Chapter 630: Chapter 217 Flying Bird_2
Lin Danqing was momentarily stunned, "Huh, wasn’t she just here?"
"She might have been called away by someone else," Lin Danqing turned around, "I told her that the exorcism ritual will start in an hour, so she should be back soon."
Pei Yunmeng’s brow furrowed.
"Did Marshal Pei need her for something?"
He shook his head, about to speak when several princes called him, and he said nothing more, but turned and left again.
...
The noise and commotion of the crowd gradually dissipated, and from the depths of Chang Le Pond, several Palace Attendants emerged from the courtyard, leaving the storeroom quiet and undisturbed.
The storeroom was cluttered with various-sized masks and wigs, sparklers shaped like wolf teeth, and skull dolls, but right in the center, there was a huge puppet with golden eyes and a white face, wrapped in brocade cloth. It stood as tall as a man and was especially heavy, resting on a wooden board fitted with wheels, looking quite impressive.
These were the tools that would be used in the upcoming exorcism ritual.
Because of the variety and number of these tools, they were piled up together, creating a bit of disorder, and at first glance, it wasn’t easy to spot a human figure among them.
In the palace, it had been many years since a grand exorcism ritual was presented, and the tools had been temporarily prepared by the Ministry of Rites. The craftsmen in charge of the ritual were not the usual palace musicians, and therefore, the security here was even more relaxed.
But in the somber quiet, a voice suddenly broke the silence.
"Where’s the item?" In the storeroom, Qi Yutai extended his hand towards Lu Tong.
He had been looking forward to this day since last night, but unfortunately, there were military spectacles early in the day, followed by the Tianzhang Altar ceremony, under the watchful eyes of many. He simply couldn’t find an opportunity to meet with Lu Tong. His father, although physically distant, had covertly tasked Qi Huaying to keep an eye on him, to prevent any unexpected incidents. Even now, his coming out to meet Lu Tong was under the pretense of needing to use the restroom.
Lu Tong said nothing, retrieving a paper-wrapped package from his sleeve.
Qi Yutai eagerly snatched it, about to open it, when he suddenly remembered something and hastily looked around. The storeroom was silent; the Palace Attendants who were there earlier had gone out to move some items.
Only then did he feel relieved and glancing at Lu Tong appreciatively, he said, "You sure know how to pick a spot."
There were people everywhere around Chang Le Pond, and Palace Attendants roamed all around. He had been wondering how to escape detection because the people inside the Palace were very astute. If they sensed something amiss, it could cause trouble, especially the people of the Third Prince.
While he was thinking, a noise suddenly came from outside. Qi Yutai was startled, and right in front of him was the "Plague Demon Evil Ghost" puppet. Lu Tong, with quick reflexes, grabbed him and pulled him down. The large puppet’s figure provided cover for the two of them. A pair of little eunuchs were talking outside the door, and after a while, their voices faded away.
Qi Yutai exhaled in relief.
However, he soon grew restless again.
With people passing by from time to time, it was truly unnerving. Yet from Chang Le Pond to this location, it would be difficult to find another spot more suitable for administering the potion. Going further ahead, they would run into the Imperial Guards.
As he contemplated, Lu Tong began fiddling with the belly of the puppet in front of him, and with force, he flipped something open. Suddenly, a small door popped open.
The puppet was hollow inside.
Lu Tong said, "Get inside."
Qi Yutai furrowed his brows, "What do you mean?"
"Someone might come in at any moment, and hiding here isn’t safe. It would be better to hide in the belly of the puppet," she explained.
She continued, "The ritual starts at Hai Hour, in about an hour. By then, the Ceremonial Officer will come here. If Young Master Qi can finish taking the potion within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, by the time the effects wear off, even if someone discovers you, you can pretend to have lost your way and wandered in here, and that should arouse no suspicion."
This place was only for storing the ritual tools. The current Emperor disliked these exorcism rituals, and if not for the locust disaster in Su Nan, he wouldn’t have agreed to hold a grand ceremony in the first place. Since these items were being neglected, naturally, they weren’t given much thought, so there was no heavy guard around. Even if someone noticed, taking a wrong turn wasn’t a huge mistake.
The key was to remain undetected during the administration of the potion.
Qi Yutai was aware of the risks involved, but for some reason, he felt a surge of tense excitement.
He stared at Lu Tong, the fragrant scent exuding from her captivating him momentarily. Even before taking the potion, he was already feeling a faint heat.
Qi Yutai reached out and pinched Lu Tong’s chin, "You’re quite daring. I wonder if you’re just as bold elsewhere?"
Couched in suggestive tones, the words reached Lu Tong, but her expression remained unchanged as she reminded him, "Young Master Qi had better hurry."
Voices were faintly heard again outside the door, and with reluctance, Qi Yutai withdrew his hand, opened the wooden door, and crawled into the belly of the puppet.
As he squeezed in, he was surprised to find the belly of the puppet was wide enough to accommodate a person sitting snugly inside. Qi Yutai took out a silver flask from his chest, which he had taken earlier from the banquet, planning to use the alcohol to enhance the joy of taking the potion manifold.
He crouched down inside, the space tight all around, and noticed a small crack just low enough in his line of sight, letting in a sliver of light from outside. He didn’t know the purpose of this crack but after watching it for a while, he still felt uneasy and turned to ask Lu Tong, "Is it really safe here?"