《The Concubine》


 Chapter 1 - A New World

    Zhao Ling woke up to the feeling of a burning suffocation. It was as if she was drowning in a sea of smoke while her whole body was being tempered in a fiery furnace. The feeling was overwhelming.


    After some minutes of great difficulty, she opened her eyes and realized that the whole area was all flames and filled with smoke. Was she in a sea of ??fire?


    She remembered encountering an explosion while investigating a crime scene. Right now, she seemed extremely lucky to be alive. Nonetheless, if she stayed where she was, she would definitely be burned or smoked to death.


    She struggled to get up from the ground, only to find that her clothes were not right, and her shirt and jeans had become complicated long skirts. She was stunned, and immediately looked around.


    Although the fire in this place was big, it was obvious that she was not in the factory warehouse at the scene of the crime. Where am I? She asked herself, a little confused. However, since the fire was getting bigger and bigger, she decided now wasn''t the right time to worry about all that. She needed to escape the fire first.


    She looked around and finally found a place where the fire was smaller and crawled out. When approaching the door to the room, Zhao Ling was tripped by a loose piece of wood on the ground. As she was sprawling on the ground, a beam of the roof fell straight down and hit her on the head.


    "Miss!" A horrified voice from outside the door came into her ears, and in the blur, she saw that the outside of the door was full of people, and several people were rushing towards her.


    A pang of pain struck her and she lost consciousness.


    When she woke up again, she opened her eyes and saw that she was on top of an old bed. She turned her head slightly to see antique furniture. She still couldn''t believe her eyes, where was she?


    "Miss, you''re finally awake!" A pleasantly surprised voice came, and then there was a girl''s joyful face, oval face, big eyes. She was beautiful and gratifying.


    Green bamboo.


    A name suddenly flashed in Zhao Ling''s mind. Then memories flooded into her mind like a riptide.


    Zhao Ling, the eldest daughter of the Jiang''s Mansion in Jiang Dynasty. Her mother Zhao Su died when she was three years old. And later, her aunt Ming was taken by her father to become his regular wife. Since then, she had been gradually ignored, and had been living in obscurity until now. This year she was over eighteen years old.


    *Soul crossing?* She asked herself in shock. Could it be that the explosion brought her soul into the body of the original owner who was also caught in the fire here? The original host''s name was Zhao Ling. She was Zhao Ling too. Although with different characters, but still with the same pronunciation.


    Zhao Ling didn''t know whether to feel lucky or sad. Jiang Dynasty, it seems that she had also passed through an unknown dimension or portal to arrive here. For a person who didn''t believe in such, it was a bit difficult to accept.


    A woman in a brown garment came in from the door carrying a basin of water. She heard the call of green bamboo, and hurriedly took a few steps forward. Seeing Zhao Ling waking up, she was also very happy: "Miss, you woke up. This old slave was worried to death."


    Mother Xu. Another flash of memory struck in Zhao Ling''s mind. Luzhu was a close-knit maid who followed the original owner since she was a child. Mother Xu had also been serving the original owner of Zhao Long''s body since the death of her mother.


    When Zhao Ling felt the thick gauze tied to her face, and asked aloud: "My face...was burned?" When she said, she realized that even her voice was hoarse.


    Lu Zhu heard it, and tears flowed down. Just looking at Zhao Ling, sobbing speechless brought pain to her. Grandma Jing clutched her hand, she just repeated her tears: "Miss, my poor lady!"


    *It seemed that the injury was serious.* Zhao Ling thought dazedly and fell asleep again.


    After a few days, she was in a state of half awake and half coma. She knew that Lu Zhu and Mother Xu had been waiting by her side, and that there was a doctor or, to be precise, a doctor in the Jiang dynasty who came every day to check on her, and change the dressing.


    But she just couldn''t lift up her spirits, she was groggy and wanted to sleep all the time.


    It wasn''t until a few days later that her spirit recovered a little bit, and she was able to sit up from the bed and eat some porridge and soup.


    Leaning on the head of the bed, she looked at a bronze mirror and saw what she was like now. Although the ancient bronze mirror didn''t look very clear, the face in the mirror was obviously different from her own.


    It had small and exquisite features, skin that could be broken by the slightest scratch, and a long hair hanging down to the waist, except for the lower left part that was burned by the fire. And the scar on her cheek? It appeared this was a standard form of cultural beauty.


    For the first time in so many days, she recognized reality for the first time. That was the fact that, she, Zhao Ling, really passed through a soul dimension or afterlife, separated from her own dead body.


    From now on, she would be Zhao Ling, the eldest daughter of the Jiang Mansion.


    Lu Zhu and Mother Xu, on the side, saw her staring in a daze at the mirror, and they couldn''t help feeling sad for her. The beautiful face of the young lady was ruined. In the Jiang Dynasty, women valued their looks the most. Now that the young lady''s face was ruined, what would she do in the future?


    Mother Xu forced her tears back and comforted her: "Miss, it''s okay, if you are all right. The wound on your face can be healed slowly in the future, and this old slave believes that it will be healed."


    Green Bamboo nodded again and again.


    Zhao Ling knew that they had misunderstood her. Obviously she didn''t feel much about the ruined appearance, and she was more concerned about crossing this matter now. Since she could wear it here, maybe she still had a chance to wear it back.


    But she didn''t explain, she just handed them the mirror, and said, "It''s okay, I don''t care. The doctor today...didn''t the doctor say it? It''s not that the scar can''t be cured."


    "Miss, I''m happy you think so. This old slave is relieved." Mother Xu wiped away tears, her face showing a little relief.


    Luzhu said with confidence. "Miss, your fortune and life is great. You''re blessed by the spirit of heaven. I believe that the wound on your face will be healed soon and it will become as beautiful as before."


    Zhao Ling smiled indifferently, and said to Luzhu: "Luzhu, I''m a little hungry, go get something to eat."


    Green Bamboo nodded when she heard it, then turned and ran away.


    Mother Xu poured a glass of water and carefully fed it to Zhao Ling. Zhao Ling looked at her and asked, "Mother Xu, do you have something to say?"


    Mother Xu nodded and said: "Miss, this old slave thought about it after a few days, and believe things were not that trivial. I always felt that the fire was not right. Although the girl Luzhu sleeps heavily on weekdays, but the fire was not too soon or too late, it happened when this old slave went out of the house to visit relatives. I always think it was not a coincidence."


    Zhao Ling agreed with Mother Xu. With her years of experience in forensic medicine, the fire encountered by the original owner of the body was not accidental.


    It was just that Mother Xu and Lu Zhu didn''t know that the young lady they had dedicated their lives to protect had actually died in the fire. Just like she too had died in that explosion in her home world.


    Thinking of this, Zhao Ling felt sad for no reason. But she was not a sentimental person. As a leader in the forensic department, calm and rational was her label. She frowned for a while, and then told Mother Xu, "Mother Xu, you should let someone seal off the fire scene first... Well, that''s the room that was on fire. No one is allowed to enter or leave. We will check it out tomorrow."


    While talking, Lu Zhu had already walked in with a bowl of porridge. The steaming bird''s nest porridge was moderately thick and fragrant, and Zhao Ling realized that she was really hungry. So she didn''t care about being hot and started in eagerness.


    After eating a few bites, there was a loud noise outside.

 Chapter 2 - A Different Zhao Ling

    "Miss, our young lady just woke up and she is still very weak. She is resting now. It is really inconvenient to meet guests. Please come back tomorrow." Green Bamboo voiced out loudly.


    Then a sharp and arrogant voice yelled: "House maid, you dare to stop this lady? Do you want to be killed by a stick? Do you want to let me go away?"


    *Paah!*


    With that sound, it was obvious that Lu Zhu had been slapped. Zhao Ling couldn''t help frowning, and a wave of disgust rose in his heart for no reason. Zhao Ruo, the second lady of Jiang, from the Cui family, relied on the love of Zhao Jiang and Cui family. She was arrogant and self-willed. She was a typical stubborn daughter.


    The original owner of her body secretly did not know how much she suffered during her lifetime, only because of the original owner''s weak perception and deceptive temperament. She could only dare to be angry but dared not speak every time.


    Zhao Ling put down the porridge bowl and motioned to Mother Xu to let Zhao Ruo in. Mother Xu took out a gauze and tied it carefully on Zhao Ling''s face to cover the scars on her face, and then raised her voice: "Green Bamboo, let the second lady come in."


    Zhao Ruo snorted coldly, walked into the house pretentiously, smelled the smell of medicine, took out the veil and fanned herself exaggeratedly. Then she said in a sharp voice: "Oh, big sister is really blessed. I know you can''t die in such a big fire. You even woke up so soon!"


    This was too much. Lu Zhu could not calm down at first, and was about to come forward to tell Zhao Ruo this, but was held back by Mother Xu. Mother Xu shook her head silently to signal her to calm down, then moved to Zhao Ling''s side, standing nearby to protect her position.


    Zhao Ling glanced at Zhao Ruo faintly. At the age of fifteen or sixteen, wearing a beautiful pink garment and skirt, her hair was shining from ointments, and her body was jeweled. She had bright eyes and white teeth. She was simply pretty and gorgeous, but she had her head up and her chest high and her toes. She was obviously a spoiled daughter. .


    She searched her new memory and found that the cowardly original owner suffered a lot from this lady''s hand. To the extent that every time she heard her voice, she would become frightened.


    Thinking of this, she raised her eyes and glanced at Zhao Ruo coldly. Zhao Ruo looked at Zhao Ling, who was under the veil, and icyly glanced at her for a moment. Was this still the same Zhao Ling who was panicking and trembling when she saw her?


    Zhao Ling told herself not to be angry with a little girl like this, so she leisurely sat on the bed while eating porridge, and said: "As you can see, I can''t die. Now that you''ve seen me, you can leave. The doctor said I need to rest."


    "Zhao Ling, I came to see you kindly, but you drove me away. I really don''t know what''s wrong with you!" Zhao Ruo said angrily: "This lady heard that you were disfigured, so I came here to take a good look at you." She looked at Zhao Ling''s face, a gloating expression on her face.


    Zhao Ling just frowned, but still ignored her. For people like Zhao Ruo, she thought she didn''t need to give them a good face.


    Zhao Ruo became more angry when she saw that she was completely ignored. If Zhao Ling was still cowering as before, maybe she would not be so angry, but today''s Zhao Ling was too different from what she imagined. Calm enough to make her flustered. So she stepped forward, rushed to the bed, and stretched out her hand to tear off the scarf on Zhao Ling''s face.


    Zhao Ling sighed secretly, thinking that this child was really troublesome, and she couldn''t drive her away. Was this girl really determined to embarrass herself today?


    Seeing Zhao Ruo shot her hand towards her, Zhao Ling instinctively raised her hand and firmly grasped Zhao Ruo''s wrist. Zhao Ruo, who was suddenly grabbed by her wrist, staggered under her feet, and fell on the edge of the bed. Zhao Ling quickly pulled a gold hairpin from her head, pressed it against the girl''s face, and said coldly: "Second sister, if you are restless, and my hand shakes, what do you think will happen?"


    The cold hairpin touched her face, and Zhao Ruo was frightened in an instant. She turned her pale face, and she said with a lack of breath: "You...you are bold. Let me go!"


    Zhao Ling raised her eyebrows and smiled, but she didn''t move her hand at all, and confronted her calmly. She has learned grappling and Sanshou, and her combat effectiveness is pretty good. She still doesn''t pay attention to a little girl who runs rampantly.


    Zhao Ruo almost vomited blood, she had never suffered so much on Zhao Ling''s hands, and Zhao Ling was the only one who shed tears in front of her. She glared angrily, and shouted fiercely at the two maids who were at a loss behind her: "You two mean maids, you can''t help?!"


    Since Zhao Ling''s actions were too quick just now, and the two maids who were used to seeing so weak, were really shocked for a while. At this time, they heard Zhao Ruo''s cry, and they wanted to move forward and pull Zhao Ling away but stopped. Mother Xu and Lu Zhu were firmly protected by Zhao Ling all this while, and the two maids didn''t want to get close for a while.


    Lu Zhu and Mother Xu were fed up with Zhao Ruo''s anger on them every weekdays. It was a rare occasion to raise their eyebrows today, and they were naturally happy.


    Although they were also confused in their hearts, today''s young lady was different from the past. So calm, indifferent, and decisive. Very different from usual. But no matter what the young lady became, the young lady will always be their young lady. The object they must desperately protect.


    Zhao Ruo stared at Zhao Ling angrily, a pair of beautiful amber eyes almost bursting into flames.


    Zhao Ling looked at Zhao Ruo condescendingly, and said faintly: "Second sister, I am in low spirits today. If you don''t leave, my hands will be weak. Then don''t blame me for scratching your face. You don''t want your face to be like mine, do you?"


    Although Zhao Ruo was arrogant and domineering, she was not a fool at all. Compared with being humiliated, of course her own face was more important. She could only hold back this tone secretly, and left with a face full of unwillingness. Secretly thinking, today''s account, no matter what, she would have to make a clear plan with Zhao Ling.


    Zhao Ling leaned on the bedside again to breathe. Sure enough, this body was still too weak, otherwise with her original physique, how could she feel tired like this?


    Lu Zhu and Mother Xu also breathed a sigh of relief. They were now looking at Zhao Ling with different eyes to before. Lu Zhu was even more excited. The young lady was so powerful today that she dared to confront Zhao Ruo face-to-face, and she still didn''t suffer for it. She concluded she could finally stop being angry with those people in the future!


    Whereas, mother Xu was more gratified. After experiencing a big fire and coming out alive, the young lady had become stronger. Madam was alive in the sky. *We must bless my lady no more hardships, only peace and joy!*


    To deal with a savage and willful lady like Zhao Ruo, you must cut the knife quickly and accurately as if she was dissecting a corpse. Zhao Ling secretly said in her heart while she continued to eat her unfinished bowl of porridge.


    After eating the porridge, she decided to take advantage of her renewed energy. She walked to the yard outside to have a look. Someone came again.

 Chapter 3 - A Scarred Face

    These people were the father of Zhao Ling, Zhao Jiang, and her foster mother who happened to be the concubine of Zhao Jiang, Cui Mei. It seemed that Zhao Ruo went to file a complaint. Zhao Ling was still lying on the bed lazily. Since she was seriously injured, no one would blame her if she didn''t get up to do courtesy.


    Seeing the two entering the house, she didn''t move, and only called to them: "Father, mother." Such a name wa really unaccustomed. She called a little bit bluntly and looks unnatural.


    But the two did not care. In Cui Mei''s eyes, this eldest daughter was originally a twisted person. Every time she saw them, she always stood aside and didn''t speak. She didn''t even dare to look at them with her straight eyes. She was not at all like the sweet-talking second daughter who was caring and sensible. When the father saw Zhao Ling, he naturally thought of her biological mother and his original wife, Zhao Xia.


    Zhao Xia was the wife chosen by his parents for him, and was the daughter of Su''s family in Wuzhen. Su Family was a well-known scholarly family of the Daoshi Dynasty. The Tau Academy that was founded couldn''t account for how many talents they had sent to the Daoshi Dynasty.


    More than half of the officials in the court came from Tau Academy. It was just that the education which Zhao Xia received from a young age made her too orthodox, so Zhao Yin respected Zhao Xia more than a little bit.


    But what Zhao Jiang liked was a gentle and charming woman like Cui Mei, who would be submissive, know how to act like a baby, and know how to serve him comfortably, so that his machismo could be fully satisfied.


    Zhao Xia became sick and weak after giving birth to a daughter, and died three years later. During that time, the person that Zhao Jiang feared most in the family, his father, Zhao Jiang Gong, also passed away.


    So he disregarded his mother''s opposition to Cui Mei, helped her clan, Cui clan, as the main house, and gave the daughter Zhao Xia left behind to Cui clan''s to nurture. Since then, he had never taken care of this eldest daughter.


    A year ago, Prince Rong''s Mansion wanted to get married with Jiang Mansion. He originally wanted to marry his second daughter, Zhao Ruo, to Prince Rong, but was strongly opposed by his mother. Madame Zhao Yin had been living in seclusion in the Buddhist monastery since the old Jiang passed away, ignoring family affairs.


    However, after learning about her son decision, she came out of the Buddhist hall and scolded him severely, saying: "The young and the old are in designed order of the heavens. I say no. How can the prince marry the daughter of a concubine and become the prince concubine in the Royal Palace?"


    Zhao Jiangi''s face had blushed and turned white. Zhao Yin''s words were undoubtedly hitting him hard in the face. Because neither was he the eldest son, nor was he born by Zhao Yin. He was born to a concubine, and his biological mother died of complications after birth, and he was raised by madame Zhao Yin.


    Had it not been for the death of his elder brother Zhao Wu after the death of the old man himself, the seat of the man would not be his turn to sit on anyway.


    Grandmother had made it known to him that there was no way he could replace his blood relationship with Zhao Ling. For this, Cui Shi and Zhao Ruo were crying in front of him, but he was unable to do anything because of the power of Madame Zhao Yin.


    For this reason, the Cui family had hated madame Zhao Yin to death. The old immortal had been looking down on them since the first day they entered into the Jiang mansion. And after that, she had retreated to the Buddhist hall and would come to ruin their plans whenever she felt like doing so.


    At this moment, seeing Zhao Ling lying crookedly on the bed, her face still burned by the fire, Cui Mei felt that the resentment in her heart had finally eased a little.


    Cui Mei took a few steps pretending to be concerned, and said with regret: "Poor Ling, how come you are hurt like this, let my mother see what''s going on?" She said teasingly as she came to Zhao Ling''s face.


    *How come the mother and daughter were the same? They both want to pull the veil on her faces so much!* Zhao Ling sighed inwardly. She subconsciously avoided it, turned her face away from Cui Mei''s hand, and said faintly: "Thank you for your concern, mother, but the injury on your daughter''s face is a bit scary. I''m afraid it will scare mother. You will look at it when I get better in the future."


    Cui Mei smiled awkwardly and said, "You girl, what do you say? I am your mother, no matter what you become, how can a mother dislike her own daughter?"


    Sure enough, Cui Mei''s face was thick enough, and her acting ability was also very strong. Zhao Ling thought, since you want to see it that way, then let it be you. So she tore off the scarf on her face, facing Cui Shi, she said word by word: "Mother is kind, it''s the daughter who is worrying too much."


    Cui didn''t expect that Zhao Ling would take the initiative to pull the veil to show her, but she didn''t react for a while.. After seeing the scar on Zhao Ling''s face, she screamed, "aaah," and took two steps back with a look of horror.

 Chapter 4 - Zhao Ling Was Disfigured? Spread The Word

    The scar stretched from under the ear of the left face to the chin, and it was mottled horizontally. Although the area was small, the color was black, black, red and red because of the ointment just applied. It was indeed a bit scary.


    Zhao Ling did intend to scare Cui Mei. Seeing that she was really scared, she sneered in her heart and fastened her veil again, but she looked terrified on her face and said, "Mother is scared, please forgive me, mother." After that, there was still a trace of sadness in her eyes.


    Cui Mei was shocked when she saw Zhao Ling''s face. She didn''t know that Zhao Ling was hurt so badly. A woman who had not been out of the closet yet, and her appearance was already ruined. If the Royal Palace knew about it, could this marriage be done? Seeing her lowering her head and gazing, with a sad look in her eyes, a sense of pity rose in Cui Mei''s heart.


    Seeing Cui''s face in horror, Zhao Ling couldn''t help but feel a little dissatisfied with her. Just now, she kept saying that she didn''t dislike it, and now?


    Seeing Zhao Ling glaring at her, Cui couldn''t help but said aggrieved: "Pardon me, I''m just worried that you''ve become like this. What should I do with your marriage of Prince Rong''s Mansion?"


    When it came to the marriage, Cui Mei was even focused. However, seeing Zhao Ling''s sad expression, she felt pity for a while, and said softly to Zhao Ling: "Ling, has the doctor ever come to see you? What did he say?"


    Zhao Ling raised his head and replied to Cui Mei: "Thank you for your concern, mother. The doctor just came here and changed the medicine for your daughter. The doctor said that the burn is no better than usual. It takes time to recover, and there is no guarantee that I will be able to recover."


    With that said, it was likely that it would never get better? Cui smiled secretly in her heart, in this way, the marriage between this girl and Prince Rong''s mansion wouldl definitely not be formed, and Zhao Ruo''s opportunity wa here!


    Cui Mei pretended to be sad and said: "Miss Ling is so pitiful. She was originally like a flower and jade, but now... I heard that the royal doctor in the palace specializes in burns and scalds. It is better to ask the emperor someday. Please come to the mansion for the doctor Wang to see you, Ms Ling, okay?"


    As a result of her coming back to the mansion, the news of Zhao Ling''s disfigurement would spread out. But they didn''t mind that the Royal Palace would know it or not.


    Zhao Jiang also knew Wang''s reputation. Hearing what Cui said, he also felt feasible, and nodded immediately. He also wondered how to explain Ling''s disfigurement to the Royal Palace.


    Zhao Jiang and Cui Mei deliberated more on the issue, and left after sitting for a while.


    Zhao Ling retained the memory of the original owner, and naturally also knew that she had made a marriage arrangement with Rong Wang''s mansion''s Meng Fu. But she did not have the impression of this Meng Fu. It seemed that the two had never met.


    In the memory of the original owner, Meng Fu was a playboy, and his most frequent place of visit was the brothel. She asked Lu Zhu and Mother Xu for confirmation, and they were also confirmed by them.


    Lu Zhu said with an indignant expression: "The young Miss does not know something, but the servants have heard that madame Cui is planning to marry the second lady into the Royal Palace. And I heard that the master will be married as a concubine!"


    Two sisters married together to one husband? When Zhao Ling thinks of it, she felt cold. She thought, it was no wonder that Cui''s face was beaming when she left just now. It was believed that since she was disfigured, even if the Royal Palace of Rong did not come to cancel the marriage, she would not have a good life after marrying him. Only when Zhao Ruo was married again that it would be much smoother for her.


    Now Zhao Ling only hoped that Prince Rong Mansion will cancel it after hearing the news of her disfigurement. If, as Cui''s plan had been, the two sisters would work together with one husband. And if nothing else, just dealing with Zhao Ruo''s unreasonable temperament, she would go crazy.


    She calmed her mind. She decided that since the heavens gave her a chance to be born again in a new world, she would use Zhao Ling''s body to live in harmony here and do some meaningful things.


    She said to Lu Zhu and Mother Xu: "You pass the news of my ruined appearance to Prince Rong Mansion. The more serious you say, the better. It''s best to be ugly and not able to see people than to live a lie.. I don''t believe Meng Fu will come to divorce."

 Chapter 5 - Forensic Eyes [I]

    On the second day, Zhao Ling took Lu Zhu and Mother Xu to the small courtyard that was on fire the other day.


    Zhao Ling had lived in this small courtyard for more than ten years. When her mother died when she was three years old, and was brought up by Cui Mei. Cui Mei had a grudge against Zhao Su, so naturally it was impossible to like the daughter she left behind. When Madame. Zhao was around, the Cui family was still able to restraint themselves. Zhao Ling was pretty decent then.


    But since Madame Zhao was disheartened and secluded herself in the Buddhist monastery, and Cui Mei became the mistress of the Jiang Mansion, she directly threw Zhao Ling to the most remote part of the Jiang Mansion. The deserted courtyard was left to fend for itself.


    The small courtyard burned by the fire had become more and more dilapidated, with traces of smoke everywhere. Since the small courtyard was originally an unmaintained place, Mother Xu deliberately refused to let people in and out under Zhao Ling''s instructions. So the scene was not damaged much.


    Before entering the burned room, Zhao Ling signaled Lu Zhu and Mother Xu to tie their veils. Although several days have passed, there would still be some harmful gases and charcoal dust at the fire site. If they were not to put on veils, their nostrils and mouths would be filled with black smoke quickly, which would in turn hurt their bodies after a long time.


    After the three of them were ready, they entered the room. Zhao Ling quietly observed the surroundings of the room. To find the cause of the fire, she must first determine where the fire started, or to be more precise, determine the source of the fire. Zhao Ling started from the lightly damaged outer room and looked carefully, not overlooking any corner of the room. There was no other way for her since there were no technical tools here. She could only rely on her own eyes.


    Lu Zhu and Mother Xu watched quietly from the side. Suddenly, they had a strange feeling that the young lady with them now had never seen them before. The calm and wise light radiating from her eyes made her look unreal.


    "Luzhu, you said you slept here that day, didn''t you?" Zhao Ling asked from the side of a small bed in the outer room.


    "Yes, miss." Luzhu replied: "That day, the slave and maid lay down and slept here. For some reason, she fell asleep as soon as she lay down. When the slave woke up, she found that she was already outside. At that time, the fire in the room was already so great that the slave and maidservant looked around but couldn''t find you. They were just wondering if you were still in the room, and was about to rush in to look for you, when they saw the lady coming out of the room and collapsed at the door."


    In that case, someone must have moved their hands or feet, otherwise Luzhu wouldn''t have fallen asleep so unreasonably. Zhao Ling looked closely along the window sill, and suddenly found that there was some white powder on the side of the window sill, which was not very conspicuous because it had a mixture of the black smoke and dust.


    She asked Green Bamboo to wrap the white and black mixed powder with a silk scarf, and then went inside.


    Inside was the place where Zhao Ling slept. It was not big and there was not much furniture there. It was "simple" in one word. One could imagine how bleak Zhao Ling''s days in the Jiang Mansion were.


    The original owner of the body had lived here for more than ten years without her mother and partially father too, but she still grew up. One had to say that Mother Xu and Luzhu had contributed the most. If it were not for the meticulous care and protection of the two, the original owner would not have grown up so smoothly. It was a pity that, after all, it was impossible to guard against fate. At the age of eighteen, she was supposed to marry into the Royal Palace and become a concubine. Even if she was not loved by the prince, at least she would have a decent identity and status. But just like that, she died in a muddled manner. It was really not an ordinary miserable fate!


    Zhao Ling felt distressed for the misery of the original owner. This strengthened her conviction. She must replace the original owner and live a good life for them both. From then on, she would no longer be bullied.


    She looked closely along the wall. The local authorities had designated this fire as an accident. In ancient times, accidents such as fires were common for houses with wooden structures and who frequently made use of candle oil lamps. But Zhao Ling didn''t think so. If it was the burning caused by candles or other sources, there would be smoldering at first, and then there would be an open flame, and depending on the degree of burning here, it was not like this.


    She noticed that there was an ink painting that dropped from the crack in the wall behind the dressing cabinet. This painting was painted by Su during her lifetime and was the body original owner''s favorite painting. It had been hanging on the wall above.


    Zhao Ling picked up the painting on the ground. Only one corner of the painting was burned, most of the area was not overly burned, and there was no trace of smoke. The wood frame of the painting was severely carbonized. The carbonized and uncarbonized parts were clearly demarcated, and the inclination angle was very straight, which meant that when the fire reached this painting, it was directly an open flame.


    There was an open flame that ignited the painting which was originally hung on the wall. After the painting was ignited, it fell from the wall into the gap between the dressing cabinet and the wall due to the force, causing it to be completely extinguished without burning.


    So where did this open fire come from? The dressing table was near the window, she checked it, and found that there were signs of it being pried. In this way, someone pried open the window that night and threw the ignited open flame into the room, which just engulf the painting. After the painting was ignited, it fell off the wall and happened to be caught in this gap. The combustion was completely extinguished.


    Unexpectedly, this painting left by Su when she was alive became the key to finding the truth about the fire. Zhao Ling could only understand that it was the Su family who was alive in the sky. It was just that she knew these truth, but the people in power didn''t understand. How could she spot this arsonist?


    She frowned slightly, and the one who could set fire to the mansion late at night must be someone in the mansion. With a turn of her mind, she came out of the window. Outside the window was a piece of mud, and the original owner planted some flowers and plants in her leisure time.


    Looking at it this way, Zhao Ling quickly really found a pair of footprints. Because they were covered by a few Begonia flowers next to them before, they couldn''t easily find them.


    Zhao Ling, who had been engaging in forensic forensic work for many years, could see at a glance that the pair of footprints were dark and light, and it was obvious that the owner of the pair of footprints was a lame person. She asked Lu Zhu and Mother Xu. "Is there anyone in the house who has a disabled leg?"


    Lu Zhu and Mother Xu looked at each other for a while, and thought of one person, Zhao San.


    Zhao San was a cook in the mansion. He only came to Jiang Mansion for a few months. He was usually polite to Luzhu and Mother Xu. He was not like some of the servants who gave them annoying looks because of Zhao Ling''s frustration. The two had a good impression of him. The two really did not expect that Zhao San would be the one who set fire.


    "It''s really knowing people, knowing the face and not knowing the heart." Mother Xu sighed. Lu Zhu was even more irritated. Fortunately, when she met Zhao San, she still yelled one by one Zhao''s brother, which was really disgusting.


    It''s just that Zhao San and their young ladies had no grievances and no grudges, so why would he wanted to commit arson and these crimes? Lu Zhu had doubts in his mind.


    Zhao Ling and Mother Xu looked at each other, noting that the girl Luzhu was really naive. If it weren''t for someone behind it, what would be the benefit of Zhao San, a subordinate who had just come to the Jiang Mansion, to set fire to Zhao Ling''s solitary courtyard for no reason?


    Just who was this mastermind? Was it the Cui family or Zhao Ruo, or the two of them conspired, or was it someone else entirely? All these questions Zhao Ling could not answered for the time being, and now he could only use this Zhao San.


    However, although Zhao San was a subordinate in the Jiang mansion, he was not hers after all. And with Zhao Ling''s level of power in the mansion, there was no way she could move him to cooperate with her. She needed someone to support her.. At this time she thought of Madame Zhao, her own grandmother.

 Chapter 6 - Forensic Eyes [II]

    Madame Zhao was frustrated after her old Zhao died of illness and her own son also died unexpectedly. She had been living in the Buddhist monastery for many years now.


    In the past, Zhao Ling had never dared to take the initiative to meet the old lady, for fear of being tortured by the mother and daughter of the Cui family, she just wanted to stay quietly in the small courtyard until she got married.


    But now Zhao Ling was different. She was determined to pay attention to the fact that she must retreat from the royal family of Rong Palace. In this way, her position in the palace would not prove to be even more difficult.


    A woman who had been disfigured and retired. Even if she was the eldest daughter of Gongfu, in the famous Zhou Dynasty, she wouldn''t be able to marry into a good family.


    Therefore, from the perspective of her current situation, relying on the big support of Madame Zhao was also the best choice for her.


    Early the next morning, Zhao Ling went to the Buddhist hall to see Madame Zhao. The Buddhist Hall was built in the northern corner of the Jiang Mansion. The environment was quiet and solemn, and it was very suitable for mental recovery.


    Zhao Ling stood outside the Buddhist hall for half an hour, and the mother monk who went in to pass her the message came out and said, "Miss, the old lady would like to see you now, please."


    "Thank you grandma." Zhao Ling nodded to the grand monk politely, without a hint of impatience. There was a hint of appreciation in the grandmother''s eyes, and she appreciated Zhao Ling''s calmness and composure. As expected, to be a child of the Zhao family''s ancestry, this attitude was really appreciated.


    Zhao Ling followed the grandmother through the corridors and came to the door of a quaint room. The mother said at the door: "Old lady, your grand daughter is here."


    "Come in." A familiar and dignified voice sounded from the inside.


    Mother monk opened the door and asked Zhao Ling to go in. Zhao Ling nodded her thanks to the mother, and then stepped into the threshold of the Buddhist monastery.


    The light in the room was slightly dark, and the decoration was clean and elegant. There was a Buddhist altar at the center, with incense swirling around it. Kneeling on the brocade in front of the shrine was an old woman dressed in cyan clothes with frosty white temples.


    Seeing Zhao Ling walking in, she slowly turned her head, and Zhao Ling met a slightly majestic and scrutinizing gaze oh her grandmother.


    She respectfully bowed and said: "Ling meets her grandmother well." Madame Zhao continued to examine her grand daughter for a while.


    Zhao Ling did not cower or try to hide. She frankly met her grandmother eyes. Seeing that her grandmother had the intention to get up from where she was sitting, Zhao Ling stepped forward and offered her help to her, saying. "Be careful, grandmother."


    After assisting Madame Zhao to sit down in the chair, Zhao Ling stood aside with a pleasing eyebrow, and said: "How good is my grandmother? I know I haven''t come to greet grandmother for a long time. Please grandmother, punish me."


    Madame. Zhao listened to her truthfully, looked slightly awkward, and nodded gently and said: "I heard about your injury. Why don''t you rest for some time? How is your body now and how is your injury?"


    "Thank you, grandmother for your concerns. The government doctor said that as long as I take care of my body, it will not be a major problem. But the injury on my face is more difficult to treat, and it may take more time." Zhao Ling replied.


    Madame. Zhao sighed softly, "Oh, it''s really hard for you." Looking at Zhao Ling''s uncompromising appearance, it was the same as her mother''s back then. It was precisely because of such indifferent temper that she refused to recruit. Zhao Ming loves her.


    Because of the reputation of the Zhao family, she defended the Zhao family many times, but in the end she let the fox like Cui took advantage of it. Later, she didn''t bother to care about these annoying things.


    A year ago, after she came forward to win the marriage of Prince Rong Mansion for this girl. She only hoped that she could marry peacefully, and that she was worthy of the old man''s entrustment and the friendship of the Zhao family.


    Unexpectedly, it would be unsatisfactory to come out like this soon. Now she only hope that the Royal Palace was understandable, and didn''t come to divorce just because this girl''s appearance was ruined.


    Zhao Ling didn''t come to see Madame Zhao remembering the sad past. She became sympathetic with a look of sadness, and pretended to be strong and said: "Grandma don''t worry about it, Ling doesn''t care. It''s just...". She trailed off, and knelt on the ground, "Ling has something to do, and she asks is asking her grandmother to call the shots."


    "What''s the matter?" Madame Zhao was startled by her sudden kneeling, and said, "Get up and talk."


    Zhao Ling got up and said: "Yesterday, I felt better. So I went to the burning yard to pack up my things. Unexpectedly, I spotted some clues to what causes the fire. After thinking about, i beliwve that the fire was a little weird... ."


    Slowly, in details, Zhao Ling told madame Zhao about her findings on the fire scene and her suspicions one by one. Of course, she only talked about Zhao San, not about the mother and daughter of the Cui family. Zhao San was just a subordinate. As long as madame Zhao would speak, there was no problem interrogating him. But she was not ready to touch Cui''s mother and daughter.


    Madame Zhao had been in charge of the Jiang authority for decades, and she had become a fine woman. She suspected that the fire was unusual. Now she heard what Zhao Ling said, whether it was for the entrustment of the old man before his death or the Zhao family back then.


    Naturally, there was no reason for madame Zhao not to support her. She only said that for her to go and investigate. And she also assigned Mother Ning to her as an assistant. In fact, it was more to support her in the scene.


    No one at the local authority knew that Mother Ning was the person next to the old lady, and having Mother Ning was the same as the old lady.


    Mother Ning was the mother who led the way just now. Zhao Ling thanked the old lady, and showed enough respect for Mother Ning. Mother Ning had a good impression of the Zhao family, but now that she sees Zhao Ling appeared a lot like her mother, she also appreciated her more and more.


    With the support of the old lady, Zhao Ling has confidence in handling matters. She didn''t like procrastination in doing things. As soon as she left the Buddhist hall, she sent Luzhu to call all the servants of the Jiang Mansion to the front yard, and sent people to invite Zhao Jiang, Cui family, Zhao Ruo and several other aunts.


    When Zhao Jiang and his entourage came to the front yard, they found that the servants of the mansion were all standing in the same yard. Zhao Ling was standing on the high porch and was looking at the crowd in front of her coldly. A woman was standing next to her.


    Zhao Jiang fixated his eyes on the figure, and it turned out to be Mother Ning. What was this girl planning to do? Zhao Jiang frowned slightly, and asked displeasedly: "Ling, what are you up to?"


    Seeing that Zhao Yi''an had arrived, Zhao Ling bowed to him and said, "Father, your daughter invited you over today because she wanted you to be fair to your daughter."


    Cui Mei said coldly from the side: "Ling, this is your doing. Even if you want to be fair, what do you mean by calling all your servants together? Are you afraid that your father would be unfair to you and you want to threaten him? "


    Zhao Jiang frowned deeper when he heard the words. He snorted coldly, and looked at Zhao Ling angrily.


    Zhao Ling ignored Cui Mei''s provocative words. She confronted Zhao Jiang and said to him: "Father also knows that his daughter was caught in a fire a few days ago and barely escaped from the death. Now your daughter found out that the fire was not an accident, but someone deliberately set the place on fire, harming your daughter. So, I''m asking father to be fair to his daughter and severely punish the culprit."


    After speaking, she peeked at the expressions of Cui Mei and Zhao Ruo. Cui Mei was obviously taken aback and quite surprised, while Zhao Ruo''s expression was rather playful. She was neither surprised nor timid, but Zhao Ling saw a trace of panic in her eyes, sharply. Her hands were also clenched into fists and concealed their in the sleeves.


    This was a sign of tension.


    *Could this fire be related to Zhao Ruo?*

 Chapter 7 - Please, Show Me The Respect I Deserve [I]

    Zhao Jiang was also quite surprised when he heard Zhao Ling''s words. He always thought that the fire was an accident, so why did someone deliberately committed arson? He looked at Zhao Ling suspiciously and said, "Ling, but did you find anything to support this?"


    "Yes, father." Zhao Ling nodded and said. "Yesterday, I went to the yard to pack things, and found something by accident. Something which proves that the fire was not an accident, but a man-made one."


    Zhao Jiang looked at Mother Ning and asked, "Did you go to see the old lady?"


    After receiving confirmation nod, Zhao Jiang said. "Since the old lady sent Mother Ning over, I have to believe you. With the old lady''s support, you can show your evidence. If it is true, the father will be the master for you."


    "Thank you, father." After Zhao Ling thanked him, he turned and signaled Lu Zhu who shouted to the gang of people standing just below them. "Zhao San, come out."


    There was no sound below. After a long while, a man in his thirties limped out. The man was of medium build and looked very ordinary and honest, not like a treacherous person. Zhao Ling was a little surprised by this pretentious act.


    The man saluted everyone and said with a trembling voice. "Little Zhao San pays respect to the master, the lady, and the young lady."


    It looked and sounded casual much to Zhao Ling''s irritation. She looked cold at the man, and said sharply. "Zhao San, are you ready to confess?"


    Zhao San shook all over, knelt on the ground with a plop, and said repeatedly. "Miss, little... this little one doesn''t know what crime he has committed. Please also ask the eldest to make it clear."


    Zhao Ling sneered, "I ask you, where were you on the day of the fire?"


    Zhao San replied. "This little...this little one slept in the room that day, and only woke up after hearing the noise, so I rushed to put out the fire with them."


    "Really?" Zhao Ling said, "So, you have never been near the courtyard, have you?"


    "Never." Zhao San insisted.


    Zhao Ling nodded and said calmly, "In that case, I found a few footprints outside the small courtyard house yesterday, so they were taken and preserved. Green bamboo, let him take off his shoes and fit them with the footprints on them. To see if they are a match."


    Green Bamboo came forward and took out a piece of white gauze with a large footprint on it. Zhao San froze for a while, seeing that there was no way to get out. He knew he had to take off his shoes and let the green bamboo compare.


    "Miss, the size is exactly the same." Green Bamboo reported to Zhao Ling with a loud voice.


    "Zhao San, how do you explain?" Zhao Ling asked.


    "How can a footprint on the gauze prove that this is my footprint, eldest lady, this little one was wronged, this little one really never did it." Zhao San desperately knocked his head, and soon he brought out blood on his forehead.


    With a sigh of relief, several timid maids and aunts turned their heads, not daring to look at the bloody man again. The subordinates on the side also talked a lot, and many people did not believe that Zhao San, who was usually honest and friendly, would do such a thing.


    Zhao Ling''s expression remained unchanged. She took a piece of bamboo pipe from Lu Zhu''s hand, played with it, and said calmly. "Zhao San, you don''t have to be like this. Can you recognize this piece of bamboo pipe? This was just found in your room. Yes, there are still some white powder left in it. I have already asked the doctor to examine it. The white powder I found on the windowsill of the small courtyard is the same ingredient of scented incense. How do you explain this?"


    Zhao San looked up at the small bamboo tube in Zhao Ling''s hand, and collapsed on the ground with a sad expression, regretting it in his heart. He had known this before, that he had to throw this bamboo tube away anyway. He could only blame myself for being careless.


    It hadn''t been long since he came to the mansion, and he really couldn''t understand how he got it wrong. Everyone said that this eldest lady was stupid and foolish, but she was so shrewd at the first sight today. *Where did it all go wrong?*


    Zhao Jiang saw Zhao San collapse on the ground and had nothing to say. He had clearly admitted doing it.


    He became furious. A servant in the mansion actually dared to set fire in the courtyard of his eldest daughter? What happened to the internal management of the authority? He asked angrily. "You dog slave, why did you set fire to murder my daughter, and what were your intentions?"


    Zhao San just kowtow desperately, begging for mercy in a loud voice. "I beg the Lord for mercy, I beg the Lord for mercy...."

