Receiving the summons, Prince Jin stepped forward and led Xuan Yeping into the inner chamber. Lifting the hem of his robe, he knelt on the soft carpet of flowers, bowing his head and prostrating himself, unable to look at Emperor Yan, who had seemingly aged decades overnight, “Your son pays his respects to Father.”
Xuan Yeping followed suit and bowed, “This humble Taoist, Xuan Yeping, pays his respects to His Majesty.”
Emperor Yan faintly raised his hand, gesturing for them to rise. His gaze fell on Xuan Yeping, and he frowned, “Prince Jin, is this the remarkable individual you have brought?”
Prince Jin nodded, “Answering Father, your son has heard of evil forces invading the Palace and is very concerned. Fortunately, Master Xuan is skilled, and I have brought him to ease His Majesty’s worries.”
With the help of an old eunuch, Emperor Yan sat up from the bed, his eyes misty and aged. He stared at Xuan Yeping with a peculiar expression, sharp and cold, “Do you possess the ability to expel evil?”
Xuan Yeping felt a chill from the Emperor’s piercing gaze and lowered his head, maintaining a calm exterior and concealing his nervousness, “This humble Taoist recently observed the celestial patterns and noticed the weakening of the Ziwei Star and the waning of the dragon energy. The evil aura originated from His Majesty’s sleeping chamber…”
He concluded his words by raising his staff and pointing to various corners of the room, “Those evil entities are hidden here.”
Xuan Yeping’s statement startled the palace maids and eunuchs present, sending a shiver down their spines. They looked around nervously as if they truly sensed something evil lurking in the shadows.
Emperor Yan, perhaps also surprised, suddenly coughed violently. After a while, he managed to catch his breath, “Why don’t you begin the ritual to expel these evil forces? If you succeed, there will be great rewards.”
Xuan Yeping touched the pile of yellow paper hidden in his robe and felt somewhat reassured. He bowed to Emperor Yan, “Your Majesty, please remove the Buddhist monks chanting scriptures nearby. This humble Taoist will begin the ritual.”
Emperor Yan waved his hand, and the old eunuch immediately understood, pushing the monks away. Only a few servants and Prince Jin remained in the chamber.
Zhou Wencheng guarded the outside with his troops to avoid any unexpected incidents.
Having wandered in Jianghu for many years, Xuan Yeping was familiar with such rituals. He raised his staff, stood in the center of the hall, and began to perform the ritual, closing his eyes, moving quickly, and chanting incomprehensible words.
With each step, he swung his robe, attaching yellow talismans to doors and windows. When he had completed twenty rounds, the chamber was filled with talismans.
Xuan Yeping chanted a solemn invocation and sat cross-legged in the center of the hall. Due to his earlier energetic actions, his back was drenched with sweat. He closed his eyes and addressed Emperor Yan, “This chamber harbors too many evil forces, hidden but unable to escape. I will suppress them. When night falls and the Yin energy intensifies, they will undoubtedly reveal their true forms.”
These were the instructions Chu Xinian had given him before he left: the ritual had to be performed at night to be effective.
It was evident that Emperor Yan was not entirely convinced. His face darkened and grew stern, and he probably began to suspect that Xuan Yeping was a charlatan. Sensing the atmosphere, Prince Jin quickly intervened, “Your Majesty, I have read in ancient texts that evil spirits prefer darkness and are most active at night. Master Xuan possesses extraordinary abilities. Please trust him.”
Ultimately, Emperor Yan granted Prince Jin some face, “Very well, I will wait until nightfall. If there is no progress, I will personally have this charlatan executed.”
Prince Jin dared not object and readily agreed.
As Xuan Yeping sweated in silence, he kept a steady appearance, sitting cross-legged.
Time passed gradually and soon night fell. As the sky darkened, the shadows of the trees outside were reflected in the windows, looking like twisted, ghostly figures. Emperor Yan saw this and, trembling, wiped his forehead.
When you have lived a virtuous life, you do not fear a knock at the door at midnight.
Emperor Yan had committed too many wrongdoings; he feared the coming of night even more than those evil spirits. Even though the palace maids held lanterns, illuminating the chamber, the eerie atmosphere was still there.
