Green Mountain

Qi Zhaoning hurriedly said, "What the Chen family prepares is the Chen family's business, I haven't agreed yet!"

The women giggled, "Alright, alright, you don't agree. You had better not agree, so others can have a chance. By the way, what's up with Zhaoyun's marriage?"

Qi Zhaoyun was not very interested, "I am not getting married."

While everyone was surprised by her reaction, they suddenly heard the bell of the Ancestor Silkworm Altar ringing, and someone whispered urging, "Hurry up, the grand ceremony is starting, the Empress is about to offer sacrifices to the gods."

Several people hurried to the main hall and stood in their designated positions according to the rules: Concubines in front, titled ladies in the middle, family members of officials at the back, everyone had their place, and they couldn't move around freely.

A few women tiptoed, seeing from afar the Empress dragging her dark cyan train, entering the Hall of the Three Pure Ones surrounded by palace maids.

Outside the great hall, musicians from the Music Performance Department played while palace people danced to the music. All the city officials' families lowered their heads silently, standing below the steps, waiting for the ceremony to end.

Inside the great hall, the Empress came calmly to the statue of the Three Pure Ones, accepting nine sticks of incense from the palace maid.

Burn three sticks of incense, symbolizing heaven, earth, and mankind.

Burn six sticks of incense, symbolizing the six directions: up, down, north, south, east, and west.

Burn nine sticks of incense, symbolizing the utmost superiority, praying for the gods of heaven and earth to bestow blessings, protecting the country and society, and ensuring the peace of all.

The Empress, supporting her wide robe sleeves, dabbed the incense sticks with some incense oil, then brought them to the altar candle flame.

But strangely, the incense sticks in her hand never lit up, as if what she was holding was a metal rod, not incense sticks.

The Empress remained calm, turning her head to glance at Yuan Jin. Yuan Jin immediately sensed something was amiss, swiftly handing her another nine sticks of incense from the side.

The Empress concealed them within her sleeves, nonchalantly placing them over the candle flame again.

But this time, the incense still would not light.

Yuan Jin's expression changed, lowering his voice, "Your Majesty, someone has tampered with the incense."

The Empress said expressionlessly, "Don't create a fuss, bring more incense."

Seeing the Empress's composed demeanor, Yuan Jin gradually calmed down.

She immediately summoned a few palace maids to stand in a row at the entrance, blocking everyone's view. Meanwhile, she went to the side hall to fetch new incense sticks for the Empress, waiting for her to light the incense.

Yet no matter how many sticks were replaced, the incense sticks never ignited.

The Empress looked at the incense in her hand and smiled, "Sister Xue is bold indeed, and in such a hurry, even daring to meddle with the sacrificial ceremony."

Yuan Jin frowned and asked, "What should we do now?"

The Empress said indifferently, "What else can we do, the music and dance will end soon, just put on a show for now."

After speaking, she pretended the incense was lit, inserting it into the incense burner, and bowed three times.

The music stopped.

As the final drumbeat fell, the Empress turned to walk out of the hall as if nothing had happened.

But at this moment.

Outside the great hall, below the steps, a concubine suddenly exclaimed softly, raising a hand to point to the Hall of the Three Pure Ones, "Is the incense not burning, why is there no smoke?"

Yuan Jin sharply turned his head, glaring directly at Xue Imperial Concubine among the concubines, his gaze like a knife, seemingly wanting to carve a piece of flesh from her face.

The Empress looked at Xue Imperial Concubine and smiled warmly, "Sister, you're mistaken."

Xue Imperial Concubine good-heartedly pointed inside the hall, "I'm not mistaken, the incense hasn't burned, there's not a hint of smoke. Shouldn't we take the incense down and relight it, lest the Taoist Ancestor blame us?"

The Empress remained silent.

Below the steps, the officials' families exchanged glances, whispering among themselves.

The Emperor Ning trusted Daoism and matters related to the Dao Court could not tolerate any carelessness. Or rather, believe it or not, all the officials' families knew that there were indeed gods in the world.

Now that the incense won't light, it's a divine punishment, the Empress has lost virtue!

Someone whispered, "Could it be that last year's flood in Henan Province was also because of..."

"Silence! Matters of the inner palace are none of your business, do you want to die?"

The officials' families felt remorse, having dressed up extravagantly today, thinking it was merely an outing, yet they unexpectedly got involved in this trouble, probably because the Crown Prince's recent encounters made Xue Imperial Concubine anxious.

The Empress stood quietly, surveying below the steps, knowing that today would not end well.

While she was contemplating her response, Yuan Jin signaled to one of the officials' family members, and immediately someone from the Hu family shouted, "Someone must have tampered with the incense, intending to frame the Empress, should arrest all those responsible and interrogate them severely in the Imperial Prison to find out the mastermind behind this, and their intentions."

