Lin Yan's anger suddenly rose, and she turned her head to see that the person speaking was Feng Zhuang Ji, the concubine who served under Empress Dowager in Lianyi Palace. She felt a surge of resentment in her heart, thinking that after all her struggles in the palace, she had finally achieved her current status, but due to one careless mistake, she had been plotted against by the empress and now even a disgraced Feng Zhuang Ji dared to humiliate her.

  The other palace consorts mostly watched with cold eyes or sneered, they had long been displeased that Lin Yuanyuan rose to fame overnight and became a favored consort comparable to Sheng Fei, but unexpectedly heaven was so fair, that one arrow failed to kill her, yet she inexplicably got entangled in the witchcraft case. From then on, this Huijie Yu would not be able to gain favor or power again, even if she wouldn't be sent to the Cold Palace.

  Lin Yanqiang suppressed her anger, her left hand tightly clenched on the wooden armrest, coldly staring at this group of women with faces like humans but hearts like beasts. The Empress saw that she didn't look well and was naturally pleased in her heart, smiling as she instructed Huicui: "Master, you've prepared thoroughly this time, it seems that the demon is certainly doomed to die. Please, Master, just proceed with the ritual without worrying about the palace rules."

  Huìcí nodded slightly, reached out to take a willow branch from the white porcelain vase on the Qingyu case behind her, and with a slight wave of her hand, the drum music started loudly, and the chanting of Buddhist scriptures surged in like a mighty wave.

  The Buddhist music was majestic and grand, and everyone who listened to it felt a sense of awe in their hearts. It was unimaginable that this ritual would also be so shocking to the heart, with at least over a thousand people chanting together to produce the layered echoes. Lin Wan knew that Hui Ci had led all the monks from Ming Jue Temple into the palace to recite sutras, and since the monks were not allowed to enter the inner courts of the rear palace, they could only sit in meditation outside the palace walls, waiting for the drumbeat from inside the palace to signal the start of the ritual, and then chanting in unison.

  At this moment, Huìcí suddenly dipped the willow branch into the water in the bottle and sprinkled it towards the palace. The female nuns didn't know when they all held a thick stack of yellow paper in their hands, at the same time as Huìcí was sprinkling the water, they raised their hands high, countless paper talismans fluttered in the air, swirling like snowflakes.

  At the moment when the yellow talisman paper fluttered in mid-air, Lin Wan's face suddenly turned shocked and furious, with flames almost bursting out of her eyes.

  And the palace maid beside her couldn't help but scream. It was young Chutao, who was so shocked that her face twisted, and she knelt down with a thud, shouting: "No, no! How can the ghost-quelling charm be sprinkled in the Mirror Moon Pavilion? Our young master is not a ghost, don't sprinkle it anymore..."

  In the midst of the Buddhist music, the cries of Chun Tao were even more mournful. The Empress's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and immediately an inner attendant came forward to hold Chun Tao in place, covering her mouth and dragging her away. The palace people beside the Mirror Moon Pavilion were all anxious and fearful, but Lin Yuan waved her hand and pressed down on the crowd, saying: "There is no need for anyone to panic, just watch Master Hui Ci perform the Buddhist rites. Whether we are human or ghost, demon or monster, it is all predetermined by heaven, so why fear the gods? No matter how others slander us, it is all in vain."

  Lin Wan said, getting up and walking to the front of the Qingyu case in the center, her eyes locked onto Hui Ci with a stern gaze, while smiling and saying: "Master is indeed all-knowing and all-powerful, this magic we are all bewildered by, I suppose the real culprit will definitely be subdued under Master's intimidation."

  Lin Yu stood alone, with the yellow paper scattered all over her shoulders. Many of the papers still had unextinguished flames on them, and sparks were burning holes in her outer garments, but she didn't move at all. The other consorts nearby had long been frightened by this grand and eerie spell, and when they looked at Lin Yu again, they were shocked to see that she was not afraid of ghosts or gods, their faces full of astonishment.

  "What you said is not wrong." Huizi's tone was calm and even, but her eyes were fixed tightly on Lin Yuan's face. Suddenly, she reached into her front pocket and pulled out a purple talisman paper, lifted her hand, and slapped it onto Lin Yuan's chest. Despite her plump figure, Huizi's movements were swift and completed in an instant, leaving Lin Yuan dazed. By the time Lin Yuan reacted, a dark and eerie talisman paper was already stuck to her chest.

  The timid palace ladies immediately cried out in surprise, and Feng Zhuangji even shouted loudly without regard for her dignity: "Lin Shi is a demon! Quick, quick, stay away from her..."

  Although many people are not familiar with Buddhist teachings, they also know that talismans and other tools like them are used to suppress ghosts and monsters. Purple is often used to deal with zombies. Talismans were originally commonly used by Taoists, but in Buddhism, the Ten Thousand Character Scripture is mostly for decoration, and making ritual objects is not something that will be done lightly.

  Lin Yuan stood in front of everyone and gently tugged at the corner of the talisman paper without tearing it off.

  On top of it, dense and intricate Sanskrit characters were drawn, with curved strokes like crawling snakes. Lin Yan looked at it and wanted to laugh a little, really didn't know how such a thing could fool a large group of noblewomen in front of her.

  She smiled brightly and asked: "Master, forgive me for being slow-witted, but what is this thing used for? Why do you need to stick it on your body?"

  Huizi looked at her with a heartless and ruthless expression, but was left speechless. She had thought that the women in the palace were weak and superstitious, and would be scared to death by just a little trickery, but unexpectedly, this person was shallow and ignorant, and knew nothing about Buddhism, and even when faced with the Mountain-Conquering Ten Thousand Character Mantra, she didn't know to fear.

