Chapter 9: The Imperial City

  I turned my head away, afraid he would recognize me.

  "National teacher, please, today I specially prepared a fine banquet for you. I heard that the golden carp of Fengyu country is used by the imperial family, and they have it here too..." Before long, I saw Zuo Xiang Mei Gang, my father, leaning against the railing on the second floor.

  He appeared at the door of the first wine house with a smile all over his face.

  The two of them went upstairs, didn't even glance at me, and walked past me into a private room.

  I let out a faint sigh, even the best dishes are tasteless, I paid the bill and headed downstairs.

  。

  The first floor had two staircases, both of which could be used to go up. I chose the one on the right, which happened to be opposite where Xiang Mei had just come from. This location was right next to their private room, and although it wasn't intentional, it allowed me to overhear things that I shouldn't have.

  "Guoshi may have heard that a few days ago, someone claiming to be Xuan Yuan's Wangfei came looking for the Fourth Prince?"

  "Don't worry about this matter, a swindler like Xuan Yuan had died early in the morning, how could there be an imperial princess?"

  These two sentences are what I heard as I passed by, wanting to stop and listen a bit more, but seeing the shopkeeper serving dishes, there was no way, so I had to continue walking down.

  How did they know I was looking for the Fourth Prince Xuan Yuan Qi? Did the Fourth Prince tell them? How did they know that Xuan Yuan Mu had died early on? Is his death related to them? This complex and intricate imperial court relationship makes my head ache just thinking about it.

  These people are even more terrifying than ghosts, Xuan Yuan was a living person, but he was actually dismembered and hidden in the Black Bamboo Forest by them. Moreover, he was still the crown prince at that time, there must be a huge conspiracy behind this.

  On the way back, I passed by a tailor's shop. The owner was arguing with the landlord and many people were gathered around.

  "Am I, a woman, easy to bully? You're the steward of the National Preceptor's mansion, and it's not like you're short on money. Please, don't raise our rent again. Isn't this house going to be sold off anyway? Why do you still want to increase the rent?" A woman in her forties said tearfully, with some fabric scattered around her feet, apparently thrown there by the steward of the National Preceptor's mansion.

  "Mother..." A fifteen- or sixteen-year-old girl pulled on her mother's sleeve.

  "Is it? Three hundred taels of gold, do you want it or not?" The steward had an arrogant look on his face, raising his chin to look at people.

  "Wang San Niang, it's not me saying this, but why are you taking the long way around and opening a shop with such difficulty? In this capital city, how many tailor shops are there? What kind of income can they make in a year? Is it more than the betrothal gift I gave you?" The steward said with ill intentions while glancing at the daughter standing behind her.

  "I'd rather not marry you, stinky old man!" The girl said angrily, then continued to hide behind her mother.

  。

  "What? You dare to scold me!" The newcomer said, "Come, give them a good lesson, mother and daughter." The steward waved his hand, and several house servants came up behind him, ready to take action against the mother and daughter.

  "Aren't we selling the house?" I shouted and stood up.

  Those who were about to take action suddenly stopped their movements and stared at me in unison.

  "How much is it? Where is the deed?"

  "Three hundred taels of gold!" The steward said, looking me up and down.

  "Alright, let's go inside and talk, and have your men hurry back as well, don't lose face for the National Preceptor's residence."

  "You..." The butler glared at me with a stern expression.

  "I just saw the National Master and Left Minister having dinner at the First Wine House, if he finds out that you used the name of the National Master's mansion to coerce a young girl into marrying you, I'm afraid you won't have a good outcome?" Although I'm not some kind of rich miss, but I still understand things about big mansions, those officials, madams and misses care most about face.

  As soon as I entered the house, I slapped a silver bill worth 300 taels of gold on the table. The steward's eyes widened and he said "I won't sell it anymore."

  "Wanting benefits from money?" I understand what's in his heart, nothing but for the sake of money.

  "Thirty taels of gold, no one has left."

  "Alright, I'll go invite the national master to the First Wine House." After finishing speaking, I stood up and walked out.

  "Wait a minute, you're ruthless! Sign it, sign it!"

  Signed the deed, drew a seal, and then went to the government office to file it. Only then did I return to that tailor's shop.

  "Master, you've been cheated! With this price, you can buy a house twice as big as this one on Main Street." Wang San Niang lamented.

  "It's okay, I see there is another yard in the back and the house is not bad either, it'll do."

  "What can we do now? Even if we move house, it will take several days!"

  No need to move out, just pay rent as last year, take good care of the house and maybe I'll come back to live here after a while.

  ！”

  "Mother!" The girl pulled her mother's arm again, staring at me with shining eyes.

  I suddenly remembered I was dressed as a man and hastily retreated from the room. "That little voice just bid farewell."

  Having this courtyard makes it more convenient for future trips to Beijing, and there's also rental income.

  Arriving at the outer edge of the Black Bamboo Forest, I saw a few people sneaking around in the distance. I only had that one path to enter, and I had marked it with cinnabar red thread so I wouldn't get lost inside. What were these guys doing lurking around like ghosts? When would they leave? Could they really make me wait until nightfall?

  Thinking of the horror of the ghostly bamboo forest at night, I couldn't care less and walked straight in.

  "Sir, sir, please stop. Don't you know that this is the Ghost King's domain, the Black Bamboo Forest? I'm a villager from nearby, and I've seen you enter several times. Doesn't it get haunted in there?"

  "What did you say?" I know my appearance doesn't look scary, but I'm sure my lukewarm voice right now is quite strange.

  Several villagers took a step back.

  "Respect me and I will respect you!" I said a profound sentence and then slipped into the Ghost Bamboo Forest.

  There are many rumors outside, some people say that the Ghost Bamboo Forest is not actually the residence of the King of Ghosts, but rather a place where a large amount of gold, silver and jewels are buried. In order to cover up the truth, the legend of the Ghost Bamboo Forest was fabricated. Others claim that this is a secret royal sacrificial site, where people have seen individuals carrying live human sacrifices into the bamboo forest. To prevent the altar from being disturbed, the legend of the Ghost Bamboo Forest was created. Every year, the 100 pure yin women who are sent as tribute become ghostly envoys to protect the altar.

  I walked into the Ghost Bamboo Forest and heard someone behind me say: "Don't be afraid, we'll follow you in. If a little white face can go in, why can't we?"

  Immediately afterwards, the sound of footsteps rustling through the grass came from the bamboo forest.

  The dark bamboo forest at night is terrifying, and several villagers followed behind me. I had a misgiving in my heart, what if they saw the small building? What if they saw Xuan Yuan Mu?

  After all, I am a woman, no matter how fast I walk, I can't escape the man following behind me. There's nothing I can do, so I had to change my route and avoid those places marked with red vermilion thread.