Prince Jin, growing more anxious, whispered to Xuan Yeping, secretly urging him, “Master, night has fallen. Can we begin to capture the ghosts and drive out the evil?”
Hearing this, Xuan Yeping slowly opened his eyes and rose from the ground. He untied the gourd from his waist, his expression deep and enigmatic. He addressed Emperor Yan and Prince Jin, “I will now perform the ritual to reveal those evil spirits.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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He wore a hat with outstretched brims and an official’s robe, the only difference being that the man’s right eye was white. It inevitably brought to mind the death of Qin Daoyan a few days ago.
Seeing this, Emperor Yan’s pupils constricted, his breathing shortened and a knot formed in his chest, neither ascending nor descending. His face took on an ugly, steely blue hue.
However, it was not all over. Xuan Yeping turned around, his sleeves waving as he stopped in front of the second yellow paper. Spraying water and reciting an incantation in a whisper, the silhouette of another man in official robes gradually appeared on the paper. This time, the man lacked both arms.
Emperor Yan staggered as if remembering something, trembling like straw. Feng Qiuping…
He was the most trusted prime minister but later begged on his knees and pleaded numerous times not to choose his daughter as a concubine for the harem. Therefore, Emperor Yan ordered his arms to be cut off, leaving him half dead, and sent him back to his residence.
Xuan Yeping had already reached the third yellow paper. Pretending to do magic, he sprinkled water as usual. This time, the paper gradually revealed the image of a woman in a palace dress, with a headdress of peacock feathers and hairpins of precious stones. However, a rope hung from her neck, creating a grotesque image.
Emperor Yan’s breath quickened at the sight of her, and his trembling hands were unable to control his grip. He covered his heart and his face went paper white.
The Empress…
She was his beloved wife, from their youth to their time together in the Imperial Harem. Virtuous and without comparison, she was the mother of the nation. Yet Emperor Yan had strangled her to death with a white silk rope, ending her life.
A sudden gust of cold wind blew into the room, rustling the yellow papers. The lamps flickered twice, plunging the room into partial darkness. Still, everyone present remained stunned by the images on the yellow papers, and not a single soul dared to relight the lamps.
Unaware of Emperor Yan’s shaky state, Xuan Yeping poured the ‘immortal water’ from the gourd into his hand and continued to sprinkle it on the fourth yellow paper. This time, the silhouette of a man looking like a general emerged. However, his chest was pierced by several long arrows, giving him a peculiar appearance.
Xie Bi!
It was Xie Bi!
Emperor Yan immediately recognized who was depicted on the yellow paper. His eyes were bloodshot, veins throbbed on his forehead as if he wanted to say something but could not utter a word. He felt as if invisible hands were squeezing his throat, choking him in despair.
This was the renowned War God of Great Yan, the key figure in the defense of the kingdom, the one who wielded the Divine Needle of the Seas to protect the country. After Xie Bi’s death, apart from the Jingyuan of the Shi Family, there was no one else in the army who could match him, no one else who could match his glory.
He was Emperor Yan’s most trusted, most loyal, and most feared subject. He was also the one Emperor Yan most wanted to kill.
A secret letter had tricked Xie Bi into leading his troops through the Taian Gate, only to be shot down by soldiers lying in ambush.
Wearing silver armor, mounted on a horse, Xie Bi stood in disbelief, staring at Emperor Yan atop the Palace wall. Several arrows pierced his chest. Blood spurted as he fell, the silver spear in his hand fell to the ground, and the God of War who had guarded Great Yan for many years fell.
Xie Bi had not died on the battlefield, nor in the northwest that he had defended for years. He had died at the hands of the Emperor’s suspicions and schemes.
Emperor Yan would remember that scene for the rest of his life; when he had nightmares at midnight, his mind would be filled with Xie Bi’s bloodshot eyes.
In an instant, an Emperor can become a courtier; a disturbing nightmare can shake the soul.
The cold wind blew through his sleeves, chilling his body to the bone. Emperor Yan felt as cold and stiff as a corpse, motionless. He saw the various silhouettes appearing on the yellow papers in the room, and the memories of their horrible deaths overwhelmed him. Suddenly, his vision darkened, and he seemed to see countless ghostly figures coming to claim his life.
“No…”
His throat quivered and he uttered one word with difficulty.
