The breeze was gentle, and the sun shone brightly.
ng Qianqian, as usual, was drying dicinal herbs in the courtyard.
When she first arrived at the Thousand chanism Pavilion, disciples would often co to help her in the courtyard.
But ever since she consud the Pavilion’s "special tonic," those disciples stopped coming.
The Pavilion believed she was already under control and saw no need to surveil her further.
Tan’er hopped and skipped into the courtyard, calling out, "Sister!"
ng Qianqian curved her lips into a gentle smile. "Tan’er."
Tan’er tilted her head toward the entryway. "N—look who’s here?"
ng Qianqian focused her gaze and saw Shang Wuyou leading several burly n into the courtyard.
The one leading them was Shangguan Ling. He wore the attire of an outer disciple of the Thousand chanism Pavilion, and judging by the color of the tassels on the token at his waist, he seed to have been promoted.
Indeed, no matter where he was, the Commander of the Imperial Guard always seed to rise in rank.
He cupped his fists toward ng Qianqian in greeting. "Senior Sister Yan, this dicine cabinet was personally chosen by the Young Master for Elder Yan. Where would be a good place to put it?"
ng Qianqian glanced at Shang Wuyou, then shifted her attention to the n carrying the dicine cabinet. Understanding their intent, she said, "The storeroom for Master is here."
She led them into a side room.
As soon as she shut the door, she stepped forward eagerly: "Brother!"
Chen Long touched the human skin mask on his face.
His little sister was the first to recognize him.
Smug.
"Little Yin Hu, guess who I am?"
ng Qianqian eyed his head full of silver hair. "With hair like that, do I even need to guess?"
Ji Li quipped, "I told you there was no need for the human skin mask."
The other person—no need to guess either—Si Snake.
ng Qianqian held her forehead in her hand. "You guys are taking too many risks."
One with silver hair, another with blue eyes, and the last... While he didn’t have overly distinct features, his aura alone set him apart, making him unforgettable.
Shangguan Ling chuckled. "Don’t worry; we’ve smoothed every detail inside and out. We didn’t run into anyone along the way."
Shang Wuyou said coolly, "If we’re found out, I’ll simply say they’re mine."
ng Qianqian smiled faintly. "Wuyou has grown up."
Shang Wuyou turned his head. "I was never a child in the first place."
Tan’er chid in, "Right, not a child—Treasure Piggy is! Treasure Piggy needs coaxing once a day, and N needs coaxing three tis a day!"
Shang Wuyou: "I—I don’t!"
Watching the two bicker, ng Qianqian was amused and said with a laugh, "Take a seat."
The group sat around the Eight Immortal Table.
Chen Long took the seat to ng Qianqian’s left, while Shang Wuyou sat on her other side, making sure to remark, "This is the only seat left."
ng Qianqian smiled. "Mm-hm."
Tan’er climbed up to the rooftop to stand watch—a move she learned from Yu Zichuan.
"It’s been quite a while since I last saw Yu Zichuan. Is everything well with him, Uncle Yu, and Aunt Yu?"
ng Qianqian asked.
"Very well," said Chen Long.
Though with no gossip to entertain him, Yu Zichuan was close to dying of boredom.
Today, he had tagged along as he were tasked with locating the Miao King.
ng Qianqian murmured, "In just two days, Lu Qi and Gongsun Liuying will get married. Has Grandfather arrived in the Imperial City yet?"
By the plan, the Miao King should have set out long ago, but Liu Qingyun and Bao Shu, who departed later, had surprisingly arrived ahead of him.
Of course, this was also due to those two infamous thieves traveling day and night without rest.
The Miao King didn’t seem to be in any rush to attend the wedding, happily enjoying the scenic views along the way, possibly arriving only on the day itself.
Chen Long remarked, "Shangguan Ling ntioned that you’ve been investigating Prince Jin."
ng Qianqian nodded. "I suspect he’s Lu Yuan’s biological father."
