Concubine Li did not genuinely come to see her; she only came because all the other high-ranking consorts had visited, and she could not be absent or the Emperor would think she was petty-minded.
After being stopped outside the door, she did not even disembark from her sedan chair, instructing Layue to hand over the gifts to Xi Que before returning to her own palace.
Consort Jiang had visited with the Emperor during the day, and now she came again following the usual custom of delivering some medicinal herbs for Jiang Xinyue before leaving.
That evening, the lantern duty belonged to Consort Jiang's palace, and the Emperor did not come to the Xihuo Palace.
This disappointed Shuang Jiang somewhat: "Didn't the Emperor say he would come to see our lady later? Why did he go to Consort Jiang's palace instead?"
"The Emperor can go wherever he wishes. You may say such things in front of me, but if I hear you spreading them outside, I will not spare you."
Jiang Xinyue rarely lost her temper, so when she scolded Shuang Jiang for the first time, she seemed exceptionally stern.
She took the opportunity to address the palace maids and eunuchs serving inside: "I am generally good-natured, as long as you commit no wrongdoing. But if I find out any of you gossiping outside about your masters' affairs and implicating the Xihuo Palace, don't blame me for not warning you - even if such servants were beaten to death, I would not intervene. Do you understand?"
"This servant dares not."
"This maid dares not."
"All of you, leave!"
It was better that the Xuanwu Emperor did not come!
Jiang Xinyue was too lazy to pretend to be frail. She lay on the bed, attended by Xi Que and Shuang Jiang, while the other palaces dared not neglect her, providing her with delicacies and luxuries. Her days passed in indulgence.
Seven days elapsed in the blink of an eye, and today was the seventh day after Court Lady Jiang's death.
She was indeed startled, but not to the point of fainting. Jiang Xinyue simply could not be bothered to deal with the palace women, for if she appeared completely well, she would likely face a torrent of malicious gossip.
So she feigned being severely shaken, and the palace physicians who frequently dealt with the palace ladies had long become experts at knowing what to say and what not to say.
Moreover, Jiang Xinyue did not exactly lie, only slightly exaggerating.
Jiang Yutong had hung herself wearing red robes, and Consort Jiang said it was so she could return for vengeance on the seventh day.
Hence, Jiang Xinyue pretended to be ill for seven days.
She wanted to see who would attempt to scare her with ghostly tricks.
During those seven days, the Xuanwu Emperor spent two nights with Concubine Li, one night each with Consort De and Consort Liang, and two nights with Noble Consort Su, who had risen from the rank of seventh-grade consort along with the group of ladies-in-waiting who entered the palace with Jiang Xinyue. For one night, the Emperor did not pick a companion and slept alone in the Chengqian Palace.
Although he did not visit the Xihuo Palace, he would occasionally send gifts of pastries, lotus flowers, or clothing...
So while Noble Consort Su's status seemed poised to surpass Consort Zhen's, the other palaces still dared not neglect her.
The night was pitch-black and gloomy, even the moon hiding behind clouds, while the chilling wind howled outside, accompanied by the rustling of leaves in the trees.
Suddenly, a dark shadow flitted past the window, but the outside was eerily silent, as if the darkness would devour everything.
"Whoo—"
A gust of wind blew in, flinging open the bedroom windows and extinguishing all the candles in the lanterns, leaving only a few faint rays from the lantern under the eaves by the door.
Xi Que and Shuang Jiang huddled together in terror, squeezing their eyes shut.
Their lady had instructed them - if they were afraid, just close their eyes, and she would deal with any ghosts or demons.
Tonight, the palace maids and eunuchs of the Xihuo Palace were all strictly forbidden from going outside, as their mistress intended to catch the ghost herself.
"Thump!"
Suddenly, amidst the eerie gusts, a figure with disheveled hair, wearing red robes and a pale face, hung upside down from the window.
Shuang Jiang could not help but open her eyes, immediately letting out a terrified shriek before squeezing them shut again, shaking her head frantically and screaming: "Ah! Ahhhhh... Ah! Ahhhhh... A ghost!"
Xi Que also peeked open one eye, though she did not scream. Her face had gone pale, and her eyes were wide with fright.
Jiang Xinyue let out a derisive "Tch," rolling her eyes before striding forward, grabbing the "female ghost" and flinging it to the ground - it was merely a cloth dummy.
This ghost was far too poorly made, much worse than the haunted houses Jiang Xinyue had experienced in her previous life, where she would chase after real human actors.
She had been a dreaded guest on the blacklists of major haunted houses, making the ghost actresses kneel and beg for mercy.
Such a petty trick was hardly worth her attention.
Shuang Jiang's screams subsided as she looked at Jiang Xinyue, then at the "ghost" on the floor, her heart seeming to crumble with disillusionment.
So much for the frail beauty...
"Swish!"
Another dark shadow appeared behind them, accompanied by a ghostly female voice: "Little sister... I died so tragically~ Come join me~ Ahhhhh..."
Before the ghostly voice could finish, Jiang Xinyue swiftly pushed open the window, grabbed her by the throat, and dragged her inside from the dangling rope.
"Xi Que, light the lamps!"
The room was illuminated by candlelight, and the "ghost" on the floor cast a human shadow, squirming to avoid being recognized.
Shuang Jiang and Xi Que restrained her on either side, brushing aside her hair before letting out a shocked gasp: "Hong Xi? How is it you?"
Hong Xi from Concubine Chu's palace was clearly the sacrificial pawn.
"Creak—"
The bedroom door swung open, and the Xuanwu Emperor appeared with a stern expression: "Wang Dequan, go summon the Empress, and bring Concubine Chu from the Changchun Palace as well."
Jiang Xinyue flung Hong Xi aside and rushed into the Emperor's embrace: "My lord has not visited this concubine for so long - have you forgotten about me?"
The Xuanwu Emperor embraced her slender waist: "You naughty girl, if I had forgotten you, why would I have Wang Dequan deliver gifts to you daily?"
He did not visit because he wanted the culprit to drop their guard, thinking he no longer cared for Consort Zhen, so they would boldly make their move against the Xihuo Palace.
Jiang Xinyue could discern his intentions, so she did not truly take offense, merely acting petulantly and playfully.
"I see my beloved has quite the audacious spirit, daring to capture ghosts with her bare hands."
He had arrived outside the Xihuo Palace early with Wang Dequan and guards, and sure enough, witnessed five or six palace maids and eunuchs disguised as red-robed female ghosts, sneaking into the palace.
He had originally intended to play the hero, rescuing the damsel and elevating her admiration for him to greater heights.
Yet unexpectedly, she showed no fear at all, but rather an "intrepid" demeanor, which gave the Xuanwu Emperor a new perception of her.
Jiang Xinyue arched her eyebrows proudly and said in a slightly coquettish manner, "What nonsense about spirits and ghosts, this concubine doesn't believe in such things. Even if there were ghosts in this world, how would they dare to manifest themselves in the imperial palace? Your Majesty is the true son of Heaven, capable of subduing all demons and ghosts in the realm. This concubine does not believe in ghosts, so it must be someone playing tricks and feigning supernatural forces. What is there to be afraid of?"
This flattery struck the Xuanwu Emperor's heart squarely.
