Chapter 201: The Demon Concubine Wan Zhen'er
Chapter 201: The Demon Concubine Wan Zhen'er (4.4k long chapter)
Zhaode Palace, Sihuang Pavilion.
The nine east-facing window panes with cloud patterns were all opened with silver forks, and the warm spring sun shone through the square golden bricks. The brick surfaces were like mirrors, shining brightly. Looking up, the ground in the palace seemed natural, as if one was walking on a huge mirror.
"My lady, this Jade Flute is a new piece composed by Scholar Su. Would you like to take a look at the book?"
A lazy female voice sounded: "The lyrics of Saint Guan and the music of Scholar Su are good, so let's play the music."
The eunuch in dragon robe walked to the pearl curtain and clapped his hands gently towards the outside room.
"Her Majesty's decree: All bands should play music."
Outside the pearl curtain, the sounds of zither, flute, and harp flow out.
The ladies in the inner court sat on embroidered cushions, the woman in the middle sang lyrics, and the others played various musical instruments.
"I am afraid to see spring go, the willow catkins are flying on the branches. I close my boudoir quietly, the orioles are singing outside the curtain. I hate that there are few brocade words in the world, and my dream of a talented man is known by his green quilt. I loosen my clothes, and I twist my slender waist. I am foolish, secretly adding to my haggardness..."
The eighteen female scholars in the inner court each had their own skills and were good at playing musical instruments together. They were often summoned to the palace to perform.
"The lyrics and music are both good. I like them. Shen Ban took the trouble to teach me."
She slowly stood up from the dressing table and looked at the bronze mirror. Her cloud-like hair was adorned with a nine-dragon and four-phoenix crown, with twelve large flowers and two small flowers on her hair. She also had nine golden phoenixes, with their heads facing downwards and pearls in their mouths, swaying with every step.
This crown is inlaid with hundreds of gems and thousands of pearls, and only the queen can wear it.
She smiled softly into the mirror and said, "How is this palace not like the queen?"
Although that face is no longer as beautiful as it was in her twenties, it still has bright eyes and white teeth, is plump and beautiful, has skin as smooth as a baby's, and is noble yet has a hint of charm.
What's more, she is the most powerful woman in the world.
"Although the lyrics are good, and the flowers are waiting to be appreciated, who else can understand the meaning except the queen?"
The eunuch in the dragon robe was of medium build, with a fair face and no beard, and his face was powdered. His exact age could not be seen, but his eyes were small, like mung beans, and dull most of the time. Occasionally, a gleam of light would appear in his eyes, revealing a frightening coldness and cruelty.
Concubine Wan turned around slowly and looked at the eunuch in the dragon robe: "Eunuch Shen is so sweet, maybe he has bad news to report to me."
"Your Majesty, forgive me!"
Concubine Wan Guifei said calmly: "Go ahead."
The eunuch in the dragon robe knelt down, crying: "I deserve to die. I failed in my duty. That palace maid...she is gone."
Concubine Wan's eyes widened, and she laughed in anger, "She disappeared? She disappeared in the inner garden of the imperial palace? Tell me, can she fly or can she hide underground?"
The eunuch in the dragon robe kowtowed and said, "Madam, someone must be helping her!"
Concubine Wan said coldly, "That lowly maidservant is a maid in Lanpin's courtyard, but Lanpin has been living a peaceful life in the harem for ten years. I know who she is. Who sent her to the dragon bed? I asked you to torture her and interrogate her carefully. Did you do it? Shen Sansi, what are you worried about?"
Shen Sansi said in embarrassment: "I did, but... that bitch refused to confess."
Wan Zhen'er walked to the dressing table and sneered, "Then tell me, what should we do now?"
Shen Sansi knelt in front of the dressing table and raised his head and said, "Madam, I found the doctor Ma who examined the pulse of that bitch. He confessed that the bitch was not pregnant at all. Doctor Ma is in our hands. Even if someone uses that bitch to make trouble in the future, we have a plan to deal with it."
"Where is Doctor Matthew?"
"He is currently imprisoned in the Yeyouting secret prison. I have sent twenty of the best inner court masters to guard him day and night. Eunuch Jin has also sent two teams of inner court guards to be stationed nearby."
"Think twice, think twice, be more careful, don't let others disappear without anyone noticing again."