Shangguan Ling exclaid, "You’re kidding, right? Finding a wild dad and then discovering it’s actually the real dad? Turns out they’re a family!"
ng Qianqian explained the situation with the jade pendant to the group. "Lu Yuan’s father was the young master from Prince Qin Mansion. Among those who visited Miaojiang back then, only Prince Jin fits the profile."
"That’s tragic," Shangguan Ling clicked his tongue. "Prince Jin has a legitimate princess, so the Grand Commander can only be a concubine’s son."
Ji Li snapped open his folding fan. "I’ve heard Prince Jin’s wife is a real tigress—quite fierce."
Chen Long offered an analysis: "If we’re going to take on the Thousand chanism Pavilion, the identity of a Great Liang Imperial Grandson could prove useful."
Shangguan Ling argued, "How much use could Prince Jin’s son’s status even be? The Pavilion controls the Guardian Qilin, and soon will gain a Thousand chanism Pavilion daughter-in-law. A re son of Prince Jin—how could he compare to a Qilin or the destined Phoenix Girl? Unless they slap a divine ’Chosen by Heaven’ label on the Grand Commander too."
Recalling this, he frowned, "Honestly, why is the Emperor Liang so fixated on these things? The Supre Emperor never believed in such baseless nonsense."
In the past, ng Qianqian would have agreed with Shangguan Ling, but since her rebirth, she’d realized there were many inexplicable mysteries in the world.
She now held a reverence for the divine.
The sa went for Chen Long.
Shangguan Ling, noticing the group’s silence, asked, "Why aren’t you talking? Don’t tell I’m wrong? All this Qilin and destiny nonsense—it’s clearly fabricated lies by the Thousand chanism Pavilion to deceive the world."
Ji Li countered, "The Imperial City thrives with dragon energy, and King Qin ascending the throne is indeed divinely ordained. The alternation of the Gouchen Star and the Heavenly Mansion Star proves the Guardian Qilin and the destiny-bound Phoenix Girl are both in the Imperial City."
"It’s just a pity the Goddess isn’t here; she could likely see even more than I can."
Shangguan Ling: ...Why do I suddenly feel so out of place?
As the group chatted, the window panel rattled as it was forcefully hit.
Tan’er, supporting herself with one hand, ca to the bedside and pushed open the casent window.
The Hunting Eagle thrust its head inside: "Caw!"
ng Qianqian: "News?"
The Hunting Eagle strode into the room with a majestic flair, landed on the Eight Immortal Table, flaunted its proud chest, and strode dramatically around, ensuring everyone caught a whiff of the beggar’s chicken it had eaten.
Truly an invincible eagle!
ng Qianqian pulled out a jar of jerky.
The eagle imdiately comnced its performance.
Its wings unfurled a nonexistent paper slip.
ng Qianqian translated, "Mother read the slip."
The Hunting Eagle exaggeratedly retracted a few steps: "Screech!"
ng Qianqian: "Mother was shocked senseless."
"Screech screech screech!"
"Prince Jin has arrived."
"Screech screech! Screech screech screech!"
The Hunting Eagle hopped off the ground, wrapping its wings around Si Snake’s leg.
ng Qianqian twitched at her lips: "You an to tell Mother is this shaless?"
Clinging to Prince Jin’s leg and refusing to leave?
The Hunting Eagle dramatically startled and leapt, banging its head against the table’s edge... or the air beside it.
Shangguan Ling asked, "What’s going on now?"
ng Qianqian: "Prince Jin denied her, so Mother... overwheld by grief, smashed into a pillar and died."
Shangguan Ling’s robust fra shivered. "Goodness!"
The Hunting Eagle, dragging its battered body, struggled to crawl across the floor with its wings.
ng Qianqian produced a dagger. "Tonight, we feast on eagle."
Prepared for a hundred rounds of swimming and plenty of jerky snacks, the eagle abruptly cut to the chase.
