Chapter 47: The secrets of Chihua Taoist cannot be revealed and cannot be pried into. ...
In the Golden Throne Hall, Mr. Chihua's snow-white hair fluttered gently, his face was calm and his eyes were compassionate, as if everything was within his expectations.
He bowed again, his voice still ethereal and indifferent, carrying a sense of detachment from the world:
"Your Majesty, this secret is like a cloud shrouded in mist, which cannot be fully understood, nor can it be fully revealed.
My mission is to follow the guidance of the celestial phenomena, find the person from another world whose soul has taken a different path, resolve the misfortune he has brought, and restore peace to the country.
However, who he is and where he lives will take time and opportunity, and careful deduction and investigation to get to the bottom of it.
If I force an answer now, I fear I will be punished by heaven, and it will be detrimental to Your Majesty and the Zhongshan people."
The emperor frowned slightly, and seemed not completely satisfied with the answer, but the words "heaven's secret" and "heaven's punishment" made him feel apprehensive.
He pondered for a moment, then turned to another, more pressing concern: "Well, then. Let me ask you, since you possess supernatural powers and have uncovered the imperial edict, do you know what medicine can cure the Imperial Concubine's illness?"
The emperor did not explicitly state his physical condition, but the anxiety deep in his eyes revealed more - what he longed to hear was whether this "Chihua Taoist" could save him from the dire situation.
However, Taoist Chihua just shook his head slowly, his attitude carrying a kind of hopeless calmness:
"Your Majesty, all things have their laws, and life and death have their times. The Imperial Concubine's illness, and even... her many unusual symptoms, are all due to this 'disruption of the heavenly will.'"
This is a fate determined by heaven, and cannot be reversed by ordinary medicine or stone. I cannot forcibly change fate either."
The emperor's heart sank, and a trace of disappointment and gloom crossed his face uncontrollably.
However, Mr. Chihua paused and continued:
"Although fate cannot be changed, there may be clues. Although I cannot save the imperial concubine, I can glimpse the end of her fate."
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire hall fell silent. The emperor suddenly clenched the armrests of the dragon throne, his knuckles turning white and his pupils suddenly constricting.
"What did you say?! When?!"
"The image of the Purple Star being beside it and the auxiliary stars being dimmed and extinguished should occur after the number ninety-nine."
Chi Hua's voice was calm, but it was like a thunderclap that struck the golden palace.
"Eighty-one days from today, at three quarters past midnight, the Imperial Concubine will pass away."
With a loud bang, the emperor felt a buzzing in his head, and he could even clearly feel his blood run cold. Eighty-one days! Such a precise day and time! This is no longer a prophecy, but a verdict!
He stared intently at the Taoist priest with white hair and a youthful face, his chest heaving violently. Surprise, anger, a hint of indescribable fear, and shock at the cruelty of the prophecy itself intertwined and impacted his mind.
After a long moment, he suppressed his turbulent emotions, his voice barely audible, hoarse:
“…I, understand.”
His feelings for the Imperial Concubine had long since lost the fiery, possessive energy of his youth. After he had her, and especially after she became frail and unable to serve him in bed after giving birth to the Sixth Prince, that love seemed to have gradually subsided, transforming into a more complex mix of feelings—a mixture of habitual doting, a nostalgia for past relationships, considerations for her family, and perhaps even a subtle hint of boredom. But regardless, she was the woman he had fought for and spent years with, and hearing the precise date of her death still left him feeling deeply shocked and uncomfortable.
However, compared to the life and death of the imperial concubine, what he cared more about at the moment was the credibility of the Taoist's prophecy, and... whether this prophecy was also related to the secret poison in his body.
If the Imperial Concubine's words come true, then the saying of "people from another world" and even the warning concerning Zhongshan country and even his own life will probably...
The emperor's mind raced as he reached a decision. He suppressed all outward emotion, regaining his imperial dignity, and said in a deep voice:
"Mr. Chihua, I will allow you to stay in the palace. I will make it easy for you to investigate this 'person from another world'. As for the matter of the imperial concubine you mentioned... I will wait and see."
