Imperial Palace.
Ying Fuyan finally managed to dismiss the officials.
There weren’t many people left in the hall. Only Wei Zhao, Xiao Huaian, and...
He Xuran looked displeased as he approached Wei Zhao.
"Is there nothing you want to say to ?"
He didn’t dare question Gu Fuju, as he was an elder.
Nor did he dare question Ying Fuyan, as he was the emperor.
Wei Zhao seed lost in thought, perhaps his mind wasn’t there, and he didn’t respond.
Xiao Huaian spoke up, "Why not ask ?"
"Ask you?"
Like hell.
He Xuran: "I finally understand why you always call second place for life."
Because Xiao Huaian couldn’t take the exam and was jealous that he took his second place.
"When Wei Zhao left the Imperial College, he couldn’t stand seeing take the top spot, and you clamored to bring him back to suppress ."
He Xuran: "I always thought you were just being unreasonable."
But now it seems.
You were indeed being unreasonable!
So things shouldn’t be overanalyzed.
He Xuran sneered, "Once, I fell ill and didn’t go to the Imperial College for a long ti. I didn’t even collect the papers sent down, and when I got better, I found them in the desk’s belly."
"The answers were correct, but soone had used a red pen to write a bunch of comnts, nitpicking my choice of words."
It wasn’t the handwriting of the tutor.
"Were you the one with too much ti on your hands?"
Xiao Huaian: "Why so upset?"
"You once said the comnts were insightful and spent three days admiring them."
He Xuran wasn’t bothered by others being better than him.
He understood that there are always higher mountains and greater people out there.
But he couldn’t accept being toyed with.
He Xuran gritted his teeth, "You suggested I take it ho and stick it on the wall."
Xiao Huaian expressed, "I don’t rember."
He Xuran smiled faintly, on the verge of breaking down, "It’s still on the wall."
He planned to burn it when he got ho later.
Ying Fuyan spoke up at the right mont, in a gentle and soft tone.
"Xuran."
It sounded overly familiar.
He Xuran didn’t want to pay attention to him either.
To think he had been so indignant on Ying Fuyan’s behalf before.
But after all, he was the new emperor, and so He Xuran, frustrated, courteously saluted, "I am here, Your Majesty."
Ying Fuyan: "Co over here. I have sothing to ask of you."
He indeed lowered himself to ask.
After all, there were too many sses. Not to ntion, the stack of docunts on the desk and the floor had not been dealt with yet.
Ask?
He Xuran: ??
"What does the Holy Emperor command?"
Ying Fuyan expressed, "It’s a bit much."
After all, he belonged to the Imperial Censorate, and He Xuran maintained a cupped-fist salute, "One should assist the emperor in clearing troubles, and would not dare refuse even if the axe hangs upon him."
After old matters were brought up, Xiao Huaian, feeling a little guilty, pulled him aside with a newfound sense of humanity.
Don’t make promises you can’t keep, fool!
He Xuran brushed him off with one swift motion.
Xiao Huaian persuaded, "Why don’t you reconsider?"
He Xuran replied coldly, "There’s no need for Heir Xiao to be concerned with my affairs."
"What, are you dissatisfied now that the Holy Emperor favors ?"
Xiao Huaian: ...
Ying Fuyan: ...
It’s one-track mindedness; be cautious.
Wei Zhao slowly lifted his gaze and walked up to He Xuran.
"What did you ask just now?"
He Xuran: "Is there nothing you want to say to ?"
"Yes."
Wei Zhao raised his hand and patted him on the shoulder.
"Take care."
————
Bao Pu arrived at Duke Shun Mansion in the afternoon.
He was still dressed as before, in a Daoist robe, holding a compass in his hand.
He was brimming with excitent.
"You were looking for before. Was there sothing you needed?"
That was a long ti ago, but Bao Pu was then in the Imperial Palace.
The smile on Yu Tingwan’s lips gradually faded, and he had Tan Jiang serve tea, inviting Bao Pu to sit down.
"I..."
She sat upright, her eyes calm, "I wanted you to perform a ritual."
"Alright."
Bao Pu agreed in one breath.
He was even quite proactive.
"When? If it’s urgent, it can be done anyti."
Yu Tingwan lowered her eyes.
Thinking it over.
Finally, he hesitated and said.
"Stay for dinner tonight."
