Chapter 35 Thirty-Five Empty Pots, Bitter Traveler

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The weather was worse than yesterday; it was overcast and seemed like it was going to rain. Therefore, when the Empress Dowager returned to the palace from Tonghua Temple, she insisted that her attendants hold up the dragon and phoenix patterned canopy at all times. However, the usual procession flags and gongs were removed, and no eunuchs called out "Make way" or "Welcome." Only incense bearers and her personal palace maids were present, along with eight eunuchs carrying her palanquin. Tonghua Temple was in the east of the city, closest to Jingfeng Gate, but the Empress Dowager went around to the west and returned to the palace through Anfu Gate.

The closest place to Anfumen is Xisuo, less than a thousand steps away.

As soon as the Empress Dowager passed through Anfu Gate, the young eunuch hiding behind the ornamental column immediately turned around and rushed to the outside of Chuigong Hall. The spy from Tonghua Temple was even faster than the young eunuch and had already caught Qingfu, who was accompanying the emperor off to court, outside Chuigong Hall. He whispered a few words in Qingfu's ear and confessed everything.

Qingfu frowned as he looked at the emperor walking slowly towards the imperial study. He was unsure whether he should speak or not when the emperor, who was not looking in his direction, suddenly spoke in a deep voice: "What is it?"

Qingfu quickly ran forward: "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has returned to the palace—"

Before it was even mentioned that they would enter the palace through Anfu Gate, and that they were likely heading to the West Palace, Xu Heng turned west without hesitation. Qingfu followed suit, but the emperor was tall and agile, and Qingfu quickly fell far behind, having to jog to catch up. As he ran, he exclaimed in relief: "Thank goodness the emperor left court early today, the immortal master is saved!"

Xu Heng felt as if he were walking on a high ropes, with a boulder hanging precariously above him, extremely uneasy. He instructed Qingfu: "Pass on my decree, order two squads of armed guards to protect the Immortal Master's residence, the sooner the better!"

Upon hearing this, Qingfu abruptly stopped and turned to run in the opposite direction. Xu Heng went straight for Wang Yuying, his steps never faltering, unaware that his palms and back were sweating.

The emperor met the empress dowager in front of Wang Yuying's gate.

He quickly took two steps forward, turned around, bowed to the Empress Dowager, and at the same time blocked the door crack with his shoulder and back: "Your subject was unaware that Your Majesty had returned to the palace, and has failed to greet you properly."

The Empress Dowager was nearly fifty, yet she remained as beautiful as a peach blossom, with exquisite features; time had not diminished her beauty. A gentle smile always graced her face. She parted her lips slightly, about to speak, but Xu Heng interrupted, "Your Majesty must have made great progress in your recent spiritual practice and is filled with immense joy. I wonder if you could share some teachings with me, so that I may also receive some Buddhist blessings?"

"I haven't seen the Emperor for a long time, and I miss him dearly," the Empress Dowager replied, seemingly unrelated to the question, yet also as if answering the previous one. Her voice was gentle and soothing, making it exceptionally pleasant to listen to.

Upon hearing this, Xu Heng opened his mouth to express his gratitude, but the Empress Dowager slapped his hand first and continued, "I will certainly explain the matter of Buddhism to the Emperor in detail when I have time. However, even a Bodhisattva with a gentle gaze can be fierce. When I was practicing in seclusion at Tonghua Temple, I received enlightenment from the Bodhisattva and realized that evil spirits were growing in the mortal world, even resorting to witchcraft and sorcery to try to disturb Your Majesty's health and the fate of the nation. Such evil causes will inevitably lead to evil consequences, and they cannot be tolerated! So I followed the Bodhisattva's guidance and came all the way here, and there the evildoer was actually in the palace."

As soon as the Empress Dowager finished speaking, a eunuch beside her took out a feng shui compass, turned it twice, and pointed directly to the gate of Wang Yuying's residence.

The Empress Dowager feigned ignorance: "I have been away from the palace for a long time and have not concerned myself with the affairs of the outer court. I would like to ask Your Majesty what this place is used for now and who lives here?"

