My Little Ghost

Volume 1.3.8 — The Transmission

The whole night, Bai Bing Wen’s consciousness is in disarray. Not because of his spiritual energy’s instability, but because his mind just won’t let him take a rest. He’s got so much questions but he’s thinking hard and deep about whether or not he should ask Ji Feng Huang and Meng Zhang of these things. Today, he’s realized that the more he gets answers from the two, the questions he comes up with become twice as much as those answers. He wonders if he’d ever understand how this world works with the little circle he can trust not to lie to him.

He usually dedicates himself to alchemy and weaponry back in the modern world whenever he’s going through something similar. Back then, when his older brother opened up about having fears for advancing in cultivation, he took him to their basement and they worked on making new weapons to get their minds off of their worries. It was a horrible phase in Bai Li Jie’s life for suffering crisis after crisis and getting nightmares of that time when he was abducted as a kid. It was also why he had held back in his cultivation practice—he feared having too much power in his hands after seeing what it did to his younger brother. Bai Bing Wen, after all, became every powerful clan’s target after they found out about his core’s potential.

Even as the sun has risen in the east, he’s still lying stoically in bed, not getting a wink of sleep. He figures one day of not being productive shouldn’t be that big of a deal. The servants have come and gone to ask if he wants breakfast and just as much, he refuses by replying with one word answers.

It’s not until the noon of that day when he finally decides not to dwell so much on those things that keep bugging his mind. When he walks out of his chamber to take a stroll alone outside, he notices that not a single soul is present. They probably listened to him when he said he wanted to be left alone.

Out of the Golden Flower Palace, two female servants pass by, talking in low voices. And with Bai Bing Wen’s sensitive hearing, despite not meaning to, he hears the servants’ subject of interest.

“...but the Shadow Empress is really suspicious,” the first servant says.

“I know. But really. The Fourth Consort has been pushing it too far without thinking about the consequences of her actions. Look at her now, bedridden and amputated. They might as well just take her dantian out,” the other servant replies.

“Be careful. Lower your voice, lest we get our tongues cut off. The Crown Prince is just right there. Remember the rumors of their unusual familiarity recently?” the first servant warns, looking anywhere but the approaching Crown Prince.

Bai Bing Wen gives them a cold glare, continuing on his walk. The two servants hurry on their steps just to get away from him. But that doesn’t take away the fact that another matter has been added to his worries.

What’s going on with the Fourth Consort now?

As luck would have it, when Bai Bing Wen arrives at the imperial infirmary of the main palace, the Emperor’s guards are standing right outside, preventing anyone from coming in.

“Forgive us, Your Highness. The Emperor has asked the imperial army to stand guard because the consort’s safety is at risk. We can’t let anyone else in aside from the doctor.”

Bai Bing Wen nods, seeing that these people are far from the red-robed cultivators standing guard last time. Their auras are not filled with killing intent despite the smell of blood tainting their scents. He figures it’s  normal, since protecting the Emperor is not a job that would guarantee a bloodless everyday life.

“Can I at least talk the doctor?” he asks.

The guard looks conflicted, looking at the other guard on duty. “Please wait here, Your Highness. We’ll ask the Fourth Consort for permission.”

“Wait,” Bai Bing Wen calls out before the guard can walk into the infirmary. “Is the Fourth Consort sober at the moment?”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Is it okay if you tell her instead that I’m here right now?”

The guard almost gapes but him, but he recovers quickly. “I’ll ask the Imperial Consort, Your Highness.”

“Thank you. Please, understand that after the Empress passed away, the Fourth Consort has been the only one I can look up to for guidance. I don’t mean any harm.”

The guard bows his head, leaving a short instruction to the other guard on duty before walking into the infirmary. Not even a few minutes have passed when a group of servants led by a eunuch and the servant head who once tried to humiliate Bai Bing Wen the first time he woke up in this world arrived at the infirmary.

“Didn’t the Crown Prince know that no one else is allowed in this place except for the Emperor and his most trusted subordinates?”

Bai Bing Wen is almost tempted to roll his eyes. But after remembering how he missed seeing the naked parade of these servants, he resolves to just cross his arms over his chest and not mind him.

