Recently, every evening in the Great Feng Imperial Palace, there were always consorts dressed in white robes drifting about, calling out for souls in ghostly tones. The imperial palace was simply like a ghost city.
Guards patrolled the palace wearily, constantly having to escort these consorts who looked more like ghosts than actual ghosts back to their quarters.
But they were all noble consorts. Once they refused to return and struggled and fought, the guards couldn’t use force, leaving them in quite a predicament.
This evening, while the commotion continued, suddenly a grand procession approached, surrounding a phoenix sedan chair with jeweled canopy and embroidered curtains.
At this time, still displaying such pomp and daring to travel through the palace after nightfall—there was only one such person in the entire palace. The guards all stopped and respectfully saluted, “Your Grace, Noble Consort.”
A palace maid opened the curtain. Precious Consort Bao sat upright in the sedan, staring coldly at the crazed consort on the ground, saying with disgust, “Disgraceful! Drag her back to her palace and confine her. Without my word, she is never to come out!”
Sturdy palace maids acknowledged the order, stepped forward to roughly drag the person up, covered her mouth, and escorted her back to her palace.
Precious Consort Bao continued, “Leave three people to follow the guards on patrol. Anyone caught making a scene shall be dealt with in the same manner!”
Palace maids acknowledged and joined the patrol teams.
The Palace Guard captain leading tonight’s patrol breathed a huge sigh of relief and hurriedly kowtowed in gratitude to Her Grace.
Originally, wearing armor, they needn’t salute palace nobles so formally, but everyone in the imperial palace knew this lady loved pomp and face. Being more respectful to her only brought benefits.
Moreover, she was the Crown Prince’s mother. Though the Prince hadn’t returned to court, he was still the future emperor. Precious Consort Bao was currently influential in the palace, so flattery was appropriate.
This captain had distant relations with the royal family and knew even more. It was said the court now suspected this series of major upheavals all came from His Highness the Crown Prince. Though the captain couldn’t understand what kind of operation this was—why would a Crown Prince kill all his relatives and ministers with such ruthless methods? What benefit did this bring him?
But then again, the thoughts of those in power weren’t something common folk like them could comprehend. Otherwise, he’d be Crown Prince too.
However, it was said this Crown Prince was originally insane.
Due to this awe and fear, the captain’s prostration was deeply respectful, greatly pleasing Precious Consort Bao.
Of course, her mood had been excellent recently.
The palace atmosphere was unprecedentedly terrible, while she was unprecedentedly triumphant.
Others feared the omnipresent poison—she didn’t. Others feared assassination that could come at any moment—she didn’t.
On the contrary, because of these things, she finally obtained the power she’d dreamed of and the favor she’d sought for years but couldn’t get.
She had just come from His Majesty’s bedchamber, delivering a late-night snack. She’d heard His Majesty wouldn’t accept food from anyone, so she specifically went to test this.
His Majesty accepted the bird’s nest soup with white fungus she brought.
Because of this, Precious Consort Bao felt as if she were floating on clouds even while sitting in the sedan chair, drifting and content.
The phoenix sedan stopped at Fuchun Palace. Precious Consort Bao had moved out of her original Xuxin Courtyard and now lived alone in Fuchun Palace, one of the main halls of the Western Six Palaces.
Countless palace servants rushed forward, surrounding her as she returned to her bedchamber.
Behind her, palace maids gently massaged her shoulders and removed her hairpins and jewelry. Precious Consort Bao squinted contentedly and spoke to her trusted palace maid, “His Majesty still saw no one today.”
The palace maid said softly, “This servant has already inquired at the Imperial Medical Academy… His Majesty’s pulse… is not good…”
“I heard Ruzhou officials collectively submitted memorials to the Secretariat, directly accusing the Embroidered Uniform Guard of collecting secret files on all officials and fabricating charges to frame loyal ministers. They demanded the abolishment of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and execution of its commander. His Majesty flew into a rage,” Precious Consort Bao said. “Who is this person with such methods, linking one thing to another, turning Ruzhou and the imperial palace upside down?”
The palace maid stole a glance at her, thinking: Do you really have no idea?
She smiled obsequiously, “The more chaotic the palace becomes, the more it shows Your Grace’s fearlessness in crisis and composed handling of affairs. His Majesty relies on you even more.”
Precious Consort Bao laughed happily, “Let’s bathe.”
Behind the screen, steam rose from the bathing pool, with two young eunuchs preparing soap and fragrant flowers.
Precious Consort Bao entered wearing her robe, saying, “You may withdraw.”
The eunuchs acknowledged but didn’t immediately leave. Instead, they walked forward a few steps.
