Chapter 562: Evil Art Of Rebirth
Translator: Dragon Boat Translation Editor: Dragon Boat Translation
“His Majesty said that you have done a good job, Prime Minister. You should be able to return to the Imperial Court in a few days to continue serving the Chu
State.”
Previously, Su Yulun had the idea of retiring, but the taste of power was too wonderful. He could not bear to let go. No matter how difficult or dangerous it was, he had to find a way to climb back and stabilize his foothold!
He hated Su Ying to death, but to a politician, there were no eternal enemies, only everlasting benefits. Su Ying was one such benefit to him.
“Thank you, Your Imperial Highness.”
Those who had grabbed a share of General Weimeng’s military merits were given a cynical, acerbic dressing down by Xiao Jin in front of all the civil and military officials when they returned to court after they had kowtowed in front of General Weimeng’s grave. Thereafter, the rewards from the late emperor were taken back, and the titles that had been conferred were also rescinded.
As for Li An, he was hanged for attempting to murder Prince Yu of the Nan
State.
Although Hao Bailian had been used by others, she had also caused substantial harm to society. After receiving 30 strokes of the cane, she was sentenced to exile and was not allowed to step into the capital city ever again.
On the day that Li An was hanged, Hao Bailian was given thirty strokes of the cane. Although she had suffered hardships since she was young, she was still a woman nonetheless. The thirty strokes almost took half of her life.
The officials carried Hao Bailian, who was about to faint from the pain, into the carriage. She fainted the moment the horse carriage started moving.
Hao Bailian woke up from the pain of her injuries. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was inside a very clean and plain room.
Just as she was feeling puzzled, she raised her head and saw an unfamiliar figure standing by the bed.
“You are…”
Zhou Qing turned around when she heard the noise and looked at her calmly.
“You’re awake.”
Although Hao Bailian didn’t sense any malice from her, she still looked at Zhou
Qing warily. “Why am I here?”
Logically speaking, she should have been sent away after her punishment.
Zhou Qing poured her a glass of water and gestured to her to drink it.
Hao Bailian took the cup with difficulty but didn’t drink the water. Zhou Qing didn’t force her either and continued, “Originally, based on the crime you committed, it did not warrant a sentence of exile. But the Empress said that you have offended too many people in the capital city. Even if you were locked up in prison, those people would think of ways to kill you, so she told the Ministry of Justice to sentence you to exile.”
Hao Bailian didn’t understand the law, but she knew what Zhou Qing said was right. Those noble women and young ladies from the aristocratic families would definitely not let her off easily if they realized that she had been toying with them.
“I wish to thank Her Imperial Highness. I am useless and cannot repay her in this life, in the next life, I will definitely be her slave and repay her kindness.”
Hao Bailian paused momentarily before adding, “But before I leave, I beg you
to let me see those children.”
“Don’t be anxious. I haven’t finished speaking.
Hao Bailian licked her lips and replied in embarrassment, “Miss, please go on.”
“If you leave, those children will very likely be implicated by you, so the Empress will get people to send those children away as well. There is a place called the Sky Alpha City outside the border. When the time comes, someone will settle you and the children down over there.
Hao Bailian was shocked by Zhou Qing’s words. She didn’t understand why the Empress was helping her.
Soon, Zhou Qing answered the questions in her mind. “The Empress said that if it weren’t for the fact that you still have good intentions and raised those children for so many years, she would never have let you off so easily. Now, the Empress is giving you a chance to live again. You should cherish it. If you still dare to commit any swindling and cheating after you arrive there, then don’t blame the Empress for not showing you any mercy!”
Hao Bailian had never told anyone that being able to live like a normal person was her greatest wish. If she could have such an opportunity, how could she not cherish it?
“Please tell Her Imperial Highness that I, Hao Bailian, will never let her down.”
After Zhou Qing came out of the house, she gave some instructions to the guards outside the door. They were to protect Hao Bailian on her way to exile. As for the orphans she was raising, Su Ying would get someone else to send them away.
The matter with the White Lotus Cult had finally come to an end. Nie Jun had also almost recovered and returned to class.
On this day, after the two little ones finished their classes, Nie Jun followed them to the Conjugal Phoenix Palace.
Nie Jun held a box respectfully and knelt before Su Ying.
“Grandmother said that my life was saved by Your Imperial Highness. I, Nie Jun, have no way to repay you. This is a small token of gratitude. I hope Your Imperial Highness will accept it.”
Su Ying looked at his ramrod-straight back as he knelt down and felt that this simple-minded child was quite honest. “You may rise.”
Zhou Qing took the brocade box from Nie Jun’s hands and opened it. Inside was a stem of ginseng that was at least 300 years old. This kind of ginseng was extremely rare, and the Nie family was very thoughtful.
“Send my regards to the Old Mistress,” Su Ying replied.
Su Ying then saw the two little ones outside the door sticking their heads into the hall. Thus, she allowed them to bring Nie Jun to the playground to play.
Small children were very playful after all. When Nie Jun heard that they could go to the playground, he no longer felt as restrained as before. He left happily with the two little fellows.
“Your imperial Highness, the official from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau requests an audience.” The palace maid’s voice rang out outside the door.
Upon hearing this, Su Ying counted the days that had lapsed. The staff from the Imperial Astronomical Bureau only came looking for her after such a long time.
“Send them in.”
“Yes, Your Imperial Highness.”
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau official walked into the main hall and bowed. Su Ying gestured to him to rise and speak.
“Your Imperial Highness, your lowly subject has found the source of the symbolic runes that you sent to us previously.”
“Mm-hmm. Tell me about them.”
“Your Imperial Highness, the reason your lowly subject and the rest were unable to figure it out after such a long time was that these symbolic runes belong to the forbidden arts. Your lowly subject has been flipping through ancient books for a long time before finding the answer in an ancient book that recorded the forbidden arts.”
As the Imperial Astronomical Bureau official spoke, he took out an ancient book that had turned yellow. “Your Imperial Highness, please take a look.”
Zhou Qing handed the ancient book to Su Ying. There was a bookmark on one of the pages, and as she opened that particular page, she could see the runes that were previously imprinted on Zhou Xiangrong’s body.
“The Art of Rebirth?”
“Yes, it’s the Evil Art of Rebirth. This art is extremely sinister. It requires an array formation to be set up in advance at a tomb in the southwest location facing the north. Thereafter, that person has to choose the time of the month when the Yin energy is at its peak and draw these runes on his body with blood. After that, he will kill himself and die. In this way, the evil art will go into effect.”
Su Ying asked with a frown, “How will she get reborn? Her corpse was burned long ago.”
“She will be reborn into the body of a person whose eight birth characters fall under the Yin auspices. However, it doesn’t mean that she only needs to locate such a person born at this time. She must ensure it matches with the time she killed herself.”
“Can this forbidden art really allow people to get reborn?”
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau official was stumped. After all, he had never tried this before!
Su Ying then thought of Zhou Xiangrong’s identity and felt that it was not impossible. “Zhou Qing, send someone to find out what time Zhou Xiangrong died. I want the exact time.”
“Yes, Your Imperial Highness.”
“Is there any way to break the spell from this forbidden art?”
The Imperial Astronomical Bureau official thought for a moment before saying, “Because it’s an evil art, evil arts are most afraid of the righteous path, can set up an altar to conduct a ritual and see if I can break the spell.”
“If you can’t break it, what will happen?”
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