tallest building

Chapter 338 Unexpected

One by one, the people living here came out of their houses in fear, none of them expecting that the Emperor and Empress would actually come here in person.

Zhang Ma was the last to come out, and she looked very calm.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, Your Highness the Imperial Concubine, someone has reported that Zhang Ma is burning paper money as an offering in the room," said Chief Steward Hu, bowing deeply. "This is not permitted in the palace."

"Zhang Ma?" The Empress frowned. "So you were indeed burning paper money in the room?"

"No..." Zhang Ma was interrupted by Consort Hui after she had only uttered one word.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, whether it's to find out the truth or to avoid misunderstandings, why not send someone to Zhang Ma's room to investigate? The truth will eventually come out." Consort Hui believed that as long as they went in to investigate, they would definitely find what had been placed there beforehand.

Even if Zhang Ma suspected something, he could only burn it, which only made him look like he was trying to hide something.

Zhang Ma's room was very small, with only a bed, a cabinet, and two chairs.

The search party quickly found the incense, candles, and paper money, and even took out the copper basin.

"Indeed, there is," Consort Hui said. "Zhang Ma, what are you doing?!"

She first questioned Zhang Ma, then apologized to the Emperor and Empress: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, Zhang Ma was introduced to the palace by me, but now she has violated palace rules. This is all because I misjudged her, and I beg Your Majesty and Your Majesty to punish me."

“Zhang Ma, although you haven’t been in the palace for long, you should know that burning paper money for offerings in private is not allowed in the palace. Who are you offering sacrifices to?” The Empress did not want this to happen; she couldn’t live without Zhang Ma now.

Zhang Ma knelt there with her head down, but did not say anything to explain.

Consort Hui noticed that Shen Fu's memorial tablet was not in the copper basin, and knew that Zhang Ma must have burned it beforehand.

But that doesn't matter, she will naturally guide the Empress's thoughts in that direction.

"Zhang Ma, Her Majesty the Empress is asking you a question, why won't you answer?" Consort Hui feigned a reminder, "Could it be that the person you are mourning cannot be told to anyone?"

Just then, Princess Duanmin and her entourage arrived.

"I heard someone broke the palace rules, so I came to see what was going on." Princess Duanmin's belly was already quite large. She held her abdomen with both hands and smiled broadly.

"Someone, bring a chair for the princess," the Empress ordered. "It's Zhang Ma; she broke palace rules by burning paper money without permission."

"Burning paper money? Zhang Ma, who are you mourning?" Princess Duanmin asked, puzzled and curious. "If you confess in front of everyone, there might still be room for negotiation."

“This…” Zhang Ma was in a dilemma. He looked up at the Emperor and said, “This is something that cannot be said.”

Consort Hui felt a chill run down her spine; she hadn't expected that the Emperor might have known about this matter.

She had long known that the Emperor still harbored feelings for Shen Fu, and she didn't believe that she would do such a thing.

However, due to the overall situation, they had no choice but to acquiesce.

It is highly likely that he already knew Zhang Ma's true identity and allowed him to pay respects to Shen Fu in private.

But his real purpose was to make the Empress suspicious of Zhang Ma, thereby verifying his identity. If the Emperor already knew who Zhang Ma was, then he couldn't be allowed to live.

"Can't you say? Zhang Ma, you have quite the nerve! How can you just keep quiet about things in the palace? Or is the person you're mourning someone extraordinary, and you're afraid you'll lose your life if you tell?" Consort Hui said sarcastically.

She hinted at this several times, and the Empress naturally noticed. She also found Zhang Ma strange. If it was her own family members or elders who were being mourned, she could have just said so. Since it had already been discovered, there was no need to hide it anymore.

But Zhang Ma refused to say who she was mourning.

Consort Hui sneered inwardly. This Zhang Ma was truly confused. She refused to give just anyone as an excuse, clearly indicating that she had something to hide.

So she deliberately said thoughtfully, "If we are holding a memorial service in the palace, the person being honored must also be from the palace. Otherwise, how could this land of the Son of Heaven allow wandering ghosts to roam? Today is June 18th... Who does this date have to do with?"

“This old servant remembers now, Shen’s birthday was June 18th back then. Could it be that Zhang Ma was commemorating her?” Granny Xia chimed in from the side.

Upon hearing this, the Empress naturally remembered that Shen Fu's birthday was indeed June 18th.

The Empress's face immediately turned ugly. For so many years, no one in the palace dared to mention Shen Fu again. She was a sinner, having committed a heinous crime, and was cast into the deepest hell, never to be redeemed.

"This old servant knows nothing about any Shen Shi, and the one being mourned is not her..." Zhang Ma began to explain.

"If it's not her, then who is it? You'd better explain yourself clearly. Otherwise..." Consort Hui felt that this matter was already a sure thing.

"No need to ask, it was I who ordered him to perform the sacrifice," the Emperor said.

Everyone was taken aback.

"Your Majesty, who did you ask her to offer sacrifices to?" The Empress's voice trembled slightly, as she worried that the Emperor had Zhang Ma offer sacrifices to Shen Fu.

If that's the case, then while the emperor is still thinking about her, he must also resent himself.

"Empress, do you remember the dream I told you after I returned from praying for rain?" The Emperor sighed and said, "For several days in a row at the Water Dragon Temple, I dreamed of that little dragon crying to me..."

The Empress's eyes widened instantly, her voice unusually strained, even shrill: "It's Tan'er..."

Now it was the Emperor's turn to be surprised. He looked at the Empress and asked incredulously, "How did you know?"

"It's Tan'er..." the Empress said with tears in her eyes, "Because I also dreamed of him. In the dream, he kept crying, saying that he was being suppressed and could not be reincarnated, and that it was so hard for him!"

"He said the same thing in my dream, but I didn't tell you the whole story, for fear of upsetting you," the Emperor said. "I then asked the Imperial Physician about the meaning of the dream, and he said it was the Crown Prince's spirit pleading with me for help. It would be best to hold a memorial service for several days after returning to the palace, and no one should know. It would be best to find an inconspicuous person in the palace, but of course, this person must be absolutely reliable. Only he should hold the memorial service secretly at night, otherwise it will easily attract the attention of villains. Once it is discovered, the spirit will lose its power."

Consort Hui was stunned when she heard this. She never expected it to be like this. For a moment, she was like a wooden sculpture, unable to even think straight.

While it's possible the Emperor might be colluding with Zhang Ma, the Empress absolutely couldn't be. How could she possibly respond to the Emperor's words?!

At this moment, Princess Duanmin spoke up: "Why would the Crown Prince's spirit be trapped? Could it be that someone is cursing him behind his back, making his soul restless?"

"Who? Who is it that cursed my son?!" The queen was furious.

That was her son, on whom she had placed so much hope, yet he died at such a young age. To make matters worse, he was subjected to a malicious curse after his death. If she ever found the person responsible, she would grind him to dust!