Meeting the Emperor
Su Fangli's gaze fell on him. The things he had written and drawn just now had been put away somewhere unknown. Was that thing used for divination, or did it have other uses?
"I wonder what the Imperial Master wants me to do?" Su Fangli asked.
"I heard that you know divination, young lady? Why don't you come back to the palace with me so that you can put your abilities to use."
Su Fangli was surprised: "It's just drawing lots, it can't be considered divination."
He Xuanli chuckled and patted her shoulder: "Let's go, go downstairs and have dinner first."
Only then did Su Fangli feel her empty stomach. She had been captured by the Imperial Master early in the morning and had not escaped until the evening. He Chenghuan and the others should have noticed that she was missing by now.
The area downstairs had clearly been cleared; only they and a few of the shopkeepers remained. The waiter, who had been so enthusiastic just moments before, now looked pale and expressionless, his head bowed as he stood to one side, awaiting instructions.
Su Fangli felt suspicious and took another look at the man. The star chart above his head seemed to have changed.
The original horoscope suddenly has a Jupiter trine to the Sun, which adds a loyalty attribute. Because of this change, a person who was originally cruel and ruthless can also become a sharp and useful knife in the hands of others.
This was the same fate-changing method he had seen before. Su Fangli sat down, hiding his inner surprise.
It was indeed the work of the Imperial Master. Su Fangli's heart sank. If that were the case, the Imperial Master must have been spying on He Chenghuan for a long time. Their methods were covert, making them extremely difficult to detect. Now that she was being restricted by the Imperial Master, how could she convey this to He Chenghuan?
"Return the item to its original owner." He Xuanli said, pushing a cloth bag over.
Su Fangli looked through it and found that all of her things were there. She couldn't help but look at the imperial teacher opposite her in confusion.
"How do you usually tell fortunes, young lady? Could you show me a demonstration?" He Xuanli asked, pointing to the waiter standing beside him. "How about calculating his fortune?"
Su Fangli took out her own lottery stick holder, handed it to the waiter, and said, "Please take a stick."
-"tower"
variable.
Su Fangli raised his hand and looked at the waiter's star chart, and was shocked to find that the other party's sun star position was seriously suppressed. In just a few breaths, it was showing a trend of setting.
"Very bad luck." Su Fangli took back the fortune stick box and said cautiously.
"Very bad." He Xuanli repeated, "According to your opinion, should we leave as soon as possible?"
Su Fangli glanced around. The waiter and the other innkeepers stood silently with their heads lowered. This shady shop no longer posed a threat to them.
But she didn't want Su Xuanli to know that she could see that he had modified these people's horoscopes. So she followed He Xuanli's meaning and said, "Of course."
"Go take a look outside." He Xuanli instructed Cen Xiaying.
After a while, Cen Xiaying came back with a serious expression: "A group of people is approaching."
"Pack up and set off." He Xuanli said, "You guys stay here." The rest of the words were addressed to the waiter.
After He Xuanli finished speaking, he turned around and glanced at Su Fangli. That look was meaningful and seemed to indicate something, which made Su Fangli's back feel cold.
She secretly drew a stick and told herself a fortune.
- "Wheel of Fortune Upright"
The Wheel of Fortune symbolizes the unpredictable nature of fortune and misfortune, the revolving cycle of fate, with good and bad often leading to cause and effect. Based on Su Fangli's experience, this card is actually considered auspicious.
She put the lottery ticket holder away and followed He Xuanli. They returned to the carriage and set off. Su Fangli and He Xuanli were inside, while Cen Xiaying and the driver were outside.
"Tell me, will your divination just now come true?" He Xuanli asked Su Fangli.
Su Fangli lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and looked back. In the dark night, a group of men in black came on horseback, surrounded the inn, drew their swords, and looked like they were ready to kill.
Her narrowed eyes widened. The man in the lead seemed to be He Chenghuan!
Su Fangli remembered the other party's horse, a white horse with black hooves, which was particularly easy to recognize.
Her heart sank. If she hadn't left just now...
"How is it? Can you see clearly?" He Xuanli said leisurely. He observed Su Fangli with great interest, trying to detect the expression of regret and remorse on her face for missing the target.
"I see clearly." To He Xuanli's surprise, the woman in front of him didn't look annoyed. Instead, she nodded, leaned forward slightly, and said seriously, "Master Imperial Master, I would like to take you as my disciple."
He Xuanli was surprised when he heard Su Fangli continue, "I have loved divination since I was young. I have long admired the reputation of the Imperial Master. I would like to become his disciple and receive your guidance. Is that possible?"
"I have never accepted a disciple, so I don't know how to teach you." He Xuanli refused.
Su Fangli: "If Master is willing to accept me as his disciple, I can tell him how to use this deck of cards." She spread out the wooden cards in her hand, revealing the mysterious symbols under He Xuanli's eyes.
She was sure that the other party would not refuse.
Sure enough, He Xuanli hesitated for only a few breaths before nodding: "Okay."
Later in the journey, Su Fangli taught He Xuanli how to use Tarot divination. He Xuanli understood it immediately and quickly mastered the basics.
The Imperial Master left the capital secretly this time, and the same was true when he returned to the capital. Su Fangli followed He Xuanli into the palace, and was arranged by him into the Imperial Observatory. He also appointed someone to lead her, and he declared that he was going into seclusion.
"This, young lady." The man who brought her was named Ji Yuanhang, and his job in the Imperial Observatory was to predict the emperor's fortune every day.
When Ji Yuanhang heard that Su Fangli had already accepted the Imperial Master as his teacher, he treated her with extreme caution: "Come with me to ask His Majesty for divination in a moment."
Su Fangli nodded and walked around the Imperial Observatory.
