Lin Chong's Women's Cuju Team

Chapter 136 Du Niang Helps Chen Jinhuan Take Revenge

When Ning Weizhi and Mo Miaoming, the head of the Imperial Observatory, heard what Emperor Huizong said to them, they replied in unison, "Your Majesty, we will certainly live up to your expectations!" After Emperor Huizong sat down on the dragon throne with a smile, everyone listened attentively to Du Shiniang's explanation of the "Nine Heavens Star Picking Map".

Du Shiniang calmly unfolded the picture on the table in front of Emperor Huizong of Song. Under the deep blue sky, nearly a hundred stars of various sizes were scattered like stars in a game of chess. Their arrangement looked well-organized, with some resembling a lion and others resembling a giant scorpion.

Emperor Huizong was completely bewildered, feeling dizzy and disoriented; Chen Jinhuan, on the other hand, found the constellation charts quite interesting, her beautiful lips pursed as she gazed at them with rapt attention; Mo Miaoming, an expert, marveled at them, muttering under his breath, "Wonderful! Wonderful! This chart is truly wonderful." Ning Weizhi, though knowledgeable in astronomy and geography, wasn't an expert, but he found the chart mysterious and it stirred a sense of longing within him, making him feel as if he had entered a fairyland.

Du Shiniang's gentle voice drew everyone's attention to the picture she was pointing to. She said, "Your Majesty, Consort Luo, and all of you, look at the arrangement of these stars. Doesn't the shape resemble a fairy with flowing robes? This is the constellation Perseus. Consort Luo's destiny is protected by this constellation."

"Du Shiniang, you're right. This circle of stars really does look like a fairy with flowing robes. But tell me quickly, how exactly do you want to help my beloved concubine change her fate?" Emperor Huizong urged Du Shiniang anxiously, wanting her to give him an answer quickly and stop keeping him in suspense.

"I'm not trying to keep you in suspense, I'm just explaining Consort Luo's fate to His Majesty based on the illustrated guide. Lord Mo, do you think what I'm saying makes sense?" Du Shiniang replied respectfully, glancing at Mo Miaoming behind her.

“Shi Niang is right. Please listen to her patiently, Your Majesty.” Mo Miaoming, intrigued, glanced at Du Shiniang with probing eyes and spoke on her behalf to the Emperor.

"I am not a disciple of the Imperial Observatory, and I do not need Du Shiniang or Mo Aiqing to teach me. I only need the answers. Du Shiniang, quickly tell me how I can change Consort Luo's fate as soon as possible so that she can rightfully serve me in bed." Emperor Huizong said to Du Shiniang and Mo Miaoming again in an urging tone.

Du Shiniang couldn't help but chuckle to herself. Her purpose in presenting the treasure map to the palace today was precisely to elicit this kind of anxious reaction from Emperor Huizong. The more eager the emperor was to get an answer from her, the more confident she was that he would readily grant her request.

"Your Majesty, look at this Perseus constellation. The largest and brightest star in it is the Empress's ruling star. Next to this star is an inauspicious star that clashes with its destiny. This star represents another concubine in the harem. If Your Majesty can find this person, you can resolve the hardships that have befallen Consort Luo in the first half of her life," Du Shiniang said solemnly, carefully observing Emperor Huizong's expression.

"Another concubine in the harem? So it really is someone in the harem trying to harm the goddess." Emperor Huizong frowned as he spoke, a cloud of doubt rising in his mind. After interrogating Zhang Liang, a disciple of the Imperial Observatory, a few days ago, Emperor Huizong had instructed Ning Weizhi to find out who was behind it all. He also suspected that one of the concubines in the harem had bribed Zhang Liang to change her fate and prevent her from entering the palace because she was jealous of Chen Jinhuan.

However, Du Shiniang was clearly not in the main hall that day, and he instructed everyone present not to mention Zhang Liang's affair, lest they alert the enemy. How did Du Shiniang know about this? Did Gao Can tell her? But according to Ning Weizhi, Gao Can almost raped Du Shiniang in the Ministry of Justice prison a few days ago, and he also severely beat Lin Chong. Logically, Gao Can and Du Shiniang are now enemies, so Gao Can wouldn't have told her about Zhang Liang.

Since Du Shiniang was certain that someone in the harem was plotting to harm Consort Luo, it could only mean that the "Nine Heavens Star-Picking Chart" was truly a treasure. It could predict changes in a person's fate through celestial phenomena and constellations, and help people change unfortunate circumstances. No wonder Mo Miaoming offered a large reward for the world's possession of this chart.

