Chapter 57: Fang Xiangshi
February 15th
Shen Kuo was unable to organize his thoughts, so he could only go out to find Monk Huailiang. He wanted to tell him what happened last night and get his opinion. In addition, of course, he also had to tell him about the rituals being performed in the palace, which was also his responsibility.
He went out alone and didn't ride a horse, but walked to Daxiangguo Temple. But he saw that the place was no longer bustling, and the market was deserted. The sign for roasted pork was still hanging there listlessly.
The gate of Daxiangguo Temple was closed, and the guards at the gate were doubled. It seemed that the Privy Councilor Di Qing was also a little scared. In fact, from the initial hat monster to the latest nursery rhyme in Baifan Tower, there were evil intentions pointing the finger at Di Qing. If you record it, you will find that there are many allusive words such as "running dog cooking", "fire dog", and "evil fight". He has become the protagonist. These words are all intended to evoke malicious associations, which shows that there is only conspiracy and politics behind the so-called prophecy.
He saw Xiao Yi lying on the bench at the door from a distance, and he felt that his trip today was in vain. As expected, when he got there, Master Huailiang was not there. He sighed, and Xiao Yi woke up with sleepy eyes when he heard the noise.
"Sir, you came at an unfortunate time. The master didn't come all day today. If there is anything, I can tell him, but don't worry. Only the night market has some business now, and he will definitely come back."
"Master, did he go to listen to music and watch plays again?"
"Not really. I heard that Mr. Pei, who bought the fake paintings, was imprisoned in the Imperial City Office, waiting to be killed. The master said that he was wrongly accused, and if he was beaten to death, we would lose a big customer in the future, so he went to make some moves."
"Master is indeed merciful."
"Ah, Boss Pei is also pitiful. He usually boasts that he has all-powerful power in the capital and is a close friend of the Imperial City Division, but in the end... it turned out to be like this..."
"I have one more thing I would like Brother Xiaoyi to tell Master Huailiang."
"Sir, just say..."
"There will be a water and land ceremony in the palace tomorrow, and I would like to invite Master Huailiang to the palace."
"This matter falls on me. I will inform the master when he comes back. He will be pleased."
"The master will be happy? Does that mean he will definitely go?"
"Of course he will go. You don't know the master's temper. He loves to see those double-eaved palaces and study those brackets and beams. Every time he goes to Baifan Tower, he only looks at the hip roof, the caisson, and the ridge. Every time he looks at it, he shakes his head and says: It's too fat, too heavy, too little; it's not original, complicated and boring. If he were to build it, he would have to have eleven or twelve less pillars. It's not far from here to the palace, so why wouldn't he go? Besides, water and land ceremonies are also the duty of monks. He has a certificate of ordination and was once a high monk. He has been there at least eight or ten times in the past, and the eunuchs all recognize him."
"That would be best. Goodbye."
Shen Kuo left in a hurry and returned to the courtyard of Lao Ya Lane. He continued to ponder the case, hoping to find the possibility that there was someone else who used ventriloquism to pretend to speak like a puppet on the top floor of Baifan Tower that night, but there was no possibility. It seemed that after excluding all the impossibilities, there was only one possibility left, although this possibility was extremely strange and he was extremely resistant to it.
As he was thinking, he suddenly remembered the scene in the Prince Consort's Mansion where the ghost of Lady Huarui broke out of the painting. In this case, it can be confirmed that the illusion image was created by using the ability of the lamp to transform images. The general principle is that the light is bound by the aperture, and the shape and shadow are contrary to each other, the shape is east and the shadow is west, the shape is above and the shadow is below. It is speculated that there is a small hole on the palace lantern, so the flowers that unfold inside will pass through the small hole to form an opposite illusion on the opposite screen. The metal flower that can be opened should be above the mechanism inside the palace lantern, so nothing was found in the base.
But Xiaoping seemed to be at the scene that day. Could the person who disguised himself as the ghost of Madam Huarui be related to her?
However, I can testify to one thing, because that night, I clearly heard someone playing the piano across from Yang Wei De's house. The sound of the piano was undoubtedly Xiao Ping, which showed that she had no time to prepare before the incident. After the prince consort screamed, I rushed into the prince consort's house as soon as possible. I still remember that I bumped into Xiao Ping, and then she ran away with the piano.
There was almost no time interval between hearing the prince consort's shouting and entering. The time he used was just to run across a street. According to the prince consort's description, the witch's face was pale, most likely disguised with white powder. If it was Xiao Ping, she would have no time to change clothes and put on makeup while playing the piano. She would sneak into the house to assassinate the prince consort and then come out, change back into her original clothes and wipe off the white powder on her face.
Thinking of this, he felt a little relieved. Maybe it was just a coincidence that Xiaoping was nearby.
I fell asleep while thinking about it.
