Hearing the emperor mutter to himself, Tan Yuanshang drew a deep breath and forced himself to offer, in a calm voice, an answer that hardly answered the question.
"I have calculated it. A full eighty years have passed since the old Celestial Master received his title!"
Though they already knew a great deal of time had passed, hearing the answer so suddenly made the emperor, the chief eunuch beside him, and even the historian in the corner outside look involuntarily astonished.
"Eighty years... Was the old Celestial Master extremely young when he received his title?"
Tan Yuanshang naturally understood what the emperor meant by that question. It had been a long time since he had seen such an expression on the emperor's face.
Tan Yuanshang merely shook his head.
"None of those Celestial Masters were particularly young at the time. Elder Celestial Master Qi could only be described as being in his prime."
At this, the question in their minds was answered, and the chief eunuch exclaimed in astonishment.
"Then wouldn't the old Celestial Master be over a hundred? No, he must be at least a hundred and ten!"
Everyone in the Imperial Study broke out in goosebumps. In the corner, the Daily Record Officer could not help writing an entry in the document on his desk: In the twentieth year of Hongxing, the emperor learned with astonishment that the old Celestial Master was still alive.
Could Tan Yuanshang be lying about this? Surely not, but it was simply too astounding!
The emperor slowly rose to his feet.
"Did you truly happen upon the old Celestial Master in the Capital City, rather than seek him out?"
Tan Yuanshang knew the news was so astonishing that even the emperor might harbor doubts. Yet he had still more astonishing news that he