Chapter 205: The Serpentine Beauty

A few days passed after Lady Yang Guozhong’s birthday. The matters discussed that night seemed like a gorgeous bubble, shattering without a trace. Yang Guozhong didn’t take it to heart and continued to focus on his duties as prime minister. Prince Qing, Li Cong, lost 10,000 strings of coins and 10,000 mu of arable land. He could only smile bitterly, considering it an offering to Lady Guo. Unexpectedly, on the afternoon of the fifth day, Yang Huahua sent one of her trusted maids to deliver a secret letter to Li Cong.

…

A luxurious carriage slowly came to a stop in front of Yang Huahua’s residence. Two maids helped an old woman of Hu ethnicity out of the carriage. Her hair was tied into dozens of braids, adorned with various amber gems. She had an eagle-hook nose, rare among Han women, and her cold eyes sparkled with cunning. This old woman was Wen Bobo, from Kang Country. She had lived in the Tang Dynasty for decades and was a somewhat famous Sogdian witch. By combining the crystal magic of Kang Country with Han folk beliefs against evil spirits, she had a strong following among the elite in Chang’an.

The old witch entered Yang Huahua’s mansion and was led to the inner hall, Yang Huahua’s usual living space. Despite her wide experiences, she was still stunned by the luxury of the inner hall. Named the White Jade Hall, as the name suggested, the entire hall was covered with large pieces of high-quality white jade, inlaid with dazzling gems, creating an illusion of entering a dream world.

Yang Huahua, dressed in a fiery red floor-length dress, stood out even more in the White Jade Hall. The old witch knelt down and bowed devoutly, saying, “I pay my respects to Lady Yang!”

“Are you Wen Bobo?” Yang Huahua glanced at her with her charming, peach-blossom eyes, yet her tone was icy cold.

“That’s right, this old woman is.”

“Thirty years ago, your name was Lu Moduo, wasn’t it?”

Wen Bobo immediately panicked, as if suddenly pushed from the cold darkness into the scorching sun. Her secret had been exposed. Yang Huahua seemed unaware of her panic and continued calmly, “Thirty years ago, you practiced witchcraft in Luoyang, cheating Lord He Changsi out of 2,000 strings of coins and causing the death of his wife and daughter. Then you changed your name and fled, right?”

Yang Huahua’s charming eyes became as sharp as knives as she stared at her coldly. Wen Bobo trembled with fear as the secret she had hidden for thirty years was revealed. Yang Huahua slowly walked up to her, her tone softening again. “But don’t worry. Since I’ve invited you to my mansion, I have no intention of exposing you.”

Wen Bobo’s panic subsided slightly, and she quickly said, “I am willing to serve Lady Yang!”

Yang Huahua glanced at her and asked again, “How old are you this year?”
“I’m eighty-one years old.”
“Eighty-one years old, and your hair is still black. Truly worthy of being a shaman. Moreover, you have an illegitimate son who’s thirty years old and hiding in Jinzhou to do business. Am I wrong?”
Seeing that Yang Huahua had already investigated everything about her, Wen Bobo was terrified. What exactly did she want?
When she felt the time was right, Yang Huahua crouched down and stared at her, saying, “I have a deal for you. If you agree, I’ll give your son ten thousand guan and ten thousand mu of land right away. If you refuse…”
Yang Huahua narrowed her eyes and said coldly, “Neither you nor your son will survive!”
……
At dusk, a dozen palace guards escorted another carriage to Yang Huahua’s grand mansion. The door opened, and Cui Ningbi, dressed like a noblewoman, stepped out of the carriage. It had been a month since her marriage, but there was no glow of a bride on her face—only a hint of sadness. Her loose dress didn’t fit well, making her slender figure appear even more frail. On the steps, Yang Huahua had been waiting for a long time. Seeing her niece get out of the carriage, she hurried over, took her in from head to toe, and frowned, “Ningbi, why are you even thinner than last time?”
“Third Sister!” Tears welled up in Cui Ningbi’s eyes.
“Don’t cry! Don’t cry! If you have any grievances, tell Third Sister, and I’ll help you!”
Yang Huahua led Cui Ningbi into her inner chamber, had her sit down, and carefully wiped away her tears. The concern from her relative made Cui Ningbi even sadder, and she burst into sobbing.
“He never treated me as his wife. Since our marriage, he’s only forced himself on me three times, and he never really touched me. The rest of the time, he was with his legitimate wife!” As she cried, Cui Ningbi told her aunt about her miserable fate.
Yang Huahua listened patiently, her eyes filled with sympathy. Only after Cui Ningbi calmed down a bit did Yang Huahua sigh and say, “I originally intended to marry you off to the crown prince out of kindness, but it ended up harming you. I’m responsible!”
“Third Sister, what should I do now?” Cui Ningbi sobbed again.
“Ningbi, don’t cry. Let Third Sister think of a way for you!”
Yang Huahua walked a few steps with her hands behind her back. Suddenly, she made up her mind and said, “It seems we have to resort to extreme measures!”
“Extreme measures?” Cui Ningbi looked at her third sister in confusion, tears in her eyes.
“Yes, extreme measures!” Yang Huahua turned around abruptly. “Since he doesn’t like you, you’ll have to use the rules of propriety to force him to like you.”