Upon hearing the words "witchcraft," Xu Heng understood that this was a scheme to kill Wang Yuying. He was both angry and worried, but gradually calmed down and answered steadily: "The Bodhisattva's guidance is mysterious and profound. There is no such thing in the world. Mother, I'm afraid it's just a false alarm. Don't be so easily alarmed."

"This matter concerns the fate of the nation and is of utmost importance; the truth must be revealed. There's no smoke without fire; Your Majesty, please don't dismiss this as mere hearsay." The Empress Dowager spoke solemnly, then pressed on, "I would like to ask Your Majesty, who is currently residing in this main room?"

"It is the Immortal Master Miaojing of Yujing. She has been seriously ill recently, and I have brought her back to the palace for treatment. The Empress Dowager has been practicing Buddhism for many years and is compassionate in saving all beings. I imagine her compassion is even greater than mine. If the Empress Dowager hears of this, I'm afraid she will make a great vow and bring her back even sooner than I do."

The Empress Dowager's face showed compassion, and she nodded repeatedly, saying softly, "In that case, we can first send people to search thoroughly and obtain concrete evidence, then administer acupuncture and medicine. After her body has recovered and her eyes and mind are clear, we can hand her over to the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review to execute her according to the law. This will also help her settle her karma." As the Empress Dowager spoke, she raised her chin, her gaze passing over the Emperor's shoulder and looking towards the courtyard gate.

With a slight smile, she gently ordered, "Knock on the door."

Before she could finish speaking, her personal palace maids had even stepped forward when they heard the sound of orderly and powerful footsteps like drumbeats. Two groups of guards, following the emperor's orders, quickly surrounded the residence, forming an impregnable fortress.

The emperor stood behind his guards, his face ashen.

Dark clouds drifted across the sky, and the wind howled.

For a moment, none of the Empress Dowager's palace servants and eunuchs dared to obey the order to step forward. Some of the less courageous ones even involuntarily took a half step back.

When he realized he had retreated, fearing the Empress Dowager's reprimand, he tried to take a half-step forward, but found his legs as heavy as lead, unresponsive, as if frozen in place by an invisible divine might.

Even the Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes and frowned slightly: everyone said the Emperor's temperament had suddenly changed drastically yesterday, but she didn't believe it. Now, seeing him, the change was indeed significant. She had looked at the Emperor for over twenty years, and this was the first time she had ever seen him like this.

Unlike him.

The Empress Dowager had a vague premonition that she would not be able to enter the gate today if the Emperor did not allow it. Just as she was thinking of a solution, she suddenly heard the sound of unlocking and bolting coming from behind the courtyard gate.

Xu Heng naturally heard this, and his heart trembled uncontrollably. He hoped that Wang Yuying would not open the door. She could do it—when he first ascended the throne, she stood up for him and gave the Empress Dowager a cold shoulder once.

But the courtyard gate was opened slowly and deliberately.

Xu Heng turned around slowly, almost stiffly, and saw Juanxue and Shuangtian each holding half of a door panel, while Wang Yuying stood in the center, legs slightly apart, chest out and back straight, facing the Empress Dowager. The morning breeze blew the hem of her robe and her hair, the drifting dark clouds dispersed, and a ray of sunlight pierced through the gap in the clouds, shining brightly on her lotus crown.

Wang Yuying curled one corner of her lips and said disdainfully, "Which two dogs have been barking wildly in front of my door?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Heng was not angry at all. Instead, he stared intently at Wang Yuying's current appearance, his heart pounding and beating slowly.

The Empress Dowager showed no anger, but with a kind and gentle expression, she recounted to Wang Yuying the long discourse that the Bodhisattva had just given her.

After Wang Yuying and the Empress Dowager finished speaking, she put her hand to her ear and said, "I didn't hear you clearly, say it again."

"Insolence!" The eunuch beside the Empress Dowager shouted. He was about to rebuke Wang Yuying, "Who do you think you are, daring to mock the Empress Dowager?" But the Emperor glanced at him, and the eunuch's words were immediately stuck in his throat.

