Chapter 61: The Imperial Kitchen is Empty, Only Water Is Boiling
However, the aunt in front of him had no intention of continuing to explain to him. She shook the handkerchief in her hand, combed her hair, and led the palace maids behind her into the palace gate leading to the Imperial Kitchen. Only the little palace maid behind her stayed and asked curiously.

"Hey, eunuch brother, did you really, really see the water ghost catch you and take you to the altercation?"

The young eunuch hadn't spoken yet, but the young palace maid seemed to not need his answer. She continued to lean over and spoke in a mysterious and low voice.

"Let me tell you, I actually saw it, no, I heard it, next to our Cuiwei Pavilion, in the old Yuming Palace, there were actually some strange noises coming from there. My aunt even sent people to check, but they didn't see anyone, and they didn't find anything unusual. I think it must be something unclean..."

"Hiss! Is it true?"

The young eunuch still didn't find a chance to speak, and a eunuch nearby who came to join in the fun took over the conversation. Many palace maids and eunuchs who came to get their meals couldn't help but be curious and pricked up their ears to listen to the gossip.

Yes, these people are insignificant and insignificant in the palace, otherwise they would not have been kept. Now that their masters are not around, it is natural for them to slack off. When they hear about such a big event, who would not be curious?

When everyone was staring with eyes wide open and ears pricked up, suddenly two frightened palace maids appeared from behind the crowd, hugging their arms tightly, and they immediately came forward to tell their story.

"I know, I know, it must be true. I'm afraid our palace is really not peaceful. My sister and I encountered it in the daytime, also in the back garden!"

"Oh my God! Did you encounter it too?"

The two palace maids who were frightened by Li Yaoguang nodded in unison, and the palace maid who carried the tray even drew with a pen.

"Yes, yes, yes, I really saw it. I saw it with my own eyes! The female ghost was wearing a cape that only women can wear. She whizzed past me and my sister in the blink of an eye. She really floated past. Is that something a normal person can do?"

Another maid nodded in agreement, "Yes, yes, yes, I also saw that after the female ghost flew past, she turned back and smiled at me, it was so creepy!"

"Wow, no way? Tell me in detail, what did the female ghost look like? Did you see it clearly?"

The two maids shook their heads, wanting to say they didn't see it. After all, they were too scared at the time. They couldn't remember clearly whether the ghost turned back, but she definitely turned back and should have smiled at them spookily. As for her appearance? Hmm! "She was scary with fangs on her face!"

An older palace maid in the crowd suddenly said something inspired.

"You are young and don't know, this is probably because His Majesty left the palace, and there is no dragon energy to suppress this place, so demons and ghosts have emerged one after another, daring to come out in broad daylight."

Wow, what a scary statement!
Everyone gasped and hugged their arms in fear.

At this moment, a soldier of the Imperial Guard who had just finished his shift came out from the direction of the Imperial Kitchen, sucking his teeth. After overhearing the discussions of the palace maids and eunuchs, the soldier sneered with full of sarcasm.

"A gentleman does not speak of strange things! If you are really full and have nothing to do, just take a shower and go to bed early. How can a ghost come out in broad daylight? Go away, go away, don't scare yourself. As for you, little guy..." The imperial guard raised his hand and pointed at the first little eunuch, frowning in disgust, "You'd better change your wet pants quickly, it's so dirty, this is the entrance to the Imperial Kitchen!"

Everyone was unhappy and resentful, but who could blame them for being palace maids and eunuchs with no backing or connections, who were bullied and looked down upon by everyone?
Even though they were facing a mere imperial guard, they did not dare to waste words. They secretly spat at him and cursed him to die soon. Then they all dispersed.

Little did they know that their curse could be effective!
The imperial guard on duty at night did not take the discussions of the eunuchs and palace maids during the day to heart at all. After all, he was a strong man with vigorous blood and even ghosts dared not approach him. What's more, he was confident that there were no ghosts in this world, so there was nothing to be afraid of!
But all these came to an abrupt end when he was patrolling to the Imperial Kitchen. As he passed by the outside of the Imperial Kitchen, he heard a creaking sound coming from the keyed Imperial Kitchen courtyard, which should have been silent.

His Majesty and his concubines have all left the palace, and most of the royal guards have also left, leaving only a few of them. Except for the Tianqing Hall where His Majesty holds court, and the place where the cabinet holds offices, holds meetings, and keeps official documents, which are well guarded and well staffed, other places are patrolled in groups of two.

As they were walking in the corridor, they happened to find that two of them had to split up for patrol. One of them had to check the corridor leading to the Qingshou Hall, and the other patrolled the corridor towards the Imperial Kitchen. Relying on his seniority, he chose the familiar Imperial Kitchen.

As a result, as soon as I walked to the door, I heard some strange noises inside. I carefully looked through the crack of the locked door and found that in the kitchen, which should have been dark, there was a faint light coming through the lower half of the closed window?

Why is this?

With a chill in his heart, the Royal Guards put down the Qisifeng in their hands out of duty, leaped over the not-so-high palace wall with a single leap.

The moment he landed in the Imperial Kitchen Courtyard, he looked around but found nothing, but he saw the light flashing through the crack in the door just now. The kitchen door was actually open. The Imperial Guard did not dare to delay and did not bother to check the courtyard carefully. He held his sword and ran towards the door. However, he found that at the moment he flew over the wall, a small figure on the edge of the well in the corner of the courtyard was suddenly startled.

It was too late to flash away, because he was still holding the handle with one hand and touching the full bucket with the other. If he entered the space at this time, the bucket would surely fall into the well, making a lot of noise. It was too late to put the bucket into the space and untie the rope.

In a desperate situation, Li Yaoguang tried her best. She didn't dare to let go or make any big movements. She collected the water in the bucket, grabbed the rope tied to the empty bucket with one hand, and slowly slid down to the edge of the well. Fortunately, the edge of the well was high enough, and she lay on the back, which was just enough to completely cover her small figure.

Li Yaoguang tried hard to hold his breath, and the imperial guards in the kitchen were also confused at this moment.

There was no one in the empty kitchen and everything was in good condition, except for... two large stoves that were usually used to steam rice and steamed buns, with fire blazing in them. Steam was rising from the large pots that were actually boiling two large pots of hot water. Everything else was normal.

But it was this damn normality that made him feel that something was very wrong.

After a quick search of the house, he found nothing unusual. He shouted and threatened, but no one responded. At this moment, he had not yet thought of the rumors from the day, but he was a little panicked, afraid that someone would stay here and do something privately. The Imperial Guards, who were determined to catch the thief, did not delay and rushed out of the house again. They hurriedly shouted to their companions to assemble and notify the eunuch in charge of the Imperial Kitchen to come and open the door and call for people.

Li Yaoguang watched them leave and listened to the noise. Knowing that he could not delay any longer, he moved.

(End of this chapter)