Mysteries of the Great Zhou Dynasty

Chapter 227 Extra: The Third Prince (2)

Three days later, in Consort Shu's palace, candlelight flickered, wisps of smoke curled, and the aroma of sandalwood wafted from a gilded incense burner. A sorcerer in a black robe, holding a peach wood sword, performed the Yu Step, chanting incantations. He pierced a talisman drawn in cinnabar with the wooden sword, then placed the talisman in a copper basin, instantly igniting it into a raging fire. The flames reflected on his face, flickering and adding to his eerie appearance.

Suddenly, the sorcerer pointed his sword at the sky, turned abruptly, his eyes flashing with a sharp light, and muttered incantations of some unknown scripture. Then he shouted, "Break!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the talisman in the copper basin suddenly exploded, sparks flying everywhere. The palace maids and eunuchs in the hall were so frightened that they all retreated. Consort Shu suppressed her joy and pretended to be panicked.

"Consort Shu, what are you doing now?" The Emperor had just finished court early in the morning when Consort Shu sent someone to summon him, saying that there was something very important that concerned the country.

The Consort Shu's family was quite powerful, with many members holding high-ranking positions in the court. Even if one didn't respect the monk, one still had to give them face. Although the Emperor was displeased, he still came. Who knew that after watching the Taoist priest perform rituals all morning, he would find that the Emperor, who had once disliked such supernatural tales in his youth, had begun to believe in many things in recent years as he had gotten older.

"Your Majesty, this is a Taoist priest from the Baiyun Temple on the outskirts of the capital. His Taoist practice is extremely profound." Consort Shu gave a slight curtsy and said with a smile, "I have asked this Taoist priest to pray for the well-being of our Great Zhou!"

The emperor glanced at the old Taoist priest, hesitated, but seeing that the old priest did indeed seem to have some skill, he said nothing.

The old Taoist priest, having completed the entire performance, stroked his goatee, walked up to the emperor, performed a Taoist salute, and said, "Your Majesty is a man blessed by Heaven, whose nobility is beyond measure! This is a blessing for our Great Zhou! Unfortunately, Heaven has its flaws, and destiny is not always complete. In the northwest corner of this palace, there is a man whose fate is afflicted by an evil star, who will bring misfortune to his father and mother and disrupt the court!"

"What nonsense are you spouting!" the Emperor roared in fury. "Guards, take this heretic away and beat him to death with clubs!"

"Your Majesty!" Consort Shu quickly stopped him. "Your Majesty, please calm down. Why don't you listen to what the Taoist priest has to say? This Taoist priest is a renowned Taoist master, and it is said that he is always accurate when fortune-telling in the surrounding villages!"

The Emperor was already wary of these things, and now it was like a thorn planted in his heart. If the Taoist priest didn't reveal who this person was, he probably wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully tonight.

"Alright, tell me!" The Emperor waved his hand, his expression softening somewhat.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" The Taoist priest wiped the slight sweat from his forehead, calmed himself down, and thought about the instructions Consort Shu had just given him before speaking: "This child is destined to be lonely and cursed, bringing misfortune to his father and mother, especially his birth mother, and even hindering the fate of the nation!"

The Taoist priest performed a few more calculations, his expression growing increasingly grim. He muttered to himself, "How could it be so dangerous... This child was clearly destined to die young, but he defied fate! He borrowed his parents' lifespans and the destiny of the Great Zhou Dynasty!"

"What? It brings misfortune to the father and mother? It is detrimental to the fate of the country? It borrows lifespan? It borrows luck!" The emperor was so shocked that his limbs went weak and he almost sat down on the ground. Eunuch Li was quick-witted and nimble-fingered, and he was able to steady himself.

The emperor's eyes were filled with panic, and cold sweat poured down his forehead. The more he recalled the scene from that day, the more convinced he became: "He should have died young... defying fate... borrowing lifespan? Borrowing luck?"

Regardless of how much the Emperor believes, these points precisely hit the Emperor's most taboo points. Even if he only believes one part, then this Consort Xian will have no chance of advancement! Her son will have no power to compete with the Second Prince!
"Eunuch Li, the northwest corner is..." The Emperor already had the answer in his heart.

Eunuch Li stammered, "This old servant is old and can't remember right now. There may be several palaces."

"It's Ning'an Palace!" the Emperor said slowly, his eyes resolute. "Your Majesty... this..." Eunuch Li wanted to say a few more words of advice, but before he could finish, the Emperor interrupted him.

"Taoist Master, how can we resolve this situation you described?" The Emperor hurriedly stepped forward, grasped the Taoist Master's hands with both of them, and looked at him earnestly.

The Taoist priest was overjoyed. It had worked! The Emperor believed him!
"Ahem..." The Taoist priest coughed a few times, straightened his back, and said loudly, "I have my own way to break this. However, it will require some money and time!"

The Emperor repeatedly said, "You don't need to worry about these things. I only want to ask, can the borrowed Shou Neng be retrieved?"

"Of course, I will perform the ritual to bless His Majesty!" The Taoist priest stroked his goatee. "Once things are settled here, I will also refine a few pills for His Majesty to prolong his life!"

The Emperor nodded in relief: "Very good, very good!"
-
While Consort Shu was busily performing Buddhist rituals, Ning'an Palace remained peaceful and serene.

Granny Zhang was humming a lullaby to lull the Third Prince to sleep. Granny Zhang was the Consort Xian's wet nurse and was highly trusted. Outside the window, the cicadas were chirping noisily, making the young child in her arms sleep restlessly and whimper.

"Your Majesty, the Third Prince isn't sleeping very soundly. Should we call the imperial physician to take a look?" Zhang Mama carried the Third Prince to Consort Xian's bedside. Consort Xian lay on the bed, her face pale, leaning against the headboard, lost in thought.

Granny Zhang called her seven or eight times before she came to her senses: "Ah? What is it, Granny?"

Before Zhang Mama could speak, her eyes reddened, and her heart ached: "Your Highness, if you have any bitterness in your heart, tell me. Tell me, and this old servant can help you share some of the burden."

“Granny, what are you saying? Heng’er and I are both safe and sound, what more could I ask for!” Consort Xian seemed to be answering Granny Zhang, but it also seemed to be comforting herself, “In the days to come, as long as my Heng’er grows up safely and healthily, I have no other desires. What does it matter if I spend my life with a Buddhist lamp and a monk?”

"Your Majesty!" Granny Zhang knelt down abruptly, tears streaming down her face. "Your Majesty, why are you doing this? Why are you making things so difficult for yourself?"

"Granny, I've just come to terms with it. I'm not making things difficult for myself. Don't worry, I will live well. I am Heng'er's only support!" There was a hint of determination in Consort Xian's words.

Granny Zhang staggered to her feet, only then feeling slightly relieved.

Since that day, the food, clothing and daily necessities of Ning'an Palace have been quietly reduced. Even the coals for heating in winter have been reduced by three layers. That winter, the Third Prince contracted typhoid fever and almost did not survive!
The Consort Xian has been exempted from her morning and evening greetings. She spends her days eating vegetarian food and chanting Buddhist scriptures, detached from worldly affairs; Ning'an Palace feels more like a cold palace!

Compared to the dilapidated Ning'an Palace, Consort Shu's place was much more lively. Consort Shu leaned against the gilded couch, slowly applying her nail polish, a cold smile curling at the corner of her mouth: "Want to fight me? Don't you know your place?"

The old woman beside her repeatedly agreed.