 Chapter 8 - Please, Show Me The Respect I Deserve [II]

    Zhao Ling realized that this man would die if he continued knocking his head down like this again. She didn''t want Zhao San''s life, but just wanted to take the opportunity to establish her prestige in the mansion. She wanted to let the whole mansion know that she was the eldest daughter of the family. She would not be easy to bully.


    Seeing that her goal had been achieved today, she stopped the proceedings and said to Zhao Jiang. "Father, seeing that his mouth is quite strict, why not shut him up first and interrogate him another day?"


    Zhao Jiang also bothered about seeing the amount of blood. Since Zhao Ling said so, he waved his hand and said, "take him and put him in the wood house. I will deal with him later. Make sure to take care of him."


    After Zhao San was dragged away, Zhao Ling said to the people in the yard with different looks. "Everyone has seen it. From now on, I hope everyone will abide by their duties and do things honestly. The power here will not treat you badly. I''m sorry for your past dealings. But if there are tricks that are not honest, the authority will not be merciful to you. Okay, you can all go now."


    "Yes, miss." The people responded and dispersed. Since then, they all had a new understanding of this eldest lady.


    However, Cui Wei, Zhao Ruo and other aunts had a gloomy expression. Each with their own thoughts. Zhao Mingxuan, who followed to watch the excitement after her school time, looked at Zhao Ling in admiration, thinking, when did her big sister become so powerful.


    Zhao San, who was detained in the firewood room, died that night. On the second day, when the guards opened the door to deliver him food, they found him lying on the pyre covered in blood, with a blood-stained daggerfalling beside him.


    After hearing the development, Zhao Ling went to see Zhao San''s body in person. According to her preliminary examination, the time of death was be around 1 am and 2 am. The fatal injury was a wound about 10 cm in length on the neck, which caused excessive blood loss. The obvious cause of his death.


    Looking at the shape of the wound, it matched the dagger, dropped next to the body. Judging from the angle and depth of the wound, she could confirmed that it was a suicide. It appeared that Zhao San cut his own neck with this dagger.


    Zhao Ling looked at Zhao San''s body and sighed softly. She had no intention of harming others, but just wanted to protect herself in this strange place. Zhao San was not a treacherous person, as she could tell from him saving Lu Zhu that day.


    Lu Zhu was stunned by the events of that day, but she was already outside the room after waking up. It must have been Zhao San who rescued her form the fire.


    But why did he set fire to the place? Who instructed him, and why did he listen to that person''s instructions?


    Now that Zhao San was dead, the clue was broken. Looking at Zhao Ruo''s performance on that day, it seemed to be related to this matter, but with Zhao Ruo''s personality and ability, Zhao Ling doubted it could even be her idea, if it was her in the first place?


    Zhao Ling frowned slightly. Mother Ning and Mother Xu could only look on while green bamboo beside her could not help, but feel sick and retch.


    This girl saw the bloody corpse for the first time. She didn''t dare to enter initially. But after seeing that Zhao Ling was going in, she had mustered the courage to follow up with the faith of protecting the young lady.


    Now, seeing Zhao San''s eyes wide open and the corpse, she couldn''t help but screamed and retched again and again. She looked at Zhao Ling and wondered when the young miss had become so bold.


    Zhao Ling glanced at her helplessly, and told the family next to him. "Be well with the body. Inquire about his family for me, and give them a little more compensation."


    "Yes, eldest lady," said the servants present. They also felt very surprised that this eldest lady didn''t change her facial expressions at the sight of the corpse. Zhao San set fire to the eldest lady''s chamber and wanted to harm the eldest lady. Yet, the eldest lady wanted to bury him well, and did not forget to take care of his family.


    "She was so magnanimous and kind."


    "It was really rare in the world."


    As a result, Zhao Ling''s prestige in the Zhao Mansion had increased, and people dared not look down upon this eldest lady who hadn''t been like that before.


    After Mother Ning went back to the monastery, she told Madame Zhao about the situation that day. She also praised Zhao Ling for what she said. The old lady was also very pleased and asked Mother Ning to pay more attention to this girl every day.


    Although Cui Wei and Zhao Ruo were itching with anger, they couldn''t help the situations.

 Chapter 9 - Divorce

    It turned out that the small burnt courtyard was in disarray, and Zhao Ling didn''t go back. Cui Mei gave her another courtyard. The name of the courtyard was pretty good, and the name was "Fenghe Courtyard."


    Zhao Ling settled in Fenghe Courtyard with peace of mind. Zhao Ruo had not come to find her trouble in the past few days, so she was happy, reading books, admiring flowers, and listening to the rain in her free time. She had a happy life, and she had the right to regard this as a vacation, and it was still stress-free.


    Natural holiday destination.


    She lay leisurely on the recliner under the grape trellis, dozing off for a while, thinking in her heart. She was now waiting for Prince Rong''s mansion to divorce her, but why hadn''t there been any movement or information?


    Zhao Ling asked if someone should be sent to Prince Rong Mansion to talk about it. Lu Zhu ran all the way to the front, breathlessly saying: "Miss, Prince Rong... Royal Mansion, they are here to divorce. "


    Was it finally here! Zhao Ling smiled with satisfaction and asked. Who was it the Royal Palace sent by?"


    "It was Prince Rong who came personally." Lu Zhu replied, "Miss, the lord is calling you over!"


    Zhao Ling thought for a while, stood up and adjusted her clothes. She tied the veil, and said to the green bamboo: "Let''s go."


    Coming to the front hall, Zhao Ling found that besides Zhao Jiang, Cui Mei Shi and Zhao Ruo were also there, as well as a man in purple clothes who was drinking tea. Presumably this was Meng Yun, the son of Prince Rong.


    Zhao Ling glanced at him secretly. He was with handsome features and extraordinary bearing. After all, he was a member of the royal family, but his appearance was rather feminine, not the type she admired.


    When Meng Yun heard someone coming, he turned his head and saw a slim and beautiful woman walking through the door. Moon-white clothes, a white silk scarf tied on her face, the warm halo of the setting sun shone on her, against her clear and indifferent eyes, like a fairy descending.


    Meng Yun looked a little stunned, but it was only for a moment, he hadn''t forgotten his purpose of coming today. Because of the bad reputation circulating in the capital about Miss Zhao''s stupidity, he had always rejected this marriage with disgust.


    Since getting along with Zhao Ruo, he was determined to divorce. It''s just that there wasn''t always a reason for divorce. Now that he had finally found a reason, he certainly wouldn''t give it up.


    As soon as he saw her today, although the Zhao family eldest lady was not as unbearable as the rumors, she was covered with a veil. And it seemed that it was a fact that her appearance was ruined. If he married an ugly monster as his wife, what face would he have among his relatives and friends?


    Zhao Ling stepped forward to meet everyone, and stood aside. Zhao Jiang said to Zhao Ling with a little embarrassment: "Ling, Meng Yu came to divorce, you see..."


    If the old man was alive, he would have cursed and fought hard for the arbitrary divorce of the Royal Mansion, but Zhao Jiang did not dare. His background created his cautious character. He would easily offend the Royal Mansion, so Zhao Ling had to be taken away to let her face this embarrassment by herself.


    Zhao Ling smiled slightly and said, "Father, since Meng Yu had come to divorce, there must be his reasons, and the Jiang Mansion is not too difficult for others to say what they think."


    Meng Yun thought, count you as acquaintance. Only seeing Zhao Ling''s smiling eyes, he found that he couldn''t look away a little. He was transfixed.


    Zhao Jiang reminded. "Ling, you have to think clearly, if you are divorced, plus your appearance... your life in the future..."


    "Father, since Meng Yu is unwilling to marry your daughter, if we forcefully fulfill the marriage contract, the daughter will not be happy after marrying. So, just follow Meng Yu''s will." Zhao Ling replied resolutely.


    "Never mind." Seeing Zhao Ling''s determination, Zhao Jiang agreed to follow the decision. Anyway, he didn''t even think about fighting for Zhao Ling. And had a fight with the Royal Palace was futile.


    Seeing that he had successfully divorced, Meng Yun exchanged glances with Zhao Ruo on the opposite side. The two of them thought they were concealed, but they happened to be seen by Zhao Ling and thought to herself, *when did the two meet?* She searched the memory of the original owner, but to no avail.


    Then, Meng Yun stood up and said to Zhao Jiang: "Zhao Jiang, beside the divorce, there is one more thing to ask for."


    "Oh, what''s the matter with Meng Yu?" Zhao Yi''an asked.


    "Meng Yu wants to marry Miss Ruo, the second lady of your house, and also invites Zhao Jiang to Yucheng."


    Meng Yun''s words were like a thunderstorm, and Zhao Jiang opened his mouth wide in shock, not knowing how to respond. Cui Mei looked at Meng Yun and Zhao Ruo with joy, exuberantly. Zhao Ruo couldn''t help but look at Meng Yun with a shy expression.


    Zhao Ling sneered secretly. This Meng Yu was really impatient. He just divorced from her marriage and immediately proposed to marry her sister. Did he hate her so much?


    In fact, Meng Yun was really disgusted with the marriage with Zhao Ling, because he was a person with high self-esteem, and naturally his wife should be a beautiful and outstanding woman, but his parents had chosen Zhao Ling for him. A mediocre ordinary woman, he was naturally unwilling to marry her.


    In terms of appearance, Zhao Ruo basically met his requirements. But it was a pity that Zhao Ruo was not a direct daughter, so she could only be a side concubine when she married.


    But what did it matter? In Zhao Ruo''s view, as long as she could grab Zhao Ling''s things and prevent her from getting better, she would be content. Now Zhao Ling had been disfigured, the marriage had ended, and more importantly, her original husband had become her own. Zhao Ruo felt that she had never been so happy as today.


    Zhao Jiang also expressed incomprehension about Meng Yun''s refusal to marry the eldest daughter but instead proposed to marry the second daughter. But for him, it would not make any difference whether he married the eldest daughter or the second daughter if he could climb the tree of Royal Palace.


    Zhao Jiang naturally agreed to Meng Yun''s request. After sending Meng Yun away, and seeing Cui Mei Shi and Zhao Ruo return to the room happily, he thought about being a little sorry for Zhao Ling. Seeing Zhao Ling resigning calmly, he felt a bit guilty.


    After hearing the news, Madame Zhao almost fainted with anger. The son of Prince Rong was really arrogant with power. He would retreat if he wanted to retreat, and he would ask if he wanted to, he simply didn''t put Zhao Jiang''s mansion high in his eyes. After she calmed down, she asked Mother Ning to find Zhao Jiang.


    Zhao Jiang stayed in the old lady''s Buddhist hall for a long time, and came out with a sullen face. On the second day, he wrote on a piece of paper, requesting Emperor Ming to marry off his eldest daughter.


    In fact, this was the old lady''s idea. She was also thinking about Zhao Ling. Zhao Ling''s appearance was now ruined, she had been divorced again, and her age was no longer below the youthful age.


    In the era when Da Zhaog Dynasty focused on women''s reputation and appearance, she seemed to have no advantage. If one asked for marriage from the emperor, one could find a decent family.


    After Zhao Ling heard the news of the marriage, she almost wanted to cry without tears. This old lady Zhao had done her best for her, and she actually thought of helping herself with marriage gifting. But could she refuse it? She really didn''t want to marry so soon!


    She still had a lot of things left to do, such as making money. She heard from Mother Xu that her mother had left a large dowry for her before her death, including two shops on Zhuque Street in the capital. Such shop for a forensic investigation. She heard that the law and order in Wuzhen had not been very good recently, and many murders had occurred.


    She had also researched and studied ways to go back. She didn''t want to stay in this world without TV, computer, internet, and mobile phone all her life.


    Now she only hoped that the old emperor would take care of his daily activities, and would have no time to deal with these trivial matters of her marriage.


    But she underestimated the work efficiency of the old emperor. Within a few days, the palace''s will to give a marriage came down.. Zhao Ling, the eldest daughter of Zhao Jiang''s official residence, was talented, virtuous, gentle and honest.

 Chapter 10 - The Emperors Marriage Arrangement

    Who the hell was this Xuan Wang Meng Yuanheng? Zhao Ling was really depressed at tge thought. Why did she just think of a way of gerting out of a marriage, only to have another one so soon. Couldn''t they let her be a quiet old leftover girl?


    Lu Zhu and Mother Xu were very happy to learn that the emperor gave the marriage approval to the mistress. But when they heard that the object of the marriage was prince Xuan, they suddenly looked like eggplants smashed by frost, with a bitter melon face, as if they had eaten bitter leaf.


    "What''s the matter, is there a problem with prince Xuan?" Zhao Ling asked puzzledly. She searched the memory of the original owner and found that the two had never met, and there was no information about this prince Xuan. It''s no wonder that the original owner had been living a life of ignorance of things outside the window, and only wanted to live a stable life, and could not demand her understanding of current affairs and politics.


    "Miss, it''s not a problem, it''s a big problem!" Lu Zhu said with a worried look: "This prince Xuan not only has his legs crippled, but I also heard..." Lu Zhu hesitated for a long time, still unable to speak.


    Mother Xu sighed beside her, and then said: "Miss, it is said that prince Wang Xuan not only has his legs disabled, but he is also inhumane."


    Inhumane? Zhao Ling couldn''t accept this word. After digesting it in her mind, she couldn''t help but feel it was a little funny. It was easy for people to exaggerate the inhumane aspect of the dignified prince. Everybody knew that the gossip ability of the people in the capital was really extraordinary.


    Thinking of this, she chuckled slightly, and said, "Isn''t this great?"


    "What? Very good? What''s the good thing?"


    "Prince Xuan is not humane. Marrying in the past is equivalent to keeping a living widow. Is this good too?"


    Lu Zhu and Mother Xu looked at their young lady with wide-eyed eyes, thinprince if the young lady wasn''t really frightened? Also, since the fire, the young lady''s performance had been abnormal. Wouldn''t it be that the fire hurt not only the young lady''s face, but also her brain?


    Zhao Ling looked at their dumbfounded expressions, secretly amused, and said, "Don''t worry, your lady knows that nothing will happen."


    As the object of her future marriage, Zhao Ling specifically inquired about Wang Xuan and his people, and felt that the old emperor''s lineage and, the object of her marriage, was just what she wanted, but it would be better if she didn''t give the marriage now.


    Prince Xuan''s mansion was very famous in the Dasheng Dynasty. The former prince Xuan and the old prince Xuan were all admired heroes throughout the world.


    They fought against foreign enemies throughout their lives, defended their homes and defended the country, and repelled countless infringements by small border countries such as Baozhi and Jinjin.


    It was a pity that both died young. Neither of them lived beyond the age of forty. When the predecessor Xuan Wang died in battle, the current Xuan Wang Meng Yuanheng was only sixteen years old.


    The people of the Xuan Palace were generally few. A few years after the death of the former prince Xuan, the former Princess Xuan also died of depression. Since then, Meng Yuanheng had been supporting the entire family business of the Xuan Palace with a weak body. It had been seven years since then.


    Regarding the battle seven years ago, the people in the capital still couldn''t help but sigh.


    At that time, Baozhi''s 300,000 army invaded the border and seized three cities in a row within a month. Zhengyang Pass was in a hurry. The whole country was alarmed and the people were shocked. If Zhengyang Pass was broken, Baozhi''s army could drive straight in and point to Kyoto.


    The predecessor prince Xuan was ordered to support Zhengyang Pass with a 100,000 army, and within 10 days he forced the enemy to retreat for 30 miles and regained 2 cities. However, when attacprince Jinjin City, he encountered the enemy''s main attack, and was seriously injured, putting him in danger.


    Meng Yuan rushed to the battlefield alone to save his father and drove Baozhi''s army out of the border. When he returned to the court, he only brought back the ashes of the former prince Xuan. He was also scarred and his legs were crippled.


    After that, Meng Yuan succeeded to the throne of prince Xuan, staying deep in the simple ways and avoiding visitors, and the Palace of Xuan Dynasty gradually faded out of people''s sight.


    Although Zhao Ling had never seen Meng Yuanheng, in these descriptions, she could still imagine how proud Meng Yuanheng was before the age of 16, and the scenery was boundless in description. Then such a proud man of heaven faced the fact that his legs were disabled and became a useless person. How to bear it?


    But for her, Wang Xuan was really a better candidate than those who were healthy princes and grandsons. Physically disabled and inhumane? Then he shouldn''t marry a lot of concubines and aunts, so why would she be upset.


    Both parents were dead, and the people were few? Then it showed that the personnel relations of the Xuan Palace were simple, and she didn''t need to look at the faces of the in-laws.


    Cold hearted and unfeeling, with indifferent person.ality? So did it mean that there would be plenty of free spaces in her future marriage life?


    Just as Zhao Ling secretly made her own small calculations, another news came.


    Prince Xuan asked for an order. "Due to his physical illness, he had not recovered yet. Please allow the emperor to postpone the marriage by one year. When he recovered without any problems, then he would marry according to the order."


    Prince Xuan said that Emperor Ming could only correct the decree. Everyone knew that prince Xuan was sick and weak. He did not directly refuse to marry but only postponed the date of marriage. He already gave the emperor a lot of face, and Ming naturally knew the truth of acceptance when he saw it good.


    When Zhao Ling heard this news, she couldn''t help but give prince Xuan a thumbs up. Look at how good people said what they said. If one year later the body still did not recover, the marriage date could naturally be delayed.


    After all, no one could guarantee when prince Xuan''s body would recover, and to what extent he would be able to marry.


    Since Wang Xuan was so "compassionate" to her, she naturally wanted to appreciate him. It''s just that other people may not think so, such as Cui Mei and Zhao Ruo. Because Zhao Ruo was about to marry into the Royal Palace, the mother and daughter had recently become more rampant.


    Seeing that Zhao Ling actually didn''t even look down on her for having a crippled down-and-out prince as a future husband, and deliberately delayed the marriage date, it was on many occasions she was mocked overtly and secretly.


    Their arrogance in front of Zhao Ling became more and more vivid.


    Zhao Jiang was not concerned about prince Xuan''s delay in his marriage. Anyway, he didn''t care much about this eldest daughter in the first place. Anyway, the emperor''s imperial decree for marriage had been issued. There was no difference to him.


    Although Madame Zhao had guessed right about prince Xuan''s thoughts, she was still a little bit jealous of prince Xuan''s Mansion, so she could only watch the development.


    Zhao Ling herself was calm and gentle, as if the protagonist of this incident was not herself. But when she saw Zhao Jiang that day, she asked him whether her marriage was settled, and whether the dowry left by her mother to Cui Mei could now be handed over to her. "Keep it for her."


    She could remember that her mother''s last words were that Cui Mei would hand over the dowry to Zhao Ling when she was of age. Now that she was eighteen, and it was logical that Cui Mei should have handed it over.


    Hearing of this matter, Zhao Jiang was also impressed.. So he called Cui Mei and asked her to transfer the list of dowry left by Zhao Su and the dowry in the warehouse to Zhao Ling.

 Chapter 11 - Better Ways To Retrieve The Dowry

    When Cui Mei heard this, she became anxious. Zhao Su''s dowry was not a small sum of money. She had been jealous a long time ago. Now, taking advantage of the opportunity of Ruo''s marriage, she was preparing to change Zhao Su''s dowry. If she handed it over at this time, wasn''t so much of her thoughts in vain?


    She said aggrievedly: "Master, do you not trust my family? Ling''s dowry should be prepared by me as a mother. How can I leave it to Ling to let her prepare it? How do you arrange the slave house?"


    Zhao Ling didn''t bother to watch her acting, and said directly: "Mother, my daughter heard that the doctor often comes in and out of your mansion these few days, are you having any physical discomfort?"


    "Yeah?" Zhao Jiang also looked at Cui Mei''s family and asked, "are you unwell?"


    Cui Mei gave a dry smile and said, "Master, it''s not a big deal. I just felt a little pain in the chest, so I asked the doctor to come over and see me. The doctor said I was just tired..."


    "My mother is so tired, so she must be tired from buying sister Ruo''s dowry. How can I bother mother by buying my own dowry too? Besides, mother has to take care of sister Ruo''s body before she gets married. Isn''t it? Mother Xu, who happened to be beside your daughter, is also an experienced person to do the errands with me, and it''s probably not a bad thing. Mother, what do you think?" Zhao Ling interrupted her, and said with a faint expression.


    Zhao Ling already knew that Zhao Ruo was really pregnant, and also knew the truth about the fire that day.


    Meng Yun has always disliked Zhao Ling. After getting intimate with Zhao Ruo, Zhao Ruo always talked to him about how stupid her sister was, which made Meng Yun even more determine to do everything possible to give up his marriage.


    Zhao Ruo then came up with an idea and asked Meng Yun to arrange for Zhao Sanhuai to enter into the mansion to find a chance to harm Zhao Ling. However, Meng Yun never thought about killing Zhao Ling, nor did he expected Zhao Ruo to be so cruel that she actually wanted to set her sister on fire.


    For this, he also reprimanded Zhao Ruo who later concealed it under the pretence of being innocent and pitiful.


    Zhao Ruo was very angry that day because Meng Yun reprimanded her for Zhao Ling. So she complained to Cui Mei, and happened to let the maid beside him listen. Rulan and Luzhu were good sisters, and they often inform each other of any news. This time was no exception.


    However, without evidence, she decided to stand by and watch.


    Cui Mei looked at Zhao Ling''s unwavering eyes, feeling a little flustered. For some reason, under such eyes, she felt invisible. Does she know about Ruo? She was shocked, and now there was no need to fight hard with her. It would only slow-down her plan.


    She thought for a while and said, "Ling is so compassionate and filial. It takes only a few days for me to sort out the dowry list and then we will go to the warehouse to count the goods together, will that be alright with you?"


    "That would be so troublesome. Don''t I still trust my mother?" Zhao Ling asked smiling faintly: "Mother only needs to give me the warehouse key. I already have a copy of the dowry list here. Just check with the actual items in the warehouse. That''s all."


    "Just do it, Mei, you have kept it for so many years and you have worked really hard. From today on, give it to Ling, and you can prepare for Ruo''s marriage with peace of mind." I don''t want to be entangled in this kind of dowry.


    While Zhao Ling was sorting out her dowry, Cui Mei was bedridden, distressed, in the room. The prepared fakes are intended to replace the original calligraphy and paintings in the dowry container. She began asking herself "What should I do now, is it a waste? It also costs money to make fakes, nowadays. So why not let her get frustrated?


    Seeing that Cui Mei was unwilling to accept those things, the close mother next to Cui Mei suggested: "Why don''t you put those things in Zhenbaozhai, Madam. If you run into those who are not good enough, you will sell them to them. I can''t even recognize them. ."


    Cui Mei was originally from a small family, short-sighted and coveted for small profits. Listening to the personal mother''s suggestion, although it felt risky, but she really felt sorry for the money, so she followed the mother''s suggestion.


    Who was Zhao Ling? She had a master''s degree in psychology. She had first-class observation and reasoning skills. Hearing the news that the treasurer of Zhen Baozhai had met Cui Mei, she guessed Cui Mei''s plan.


    Since she wanted to die so much, she would by all means help her. Zhao Ling said to Mother Xu. "Mother Xu, I heard that a distant nephew from your natal family came to the capital to seek refuge with you, isn''t it?"


    Mother Xu replied: "Yes, miss. Speaking of which, the old slave''s nephew is also a scholar, but unfortunately there was a disaster in his hometown, and life is not going on well for him. So he wanted to come here to try his luck."


    Zhao Ling nodded, and instructed Mother Xu. "Let your nephew do what I''ll tell him tomorrow. If it is done, he will benefit from it."


    On the second day, a foreigner came to Zhen Baozhai''s shop and asked if there was a masterpiece painting called "Dragon Lilly" by the famous painter Lu Luchang in the store. Seeing that it was a high-profile guest from outside of town, the Zhen Baozhai invited him into the inner room and sold him the fake "Dragon Lilly" picture.


    Unexpectedly, a few days later, the foreigner reported Zhen Baozhai to Shuntian Mansion, saying that it was Zhen Baozhai who sold fake products to the market. After receiving the case, Shuntian Mansion went to Zhen Baozhai''s shop. They searched and found a number of fake items. Zhen Baozhai was apprehended and fined 50,000 taels of silver.


    Upon hearing the news, Cui Mei became angry and fainted.


    After their plan succeeded, Lu Zhu and Mother Xu really admire their young lady more and more. Zhao Ling still had a faint look, and said to Mother Xu. "Mother Xu, your nephew is doing a good job. Recently, Linglong Pavilion should sell a batch of jewellery, let him buy it at a low price as much as possible. If things go well, I''ll let him be the treasurer of Luo Yufang."


    Ling Long Pavilion was under the name of Cui Mei family, and Luo Yufang was the dowry of Zhao Su family. And it had always been taken care of by Cui Mei family. Over the years, Cui Mei took the opportunity to carry out many things.


    Unknowingly, she had privately transferred many things from Luo Yufang to Ling Long Pavilion. Now is the time to get them back.


    Mother Xu''s nephew was also a sensible person, and naturally did a good job on this matter. A few days later, he bought a batch of jewellery from Ling Long Pavilion at a price forty portion lower than the appraised price.


    Seeing that Mother Xu''s nephew had some business acumen, Zhao Ling hired him as the shopkeeper of Luo Yufang. The original shopkeeper had long been bought by the Cui Mei family, and Zhao Ling naturally couldn''t keep him around anymore.


    On the grounds of his advanced age, he gave him a severance pay and sent him away.

 Chapter 12 - Troublesome Zhao Ruo [I]

    Under Zhao Ling''s drastic reforms, the operation of the two stores Luo Yufang and Yipin Xuan, where Su''s dowry was, gradually improving.


    The two shops were located on Zhuque Street. The most prosperous street in the capital, and the geographical position was superior. If Cui was not for the trouble, they would not make losses every year.


    Before, when Zhao Ling got the account of the shop, she was really taken aback. Fortunately, she was so excited when she learned that she had two stores in prime locations under her name, but she was also sad on the account of deficits, year after year. Whereas, the Ling Long Pavilion and Zhen Baozhai under the name of the Cui family on Xuanwu Street next door were flourishing.


    But now, Baozhai had been seized, and Linglong Pavilion had gradually declined after the rise of Luo Yufang. Cui Wei really fell ill this time. What''s even more depressing was that she couldn''t take from Zhao Ling. It was impossible to see anyone who would embezzle Xie''s dowry now. If she had a bad relationship with Zhao Ling and she exposed her, she would lose the prestige and status of herself as the mistress of the house. What more, her life in the authority''s office would be very sad.


    Therefore, during this period of time, Zhao Ling lived a very happy life. She was going to the streets from time to time, experiencing the customs of the Dasheng Dynasty, going to teahouses and restaurants to listen to folk gossip, and grasp the latest world situation.


    Nowadays, the Central Plains was divided into four parts of the world. Among them, Dasheng had the most extensive territory and the most abundant products. There were three continents around it, namely Baozhai continent to the north, Jangu continent to the west, and Nanzhan continent to the south. The most powerful.


    Baozhai was dominated by nomads. It had a sturdy folks who were good at riding and shooting. They had coveted the territory of Dasheng for a long time, and had repeatedly sent troops to violate the border. Seven years ago, in the battle of Jingzhou City, the Royal Palace of Xuan severely damaged Baozhai''s 300,000 army. General He Yuanshan was shot and killed by the then 16-year-old Meng Yuan.


    He Yuanshan was the most brave general in Baozhai, but he died in the hands of a 16-year-old general in Dasheng. The whole country of Baozhai was shocked. Baozhai Wang Wanyan took the initiative to negotiate peace with Dasheng and promised not to send troops to Dasheng in the next ten years. However, at that time, Dasheng also suffered heavy losses. His predecessor, King Xuan, died in battle, and Meng Yuan was seriously injured. There was not much left in the 100,000 troops of King Xuan''s mansion.


    In view of the situation, Dasheng agreed to negotiate a peace with Baozhai. That battle could be said to have hurt both sides.


    In the past 7 years, the Dasheng Dynasty could be regarded as a state of peace and security under the current Emperor Ming''s governance. Walking on the prosperous road of Zhuque Street, Zhao Ling thought of the Royal Palace Xuan for no reason. For such peace and tranquility, King Xuan''s Mansion paid a huge price, the former King Xuan gave his life, and the current King Xuan lost his health.


    Luo Yufang was located at the intersection of Zhuque Street and Ziyang Street, in the prosperous area of ??Shengjing. Before Zhao Ling reached the door, she heard a loud noise in the store.


    "Bold, you still need money for what this lady is fancy!" Zhao Ruo''s sharp and arrogant voice came into Zhao Ling''s ears from far away.


    Zhao Ling frowned, why was it her again! This girl was not at ease wherever she was. Zhao Ling walked into the store and saw Zhang Ruo glaring angrily at the current shopkeeper Xu Qingzhou of Luo Yufang. The maid Rujin who followed next to her was holding a set of packaged jade heads in her hands.


    Xu Qingzhou was Mother Xu''s distant nephew. He was thirty-five or six years old, with upright face but no lack of shrewdness. Zhao Ling was very satisfied with him since he had been working conscientiously and fulfilling his duties as the treasurer of Luo Yufang.


    Xu Qingzhou did not show weakness in the face of Zhang Ruo''s unreasonable clamor. Although he bowed down and saluted respectfully, he still insisted on standing for reasons and did not give in. Seeing Zhao Ling walking in, Xu Qingzhou was obviously relieved, saluted Zhao Ling, and respectfully said. "Welcome, eldest lady."


    This Miss Zhao Ruo was too unreasonable, and it was really hard to deal with. But the eldest lady must have a way, Xu Qingzhou thought with relief. After contacting him during this period of time, he admired Zhao Ling very much. Although the eldest lady looked gentle and weak, her knowledge and courage were unusual.


    Zhao Ling nodded to Xu Qingzhou, glanced faintly at Zhang Ruo, whose nose was upturned, and said, "Since the second sister has taken a fancy to this set of jewelry, just tell the store, and Luo Yufang will send it away. When you go to the Jiang Mansion, why bother to lose your temper here and lose the face of the Jiang Mansion!"


    Zhao Ruo snorted coldly and said arrogantly. "What qualifications do you have to raise this up with me? You are disfigured and retired, and now even King Xuan despise you. If I were you, even if I didn''t hang myself, I would live in the monk temple for the rest of my life. It''s embarrassing for you to come out of the province!"


    Hearing Zhao Ruo''s words, the crowd watching the lively encounter outside the gate of Luo Yufang began to discuss.


    "It turns out that this is the Zhao''s family."


    Yes, and that''s miss Zhao Ling."


    "Seeing that she is covered with a veil, shouldn''t she be really disfigured?"


    "Yes, she is. Alas, what a pity!"


    "I heard that the emperor gave her in a marriage to Wang Xuan, but Wang Xuan refused."


    "Then she was divorced twice, alas."


    "Was she still married out?"

 Chapter 13 - Troublesome Zhao Ruo [II]

    Lu Zhu heard what Zhang Ruo said, and heard the comments of the people around him, his face flushed with anger, and he glared at Zhang Ruo.


    Zhao Ling just smiled indifferently, and said loudly. "Unfortunately, I am not you, so I won''t do this. I am not at fault for being disfigured and divorced. Why should I be wronged for the mistakes made by others? What about yourself? Isn''t it the people who made mistakes that should repent?"


    She looked at Zhang Ruo with piercing eyes. Facing the sharp eyes, Zhang Ruo felt a little flustered, as if the secret she had carefully hidden had been understood by her.


    She remembered Zhao Ling, who had been so committed in front of her before, but why she looked different now? She approached a few steps in anger, raising her hand and trying to fan her face. This was her usual action to the former Zhao Ling. Every time Zhao Ling saw her raised her hand, she either lowered her head to beg for mercy or shed tears to pretend to be pitiful. But now Zhao Ling was no longer what she used to be.


    Zhang Ruo''s slap in the face at every turn was really undesirable! Zhao Ling thought to herself. She grabbed the hand raised by Zhang Ruo, her eyes turned cold, and she said coldly. "Second sister, with your current physical condition, I think it''s better for you to stay quietly in the house."


    Upon hearing this, Zhang Ruo''s face changed slightly, did she know that she was pregnant.


    "What''s the matter?" At this moment, a male voice came, and he walked into a man in a purple brocade robe, with a long body and a handsome face. It was Meng Yun, the son of Rong Wang. Meng Yun stared at Zhao Ling gloomily, grabbed Zhang Ruo''s hand, and asked aloud. "Are you alright?"


    When Zhang Ruo saw the visitor, she pitifully yelled. "Meng Yun, you are here." After all, she wanted to break free of Zhao Ling''s control, but couldn''t do so. Hence, Pear Blossom said to Meng Yunce anxiously. "Sir, save me!"


    Meng Yunce frowned and said to Zhao Ling. "Miss Zhao, what are you doing? As the eldest sister, how can you let your action with your sister go so far!"


    Zhao Ling smiled, and whispered in Zhang Ruo''s ear. "If the second sister wants to marry into the Royal Palace smoothly, I suggest you settle down before you marry."


    After speaking, she let go of Zhang Ruo''s wrist. She smiled at Meng Yun, and said. "Nothing to worry about. Ruo was not being sensible. And I, the older sister, was giving her some advice so that she could understand things better. Second sister, don''t you think so?"


    Zhang Ruo glared at Zhao Ling unwillingly, walked to Meng Yun''s side, pulled his sleeves and said, "My dear, let''s go." If she is unmarried and pregnant, her reputation will be ruined. Well, let alone marrying into the Royal Palace. Maybe she really would spend her lifetime in the temple. Therefore, she had to accept this loss today. But sooner or later, she would get it back. Zhao Ruo thought viciously in her heart.


    Meng Yun was stunned by Zhao Ling''s smile, and when he recovered, Zhang Ruo was already dragged away.


    Opposite Zhao Ling in Qing Youju, two men were seating by the windows in the upstairs, watching the scenery. They had the same abundant elegance, and were handsome and truly extraordinary. The man in the white shirt raised nice eyebrows, took a sip from the tea bowl in his hand, and said jokingly, "A Heng, is this your stupid, timid and incompetent future princess? The rumors of the truth are becoming less and less credible."


    The man on the other side called "Aheng" was not sitting on a chair, but a wheelchair. He was dressed in a black shirt, which made his face pale and cold. Although sitting in a wheelchair, the aura on his body was a bit more aggressive than the white-clothed man opposite. He opened his lips lightly, and said coldly. "It seems that the strength of Woyun Villa is not as good as before. If Lao Zhuang is alive in the sky, he will surely die seeing this."


    The man in white was Yun Yi, the current owner of the mysterious Woyun Villa on the rivers and lakes. As he listened to the man opposite, his face changed slightly and he shouted to him. "Meng Yuan, ...how pathetic your mouth is getting more and more poisonous. Wait and see, this son will go and give your future princess your secrets. Turn it over and I''ll let you see the strength of my Woyun Villa."


    "No need, this prince will take care of things by himself." The man in Xuan Yi, namely Xuan Wang Meng Yuanheng, handed Yun Yi a warning look of "Don''t worry about meddling" and whispered, "Chang Dong."


    Immediately after a gust of wind blew, and in the blink of an eye, a boy in Tsing Yi was standing expressionless behind Meng Yuan, silent like a shadow.


    "Let''s go." As soon as Meng Yuan''s voice fell, Chang Dong pushed his wheelchair away, and didn''t even look at Yunyi who was drinking tea together with them just now.


    Yun Yi was no stranger to the way he got along with his master and servant. He touched his chin, looked at the back of Meng Yuan''s departure, and looked at Zhao Ling, who was walking slowly downstairs, and smiled deeply.


    Laughter, the future Princess Xuan seems to be not simple.. It appeared that there could be good shows in the future, and the days ahead would definitely not be as dull and boring as they are now.

 Chapter 14 - A Shortcut Through The Silent Alley

    Zhao Ling left Luo Yufang and went to Yipin Xuan again.


    Yipin Xuan wss located at the end of Zhuque Street. Since it sold antique calligraphy and painting, the environment needed to be relatively quiet. Yipin Xuan''s shopkeeper that Zhao Ling did not change was a shopkeeper named Wu Guo.


    Zhao Ling investigated. Although this shopkeeper Wu didn''t make any achievements, just like his name, he didn''t make any mistakes, and he was highly professional.


    Zhao Ling couldn''t find another suitable candidate for a while. After doing some kind of findings on the shopkeeper Wu, she decided to keep him, but he was assigned an accountant so that they could supervise each other, and asked him to do it regularly. Account verification, outbound and inbound were all registered in detail, and reported to her on a regular basis.


    By the time Zhao Ling finished checking Yipin Xuan''s accounts, it was already dusk. Remembering that she agreed to Madame Zhao today to accompany her to dinner, she feared that the time might be too late. So, under the leadership of Luzhu, Zhao Ling and her maid servant took a shortcut, planning to cross the alley at the end of the street, which could save half of the distance.


    The alley was very quiet, and there was usually no one passing by. When Zhao Ling and her maid servant walked to the depths of the alley, there were a few small gangsters in front of them. The leader had an extremely wretched face with a scar. He approached Zhao Ling step by step, and said with a grin. "Oh, this is who''s little lady. Who has a delicate skin and tender flesh, don''t hesitate to lift the veil. Let the Lord take a closer look."


    Lu Zhu guarded Zhao Ling in a panic, and summoned the courage to shout loudly. "Bold, what do you want to do? Do you know whose lady this is? Get out of here!"


    "Bah!" Scarface sipped, and said, "Master, who cares about her, as long as I look at her, that''s all. You can''t escape from the palm of this master."


    The three gangsters next to each other laughed and agreed. One of the gangsters with a big mole on his face said. "San Ye, this little girl looks pretty good, she''s so beautiful. You can give her to us if you don''t want. Bar?"


    Lu Zhu''s face turned pale when he heard it, but he still insisted on protecting Zhao Ling, not avoiding it.


    Zhao Ling patted the back of Luzhu''s hand to signal her not to be afraid. She was still a little touched by the loyalty of this girl. In modern times, she was an orphan, had no relatives, and few friends. She was a relatively indifferent person in terms of interpersonal relations, and she did not know how to get along with others. She cherished the sincere treatment of Luzhu and Mother Xu.


    Lu Zhu saw the calm eyes of the young lady, and the panic in her heart was relieved a bit. For some reason, the current lady always had a power to calm people down, and people couldn''t help but want to believe her. Such a lady was really attractive.


    Zhao Ling looked at the Scarface in front of him coldly, took out a small willow leaf dagger hidden in his cuffs, and secretly held it in his hand.


    This willow-leaf dagger was bought at a shop next to Luo Yufang just now. Seeing that it had a light shape and a sharp blade, it was very suitable for making a scalpel. She bought it and planned to go to the iron shop to make a complete set according to this look. Needed, it just happened to be available now.


    Afterwards, she said to Scarface. "Is it Sanye? Who sent you here? Is it a man or a woman, is it young or old, is it one person or two people?" Questions upon question she threw at him, stunning Scarface. She walked lightly to deceive him with her body movement. She put a dagger on Scarface''s neck, and continued to ask in a flat tone. "That person, did he or she ask you to humiliate us, or to intimidate us, or both?"


    Scarface was caught off guard and was successfully attacked by Zhao Ling. Looking at Zhao Ling in disbelief, he seemed to be unable to believe that a charming lady with a knife gesture was so sharp and sharp that his eyes widened, and he didn''t know how to react. .


    Seeing that he didn''t answer, Zhao Ling''s hand holding the knife tightened, and soon, a blood stain appeared on the neck of Scarface. He felt the cold pain, and yelled in anger, "Stop it, no one sent me, we just happened to pass by here. Take the knife away and dare to hurt San Ye, you will regret it."


    Zhao Ling gave a cold snort and was about to continue to ask him when he heard Lu Zhu''s cry. "Miss, help me!"


    She turned her head and saw that the other three gangsters were clutching green bamboo, and the green bamboo struggled to get free, and was slapped several times by the mole. After a while, blood oozed from the corners of her mouth.


    Although Scarface was a local ruffian, he grew up in fights after all. His actual combat experience was definitely richer than Zhao Ling. She was distracted by Scarface who found a chance and waved his backhand in her direction. He knocked down the dagger in Zhao Ling''s hand, and immediately raised his foot, kicking Zhao Ling to the ground.


    "Miss, miss, how are you?" Lu Zhu exclaimed, really hating herself in her heart, and blame herself for uselessness. Not only could she not protect her, but she also drags her back. Seeing Zhao Ling being kicked down, she blamed herself and cried distressedly.


    Zhao Ling fell to the ground, holding her stomach. Although it was not a big problem, still she thought about not being able to defend herself with regret. Sure enough, her actual combat experience was not good enough, and recently she has been too negligent to exercise. This had made her so weak.


    Scarface picked up the dagger on the ground, reached out to touch the bleeding wound on his neck, walked up to Zhao Ling viciously, and used the dagger to remove the veil on her face. After seeing the scar on her face, He sneered and said. "What kind of celestial beauty I thought it was. It turned out to be an ugly monster. Look at this scar, it''s worse than the one on my face."


