Chapter 130

Chapter 130

Geng Shuning accepted Consort Xi's suggestion from the very beginning, allowing Li Dequan and Consort Xi's maidservant to prepare paper lots together. The consorts would draw first, and the last lot would be hers.

Excluding Geng Shuning, there were seventeen women in the harem officially recognized as Yinzhen's consorts.

Geng Shuning opened her lot, which showed the number thirteen—neither too early nor too late, much to the satisfaction of both Consort Mao and Consort Xi.

No matter what Geng Shuning was plotting, with people checking before and after, she had no chance to rig things in her favor.

Geng Shuning shot Yinzhen a cold look, silently scoffed, then lowered her eyes, keeping up a respectful front without stirring up trouble.

Yinzhen, caught by her gaze, felt oddly guilty even though he hadn’t done anything wrong.

Most of the current consorts were given by Emperor Kangxi and the Empress Dowager during the time of the prince’s residence, with a few being granted after his ascension. The harem hadn’t seen any new additions in a long time.

Many of the women from the imperial clansmen's households outnumbered Yinzhen’s own.

In the imperial family, continuing the bloodline was his duty. Refusing to bring new people into the residence would make him stand out.

Yet... even though he knew the logic, he couldn’t help feeling dragged along by this troublemaker. At such a tense moment, he couldn’t help but start thinking about how to smooth things over with her later.

He was probably the only emperor in the world who’d fallen so hard.

Consort Mao interrupted Yinzhen's thoughts, "This concubine has drawn the first lot. Though I know I’m not destined to be the true phoenix, I shouldn’t interfere..."

She paused, then added awkwardly, "Let this concubine take the lead for Her Majesty. May Buddha bless us."

Noble Lady Ning sneered and echoed coldly, "Sister Consort Mao is right. I’ll follow you and pave the way for Her Majesty."

Emperor Kangxi was fed up with the harem women’s bickering. "Liang Jiugong, go prepare the incense personally."

The black dragon from earlier was best avoided, and the blood scripture was too creepy. It would be better to just offer incense and pray for divine guidance.

Emperor Kangxi didn’t believe in divine revelations and deliberately wanted to trip up Geng Shuning, curious to see what tricks she’d pull without the blood scripture.

Geng Shuning secretly smirked. As an event planner, the biggest no-no was repeating the same tricks to build hype. Was it easy to land clients in her previous life?

*

Consort Mao picked up on the Emperor’s impatience. After finishing her formalities, she took a deep breath and stepped forward, trying to stay composed.

She, like the Empress Dowager, was a devout Buddhist.

She even believed the black dragon from earlier was a sign from Buddha.

However, she did not believe the words on the Buddha statue, thinking instead that Geng Shuning was using divine signs to frame the Empress Dowager.

Thus, at this moment, she felt both panicked and devout. With her hands clasped, she chanted a Buddhist prayer, earnestly praying in her heart for Buddha to reveal another divine sign and expose that woman's conspiracy.

Of course... though she thought it unlikely, Consort Mao also harbored a faint hope that the true phoenix destiny might belong to her.

With a mix of excitement and anxiety, Consort Mao solemnly knelt down... Before she could even take the incense offered by Liang Jiugong, a gentle breeze suddenly swept through the hall.

Then, in Consort Mao's slightly widened pupils, the reflection of the burning candles suddenly extinguished by more than half.

She trembled violently and collapsed softly, fainting from fright.

The hall erupted in gasps and low exclamations, everyone wide-eyed and scanning the room in disbelief, their hearts trembling uncontrollably.

Some knees buckled, and people dropped to the floor.

Is this... is this the Buddha or our ancestors keeping watch over Anyou Palace?!

E Lundai's eyes nearly popped out of his head, his gaze fixed unwaveringly on the hall. No one moved or made a sound.

The breeze was odd, but too faint to extinguish the candles!

If this wasn’t a divine sign, it felt like they’d seen a ghost, sending shivers down the spine of even the fearless E Lundai.

