Chapter 1, Flickering.

Hui Ming gritted his teeth, made up his mind, and respectfully knelt down to pay his respects, saying: "I humbly obey Your Majesty's command"

The other palace maids were respectfully addressed as "Miss" or "Auntie" by the young eunuchs, but these individuals were not even given a proper glance. On any day when the lady of the palace was displeased, she could easily find a reason to vent her frustrations on them

Bai Pingcai Er still felt lingering fears, keeping a distance from the morning dew. Only Rong Er affectionately brought over porridge and steamed buns, and with a flourish, took out a paper bag containing a round and plump boiled egg.

The situation is extremely perilous, yet the emperor remains indifferent. He picks up a tea bowl to taste and smiles, saying: "Good tea"

That is her own clumsiness! Is the person dead? If not, hurry and call the Good Samaritan Hall to carry the person away. If they die here, how can anyone live here?

On the seventh day of the first month, the spring garments were just issued in the six palaces. While the palace maids did not speak of it openly, they were secretly racking their brains, pondering how to subtly embellish the grayish-blue garments with needle and thread, so as to neither violate palace regulations nor fail to display their charm.

Observing his gentle and just demeanor, Huiming secretly pondered that it has long been said that this venerable one possesses a warm temperament, is magnanimous, and rarely shows anger, and indeed it is true

The hierarchy within the palace is strict and layered, with each ascending level reflecting an increasing sense of superiority among the individuals at the top

This is Avalokiteshvara Bodhisattva, whose entire body is adorned with seven parts of gold

No one heard the sigh in her heart

The emperor waved his hand to interrupt his introduction: "Does the Zen master believe that last-minute efforts are useful?"

Her voice was filled with fear, resonating ominously with the thunder that crashed down, particularly chilling.

The myth of Weiyang during the Han Dynasty is the most splendid dream in the hearts of the women in the palace

Huiming was already startled and flustered by that glance, and in the face of such a great defeat, could only respond submissively

The rain fell directly upon her, causing her to shiver, though it was unclear whether it was from the cold or the desolate cries emanating from within the house

These words were truly treacherous and chilling, causing Huiming to tremble incessantly. He vaguely realized that he had fallen into a great web.

The white dragon has already taken shape, possessing the momentum of soaring through the clouds and breaking through the sky, while the black dragon remains ineffective, scattered and lacking cohesion

Rong'er hurriedly ran back to Dongpu Corner in three quick steps, reached out to probe, and then sat down in despair

The bright lightning instantaneously illuminated the entire room, the sound of rain pouring down, and upon the laid-out corpse, it quietly opened its eyes

If one must blame, let it be for our unfortunate birth... If our parents had provided a good family background, even if we could not become the masters, we could at least hold a position as a third-rank female official, enjoying a respectable status and not easily subjected to beatings!" Cai'er muttered unwillingly, recalling the close palace maids of the empresses, their preciousness and their imposing demeanor, feeling both longing and jealousy.

"Your Majesty, please take your time with the tea, but I must first make a move." Huiming placed a crucial piece on the board.

The emperor laughed heartily: "It is rare to have such enthusiasm today. The game is over, Master Zen, please take your leave."

The four of them are all low-ranking palace maids in Yunqing Palace. Due to their humble origins and lack of financial means, they have been assigned to the miscellaneous duties team, where tasks such as polishing pillars, mopping floors, and even weeding and dusting are their responsibilities. They toil hard during the day and at night, they share a large sleeping area.

Her appearance is merely delicate, yet with this smile, it is exceptionally bright; in the movement of her eyes, there is an air of noble dignity.

With a clang, the chess piece in Huiming's hand fell to the ground

She looked at the rigid, frail body, gazing at the pale, bluish face, the furrowed brow, and the closed eyes, as if still enduring pain, and she choked back her tears, unable to cry.

You truly lack conscience; it was only for the sake of your class that Chen Lu spilled the paint on the empress.

She took an umbrella and ran outside

Rong'er looked at her, wanting to be angry, but held it back: "Her forehead was getting hotter, she was already weak, having endured that beating, and now facing this weather..."

Oh, I am indeed losing. The emperor remained calm and said with a light smile, "The Zen master truly possesses excellent chess skills"

Rong'er quickly picked up a towel, exclaimed that it was hot, and at the same time placed a cold one on Chen Lu's forehead. She glanced at Bai Ping, Cai'er, and the others, seeing that they were still curled up in their blankets, which made her feel a surge of resentment.

Hui Ming looked up in astonishment, gazing into the emperor's eyes

The emperor extended his hand, his five fingers long yet firm, and he placed a piece down.

She cried, thinking of her mother and younger sister at home, as if she wanted to express all the sorrows of her life through her tears

She ate very quickly, yet showed no signs of rudeness. In a short while, she finished the porridge, consumed the steamed bun, and then moved on to the egg

The Good Person Hall was established by the kind-hearted chief eunuchs and female officials in the palace. When some palace servants who had no relatives or support passed away, they would be taken out and buried, but now even they are unwilling to come. The three immediately understood that they would have to accompany the corpse for the night

The situation on the board has been established, and the large dragon has fallen into a dead end

It seems as if in an instant, the scattered elements immediately supported each other and resonated with one another

Her gaze was chilling, with a divine light swirling within, making it difficult for others to meet her eyes. Her eyes moved, surveying the surrounding humble environment and the three women who looked on in shock and fear

The essence of the art of Go lies in the two characters "tranquility" and "detachment". In the past, it often took several days for predecessors to complete a game, while two players would play until midnight, and still only half of the game would be completed.

