Chapter 13: The Ridiculous Family Ties
In the study of General's Mansion, Yang Chen, Xuan Yuan Qi, Left Minister Mei Gang and his wife were all staring at me tightly.
"What's going on? Speak!" The Left Prime Minister's previous warmth turned cold and severe.
I'm amused in my heart, what's going on? Is he asking me to speak the truth or hide the facts?
"Master Xiang, don't be anxious, this girl ran out of the Xiang manor by herself, we've also looked for her, it's all on her!" The big madam said.
This is going to put a chamber pot on my head and make me feel very uncomfortable.
"On the fifteenth of July, the day the Ghost King chose his concubine, I was carried away from the Left Prime Minister's residence in a white wedding sedan chair to the Black Bamboo Forest, where I was presented as an offering. That night, it rained heavily, and the Black Bamboo Forest was filled with floating wild ghosts and rotting corpses. They killed many women, who fell onto the bamboo poles and were buried in the yellow earth..."
"Shut up!" The madam stepped forward and was about to slap me.
Fortunately, the Fourth Prince Xuan Yuan was close to me and stretched out his hand to block it.
"Madam, don't be so arrogant." Xuan Yuan's eyes were filled with a fierce killing intent as he glared at the madam.
Yang Chen also furrowed his brow, probably didn't expect that I would be sent by Zuo Xiang to participate in the Ghost King's selection of a concubine.
"She's talking nonsense! I'm teaching my own daughter, what business is it of hers?" The madam's body trembled with rage.
"She is now the Empress Dowager, and has nothing to do with your Zuo Manor. By acting rashly like this, you not only offended the Third Prince, but also, if one day I, this half-baked prince, am not in a good mood and accidentally mention it to my father the Emperor, I'm sure your status will be reduced by at least half."
"Ah..." The madam glared at me and retreated back to Left Chancellor's side.
"What happened afterwards?" Yang Chen asked, a hint of concern flashing across his face.
"Later, I ran desperately, and unexpectedly ran out of the black bamboo forest. The situation was very bad at that time, fortunately, the passing Third Prince saved me and cured my illness. Later... I became the Third Princess!" I said calmly, as if the person involved in this matter wasn't me.
"What? Something like this has happened? You're telling the old lady that after you ran away from home, you were kidnapped by human traffickers and then sold to a family who was looking for a real yin girl, and you took their daughter's place and sent her to the Ghost Bamboo Forest?" The madam's eyes rolled around, still trying to cover up the matter.
I find it amusing that they don't even know what they're doing themselves. They're just putting on a show for the king and the general.
"I don't know, but when the names were called out, it was directly pointed to Mei Lingxue of the Left Prime Minister's residence. I found it strange, could it be that Father disregarded father-daughter affection and intentionally sent me to participate in the Ghost King's selection of a consort?"
Mei Gang suddenly let out a cold snort: "The imperial decree is not to be disobeyed, the nationwide selection of true yin women, whether they are official misses or ordinary civilians, are not allowed to resist. Although you are the fifth miss of my Zuo Xiang Fu, your nine yin fate is indeed a fact. I deceived your mother and sent you away, also for your own good!"
The old lady's eyes rolled over, and she couldn't help but say: "So that's how it is. Your father didn't tell me, and I wrongly blamed you." As she spoke, she even came forward to pull my hand, as if the person who just wanted to hit me wasn't her.
The Fourth Master blocked my way, preventing the lady from approaching: "Today is the day for General to rest and clean up, let's put this matter aside for now, there are many guests outside, can't delay General's time too much."
"Yes, yes!" Mei Gang put on a smile again. "Ling Xue, since you can escape the Ghost King's selection of his concubine, it proves that your luck is not shallow. Come back to the mansion more often in the future."
I nodded slightly, but in my heart I was very resistant, I would rather go to a haunted house than return to the Prime Minister's mansion.
Everyone took a step back, but my legs couldn't move. This was the first time Mei Gang had spoken to me, and although it wasn't pleasant, it made my heart feel even more uncomfortable. What's the difference between having such relatives and not having them at all?
"Third Princess?" Yang Chen called out softly.
I came to myself and suppressed the unpleasantness in my heart, turning back to look at the people behind me.
"Don't you remember me? You used to call me Brother Yang Chen when we were young." The person behind him asked softly.
I turned back and smiled slightly: "I remember."
Yang Chen behind me also smiled slightly.
At the banquet, Xuan Yuan Qi took me around to introduce me to everyone, making sure they all remembered that year's Crown Prince Xuan Yuan Mu, and also letting them get familiar with me, this third princess who had yet to be acknowledged by the imperial family.
Back at the Qi Wang Fu, I was exhausted and the first thing I wanted to do was take down my hair bun. Being a princess wasn't an easy task.
Xuanyuan Mo had returned to the small building, where he was still needed to keep watch at night.
He had planned to appear before the people on the day of the grand ceremony, a day when the whole nation would be watching, and many high-ranking officials would be present, at which time they could not stop him no matter what they wanted to do.
In the middle of the night, I heard a rustling sound in the room and couldn't help but open my eyes. Ever since living in that haunted house, my vigilance had increased significantly.
All I saw was a black figure rushing towards me in the darkness, with a gleaming long knife in hand, chopping down at me.
I dodged to the side, picked up a porcelain pillow from the bed and threw it over. The person kicked it with his foot, and the porcelain pillow fell to one side, shattering into pieces all over the floor.
I've already rushed down from bed, with a forest of knife lights behind me. If it weren't for the fact that I've recently been chased by ghosts and my running speed has increased, I would have really ended up in trouble.
Vase, books, I threw them all out, fortunately only one killer came, otherwise I really couldn't handle it.
"Come on, come on!" I shouted loudly.
I couldn't help but want to curse, anyway I've died so many times, I don't care about one more time, I'm all out, throwing the last book in my hand away, running outside, rushing towards the bright light.
I know there's a pond over there, I can swim, as long as I jump into the pond, that killer won't be able to do anything.
The footsteps behind me were getting closer and closer, I ran barefoot as fast as I could. I heard a sharp catcall and the killer's curse, I didn't dare to look back, afraid that it would slow down my speed. I jumped into the pond and splashed around to look at the person chasing me.
Is there still an assassin's shadow? He won't jump into the water too, will he? Faintly, I feel that my foot was swept by something, icy and piercing to the bone. I quickly shrink my feet and swim towards the shore.
But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move. My feet felt like they were being held by something, and I kicked and struggled with all my might, but my body was still being dragged into the water. And then I saw her - a woman in the water.
Her hair was long and flowing, her body swollen, her face pale, her eyes bulging out, she grasped my foot tightly and pulled me deeper into the water.
No, I don't want to die yet! I'm very good at swimming, and with a slight bow, I've already turned from being passive to active. Stretching out my toes, I kicked the female ghost's face directly, while constantly scolding in my heart: I am the Ghost King's Queen, who dares to move me?!