Xue Imperial Concubine calmly said, "No need to rush blame. Offering sacrifices to the Silkworm God is a big matter, quickly call for someone to fetch the backup incense in the Ancestor Silkworm Altar for Her Majesty, see if it can be lit."

The Empress chuckled lightly, "And if it still won't light?"

No one spoke.

If all the long incense cannot be lit, even killing a hundred people afterwards won't stop the Empress's loss of virtue from spreading.

Yuan Jin whispered in the Empress's ear: "I'm sure Imperial Concubine Xue has prepared contingency plans. Once today's events conclude, someone will intentionally spread the news. I shall ride quickly to the palace and fetch the incense regularly used in Kunning Palace to ensure nothing goes wrong."

The Empress whispered: "It's too late."

Since Imperial Concubine Xue dared to set up this scheme, she must have foreseen it. Before Yuan Jin returns, someone will strike again.

But without the incense, how can one vindicate oneself?

The Empress's gaze scanned the faces of the officials' families once more, not knowing whether beneath those faces lay humans or demons.

However, at this moment.

From among the nuns of Jingyang Palace, Bai Li stepped forth, directly moving through the crowd, heading towards the Three Pure Ones Hall.

The officials' families looked surprised at the passing nun beside them, her deep blue Daoist robe making her neck appear as snow-white and long, her unadorned brows and eyes calm as a lake.

Imperial Concubine Xue heard the commotion behind her and turned to look: "Who are you? Withdraw."

Bai Li acted as if she heard nothing, stepping one by one onto the stone steps before the hall.

On the steps, the Jiefan Guard drew his blade angrily and pointed: "Who are you? Step back!"

Bai Li's pace remained unchanged, ignoring the long knife as if it were nothing.

The Empress quietly observed Bai Li for a moment, then suddenly smiled: "Put away the blade and let her come over."

The Jiefan Guards were puzzled but sheathed their blades, allowing Bai Li to pass through them into the grand hall of the Three Pure Ones.

Bai Li retrieved the cup-shaped divination tools from the altar and, holding them with both hands, exited the hall.

She knelt on the stone steps: "Faithful Bai Li humbly requests the Three Pure Ancestors to discern right from wrong. Today, the long incense does not burn, is it due to villainous sabotage?"

After speaking, she cast the divination tools onto the blue stones, one yin, one yang!

Yes!

The Empress's pupils slightly contracted.

Yuan Jin reacted swiftly, loudly proclaiming: "One yin, one yang, the Ancestors have revealed that today's matter is villainous sabotage!"

Below the steps, Imperial Concubine Xue frowned and said: "Resolving with a single divination tool seems somewhat frivolous..."

Before she could finish speaking, Bai Li picked up the divination tools and cast them onto the blue stones again, one yin, one yang.

She cast again, one yin, one yang.

With each cast, Yuan Jin announced once more.

By the sixth cast, Imperial Concubine Xue was no longer composed, disregarding the female servant trying to stop her, she lifted her skirt and ascended the stone steps, gravely watching Bai Li as she cast the divination tools once more.

One yin, one yang!

Yuan Jin whispered: "Zhu Baili, that's enough."

Now, six times one yin, one yang is sufficient to silence the widespread speculation, if it continues, and a different cast appears under Imperial Concubine Xue's eyes, all will be lost.

But Bai Li did not respond, instead casting the divination tools once more, one yin, one yang!

She cast again, one yin, one yang!

Nine consecutive casts, all one yin, one yang!

Yuan Jin was stunned for a moment, his voice trembling: "Nine times yin and yang, today is villainous sabotage!"

The Empress let out a slow breath, deeply looking at Bai Li's kneeling silhouette, finally smiled: "Where is the Jiefan Guard?"

The Jiefan Guard shouted in unison: "Here!"

The Empress said calmly: "Today's sacrificial ceremony affects the people's livelihood for the whole year, those with intentions of disrupting the ceremony wish to shake the foundation of Ning Dynasty. Arrest everyone at the Ancestor Silkworm Altar and imprison them in the Imperial Prison, use severe interrogation to identify the mastermind."

The Jiefan Guard clasped fists: "Yes!"

Imperial Concubine Xue looked incredulously at Bai Li, speechless.

The Empress warmly smiled: "Does my sister have anything else to say?"

Imperial Concubine Xue remained silent for a long time, then performed a deep curtsy: "Sister possesses great virtue and is favored by the heavens, I have nothing more to say."

The Empress bent down, taking Bai Li's wrist and helped her up: "Why are you still kneeling? Let us go, today you shall accompany me in the sacrifice to the Silkworm God."

She felt Bai Li tremble slightly, gently patting the back of Bai Li's hand.