Ji Fengyao's departure from the temple was not actually to admire the flowers, but to meet Hei Xiao and, incidentally, to teach the Empress Dowager's new companion, her and Shang Xiye's "good nephew," a lesson.
These little rascals, if we don't teach them a lesson they won't know why flowers are so red!
The bandit has left the temple!
The spies inside and outside the temple were overjoyed.
When the Empress Dowager learned of this news, she generously rewarded the palace maids who had spread the word about how beautiful the scenery outside the temple was, as well as the young novice monk who had come to deliver the message. She could almost see the scene of the bandit becoming her granddaughter-in-law and bowing and scraping before her. Just thinking about it made her feel happy and content!
Outside the temple, Black Owl, wearing a human skin mask, disguised himself as an ordinary guard.
Upon seeing Ji Fengyao emerge, he swaggered up to her, cupped his fists, and reported, "Your Highness, the Second Prince was enjoying himself in the back mountains yesterday, but was driven back by the Crown Prince. The Crown Prince is currently enjoying himself in the back mountains."
Upon hearing this, Ji Fengyao raised her eyebrows slightly:
That unlucky prince, it seems he didn't get enough time in the lake last time, and now he's eager to get beaten up.
"Why are you telling me all this? The Crown Prince and I each have our own things to do. Does the back mountain belong to the Crown Prince? Does he want to claim it as his own?" Ji Fengyao, with her bandit-like air, waved her hand dismissively, called Hei Xiao, and led the three maids straight to the back mountain.
The Empress Dowager bribed two novice monks who were in charge of sweeping and cleaning the mountain gate.
The messenger from before hadn't returned yet, so the remaining messenger rushed in to report the news.
On the way, they met the messenger ahead, who was carrying many gold and silver rewards. The young novice was overjoyed and ran as fast as the wind.
The Empress Dowager was delighted.
Suddenly, another young novice monk ran in with a joyful expression, knelt down excitedly, and reported: "Your Majesty, I just heard from the guards of the Ninth Prince's residence that His Highness the Second Prince was sent back to the capital by the Crown Prince yesterday. The Crown Prince is currently in the back mountain. If Princess Chonghe goes to the back mountain now, she will most likely run into the Crown Prince."
The young novice monk spoke with winking and gestures, practically telling the Empress Dowager directly:
This humble monk has uncovered such a major scandalous affair, thus preventing future troubles for the royal family.
Empress Dowager, why don't you give this humble monk a large sum of gold and silver to silence him?!
Seeing the young novice's obviously amused expression, the Empress Dowager immediately threw her teacup away.
In her anger, the Empress Dowager threw the teacup with great speed and force.
The young novice was still lost in his own fantasy, unaware of the Empress Dowager's fury and ruthlessness.
A teacup filled to the brim with hot tea was smashed straight onto the young novice's smooth forehead.
Instantly, tea and broken porcelain splashed everywhere!
The young novice monk's forehead was cut by a shard of porcelain, and the flowing blood quickly blurred his vision. As he fell, he was still wondering, "Why not reward him with some gold and silver to keep him quiet, but instead splatter blood in the Buddhist community and kill him to silence him?"
The Empress Dowager felt no remorse whatsoever for possibly killing someone.
She flew into a rage and cursed, "Knowing that the Crown Prince was in the back mountain, she still dared to go there! This vulgar, rude, and shameless bandit has utterly disgraced our royal family!"
"Your Majesty, why don't we send two squads of Imperial Guards to patrol and simply ruin this matter?" a palace maid beside the Empress Dowager said, trying to curry favor.
The Empress Dowager was deeply hurt by this. She raised her hand and slapped him across the face, cursing, "You fool! The Crown Prince is just hoping that news of his friendship with that bandit will spread far and wide, and you still want to send someone to help him? You must be a spy sent by the Crown Prince!"
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