    A fierce light flashed in Scarface''s eyes, and he lifted the dagger to scratch Zhao Ling''s face.

 Chapter 15 - A Familiar Face

    Zhao Ling was ready and was about to fight back. But who knew that someone was faster than her, and kicked Scarface away with one kick. With such a powerful kick, he kicked Scarface away several meters away. His body hit the wall, and bounced back to the bluestone slab. He vomited a few mouthfuls of blood, and fainted.


    Zhao Ling thought, how strong this kick was. Someone could kick people like this! She looked up and saw a tall blue man standing in the last afterglow of the dusk, standing tall and pine. A word popped up in her mind instantly.


    Hero!


    The hero was looking at her condescendingly, showing concern, and asked. "Girl, are you okay?"


    After seeing the hero''s face clearly, Zhao Ling opened his eyes wide, staring at him in disbelief and shouting, "Yuan Lie!"


    Realizing it wasn''t Yuan Lie, she was even more terrified The appearance of this hero was exactly the same as that of Yuan Liechang, the modern police captain with facial paralysis in her old world. The only difference was that one was in ancient costume and the other was in modern costume.


    The other three gangsters fainted when they saw that Scarface fainted, and let go of green bamboo. They gathered around Scarface and called "San Ye" in unison.


    Lu Zhu rushed to Zhao Ling''s side and checked her body up and down to see if she was injured. After seeing that she was not injured, she breathed a sigh of relief. She wanted to tie the veil back when Zhao Ling raised her hand to stop it. These people on the left and right had already seen her true face, and there was no need to hide it.


    Scarface finally woke up amidst the endless calls of the other hoodlums, and almost fainted after seeing the person who kicked him into the air.


    He had been in the capital for so long, and there was still a price for this kind of insight. Isn''t the tall and mighty man in front of him General Wuwei Fengze? He couldn''t help but cried out unlucky. He blamed himself for being too brave.


    On the road, he had accidentally heard someone saying that two stunning women walked into this abandoned alley. Thinking about two weak girls, and to take advantage of them, but he didn''t expect to meet someone as powerful as this. He didn''t account for it, and he was injured. The most terrible thing was to offend General Wuwei. Was there anything more tragic than this?


    The person who knew the current affairs was a junjie, and Scarface understood this principle. He knelt down to Fengze and begged for mercy. "The villain has eyes but no knowledge of Mount Tai. I don''t know if General Feng is here. He also asked General Feng to spare the villain. There is an 80-year-old mother on the villain, and an 8-year-old child underneath, please General Feng, spare my life!"


    Fengze frowned and seemed extremely impatient. What he dismissed most was that the big man kneeled down and begged for mercy without principle. Such a person simply insulted the word "man". He didn''t bother to look at them, waved his hand casually, and said, "Go away, don''t let me see you again in the future."


    The bronzed skin, the sharp facial features as sharp as a knife, and the frowning look, really look like Yuan Lie! Zhao Ling looked at Feng Ze and sighed secretly. She didn''t expect to meet familiar faces here. She felt so kind. She generously saluted Fengze and said, "Thank you, General Feng, for your help."


    Fengze saw that she did not have the tweaking of a typical boudoir daughter, and she did not hide the scars on her face in the slightest. Such a decent and generous woman was rare in Dasheng Dynasty.


    However, Feng Ze admired such a woman. Although she had a hideous scar on her face, Fengze felt that this didn''t hinder the girl''s charm. He came from a military command and had a straightforward personality. He was mostly tired of the hypocritical and shy women, but he didn''t care much about their appearances. Fengze couldn''t help feeling a little more towards Zhao Ling.


    He rarely softened his tone but said softly. "You don''t have to be polite. Are you hurt?"


    Zhao Ling shook his head and said. "No, it''s not a big problem. I don''t know where and how to contact the General Feng''s mansion. Since you are saving me today, I can come to thank you in the future."


    Fengze said indifferently. "You don''t need to worry about that, but I live in General Zhengxi''s Mansion in Xia Fengze. I don''t know where the girl''s mansion is, and it''s getting late. So, let''s quickly take you back to the mansion." For Zhao Ling, Fengze''s rare pity rose up her mind.


    "My name is Zhao Ling, and I live in Zhao Jiang''s mansion, so I have a general working style." Zhao Ling generously agreed. Seeing that the sky was going to darken soon, and there was still a long way to go back to her house, she decided it was not a bad thing to have a bodyguard around to protect her. Moreover, she rarely encountered a familiar face in this strange world, and naturally wanted to get close to him and understand more.


    The two talked as they walked, Green Bamboo followed behind them, and soon the three disappeared deep into the alley.


    Zhao Ling didn''t know. After she and Fengze walked away, a wheelchair slowly appeared at the entrance of the alley. Meng Yuan was sitting in the wheelchair. It was at the turn of day and night, his whole body was hidden in the flickering light. The dizziness of the time made his expression gloomy.


    A gust of wind blows, and a white yarn was blown up by the wind, and it lightly fell to his feet. He lowered his eyes, picked up the white scarf on the ground, and stared for a long time. This was the scarf tied on her face, but she took it off in front of another man, generously showing him the scar on her face. Although at that time, he also saw it.


    He heard her calling him "Yuan Lie". He wasn''t sure if it was these two words, but it sounded like a man''s name. So who is this Yuan Lie?


    Meng Yuan suddenly discovered that his future princess seemed to have many secrets, and he suddenly found that he regretted the request to delay the marriage date, and regretted why he didn''t show up earlier.


    After a long time, he gently spit out a few words. "Chang Dong, find those people and kill them."


    Scarface once thought that provoking Fengze was the worst thing in his life, but what was even worse was that he unknowingly provoked a man a hundred times more terrifying than Fengze.. He never had the chance to know. M

 Chapter 16 - Fengzhe, You Have Killed A Scholar [I]

    Fengze was the son of the Zhengxi general Chu Pingchuan, who had been stationed at Jinyang Pass in the northwestern border. He was born in a small town on the northwest border. When he was 8 years old, both his parents died under the iron cavalry of the Xiliang army.


    At that time, Chu Pingchuan had been married for several years, but he had been childless. Nevertheless he had a deep affection for his wife and determined not to accept any concubine. So he adopted the lonely and helpless lifestyle of his. Since the age of 15, Fengze had been guarding Jinyang Pass with Chu Pingchuan, rarely returning to his birth place. It had been 10 years.


    As Madame Chu grew older and was eager to think about grand children, Fengze was nearly 25 years old and still hadn''t married another woman yet. At the strong request of his wife, Chu Pingchuan asked Emperor Ming to transfer Fengze back to the capital.


    Emperor Mingd expressed his gratitude to Chu Pingchuan for his merits in guarding the northwest. After recalling Fengze to the capital, he was named the General in charge of Zuo Jinwuwei, and was responsible for daily security inspections in the capital. To be compared to the modern era, it was equivalent to the post of the captain of the imperial capital''s security brigade.


    Zhao Ling thought of Fengze''s serious and upright appearance, and felt that the old emperor of the Dasheng Dynasty was quite knowledgeable in assigning Fengze to the role if General.


    When Zhao Ruo learned that Zhao Ling had escaped safely in the alley that day, she also met General Wuwei Fengze, secretly crushing her teeth in anger.


    Although Chu Fengze was not born of General Chu Pingchuan, the Chu family treated him as if he had come out of them. It was said that Madame Chu could not have children. According to Chu Pingchuan''s undivided attitude towards his wife, it was unlikely that he would accept a concubine again in the future. Fengze was Chu. The only heir to the family. The Zhengxi General Mansion had guarded the northwest border for generations. Although it was not as good as the previous Xuanwang Mansion, it also had a considerable status.


    Zhao Ruo snarled angrily. If she had known this, why bother to lead those hoodlums to that alley. The more she wanted to get angry, she grabbed a glass bowl on the table and threw it to the ground fiercely. Now she only hoped that she was worrying too much, and Zhao Ling didn''t know that she was truly pregnant. Otherwise, why hadn''t she moved after so many days?


    If Zhao Ling knew what Zhao Ruo thought, she would definitely say, "You really think too much." She was not a person who must repay her. As a forensic doctor, she was accustomed to life and death, forming her indifferent personality. She never entangled the past, but paid more attention to the future. She would not take the initiative to harm others, but if someone wants to harm her and the people around her, she would never back down.


    And right now, she had a lot to do. The three-year scientific expedition of Dasheng Dynasty came, and all the candidates from all over the country gathered in the capital to participate in the examination. The business of Yipin Xuan and Luo Yufang became busy all of a sudden, and the opportunity to make money should naturally be seized.


    Fengze was even more busy. During the scientific expedition, the security problem in the capital was particularly important. He couldn''t get sloppy. He had just returned from the northwest and didn''t know much about the situation in the capital. Jin Wuwei also needed to adapt. Therefore, Fengze hadn''t met Zhao Ling since that day. Naturally, Fengze didn''t know that Zhao Ling was the woman whom the emperor bestowed marriage to prince Xuan.


    As a young general full of ambitions and promising future, how could he care about the gossip about who and whom the emperor gave to marry him? As long as the object of marriage was not his own.


    Just when Zhao Ling sighed that this kind of day of sleeping until he woke up naturally and counting money to get cramps was so pleasant, a burst of news, like a thunder in the sky, spread in the capital. One of the people died, and the murderer was Fengze.


    The matter originated in the dispute between literary and martial arts. Since Emperor Ming took the throne, Dasheng Dynasty had been following the path of equal emphasis on civil and military affairs. This was originally excellent, but after a long journey, it was inevitable that there would be stumbling reefs. Over the years, disputes between civilians and military generals had also occurred from time to time.


    On that day, in the most lively restaurant in Beizhi, Tiang, a group of Wenju people and a group of Wuju people quarreled because of a disagreement. The two sides had a quarrel at first, but the literati was good at debating, and there was a mention of knife in the words. How could a group of martial arts scholars be able to deal with it? Martial arts scholars believe that they could be killed but not humiliated.


    Hence, they raised their hands in combat as soon as anger came upon them, but the literati scholars did not show any weakness in backing down. The two factions scuffled and it frightened the shopkeeper who hurried to report the crime.


    When Fengze arrived at the scene, the whole place was out of control. Fengze had to resort to violence, using force to forcibly pull them away. Wuju people still respect Fengze, and when he persuaded them to stop fighting, they agreed. But there was a scholar who was beaten a few times by a certain martial artist, holding a grudge, and when the man let go and retreated to salute Fengze, he lifted a celadon vase and slammed it on the back of his head.


    Fengze took a look at the man, and became very angry. Originally, he didn''t have a good impression of these literate scholars who were full of themselves. Now, seeing that the scholar was so insidious that he actually carried out a sneak attack behind another martial scholar, he pushed the martial artist away and threw the literati scholar to the ground with a palm of his hand.


    But after the scholar fell to the ground, he never woke up, he died like this.

 Chapter 17 - Fengzhe, You Have Killed A Scholar [II]

    Fengze was really angry. He didn''t use his full strength with this palm at all, and the scholar did not seem to be a weak person, how could he die so easily?


    But there was no other way. The facts were in front of them. The scholar indeed fell to the ground after being slapped by Fengze. Everyone on the scene could testify, especially as more and more literati and scholars gathered. Although Juren had the heart to defend Fengze, he was powerless. The Kyoto Prefecture Yin, who hurriedly arrived, had no choice but to go with the fact he could see and escort Fengze to face justice.


    Due to the status of Fengze and Zhengxi General Mansion, Kyoto Prefecture Yin asked himself to be the master, so he could only report to the Criminal Ministry. Dong Runnian, the Shangshu of the Criminal Ministry, was an old fox. Seeing that the matter was tricky, he easily pushed the matter to Lu Ziqing, the servant of the Criminal Ministry. Lu Ziqing was the son of Lu Hengshan, the head of the dynasty, who would not give it to him.


    Dong Runnian smiled kindly at Lu Ziqing, but Lu Ziqing cursed in his heart. He hated this but no matter how hot the case was, he could only accept it. As the son of the chief assistant of the current court, he was appointed to an important position in the court at a young age, and there were too many people staring at him. He had no choice but to settle the case smoothly and satisfactorily.


    It was just that Lu Ziqing didn''t expect that he encountered a problem right from the beginning. The huge Penalty Department actually didn''t have any useful work.


    The original veteran, Qin Lin, due to his advanced age, returned to his hometown a few days ago, and the new actor has not yet arrived. Now the Ministry of Criminal Justice temporarily held the post of a veteran, Qin Niansheng, the apprentice Qin Lin accepted three years ago.


    Three years ago, Qin Niansheng was 12 years old. He was in the beggars in the capital, fighting every day. He was a standard bad boy. That winter, he inadvertently offended a ground snake. He was beaten to death and lay dying in the snow. It was Qin Lin who rescued him. Since then, he had been by Qin Lin''s side. He just became his apprentice, and followed him to learn autopsy techniques.


    However, he was stubborn in nature and lacking in qualitative nature. He leaned on Qin Lin''s side, more to have a full meal, and no longer need to eat and sleep. Therefore, after 3 years of studying, Qin Niansheng didn''t even master the technique of autopsy. He could only lay hands on Lao Hao Zuo, and now let him do an independent autopsy, he could detect a ghost.


    The successor to Qin Lin''s work had to be postponed due to a sudden illness, but the imperial examination was approaching, and this case brooked no delay. So Qin Nian spent his days in Lu Ziqing''s black face and the gloomy morgue, and it was really like a year.


    That day, he was trying to look through Qin Lin''s previous autopsy file, hoping to get a little bit of revelation, but he suddenly heard a report from the guard that someone was looking for him at the door. He came to the door with his messy hair and sleepy eyes. He saw a handsome gray-robed boy smiling at him. After thinking for a long time, he didn''t seem to know him. He curiously asked: "You are looking for me?"


    The boy smiled and said to him: "Are you Qin Niansheng Qin Gongzi?"


    Young Master Qin? Qin Nian was happy, this name sounds good, no one has ever called him that. So pretending to be old-fashioned, he answered, "Exactly, what is it you''re looking for?"


    The boy still smiled and said, "Master Qin, my master has something to show you, please come with me."


    Such a polite boy, the owner must be no different. Qin Niansheng thought for a while, followed the young man, and followed him to a carriage on the corner of the street.


    The boy stood outside the car curtain and said to the inside: "Master, Master Qin is here."


    "Yeah." There was a soft response from inside the carriage, and then the curtain was lifted, and a white-clothed boy came down. The person was as pale as the moon, handsome and elegant, with a white jade mask on his face, which looks mysterious and dusty. Qin Niansheng was dumbfounded for a while.


    "I took the liberty to ask Brother Qin to come out. I am abrupt. Please forgive me." The gentle voice of the white-clothed man made Qin Niansheng dizzy, and suddenly he didn''t know where he was. He was taken aback for a moment, and asked suspiciously, "Young man, do we know each other?"


    "Isn''t the relationship between people the most important?" The young man in white said with a smile on his face, "In Xia Moxin, I heard that little brother Qin has encountered a problem recently, and I believe I can help you."


    This white-robed boy was actually Zhao Ling who is disguised as a man, and the gray-robed boy was no other than Green Bamboo. Zhao Ling heard about the incident in Tianxianglou, and also knew that Fengze was imprisoned by the Criminal Ministry. She always felt that Fengze would not be such a senseless person. As a martial artist, the mastery of strength should be easy. Moreover, the chance of death from a simple takedown with one hand was very rare, unless the scholar himself had a physical problem.


    But without seeing the scholar''s body, any speculation was in vain. So she deliberately inquired about the results of an autopsy conducted by the Xing Department, but accidentally learned that the Xing Department was currently lacking experienced medical examiner, and the only Xiao Hao, Qin Niansheng, was in trouble.


    In the Dasheng dynasty, the work was not quite valued. So there were not many people willing to take up the work of examiner. Most of them were people who lived in poverty and did not have a regular means of taking care of their families. They only wanted a stable job and a fixed income. Few people treated it as a subject or profession. No wonder, as long as there was a way, no one wants to live in front of all kinds of dead people every day.


    Not to mention women. Zhao Ling dared to guarantee that if she asked to go to the Criminal Department for an autopsy under the prestige of Miss Zhao Jiang''s mansion, in addition to Xuanwangfu, she would definitely take the opportunity to divorce, and maybe she would be swept out of the Jiang''s house. The eldest daughter of the Jiang Mansion actually went to do the work that she did. Isn''t this a naked disgrace of the Jiang Mansion? So, after thinking about it for a long time, she decided to dress up as a man to meet Qin Niansheng.


    "You can do a post-mortem? Are you a widow?" Qin Niansheng looked at the handsome young man in white, with a look of disbelief. The young man in front of him looked like a scholar with a literary style, how could he be like a workman who dealt with corpses all day long?


    "Believe it or not, I will know when I have seen the corpse. Brother Qin can be rest assured that I will not harm him, but will only help " Zhao Ling hoped to dispel his doubts as much as possible, and then said, "It''s been two days. Can you keep the corpse in cold storage? We need to understand his previous medical history and eating conditions before his death. Has Brother Qin already performed an autopsy on the corpse, and has his internal organs been tested for poisons?"


    "Not yet." Qin Niansheng was stunned when he heard it. Of course, he knew that an autopsy was an effective way to find the real cause of death. Unfortunately, he didn''t have the skills right now to perform one. Didn''t he have yet to learn it? However, it seemed that this young man appeared to really know that kind of thing. Since he couldn''t do it by himself, he decided it wass okay to give the boy a try.


    So Qin Niansheng agreed to accept Zhao Ling''s help for an autopsy, but in the name of Qin Niansheng.

 Chapter 18 - Autopsy Of The Dead [I]

    These two were brothers? Lu Ziqing glanced sharply at Zhao Ling and Qin Niansheng who were standing in front of her. One was the elegant Young Master Pianpian, and the other was a sloppy boy with a gray-headed face. Were these two people surely taught by a master? Why was this person wearing a half-mask? Could it be that he couldn''t show his true self?


    But at the moment he couldn''t control so much. Whether it was true or not, it was left to be discussed later. First, they had to solve the current problem. The body had been in the morgue for two days, and it would only be more difficult to drag it any longer.


    Zhao Ling looked at Lu Ziqing''s eyes. This was the youngest third-rank senior official of the Dasheng Dynasty on the record, and he was really impressive. He wore a purple official uniform, his face was stern and restrained, but his sharp eyes reveal his shrewdness. It was as if he could see through the secrets of one''s heart at a glance, leaving one with nowhere to hide.


    This person was difficult to deal with. Knowing that Qin Niansheng was like this, shouldn''t she dress herself a little sloppy? Zhao Ling straightened his expression and saluted Lu Ziqing with a calm expression. "Cao Min Mo Xin, I greet Master Lu."


    Lu Ziqing knew that he always had a dark face and was unsmiling. Most people couldn''t help but feel a little scared when they saw him. Today, seeing that Mo Xin was able to look straight at him so calmly, made him gave a nod of appreciation. At least, she had a bit of courage to himself.


    "You don''t need to be polite." He said coldly. "Since you are Qin Lin''s apprentice, let the officer go to the morgue."


    The morgue was built in the basement to the north of the Criminal Department, where the temperature was low and the corpse was easy to preserve. When she walked to the door, a cold wind blew through. Zhao Ling looked at Luzhu who was pale and so frightened, and became worried. So she asked her to wait outside the door, but Lu Zhu loyally insisted to accompany her in.


    Entering the door, walking down a dozen stone steps, they saw neatly arranged morgue beds, divided into two rows, 5 in each row. Zhao Ling stopped and said to Luzhu, "Azhu, take out the contents of the bag."


    The name Azhu was unisex, which should not make people suspicious of her identity.


    Lu Zhu carried a blue cloth baggage in her hand. After she opened it, she took out a weird lake-blue dress and put it on Zhao Ling. The cotton and linen material was put in from the front hands and bound with a belt at the back of the waist. The clothes were very plump, covering the whole body, making Zhao Ling''s figure more petite.


    Everyone had never seen this weird costume before, and looked at her strangely. Lu Zhu took out a mask of the same color and put it on the face of Zhao Ling, and then took out a pair of white gloves to put on her. As a result, Zhao Ling showed only a small half of her face and a pair of eyes.


    After being fully dressed, she nodded to Qin Niansheng and said, "Go ahead."


    Qin Niansheng also put on a mask, walked to one of the beds in the upper left corner, and lifted the white cloth covering it, revealing a naked male corpse. The corpse had been parked for two days and it had begun to smell like a corpse.


    Although Lu Ziqing also wore a mask, she couldn''t help but frown. The several government officials next to him also turned their heads sideways, not daring to look directly, and Lu Zhu''s face was even paler. Alternately, nausea and vomiting.


    This was Zhao Ling''s first real post-mortem since she came to this world. Standing so fully armed in front of a corpse, she immediately found the sense of professionalism she hadn''t seen for a long time, and felt that the cells all over her body began to work. Luzhu looked at her lady''s eyes shining at a corpse incredulously, and thought sadly "It''s over. My lady has lost her senses in the fire? Why is she so abnormal?


    Zhao Ling didn''t have the time to take care of other people''s thoughts. She was bending down and concentrating on examining the corpse in front of her.


    "The deceased, male, aged 20-23 years old, height..." Zhao Ling paused, she converted according to the measured size here, and continued. "About 6 feet, judging from the corpse spots, the time of death Because..." She wanted to say 40-48 hours, but when she thought about it wrong, she changed her words. "About 24 hours, that is, two days ago."


    Zhao Ling''s tone was flat and slowly said without a trace of emotion. She squinted and glanced at Qin Niansheng who was standing by the side, frowning and said. "You write it down."


    Qin Niansheng''s mind has been in a vacuum since Zhao Ling bent down and the autopsy started. He was calmed by the light in Zhao Ling''s eyes and thought, "This is professional!"


    Hearing Zhao Ling''s instructions suddenly, he immediately responded subconsciously. "Yes." He picked up the brush record, as if it was a matter of course to follow her instructions.


    Zhao Ling continued to examine the body. "Slightly cloudy eyes, no abnormalities in the nasal cavity and external auditory canal, pale lip mucosa, no damage. The teeth are intact, with a few black objects in the interdental space. No damage is seen on the neck. There is a slight bruise on the left chest, which is initially judged to be caused by external forces. Cause, but not fatal. No abnormalities were found in the lower body."


    Zhao Ling looked at the deceased''s lower body as usual. Green bamboo who was on the side saw it accidentally, and almost screamed. She hurriedly covered her mouth and hid to the side. Lu Ziqing and Qin Niansheng also showed a trace of embarrassment.


    Zhao Ling ignored them. She was carefully examining the palm of the deceased. When she checked the palm of his right hand, she paused for a while, looked at Lu Ziqing and asked, "Is the deceased a person from Wenju?"


    Lu Ziqing was bewildered by Zhao Ling''s serious demeanor during the autopsy. He suddenly heard her question. His always sharp eyes were stunned for an instant, but it was also a flash of bewilderment. Then he nodded and said. "That''s right, it has been with the candidate list. After checking, it is Du Yu, the eldest son of Suzhou Duyuan Foreign Affairs."


    Zhao Ling thought a little, and said to him, "Come and take a look."

 Chapter 19 - Autopsy Of The Dead [II]

    The tone of non-rejection was slightly tough, but Lu Ziqing didn''t care about it. He walked up to her, and Zhao Ling said, "Look at his right palm."


    Lu Ziqing was also an exquisite and thorough person. After Zhao Ling reminded him, he immediately saw the doubt. "He was not a scholar!"


    Ruzi could teach! Zhao Ling nodded and said. "From the distribution of calluses on his palm, it looks like he has held a sword for many years."


    Lu Ziqing glared at Qin Niansheng with a dark face, and said coldly. "Such superficial things can''t be detected, so do I dare to say that you''re a fake?"


    Qin Niansheng gave him an innocent look, lowered his head and abdomen, and said. "Did I ever say that I was a fake artist? I have been emphasizing that I am a starter!"


    The surface of the body was normal, and indeed the cause of death could not be detected. Zhao Ling asked Qin Niansheng. "Do you have a scalpel?"


    Qin Niansheng replied in a whisper. "There are yes, but...it seems to be rusty..."


    Speaking of later, the voice became low, a little lack of confidence. Why was it a bit embarrassing? But could this be blamed on him? It was rarely used even when the master was here.


    Hearing that, Lu Ziqing''s face turned darker. Zhao Ling said helplessly to Green Bamboo. "Azhu, give me the knife in the bag."


    Lu Zhu said bitterly, "Little...Young Master, you don''t really want to do that anatomy, do you?"


    Lu Ziqing''s eyes flashed, and he glanced at the master and servant a few times, thoughtfully.


    Zhao Ling nodded to Luzhu, motioning her to take it out quickly. Lu Zhu reluctantly handed her a thin and sharp dagger. This is the first scalpel that Zhao Ling drew by herself and made here. It just happened to be used to try it smoothly.


    She pressed her left hand on the chest of the deceased, and lowered the knife with her right hand. The blade ran a straight line in the middle of the chest. A little black blood leaked from the knife edge, and then a bloody air spread across the room.


    When Zhao Ling opened the corpse''s chest, Lu Zhu''s face was already white and couldn''t be whiter. Now that she smelled the smell of blood, she turned her head and leaned down, could not help but retched. The tough-looking people appeared to be in discomfort, and turned their faces one after another.


    "If you can''t stand it, go outside." Zhao Ling said faintly, but the movements in his hands did not stop.


    "Little...Young Master, I..." Lu Zhu couldn''t stand it anymore, and she rushed to the outside when she heard the sound of vomiting. After a while, the two government officials also ran outside the door.


    In the morgue, apart from Zhao Ling, who focused on the post-mortem examination, there were only Lu Ziqing who watched Zhao Ling looking through the internal organs of the deceased intently, and Qin Niansheng, who had a pale face struggling to write.


    After a whole hour of inspection, and by examining all the organs of the deceased''s brain, heart, stomach, lungs, kidneys, and intestines one by one, Zhao Ling finally came to the conclusion that the deceased died of acute pulmonary embolism. Respiratory failure, the cause of acute pulmonary embolism should be some external cause, because the deceased was healthy and free from disease. So were these black substances in the teeth gaps?


    Zhao Ling looked at the few black particles wrapped in the white handkerchief and thought, "This should be some kind of medicine, but what exactly is the composition of the medicine?"


    She needed to conduct further tests. But she was not sure whether it could be verified. It was because the conditions here were too simple and lacked equipment and tools.


    In this way, the deceased may have died of poisoning. But who was he? Why fake Du Yu''s identity? Where was the real Du Yu? This matter seemed to be getting more and more complicated, and Lu Ziqing fell into contemplation.


    But today was finally a great day. Not only did he find out the real cause of death, but more importantly, he eliminated Fengze''s suspicion in this way. This was the most important thing. In the past few days, under the pressure of General Zhengxi''s Mansion, Lu Ziqing was still a little tired.


    Next, the first thing he had to do was to check Du Yu''s whereabouts and the real identity of the deceased.


    After two days in prison in the Criminal Ministry, Fengze was acquitted. He heard that it was Qin Niansheng''s senior brother Mo Xin who helped him remove the suspicion. He insisted on seeing him, determined to thank him face to face. So he took Qin Niansheng to look for someone in the Criminal Ministry.


    At this time, Zhao Ling was being aggressively questioned by Lu Ziqing in the side hall of the Xing Department.


    Lu Ziqing is such a shrewd person. Since he discovered the clues in the morgue, he had seen through the fact that both Zhao Ling who was Luzhu''s master, and the servant, were both female companions in men''s clothing.


    At this moment, he stared at Zhao Ling with scorching eyes, and asked, "Who are you? Why do you pretend to be Qin Niansheng''s senior and a woman pretends to be a man in the Criminal Ministry?" He had sent people to investigate Qin Lin. Except for Qin Niansheng, he basically had no second apprentice.


    Zhao Ling cried secretly. "This Lu Ziqing is really not easy to fool, has he seen through it so quickly?" She thought she was dressed a lot like this. It was just that she couldn''t tell him her true identity anyway. This was not only related to Zhao Jiang''s Mansion, but also related to Xuan Wang''s Mansion, and she couldn''t afford the consequences.


    So she could only smile apologetically, and said to Lu Ziqing. "Lord Lu, please forgive me, I really can''t tell you about my identity for the time being, but master Lu can be rest assured that there is no malice in me. I just intervened in this matter to help a deceased person."


    "You can''t tell me who you are?" Lu Ziqing asked with a frown.


    Zhao Ling still shook his head, "I can''t reveal too much, please forgive me, Master Lu."


    "Do you think I can''t find out if you don''t say it?" Lu Ziqing said coldly.


    Zhao Ling smiled and said, "I feel that what Master Lu has to do now shouldn''t be here to discuss my identity. Isn''t the identity of the deceased more important?"


    Lu Ziqing snorted coldly. When he saw there was nothing to ask at the moment, he walked away, thinking about going to Qin Niansheng to find out about the situation.. He didn''t believe that he could not find out the true identity of Mo Xin.

 Chapter 20 - Long Time No See, Cousin Mingyu

    When Zhao Ling came out of the Criminal Department, he encountered Fengze who had been waiting at the door.


    When Feng Ze saw her, he greeted her with a smile, and said, "You must be brother Mo Xinmo. I heard that you were responsible for removing the suspicion on me of killing Feng. Feng is very grateful."


    Zhao Ling was still dressed as a man, with a white jade mask on her face. The style was simple and straightforward, and Fengze did not recognize her as a woman dressed as a man. Of course, he didn''t know that she was the Zhao Ling that he was thinking of.


    Fengze insisted on asking Mo Xin to go to a nearby teahouse to talk to each other. Since Zhao Ling couldn''t get rid of him, so she agreed. The two walked side by side on the way to the teahouse, followed by green bamboo whose face was still not very pretty.


    Looking at their backs going away, on the window seat on the second floor of the restaurant opposite, two young men, one black and the other white, were sitting opposite each other and drinking. It was Meng Yuan and Yun Yi. Yun Yi looked at Meng Yuanheng on the opposite side jokingly, and said jokingly: "A Heng, it seems that your future princess is not going easy at all."


    Meng Yuan was always cold and his expression was cold too, his black eyes were bottomless, and he couldn''t display the slightest emotion in them.


    Zhao Ling was a bit tired. It was just that the finger joints holding the tea bowl turned white, holding a cup of tea in her hand for a long time, and she couldn''t drink it anymore.


    After Fengze was released from prison, he devoted himself to busy daily inspections. Although he sometimes wanted to find Zhao Ling in Zhao mansion, it was not easy for a girl who had not been out of the cabinet to look for her all the time. He also wanted to chat with Mo Xin. He always felt that he had an inexplicable sense of familiarity with Mo Xin. Chatting with him made him very comfortable, but he really couldn''t spare the time.


    Lu Ziqing was also too busy to look after Mo Xin''s identity for a while. There were only less than ten days before the scientific examination. During this period, the security of the capital was really important. In addition to the fake Du Yu, Emperor Ming was furious and ordered the Criminal Department to conduct a thorough investigation.


    Lu Ziqing really did his best to investigate. He sent someone to Dujiacha in Suzhou and checked at the inn where his son was staying. The black particles found during Zhao Ling''s autopsy were found to be inconclusive, and no results were found. The government officer sent to Suzhou took at least 10 days to come back, so he now feels weak and frustrated.


    Of course, Zhao Ling didn''t know Fengze''s thoughts. She had a good impression of Fengze. One big reason was that Fengze and Yuan Lie look alike, which made her feel kind in another world. This kind of affection had nothing to do with men and women. Affection. In terms of emotions, Zhao Ling was indifferent and free, never deliberately pursuing, but also accepting frankly. Now she had given in marriage to King Xuan, so she has no other thoughts for the time being.


    She couldn''t help Lu Ziqing either. As a forensic doctor, all she had to do was to speak for the corpse, and she could not do anything else. It was just that the quality of the work here seemed to be worse than that. Since she wanted to live here, should she find a way to do something? Zhao Ling thought while rubbing a newly made set of scalpels.


    Lu Zhu and Mother Xu were shocked watching from the side. Lu Zhu looked puzzled and said, "Miss, why have you become different from before?"


    They didn''t even know each other anymore. Where was the coward young lady who used to be with them.


    Zhao Ling smiled slightly, and asked wittyly, "So, do you like the old lady or the current lady?"


    "Of course it is the current lady." the two said in unison. Although the appearance of the current young lady has been ruined, she had become calm and wise. Especially when she was doing things seriously, the look in her eyes wass not generally attractive.


    "That''s not it." Zhao Ling raised her eyebrows.


    What Lu Ziqing did not expect was that three days later, the government official sent to Suzhou did not return, but Du Yang, the second son of the Du family, came to Wuzhen. There was also a gentle and elegant young man in white clothes with him. Lu Ziqing saw him. Xie Mingyu, the world-famous "Master Mingyu".


    Suzhou Xie Family was a scholarly family. The Bishan Academy it founded had a long history and was well-known throughout the country. No one knew know how many students were proud of entering Bishan Academy. Xie Mingyu was the most outstanding member of the Xie family''s young generation. He was calm and became literary at a young age. In recent years, he had gradually began to help with the affairs of Bishan Academy, and he looked like the head of the next metabolite. Therefore, Lu Ziqing didn''t dare to neglect the two of them. Hearing that they had come, he led them to the morgue to identify the bodies.


    Du''s family was also one of the largest families in Suzhou. Du Yu was the son of Du''s family. He studied with Lao Songyue at Bishan Academy. Three years ago, he studied at the Du family''s out-of-city courtyard and concentrated on preparing for this. Session test. Unexpectedly, a few months before the scientific examination, Du Yu suddenly disappeared in the other hospital. Du''s family inquired about his where about in many ways, but there was no news.


    A few days ago, they suddenly heard that there was a life case in the capital and that a Juren named Du Yu died. The Du family was shocked and immediately sent Du Yang to the capital to recognize the person.


    Although Lu Ziqing had long known that the deceased was not Du Yu, he still felt a little heavy on hearing Du Yang''s denial. Sure enough, this case was more complicated than expected. Now that Du Yu was missing again, his life and death situations were uncertain. It was really a wave of unrest. Now the only way was to start the investigation from the identity of the deceased, but the crowd was so big, it was not going to be easy.


    Du Yang confirmed that the deceased was not his eldest brother Du Yu, and went back to Suzhou both happy and worried. It was always a good thing not to see the corpse for a day. What he was worried about was that the eldest brother had been missing for so long and there was still no news.


    Xie Mingyu stayed in the capital. He came to the capital this time, first, to accompany Du Yang to recognize the corpse. The Xie family had been in good relationship with the Du family for many years, and Du Yu was a student of Bishan Academy. Although Du Yu was usually a bit arrogant and did not suit Xie Mingyu''s appetite, he still had to accompany him in terms of the friendship between the two families.


    The second thing was for him to see Zhao Ling. He remembered the first time he saw his cousin, he was 13 years old, and she was only 3 years old. At that time, his aunt died of illness. He followed his father from Suzhou to Beijing and saw one girl under a crabapple tree in the Garden of the Guogong Mansion. The little girl yelled "mother", crying silently.


    At that time he hugged her and coaxed her, her tears and nose misted him all over. Later, he saw her twice. When was it? Xie Mingyu couldn''t remember very much. In his impression, Zhao Ling was a small, crying little girl. Every time she saw him, she liked to pull his sleeves and look at him with big black and white eyes, reluctant to bear it whenever he was about to leave. Now she should be 18 years old. He wondered what happened to the crying little girl back then?


    When Xie Mingyu saw Zhao Ling, she couldn''t overlap the veiled woman in front of her, who called herself "cousin" softly, and the tear-stained, pitiful little girl in his impression. She was confident, calm and gentle. With a calm appearance like this, where was the shadow of childhood?


    In fact, Zhao Ling was a little excited to see Xie Mingyu. In the memory of the original owner, Xie Mingyu had always occupied an important position in her heart. She had always remembered that when she was 3 years old, her mother died suddenly, and she was crying under one of her favorite begonia blossom trees in her life. A jade-like teenager picked her up, coaxed her, and let her lean on his shoulders. Every time her uncle came to visit her at the National Palace, Cui did not dare to bully her. Therefore, in the memory of the original owner, Xie Mingyu was a general existence of a healing system.


    After many years, this year, Xie Mingyu should be 28 years old. Zhao Ling was surprised to find that Xie Mingyu''s appearance had not changed much. He still looked like a jade in his impression, but it had added a bit of maturity and calmness, making him look more attractive.


    However, it was amazing that such a handsome young man had not yet married a wife at the age of 28, and there was no object to discuss marriage.


    Could it be a habit of breaking sleeves? Zhao Ling thought secretly. If so, how many unmarried women in Dasheng would be sad by this?

 Chapter 21 - Officers, Arrest The Suspicious Mo Xin

    This scientific expedition finally ended smoothly, and all relevant personnel including Ming Dedi breathed a sigh of relief.


    After the palace exam, Emperor Ming personally approved the top three in this division. The number one scholar Li Wenzheng, the son of Suzhou''s richest man Li Jiuhua, the second-placed Cheng Siqian, the son of Chengxiu, the official book of the official minister, the son of Tanhua Yang Han, and the famous Luoshan Yang family from Dasheng. All three had studied at Bishan Academy. After that, there were also Jinshi and several people.


    On this day, the sky was clear and the sun was shining brightly, and the most lively Zhuque Street in Shengjing was crowded with people, and the alleys were empty. Just because Jinke''s top three were going to ride horses here.


    In the elegant seat by the window on the second floor of Qingyouju, three young people in different dresses were drinking tea. The man in white clothes and a half white jade mask on his face is Zhao Ling dressed in men''s clothing. Next to him sat a white dress and Zhilan Yushu. Like Xie Mingyu, opposite was a serious style. The three of them drank light tea and looked at the parade group slowly approaching under the window.


    In the Dasheng Dynasty, there were very few unmarried women who went out with young men in the hall, so Zhao Ling decided to show up in men''s clothing.


    Three tall horses, each with three men in red robes and black gauze sitting on top of them, surrounded by a group of imperial armours in armor, rode triumphantly in the spring breeze. They were handsome, and were looking back and forth on both sides of the street, bowing their hands to passers-by.


    "Brother Mingyu''s opinion on this top three?" Fengze looked at Xie Mingyu and asked seriously.


    Xie Mingyu drank a sip of tea, and said without any haste: "If you are a student, Yang Han is still the highest among the three."


    It was only one of the considerations in any scientific examination. For a ruler of a dynasty, he had to consider too many factors, and the most important one was balance. The distribution of the top three rankings involves the checks and balances of multiple forces. Only when the standing was well balanced could a country go on steadily.


    As a straight-forward military commander, Fengze had never been interested in scientific research. He simply looked down on those who were unscrupulous for fame and fortune. Feeling like he was asking a boring question, he turned to Zhao Ling and said, "What is Brother Mo up to recently? I went to Qin Yuzuo several times to find out your whereabouts, but he didn''t tell me."


    Facing Mo Xin, Fengze''s tone softened unconsciously, and Xie Mingyu glanced at him inadvertently, with a little surprise.


    Zhao Ling gave a dry smile and replied, "It''s okay. I just have to go and visit Master for a while. I have been traveling abroad in recent years. I haven''t seen Master for a long time."


    She couldn''t say that these days, she had been discussing life philosophy and career planning with a certain beautiful man in the Jiang Mansion every day, and she could only find an excuse.


    "Brother Mo''s ability in autopsy is so brilliant, it''s really admirable." Fengze sighed sincerely.


    The Penalty Department of the dignified Dasheng Dynasty did not have a handy work, and it would be embarrassing to say it. From Fengze''s point of view, anyone with a skill was worthy of respect. It was a pity that the post had never been taken seriously, resulting in very few outstanding talents. It was really rare for a person like Mo Xin with such a temperament to be willing to learn autopsy techniques and have such attainments.


    After Zhao Ling talked with Xie Mingyu during this period, he also had a preliminary idea in his heart.


    In fact, Xie Mingyu had a third thing to do in Beijing this time, and that was to open the Shengjing branch of Bishan Academy here. According to Xie Mingyu''s idea, although Bishan Academy had a long history and a great reputation, it lacked innovation and was somewhat self-proclaimed. Therefore, he wants to open a branch in Shengjing according to his own ideas, and do something in terms of enrollment, disciplines, and education methods. change. Before coming to the capital, he had a long talk with his father, Jushi Song Yue, and fully consulted his grandfather, Mr. Rong. After getting the consent of the two elders, he took this opportunity to come to the capital for an on-site inspection.


    Zhao Ling thought, given that Da Sheng''s job as a post was unhappy, maybe she could use this opportunity to open a course in forensic medicine or anatomy at Bishan College, and arouse the world''s attention to this profession. Of course, this was just an unformed idea in Zhao Ling''s heart. She knew that there would be a long way to go if this plan was to be implemented.


    The three of them were chatting and drinking tea when they suddenly heard a few screams from under the window. What happened? The three of them looked at each other, got up and leaned against the window to have a look of what really happened!