The emperor had already looked away, but a moment later, the eunuch still couldn't help but shrug his shoulders.

Xu Heng turned his gaze back to Wang Yuying's face and said unhurriedly, "The Immortal Master has become a doctor through long illness and has been practicing acupuncture for some time. It is only natural for him to practice on a dummy, and it is not surprising."

This blatant lie was so absurd that it was no less than calling a deer a horse. Not only did the elegant Empress Dowager behind Xu Heng lose her composure and a crack appear in her expression, but even Wang Yuying was speechless.

She was about to say something when Xu Heng interrupted her. She took a breath and reorganized her thoughts: "Fine, search me if you want. I'm upright and honest, and I have no shady dealings."

The Empress Dowager's tone was much gentler than Wang Yuying's. Wang Yuying had offended her, speaking coldly and harshly, but the Empress Dowager didn't hold it against her, remaining tolerant and smiling throughout: "Immortal Master, please don't blame me. You were a good child before. Ever since you married the Emperor, I've always treated you like a daughter. It's a pity you two were destined to be apart, like the stars separated by the sky. I just heard the Emperor say you're not feeling well? I will burn incense and recite verses before the Buddha for you, hoping for your speedy recovery."

Wang Yuying rolled her eyes at her: "Just search, why all the nonsense?"

The Empress Dowager seemed not to hear, put her hands together and chanted "Amitabha," before ordering the palace attendants to enter the courtyard. The guards, however, obeyed only the Emperor's orders, standing firm and not allowing them a way out.

During the standoff, Wang Yuying glanced at Xu Heng and said, "Tell them to move aside. I have nothing to hide."

After a long pause, Xu Heng raised his hand and waved. The guards parted in unison, clearing a path as if parting water. Palace attendants and servants entered, and the Empress Dowager, supported by others, alighted from her palanquin and went inside.

Under the watchful eyes of the guards, the palace servants began to rummage through the drawers, taking out and examining each of her personal clothes. Wang Yuying felt nothing, but Xu Heng was filled with grief and indignation as he watched—how could they, how could they humiliate her like this!

Xu Heng turned to look at the Empress Dowager, his gaze sharp and menacing. "Mother," he called in a deep voice, a chilling aura emanating from him. "The investigation must be fair. If anything is found, the law should be upheld to set the record straight. But if nothing is found, not only should the innocence of Immortal Master Miaojing be revealed, but Mother should also apologize to her. From now on, you should no longer concern yourself with the trivial matters of the palace. Since Mother is practicing Buddhism, you should wholeheartedly sever worldly ties and reside permanently in Tonghua Temple to pray for the well-being of all people. That would be true, immeasurable merit."

Every word the Emperor uttered was deep and powerful, carrying immense weight, causing the searching eunuchs and palace servants to pause involuntarily. The Empress Dowager also pursed her lips and swallowed hard.

"There seems to be something in here!" Upon hearing the eunuch's shrill cry, the Empress Dowager suddenly felt a sense of relief, and the faint unease that had just welled up in her heart immediately dissipated.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a eunuch turning a double-ringed bronze bowl upside down: "There's something in here, something's not right!"

Unable to pour it out, the eunuch reached in with his hand. The Empress Dowager glanced at Wang Yuying first, noticing a brief pause in Wang Yuying's gaze, a clear look of surprise, and a hint of worry flashing across her face. The Empress Dowager pursed her lips, withdrew her gaze, and adopted a compassionate expression. She then fiddled with the prayer beads in her hand, chanting Amitabha—even though she was the one who wanted to search Wang Yuying, she now seemed unwilling to actually find any witchcraft or sorcery that might harm Wang Yuying.

The eunuch had rather thick wrists, making it difficult for him to pluck the contents from the bowl. Impatient, he shouted without even looking at it, "I got it! Why does it stink so bad? Ugh—"

His hand was wrapped in a sticky, dark brown clump of grass, something that didn't look like mud but resembled horse manure. The room, which had previously only had a faint, almost imperceptible odor, suddenly became overwhelmingly foul.

