Records of Mysterious Things in the Southern Dynasties

Chapter 231 Uncle and Nephew Recognize Each Other
Southern Yanzhou, Guangling City.

As soon as Xiao Zong settled down, he secretly set up the Seven Temples of the Qi Dynasty in the Governor's Mansion and worshipped there every day.

That night, he entered the secret room and was about to burn incense to the emperors of the Qi Dynasty, but was shocked to find someone inside - a man with gray hair and wearing a gray robe, standing in front of the portrait of Xiao Baojuan with his hands behind his back.

Xiao Zong couldn't help but feel his hair stand on end, and asked in a hoarse voice, "Who?!"

"Your sixth uncle." The man turned around and took off the white mask, revealing a face that looked very similar to Xiao Baojuan in the portrait, but much more handsome.

"Xiao Baoyin?" Xiao Zong's pupils suddenly shrank.

"Why, even now you still refuse to call me Sixth Uncle?" Xiao Baoyin stared at Xiao Zong, whose face looked very much like his second brother.

"..." Xiao Zong's face was uncertain. He had already tested his own son's bones, and the method of dripping blood into the bones was indeed correct.

At this point, there is really no excuse to deny one's identity.

His throat trembled for a long time before he sighed and bowed, "Sixth Uncle."

"Hey." Xiao Baoyin nodded with a smile. "Good nephew, we finally recognize each other."

~~
After breaking the window paper, the uncle and nephew burned incense to their ancestors together.

Before, every time Xiao Zong thought about his life experience, he felt extremely lonely; facing the portraits on the wall, it was also difficult for him to have real emotions.

Now seeing his sixth uncle beside him, he suddenly had a sense of belonging, just like a sailor drifting in the sea who finally met a ship coming to rescue him.

Thinking of this, Xiao Zongfang shed tears and choked up, "Sixth Uncle, why did you come to see me just now?"

"Ah, nephew, Sixth Uncle is indeed late." Xiao Baoyin said apologetically, "I have actually wanted to come and see you for a long time, but unfortunately I had no choice, and I didn't get to do so until today."

As he said this, he patted Xiao Zong's shoulder vigorously and said, "Fortunately, we finally met. From now on, we will have relatives in this world."

"Yes." Xiao Zong nodded, wiped away his tears and asked, "Then what should we do next? Sixth Uncle, do you want to stay and gather strength with me in Southern Yanzhou, and wait for an opportunity to strike a blow to that old dog Xiao Yan? Seize his throne and avenge my father!"

"Although Guangling is not far from Jiankang, I'm afraid you can't imitate Xiao Yan and attack the capital directly." Xiao Baoyin shook his head and said, "The reason why Xiao Yan was successful back then was apparently because your father killed the meritorious officials indiscriminately, but there was actually another reason behind it."

"What's the reason?" Xiao Zong asked hurriedly.

"Everything was doomed from the day when Emperor Taizu Gao failed to forge the Emperor's Sword." Xiao Baoyin sighed, "You have been with Xiao Yan for so long, didn't he tell you about the gods?"

"I only know that Daliang is protected by Buddha." Xiao Zong replied: "That should be the god, right?"

"What a bullshit god, just a puppet." Xiao Baoyin said in shock: "The real god is someone else."

"Ah?" Xiao Zong said in disbelief: "Buddhism is the state religion, and even Xiao Yan is extremely pious. How could Buddha be a puppet?"

"True gods do not need to be believed in. Those that need to be believed in are all false gods." Xiao Baoyin said lightly.

"That's not to say that even I haven't heard of it. Even the one in brocade clothes doesn't travel at night. How can you feel like being a god who hides his head and shows his tail?" Xiao Zong said in confusion.

"Because all the gods who appeared before their lovers have been killed." Xiao Baoyin replied.

