Friday 20 September 2024

LPMM 41




Chapter 41 Sleeplessness


"What?" Luo Jin asked immediately.

"Nothing special. Just a little more people. At that time, the assassination incident had happened in the palace and the Princess was still unconscious. So not only the Palace Guards, but the Wei City Army were stationed." Liu Zishu said, "The number of guards was twice that of previous years. However, the Wei City Army was stationed outside and didn’t directly enter the ancestral hall."

Luo Jin thought for a long time and didn't think this had anything to do with the robe.

"By the way, do you know a good embroiderer?" Luo Jin asked, "This robe may have some strange points. I want to find a good embroiderer to take a closer look."

"Yes, there’s one working under Mother." Liu Zishu took the bundle of wrapped robe, "Give it to me, I will ask her to help take a look when I go back."

"Thank you very much."

"No...no problem."

Liu Zishu called a carriage and took Luo Jin into the palace.

Luo Jin entered the Chaoqian Hall, where the emperor was waiting for her. As soon as he saw her, he beckoned her to come to him.

"I have read this memorial from Official Luo, which says that there is a great disaster in the north... Could it be that Hanyuan is plotting something?" The emperor pondered for a while, "It seems that we will have to trouble General He again."

Luo Jin didn’t expect the emperor to attach so much importance to her memorial and replied with a cupped hand: "It's just... a possibility. Although you can't disbelieve in the stars, you can't believe them all."

The emperor shook his head, "How can you disbelieve in the stars? You are the Minister of the Imperial Sacrifices, how can you have such an idea?"

Luo Jin hurriedly said: "I am ignorant."

The emperor wasn't angry, "It’s fine. You are young and just took the post, It’s normal not to understand these. There are great astrologers in this world who can predict the future. I sent someone to investigate a secret. An astrologer once predicted that the emperor of Jiyuan would be killed by his own son. In order to prevent the prophecy from coming true, the emperor of Jiyuan had the Prince killed and buried in the underground tomb. However, the Prince suddenly broke into the palace twelve years later and killed the emperor of Jiyuan with his own hands. Later, it was found that an ambitious general secretly rescued the Crown Prince and used him to rebel. Still, the prophecy did come true, didn't it? "

Luo Jin was stunned, "Then that Prince is... Shui Yingchen, right?"

"It is indeed the Emperor of Jiyuan." The emperor nodded, "I told this story to tell you that you must never disbelieve in astrology. It's just that our Dongyuan don't have great astrologers and can't make such accurate predictions." 

He paused, "I have been feeling uneasy recently. You should summon a few more astrologers to observe the celestial phenomena. If there are any unusual movements, please report them at any time. I have a constant nagging feeling that something bad will happen." 

"I obey your order!" 

After leaving Chaoqian Palace, Luo Jin headed to Lihua Palace to find Chai Jing. She didn't tell the Princess that she went to find Shui Yingchen every day, for fear that she would provoke Shui Yingchen in an impulsive manner. That big devil never showed mercy when killing people. 

"How is it? Is the work of the Court of Imperial Sacrifice hard?" Chai Jing bit the candied haws. "This candied haws is a little sticky, but it tastes good."

"Not hard." Luo Jin smiled, "I don't even have to check in on time. It's great."

"Check in?"

"It's reporting."

Chai Jing laughed, "You are the Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifice. Now you are the boss of the entire Court of Imperial Sacrifice. Who dares to get you to report to duty?"

She pondered for a while, "Since you don't have to report, then stay and sleep with me tonight? I still have occasional nightmares these days. With you by my side, I sleep well."

Luo Jin smiled bitterly and shook her head, "I still have work to do. I'm afraid it's inconvenient. The palace is too far from the Court of Imperial Sacrifice."

Chai Jing had no choice but to say, "Okay, then come to the palace to see me often."

...

Luo Jin still went to Shui Yingchen's manor that night, but she was quite nervous when she went there today.

This was the third day. Her hypnotic method was simple. She was always worried that if someone learnt it, she would be useless and Shui Yingchen would kill her without hesitation and take her Red Emperor Gu.

Sure enough, when she went there today, she wasn't sent directly to the bedroom, but told to wait in the guest room.

It wasn't until midnight that Hua Mei came to the guest room and led Luo Jin to the bedroom.

Luo Jin looked at Shui Yingchen's dark gray eyes and beamed at once, "What? Your bird can't help you fall asleep, so I must be the one?"

She crossed her arms and raised her eyebrows slightly, "It seemed that you can't kill me today."

She looked out the door, "That bird's smile makes me uncomfortable. I can't help but want to strangle her... You don't mind, do you?"

Shui Yingchen ignored her.

Luo Jin retracted her gaze, "The martial arts in your world are quite simple. I thought it would be difficult..."

She looked up at Shui Yingchen, "Aren't you afraid that I will kill you after I have mastered it?"

"Give it a try?" Shui Yingchen uttered slowly, "Okay, I'm going to sleep. Change person."

Luo Jin looked up and looked around, confused, "Why am I here? Is your majesty going to sleep? Then I'm going to start!"