Concubine Wan's tone softened slightly, she stood up again, and gently spread her arms. Two deaf and dumb palace maids walked around Shen Sansi who was kneeling on the ground and helped him put on the red-bottomed 翟服 with a flying phoenix pattern embroidered with gold.
"Don't worry, my lady, there won't be any more mistakes."
"We must continue to track down that bitch's whereabouts!"
"I will check it myself."
Shen Sansi wiped the sweat from his forehead and slowly retreated, just in time to meet Qin Shuner and others who came to Sihuang Pavilion under the guidance of Zhang Wei.
"Butler Shen, has the queen woken up yet?"
Shen Sansi whispered, "The queen is dressing up, Eunuch Zhang had better wait a moment before going in."
Zhang Wei said gratefully: "Thank you, Manager Shen, for reminding me."
Shen Sansi chuckled and said, "Eunuch Zhang is too polite. We are all working for the Empress, so it is only natural for us to take care of each other."
Shen Sansi walked out and when he passed Qin Shuner, he glanced at the young eunuch behind him and felt that the man was handsome, energetic, and had an extraordinary temperament.
He was secretly surprised, as he seemed to have never seen this person in the palace. However, there were many people around the Empress who were doing secret tasks and they were not subordinate to each other, so he did not dare to break the taboo and ask too many questions.
Zhang Wei calculated the time and said to Qin Shuner, "Wait here."
Qin Shuner stuffed two pearls into the other's sleeve and said, "Thank you, Eunuch Zhang."
The two stood in front of Sihuang Pavilion. Zhang Wei went in to report. After a while, he came out to summon Qin Shuner. Now only Zhang Yu was left waiting in front of Zhu Seqi's door. The sound of stringed instruments could be faintly heard from the pavilion.
"The Forbidden City is indeed different from the Imperial City. The rules are very strict, and there are guards everywhere. There might even be some masters hiding there. If you take even a single wrong step, you'll be like a flying insect caught in a spider's web."
Zhang Yu stood up and looked around. Seeing that the guards were a little far away, he quietly moved towards the Vermilion Gate, while turning the green jade ring, trying to hear clearly what Qin Shuner said. In case he was sold out, at least he would be prepared in advance.
"My queen, I almost couldn't come back. It was all thanks to your great blessing and grace that I was able to escape death..."
Qin Shuner knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face, just like a child who had been wronged outside, kneeling in front of his mother to complain about his grievances.
Zhang Wei stood outside the pearl curtain, looking at the group of female musicians, and heard the noise from inside. He held the pearl in his hand, thinking to himself that anyone who could gain a foothold in Zhaode Palace, even if he was just a mere supervisor like Qin Shuner, must have magical powers.
Concubine Wan Guifei said calmly: "What happened?"
"Reporting to the queen, the assassins sent by Meng Baicao successfully injured Han Chenhao, but somehow their whereabouts were exposed, allowing the Ning Mansion's troops to find Motie Valley. After a fierce battle, the Baijian Gang was completely destroyed, and even Captain Meng was killed in the battle."
"Meng Baicao is dead?"
Concubine Wan sat on the embroidered couch and took the teacup from the maid with a plum blossom on her forehead. She stretched out two gold and jade finger guards. She opened the tea lid, took a sip, and asked Qin Shuner with her eyes slightly slanted.
"Then how did you escape back?"
Qin Shuner knew that the Imperial Concubine was not of noble birth and suffered from the envy of the civil officials and scholars in Jiangnan, but she had been able to sit firmly in the Zhaode Palace for ten years, not only because of the emperor's favor, but also because of her own political insight.
He replied carefully, "Your Highness, this is all thanks to Gang Leader Meng's desperate fight. They were worried that I would fall into the hands of Prince Ning and hurt you, so they desperately escorted me out of Motie Valley, and I stayed behind to cover their retreat and hold back the Ning Mansion's troops."
Concubine Wan chuckled, clearly unconvinced: "Is that all?"
It makes sense that Motie Valley is 150 miles away from the capital. No matter how much the Baijian Gang delays time, the masters of the Ning Mansion would not be so incompetent as to let a weak eunuch escape back to the capital alone.
Concubine Wan sneered and said, "It seems that these words were taught to you by Prince Ning?"
Qin Shuner sensed a strong murderous intent.
