Chapter 3 is extremely unfortunate
"Who are you all? You glanced at me and decided my fate!" Zhao Cheng muttered to himself while assessing his current situation. Based on the furnishings of the room and the attire of those around him, he realized he was in the palace of an unknown dynasty, inhabiting the body of a seven or eight-year-old child. This child held a significant status, likely that of a prince. Beside him was his mother, who was probably a favored concubine in the palace. The man who entered later was undoubtedly the emperor, and those two old men, whose identities were unclear, seemed to be quite favored as well; otherwise, they would not have been able to freely enter the inner palace.
Could it be the Empress? Zhao Cheng turned over again, frowning in thought. Empress Wang had given birth to the crown prince Zhao Dan (who later became the crown prince Zhao Huan and reigned for a year as Emperor Qinzong). Although she currently held the position of Empress, her foundation was unstable, and she had already been sidelined. His own mother, although now a noble consort, subtly presided over the six palaces and was the most favored by the Emperor, making him a strong contender for the throne
Who is secretly following me today? Everyone has a sixth sense, but the sensitivity varies from person to person. Zhao Cheng, who has undergone special training, possesses an exceptionally developed sixth sense. If someone watches him for a while, he will notice. From the moment he stepped out today, he sensed that someone was secretly monitoring his every move. He attempted to take action several times, but each time he cleverly evaded it. This is not the first time he has felt someone tailing him; in the past, he believed it was the guards sent by Huang Jingchen to protect his safety. However, today’s feeling overturned that understanding. He sensed the killing intent enveloping that person, a discomforting coldness and bloodthirstiness.
Her chances are the greatest! hetushucom.com Zhao Cheng made a preliminary judgment that he still has seven or eight brothers behind him, and it is also possible that their people are secretly manipulating things. As the saying goes, 'If I eliminate the panda, I become the national treasure.' Now the Eastern Palace is still vacant; if he can eliminate all those in front of him, he could ascend to power. This is also an uncertain matter
Your Majesty, please look!" The young Taoist pointed to a comet the size of a cup in the western sky and said, "This star signifies misfortune; it is a sign of heaven's anger. It foretells that calamities will arise from malevolent energies. Your Highness, if you were to return to life at this moment, you might be tainted by this ominous energy, which is inauspicious!"
Damn it, what are those two monsters? They are nothing but superstitions that deceive people's hearts... Zhao Cheng thought of this and suddenly his mind short-circuited. If there are no ghosts or gods, how could he end up in this young man's body? It's truly bizarre. Zhao Cheng became agitated, and this frail body couldn't take it anymore, leading to another 'crash.' By the time he rebooted, it was already the next day. His mind short-circuited again; without ghosts or gods, how could he have ended up in this young man's body? It's truly bizarre. Zhao Cheng became agitated, and this frail body couldn't take it anymore, leading to another 'crash.' By the time he rebooted, it was already the next day.
The words of two old Taoists left Zhao Ji, who was superstitious about this path, utterly convinced. After a series of arrangements, on the 18th day of the first month in the fifth year of the Chongning era of the Great Song, the second prince Zhao Cheng, the Duke of Ying Tian, and the Governor of Baode, fell ill with a strange disease and were ordered to leave the palace for Gongzhou (Xiangyi) to recuperate. This matter did not cause much of a stir, as the prince was merely a six-year-old child. People only speculated why such a young child would be sent so far from the capital. Was it because Concubine Zheng had fallen out of favor, or was there some change within the palace? Before the rumors could spread, they were overshadowed by even greater events. First, the emperor ordered several young eunuchs to smash the memorial stone of the Yuan You faction that had been erected at the palace gate. Shortly thereafter, Prime Minister Cai Jing was dismissed from office once again, and the era name was changed to Daguan for the following year. At this time, the capital was already in turmoil, with everyone feeling anxious, and no one cared about a little prince who had been driven out of the palace.