    They saw the champion man Li Wenzheng who was proud of the spring breeze of the horse, just now lying under the horse covered in blood. Cheng Siqian and Yang Han stayed there, looking at Li Wenzheng in a pool of blood with horror. One was wearing a green cloth shirt. The ordinary-looking young man stood aside with a blood-stained dagger in his hand, surrounded by the imperial forest regiment who reacted immediately.


    Fengze was shocked, and jumped down from the window.


    It was convenient to be able to work lightly! Zhao Ling sighed secretly, and immediately flew downstairs with Xie Mingyu.


    Upon arriving at the scene, the man in Tsing Yi had been restrained by Fengze and was escorted by two soldiers from the Imperial Forest Army. He didn''t struggle, just staring at Li Wenzheng on the ground.


    Zhao Ling approached Li Wenzheng who was lying in a pool of blood, knelt down to check his injuries, frowning slightly. He was injured in the waist and abdomen, his spleen was ruptured, and he was dead. She shook her head to Xie Mingyu and said, "Dead."


    Hearing this, the man in Tsing Yi suddenly laughed. Zhao Ling''s intuition was different. He looked up and saw his abnormal expression. With a thought, he hurriedly shouted, "Hurry up and grab him!"


    It''s a pity that it was too late. As soon as he gritted his teeth, his body slowly slumped to the ground, and he lost consciousness after a while.


    Zhao Ling stepped forward to check the man''s condition, and asked Fengze to watch the scene, paying attention to whether there were any suspicious people at the scene.


    The man in Tsing Yi was dead. There were no obvious wounds on his body. Everything on the surface of the body was normal, and it seemed to resemble the death of fake Du Yu.


    While she was concentrating on the inspection, Lu Ziqing hurried to the office with the criminal department clerk when she received the report. When Lu Ziqing learned about the situation at the scene, his face instantly turned black. The fake Du Yu case was there and they hadn''t got a clue, but now the newly-appointed champion of the emperor had also died, and this impact was even more serious.


    Li Wenzheng was probably the most unlucky number one scholar in the history of the Dasheng Dynasty. He died in less than a day. It was a tragedy on earth.


    Lu Ziqing felt even more depressed when she saw Mo Xin, who was looking at the murderer''s body. Whether it was the fake Du Yu or the Mo Xin in front of him, he couldn''t find out their true identities. For a moment, he felt that the Mo Xin that emerged out of nowhere was suspicious.


    He sullenly said: "Take away the two corpses, and take away all the suspicious people here." After a pause, he pointed to Zhao Ling and said: "Also, take this person away. Take him with them."


    Who? Zhao Ling looked at Lu Ziqing in disbelief. Is Lu Ziqing taking me down now? Is his brain okay?


    "May I ask why Master Lu he''s arresting me?" Zhao Ling asked calmly.


    Lu Ziqing said slowly: "The officer said, take down all the suspicious people. I thinks you are unidentified and suspicious."


    Zhao Ling was helpless. If she had known this, she should first discuss with Xie Mingyu, and get a fake identity for Xie Mingyu to help confirm it. If she wanted to come to Master Mingyu''s reputation, no one would question it. But now she still had a chance to confront Xie Mingyu''s caliber?


    "Master Lu, you have no basis, how can you take people away at will?" Xie Mingyu stopped. Only he knew Mo Xin''s true identity. If Mo''er were taken away by Lu Ziqing, the consequences would be disastrous due to her identity.


    Feng Ze also stared at Lu Ziqing disapprovingly, guarding in front of Zhao Ling, obviously trying to face Lu Ziqing.


    Lu Ziqing was used to being strong, and he never take back the orders easily. He ignored the two people''s stopping him, and continued to solemnly command to the yaman on the side. "What are you all waiting for? Why don''t you take him?"


    Just as Yacha stepped forward to take down Zhao Ling, and Fengze and Xie Mingyu were about to turn towards him, a low and dull male voice came: "This king''s man, who dares to take him!"

 Chapter 22 - King Xuans Support

    "The king''s person, who dares!"


    With a low, majestic voice, the words were clearly heard in everyone''s ears. Following the prestige, an expressionless teenager came into view, slowly pushing a wheelchair.


    In the wheelchair sat a young man, wearing a black brocade robe, black hair tied around him, casually draped behind him. He had sword eyebrows and starry eyes, and a thin face.


    Even though he was sitting in a wheelchair, his back was straight, which didn''t affect him. The heroic posture was glaring for everyone to see. His cold gaze fell directly on Lu Ziqing, and he was obviously raising his head slightly, but it was a condescending aura.


    Zhao Ling was stunned for a moment. This cold and lonely man caught her eyes like that, as if everything around her no longer existed, only his black-clothed and black-haired figure was left in her eyes. Her heart suddenly missed a beat.


    Who was this? Did he know her? She immediately denied that she was Mo Xin now, a character she had made up. But how could she know such a character who could claim to be "the king"?


    Wait a minute, the prince in a wheelchair? Could it be...


    Immediately, Lu Ziqing''s words confirmed her guess. It was rare for Lu Ziqing to lower his posture, and said to the man in the wheelchair: "I have seen King Xuan."


    The palace of Xuan Dynasty defended the province and the country, fought against foreign enemies, and the world admired how many soldiers died on the battlefield. Although Lu Ziqing regarded himself highly, he still respected the palace of Xuan.


    Meng Yuan said with a light expression: "The Ministry of Punishment seems to be getting worse and worse, and it will only catch some irrelevant people for the worst."


    Lu Ziqing''s face was pale when he heard this, but he couldn''t have any seizures. Only he himself knew that the current Criminal Department was indeed as the King Xuan said. It was very inefficient and there were few people who could use it. That was why his father would put himself in the Criminal Department because it would be easier to make achievements in such a place.


    However, as a servant of the Criminal Ministry, he was ridiculed in the public in this way, and no one would feel comfortable, let alone a strong person like Lu Ziqing. His face was uncertain, and after a while of silence, he said: "This case is not trivial. The officer just doesn''t want to let anyone suspicious. It''s just that the prince said that Mo Xin is yours. What does this mean?"


    "This king said yes, or do you want me to explain it to you?" Meng Yuan''s tone remained cold and unchanging.


    Lu Ziqing was perplexed for a while and didn''t know how to answer the question, but Zhao Ling probably guessed that King Xuan was here to help her.


    Although Zhao Ling couldn''t understand the reason for this, but with such a great opportunity, she would be a fool if she didn''t seize the opportunity. If Lu Ziqing was to take her to the Criminal Ministry, should she tell him her true identity? The consequences would be disastrous.


    So she immediately walked to Meng Yuan and bowed respectfully to him and said, "Thank you, Lord, for breaking the siege, otherwise I will be like General Feng and eat the prison food for a few days."


    Feng Ze coldly snorted to Lu Ziqing whose facial expression was quite ugly. But he still insisted on asking Zhao Ling: "Mo Xin, since you are from the Xuan Palace, why did you hide your identity in the first place and pretend to be a senior Qin Yuzuo?"


    This Lu Ziqing was really persistent. Zhao Ling said helplessly: "Master Lu, don''t you think that my pretending identity is beneficial to the Criminal Ministry? Could it be that Lord Lu thinks that the Criminal Ministry even has a job opening? Isn''t it a shame to not be able to get it?"


    Qin Lin''s apprentice could also be said to be part of the Penalty Department. If it was known to outsiders, the Tangtang Penalty Department could''t even get a piece of work done. Wouldn''t it be even more condemning to ask outsiders for help? Therefore, hearing what Zhao Ling said, Lu Ziqing could not think of a reason to refute.


    Zhao Ling also accepted as soon as he saw it, and said to Lu Ziqing, "I have to conceal my identity, Master Lu. Mo Xin hereby apologizes to you all. Don''t worry, I will confess everything to you later. But for now, let''s take a look at this case."


    Lu Ziqing knew that Zhao Ling was right. Due to the fact that Fengze was detained some time ago, Chu Ping Chuan was extremely dissatisfied with the Ministry of Criminal Affairs.


    A paper booklet was written to Emperor Ming, and Dong Runnian was impeached, the official document of the Criminal Ministry. Emperor Ming severely scolded Dong Runnian in the morning and restricted him to solve the case within half a month, otherwise he would be punished severely.


    Dong Runnian, who had always shown people his image of a smiling fox, had not been able to laugh recently. It was really stressful for him. Now that the number one champion was murdered in the street again, Lu Ziqing couldn''t imagine how Emperor Ming and Dong Runnian would react.


    So Lu Ziqing quickly ordered the corpses of Li Wenzheng and the murderer to be taken away, and some people on the scene he thought were suspicious. Then he asked her to report the matter level by level. The impact of this matter was so great that he couldn''t call the shots by himself alone.


    When he returned to the Xing Department, he brought Zhao Ling with him. Of course, he had released her. However, he still trusted Mo Xin''s professional skills. And now, he urgently needed this kind of expertise.


    However, since King Xuan said that Mo Xin was his own, he would naturally ask King Xuan to ask Mo Xin to do things. So Lu Ziqing respectfully made a request to King Xuan.


    Meng Yuan didn''t look at him, but directly looked at Zhao Ling, and said calmly: "Mo Xin decides everything, and this king does not interfere."


    Hearing this, Zhao Ling raised his eyes unexpectedly and glanced at Meng Yuan. Since Meng Yuan''s appearance, she had not dared to look directly at him due to her guilty conscience. Did he know that he was the eldest lady of the Jiang, the one who emperor Ming bestowed him in a marriage? Why did he help her? But when she met Meng Yuan''s gaze, she felt that she was thinking too much. His eyes were as cold as before. It was as if nothing had happened.


    Zhao Ling shook his head and decided to ignore this problem. No one could stop what she wants to do. Anyway, she had already been divorced from the marriage once, and she was not afraid of the second divorce from the Xuan Palace.


    The murder happened under her nose. As a professional judicial officer, she would never stand idly by. So after saying goodbye to Xie Mingyu and Fengze, she went to the Criminal Ministry with Lu Ziqing. Just now, she had conducted a preliminary survey of the scene, and also conducted a preliminary inspection of the two deceased. All that was left was to further inspect the corpses to verify her own guesses.


    On the way to the Criminal Ministry, she looked at a small piece of paper in her hand and smiled slightly. The note was stuffed by the guard with a paralyzed face next to Meng Yuan, and it said Mo Xin''s origin. Such a background was really suitable for her.. Wang Xuan''s arrangement was really meticulous, and Zhao Ling admired it secretly.

 Chapter 23 - Wuji Promise Tattoos

    Li Wenzheng''s body was kept under refrigeration by the Criminal Department, and was retrieved by the people from the Li family in Suzhou.


    The Li family was the richest family in Suzhou, with industries all over the world. It was said that the rich could be the enemy of the country, and that the rich was the best.


    Li Jiuhua had three sons under his knees. He took his youngest son Li Wenzheng, and sent him to Bishan Academy since he was a child. He worked hard to train him, and spent countless money to pave the way for his scientific research. Li Wenzheng was also upbeat, and he still had some real skills. Although he was not the best, Emperor Ming still approved the number one scholar in the Li''s wealthy family.


    Emperor Ming had his own reasons and consideration for this move. Dasheng has been fighting for years. The treasury was empty, and the surrounding three countries had been eyeing up. It took money to recruit troops, buy horses, make weapons, and prepare food and others. Therefore, he desperately needed the support of wealthy businessmen like the Li family.


    But who would have thought that Li Wenzheng would be brutally murdered in such a situation? When Ming learned of this, he was furious. He started from the Long Case and quickly called several Humeral Ministers to discuss. The champion of the new division was stabbed to death on the spot under the public. If this spread out, he would be laughed at by other countries!


    But Emperor Ming was most worried about Li Jiuhua''s attitude.


    If Li Wenzheng was killed before becoming the champion, perhaps Emperor Ming would not be so worried. However, he was stabbed to death after he approved him as the champion. The blow to Li Jiuhua was even greater, and his resentment to the court might be deeper. People were like this. Once you got it and then lost it, you already had hope and became desperate, your grievances would only worsen.


    Now the only way to find the murderer as soon as possible, and find out the truth of the matter was to give the Li family an explanation.


    Dong Runnian, the Shangshu of the Criminal Ministry, not only couldn''t laugh, but also had the thought of sitting down and crying. Who was the one who killed the thousand knives that made people feel uncomfortable? In a few years, he plan on returning to his hometown and enjoy his family. But now that he had produced so many moths, could he retire happily?!


    So when Lu Ziqing and Zhao Ling inspected the murderer in the morgue, Dong Runnian personally came to supervise the murder.


    As soon as he approached the morgue, he perceived a strong smell of blood. He instantly frowned and felt a little sick. However, as an older generation with rich working experience and personal experience, he could bear it. Later, he saw a petite young man covered in a large lake-blue robe, with only two eyes exposed, facing a corpse on the bed with a laparotomy, examining the internal organs one by one.


    Dong Runnian watched his gestures intently, crisply, confidently and calmly, and wiser than any other trick he had ever seen. Dong Runnian had been a prefect of too many places, he had been exposed to many works, and he had never encountered someone as outstanding as this young man.


    When Lu Ziqing saw Dong Runnian, he saluted him and shouted, "My lord."


    Dong Runnian nodded at him. Qin Niansheng, who was recording next to Zhao Ling, was about to salute and was stopped by Dong Runnian.


    Zhao Ling also knew someone came in, but she didn''t like to be distracted when she was working, so she didn''t even lift her head. She was concentrating on examining the lungs of the deceased, and at the same time dictating her findings concisely so that Qin Niansheng could write it down.


    The lungs of the deceased were slightly enlarged and the blood vessels were blocked. Like Du Yu, he suffered an acute pulmonary embolism and died of suffocation. The black substance was also found in the teeth of the deceased, more than that in the fake Du Yu''s mouth. It should be because of the shorter time of death.


    After the examination, she neatly sewed the incision and covered the deceased with a white cloth. She raised her head and saw a kind old man with a white face and beard. Looking at the official uniform he was wearing, it must be Dong Runnian, the Shangshu of the Criminal Ministry. She motioned to Qin Niansheng for help, took off the overalls, masks, and gloves outside, and then saluted Dong Runnian: "Caomin Moxin, I have seen Master Dong."


    "Mo Xin, It turns out that you are really good." Dong Runnian nodded at him and asked, "What can you find?"


    Zhao Ling replied calmly: "This person''s cause of death was the same as that of the last deceased. He died of suffocation caused by pulmonary embolism. It is initially suspected that the cause was some kind of medicine in the deceased''s mouth. Ways to check."


    "My lord, the two deceased people both had poison in their mouths, and their subordinates suspected that they were dead men." Lu Ziqing added.


    "Dead men?" Dong Runnian''s two pale eyebrows frowned, "Then who appointed them and what is their purpose?"


    Lu Ziqing couldn''t answer, but glanced at Zhao Ling.


    Zhao Ling suddenly remembered something and asked Qin Niansheng: "When I checked the surface of the corpse just now, did I find that the deceased had a circular tattoo on the upper left arm... well, an impression?"


    It seems that there was no tattoo in this era, and she changed a word that they easily accept.


    Qin Niansheng quickly replied: "Yes, the villain has an impression."


    Zhao Ling said to Dong Runnian and Lu Ziqing: "Please, the two of you, come and take a look."


    Qin Niansheng lifted the white cloth on the body again, and the two of them approached and looked closely. Sure enough, there was a circular tattoo on the upper left arm, with a curve in the middle, which divides the circle into two, similar to the Tai Chi pattern, except that the two halves were not divided into black and white. Two-color, the color of the tattoo was light, and at first glance it was no different from the flesh color.


    When Dong Runnian saw this pattern clearly, he was shocked: "Wuji Promise Teaching!"


    Lu Ziqing and Zhao Ling looked at each other, wondering what Promise Teaching was.


    Dong Runnian''s face turned ugly in an instant, and he asked, "Did the deceased also have this pattern on his body last time?"


    Zhao Ling recalled and shook his head: "I didn''t find it at that time. But the last time the deceased already died for two days before the autopsy. His body was already covered with corpse spots, and the impression may be covered by the corpse spots."


    Lu Ziqing asked Qin Niansheng: "Qin Niansheng was the first person to examine the deceased, did you found anything like that?"


    Qin Niansheng looked blank. After thinking about it for a long time, he finally shook his head, but he looked vacant.


    Seeing his appearance, Lu Ziqing gave a cold snort as expected. Originally, he didn''t have any hope for Qin Niansheng. If he could prove what was asked of him, Zhao Ling believed their would be a ghost!


    Since the case had not been solved, the fake Du Yu''s body was still kept in the cold storage of the Criminal Ministry.


    Zhao Ling found the tattoo after another inspection, but the tattoo was not on the left arm, but on the right arm. Because it was just covered by a corpse spot, and the color of the tattoo was similar to the flesh color. There was no necessary equipment here to discover such a thing. The tool was not discovered in this world at the time. If the corpse had not been frozen for so many days, which changed the color of the corpse spots and the tattoo pattern became highlighted, it would have beeen really difficult to find.


    "Sure enough, he is a person of Promise." Dong Runnian''s face turned pale, and he left with Lu Ziqing.


    Before leaving, Lu Ziqing politely nodded to Zhao Ling, and ordered Qin Niansheng to send him off. Since knowing Mo Xin''s origin, Lu Ziqing has dispelled his doubts.


    On the small identity paper that Meng Yuan''s guard gave to Zhao Ling, it said her name was Mo Xin from Shandong Mo School. This school was well-known for its singular arts. There were many talented people in the school, and they all act mysteriously. It was no wonder that Mo Xin concealed his identity in the first place.


    But what he didn''t expect was that Mo Family had a good relationship with King Xuan, and it seemed that King Xuan''s Mansion really should not be underestimated.

 Chapter 24 - Troubles At Home [I]

    Zhao Ling declined Qin Niansheng''s kindness to send her back. After so long delay in the Criminal Ministry, she had to go back to the official mansion as soon as possible. Lu Zhu and Mother Xu should be worried.


    She hurried back to the Jiang Mansion, as usual, quietly came to the west side gate, where there are usually few people going in and out. Also, this was the nearest to the small courtyard where she lived. Every time she went out in a black dress, green bamboo or Mother Xu would meet her here.


    However, it was not Lu Zhu and Mother Xu who met her at the door today, but Zhao Ming.


    Zhao Ming was born by her auntie Sun, 13 years ago this year. Auntie Sun had always been unpopular in the house, and she was also timid and fearful. Seeing Cui was like a mouse and a cat. Therefore, Zhao Ming''s life in the house was not easy, and he was often bullied.


    That day, when Zhao Ling passed by the corner of the Jiang Mansion, she saw Zhao Ming being besieged by a group of teenagers of about the same age, led by Zhao Gaoxuan. Zhao Gaoxuan was born by the Cui family, one year younger than Zhao Ming, but much taller and stronger than the malnourished Zhao Ming. On weekdays, he fought with a bunch of fox and dog friends and provoked troubles. He was a standard bully.


    Seeing Zhao Ming''s bruised nose and swollen face, and being humiliated by those bad boys riding under him, Zhao Ling couldn''t help but start shouting. Seeing that it was his demented elder sister, Zhao Gaoxuan became even more arrogant, and directed the two older teenagers to step forward, physically trying to remove her veil and humiliate her in public.


    Zhao Ling didn''t want to do anything, but to deal with these bad boys. It was useless to be reasonable. Violence must be controlled with violence. She was born as an orphan, and she didn''t know how many hooligans had been subdued since she was a child. She didn''t pay attention to the few unlearned boys in front of her.


    She shot quickly and accurately, knocked down the two teenagers in one fell swoop, and threw Zhao Gaoxuan, who was rushing up, over the shoulder, dislocating his shoulder. He would lay on the bed for more than ten days.


    Zhao Gaoxuan couldn''t say that Zhao Ling hurt her. How shameful it was to say that! Zhao Jiang believed that he was injured in a fight with someone, and had a good reprimand. After that, every time Zhao Gaoxuan saw Zhao Ling, he always stared at her with bitter eyes.


    Zhao Ming admired Zhao Ling more. As early as when Zhao Ling exposed Zhao Sanhuai in the mansion the last time, he felt that this big sister was very powerful. And now that she not only had wisdom, but could also fight, he admired her more than anyone else apart from his mother. He wanted to learn from Zhao Ling to make himself stronger and able to protect himself and his mother, but he was timid, and he only dared to pay attention to Zhao Ling secretly.


    Because of this, he knew how many times Zhao Ling disguised herself as a man and went out, so now he would wait for her anxiously.


    When Zhao Ming saw her back, he hurriedly greeted her and shouted, "Big sister, you are back!"


    Zhao Ling looked at him anxiously, and asked, "Mingxuan, what''s wrong, what''s the matter?"


    Zhao Ming stuffed a baggage into her arms, and said anxiously. "Big sister, you can change your clothes and go to the Flower Hall, Luzhu... Luzhu is about to be beaten to death!"


    What happened to Green Bamboo? Zhao Ling was also a little worried when he saw Zhao Ming''s anxious look. She hurriedly changed her men''s clothing and hurried to the flower hall.


    When she rushed to the Flower Hall, Zhao Jiang and Cui''s were sitting above, and Zhao Ruo, Zhao Gaoxuan and a few aunts stood beside them.


    The green bamboo was kneeling in the hall tied by the five flowers. A sturdy man was hitting green bamboo with a stick. Green bamboo collapsed to the ground and seemed to have passed out. Mother Xu knelt beside Luzhu and kept begging for mercy. She said, "Master, please be merciful, Madam!", her forehead was dripping with blood.


    "Stop!" Zhao Ling shouted sharply. The beating man was taken aback for a moment, and the stick he held in his hand stopped in the air. Seeing that it was the young lady who was speaking, he stopped his movements and looked at Zhao Jiang.


    Zhao Ling stepped forward to Lu Zhu''s side, squatting down to check Lu Zhu''s injuries. Fortunately, she just fainted and was still alive. Seeing that it was Zhao Ling, Mother Xu cried bitterly and threw herself in front of her, saying. "Miss, you are here, you can save Luzhu, she is going to die."


    Zhao Ling patted Mother Xu''s back comfortably, indicating that she was okay, then looked at Zhao Jiang with a cold face, and asked, "Father, what happened that Luzhu should be punished so severely?" If she had come home one minute later, these people would have beaten her to death.


    Zhao Jiang snorted heavily and said. "Everyone has been looking for you for a long time. You have not been in your yard for a long time, so what on earth did you do?"


    Is it because of this? Zhao Ling thought about it for a moment, and said, "This is the first day of the new year. Your daughter went to visit her grandmother and her old man. After chatting with her grandmother, I forgot the time, so I came back late."


    She made up one casually, and Zhao Jiang would not go to the old lady for verification.


    Hearing Zhao Ling talking about the old lady, Zhao Jiang snorted again. He was a little jealous of the eldest daughter, who could win the eyes of the old lady.


    "A girl who has not been out of the cabinet should stay peacefully. Besides, since you have been given in marriage to King Xuan, you have to think about your own identity in everything you do!" Zhao Jiang reminded her sternly.


    "What my father said is what his daughter will follow. I just don''t know what Luzhu has committed, so she should be punished to this point?" She didn''t know how many times Luzhu had been beaten with such a thick stick. Although Luzhu was usually healthy, she was a woman. How could she withstand it?


    Speaking of this, Zhao Jiang said to Zhao Ling with an ugly expression. "Ask your mother!"

 Chapter 25 - Troubles At Home [II]

    Zhao Ling glanced at the Cui family''s mother and daughter who were secretly proud of their actions. She knew that this matter must be connected to the two of them. She suppressed her anger, and said coldly. "Please, I implore mother to express it."


    Cui gave a glance at the close-knit maid Sun, who accepted the command and said to Zhao Ling. "This maid greets the eldest lady. This cheap maid, Lu Zhu, is brave. She has committed fornication with a man, corrupting the rules of the government of our country. According to the rules, It should be punished with a rod!"


    Fornication with a man? Zhao Ling''s face changed when he heard the words, and he said sharply. "Nonsense, Luzhu is my personal maid, who has always been around, how can she has fornication with others? You have no proof, do you have evidence?"


    "I have it." Grandma Sun threw out a baggage and said. "Just now this girl hurriedly ran into the old slave with a baggage, and the bag fell to the ground. The old slave saw that the baggage was full of men clothes. She asked her who they were for, but the girl didn''t say anything. So the old slave suspected that the girl had an affair with the man, so he reported it to the old lady."


    It was indeed men''s clothing in the baggage, but Zhao Ling knew that this was the clothes she wore when disguised as a man. It was just because Dasheng women''s words and deeds were more conservative. It was rare that women would pretend to be men and go out of their homes privately, let alone Zhao Jiang''s house with a strict family tradition.


    If Zhao''s women pretended to be men and go out of their homes privately, it was discovered that according to the rules of the government, it was necessary to be responsible for reasons. Lu Zhu, the girl probably did not say anything to protect herself.


    Zhao Ling thought of this, and looked at the unconscious Green Bamboo and the tearful old Mother Xu, feeling distressed. These two people did their best to protect themselves. It was just that she must not allow Lu Zhu to bear the charge of wrong accusations. How important was fame to a woman, not to mention that she was still a girl who had not been out of the cabinet.


    She glanced at the clothes in her baggage, gritted her teeth, fell on her knees with a "boom", and said to Zhao Jiang, "Father, the daughter ordered Lu Zhu to buy these clothes. Lu Zhu is only acting on orders. If she is to be punished, just punish your daughter."


    Zhao Ruo on the side concealed a smile and said contemptuously. "Why does the eldest sister buy men''s clothes? Did you think about preparing it for King Xuan so early? It''s a pity that King Xuan asked to postpone the wedding, eldest sister. Are you too anxious?"


    After all, Cui''s and the other aunts both showed mockery and looked at Zhao Ling with different expressions.


    Zhao Ling lowered her eyebrows, ignored them, still knelt down, and said, "Father, your daughter bought these clothes for herself. Your daughter used it to pretend to be a man and went out of the house a few days ago. I thought it was new. I asked Luzhu to buy a few more sets. If the father doesn''t believe it, the daughter can try it on on the spot to see if it''s her size."


    For the present plan, she could only try to draw the fire to her side. The Cui family''s mother and daughter were targeting her, and Luzhu was only their primer to deal with her.


    Zhao Jiang said with a sullen face. "You know that a woman who doesn''t abide by the rules and goes out of the house without permission, what punishment should be imposed according to the rules of the house?"


    "Daughter knows, please father to punish." Zhao Ling was already kneeling, and said lightly.


    "Miss, don''t." Lu Zhu woke up from the pain and heard Zhao Ling''s words, and she said weakly.


    Seeing Luzhu wake up, Zhao Ling breathed a sigh of relief, came to her, checked the injury on her back. Fortunately, it was a skin injury. She could recuperate for a few days. She grabbed Lu Zhu''s hand and said to her. "Lu Zhu, you have suffered, go down with Mother Xu to rest." She also ordered Mother Xu to give her medicine and take good care of her.


    Mother Xu kowtowed to Zhao Jiang and said, "Master, if you want to punish, you can punish this old slave. It is the old slave who did not look at the lady well, and the lady has trusted her. It is the old slave''s fault!"


    Mother Xu moved Xie Yun out because she thought that Zhao Jiang would punish Zhao Ling lightly for the sake of his dead wife and Xie''s family in Suzhou.


    Zhao Jiang felt soft, and wanted to follow the boat with a lighter punishment. Cui said lukewarmly on the side. "Master, Ling is a person who has a marriage contract, but she is so unruly. If the words reaches King Xuan, then, I''m afraid that he will have an excuse to divorce again, and where will the face of the Jiang Mansion be by that time."


    Zhao Jiang was right when he thought about it. The Zhao Jiang Mansion was already going downhill. If something detracting from its reputation were reported, he would not be able to hold his head in the capital circle. This matter must be severely punished, so as to be effective. Therefore, it was ordered to be handled strictly in accordance with government regulations, and no one was allowed to intercede.


    Zhao Ling suffered twenty sticks for life in the triumphant or compassionate gazes of Cui''s mother and daughter and others, and finally could not hold it back and lost consciousness.


    Fortunately, Lu Zhu''s crime of fornication was cleared away.. Zhao Ling smiled inwardly in satisfaction before losing consciousness.

 Chapter 26 - A Visit From Meng Yuan

    She dreamt of her body floating in a world of vast whiteness. Everything around her was of white light. Slowly, Zhao Ling slitted her eyes open after regaining part of herself. Vaguely, she realized she was laying on a bed, surrounded by many people.


    The Criminal Police Captain Yuan Lie, his assistant Xiao Ma, and the leading colleagues of the Forensic Department, they all surrounded him with a look of sadness. They had been wondering if she was dead or not.


    She tried her best to fully open her eyes, but to no avail due to a sharp bust of headache. Suddenly, she felt something warm and cold in her mouth, and her mouth melted in a burst of mixed taste.


    Then a warm airflow slowly spread from her chest to her whole body, soothing the restlessness in her heart, and calming her whole body. Also gradually clearing her foggy head, relieving her headache. Gruggilly, she opened her eyes and realized that she had been dreaming about the people surrounding her bed. She closed her eyes again as her body continued to recover.


    After several minutes, Zhao Ling slowly opened her eyes, and the moonlight was like water, shining into the house through the window lattices. What caught her eyes was a jade-like cold and handsome face, staring gently at her. She stayed concentrated for a while, and realized that this face seemed a bit familiar, this is... King Xuan!


    Zhao Ling blinked in disbelief. Was she still dreaming? But why did she had to dream of him? Could it be that she was beaten beyond her body limit and became insanely confused.


    She blinked, reconfirming that the man in front of her was really the Lord Xuan himself, not her own obscenity. Slightly, she frowned, and asked puzzledly: "Why is King Xuan here?" This should be her own room, right?


    Meng Yuan''s cold and handsome face was a bit dark at this time. His deep black eyes looked at her, and his voice was consistently low and hoarse. "This king thought you were a clever person, but I didn''t expect you to be so stupid. Could that girl have a better life than you?"


    How did he know that she was blamed? Also, listening to the dissatisfaction in his tone, was he blaming her for helping Luzhu? It was a pity that Zhao Ling did not agree with the hierarchy of this world and era.


    She said faintly. "In my eyes, everyone''s life is the same. There is no distinction between high and low people."


    "So, you would rather get twenty sticks yourself to save that girl''s life? Did you know that these twenty sticks could have killed you?"


    Meng Yuan clenched his fists with both hands. He tried his best to conceal his emotions as he was about to lose control. He gritted his teeth because he really wanted to break this woman''s head to see what weird thoughts were inside.


    The Dasheng Dynasty''s hierarchical system was strict. The slaves and servants belonged to the lowest rank among the "untouchables". As the private property of princes, nobles and wealthy families, there was not only no personal freedom for them, but also no morals. Everything was punished by the master or in accordance with the process of the Slave Law. It was common for a large family to kill a few slaves with a stick.


    Naturally, Meng Yuan could not understand Zhao Ling''s saying that "everyone is equal". This woman, with unique ideas, weird behaviors, and courageous attitudes. Her first-hand post-mortem technique was comparable to Da Shengchao''s best work. He never believed that a daughter of a national government with no gate could be so capable. But such a strange woman just made him interested and he couldn''t stop it.


    "What kind of person are you? How many secrets are you hiding in your body?" He asked softly. He seemed to seemed be asking Zhao Ling, and at the same time also talking to himself. A little puzzled look on his cold face.


    Zhao Ling''s instinct told her that this man must have known that she was Mo Xin, and it was by no means accidental that he came out to help her out the last time.


    She met his gaze calmly. She stated at the man standing beside her bed before glancing at his nice legs, and said: "The secrets of King Xuan seemed to be quite a lot too."


    Zhao Ling pictured Meng Yuan in wheelchair during the day, but moving around freely at night. She believed Meng Yuan situation would make people drop their jaw in shock if they knew. Maybe, he was only pretending to be paralyzed. He had to! She saw him standing on his two feet. All this was known to Zhao Ling now.


    Meng Yuan was silent for a while. Then the corners of his mouth raised slightly, and he laughed at himself, his stern expression softened, "That''s fair to say."


    He put a small white porcelain bottle on her bed and said, "This medicine is good for your injuries. Take one a day. Remember to take it on time."


    Before he could finish his words, before Zhao Ling could see clearly, he was already sideways, and he jumped out of the window. Between several ups and downs, he had already crossed the courtyard wall and disappeared.


    Zhao Ling was dumbfounded. This man of great skill and agile body was sure to be the man in the wheelchair? If she hadn''t seen it with her own eyes, it would be impossible to imagine.


    She struggled to sit up and leaned against the bed, picked up the small porcelain bottle left by Meng Yuan, opened it and looked at it. The bottle contained a few pills. The one she took in a semi-coma just now should be the same. It seemed that the effect of the medicine was really good.


    After only such a while, she could already sit up.


    At this moment, Mother Xu''s footsteps came from outside. Zhao Ling was stunned. No wonder Meng Yuan left in a hurry. He should have heard the footsteps of Mother Xu. Could it be that the inferior prince in the legend was actually a master of martial arts, a hidden master?


    "Miss, you''re awake!" As soon as Mother Xu entered the door, she saw that Zhao Ling had already sat up and leaned against the bed.


    "Yeah, mother Xu. Many thanks." Zhao Ling nodded in reply. Remembering that Lu Zhu had also been beaten, she asked. "How is Lu Zhu, how is she?"


    Mother Xu wiped her tears and said. "Lu Zhu is also badly injured. At this moment, her whole body is hot. I think she has a fever."


    "Have you seen the government doctor?" Zhao Ling asked, worriedly. She knew that the symptoms of fever could be severe or mild, and must be treated as soon as possible.


    "This morning, I stopped by the doctor after seeing the young lady, but because I was a servant girl, the doctor did not take care of her. I have mixed a few medicines and it seemed to have no effect after drinking it." Mother answered truthfully. "That''s how we servants and maids are. It''s already for the eldest lady''s face that the government doctor could come and see Luzhu."


    Zhao Ling really said that she couldn''t accept the behavior of treating human life like a grass in this era. She said to Mother Xu. "Mother Xu, just say that it was my order that the doctor must make every effort to diagnose and treat the green bamboo. If there is something wrong with the green bamboo, he won''t have to work in the house anymore."


    It was said that the doctor is kind, there should be no distinction between high and low in the heart of the doctor. Just like her, all corpses were equal to her.


    ***


    Meng Yuan flew down the sunken palace courtyard wall, and the guard Chang Dong appeared in front of him like a shadow. Chang Dong still had a paralyzed face, but his tone of voice was slightly emotional: "Master, you are like this... not good."


    Meng Yuan ignored him and walked straight to a carriage parked on the side of the street. He lifted the curtain and drew in while spitting out a few words: "Go and call the owner of Yun Zhuang."


    Looking at the back of the carriage leaving, Chang Dong silently looked up at the sky. What day was it now? It looked like it was going to be updated three times soon. Was it really okay to disturb Zhuang Yun''s dream of death now? But the master''s order could not be ignored. Chang Dong felt very tangled.


    There was silence for a while, and he still felt more important to obey orders. If the master was angry, he couldn''t bear it. As for the owner of Yun Zhuang, the big deal was that he should be more careful in the future, and not to be tricked by him.


    Meng Yuan was leaning in the carriage. He closed his eyes and appeared to be thinking, looking lazy and sexy. Only he knew that, in fact, he was in terrible pain right now.


    Just now, he forcibly used his Zhen Qi to walk, using light power. Now his two legs were like thousands of silver needles stabbing, and the pain was abnormal. However, he had become accustomed to physical pain. In the past seven years, on which day did he not spend it in pain?


    But seeing Zhao Ling in a coma tonight, he felt that the pain in her body was far worse than the pain in her heart. The feeling of stroking the scar on her face still remained in his hand. For the first time, he really felt the rough texture. Thinking of how her delicate body could withstand the twenty sticks, Meng Yuan''s heart felt as if it was being wrenched apart.


    Those who dare to hurt him will bear the price of his anger.

 Chapter 27 - Hiring An Additional Maid

    Zhao Ling didn''t know what medicine Meng Yuan left for her that day. After Zhao Ling took the medicine, she felt that her body was recovering quickly. A few days later, she was already walking as usual.


    Today''s Jiang Mansion, compared with Cui''s meanness and Zhao Ruo''s pampering, the magnanimous and reasonable Zhao Ling had more status among the servants.


    Lu Zhu''s injury was not light. Although she was able to recover back her good health, Zhao Ling couldn''t bear to watch her work too hard. Mother Xu had been taking care of her and Lu Zhu in the past few days. The two were also haggard. Zhao Ling thought about finding another maid to serve, which could also relieve the pressure on the two of them.


    It''s just that this maid, Zhao Ling didn''t want to look for her in the Jiang''s mansion. She didn''t have deep roots in the Jiang Mansion, and the servants in the mansion were basically Cui''s people. So she asked Madame Zhao for advice on this matter.


    Madame Zhao also knew that she had been condemned a few days ago. Although she was reluctant to give up, she was helpless due to the rules of the house, but she sent Mother Ning to visit a few times and delivered some medicine for injuries. Now that Zhao Ling made such a request, she felt reasonable, and immediately asked Mother Ning to find the most famous toothwoman in Wuzhen.


    A few days later, the toothwoman brought a few girls who looked smart. Zhao Ling glanced at the little girls who stood neatly on the opposite side, each of them lowered their heads in a singular manner.


    Those who follow her had to have a degree of courage, though not too courageous. Zhao Ling thought about this, and saw one of them who was wearing coarse clothes and a slightly petite figure. Unlike the others, although she lowered her head, she raised her eyes from time to time to look at the way Zhao Ling tried to express herself, but always standing quietly. Not squeezing, just like a proud daisy.


    Knowing how to remain calm and calm in the presence of opponents, she must have a bit of courage. She pointed to the place where the girl was standing, and said to the toothwoman. "Just her."


    The toothwoman looked in the direction of Zhao Ling''s hand, and was startled, slightly hesitant. "Miss, this girl... she... can''t speak. Would you like to think about it again?"


    She was a dumb girl? Zhao Ling was not expecting this, but she didn''t care too much. The people around her didn''t need to be savvy, they just needed to do their duties, and it didn''t make any difference whether she could speak or not.


    Zhao Ling insisted on her own opinion, and the toothwoman was happy to make it. Originally, she was worried that no one would want this mute girl, so she had spent much of her thoughts. Now that she was actually spotted by the eldest lady of the National Palace, she was naturally overjoyed and left happily with the money.


    The other girls who weren''t selected all looked at the girl in Tsing Yi with envy and hatred, or left with regret or resentment.


    But on the contrary, the girl in Tsing Yi looked calm and didn''t see too many surprises. Zhao Ling looked at her and felt that this girl was pretty good.


    The girl in Tsing Yi turned to face Zhao Ling and wanted to kneel on the ground, but she was stopped by Zhao Ling. She had never been used to the habit of kneeling at every turn in this era. Seeing her being held up, she looked at the eldest lady, puzzled.


    Zhao Ling gazed at her with a smile. "It doesn''t have to be like this with me in the future. By the way, do you have a name?"


    Tsing Yi girl nodded in reply.


    Zhao Ling asked again. "Can you read?"


    Seeing her nodding again, Zhao Ling asked Lu Zhu to take out her pen and ink. The girl in Tsing Yi took the pen and slowly wrote the three words "Zhao Luo" on the paper.


    Zhao Ling smiled faintly and said. "It''s also a good name. But since you have followed me, you need to change one." She thought a little, "You will be called Qingluo from now on, how about?"


    Zhao Ling wrote the word "Qingluo" on the paper, in small letters with hairpins, and the fonts are elegant and beautiful. When Zhao Luo saw it, her face finally showed a slight joy, and she respectfully saluted Zhao Ling.


    The owner gave a name to show that she had been recognized and accepted. From then on, there was no Zhao Luo in the world, only Qingluo.


    The addition of Qingluo made Luzhu and Mother Xu''s job a lot easier. Although she couldn''t speak, she was clever and clear, and could communicate with the others. Lu Zhu also gradually changed her previous hostile attitude, and treated her more peacefully.


    Luzhu, the girl, was very resistant when she heard that Zhao Ling was going to find another girl. She always thought that the eldest did not want her anymore. She was sad for a long time, and Zhao Ling was really dumbfounded. It took her quite some time time to coax Lu Zhu.


    As Zhao Ling and Lu Zhu recovered, the day of Zhao Ruo''s marriage was fast approaching. On this day''s blessing, the sky was high and clear. Cui took Zhao Ruo to the Xiangguo Temple in the western suburbs of the city to pray for blessings. She also insisted that Zhao Ling was also called, saying that the blessing was not only for Zhao Ruo. It was also for her, she hope her marriage would go smoothly and marry as smoothly as Zhao Ruo.


    Seeing Cui''s face with sincerity, Zhao Ling sneered secretly, wondering what the mother and daughter were doing. However, Zhao Ling didn''t bother to pay any attention. It happened that she was getting bored in the yard these few days, and it didn''t matter if she went to play. Not surprising. What surprised Zhao Ling was that it was Zhao Ruo who encountered the accident!


    The accident happened on the way back from Xiangguo Temple. Zhao Ling and Qing Luo rode in the same carriage. Because Lu Zhu''s body had not fully recovered, Zhao Ling refused her request to accompany her, and only brought Qingluo.


