Crossing the Palace Fighting Fox Harem

Chapter 116 Setting up the altar

Just as he finished speaking, there was another sound of footsteps outside the door.

Ji Anni looked up and saw another young man who looked like a Taoist priest and several young eunuchs walking in.

The young man in the Taoist robe looked familiar. Ji Anni stared at him carefully for a long time before she finally remembered that when she visited the "Xianke Pavilion" before, she was stopped outside the door by this Taoist with a sword. The name of this young Taoist seemed to be... called... yes, it was "Xuanjizi", and he was Yun Zhen's apprentice.

Xuanjizi and those young eunuchs did not come empty-handed. They even brought with them a complete set of utensils for setting up the altar, such as incense paper, candles, ritual instruments, talismans, etc.

Seeing this scene, not only Ji Anni was shocked, but even Yizhen and Baogui Fei were stunned for several seconds.

Concubine Baogui didn't dare to ask Princess Tianning, so she asked Yun Zhen, "Grandmaster, what are you doing?"

Although Concubine Baogui and Yun Zhen were familiar with each other, she always called Yun Zhen "National Master" in formal occasions and only addressed him by his Taoist name in private.

"Your Majesty." Yun Zhen bowed and said humbly, "Yun Zhen was invited by the princess to come to the right courtyard to exorcise evil spirits. Unexpectedly, I disturbed the interest of Empress Bao, Empress Zhao, and Empress Su Congfei. Please forgive me, Your Majesty."

Tian Ning was not so polite. She came to exorcise the demon today anyway, so she had to exorcise the demon first. Any dinner or barbecue would have to wait until she finished what she wanted to do. So she stepped forward, passed Baogui Concubine, and came directly in front of Ji Anni and said, "Zhao Concubine, food is a small matter, but safety is a big matter. If there is really a demon in the right courtyard, it will be bad if it gets to you."

These words and Tian Ning's gloomy eyes really frightened Ji Anni into breaking out in a cold sweat.

Although her back had been chilled for a while, Ji Anni still pretended to be calm and said, "Princess, you are worrying too much. Zhao Ji slept here last night without any disturbance and was extremely sweet. How could there be any monster? Princess, the state teacher is busy with affairs, so don't bother him."

Tian Ning said, "Now that we are here, it will be really troublesome to move all these things back. Princess Zhao, you don't have to be polite to me. As the saying goes, a teacher for a day is a mother for life. Since I have been your teacher for two days, you can just treat me as your mother from now on."

"Pfft, pfft, children's words are careless, and the wind blows them away." Ji Anni couldn't help sweating and smiling bitterly. I thought I was already talking without thinking, but how come Princess Tianning was even more exaggerated, saying things like treating her like a mother.

Concubine Baogui and Yun Zhen looked at each other and shook their heads helplessly. Neither of them could do anything about Princess Tianning.

Tian Ning ignored the opinion of his host Ji Anni and was full of energy. He skillfully directed Xuanjizi and the young eunuch to move all the props for setting up the altar into the central hall.

Ji Anni couldn't stop her and was so angry that her stomach hurt.

Well, looking at Princess Tianning's attitude today, I'm afraid she won't leave until this ritual is finished. Concubine Baogui pulled Ji Anni and advised, "Sister, since this is the princess's good intention, don't refuse, let the imperial master do this ritual. Anyway, there is resentment in the harem, especially in the four palaces and eight courtyards. It's always a good thing to exorcise the evil spirits early, don't wait until you are really haunted by some evil spirits, it will be too late to exorcise the evil spirits then."

Concubine Baogui had a weak constitution since childhood and was often haunted by evil spirits in her early years, so she was quite experienced in exorcising evil spirits. Ji Anni still remembered that three years ago, Concubine Baogui was haunted by Shui Furong's sister, the concubine of the Shui family who was pregnant with the dragon fetus of the previous emperor. Yun Zhen had consumed his true energy to the point of turning his hair white in order to exorcise the evil spirit for Concubine Baogui. It must be a difficult ghost.

Ji Anni has always been more obedient to Concubine Baogui. Since Concubine Baogui has agreed to set up an altar to exorcise the evil spirits, she can't say anything more. She can only hold Yizhen's hand and say, "Yizhen, I'm sorry, the barbecue party will have to wait until after this ritual, right? If you are hungry, I will ask the maid to bring you some cakes first."

Yizhen shook her head and said, "I'm not hungry yet. The princess is right, food is a small matter, safety is a big matter. Since the princess has such good intentions, Xiaozhao, you should obey her. Besides, I'm also very curious about the Taoist exorcism, and I want to see the excitement."

Regardless of whether this was a comforting remark or not, Ji Anni felt warm in her heart when she heard it. She thought: Yizhen is gentle and considerate, which is very different from Concubine An's sharp and mean nature. If Concubine An had half the kindness of Yizhen, her life in this palace would be much more peaceful.

Ji Anni ran to Yun Zhen again and whispered, "Yun Zhen, you don't have to take it too seriously later. Just deal with Princess Tian Ning and don't waste too much time. Today is Yi Zhen's birthday, and I want to hold a barbecue party for her. I've prepared everything early, and I can't waste those good skewers."

After hearing this, Yun Zhen shook his head and said, "You, you, can't you be a little more honest?"

Although the action was a shake of the head, the expression on his face showed a hint of pampering and helplessness.

Ji Anni saw that he was not angry, so she became bolder and invited him, "By the way, Yun Zhen, why don't you stay too? I'll teach you how to barbecue, okay? It just so happens that Bao Niangniang is also attending, so why don't you come along? Anyway, the more people there are at a birthday party, the more lively it is."

Before Yun Zhen could answer, the sound of moving tables and chairs was heard in the hall.

Princess Tianning pointed here and urged there, and she really had some of Yan Niang's spirit.

After a while, the central hall was transformed into a Taoist temple.

A banner made of five-colored paper was hung on the beam in front of the hall, and talismans were also pasted on the left and right columns. On the wall opposite the main door hung the image of the Three Pure Ones, and in front of the image was a Three Pure Ones platform. On the platform were many things such as tributes, incense, candles, wine cups, and oil lamps. In front of the Three Pure Ones platform was an Eight Immortals table, on which were placed three tablets. After asking Yun Zhen, I learned that it was called the Three Officials' Table. The three tablets were the Great Dao of the Supreme Wuji, the Thirty-Six Direct Scriptures, and the Great Master Xuanzhong. It sounded exactly the same as the original world.

There were lights on in all four corners of the room, and the dim lights created a horror-movie-like atmosphere.

Ji Annie swallowed her saliva. To be honest, she was not afraid of monsters. But after being tormented by Princess Tianning, she actually felt a little uneasy in her heart. She was sure that she would never be able to sleep as sweetly as she did last night.

Even if there was no ghost in the courtyard, Ji Anni would still be suspicious all day long and scare herself.

After about ten minutes, Xuanjizi and the young eunuchs had set up the Taoist temple neatly.

Princess Tianning waved to Ji Anni and others outside the door, signaling them to come in quickly.

Concubine Baogui saw that Ji Anni had no experience in these matters, so she gently told her, "First, you must welcome the gods, kneel on the mat, and perform the ritual of kneeling three times and knocking your head nine times."

Three kneelings and nine kowtows? Ji Anni's legs ached when she heard it.