It snatched Liu Qingyun’s hair ribbon, tackled Shang Wuyou head-on, spread its wings, and shrieked: "Screech screech screech! Screech screech screech!"
Then, wiping its beak with its wing, it strode away contentedly!
ng Qianqian’s hand trembled, and the dagger fell.
Shangguan Ling asked her, "What’s the ssage this ti?"
ng Qianqian: "Forcing the bow, but offering food—not the burial."
Shangguan Ling: ...
Everyone: ...
-
Elsewhere, Liu Qingyun had no idea her dark history was being reenacted by an eagle for all to see. Even in her dreams, she was smiling, blissfully unaware.
The Imperial Study.
Prince Jin entered the palace together with Prince Ming.
Because when Eunuch Yu went to summon Prince Jin, Prince Ming happened to be there as well.
"Father,"
The two bowed to Emperor Liang.
The Crown Prince greeted Prince Jin. "Eldest Brother."
Prince Jin nodded slightly.
Prince Ming remarked, "Second Brother is here too."
Emperor Liang chastised Prince Ming. "I didn’t summon you; what are you doing here?"
Prince Ming protested pitifully, "Son missed Father and ca to visit. Can’t I look in on you?"
Of Emperor Liang’s six sons, Prince Ming was the most unprincipled—a complete and utter dandy.
Seeing him only irritated Emperor Liang, who promptly dismissed him.
"He’s always so superstitious?"
Prince Ming strolled off, spinning his fan, until drawn by the laughter of Treasure Piggy.
"Is that my little niece I’ve never t before?"
Prince Ming followed the laughter curiously into the small garden.
From afar, he saw a little tiger cub rolling around on the grass with a cuju ball, utterly adorable.
He was just about to approach and tease the little bundle of joy when his gaze landed on Lu Yuan sitting on the swing. His smile froze in place. "You’re here too?"
Lu Yuan smirked. "Hello, Sixth Uncle."
"What’s so good about that?"
Seeing Lu Yuan imdiately reminded Prince Ming of the beating he had suffered not long ago. "Don’t think I don’t know—you’re not My Second Brother’s biological son."
Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Does Sixth Uncle dare say that in front of Imperial Grandfather?"
Prince Ming choked.
Prince Ming huffed, "No matter how much my father favors you, don’t think you can surpass Lu Qi. He’s the true heir of Great Liang—my father’s blessing."
Lu Yuan answered casually, "Indeed, Sixth Uncle is absolutely right."
Prince Ming: Wait, is this brat suddenly good at arguing?
Prince Ming found it tireso to argue further and was reluctant to show any fondness toward Lu Yuan lest he appeared overly attached to Lu Yuan and his daughter. So, he decided to return to the Imperial Study to eavesdrop on his father and two brothers’ conversation.
"I ask you—did you visit that inn back then?"
"I’ve stayed at so many inns; I can’t imdiately recall which one Father refers to."
"Your Majesty, the records have arrived."
Eunuch Yu carried two dossiers into the Imperial Study.
Back when Prince Jin visited Miaojiang under King Qin’s orders, governnt officials accompanied him on the journey. Every detail of Prince Jin’s lodging, als, and movents had been properly recorded.
Prince Jin might not rember, but the records spelled it out clearly.
Emperor Liang opened the dossier and asked Lu Zhaoyan, "Which day?"
Lu Zhaoyan replied, "The ninth day of the winter month."
His mory was so precise—not because of anything significant that happened with "Dou Qingyi" that night, but because that was the night he completely lost Xiao Bai.
Emperor Liang’s eyes bore sharply into Prince Jin’s face, both fierce and commanding: "Did you see your Second Brother in town back then?"
Prince Jin asked in shock, "Wasn’t Second Brother at the Prince Mansion?"
Emperor Liang nodded somberly, his hawk-like eyes as penetrating as daggers: "Did you take pleasure with a common woman during that ti?"
Prince Jin’s gaze flickered.
Emperor Liang had his answer.
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