    Zhao Ling had long heard of the bustling and prosperous Xiangguo Temple, and the incense was flourishing. It was indeed well-deserved when she saw it today. On the way back, she raised the curtain in the carriage, admiring the suburban scenery and the prosperity of Shengjing along the road, feeling like she was in a dream.


    Suddenly, screams from the crowd came from outside. Zhao Ling saw that the carriage in front of the Cui family''s mother and daughter ran wildly, knocking down many passers-by and stalls, and suddenly there were cries and chaos in the street.


    Surprised! Zhao Ling hurriedly asked the groom to speed up to keep up. Although this street was not as prosperous as Jenji Avenue, there were still a lot of passers-by, so they had to find a way to stop the carriage.


    But the horse seemed to go crazy suddenly. The horseman couldn''t stop it. After a few twists, he threw the horseman off. The horse was still going crazy, and passers-by could only run around. The street was in a mess.


    Zhao Ling couldn''t think of a solution for a while. She wanted to throw oout the knife in her sleeve, hoping to hit the key part of the horse to stop it. But the horse was so dynamic, she couldn''t guarantee that she would be able to stop it. If she missed her hand, it would only make the horse even more mad.


    Just when she was indecisive, a figure flew over, jumped on the horse back, grabbed the rein, and suddenly stunned the horse''s madness. Then he slashed the horse''s head with a palm. With this blow, its body gradually softened, and it finally lay down on the ground. As soon as the horse fell to the ground, the carriage behind also tilted down.


    Zhao Ling ran forward quickly, and at a glance recognized that the man in uniform was Fengze. It was just that today he was wearing Jin Wuwei''s black gold-embellished official uniform, and his whole person looked more imposing and majestic, and he seems to be on duty.


    Fengze also saw Zhao Ling, and his eyes were obviously uncontrollable with joy. He didn''t even bother to check whether the people in the car were well, and stepped forward to greet Zhao Ling, "Ling, how are you?"


    "Fengze, long time no see." Zhao Ling also nodded at him. Fengze didn''t know that Mo Xin was Zhao Ling, so it was indeed a long time ago that she met Fengze as Zhao Ling.


    However, the current situation was obviously not suitable for retelling the past. After Zhao Ling greeted Fengze, she quickly walked to the side of the inclined carriage and raised the curtain.


    Inside the carriage, Cui was holding Zhao Ruo, who was covered in blood and was in comatose, shaking all over, panicking and not knowing what to do.

 Chapter 28 - Intentions

    Was Zhao Ruo too frightened of the carriage that she had a miscarriage?


    Seeing Zhao Ruo, who had fallen into a coma with blood on her lower body, and her face pale, Zhao Ling knew that the child might not be able to survive it. She frowned slightly. Instinctively, she became suspicious of the way the accident happened.


    Seeing that Cui was at a loss, Zhao Ling asked Qing Luo to help lift Zhao Ruo from the carriage, and then to the carriage she was sitting in. Qing Luo didn''t see how panicked the girl was, she held Zhao Ruo on the carriage with Cui''s hands and feet firmly. Zhao Ling praised her for being courageous in the face of danger, and felt that she had not chosen the wrong person.


    Although the mother and daughter tried to frame her several times, as a medical student, she could do anything to save her from death. This was the medical and Zhao Ling''s professional ethics and principles. However, she was only a forensic doctor and had no experience in the first department of obstetrics and gynecology, so the only way to do this was to send her to the doctor as soon as possible.


    It was absolutely imperative to just seek medical treatment outside. Zhao Ruo had not yet come out of the pavilion, if the matter of unmarried first pregnancy spread out, not only would she be ruined in her life, but she would also become the laughing stock of the entire capital with Zhao Jiang''s mansion.


    So after Cui''s mother and daughter got on the carriage, she told the groom. "Return to the official mansion as soon as possible."


    Before leaving, Cui gave Zhao Ling a vicious look, her face full of resentment. That glance seemed to remind Zhao Ling of something. She came to the frightened horse that fell on the ground. Fengze was examining it. Seeing her coming, he stood up and said to her, "It must have been drugged in order to make long-distance running. Only when the medicine is used, that the horse would suddenly go crazy."


    Sure enough. Zhao Ling squatted down and looked at the horse professionally from head to toe. When she saw the ponytail, she understood what had happened for her to receive Cui''s resentment just now.


    The horse was originally pulling the carriage in which she herself was sitting. When she was out of the house, she noticed that the bottom of the horse''s tail was red, which was the only difference from the other horse.


    So she should have been sitting in this out of control carriage. And it was undoubtedly Cui''s mother and daughter who prescribed the horse''s medicine, no wonder Cui''s resented her so much.


    Zhao Ling snorted coldly, wasn''t this just asking her to pick up a rock and hit herself in the foot, and make herself feel bad.


    But who changed the horse? Why did the person do this? Did the person want to help her, or simply want to undermine Zhao Ruo? Zhao Ling stood up thinking about it, but caught a familiar figure out of the corner of his eye.


    A lean boy in Tsing Yi flashed past the crowd of onlookers and disappeared immediately.


    It seemed to be the guard with a paralyzed face beside Xuan Wang Meng Yuanheng. Zhao Ling''s heart moved, could it be that this incident came from the handwriting of King Xuan?


    "Fengze, thank you for your help just now." Zhao Ling thanked him.


    Feng Ze was staring blankly at Zhao Ling who was lost in thought, bewildered by the light in her eyes. He was staring blankly for a while, and only recovered when he heard Zhao Ling talking to him. He smiled awkwardly, shook his head and said, "It''s just a matter of effort."


    Then he asked nervously. "By the way, Qianmo, are you okay?"


    "Of course I''m fine, I''m not in this carriage." Zhao Ling smiled lightly. This Fengze''s temperament was actually very similar to Yuan Lie''s. Looking serious and dull, but in fact simple and cute.


    "Oh, that''s right." Fengze scratched his head and glanced at Zhao Ling vainly, for fear that his careful thoughts would be discovered. Seeing the horse lying on the ground foaming at the mouth, he had an idea and said to Zhao Ling. "Ling, this horse seems to be dysfunctional. Why don''t I call another one for you and send you home? "


    After finishing speaking, as if Zhao Ling refused, he ordered a guard behind him to lead the horse.


    Fengze was right. There was still a long way to go from the Zhao Mansion, and it was unrealistic to go back. But letting the dignified General Wuwei be a horse groom to take her home, it seemed a bit unreasonable. Zhao Ling said. "Fengze, you should be on duty, and you just need to call a horse groom."


    But after the guard brought the horse over, Fengze prepared the carriage by himself, leaped up and sat on the horse-driving seat, and said awkwardly to Zhao Ling. "Get in the carriage."


    Zhao Ling watched the imposing Fengze sitting in a seat not quite commensurate with him, and suddenly remembered that there was a time when the police car broke down halfway and only temporarily requisitioned a passing car with Yuan Lie following a clue to a criminal suspect. The lady''s battery car, Yuan Lie was like now, sitting in the small battery car, and said to her awkwardly. "Get in the car."


    Thinking of this, Zhao Ling snorted and laughed out of a jealous past. She turned her head and said to Qing Luo, "Let''s go."


    Qing Luo also hid her face and laughed. Seeing the young lady speaking, she helped Zhao Ling into the carriage.


    Fengze was a little stunned when he saw Zhao Ling smile at herself. Although she was wearing a veil on her face, her brows and eyes were crooked and her smile was so deeply imprinted in his heart that it made his heart move.


    Seeing her in the carriage, his hale and handsome face burst into a happy and contented smile, and with a wave of his whip, he started the carriage. And his heart was flying like a horse whip in his hand.


    The two Jinwuwei soldiers were left looking at each other, and their heads felt like this. Could they leave work early? Or could they take the opportunity to be lazy? The two tangled in place for a while, and finally resigned themselves to continue patrolling. If the general knew that they were lazy, the consequences would be serious.


    When the crowd dispersed, Meng Yuan and Yun Yi slowly appeared from the corner of the street. Yun Yi was still in white clothes, waving a folding fan in his hand, and said jokingly to Meng Yuan. "A-Yuan, it seems that your future princess does not accept your affection. This is good for you, but now, Fengze was picked up by the idiot. Why? Well, how do you feel now?"


    Sitting in the wheelchair, Meng Yuan still had a cold face and his expression was concealed. He just gave Yun Yi a warning look, meaning, "shut up."


    It was rare for Yun Yi to see Meng Yuan deflated. How could he easily let it go? Ignoring Meng Yuan''s eyes, he continued to ridicule him. "According to Lord Ben''s observation, the future Princess Xuan seems to have a special feelings towards Fengze. What kind of feeling is this? Hello, Aheng, what do you think?"


    "If you want to be a real dumb, this king can fulfill your wish." Meng Yuan said with a faint expression.


    Yun Yi''s face froze. "Meng Yuan, you dare to threaten me! If it weren''t for me, who would do something that is not visible to mother-in-law?" The person who secretly protected Zhao Ling and secretly monitored the Zhao Mansion. Zhao Ling was secretly relieved when she was in distress, due to him. These trivial matters were simply an insult to the shadow guard of Woyun Mountain Villa!


    "You can also choose not to do it." Meng Yuan''s tone was still cold.


    "Humph, nonsense!" Yun Yi snorted coldly with a little lack of confidence. If he had a choice, would he still do this kind of worthless thing? Had it not been for the former King Xuan who had saved his life for his life, he would have made him make a poisonous oath before he died, and he would be the ox and horse for the Royal Palace in this life, and after death. If he violated this oath, he would no longer belong to the Yun family. So it was not that he didn''t want to, but that he had no choice.


    However, Yunyi and Meng Yuan have been together for so many years. Yun Yi knew that apart from being a little bit mean, this guy also liked to put on a dead face, but he treated his brothers and friends with kindness. He just couldn''t understand his Meng Sao appearance, and deliberately teased him.


    It was just that when did this guy care about Zhao Ling so much?


    Last time, even ignoring that she might have a cold toxin, he forcibly used his Zhen Qi to sneak into the Zhao Mansion to give medicine to her. He even secretly defended her in every possible way.


    He looked at Meng Yuan who was silent on the side meaningfully, raised his eyebrows, and thought to himself, "it seemed that there will be a good show."


    Meng Yuanhen concealed himself in the dark corner of the street, watching Zhao Ling''s carriage slowly leaving, tightly grasping the wheelchair armrest, and lowering his eyes to condense the waves in the depths of his eyes.


    She had never smiled at him, but when she smiled at Fengze just now, he had an urge to embrace her and declare his sovereignty. This woman belonged to him, and no one could change that!


    At this moment, he finally recognized his intentions.

 Chapter 29 - Why Are You Here, Meng Yuan? [I]

    Zhao Ling returned to the Zhao''s mansion, and when she inquired, as expected, Zhao Ruo had a miscarriage. It was just that Cui ordered the servants in the mansion to keep the news, and if anyone leaked it out, they would all be killed.


    Zhao Ling naturally understood Cui''s fear. If this matter was known to the Royal Palace, the marriage might not be completed.


    How could a dignified prince marry an unmarried woman who was pregnant and had a bad virtue as a concubine, even if she was a side concubine? Now that even the child was gone, how could Zhao Ruo guarantee that the child must have belonged to Meng Yunce?


    But what made the Zhao Mansion panicked unexpectedly was that the Rong prince Mansion learned about Zhao Ruo''s accidental miscarriage the next day.


    Princess Rong personally came to the Zhao mansion herself to request the dissolution of the marriage contract, aggressively. Although Zhao Jiang was distressed by his daughter, she was unable to refute, and her momentum was weakened to a great extent. Finally, Madame. Zhao was invited to come forward.


    Princess Rong still had some respect for Madame. Zhao.


    At that time, the old man was good at saving the first emperor, and was knighted by generations. Madame. Zhao was even named the first-rate wife, and she had some friendship with the queen mother. It was just that since the death of the old man and the eldest son, she became frustrated and avoided outside world, living in the Buddhist hall. Regardless of world affairs, she kept away.


    But looking at the face of the Madame. Zhao, the Queen Mother, princess Rong, was not so bad as to brush aside the face of the old lady Zhao.


    In the last two negotiation, princess Rong''s Mansion agreed to let Zhao Ruo in, but as a common concubine.


    The old lady Zhao also knew that this was the best result. She didn''t want to intervene in the affairs of Cui''s mother and daughter, but the matter was big. If the Royal Mansion of Rong successfully retires, she will be stigmatized by Zhao Ruo''s unmatched sexual intercourse with a man, and the Mansion couldn''t afford that.


    When Zhao Ruo heard the news, she fainted again with anger. Not to mention that the position of a good concubine was gone. Now even the child was gone. She thought that a mother would be of importance with her son, and she might be promoted to a good concubine''s position when she gave birth to a young son. But now, she could only be a common concubine.


    She knows how low the status of the concubine was, and how could she bear it with her arrogant personality?


    But what could she do if she didn''t accept it? Did she had a better choice? She lost her temper in the room, and beat the waiters around her one by one, but she was still not relieved.


    Zhao Ling, count youself cruel! She thought fiercely, this account depended on how she would calculate it with her in the future! As long as he still breathe, she would not let her feel better!


    In her opinion, Zhao Ling must have seen through her and her mother''s tactics to deal with her, and took the opportunity to design her with a tooth for a tooth, so she counted all this account and put the blame on Zhao Ling''s head.


    But Zhao Ling didn''t have the time to pay attention to the thoughts of Cui''s mother and daughter. Zhao Ling originally wanted to take care of them with regard to the two of her who harmed herself several times. But now seeing Zhao Ruo''s end was quite bleak, she didnn''t bother to do things like falling into the ground. Zhao Ruo would be marrying in a few days, and she believe there would be no moths coming out again.


    Besides, she was busy packing up her clothes these few days, because the next day she was going to Suzhou with Xie Mingyu for a stay.


    A few days ago, Xie Mingyu visited Liu He, the dean of Bailu Academy in the suburbs. When he returned to the capital, he heard about Zhao Ling being blamed and beaten with the stick.


    Mingyu, who had always been known for his good temper, and was also rarely angry, came immediately to the Zhao Mansion to visit visit Zhao Ling. Without wasting time, he took advantage of his grandfather''s 80th birthday, and proposed to take Zhao Ling to Suzhou for the birthday celebrations. He said that this would mean a lot to his father.


    Seeing what Xie Mingyu said was reasonable, well-founded and reasonable, Zhao Jiang naturally could only agree.


    She heard about Mr. Misty and Lay Songyue''s name, so Zhao Ling looked forward to this trip to Suzhou.


    After packing up, it was time for the second shift. Zhao Ling sent Luzhu, Qingluo, and Mother Xu to rest, put on a coat, and sat in front of the window to sort out the ideas of several recent cases.


    People in this era generally go to bed early, but Zhao Ling was accustomed to thinking about things in the dead of night, because then her thinking would be clearer. This was a habit she had cultivated in modern times, and she couldn''t change it for the time being.


    Suddenly a light breeze blew by, and the oil lamp fluttered a few times.


    Zhao Ling raised her head, and in front of him stood a handsome, upright, cold jade man. He was dressed in a black garment, his black hair was casually tied up, and his eyes were as deep as the sea, with a bit fierce and sexy.


    "King Xuan?" Zhao Ling blinked, confirming that it was not her dazzling eyes, pldying tricks on hr.


    Meng Yuanheng nodded, grabbed a chair and sat down opposite her. Seeing the neatly stacked books on her desk, he picked up one of them, glanced at the cover page, and said unexpectedly: "I love reading books. "


    There is no rouge and gouache on the table, so he realized this woman didn''t like to dress up like most women did.


    Zhao Ling saw him complete a series of actions in one go, coupled with his handsome appearance and elegant and noble temperament, it was really pleasing to the eye.


    Zhao Ling secretly cut off her thoughts, spurned around a little displeased, and asked. "Why is King Xuan visiting late at night?"

 Chapter 30 - Why Are You Here, Meng Yuan? [II]

    Was this guy addicted to breaking into her house? After that, he would follow up a very familiar route to her own room.


    Meng Yua raised his eyebrows slightly, his tone was neither lukewarm nor warm, "This king is here to see if you have learned to be smart these days, but the nursing home arrangement of the government is a little bit ineffective."


    In addition to a glance at him, Zhao Ling was speechless. Seeing him picking up a cup of tea on the table, and was raising it to his mouth to drink, she hurriedly stopped him. "Hey, that''s my teacup."


    However, Meng Yuanheng turned a deaf ear to her words, took a sip with grace, glanced sideways at her, and said, "This king is thirsty."


    The tone was obvious. This king had been here for a long time, and she didn''t have a cup of tea to entertain him, so he could only drink hers.


    Seeing that this guy was holding her cup of tea as if he didn''t mind at all, and drinking happily, Zhao Ling had no choice but to get up and make a new cup of hot tea for herself. At the same time, he changed a cup for Meng Yuan. That was her personal teacup and she was not used to sharing a teacup with others.


    Seeing this, Meng Yuan''s eyes darkened in thoughts. He sighed and shrugged before picking up a piece of paper she had just written on. When he saw the words "Wuji Jiao" on it, his face became horrified.


    "How do you know Wuji Religion?" He asked from the back of Zhao Ling who was pouring tea.


    Surprised, Zhao Ling turned around, then saw the note in his hand. Oh, this was what she wrote just now when she was thinking about the clues of the case. Seeing Meng Yuan''s dignified and serious face, he must also know Wuji teaching.


    Zhao Ling coldly snorted. "Why do Wang Xuan knowingly ask me that? Don''t you know the best thing about me? After so many days of monitoring, did you find an excuse to divorce me?"


    Knowing that she was accused and beaten with a stick at the Zhao Juang''s Mansion, he delivered medicine late at night. Knowing that she was disguised as a man and Mo Xin, he came forward to relieve the siege. Knowing that she was framed by Cui''s mother and daughter''s design, he secretly changed horses.


    Even the incident of Zhao Ruo''s secret of miscarriage might have been caused by this guy deliberately. It was revealed to the Royal Palace intentionally, otherwise the Cui family had done such a good job of secrecy, and the Royal Palace would not get the news so soon.


    But if he was to divorce, why did he need to help her repeatedly? Zhao Ling couldn''t figure this out.


    "Divorce? Why do you think this king wants to divorce you?" Meng Yuan asked incomprehensibly.


    Zhao Ling looked at his undamaged legs, and said with a faint expression: "The King Xuan doesn''t seem to be as bad as the rumors. If this is the case, how can I be worthy of you?"


    Meng Yuan had already seen her face when she delivered the medicine last time, so she didn''t hide it this time. At this moment, she was not wearing a veil, facing him calmly, her face with delicate features, a scar on the bottom left was looming under the oil lamp.


    Hearing this, Meng Yuan''s face sank, as if a little angry. Seeing the scar on her face, she showed a little bit of pity and tenderness.


    "Perhaps, this king is not good enough for you, Ling''er!" There was a complicated look on his always cold face.


    Zhao Ling was in a daze. What did he call her just now? Ling''er? When did their relationship become so close? Here, apart from the elders, only Xie Mingyu called her Ling''er, but Xie Mingyu was a cousin, so he was an exception.


    Meng Yuan was also a little surprised. It seemed natural that the name "Ling''er" was called out like this, and it felt good to call it this way.


    For Meng Yuanheng''s sudden change of style, Zhao Ling suddenly felt that it was a little unacceptable. She coughed lightly and said with a serious face: "The night is late, should King Xuan go back? If someone finds out, it will damage King Xuan''s reputation."


    No matter how strict the guards were at the National Government Mansion, there were usually nursing homes patrols, and it was difficult to guarantee that they would not be discovered. In this way, wouldn''t it fail his plan to divorce after delaying the wedding?


    "This king never cares about fame." Meng Yuan snorted, and then said tentatively: "Listening to the meaning of Ling''er''s words, isn''t she blaming this king for postponing our wedding?"


    Zhao Ling couldn''t help being dumbfounded when she heard this. Which ear of your ears tells you that I am blaming you for postponing the wedding? King Xuan, are you ill! Besides, you didn''t care about your reputation, but I care about my reputation!


    Facing such a self-righteous person, Zhao Ling decided to deal with it coldly. She ignored him and continued to read her book with her head down.


    "It seems that Ling''er is really blaming this king." Meng Yuan didn''t know much about what was going on in Zhao Ling''s mind, so he made this conclusion, and then continued. "If this is the case, how can this king live up to the beauty? It''s an auspicious day, why don''t we set our wedding date on that day?"


    Was this guy here to make some sort of scene? Zhao Ling was almost angrily smiled by him. Shouldn''t King Xuan be arrogant and arrogant, and treat women as stubborn, but now he looks like a rascal. Then, she said angrily. "I''m sorry, no matter how lucky the day is on the third day of the next month, this girl won''t be free. Also, how can marriage be a trifling matter? It''s better to think twice."


    Meng Yuanheng suddenly realized with an expressive exaggeration. "Yes, why did this king forget that the third day of the next month is the birthday of Ling''er''s grandfather, old man Zhao."


    Zhao Ling spurned around in surprise. Wang Xuan acting skills were just too exaggerated. She nodded and said. "That''s right, so I will leave for Suzhou tomorrow." Then she thought in her mind *During this period, stop breaking into this girl''s boudoir, and no one will make tea for you.*


    Meng Yuanheng took his tea bowl in a leisurely manner, took a sip of tea in an elegant posture, and calmly said: "Mr.. Misty''s 80th birthday, how can the king be absent as Ling''er''s fiance? Therefore, the king had decided that he will go to Suzhou with Ling''er."

 Chapter 31 - We Are All Going To Suzhou

    Zhao Ling thought that Meng Yuanheng was just joking with her, but when she set off on the next day, she saw the carriage of King Xuan''s Mansion waiting on the street corner outside the gate of Zhao''s Mansion.


    In addition to the paralyzed face guard standing beside the carriage, there was also a man in his thirties with a clear face and an ordinary appearance.


    Seeing Zhao Ling coming out, the head of the guard, Chang Dong, took a few steps forward, saluted her, and said sternly. "Chang Dong, at your service, princess Xuan."


    When Zhao Ling heard the words, she was immediately stunned. What did he call her just now, princess Xuan? When did she become princess Xuan?


    Lu Zhu glared at Chang Dong displeasedly, and said. "Hey, what are you talking about? When did my lady become your princess Xuan? Don''t talk nonsense and taint my lady''s reputation."


    Chang Dong ignored Lu Zhu''s words and stubbornly said to Zhao Ling. "Princess Xuan, please."


    It seemed that Zhao Ling didn''t want to waste any more words on Chang Dong, so she said hello to Xie Mingyu and the others before following Chang Dong to the carriage. The thin man also bowed to Zhao Ling, but said nothing.


    Immediately, the curtain of the carriage was lifted, and inside the carriage, Meng Yuan sat casually, with an elegant posture. His face seemed paler than last night. Seeing Zhao Ling, he smiled slightly. "Ling''er, you are here."


    With a clear smile, like a breeze, Zhao Ling was dazzled by the smile, and forgot to care about the word "Ling''er", but about the man who called her more and more smoothly.


    This guy was really so good-looking when he laughed.


    "Wang Xuan really wants to go with me?" Zhao Ling frowned and asked uncertainly.


    "I take it seriously." Meng Yuan nodded naturally, "This king always says one thing, and do the same. If Ling''er doesn''t believe it, why don''t you ride with this king?"


    Zhao Ling was speechless, and could only say. "If this is the case, then I say let King Xuan come along please."


    Xie Mingyu learned that King Xuan was determined to go with him, and looked at Zhao Ling with interest, and said jokingly. "Wang Xuan will accompany Ling''er all the way to celebrate her grandfather''s birthday, regardless of his illness. This is really true for Ling''er. How touching."


    Zhao Ling rolled her eyes. Really? Even Xie Mingyu, who had always been serious, came to tease her? King Xuan didn''t know what his plan was. This person was suddenly cold and rascal, true and false, acting mysteriously, and the city was deep. Zhao Ling really couldn''t see him.


    The group of people drove lightly and hurried to Suzhou from the Zhao Mansion. From Shengjing to Suzhou, it took half a month at the earliest, but there was still some time before the old man''s birthday. Moreover, they were not in a hurry, hence they took time to enjoy the journey all the way to the south.


    Zhao Ling had been in this world for more than three months. During this period, she experienced disfigurement, divorce, and marriage, and had to deal with the tricky plots of Cui''s mother and daughter from time to time. Life had not been easy for her. Now she was able to travel south to the lower reaches of the river, where the grass grew long and the scenery was endless, which made her feel good.


    However, Meng Yuan''s face became more and more unsightly. He basically stayed in the carriage during the day. He stayed behind closed doors when he stayed at the inn. He had been on the road for nearly ten days, but he had never eaten with them. Sometimes when he got off the carriage, he was also in a wheelchair. He always greeted her lightly, and would be pushed away by the expressionless Chang Dong.


    Zhao Ling came out this time with Luzhu alone, who was also chattering with excitement along the way, but the topic mostly revolved around King Xuan.


    "Miss, what does that King Xuan mean? At first, he said that he would postpone the wedding, but now he rushed to Suzhou with the young lady."


    "Miss, the slave thinks that Lord Xuan is very gentle to Miss, but he is very indifferent to other people, especially the look in the eyes of the young master looking at the watch, which is very scary."


    "Miss, that prince Xuan is really good-looking. Alas, such a beautiful person is actually a handicapped person. What a pity, Miss, do you think even God is jealous of him?"


    "Miss, the guard next to Lord Xuan, who is called Changdong, is always stern, really annoying."


    "Miss,..."


    Lu Zhu was a chatter, and Zhao Ling tapped her forehead helplessly, wondering if it was a wrong choice to bring her out. How clean the way would be if she changed to Qingluo!


    Because Luzhu''s sentences stayed on King Xuan, Zhao Ling did not consciously pay attention to Meng Yuan. She always felt that Meng Yuanheng''s face seemed to be getting more and more ugly, while the face of Mr. Gong who followed him was getting more and more solemn.


    Walking all the way, during the conversation with Meng Yuan, Zhao Ling also got a general idea. The thin man named Situ Gong, who had been with the former King Xuan since he was a child, had superb medical skills. He had been by his side to treat him since Meng Yuan was injured.


    Could it be about what happened to Meng Yuanheng''s body? Zhao Ling really didn''t understand him, was he really disabled or pretending?


    In the evening of that day, they came to Yunzhou City and stayed at the Ruyi Inn in the city.


    Although Yunzhou City was not as prosperous as Suzhou, it was also under the jurisdiction of Jiangnan Prefecture and its economy was still relatively developed. However, since entering the city, Zhao Ling felt a sense of anxiety enveloping the entire city. The pedestrians on the street were rushing, and after dusk, the pedestrians on the street gradually became scarce.


    Xie Mingyu also felt that things were strange in this city, and asked the shopkeeper of the inn.


    The shopkeeper looked at the gentle and elegant Xie Mingyu, and sighed, saying, "this young man does not know something. Yunzhou City has not been peaceful recently. There have been more than a dozen scholars in the past month who were missing. Seeing that this young man is also a scholar, you should be careful too. Don''t go out at night. It''s quite dangerous.. Stay in the room at night."

 Chapter 32 - A Monthly Cold Toxin

    "Such a thing happens." Xie Mingyu and Zhao Ling were both surprised.


    "Doesn''t the government here care about it?" Zhao Ling asked. It was impossible for the prefect of Yunzhou not to take some measures on such a big matter.


    "Of course the government is also investigating, but it has been more than a month, and more and more scholars are missing, and the government hasn''t even found out anything." The shopkeeper''s face was resentful.


    This group of people in the official government usually dominated in public gatherings or occasions, but when something really happened, they turned into furnishings one by one, which was really useless.


    After the two of them had dinner, Zhao Ling was a little worried. Xie Mingyu was gentle and elegant. As soon as he entered the city, pedestrians were attracted to look at him. At first sight, he was the best among scholars. Such a goal was too obvious. She worriedly said to Xie Mingyu. "Cousin, according to the shopkeeper just now, you must be careful tonight."


    Xie Mingyu smiled gently and said jokingly. "Is Ling''er worrying about me? Be careful not to be heard by King Xuan. If the eyes are knives, I might be pierced by him along the way."


    Zhao Ling rolled his eyes. This Xie Mingyu had become more and more playful about himself recently. She glared at him, and took green bamboo back to the room. Although Xie Mingyu had no power to bind a chicken, he should be fine with courage and resourcefulness.


    After returning to the room, she thought of Meng Yuan again. This guy hadn''t seen anyone since entering the inn. Should I remind him about the situation in Yunzhou City? However, the guards around him seem to be strong in martial arts, and he didn''t seem to be weak. He should be fine, right?


    While she was struggling, Changdong came to her first. Facing Luzhu''s obviously unkind pretty face, he kept his eyes open, and said to Zhao Ling. "Princess, please go and see my prince."


    "Hey, how many times have I told you, don''t call my lady princess, don''t you understand human words?" Lu Zhu was about to be mad with this dead man''s face.


    "Princess, please go and see my prince." Chang Dong still said this.


    Zhao Ling sighed helplessly and asked. "What''s wrong with your prince?"


    "The prince''s situation is not very good, please go and see my prince."


    This guard seems to have poor language skills, but if it was not serious, he would not ask her. Anyway, she was about to see him. Meng Yuan''s face was getting worse and worse these days, she was a little worried for no reason.


    Zhao Ling told Luzhu to stay in the room, and went to Meng Yuan''s room with Changdong.


    Meng Yuanheng''s room was Tianzi number one. The most luxurious room in the entire inn. The interior was spacious and comfortable, with luxurious furnishings, which was extraordinary. Sure enough, if one had money, one could be willful. Zhao Ling groaned inwardly.


    Walking into the inner bedroom, she saw Meng Yuan laying on the bed with his eyes closed, his face pale and sweaty. His hands were clenched in fists, his body trembling, and his teeth clenched and rattled. On the side, Situ Gong was applying a needle for him, but his body was shaking severely, which made it difficult to apply the needle. He was as calm as Situ Gong, and a few drops of sweat appeared on his face.


    Seeing Changdong and Zhao Ling coming in, they said. "Changdong, you quickly break the prince''s mouth, he has been gritting his teeth to endure the pain, and be careful that he doesn''t bite his tongue."


    Changdong heard the words and immediately followed Situ Gong''s instructions to do it, but Meng Yuan''s bite was too tight, and Changdong didn''t dare to use too much force, so he couldn''t start.


    Although Zhao Ling was a forensic doctor, he still understood basic medical principles. Meng Yuan was probably accustomed to the pain. He was used to sealing the pain instead of showing it. If this went on, it was indeed possible to bite his tongue.


    She stepped forward and grabbed his clenched hands, and gently called in his ear. "King Xuan, Meng Yuan, wake up."


    After repeating it many times, Meng Yuan''s entire body gradually relaxed, and his trembling situation became better. Changdong took advantage of this success and opened his mouth. Zhao Ling also gently broke his clenched fists, only to see that the palms were dripping with blood, which was hurt by his nails.


    Situ Gong also took this opportunity to finish the needle neatly, wiped the sweat on his head, and said to Zhao Ling. "Thank you, Princess for your help."


    Here was another screamer! Zhao Ling didn''t bother to wait for them to explain to her, and asked, "What''s wrong with King Xuan?"


    Situ Gong sighed lightly and replied. "The princess did not know that the prince was suffering from cold poison in his body, which made his legs unable to stand. This cold toxin occurs once every month, and it is still not getting better now. It''s even more terrifying every year."


    Cold poison? Zhao Ling didn''t research on poison and didn''t know it clearly, and asked, "Is there no cure for this cold poison?"


    Situ Gong shook his head. "It''s not that there is no cure, but the antidote is more difficult to match. I have developed it for 7 years, but the poison can only be temporarily suppressed and cannot be eradicated."


    That said, he had been like this for 7 years. For 7 years, he had to endure this heart-wrenching pain every January, and he had to face it alone, without any relatives. No wonder he was accustomed to self-enclosure in the face of pain, because no matter how painful his condition, there would be no relatives to comfort him.


    Zhao Ling looked at Meng Yuanheng''s pale face and tight lips, feeling that his heart seemed to be severely pulled, and he couldn''t breathe for a while. She saw the wound on his palm and thought of getting up to bandage him. As soon as she stood up, Meng Yuan''s hand was tightly held.


    "Don''t go." A low, hoarse voice seemed to have infinite desire.


    Although Meng Yuan closed his eyes tightly and his consciousness was not yet restored fully, he subconsciously grasped the hand that made him feel at ease and refused to let go.


    Seeing Meng Yuan clutching her hand tightly and constantly murmuring "Don''t go" unconsciously, Zhao Ling couldn''t bear it, so he ordered Changdong to bring gauze and wound medicine. After receiving the materials, she began to clean the wound, and dress him carefully.


    Situ Gong was surprised when he saw Zhao Ling''s professional and proficient gestures beside him. He had practiced medicine for many years, and he could tell at a glance that this princess Xuan was calm and decisive, and it was definitely not easy. No wonder the prince would look at her differently.


    Zhao Ling asked while bandaging. "Mr. Situ, how is King Xuan''s leg injury? I saw his legs seem to be able to stand and walk a few days ago. Why is this?"


    Situ Gong replied. "The prince''s legs are actually fine. It''s just because of the cold toxin in the body that the legs can''t be used. When the poison was severe in the previous years, it was difficult to get out of bed. Recently, the cold toxin has been suppressed. Relying on his own internal strength, he can forcibly suppress cold toxin for a period of time. But this way, the next time the cold toxin occurs, the backlash will be stronger and the pain will be more intense."


    "I see!" Zhao Ling slowly uttered. Thinking of him visiting her room twice at night, Zhao Ling felt a little shaken in her heart. Seeing Meng Yuan''s frowning eyebrows and the pain dripping with cold sweat, she wiped the sweat from his face with a sweat towel, and then gently stroked his frowning brow.

 Chapter 33 - The Disappearance Of Scholar Xie Mingyu

    Down the road, Meng Yuan was in poor condition, and Changdong and Situ Gong were obviously struggling to take care of him. Zhao Ling said to both of them. "You two will go down to rest. I will stay here to take care of him tonight."


    The cold toxin he had suffered so badly this time was due to her own cause, and taking care of him all night would be regarded as a compensation.


    When Zhao Ling woke up the next morning and opened her eyes, there was a magnified handsome face in front of her. Meng Yuan was looking at her intently. His eyes were radiant, bright as the stars.


    She blinked blankly and found that she was lying on the bed, while Meng Yuan was lying next to her. What''s happening here? Obviously she was lying on the edge of the bed last night.


    "Ling''er, you''re awake." Meng Yuan''s voice was lazy and sexy. Zhao Ling''s heart jumped when she heard it, and her rare pretty face turned red slightly.


    This situation seemed a bit too ambiguous. Zhao Ling was about to prop up her body to get out of the bed, but Meng Yuan swept his arms around and took Zhao Ling''s petite body into his arms. Zhao Ling was startled, subconsciously trying to break free.


    "Please, it''s all right now." Meng Yuan mumbled over her head, his voice trembling a little.


    He also knew that this action was too sudden and might scare Zhao Ling, but he just couldn''t help it. In front of Zhao Ling, his proud self-control seemed to have very little left.


    Zhao Ling quietly listened to Meng Yuan''s rapid heartbeat, his mouth bends. It seems that King Xuan was not as cold-hearted and unsentimental as the rumors from the outside world, and the rumors were appearing not to be credible.


    Although she was not sure what Meng Yuanheng''s intentions were for her, at this moment, she felt that she did not reject Meng Yuan''s embrace. There was a faint herbal smell on his body, which made people very comfortable. She decided to follow her heart and stop struggling.


    Emotionally, Zhao Ling had never been hypocritical.


    The next moment, Luzhu anxiously shouted outside the door. "Miss, miss, are you inside?"


    "Girl, my prince is resting, please come back." It was Chang Dong''s voice.


    Lu Zhu said desperately, "You are a dead face, you let me go, I am looking for my lady, what''s the matter with your lord?"


    Zhao Ling returned to his senses, only to remember that she hadn''t returned to the room all night. This girl must have come to look for her. She broke free of Meng Yuan''s embrace, got out of bed and adjusted her clothes, saying to him. "King Xuan, I have to go back, you have a good rest now."


    Meng Yuan reluctantly let go of her embrace. Looking at Zhao Ling''s leaving back, a trace of anger flashed in his eyes. This girl was really getting in the way!


    Zhao Ling opened the door and saw that besides Luzhu, Xie Mingyu''s entourage led by Bi An, was also there.


    Seeing her, Lu Zhu rushed forward and said anxiously. "Miss, it''s not good, Master Biao is gone!"


    Bi An also rushed forward and said eagerly. "Miss Zhao, master Biao is gone. The young man searched the entire inn, but he couldn''t find him."


    Zhao Ling was shocked, Xie Mingyu was missing? Sure enough, there was something weird here!


    She calmed down and said. "Don''t worry, the two of you. Calm down. Let''s start from my cousin''s room, Bi An, please tell me what happened last night."


    Zhao Ling hurriedly left. Meng Yuan knew what had happened. He called Changdong into the room and asked coldly. "Whose idea was to invite the princess last night?"


    When Chang Dong heard this, he knelt on the ground and said, "It''s me. Please punish me, my prince."


    Meng Yuan also knew that he was kind. He didn''t want Zhao Ling to know his physical condition. He was afraid that Zhao Ling would be scared when seeing his dilapidated body, and fled. So when the poison became extreme these days, he always avoided her.


    But now it seemed that he found that Zhao Ling was not a cold-faced person, but kind and compassionate. How could the person he liked be so superficial! Thinking of this, his eyes softened.


    "This time, let''s just let it go for the face of the princess. Next time, you must not take the initiative. You heard that just now. Go and help the princess." Meng Yuan said lightly.


    At this time, Zhao Ling was checking in the room where Xie Mingyu was staying. The furnishings in the room were intact and there were no signs of fighting. On the table were a cup of unfinished tea and an opened book. The bedding on the bed was neat, and it seemed that Xie Mingyu was taken away before going to bed.


    "When did he go to bed last night?" Zhao Ling asked Bi An.


    Bi An thought for a while and said. "He has been reading in the room last night. At about the second shift, he asked the younger one to rest first. He also said that he would rest later, and the younger one went back to his own room, there. This morning, the young man was no longer in the room when the little one came in to wash his face."


    Zhao Ling frowned slightly, saying that Xie Mingyu''s abduction happened at the second watch. It seemed that it was not an ordinary person who would take a big man silently. The door bolts in the room were intact, and the windows were intact, so how did the kidnappers come in and leave?


    She looked up at the roof, it seemed that it could only be here. How to verify it? Here were a few who couldn''t work hard.


    At this moment, Chang Dong who was wheeling Meng Yuan, appeared at the door. They were followed by Situ Gong.


    When Meng Yuan learned of her speculation, he signaled Changdong to go to the roof to observe. Zhao Ling only felt his eyes sway, and Chang Dong''s figure disappeared. After a while, he appeared silently in front of everyone like a ghost. Green bamboo and Bi An who were watching, opened their mouths wide. They were truly dumbfounded. They didn''t expect this dead face to look like a nerd, and the light work was so good!


    Zhao Ling was already quite surprised. Let alone Chang Dong, even this Wang Xuan, who was sitting in a wheelchair and looking sickly, had unfathomable martial arts cultivation.


    "Reporting to the princess. The roof tiles do show signs of being moved." Chang Dong reported to Zhao Ling with his hands.


    Sure enough. At this moment, she didn''t care about Ji Changdong''s name. She went to the table and picked up the cup of tea, and said to Situ Gong, "Mr. Situ, can you please see if there is any difference between this tea?"


    Situ Gong dipped his finger in the tea, put it in his mouth and tasted it, and said, "It''s Mongolian sweat medicine."


    "What is special about the medicine?" Zhao Ling asked.


    Situ Gong shook his head. "It''s just normal Mongolian sweat medicine, you can see it everywhere."


    It seems that the robbers acted meticulously and did not leave any clues. Zhao Ling couldn''t help but feel a little worried. Xie Mingyu had no power to bind chickens. Although he was extremely savvy, in the face of absolute force, any scheming of his would be of no avail.


    Suddenly, a gust of wind rushed into it, and with a "ding", a dagger passed through the window and hit the pillar beside Bi An who was so frightened that he jumped up.


    Changdong flew out to check, but only saw a black figure disappearing between the ups and downs of the roofs. This person was not an ordinary figure. Changdong was worried about Meng Yuan''s safety at this point and returned to the room. Zhao Ling had taken off the dagger from the beam and a piece of paper was nailed to the dagger with a few words written on it.


    *Sanskrit outside the city.*

 Chapter 34 - The Sanskrit Forest [I]

    The Sanskrit Forest was located ten miles outside the city of Yunzhou. It sounded good, but it was actually an abandoned bamboo forest. It was said that this bamboo forest was once the forbidden place of Baoning Temple, the most prosperous temple in Yunzhou City, and the Sanskrit Forest was named after it.


    It was a pity that Baoning Temple was burnt down in a sky fire a year ago, and the Sanskrit Forest had since been abandoned.


