Chapter 77 Creating witchcraft in the dead of night, a two-pronged approach to secretly lay the trap.

After obtaining the "secret recipe," Consort Guo treated it like a priceless treasure.

She locked herself in her bedchamber and studied it for several days in a row.

The more she read, the more she felt this method was feasible.

She had always believed in such supernatural things, and combined with her jealousy and hatred for Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner, her mind was already clouded.

She decided that Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner would be her first target!

As long as Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner fell, she would be the woman with the highest status in the inner palace, second only to the Empress Dowager.

When that time came, wouldn't she have everything she desired?

This thought made her tremble with excitement.

She acted immediately.

First, she spent a large sum of money to bribe a minor official at the Imperial Observatory to secretly obtain the birth date and time of Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner.

Then, she sent a trusted subordinate to sneak into the palace of Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner and steal a lock of hair that had fallen while she was combing it.

Everything was ready.

Only the east wind was missing.

Consort Guo chose a dark, windy night.

She dismissed all the servants, leaving only her most trusted nanny to keep watch outside.

She locked the palace doors, drew the curtains, and lit a circle of white candles in the center of the room.

The flickering candlelight cast her face in shifting light and shadow, making her look exceptionally sinister.

From an exquisite wooden box, she took out a small doll she had prepared long ago, sewn from fine silk.

The doll was dressed in gorgeous palace attire, and its features bore a striking resemblance to Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner.

Consort Guo looked at the doll, her eyes flashing with malevolent light.

"Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner, don't blame me for being heartless."

"If you must blame someone, blame yourself for blocking my path!"

She muttered to herself as she stuffed the slip of paper with the birth date and time of Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner, along with the lock of hair, into the body of the doll.

Then, using a red thread, she sewed the opening of the doll tightly shut.

After doing all this, she picked up a long, sharp silver needle she had prepared beforehand.

"Pfft!"

She did not hesitate to drive the silver needle fiercely into the heart of the doll.

"Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner, I curse you to die of a broken heart!"

"Pfft!"

Another needle was thrust into the doll's head.

"I curse you to suffer splitting headaches and die in madness!"

As she stabbed, she recited the vicious curses that Consort Chu had taught her.

She had fallen into a state of madness.

She seemed to see Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner lying on her sickbed, struggling in pain.

She saw herself ascending to the position of Imperial Noble Consort, receiving the worship of thousands.

She laughed louder and more crazily.

...

Just as Consort Guo prayed every night, cursing Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner.

On the other side, the plan of Emperor Liu Sheng was proceeding methodically.

He had his subordinate, The young eunuch, quietly spread a rumor throughout the palace.

"Hey, have you heard? Consort Guo at Kunning Palace has been acting strange lately."

"Yes, yes, I heard she locks herself in her room every night, not knowing what kind of trickery she's up to."

"A distant cousin of mine who works at Kunning Palace said he seems to smell burning paper in Consort Guo's room."

"Burning paper? In the middle of the night, what kind of paper is she burning?"

"Shh... keep your voice down! I heard... Consort Guo is jealous of Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner because she is currently in favor, so she is practicing Witchcraft in the palace, wanting to curse her!"

"My god! That vicious?"

"Isn't it! She has great ambition and is obsessed with taking the place of Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner."

This rumor spread like the wind, quickly reaching every corner of the inner palace.

The versions of the story became increasingly bizarre.

Some said Consort Guo was raising ghosts.

Some said Consort Guo would worship a faceless clay doll to the moon in the middle of the night.

Others said several palace maids had already seen black mist swirling above the palace of Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner.

These rumors naturally reached the ears of Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner.

At first, she did not pay attention.

In the inner palace, there were too many such baseless rumors.

If she were to fuss over every one of them, she would have died of exhaustion long ago.

Moreover, Consort Guo was her person.

She did not believe Consort Guo had the guts to curse her behind her back.

However, the rumors intensified.

Furthermore, in these last few days, Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner really felt that her body was unwell.

She inexplicably felt palpitations and headaches.

At night, she could not sleep well and had recurring nightmares.

She summoned the imperial physician to examine her, but he could not find anything wrong.

He only said it was due to overthinking and an imbalance of qi and blood.

At this point, Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner began to have doubts.

Could it be... that those rumors were true?

Was that bitch, Consort Guo, really playing tricks behind her back?

Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner was naturally a suspicious person.

Better to believe it exists than to believe it doesn't.

She had always been wary of Consort Guo's ambition.

Now, with new grievances and old grudges combined, her suspicion of Consort Guo reached its peak.

And just at this moment.

Emperor Liu Sheng poured another ladle of oil onto the fire.

He anonymously wrote an informer's letter.

One was sent to the palace of Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner.

The letter described in detail how Consort Guo obtained the Witchcraft, how she made the doll, and where she hid it.

It was written so vividly that it seemed as if the writer had seen it with their own eyes.

Another letter with the exact same content was delivered through an absolutely reliable channel to the Imperial Study of the Emperor.

After doing all this, Emperor Liu Sheng returned to the Cold Palace and leisurely brewed a pot of tea.

He had calculated the timing accurately.

When Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner saw the letter, she would inevitably be furious and immediately send people to search.

And on the Emperor's side, upon receiving the letter, although he might not believe it entirely, he would certainly send someone to investigate for the sake of caution.

The two groups of people would very likely bump into each other at Kunning Palace.

At that time, they would catch her in the act.

Consort Guo would have no wings to fly away.

As for him, Emperor Liu Sheng, from beginning to end, was just a loyal, honest, and simple eunuch serving the Empress Dowager at Cining Palace.

This matter, from beginning to end, had nothing to do with him.

He picked up his teacup and took a gentle sip.

Outside the window, a storm was brewing.

A good show was about to begin.

Changchun Palace.

Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner looked at the anonymous letter in her hand, trembling with rage.

"Good! A very good Consort Guo!"

She slammed the letter onto the table, her beautiful face covered in frost.

"I have not treated her poorly in the past, yet she dares to commit such vicious acts behind my back!"

"What an ungrateful wretch!"

The trusted nanny by her side hurriedly stepped forward to help soothe her.

"Your Highness, please calm your anger; take care not to damage your health."

"It is not worth it for such a bitch."

"Calm my anger? How can I calm my anger!"

Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner stood up abruptly, murderous intent appearing in her eyes.

"My palpitations and headaches these past few days were all caused by this bitch!"

"She wants my life!"

The more she thought about it, the angrier and more afraid she became.

Regarding Witchcraft, it is better to believe it exists.

She absolutely could not tolerate having someone by her side who wanted to curse her to death at any moment.

"Someone, come here!"

Imperial Noble Consort Su Waner shouted sharply.

"Prepare my carriage!"

"Today, I am going to Kunning Palace to see for myself!"

"I want to see exactly what kind of shameful things she, Consort Guo, is hiding in her palace!"