41 There's a ghost
◎I want your Majesty to rest assured◎
Cui Rumei had been punished for a long time. Recently, in addition to the morning training of greeting, she had to kneel for an hour every afternoon and copy books. She went to Fu Hua to plead for mercy many times but to no avail.
It's not a good time to get angry right now. After all, I owe him a favor. I think he will be well-behaved for a while.
As the Ghost Festival approaches, the palace is preparing a sacrificial ceremony. Bai Yi intends to let Rong Qianyu do it, firstly to train her, and secondly, she should be familiar with some of the etiquette of the Great Zhou.
She still values her very much.
"Crown Princess, are you okay?" Bai Yi asked with concern.
This is indeed a good opportunity, but Liu Cairen is about to give birth, and all matters still need her to take care of. If she is also fully responsible for the Ghost Festival, she may not be able to cope with it.
She expressed a slight gratitude but declined, "Your Majesty, I'm afraid I'm not up to the task. Concubine Liu is due to give birth in a month, and I want to devote my full attention to caring for her and her unborn child. I'm not from the Great Zhou, and I don't understand these rituals very well. If I fail in any way, I'm afraid I'll offend the gods and ancestors, and that would be a death sentence."
Such an opportunity was rare, but the Emperor and Empress were unaware of the high speed of communication between her, Cui Rumei, and Zheng Jiaojin, and found it incredibly difficult to leave each day. They were also worried that if they were to leave to take charge of the Zhongyuan ritual, Cui Rumei might turn around and try to frame Consort Liu.
"Who else do you think can take on this important task?" Fu Kang asked.
"I think..." she muttered to herself. This mess of attention should be left to someone more capable. "I think Cui Cairen is the most suitable."
"Choi Jae-in?"
Before Cui Rumei could say anything, Xue Ji interrupted, "If Your Majesty and the women of the Eastern Palace were to take charge of this matter together, then the Crown Prince and the Crown Princess would naturally be the most suitable. However, the Crown Princess has been busy caring for Concubine Liu's unborn prince recently, so she's really stretched thin and isn't very familiar with the sacrificial rituals of the Great Zhou. Of the remaining women, Concubine Tan Liangdi holds the highest rank and is the most experienced, but the young princess is young and frail, and Concubine Liu is about to give birth and isn't of high birth. Only Concubine Cui is the most suitable. Although Concubine Cui's family has fallen on hard times, she comes from a prominent family in the Great Zhou and is highly regarded by the Crown Prince. Without children to tie up her energy, she's in her prime and strong. Isn't she the most suitable candidate?"
Rong Qianyu didn't expect Xue Ji to stand up and speak. This was the first time he had tried to smooth things over for her, although he also knew that being unable to handle everything was something that was embarrassing to talk about.
Cui Rumei was naturally unwilling to do so. She was a simple-minded person who only cared about the immediate petty gains and rarely thought about the long-term. She didn't know the key points and felt that it was a futile effort and she felt like she had been badly cheated.
Bai Yi threw the right to speak back, "Cui Cairen, what do you think?"
She pretended to be extremely obedient on the surface, but in fact, Bai Yi knew her very well. She lowered her head and glanced in Fu Hua's direction, "Your Highness..."
"Accept it." Fu Hua nodded in tacit agreement.
Even though she was extremely reluctant and stared at Xue Ji angrily, as if she had been plotted against, she still had to agree obediently, "I will definitely fulfill my mission and take good care of it."
When everything was settled, Bai Yi called out to Fu Hua, and the rest knelt down in greeting.
After leaving Fengyi Palace, Rong Qianyu chased after him and asked, "Why did Master Xue interrupt me?"
Xue Ji was extremely partial to Rong Qianyu. Ever since they agreed to each get what they needed, he had been helping her wholeheartedly, while he was also formulating a new plan. He had also witnessed the tragic scene of the lovemaking in the house that day, and he was extremely annoyed by Cui Rumei's behavior, so he was eager for a chance to vent his anger.
He always stood half a step behind Rong Qianyu, with his waist slightly bent.
He bent down and adjusted the hem of her skirt. When he stood up, Rong Qianyu was a little dazed.
The relationship between the two is now delicate, neither close nor far. They have been entangled in the springtime of bed, but have never gone any further. Xue Ji is always wrapped tightly, while Rong Qianyu is always sweating and panting.
"Your Majesty, it is inappropriate to say this. I will naturally handle such an offensive matter."
"What do you want to do?" she asked.