    The inn shopkeeper heard that Zhao Ling and her party were going to the Sanskrit Forest, and kindly discouraged her. "This Sanskrit Forest is very evil. I heard that the monks who were burned to death at Baoning Temple are still living in the forest. There was a gust of wind and resentment that everyone in this city dared not go in. Earlier there were a few bold people who didn''t believe in evil, and they just broke into the woods, but they never came out. I advise you to think twice."


    Zhao Ling did not rule out that the clue of Fan Yinlin was a trap, but it was the only clue, even Longtan Tiger''s Lair would have a break through. For an atheist in the 21st century, she did not believed in ghosts, unless someone pretended to be a ghost. If this was the case, then this Sanskrit Forest must be tricky.


    Without further ado, she hurriedly prepared some necessary supplies, and ordered Luzhu and Bi An to pick them up at the inn. Afterwards, she asked the shopkeeper to help her call a carriage and set off for Fanyinlin.


    Lu Zhu was worried about Zhao Ling alone, insisting on accompanying him. But Zhao Ling didn''t agree, Luzhu was timid, she didn''t want to be a burden.


    As soon as she left the gate of the inn, she saw Meng Yuan standing at the door, his pale handsome face seemed to be irritated, his deep eyes fixed on her, and he said, "Could it be that you plan to go to the Sanskrit Forest alone?"


    Meng Yuan was really mad at this seemingly gentle but stubborn woman in front of him. Even he couldn''t be sure how dangerous this place was in Fan Yinlin, but this woman planned to go alone like this. Does she think her life is too long?


    "For the sake of Xie Mingyu, you didn''t even care about your own safety?" The anger in Meng Yuan''s eyes became more intense. He stepped forward, grabbed Zhao Ling''s shoulder, and roared.


    "Xie Mingyu is my cousin, I will definitely not let him have an accident." What is he getting angry with? Zhao Ling felt very puzzled.


    Meng Yuan would never admit that he was actually jealous when he saw Zhao Ling so nervous and thanking Mingyu. And he would definitely not let her take risks alone.


    "This king will go with you." Knowing that Zhao Ling is a very independent person, and the decision she made would not change easily, he softened his tone.


    "But your leg..." It was still painful last night, and today I will travel a long distance. Is this really good?


    "It''s okay." Meng Yuan said lightly. He couldn''t help but took her hand and walked to a carriage parked nearby.


    Situ Gong has prepared enough medicine for him, and insisting on it for a few days shouldn''t be a problem. It''s just how strong the backlash will be in the next episode of cold poison, and he doesn''t bother to listen to Situ''s chanting.


    "The prince, the princess." Standing by the carriage, Changdong saluted the two respectfully and raised the curtain.


    Zhao Ling was stunned by Meng Yuan''s gesture of pulling her hand, and did not pay attention to Chang Dong''s name. Seeing that she had no objection to Changdong''s name, Meng Yuan curled his mouth secretly.


    His own princess? It seemed pretty good.


    The carriage immediately set off towards the Sanskrit Forest, galloping all the way, and arrived at the original Baoning Temple site before noon.


    It was said that Baoning Temple was once the most prosperous temple in Yunzhou City. However, it was completely destroyed by a sudden sky fire overnight.


    The fire was rumored to be very strange and without warning. In addition to the monks in the temple, Tao Zhirui, the new prefect of Yunzhou City, and his new wife Meng Fu, who had been in office for less than a month, were burned to death.


    Na Meng Fu was the Princess of Qingping and the daughter of the King of Nanyang. In a rage, King Nanyang ordered Baoning Temple to never be built again. So now there were only a few broken walls left messy in the wind.


    Zhao Ling and his entourage walked through the temple ruins and came to the back mountain, but they saw that the willows and the flowers were bright, suddenly enlightened, and a lush bamboo sea stretched over the entire mountain. The forbidden area of ??Baoning Temple was so beautiful.


    The three of them entered the bamboo forest. The bamboo leaves covered the sky and the sun. After entering the depths of the forest, the light became darker and darker. Meng Yuan stayed close to Zhao Ling and guarded her firmly. After walking for a while, he stopped to observe the surrounding area for a while, and said to himself. "Move the flowers to the wood formation!"


    Zhao Ling also noticed the difference. This bamboo forest was like a maze, and they kept spinning in place. Hearing this, she looked at Meng Yuan and asked, "Is the formation deployed here?"


    Meng Yuan nodded and held Zhao Ling and said, "This place is not like an ordinary bamboo forest. It is very likely that someone has tampered with it."


    "This formation is very powerful?" Zhao Ling was attracted by what he said, and let him hold her hand without noticing it.


    "It has been a long time since the transfer of flowers and trees has been lost in the arena. Except for the people in Momen, no one else should know about it. I didn''t expect it to appear here." Meng Yuan was also surprised.


    "Momen?" Zhao Ling asked. Could it be the Shandong Mohist school that she had accidentally borrowed from? "You are talking about the Shandong Mohist school?"


    Seeing Meng Yuan nodding, she asked again. "Are you familiar with Momen?"


    "This king was once also a member of Momen." Meng Yuan looked calm and didn''t portray any emotions.


    No wonder he gave her such a perfect identity when he helped rescued her from Lu Ziqing last time.

 Chapter 35 - The Sanskrit Forest [II]

    Zhao Ling nodded clearly and said. "So, you will solve this trap formation?"


    Meng Yuan sneered disdainfully, and said proudly. "I don''t need this king to make a small trick."


    He only heard him yell. "Chang Dong." Before Zhao Ling could see clearly, Chang Dong had already flew up and cut off most of the bamboo around him with a few brushes. Suddenly, a gap appeared in front of his eyes. .


    For Zhao Ling, this was eye-opening. It turned out to be as simple as breaking the formation. But she knew that if she couldn''t find a front line, she might be trapped here until she died of exhaustion.


    She looked at Changdong with a little surprise and admiration. She didn''t expect that this taciturn young man was really capable, no wonder he could become a personal guard next to King Xuan.


    Seeing this, Meng Yuan glared at Chang Dong displeasedly. Chang Dong shook his head and looked down at the ground immediately. He was puzzled and underwhelmed. It was obviously the prince who told him to break the formation. Why did the prince asked him to break the formation by himself, and yet the prince was unhappy. Was it because he broke the formation and was not good enough?


    Meng Yuan snorted coldly. This king was blaming you for breaking too neatly.


    The three of them continued to walk towards the depths of the bamboo forest, passing through the formation that had just been broken, and there was a low slope in front of them. When Zhao Ling walked into the slope, he smelled a rancid smell.


    It was a carrion! With the professional sense of forensic medicine, she made a judgment.


    She followed the source of the rancid smell, and in a lush bush, a bunch of human corpses suddenly appeared in front of her eyes. The fragments of these corpses, including hands, legs, chest and abdomen, were highly decomposed, with maggots, mosquitoes, and flies all over, emitting foul odors, and it was disgusting to smell them. Zhao Ling was accustomed to seeing all kinds of corpses, and couldn''t help frowning.


    Seeing her intending to come forward, Meng Yuan held her, "Let Changdong clean up first."


    He knew that Zhao Ling was not afraid of corpses, but he couldn''t accept such a dirty place.


    "No." Zhao Ling stopped. "Don''t destroy the scene yet."


    After that, she took out a pair of white gloves from her sleeve. The gloves were specially made by her in Shengjing. They were soft and strong, and they were finally similar to modern professional forensic gloves.


    Because the veil was already worn and there was no need to wear a mask, she handed the mask to Meng Yuan and motioned him to put it on. She put on her gloves and walked slowly closer to the bushes.


    The corpses were piled up in a mess, with irregular cuts, like some kind of beast gnawing. Initially, these corpses did not belong to the same person.


    She first chooses to look at one of the hands, a person''s occupation would more or less leave some marks on his hand. Sure enough, there was a callus on the tip of the index finger, which should have formed a posture of holding a pen for many years.


    Could these be the missing scholars in Yunzhou City?


    Suddenly, Meng Yuan, who was guarding the side, said vigilantly. "Who?"


    Chang Dong''s figure flickered, flew out to check, but not long after, he was leading a group of people in. Zhao Ling stood up and looked at them, it was actually Lu Ziqing and Fengze who were in the lead!


    Fengze saw Zhao Ling from a distance, his face was ecstatic, and he hurried over. Zhao Ling just wanted to say hello to Fengze who hadn''t seen her for a long time, but suddenly felt loose under her feet, and the ground she was standing on suddenly sank.


    "Ah!" Zhao Ling exclaimed, and the whole person fell straight down.


    "Ling''er!" Meng Yuan was standing not far from her. Seeing this, his figure moved, and he did not hesitate to jump down with Zhao Ling.


    Zhao Ling woke up in a moment of dizziness, feeling that he was held tightly in Meng Yuan''s arms. A faint herbal smell came from her nose, and she was sure that it was Meng Yuan.


    She moved her body and found that Meng Yuan was holding her tightly. It was difficult to break free for a while, so she had to pat him on the back and called out, "Meng Yuan, Meng Yuan!"


    After a long while, holding his body finally moved, and then his body was pulled apart, Meng Yuan asked eagerly. "Ling''er, are you okay?"


    The two sat up, Zhao Ling met his worried look, shook his head and said, "I''m fine."


    Meng Yuan grabbed her shoulders, looked at her up and down, left and right, and after confirming that it was all right, he seemed to be relieved.


    "It''s okay." The voice trembled slightly.


    This man, for her, jumped down recklessly, it would be a lie to say she was not moved.


    She smelled a trace of blood from him, and broke free of his hold before asking, "Are you injured?"


    Due to the low light and the darker color of Meng Yuan''s clothes, she couldn''t see where the wound was.


    This man loved dark clothes. From knowing him until now, he was always in black.


    "It''s okay." Meng Yuan shook his head carelessly, and helped Zhao Ling to stand up.


    The two looked around. This seemed to be an underpass, with narrow space and dim light. The two walked along a slightly bright spot, winding all the way, seemingly endless.


    When they walked to an open corner at the corner, the two of them were surprised by what they saw before them.


    In front of them was a spacious stone prison, and in the prison were a dozen young men in ragged clothes, chained to the stone wall one by one, their faces were yellow and thin and haggard.


    "Are these scholars missing from Yunzhou City?" Zhao Ling asked, trying to confirm his guess to Meng Yuan.


    "It''s very likely." Meng Yuan also frowned slightly. Who was it that shut these unarmed scholars here? What was the purpose?


    When the scholars in the prison saw Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan, their deadly expressions suddenly became agitated, and they called them "Woo", struggling desperately, their chains intertwined and clinked.


    "They all had their tongues cut." Meng Yuan said.


    Zhao Ling was also taken aback. Who was so cruel?


    Suddenly, there was a soft drink from a distance. "Who dares to break into the Huayue Palace?"


    As soon as the voice fell, four slender girls in Tsing Yi flew over and surrounded them.

 Chapter 36 - The Sanskrit Forest [III]

    Huayue Palace? It was the first time that Zhao Ling heard this term, and it sounded like a landscape of rivers and lakes.


    "Huh, a sneaky underground palace, this Huayue Palace must not be a good place either." Meng Yuan said disdainfully.


    The lead girl in Tsing Yi said angrily. "Bold fanatics, who are actually rude. Who are you? How can you enter the secret path of Huayue Palace?"


    It turned out that this was the secret road of Huayue Palace. This place was a forbidden place and a secret road. Zhao Ling felt that she really wanted to cry without tears. Did people here just like to pretend to be mysterious?


    "Call out your palace lord." Meng Yuan still disdain to spend more time with a few little girls, and commanded impatiently.


    The headed girl in Tsing Yi changed her face and shouted angrily. "Bold, how can you see our palace lord if you want to see it! If you want to see the palace lord, you must pass our level before talking." After that, she raised the sword and attacked the two of them.


    Meng Yuan guarded Zhao Ling behind him, and fought her back with a wave of his sleeves. The other three groups rose up and besieged them.


    Zhao Ling was obviously not the type who needed to be protected hiding behind her. She slipped from her sleeve, holding a light dagger in her hand.


    This scalpel was what she had always carried on her body for self-defense. It was no better here than modern times. Something could happen here at any time. If one didn''t heighten one''s vigilance, one wouldn''t even know when or how death would come.


    Seeing that the attack on Meng Yuan was not profitable, the four targeted Zhao Ling. Under the cover of the other three, the leading girl pointed her sword in the direction where Zhao Ling was, and in a moment she had bullied Zhao Ling in front of her.


    Zhao Ling was about to fight back, but she heard Meng Yuan yell. "Looking for death!"


    The killing intention suddenly appeared in his eyes, and he threw away the siege of the other three women, and flew straight for the girl in Tsing Yi. With a wave of his hand, he knocked down the long sword in the girl''s hand, and then tightened his other hand. Caught the girl''s neck.


    "The son is merciful!" Just as Meng Yuan tried to twist the girl''s neck, and Zhao Ling wanted to stop her, a woman in white came to her and shouted anxiously.


    The skin was like morning dew, the eyes were like the morning stars and the eyebrows were like distant mountains, and the face was like frost, but the face was full of flowers and moon, and the white clothes fluttering like a heavenly woman. Zhao Ling couldn''t help but stare blankly, this was the real iceberg beauty!


    It was a pity that Meng Yuan didn''t even turn his head, his hands were undiminished, and the killing intent in his eyes became more intense. The girl in Tsing Yi was trembling with fright.


    Zhao Ling felt something different, stepped forward and patted the back of his hand, and whispered, "Meng Yuan."


    Meng Yuan returned to his senses, seeing the confusion in Zhao Ling''s eyes, his expression gradually returned to normal, and the girl in Tsing Yi took the opportunity to dodge and avoid.


    "Mei, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum, you retreat." Bingshan Beauty ordered coldly, and glanced at Zhao Ling with a slight surprise.


    "Yes, aunt." The four girls respectfully saluted the Bingshan Beauty, and moved away neatly.


    Aunt? Zhao Ling looked at her again, and she was a bit similar to the ranger girl in Jirisan.


    Because Meng Yuan didn''t even look at her, Bingshan Beauty was helpless, so she turned to Zhao Ling and said, "You two are here to find someone?"


    Hearing this, Zhao Ling was startled, and Meng Yuan also raised his head and glanced at her with a slight surprise.


    "Exactly." Zhao Ling responded. The enemy was unknown, she didn''t say much.


    "If you are looking for someone, just follow me." After that, Bingshan Beauty turned and left.


    For some reason, Zhao Ling intuitively believed her, and nodded to Meng Yuan. The two followed in the footsteps of Bingshan Beauty and followed her through the long secret road.


    When she walked out of the secret crossing, Zhao Ling felt suddenly enlightened.


    There was a beautiful palace in front of them. Although it did not occupy a large area, it was quietly and elegantly built with unique characteristics. Walking into the hall, the tables, chairs, flowers and trees inside were also elegant and ingenious.


    It was really unexpected that there was such a unique place in the bottom of the Sanskrit Forest, Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan were a little surprised, and they were undoubtedly at the Huayue Palace.


    Bingshan Beauty kept taking them to a side hall, standing in front of a finely carved wooden door, reaching out and turning a celadon vase next to it, and the door slowly opened.


    Zhao Ling looked inward, a beautiful couch lay across the room, and the man lying on it, collapsed, with his eyes closed, like a tree of orchids, was the missing Xie Mingyu!


    "Cousin!" Zhao Ling hurriedly entered the room and found Xie Mingyu unconscious, and asked the iceberg beauty standing behind him harshly. "What did you do to him?"


    Bingshan Beauty''s frosty face showed a slight strangeness when she saw Xie Mingyu, and then returned to normal, saying in a cold tone. "Girl rest assured, he is okay. Now that the person has been found, leave quickly."


    After that, she took out a white pill and fed Xie Mingyu to take it. After a while, Xie Mingyu woke up.


    "Ling''er?" Xie Mingyu woke up and saw Zhao Ling looking at him worriedly, his eyes confused and uncertain.


    "Cousin, you''re awake!" Zhao Ling grabbed Xie Mingyu''s sleeve, finally smiling.


    Seeing that Xie Mingyu was unharmed, she felt that the heart she was holding was finally relieved.


    Whether it was the original owner or herself, the relationship with this cousin was excellent. If Xie Mingyu suffered something wrong under her nose, how could she not feel embarrassed, and how would she explain it to the Xie family?


    On the side, Meng Yuan''s face was dark and solemn, and he pulled Zhao Ling over Xie Mingyu''s hand, and said in a dull voice, "It is not suitable to stay here for a long time. Let''s go quickly."


    "Shuang''er, you disappointed me too much!" A cold and severe female voice came from a distance, as if it was far away in the sky, and at the same time, as if it was close to their ears.


    Bingshan Beauty''s face changed, and she urged them. "Hurry up, and leave!"


    Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan helped Xie Mingyu and walked away hurriedly. Just a few steps out, a woman in red fell from the sky and stopped them.


    "Want to go? It won''t be so easy!"

 Chapter 37 - The Moon In The Mirror

    The woman in front of them was slightly older than the Bingshan beauty. She was dressed in a big red shirt, dancing with wide sleeves. She was fluttering in her robes, and her facial features were exquisite. She shot her sharp gaze at Bingshan Beauty, and said angrily: "Shuang''er, you betrayed me!"


    The Bingshan beauty looked sad. She shook her head and said to the woman in red: "Sister, you can''t go wrong any more, stop."


    The woman in red was Leng Xiang Ning, the lord of Huayue Palace, and the "Shuang''er" she called, the Bingshan beauty, was her sister Leng Ao Shuang.


    Leng Xiangning''s face became even more angry when she heard the words, and when she saw Zhao Ling who was supporting Xie Mingyu, she sternly shouted: "Bold slut, you dare to take my Ruilang away, and die?"


    Before she could say anything, she shot forward and attacked Zhao Ling. The action was so fast that people were caught off guard.


    But Meng Yuan''s movements were faster than hers, and he pushed Zhao Ling and Xie Mingyu away, and blocked Leng Xiangning.


    From the thunderous collision, Leng Xiangning was forced a few steps backwards by Meng Yuan''s palm, shocked in her heart. She had already used her full strength with that attack just now, but this young man took it so easily. She knew this person should not be underestimated.


    "Who are you?" She hadn''t heard of such outstanding young people in the arena.


    Meng Yuan ignored her questioning, but firmly guarded Zhao Ling behind him, and coldly snorted: "Huh, the palace lord of Huayue Palace has a problem with us?"


    She was the Palace Master of Huayue Palace? Pingbai was scolded as a "slut", Zhao Ling was a little inexplicable. Who was Ruilang? She looked at Xie Mingyu, and suddenly felt that she understood a little bit.


    Why was Xie Mingyu not locked up in a stone prison like other scholars, but could sleep on the couch well enough? It was probably Leng Xiangning who regarded him as her wise man. It seemed that there was really a problem with her brain.


    Leng Xiangning heard Meng Yuan''s sneer, and saw Xie Mingyu and Zhao Ling taking pictures together. She became anxious and beckoned to Zhao Ling who continued to take records as evidence. With a flick of her figure, she attacked Zhao Ling.


    Seeing this, Meng Yuan suddenly felt violent in his eyes. He intercepted Leng Xiangning and they engaged in a battle. The fight was inextricable for a while.


    After dozens of moves, Leng Xiangning became slightly tired, and the wind gradually fell on her tired face. She became anxious and angry, and gradually went crazy. She shouted sternly to Xie Mingyu: "Ruilang, why do you repeatedly take me down?"


    Xie Mingyu was also helpless about what kind of wise man he had become for no reason. He solemnly said to Leng Xiangning: "Palace Master Leng, you really admitted the wrong person, I am not your wise man."


    Leng Xiangning looked up to the sky and smiled, with tears in her laughter and sadness on her face.


    "Ruilang, are you really so ruthless? Well, I will fulfill you. If Leng Xiangning can''t get what she wants, then others will never have it!"


    After that, she shook her figure, and came to Xie Mingyu like a ghost, raised her hand and sent a palm strike towards Xie Mingyu''s chest.


    Zhao Ling confirmed that this Leng Xiangning did have mental problems, and her performance seemed to be manic or hypothetical. At this time, Leng Xiangning had already gone straight to Xie Mingyu, and in a blink of an eye had already started to bully him.


    "Cousin!" she exclaimed.


    However, at the last moment, Leng Ao Shuang quickly stood in front of Xie Mingyu, and Leng Xiangning slapped Leng Aoshuang''s chest with a palm.


    With a "poof", Leng Aoshuang spat out a few mouthfuls of blood, and slowly fell down.


    "Girl Leng, Girl Leng." Xie Mingyu knelt to the ground holding Leng Ao Shuang, his face full of anxiety, shaking hands to wipe the blood from the corners of her mouth.


    Leng Aoshuang''s originally fair complexion became paler, and the blood spilling from the corner of her mouth was shocking. She squeezed a smile at Xie Mingyu, and said weakly: "Master Xie, you are fine. My sister is a poor person. Don''t blame her."


    Then, she turned her head and took Leng Xiangning''s hand, and said pleadingly: "Sister, please, don''t kill anymore."


    "Shuang''er!" Leng Xiangning was stunned.


    Her face was splashed with Leng Aoshuang''s blood. Slowly, her frantic eyes gradually became clear, and her chaotic consciousness gradually returned to her senses. After seeing what was happening in front of her, she let out a mournful cry, burst her life essence, and spouted a few mouthfuls of blood, painful. She fell down on Leng Aoshuang''s side, the blood in her mouth continued to flow for a while.


    Zhao Ling was waiting to step forward to check the injuries of the two Leng sisters, when suddenly there was a sound of fighting outside. A group of people broke in from outside the palace, broke through the encirclement of the palace ladies of Huayue Palace, and rushed in.


    Zhao Ling saw that it was the arrester and guards of the Yiqian Mansion, and Fengze, Lu Ziqing, and Changdong were headed by others. Situ Gong also came, thinking that Chang Dong was worried about Meng Yuan''s body, so he specially picked him up.


    After the group came in, they were also taken aback when they saw the scene. Seeing that Meng Yuan was here, so he first met him. "I have seen Lord Xuan."


    Meng Yuan was too lazy to care about his expressions. Zhao Ling couldn''t stand it, and touched his arm to signal him to make a statement. It always felt good to make people kneel like this?


    Meng Yuan strained his face and reluctantly said, "You don''t need to be polite."


    Seeing that the palace lord and aunt were both injured, the ladies of the Huayue Palace were shocked. They knelt down around them, crying miserably, panicking.


    "Ling, you are fine." Fengze saw that Zhao Ling was unharmed, his bloodshot eyes lit up, and his excitement was beyond words.


    That day, he watched Zhao Ling disappear in front of his eyes, but he couldn''t do anything. He didn''t even mention how depressed he was.


    He also wanted to jump down with Zhao Ling like King Xuan, but he searched the entire hill but couldn''t find the entrance, making him violent and out of control for several times.


    Zhao Ling didn''t see Fengze for many days, and smiled at him when he saw the concern in his eyes.


    Lu Ziqing didn''t know her as Zhao Ling, so she ignored it automatically. She directly said to Situ Gong: "Mr. Situ, come and have a look." Situ Gong is skilled in medicine, and perhaps there was a way to save the two of them.


    Situ Gong took his orders and stepped forward to check the injuries of Sister Leng. Leng Aoshuang suffered internal injuries, but fortunately he didn''t hurt the vitals. He took the pill that he was carrying with him.


    After a while, Leng Aoshuang recovered a little. Only Leng Xiangning remained seated against the wall, dying.


    Situ Gong shook his head, and said to Zhao Ling, "The damages were too deep."


    When Leng Aoshuang heard Situ Gong''s words, she couldn''t help feeling sad, and fell on Leng Xiangning and wept. Leng Xiangning held Leng Aoshuang''s hand, beautiful eyes with tears.


    "Shuang''er, I''m sorry, your sister has let you down."


    Leng Aoshuang''s face was full of tears, she couldn''t speak, but she kept shaking her head.


    "Shuang''er, you have to remember that all love is like the moon in the mirror. Don''t be too persistent. Your sister couldn''t understand this point and ended up like this. You - don''t repeat the mistakes of your sister." Leng Xiang Ning exhausted her last strength to finish speaking. Looking into the distance, her eyes seemed to have infinite sadness, but after a while, she slowly closed her beautiful eyes.


    A generation of beautiful women, gone just like that.


    Leng Aoshuang leaned on Leng Xiangning and wept silently.. The ladies of Huayue Palace also knelt on the ground, weeping.

 Chapter 38 - Leng Xiang Ning [I]

    As soon as Leng Xiangning died, the dragons of Huayue Palace had no head, and Leng Aoshuang, as the aunt of Huayue Palace, assumed the leading responsibility.


    She dragged her injured body, temporarily settled the people in Huayue Palace, and ordered the release of all the scholars locked in the secret road stone prison and handed them to Lu Ziqing to take back to Yunzhou City.


    For those scholars, she had done her best to keep them alive. As for the impact of the Huayue Palace experience on them, she couldn''t do anything about it.


    Then she came to the ice room in the palace, where Leng Xiangning''s body was placed. In the ice room, Zhao Ling and Situ Gong were inspecting Leng Xiangning''s body.


    Zhao Ling suspected that Leng Xiangning died abnormally. According to her recent actions and performances, she should be suffering from mania and hypothesis. Simply put, it was a little insanity, and this situation couldn''t be ruled out as caused by a certain drug. So she specifically called Situ Gong in to check it out.


    Seeing Leng Aoshuang coming in, Zhao Ling nodded at her and asked. "Miss Leng, has the Lord Leng always been as grumpy as she was just now, and even often acquired the wrong person?"


    Leng Aoshuang shook her head and denied: "No, she was not like this at the beginning. My sister was a gentle and elegant person with a deep understanding of righteousness. Even if Tao Zhirui''s shameless person deceived her and abandoned her at that time, she did not have any excuses."


    Tao Zhirui, could it be the "Rui Lang" that Leng Xiangning said?


    As if he knew Zhao Ling''s questions, Leng Aoshuang went on to explain: "Tao Zhirui once had a relationship with my sister. At that time, he was just a poor scholar who was bitten by a poisonous snake while collecting medicine in the mountains. It was my sister who rescued him back to the palace and helped him heal his injuries. The two of them became in love with each other for a long time, so they settled for life."


    Tao Zhirui was about to go to Beijing for the exam that year and promised to marry my sister after he was in high school. My sister was here waiting for him wholeheartedly, but who knew that he would never return, and there was no news.


    A year ago, he returned home in good shape and became the prefect of Yunzhou. When my sister heard the news, she went to him with joy. Who thought he already had a wife, and he was newly married to his princess wife, Yaner, who was deeply affectionate. He didn''t recognize my sister at all. "


    Leng Aoshuang paused, she was deeply worthless for her sister. She had long seen that Tao Zhirui''s rhetoric was not a good person, but her sister was fascinated by him at that time, and she couldn''t listen to her advice.


    She blamed herself. If she had tried to persuade her sister several times more, maybe her sister''s fate would not be miserable.


    "Chen Shimei!" Zhao Ling blurted out, seeing Leng Aoshuang and Situ Gong''s suspicious eyes, expecting that they might not know Chen Shimei. So they laughed, and she continued, "Well, I just heard that there was a man named Chen Shimei before. Ren, he married the princess after passing the exam and abandoned his wife and two children. In order to prevent his wife from coming to the government office to sue and expose him, he sent someone to assassinate his wife and children. Much worse than Tao Zhirui."


    "There is such a hateful person in this world?" Leng Aoshuang lived in Huayue Palace all year round, with a simple mind, and looked surprised when he heard Chen Shimei''s evil deeds. Compared with Chen Shimei''s wife, her sister does not seem to be the worst of bad love deeds.


    "The most unpredictable thing in this world is people''s hearts, so Miss Leng doesn''t have to blame herself too much for what happened to Sister Ling." Zhao Ling was not very good at comforting people, and could only do her best at this.


    Although Zhao Ling''s tone was faint, Leng Aoshuang also heard the relief in her words, and was a little moved for a while. The woman in front of her was dressed plainly and did not apply any beauty powder. Although her facial features were exquisite, she had a scar on her face. But her gentle and calm temperament and calm and indifferent look made her involuntarily good.


    Leng Aoshuang glanced at Zhao Ling gratefully, and continued to recall. "When did my sister start to change, you asked? It should be after the Baoning Temple fire.


    That day, for some reason, a fire broke out in Baoning Temple, and Tao Zhirui and his wife were also burned to death in the fire. I originally thought that the fire was caused by my sister, but seeing my sister holding Tao Zhirui''s charred body crying sadly, I knew it had nothing to do with her. Maybe it was retribution, who told him to betray my sister.


    But after that, my sister''s temperament slowly changed. At first, her temper became more and more irritable, and she was very easy to get angry. Later she became more and more cruel and bloodthirsty. She hated all the scholars who were locked up in stone prisons. She ordered someone to catch the scholar secretly.


    The scholars who were caught were a bit disobedient, so she did not hesitate to kill them, and threw the corpse into the Sanskrit Forest, letting the wild beasts eat, and it was useless to persuade her no matter what I did.


    On the contrary, it made her even more angry and made the scholars even more angry. She wanted them to suffer.


    There must be a reason for a person''s sudden personality change, either external or internal. Zhao Ling felt that Tao Zhirui''s death might be an external cause of Leng Xiangning''s change in temperament, but this did not explain the sudden death of Leng Xiangning from vomiting blood.


    Is there another internal cause? But according to her inspection of Leng Xiangning''s body just now, she did not find any signs of poisoning, so what was the cause of her death?


    She asked Situ Gong: "Did Mr. Situ find out anything?"


    Situ Gong shook his head, "This subordinate is incompetent."


    It wasn''t that Situ Gong was incompetent.. From the surface of the corpse, there was indeed nothing unusual, nor could he find out the cause of death. So what was the cause of Leng Xiangning''s death?

 Chapter 39 - The Mind Eclipse Poison

    Zhao Ling looked at Leng Aoshuang''s pale little face, and let out a soft breath. She wondered if asking her to dissect the corpse would scare her or not. But there was only one step away from the truth. If they gave up in this way, it would tarnish her professional ethics, and it would also be irresponsible to the deceased.


    With the mentality of trying it out, she asked Leng Aoshuang for autopsy.


    Leng Aoshuang''s eyes widened when he heard the words. She was greatly surprised. As far as she knew, those post-mortems were the work done by the government. The clear and graceful woman in front of her was confident enough to examine her sister''s body without changing her face. Would she still have an autopsy?


    "Don''t Miss Leng want to find out the real cause of death of sister Ling? The outside master Lu is a servant of the Criminal Department. The government would definitely investigate the case of Huayue Palace''s kidnapping of scholars and indiscriminate killings of innocents. If it is possible to find out that Leng Gong''s sudden change in temperament is another hidden story If they do, the Huayue Palace may be charged."


    Zhao Ling was telling the truth. As the court''s minister of criminal department, Lu Ziqing was not an ordinary officer. Although the court was different from the arena, it was state-owned and the Huayue Palace committed such crimes under state law. As a law enforcement officer, he must give those innocent scholars who died in vain, fair justice.


    "Can I find the real cause of death after dissecting my sister''s body?" Leng Aoshuang asked. In her opinion, the dead was the big one, but now she needed determination and courage to watch her sister''s body being cut opened.


    "I can''t guarantee that it would be found after the autopsy, but now it seems that this is the only way." Zhao Ling didn''t want to make it difficult for others. After all, she had different concepts and she couldn''t force it.


    "Okay, I believe you." Leng Aoshuang was not a hypocritical person either. Seeing Zhao Ling so calm and confident, she believed her for no reason. This woman was special, otherwise, how could she only obey her alone.


    With Leng Aoshuang''s approval, Zhao Ling immediately went to work. Although she didn''t wear a medical gown, fortunately, masks, gloves, and scalpels were all readily available, and Situ Gong did the recordings.


    As for Leng Aoshuang, she was asked to wait outside. Facing her relatives being cut open by herself, Zhao Ling felt that she might not be able to stomach it.


    As a result, only her and Situ Gong were left in the ice room. After a little thought, she decided to invite Lu Ziqing to testify. Among these people, he was the most suitable candidate.


    Lu Ziqing entered the ice room and saw Zhao Ling wearing a mask and holding a scalpel. His expression was cold for a while. Guan Wei was like him, and when he thought about it for a while, he knew that the eldest lady of the government office in front of him now was the half-masked Mo Xin he knew before.


    "Ms. Zhao is really not easy." Lu Ziqing''s face was ugly and his tone was cold. He thought highly of himself, but he was being taken lightly by Zhao Ling. So naturally he wouldn''t express a good face.


    Zhao Ling knew that Lu Ziqing was not a good liar, and he would definitely find out that he was Mo Xin. But now she didn''t have the time to explain it to him. She just briefly explained the situation to him. No matter what his reaction was, she bowed her head and started the autopsy.


    Anyway, as the secretary of the criminal ministry, this was his duty, wasn''t it?


    Lu Ziqing watched Zhao Ling holding a sharp blade and cutting the knife skillfully. Her movements were simple and neat. Although it was not the first time to see her dissecting a corpse, the shock he felt was different after he knew she was a lady.


    This was an outstanding work! He sighed from the bottom of his heart.


    Also shocked was Situ Gong. As a doctor who has practiced medicine for many years, he thought he was knowledgeable, but now seeing this future princess Xuan in action, he also had to subdue his tolerance and courage. No wonder the prince had a soft spot for her, she was really different from ordinary women.


    Zhao Ling was also shocked, because after she opened Leng Xiangning''s chest, she discovered that Leng Xiangning actually died because of a heart burst!


    Leng Xiangning''s heart blood vessels all burst, causing her to vomit blood suddenly and die. But what was it that caused a person''s heart and blood vessels to burst suddenly?


    "Mind Eclipse!" Situ Gong exclaimed.


    Upon hearing this, Zhao Ling turned to Situ Gong and asked, "Mr. Situ is aware of this symptom?"


    Situ Gong said with uncertainty: "The subordinates once saw a similar record in an ancient book. Rumor has it that there is a heart-eroding grass in the territory of Beidi, which is extremely poisonous. The people of Beidi respected this grass. Later, somehow Some people in southern Xinjiang took it to refine and cultivate it into a kind of poison to control people''s mind. Once the poisoned human wakes up from its control, they would be eroded and die. This is why the mind eroding technique is named."


    That said, it made sense. After Leng Aoshuang was hit in the palm of the hand by Leng Xiangning, most of the blood she vomited splashed on her face. Leng Xiangning was awakened by the impact of the blood at that time, and then died of a heart burst due to a poisonous attack.


    "It''s just recorded in the book that this Mind-Erosion Technique is different from ordinary Gu Poison. It is not controlled by spirit Gu, but it is necessary to take a medicine prepared with Heart-Erosion Herb from time to time to maintain its medicinal properties." Situ Gong again said.


    In this way, the reason why Leng Xiangning suddenly changed his temperament and became brutal and bloodthirsty was that he was controlled by this kind of poison.


    Mind eclipse!


    The name was really appropriate.

 Chapter 40 - Wuji Promise Teaching

    According to Zhao Ling''s understanding, Leng Xiangning was actually hypnotized under the action of a certain drug, and the reason why she could be easily hypnotized was probably because she was too obsessed with it.


    Examination of the remaining organs found no abnormalities. Zhao Ling finished the autopsy and sutured Leng Xiangning''s incision. Seeing Leng Xiangning''s stunning face, she sighed inwardly.


    It was just that as the master of the dignified Huayue Palace, how did she get poisoned? What was the intention of the poisoner?


    When Zhao Ling walked out of the ice room, she saw Meng Yuan sitting in a wheelchair far away, looking aloof and cold.


    Zhao Ling curled his lips, this guy now showed himself with a cold and arrogant face. Was he still angry that she just forced him to sit in a wheelchair?


    Speaking of it, Changdong, the personal guard, was really dedicated to his master''s responsibilities. He was worried that Meng Yuan had been walking upright for so long and his body would be too much to bear the backlash. So when he went to pick up Situ Gong, he also moved his wheelchair intimately.


    But Meng Yuan glanced at Changdong like a knife, and spit out two words coldly. "It''s troublesome."


    Chang Dong''s face paled in fright, and he wanted to throw his wheelchair immediately. Had it not been for Zhao Ling''s insistence on letting him sit and rest, maybe this wheelchair would be scrapped by him.


    Unexpectedly, this guy Meng Yuan had a big temper when he got angry. Was it possible to coax him by herself? Zhao Ling thought for a while, but forgot about it. Not to mention it was not the time to do this, there were more important things to do now.


    To maintain the effect of the Heart Erosion Technique, it was necessary to take medicine from time to time. More so, there must be a person who could administer medicine to Leng Xiangning without her knowing it. It was most likely a person from the Huayue Palace.


    Leng Aoshuang was surprised when she heard this. So, was her sister killed by medicine? Who on earth was trying to deal with her so hard? And the ladies of the Huayue Palace who followed their sisters were confidants. Who betrayed them?


    "Come here, go and call Tingyu." She ordered.


    Ting Yu was always waiting next to Leng Xiangning, and no one knew Leng Xiangning''s diet better than her.


    Not long after, a blue-robed court lady came curling up. With a graceful figure and beautiful appearance, she was also a girl who looked like a jade flower.


    But this Huayue Palace had beautiful woman, and Zhao Ling was a bit tired of aesthetics.


    The lady in blue knelt down in front of Leng Ao Shuang, lowered her head and shouted respectfully. "Listening to the rain here, and she sees auntie."


    "Listening to the rain, I see you too. You are in charge of the palace lord''s diet and daily life, aren''t you?" Leng Aoshuang asked coldly.


    "Aunt Hui, exactly." Listening to the rain replied.


    "Has the palace owner''s diet changed these days?"


    "Aunt Hui, there is no change."


    "Can you find anything unusual?"


    "Aunt Hui, I didn''t find anything unusual." Ting Yu kept her head down, bowed her waist, and answered respectfully.


    This palace lady was lying! Zhao Ling stared sharply after listening to the rain.


    She learned some micro-expressions when she was a minor in psychology. When people lie, they tend to unconsciously tighten their body and tighten their shoulders. At that time, she subconsciously protected her actions, and sometimes she might not even know her actions.


    She shook her head to Leng Ao Shuang, indicating that this person had a problem.


    Leng Aoshuang''s face shrank, and she was about to attack, but Zhao Ling raised her hand to stop it. She turned to the girl in blue and asked aloud. "You are called Tingyu?"


    "Exactly." Tingyu answered without raising his head.


    "I heard that you serve the palace lord personally, so you could know what the palace lord liked to eat, what she least liked to eat, what color she liked the most, what color she disliked the least, what she would do when she was in a good mood, and when she was in a bad mood What would she do?"


    Zhao Ling asked a series of questions, listened to Yu Yu in silence for a long time, but did not receive any answer.


    "You are not listening to the rain." Zhao Ling said slowly. Originally, she was only skeptical, so she made a test. Now she could be sure that this person was not listening to the rain. As a close-serving court lady to the master, did she need to think about Leng Xiangning''s preferences for so long?


    Leng Aoshuang''s face changed drastically, and she asked sharply, "Who are you, why do you pretend to listen to the rain and come into the Huayue Palace?"


    Kneeling down, Tingyu suddenly let out a few weird laughs, slowly raised her head, and then tore off her face with her hands. Tearing off a human skin mask, she revealed a face that was brighter than Tingyu''s.


    She stood up and smiled like a peach blossom. "Princess Xuan is really amazing." After a pause, she continued. "It''s a pity that Leng Xiangning who was such a good pawn disappeared like this. I thought I had to work hard to get her to be recruited."


    Although it was a troublesome situation, her face still looked relaxed.


    "The fire at Baoning Temple was your handwriting?" Zhao Ling frowned. "You made Leng Xiangning saw Tao Zhirui died in the fire with her own eyes, and drugged her when she was heartbroken and unsuspecting. Leng Xiangning would gradually lose her mind and become cruel and bloodthirsty."


    The blue-clothed woman showed a touch of appreciation, "Princess Xuan is really as careful as dust, and very clever. But it''s not good for a woman to be too clever. Be careful to get her upper body."


    Before the words fell, she already moved her body. Her whole body flew up, rushing towards the direction where Zhao Ling was standing.


    Zhao Ling felt that she was already powerless to do anything. In modern times, she could be regarded as a hero in female middle school, but in front of these ancient people who flew around at every turn, she simply was as weak as a new born.


    But she couldn''t just wait and die. She was about to dodge, when she was swept away by a flying figure, able to avoid the woman''s attack. She then steadily fell into a warm embrace.


    The faint smell of herbs came, and she unconsciously moved the corner of her mouth. Isn''t this guy mad at her, but he moved very fast to save her now.


    Feng Ze, Lu Ziqing, Leng Aoshuang and others were caught off guard. When they reacted, they saw that Zhao Ling had been rescued by Meng Yuan. They turned to besiege the woman. The woman couldn''t do anything as she glared at them. After a while, she threw out an item, and the hall was suddenly filled with white gas, blocking everyone''s sight.