February 16th, 12:00 pm
When Shen Kuo woke up, he suddenly thought of an important matter, so he looked around for Xu Chong. Xu Chong was just coming in from outside, excitedly having bought a basket of pancakes.
"Why is Brother Xu so happy? Is it because he is going to enter the palace?"
"I go to the palace often, but I'm not excited. I just woke up early today and I'm in good health. It's what you said yesterday, brother, I won't look like a ghost like that butcher. I'm naturally happy, so I went to buy some food so that I can go to the palace."
"You bought so much, but the palace doesn't provide food?"
"The palace doesn't care. On weekdays, when guarding the front hall for four hours, we have to eat a full meal before entering the palace. We are not allowed to bring food in, for fear of poison. I heard that it was not like this in the past. Some of the guards also brought bedding into the palace to sleep in, not to mention bringing normal food. But this year, after the hat monster appeared in the harem garden, the inspection was strict and thorough. We, the imperial guards, can only carry waist swords. The Golden Spear Squad is not allowed to bring any extra weapons except the long weapons of the ceremonial guards in front of the emperor."
“So it’s so strict.”
"So today we will just see whether the seal carved by Master Huailiang is useful." Xu Chong said with a smile.
"What you said makes me a little nervous."
"It's okay, actually. Although the rules have become stricter, the eunuchs guarding the door are still the same people, and they are not very careful."
"How do you know?"
"Do you remember my brother Wang Sheng? He forgot about the Western Qiang chain hammer hanging from his waist. When he entered the palace, the eunuch saw him and asked him what it was. In a hurry, he said it was a heater he brought with him. The eunuch didn't even look at him and let him go. You think, where in the world can you find such a big heater? I guess the eunuch has never seen the world."
"Well, it's not necessarily that the eunuch has never seen the world. I know there is such a stove, it's this big. It's also called a mattress incense burner, it can be placed in the mattress or next to you, no matter how you move it, the charcoal fire inside is full of iron, and the charcoal fire rolls in the middle without turning over. However, its appearance is almost the same as this Western Qiang hammer."
"The charcoal fire always stays in the center, and it can turn around without tipping over? Is it so magical?"
"It is indeed magical, but it is a pity that I have only seen the drawings and not the real thing. Sima Xiangru wrote in "Ode to Beauty": the golden tongs are burning incense, and the curtains are hanging low. The golden tongs here are the shape of the charcoal fire that does not overturn. I think the eunuch must have seen these things in the palace."
"Hey, maybe that kid is lucky. Come, eat some pancakes." Xu Chong admitted that he didn't understand and decided to eat first.
Shen Kuo also grabbed two pancakes and started eating. After he finished eating, he and Xu Chong went out to the Zuoye Gate in front of the palace.
The streets were crowded and chaotic along the way. There were fewer shops open than yesterday, and not many vendors were still doing business.
Shen Kuo also wanted to stop by Daxiangguo Temple to take Huailiang with him, but he was running out of time. Xu Chong also mentioned that today, at the Three Religions Dharma Assembly in the palace, all monks and Taoist priests who were performing Nuo dances would go through the Youye Gate, while the cavalry and infantry of the Palace Front Department would go through the Zuoye Gate. In fact, they were not on the same route.
The two men rode along the Imperial Street and saw the towering Baifan Building, which was deserted. Then they looked at the door and saw messengers from Kaifeng Prefecture sealing the gate.
"Look! The number one restaurant in the capital has been sealed off." Xu Chong said.
"Why is this store sealed? What's the reason?" Shen Kuo was a little indignant. In fact, these things had nothing to do with him, but he knew in his heart that if he didn't open the seal and reopen the store, Xiao Ping would not be able to return.
"What kind of reason is needed? Isn't it reasonable to cause trouble to the goblins across from the Imperial City?"
"However……"
"In fact, it's only sealed for a few days. They said that everything will be fine once the Heavenly Master takes a look and recites a spell to dispel the evil spirits."
"When will the Heavenly Master come?"
"The Heavenly Master is in the Qingyuqing Zhaoying Palace. Tomorrow, the Emperor will have to go to the Imperial Ancestral Temple with the Heavenly Master, so I'm afraid he won't be able to come in the next few days. Why are you so eager for the Heavenly Master to come here?"
"You know, I met Xiao Ping in the mountain village last night. I asked her when she would return, and she said she was tired of staying in the countryside and wanted to return to Beijing, but she could only come back after the lockdown was lifted."
"She's back, isn't Jin'er back too?"
"Is there any need to say that?"
"Oh, I wonder when the Taoist priest will come to chant the spell? It's a pity that such a great hotel has to close down." Now it was Xu Chong's turn to become anxious.
The two arrived at Zuoxiu Gate, where there were not many people. On the contrary, there was a long line of people at Youye Gate across Xuande Gate. Not only were there many people there, but they also thought that they were all here to participate in the Water and Land Dharma Assembly and were carrying these Dharma instruments, so they needed to be checked slowly, which slowed down the time.