Xue Ji kept silent. He was so secretive that Rong Qianyu was afraid that he would do something out of line and kill people in a fit of rage. It would be terrible if Cui Rumei became drunk.
He was calm and composed, as if he had made up his mind about some bad idea, and said, "Your Majesty, just let Concubine Liu take good care of her pregnancy and wait for delivery. You don't have to worry about anything else." After saying this, he turned around and was about to leave with some indignation.
"Xue Ji!" Seeing him like this, Rong Qianyu was really afraid that he would throw her away to feed the dogs, so she immediately called out to him, "What are you going to do?"
She was a little scared. Although he was still very gentle in front of her, after hearing Rong Pan talk about the epidemic and the old things he had recently found out, she was really afraid that he would do something to Cui Rumei.
"Your Majesty, rest assured. This is a matter of great benefit and no harm. Your Majesty, are you relieved that you asked Cui to copy the female instructions?"
Rong Qianyu didn't say anything, but was still a little worried.
"Your Majesty was a bit impatient last time, so please don't push her anymore. I will do everything, and it has nothing to do with Your Majesty. Tomorrow I will go outside the palace and find a trustworthy and skilled doctor to check Concubine Liu's pulse and help her give birth to the prince smoothly."
"Is this part of our plan?" she asked.
"I want your Majesty to rest easy."
"I'm fine now, so don't take risks for me."
"I know what's going on, Your Majesty, just wait for good news."
"Listen to me and don't act rashly!" She grabbed Xue Ji's sleeve and tried to persuade him, "Have you heard? There's been a haunting in the palace recently." She didn't know whether he listened or not.
Around the Ghost Festival, the palace was enveloped in a sacrificial atmosphere. Recently, some rumors have spread throughout the palace, and the women in particular are extremely worried.
At night, the sound of a woman crying could always be heard faintly from the Locust Gate. The continuous summer rain cast a hazy mist around the surroundings.
"What's wrong? What's wrong?" A little palace maid ran to the crowd to inquire excitedly.
Several palace maids were hushed, gesturing for silence. "It's said that a pregnant lady came to the palace to pay homage. As she passed the Locust Gate, she suddenly felt a severe cramping pain and immediately passed out, so she was sent back to the palace. After waking up, she went mad. Not long after, she gave birth. The pulse showed a healthy boy, but it turned out to be a deformed girl—a stillbirth!"
A few people looked at each other and wondered if there really was a magic drug in the world that could change one's gender.
The braver, older palace maids looked disdainful, "How is that possible? I heard that the stillborn baby was said to be a girl. Could it be to cover up the truth? In fact, the child... is a hermaphrodite!"
This is a folk legend. Many families who value sons more than daughters want a boy, so they resort to crooked means and come up with this vicious method in an attempt to change the sex of the fetus.
If this sorcery is added to the medicinal soup used by pregnant women to preserve the fetus before March, a boy will be born. However, this method is very dangerous and if you are not careful, the child born is likely to be deformed.
"And now the whole palace is keeping it a secret. No one dares to leave the Locust Gate anymore. I heard that the baby was thrown into the fire and burned to death right after birth. The lady didn't even see the baby; they just told her it was stillborn."
The young palace maids were horrified when they heard this. The palace was already filled with gloom and resentment, and now such a thing was spreading. "The Ghost Festival is coming soon, please don't scare me!"
"Why would I scare you? The Imperial Guards and the Eastern Depot are investigating this matter right now. It's already spread outside, but the palace just keeps it a secret."
Hearing this, he felt more credible. "Talking about this is taboo in the palace. Get back to work and stop talking."
"What are you talking about?" Hua Xue shouted at them from a distance, and several palace maids scattered in fear.
"What did you say just now? Say it again." Cui Rumei asked arrogantly. In fact, she had heard a lot from a distance. It is possible to change the gender of the fetus. Even if it fails, the child will be useless. Why should she care whether she gives birth to a boy or a girl?
Her current position in the palace was very delicate. She was not as trusted as Rong Qianyu, not as respected as Liu Chunyan, and not as experienced as Tan Lu. Furthermore, Rong Qianyu was currently favored by the emperor, and Fu Hua was giving her face. However, she felt guilty and unsure.
Her arrogance and conceit came from Fu Hua's partiality, but without this support, she would be nothing. She also knew her own virtues very well. Once she lost her power, everyone would push her down.
"I dare not do it anymore. I didn't say anything. Please forgive me. I didn't say anything!"
Cui Rumei: "How old are you this year?"
"Twenty-two." The palace maid trembled and dared not say more. Everyone knew her temper, and it would be difficult to deal with her if she was targeted.