Concubine Wan was not an ignorant woman hiding in the deep palace, otherwise she would not have been able to gather a group of eunuchs who obeyed her orders and had influence in both the court and the harem.
If Prince Ning had not given birth to a son, how could he dare to covet the throne?
Qin Shun'er's heart was trembling, but her tone remained calm: "Your Majesty, please allow me to speak. I haven't finished yet."
Concubine Wan handed the teacup to the maidservant Meihua. She loved to dress like a queen and handle palace affairs, but the Nine Dragons and Four Phoenixes Coronet was too heavy. After a while, she felt her neck and back were slightly heavy, so she leaned on the embroidered couch. "Then tell me."
"Not long after I escaped, the Ning Mansion's masters caught up with me. I was doomed to die, but the Guangxi Manor Coal Mine in the west of Beijing is not far from Motie Valley. I was saved by Li Yu from Guangxi Manor, and that's how I escaped."
"Who is Li Yu?"
"Reporting to the queen, Li Yu is an attendant of the Internal Affairs Bureau. He entered the palace in the eighth year of Tianyou. After I was assigned to be in charge of purchasing, I sent him outside the palace. He has been in Guangxi Manor for many years to handle the coal sales and storage of the palace. He originally had martial arts skills, and he did not forget to hone his martial arts skills while alone in Guangxi Manor. He has quite a few skills."
Concubine Wan chuckled and said, "Interesting, you have such a capable person under your command? Where is he? Has he died in battle?"
"Reporting to the queen, seeing that Li Yu is loyal and brave, I transferred him back to the Internal Affairs Bureau and prepared to make him my attendant. He is now outside the door."
"Oh!"
Concubine Wan seemed a little surprised.
The red and beautiful door opened again.
Zhang Wei glanced at him.
"Are you Li Yu? The Imperial Concubine summons you in."
Zhang Yu had sharp senses and was blessed with Bei Ming's true energy. He roughly listened to the conversation inside the door and vaguely guessed why Concubine Wan summoned him in.
"Thank you for showing me the way, eunuch. It's just a small token of my respect."
Zhang Wei opened the small cloth bag and saw the golden light inside. He weighed it and felt happy. He smiled softly and said, "Not bad. You are a sensible person."
Zhang Yu entered through Zhuqi's main gate and actually entered Sihuang Pavilion. There was a pearl curtain in the middle, dividing the room into east and west. On the west side sat two rows of musicians dressed in female official uniforms, playing various instruments and singing, each doing their own job. They didn't even look at anyone coming in and out, and on the east side stood several figures behind the curtain.
A voice came from behind the curtain.
"Just let him in."
"As ordered."
Zhang Yu walked through the beaded curtain, bowed her head and walked to the embroidered couch, kneeling down and saying, "Your servant Li Yu pays respect to the Imperial Concubine. May the Imperial Concubine live forever, enjoy great fortunes, be healthy and graceful, and remain forever beautiful."
Qin Shuner was secretly surprised. The devil of the Sun Moon Sect was so skilled in this kind of flattery? It seemed that what he said before at Wansui Mountain was true. The Jianghu and the court were all the same. Those who liked to listen naturally liked to talk.
Concubine Wan looked at Qin Shun'er, smiled and nodded, "He can talk. Did you train him?"
Qin Shuner smiled and said, "How could this servant have such ability? Your Majesty is born a saint, and she is blessed by God. Li Yu serves the master sincerely from the heart, and does not need anyone to teach him. It is all from the heart."
Concubine Wan smiled and said, "Please stand up."
"Thank you, ma'am."
Zhang Yu stood up with a bow, then stood solemnly by the side with his head bowed.
"Keep your head up."
Zhang Yu originally did not want to bend down, but he had to do it due to the situation. When he heard Concubine Wan said this, he raised his head. The first thing that caught his eye was a nine-foot-tall bronze tree lamp stand.
The pavilion was already bright and grand, with candles as thick as a baby's arm still lit on the lampstand, emitting a faint sweet fragrance that was very similar to the candles used in the Chengde Hall of the Sun and Moon Sect.
These luxurious items presented by the East China Sea navy have always been criticized by the big-headed women, but they are still sent to the deep palace every year without fail.
Because Concubine Wan suffered from a cold body, it was difficult for her to conceive. The imperial physician said that the light and fragrance of the candles could relieve the symptoms.