Liang Jiugong hastily gestured to the servants outside to carry Consort Mao away.

*

Noble Lady Ning, who had been bold moments ago, now looked as pale as a ghost, her body so weak she could barely stand, relying entirely on her maidservant for support.

Few women in the harem lack faith in Buddha.

Though she wasn’t as pious as Consort Mao or the Empress Dowager, she... harbored too many ghosts in her heart to dare wield a sword before the Buddha and our ancestors!

Seeing her dragging her cotton-like legs desperately backward, even Consort Xi found it hard to watch.

She shot a wary glance at Geng Shuning and urged, "If you don’t want to offer incense, you can step aside. His Majesty and the Emperor are waiting."

Noble Lady Ning nodded at once, "Then I’ll step back. I admit I cannot match Consort Mao's fate, and there's no need to trouble the Buddha and our ancestors. Let the younger sisters behind me take their turn."

No one judged her for being scared; fear was widespread.

Su Shi, next in line, was also deathly pale.

She glanced at Gua Erjia Shi, thought of the Fourth Prince, and, despite her fear, gritted her teeth and knelt with help.

The moment she knelt on the cushion, everyone in and outside the hall held their breath, their eyes unblinkingly fixed on the newly lit candles, fearing to miss any divine revelation.

Several moments passed with no reaction.

Su Shi gasped, nearly collapsing on the cushion, soaked as if she’d been dragged from water.

Too weak to take the incense from Liang Jiugong, her trembling hands dropped a stick.

At once, a candle before her flickered out.

Su Shi’s eyes widened, she let out a scream, and fainted.

Everyone fell silent. Suddenly, Anyou Palace felt eerily unsettling.

Were they witnessing a miracle or stepping into the underworld?

*

Emperor Kangxi could barely stand to watch, his cold gaze flicking to the Empress Dowager, who was being supported to a corner with her head bowed.

The women in Fourth Brother’s harem paled in comparison to those who served him.

Aside from Ula Nara, most were the Empress Dowager’s picks for Fourth Brother. What kind of selections were these? Completely shameful!

Behind them, Gua Erjia Shi, Hai Shi, and Zhang Shi, though visibly shaken, offered incense without incident.

But the longer Emperor Kangxi watched, the more he felt the Geng Jia De Jin girl stood out, even worthy of being empress.

As he pondered this, the consorts and concubines, one by one, braved their fears to step forward and offer incense.

Only when it was Geng Shuning’s turn did he push aside his thoughts and focus on her.

Not just him, but Yinzhen's gaze was also unwaveringly fixed on Geng Shuning.

The Emperor wasn't looking at them like that earlier!

The consorts present felt as sour as if they had bitten into a lemon, which somewhat eased their fear of the Anyou Palace.

Like the noble ladies and ministers inside and outside the hall, they all kept their eyes fixed on Geng Shuning's movements.

They watched her step forward calmly, kneel on the soft cushion, press her palms together, and then calmly take the three incense sticks from Liang Jiugong. She lit them with a flint, shook them, stood, and placed them in the incense burner.

After she placed the incense into the burner, before she could move again, someone exclaimed—

"Look! The words on the golden Buddha have reappeared!"

E Lundai couldn't restrain himself and rushed forward a few steps.

If Emperor Kangxi and Yinzhen weren't present, he might have even leaped onto the platform to touch the words on the golden Buddha.

Not wanting to appear so unruly, he was still more daring than others, striding around behind the Buddha statue and then turning back to look at Geng Shuning, his face filled with amazement.

"There's no one behind it!"

Emperor Kangxi and Yinzhen looked at the two lines of characters that were even more radiant than when the Empress Dowager had burned the Buddhist scriptures earlier, and then at Geng Shuning, both were left speechless.

How did she manage that?

If they didn't know Geng Shuning so well, even they might have believed this was a true divine miracle.

Geng Shuning blinked with innocence, as if intimidated by the intense stares of the crowd, and carefully retreated to Yinzhen's side.

"Well... there are still other consorts who haven't offered incense yet, perhaps it's just a coincidence?"