The servant head fumes at this, opting to focus his frustrated energy at the clueless imperial guard. “Let us through. I am here in behalf of the Emperor.”

“The Emperor has asked the imperial army to stand guard because the consort’s safety is at risk,” the guard on duty repeats the same spiel that the other guard said earlier. “We can’t let anyone else in aside from the doctor.”

“I am the Emperor’s servant head—”

“Our orders come directly from the Emperor himself,” another voice answers. The guard who just came from rounding the infirmary stands beside the other guard and three more guards are walking behind him. He’s wearing a differently styled uniform, like a general’s. “So unless you are the Fourth Consort herself or the doctor, then you have no business of being here,” he goes on, giving the servant head an impassive look.

The servant head gives him a scornful smile, but it’s the eunuch who speaks this time. “The Shadow Empress is worried about the Fourth Consort and has asked for us to check her situation. Surely, you do not wish to go against the Shadow Empress?”

“Does the Shadow Empress also teach you not to respect the Crown Prince?” the guard who’s been standing here asks, giving the servant head and the eunuch careful, individual glances, before bowing his head to Bai Bing Wen. “I apologize in behalf of these people, Your Highness. Truly, one does not learn the lessons of a noble when they only want to know which positions to climb to in order for them to have the power to disrespect others.”

“Wu Fei Ming, that’s enough,” the general says, glancing at the guard. He also turns to give Bai Bing Wen a courteous bow. “I hope the Crown Prince doesn’t look too badly at us for this incident.”

“You’re fine. I am, however, a bit disappointed that the appointed servant head of my father has not even learned the basic form of respect.” He turns to face the eunuch and the servant head. “Not only did you not offer a greeting politely upon seeing the Crown Prince of your Empire, you are also accompanying unwanted visitors to the infirmary where the Imperial Consort is healing. Are you suggesting, for the last time, that the Shadow Empress’s orders are higher than the Emperor’s?”

“No need to be so fierce, Your Highness. We’ve come in peace, we wish to be treated fairly,” the eunuch says with a mocking smile. “If no one is truly allowed to enter the infirmary, then you better turn the Crown Prince away, too.”

“They have,” Bai Bing Wen answers for the imperial guards. “However, I have asked if the doctor or the Fourth Consort can grant me access into the infirmary. If not, I am going to behave like how a loyal follower of my Emperor would. I would leave.”

“Your Highness,” the guard from earlier calls out, giving Bai Bing Wen another bow before turning to face his general and bowing again. He whispers a few things to the general before the general himself turns to deliver the news to Bai Bing Wen.

“You may enter, Your Highness,” he announces with a hint of delight in his eyes. “And the rest of you, please leave as your disturbance might hinder the imperial army’s task to effectively protect the Imperial Consort.”

Bai Bing Wen nods, preparing to walk into the infirmary.

“You dare treat the eunuch of the Shadow Empress with such disrespect?” the eunuch says, this time with a lot more mockery in his voice and utter disregard for customary politeness, making Bai Bing Wen pause in his steps. “I am sent here in the name of the Shadow Empress. How can you just ask us to leave like that?”

“You cannot compare the treatment given to you with the treatment given to me,” Bai Bing Wen says. He turns to give the eunuch a cold look, making the other man step back a little after attempting to glare back. “You are a eunuch, and I am still the Crown Prince of the Central Empire. If you cannot respect me, I would take that as the Shadow Empress’s expression of rebellion towards the future Emperor of not only this palace but of the whole Empire. If the Shadow Empress wishes to see the Imperial Consort, let her personally pay a visit and ask the imperial army politely for permission. If this isn’t given accordingly and you still forced your way in, then you are clearly disobeying the words of the Emperor.” Bai Bing Wen walks two steps towards the eunuch and the servant head. He looks alternately at them before he says in a low voice, “I could have your heads removed from your bodies if I see a single trace of rebellion you’re planning to hold against my father. Now, leave.”

Both the eunuch and the servant head seem unable to hold Bai Bing Wen’s cold gaze so they all step back, giving him a customary bow before leaving speechlessly. Bai Bing Wen only returns to the doors of the infirmary after he’s seen those people disappearing out of his sight.