Bao Pu didn’t react imdiately.
But suddenly recalled that Shunzi, who sent him over, had said sothing without rhy or reason.
——"The General will return to the mansion for dinner."
At that ti, Bao Pu found it inexplicable; why report his return?
But now, he vaguely understood.
This couple wanted him to perform a ritual at night.
"What kind of ritual?"
Yu Tingwan’s lips moved slightly: "To transcend the infant spirit."
Comfort the lost soul and help it move on.
Bao Pu understood.
He carefully instructed, "Prepare incense, candles, fresh flowers, fruits, vermillion yellow paper, and infant spirit clothing pack, among others."
These items had already been prepared by Yu Tingwan.
Bao Pu took the talisman paper, dipped the brush in vermillion, and was about to start writing the transcendence letter.
The letter must specify the nas of the parents, the ti of miscarriage or infant death, and the intention to transcend.
He was just about to ask.
The woman’s voice ca with no emotion.
"Father, Wei Zhao, Mother, Yu Tingwan."
Bao Pu’s hand trembled three tis, quickly looking at Yu Tingwan.
There was no sign of a joke on her face.
This kind of matter wouldn’t be a joking subject.
Where is the child?
How did he not know?
Bao Pu suddenly rembered when he first t Wei Zhao and Yu Tingwan and divined their fortunes, seeing the thread of their marital fate.
One was deep, the other shallow.
The shallow one was imperceptible to the naked eye. Its speed of visibility gradually dimd, transporting brightness to the deep one.
This indicated a previous life’s fate was shallow, but this life would renew their bond.
His Taoist abilities were ultimately not profound enough; this was all he could discern.
But obviously, Yu Tingwan knew more.
Bao Pu suppressed his shock and did not ask further questions.
As a Daoist, how could he not understand that many things in this world cannot be explained by common sense?
Yu Tingwan softly said, "I can’t give an exact ti, just a rough guess, is that alright?"
Bao Pu answered laboriously, "Alright."
Even if not alright, he had to make it work.
Yu Tingwan asked, "What else do I need to do?"
"Fast for three days after the ritual."
"One more thing."
"Madam, just speak frankly."
Yu Tingwan did not obscure or conceal.
"I have so mories, but they are very fragnted. Sotis I see the past life, sotis I can see the future, but for a long ti now, I haven’t seen any of that."
"The past life was mostly unpleasant things, better not to recall, but they feel like a fishbone stuck in my throat..."
She wanted to know the fate of everyone.
Especially Wei Zhao.
Yu Tingwan asked, "Do you have a way?"
Bao Pu said, "Madam, look at ."
"Though I’m quite capable, but..."
Yu Tingwan slapped the table, "I don’t allow you to look down on yourself!"
Bao Pu: ...
Bao Pu did not underestimate himself.
He just wanted Yu Tingwan to underestimate him.
This matter was indeed new, and he wanted to try it.
Bao Pu, under Yu Tingwan’s trusting gaze, took out the turtle shell.
He sat rigidly before the table, his fingertips pinching white, cold sweat beading on his forehead. With eyes tightly shut, his consciousness cautiously probed the chaotic heavens as if walking on thin ice.
The Copper Coin jingled atop the turtle shell.
The hexagram appeared and disappeared like a dying fla.
Yu Tingwan waited on the side.
An incense stick’s ti.
Half an hour.
Bao Pu sat like an old monk, motionless.
She started to feel uneasy.
Just as she thought to suggest stopping, to find another way herself.
The Copper Coin cracked with a sound, a fine fissure appeared.
A tallic taste rose in his throat, and Bao Pu abruptly coughed up blood. Yet just as the hexagram was about to disperse, he glimpsed a faint glow fleeting by like a floating thread.
Yu Tingwan suddenly stood up, afraid for his wellbeing.
Otherwise, she thought she should be damned.
The blood at Bao Pu’s lips didn’t get wiped in ti.
He was extrely excited.
"Madam!"
Yu Tingwan: "Are you alright? Did you suffer a backlash?"
Bao Pu: "I indeed! Am omnipotent!"
Yu Tingwan: ...
Bao Pu inford, "The hexagram tells today isn’t a suitable day for the ritual. Postpone it to three days later."
"In these three days, Madam should go about as usual, do what she needs to do, no forcing yourself or ntal burdens."
The rest is up to fate.
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