The struggle for the throne during the Jiajing reign

Chapter 96 Spirit Writing

The next morning, Jiajing got up with a ruddy complexion and went to Qingfu Palace. He was in high spirits and took bigger steps than usual, while Huang Jin, who was following behind him, had an unconcealable worry on his face.

After taking the elixir last night, His Majesty was in high spirits and summoned three concubines to his bedchamber in succession, barely getting any rest throughout the night.

As dawn breaks, we must go to Qingfu Hall to offer incense and pray for blessings. Later, we will also have to set up an altar to consult the immortals.

"Your Majesty, it's still early. Why don't we have breakfast first? I've ordered someone to prepare your favorite dishes."

Huang Jin's tone was very tactful; at this moment, it was impossible to say anything like, "You're overworking yourself, and it's harming your health."

"No need." Jiajing continued walking, his voice filled with an excitement beyond his years.

"Today I'm going to Qingfu Hall to offer incense. When I get back, I'll have to meet with the people in the cabinet. The Ministry of Rites and the Hanlin Academy have been dealing with so many memorials that Yan Song and Xu Jie have been submitting back and forth. Today it's time to settle things."

However, he still hasn't made up his mind, so he wants to ask God for his opinion.

Jiajing himself didn't realize that he spoke very quickly, and his words became quite mumbled towards the end, so much so that Huang Jin couldn't quite hear him clearly.

The group entered the palace through the morning dew. Qingfu Hall had already been swept and cleaned, and the scent of agarwood mixed with the smoke of talismans filled the air.

The altar in the hall was set up high, with thirty-six ever-burning lamps arranged on both sides. The wicks of the lamps were immersed in gold-lacquered lamps, and a thin layer of blue smoke floated in the air, making the portraits of gods and immortals in the hall appear indistinct and dreamlike.

Tao Zhongwen was already waiting in front of the hall. He was dressed in a purple robe, with a crane cloak draped over his shoulders, his white hair tied up in a crown, his face thin, and his long beard hanging down to his chest. He had the air of an immortal.

Seeing the imperial carriage approaching from afar, he calmly descended the steps in front of the palace, holding a whisk, and bowed in greeting.

"Your subject, Tao Zhongwen, respectfully welcomes Your Majesty's arrival."

When Jiajing saw him, he reached out and made a gesture of support: "Immortal Master, no need for formalities. Last night I took the newly refined Primordial Qi Pill, and indeed I felt refreshed and comfortable all over. Immortal Master's cultivation has become even more refined."

Huang Jin followed behind with a forced smile, but in his heart he was secretly seething with hatred. He had handled the pills that were presented last night, but he couldn't dissuade His Majesty from taking them.

The pill was round like a bean, dark purple in color, and covered with a thin layer of frost. When you got close, a hot, metallic medicinal aroma would hit your nostrils.

The effects were obviously more potent than previous elixirs, but they were also undoubtedly more damaging to the body's foundation. It was said to be made by combining lead, mercury, cinnabar, and realgar, and then adding secret medicines to adjust the composition.

Tao Zhongwen straightened up, his gaze lingering on Jiajing's face for a moment. The emperor's face was flushed, but it wasn't a genuine flush; rather, it was a kind of hyperactivity forced out by the alchemical fire.

Upon closer inspection, his eyes were red, his cheekbones were flushed, and his lips were faintly tinged with dark purple. This indicated an excess of yang and a deficiency of yin, with the fire rising upwards. If this continued, something serious would happen.

This time he was too impatient. If everything goes smoothly, he'll have to practice herbal pills for several months and can no longer feed him golden pills.

"Your Majesty's robust health is not due to the effects of elixirs, but rather to the divine grace that moves Heaven and the profound affinity with immortals. I merely acted as your assistant in preparing the medicine and dare not claim credit for it."

Tao Zhongwen paused, then subtly changed the subject, neither saying that the elixir was bad nor that the Emperor's body was unwell. He simply said, "The way of cultivation is to balance Yin and Yang and to have a proper balance of activity and rest. Although Your Majesty is the one chosen by Heaven, you still need to balance work and rest and not overexert your vital energy."

These words were perfectly tactful, neither advising him to stop taking pills nor to avoid women, but simply suggesting a balance between work and rest.

To Jiajing, this was merely the usual talk of health preservation among Taoist practitioners, not a form of advice, and naturally it did not offend him.

