"Your Majesty, you are asking the wrong person.
Have you investigated my maternal family? My maternal grandmother lived to ninety-seven, my mother to ninety-nine, and my sister to eighty-nine. But my father died at sixty-three, and my younger brother only reached fifty-eight. If I truly possessed any methods for prolonging life and ensuring longevity,
How could I have watched them pass away so young!"
Ding Yun had not yet made any plans for the future, so she had no intention of engaging further or offering any methods for health and longevity. She first explained her situation using her own family's circumstances.
However, her words still made the Empress a little sour. The mention of her brother dying at only fifty-eight was incredibly boastful, considering that the average lifespan of royalty, since the death of Emperor Jianwu, had not exceeded fifty years.
Some even died in their early thirties.
Even Emperor Jianwu himself only lived to sixty-one, not surpassing the sixty-three-year-old mark of the deceased noble consort's father, who was second to last in their family's lifespan.
Despite her envy, the Empress also understood Ding Yun's meaning and couldn't help but have some suspicions:
"Could it be that lifespan is related to bloodline?
And listening to you, it feels as though your family's longevity bloodline is passed down only to females, not males?"
"I think there might be some connection.
My daily diet in the palace is basically unrelated to that of my parents, but my father's and mother's daily diets were largely the same. If it were related to diet, then not only would there be a connection between my longevity and my mother's, but my mother's longevity and my father's short lifespan would also be inexplicable. I can only assume that the bloodline from my mother's side might lean towards longevity.
That would be the only way to somewhat explain it.
According to my grandmother, the women in our ancestral line, unless they died prematurely due to accidents, serious illnesses, or complications during childbirth, rarely lived past eighty. It was not uncommon for them to reach over a hundred years old, and the longest-lived individuals even managed to see eight generations at the same time, though they rarely boasted about it.
I truly cannot be of any help in this matter."
"If one were to speak of methods for longevity, it would simply be the usual platitudes: worry less, be content, avoid excessive joy and sorrow, maintain a peaceful state of mind, eat small, frequent meals, and maintain a light diet."
Ding Yun was not lying. The original body's family situation was indeed as she described. The women in her family had consistently long lifespans.
This was something that could be easily verified with a little investigation.
Having said all this, the Empress could no longer press Ding Yun for methods of longevity that she did not possess.
So, after exchanging a few more pleasantries with Ding Yun, she used the excuse of needing to attend to matters in the central palace and took her leave.
Upon returning, she dispatched people to investigate Ding Yun's maternal family.
By the time of the evening meal, she had successfully obtained very detailed investigative information and awaited the arrival of Emperor Jin'an.
As dusk began to fall.
Emperor Jin'an, as the Empress had predicted, arrived at Kunning Palace precisely on time. He did not immediately bring up the matter, but instead shared a meal with the Empress.
Afterward, he sent away the palace maids and eunuchs.
Only then did he inquire about the Empress's findings for the day.
"I'm afraid I must disappoint Your Majesty. The Noble Consort does not possess any methods for prolonging life and ensuring longevity. Or rather, the reason the Noble Consort has lived so long is not due to any medicine, but because her family bloodline is inherently long-lived. Or perhaps it is the bloodline from her mother's side.
It has always been long-lived, passed down through females!"
Stating the conclusion directly, the Empress handed over the detailed information she had gathered that afternoon to Emperor Jin'an.
Although disappointed, Emperor Jin'an was still curious and opened the information, carefully reading it. As he read, he sighed, "Without any accidents, they all live to eighty or ninety. Yet, the male line is not prosperous. What kind of bloodline is this? Could it be that her ancestors were immortals?
People say seventy is rare.
For her family, it is utterly inapplicable.
How wonderful it would be if our imperial family possessed such a bloodline!"
"Your Majesty worries too much. Even if the imperial family possessed such a bloodline, I doubt many would reach a natural end. After all, the power struggles within the imperial family are no small matter. How many of the past emperors and princes lived to a natural death?
If the previous emperors could have lived healthy lives to their natural end,
While a hundred years might be too much to hope for,
Seventy or eighty should have been manageable..."
"Besides the inherent long-lived factors of the Noble Consort's family bloodline, the fact that she was not favored back then, had no one to persecute her, maintained a composed demeanor over the years, was neither arrogant nor impatient, lived a content and secure life, and had no worries about sustenance,
Are likely the primary reasons."
Having endured hardships together, and with their eldest son, the Crown Prince, firmly in his position, their private interactions were more akin to those of a normal couple. Therefore, the Empress spoke her mind freely,
Without needing to deliberately flatter.
Hearing the Empress's words, Emperor Jin'an fell silent. He truly had no retort. Within the imperial family, even fathers and sons could not fully trust each other, let alone other relationships. Schemes and betrayals were endless, and in the pursuit of favor, anything could be done.
The previous few emperors had either self-immolated, died suddenly from spitting blood, or were suspected of being poisoned. None had died naturally. Even Emperor Jianwu had succumbed to hidden injuries.
He did not die a natural death.
So, looking at it this way, whether or not they possessed a long-lived bloodline or methods to prolong life seemed to have little significance, as even a natural death was unattainable.
And if that were the case, how could one speak of prolonging life?
"Alas, forget it. It was my greed."
Although Emperor Jin'an said this, he was far from truly resigned. After exchanging a few more pleasantries with the Empress, he left Kunning Palace, citing the need to review memorials. As he left, he took the information the Empress had gathered. Upon returning to Qianqing Palace, he immediately summoned the Taoist priests responsible for alchemy to seek their counsel.
At this time, the tens of thousands of responding insects that Ding Yun had released that morning had already spread throughout the entire capital.
Therefore, whatever transpired in Qianqing Palace
Naturally could not be hidden from Ding Yun.
...
In Qianqing Palace, within the right hall's study.
After a few Taoist priests had paid their respects, Emperor Jin'an stood up, walked over to them, and eagerly inquired, "I have recently chanced upon hearsay that certain family bloodlines are naturally capable of immortality, and can even pass it down to their descendants.
For example, the Noble Consort's lineage.
As far as I know, the Noble Consort's mother, maternal grandmother, sister, and nieces all had very long lifespans, living to either eighty-nine or ninety-eight. Tracing back further, there are also those who lived over a hundred years. Do you know why this is, and is it possible for the imperial family to achieve this?
You may speak freely, without hesitation."
"This..."
Although this information touched upon the limits of their knowledge, Immortal Master Qihe quickly thought to himself and said, "Your Majesty, the maternal line of the Noble Consort's family may have been blessed by immortals or gods. I have heard that the descendants of ancient immortals and gods could live for thousands of years without showing signs of aging.
Even if the bloodline became diluted over time, it would still possess divine qualities.
Perhaps the Noble Consort's family is like this.
And the inheritance might be that of a goddess's bloodline!"