Qiqi handed him a small booklet she had written herself. Hong Beimo received it with both hands and opened it, wild joy surging through his heart. Then he closed the booklet, carefully tucked it into his robes, and said, "Thank you for your gracious gift, Your Highness."
Qiqi said, "Lately, I have been plagued by nightmares. These strange characters flash through my mind every waking moment. I have never learned them, yet I understand what they mean. It seems you were right after all."
Hong Beimo said, "Your Highness is Heaven's favored daughter, the bearer of its mandate. Mere mortals such as ourselves cannot compare."
Qiqi said, "Two people died in that battle back then. Why was only one skull found in the palace?"
Hong Beimo said, "Your Highness, I know nothing of that matter."
Qiqi said, "It is hardly surprising that you do not know. There is something else you probably do not know yet."
Hong Beimo listened attentively.
"Without those two skulls, even if you finish building the Imperial Mausoleum, it will serve no purpose whatsoever."
Hong Beimo froze for a moment. Qiqi had already obtained one skull. Could that skull be the key to his success? Since she had said so, she was probably right.
Qiqi said, "Can you recover the other skull?"
Hong Beimo said, "I shall do everything in my power!"
Qiqi said, "I had people investigate. The other skull should originally have been buried beneath the Seven-Treasure Glazed Pagoda."
Hong Beimo said in astonishment, "But the Seven-Treasure Glazed Pagoda collapsed long ago!"
Qiqi nodded. "Yilan Palace was built on the pagoda's original site. Surely you are familiar with that palace, Mr. Hong?"
Hong Beimo frowned and thought for a while before saying, "Yilan Palace? Do you mean the former residence of the Eldest Princess,