Ask the Nine Ministers

Chapter 296 Nursery Rhyme
"When the Purple Star falls, Venus appears; the Azure Dragon, with its wings broken, invades the Heavenly Pivot..."

"The golden seal of the Eastern Palace is covered in dust, and the blood in the old mausoleum has not yet dried..."

A strange tune, utterly discordant, a mournful, guttural sound, precisely drilled into Xue Sui's ears...

In the snow-covered Fu'an Lane, a skinny donkey was tethered. Three children, dressed in patched cotton-padded coats, were jumping around the donkey, clutching frozen cornbread in their hands, snot dripping from their noses, singing with great enthusiasm…

suddenly!

The donkey's hooves thudded on the frozen mud.

The three children were terrified and scattered, screaming and singing as they ran.

"The crape myrtle fades, Venus rises. The golden seal of the Eastern Palace is covered in dust, the blood in the old mausoleum has not yet dried..."

Xue Sui sat in the small carriage with blue curtains on her way to Sangliu Courtyard and gently pulled back a corner of the curtain.

Just outside the car window, a vendor carrying a sign for sweet cakes hurried past.

At the base of the wall, squatted a blind fortune teller dressed in gray. His fortune-telling banner was greasy, and in the broken bowl in front of his stall lay a few frozen copper coins...

Two other women, wearing headscarves and carrying vegetable baskets on their arms, walked along the wall, muttering to themselves.

"This awful weather!"

"Yesterday I only heard about it in the West City, how come it's spread like wildfire today?"

Another woman hurriedly tugged at her sleeve, her eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

"Stop talking, or you'll get yourself into trouble."

A cold wind swirled in, carrying snowflakes. Xue Sui squinted, feeling the elm plank bench beneath him digging into his back and making it tingle.

What a chilling nursery rhyme!
This is going to nail Li Zhao to the execution platform for treason...

"The action is swift, but the way of Heaven is governed by its own cycle of reincarnation; how could it show favoritism?"

She smiled faintly and was lowering the curtain when she heard Jinshu call out softly.

"girl."

Xue Sui looked up.

At the alley entrance, a magnificent carriage with brocade curtains and tassels was slowly passing by, with the prominent mark of the Prince Duan's Mansion engraved on one corner of the carriage.

Through the curtain, a slender hand adorned with nail polish slightly lifted a corner, revealing Xue Yuechen's exquisitely made-up face.

"Sixth Sister..."

The two sisters' gazes met suddenly, separated by less than two meters of wind and snow.

Xue Yuechen curled her fingertips slightly into her sleeve and immediately put on a smile.

"Long time no see, my sister has lost even more weight..."

"This humble nun, Miaozhen, greets Your Highness." Xue Sui clasped her hands together, her voice not loud, yet it clearly pierced through the rumbling of the carriage. Her politeness made Xue Yuechen's heart tighten, and her smile froze on her face.

"Control——"

The carriage from Prince Duan's residence was the first to stop.

Xue Yue composed herself and forced a smile.

"Sixth Sister? Where are you going? It's freezing cold, why aren't you dressed warmly? The nunnery is simple and austere, are you getting used to it? Did you come from the Xue family? How is Grandmother's health?"

She asked all her questions in one breath, seemingly leaving no room for an answer.

His gaze swept over Xue Sui's monk's robe, then glanced almost imperceptibly into the depths of the alley.

The lingering echoes of the nursery rhyme still reverberate in the alley.

Xue Sui pretended not to hear, his face as cold and aloof as jade.

"Go and fetch a doctor for Grandmother."

Xue Yue sighed heavily, her eyes reddening again.

“My dear sister, you may not know this… Ever since you cut your hair and went to Shuiyue Nunnery, Grandmother’s health has been poor. That old ginseng that’s keeping her alive can’t be left alone for even a day. But things are not what they used to be. Most of the land has been sold, and the savings are almost gone. We’re seeing our family decline, constantly embroiled in legal troubles, and now we’re facing this situation… Alas…”

She paused at just the right moment, leaving Xue Sui to guess what she meant.

"These are turbulent times, and the Xue family is facing one misfortune after another. It's uncertain when they will be able to weather this storm and hope for a turnaround so that they can preserve the family business left by their ancestors..."

