When Hua Wushang was ntioned, a slight contraction flashed in Dongfang Jin’s eyes.
"Congratulations to the Crown Princess Consort on obtaining the Six-character Heavenly Book. It is rumored that this book is the genuine work left by Tian Jizi before he disappeared. Wushang has always wanted to see it, but unfortunately, he never had the chance."
Soon, Hua Wushang arrived.
It was evident he was also eagerly anticipating the Six-character Heavenly Book. Hua Wushang stepped forward and carefully examined the Heavenly Book on the desk.
Hua Wushang furrowed his brows.
"Wushang, do you recognize these six characters?"
Nalan Yan’er was certain that Hua Wushang would recognize them; in her eyes, Hua Wushang was almost omnipotent.
"Crown Princess Consort, this piece of calligraphy is just an ordinary piece of art, nothing special about it."
Hua Wushang did not sense any Wen Energy from it.
"How could that be? It is the Six-character Heavenly Book."
Nalan Yan’er’s voice suddenly rose, she grabbed the Six-character Heavenly Book and looked it over carefully, and then she also sensed sothing was off.
The passionate feeling she initially had at the auction when she first saw the Six-character Heavenly Book had completely disappeared.
The mysterious power from the Heavenly Book was also gone.
The Six-character Heavenly Book in front of her was truly just a piece of extrely ordinary calligraphy.
"Jinjin, you go ahead to the Imperial Academy for your classes, don’t delay your studies."
Nalan Yan’er spoke softly, and Dongfang Jin hesitated for a mont but then left.
With a slap, the Six-character Heavenly Book fell to the ground.
Just after Dongfang Jin left, Nalan Yan’er’s face turned pale.
"How could this be, the Wen Energy? Who secretly switched my painting?"
Nalan Yan’er was sure that last night, when she saw this piece of calligraphy, it still possessed that power, but it was just one night, she only took a short nap, and the power in the painting had vanished.
Her first reaction was that soone had secretly switched her painting.
"Please calm down, Crown Princess Consort. The Six-character Heavenly Book cos from the Underworld Market, it has the Market’s seal stamped on it, it’s impossible for others to forge."
Hua Wushang reminded her.
Nalan Yan’er inspected the Six-character Heavenly Book again, indeed, the Underworld Market’s seal was still there, confirming that this was indeed the Six-character Heavenly Book that she and the Crown Prince had spent 8.5 million taels to acquire last night.
"What about the power then? It must be the Underworld Market’s doing; I must confront Changsun Rou about this."
Nalan Yan’er was already panicking. 8.5 million taels, for the Crown Prince Mansion, was an astronomical figure; if the Crown Prince found out that the painting was useless, Nalan Yan’er didn’t know how furious the Crown Prince would be.
"Take a mont to calm down. Once goods are sold by the Underworld Market, it’s like water poured out, and going to them will only bring you humiliation; the Underworld Market won’t offer any compensation."
After speaking, Nalan Yan’er collapsed into a chair.
Hua Wushang gazed thoughtfully at the painting.
"At this point, we can only take it as a silent loss. But a perfectly fine Six-character Heavenly Book, how could its power suddenly disappear, unless soone tampered with it."
Hua Wushang harbored suspicions in his heart; Wen Energy would disappear only if soone had already grasped the real essence of the Six-character Heavenly Book.
Even though it was a Heavenly Book, its power rests in the mystery that no one has unraveled.
If soone has decoded the varied mysteries, the power of the Heavenly Book would also vanish.
"Crown Princess Consort, recount to everything that happened last night, especially during the auction of this painting — the behaviors of the other guests, including Changsun Rou’s reaction."
Nalan Yan’er summoned all her energy to recollect the details of the auction. When she reached the part where Feng Bailing suddenly lost his temper, Hua Wushang felt a chill in his heart.
"Wushang, I can assure you that no one else touched this painting from the ti I acquired it from the Underworld Market to when I carried it back to the mansion. Where could the problem have arisen?"
"Last night, several people appeared suspicious, but I can’t definitively pinpoint where the issue lies. For now, even if we have suspicions, we are helpless because we have no evidence."
Hua Wushang silently speculated that soone must have seen the Six-character Heavenly Book, and after returning, had so realization. Once the true aning of the six characters was known, the power of the Heavenly Book would dissipate.
At this mont, it’s likely related to Shunqing Prince Manor. After all, that family of three saw the Six-character Heavenly Book, but this can’t be disclosed to Nalan Yan’er.
She’s currently in utter disarray. Provoked, she will surely confront Prince Shun’s Mansion. Given Feng Bailing’s nature, he would certainly deny everything and might even maliciously counterattack, stirring up turmoil throughout the city. By then, the Crown Prince would learn that the Six-character Heavenly Book has beco worthless, and Nalan Yan’er would undoubtedly face his wrath.
"What should we do then? This involves millions of taels. The Crown Prince has even racked up a huge debt in the Underworld Market for it."
Nalan Yan’er was like an ant on a hot pan, full of anxiety.
"You don’t have to worry; I will stabilize the Crown Prince."
Sothing occurred to Nalan Yan’er, and she grabbed onto Hua Wushang’s sleeve.
"The Dacang Monkeys in Dacang Mountain could brew more Monkey Wine. You certainly must have a way to make those beasts brew wine. We can sell more wine to the Underworld Market to clear this debt. Once the debt is settled, we can then strive to win in the Competition Among Ten Countries and secure the Earth Holy Seal. By then, the Crown Prince won’t bla us."
"Crown Princess Consort, Monkey Wine isn’t sothing that can be brewed at any ti."
Hua Wushang felt quite helpless.
Monkey Wine is a crucial food for Dacang Monkeys during winter. Last ti, Nalan Yan’er emptied the entire stock of Monkey Wine, and the Dacang Monkeys’ winter food supply was still unresolved.
If they were forced to brew good wine now and all the Monkey Wine was taken away, even if Hua Wushang had control over them, it might still incite an uprising.
"It’s just a bunch of beasts. Beasts are ant to be enslaved, what’s the harm in making them work a bit more? Autumn has arrived and Dacang Mountain is filled with wild fruits; brewing wine is trivial."
Nalan Yan’er couldn’t be concerned with that much.
"I’ll head to Dacang Mountain a bit later."
Hua Wushuang had just finished speaking when he was startled, his expression changing.
Nalan Yan’er sensed that sothing was off with Hua Wushang.
"There’s trouble in Dacang Mountain."
In a flash, Hua Wushang dashed towards Dacang Mountain.
The autumn scene at Dacang Mountain was originally golden.
But today, this dazzling golden was stained with a layer of blood red.
The hills were littered with the carcasses of Dacang Monkeys.
Drip, drip—
The blood was still warm.
Xiao Junci was still holding a knife with blood dripping from it.
Looking at the corpses scattered around, the corner of Xiao Junci’s mouth curled up with a vicious sar.
"This prince would like to see how the Crown Prince Mansion is going to sell Monkey Wine now."
Seeing the Crown Prince Mansion auction Monkey Wine at the Underworld Market last night, old wounds in Xiao Junci were reopened.
Thinking that he himself had to spend nearly a million taels to buy wine that originally belonged to him, Xiao Junci couldn’t swallow that bitter resentnt. So he simply took his troops to Dacang Mountain under the pretense of hunting and slaughtered all the Dacang Monkeys there.
By the ti Hua Wushang arrived, it was already too late; the hills of Dacang Mountain had been utterly cleansed of monkeys.
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