Chapter 55
Ling Huanchen was stunned when he heard this, and suddenly an idea came to his mind. Perhaps this was the reason why he felt that there was something different about Yu Xi, or even the truth behind the sudden death of the former high priest at home.
"All the blood of the mermaids?"
An awkward expression inexplicably crossed Ji Yunlou's face, which had remained unchanged for millennia. "Your Highness's condition is serious. All that's needed is a bowl of blood, combined with other offerings, to complete the ritual sacrifice."
Jin Huanchen: "..." This person doesn't know how to explain things clearly.
"The situation is urgent, Yunlou must provide all possible assistance."
Ji Yunlou bowed and said solemnly, "I will do my best to live up to Your Highness's expectations."
While Ling Huanchen secretly summoned Ji Yunlou, Yu Xi was still conferring with the ministers in the Ziyi Palace's study. The disaster was becoming increasingly severe, even spreading to the outskirts of Youcheng. Finding water sources was becoming increasingly difficult, necessitating additional manpower. Once the new plan was finalized, the ministers took command and accelerated its implementation.
When Yu Xi was the only one left in the study, he closed the memorial and said to the window, "Come in."
Just as he finished speaking, a shadowy figure flashed into the room. The guard held up the letter with both hands. "Your Majesty, here is all the evidence that the former high priest was secretly colluding with spies from the outer city. Please review it."
Yu Xi glanced through it briefly, "Have the people under the high priest been dealt with?"
The secret guard nodded, "Everything has been dealt with."
"Well, go down."
The shadow came and went in the blink of an eye, and Yu Xi was the only one left in the study.
Ever since the high priest's admonition, he had dispatched secret guards to investigate those who had recently interacted with the high priest. Following the clues, they had indeed captured several spies from the outer city. If the high priest's words that day were known to the ministers and the people, it would undoubtedly threaten Ling Huanchen's life. If he tried to protect Ling Huanchen, he would risk being branded as disregarding the people of Youcheng. The resulting unrest in Youcheng would perfectly suit the interests of those with ulterior motives.
Yu Xi placed the letter in a secret box. The contents of the box were all private evidences secretly investigated by the secret guards and had never been made public.
Not to mention that what the high priest said was a collusion with the spies in advance, even if it was true, he would still fight against this destiny.
"Your Majesty, are you going to the Yuluan Palace?" Fu Changshi asked in a low voice at the door.
Yu Xi stood up and suppressed all the anger, "Of course."
The Jade Luan Palace was originally the Empress's bedroom, but ever since Ling Huanchen moved in, it naturally became Yu Xi's. Aside from the few days when they feigned a quarrel and separation, Yu Xi had always stayed in the Jade Luan Palace. The palace attendants would simply greet Yu Xi as usual, without going out of their way to announce her arrival. Consequently, Yu Xi would sometimes arrive at the door before Ling Huanchen noticed.
In the bedroom, Ling Huanchen was only wearing his shirt, leaning over the table, concentrating on something he was looking at. He held the brush in his hand and drew circle after circle, then stopped to think, and then continued to paint after thinking.
Because he was too focused, by the time he noticed Yu Xi, she was already standing beside him.
"What is Huanchen doing?" Yu Xi asked softly.
"The king is here."
Ling Huanchen put down his pen, made room, and invited Yu Xi to look. Spread across the table was a sheepskin map, depicting the cities, mountains, and rivers of the entire Central Plains. He circled the small prefectures surrounding Youcheng, as well as some waters outside Youcheng's boundaries.
"Your Majesty, please take a look. These areas haven't been affected by the drought yet, so they're good places to divert water. Further out, we can also look to the areas surrounding the small towns on friendly terms with our city." Ling Huanchen thought for a moment and added, "Actually, the waters of the mermaid tribe are more plentiful, though they're much farther away. If there's a real water shortage, we can send more people to divert water. What do you think, Your Majesty?"
"Huanchen is very thoughtful." Yu Xi pulled him to sit down together. "I heard that you have been putting a lot of thought into saving money for the harem these days, and now you are still worried about this."
Ling Huanchen smiled and said, "The affairs of Youcheng are the king's affairs, and the king's affairs are my affairs. Since it is my own business, I naturally have to pay more attention to it."
"Look at how thin Huanchen has become from exhaustion." Yu Xi stroked his cheek. "After this period is over, I will make sure you gain back all the weight you've lost."
Ling Huanchen couldn't help but smile, "I think the king has lost weight. Once the disaster situation is stabilized, I will first supervise the king's meals."
"Okay, we'll supervise each other." Yu Xi took the outer robe and put it on him. "I believe it will get better soon."
Both of them understood how difficult the disaster was. The longer it dragged on, the more time and money would be wasted. Even if it lasted half a year, let alone a year, it would damage the foundation and give other cities an opportunity to exploit it.
The drought continued to spread, and disaster relief efforts were urgently implemented across the country. More and more areas were affected, and one prefecture after another fell. Large groups of victims gathered together, just to wait for the local governors to distribute some water.
Fortunately, water was diverted from surrounding water bodies in a timely manner, ensuring that the people had water to drink and food to eat. However, a sudden outbreak in the drought-stricken areas soon made the situation even worse.
"Your Majesty, the captain of the royal guards wishes to see you regarding an important matter."
"Take him to the main hall."
