Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
âHis Highness should be waking up soon. Letâs head back!â According to Ye Jiugeâs estimation, the time needed to finish a cup of tea had passed.
âLetâs go!â agreed Bai Songling.
As he led Ye Jiuge out of the parlor, he saw Dongfang Que and Elder He walking toward them.
âYou really can walk now!â Bai Songling exclaimed excitedly. Although heâd already heard it from Ye Jiuge, he was still surprised to see Dongfang Que walking.
âYes!â answered Dongfang Que. He nodded slightly toward Bai Songling, but his deep eyes were fixed on Ye Jiuge. He did not conceal his gratitude.
âIf the Empress knew that Your Highness has profited from this setback and recovered his power, I believe she would go mad,â Ye Jiuge smiled and said.
âIndeed. Imperial Consort Xi has also recovered, so these are two simultaneous happy events,â Bai Songling said, nodding repeatedly.
At first, Dongfang Que had wanted to conceal his strength and bide his time by hiding his injury. But when he heard Ye Jiuge, he immediately nodded and said, âI will inform Father of this good news.â Heâd endured silently for so long; it was time for a counterattack.
âThen I will quickly produce two Poison Detection Pills for you and Imperial Consort Xi.â
Although the toxins in Dongfang Queâs body had been eliminated, eating another pill could help suppress the Ice Snow Spider Kingâs poison.
âYes, yes, yes. Go quickly. This matter should not be delayed.â Bai Songling nodded his head repeatedly.
âWhat Poison Detection Pills?â Dongfang Que asked curiously.
Ye Jiuge and Bai Songling exchanged glances and mutually decided to keep the matter a secret.
âItâs the spiritual pill that I told Imperial Consort Xi about last time, the one that will detect poison for herâ Ye Jiuge explained. âOk, I have something to do and have to make a move. If you have any problems, come and find me!â
She feared that Dongfang Que would continue questioning her. Like a wisp of smoke, she ran back to the residence to find the Little Mute and requested two developed Poison Earthworms. The Little Mute was very proactive about the purchase order. He immediately asked Ye Jiuge to take him back to the villa to select another batch of ordinary Poison Earthworms.
The next morning, he handed two Poison Earthworms to Ye Jiuge and received two Spiritual Beast Pills in return. Ye Jiuge squeezed the Poison Earthworms into the medicinal pills to make superior-grade Poison Detection Pills. Then, she asked Bai Songling to send them to Dongfang Que and Imperial Consort Xi. In just one night, news of Dongfang Queâs recovery had spread across the entire capital. The Harem was no exception.
Fengyi Palaceâs main hall was brightly lit, but the court eunuchs and palace maids were not present to wait upon the Empress. A lone man, masked and in black clothes, knelt in the middle of the hall.
The Empress sat in her phoenix chair with a frosty expression. She stared coldly at her secret guard and demanded, âHow is Dongfang Que, that d*mned thing, able to walk all of a sudden?â
âIâm still investigating. However, I have yet to discover who cured him,â the secret guard reported in a hurry.
âThen continue investigating!â replied the Empress, coolly.
She was not very concerned about Dongfang Que. So what if he can walk? The Ice Snow Spider Kingâs poison canât be cured so easily. She cared more about another problem.
âYou said that the wretched Imperial Consort Xi has recovered her looks and the Emperor is going to the Emperor Temple to bring her back to the palace?â
âYes. The Emperor has elected to go personally to the Emperor Temple to pray tomorrow. He will bring Imperial Consort Xi back with him,â the secret guard nodded and said.
âThe b*tchâs looks have been restored!â
A sinister expression flitted past the Empressâs composed face, revealing fine lines around her eyes. Years ago, sheâd refrained from killing Imperial Consort Xi because sheâd wanted to see how long the Emperor would continue doting on his consort after glimpsing her disgusting, rotting face. The Empress hadnât expected Imperial Consort Xi to be so decisive and leave the palace before her face putrefied. Since then, sheâd been avoiding Emperor Xuanwu.
Now, sixteen years had passed, and the Empress had thought that Imperial Consort Xi was waiting for death to arrive in the Emperor Temple. Sheâd never anticipated that Imperial Consort Xi would return.
âWhat should we do now?â asked the secret guard cautiously.
The Emperor had kept the matter a secret, and they had not obtained this information in advance. It was too late for sabotage.
âHmph, let her return to the palace if she wishes. I shall see how long she can run rampant,â hissed the Empress.
Her hands clenched tightly into fists, and her red fingernails dug deep into her flesh. Since sheâd defeated Imperial Consort Xi once, she could strike her down a second time. If that b*tch wants to throw her life away, Iâll fulfill her wish. This time, I will not allow that b*tch to live.
The secret guard didnât dare speak. He kneeled in silence, awaiting the Empressâs next order. The Empress recovered her usual dignified expression and asked the secret guard, âIs there still no news of Elderly Lady Xu?â
The secret guard shook his head. âNo.â
The Empress frowned. Ever since Elderly Lady Xu had left the palace to hunt and kill Ye Jiuge, there had been no news from her. On the other hand, Ye Jiugeâs looks were restored, and sheâd returned home grandly. Sheâd even ganged up with someone from the Gong Clan.
In her heart, the Empress suspected that the Gong Clan had secretly helped Ye Jiuge eliminate Elderly Lady Xu. Therefore, she would not act blindly without thinking.
âDid Xu Hansen say when he will enter the capital?â the Empress asked again.
Xu Hansen was Elderly Lady Xuâs superior, and he would have to take revenge on the Gong Clan by himself. The Empress did not plan on interfering.
âLord Xu said that he is not done playing and still needs a few more days.â The secret guard hesitated momentarily before he continued speaking. âWhen I saw Lord Xu in the Hepu County earlier, heâd killed quite a few women again. I had to burn down the relay station for the postal horses to prevent the mail from being delivered to the Justice Department.â
âBrainless idiots.â
The Empress hated Sorcerers who did not know how to clean up their own mess. Although the commoners they killed were as insignificant as mole crickets and ants, if this news spread, calming things down would be complicated. Even though she was angry, the Empress had to clean this mess up, no matter what.
âBring two more people with you and rush to Hepu County. Tell Lord Xu that Elderly Lady Xu has been killed and instruct him to come to the capital at once!â ordered the Empress frostily.
âYes!â
The secret guard nodded. He left the palace and immediately hastened to Hepu County.
It was the dead of night in Hepu County, and a remote and empty house emitted a moldy stench. The trees and plants in the courtyard had withered.
Ye Yu stood in the shadow close to the wall. As much as possible, he relaxed his body to allow the Spiritual Power to flow. His and Wan Ziyangâs investigation had been nonstop. At last, theyâd finally found the Sorcererâs hiding place and planned to set a trap to capture him. Since the Sorcerer was very sensitive to Spiritual Power, Wan Ziyang was currently waiting two streets away. The plan was for Ye Yu to delay the Sorcerer there as long as possible until Wan Ziyang could arrive.
Although the Sorcerer was stronger than Elderly Lady Xu, ever since heâd started practicing the cultivation technique that Ye Jiuge had given him, Ye Yuâs Invisibility had vastly improved. After refining the Yin Qi, he was better at merging into shadows. Ye Yu was confident that the Sorcerer, an Advanced Spiritual Practitioner, would not be able to discover him before it was time.
Just as Ye Yu was adjusting his position, a blue shadow sprang across the wall and landed silently in the residenceâs courtyard.