Seeing the look of amazement in Emperor Huizong's eyes after some thought, Du Shiniang knew that her fabricated story had won his favor. Seizing the opportunity, she asked, "Your Majesty, that's all I know. As for how to find this concubine, that's beyond my capabilities; it depends on Lord Ning's abilities."

Ning Weizhi, whose name was called, glanced at Du Shiniang with a puzzled look. Du Shiniang's lips curled up slightly, as if she was eagerly awaiting Ning Weizhi's answer. Although Ning Weizhi didn't have a deep relationship with Du Shiniang, he respected this woman from a brothel for her shrewdness and resourcefulness. How many women in the world could be so favored by Zhou Chengquan and manage Zixiang Pavilion so successfully?

So, Ning Weizhi presented Emperor Huizong with the confession he had obtained during the interrogation of Zhang Liang after rescuing him and bringing him back to the Dali Temple. Emperor Huizong glanced at the words on it and then asked Ning Weizhi with suspicion, "Minister Ning, the woman you wrote on this document who bribed Zhang Liang back then is named Chen Jinyan. Where is she in the harem now? Did you ask Liu Guangyu to help you find out?"

"I haven't had time to have the steward in charge of the harem check the records of the concubines and palace maids," Ning Weizhi replied, glancing at Liu Guangyu. In fact, he had already discussed this matter with Liu Guangyu yesterday, but that old fox was reluctant to help, fearing he might offend the concubines in the harem.

Upon hearing Ning Weizhi's words, Liu Guangyu quickly said to Emperor Huizong, "Your subject Liu Guangyu will go to the inner palace now to have someone check the roster, and then return to report to Your Majesty." As soon as he finished speaking, he turned to leave, and just as he was about to reach the door of the Imperial Study, Chen Ge, the commander of the Imperial Guards, suddenly grabbed his sleeve.

"Eunuch Liu, as far as I know, just the night before last, the night an assassin tried to kill Zhang Liang to silence him, a fire broke out in the palace, and nearly ten years' worth of lists of imperial concubines were burned. Has Eunuch Liu forgotten about this?" Chen Ge said to Liu Guangyu with a serious expression.

Upon hearing this, Liu Guangyu quickly walked to Emperor Huizong of Song, knelt down, and begged for forgiveness, saying, "Your Majesty, Commander Chen is telling the truth. I was so anxious that I forgot about it." Emperor Huizong's face immediately darkened, and he angrily pointed at Liu Guangyu, saying, "Such a serious matter as a fire in the inner palace, how could you forget it? Are you perhaps covering for someone?"

"Your Majesty, I dare not! I beg Your Majesty to calm your anger!" Liu Guangyu was so frightened that his face turned pale. He hurriedly kowtowed three times and then pleaded with Emperor Huizong of Song, "Your Majesty, please give me ten days. I will definitely be able to have the steward of the harem help me register the new names of all the current concubines and palace maids. At that time, I will definitely be able to find Chen Jinyan."

Emperor Huizong was about to say that he couldn't possibly wait ten days; he wished he could consummate his marriage with Consort Luo right now. But he was too embarrassed to voice his thoughts, and instead glared fiercely at Liu Guangyu.

At this moment, Consort Luo, who had been silent all along, suddenly said loudly to Liu Guangyu, "I won't trouble you, Eunuch Liu, to investigate this matter. The Chen Jinyan that Lord Ning mentioned earlier is my own sister. We entered the palace together to be selected as imperial concubines, but she was selected while I was not."

"Chen Jinyan is Consort Ai's older sister? Why didn't you say so earlier? Where is she now?" Emperor Huizong was taken aback and anxiously asked, holding Chen Jinhuan's hand.

"I never knew that the person who harmed me back then was actually my own sister. After she entered the palace, I was forced to marry an old county magistrate who was nearly sixty years old. How would I know what she has been doing in the harem all these years?" Chen Jinhuan suppressed her resentment and pretended to be ignorant as she spoke to Emperor Huizong of Song.

"This Chen Jinyan is so insidious and vicious, I will definitely arrest her and beat her half to death to vent my anger for my beloved concubine. But where should I begin the investigation? That's right! Ning Weizhi, what do you think is the best way to investigate this matter and drag Chen Jinyan out of the harem as quickly as possible?" Emperor Huizong was so anxious that his face turned from black to red. He paced back and forth like an ant on a hot pan, constantly rubbing his hands together as he asked Ning Weizhi in a loud voice.