"Can gods be killed?" Xiao Zong was shocked. "Of course, countless gods have fallen over the past few hundred years." Xiao Baoyin sighed and said, "It is said that only by becoming a main god like Nuwa and Fuxi can one truly be immortal and enjoy the great way forever."

"This topic is too far from our mind, so let's not talk about it." He lowered his voice and said, "Anyway, the gods of the Southern Dynasty are the kind of people who like to hide behind others and do harm to others."

"Ah, how many more?" Xiao Zong was stunned.

"If there has been no change in the past few years, there should still be three of them." Xiao Baoyin said, "They are powerful and deeply rooted, and have existed for a longer time than we can imagine... Let's put it this way, all the changes of dynasties in the Southern Dynasty are related to them."

"Who are they?" Xiao Zong asked curiously.

"This is a topic that cannot be discussed in the Southern Dynasty." Xiao Baoyin said, "I will explain it to you in detail when we return to the Northern Dynasty. In short, remember that it was the betrayal of the gods that led to our demise. Similarly, you cannot let Xiao Yan perish before the gods abandon him."

"I understand." Xiao Zong nodded and asked, "Sixth Uncle, do I have to go to the Northern Dynasty too?"

"We still have to go." Xiao Baoyin nodded.

"I heard that the Northern Dynasty is in chaos right now." Xiao Zong said with some fear: "It's not a good place to go."

"If you want peace and happiness, there is no better place than the Southern Dynasty." Xiao Baoyin said proudly:
"But how can the descendants of our Emperor Taizu live under someone else's rule for long? The Northern Dynasty is indeed in chaos now. I went back last month and found that the Wei Dynasty was already in a state of terminal illness. The imperial court existed in name only, and local tyrants rose up. The scene of the late Former Qin Dynasty is about to be repeated."

"In times of adversity, heroes are revealed. My uncle and nephew may be able to revive the family business like the Murong family did and rebuild the Great Qi!" He looked at Xiao Zong with fanatical eyes and said:
"By then, you will be Emperor Taizu of Qi. Sixth uncle will definitely help you conquer a vast country! If there is a change in the Southern Dynasty in the future, who knows if we uncle and nephew will return to Jiankang one day!"

"Okay, I'll go with my sixth uncle." Xiao Zong was persuaded by Xiao Baoyin and said in a deep voice: "It's not important whether I become the emperor or not. What's important is to restore the country."

"The emperor is definitely yours. As I was loyal to your father in the past, I will be loyal to you in the future!" Xiao Baoyin shook his head decisively and said, "But you can't leave now. Even if I can prove your identity, the prince of Da Qi has no appeal in the north."

"Yes." Xiao Zong nodded and said, "The North and the South have been divided for hundreds of years. How many people in the Northern Dynasty still recognize the orthodoxy?"

"The people will still recognize you, but you have to prove that you are legitimate." Xiao Baoyin said in a deep voice: "Words are not enough, but there is something that can serve as proof."

"What is it?" Xiao Zong asked.

"The Imperial Seal!" Xiao Baoyin said word by word. "With this in your hand, do you still worry that people in the world won't recognize you?"

"Of course I recognize it." Xiao Zong nodded, and then said helplessly: "But that thing is in Xiao Yan's hands, how can I get my hands on it?"

"That thing originally belonged to our family!" Xiao Baoyin raised his eyebrows and said, "You have to find a way to return it to its original owner."

"This is not easy." Xiao Zong said with a bitter face: "Besides, I just got out and can't go back for the time being."

"No rush. I'll go to Beijing first and slowly make arrangements for you. Once everything is ready, it won't be too late for you to come back." Xiao Baoyin was very wise and it was obvious that he had already made a plan.

"Okay, I'll listen to Sixth Uncle." Xiao Zong nodded.

"But in Guangling, you can also recruit soldiers and horses as soon as possible, and then take them to the north. More capital is always good." Xiao Baoyin added.

"Okay, I'll remember that, Sixth Uncle." Xiao Zong responded again.

(End of this chapter)