After being forced into a marriage with a wealthy family, the virtuous wife caused a huge uproar.

"Let me tell you, this girl is absolutely qualified to judge feng shui." Old Prince An immediately spoke up in support when he heard Zhao Xianshan doubt Rong Yingluo's abilities.

"How did Prince An know?" Zhao Xianshan asked, somewhat believing his friend's statement.

"because......"

"Cough cough..." Prince An had only uttered two words when Rong Yingluo coughed twice to remind him not to speak carelessly.

"Because she consulted on the feng shui of my Prince An's residence, I changed a few places according to her requirements. Look, my arms and legs are stronger than before." Prince An lied without batting an eye.

"Really?" Zhao Xianshan scanned Prince An's arms and legs.

"Of course it's true." Prince An deliberately lifted his leg twice, his movements were indeed nimble, but it was a pity he was sitting down. If he could be this nimble when he was standing up, that would be true nimbleness.

"Second Uncle, the banquet won't start for a while yet. Why don't we let Madam Gu take a look at the feng shui of our Zhao residence now? It would be best if Her Majesty the Empress could also hear it," Madam Qi interjected.

"Why let the Empress hear it too?" Zhao Xianshan had no idea what his niece was up to.

"Mrs. Gu said that the feng shui of the mansion is very important, as it not only affects the fortune of the people living in the mansion, but also subtly affects the fortune of those who have lived there before."

I once asked Madam Gu, "The Empress married into the Zhao family. If the Zhao family's feng shui is bad, will it affect the Empress?" She said it would. That's why I suggested she take a look at the Zhao family's feng shui." Madam Qi tried her best to persuade her.

"You believe that?" How could Zhao Xianshan possibly believe it? The Empress has been married into the royal family for over twenty years.

"Second Uncle, think about it. When the Second Prince came to our family, the Empress had only been married for a few years. The impact at that time must have been huge," Madam Qi continued.

Although Zhao Xianshan was skeptical, he couldn't help but be tempted.

Not long ago, his niece came back to her parents' home and talked to him about this matter alone. He thought it was just a passing fancy, but he didn't expect her to actually bring the person in front of him today.

Madam Gu is just a teenage girl; how much ability could she possibly have?

Seeing that Madam Qi spoke earnestly, and considering Rong Yingluo's calm and composed demeanor, as well as Prince An's words, she finally nodded.

"In that case, please move to the backyard and take a look at the courtyard where the Empress lived before her marriage. If you can really see anything there, then take a look at the entire Zhao residence. That courtyard has been preserved since the Empress left home and has not been changed in all these years."

Rong Yingluo nodded slightly: "Then let's look at the courtyard first."

"I'll go and hear what the little girl has to say," said Prince An, who always liked to join in the fun when he had nothing else to do.

"Prince An, perhaps you shouldn't go?" Rong Yingluo stopped her. She couldn't let the old Prince An know what she was going to say today. She didn't know what Prince An's attitude was, or whether he would be on the same side as the Crown Prince.

She needs to be careful.

"You silly girl, what is there that I can't know?" Prince An said unhappily.

Rong Yingluo leaned close to Prince An's ear: "Actually, I went to examine the Empress. What if she needs to undress? What would it look like if you, the Empress's husband's uncle, were there?"

Prince An was so angry by Rong Yingluo's words that he glared at her and had no choice but to give up.

Zhao Xianshan personally led the group to the backyard.

The group passed through the hanging flower gate, around the artificial hill and screen wall, and walked deeper into the palace. No guests would come here. When the empress left the palace, the guards were naturally different from those in the palace. There were guards both openly and secretly, and the surroundings were quiet.

Zhao Xianshan and his men stopped in front of a courtyard, where two eunuchs stood guard at the entrance.

Rong Yingluo looked up and saw that the courtyard was named "Xianya Courtyard".

The gate to the courtyard is very new; it looks like it has just been repaired.

Two old locust trees in front of the door have gnarled branches like dragons, shading most of the courtyard.

The Empress was resting in the warm pavilion in the east side room when she was taken aback when a maid announced that her father had brought the Prime Minister and his wife.