  A nun behind him explained, "This noble master has been infected with evil energy, so we use talismans to suppress it." At this time, the other nuns were carefully placing a red silk package on top of the incense burner in the center of the green jade case. A large bundle of dry firewood was also added under the huge bronze cauldron and ignited, burning a blackish-red liquid inside, which was unknown what it was.

  "Please be at ease, noble master." Huizi stirred the willow branch in the black water with one hand while speaking softly to Lin Yuxin: "Now that an evil entity has invaded your body, it is clear that you have been harmed by a wicked person. Moreover, the evil entity found in your palace was not created by you either. In this case, you are also an innocent victim and do not bear any guilt."

  Huizi said up to this point, stretched out her hand and pulled open the red silk cloth on the green jade case. Inside was indeed the wooden puppet that had been taken from the Mirror Moon Pavilion that day. She raised an eyebrow slightly and said: "It's just that your destiny is not good, Your Excellency, and your eight characters do not match those of the Emperor. You shouldn't have entered the palace in the first place. The yang energy in this palace is the weakest, which is why these evil spirits and ghosts chose you."

  Lin Wan couldn't help but laugh and cry at the same time.

  This ancient divine stick is indeed a perfect scam!

  The queen was also worried, and the words that came out of Huiji's mouth sounded respectful, but they were harsher than one another. Once this Buddhist ceremony is over, not to mention the emperor, everyone in the palace will believe that Lin Yuen is a female demon possessed by a ghost!

  Although in fact, she wasn't a normal human being... Lin Yan thought of this and couldn't help but let out a sneeze.

  Inside the Mirror Moon Pavilion, those nuns were quite skilled, the paper charms they tossed out flew up into the air, and once released, floated higher than the eaves of the roof. It was clear that they had practiced martial arts before. Hui Ci stopped talking to Lin Yuan, muttering to herself as she swept the willow branch over the heads of every master and servant in the courtyard, frightening them all so much that their faces turned pale and they didn't dare breathe loudly.

  Soon, Huizhi suddenly let out a loud shout, her voice heavy as a bell. She inserted the willow branch back into the bottle and said in a low voice to the empress: "The real murderer is not among these nobles."

  The queen exclaimed: "All the concubines, princes and princesses in the palace are here, how can they not be found?" After saying that, she frowned again: "Could it really be that one..."

  "The real culprit must still be in the palace, but Your Majesty the Empress, have you overlooked someone?" Hui Ci said firmly.

  Listening to Huizhen and the Empress's words, the concubines present were truly terrified. It turned out that the Empress had gathered everyone here not just for the Buddhist ceremony, but to investigate the murderer! Fortunately, Huizhen had also said earlier that the real culprit was not among them.

  "Today, except for Ye Shi, only Xiang Fei is not here!" A concubine in the crowd shouted out loud. When Lin Wan looked over, she saw a vast sea of people and didn't know who it was. Her shout almost reminded everyone that due to their fear of monsters, these concubines also forgot to be afraid of Xiang Fei and chimed in one after another:

  "Even Zhao Wang has arrived, all the masters in the palace have gathered, but only Xiang Fei is missing!"

  "Yes! Although Ye Liangyu has never been there either, this matter is directed at her, she is impossible."

  "It's only Empress Xiang... Your Majesty, the Empress, please issue an edict quickly. As long as this demon is in the palace, we won't have a peaceful day..."

  The empress's gaze swept across the crowd, seeing each and every one of them shouting for punishment for Consort Xiang. A cold smile flickered at the corner of her lips. She stood up, took a deep breath, and looked at Huicui: "Consort Xiang is still pregnant and not feeling well, she shouldn't be disturbed... But Ye's child is also the heir of my Great Qin, if Consort Xiang is a cruel person, how can her children inherit the mountains and rivers of Great Qin? Never mind, someone come, go to Linji Palace and invite Consort Xiang!"

  Lin Wan didn't expect things to turn out this way. She sat down and stared at the queen and Hui Ci, with only cold laughter in her heart - you think you have what it takes to compare with ghosts and gods? It's just a ordinary plot to frame someone. Everyone in the palace believes in fate and ghostly spirits, but Lin Wan doesn't believe that Xiang Fei would use curses to get rid of her opponents. Xiang Fei is such a clever person, how could she not understand that these strange powers and curses are just human heart demons, how could they really be effective?

  In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the palace staff who went to Linji Palace on an errand had returned. More than twenty robust and powerful eunuchs surrounded Empress Sheng in the center. She wore a moon-white dress with a hundred butterflies embroidered on cloud-patterned satin, over which she wore a silver-white silk cloak with green stripes. Although her hair was simply styled in a high bun adorned with two phoenix-tail gold pins, at first glance, she looked neat and tidy, clearly having not yet gone to sleep.

  The palace was filled with many attendants, but Xiang Fei had only a few people by her side. Only the senior palace maid, Mu Shuang, and the medical maid, Lan Tui, were following her to serve her. After greeting the Empress Dowager, she glanced at each of the consorts, and although the atmosphere was tense, she showed no fear on her face. She looked straight at the Empress Dowager and said, "Empress Dowager, you really have a lot of enthusiasm, gathering everyone in the middle of the night to hold a grand ceremony, and even inviting me to join in the excitement?"

  She has always been rude, the empress usually doesn't argue with her, but today she raised an eyebrow and said in a low voice: "Xiang Fei, do you really not know why I summoned you today?" After that, she nodded at Hui Ci: "Go and check her!"