Mortal Realm: Selling Houses to Pay Debts (9)

Steward Hao bowed and said with a smile, "My young lady was summoned to the palace by His Majesty just now. Not daring to disturb the noble lady's enjoyment of the play, she specially instructed me to wait until the play was over before informing the noble lady."

His Majesty summoned me? When did this happen?

Could it be that we were all so engrossed in the opera that we didn't even notice?

Although the dignitaries had their doubts, they were not surprised.

Unlike other dynasties, the Great Zhou Dynasty had many elaborate procedures for emperors to summon commoners.

Besides occasionally leaving the palace incognito for private visits, the empresses of the Great Zhou Dynasty often summoned commoners to the palace to inquire about their lives.

A typical summons involved sending a few eunuchs and palace maids, accompanied by imperial guards. It was a small affair, merely to prove one's identity.

Unfortunately, the original owner was young and disliked socializing, so she didn't know the Empress's summons process. This also meant that Xie Guijin, who had inherited the original owner's memories and had only been there for a few days, was unaware of it.

She felt that probably no one would dare to impersonate the Empress to deceive her, but as someone who frequently received scam calls in modern times, she couldn't help but wonder if this was a scam. Was meeting an emperor really that easy? Didn't she need to bathe and change clothes, and learn the proper etiquette beforehand?

Are these people really palace eunuchs and imperial guards? Or are they human traffickers?

Lost in her thoughts, Xie Guijin's carriage arrived at the palace gate.

After verifying her identity, Xie Guijin, guided by a palace maid, boarded a sedan chair and entered the palace.

She sat anxiously in the sedan chair. Was this really a sedan chair for a commoner? Would they then use it to behead her for disrespect? Should she have firmly refused just now?

Finally, just as her heart was about to leap out of her throat, the sedan chair stopped. A palace maid helped her out of the chair and told her that she was to go inside.

Xie Guijin finally felt a sense of reality. She tried her best to keep her composure, but after all, she was not from ancient times and had limited respect for imperial power. She could even spare some attention to look at the scenery of the palace, since she was already here.

I finally arrived at the Shangyang Palace, where the Empress resided, after my legs were aching from walking.

Xie Guijin kowtowed and bowed, and the head female official beside the Empress called out to her.

The Empress put down her brush, which was used to correct memorials, and beckoned Xie Guijin to her side. She then took Xie Guijin's hand, carefully examined her face, and smiled, "Indeed, you are a well-behaved child. No wonder Jiming values ​​you so much and is willing to go to great lengths for you."

Xie Guijin looked puzzled.

The female official in charge said, "It is clear that His Majesty gave this courtesy name to Lord Xue, the Prefect of the Capital."

"Your Majesty," Xie Guijin pondered for a moment before slowly saying, "Lord Xue is not acting solely for my sake. My father's case is indeed caused by a dream ghost, but we are struggling to find evidence to convict him and bring the dream ghost to justice. That's why I came up with the idea of ​​performing a play, because Lord Xue cares about the people and is willing to cooperate with me in the hope of capturing the dream ghost and preventing others from being harmed by it."

Upon hearing this, the Empress released her grip, pointed at Xie Guijin, and turned to the head female official with a smile, saying, "See? I told you that silly boy wouldn't know how to please a young lady."

"Your Majesty is right. Lord Xue is more honest and straightforward, unlike those outside who only know how to use sweet talk," the head lady-in-chief echoed.

Xie Guijin's heart was filled with alarm bells. In the feudal era, class oppression prevailed. What should she do if the empress bestowed a marriage upon her?

Admittedly, there are still two days left. Regardless of whether the mission is completed or not, Xie Guijin will leave this illusion. Agreeing to the terms first to stabilize the situation is the best course of action. However, Xue Linchuan's sincere intentions should not be treated this way.

The Empress did not continue on this topic, but instead asked, "Young Lady Xie, do you believe in the haunting of dreams because the suspected culprit is your father? Or is it because you genuinely believe it?"

