Chapter 127 Water Comes with Earth (The plot is about to get intense)
Lu Zhaoxue had just woken up from a light sleep, her hair still a little messy at her temples, her consciousness still immersed in a hazy drowsiness.
Suddenly, a chaotic commotion arose outside the hall, a mixture of guards' attempts to dissuade them and women's curses, which disturbed everyone's peace of mind.
Lu Zhaoxue rubbed her temples and raised her hand to straighten her loose brocade robe.
He raised his hand and summoned his personal maid, Haitang: "Go and invite His Majesty over. Tell him there is something going on at Chengqian Palace."
As soon as she finished speaking, she put on a bright yellow jacket, tidied herself up in front of the dressing table, and then slowly pushed open the palace door.
A large crowd had already gathered outside the gates of Chengqian Palace.
Empress Dowager Rong, dressed in a crimson robe embroidered with gold python patterns, was furious, her face turning ashen. She sternly rebuked the guards who blocked her path:
"You bunch of lackeys! You're incredibly audacious! You even dare to obstruct me now, do you have no respect for the law?!"
Huo Chengbi stood beside Empress Dowager Rong, dressed in a jade-green palace gown, with a hint of schadenfreude in his eyes.
She feigned composure and advised Empress Dowager Rong: "Your Majesty, please calm down. Since it was His Majesty's order, the guards were just following orders. Your Majesty must not displease His Majesty."
The guards exchanged bewildered glances, remaining firmly stationed at the gates of Chengqian Palace, and replied in unison:
"I hope Your Majesty will forgive me. His Majesty has decreed that no one may enter or leave Chengqian Palace without his personal order."
Lu Zhaoxue stood outside the hall, her gaze sweeping over the farcical scene with indifference. She raised her hand to signal the palace servants to come over and tell the guards, "Let Empress Dowager Rong and the others come in."
The palace servants relayed the Empress's instructions to the guards, who immediately stepped aside to make way.
Empress Dowager Rong snorted coldly and stepped inside first, followed closely by Huo Chengbi. Behind them was a strangely dressed man.
He was wearing a faded black overcoat with crooked characters embroidered on the lapel, looking exactly like a shaman, a conman who cheats and swindles.
A bunch of idiots.
Upon seeing this, Lu Zhaoxue couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips, a hint of mockery flashing in her eyes.
In this palace, they can invite all sorts of monsters and demons in. They really don't care about their reputation at all, just to bring me down.
Unexpectedly, the "reclusive master" suddenly pushed off with his foot and tried to rush forward, shouting, "Your Majesty, do not be afraid! This humble Taoist will remove the evil spirits from the palace for you!"
Before he could finish speaking, the guard beside him swiftly grabbed him.
The "reclusive master" lost his balance and fell flat on his face, looking extremely disheveled.
Upon seeing this, Empress Dowager Rong and Huo Chengbi's expressions immediately became somewhat awkward, and their previous arrogance diminished.
Huo Chengbi quietly turned his face away, not daring to look into Lu Zhaoxue's eyes, while Empress Dowager Rong pretended to be calm and coughed heavily.
Lu Zhaoxue slowly stepped forward, her gaze falling on the "reclusive master," her tone calm and unwavering: "Who are you? What do you want by trespassing into my Chengqian Palace?"
"Your Majesty, there is no need to panic!" Empress Dowager Rong's voice came from behind her. She stepped forward and deliberately raised her voice.
"This is Gao Lishi, a reclusive master whom I invited from outside. He possesses profound Taoist skills and can predict good and bad fortune and exorcise evil spirits!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Zhaoxue's smile deepened, but she secretly thought to herself: What a bunch of fools, to be so easily fooled by such a charlatan.
She turned to look at Empress Dowager Rong, feigning confusion, and asked, "Oh? I wonder what brings Your Majesty here today with Gao Lishi?"
Empress Dowager Rong's face was tense, her fingertips clenched so tightly they turned white, but she said:
“Recently, I have been feeling unwell and have been unable to sleep at night. Gao Lishi said that there is something strange in Chengqian Palace and that I must come here in person to investigate carefully in order to find the cause.”
