Red Mansion Rebirth: Ghost Phoenix

“His Majesty immediately saw the girl and found that she was literate, so he ordered her to stay in the imperial court as a female official.

"We had just finished cleaning up when the family of Marquis Cheng'en sent a sign requesting to see the queen.

“Your Majesty called the Crown Prince over, and Prince Su and the young man from the Mo family also stayed behind, then he sat in the Queen’s Palace and summoned Marquis Cheng’en and the Seventh Master of the Mo family, Mo Huaiquan.

“When these two met His Majesty, Marquis Cheng’en simply kowtowed and apologized.

"Master Mo Qi was very eloquent. He pushed all the blame onto the first wife in just a few words, saying that he had only planned to go to the capital to pay New Year's greetings to the Queen and visit relatives. He never expected that the Queen would be forced to plan for his son's future.

"What are you talking about? A boy of fourteen or fifteen years old, who is ignorant of worldly affairs, who doesn't know how to read or practice swordsmanship, will only hinder his career if he has a future.

"He also said that he originally didn't want the Empress to feel sad about the separation of flesh and blood, so he planned to return to the old house after the Lantern Festival. Now that he sees that this child will cause trouble, it is better to leave Beijing immediately and take him back to the old house to confine him.

"It was not easy for the Mohist family to produce a person who was knowledgeable and interesting. His Majesty naturally gave him face and immediately showed him a bunch of gifts and asked him to take them back, as a way to visit relatives on behalf of the Queen.

“And then they left.

"The Empress burst into tears. His Majesty left Prince Su to comfort the Empress and took the Crown Prince back to Xuanzheng Hall. He left some court matters to the Crown Prince and went to coax the young Prince to write."

Qinghai followed orders and came to tell Wang Xifeng in person about the excitement in the Queen's palace, and hinted, "The weather has been bad these days, and many people in the capital have fallen ill.

"Lady Liangdi, please keep an eye on the little princess. Don't let her catch a cold, or she won't be able to watch the Lantern Festival fireworks."

The day after tomorrow is the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first lunar month. He Ke had already secretly made an appointment with Lin Daiyu to ride in her carriage and go out for a night outing together.

But the prince has made it so clear, so it seems that He Ke doesn't have to go out of this door.

Wang Xifeng thought for a moment and then asked Qinghai, "Did the two Mohists really leave?"

Qing Hai bowed with a smile: "We should set off early tomorrow morning."

"Should?" Wang Xifeng laughed, "Then let's see tomorrow. Report to the prince that He Ke has been suffering from internal heat recently. He wore too many clothes when he got up this morning to practice boxing, sweated, and was blown by the cold wind. Now he has a stuffy nose.

"I tried to coax her for a long time, but she insisted that she couldn't take medicine during the New Year holidays, so she drank ginger soup and went to bed early.

"If she doesn't feel well tomorrow, I'll send for the imperial physician."

Qinghai understood what he meant and said goodbye with a smile.

Wang Xifeng raised her chin and asked Jingli to send him off.

Xia Shouzhong glanced at her and said nothing.

Qinghai went out happily. Jingli talked to him in a low voice for a few words, and then Qinghai strode away.

When Jingli came back, everyone had already dispersed. Wang Xifeng was leaning back in a chair waiting for him: "What did Qinghai say?"

"Your Majesty and the Crown Prince took the young prince to practice horseback riding and archery today. The Crown Prince injured his shoulder..." Jing Li sighed and added, "I told Qinghai that Lady Liangdi has been very angry these days and laughs at the slightest thing.

"I just split the plum tree in half to offer to the Buddha the other day, and this morning I got up and saw the dead bamboo in the corner and I was annoyed. I wanted to burn it and plant it again in the spring.

"Qing Hai said that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is in much the same boat. In the urgent reports from various places these days, not a single one has not been scolded..."

Wang Xifeng hummed, lowered her eyes and looked at her nails for a while, then said, "Tomorrow, tell Qinghai quietly that He Ke wanted to go out with the Lin family for the Lantern Festival. Tell him that I rejected it outright. He Ke was very unhappy and cried for half the night."

