FU TU TA / FORBIDDEN LOVE - Chapter 4 : The Fallen Flower's Face

The next day dawn broke, the clouds gradually dissipated at three-quarters of an hour, and the overcast rain that had lasted for more than a month suddenly ended.

The world was refreshed, and the air had a new scent of mud. It seems to be a good sign, all bad things should go away. Staring at the tall and wide dome, Yin Lou was still surprised that the sky was so blue, and the death knell was ringing on Liù gōng [1].

[1] Liù gōng (六宫) : Originally referred to the six palaces where concubines lived. 

Almost at the same time, more than a dozen eunuchs who had changed into mourning clothes entered the Fifth Institute with an edict in their hands. The wind blew their filial belts hanging under their heads, and their stiff horse faces were like the life-threatening impermanence of the Yama Shrine. 

A eunuch stood in the courtyard and shouted in a loud voice, "Everyone get out. Remember your goals."

What is that goal? They are self-explanatory. They worry about themselves and try to cover it up. He lifted his chin and the maids behind him scattered, shooing everyone out of the room.

Unlike the high-level concubine who has a separate bed from the lower-class concubine. Lower class concubines usually shared a room with several people. The courtyard with five entrances from east to west is full of people. From the first door to the fifth door. There were about forty or fifty people.

Yin Lou followed the crowd out of the hall to await the decision, pushing, crawling on the ground, listening to the decree read by the Ceremonial Eunuch Eunuch on the stairs. Its content is very simple. There was no need to explain too much, "The Dragon Emperor has returned to heaven. If he doesn't have a son from you then you don't deserve to come out, and will be ordered to die." Just that.

Even though such a fate was foreseen long ago, if he really wanted to die, he felt like he had fallen into a nightmare and couldn't wake up no matter what.

There was loud crying all around, Yin Lou fell to his knees, his legs were sore and weak, and he fell to the ground and couldn't get up. Two days ago, he was still lucky, always thinking that the emperor was still young and had at least a few more years to live. Who knows how long it has been, but now it is really too late.

His mind was in a fog, and he had nothing to think about. He only knew that he was only sixteen years old and had left home to contest the elections in Beijing. But really no luck. Before she could experience what it was like to be a goddess. He would die with the emperor he had never met.

He is a late person. When happiness comes, she doesn't feel great happiness, nor does she know how to cry when sadness comes. What was whistling in his ears was a sharp throat. He only felt scared, trembling, his hands and feet were stiff, and a chill penetrated and rose from his limbs, straight into his heart.

"Why are you crying? This is a happy occasion, and it is the culture of the ancestors who have accumulated virtues. Accompanying the former emperor, the court has its own special treatment. In the future, when your family accepts the title, they will think of the kindness of you concubines, and they have not squandered the grace that raised their family name."

The eunuch's vague explanations could not quell the panic in the crowd. No one took his words seriously, and he didn't really care. "Come on, wait for the ladies to change. If a good time is missed no one can bring it back."

The new white cloth gave off the smell of death, and a group of people from the Shang Palace Bureau walked in, shook their collars and took off the filial clothes they had prepared. Most of the people were terrified by the decree, and they could barely even stand up, let alone change their clothes. The Imperial Bureau person rudely came over to make fun of them, stripped off the red and green robes on their bodies, removed the hairpins that were stacked beautifully on their heads, crossed over the apt robes, and tightened the sashes around their waists. One by one finally ready.

Yin Lou was pushed around in circles, barely stood still and looked around, everyone was unwilling, every face was full of pain and despair, but no one stood up to fight back. At this miserable age, his struggles were futile, and he must die. If you sacrifice then your family will be protected, but if you don't, you will sacrifice for nothing in the end, and you will gain nothing.

So he must die smiling? he shuddered. He had hoped that his brothers and nephews would come to visit him in Beijing, but now it was better. As long as it was a ceremony to worship, it didn't matter if he looked at the sea across the mountain, he just lifted his foot and passed. But the soul gets suppressed when one dies right? Perhaps his soul would be sealed in a tomb and never see the light of day.

He had no idea what had happened to Li Mei Ren. He wasn't in the crowd. Because he didn't live in the same house, he didn't appear after he went to Eunuch Yan, and Yin Lou never saw him again. Maybe they had a good conversation, and Li Mei Ren had already moved out of the Fifth Institute Mansion and was living in Eunuch Yan's house. Under power, he must bow his head. Tragically listened and did what the eunuch said. But in the end he was able to save his life, and Yin Lou was happy for him.

Dying to become a well-fed ghost is like eating before going to the execution ground. This is the last part of his charity in the world. The palace gates opened wide, and Food Overseer Bro came in and unseated the eunuchs, carrying a small kang table in pairs. The open space outside the palace was covered with a blanket, and the kang table was neatly arranged, and they invited them to a banquet in Ciyang. Who can eat at a time like this?

Yin Lou looked back, Tong Yun was still beside him, the palace maid didn't have to die, she could help him on the execution bench and wait for him to put his head on the noose.

He looked at her, his lips moved, and he couldn't say a word.

Tong Yun cried so hard, "Miss...Miss..."

Only now did he feel like his nose was hurting, and he couldn't get his last words out. No matter how much he cares about his parents, it's just nonsense. Luckily, there were six brothers and sisters in his family so if he died after a while then the pain would pass.