The palace is like a large vat of sauce; those with little cunning do not survive long. Zhao Cheng's head ached from thinking, as he was unable to make a decision. He understood too little about the palace's inner workings, and he couldn't even figure out how many concubines his father had arranged for him. Finding the true culprit was indeed not an easy task. The only thing he could do now was to survive and eliminate the enemies before him. The thought made his head throb even more; his body was still very weak. In a direct confrontation, even an elderly woman with normal limbs could easily strangle him. Moreover, there was no one trustworthy by his side. He did not understand why he had not been assigned any security upon leaving the palace. Currently, he was only accompanied by a dozen strong and sturdy servants on night watch, while the guards in his courtyard were eunuchs who were responsible for his safety. They might be able to handle petty thieves, but if a competent assassin were to come, he would probably not even know how he died. He did not understand why he had not been assigned any security upon leaving the palace. Currently, he was only accompanied by a dozen strong and sturdy servants on night watch, while the guards in his courtyard were eunuchs who were responsible for his safety. They might be able to handle petty thieves, but if a competent assassin were to come, he would probably not even know how he died.
Oh, Chai'er has always had poor health; she merely caught a chill and it cannot be related to the malevolent star in the sky! Upon hearing that the child was associated with a comet, the empress quickly defended herself, stating that this was no trivial matter
Your Majesty, the moment Your Highness awakens coincides with the appearance of the comet, which may portend ill fortune!" The old Taoist replied with a bow. His identity was not simple; he was Liu Hunkang, the twenty-fifth generation master of the Shangqing School, nearly ninety years old. Not only was he skilled in music, but he was also well-versed in the calculations of yin and yang. After performing his calculations, he determined that the Second Prince's lifespan had come to an end, yet he had returned to life, and his fate had changed. What the future holds, he could not predict.
After a brief moment of surprise, the old Taoist was the first to regain his composure. He stepped forward and grasped the hand of the imperial physician Wang, asking, "When did His Highness awaken?"
This ... ... this! Zhang Tianshi and Liu Hunkang exchanged a glance, both feeling troubled.
"Is there a way to break the spell?" The Emperor asked anxiously. Despite the young appearance of this Taoist priest, he is the 36th generation Celestial Master of the Zhengyi sect, most skilled in performing rituals to summon rain and pray for clear skies, as well as subduing demons and vanquishing evil spirits. He is often invited by the Emperor to travel between the capital and Longhu Mountain.
Although Liang Garden is beautiful, it is not my own home! Zhao Cheng turned over and lay on his back, sighed softly, and said, fortunately, I was sent here. If I had stayed in the palace a little longer, I might have been exposed. Even though I am trying hard to adapt here, I still seem like an outsider, out of sync with this era
At the first quarter of the hour of the Rat, Wang Taiyi pondered for a moment and said, while the old Taoist priest gestured with his fingers, the young Taoist priest also muttered incantations.
At this moment, he could understand why the survival rate of princes throughout the ages was so low, because each of them was a candidate for the 'supreme leader,' with the possibility of sitting on that throne and becoming the emperor who rules the world. Especially during the Song Dynasty, where brothers could die and younger siblings could ascend, and where the capable were favored over the eldest, it could be said that every living prince had a chance, and with one less brother, his own odds would increase. The merit of supporting a new ruler attracted countless powerful officials to rush forward, fanning the flames behind the scenes, risking their fortunes and lives. Especially during the Song Dynasty, where brothers could die and younger siblings could ascend, and where the capable were favored over the eldest, it could be said that every living prince had a chance, and with one less brother, his own odds would increase. The merit of supporting a new ruler attracted countless powerful officials to rush forward, fanning the flames behind the scenes, risking their fortunes and lives.
In the blink of an eye, it is already the first year of the Great View, and we are now in the hottest season of the year. Although there is an ice basin in the room, it does little to alleviate the heat. At this moment, Zhao Cheng is wide awake; he turns over and gazes through the gently undulating gauze curtain at the starry sky outside. After several days of recuperation, combined with Zhao Cheng's resilient spirit akin to that of an indomitable cockroach, he has gradually pulled himself back from the brink of death.