She fiddled with the eighteen pieces in her hand and asked, "Do you want to leave the palace or do you want to be beaten to death?"
These words frightened the palace maids. "Talented lady, please be merciful. I will tell you everything I know!"
Not long after, on the eve of the Ghost Festival, the black sky inexplicably emitted a strange smell, and the air was filled with a sense of oppression. The night watchmen at the Locust Gate had all stopped responding because of the recent rumors. The midsummer night was a little chilly, and there were no stars under the hazy moonlight, making it particularly dark and gloomy.
Liu Chunyan's sedan happened to take this route.
The corridor was dark and long. Pregnant women are prone to sweating and panic. Thinking of the recent rumors, she felt a chill on her back.
"Let's go quickly. I heard that things are not peaceful here lately, and it's the Ghost Festival right now. Why do you have to take this road?"
The palace maid Feixu explained, "Talented Lady Cui said that those supernatural things shouldn't be believed. The katydid symbolizes many children and good fortune, which is a good omen. Talking about these things is taboo in the palace. We must follow this path. Even Your Majesty and Your Majesty don't believe in it."
"Where is the Crown Princess?"
"Your Majesty still has some follow-up matters to deal with regarding the smallpox epidemic, so she can't be here for the time being."
She felt uncomfortable all over and hurriedly said, "Okay, let's go faster."
The sedan bearers were also extremely frightened as they heard rustling sounds near the palace gate. Although they were several grown men, they could not resist the rumors.
It was pitch black all around, and so quiet that one couldn't see the end. Waves of wailing cries tore through the silence, and an inexplicable fear swept over the whole body.
"What's that sound?"
"It sounds like a child crying... It's a child's voice!!"
"There's a ghost, there's a ghost!"
Several palace maids could no longer care about their masters. Some fainted and some ran away. Fortunately, Feixu reacted quickly and shouted, "Go back quickly!"
Just as he was about to be transferred back, a dark figure with long hair and white clothes suddenly flew over the eaves. It moved so fast that he could not see its appearance clearly.
"What just passed by?"
"What happened there?!" The palace maid wanted to cry but had no tears. She shouldn't have taken this road today.
"There's a figure!" Regardless of whether they saw it or not, everyone started to panic.
"There's a figure. It's haunted, it's haunted!"
The more unknown, the more frightening it is. Everyone's hearts were beating fast, and they bravely stepped forward, but they were already scared to death, and ran back without caring about what was true or false.
Liu Chunyan grabbed the bumpy sedan chair, and the sedan bearer's feet accidentally slipped. She was eight months pregnant and fell down.
"Liu Cairen, Liu Cairen, are you okay?"
She was sweating profusely, obviously frightened. She covered her stomach and groaned, "My stomach hurts..."
Feixu saw the faint redness under her dress and started to panic, "Quickly call the imperial physician, call the imperial physician!!"
Liu Chunyan was quickly sent back to the bedroom. When Bai Yi heard that she had seen her spotting, she didn't even bother to wash up in the middle of the night. She just dressed up and came with her hair loose.
"What's going on? I've given you so many warnings, but something still happened. What the hell are you doing? What are you doing with all that good-for-nothingness?"
"Your Majesty, calm down."
"Where's Choi Jae-in?"
"As long as I'm here, everything is my fault. It's all my negligence!"
Bai Yi was extremely serious about matters concerning the royal heir. This matter involved a concubine who was about to give birth, and Cui Rumei was in charge, which made him even more angry.
"Of course it's your fault. Otherwise, is it me? Why are you so anxious? You have Hua'er's favor, so what can you be afraid of?"
"No, no, I don't know that at this moment!"
She was indeed unaware of this, but life is unpredictable. Was this the drama Xue Ji had set for her? She became anxious and lost her composure, and came up with such a stupid idea.
The imperial physician reported, "Your Majesty, the prince is fine, only Concubine Liu is frightened."
Bai Yi held Liu Chunyan's hand and comforted her, "Don't worry, the child is fine. What's going on? What's going on?"
"It was Cui Cairen who suggested we take that road. Cui Cairen said that even His Majesty and His Majesty shouldn't believe in those supernatural powers!"
Liu Chunyan was in tears and was really scared this time. Whether she was competing for favor or fighting back, she was doing it for her child. Besides, Cui Rumei wanted to kill her this time, and she would never let Bai Yi go easily.
"Cui Rumei..."
"I...I am here."
Bai Yi called the person out and didn't make a scene in the house, so as not to let the children see. "Kneel down!"
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