Cui Ningbi was even more confused. What about the rules of etiquette?
“It’s very simple. You need to become the principal consort. Once you are the principal consort and have the Yang family’s support, he won’t dare not dote on you. If you give him a son in the future, your position will be unshakable. Ningbi, do you understand? You need to become the crown prince’s consort, even the empress!”
Cui Ningbi seemed half-understanding and asked timidly, “The principal consort is Shen Zhenzhu. Can I replace her?”
“Yes! As long as you follow your aunt’s instructions, I guarantee you’ll become the principal consort soon.”
Cui Ningbi was somewhat tempted. As the principal consort, her husband would have to live with her—that was the rule. She asked in a low voice, “Then what should I do?”
Yang Huahua carefully observed her eyes and seeing that she was already 70% convinced, said, “Just follow your aunt’s arrangements!”
Yang Huahua whispered a few words in Cui Ningbi’s ear. Cui Ningbi’s eyes widened in fear. “Aunt, if he finds out, it will be terrible.”
“How can he know? As long as you insist it has nothing to do with you, and your fourth aunt is the imperial concubine, with the Yang family’s power, what can he do to you? The key is to firmly refuse to admit it, and only you and I know about this. Don’t even tell your mother. That way, it’s foolproof.”
A conflicted expression appeared on Cui Ningbi’s face, but eventually she made up her mind. “Alright! Third Sister, I’ll follow your advice.”
A look of satisfaction appeared on Yang Huahua’s face. She clapped her hands, and Witch Wen Bobo came out from the adjacent room. Yang Huahua pointed at Cui Ningbi and said, “This is my niece, Cui Ningbi, the concubine of the Prince of Guangping.”
……
The next night, Cui Ningbi suddenly fell ill. She cried and made a fuss, cutting up her bedding and dresses, shouting that ghosts wanted to kill her. She rolled on the ground holding her head, then started convulsing, foaming at the mouth. Suddenly, she jumped up, grabbed scissors, and started killing people around. Two maids serving her slowed down slightly, and their arms were pierced—they almost died at her hands. The palace was in panic, with everyone saying the concubine had been possessed. The Prince of Guangping, Li Chu, was terrified and quickly ordered her to be tied up to prevent her from harming anyone. He also invited a high priest to exorcise the evil spirit. By nightfall, Cui Ningbi’s madness still hadn’t stopped. Due to Cui’s high status, the eunuchs of the Prince of Guangping’s palace rushed to Xingqing Palace to report to the imperial concubine and the emperor.
Inside Xingqing Palace, Li Longji was playing chu pu with Yang Yuhuan and Yang Huahua, with Yang Guozhong, the Minister of War, keeping score. Suddenly, they received a report: Cui, the concubine of the emperor’s eldest grandson, had been possessed. Li Longji was stunned and asked urgently, “Have the Taoists been called to exorcise the evil spirit?”
“Your Majesty, high priests have been called to exorcise it, but it’s useless.”