“It’s because this is the truth,” Xie Guijin said casually, probing, “Does Your Majesty not believe in the power of dream ghosts?”

"I am the ruler of the world," the Empress replied, seemingly ignoring the question.

Xie Guijin understood. Whether the Empress believed it or not was not important; what mattered was that this matter could not affect her rule.

"It is precisely because Your Majesty is the ruler of the world that demons and monsters have nowhere to hide," Xie Guijin said solemnly. "Only then can the gods be commanded by Your Majesty to manifest their power, slay the dream demons, and restore the truth and peace to the world."

"What if the gods don't show their power?" The Empress remained expressionless, revealing neither joy nor anger.

“Then they are unworthy of their positions,” Xie Guijin said solemnly. “At that time, I urge Your Majesty to issue an edict to abolish their positions.”

The Empress sneered, "Isn't it because your attempt to invoke the gods through a play was far too frivolous?"

"Gods exist because of the incense offerings from the mortal world, and should therefore help the people solve their problems. Moreover, these dream ghosts harm people and steal their life force first, and then frame innocent people. They should be punished. If the gods do not care, what use are they?"

"Very well, you may leave and do what you wish to do." Although the Empress smiled, there was a hint of approval in her eyes.

Xie Guijin understood that this was the Empress's promise. From then on, regardless of whether or not divine intervention occurred, the Empress would ensure that divine intervention to exorcise the demons would become a reality. She sincerely thanked her, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty."

The Empress sighed as she watched Xie Guijin's departing figure, "The younger generation is truly formidable. Even I, at her age, would not have acted in such a way, without the slightest restraint."

The head lady-in-waiting did not respond, for she knew the Empress did not need any answer from her.

Xie Guijin returned to the Xie residence, and Lingge arrived shortly after.

Earlier, when operas began to be performed outside the City God Temple, Lingge was ordered to return to the city to inquire about Madam Xie's previous visit to the City God Temple to pray to the gods.

As a result, Madam Xie went to the City God Temple that day to file a complaint against the underworld.

The so-called "filing a complaint to the underworld" is a common folk method of exorcising ghosts. First, write a complaint at home, clearly stating the situation of being disturbed by a dream ghost. Then, go to the side hall of the City God Temple, the Department of Sins and Evils, and burn the complaint to the underworld. The City God will then send ghost messengers to arrest the ghost causing the trouble.

If you calculate the time, Xue Linchuan had not yet determined that the dream ghost was the truth, but Madam Xie was already seeking help from the gods.

“When I returned, the Second Madam had already sent someone to buy a painting to ward off evil spirits,” Lingge asked in a low voice, “Miss, do you think this dream ghost was sent by the Second Master or the Second Madam?”

Xie Guijin sat in the chair, took the bill book handed over by Butler Hao, and casually said, "Whether it is true or not, we need evidence. You should go and tell Lord Xue about these things yourself."

"Yes, I'll go right away." Ling Ge turned to leave, but was stopped by Butler Hao.

Butler Hao said, "Master's case has already been transferred to the Three Departments. Why bother going to Lord Xue again? Why not just report it directly to the officials of the Three Departments?"

Xie Guijin glanced at Butler Hao, then lowered her eyes to look at the booklet, and remained silent.

"Uncle Steward, are you perhaps tired these past few days? Why are you talking nonsense?" Lingge said anxiously, "If I go to the Three Offices, I will inevitably be told that I and Miss bumped into the Second Madam but did not go forward to pay our respects, and then inquired about it privately afterwards. Although we have separated the family, the Second Madam is still Miss's elder and my half-mistress. Have I offended you in some way, Uncle Steward, that I should be punished?"

"Oh dear, I'm getting senile, I didn't think of that," Butler Hao slapped his forehead and continued, "But Lord Xue is also a government official."

Xie Guijin turned to the next page, her eyes still fixed on the accounts, and said indifferently, "Lord Xue won't care about these things, and he certainly won't gossip outside. Besides, he will naturally send someone to investigate after hearing what Lingge said. It would be better if he could bring the evidence to the Three Departments."