“No…”
Another gust of howling night wind blew into the room, blowing out most of the candles.
“No…”
Emperor Yan clutched his chest tightly, bowed slowly and, after a while, suddenly spat out a large stream of black blood that splattered on the floor. His face turned ashen, his body staggered twice, and, with a thud, he collapsed to the ground.
The palace maids and eunuchs, terrified, ran to him.
“Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”
“His Majesty has fainted! Fetch the imperial physician!”
“Quickly! Get His Majesty up on the bed!”
Seeing this, Prince Jin’s complexion changed instantly. Disregarding his usual kind and polite demeanor, he pushed his way through the crowd and approached the bedside, grabbing Emperor Yan’s hand and urgently shouting, “Father! Father! Wake up, Father!”
Zhou Wenchen, standing outside the room, heard the commotion, and his expression changed. He rushed in with his troops, only to find Emperor Yan unconscious on the bed. Only Prince Jin was at the bedside, weeping incessantly. Xuan Yeping, meanwhile, seemed to have exhausted all his strength, sitting on the floor, completely frightened.
Zhou Wenchen drew his sword angrily, pointing it at Xuan Yeping, “You dare to plot against His Majesty!”
Xuan Yeping waved his hands frantically and backed away, sweating profusely, “No, no, no! I have not conspired against His Majesty! I have done nothing!”
Zhou Wenchen was an old servant of Emperor Yan and only obeyed his orders. Naturally, he did not pay much attention to Prince Jin. Drawing his sword slowly, he said, “My intention is clear, Your Highness. If anything happens to His Majesty, anyone involved, regardless of their status, will be mercilessly executed.”
After speaking, he ignored Prince Jin’s staggering figure and ordered his soldiers to drag Xuan Yeping away like a dead dog. All the spectators were expelled from the chamber, including Prince Jin.
Soon, the news that Prince Jin had brought a sorcerer to the Palace to plot against Emperor Yan spread throughout the Capital like wildfire. From nobles to commoners, everyone heard about it.
When Concubine Mei, the noble consort, rushed to attend to the ailing Emperor, she saw Prince Jin kneeling outside the chamber, begging for forgiveness. Meanwhile, the imperial physician was inside, giving acupuncture to Emperor Yan, and the situation did not look optimistic.
Concubine Mei had hurried in, her hairpins and accessories in disarray. Pointing at Prince Jin with a mixture of shock and anger, “You bastard! What have you done?”
Her trembling finger was frozen. With this incident, was there still a chance for Prince Jin to ascend to the throne? When Emperor Yan awoke, even preserving her own life could become a problem.
Having shared the bed for decades, Concubine Mei knew Emperor Yan’s character all too well. If anyone threatened his imperial authority and his life, there would be no hiding.
As soon as Concubine Mei appeared, Prince Jin, like a drowning man clinging to a lifeboat, ran to her and clung to her legs, pleading in a trembling voice, “Mother, I did not use magic to harm Father! I did not! Please beg for my forgiveness!”
Concubine Mei gripped his shoulders tightly and reprimanded him in a low voice, “Shut up! Stop making a scene!”
Her usually gentle and graceful demeanor suddenly turned fierce, startling Prince Jin. His words seemed to get stuck in his throat. His voice was strained, “Mother…”
“Kneel outside and beg for forgiveness. If your Father doesn’t wake up, you don’t get up.” Concubine Mei uttered these words through clenched teeth and then walked in.
At that moment, Emperor Yan was unconscious, but under the combined efforts of the imperial physicians, he regained consciousness. His blank eyes stared up at the bright yellow canopy above and, dazed, he seemed to see the faces of familiar people appearing in it. His expression turned abruptly into panic, “Someone…”
His health had deteriorated and he couldn’t even speak. His hand clutched tightly on the edge of the bed and he gasped with a raspy sound in his throat.
Concubine Mei was eager to approach, but Emperor Yan pushed her away. Zhou Wenchen seemed to understand the Emperor’s thoughts and immediately knelt on one knee, reporting, “This servant has already placed that sorcerer in the Heavenly Prison and ordered him to be interrogated. Prince Jin is kneeling outside the chamber, begging for forgiveness. His Majesty need not worry.”
