The moonlight is like water, obscuring the moisture on the surface of Xuanwu Lake.
The gentle night breeze brought the fragrance of young willows.
Fu Xiaoguan was sitting in Taoranting with his ladies, telling the story of "Romance of the West Chamber".
"... Zhang Sheng's residence was separated from Cui Yingying's west wing by a single wall. One night, under a bright moon like this one, Cui Yingying and Hongniang were burning incense and praying in the garden when they heard Zhang Sheng next door loudly reciting a poem:
The moon is bright in the night, and the flowers are in the shade of spring. How can I see the bright moon without seeing the person in the moon?
When Cui Yingying heard this, she immediately composed a poem in response: I have been lonely in my boudoir for a long time, spending the beautiful spring time doing nothing; I guess those who are wandering around singing poems should pity those who sigh so deeply.
This singing in unison further enhanced their mutual affection..."
Including Su Rou, the five women were listening intently at this moment, but Fu Xiaoguan looked up and saw Eunuch Jia walking towards him.
Yu Wenjun pouted, looking very dissatisfied.
Dong Shulan gently tugged at Yu Wenyun's sleeve, winked at the other women, and they all stood up and left.
Eunuch Jia came before Fu Xiaoguan and bowed, saying, "I am sorry to have disturbed your highness's good time."
"No problem, please sit down."
"Thank you, Your Highness... Three things I think Your Highness will be interested in."
"Tell me about it."
"First of all, I personally went to the Princess's residence and carefully examined the plum tree Your Highness mentioned. There were indeed traces of digging at its roots, but there is no trace of what was hidden there."
Fu Xiaoguan frowned. "I've been thinking about this for the past few days. It doesn't make sense! First, as the eldest princess, there's no need for her to become a member of the Moon Worship Sect. Second, even if she was a member of the sect, she wouldn't be stupid enough to transplant the plum tree into her yard after taking the thing."
"The Princess is an extremely shrewd woman. I don't believe she would make such a low-level mistake."
Eunuch Jia nodded. "I don't believe it either. I've sent two soldier ants to keep an eye on her these days. The princess has been to Empress Shang's Dieyi Palace twice, to Concubine Ning's palace once, to the Sitong Bank once, and to the Ryukyu embassy once. Nothing unusual has happened, but..."
Eunuch Jia paused, thought for a moment, and then said, "But the eldest princess really doesn't like men."
"That..." Fu Xiaoguan was surprised. Eunuch Jia whispered, "That Sakura girl from the Ryukyu Embassy... is now the new love of Her Royal Highness the Princess!"
Fu Xiaoguan opened his mouth in shock, unable to believe it!
That Sakura girl liked him before, why has her taste changed now?
This world... is really crazy!
This is her freedom, and Fu Xiaoguan certainly didn't say anything. However, he still felt sorry for her because this princess had been hurt in love and became like this.
Eunuch Jia did not gossip about this topic any more, but said in a lower voice: "This old servant has received a piece of news, and I am afraid it will involve Queen Shang."
Fu Xiaoguan immediately looked at Eunuch Jia with a heavy gaze.
"A few days ago in Dieyi Palace... on the night of April 25th, a maid died. That very night, she went to Shuiyue Temple alone in a carriage, around midnight. She stayed there for about half an hour before leaving. The carriage drove directly into Dieyi Palace, where she died. Her body was buried in the rose garden in the back garden of the Princess's residence."
Fu Xiaoguan was silent for a long while, then asked, "How did you get this news?"
"Next to Shuiyue Temple lives an old man named Cui Yueming. He was someone that Your Majesty, the great official Fu, had placed in Jinling City."
"What? You said that Fatty arranged for people to monitor Shuiyue Temple so early?"
Fu Xiaoguan couldn't believe it. How much did that honest fat man know?
But Eunuch Jia nodded seriously, "As for the Moon Worship Sect's Strategy Sect, no one in this world knows more than His Majesty the Emperor."
"Then how did you know that the maid's body was buried in the princess's back garden?"
Eunuch Jia grinned, "Because that old man surnamed Cui is a master tracker. That night, he hid under the carriage and entered the palace."
"So what did he hear?"
"He heard Queen Shang recite a poem."
“…”
“I built my hut in a human world, yet there was no noise of carriages and horses.
How can you do this? The mind is far away and the place is far away.
Picking chrysanthemums under the eastern fence, I leisurely see the southern mountains.
The mountain air is beautiful at dusk, and the birds fly back together.
There is a true meaning in this, but I have forgotten the words to express it.”
Fu Xiaoguan felt that this was like a complete puzzle. "I wrote this poem to Queen Shang."
"I know, but I don't think Queen Shang liked this poem because of the leisurely view of the southern mountains while picking chrysanthemums under the eastern fence."
"Why is that?"
"There is a true meaning in this, but I have forgotten the words to express it."
Fu Xiaoguan's brows were furrowed.
It was the first day of October in the eighth year of the Xuanli reign, when he had just arrived in Nanjing. On that day, he took the palace examination, and because of his policy essay, he was summoned to the Golden Palace by His Majesty.
After the court was dismissed, Emperor Xuan kept him. It was on that day that he went to Dieyi Palace for the first time and had a meal there for the first time.
At that time, Empress Shang was still Concubine Shang. He wrote this poem for Empress Shang while looking at the autumn chrysanthemums all over the garden in Xiuchun Pavilion in the back garden.
"This poem is very pleasing to me, but it cannot be shared with others."
This is what Queen Shang said after reading this poem, so this poem has not been circulated to this day.
That talented woman from Qizhou with a calm temperament, that mother-in-law who loved growing flowers, was now connected with the Cemen of the Moon Worship Sect. This was really unbelievable for Fu Xiaoguan.
"So you're saying she has a hard time telling you?"
"Since she has forgotten the words to explain herself, I think she really has something to say."
"Does Emperor Xuan know?"
Eunuch Jia nodded, "It was the palace maid that Emperor Xuan ordered to be executed."
"Why are you telling me this today?"
"Your Highness, the ant colony was previously unaware of the identity of the old man surnamed Cui. We only received the letter from Emperor Wu today, so we learned this news from him today. Furthermore, in Emperor Wu's letter, he said... this matter ends here!"
Fu Xiaoguan was stunned. "Why don't you get to the bottom of this?"
"Since Your Majesty has said that this matter ends here, there is no need to investigate further. I believe... if the stone is revealed, it may not be a good thing."
Fu Xiaoguan was silent for a long while. It seemed that Empress Shang and the Cemen of the Moon Worship Sect were definitely related. However, she wanted to explain but had forgotten the words. It seemed that she had no choice at the time, so the fat father ended the matter there.
But who is the great elder of Cemen?
Why did Queen Shang put the blame on Her Royal Highness the Princess?
"This is His Majesty's handwritten letter to you. Please review it, Your Highness."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