When he arrived at the gate, Shen Kuo nervously handed over the unused sign, then signed and verified the seal. Huailiang's craftsmanship was naturally honest, and the eunuchs could not see any problems, so they let him pass. After entering the palace, Shen Kuo breathed a sigh of relief.
Xu Chong seemed to be familiar with the place. He led Shen Kuo to Chongwenyuan and entered the Youchangqing Gate, where the escort Shi Quanbin was waiting.
It was the first time that Shi Quanbin met Shen Kuo, but he was already very familiar with him, probably because he had heard Bao Zheng mention him many times.
Mr. Shi was very polite. After greeting Shen Kuo, he exchanged a few pleasantries and led him through the entire palace to the last imperial garden, because it was there that a small remains of the hat monster was found more than a month ago. But the road was not easy to walk on today. Because there were many rituals going on in various parts of the palace at the same time, and they were not from the same sect. There were monks chanting sutras to pray for the souls to be reborn, there were also Taoist priests performing Tian Da Jiao, and there were also people invited from Kuizhou Road to perform Nuo dance.
Today's exorcism in the palace is called the Three Religions Dharma Assembly, and it is also because of this Nuo dance. Although the ministers in the court do not admit that this kind of dance activity has much to do with Confucianism, but if you look closely, Nuo dance does come from Zhou Li and has some relationship with the Holy Religion. And the emperor thought again and again that the name of the Three Religions Dharma Assembly seems more formal and comprehensive.
Shi Quanbin walked in front, introducing various palaces to Shen Kuo from time to time . He seemed a little too enthusiastic, which made Shen Kuo feel flattered.
"This is the Youchengtian Gate. To the west is the Xihua Gate. After passing the Xihua Gate, you will be outside the palace. After passing the imperial guards barracks, you will not be far from the other side." Shi Quanbin said.
"So the way out here is the Military Headquarters."
"Speaking of which, when I was young, I entered the palace and served in Jiying Gate inside Xihua Gate. Look ahead, that's Jiying Hall."
"Is that the Jiying Hall?" Shen Kuo looked at the magnificent hall door and couldn't help but yearn for it. He knew that the top ten candidates in the palace examination would be named and awarded in this hall every year. Behind this door was the place that all students in the world yearned for.
Seeing Shen Kuo was somewhat fascinated, Shi Quanbin said, "At the beginning, Bao Longtu had said that Shen Kuo should go to Beijing to handle this case first, and then stay at Yang Wei De's house to prepare for the imperial examination. Unfortunately, now that the case has become like this, I am afraid there is no way for Master Shen to prepare for the examination."
"The most urgent task now is to solve the case carefully and relieve the government's worries. Everything else is secondary." Shen Kuo said against his will.
"It's rare for Master Shen to be so loyal."
As they walked along the wide passage behind the Daqing Palace, they heard cymbals and looked east. They saw a group of people wearing animal skins and hoods, swaying as if drunk. Their steps were strange, almost "sideways", and they looked like they were dancing. If you hadn't seen it with your own eyes, who would have expected that someone would walk so arrogantly in the palace.
All the people behind the Daqing Palace, whether they were imperial guards or eunuchs on duty, all avoided the front and moved to the sides to avoid the attack.
Shen Kuo was so absorbed in watching that he forgot to dodge. Shi Quanbin quickly called out to him, "Mr. Shen, get out of the way! That's Fang Xiangshi. It's unlucky to run into him." His voice was trembling, startling Shen Kuo, who quickly dodged to the side.
Look at the person walking in front. He is wearing a huge bear-skin hat, a four-eyed ghost face covering his face, and colorful strips tied around his body.
The man dressed in such horrible clothes, rushing forward with the Yu step, half walking and half jumping, was none other than the "Fang Xiangshi" that everyone wanted to avoid.
Judging from her body shape, this "Fang Xiangshi" is clearly a woman, but she is tall and wears shoes that are several inches thick, which makes her look taller than she actually is.
She was holding a brass bell in her hand, which she was shaking constantly. The person following behind her was also wearing strange clothes and a scary mask, shaking the bell and walking towards her with a step that showed no regard for her relatives.
When the leading "Fang Xiangshi" walked past Shen Kuo, he looked carefully and found that her Yu step was shaking three times with one step, and her body moved forward like a ferocious beast ready to pounce on its prey at any time.
Looking more closely, he saw that the index finger on her right hand that was shaking the bell was missing, and there was a crack on the bell. The crack and the broken finger seemed to have some connection, and he couldn't help but guess: Maybe when the Nuo master was being chased by her enemies, she used her right hand that was shaking the bell to block the sharp blade, which ended up breaking the bell and then cutting off a finger?
Like a ferocious beast passing through the land, Fang Xiangshi passed by in a flash, and her dozens of followers dressed as ghosts also passed by with knocks and beatings. They turned around and headed southward toward Chongxiao Gate.