Yu Xi put on a piece of clothing, turned around to look at Ling Huanchen who was still sleeping, and then quietly left the bedroom.
Since the disaster began, the chief of the imperial guards has been assigned to be responsible for the water diversion of the entire royal city. He knows the current situation of the people in the royal city best. The matter that requires him to enter the palace for an audience late at night must be no trivial matter.
"Your Majesty, I have found several people collapsed in the royal city today. I have asked the doctor to diagnose them. Their symptoms appear to be due to dehydration, but even after giving them water, they haven't woken up. They are now hanging on to their last breath, like the living dead."
Yu Xi frowned, "Have you asked the imperial physician to come back for more treatment?"
The chief imperial guard bowed and said, "Not yet."
"Your Majesty," Chief Sergeant Fu hurried into the palace, a worried look on his face. "Your Majesty, several ministers and servants are waiting outside the palace. They say their master has suddenly fallen unconscious, and they request that Your Majesty send a royal physician to treat him."
Yu Xi looked towards the palace entrance and asked, "Has anyone fainted in the palace?"
Yun He entered the palace upon hearing the sound and bowed, saying, "I just searched the palace and found three people fainted. I took their pulses and there was nothing abnormal, but their pulses were weak and it seemed they could die at any time."
Now that something unexpected has happened in the royal city, I'm sure other states and counties will not be spared.
"Go and carry the unconscious palace servant to the front of the palace."
Yun He immediately accepted the order. In just a cup of tea, the palace servants carried two men and one woman to the front of the Yuluan Palace. The unconscious palace servants had faces as pale as earth, their eyes were closed, and their limbs were stiff. If it weren't for the breath under their noses, they could have been dead.
Yu Xi took a quick glance and was about to move forward when he was stopped by the chief guard.
"Your Majesty, please do not come near me. I will check for you."
The captain of the guards stepped forward, first feeling the pulses of several people, then turning them over, and accidentally saw a red rash on the back of their necks. Surprised, the captain of the guards lifted the sleeve of a palace servant, and indeed, saw that his arm was densely covered with red rashes.
At this time, Ji Yunlou arrived upon the call. He first performed the emperor-subject ceremony to Yu Xi, and then frowned when he saw the three people lying on the ground.
"My Lord, what do you think of these rashes? Can they be smallpox?"
As soon as the chief guard said this, the faces of the palace servants waiting at the door changed.
Ji Yunlou only took one look and said, "It's not smallpox."
Before the palace servants could breathe a sigh of relief, they heard him say again, "It's much more difficult than smallpox."
He suddenly stood up and said, "Your Majesty, I beg you to dismiss your attendants. I have an important matter to report."
Yu Xi nodded, and the rest of the people left the Yuluan Palace, leaving only the king and his ministers.
"What's going on in Yunlou?"
Ji Yunlou bowed and said, "Before, I suspected that the drought between us was caused by the Fengming Clan. Now, I am certain that the disaster between us is not a natural disaster, but the result of evil magic. Those who fainted were infected with drought. If this evil magic is not solved, more and more people will be infected with drought."
When Ji Yunlou first mentioned this matter, he had already formed a judgment. Now that he heard his conclusion, he was not surprised. "Have you figured out a solution to this evil spell?"
"After several days of research, I have come up with a good plan to break the formation and use it to counter the enemy. Everything is ready. Please allow me to choose a day to hold an altar and pray to the heavens."
Yu Xi only said two words, "Approved."
He turned his head to look towards the inner hall, then walked out. The people waiting at the door nodded as they saw him come out, ready to take his orders.
"The servants of Yuluan Palace are still here. Please do not disturb your Highness's rest. If Huanchen wakes up and asks, you should tell him that I went to the morning court. The rest of you, please follow me to Ziyi Palace."
"yes!"
When the footsteps gradually faded away, Xiao Qi breathed a sigh of relief and tiptoed back to the inner hall. Since he was no longer sleepy, he decided to clean the hall again so that his master would be happy when he woke up.
Before he could even enter the inner hall, he looked up and saw someone coming out. He was immediately at a loss, "Master, Master! Why are you awake?"
Ling Huanchen walked out from the shadows and made a gesture to Xiao Qi to keep quiet, indicating that he could leave.
Xiao Qi didn't dare to ask more questions and was very nervous. The king had ordered not to disturb the master, but now the master woke up as soon as the king left. He didn't know when he woke up and how much he had heard.
Ling Huanchen stared at the empty main hall, thinking back to yesterday. He had secretly summoned Ji Yunlou, who had already informed him of the opening ceremony and formation. If nothing unexpected happened, tomorrow would be the day to open the ceremony and set up the formation.
Four offerings are needed to offer sacrifices to heaven: the blood of mermaids, the blood of the underworld people, a personal item of the king, and pearl and jade grass. None of the four can be missing.
The mermaids' original divine power was to summon wind and rain. This formation was initiated by the Fengming Clan and naturally ended by them. As for the other two pieces, they symbolized nobility and the growth of all things.
Now, Ji Yunlou has found Zhu Cuicao, and the four sacrifices are complete.
Ling Huanchen took out a dagger from his sleeve, a cold light flashed, and bright red drops fell into the glass bowl.
The author has something to say:
Thank you "Jiuzixuli" for the encouragement of nutrient solution!
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