"Let them in," the Queen said calmly.

The palace maid went out and invited the group in.

The Empress remained seated and motionless.

"Your subject (your wife) pays respects to Your Majesty the Empress."

"No need for formalities. Is there something you need, Father?" The Empress was somewhat languid. She didn't like crowds and had been resting here ever since she paid her respects to Old Madam Zhao. She just wanted to wait for the banquet to end so she could have a proper chat with her mother and father before returning to the palace.

Over the years, the Emperor has treated her the same way. She can return to her parents' home two or three times a year, and her father has to attend court every day, so they can see each other from time to time.

She did not miss her family members who had not been seen for many days.

"Xian'er, Ying'er said that Madam Gu is good at feng shui, and she's quite accurate. She also said that the feng shui of our Zhao family might clash with yours, so I invited Madam Gu to come and take a look at the courtyard where you used to live." Zhao Xianshan was actually just trying to put his mind at ease and to give his niece some face.

Ying'er is Lady Qi, Zhao Ying, and the Empress's given name was Zhao Xian.

"Your Majesty, when I came in just now, I did feel that there was a slight problem with your courtyard," Rong Yingluo said gently.

"Your Majesty, please give it a try." Lady Qi's eyes were pleading; she hoped that Her Majesty could move on from her past sorrows.

Seeing that everyone hoped she would agree, the Empress couldn't bear to refuse their good intentions and nodded.

Rong Yingluo took out a compass from her handbag.

This compass is a relic of Master Mingyang from the previous dynasty. Prince An has kept it for many years, but since he is not a Taoist, he has not used it. It looks even more ancient and heavy than before.

The base of the plate is made of hard sandalwood, and the surface is made of a copper-silver mixed metal. Prince An has preserved it very well. On the day she received it, she vigorously wiped it with a coarse cloth, and now it has regained its luster.

The pointer is neither gold nor iron; it is said to be forged from the heart of a meteorite and is highly spiritual.

As soon as she stepped into the gate of Xianya Courtyard, she felt a slight coolness on her fingertips.

"This is an old item that Prince An has kept for at least fifteen years. How did it end up with you?" As soon as Rong Yingluo took it out, Zhao Xianshan recognized it.

"Prince An gave it to me." Rong Yingluo gestured with the compass.

Zhao Xianshan was taken aback. Prince An actually gave this thing to Madam Gu. It seems that she really does know how to read feng shui.

"Let's go outside." Rong Yingluo took the lead and walked out of the warm pavilion. The Empress also became interested and got up to follow her out.

Rong Yingluo held the compass and moved it little by little in the courtyard, starting from the east.

The magnetic needle inside the compass vibrates slightly from time to time.

"The layout of this courtyard..." Rong Yingluo stopped in the center of the courtyard and slowly turned around. The compass needle suddenly spun three times and finally pointed to the ancient well in the northwest corner that was sealed with bluestone slabs.

Rong Yingluo wondered, why is there a well in this courtyard?

"Lord Zhao, may I ask why a well would be dug in a woman's private courtyard?" Rong Yingluo asked.

"I am the second son of the Zhao family. After my father passed away, my elder brother and I separated from the family and built this new house."

This house belonged to an official from the previous dynasty.

"Decades ago, the entire capital city suffered a severe drought. The residents at the time consulted a feng shui master who said that water could be drawn from this spot, so they dug this well. Over the years, the well has long since dried up, and we covered it up the year we moved in," Zhao Xianshan explained.

"Lord Zhao, the northwest Qian position should be the place of fortune for the eldest son in the family, but there is a dry well here, and the seven blue bricks around the well are arranged in the shape of an inverted bucket, which forms a 'falling star evil'. I don't know if this is a coincidence or intentional, but it definitely has an impact on Her Majesty the Empress." Her voice was not loud, but every word was clear.

Zhao Xianshan's expression changed drastically: "How could this be?"

The Empress turned pale upon hearing this, and her body swayed.

"Your Majesty the Empress!" the palace maid exclaimed.