amaotonovel Chapter 148 Witch Gu
Chapter 148 Witch Gu
Xia Dongchun didn't think that her relationship with Concubine Cao was that good, but she didn't say anything definite. "It's been hot these past two days, and Ling Yuan is a little listless. As long as Ling Yuan is fine, I will naturally take her to see her sister."
Concubine Cao nodded. She had not expected Xia Dongchun to agree immediately. If Xia Dongchun agreed readily, she would become suspicious.
An Lingrong looked at the atmosphere that she could not fit in, and secretly dug her nails into her palms. Her hatred for Xia Dongchun increased even more.
After coming out from Xia Dongchun's place, An Lingrong's eyes flickered. She couldn't bear it anymore. She always had to endure it in front of outsiders. Wouldn't it be fine if she just didn't let outsiders know this time?
Thinking of this, An Lingrong came up with an idea.
......
The weather was hot, and the young eunuchs and palace maids were unwilling to move around. Xia Dongchun didn't have that much to do, so he simply left only the wet nurse, Yunling, Yinzhu and Xiao Zhuozi to look after Ling Yuan with him, and let the rest finish their own work and then go and rest.
There was a bamboo mat on the bed. Ling Yuan could already stand up and move around by herself with the help of something. Xia Dongchun was sitting beside the bed, and Xiao Zhuzi was turning the wind wheel to blow air over. The wet nurse, Yun Ling, and Yin Zhu were all around the bed to prevent Ling Yuan from falling off the bed due to unstable footing.
Ling Yuan was just moving herself to the bed, and then moving herself to throw herself into Xia Dongchun's arms. She was having a great time when a little palace maid knocked on the door and came in, bowing first: "This servant greets the queen."
Xia Dongchun didn't take his eyes off Ling Yuan: "Go ahead."
The little palace maid then spoke up: "I have got the thing, but it is absolutely not allowed to appear in the palace. I dare not make a decision on my own, so I want to ask the queen for permission."
"What is it?" Xia Dongchun then shifted his gaze from Ling Yuan to the little palace maid.
The eyes of several people in the room also looked over. The little palace maid took out something from her bosom, opened the layers of cloth wrapped around it, and finally revealed the contents.
——It turned out to be a voodoo doll.
The doll was not very big, probably only the size of a palm. A piece of paper was fixed on its chest with a needle, and An Lingrong's name was written on the paper. If someone saw it, this matter would definitely not end well.
"How could this thing appear in the palace?!" Yun Ling exclaimed in a low voice, "Let's not talk about other things for now. Our emperor hates ghosts and gods the most. If this matter is exposed to the emperor, how can we be safe?"
"Witchcraft is a taboo in the palace." Yin Zhu also said, "It seems that Lady An really hates our queen so much that she is not even afraid of such bad luck."
"Sister Yin Zhu is right," the little palace maid also said, "That is why I dare not take the initiative and come to ask the queen how to deal with this thing."
This little palace maid was the one who had informed An Lingrong before, but what An Lingrong didn't know was that this little palace maid was actually Xia Dongchun's person, and what she said when she informed An Lingrong was just what Xia Dongchun wanted An Lingrong to know.
Xia Dongchun pondered for a moment, her eyes lingering on the witchcraft doll for a long time before she slightly curved her lips and revealed a smile: "Mrs. An is so worried, I naturally can't just give her a perfunctory answer. Doesn't she like these witchcraft techniques? Then let her 'like it'."
Yun Ling and Yin Zhu looked at each other and probably guessed what Xia Dongchun meant. After a moment of hesitation, the little palace maid also reacted. However, she did not dare to do such a thing by herself. She said in embarrassment: "But...but I really dare not do such a disrespectful thing to the queen."
"It's okay. I won't make it difficult for you. You can go down first. I'll call you back when I have everything ready." Xia Dongchun waved her hand, signaling the young maid to leave first. "By the way, burn that thing. Otherwise, if someone sees it, we won't be able to explain ourselves."
"Yes, your Majesty, rest assured. I will handle this matter thoroughly." The little palace maid took the things and left.
"Ah——" Before Xia Dongchun could come to her senses, Ling Yuan came towards her again, staggeringly, holding a cloth tiger made of silver vermilion in her hand. Xia Dongchun put those things aside for the time being and started teasing her daughter.
......
On this day, Yinzhen was playing with Lingyuan at Xia Dongchun's place when Xiao Xiazi came in to announce, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Concubine Cao is here with Princess Wenyi."
Yinzhen frowned. Xia Dongchun glanced at Yinzhen's face and said, "It's so sunny outside, and Princess Wen Yi has always been weak. She can't be exposed to the sun like this. Your Majesty, please ask Sister Cao to bring the princess in quickly."
Yinzhen gave Xiao Xiazi a look, and Xiao Xiazi knew that Yinzhen wanted him to do as Xia Dongchun wanted. He bowed slightly and went out to invite people.
Not long after, Concubine Cao came in holding Princess Wen Yi, followed by the palace maid Yinxiu and the wet nurse.
"I pay my respects to His Majesty and to Concubine Zhao." Concubine Cao bowed to both of them with a smile on her face.
Yinzhen raised his hand and said, "Sit down. Why did you come out with Wen Yi in such a hot sun? You are not afraid, but Wen Yi is still young. What if she gets a heat stroke?"
Concubine Cao smiled and was about to speak, but Xia Dongchun beat her to the punch: "I'm afraid Princess Wen Yi misses the emperor. The emperor, as the emperor's father, has been visiting Ling Yuan more recently. Princess Wen Yi hasn't seen the emperor, so naturally she misses him."
Yinzhen laughed out loud and pointed at Xia Dongchun: "Look, you are always good at talking. Wen Yi is so young and still naive. How can he think about it?"
"Although Princess Wen Yi is young, she is closely connected with the emperor, so she will naturally miss him." Xia Dongchun smiled, as if joking, "Why else? Could it be that the emperor wanted to say that Sister Cao missed him, so he brought the princess here? If so, the emperor would embarrass Sister Cao."
"What can I say about you? You dare to say anything." Although Yinzhen said this, there was no anger in his tone.
Zhen Huan has not yet been restored to favor, and Concubine Nian has not yet been reappointed. Since coming to the Old Summer Palace, it can be said that Xia Dongchun is the most favored one.
Everyone thought that she would lose favor after losing her child, but unexpectedly, she used Yinzhen's sympathy for her losing her child to further consolidate his favor.
In addition, there was also a Princess Lingyuan, and it could be said that Yinzhen visited her the most times.
But compared to the smiles on Yinzhen and Xia Dongchun's faces, Concubine Cao couldn't smile at all. It was because what he said hit the mark.
Originally, Yinzhen was busy with government affairs and she was not favored. Yinzhen did not visit Wen Yi very often. Since Ling Yuan came, it was even less often. As a mother, how could she not worry about Wen Yi?
As Wen Yi's biological mother, she did not hold a high position and could not bring any good future to Wen Yi. If Wen Yi was no longer favored by the emperor, she would probably not be able to find a good husband in the future.
Knowing that Yinzhen came to see Ling Yuan again today, a cautious person like her couldn't help but become even more anxious, so she could only take the risk and bring Wen Yi directly to Xia Dongchun's place.