Cai'er hesitated for a moment before saying, "I will go call the people from the Goodness Hall"

... ...

The Diamond Sutra · Chapter 32: The Division of the Non-True Response

The morning dew quietly looked at her and suddenly smiled: "Sister Rong, you are truly good to me!"

She glared fiercely at Bai Pingcai'er and cursed under her breath, those two dead girls, spouting nonsense about corpse transformation!

The sharp words came to an abrupt halt as she fixed her gaze on the corpse; suddenly, a piercing scream erupted.

Inside the room, no one spoke anymore; Rong'er was sobbing, while Bai Ping gazed up at the sky.

Unfortunately, the Zen master's perspective is rather limited. The emperor's voice, amidst the thunder, is unexpectedly faint and perilous.

Beneath that warm and gentle smile, the mirth does not reach the depths of the eyes; in the emperor's gaze lies an unfathomable depth, as if an endless abyss were poised to devour those who dare approach.

During the day, the sun was warm and pleasant, but unexpectedly, as night fell, the sky darkened, and it began to rain. The chill of spring accompanied the raindrops, coming in waves. By midnight, with a resounding boom, thunder suddenly erupted

As fleeting as dew, as swift as lightning

The emperor smiled as he looked at Huiming: "You, a mere pawn, only respond to five steps, while I, never concerned with a single piece or a single square, seek only the eventual natural outcome."

She recalled the small, timid smile of Chen Lu when she first entered the palace, and remembered the day when the blows came down all at once, her frail figure curling up into a ball.

He watched the thunderstorm and was reluctant to sleep, so he summoned the wise monk Huiming to stay and play chess with him in the Qianqing Palace while explaining the scriptures to the Empress Dowager

Rong'er let out a startled cry, interrupting Cai'er’s lament: "This is not good, the morning dew has started to turn cold... it feels as cold as a block of ice!"

... ...

She got up, embraced the morning dew, and finally cried out loud

Rong'er clicked her tongue at her good appetite and recalled that she hadn't eaten or drunk anything for several days. Unable to help herself, she exclaimed, "Eat slowly, you haven't had any food for days, and now you're eating so recklessly, is that acceptable?"

The spring of the twelfth year of Yongjia was particularly strange; even in February, the weather fluctuated between cold and hot, changing incessantly. The elderly empress dowager in Fushou Palace could no longer endure it and eventually passed away. A few days later, the empress fell ill in bed, and the imperial physicians held daily consultations, yet there was no sign of improvement. The ladies of the inner and outer courts collectively reported this, prompting the empress dowager to invite Master Huiming from Guoqin Temple to deliver teachings and pray for blessings.

The leap of the fish over the dragon gate is the dream of the women in the palace, all the delicate eyebrow paintings and the ever-changing hair ornaments are merely for that supreme status, for a fleeting glance during leisure, an accidental stunning moment, or even a momentary favor.

The morning dew smiled quietly: "It doesn't matter, I had the porridge first before eating anything else." She continued to eat sweetly, almost burying her face in the bowl: "I'm so hungry, I really haven't eaten in a long time"

Bai Ping shivered, frowned as she looked at the rigid body at the other end, disdainfully shifted the bedding, and said: "Stop talking nonsense"

In the early morning, the rough servants would come to the dining hall to collect their portion of breakfast. As for the high-ranking maidservants, they would first serve their masters before having their own little maids collect their meals on their behalf. Some of those with status even had their own small kitchens.

Half an hour later, Cai'er finally returned, her voice tinged with tears: "The benevolent hall refuses to come, saying it's a heavy rain day... just let her lie dead in the house..."

Cai Er was unable to respond, and the white ping on the bed turned over and sat up: "What is all this noise in the middle of the night? Can't anyone get some sleep!"

The thunder rumbled, causing the candles in the Hall of Supreme Harmony to flicker. On the left side, there was a cloud kiln porcelain censer, shaped like the Great Yu controlling the waters, with sandalwood smoke rising gently. The emperor held a black piece, his thoughts deeply contemplative

The emperor laughed freely: "The empress dowager has requested a Buddha statue from you, while the Daoist priest of Yuxu is about to become the national protector."

This life is so insignificant!

One should observe in this manner

like a dream or a bubble

Yes, I haven't eaten it in a long time

Hui Ming was both shocked and angry: "The Empress Dowager, she ... ... "

"Hurry and eat, you won't listen when I tell you to rest, what will happen if you faint later?" Rong'er scolded like an older sister, yet her eyes were filled with joy. Last night, when Chen Lu suddenly lost consciousness, she thought she was gone for good. Unexpectedly, with a thunderous sound, she actually opened her eyes again, and this morning she was even able to get up!

It has been twenty-six years

She flicked the towel and threw it forcefully onto the table, creating quite a noise. Bai Ping let out a "humph" and turned to sleep. Cai Er could no longer hold back, sat up, and hesitantly asked: "Is Chen Lu feeling better?"

Rong'er was stunned and took a long time to regain her senses, only to see that Chen Lu had already lowered her head and started to eat

The emperor stopped the eunuchs and personally took action to tidy up, still casually asking, "Is the Buddha statue in the Empress Dowager's palace in good condition?"

Rong'er was overwhelmed with sadness and began to cry again. Cai'er trembled and said, "I heard that on rainy days, it is easy for corpses to come back to life..."

All conditioned phenomena

You! Rong'er, unable to contain her anger, rushed over to tear at her, but heard Cai'er shout: "You all come quickly... Chenlu, she, she has no breath left!"