    The woman took the opportunity to get away, and soon disappeared. A word came from a distance, echoing in the hall. "On the third day of May, Wuji teaches you in Suzhou, waiting for your ride."


    Zhao Ling was ignoring Meng Yuan''s dark face, trying to break away from his arms, and to get up from his lap.


    After the king continued to hug her in his arms, she fell on the wheelchair. She could only sit sideways on his lap, in a very ambiguous posture. No matter how thick-skinned Zhao Ling was, it would be a bit embarrassing.


    After hearing the woman''s words, Zhao Ling was startled and looked at Xie Mingyu, who was also shocked.


    On the third day of May, wasn''t it the 80th birthday of Mr. Misty? So the Xie family was in danger?


    Lu Ziqing''s face was also ugly. He came to Yunzhou this time because the prefect of Yunzhou reported a strange missing case of a group of scholars, and he suspected it was related to the Wuji Sect.


    Du Yu, Li Wenzheng, Yunzhou scholars, and now the Baoning Temple case was added. Unknowingly, the Wuji Sect had made such a big disturbance. But she couldn''t do anything, everything seemed to be led by the nose by the Wuji Teaching. How could she not get frustrated?


    Meng Yuan was sitting in the wheelchair with the same gloomy expression, his hands holding the wheelchair tightly, and a trace of sorrow appeared in his eyes. A woman who dared to plot against her woman must not stay with the Promise Teaching!


    Only Fengze looked sad. He asked Lu Ziqing to go south to investigate Wuji more. He was happy to see Zhao Ling, but he did not expect that Zhao Ling had married Wang Xuan. And by the look of things, Wang Xuan seemed to have affection for her. Only when he saw Wang Xuan holding her in his arms, that he felt his heart was severely sore and painful.


    For 25 years, he had never cared for any woman in his heart. He hoped that his wife was someone who he could spend the rest of his life with. Any woman who could stay with him was an extraordinary woman.


    Now that he found it, was it still a step too late after all?

 Chapter 41 - A Thing Of The Heart

    Xie Mingyu and Zhao Ling worried about the safety of Xie''s family. Lu Ziqing was eager to hunt down the whereabouts of Wuji, and the group quickly bid farewell to Leng Aoshuang.


    Before leaving, Zhao Ling noticed Xie Mingyu''s unusual look at Leng Aoshuang, and her heart moved. Could it be that Xie Mingyu, an older young man, has finally become acquainted with love?


    It was just that he just liked Leng Aoshuang, the beauty of the Bingshan! She sighed inwardly. Thinking of Leng Xiangning''s last words to Leng Aoshuang before she died, after the painful lesson of her sister, would Leng Aoshuang still believe in men easily?


    She decided to help Xie Mingyu. Although the Xie family was a scholarly family, no one was an official in the court. There was no imperial representative among them. Xie Mingyu was free and easy by nature and didn''t like to be restrained. It would be suitable to match Leng Aoshuang''s Jianghu background.


    So she took advantage of Leng Aoshuang''s way to send them out of the palace, and found a chance for two of them to be alone. Then she held her and said, "Leng Aoshuang, I can see that you are a cold-faced and warm-hearted person. I think I am very fond of you. We no longer need to be polite, so I will call you Aoshuang in the future, and you will also call me Ling, okay?"


    Leng Aoshuang agreed. She also had a good impression of the calm and wise woman in front of her. She nodded and said, "Of course it is good."


    Zhao Ling was dumbfounded for a while. It was the first time for her to see Leng Aoshuang''s smile, and she finally realized what it meant by "A Smile". Xie Mingyu, your vision was really great! Zhao Ling sighed secretly.


    She shook off her thoughts, settled down, and asked, "I was at the Ruyi Inn the day before yesterday, did you send someone to inform us about our cousin''s whereabouts?"


    Leng Aoshuang nodded calmly.


    "Thank you. And back at the palace, you blocked your sister''s strike meant for my cousin, but you were seriously injured. The Xie family will definitely pay back this love."


    Leng Aoshuang''s expression was a little unnatural and said: "Ling, you don''t have to be so polite, I just don''t want my sister to make mistakes and commit murder again."


    "Anyway, this love, whether it is me or the Xie family, will be remembered in our minds." Zhao Ling took Leng Aoshuang''s hand and said solemnly.


    In fact, what Zhao Ling meant was that Leng Aoshuang''s feelings of saving Xie Mingyu, he would definitely pay it back.


    "By the way, the last time I saw Palace Master Leng mistaken my cousin as Tao Zhirui, was my cousin similar to Tao Zhirui?" Zhao Ling asked casually.


    "No, in fact, there is nothing similar between the two of them. It''s because my older sister was too obsessed to admit her mistake." Leng Aoshuang said of Leng Xiangning, her expression dimmed. The sudden death of his only relative was a big blow to everyone. Leng Aoshuang''s ability to settle the Huayue Palace so quickly showed her strength and determination.


    "So that''s it." Zhao Ling didn''t know how to comfort her, and both of them fell silent for a while. When she was leaving, Zhao Ling took Leng Aoshuang''s hand and said, "Aoshuang, sister Ling''s death is inseparable from Wuji''s teachings. If you can handle the affairs of Huayue Palace in a few days, why not come to Suzhou with us? We can deal with Wuji Teaching together?"


    "I have this intention. The Wuji Sect has sneaked into the Huayue Palace and murdered my sister. I will naturally find them to figure out this incident." Speaking bitterly of the Wuji Sect, Leng Aoshuang''s pretty face was like ice.


    Zhao Ling squinted at Xie Mingyu, saw a hint of joy on his face, and said in her heart. "Xie Mingyu, I can only help you get there under the current circumstances, and it will depend on your good fortune in the future."


    After the group left the Huayue Palace, they drove non-stop until they arrived at the Ruyi Inn. It was late at night. Lu Zhu and Bi An cried with joy when they saw Zhao Ling and Xie Mingyu returning safely. The night was getting dark, everyone decided to stay at the inn temporarily for one night and set off again tomorrow morning.


    After experiencing various scenarios in Huayue Palace in the past two days, Zhao Ling also felt a little tired. But the more tired her body was, the clearer her mind was. Anyway, she couldn''t sleep while lying down, so she put on a piece of clothing, opened the door to go to the patio to get some air. And while at this, she was also sorting out Wuji''s clues in her mind.


    When she came to the patio, she found that she was not the only one who couldn''t sleep, but Xie Mingyu was also sitting at the stone table, facing the moon, and drinking alone.


    "Cousin." She whispered, sitting on the stone bench opposite him, and said: "But are you worried about Wuji?"


    Xie Mingyu also poured a glass for Zhao Ling, and said with concern. "The Wuji religion is very secrecy in the Dasheng Dynasty, and I only heard about it slightly. The Emperor Taizu overthrew the previous dynasty as a feudal king and replaced it. When the army entered Zeijing, the former Emperor Zhaowen and his princes, princesses and concubines were all hanged to death. Only one of the little princes who was still infant was rescued by the guards of the palace and survived."


    "Only one person survived?"


    "Yes. About 50 years ago, when Emperor Ming Xiao succeeded to the throne, a group known as the Wuji Sect used the slogan ''Zhu the rebels and restore rivers and mountains'' to attack cities and land, burn, kill and loot. The leader is said to be the little prince, the only bloodline of the previous dynasty. When the first emperor was furious, he sent troops to suppress it with all his strength, and the Wuji Sect disappeared from then on.. Unexpectedly, it was resurrected now, and the Xie family was also involved."

 Chapter 42 - A Thing Of The Heart [II]

    It turned out to be an anti-government organization! It was no wonder that Dong Runnian, the Shangshu of the Criminal Department, reacted so strongly when he saw the Promise tattoo on the dead man.


    Zhao Ling thought, took a sip from the cup, frowned, and said in disbelief. "Cousin, it turns out you drink wine, I thought you only drink tea!"


    "It turns out that Ling''er underestimated me so much?" Xie Mingyu looked at her slightly distorted expression due to the drink, feeling a little better.


    "I underestimate what you have, as long as Girl Aoshuang doesn''t underestimate you." Zhao Ling looked at him and said to him jokingly.


    "Okay, even my cousin dared to make fun of him. It seems that these days I have been with King Xuan, and I have gained a lot of skills, eh." Xie Mingyu also teased her politely.


    Zhao Ling was rarely so playful, so Xie Mingyu naturally responded happily.


    "Who is talking about this king behind his back?"


    A low voice came from behind them, and the corner of Zhao Ling''s mouth twitched. Is he Cao Cao?


    Meng Yuan pushed his wheelchair slowly and appeared in front of the two with a gloomy expression. It was so late, and this woman was still alone with Xie Mingyu, and still chatting so happily. Could it be that he was happy?


    Xie Mingyu stood up and saluted Meng Yuan. "I have seen King Xuan."


    Meng Yuan only looked solemnly at Zhao Ling. His handsome face was dark, as if saying "This king is very unhappy".


    What was wrong with this guy? His face was so stinky, as if someone owed him tens of thousands of taels.


    Zhao Ling curled his lips, stood up, and said to Xie Mingyu. "Cousin, we have to leave earlier tomorrow morning. Rest early."


    Xie Mingyu nodded, smiled meaningfully at her, and left.


    Meng Yuan still looked at Zhao Ling, his expression gradually turning from gloomy to sad. Zhao Ling looked at the blood strains in his eyes, and realized he must be exhausted. Feeling a little distressed in her heart, she said helplessly. "Since you are tired, you need to rest earlier too. I will push you back to the room."


    In the past two days, he dragged his unhealed legs, went through so many things with her, and saved her so many times, so it was right to take care of him.


    Hearing the concern in her words, Meng Yuanheng''s expression eased a little. He had seen it a long time ago that this woman was soft and hard. As long as he was in this pitiful situation, she would generally not refuse.


    He raised his head, looked at her baffledly, and said. "But I want to stay with Ling''er. Can I sit with her for a while?"


    Zhao Ling found that he couldn''t refuse such a look more and more, and secretly spurned. "Okay, but it can''t be too long. Mr. Situ said you need to rest more."


    Zhao Ling pushed his wheelchair next to the stone bench, and sat down on the stone bench, and the two sat side by side.


    The moon was bright and the stars were sparse, and the night was like water. Meng Yuan looked at the gentle and indifferent woman beside him, couldn''t help but raise his hand, and pulled a naughty strand of hair from her temples behind her ears. And then, not surprisingly, saw a blush on her beautiful face, and he was satisfied. He smiled.


    The so-called "flowers before and under the moon" was probably the case. If the heart knew each other, there was no word, yet tacit understanding. If two people love each other, they would feel pity even if they didn''t say a word. Being with the one the person love would make the person intoxicated even if the person was relatively silent.


    Meng Yuan knew there could be some people who were peeking in the dark and dared to covet his woman, but he would never give them any chance. His eyes flashed brightly.


    Zhao Ling felt that she must be too tired. For Meng Yuan''s intimacy, she actually had a feeling of rapid heartbeat and hot complexion. When Meng Yuan took out a piece of jade pendant to place on her neck, she woke up from her reverie.


    "This is..." Zhao Ling looked at the extra jade pendant on her chest and looked at Meng Yuan in bewilderment.


    This was a crystal clear blood jade, small and exquisite, with a warm touch. It was very valuable at first glance.


    Meng Yuan gave a light cough, his face seemed a little unnatural. "Take it. Don''t remove it."


    "Why give me something for no reason?" Zhao Ling asked, paused, and continued. "And this jade pendant seems to be very valuable."


    "This king wants to give it to you. Should there be so many reasons to that?" Seeing that Zhao Ling wanted to remove it and return it to him, his face sank and said: "The things this king gave out will never be taken back. If you don''t like it, just throw it away."


    Zhao Ling was dumbfounded. It was so awkward to give a gift. Meng Yuan was enough for her. Well, since he was rich and self-willed, she wouldn''t be polite to him then.


    In the dim night, Feng Ze was hidden in the dark on the second floor, watching the scene of the two people whispering side by side downstairs. With his hands clenched, all kinds of emotions such as pain, regret, and unwillingness were surging in his eyes.


    He remembered the first time the two met in the alley that day, remembered how she smiled at him when he leaped on the horse and brought her back home that day, and how she turned into Mo Xin to discard his suspicion. He was so stupid, he didn''t even notice that Mo Xin was her.. Thinking of this, he smiled bitterly, then retreated sadly.

 Chapter 43 - Grandfather Misty

    Early in the morning of the second day, the group set off in full gear and rushed to Suzhou without stopping. At noon four days later, they finally arrived outside Suzhou City.


    Suzhou was the most prosperous place in the south of the Yangtze River in the Dasheng Dynasty, where chaebols and merchants gathered, and aristocratic families were everywhere.


    The carriage stopped outside the city gate, and Zhao Ling raised the curtain to look outside. The gate was tall and towering, and there was a constant stream of pedestrians, which was almost the same as the bustling Shengjing.


    Taking advantage of the carriage line to enter the city, Xie Mingyu sent Bi An to come and asked Zhao Ling. "Miss Biao, young master asks you whether we should go to the academy to greet the old man first, or go to Xie''s mansion for a rest?"


    Zhao Ling thought for a while, and said, "Go to the academy first." Mr. Miao Miao was the highest-ranking person in the Xie family, so naturally they should go to please him first.


    So after entering the city, the group drove directly to Bishan Academy located at the foot of Wangyang Mountain in East City.


    Zhao Ling got out of the carriage and looked up at the four big characters of "Bishan Academy" on the door plaque, which were handwritten by Emperor Ming Xiao. The academy was built next to the mountains, and the pavilions and gardens were all set in the shadow of towering ancient trees, showing a quiet and elegant charm.


    What a great place! She sighed from the bottom of her heart.


    The vermilion gate opened, and Xie Mingyu led Zhao Ling, Meng Yuanheng, Fengze, Lu Ziqing and others through the corridors to a secluded bamboo house deep in the academy. An old man dressed as a servant outside the door saw Xie Mingyu and walked up to salute him. "Master, you are here."


    Xie Mingyu nodded, "Uncle Fu, can grandfather wake up from a nap?" It was the habit of Mr. Misty to take a half-hour nap every day.


    Uncle Fu was waiting to answer when an old voice came from the room. "Is it Mingyu? Come in."


    "Yes, grandfather." Xie Mingyu replied respectfully. "Mingyu also brought a few guests. I wonder if grandfather would like to see them?"


    "All come in." Mr. Misty said slowly after a moment of silence.


    With a squeak, Uncle Fu opened the bamboo door and led everyone in.


    The first thing Zhao Ling saw was the house full of ancient books and classics, and then she saw an old man with white hair and white beard and a clear face sitting upright on the bamboo table, holding a roll of sheepskin book in his hand, and looking peacefully toward everyone.


    Is this the Hongru who was the most famous in the world, his grandfather, Mr. Misty? Zhao Ling felt that this image of Mr. Misty was in line with her own imagination of him.


    Mr. Misty was a great Confucian of the world. A learned man, and a person who was taught in the mindset of the true way, regardless of wealth, noble, noble, noble, noble reputation. Therefore, Rao was a person of honorable status or power, such as Meng Yuan, Fengze, Lu Ziqing, and others who also respected him and saluted him respectfully.


    Although Mr. Misty''s eyes were peaceful, his wise eyes seem to be able to perceive everything, giving people a sense of oppression that was unconcealed. When he scanned King Xuan who was sitting in a wheelchair, he paused for a while, and then turned to Zhao Ling. Seeing her looked similar to Xie Yun back then, he felt a little emotional in his heart. His daughter was a desperate person, and she died early, leaving this grand daughter who must have suffered a lot.


    Thinking of this, he said lovingly. "You are Ling''er, come over and let grandfather take a good look at you."


    When Zhao Ling saw Mr. Misty, she also felt a bit of family affection. In modern times, she was an orphan with no relatives, and the original owner of her body had an uncaring father, and once had a mother in the Zhao Mansion. Family affection had long been a luxury for her. But here, she had a sense of happiness that was remembered.


    She stepped forward, knelt down under Mr. Misty''s seat, and said in a choked voice. "Ling''er pays homage to her grandfather."


    "Okay, okay." Mr. Misty said two good words one after another, and his mood was also very excited for a while.


    When the ceremony was over, Mr. Misty was left with Xie Mingyu and Zhao Ling in the room to continue talking, while the others were led to the reception room by Fu Bo to wait.


    Zhao Ling calmed down her feelings, and together with Xie Mingyu, she elaborated on what happened in Yunzhou to Mr. Misty.


    When mentioning the Wuji Sect, Mr. Misty frowned slightly, and said with a little surprise. "Unexpectedly, after nearly 50 years, the Wuji Sect appeared again. It seems that there will be some turmoil."


    "Wuji Sect has come back after its resurrection. If it is still for the purpose of regaining the former dynasty, first of all, it is necessary to create some turmoil and make the people of Dasheng panic. They have the opportunity to take advantage of it. Before they encouraged civil and military civil unrest and assassinate champions in the street. They control the series of actions such as the kidnapping of Yunzhou City scholars by the Palace Lord of Huayue Palace, it seems that they should start with the literati first. Therefore, the Xie Family will become the next target of the Wuji Sect." Zhao Ling said his thoughts. .


    "Yes, the grandson also agrees with Ling''er." Xie Mingyu echoed. "Wuji teaches the magic, the grandson is just worried, they don''t know what will happen on the grandfather''s birthday banquet."


    "The enemy is dark and dangerous. We are clear about that. For the sake of the present, we can only break the silence and respond to all changes with the same." Zhao Ling said, a stern light flashed under her eyes.


    Mr. Misty nodded, expressing some appreciation for Zhao Ling''s determination and calmness.


    Although Xie Mingyu was worried about the safety of the Xie family and the college, he did not confuse himself. He immediately showed his courage and responsibility. He said to Mr. Misty. "Wuji has a group of dead men who are good at disguise and mind-eating techniques, grandson wants to sort out the students in the college first to see if there are any suspicious people."


    In recent years, Mr. Misty had not managed the chores of the college very much. Xie Mingyu''s father, Jushi Xie Songyue, liked to travel around the country and did not often stay at home. Therefore, Xie Mingyu handled all the affairs of the academy now. Naturally, Mr. Misty was relieved of these things. He agreed to let him do it.


    After Xie Mingyu retired, the old man was left with Zhao Ling.

 Chapter 44 - Linger, Whats Your Opinion Of King Xian?

    Xie Mingyu had already informed him of Zhao Ling''s situation in the Zhao Mansion in his letter. Now that he saw the scar on her face with his own eyes, he sighed secretly and said. "Ling''er, being in the Zhao Mansion these years has made you suffer. You''re wronged. You''ll stay at Xie''s house for a while when you come out this time. At the government office, your grandfather will write to explain."


    This was Yun''er''s only blood. His own only granddaughter, how could he tolerate it if others were bully to her.


    Zhao Ling was a little moved unconsciously. She could feel the honesty of the old man in front of her who sincerely cared for her. Although Madame. Zhao of the Zhao mansion also took good care of her, she could see that the old lady''s concern for her was not really from the heart. It was more out of the promise to the old Zhao and the reputation of the Zhao family.


    She sincerely thanked Mr. Misty. "Thank you, grandfather."


    "By the way, how could King Xuan come with you? Although you have a gift to marry him, didn''t King Xuan''s mansion postpone the wedding?" Mr. Miao asked slightly inexplicably.


    And as far as he had just seen, King Xuan was not unsympathetic towards Ling''er. He suddenly thought of something and said to Zhao Ling. "Does Ling''er know who led the soldiers to destroy the Wuji Sect?"


    Zhao Ling shook his head.


    Mr. Miaomiao was silent for a while, and slowly said. "The leading general sent by the first emperor was the second generation of King Meng Baichuan. Back then, Meng Baichuan was only 18 years old. He was young and domineering. After receiving the order from the first emperor, he led a 100,000 army. The momentum was like breaking bamboos, pointing directly to the Wuji Sect''s old nest in Dingzhou, and wiping out all the Wuji Sects with the force of cutting the grass and roots."


    Mr. Miaomiao was studying in Dingzhou and witnessed the beheading of a group of Wuji followers by the army led by Meng Baichuan and hanging their heads on the city wall. Although Meng Baichuan was ordered by the emperor to suppress anti-religion, his methods were indeed too cruel.


    Zhao Ling suddenly realized. "In this way, Wuji Sect and King Xuan''s Mansion are enemies for the destruction of Sect. King Xuan should go south this time to investigate the reality of Wuji Sect."


    Meng Yuan''s service was indeed deep enough! But why did he drag the unhealed sick body to come in person? Also, why should he go to the south with her? Was it to protect her along the way?


    "Just now I saw that King Xuan had a different attitude towards Ling''er. I don''t know what your opinion of King Xuan is, Ling''er?" Mr. Ying Miao asked quite meaningfully.


    Zhao Ling looked at him calmly, and replied. "Although I don''t like it, I don''t dislike it either."


    "That''s fine too. Since the emperor has given you up in a marriage, if nothing bad happens, you will become Princess Xuan. It''s just..." Mr. Misty paused, and said. "I just saw that King Xuan''s face was calm, but there is a violent atmosphere between his eyebrows. I hope you can pay more attention to it in the future."


    After bidding farewell to Mr. Miao Miao, the group left Bishan Academy. At the gate of the academy, everyone parted ways.


    Lu Ziqing and Fengze looked for an inn to stay, waiting for the Wuji Sect to appear on the third day of May. In dealing with the Wuji teaching, Lu Ziqing felt that he had never been so useless.


    And Meng Yuan went to the other courtyard of the Xuan Palace in Suzhou. Xuan Wangfu had a century-old foundation, and it was a big family, with industries all over the world. On the way to Xie''s Mansion with Xie Mingyu, Zhao Ling thought of her two shops. It seemed that if she wanted to become a rich person, she had to keep working hard.


    As a matter of fact, it was speculated that Meng Yuan came south to Suzhou with her in order to investigate the reality of Wuji teaching, or perhaps he had other intentions. But Zhao Ling didn''t blame him for concealing his intentions. She originally felt that Meng Yuan''s sudden decision to come to Suzhou was not simple.


    Everyone would have some of their own secrets that they didn''t want the outsiders to know about. How could they be confessed to him? What was more, the matter of Wuji Sect involved the grievances of the ancestors of the Xuan Palace, and it was normal for him to conceal something.


    The relationship between herself and him, to put it bluntly, was just a whim decision made by a person in power, but she was unable to get rid of it. This was the sorrow of women living in the feudal era.


    But even so, she must do her best to live wonderfully. She didn''t blame anyone, nor did she rely on anyone. If people treated her kindly, she would treat people kindly. If people deceived her, she wouldn''t let others bully her. Sexual love between men and women was not the only thing in her life. If Meng Yuan treated her sincerely in the future, she would treat him wholeheartedly, but if he bullied her, she would definitely let go without hesitation and turn away.


    When she arrived at Xie''s House, it was already time for the lights. As Mr. Misty''s birthday banquet was approaching, Xie''s mansion was busy preparing for these few days. Seeing Xie Mingyu, who had been out for many days, returned, naturally there was a lot of happy noise.


    Xie''s men did not accept concubines, so the Xie family was not very busy. Mr. Misty''s niece only had a son and a daughter, Xie Chun and Xie Yun, a layman, Xie Chun, two sons and a daughter, Xie Mingyu, the eldest son, Xie Mingfeng, and daughter Xie Yao. And Mr. Miao Miao liked to live in the academy, so now only Xie Chun''s family lived in Xie''s Mansion.


    Xie Chun and his wife hadn''t seen Zhao Ling for many years, but now they were so happy and generous to see her coming and going. They also thought of Xie Yun, who died young, and it was unavoidable that they felt sentimental again.


    Xie Mingfeng and Xie Yao are a pair of twins, two years younger than Zhao Ling and sixteen years old. Because of the good genes of the Xie family, Xie Mingfeng is already handsome at a young age, and Xie Yao was also beautiful and smart. The two called Zhao Ling their cousin. They were a little curious about this veiled cousin who they had never met before, but because of their good upbringing, it was not obvious.


    A few days before the birthday banquet of Mr. Misty, Zhao Ling took green bamboo to live in Xie''s mansion. There were not many people in Xie''s house, and the Yu family had been very busy these few days in preparation for the birthday banquet.


    Zhao Ling was not familiar with the ancient banquet etiquette, and could not help much, so she handed over the diligent green bamboo to the Yu family for dispatch, and she helped Xie Mingyu sort out student information at Bishan Academy and deal with some by the way.


    College chores compared with housework, Zhao Ling felt that it was easier to handle the affairs of the college.

 Chapter 45 - Leng Ao Shuang

    "Do you remember Du Yu, Ling''er?" Xie Mingyu suddenly asked Zhao Ling.


    On this day, the two were checking the roster of students enrolled in the past two years in the Yushu Pavilion of the academy.


    "The son of a foreigner? The one who disappeared a few months ago?" Zhao Ling thought for a while and replied. She remembered at that time, there was a Wuji soldier who died suddenly in the Tianxiang Tower in the capital who faked his identity as Du Yu.


    Xie Mingyu nodded, "Exactly, but he came back bizarrely ten years ago, and it is said that he couldn''t remember all of his disappearances in the past few months."


    "Selective amnesia?" Zhao Ling asked, frowning. Seeing Xie Mingyu''s blank face, she explained further. "Selective amnesia means that when a person receives a strong stimulus that makes him psychologically unbearable, he will choose to forget this page. Memory, this is a manifestation of people subconsciously protecting themselves."


    Xie Mingyu is a well-known scholar, so he should be able to understand this explanation.


    "So, during the period of disappearance, Du Yu must have encountered something terrible that happened to him, but what was it?" Xie Mingyu thought.


    "Did cousin ever meet Du Yu these days?" Zhao Ling asked.


    Xie Mingyu shook his head, "I wanted to visit Du Mansion, but I heard that Du Yu has been staying in the mansion since he came back and refused to see guests."


    "Even if it was stimulated, it was a normal reaction to not want to see outsiders. But if things go on like this, it may affect his psychology. Mental illness is also a kind of sickness and needs to be treated as soon as possible."


    Xie Mingyu had never heard of this kind of saying. He couldn''t help but looked at Zhao Ling a little strangely, and said to her. "Sometimes I think, Ling''er, you know more than me. It seems that I have to reflect on whether you''re still the ''can you afford the title of "Prince Mingyu''."


    Zhao Ling was speechless, could she say that in some respects, she really knew better than Xie Mingyu?


    At this time, they heard a report from one of the house servants. "Young Master, Miss Biao, a girl who claims to be Leng came to visit."


    Surname was Leng? It should be Leng Aoshuang. There were only two days left before the third day of May, and she should be there too.


    Zhao Ling saw that Xie Mingyu''s face was calm, but a hint of joy flashed in his eyes. She was amused, and deliberately said jokingly. "Cousin, the beauty is here, do you want to prepare?"


    Xie Mingyu glanced at her, smiled gently, and said, "Let''s hurry up then."


    At the entrance of the academy, Leng Aoshuang was dressed in white, fluttering and independent. Seeing Zhao Ling coming out, a smile appeared on Leng Ao Shuang''s exquisite face, calling out. "Ling."


    Zhao Ling smiled slightly. This was not the first time she saw Leng Aoshuang''s smile, but she was still blinded by the flash of laughter.


    Xie Mingyu also felt inner shock. He became famous as a teenager and had a literary talent. He didn''t know how many boudoir girls'' dreams were at the Bishan College, but for twenty years, he had devoted himself to studying and was indifferent to the love of men and women. Although he was gentle and polite to everyone, he was an absolute and ruthless person.


    But on that day that he was taken captive to the Huayue Palace and met Leng Aoshuang, her beautiful face and cold eyes were deeply imprinted in his mind.


    When he was in Huayue Palace, she let him took some medicinal pills all day and fell into a drowsiness, causing Leng Xiangning to have nothing to do with him. She secretly sent someone to the inn to deliver a letter to tell Ling''er where he was. She fought for him to block Leng Xiangning''s palm and was seriously injured.


    All of this was unforgettable. The moment he saw her vomiting blood in front of him, he had decided that he Xie Mingyu would never disappoint the woman in front of him in this life.


    It was just that after witnessing her sister''s tragic experience, he wasn''t sure she would open her heart again and believe in the so-called love in this world? He had no confidence, so he dared not act. He was afraid of scaring her away.


    "Ao Shuang, you are finally here." Zhao Ling greeted her happily, and took Leng Aoshuang''s hand. "Looking at your appearance covered in you must be on the road for days, tired."


    Leng Aoshuang nodded her head, noticed Xie Mingyu on the side, a faint color flashed past her face, and then greeted him calmly. "Master Xie."


    Xie Mingyu also replied gently and politely. "Girl Aoshuang."


    After that, there was no more conversations.


    Zhao Ling rolled her eyes secretly, and it seemed that the two of them were both bored. They were obviously interesting in each other but they both pretended to be unintentional. It was not a small amount of pressure to make the two of them together.


    In front of the two dull gourds, Zhao Ling could barely use her lack of rich communication skills, enthusiastically inviting Leng Aoshuang to be a guest at Xie''s Mansion, and took her to meet the Yu family.


    Zhao Ling introduced Leng Ao Sheng to the Yu family that she was a heroine of the rivers and lakes, her friend, herself and Xie Mingyu were in danger on their way to Suzhou, but they were able to escape the danger thanks to her help. When she was working in Suzhou, she was invited by the way to be a guest at the mansion.


    Seeing Leng Aoshuang''s extraordinary temperament and beautiful appearance, Madame. Yu immediately thought of her eldest son.


    In other words, Master Mingyu''s lack of marriage really broke her heart of being a mother! Her eldest son was twenty eight years old this year. In the past ten years, she didn''t know how many girls she had told him, but he was stunned by none of them, so she thought at one point whether her son was going to become a monk or not. It was a troubling thought.


    Now she saw a girl that was unmarried, and she was thinking about marrying her and Xie Mingyu. But Yu Shi hesitated after learning about Leng Aoshuang''s birthplace. The Xie family was a famous family, and Xie Mingyu was the long-term son of the long house. In the future, she would definitely inherit the family business.


    How could she let an unaccompanied orphan from the rivers and lakes be the head mother of the Xie family? Thinking of this, Yu Shi could not help showing a somewhat pityful look.


    Leng Aoshuang was such a clever person, she naturally guessed what Yu meant. She also knew that her identity was not worthy of Xie Mingyu, but despite this, she also had her self-esteem, so she said her goodbye to Yu Shi and Zhao Ling. When she saw Xie Mingyu who was waiting at the door, she didn''t say hello to him but turned away with a cold face.


    Seeing this, Xie Mingyu thought that Leng Aoshuang hated him, and watched her leave with sad eyes.


    "Cousin, Ao Shuang might have misunderstood her." Although Zhao Ling explained it intentionally, Xie Mingyu reluctantly shook his head, and left with frustration.


    Zhao Ling opened her mouth, wondering if he was troubled. It seemed that being a matchmaker was not that simple.


    It didn''t matter, let them calm down for a while and think clearly. After a few days, Mr. Misty''s birthday banquet would be over, then we would talk to them. Zhao Ling felt that she was not such a nosy person.. She must have been bored by the leisurely days when the clothes came to stretch out their hands and open their mouths.

 Chapter 46 - The Old Mans Birthday

    Two days later, on the third day of May, it was the date of Mr. Misty''s 80th birthday.


    Because Mr. Misty didn''t like publicity, this birthday banquet was not held in the Xie Mansion very grandly. The banquet was not too much, only ten tables were set up. Apart from the Xie family who were celebrating the birthday, only a few people were expected. Not many people in Suzhou made good friends with the Xie family. There was no way Mr. Misty would be everywhere with too many people, anyway.


    There were the students of the college too. If all of the family members agreed to let those students come to celebrate their birthdays, the Xie Mansion would not be overwhelmed. They decided there was no need to tell the students of the banquet. The friends of the families were enough.


    Although there were only ten tables, the small Xie Mansion was packed, and life was full of people, and people who gave gifts and congratulations had been in an endless stream since the afternoon.


    Lu Ziqing and Fengze arrived early in the morning, and mixed with the crowd. They were very low-key, without revealing their identities. Because the Xie family had never dealt with the court before. So, if the people present knew that the Xing Bu Shi Lang and General Wu Wei were also coming to celebrate their birthday, it would inevitably cause an uproar.


    In Zhao Ling''s explanation, this two men were Heshou, and they were actually here as security guards, so their expressions seemed a bit dignified. Fengze only greeted her lightly, and went away on his own. However, Zhao Ling didn''t have time to chat with him. Although she was a little confused, she knew something was wrong with his Fengze''s attitude in the past few days. He didn''t go deep into it with her, so he was busy helping Yu to greet the female relatives.


    After everyone was seated, Mr. Miu was also sitting up there. As the banquet was about to begin, a loud voice suddenly sounded from the door direction. "Here, Lord Xuan!"


    Lord Xuan? Zhao Ling was startled by this sound, which seemed unusually loud in the hall that had gradually became silent. Only then did she remember that she didn''t seem to have seen Meng Yuan for a few days. She originally thought about whether he would show up today or not, but she didn''t expect him to really show up.


    It was just that the way this guy played his arrival was of too high a profile. Did he want everybody to know who he was? What did he want to do now?


    Everyone present was also taken aback, and they turned their heads to the door, as if they couldn''t believe their eyes.


    At the door, a young man came slowly pushing a wheelchair, and behind the wheelchair was a middle-aged man with a normal appearance. And the young man in the wheelchair, with a clean face, handsome features, deep eyes, thin lips, and a light-colored piping brocade robe, there was a sense of kingly air exposed for no reason.


    This was the legendary 10-year-old young genius who went into battlefield to kill the enemy, but wasn''t it a pity that King Xuan had his legs disabled at such a young age? Not many people in the crowd had seen Meng Yuan before, so they stood up and watched.


    Meng Yuan didn''t squint, just cast a glance at where Zhao Ling was. He went straight to the front of Mister Misty, and said to the old man who was sitting above him lightly. "This king is late. Please forgive me, Mr. Misty."


    Although his tone was plain, but for King Xuan, it could be regarded as rare and respectful.


    Knowing that he was late, he dared to be so ostentatious. His face was really not so thick, was it? Zhao Ling sighed secretly. However, today was the first time she saw him wearing light-colored clothes. Sure enough, being handsome was the last word. He looked good in any color.


    Mr. Miao nodded, and said in a calm tone. "King Xuan is polite, and the King can see his presence appreciated. The old man is grateful."


    When the crowd saw that Mr. Yan admitted that he was the King Xuan, all of them bowed down and said, "Cao Min, see Lord Xuan."


    "You don''t need to be polite." Meng Yuan''s voice was still cold.


    "Thank you prince." Everyone got up, and only dared to sit down in their seats after King Xuan wheeled himself into the sitting area. Most of them couldn''t help but glanced at the prince in wheelchair.


    Because of the dignity of King Xuan, his space was set at the same table as Mr. Miao. And Zhao Ling was sitting with the Yu family and the female relatives, a little far away from the main table. However, she did not relax her vigilance either, she still paid attention to the movement of Mr. Misty from time to time.


    Since the Promise Sect plans to take action tonight, they would definitely seize the opportunity of the birthday banquet, and their goal was likely to be Mr. Misty. If something happened to Mr. Misty tonight, it would inevitably cause an uproar, and their goal of creating turmoil would be achieved.


    It was just that Wuji taught weird things and made people unpredictable. They had seen the actions of the Wuji sect members in the recent past. So, they didn''t know what their plans would be tonight.


    The wine was half round, and the toast began. The wealthy businessmen and famous families that were present stepped forward to toast to Mr. Misty in order to show their respect.


    A middle-aged man with a fat body and rich look brought two young men and walked to the table of Mr. Misty with wine glasses.


    Next to him, a middle-aged man wearing gold and silver all over his body, resembling a nouveau riche, glanced at the three of them and said coldly and warmly. "Oh, isn''t this Duke Du?"

 Chapter 47 - An Attempt To Kill Mr Misty

    "Isn''t Duke Du unwell?" The other person asked curiously. "Why are you here to join in the fun today?"


    Mr. Du Yu? So it was the case of the two powerful families present to make some sort of declarations. The Du family led by Du Yuan, and the Li family led by nouveau riche Li Jiuhua, who was known as the richest man in Suzhou. Both Li and Du were in endless competition, whether in business or in the next generation.


    He was assassinated by a dead man of the Promise Sect while riding a horse. When Li Jiuhua saw Du Yu disappeared for several months, he thought that the man would definitely die, and he felt a bit more comforted. Even if the two families lost a son, it would be a tie. But he didn''t expect Du Yu to come back safe and sound a few months later, making him very embarrassed.


    Li Jiuhua''s son, Li Wenzheng, was the most unlucky champion in history. He was assassinated by a dead man of the Promise Sect while riding a horse. When Li Jiuhua saw Du Yu disappeared for several months, he thought that the man would definitely die, and he felt a bit more comforted. Even if the two families lost a son, it would be a tie. But he didn''t expect Du Yu to come back safe and sound a few months later, making him very embarrassed.


    In fact, the Xie Mansion originally didn''t invite these two families, but who knew that they would all showed up uninvited. Now that the guests had arrived at the door, Mr. Misty couldn''t turn them back, but only let them in. After all, the visitor was also a guest, and the Xie family was not such an uneducated family.


    Du Yu squinted at Li Jiuhua, snorted coldly, ignored him, walked straight to Mr. Misty, raised his wine glass and said respectfully. "Mr. Du respects Misty a cup, and wish Mr. Misty, longevity and prosperity."


    Not to be outdone, Li Jiuhua offered a cup to Mr. Miso too, and said. "Mr. Li also respects Mr. Miao. May Mr. Misty as good as the East China Sea and live longer than Nanshan."


    Are these two funny people here to sell cuteness and outdone each other? How could they even compare at a birthday? Zhao Ling couldn''t help but suddenly received the gentle gaze of Meng Yuan looking at her. She felt a movement in her heart, but she was busy with a straight look, carefully observing Du Yu.


    On the surface, Du Yu was no different from the rest. After Li Jiang finished the toast, he and Du Yu stepped forward at the same time, bowed their heads and continued to toast to Mr. Miary respectfully.


    Zhao Ling stared at his movements, but suddenly found a cold light in Du Yu''s hands.


    It was a dagger!


    She was taken aback and yelled. "Grandfather, be careful!" She ran to Mr. Misty at full speed.


    But the hall was too noisy, and Zhao Ling''s voice was not heard. Seeing that Du Yu had brought the dagger close in front of Mr. Miao, and everyone beside him hadn''t noticed it, Zhao Ling really hated why she didn''t take light work.


    Fortunately, Meng Yuan seemed to have discovered an abnormality. Zhao Ling only felt that Changdong''s figure behind him swayed, and with a clamming sound, Du Yu''s dagger fell to the ground, and Changdong had already subdued Du Yu to the ground.


    Very good! Zhao Ling felt that she had never been so grateful to Meng Yuan. If something goes wrong with Mr. Misty, how would she not feel bad?


    All this happened so quickly. When everyone reacted, they saw the dagger on the ground and Du Yu who was overpowered, and finally realized what had happened, and was stunned for a while.


    Du Yuanwai and Du Yang''s faces were gray as they stared at Du Yu in bewilderment, as if it were hard to believe this was the truth. Xie Chun and Xie Mingyu guarded around Mr. Misty, and they also looked shocked.


    In the next moment, Zhao Ling, Lu Ziqing and Fengze rushed to Mr. Miao at the same time.


    "Grandfather, are you okay?" Zhao Ling asked.


    Mr. Misty was calm as usual, and there was not much panic on his face. He patted Zhao Ling''s hand and said to her, "Grandfather is okay."


    While talking, the Yu family, Xie Mingfeng and Xie Yao also gathered around to greet Mr. Misty. The crowd surrounded Du Yu in the middle, and there was a lot of discussion.


    "Keep it all to me!" Lu Ziqing shouted with a cold face.


    After being stunned by his imposing scream, everyone was silent, and the hall was quiet for a while.


    Lu Ziqing first stepped forward to check Du Yu''s face to see if he was wearing a human skin mask. But not, this was really Du Yu. He sternly asked. "Why do you want to assassinate Mr. Misty?"


    Under Changdong''s control, Du Yu was forced to raise his face, but he didn''t say a word, his eyes were as stagnant and dull as if he had lost his soul.


    Could it be that this was another person whose mind was being controlled by the Wuji? Zhao Ling asked herself, startled. So, that meant the people from Promise Teaching were nearby?


    "Since you''re here, why be sneaky!" Meng Yuan''s voice sounded coldly.


    Afterwards, there was a sound of laughter like silver bells, "The inner strength of King Xuan is really deep, I admire him."


    As the fragrant wind rushed and carried the sound of voice like jingle bells, a graceful young woman wearing a green garment and with a graceful figure fell from the sky. The woman revealed herself in front of the crowd. Standing beside the woman was a man in Xuanyi about thirty years old, with cold features and grim eyes.


    With a careful look, Zhao Ling saw that the lady in green was the one who turned into listening to rain in Huayue Palace.


    Ting Ting.