Xue Sui looked at her quietly. "Did the Princess hear the nursery rhyme in that alley just now?"

Xue Yuechen's fingers, gripping the curtain, tightened slightly.

In a flash, he forced a smile and said, "Who would take the nonsense of a common kid seriously? Sixth Sister, don't worry about it."

"Why should a nun like me, a hermit, be so suspicious?" Xue Sui retorted.

She looked at Xue Yuechen, a smile playing on her lips, but her gaze turned cold.

"However, to be able to compose such a catchy nursery rhyme that spread throughout the streets and alleys of the capital overnight, this Hu Qin is quite capable. Sister, living in the Prince's mansion, you have all the information you need, do you know where these rumors came from?"

Her words grew heavier and sharper with each sentence.

Xue Yuechen subconsciously shrank back, her face turning somewhat pale.

"Sixth Sister, be careful what you say... Such treasonous words are fine to be said by those ignorant fools outside, but how can you and I speak of them carelessly? If someone with ulterior motives hears them and makes wild accusations, it could bring about a terrible disaster and implicate our maternal clans..."

"It was just a casual question, Your Highness, there's no need to be nervous."

Xue Sui's voice remained steady, his eyes carrying a knowing smile.

“Grandmother’s illness is serious and cannot be delayed. I must hurry to fetch a doctor. If Your Highness is going to the Xue residence to visit her, you should go now. Grandmother has just woken up and is still lucid. She is thinking of Your Highness.”

"Alright then." Xue Yuechen felt uneasy under her gaze and was somewhat resentful.

"Farewell."

Xue Sui nodded slightly, no longer looking at Xue Yuechen's pale face, and lowered the heavy curtain.

"Walk."

With a soft shout, the carriage quickly disappeared into the alleyway.

Xue Yuechen sat frozen alone in the warm, luxurious carriage, her fingertips icy cold, the words "Where did Xue Liu come from?" echoing repeatedly in her ears...

be terribly upset.

Xue Liu is finished; the Xue family can't be dragged down with her...

What should she do? What should she do...?
-
East Palace.

Li Zhao's tall figure was projected long onto the window paper, his handsome profile like cold jade, carrying a kind of aloof and oppressive air.

Yuan Cang stood with his hands hanging down, reporting in a low voice.

"...That group of people in Yongfeng Back Alley left in batches around dawn, their movements were elusive. My men have already ordered them to track down the leader and see where he goes..."

He glanced at Li Zhao, his voice slightly grave.

"Furthermore, the rumors circulating outside are intensifying. The Prince Duan's residence is fabricating celestial phenomena and spreading rumors, and they've also instigated the Censorate to submit a joint memorial impeaching the corrupt officials who framed him. Now the whole city is pointing the finger at His Highness for harming the emperor, directly linking the bloodshed at the old mausoleum to the Eastern Palace..."

Li Zhao stood with his hands behind his back by the window, gazing at the gloomy sky.

"The storm that has swept through the city has finally arrived."

At this moment, Lai Fu's urgent and respectful announcement came from outside the hall.

"Your Highness... His Majesty has issued an edict summoning you to the Zichen Palace for an audience immediately."

Mei Ruhui's heart tightened suddenly, and he looked up at Li Zhao.

Why the urgent summons in the dead of night?
“Your Highness…” Mei Ruhui’s voice trembled, “This hasty summons suggests that the visitor may not have good intentions.”

"Help me change my clothes," Li Zhao said calmly, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.

Mei Ruhui stepped forward hastily, "If Your Majesty listens to Prince Duan's slander, it may be detrimental to Your Highness. It would be better to feign illness and postpone the matter for one night, until the truth is ascertained, and then make a decision..."

Li Zhao turned around, his tone calm and even, as if he had already anticipated this.

"This show has only just begun, what's there to be afraid of? Trying to use celestial phenomena to intimidate me? We'll have to see if the heavens are strong enough."

He strode out of the study, looked at the bamboo shadows swaying wildly in the wind in the courtyard, and suddenly chuckled softly, his laughter carrying a hint of mockery.

Then, he calmly turned back and gave instructions to Mei Ruhui.

"If I am unable to return for a while, remember to send a message to Shuiyue Nunnery."

(End of this chapter)