As he walks past the imperial army, he sees the guards giving him respectful bows until the guard inside the infirmary closes the door for him.

“Xiao Bing?” Bai Bing Wen hears a familiar voice of lady, weakly calling out to him.

He walks towards the direction of the voice, and behind the silk white curtains, a white bed is set where the Imperial Consort lies. No one else is there except for the two of them.

“What happened?” he asks, standing at the foot of the bed.

Lady Ji Wen gives him a hand gesture, which Bai Bing Wen vaguely takes as ‘someone is listening’.

“I have been uninformed of the events happening in the palace lately due to my mother’s passing. I refuse to linger and loiter in places where I might get reminded of her as I grieve. How long have you been sick, Lady Ji Wen?”

“I have been here for seven days according to the doctor, Your Highness,” Lady Ji Wen answers. She subtly waves a piece of parchment next the covered part of the bed. “I have not always been sober these past few days but I am feeling better now.”

Bai Bing Wen walks quietly closer, taking the parchment from Lady Ji Wen. He quickly whispers a few enchantments, touching the ground to create a protective layer for them. To his horror, his core is still not responding to his commands, making him sigh inwardly in frustration.

“What’s wrong?” Lady Ji Wen quietly asks.

Bai Bing Wen only shakes his head. He doesn’t know if it’s safe to explain anything involving his spiritual power for now but he reckons that by the look on his face, Lady Ji Wen would immediately get the idea.

As expected, the lady sighs in exasperation, too. “Go to Meng Zhang,” she mouths at him.

“I can’t just leave you here,” Bai Bing Wen mouths back.

Lady Ji Wen gives him a resigned smile. “I can manage. It’s important that you go to Meng Zhang now and give him this.”

Bai Bing Wen takes a subtle glance at the parchment, seeing it glow a faint blue light. He places the parchment inside the chest area of his robe, cursing inwardly.

“Why are you placing it there? Use your storage,” Lady Ji Wen half-whispers and half-shouts at him with a horrified look.

Shaking his head a little, Bai Bing Wen points at his core. “It’s not working at the moment,” he mouths at her.

“How is that even possible?!” Lady Ji Wen asks in disbelief through gritted teeth, voice almost getting a lot more audible. She quickly gathers herself before waving a dismissive hand. With a louder voice, she goes on, “I am fine as of the moment, Your Highness. For now, please go back to the Golden Flower Palace and take a rest. I appreciate you personally making a visit to this lowly lady. Your father really brought you up well.”

Bai Bing Wen gives Lady Ji Wen a subtle glare before deciding to just do what he’s been asked for now. This is perhaps Ji Feng Huang’s way of telling him to look for help since they really cannot do anything right now on their own, what with Bai Bing Wen’s offline core and the endless eyes and ears paying attention to every single thing they do.

So he walks out of the infirmary in hurried steps. The moment he steps foot outside the infirmary, Bai Bing Wen only realizes three major problems he’s not even thought of the whole time he’s accepting these requests from Lady Ji Wen.

First, he can’t use his core, so he also cannot use his cultivation and spiritual energy. How is he supposed to protect himself from possible danger along the way? What if something happens again that requires him to use a bit of his skills and call for Ji Feng Huang’s help when he can no longer handle the situation alone?

Second, he doesn’t know how to ask for a carriage and he has no idea how transportation works in this world. He can’t fly a sword, and he most definitely can’t teleport. It all boils down to not having his spiritual energy to use at his beck and call.

Third, he doesn’t know the way to Meng Zhang’s place. Even if he can ask for a carriage, what is he supposed to tell them? Where is he supposed to go? What is he supposed to use as an excuse to go that place without looking suspicious? What if he gets followed again like what happens most of the time during his adventures outside the palace with Ji Feng Huang?

He’s at a loss of what to do next, but he can only blame himself. The whole time he walked with Ji Feng Huang last night, he was either absorbed in his miserable thoughts or occupied with staring at Ji Feng Huang. Both of which never helped with his initial goal of strolling outside—to familiarize himself with the ins and outs of the Central Empire.

Because as it seems, he may be spending a lot of time here as he tries to advance in his cultivation while helping Ji Feng Huang with his quest.