Without a sound, Emperor Yan moved his lips, and after a long while, he managed to painfully utter two words from deep in his lungs, “Son… unfilial…”
Concubine Mei instantly burst into tears, her voice trembling, “Your Majesty, Chenze has always been filial. He has nothing to do with this matter. No doubt it is that sorcerer who conspired to frame him. Please investigate, Your Majesty.”
The Emperor ignored her and gestured for Zhou Wenchen to approach. He murmured intermittently in his ear, “Issue my decree… Prince Jin is unfilial and treacherous… he conspired against his Father… confine him into his residence… do not allow him to leave…”
“Summon General Dong Su of the War Ministry… Vice-Minister Luo Yuanqing… Crown Prince… and General Xie Jingyuan…”
“Guard the Palace gates… don’t let… don’t let anyone with ulterior motives… find opportunity…”
After deeply observing the Emperor’s sickly appearance, Zhou Wenchen received his orders and withdrew.
Concubine Mei hesitated to speak, but the chief eunuch had already understood the Emperor’s intentions. He approached Concubine Mei and politely declined, “Noble Concubine, please return to your palace. This old slave will take care of everything. You need not worry.”
Concubine Mei’s face alternated between sadness and joy. She had to force a smile and say a few words of courtesy before turning to leave. As she passed Prince Jin, she whispered, “Do not make rash moves. Wait to hear from me at your residence.”
One bad move leads to a lost game. With Chu Xinian’s intervention, Prince Jin’s advantage in the story seemed to vanish in an instant.
Upon receiving the imperial decree to enter the Palace tomorrow, Xie Jingyuan knew that Emperor Yan was in critical condition. He pondered whether this visit would bring fortune or disaster. If the events at Taian Gate were to be repeated, it would probably be a life-and-death situation.
Chu Xinian had anticipated the summons to the Palace. Firstly, it was for the Crown Prince’s regency, and secondly, it involved Xie Jingyuan’s military authority. Seeing Xie Jingyuan’s thoughtful frown, he said, “Allow me to accompany the General to the Palace.”
Xie Jingyuan looked at him unconsciously, “You have no official status, how will you get in?”
Chu Xinian playfully waved the wax-skinned box in his hand that he used to disguise himself, “I will enter as a servant, accompanying the General.”
Xie Jingyuan did not respond immediately. He lowered his head, wiping his unsheathed Sword of the Fallen Abyss in a trance. Then, he muttered, “Do you know that if Emperor Yan ambushes me this time, I will surely meet my end, and if you follow me, you will be implicated?”
Chu Xinian didn’t seem to mind, “I once calculated the General’s fate. Everything he wishes will come true. The result of the divination still stands.”
The ending for Xie Jingyuan was originally written by Chu Xinian’s hand, and now he was going to rewrite it.
Outside, the night raged like a storm about to break out, but Chu Xinian had a premonition that all these disturbances would soon come to an end.
Early the next morning, Xie Jingyuan entered the Palace with Chu Xinian in disguise. Arriving, they found that Emperor Yan had summoned several other civil and military officials, and they were all kneeling outside the chamber, awaiting the summons.
Xie Jingyuan found a place to kneel, aware that the person inside the hall was already critically ill and did not have much time left. A hint of mockery flashed in his eyes under the scorching sun, bathing everything in its relentless rays.
Chu Xinian, dressed in a dark servant’s robe, knelt beside him, discreetly holding Xie Jingyuan’s hand and muttering, “There are many eyes and ears in the Palace; don’t let anyone with evil intentions catch your weakness.”
Xie Jingyuan squeezed Chu Xinian’s hand tightly and snorted, “Is this considered a weakness?”
The Crown Prince was late. As the heir to the throne, he should have knelt in front, but when he turned his head, he saw Xie Jingyuan and the others. He walked up and kicked one of the officials in the butt, gesturing for him to step aside. Then he brazenly squeezed in and knelt next to Xie Jingyuan.
The Crown Prince was about to say something as he approached, but he suddenly noticed that Xie Jingyuan was holding hands with a young, delicate-looking unknown servant. His eyes suddenly widened, and he looked at them strangely. He stammered, pointing at them, “You…”
The Crown Prince is like a little brother following after his big brother 😭💖