This place is very large, but very deserted. Since Su Fangli entered the palace, the only living person he has seen is Ji Yuanhang.
The two followed the eunuch's lead to the emperor's Qinzheng Hall.
The Qinzheng Hall was even quieter than the Imperial Observatory. While the Imperial Observatory was deserted, there were quite a few eunuchs and palace maids standing in the Qinzheng Hall, but their comings and goings were completely silent. Su Fangli even felt as if these people weren't breathing.
She followed Ji Yuanhang and bowed, observing his nose and heart, and restrained all her curiosity.
"Your Majesty, this is the Imperial Master's new disciple. From now on, she will be the one to predict your majesty's fortunes each day," Ji Yuanhang explained. This was something the Imperial Master had personally instructed him upon his return.
Ji Yuanhang didn't feel that his job had been taken away, but instead felt relieved.
His Majesty the Emperor was moody and would often punish or kill palace maids. He didn't know what words would cause bad luck and cost them their lives. If he could avoid this divination, it would be a blessing.
"Is that so?" the emperor at the top said, his voice slightly hoarse. "Raise your head."
Su Fangli clenched the fist hidden in his sleeve and looked up.
The emperor in front of him had a gloomy expression and his eyes were dark and lifeless. Su Fangli's breathing stopped and he stared at him blankly.
This man had a handsome face, a high nose and deep eyes, but his skin was extremely pale, with only a dark teardrop mole at the end of his eye, boldly highlighted with a single stroke of ink.
Although he was wearing a bright yellow dragon robe and a noble crown on his head, he exuded a tired air. He did not look like the most honorable emperor in the world, but rather like a male ghost seeking revenge.
It was the familiar face in her memory, but the feeling it gave her was completely different.
Obviously at that time, he was a man who appeared indifferent but actually had a strong sense of justice.
That icy gaze seemed to penetrate Su Fangli. She recalled her thoughts and bowed, "Your Majesty."
The person above his head didn't say anything, but snorted softly.
Su Fangli looked at the tip of her toes and thought: This person doesn't seem to be the modern person.
"Let's start." The emperor waved his hand and urged.
Ji Yuanhang winked at Su Fangli, asking her to pay attention and learn, and he began to use the divination props to tell fortunes for His Majesty the Emperor.
Su Fangli watched carefully, but her thoughts couldn't help but drift away.
Is this person really not the one from modern times? She suddenly felt that the emperor looked familiar. Where had she seen him before?
"The dragon's light shines upon the stars, the phoenix's feathers carry its radiance, a sign of good fortune. Your Majesty, today is a great blessing for the people of the world, and a blessing for us, your subjects..."
Su Fangli was still thinking until Ji Yuanhang finished divination and left.
"Your servants will take their leave." Ji Yuanhang said, carefully reminding Su Fangli beside him, and said with his eyes: Let's go.
"Wait. Let her come over and have dinner with me." The emperor called her with a gloomy face.
Su Fangli and Ji Yuanhang looked at each other. Ji Yuanhang shook his head slightly and was led out by the eunuch.
Helplessly, she could only follow the palace maid to the table next to the emperor.
Dishes were served one after another, and the emperor looked unhappy in front of the table full of delicious food.
Su Fangli sat at the bottom and secretly looked at the star chart above He Hongli's head.
The Sun in the tenth house, conjunct Jupiter, signifies a noble destiny, a natural kingly air. The Sun rules authority, Jupiter rules blessings, and the tenth house is the seat of power and prestige. This astrological aspect suggests a high position, a predestined position above all others, and the honor of a divine destiny.
However, the Moon in the sixth house, in a square with Neptune, indicates a frail body and numerous hidden ailments. The sixth house is the house of illness, and Neptune represents confusion and toxins. This combination often indicates chronic illness or hidden poisoning. While physically imposing, this person suffers from years of hidden poison within, hence their pale, languid complexion.
Su Fangli recalled Ji Yuanhang's exaggerated yet cautious words just now. He knew without divination that His Majesty's fortune was damaged. Why didn't Ji Yuanhang report it?
"Your Majesty?" The eunuch behind He Hongli reminded.
He Hongli looked gloomy. He picked up the jade spoon, scooped up a little and put it into his mouth.
Su Fangli watched as the star chart above the emperor's head fluctuated.
What's going on?
She discovered that the horoscope would only fluctuate when he ate the unknown soup in front of him.
What's so special about that soup?
Perhaps because she stared at him for too long, too directly, He Hongli frowned and looked up at her. After a moment, he waved and said, "Give her a bowl, too."
"Your Majesty, this thing needs to be prepared a few days in advance, please..."
"Pa——" The jade spoon was slammed on the table. "Is this how you serve me? Don't think I don't know what you're thinking!"
He Hongli's face flushed: "You little dog slave."
He gasped heavily, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He cleared the table with a wave of his hand.
Su Fangli immediately tried to retreat, but accidentally stepped on the hem of her skirt, losing her balance and thinking she was doomed. Unexpectedly, the maid standing behind her pulled her back a few steps, avoiding the spilled hot soup.
She had escaped death, but still in shock, she glanced at the maid who was holding her. The maid obediently withdrew her hand, lowering her head and eyes, as if she had not been the one who had swiftly pulled Su Fangli away.
"I'll take you to wash up." Another maid came forward and said respectfully.
Only then did Su Fangli notice that although she had retreated quickly, a little hot soup had still stuck to her skirt, and the color of the skirt after being soaked was extremely obvious.
Su Fangli nodded and followed her out from the side.
When she left, she couldn't help but look back at the emperor who was still angry in the hall.
The emperor suddenly became angry. The eunuchs and palace maids appeared respectful but actually did not care where the emperor's anger went.
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