Everyone: "..."

Out of more than a dozen people, it's just a coincidence that the gods and ancestors favor only you?

You might as well just thump your chest and declare yourself the true phoenix destiny!

*

Consort Xi's face was so dark it looked like it could drip with anger, as she still couldn't find anything unusual at the scene.

With such mysterious and unfathomable methods, if they couldn't expose her, this Geng woman might rise above her, leaving her and the third prince with no chance of advancement!

She nudged the junior consort who had drawn the fourteenth lot, "It's your turn, sister. Since the gods and ancestors are blessing us, even if we're not destined to be the phoenix, if we can receive even a hint of divine revelation, it would still be honorable, wouldn't it?"

The junior consort was swayed by these words.

Apart from Consort Mao and Noble Lady Ning, whose incense offerings had shown anomalies, the others' offerings had no reaction, so she wasn't as afraid anymore.

If she could truly receive the Buddha's blessing, even if she couldn't become the Empress, at least she might catch the Emperor's eye, gain some favor in the future, and have a child to rely on!

Before the characters disappeared, she eagerly stepped forward, knelt on the soft cushion, kowtowed, then took the incense, and devoutly inserted it into the incense burner, waiting with bated hope.

However, nothing happened... or rather, the characters gradually faded away, and the altar before the Buddha and ancestral tablets seemed to lose some of its luster.

The junior consort's face turned bright red, and she had no choice but to stand up, covering her face with a handkerchief and retreating to the side.

*

Consort Xi drew the fifteenth lot. Unlike the others, she wasn't afraid, nor was she in a hurry. She imitated Geng Shuning, walking slowly to the soft cushion.

Before kneeling, she clasped her hands together, her expression appearing more devout than any of the previous incense offerers.

"I sincerely pray for the Buddha's blessings upon all living beings, for the protection of the Qing Dynasty. I am willing to shorten my life by ten years, praying for the ancestors' blessings upon the imperial family, for the Emperor's descendants to flourish, and for the nation's prosperity to last forever."

After delivering her formal remarks, she knelt down, placed her hands together, kowtowed three times, and put on a show of sincerity.

A cold smirk flickered in Qingfang's eyes. Most of the fine preparations their mistress had made were meant for this 'ceremonial figure.' The 'gods' would surely honor Consort Xi!

Consort Xi straightened up, smiled gently at Liang Jiugong, respectfully took three incense sticks, lifted them to her forehead before stepping forward, and then inserted them into the incense burner.

Just as she placed the incense down, gasps broke out again.

Since she was still standing in front of the incense burner, those behind couldn't see and strained to peek, whispering incessantly, "What happened? What happened?"

A noble lady whispered from the side, "The incense... it broke!"

Liang Jiugong quickly bowed, "This servant inspected the incense thoroughly; it was intact!"

Even someone as experienced as the former chief eunuch of the Qianqing Palace, Liang Jiugong, felt a chill run down his spine. Could this truly be the gods' doing?

Consort Xi clutched her chest and stepped back, her eyes welling up as she shook her head, "No, it's not me, there must be something wrong with the incense!"

Tears streamed down her face as she suddenly knelt and kowtowed to Yinzhen, "Your Majesty, this concubine acknowledges she lacks the destiny of a phoenix, but she has had her fortune read and is no bearer of ill omens!"

"I implore Your Majesty, for the sake of the third prince, to grant this concubine another chance!"

Yinzhen raised an eyebrow at Geng Shuning, too weary to be surprised.

It seemed that this scoundrel recalled more from her dreams than just bedroom antics; she had plenty of other tricks up her sleeve.

Geng Shuning playfully winked at her boyfriend, not even daring to nod in Emperor Kangxi's presence.

Some matters could be confided to her boyfriend, but not to the old man.

Seeing this, Yinzhen understood Geng Shuning's meaning and asked indifferently, "Are you certain you wish to proceed with this?"

Consort Xi refused to lift her head, her jaw clenched, and she insisted through sobs.

"I beseech Your Majesty to grant me this favor!"