The eunuch stepped back, groaning.

The people behind them pinched their noses and dodged around.

He reached forward to show it to the Empress Dowager, who turned around and frowned. She was always careful to keep it clean and was already holding back her vomit, when suddenly a palace maid beside her couldn't help but vomit: "Ugh—"

The Empress Dowager immediately felt a tightness in her throat, bent over, gagging, and gagged, her face contorted in rage, completely losing her composure.

Her ears turned red, her smile vanished, and she glared angrily at Wang Yuying: "Why did you put this kind of thing in the copper bowl!"

Wang Yuying put her hands together in prayer: "Amitabha, don't flowers need fertilizer?"

Even a rootless flower.

Xu Heng's gaze was already fixed on Wang Yuying's face. Upon hearing this, he couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips and praise, "The immortal master cultivates flowers and plants, and even in his illness, he does not forget to nurture his temperament. This ambition is truly rare."

If there hadn't been so many people around, Wang Yuying would definitely have glared at Xu Heng. Why did he suddenly interrupt and cause trouble? Did he just make things worse?

The Empress Dowager's men searched the area but found no witchcraft items. However, they didn't stop there. They stood there empty-handed, either standing still or pacing back and forth, creating an awkward and silent atmosphere.

Xu Heng sneered, "What, are you planning to dig three feet into the ground?"

"Your Majesty, please forgive us! Please forgive us!" The eunuchs and palace servants knelt down.

Xu Heng turned to the Empress Dowager: "Mother, there was no witchcraft involved. Is this Bodhisattva a real Bodhisattva, or just a Bodhisattva in your own mind? It seems this matter has been settled. Mother should also sever ties with worldly affairs and refrain from interfering in the future. You should know that this is truly a matter of moral failings, disrupting the nation's fortunes, and bringing about evil consequences!"

The Empress Dowager had already planned everything: once she found the witchcraft doll, she would use it to pressure the court officials into poisoning Wang Yuying. Unexpectedly, the heavens reversed course, and she raised her hand to her temples, saying, "My head hurts, my head hurts."

“That’s perfect,” Xu Heng said with concern. “Yingniang is skilled in acupuncture and can treat headaches. Come, go to the Imperial Hospital and get a set of gold needles. She can perform acupuncture on the Empress Dowager immediately.”

The Empress Dowager gasped upon hearing this and instinctively tried to feign fainting. She was already leaning back when she suddenly realized that the Emperor was no longer the same as before. If she really fainted, he might give her even more acupuncture needles. She quickly stood up, swallowing as she said, "Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I am already better. There is no need for such a fuss."

"How can that be? When Mother cried out in pain just now, I was very worried. If I act rashly and leave it untreated, causing future problems, wouldn't I become the most unfilial person in the world?" Xu Heng had originally intended to say "what will the history books say in the future," but he suddenly swallowed the words.

Ever since he experienced the pleasure, he has become increasingly indifferent to this statement.

The Imperial Medical Academy was close to the Western Palace, and while everyone remained awkwardly silent, a guard, who could fly with his light-footed skill, hurriedly returned with the longest set of golden needles. Xu Heng solemnly ordered, "Give this to the Immortal Master to administer acupuncture to the Empress Dowager."

The guard presented the golden needle to Wang Yuying, but she did not take it immediately. She could not fathom Xu Heng's intentions. She pondered: Could it be that he wanted to use her to get rid of the Empress Dowager, and then kill her on charges of murdering the Empress Dowager, killing two birds with one stone?

Seeing this, Xu Heng walked over, his hands which had been behind his back came to the front, and opened the needle box: "Yingniang, listen to me, and do moxibustion on the temples, the glabella, and the Shuaigu point on the Empress Dowager's head."

Don't be afraid, he will take responsibility if anything happens, it has nothing to do with Wang Yuying.

But he is the emperor, which means that what's above him right now isn't the sun, but the moon, so what?

Everyone had no choice but to obediently follow him into the darkness.

Furthermore, it was the Empress Dowager herself who complained of this headache. What's wrong with treating the symptom, not the cause?