Jing Li was stunned for a moment, then bowed his head and said yes. His mind raced again, and he said carefully, "The lady of the Lin family doesn't seem to be very smart...

"If the princess goes out with their family, should I borrow Jingshun from Qinghai and follow them? Otherwise, I will be unsure."

Wang Xifeng smiled and said, "He Ke's parents are here, there's no need for you to be unsure! Just listen to their orders obediently!"

Jing Li chuckled, touched the back of his head, and stepped back.

When there was no one else in the room, Wang Xifeng's eyes flashed fiercely. She stood in front of the window and coughed lightly. The crows outside responded with a cackling sound, then flapped their wings and flew away.

The parrot was moving excitedly on the shelf behind him, flapping its wings: "Tickle him! Tickle him!"

The next day, the prince brought Tao Ge'er into the Daming Palace at noon as usual.

After sending the child to Emperor Shengping and exchanging a few words of greeting, someone stumbled in from outside: "Your Majesty, Your Highness the Crown Prince, Mo Huaiquan and Mo Xingsheng of the Mo family opened the city at five o'clock this morning and were the first to leave the capital.

"Who knew that before they reached the pavilion, they ran into a group of divine crows gathering. Mo Xingsheng was bored in the car and took out a slingshot to shoot the birds. The divine crows were enraged and pecked the horse's eyes blind. The horse ran wildly and overturned the car..."

The eunuch who came to report paused, but found that Emperor Shengping and the Crown Prince were just listening coldly, and no one was in a hurry. He lowered his head and quickly told the result:

"Mo Huaiquan suffered multiple scratches, and Mo Xingsheng broke an arm and a leg!"

The prince waited for another three breaths, and seeing that he had no further words, he asked slowly, "So what? Did the uncle and nephew continue to go to Tai County, or did they turn around and return to the capital?"

"In reply to the prince, there is none. The Mo family and their group stopped at the nearby inn and rode back to the capital to report the news. One rider reported to the Cheng'en Marquis's Mansion, and the other rider reported to the palace.

"Now please let me know if this matter should be reported to Her Majesty the Queen."

The eunuch stole a glance at Emperor Shengping.

Emperor Shengping then looked at the prince.

The prince glanced at his father and saw that he was not going to intervene, so he said, "Of course I have to tell the Queen. However, since Mo Xingsheng has broken arms and legs, I think it will be difficult to move him now.

"Just stay in the inn and recover. Let the Queen choose a doctor she trusts to take care of you."

Eunuch: I understand. The Emperor doesn't want to take care of it, and neither does the Crown Prince. Since the Queen will definitely take care of it, why not let the Queen take care of it?

But the general principle has been established: no return to Beijing.

"Yes. I will report to Her Majesty the Queen right away." The eunuch ran away swiftly.

The prince's expression was much more relaxed than it was this morning, and he said to Emperor Shengping with a smile, "My son has already found a teacher for Tao Ge'er to start his education. It's not appropriate to use a knife or a pen in the first month of the year, and you are still taking the trouble to teach him how to write!

"If those people outside knew about this, they would start advising you on this and that again."

Emperor Shengping stroked his beard and smiled: "I know that Lin Ruhai is indeed a patient and tenacious gentleman. But what can I do? My grandson is so smart. If I don't teach him something, I, as a grandfather, will feel itchy in my heart!"

Both father and son laughed.

When Queen Mo received the news, she hurriedly ordered the chief physician of the Imperial Hospital to go and take care of the patient personally.

I was as anxious as an ant on a hot pot. While walking around the palace, I sobbed and cried, "If it weren't for... such a coercion, Little Twelve would be living well in the capital. How could he have fallen and been injured so badly?!"

Madam Hai looked at Queen Mo steadily and said softly, "Have you forgotten, Madam, that the crow is a sacred bird of our dynasty...

"My brother shot the sacred bird, and because of this lesson, His Majesty and the Crown Prince did not take it seriously..."

Queen Mo's face turned pale, and she sat down on the couch in a daze: "Is it because of this that the two of them ignored everything and even didn't arrange for Little Twelve to return to the capital to recuperate?"