liu Tián Qǔ," Wang Fèn Yǒng said. "However, to confirm it Imperial mother would need to touch the stone once more. Wang Fèn Yǒng looked over at his mother and asked, "Imperial mother, do you feel up to it?"
Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā silently held out her hand to her husband. Silently requesting the stone from him. The Grand Prince hesitated a moment before handing the stone to his wife. As Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā took the stone, the stone turned into what looked like glossy amethyst stone with flecks of sliver surrounded by selenite crystal. Everyone was happy to see the stone continue to behave normally.
"Why did it turn a different color?" A confused Liu Tián Qǔ asked.
"That is because Imperial mother is not of the Wang Imperial bloodlines. Although Imperial mother was born and raised in the Tolling Lands, she carries the bloodlines of the Asledan Imperial family. As long as the person handling the stone is of Imperial bloodlines, the stone will respond. However, each Imperial bloodline identified differently with the stone. That is why each bloodline will show a different color." Wang Fèn Yǒng answered.
"The problem is definitely not the stone," Wang Fèn Yǒng confirmed. An odd silence took hold as everyone stared at Liu Tián Qǔ with expressions of puzzlement and confusion.
Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā finally broke the silence and looked over to Liu Tián Qǔ and said, "I think one of our questions were answered. You had mentioned how General Lu treated his wife, Lady Lei Xiān Huā, and how you were also treated in the Lu Compound. I have come to a conclusion. I seriously doubt if I have drawn the wrong conclusion." Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā told Liu Tián Qǔ.
"I would love to hear Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā's conclusion," Liu Tián Qǔ said. Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā was an extremely intelligent woman. Liu Tián Qǔ trusted that Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā would have given things more than just a casual thought before drawing a conclusion.
"Are you sure you want to hear my conclusion? I will speak on the rumors that surrounded your mother during the time of her pregnancy. Those rumors were not kind." Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā cautioned Liu Tián Qǔ.
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"I want to know. Hopefully, it will answer many of the questions I have," Liu Tián Qǔ answered.
"I understand," Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā said with a slight nod. Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā picked up her teacup and took a sip of tea before she began, "When I think back, there was always much spotlight on your mother, Lady Lei Xiān Huā. It was mostly due to the big intense fight that took place over her. Things had got so bad between the Lei family and the Liu family over the custody of Lei Xiān Huā that both families almost opened feud on each other. The previous Emperor had to step in and resolve the issue." Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā recounted.
Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā seemed to go into heavy contemplation as she disclosed the rumors that surrounded Lady Lei Xiān Huā after her marriage to General Lu. "Lady Lei Xiān Huā had gone into labor six months after her marriage to General Lu. There were many whispers of General Lu being cuckolded. Everyone knew that Lady Lei Xiān Huā was forced to marry General Lu. So for Lady Lei Xiān Huā to have gone into labor at six months after being married. This was not a good thing at all. It was said the Lady Lei Xiān Huā labor was extremely rough. The rumor was that she was in labor for four days. However, after she died giving birth, all those rumors quickly died out." Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā imparted.
"After Lady Lei Xiān Huā died, a rumor went around saying that she had experienced a bad fall, and that is what caused her to go into early labor. I recall hearing that the child she gave birth to also died at birth." Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā told Liu Tián Qǔ.
"However, seeing that you didn't die at birth but was hidden away instead. There is one thing I could confirm with 100% certainty. It's that General Lu is not your father." Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā informed Liu Tián Qǔ.
"How can you be certain of this," Liu Tián Qǔ asked Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā. Liu Tián Qǔ didn't care one way or another whether General Lu was her predecessor's father or not. However, it made her feel even more sorry towards her predecessor.
"Because of the knell stone." Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā answered.
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand," Liu Tián Qǔ said.
"This is a secret known only to the Imperial Family. Knell stones only respond to people of Imperial bloodlines. General Lu is not of Imperial bloodlines. Neither was Lady Lei Xiān Huā. That could only mean that whoever your father is. He is of Imperial bloodlines. The question is, of what Imperial bloodlines is he? The knell stones have never responded this way to anyone of Imperial bloodlines in the Tolling Lands or in the Northern Lands for that matter. So, although many questions were answered today. This event generated many more questions that begs to be questioned." Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā answered.
"I also don't understand what happened here today. I think that the only person capable of answering the many questions that are running rampant in our minds now is Imperial Grandfather. What perplexes me the most is, how is it? And why is it so many Knell stones are here in the Chen Family old Garden Residence? Where did they come from, and how did they get here?" Lady Wǔ Gāng Huā question aloud.
"As far as I know, only two or three-piece of Knell stones are in the possession of the Imperial Family. These stones are precious beyond compare. I was told that the two or three stones in the possession of the Imperial Family is all that was left in existence. So why are they all over this residence. They are as plentiful as common stones!" The Grand Prince was very astonished to see these many Knell stones. Never had he seen this many in his life or felt the aura generate by many stones gathered in one place.
"This explains why Elder Chen Left this Residence and sold it." Wang Fèn Yǒng quietly said.
"Indeed it does," The Grand Prince said in a grim voice.
"I don't understand," Liu Tián Qǔ said to Wang Fèn Yǒng.
"Knell stones are not quite sentient. However, they carry a presence. I can't explain it better than that. If there is one thing that the presence in the knell stones cannot abide, it is evil. So Elder Chen must have become very uncomfortable in this residence and ended up moving. The thing is, to the day he died, he probably couldn't figure out the reason why he increasingly became uncomfortable in his own home." Wang Fèn Yǒng answered.
"What else are they used for?" Liu Tián Qǔ asked.
"Knell stones were rumored to grant blessings, longevity, health, fertility, strength, clarity of mind, land healing, energy, it's used to identify a person of imperial bloodlines, it's used during Imperial rituals, and much more that I am prohibited from telling you about. How true all of this is I do not know. I can only verify some of it. Elder Wang was the only person ever to wear a small piece of Knell stone from birth. A visiting oracle had told Elder Wang's father, who was the Emperor at the time of Elder Wang's birth, to tie a small piece of Knell stone on Elder Wang. Elder Wang's father had a piece of Knell stone crafted into a necklace, and Elder Wang has worn it ever since then." The Grand Prince told Liu Tián Qǔ.
"So, this strong energy that I feel is a good positive energy?" Liu Tián Qǔ asked.
"Depending on the person, Knell stones can be a blessing or a curse. To answer your question, the energy I feel from the Knell stones in your residence is very good healthy, positive energy." Wang Fèn Yǒng answered.