“Nonsense! I’m talking about Taoists. Of course, the imperial family should invite Taoists to exorcise evil spirits!” Li Longji grew annoyed.
The eunuch was so frightened he wanted to leave immediately, but Yang Huahua called out, “Wait!”
She quickly bowed to Li Longji and said, “Your Majesty, I have something to say.”
“Please speak, Third Lady.”
Yang Huahua pointed at Yang Yuhuan and said, “Yuhuan also encountered such a thing when she was young. It was caused by a midwife who stole something and was driven out of the palace. Later, a ghostly figure was found in her room. Your Majesty, I suspect Ningbi has experienced the same thing.”
Li Longji glanced curiously at Yang Yuhuan. “I’ve never heard you mention this before.”
Yang Yuhuan had indeed experienced such a thing when she was young, so she nodded and said, “I was too young back then and can’t remember clearly.”
Yang Huahua continued, “Your Majesty, we should search Ningbi’s room to see if there’s anything like this.”
These words reminded Li Longji, who immediately ordered, “Go! Search Concubine Cui’s room right away.”
With such a incident occurring, Li Longji and Yang Yuhuan had no mood for playing chess. At Yang Huahua’s suggestion, they all went to the Guangping Prince’s mansion. As soon as Li Longji arrived, the search results came in—indeed, a paper figure with a needle inserted into it was found under Concubine Cui’s bed. At that moment, Crown Prince Li Hen also arrived. Seeing the figure, his face turned pale, and he said in a trembling voice, “How could such a thing happen?”
Li Longji’s expression darkened. He immediately ordered, “Search the entire Guangping Prince’s mansion thoroughly!”
Five hundred soldiers from the Imperial Guards rushed into the mansion and began a thorough search. In less than fifteen minutes, they found another paper figure with the name Cui Ningbi and a needle inserted into it in the room of the principal consort, Shen Zhenzhu. Shen Zhenzhu was terrified and cried out in innocence. Li Chu, the Guangping Prince, also kowtowed repeatedly before the emperor, insisting that his wife was innocent. By then, Lady Han also arrived, holding her daughter who had lost her mind and crying uncontrollably. Even Yang Yuhuan remained silent. On one side, Shen Zhenzhu cried out in innocence; on the other, the Yang family wept bitterly. With irrefutable evidence, Li Longji, who always hated such witchcraft, waved his hand and ordered, “Execute her!”
Li Chu was devastated. He opened his mouth and burst into tears. Crown Prince Li Hen, unable to bear it, stepped forward and pleaded, “Father, Zhenzhu is young and ignorant. Please spare her!”
Yang Yuhuan also felt pity and pleaded, “Your Majesty, we still haven’t figured out what’s going on. Executing Zhenzhu now won’t be good for the crown prince either. Please spare her life for now!”

Li Longji truly liked this virtuous daughter-in-law of the Zhang family. He didn’t quite believe it was Pearl who did it, but such witchcraft was his greatest taboo. Moreover, out of respect for the Yang family, he had no choice but to order her execution. Now that the Imperial Concubine was interceding, Li Longji was inclined to spare Pearl’s life. At that moment, Yang Huahua said with a stern expression, “Our Yang family will not frame an innocent person, but we will not tolerate being bullied either. Whoever cast this spell must be thoroughly investigated.”

She then turned to Yang Guozhong and said, “Third brother, as the governor of Jingzhao, it is your duty to handle this. I don’t expect you to favor the Yang family. As long as you can identify the real culprit and give Ningbi an explanation, that will be enough.”

Her words made perfect sense, and Li Heng also expressed his agreement, saying, “Your servant agrees with Lady Yang’s suggestion.”

Yang Huahua glanced at him, a hint of barely perceptible mockery in her eyes. Li Longji nodded and said to Yang Guozhong, “As the governor of Jingzhao and a member of the imperial family, I entrust this matter to you. Present facts to me.”

“Your servant obeys!”

Li Longji waved his hand, and a large group of guards escorted the imperial carriage back to Xingqing Palace in a grand procession.

……

In the middle of the night, Li Longji was suddenly awakened by the eunuch attending to him. “Your Majesty! Your Majesty!”

“What is it?”

“Your Majesty, Minister Yang is urgently requesting an audience, saying he has important news to report!”

“Hmm! Have him wait in the outer hall.”

Li Longji sat up. Yang Yuhuan was also awakened and asked, “Third brother, what’s the matter?”

“Yang Guozhong wants to see you. He must have discovered something. It’s cold outside; you shouldn’t get up.”

“Third brother, don’t forget what you promised me.”

“Don’t worry! I promise you—I won’t execute Shen Pearl.”

Li Longji put on an outer robe and slowly walked to the outer hall of the palace. There, he saw Yang Guozhong and Li Yan, the deputy governor of Jingzhao, waiting outside. When they saw the emperor emerge, they immediately stepped forward and bowed. “Your servants have disturbed Your Majesty’s rest; we deserve death!”

“No need for such formalities. I know you wouldn’t have come unless it were urgent. Tell me, what have you discovered?”

Yang Guozhong and Li Yan exchanged a glance. Yang Guozhong said, “Your Majesty, after searching all night, we have finally identified the one who cast the spell. It’s a famous witch in the capital named Wen Bobo. She has been detained, and she confessed that Shen Concubine’s personal maid sought her help.”

“Hmm! Well done. Execute this witch.”

Yang Guozhong hesitated for a moment before suddenly kneeling down and kowtowing twice. “Your Majesty, I have also discovered another matter, but I dare not speak of it!”

Li Longji glared at him. “Speak!”

