C179

Little Shun Zi rushed over and knelt down. "Greetings, esteemed imperial concubine, esteemed imperial concubine Rong."

Leng Qiyue asked, "Get up, what happened?"

Little Shun Zi stood up and said, "To reply esteemed imperial concubine, there's a ghost in that abandoned house not far from here."

Leng Qiyue and Rong Fei looked at each other, and Rong Fei said, "Nonsense, how can you cause a ghost in broad daylight?"

Leng Qiyue also felt that it was impossible for them to be haunted, so she said, "Little Sister, let's go take a look."

Rong Fei nodded, while Little Shun cleverly led the way.

After many twists and turns, they arrived at a deserted courtyard. Leng Qiyue discovered that this was the dark room that she had wandered into that night. It was at night, and her attention was once again attracted by that nest of cats. That was why she didn't notice the well in the backyard.

At this moment, the well was emitting thick white smoke, and the smell of garlic was drifting in the air. Leng Qiyue was startled. This was the smell of burning phosphorus. She hurriedly shouted, "This smoke is poisonous. Everyone, use your handkerchief to soak your mouth and nose."

The palace maids and eunuchs who had come to watch the show hurriedly took out their handkerchiefs to cover their mouths. Those who did not have a handkerchief immediately covered their mouths with their sleeves. Rong Fei took out a handkerchief, saw that Leng Qiyue did not bring a handkerchief, and took half of her handkerchief with a pull.

Leng Qiyue took it and covered her mouth and nose. She walked to the mouth of the well and looked down. It was completely covered in white smoke, making it impossible to see inside. Just then, an impetuous young eunuch, carrying a bucket of water, ran over and shouted, "Make way, make way... "The water's coming …"

Before Leng Qiyue could react, the eunuch had already poured a bucket of water into the well. He had accidentally dispelled the white smoke. After a while, Leng Qiyue gradually began to clearly see what was going on in the well. It was a mess, a thick layer of fallen leaves, part of it charred. The smoke from earlier must have been the result of the burning of the fallen leaves.

Leng Qiyue asked, "Which one says it's haunted?" It's just that the sky is dry and the leaves in the well are on fire. "

A young eunuch timidly replied, "Reporting to the imperial concubine, this servant had been ordered to come here to clean up. In the end, I discovered that there was a cry in the well, so I went to take a look." In the end, there was a woman in the well who looked at the servant with a face covered in blood.

Leng Qiyue knitted her brows and looked into the well again. What kind of woman was there? Just as she was about to scold him, she felt the Demon Subduing Ring tighten. Her thoughts stirred as she said, "Someone, use a black cloth to cover the top of the well and find a few petite ones to dig for me."

The eunuchs shrank back and glared at each other. None of them dared to take the lead. Leng Qiyue replied, "What's there to be afraid of? If anyone comes down to the well today, I'll give them ten taels of silver."

When the eunuchs heard that there was a reward of silver, two bold men walked forward and bowed to Leng Qiyue. "This servant is willing to try."

"En, very good. Go." Leng Qiyue walked back to Princess Ronghong's side.

Rong Fei said, "Elder sister, why are we digging?"

Leng Qiyue smiled. "It's nothing. I just feel that there are too many fallen leaves inside. I'm just afraid that if they accumulate in the future and cause a great fire, it won't be good."

Rong Fei nodded, she didn't doubt his words at all. At this moment, the servant brought over a chair, and the two sat down and waited quietly.

There were a lot of fallen leaves at the bottom of the well as he dug up a few baskets. Two hours passed. Suddenly, the eunuch at the bottom of the well shouted, "Ah — Empress, there is a corpse in the well."

Leng Qiyue stood up and walked over. Rong Fei was timid, so she didn't dare to follow after him after hesitating for a while.

The eunuch in the well was originally very afraid. However, when he saw Leng Qiyue lying at the mouth of the well, he somehow calmed down. Just now, the chill in his body had disappeared like the sun.

"Empress, there is more than one corpse here." the eunuch shouted.

Leng Qiyue said, "Pick up the corpses and put them in the basket. Be careful, if there are many people who want to avoid confusion, you can comfort the dead when they are buried in the future."

"Servant obeys." The eunuch lowered his head and carefully picked up the corpse.

In total, they picked up five baskets of bones, which were five people's.

"Empress, the bottom of the well is filled with sand." the eunuch shouted.

Leng Qiyue said, "You can come up."

The eunuch was pulled up by someone and stood quietly to one side.

Leng Qiyue examined the corpses one by one. Some of them had rings, some had bangles, and some had necklaces on them. Perhaps he could identify the corpse from the jewelry.

An elderly eunuch looked at one of the corpses and exclaimed, "She is Mulan! Don't tell me they are the missing palace maids?"

Leng Qiyue raised her head and saw an old eunuch that was as thin as firewood and short of stature. She asked, "What is going on?"

The old eunuch stepped forward and knelt. "To reply esteemed imperial concubine, twenty years ago this was the empress dowager's courtyard called Plum Garden. When she had nothing to do, she would come to admire the plum blossoms. But one day, the plum blossoms died together and the five palace maids disappeared. Esteemed Empress Dowager thought this place was unlucky, so she sealed it up. "It's quite strange. The second year after the seal was placed, all of the dead plum trees came back to life and bloomed again. Esteemed Empress Dowager thought it was bad luck to cut down all the plum trees."

"Oh, you should put the bones away first and then find a lucky day to bury them. None of you are allowed to speak of what happened today, otherwise the staff will serve you. " Leng Qiyue warned him sternly.

"Your servant/servant shall obey the imperial decree."

Leng Qiyue walked in front of the corpses one by one, but the Demon Subduing Ring didn't respond. Could it be that there was something else in the garden?

"Elder sister, let's leave this place. We have to be extra careful." Rong Fei was a little scared.

Leng Qiyue nodded, but decided to come back at night. There must be more secrets here.

Rong Fei went straight back to the Jade Magnolia Temple, while Leng Qiyue hurried over to the Wolong Shrine, wanting to ask Dongfang Haotian about that courtyard.

There was a eunuch standing guard at the entrance of the Wolong palace. When the leader saw Leng Qiyue, he stepped forward and kneeled on the ground. "This servant pays his respects to the imperial concubine."

Leng Qiyue replied, "Exempt the formalities. I want to see the emperor."

The head eunuch did not get up. "Reporting to Imperial Concubine, His Majesty is discussing important matters with Minister Zuo and the salt official."

Leng Qiyue replied, "I want to see His Majesty. You can go inform him. If His Majesty says that he doesn't want to see me, then naturally, I will leave."

The chief eunuch was also helpless, so he could only agree and enter to report.

Very soon, he came out and said, "Imperial Concubine, the emperor invites you in."

Leng Qiyue nodded and walked in. The Minister of the Left and another unfamiliar official bowed to Leng Qiyue with displeasure on their faces.

Leng Qiyue indifferently said, "You may leave first."

The Left Premier puffed out his chest and said, "Imperial Concubine, this subject is currently discussing important matters with the Emperor. If the Imperial Concubine is alright, please return to the palace to rest."

Leng Qiyue narrowed her eyes. The Left Premier was clearly chasing her away, but she refused to leave. "Minister Zuo, you're wrong. It's not only a matter of national importance. This matter concerns five lives. Do you really think that human lives are cheap?"