It must be that wretched Geng who schemed against her!

It must be!

She refused to believe that this vile woman could plot against her once and do it again and again!

Yinzhen instructed Liang Jiugong, "Give her the incense!"

Seeing that his master did not object, Liang Jiugong carefully selected three incense sticks, even testing their strength to ensure they were unbroken, before handing them to the tearful Consort Xi.

Consort Xi wiped her tears, suppressing the hatred in her heart as she coldly glanced at Geng Shuning.

"Please, Liang Jiugong, help me change the incense burner!"

The most likely place for the incense to break, aside from tampering with the incense itself, was the incense burner.

Liang Jiugong secretly glanced at Emperor Kangxi, and seeing his master nod slightly, he immediately ordered someone to take the incense burner away.

Li Dequan hurried out and had a new incense burner brought in.

Geng Shuning calmly watched all of this, unafraid of Consort Xi's dagger-like gaze, and even gave her an especially friendly smile.

Whether Consort Xi took it as mockery or a challenge was entirely up to her.

Seeing Geng Shuning so calm, Consort Xi's heart sank gradually, and she regretted having stepped forward earlier.

If she hadn't stepped forward, she could have brushed off today's events, and there might still have been a chance to manipulate things behind the scenes.

Unlike now, being put on the spot, she had underestimated that vile woman, with no way to retreat.

Her gaze flickered, glancing at a noble lady nearby, and she gritted her teeth and stepped forward again.

She lit the incense, inserted it, and then gasped—the noble ladies near Consort Xi involuntarily stepped back a few steps.

"The incense broke again!!!"

The incense burner had just been replaced and checked beforehand, and the incense was personally inspected by Liang Jiugong, all without issue.

The incense breaking again could only signify that the gods and ancestors did not accept Consort Xi's offering.

Consort Xi bit her lips until they bled, and she lunged forward frantically, pulling out the incense to carefully examine the broken end, to see if it had been tampered with beforehand.

But to her dismay, the break was uneven.

Before she could examine it further, all the candles in the chapel suddenly went out, and the chapel, draped with layers of curtains, plunged into darkness.

Gasps erupted uncontrollably, and the more timid fled the chapel in panic.

Even those who stayed were frozen in fear; despite the heat, everyone felt as if they had been drenched in icy water.

Now everyone believed.

The true phoenix enjoys divine protection, but those rejected by the gods, whose offerings are spurned... must have committed grave sins.

True believers in Buddhism wanted nothing to do with Consort Xi, leaving even Noble Lady Ning and Consort Xi isolated.

*

Consort Xi stood there, pale and rigid, her eyes brimmed with unmistakable despair and hatred.

She resented her fate and despised Geng Shuning for outmaneuvering her.

She still refused to believe in any divine intervention; it was simply a matter of being outplayed.

Today's defeat meant the third prince's claim to the throne was now at the mercy of others—how could she accept that!

Emperor Kangxi didn't care if Consort Xi was seething with hatred inside; after watching such a spectacle, he was tired.

He spoke directly, "You've all had enough fun today, giving me quite the show."

"It's getting late, so I won't delay your departure from the garden. Let this farce serve as a toast to the Empress Dowager's birthday."

The Empress Dowager trembled slightly but still didn't raise her head. Harsh words meant nothing to her now.

She was about to lose everything; what use was dignity?

Sure enough, Emperor Kangxi's next words were a direct order—

"Confine the Empress Dowager to the Eternal Spring Pavilion, and Li Dequan, you personally oversee it!"

"All servants from the Cining Palace and Eternal Spring Pavilion are to be taken to the Imperial Punishment Bureau for interrogation. Without my decree, no one is to enter or leave, including the emperor!"

Li Dequan bowed, "Yes, Your Majesty!"

Yinzhen's face stiffened as he made a gesture of respect, but he remained silent.

Emperor Kangxi didn't mind; neither father nor son was in the mood for formalities.

They just wanted to know, as quickly as possible, how Geng Shuning had managed all this today!