Butler Hao felt that his young mistress was not wary of Lord Xue. He wanted to advise her but was restrained by Ling Ge's presence. So he put on a stern face and said to Ling Ge, "Since it is the young mistress's order, then you should go quickly."

Lingge was puzzled and thought Steward Hao was acting strangely, but with so much going on at the manor lately, she didn't think much of it and turned to leave.

Butler Hao cleared the area and earnestly advised Xie Guijin to stay away from Xue Linchuan.

Xie Guijin gave a perfunctory reply, pointing to the bill and saying, "The Liuqing Troupe is really expensive. It's a good thing we only invited them for two days."

Steward Hao said, "The best opera troupe in the capital couldn't have been hired without Lord Xue's intervention and his wealth." He swallowed his words and said dryly, "It's not cheap."

Xie Guijin lowered her head, pretending to look at the bill, but secretly chuckled.

Butler Hao, not having seen it, asked worriedly, "Will we really be able to clear the master's name tomorrow?"

"Yes, it will," Xie Guijin reassured him. "After the three plays are performed tomorrow, a deity will surely appear. You can put your mind at ease. Tell the purchasing department to buy some of Father's favorite dishes tomorrow, and also prepare a new set of clothes for Father. Oh, and burn sandalwood incense in Father's room to get rid of any bad luck."

"Yes," Butler Hao went to prepare, and Xie Guijin, having nothing else to do, went to bed early.

The next day, she waited outside the City God Temple with her entourage as before, and greeted the dignitaries as usual to take their seats and listen to the opera.

The first play is called "The Return of the Soul: The Incense Ghost".

In Chengmai Town, there lived a perfumer who was deeply in love with her husband, but he fell ill and died young.

The perfumer was so grief-stricken that she created the legendary "Resurrection Incense" to summon her deceased husband into her dreams, thus finding solace in his presence.

Seeing that everyone mourns the dead, she felt empathy and sold "resurrection incense" at a low price, allowing buyers to see their deceased relatives. Many people bought the incense.

Little did they know that the forgotten relatives were all imposters, dream ghosts who gathered the obsessions of all living beings, seeking to break the boundaries between the Yin and Yang realms.

Fortunately, he was discovered and killed by Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in the ghost realm.

The second play is called "The Ghost in the Painting".

In Lin'an City, there was a painter who was ambitious but unrealistic and liked to belittle other people's paintings, which made him despised by everyone.

The painter deeply resented this and instead of diligently practicing his painting skills, he collected evil arts in an attempt to turn the tables.

He believed the words of the dream ghost in his dream and nourished the dream ghost in his painting with his blood, making the figures in his painting as lifelike as living people.

Everyone who saw the painting was amazed.

The painter became increasingly engrossed in his art, his life force being devoured by a dream demon, rendering him unable to stop painting.

The dream demon tried to break free of the painting and possess the painter's body.

The Thunder God, passing by, saw the ghostly aura soaring into the sky and unleashed a bolt of lightning that struck the painting inhabited by the dream ghost. The painting was destroyed, and the dream ghost vanished.

After watching two plays, many audience members felt that these two plays, along with the three plays from yesterday, were essentially the same thing in different guises, all about ghostly dreams and divine intervention. Although each play was different, a sense of aesthetic fatigue had already set in.

Some people even think that Xie Guijin is trying to sell paintings of immortals. Yesterday there were three different paintings of immortals, and today there are three different paintings of immortals at the opera. Doesn't that mean there are three different paintings of immortals?

Although it's cheap, there will definitely be more expensive and more effective products available in the future.

Moreover, there are countless tales of ghosts, monsters, and immortals. If they all followed this formula, how many paintings of deities would one have to buy? It's better to believe in something than nothing, and how much money would one have to spend?

So, during the third play, everyone lost interest.

Even the nobles who were waiting for Xie Guijin to make a move to save his father and lift the seal on the house felt that Xie Guijin had run out of ideas.