"There are four or five taels of silver and some jewels in the box. I can't use them. I'll give them to you." After thinking about it, he still felt that he had to say something, "Am I considered an unfortunate death? Can I reincarnate in the future?"

Tong Yun comforted him, "You sacrifice yourself, and the Yama God will be polite when he sees you." Then he wiped his eyes and wiped away his tears, "I told you to think, but you didn't listen. Is it okay for it to end like this now?"

He didn't want to die either, and being forced to hang himself was no fun. If you want to be like Li Mei Ren, you have to have a way, at least people can see you. He was born with bad luck and couldn't reverse his luck. Not even a eunuch seduced her. He thought about his failure.

So far, nothing to say. She sat down and took a sip of soup, but before she could swallow it, the eunuch said, "It's time, ladies, put down your chopsticks and go!"

Yinlou heard a thumping heartbeat, and the sound was deafening. Tong Yun came to help him, he had no strength in his legs. He half leaned on his body, and followed the group crookedly into the Zhongzheng Hall.

The hall has always been a place where the goddesses dance their way to heaven. There are probably too many people who have died, and as soon as you enter, you will feel a bone-chilling chill. The palace concubine shrank, stood at the door and looked inside. The main hall is long and narrow, and the sun shines through the windows and drawers at the other end, and it is thrown onto the green brick floor. The beams in the temple are much thicker than other places due to their weight. Fifty-eight white sashes hung vertically and horizontally above, all tied into a knot, and together with the fifty-eight wooden beds stamping their feet below, they formed a different kind of eerie image.

The spring wind was strong, blowing on the corrugations of the roof, and the whimper was like a sad, frightening song. Finally someone grabbed the door frame and shouted, "I don't want to die! Help me!" Everyone came back to their senses, there was chaos, and there was a new round of mourning and crying.

Someone came out of the shadows, plain clothes came. Standing three feet from the door, the tall and straight body is lined with an innocent face, and the lower body looks extremely long.

She had a perfect face, the corners of her lips were tightly pressed together, a little arrogant, but her eyes were surprisingly warm. His eyelashes were long, the corners of his eyes were slightly raised, if it weren't for the Oversight Eunuch's badge hanging from his waist, Yin Lou really wanted to think he was a young master. Honored like a skyscraper, giving birth to a pair of icy muscles and jade bones.

Everyone was crying, there was no pity in the expression, and those warm eyes still looked warm, really out of the ordinary. He glanced at everyone. Yin Lou looked at it as he shifted his gaze, pausing curiously. Wei Cheng, the eunuch with the pen behind him, immediately stepped forward and raised a point on his ear. He raised his eyebrows and nodded slightly.

"All quiet." He raised his voice. 

His cold voice cut through the clouds and mist in the noise. "Crying or not crying is the same. It hurts your hearts and lungs and Emperor Daxing won't be happy. Those of the palace who are buried, always receive special treatment. An additional posthumous title is in my hands. I must recommend an emblem, and use Zhangjie Xing. This was planned long ago, all the concubines must grieve!"

After she finished speaking, she turned around and saluted Concubine Shun, who was sent by the Qixiang Palace, "The auspicious time has come, please proceed, Miss Gao."

On command, everyone was brought to the front of the bench, with two people standing beside them, one supporting each other and the other waiting to pull up the stool. Yin Lou's heart was like a piece of wood, but when he was about to die, he calmed down. After a while, the past will disappear.

What is the use of unyielding people who are still stubbornly resisting? It was nothing more than being pressed hard and sent onto the spring bench, with the buckle of the rope wrapped around its neck, without being given the slightest chance to breathe, just stretching its legs and kicking it a few times with its bare feet. He walked silently the whole way.

Yin Lou did not dare to look at other people. He passed through the rope loop and saw a censer placed on a high table under the window. The man wearing the veil elegantly blew his brows and lit incense. Her pale fingers were almost transparent in the sun.

A cloth is placed on his head, and his past has passed. He couldn't see the green tea garden on the back hill, or the Longquan that his father carefully introduced to the courtyard. He could only hear the Overseer Eunuch's voice, as if separated from the universe, and he intoned sadly, "The ladies are on their way. Serve the emperor well..."

When Xiao Duo looked back, the task was almost done. He narrowed his eyes and saw that it was an extraordinary sight. The person who was hoarse just now had no movement now. That person hangs in the air and floats around without attachment, and when it dies, that person will become desolate.

"You can handle the rest of things. The coffins are all placed outside the hall. You should examine each one carefully, then close the coffins!" 

He tucked his nose. Some people lose bladder control when they die. It doesn't smell very good in here. He couldn't stay a minute. He hurriedly instructed Wei Cheng, then glanced at the talent who had laid down earlier, and stepped out of the doorway with his hands tucked in.

As soon as he got under the terrace, he saw Qiu An rushing over. He was also a member of Silijian and was currently assigned to attend the funeral at Jingshen Hall. He saluted and called him Master.

Xiao Duo stopped at his feet and asked, "What's wrong?"

Qiu An said, "Nothing important, His Majesty King Fu sent me to see the Chaotian girls. Since Master is busy, I will go in and ask Eunuch Wei Cheng."

"What do you want to see? Everything has been put in the coffin." Seeing Qiu An stunned, he frowned and said, "Not going to die. I will do as seen. You go back to His Highness King Fu and tell me that I have my own plans so Your Highness rest assured."

Chapter 3 | Summary | Chapter 5