Sure enough, Jiajing waved his hand impatiently: "What the master said is true. Let's use spirit writing for now. After this matter is settled, I will recuperate for a few days."

For some reason, Jiajing felt very clear-headed, yet also very restless, with his thoughts in a jumble. He couldn't figure things out on his own and only thought of solving the problem through spirit writing.

After saying this, Jiajing actually went into the palace and started wandering around, instead of following the usual practice of first devoutly offering incense and praying to Heaven.

"Quickly, arrange for spirit writing!"

"promise."

Seeing this, Huang Jin was filled with worry. He couldn't help but say to Tao Zhongwen, "Immortal Master, this is not right. If something serious happens, you—"

Tao Zhongwen was also somewhat flustered, but he remained calm on the surface. This was an unconscious instinct he had developed over ten years of facing the emperor.

"It's alright. After the spirit writing, I have prepared some calming nectar to soothe your mind."

Soon, the altar was set up, and an incense table was set up outside the main hall, with an incense burner, candlesticks, yellow paper, cinnabar brush, and clean water on it.

A large sand tray, about three feet square, was placed in front of the table. The bottom of the tray was covered with fine sand and incense ash. A peach wood planchette was suspended above the sand tray, with a gold-threaded sandalwood pen attached to the bottom, which was suspended on the sand surface.

Although it was quick, Jiajing was getting a little impatient.

"Your Majesty," Tao Zhongwen stepped forward, his tone steady as a bell.

"Before the spirit writing ceremony, one should first wash one's hands, burn incense, and calm one's mind. Please, Your Majesty, offer incense and pay your respects first."

Jiajing came to his senses, nodded, and walked to the incense table. He washed his hands in a hurry, splashing water out of the copper basin. His fingers trembled slightly when he burned incense, and he had to insert the incense stick twice before it was firmly in place. Then he knelt on the prayer mat and took a deep breath.

Yan Song, Xu Jie, Ouyang De—Minister of Rites, Japanese pirates—Prince Yu—Last night's concubine, immortalized through elixir of immortality—Father, Mother, Empress, Zaizhen, Consort Jing, Anlu, Anda—

People and events, worries and obsessions, are all tangled together, like a tangled mess of hemp threads.

Jiajing's eyelids twitched, and he felt his heart pounding. His mind was a jumbled mess, yet also strange and fantastical. All his thoughts were distorted and leaping, turning into blurry golden light.

The smoke of agarwood filled the hall, and he suddenly felt that the smoke was not smoke, but clouds, a surging sea of ​​clouds, a gateway to a fairyland.

He vaguely saw light, a very bright light, shining through the layers of clouds.

After a long while, Jiajing finally managed to suppress the turmoil in his heart and slowly opened his eyes. His eyes were still bloodshot, and his expression was somewhat dazed and confused.

"Let's begin."

The emperor wrote down the questions he wanted to ask on yellow paper, sealed it himself, and handed it to a Taoist priest to be burned in a furnace in public. Heaven then knew.

Tao Zhongwen dared not delay. He immediately straightened his clothes, turned around and stepped onto the altar. He first washed his hands, lit incense, and performed the ritual steps. He then began to chant the incantation for the immortals in a low voice, his words long and slow.

The Taoist priests on both sides stood with their heads bowed, the incense smoke swirling even more intensely, and the eternal flames flickered slightly. The entire Qingfu Hall was so quiet that only the chanting could be heard.

Two eunuchs, who had been prepared in advance, slowly walked to both sides of the sand table, closed their eyes and concentrated, gently supporting the two ends of the peach wood battle frame with two fingers, their posture upright, waiting for the celestial chariot to descend.

Tao Zhongwen burned a yellow talisman, and blue smoke rose into the sky. He looked up at the suspended planchette and said in a deep voice, "The Holy One has doubts and asks Xuan Tian. The True Immortal descends to the altar to reveal good or bad fortune."

A moment after the words were spoken, the peach wood planchette, which had been motionless, suddenly began to tremble slightly, the tremor gradually increasing in intensity. The tip of the golden sandalwood pen lightly touched the fine sand and incense ash, and the pen traced arcs, waves, and delicate branches—

Jiajing stared intently at the sand table, his mind still in turmoil, but he involuntarily held his breath, eagerly awaiting divine guidance to untangle the court's entanglements and to help him achieve his grand plan for immortality.

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