The misty vapor concealed their features. One said softly, “This servant follows His Highness’s command to escort Your Grace out of the palace.”
Precious Consort Bao was startled, only now noticing these two eunuchs had unfamiliar faces.
She opened her mouth to scream, but the other party quickly covered her mouth.
Precious Consort Bao struggled with muffled sounds, extending her leg to kick the bathtub.
The eunuch dragged her away from the bathtub. The other stepped forward, his sleeve moving slightly as smoke was about to disperse.
Precious Consort Bao’s arm suddenly struck the waist of the eunuch covering her mouth. With a soft “chi” sound, he groaned in pain and stepped back clutching his waist.
Precious Consort Bao somehow had a dagger in her hand. She stepped back twice, about to call out, when the other eunuch said urgently, “If you call out, we’ll have no choice but to perish together with you!”
Precious Consort Bao froze, then said coldly, “You’re Murong Yi’s people. You dare kill me!”
The eunuch said, “His Highness instructed that if Your Grace willingly comes with us, you’ll naturally be treated with courtesy. If you refuse or even harm others, we’re permitted to act against you in self-defense!”
Precious Consort Bao angrily said, “How dare he treat his own mother this way!”
The two opposite her said nothing, blocking her path from left and right.
Precious Consort Bao took a breath, lowered her voice, and said, “What madness has possessed Murong Yi! He won’t return to the palace himself, yet wants to kidnap me from it?”
The eunuch said, “His Highness says this is for mutual safety. He advises you to be clear-headed and not covet glory and wealth at the cost of your life.”
Precious Consort Bao laughed as if she’d heard a joke, “What did he say? Safety? Life? How could anyone in this palace threaten my life? If you ask me, the greatest threat to my safety is him!”
She suddenly thought of something, her expression changing, “I heard he’s behind all these recent incidents? Could it be true? What great illness does he have to go so hysterically mad? What good does disrupting Great Feng do him? This is his own realm! What poison did I take to give birth to such a mad son!”
The two eunuchs quietly watched her, a trace of pity flashing in their eyes.
His Highness truly has it difficult…
“Does he want to kidnap me to threaten his father?” Precious Consort Bao thought she’d figured out Murong Yi’s intentions, growing even angrier. “What a rebellious son!”
The eunuchs sighed in unison.
This one was also mad—not only mad but stupid.
His Highness had it so difficult.
But Precious Consort Bao took this as confirmation of her guess. She relaxed her expression, assumed the demeanor of a strategic mastermind, and said gently, “Yi’er has always loved getting stuck in dead ends. As his mother, I can’t watch him go mad. You go back. I won’t make things difficult for you, but I absolutely won’t go with you. Go back and tell Yi’er for me—what father and son in the world remain enemies forever? His Majesty won’t truly blame him. Even if he would, I’ll certainly mediate between them. As long as he stops early and returns to the palace to apologize, we can all be a happy family again. Wouldn’t that be good?”
The two eunuchs quietly watched her.
Truly amazing.
One of them couldn’t help but blurt out, “Your Grace, when have you, His Highness, and His Majesty ever been a happy family together?”
Precious Consort Bao’s expression changed, “How impudent!”
The two eunuchs exchanged glances.
Tonight’s mission wasn’t a death order from their master anyway.
Their master had said Precious Consort Bao was mad and stupid—nine times out of ten, they couldn’t take her away. Forcing it might even bring trouble.
Since that was the case, so be it.
The two turned, leaped onto the roof, and vanished like smoke.
As soon as their figures disappeared, black-clothed shadows fell onto Fuchun Palace’s roof.
Countless black-clothed figures also dropped into the courtyard. Several entered the hall directly, not caring whether Precious Consort Bao was bathing or not, and stood in the hall saying, “Your Grace, His Majesty says he greatly misses your companionship and orders you to come to his bedchamber immediately.”
Precious Consort Bao was overjoyed, “Then let me finish bathing and pack some things before coming!”
The black-clothed guard said stiffly, “His Majesty decrees that Chenglong Hall has everything needed. No preparation is necessary. Please board the sedan immediately, Your Grace.”
As they spoke, several palace maids entered to drape a cloak over Precious Consort Bao. A phoenix sedan was already carried into the courtyard. They immediately stuffed Precious Consort Bao into the sedan and left like the wind.
Half an hour later, in an inconspicuous residence in Ruzhou city, Murong Yi received the news.
He glanced at the eunuch who came to report—also a long-planted sleeper agent. One of them had blood at his waist, clearly stabbed by a blade.
Murong Yi chuckled softly.
