CHAPTER 59: CHAPTER 58: ZHAOZHAO IS AMAZING!

Yu Nianzhao continued where she left off, "Did you dream of a snake? Was it always entangling you?"

Consort Chen blushed, speaking shyly, "It’s true, but it wasn’t a bad dream, just weird..."

Afraid of misunderstanding, she quickly added a remark.

Yu Nianzhao calculated with her fingers, appearing more serious, "Did you relocate your palace recently?"

Consort Chen blinked, "How did Princess Consort Su know? Was it the Empress who told you?"

The Empress calmly took a sip of tea, shook her head, and said, "Why would I mention you to Zhaozhao?"

Consort Chen awkwardly laughed, "I just thought Princess Consort Su had a remarkable foresight."

Yu Nianzhao continued, "Did you encounter a snake when you relocated? And was it killed?"

Consort Chen exclaimed, "That’s uncanny! It was a minor incident originally, known only to the maids and nannies around me, no one else. Could it be that the snake entangling me in my dreams is the very one that was killed? Is it going to harm me?"

Consort Chen’s face turned pale as she spoke with grievance, "Initially, we were just going to remove the flowers in the courtyard to replace them with new seedlings. Who knew a snake would be dug up? I fear snakes, slippery and slimy creatures, who can tolerate them in the palace? The palace eunuchs killed it and disposed of it. Why is it still haunting me?"

"Because that snake was close to becoming a spirit, originally hibernating and cultivating under the locust tree. And it was abruptly killed, leaving it with resentment. Without relief after death, naturally, its spirit would cling to you. It’s not a good situation; it’s absorbing your essence, causing your forehead to darken and your face to worsen." Yu Nianzhao pointed out the problem with a single sentence.

"What? Absorbing my essence?" Consort Chen covered her face in terror, "What should I do? Will I die? Princess Consort Su, you must save me. I’ll pay whatever it takes. I’m still so young; I can’t let it ruin my life!"

"It won’t be fatal; it hasn’t become a snake spirit, nor has it transformed into human form. At most, it’ll drain your essence, making you age and fade." Yu Nianzhao spoke with an easygoing tone.

Tears glittered in Consort Chen’s eyes as she trembled and said, "No, that’s more unbearable than dying. Without youth and beauty, after the Emperor grows weary, what awaits me are bitter days. That’s unacceptable!"

"Nanny, go fetch the money, ten thousand taels!" Consort Chen said through tears, clenching her teeth, "Also, bring out the jewelry box, and present them all to Princess Consort Su!"

"Yes!"

The Empress was pleased to see Consort Chen so willing to offer much wealth. She nodded approvingly, "Zhaozhao, how about it? Can this matter be solved for Consort Chen?"

Yu Nianzhao nodded, "It’s just the spirit of a snake yet to become a demon, a minor matter. Can the snake’s body still be found?"

"It... It was thrown away at the time!" Consort Chen hesitated briefly, then resolutely said, "Even if they have to dig three feet down, they must find it. It’s only a matter of days; it shouldn’t have been thrown far."

Promptly, she instructed the maids to search for the snake’s body.

"Just retrieve the remains for a ritual!" Yu Nianzhao chuckled, "If you can’t find it, that’s fine too; I can threaten it a bit."

Threaten... the ghost of the snake spirit?

Speaking of such frightening things with such composure, Consort Chen inexplicably felt a sense of safety, and her mood calmed significantly.

"Consort Chen, we’ve found it—But it’s... After being caught, it was secretly sold by a junior eunuch to the Imperial Physician for medication. Its gallbladder was extracted, bones ground into powder, skin peeled, and the meat eaten!"

The nanny beside Consort Chen brought two porcelain bottles, each filled with powder made from the snake spirit.

Consort Chen felt like crying, "All turned out this way? And even eaten? No wonder there’s so much resentment, that junior eunuch deserves to die!"

Yu Nianzhao calmly said, "That eunuch didn’t know the snake was close to becoming a spirit; it’s no matter. Grinding it to powder works; let’s treat it like the snake spirit’s ashes. We’ll borrow a Buddha hall and offer incense to let it reincarnate."

Consort Chen clasped her hands, "Amitabha Buddha! Is that all I need to do? I’ll hurry and prepare."

"There are only two Buddha halls in the palace: one set by the Empress Dowager, and one set by the Grand Consort. Which one will Consort Chen use?" The Empress unemotionally gazed at Consort Chen.

Consort Chen felt an inexplicable chill down her spine, her expression becoming conflicted.

In the inner palace, there have always been two factions.

One is the Empress Dowager’s faction, the other is the Grand Consort’s faction.

As the Empress, naturally, she sides with the Grand Consort, the Emperor’s biological mother.

Consort Chen’s mother’s family is distantly related to the Duke Luu Mansion. Though not openly biased toward either faction, the ties suggest she’d lean towards the Empress Dowager’s faction.

This situation now puts her in a difficult position.

The Empress put down her teacup, gently saying, "Zhaozhao is Princess Consort Su; when you ask someone to handle affairs, sincerity is required. Isn’t that right, Consort Chen?"

Consort Chen’s heart sank, cold sweat emerging on her forehead.

After much internal conflict, ultimately, appearance was more crucial.

If I don’t restore my appearance, the Emperor’s favor diminishes; what use is the Empress Dowager’s faction then? The Empress Dowager cannot force the Emperor to keep favoring me.

Consort Chen gritted her teeth and said, "Of course, it shall be in the Buddha hall set by the Grand Consort."

"Truly teachable!" The Empress smiled and nodded, "Alright, go prepare, I’ve already informed the Grand Consort’s attendants. The Buddha hall will be lent to Consort Chen today."

Consort Chen felt enlightened, as if her intellect was crushed by the Empress.

Even this precondition was anticipated and prepared for. Though with mixed emotions, she hastened preparations.

Once Consort Chen left, face grim, the Empress tenderly caressed Yu Nianzhao’s hair, softly saying, "Zhaozhao, you’re remarkable! Not only a blessing for Prince Su but also for me."

Indeed, effortlessly securing stances of two consorts.

Yu Nianzhao felt awkward; she knew nothing, merely handling matters!

When they placed the snake spirit ashes in the Buddha hall, Yu Nianzhao drew a golden sigil on the ashes urn.

Amid howling winds in the Buddha hall, a fierce-looking snake shadow appeared before the ashes urn, grinning at Consort Chen, just about to charge at her, blocked by the golden sigil.

"Ah!"

Consort Chen jumped in fright, trembling all over, "Yes, this is the snake that appeared in the dream."

Yu Nianzhao commanded, "I’ve summoned its spirit. Keep chanting sutras, and transcribe the scriptures."

Consort Chen, shaking, picked up the brush to transcribe the sutras while her chanting trembled with fear.