What Master Liu said is indeed correct. As long as we avoid the capital and reside in seclusion beyond a hundred miles, the prince can devote himself to his cultivation. Once he comes of age, he can return to the capital to serve His Majesty and Her Majesty. Master Zhang, the Tianshi, is also a perceptive person; upon receiving the hint, he immediately understood the intentions of his fellow practitioners.
"What is the disagreement between Master Zhang and Master Liu?" The Emperor asked anxiously upon seeing the two Taoist priests lose their composure
Hmm? How could this happen? Thinking of this, Zhao Cheng felt a twinge of doubt; this was not a place where problems should arise. No matter how a prince is regarded, his safety would not be neglected within the palace. There must be someone who has schemed in advance. As Zhao Cheng thought of this, he couldn't help but shiver; it seemed he needed to be more cautious.
... ...
Your Majesty, Your Highness seems to be in a bad mood, which may be detrimental to those in the palace. It would be best to find a quiet place to cultivate your mind and spirit, ensuring peace both inside and outside the palace. Liu Hunkang glanced at the Empress and spoke with a stiff resolve. Everyone in the palace knows that the Emperor favors Consort Zheng the most. If I speak too harshly, I fear that the Consort might whisper a few words against me in the Emperor's ear, which could endanger my life and that of my disciples. However, the Emperor has given an order, and I cannot remain silent. After speaking, he lightly kicked Zhang Tianshi, thinking to himself, "Good fortune cannot be yours alone; you must also bear some of the misfortunes."
"Daoist, is there really no way to break the spell?" the princess asked with tears in her eyes. "Your Highness is the son of the dragon. Although the malevolent spirit is formidable, it cannot harm your life. As long as you practice outside for a while, and when the yang energy in your body is abundant with the help of the elixirs and holy water from the old Daoist, you will be able to expel the malevolent spirit!" Liu Hunkang said with a smile.
"You want me dead? It's not that easy!" A faint cold smile appeared at the corner of my mouth; having struggled to live once more, I absolutely cannot allow them to feel triumphant.
Who could be the one calculating against oneself repeatedly? Zhao Cheng realized this point and felt that everything was shrouded in conspiracy. The incident of falling into the water while playing in the palace did not seem to be an accident; there were people behind the scenes stirring the pot, wanting to drive him out of the palace and out of the sight of the *Tu* and *Shu*, placing him in a perilous situation. It seemed that his improving health made some people uncomfortable.
"My beloved consort, there is no need to worry. The immortal has already said that Chai'er is merely cultivating outside for a few days and will not suffer any major harm," the Emperor gently reassured the Empress, indicating that the two shared a deep affection. "I have been anxiously working for several days to save the Second Prince, and you come in, pretending to be mysterious and making a few nonsensical remarks, and you steal all my credit. Is there any justice in this?" At this moment, Wang the Imperial Physician, who had been standing aside, felt superfluous. Although he harbored resentment and wished to defend himself, seeing the Emperor's unwavering belief in the words of the two old Taoists, he shook his head and decided against it.
After Zhao Cheng woke up, he pretended to be confused while using his keen insight to grasp the situation before him: he was now in the Song Dynasty, nine hundred years ago. His 'father' was the current emperor, the historically infamous villain—Zhao Ji, a typical example of someone who indulged in pleasures and lost ambition, who allowed the Jin people to capture and kill Emperor Huizong of Song in the northern lands. His 'mother' was the emperor's most favored concubine, Zheng Hongmei, and he was the fruit of their love—the second prince, Zhao Cheng, known in history for his early demise.
"Your Highness, the old Daoist has calculated that just now, your soul left your body. I, along with the Celestial Master, performed a ritual to retrieve your soul. Unexpectedly, a malevolent star suddenly descended, and a fierce spirit took the opportunity to invade your body. This malevolent spirit is likely to cause harm, which would be detrimental to Your Majesty and Your Highness!" Liu Hunkang chattered on.
Having been in this world for quite some time, I have grown accustomed to solitude from my past life. However, I still have trustworthy comrades and brothers. Now, I live a life of luxury, where everything is provided for me, and everyone treats me with deference. Yet, there is not a single person with whom I can share my innermost thoughts. Living in such isolation every day is truly unbearable.