His old mother was truly reluctant to leave that shitty palace.
Then so be it.
He was carefully examining case files. All the people from Wanqian Manor who had been left in Great Qian were expelled and escorted all the way to the border. They had just returned yesterday and immediately compiled everything that happened in the capital during that period into case files for submission.
Murong Yi carefully read through the files, then summoned the Runzi House shopkeeper who had been whipped ten times, repeatedly asking about the situation at that time—what Tie Ci said, what she did, her tone, her attitude… down to the minutest details.
Only after the finest details had been repeatedly excavated and there was truly nothing new did he reluctantly dismiss them.
After they left, he still held the case files, savoring them. Mu Si watched from the side, sighing in his heart that this person was both ruthless and obsessed. Yet having a bit of obsession was good—otherwise, what would there be to care about in this world?
Outside the door, a gust of wind suddenly arose. The wind continued right to the door before anyone noticed in alarm, shouting, “Who goes…” The voice stopped mid-sentence.
Then there was deathly silence.
The black night suddenly became thick and substantial.
Mu Si and Zhao San started up in alarm, drawing their swords to rush outside. Between the inner and outer rooms hung a bead curtain that swayed and rustled from the wind stirred by their movements.
The next moment, the rustling stopped. Under everyone’s gaze, the bead curtain suddenly turned into crystalline white powder. The powder gathered, forming a long staff that silently struck both men’s chests.
With two thuds, both men flew backward, crashing left and right at the foot of Murong Yi’s couch.
Mu Si continued roaring even as he fell, “Protect His Highness! Protect His Highness!”
But there was no response—the black night seemed to have suddenly invaded this inner room, becoming solid as iron, pressing down heavily on everyone here.
A hand appeared in the thick, mud-like darkness—porcelain white and slender with beautiful form. The hand stopped by the door, as if not seeing that the bead curtain had disappeared, fingers gently hooking.
The tinkling sound of crystal beads colliding rang out.
Under everyone’s widened gazes, the bead curtain that had just disappeared and been used as a weapon suddenly reappeared, being lifted and parted as someone casually walked in.
On the couch, Murong Yi, who hadn’t moved from beginning to end, kept his eyes lowered, looking at the book in his hands. His tone was light and mocking, “Oh, two suckers have arrived.”
Mu Si broke out in a cold sweat.
Everyone said he was arrogant.
When he encountered Murong Yi, he was also often scared nearly to madness.
Duanmu stood at the door, looking as if he very much wanted to throw the curtain down again or stuff it into that death-seeking mouth.
Sang Tang helplessly smiled and tugged his sleeve. Duanmu immediately turned and said, “I’m not angry. Don’t worry, I won’t kill anyone.”
Murong Yi closed his book, “Before you two arrived, I was just thinking about how to begin ‘The Sucker Chronicles.'”
Neither Duanmu nor Sang Tang understood, but this didn’t prevent them from guessing the malice of this former number one pirated book merchant of the capital.
Duanmu really didn’t want to talk to him, but also didn’t want Sang Tang to talk to him, fearing the honest Sang Tang would be angered to death by this scoundrel. He had to speak himself, “We came to Liaodong to recuperate. The climate here suits Sang Tang better. Since we’re here, we plan to fulfill our promise. You choose—do you want us to heal your injuries, or do you want us to help you kill your father?”
Murong Yi was silent for a while, then said, “Neither.”
“What’s in your brain…”
“You two can’t even heal your own injuries after so many years—what can you help me with? I can kill my own father casually without needing you.” Murong Yi said, “The mistakes you made, the debts you owe—go repay whoever you should repay.”
Sang Tang smiled, “You two are really interesting.”
Murong Yi looked at him. Sang Tang smiled, “I promised I couldn’t say.”
Duanmu said coldly in a flat tone, “On Great Qian’s side, Tie Ci has killed everyone who should be killed. We’re not needed.”
“I don’t need you either,” Murong Yi said. “If that’s the case, then keep owing.”
Duanmu looked like he wanted to do something again, until Sang Tang stroked his hair and he came to his senses, pacing to one side to face the wall.
Sang Tang turned to look at him, then said to Murong Yi, “Duanmu’s old injuries are hard to heal, and his temperament is lazy. Yannan isn’t actually suitable for him. Fighting poison with poison isn’t a good method either. Now that we’ve come to Liaodong, there are many rare medicines here. It’s just that the medicines we need all require large amounts of manpower and resources to find…”
Murong Yi nodded, “Having high martial arts is really impressive. Owing debts without repaying and continuing to borrow money while remaining so arrogant—I’m so envious.”
Sang Tang: “…”