This left Yang Yizhong, and even Zhao Xu himself, utterly bewildered.
Could this person before them actually be Han Qi's grandson?
He asked with a hint of confusion, "You recognize me?"
Han Zhi quickly explained, "Replying to His Majesty Shenzong, when I was young, I accompanied my ancestor to a palace banquet and had the honor of seeing your divine countenance."
"His Majesty Shenzong praised me as young and intelligent, stating I would one day be announced by name outside Donghua Gate."
"I did not fail His Majesty Shenzong's high expectations, finally achieving the title of *Tanhualang* in the second year of Xuanhe, and am now serving as the Left Assistant Minister in the Ministry of Personnel."
Yang Yizhong parted the imperial guards and walked over. Upon hearing this, he looked at Han Zhi with disbelief.
"Assistant Minister Han, are you joking? His Majesty Shenzong, the late emperor, has been dead for nearly sixty years! How could that be!"
Han Zhi turned and glared at him, "General Yang, this old man met His Majesty Shenzong. Have you?"
Yang Yizhong was only in his early forties, how could he have met Zhao Xu!
With a grim expression, he pressed Han Zhi, "You are speaking nonsense. Even if he bears some resemblance to His Majesty Shenzong, he cannot be a manifestation of a heroic spirit!"
"Not to mention far away, but even the eight deceased former emperors of our dynasty have no records of appearing before the public!"
However, as soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Guangyi stroked his beard and smiled at him.
"I am Emperor Taizong of this dynasty!"
"How about it? Of the eight former emperors, two now stand before you. Do you have any more questions?"
"Oh, right, the one behind me is Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty!"
Yang Yizhong was stunned. These things even came in groups?
He looked at Han Zhi again, "Assistant Minister Han, are you sure this is truly His Majesty Shenzong, the late emperor?"
Han Zhi's eyes widened like brass bells, and he retorted angrily, "My Han family has served for three generations, through eight dynasties. Are you questioning me, or are you questioning the Han family!"
Yang Yizhong felt a little guilty under his glare. The Song Dynasty valued civil officials over military ones, and he couldn't afford to offend their Han family.
What was the fate of Di Qing during the Shenzong era? No matter how brilliant his military achievements, he eventually died in despair!
The first to make a move was Han Zhi's shameless grandfather, Han Qi, who proclaimed that only being announced outside Donghua Gate made one a true man!
"Assistant Minister Han, please wait. Allow this humble subordinate to enter the hall and report to His Majesty."
With that, he turned and ran towards Wende Hall.
Zhao Gou sat on the dragon throne, appearing calm and composed, but his heart was already in turmoil.
Qin Hui's arm had been broken by the celestial demon, and he was currently being treated at the Imperial Hospital. This matter had already been reported.
Not only that, but the lyrics of the song "Jing Zhong Bao Guo" (Loyalty to the Country) had also been transcribed and placed before him.
Every word, every line, filled him with immense anger.
"Your Majesty! The celestial demon in the sky has descended and is now beneath Lihua Gate."
"This humble subordinate has something to report to Your Majesty."
"Just now, Han Zhi, the Assistant Minister of Personnel, entered the palace. Upon seeing that demon, he insisted that the person was the heroic spirit of His Majesty Shenzong!"
"Not only that, but his companions also claimed to be His Majesty Taizong of our dynasty and His Majesty Taizong of the Tang Dynasty!"
"Please, Your Majesty, decide what should be done about this matter!"
Zhao Gou heard this and was furious. "Presumptuous! Let alone the two who claim to be Taizong, even His Majesty Shenzong has been deceased for fifty-five years!"
"Does not the Master say, 'One should not discuss supernatural phenomena'? Your Han family, having received imperial favor for three generations, could utter such absurdities!"
"Summon Han Zhi to the hall!"
"I want to see what his intentions are!"
"Your Majesty, what should be done about the demon outside?" Yang Yizhong requested.
Zhao Gou rose from his dragon throne and paced back and forth for a long time after descending the imperial steps, finally making a decision.
"Have the imperial guards surround them first, and send for troops to be dispatched from the palace!"
"Send for five thousand, no, ten thousand! I refuse to believe their demonic arts can withstand an attack by ten thousand men!"
Soon, Han Zhi was summoned to the hall. After a period of discussion between the monarch and his minister, a decree was issued from Wende Hall.
All eunuchs who had entered the palace approximately 60 years ago were sought out.
Zhao Gou was Zhao Xu's great-grandson. Zhao Xu had passed away by the time he was born, and only these old eunuchs could prove his identity.
Eunuchs generally entered the palace in their youth, usually around the age of ten. It was not impossible to find eunuchs in their seventies or eighties within the vast imperial palace.
In less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, three elderly eunuchs, too frail to walk, were brought back.
"Xi Guan Bureau, Wang Xier."
"Yeting Bureau, Liu Xu."
"Nei Pu Bureau, Fan Miao."
"We pay our respects to Your Majesty!"
The three old men bowed in salute after entering the hall.
Zhao Gou looked at them eagerly, "You may rise. When you three entered the palace, did you have the fortune to see His Majesty Shenzong's divine countenance?"
"Replying to Your Majesty, when we entered the palace, our status was too low, how could we have such fortune~" Wang Xier shook his head repeatedly.
Fan Miao was the same, only Liu Xu from Yeting Bureau stepped forward and cupped his hands.
"Your Majesty, this humble one once served His Ancestor in the Imperial Study for a few days."
Zhao Gou was overjoyed. If he had served in the Imperial Study, he must have seen His Majesty Shenzong!
"Yang Yizhong, take him out to identify the person!"
"Yes!"
Yang Yizhong cupped his hands, received the order, and led Fan Miao out of Wende Hall.
Li Shimin, though growing impatient, was unwilling to cause a massacre by entering the palace; that would not be the act of a wise ruler.
Seeing Yang Yizhong leading a white-haired old eunuch, he said to Zhao Xu, "Ask him what he means!"
"If these imperial guards do not yield, do not blame me for showing no mercy to you and your grandfather."
Zhao Xu quickly nodded and went to meet Yang Yizhong.
When the old eunuch clearly saw Zhao Xu's face, he was instantly stunned, muttering after a while.
"You, you, you are Your Majesty?!"
"You recognize me?"
Zhao Xu asked back.
With a thud, the old eunuch, like Han Zhi, knelt down decisively, weeping and wailing.
"Your Majesty, I am little Miaozi~"
"Years ago, under Eunuch Tong, I ground ink for you in the Imperial Study!"
Zhao Xu's mind quickly conjured a person.
For Fan Miao, this event had passed decades, but for him, it felt like it had happened just recently.
He exclaimed in surprise, "You are that follower of Tong Guan?"
Fan Miao was extremely moved. He hadn't expected Zhao Xu to actually remember him, so he nodded frantically, "Your Majesty, indeed, I was following Eunuch Tong back then~"
With the testimony of two people, although Zhao Xu's identity was incredible, Yang Yizhong had no choice but to believe it was true.
He returned to the hall to report to Zhao Gou and relayed the results.
"Accompany me to see!"
Zhao Gou's expression was unpredictable, and his mood was extremely foul.
To secure his throne, he had even abandoned his own father and elder brother to the Jin Dynasty without rescue. He never imagined that another person who had died decades ago would appear out of nowhere!
It was truly vexing!
"His Majesty arrives!"
Wang Xier, behind Zhao Gou, shouted, drawing Zhao Guangyi and Zhao Xu to look in that direction.
After the grandfather and grandson exchanged glances, they nodded at each other and stepped forward to meet Zhao Gou.