“The witch said that the owner of a silk shop in the East Market also bought witchcraft items from her a month ago. I investigated that silk shop and accidentally discovered that the owner was actually Ma Yingjun, the eunuch who used to serve the crown prince.”
Li Longji sat up abruptly and asked word by word, “Is what you say true?”
“I dare not deceive the emperor! Here is the witch’s confession, and Ma Yingjun has also been captured by me—right outside the palace. But he refuses to admit he bought witchcraft items.”
As he spoke, he handed over the confession with both hands. Li Longji’s expression turned extremely dark. He had already guessed that the crown prince was involved in witchcraft. He took the confession and saw the witch’s signature as well as those of Yang Guozhong and Li Yan. He then glanced at Li Yan.
Li Yan was from the imperial family, fair and strict, and had always been trusted by Li Longji. He nodded, confirming that the situation was true. Li Longji flew into a rage and shouted, “Bring Ma Yingjun here!”
A moment later, several fierce guards dragged the terrified Ma Yingjun in and threw him to the ground. Ma Yingjun kowtowed frantically, begging, “Your Majesty, spare my life! It was the crown prince who ordered me to sell cloth in the East Market. I was just following orders.”
“What did he want you to do by selling cloth?” Li Longji asked, narrowing his eyes.
“He… since it was difficult for him to communicate with people outside from the Eastern Palace, he arranged for me to open a shop in the East Market to act as a liaison with important officials.”
A flame of fury surged in Li Longji’s heart. He picked up the white jade lion on the imperial desk and was about to smash it to the ground, but in the end, he didn’t. Instead, he slowly put it down, restraining his anger. He then asked slowly, “Did he also arrange for you to buy witchcraft items?”
“No, I have never bought any witchcraft items.”
“Nonsense!” Yang Guozhong shouted angrily. “That witch described your appearance exactly. She doesn’t know you at all, and there’s no reason for her to slander you.”
“Your Majesty, I really haven’t…”
“Enough!”
Li Longji cut him off and turned around, ordering sternly, “Pass my decree—conduct a thorough search of the Eastern Palace! Execute it immediately.”
…
A large-scale search of the Eastern Palace, unprecedented since the Tianbao era, officially began. At the third watch of the night, three thousand armored Yulin soldiers, under the command of General Wang Chengye, sealed off the Eastern Palace. All the eunuchs and maids in the palace were gathered in a large hall, while Crown Prince Li Hen and several concubines were held in isolation.
Crown Prince Li Hen was extremely worried. He couldn’t understand how witchcraft from his son’s residence could spread to the Eastern Palace. Could someone be framing him? Who could it be? Yang Guozhong?

He was lost in wild thoughts, sighing from time to time. His concubine, Lady Zhang, whispered soothingly, “Your Highness need not worry. If one’s heart is upright, one need not fear a crooked shadow. Your Highness has no guilt in mind.”
Li Heng sighed. How could he have no guilt? Just yesterday at noon, he had secretly sent someone to Ma Yingjun’s shop to deliver a letter to Lu Huan, the governor of Yangzhou, ordering him to strive for the position of prime minister. Lu Huan was not among the ten people the emperor allowed to meet with him. If this were discovered, his days would be hard.
At that moment, General Wang Chengye’s voice came from outside the door: “Your Highness!”
Li Heng hurriedly stepped outside. “General, what’s the matter?”
“Your Majesty asks the Crown Prince to go to Xingqing Palace.”
Li Heng was stunned. He glanced at the sky—it was already dawn, and it was time for the officials to attend court.
“Alright! I’ll put on an outer robe and go with you right away.”
With that, he hesitated for a moment before asking softly, “General, haven’t you found anything yet?”
Wang Chengye gave a bitter smile and said, “Something inappropriate was found in Your Highness’s study.”
“What!”
Li Heng’s heart seemed to plunge into an endless abyss of darkness.
……
Li Longji was on the verge of going mad. On the table before him lay a paper-cut figure that resembled him exactly. His name was boldly written on the front of the figure: ‘Li Longji.’ But right at the heart of the figure, a steel needle had been thrust deep into it.
He suddenly understood why he had seemed so aged over the past month or two, why his life force was fading so rapidly. It was all because of this figure before him—no! His own son, the crown prince, the heir to the Tang throne. After being emperor for forty years, he could no longer wait. Over a decade ago, his second son, Ying, had also held the position of crown prince. Hearing that there was a thief in the palace, he hurriedly put on armor and rushed in. Now it was his third son, Heng’s turn—using witchcraft to curse him to die early.
Suddenly, Li Longji felt a severe pain in his heart, an unprecedented agony. His vision went black, and he fainted.