The full moon rises and hangs high in the sky.
It's a rare rainy night, and the sky is clear after the rain.
The moonlight flowed and spread through the boundless forest, transforming into hundreds of different shapes as if it had substance, and finally stopped before the horizon, quietly turning into a straight silver line.
The forest is quiet, with the occasional roar of animals, which startles the flocks of birds roosting at night. Perhaps it is a hunter chasing something.
A hundred feet in front of the Beast-Subduing Terrace, at the heart of the Yulin Villa, stood a five-tiered platform, exposed to the wind on all sides. Each tier used the platform as its base, with pillars spaced ten steps apart. Between the pillars stood several small tents, topped with silk ribbons and draped with gauze curtains. Even a gentle breeze would linger within the tents, stirring and flowing.
The small tents were for the hunters' families and servants to rest overnight. The tents were connected by wooden corridors. The hundred-foot-long railings were dotted with sparks, and the ever-burning palace lanterns flickered and swayed in the night. From a distance, it looked like the embers of a wild fire or a mirage in the wilderness. The sleepy people took a nap in their tents, and only the palace guards were still walking in the corridors, holding huge silk fans to drive away mosquitoes.
Among the several small tents, there was only one that no one had ever set foot in.
Even the moths and insects seemed to be afraid of the smell there. None of them dared to come close and just wandered outside the tent.
On the wooden corridor, a eunuch in black robes walked forward with a lacquer-sealed booklet in his hand.
He paused in front of the tent for a moment, knocked on the ground rhythmically seven times, and then bowed and entered the gauze curtain.
Behind the light green curtain, the emperor sat cross-legged on the stone couch in the middle, seemingly resting with his eyes closed.
"Your Majesty, the Fenglin Book of Ugly Hour has arrived. Should we open it or not?"
The young emperor still had his eyes closed.
"dismantle."
Shan Jiangfei took the jade knife from the small table beside him and opened the lacquer seal on the booklet in his hand. When the booklet was unfolded, it had only three folds and was covered with dense handwriting.
He lit the only lamp in the tent and, by the light, murmured the words in the book.
"Gan Xin, the southwest commander of the Yan Chi Camp, is in the Gen position, the third palace. He is moving, heading southwest, into the forest. Sun Zhuo, the Dianwu general of the Su Bei Camp, is in the Li position, the ninth palace. He is moving, heading east, out of the rocky beach. Yan Guang, the general who controls the west of the Yan Chi Camp, is in the Li position, the fourth palace. He is defending, occupying the southeastern high ground, and has not been seen moving. Su Yuanxiu, the general who guards the Guang Yao Camp, is in the Gan position, the seventh palace..."
The eunuch's voice sounded slowly in the tent, and it took about an incense stick of time to finish reading the last line of the book.
The Fenglin Book was originally a special military report used by the Black Feather Battalion to record the enemy's position and dynamics when they were on guard duty. It used palaces to record the positions of the commanders of each battalion in the forest. Every time the book was published, the palace map would change. It was written with the special poison feathers of the Black Feather, and the handwriting was extremely fine. If the book was sealed immediately after it was written, the ink would not dry easily. After opening it, you could lightly wipe it with your index finger to verify whether someone had opened it in the middle.
The emperor pondered for a moment and finally opened his eyes.
"Is Xiao Cancheng still not in the hunting ground?"
"Your Majesty, the person left at noon and has not returned yet."
"Okay, keep watching. If you see any movement, report back."
"yes."
Shan Jiangfei paused and his gaze gradually turned towards the curtain door beside him.
Ten steps away from the tent, a graceful figure stood in the shadow of the corridor pillar. Two palace maids holding palace lanterns led the way and were about to step into the wooden corridor.
whoosh.
A shadow as thin as a black line flashed by, and a pitch-black arrow had been nailed into the palace maid's toes half an inch in front of her. She was so frightened that she screamed and fell to the ground. The palace lantern in her hand also fell to the ground, rolled twice and the light went out.
"Who's making the noise?"
The person in the shadow hurriedly took a few steps forward and bowed slightly.
"Xingyao, you came uninvited so late at night. I wonder if this disturbs Your Majesty..."
"It's Cui Shuyuan." Shan Jiangfei smiled modestly, but he didn't move aside, let alone let her get up. "Your Majesty was reviewing memorials late last night, and you must be feeling sleepy now."
Cui Xingyao's face instantly became a little embarrassed. She was holding a tray in her hand with a white soup bowl on it. Because it was a bit heavy, she bent her arm slightly.
After a moment, the emperor in the small tent said slowly.
"Let her in."
Shan Jiangfei nodded and stepped forward to take the tray from Cui Xingyao.
"Cui Shuyuan, please come in."
The two palace servants were about to go forward, but were stopped by Shan Jiangfei.
"Please go back, I will send someone to send Cui Shuyuan back."
The two palace servants secretly exchanged glances, responded softly, and retreated into the darkness.
Cui Xing looked into the distance into the depths of the gauze curtain where the lights were dim, then bowed and walked into the tent.
There was only one palace lantern in the tent. The eunuch picked up a glass lampshade and placed it over the candle flame, making the light around even dimmer.
The candlelight was dim, even dimmer than the moonlight outside. The emperor's face was hidden in this half-light, with an elusive and vague depth.
Cui Xingyao lowered his gaze and knelt respectfully on the blanket embroidered with orchid branches.
"I heard from Attendant Shan that His Majesty was reviewing memorials all night last night, which must have been very tiring. Xingyao took it upon herself to make some nourishing soup to calm the mind and replenish the energy for His Majesty."
"Reviewing memorials all night long?"
The young emperor glanced sideways at the eunuch standing beside him, and the smile on the eunuch's face froze.
This action had a different meaning in the eyes of the woman.
She lowered her head sensitively, and her fair face flushed slightly with anxiety, which made people feel pity.
"Xingyao was rude. Your Majesty, please do not blame Shan Changshi. Xingyao will withdraw now..."
"No need. You stay here and I'll go get someone to add some mosquito repellent incense."
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