Her words were half true and half false. In reality, she had Gao Lishi calculate that Empress Dowager Rong suspected that Lu Zhaoxue had used a spell on Chu Huaiyu, which was why he was so confused.
Empress Dowager Rong brought Gao Lishi here today specifically to "catch the Gu," hoping to seize any evidence against Lu Zhaoxue on the spot.
When the guards stopped her outside the palace, Empress Dowager Rong was even more convinced that Lu Zhaoxue was guilty and afraid of being caught, which is why she had Chu Huaiyu issue the order that no one else was allowed to enter the palace without permission!
Lu Zhaoxue had long since guessed Empress Dowager Rong's thoughts. While they were making a fuss outside, she had already sent a palace maid to invite Chu Huaiyu over.
Now that the play was more than halfway over, her gaze darkened as she looked at Gao Lishi and said loudly:
"Since you've come to investigate evil spirits, then you should investigate thoroughly. The Empress Dowager and Huo Chengbi are of noble status, so there's no need for excessive formalities. But this reclusive master..."
She paused, her tone carrying an undeniable authority, "This man's origins are unknown. If he is carrying some evil spirit, wouldn't that pollute the energy of Chengqian Palace? Men, search Gao Lishi!"
"No!" Gao Lishi exclaimed anxiously.
Empress Dowager Rong panicked and hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, you mustn't! This Gao Lishi is a hermit master; how can you be so disrespectful?"
"Your Majesty is joking."
Lu Zhaoxue said calmly, "If Gao Lishi is truly innocent, why fear a search? Could it be that Her Majesty the Empress Dowager is afraid of finding something that shouldn't be there?"
Just then, Chu Huaiyu appeared in Chengqian Palace. His steps were somewhat hurried, yet he still carried the majesty of an emperor.
Chu Huaiyu's gaze swept over everyone, and he said in a deep voice, "The Empress is right. Since we are investigating evil spirits, we should investigate to the end."
Upon seeing Chu Huaiyu arrive, everyone bowed and greeted him, saying, "Greetings, Your Majesty."
No need for formalities.
With Chu Huaiyu's approval, the guards immediately set to work, and in a short while, they found a cloth bag hidden in Gao Lishi's robe.
Upon opening it, they found a small figure with Chu Huaiyu's birth date and time written on it.
"What...what is this?!" Empress Dowager Rong's expression changed drastically. She took a step back and looked at Gao Lishi in disbelief, then at Huo Chengbi.
Huo Chengbi was also terrified, her face turning pale. Her lips trembled, and she couldn't speak. She knew in her heart that she was probably finished...
Lu Zhaoxue sneered, her gaze sweeping over Empress Dowager Rong and Huo Chengbi, and said in an icy tone, "Your Majesty, is this the reclusive master you invited?"
"It seems the real evil isn't in Chengqian Palace; it even dares to curse His Majesty..."
Empress Dowager Rong was both angry and anxious. She glared at Huo Chengbi. It was Huo Chengbi who had introduced Gao Lishi to her. She never expected him to be a fraud, and he had even caused her to lose face in front of the emperor!
Huo Chengbi trembled under her glare and lowered her head, not daring to speak. She really didn't expect that Lu Zhaoxue knew what they were planning to do.
Chu Huaiyu's face grew increasingly grim as he looked at the little figure with his birth date and time tattooed on it. He ordered in a stern voice, "Drag this Gao Lishi away, give him a hundred lashes, and then have him beheaded outside the Meridian Gate as a warning to the public!"
"Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! Empress Dowager, save me..." Gao Lishi was so frightened that he was dragged away by the guards while crying out.
The hall fell silent. Empress Dowager Rong stood there, at a loss, wishing she could disappear into the ground.
Looking at Empress Dowager Rong's disheveled appearance, Lu Zhaoxue's mockery deepened, and she turned to support Chu Huaiyu's arm.
Lu Zhaoxue feigned a soft voice and said, "Your Majesty, this villain... I truly did not expect the Empress Dowager to be so muddle-headed..."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com