In February, day and night, there is no moon in the sky.
On the observation deck of the Qintian Prison, He Jiong, the Five-Fun Lingtai Lang, was observing the celestial phenomena.
The expression on his thin face was tense. For more than two hours since nightfall, meteors streaked across the sky from time to time. This was not common in the celestial phenomena in recent years.
He was vaguely worried, but he couldn't confirm it.
Gradually at midnight, the southern sky suddenly became full of light. Several, dozens, or hundreds of meteors of different colors streaked across the sky, which were more prosperous and gorgeous than the fireworks of the Lantern Festival.
"Quick! Come with me to Yangze Palace!" He Jiong kicked the official who was dozing next to him to wake him up. "Your Majesty, please get up and pay homage to the sky!"
Soon thereafter, Yangze Palace also became commotion.
The emperor got up in a hurry and rushed to Fengqitai.
"Is this celestial phenomenon good or bad?" The emperor sat on the chariot, looking at the flying stars in the sky, feeling worried.
"I haven't taken it into account yet," He Jiong became even more worried, "Your Majesty, please forgive me! But it is always good to repent in time."
"I ordered the Taoist priest Qingque to be invited into the palace quickly. I want to see him!" The emperor trusted Qingque the most, especially when good or bad luck was unpredictable.
At this time, the chief and deputy eunuchs of the Qintian Prison also came into the palace in a hurry. The eunuch didn't even have time to put on his socks.
"What's the sound?" Shang Qiyan, who was walking in front, was old but had good ears.
"It seems... it's the sound of drums." Zhang Ze on the side was unsure.
"Drum sound? Who beats the drum? His Majesty is not here yet!" Shang Qiyan couldn't help being surprised, "Quick, quick, quick! Come over and have a look!"
Zhang Ze was young, able to run, and experienced in doing things, so Shang Qiyan asked him to catch up and check.
"Why are there drum sounds?" Then the emperor heard it too.
"Your Majesty, please be at peace. I have sent someone to check." Shang Qiyan approached to comfort him.
But the drumming didn't stop until the emperor's chariot arrived in front of Fengqitai.
On the huge stage, there was a woman wearing white clothes with disheveled black hair and bare feet, beating drums and dancing.
"What's going on? Why don't you pull her down?" Shang Qiyan gritted his teeth at Zhang Ze.
"Manager, it's not that I don't want to pull her, but I don't dare to interrupt her easily at this time. If a taboo is violated, neither you nor I can afford it." Zhang Ze said helplessly.
What he said makes sense, because in the past, when the celestial phenomena were different, we had to pray.
The emperor and empress were also required to wear their hair barefoot and in white clothes.
And once the prayer begins, it must not be interrupted, otherwise there will be disaster.
If someone beats the drum randomly, it's okay. This person obviously knows the ropes, and it's probably inappropriate to interrupt easily.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me. It's because the servants didn't take good care of me." Shang Qiyan took the lead and knelt down, and the others also knelt down.
The emperor did not speak for a long time, but kept looking at the man on the stage.
With a graceful figure and satin-like black hair, Yu's steps are light and vigorous, and he steps according to the arrangement of Tiangang.
Her beautiful face was half hidden in her hair, and her eyes shone like cold stars.
At this time, the shooting stars in the southern sky illuminated the sky and the earth. Such a wonderful scene, regardless of blessings and misfortunes, was truly magnificent.
The beauty in plain clothes and white clothes performed a stunning dance against the backdrop of such a wonderful scene. How could the king not be tempted?
The stars gradually thinned out and the drum beat slowed down.
Finally, the sky returned to darkness, and the woman seemed to have exhausted all her strength and slowly collapsed on the stage.
"Your Majesty..." No one dared to act rashly.
The emperor stepped down from the chariot, climbed the steps, and walked slowly to the beauty.
"Your Majesty..." Li Guiren called in a low voice.
"Why did you come here?" The emperor leaned down and took her into his arms.
"I have been having the same dream for three nights in a row. In the dream, a fairy said that there will be stars falling tonight. If I can wear plain clothes and go on stage to pray, I can avoid your Majesty's disaster. So I risked my life. Come on." Li Guiren was panting, the dance just now had indeed exhausted all her strength.
The emperor did not suspect that she was lying, because even if she saw Xingyun and hurried over, she could not be faster than the emperor.
The place where she lives now is to the north of the palace, and it only takes one stick of incense to get to Qifeng Terrace.
She was not qualified to ride in a sedan chair. Even if she ran over with all her strength, she would have no energy to dance.
So she must have been waiting here for a long time, and it was not a lie made up on the spur of the moment.
"Aren't you afraid?" the emperor asked Li Guiren.
It's really risky for her to do this. If she offends Long Yan, her life may be lost.
"I'm afraid..." Lady Li was delicate and cowardly, "But if I don't do it, I will regret it for the rest of my life."
"What if I want to punish you?" the emperor asked again.
"I am willing to be punished," Li Guiren did not beg for mercy, but faced it calmly, "I have prepared the worst before this.
If there is a disaster, just bring it to the ministers and concubines. If His Majesty wants to blame, that's the same thing. I only want one thing from Your Majesty..."
"Say." The emperor saw that her eyes were blurred and her consciousness was gradually becoming unclear.
"I only hope that Your Majesty can forgive me for my previous sins...I will...die...without any regrets..." After finishing speaking, Li Guiren completely passed out.
The sweat on her body had already soaked all her clothes. It was still a season when the warmth returned to cold, and it was easy to catch the wind and cold.
"Your Majesty, it's better to take Lady Li back to the palace! Then ask the imperial doctor to come for consultation. After boiling the medicine and taking it in time, I think there will be no serious problems." Shang Qiyan knew the emperor's thoughts.
"Let's go to Yangze Palace." The emperor took off his cloak, wrapped it around Li Guiren's body and picked her up.
When the queen received the news and rushed over dressed, she saw the emperor walking down from the stage with Li Guiren in his arms.
"My concubine is late, please forgive me!" The queen never thought that noble lady Li would get there first.
It's not that she didn't think carefully, it was just that this matter was completely unexpected.
"It's okay," the emperor said, "It's still late at night, queen, please go back! It's all over here, we just have to wait for the Qintian Prison to determine the good or bad tomorrow."
After saying that, without waiting for the queen's reply, he carried Li Guiren directly onto the chariot.
The queen wanted to say that noble ladies were not allowed to ride in the dragon chariot, but in the end she didn't say anything.
This night, Yangze Palace was brightly lit.
The imperial doctors came in and out, and the serving maids and eunuchs came and went like crazy.
Anyone with a discerning eye would have noticed long ago that Li Guiren was back in favor.
In fact, this is not surprising, she was already very popular with the emperor.
What he did now made the mistakes he made earlier melt away.
"How come this matter is so bizarre?" The queen was inevitably angry, but she had no way of grasping it. "It's so safe. I didn't expect that Linghu Jiao would become famous again."
"My Majesty, there is no need to worry too much. Even if she is still in the position of Concubine Li, she cannot threaten us." Liang Jing said with relief, "My Majesty, please be at ease."
Sure enough, on the second day, the emperor issued an edict to rename Gui Li as concubine Li, and she still returned to live in her original palace.
