Chapter 271
**Chapter 269: The He Huan Flower**
Before Li Chengtai and Li Chengyou returned to the palace, Li Chengzhen had always been the most outstanding prince. He excelled in both archery and academics, standing head and shoulders above the other princes. But ever since those twins came back to the palace, all the glory that belonged to Li Chengzhen was snatched away by the two little rascals!
The old nanny tried to soothe him, saying, “Your Highness, there’s no need to rush. As the saying goes, one bite at a time, one task at a time. Let’s take it slow; you’ll memorize those classical texts eventually. It looks like it’s going to rain soon, so let’s head back inside and rest.”
But Li Chengzhen was already teetering on the edge of madness.
The old nanny was shocked to find that his madness bore a striking resemblance to that of the Empress.
Li Chengzhen slammed his hand on the table, stood up, and tore the ancient text in his hands to shreds. He burst out of the study and staggered toward the pond in the courtyard.
On this summer night, it seemed a heavy rain was imminent. The sky darkened, ominous clouds piled up in the night, and the wind howled, causing the lotus leaves and flowers in the pond to sway and dance.
Boom—
Thunder rumbled in the sky.
Li Chengzhen squatted by the pond, lost in thought as the wind and rain poured down, accompanied by flashes of lightning and deafening thunder. The rain-soaked face was a mask of terror as he clutched his head, and once again, a woman’s pale face loomed before him.
The woman, with blood streaming from her seven orifices, glared at Li Chengzhen with unyielding eyes, her mouth uttering a venomous curse:
**“I... curse... you... to die a miserable death...”**
It was the late Consort Zhou from the Yan Wangfu, the one who had died before Li Chengzhen’s eyes. Wracked with pain, he pressed his hands against his head, tormented by the hallucination, and screamed, “Ah! Don’t come after me! Get away!”
The old nanny rushed over, dragging the deranged Li Chengzhen back inside, shutting the door and drawing the heavy curtains. She comforted him, “Your Highness, don’t be afraid. The storm will pass soon. You should rest; I won’t extinguish the light.”
Li Chengzhen feared the night more than anything, especially during thunderstorms. Each midnight tempest filled him with dread, as if he were plummeting into an abyss.
Outside, the thunder roared, and sleep eluded Li Chengzhen. His eyes were bloodshot. He grabbed the old nanny’s hand, his voice sharp, “Get me two beasts! Hurry, bring me two beasts! I want to kill them!”
His pain was insatiable, and only by inflicting pain on others could he find some semblance of relief.
The old nanny winced as his grip drew blood from her hand. “Your Highness, please! The Consort is aware of this; you can’t harm anyone else...”
Li Chengzhen kicked the old nanny away, pulled out a whip and a dagger from the drawer, and charged into the quarters of the palace servants.
Boom—
Several sleeping eunuchs jolted awake in terror as the door swung open. A flash of lightning illuminated the drenched figure of Li Chengzhen, who stood at the entrance like a demon.
The youngest eunuch let out a terrified scream, attempting to flee, but Li Chengzhen seized him, his eyes cold and menacing. “Where do you think you’re going, my little brother? Weren’t you just so proud in front of Father today?”
The young eunuch whimpered, “Your Highness, I’m not your brother—ah—”
The storm raged on, thunder and lightning clashing with the anguished cries, echoing throughout the night.
...
...
In the Cining Palace.
“Ah-choo—”
Li Chengyou, deep in slumber, sneezed, startling Li Chengtai awake beside him.
Li Chengtai rubbed his sleepy eyes, hearing the howling wind and rain outside, accompanied by thunder. The window had been blown open by the wind, and the cold air rustled the bed curtains as the palace maid outside hurried to close it.
Exhausted, Li Chengtai, using the fleeting light from the lightning, noticed his brother sprawled out, the blanket nowhere to be found.
“Foolish little brother.” Li Chengtai picked up the fallen blanket and covered his brother with it.
He yawned and crawled back into bed, quickly drifting off to sleep.
...
...
After the stormy night, the red walls and tiles of the Qing Kingdom’s harem looked refreshed, the oppressive heat of recent days finally alleviated.
At dawn, Shen Wei instructed Rong Mama to inspect the palace buildings for damage and promptly repair any walls that had been struck by lightning.
“Master, there’s news,” Caiping rushed over, whispering to Shen Wei, “This morning, two eunuchs were carried out from the Second Prince’s quarters. They say they were struck dead by lightning last night. It’s inauspicious; they need to be sent out of the palace and thrown into a potter’s field. I secretly intercepted the bodies and placed them in the Yeting.”
Shen Wei set down the account book in her hands. “Go fetch Doctor Mo to examine the bodies.”
Caiping was always efficient, often anticipating Shen Wei’s needs without being told. For instance, after finding the bodies, she knew to seek out Doctor Mo for an examination without needing any prompting.
But now, Caiping wore a worried expression. “Master, today Doctor Mo is on duty, but I went looking for him early, and no one knows where he is.”
Doctor Mo had slipped away during his shift, and his whereabouts were unknown.
Shen Wei frowned, pondering for a moment. “Go to Qiuliang Palace.”
Caiping looked astonished.
Wasn’t that the residence of Princess Li Qingxun from a century ago? Did Doctor Mo go there to wander about?
...
After the storm, many flowers, plants, and trees in the harem were damaged, with fallen branches scattered everywhere. The palace maids were methodically collecting the branches and clearing the paths.
Shen Wei’s palanquin arrived at Qiuliang Palace.
A few bricks and tiles had fallen from the outer wall, and a broken He Huan tree branch lay across the stone path, with damaged He Huan flowers strewn all over the ground. The gates of Qiuliang Palace were tightly shut.
The palace maid unlocked the rusty chain on the gate, and Shen Wei stepped down from the palanquin, accompanied only by Caiping as they entered Qiuliang Palace.
In the courtyard, the ground was littered with shattered bricks and branches, all blown down by last night’s storm.
Mo Xun, dressed in a blue robe with her sleeves rolled up, revealing her slender white arms, was diligently sweeping the ground with a large broom.
“Doctor Mo?” Caiping exclaimed in surprise.
Mo Xun looked up and greeted Shen Wei, “Consort Shen, what brings you here?”
Shen Wei was at a loss for words.
As she had suspected, Mo Xun had come to Qiuliang Palace to loiter again. Ever since Mo Xun became a physician, she had taken to spending her free time in Qiuliang Palace.
Whether sitting atop the tall He Huan tree to enjoy the view or lounging beneath it to cool off, sometimes, when the mood struck her, she would even bring a mat and sneak off to this desolate courtyard for a nap.
Qiuliang Palace held a fatal allure for Mo Xun.
“There are two bodies that need your examination,” Shen Wei stated directly.
Mo Xun wiped the sweat from her forehead. “Sure, I’ll help you with that right away. After I examine the bodies, I’ll come back to clean up the courtyard. Last night’s storm was terrifying; it nearly destroyed Qiuliang Palace.”
Shen Wei couldn’t help but ask, “Why do you come to this palace so often?”
This area of the harem was filled with abandoned palaces, places even the eunuchs and maids avoided, rife with eerie and terrifying legends.
Yet, Mo Xun seemed drawn to it.
A smile crept onto Mo Xun’s face as she looked up at the pink He Huan flowers, washed by the rain and scattered about. The gentle breeze made the remaining blossoms sway lightly, as if transcending time, blooming in the flowing currents of history.
Mo Xun spoke softly, “Perhaps it’s because the He Huan flowers here bloom so beautifully.”
Table of Contents