Shui Yingchen stared at her, "I said... Change person! I don't want to hear the story of zombies eating brains."

Luo Jin was stunned, "How do you know it's me? Isn't my acting realistic?"

Shui Yingchen snorted coldly, "She doesn't know you exist, right? Do you want me to talk to her about what you did when she lost consciousness?"

Luo Jin gritted her teeth, "Understood!"

She closed her eyes. Then her eyes changed slightly and she lowered her eyes, "Your Majesty, are you going to sleep? Let's start?"

"En."

"Okay, now start to relax your mind..."

...

Once Shui Yingchen fell asleep, Luo Jin walked out. The candlelight flickered. The light in the room wasn't too bright. Under her hypnosis, Shui Yingchen didn't need bright lights to fall asleep. So there were only a few candles in the bedroom.

A moth with a little golden light on its wings flew in from outside the room. Luo Jin thought the moth was pretty and couldn't help staring at it. But the moth flew straight to the candlelight, performing what it means to fly to the fire in front of her.

"Don't go..." Luo Jin stared at the moth, thinking silently in her heart, "You can't go. You will die! Go back!"

The moth seemed to understand and suddenly turned halfway and flew away.

Luo Jin was stunned. She suddenly recalled that the Red Emperor Gu was the insect king. So she used the power of the Red Emperor Gu?

She was delighted and lowered her head to look for other insects.

She saw a little ant on the ground carrying food from somewhere and marching forward. She silently muttered: "Put down the food and turn back!"

Under normal circumstances, ants would not put down their own food.

But after she silently said this, the little ant put down the food and turned around.

Luo Jin was ecstatic. She could control these insects!

This Red Emperor Gu was interesting!

She looked at Shui Yingchen who was sleeping in the inner room. Her gaze gradually became complicated.

……

The next day, Luo Jin went to the Court of Imperial Sacrifice for a walk. When she saw Lin Jinzhou, she asked casually, "Do you know where there are beekeepers?"

"Yes. Out from the west gate and head west for ten miles. There is a beekeeper there. I bought his honey. It's so sweet."

"Why is it so far?" Luo Jin frowned. "Isn't there any nearby?"

"Beehives need pollen! There aren’t so many flowers in the city, but if you want honey, you can buy it in the city. I heard that some honeys contain white sugar, which isn't as good as going to the bee farm to cut it yourself."

Luo Jin thought for a while, "Understood, I'll go buy some honey... You stay here and call me if there is anything."

"Yes!"

Luo Jin went out and headed to the west of the city.

The Court of Imperial Sacrifice handled matters according to regulations. All matters were arranged at a fixed time. Basically, there would be no sudden matters for her to deal with. Working here, she could have a stable work and rest schedule. Luo Jin felt this job was suitable for retirement.

Soon after leaving the city, she saw a large area of ​​flower vines, but because it was winter, these flower vines had withered and there were no flowers in full bloom.

The beekeeper lived in a nearby courtyard. Luo Jin knocked on the door and went in. A middle-aged man came out happily, "Miss, do you want honey?"

"I want bees." Luo Jin said.

The beekeeper was stunned, "Bees? I don't sell bees. In this winter, bees don't collect honey anymore. If you buy them back, you have to wait until spring to start collecting honey."

"Name a price." Luo Jin said, "You can raise a new nest in the spring. I want all the bees you have."

The beekeeper hesitated for a long time, "Have to pay... one hundred taels."

Luo Jin took out a silver note and gave it to him, "Deal."

...

At night, Luo Jin lit a lamp in the withered sea of ​​flowers on the cliff. She sat on a stone and looked at the snowflakes falling gently from the sky.

A thin layer of snow had accumulated on the ground. The snowflakes fell on her forehead and turned into water in an instant.

When she saw the tall figure appear in front of her, she didn’t stand up, but bent down to pick up a dead branch and gestured to Shui Yingchen, "Why did you come now?"

Shui Yingchen's voice was cold: "Is this the burial place you choose for yourself? You should know what will happen to you when you dare to disobey my orders."

Luo Jin smiled lightly and stated seriously: "No, this is the burial place I prepared for you. I thought it would be better to have a sea of ​​flowers, but I couldn't find it... Oh, it's the beginning of spring, why is it snowing? No sea of ​​flowers, then snow blossoms will do."

"Heh..." Shui Yingchen stared at Luo Jin with dark gray eyes, "When did you go crazy?"

"In fact, even if I went tonight, there’s a possibility of you killing me," Luo Jin continued, "Your subordinate's hypnosis didn't work on you, but mine did. It's the same working, but why is there such a difference? After thinking about it carefully, you will only come to one conclusion..."

"Red Emperor Gu."

"Yes, you will definitely think so, so it's only a matter of time before you kill me to get the Red Emperor Gu. If I go to your manor tonight, maybe tonight?"

Shui Yingchen nodded gently, "You are right. I originally planned to kill you tonight as soon as you show up tonight to get the Red Emperor Gu. Smart, but it's a pity that it didn't work. Still, the result is the same."

However, Luo Jin smiled, "You are conceited and greedy, Shui Yingchen. This is the cause of your death.


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