On the embroidered couch next to her, lying on her side was a beautiful woman in a phoenix crown and a phoenix robe. She was extremely gorgeous, with a voluptuous and well-proportioned figure, like a slowly unfolding picture of a woman sleeping in spring. Her nobility was particularly charming, and she was even more moving.
"No wonder there are rumors among the people that Wan Zhen'er is a demon concubine of the time."
When Concubine Wan looked at the young eunuch named 'Li Yu', her eyes lit up. This man was tall and handsome, and his eyes were bright. In the harem where women were more powerful than men, he had an indescribable heroic spirit.
She chuckled and said, "He's quite handsome. Is he the Li Yu you mentioned who can fend off the Ning Mansion's masters?"
Qin Shuner nodded and said, "Your Majesty, he is Li Yu."
Concubine Wan looked at Zhang Yu again and said, "Is what Qin Shun'er said true? You should think about it before you answer."
Zhang Yu pondered for a moment, then said, "Your Highness, I don't know what Eunuch Qin said to you, but I was indeed near Guangxi Manor and fought off two swordsmen and saved Eunuch Qin. At the time, I didn't know that those Jianghu men were masters of Ning Mansion. It was only after Eunuch Qin talked about it that I knew the whole story."
Concubine Wang stared at him and said in a cold voice: "Li Yu, if you deceive me, you will lose your head, right?"
Zhang Yu said calmly, "I am willing to guarantee with my head that I am not lying."
"Meixin, go and give him a try."
The maid seemed to be seventeen or eighteen years old, with a plum blossom on her forehead. She was pretty and cute, but her eyes were a little dull. She had been standing beside the embroidered couch, like a puppet. When she heard her master's instructions, she looked up and walked towards Zhang Yu.
"suddenly!"
The little girl chopped out with her left hand swiftly, with a fierce palm wind.
“It’s quite powerful.”
Zhang Yu raised his hand to block, his internal force vibrated, and the bead curtain behind him swayed slightly.
Seeing this, Zhang Wei moved to the side of the embroidery couch to prevent the two men from hurting the imperial concubine.
Mei Xin's palm techniques were getting faster and faster, and their power was getting stronger and stronger. Although she looked delicate, her martial arts skills were quite magnificent, and they were not fancy moves. If he was not careful, a palm strike would be enough to hurt him.
Zhang Yu only used 50% of his strength at the beginning, but now he has to deal with it seriously.
"Seven Palms of Overlapping Waves!"
Mei Xin chopped out with both palms in succession, leaving afterimages in the air. One palm was stronger than the other as they covered the opponent. The sound of breaking through the air was like river waves hitting the cliffs of clouds. This is the origin of the name of this palm technique "Seventeen Layers of Overlapping Waves".
"Double tornado water!"
Zhang Yu looked solemn. He quickly raised his palms, circulated the Beiming Qi, and pushed forward.
The pearl curtain was swaying wildly outwards, and the female students thought that an assassin had come. They put down their instruments and looked inside. However, the woman who was singing the lyrics was not affected at all. Seeing this, everyone returned to their original positions and played Guan Hanqing's "Jade Flute" again.
The true energy swept across and the afterimage disappeared.
Zhang Yu changed his palm into a claw. Mei Xin wanted to withdraw her palm, but she was not as fast as the other party. In an instant, her wrist was grabbed. Her internal energy was stagnant. She wanted to resist, but was stopped by Concubine Wan.
Mei Xin closed her hands and slowly retreated to the embroidered couch.
Zhang Yu bowed and said, "Please forgive me for disturbing you, Your Majesty."
"What a great skill! I believe you now."
Concubine Wan was sitting on the embroidered couch. Seeing Li Yusheng's tall figure and handsome face, she nodded slightly. Although this man was as fair as a woman, he did not have the slightest feminine air. Instead, he was full of masculinity. It was a pity... that he was sent to the Internal Affairs Bureau.
The door of Sihuang Pavilion slowly closed.
The singing voice coming from behind also became faint.
"Huang Zhaofeng was pious, and built the Lichun Garden... The people of Yuzhang City had a full moon... Su Shixian married Shuang County Magistrate... Heaven granted his romantic wish."
Qin Shuner breathed a sigh of relief, the first hurdle was finally passed.
(End of this chapter)