The emperor did not punish him, nor did he completely trust him. He chose to keep this dangerous and mysterious figure in front of him, keeping him under close observation, while also intending to verify and exploit him.
Everyone in the hall had different thoughts, their eyes shifting back and forth between the emperor, the Taoist priest, and Xiao Wangshu, all feeling a sense of oppression as a storm was about to come.
As the focal point, Chi Hua simply bowed again and replied calmly:
"I accept your order and thank you for your grace."
From that day on, Taoist Chihua was placed in the quiet "Stargazing Pavilion" in the palace and never went out. He refused all visits - whether it was the emperor's summons in the name of exploring the secrets of heaven, or some people in the harem who tried to contact him privately.
Only the same old reply came from the serving eunuchs:
"The secrets of heaven must not be revealed, nor pried into. I must calmly deduce them. Any rash actions or remarks will be met with retribution from heaven, and will be of no benefit to those who inquire."
This unfathomable and unyielding attitude enveloped the Observatory like an invisible mist, making all those who were paying attention to the matter itchy and at a loss as to where to start, especially His Majesty the Emperor.
The "eighty-one-day" prophecy was like a thorn in his heart, and the claims of "otherworldly beings" and "the dimming of the imperial star" made him even more uneasy. Furthermore, the emperor, suffering from a strange poison and with his life constantly threatened, desperately wanted to extract more from this person, even the slightest hint.
That day, the emperor was pacing in his study. His eyes swept over Xiao Wangshu, who stood by with his hands draped over his shoulders. Suddenly, something struck him. He paused, his face deliberately revealing a touch of worry and helplessness, his tone particularly earnest:
"My dear Lord Xiao," he sighed, "Mr. Chihua has refused to see anyone since we parted that day in the Golden Palace. I am worried about the Imperial Concubine, and I also feel that his words may have a deeper meaning. But... Alas, Mr. Chihua seems to be quite worried about me."
He walked up to Xiao Wangshu and seemed quite open-hearted:
"I remember that back in the days in Zhuxian, you and the master spent several months together, and you had a pleasant conversation. The master seemed quite fond of you.
"Now that we're at this impasse, perhaps... if you could come forward and visit him as an old friend to have a heart-to-heart talk, would he be able to let down his guard and reveal something? Even if it's nothing to do with the secrets of heaven, knowing what he needs and making him feel more comfortable in the palace would be a good thing. My dear, this matter concerns the safety of the Imperial Concubine and even the stability of the country. I... can only place my hopes in you."
These words were both a plea and an irresistible order, and they also carried the emperor's rare expression of "trust" and "reliance".
Xiao Wangshu knew clearly that the emperor was using him to gather information and play the emotional card. However, he already had doubts and a certain inexplicable trust in Mr. Chihua's appearance, and he also wanted to take this opportunity to find out his true intentions. So he bowed and replied:
"I obey your command. I will do my best to appease your Majesty."
However, when Xiao Wangshu arrived outside the Observatory with the emperor's "earnest expectations", the response he received was no different from before.
The young eunuch trembled as he passed on the message, "Master Xiao, the Imperial Master said... he said, 'My earthly ties are over, don't dwell on the past.' He is now in deep meditation. Until Heaven's will is clear, it is inappropriate for him to receive any more visitors, lest he contaminate the karma and disrupt the course of Heaven. I beg... I beg your forgiveness, and please return."
The door wasn't even opened a crack.
Standing outside the tightly closed palace gates, Xiao Wangshu gazed at the seemingly secluded palace, his doubts growing. Was this act of utter detachment, or was there a deeper purpose behind it? He even refused to admit an "old friend," what was his true purpose?
He returned empty-handed and reported the truth to the emperor. The emperor listened with a calm expression, his knuckles silently clasping the edge of his desk.
In the end, the emperor simply said, "I understand."
A silent black cloud has already covered the sky above the Forbidden Garden. I wonder how many eyes are staring at this strange Taoist who suddenly appeared.
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