 Chapter 48 - A Chaotic Birthday Celebration

    The woman in green scanned the crowd with her coquettish eyes, and finally landed on Du Yu who was lying on the ground like a pool of stagnant water. She shook her head and said, "It''s a pity, brother, this is our first successful experiment. Medicine man, right?"


    The Xuanyi man cast a stern look at Du Yu, and said disgustingly: "It''s really useless, what''s the use of keeping him now. The fourth sister hasn''t stopped him quickly enough."


    The green-clothed woman hid her face and smiled, saying charmingly: "Since the third brother doesn''t feel bad about it, the younger sister will do it."


    After she finished speaking, with a slender hand, she took out a white jade flute from her arms and placed it across her mouth, and a beautiful sound came out of it.


    Zhao Ling noticed that Du Yu''s loose eyes refocused, and gradually returned to Qingming. Suddenly she thought of Leng Xiangning''s appearance before her death and quickly shouted, "Hurry up and stop her."


    But it was too late, and the blood in Du Yu''s mouth had been pouring out continuously, and soon his head crooked and he died in anger.


    "Yu''er!"


    "Big Brother!"


    Du Yuanwai and Du Yang hadn''t recovered from Du Yu''s attempt to assassinate Mr. Misty. They saw Du Yu suddenly vomiting blood and died. Unsure of what to do, they could only shake Du Yu''s body vigorously, calling out his name.


    "He''s dead!" Some timid women screamed, and there was a commotion in the hall.


    "Devil, return my sister''s life!" A clear shout came from the air, and a white figure flew in from outside the door, rushing towards the lady in green.


    It was Leng Ao Shuang! Immediately, she attacked the woman in green, but the lady in green was obviously not weak in her skill.


    Zhao Ling didn''t show any compassion towards the woman when she saw Leng Ao Shuang move sharply.


    Fengze and Changdong also fought with the man, and the hall was filled with fighting sounds for a while.


    The sound of clashes of weapons was also heard outside the door, and the battle seemed to be fierce. It seemed that the men and horses of Lu Ziqing ambushing outside were fighting with the men and horses of the Wuji Sect.


    Lu Ziqing hesitated, seeing that there was no danger in the hall for the time being, so he ran outside to command.


    Zhao Ling sighed secretly because the birthday banquet was unsatisfactory and brought to an abrupt end tonight. Also, she didn''t know the identity of this man and woman in Wuji, but their strength is so good, especially the man. The moves were weird and fierce, and Fengze and Changdong did not fare well together at the slightest.


    Suddenly hearing a "bang", Leng Aoshuang was hit by the palm of the lady in green, and fell heavily to the ground. After a short while, a trace of blood trickled down from the corner of her mouth.


    Leng Aoshuang wouldn''t be so weak, would he? Zhao Ling hurried forward, but saw that Xie Mingyu had already taken the lead. She helped Leng Aoshuang and asked anxiously: "Girl Aoshuang, are you okay?"


    Leng Aoshuang pushed herself up and said to her too. "Be careful, the air is toxic."


    Everyone was shocked when they heard this. When did she released the poison and why did they not even notice it?


    But just after Leng Aoshuang uttered the word "toxic", Fengze and Changdong, who were fighting with the man, also felt helpless. They were hit by him one after another and were defeated.


    Immediately afterwards, everyone in the hall also felt dizzy and fatigued. For a while, screams, wailing, and crying were mixed together in a chaotic scene.


    "I advise you to stay calm, don''t try to use internal force anymore, or you will only die faster." Seeing Fengze and others unwilling to give in, still struggling, the man said in a gloomy tone.


    "Isn''t it weird, when was this poison released?" The woman in green chuckled at Zhao Ling, and pointed to Du Yu''s body on the ground. That''s fine."


    Zhao Ling finally understood that the Wuji Teaching had already set a chess game for this day, and all the encounters they had encountered during this period of time had been step by step through the game they had set earlier in the morning. And Du Yu was the most critical piece in their chess game.


    She glanced at Situ Gong. He was the only one who knew medical science here. Although she was also a student of medicine, she didn''t know much about traditional Chinese medicine, let alone this kind of weird poison.


    Situ Gong was obviously not spared either. She stood on her desk and shook her head. He has been in medicine for many years, but he couldn''t discern exactly what poison it was.


    "Are you wondering what kind of poison is this?" The woman noticed the exchange between Zhao Ling and Situ Gong, and tilted her head slightly. "How about giving it a name?"


    Which one of your eyes saw that I am so knowledgeable? Zhao Ling rolled her eyes secretly, and sneered. "The insidious tricks of Wuji teaching, these evil ways are really eye-opening. All kinds of insidiousness are all used to extremes, could it be that this is Wuji teaching? Is the origin of the name?"


    "What a comprehension, Ling''er." Meng Yuan nodded in agreement, his eyes like torches and his face like frost.


    "In front of the thoughtful King Xuan, if you don''t need to make a trick, how can you get out of it all?" The girl in green smiled charmingly, turned her head and saw that Zhao Ling was also good, with an unexpected look on her face. "Weird, the cold poison in King Xuan''s body can suppress the poison I inflict. It makes sense that he hasn''t been poisoned, but why are you okay Concubine Xuan?"


    Zhao Ling also felt strange. Why were all the people here poisoned, but she was the only one who didn''t feel it? Was it because she had traveled through a dimensional soul portal or something?

 Chapter 49 - Zhao Ling, We Came For You

    "Brother, do you know what''s going on?" The woman in green asked the man in the yellow robe in a puzzled manner.


    The man in the yellow robe looked impatient. "Why the Fourth Sister cares so much? Just hurry up and complete the orders of the leader. The people at Woyun Villa are very difficult to deal with, and the second brother will not be able to resist them for long outside."


    Before he finished his words, the man moved his figure and came to Zhao Ling. He grabbed Zhao Ling and carried her on his shoulders.


    Then, with a brush, a black cloth covered her, wrapping her firmly. Being carried, they flew away outside the door. The action was so fast that people were caught off guard. The lady in green followed closely behind and they withdrew out together.


    "Ling''er!" Meng Yuan''s always cold expression changed drastically when he saw this. He jumped up from the wheelchair quickly, and his figure flew out to the door in a flash.


    Everyone present was also taken aback. No one thought that the goal of Wuji Teaching was Zhao Ling!


    "What do you want?" Zhao Ling wailed. "Why me? Also, this big brother, can you be more professional in your abducting posture? It''s really uncomfortable to be packed and carried on your shoulders. Do you know?"


    Outside the gate of Xie''s Mansion, in addition to Lu Ziqing and the officers and soldiers he brought, those fighting with the Wuji Sect were also the men and horses of Woyun mansion. The owner of Woyun Mountain Mansion, Yun Yi, who had always liked white clothes, wore a black night clothes and a strong outfit tonight.


    What Lu Ziqing didn''t expect was that the Wuji teachers were well-trained, and their leader, a man with a burly face and burly figure, was extremely powerful. Without the help of Woyun Villa, he and the men and horses he brought would not be their opponents at all.


    "Yun Yi, stop them." Meng Yuan''s voice was full of anger.


    Yun Yi was fighting fiercely with the burly man of Wuji. He heard Meng Yuan''s angry yelling, and then saw a man and a woman rushing out of it. He quickly commanded a group of shadow guards to surround the two.


    "Let go of her." Meng Yuan leaped to the Xuanyi man, his face was blue with anger, and his eyes were as fierce as the nether fire. "The Xuan Palace is the enemy of the Wuji Sect. If you want revenge, you can do it against the king. What do you do with others?"


    The green-clothed woman next to him smiled and said: "You spent a lot of money to rush to Suzhou from the capital city by yourself, King Xuan. Didn''t you just try to find out the details of my Wuji teaching? But unfortunately, our leader''s order is to catch King Xuan''s beloved alive. And by the look of things, I don''t think we caught the wrong person."


    Yun Yi suddenly realized what was going on. It turned out that the woman the man carried on his shoulders was that kind of peculiar princess Xuan. No wonder Meng Yuan was so angry that he looked like this.


    He suddenly began to sympathize with this Wuji teaching. They were messing with the wrong person. You would be very unlucky if you touch the inverse scales of Meng Yuan''s beloved princess.


    Zhao Ling really wanted to cry without tears.


    When did she become Meng Yuanheng''s beloved woman? Between her and him, there was nothing else but the nameless gift of marriage, okay?


    Well, she admitted that she did feel a little moved towards Meng Yuan, and Meng Yuan didn''t seem to have no feelings for her. But the two of them obviously haven''t reached that point yet.


    Yun Yi had guessed that the kidnapped was Zhao Ling, and had Meng Yuan''s order, naturally he would not allow Wuji to reach the crowd outside and escape. He led the guards of Woyun Villa to swarm up, and surrounded the Promise Sect. Lu Ziqing dispersed the officers and soldiers to protect the Xie family and the rest of the people on the scene.


    The scene of the chaotic fight fell into a stalemate for a while.


    "Hey, can you let me down first?" Zhao Ling couldn''t bear the posture of being carried on someone''s shoulders. She poked the man on the back and said helplessly: "If you don''t let me down, I''m going to throw up on you."


    The man, the yellow robe, who carried Zhao Ling on his shoulders, was Wuji third guardian.


    Promise taught four major guardians. The burly man was the second guardian, Wushou. The green-clothed woman ranks fourth, and her name is Flawless. And tonight, except for the great guardian, Wuchen, who did not show up, the other three guardians all came out in persons, which showed that the Wuji Sect attached great importance to this attack.


    When Wuhen heard Zhao Ling''s words, the corners of his mouth twitched. Among the four guardians, besides being flawless, he was also the guardian who paid attention to his image. How could he tolerate others vomiting on him in public?


    After hesitating for a while, Wuhen put Zhao Ling down, but he still didn''t relax his restraint on her. He squeezed her neck tightly with one hand. As if telling her that if she acted rashly, he would not hesitate to squeeze her neck to death.


    Finally, Zhao Ling breathed out and inhale a gust of fresh air, and instantly felt a lot more relaxed. Although her neck was still tightly pinched by the Three Protectors, it was better than the feeling of being carried on the shoulder like a sack.


    "Miss!"


    "Ling''er!"


    "Zhao Ling!"


    For a while, the calls to her came and went one after another. Everyone looked at her anxiously.


    Mr. Misty''s white beard floated, standing in front of everyone, watching Zhao Ling with concern.


    "My grandfather was frightened." Zhao Ling apologized. The birthday celebration was made like this. This Wuji Sect was really disgusting!


    Mr. Miaomiao expressed appreciation for Zhao Ling''s calmness. He gently shook his head and said kindly: "Ling''er, don''t be afraid."


    "Grandfather rest assured, Ling''er is fine." Zhao Ling smiled lightly.


    Seeing that everyone was showing symptoms of poisoning, Zhao Ling looked at Situ Gong and asked, "Mr. Situ, how is the situation?"


    "Subordinates are incompetent." Situ Gong was also sour and unstable, standing unsteadily. He had just given the detoxification pill he had with him to everyone. It was just that this detoxification pill could only temporarily suppress the toxicity, and couldn''t eradicate the poison in the body.


    And for a while, he couldn''t detect the ingredients of the poison that the woman had inflicted, let alone prescribe the right medicine and produce the antidote.


    "Although Mr. Situ is rich in experience, he is known as a genius doctor, but I believe he can''t develop an antidote so quickly, otherwise, how can I be worthy of the title of "the girl with a thousand hands and poisonous"?" No time smiled smugly.


    "The Fourth Sister is really amazing." The second protector uttered happily.


    Wuhen urged impatiently: "King Xuan, your beloved woman is in our hands, let them all retreat."


    Meng Yuan''s face was blue, and his eyes contained endless killing intent. He tried his best to control his emotions and said in a cold voice: "You let her go, I will go with you."


    When he went south to Suzhou this time, he originally intended to end this fight with Wuji using his own body as a bait. It would be like leading the snake out of the cave, and explore its reality. It was just that he didn''t expect that Wuji Sect would actually aim for Zhao Ling.


    "Hmph, our leader has a wonderful calculation. We knew what King Xuan''s idea was, so we temporarily changed the order to find King Xuan''s weakness and attack it. It seems we are right."


    When did she become Meng Yuanheng''s weakness? Zhao Ling thought in depression.. Zhao Ling was not that weak. As an elite in the forensic field who could both perform autopsy and chase off evil, how could she become a weakness for others?

 Chapter 50 - You Have To Trust Me

    Zhao Ling moved her right hand, and in the next second, there was a small cold dagger in her hand. Before everyone could react, she put the dagger on her neck and said to the three major protectors of the Wuji Teaching: "If this is the case, is it? Weaknesses that are easy to find, your leader certainly don''t want to disappear so soon, right?"


    Zhao Ling had been carrying this scalpel with her all the time. It was originally used for dissecting a corpse, but she did not expect to use it on herself today.


    "What are you doing?" Wuhen''s expression changed when he saw the small knife in Zhao Ling''s hand. Quickly, he moved towards her with aim of snatching the dagger from her hand.


    "Stop!" Zhao Ling shouted anxiously, "If you don''t want to carry a corpse back to whoever sent you."


    "What do you want?" Wuxian also turned her pretty face pale. She was somewhat aware of Zhao Ling''s temper. This princess Xuan looked gentle and graceful, but her temper was very cold and courageous, and it was impossible to guarantee that she would not really commit suicide.


    "It''s very simple." Zhao Ling looked at her and said word by word: "Hand over the antidote to make sure they are safe, and I promised to go with you."


    She also guessed a bit about the intention of the leader of the Promise Sect. Nothing more than to find Meng Yuan''s weakness in order to blackmail him. In this case, although she didn''t know why they believed that she was Meng Yuanheng''s weakness, she decided to take advantage of this to make a gamble.


    "Impossible, I only poison but never detoxify." No time categorically refused. "Princess Xuan, you can hardly protect yourself from your predicaments, and you''re still thinking about the safety of others. That is really unreasonable."


    "Then, forgive me for not being able to cooperate with you. I believe you also know the strength of Royal Palace Xuan and Woyun Mountain Villa. If I don''t want to go with you, I believe you will not be able to retreat." Zhao Ling responded, her''s expression was sunk.


    As the sharp blade had cut through the delicate skin on her neck, revealing a blood stain, their hands tightened in apprehension.


    Meng Yuan''s eyes darkened. His fists clenched, and was ready to attack them but stopped when he heard the shout of one of the three.


    "Hold on!" Wuhen yelled anxiously. He glared flawlessly, and said: "Sister Si, the leader''s order cannot be violated. The rest of the people are dead or alive, and it has nothing to do with us."


    If Zhao Ling were dead now, King Xuan''s Mansion, Woyun Villa, Xing Department, and General Wuwei would not let them go. With their strength, he was afraid that they would not be able to retreat.


    Wuxian looked a bit wronged under Wuhen''s gaze, but unwillingly, she took out a small porcelain bottle from her arms, and threw it to Zhao Ling reluctantly, giving her a hateful look.


    Zhao Ling took the small porcelain bottle, checked it and threw it to Situ Gong. "Mr. Situ, please take a look first."


    Since Wu Xian, the woman known as the "Poisonous Woman with Thousand Hands" was the one that gave it to her reluctantly, Zhao Ling was afraid that she was scheming and would use a fake antidote to deceive them.


    Situ Gong understood, opened the small porcelain bottle, poured out a small pill, checked it carefully, and said, "This medicine is non-toxic, but this subordinates cannot guarantee that it is the antidote." After all, he didn''t even know the ingredients of the poison. Let alone an antidote.


    "Hmph, you people in the Central Plains are suspicious." Wu Xian snorted coldly from the side, "Since she has promised, this girl will naturally keep her promise, believe it or not, do whatever you want."


    Zhao Ling took a closer look at Wuxian''s expression and body language to confirm that she was not lying, then turned to Lu Ziqing and said, "Lord Lu, let them take the antidote."


    Lu Ziqing was not poisoned because he had been commanding officers and soldiers outside the palace, so Zhao Ling had to let him do it for him.


    Seeing that Zhao Ling, who was being held hostage and in danger but still looked calm, while also being able to use her body as an antidote for everyone, Lu Ziqing nodded in acknowledgement. This kind of temperament and courage made Lu Ziqing, who originally had a grudge against Zhao Ling, to have a change of heart.


    "The poison has been resolved. So, can Princess Xuan come with us now?" Wuhen asked with a gloomy face, tightly squeezing his hand on Zhao Ling''s neck. If the night was long and dreamy, it was the best idea to leave quickly. The leader''s order was to capture her alive, and as long as Princess Xuan was willing to follow them obediently, they would be considered to have fulfilled their mission.


    "Since I promised you, I will naturally do what I say." Zhao Ling said lightly.


    "This king does not agree." Meng Yuanheng said in a deep voice, "If you come, you don''t want to kill you."


    The dark guards of King Xuan''s palace and the men of Woyun Villa rushed forward, and immediately started a fierce battle with the Wuji Sect.


    Only Zhao Ling was in Meng Yuan''s eyes. As if she was the only one left between heaven and earth. As long as Ling''er was safe, of what significace were other people do to him, if they are dead or alive? He approached Wuhen step by step, his eyes sharp and his tone cold.


    "Let her go, this king will leave your whole body."


    Wuhen faced the murderous intent revealed by Meng Yuan''s body, with a slight timid expression on his face, and his hands squeezing Zhao Ling''s neck tightened, and said:


    "Does King Xuan not care about the life and death of Princess Xuan? Let them stop, or I will break her neck."


    The two sides were evenly matched. After a fight, both sides suffered heavy casualties. The deaths and injuries on the scene were horrific, and it was worrisome to watch.


    Zhao Ling noticed the hostility in Meng Yuan''s eyes, and remembered Mr. Misty''s reminder. She frowned slightly, and said: "Meng Yuanheng, since I said I would go with them, I won''t break my promise. You let them stop, don''t make more senseless sacrifices for me."


    *I believe that you will come to save me, so I will be waiting for you in Wuji.*


    Meng Yuan glanced at her deeply, the violent color in his eyes gradually faded, and suddenly he seemed to understand Zhao Ling''s trust.


    "Stop, let them go." He raised his hand and ordered.


    "Meng Yuan, help me keep it safe." Zhao Ling threw the scalpel in his hand in the direction where he was.


    Meng Yuanheng raised his hand and caught it swiftly. The two looked at each other, exchanging emotions that only they could understand each other.


    Seeing this, Wuhen grabbed Zhao Ling''s arm, and flew away into the night with her.. Wugou and Wuxiao, and all the followers of Wuji Sect quickly dispersed into the night like shadowy ghosts.

 Chapter 51 - Ody-sea

    Meng Yuan''s eyes closely followed the direction of Zhao Ling''s disappearance, managing to control his anger. His knuckles had turned white from the intense pressure he exerted on his hand. As he held the small dagger tightly, his eyes were filled with a sense of annihilation.


    Everyone watched Zhao Ling being kidnapped by the Wuji Sect, and they were moved by Zhao Ling''s behavior of coercing the witch of the Wuji Sect to hand over the antidote just now.


    By her actions, there were rumors circulating about her for a long time in Suzhou City. This night, the princess sacrificed herself to save others regardless of her own safety.


    There was Princess Xuan who had a light gauze covering her face. Her beauty was like a rainbow flower. There was Princess Xuan who was righteous and awe-inspiring, and the woman did not let her own people down. And there was Princess Xuan who was strong in martial arts, willing to take risks in order to protect others, and go into the lairs of cults alone...


    It was just that Zhao Ling had no way of knowing all of this. Because at this time, she was being tossed around the deck of an unknown ship, making her dizzy.


    The teaching site of the Promise Sect turned out to be on a small island in the South Wuzhen Sea.


    Zhao Ling was not afraid of anything, apart from a carriage on water. From childhood to adulthood, the most feared thing was to take a boat. She remembered when she was in college, she went to a classmate''s house by the sea to play, and she was forced to go sea-fishing together.


    After that, she vowed never to take a boat again in her life.


    But at this time around she had no right to choose. Sitting with her back against the bulkhead, she greeted all the eighteen generations of the ancestors of the leader of the Wuji Sect in her heart, but her stomach was still churning and she couldn''t stop vomiting.


    After vomiting for a time, she couldn''t even spit out gastric juices, but could only continued retching.


    She had no idea that the ship had been at sea for several days. After boarding the ship that day, Wuhen threw her in the bilge where she could not see the sun, and she was served by a Wuji religious believer.


    A few days ago, Wuhen and Wuxia came to sneer at her several times, but after a long period of time, the air circulation in the bilge became insufficient. She hadn''t showered for many days, and she often vomited. Hence, they decided against coming anymore.


    Zhao Ling didn''t care either. It was as if she was dead now, and there was nothing to see. Unwashed, scruffy, and smelly, like a homeless person under a flyover.


    She was still thinking about her condition when the hatch opened with a creak, and she knew that a believer had come to deliver meals.


    She was weak, leaning against the corner of the bilge, not even bothering to open her eyelids.


    A black-clothed cultist bent down and walked into the low cabin door, silently placing the meal in front of Zhao Ling.


    Perceiving the odour of the food, Zhao Ling frowned slightly. Her stomach rumbled for a while, and she retched on the wooden barrel beside him.


    The black-clothed cultivator silently waited aside. When Zhao Ling calmed down, he suddenly bent his legs and knelt on the ground with a thud.


    "I''m late, please forgive me, princess." The black-clothed believer bowed his head and said softly.


    Hearing this, Zhao Ling was shocked. This person called her a princess? Could it be someone from the Xuanwang Mansion?


    She tried her best to open her eyes, and the man in black in front of her had tough facial features and a solemn expression, giving him a sense of reliability.


    "Who are you?" Her voice was weak, but with unquestionable authority.


    "Yan Mo, the deputy commander of the secret guards of the Xuan Wangfu, has seen the princess."


    Was it the secret guard of Xuanwang''s mansion? Zhao Ling squinted slightly, and gave a nod. So he was sent by Meng Yuan.


    "Why should I trust you?" She asked. After all, this was the site of the Promise Religion, and she had to be cautious.


    Yan Mo took out a small dagger from his arms and handed it to Zhao Ling respectfully.


    "This is what the lord handed over to his subordinate before his departure, so that the subordinates could hand it over to the concubine."


    Zhao Ling took the dagger from Yan Mo''s hand. The thin blade, the sharp outer blade, and the familiar touch. This was the scalpel that he threw to Meng Yuan at that time!


    She pulled the corners of her mouth in a smile, and gave another nod. She didn''t expect Meng Yuan to act so quickly. She suddenly felt that she actually missed him.


    Seeing Zhao Ling stroking the blade, Yan Mo was silent. He hesitated for a moment, and continued, "Don''t worry, princess. He will come to meet the Princess after Wang Ye has arranged it."


    Zhao Ling was slightly embarrassed. She didn''t make it so obvious, did she?


    She coughed lightly and said, "You go down first, so as not to make people suspicious, and be careful in everything."


    It was rare that the master cared so much about the minions. Yan Mo was slightly moved, took out a small blue porcelain bottle, and presented it respectfully.


    "This is Mr. Situ''s potion which can relieve the princess''s sea-sickness."


    Zhao Ling''s eyes lit up. Situ Gong, you were so smart and cute.


    After taking the seasickness medicine, Zhao Ling''s symptoms of vomiting were relieved, and she was able to eat some food. Gradually, her spirit improved.


    A few days later, just when she could no longer bear the filth all over her body and her emotions were about to explode, the ship finally docked.


    When Zhao Ling landed on her feet, she was on the edge of crying. This down-to-earth feeling, this natural and fresh air, this warm sunshine, everything was really beautiful!


    This small island was located in the Southern Wuzhen Sea. The South Wuzhen Sea was an open sea, and it belonged to the three-no-go zone. It was very wise for the Wuji Religion to choose this place as its base.


    It was no wonder that Lu Ziqing and the others had searched for so long, but had never found it.

 Chapter 52 - The Home Of Wuji

    The scenery on the island was very beautiful. It was in the late spring and early summer. The mountains were green, and birds and flowers were fragrant. It was a great place to be after her sea ordeals.


    Zhao Ling had been tortured on the boat for too long, her physical strength had not yet recovered, her walking was very difficult, even her footsteps were vain.


    Yan Mo followed behind, even though he wanted to help, he didn''t dare to be too obvious, but seeing Zhao Ling gritted her teeth and persisted all the way, he couldn''t help but admire her extraordinary perseverance.


    Walking to an open place, her eyes suddenly opened up, and she saw rows of palaces standing in front of her, row upon row, tall and majestic. When they came to the entrance of the palace, the two guards in strong palace garments, saw Wuhen and the others coming back, and saluted the three of them.


    "The leader has an order. If the three guardians come back, let the guardians take them to Bichi."


    The three guardians looked at each other and seemed a little surprised. It appeared that the sect master already knew their whereabouts very well. Thinking of this, the three of them all froze in place.


    Zhao Ling wailed in her heart, this Wuji sect leader was really capable of tossing people around. Was it going to be regrettable for her to insist on getting her? What the hell was this place, and how far is this Bichi from here? All these questions invaded Zhao Ling''s mind instantaneously.


    Wuhen waved his hand and ordered the group of believers to disperse. The people began to move in different directions towards their respective places.


    Before leaving, Yan Mo and Zhao Ling looked at each other for a short period of time. She should be rest assured that support was here for her. Yan Mo had already revealed his identity to her, and told her their was a plan to rescue her.


    But he couldn''t stay with her here, so that he could leave with a large group of believers to avoid unnecessary attractions.


    "Everyone is gone. Now, what are we going to do?" Wuhen asked with curiosity.


    Wugou, who was the biggest of the three, said to him in reply. "Third brother, this task is left to you. You know that I hate that Lao Shizi Bichi the most. You can''t even ask the fourth sister to take the captive there. The only one is you, third brother."


    A big man, but always taking a bath like a woman, Wuhen felt chills just thinking about it, but he was helpless. In order to prevent the leader from waiting for a long time, he picked up Zhao Ling, and with a swift light movements, he reached another passage outside the hall, and flew out into the distance. With a few ups and downs flight movement, he quickly arrived at Bichi.


    Bichi was actually a natural hot spring. After transformation, it was now the leader''s private bath, and people were not allowed to enter it.


    Outside the pool, two guards who saw Wuhen brought a woman here, bowed slightly and cupped their hands and said, "We see the third guardian. The three guardians came just in time, and the leader has been waiting in the pool for a long time."


    Wuhen nodded, his face softened a little, and he said in reply. "You have to work".


    Wuhen was more polite to the leader''s personal bodyguards.


    Zhao Ling kept her head down and followed Wuhen''s footsteps, walking into the Bichi without missing a single step. The Promise Sect made good use of all kinds of strange techniques and insidious methods. So, for the sake of her safety, she kept her sense of vigilance.


    After walking for a while, seeing Wuhen stopped in front of her, she also came to a halt at the same time. She raised her head and looked at what made the guardian to stop moving forward. Just looking at what was in front of them, she almost dropped her jaw on the ground.


    In front of her was an extra-large bathtub, covered by a light gauze around the pool. Through the gauze, one could still vaguely see that a man was sitting in the pool water. Only the upper part of his chest was exposed, and his hands were propped back on the edge of the pool. He leaned his head against the wall of the pool, and his black hair was loosely scattered, revealing an infinitely loose style.


    Wuhen stood about ten paces away from the pond, and said in a deep voice, "Reporting to the sect master, I''ve brought her here as instructed."


    Hearing a clatter, the man who was soaking in the pool just now, instantly rose out of the water and put on his upper garment. He lifted the veil to the pool section, and stood in front of them like a demigod.


    The moment she saw the man in front of him, for some reasons, a movie scene from her previous life popped into Zhao Ling''s mind. Although this was the scene when Concubine Yang Gui was out of the bath, Zhao Ling felt that it was a damn fit to use it on the leader of the Wuji Sect.


    The man in front of her, dressed in a red shirt, dazzling like fire against his fair skin and delicate facial features, a pair of red and phoenix eyes, sinister and amorous that seems to be able to easily see one''s soul, his long black hair reaches his waist, and is scattered on his chin, was like a fairy. The body was decorated with enchanting beauty.


    Enchanting Evildoer! These two words flashed in Zhao Ling''s mind instantly. How could someone be so evil, yet look so handsome? The kind of handsomeness that was so difficult to keep eyes away from. Enchantment, it had to be, she concluded while she kept on looking at the man.


    The leader of the Promise Sect was actually a body masterpiece!

 Chapter 53 - Am I The Unsightly Thing?

    Zhao Ling had lived two eras, and had seen many handsome and outstanding men. Handsome men that also had beautiful features like women. Not to mention, she had seen quite a few since she came here. Duan Ning was like Lu Ziqing, gentle and refined like Xie Mingyu, all of them were handsome and outstanding men.


    However, none of them was as beautiful as this Promise Sect leader.


    That was right. Zhao Ling felt that it would be more appropriate to describe him with beauty. It was just that if a man was extremely beautiful, he would be too evil and would inevitably become a scourge. For this kind of man, Zhao Ling had always been grateful and insensitive.


    The evildoer opened a pair of beautiful phoenix eyes slightly, gave Zhao Ling a condescending glance, frowned slightly, and his thin curved lips lightly opened. "Three Guardians, are you sure you didn''t bring the wrong person? Meng Yuan would like this kind of thing?"


    Hearing this, Zhao Ling''s eyebrows knitted together and her mouth twitched in anger. How dare him called her a thing? In the eyes of this flower-like sect leader, she''s such an unsightly thing, not even a human? But how was that her fault? Let them put you in the bilge for half a month, and try not to bathe or eat, and we would see how you would fare.


    Zhao Ling raised her eyes and glared at him, but after seeing his almost perfect face and figure, she secretly sighed. Well, even so, maybe he won''t be as embarrassed as she was now.


    Wuhen bowed his body and replied: "Reporting to the sect leader, according to the observation of the subordinates and others, King Xuan has attached great importance to the protection of the eldest lady of the imperial palace, and paid great attention to it. Meng Yuan jumped down from the underground palace with Miss Zhao regardless of his body, which was enough to convince us about King Xuan''s intentions."


    Zhao Ling cursed secretly. It turned out that in the Sanskrit Forest, the fact that she would fall into the underground palace was the work of Wuji Sect. Promise teaching was really good.


    "It seems that you have some ability to make Meng Yuan, who has always been cold-hearted and unfeminine, look at things differently." The evil-looking man snorted coldly, slowly walked down the steps of the bath, and stood in front of Zhao Ling. With a slender right hand raised, he used the index finger to lift her chin and turned her head sideways.


    Zhao Ling''s veil was ripped off by her after she got on the boat. The bilge was already stuffy, and if she was to still wear the veil, she wouldn''t be able to get through with herrself.


    "Tsk tsk, I really didn''t expect Meng Yuan''s eyes to be so bad." After seeing the scar on the bottom of Zhao Ling''s left face, the evildoer man''s tone was disdainful. A few complicated expressions were also displayed in his eyes. Although it was short-lived, Zhao Ling could see that in addition to the disdain, there was some form of resentment mixed with it.


    What was he so angry about? Zhao Ling thought curiously. Right now, she was really fed up with the disdainful look and arrogant comments of this monstrous man.


    She raised her hand and swiped away the enchanting man''s hand, and said coldly, "For the Promise Sect, I''m just a hostage. As for what kind of thing it is, it doesn''t have anything to do with the sect master, does it?"


    "Oooh, she has a temper." The evildoer man smiled evilly, took out his handkerchief and wiped his hands, "Why do you like Meng Yuan?"


    "I said, it has nothing to do with you." Zhao Ling still faced him calmly, with a light expression and a flat tone.


    Does she like Meng Yuan and has something to do with him?


    "It has nothing to do with me?" The evildoer man sneered, a wicked look flashing in his eyes, "That''s why you don''t understand the purpose of this lord bringing you here. It''s all about Meng Yuan. This lord wants him to have no relatives and no love. , a lifetime of loneliness. Therefore, even if you marry him with the gift of the emperor, I will ruin the marriage contract between the two of you."


    "You''re going to kill me?" Zhao Ling frowned slightly, and asked in a puzzled way, "if that''s the case, isn''t it very simple? Why bother to bring me here?"


    "Wouldn''t it be cheap for me to kill you?" The evildoer man snorted coldly, "I want him to watch his beloved woman crumble under my glorious touch. To watch as your body fall under my feet, lusting for my affection. I don''t know how that Meng Yuan will react when he would see this, but just imagine the scene. Will he go crazy after seeing you in my reigns?"


    The enchanting man seems to have lusted after the situation he imagined, and his eyes gradually flashed with bloodthirsty excitement.


    What a pervert! Zhao Ling thought regretfully. As expected, God is fair, and people who were too perfect tend to be flawed in certain aspects. The leader of the Wuji Sect, who even women felt ashamed in front of him, definitely had a mental problem.


    Thinking of this, Zhao Ling interrupted his obscene thoughts, and said coldly, "Sect Leader, you think too much. First of all, the relationship between Meng Yuan and I is not as deep as you think, and I will never be with you. What are you even thinking about?"


    Zhao Ling believed if he was to use force, she must have a way to protect herself.


    The evildoer''s eyes darkened, and the evil spirit''s face suddenly became shadowy. "Miss Zhao, don''t talk too much. Let''s wait and see. I believe that Meng Yuan will come here to find you in about half a month, but during this period, I don''t want to be seeing such a flawed face of yours all the time."


    Seeing his constant wiping of his hands just now, Zhao Ling knew that this handsomely madman had a very serious cleanliness addiction. Now that he also mentioned it, she was not surprised.


    The Wuji sect leader paused for a while, then he said to Wuhen, "Throw her into the Hundred Herbs Hall, and then hand over the place to Old Man Duan to take care.. Let her stay there for the time being."

 Chapter 54 - Hundred Herbs Hall

    Zhao Ling felt that her self-confidence was about to collapse due to the mental blows she received from this monstrous leader. How shameful she looked. Also, who, in this forsaken place, is this old man in Hundred Herbs Hall? Could it be that he was a plastic surgeon, a mad one for that matter. Maybe he was thinking of changing her face.


    Hundred Herbs Hall was not far from Bichi, and Zhao Ling could do nothing but followed Wuhen all the way. On the way, she met the so-called "thousand-handed poisonous girl" Wuxia.


    Wuxia saw Wu Hen, and greeted him with a smile on his face.


    "Third brother, what is the teacher''s order?" She glanced at Zhao Ling who was following closely behind him, her eyes full of hostility.


    Wuhen''s usual gloomy expression. "The leader ordered to send her to the Hundred Herbs Hall."


    When she heard that he was going to Baitang, her eyes lit up. "It just so happens that I haven''t been to see Master for a long time. I''ll go with you, third brother."


    It turned out that the old man was a flawless master. Wuxia was known as the "Thousand-handed Poison Girl", this Duan old man must be a master of poison.


    Baitang was located in a valley on the island, surrounded by green trees, lush flowers and plants, and the entrance was relatively secret, which was difficult for ordinary people to find.


    Zhao Ling followed Wuhen and Wuxia through a dense forest, and saw a row of wooden houses built by the river. At the entrance of a large wooden house, there was a simple plaque with the words "Hundred Herbs Hall" written on it. The sound of water around, the whirling of leaves, and the chirping of birds, made it a very peaceful scene.


    Behind the wooden house was an open space, where all kinds of flowers and plants that Zhao Ling could not name were planted everywhere. A white-haired old man in a dark coarse cloth shirt turned his back to them, bending over to weed the ground.


    "Worthy to see Master!" Wuxia''s rare pretty face was awe-inspiring, bowing her head in a respectful salute.


    "Wuhen has seen Hall Master Duan." Wuhen also had the same respect.


    It seemed that this Duan old man''s status in the Promise Teaching was quite high. Zhao Ling thought to herself.


    The white-haired old man didn''t stop his movements and still turned his back to them. Seeing Wuhen and Wuxia tense, Zhao Ling held her breath and seemed to be a little nervously on guard.


    Could it be that this old man was not easy to deal with?


    Just when Zhao Ling was suspicious, the old man suddenly turned around, waved his hand, and a bunch of black things flew towards the direction where Wuhen was standing with lightning speed.


    Wuhen Wuxia and Wuxian were already prepared, and flashed to the side with at the same time, so all the black things fell on Zhao Ling who was standing behind them.


    Zhao Ling looked down and instantly felt that her whole person was not well.


    A bunch of black earthworms of different sizes were crawling around her and crawling on her chest, squirming non-stop.


    Zhao Ling closed her eyes, trying her best to control her emotions that were about to explode. She was not afraid of the earthworms. As a forensic doctor, she was not even afraid of maggots on the corpses, let alone these wiggly earthworms.


    She just couldn''t stand this group of people from Wujia anymore. No one here was normal.


    Her expression didn''t change, she flicked the worms that were crawling around on her clothes one by one, took a deep breath, and said coldly, "Have you had enough yet?"


    If a tiger didn''t show its power, would the really treat it as a sick cat?


    Wuhen and Wuxia were quite surprised to see Zhao Ling calm as usual. Especially Wuxia, as Old Man Duan''s apprentice, she was often teased by her master, and she was frightened and shouted many times, and often turned pale. But it was incredible that this young lady, who had been pampered since she was a child, was so calm to those disgusting earthworms. Back then, she was disgusted by those earthworms and couldn''t eat for two days.


    Duan old man was slightly fat, and his beard and hair are gray. His eyes lit up with excitement, and he was looking forward to the scene where Zhao Ling was scared and screamed. But he was disappointed, the girl didn''t change her face, she didn''t even frown.


    His old face couldn''t hold back for a while, and he said with a sullen face, "Who is this girl? She''s no fun at all."


    Wuhen glanced at him in embarrassment and said, "The sect master ordered that Hall Master Duan take care of this girl and let her see people within half a month."


    Wuhen swore that he was just a loud cryer, conveying the original words of the leader word for word.


    When the old man heard this, he blew his beard and stared angrily, "What is this kid trying to do? No, no, I don''t agree with the old man, and besides, this girl is not likable at all, I don''t want to face her every day. Get out of here."


    Before he finished speaking, the old man Duan disappeared into the wooden house in a flash, and Wuhen had no time to call outside the door, but he didn''t come out.


    The two looked at each other helplessly. Wuhen took a deep breath and said, "The leader''s order has been brought. As for how to deal with it, it is up to Hall Master Duan. Wuhen will retire."


    This immortal, you love to do that was your business, forgive me for not accompany. Wuhen didn''t want to accompany Duan Lao Mao crazy here, so he turned around and left.


    Wuxia softly called out "Master" a few times from outside the door. Seeing that the old man Duan didn''t respond, she also left angrily. Before leaving, she glared at Zhao Ling who looked puzzled.


    This Wuxia seems to have a lot of hostility towards her, but she didn''t seem to have offended her. None that she could remember. Or was it because she was the one that exposed her identity after pretending to be listening to the rain last time in Huayue Palace? So, she resented her for that?


    But what''s the problem with the people here?


    As a hate locker, she was first disliked by the demon leader, and then by this old man. Are you really so unwelcoming? She raised her head in silence.


    With a grunt, Zhao Ling touched her stomach to ease its protest.. She hadn''t eaten well since she got on the boat, and now, she felt that filling her stomach was the most important thing in the world.

 Chapter 55 - Scars Free?

    Zhao Ling searched one by one along the corridors of the wooden house until she found the end, but she still found no kitchen or anything like that. Could this old man be an immortal and not eat human foods?


    Zhao Ling was helpless and had to come to the nearby creek. The sound of the water in the creek was murmur, and the bottom was clearly visible, and many fish, big and small, were playing happily in the water.


    Zhao Ling broke off a branch, sharpened one end with the scalpel that he brought with him, took off his shoes, rolled up his skirt, stood in the stream, held the branch very accurately, and quickly forked five pieces. Six.


    After thinking about it, she temporarily piled up firewood by the stream. The pile firewood was found in one of the wooden houses just now, and it was just so useful. She used her knowledge of the ancient times to drill wood in order to make fire.


    Zhao Ling swiftly removed the scales of the fish and cut its belly open with a branch, and roasted it on the fire. Soon, there was a burst of sweet aroma. Smelling the aroma of the food, Zhao Ling felt even more hungry, and couldn''t help eating the fish in a rush. But what Zhao Ling didn''t know was that she wasn''t the only one who was salivating at the moment.


    Old Man Duan stood in front of the window, looking at Zhao Ling who was busy grilling fish with interest. No, to be precise, he was staring at the grilled fish in her hands, his eyes shining, and he couldn''t stop swallowing.


    For Duan old man, if it was for food, everything else could be thrown away. He had no hobbies in his life, the only thing he loved was all kinds of food. It was a pity that on this lonely island, there was really nothing good to eat. He was extremely lazy and didn''t know how to cook. In addition, he was eccentric. He usually played pranks and teases people for fun, and as time went by, there was no one around to serve him.


    Thinking about it, he hadn''t smelled such a mouthwatering food scent for a long time. The old man Duan licked his dry lips, and with a flick of his body, he came to Zhao Ling''s side, staring closely at the fish that was being grilled on the fire. It was golden in color and fragrant. He wiped the drool that dripped from his mouth, blinked at Zhao Ling a few times. "Girl, your grilled fish is really good, can you let me try it too?"


    Zhao Ling looked up at him and couldn''t help laughing. This old man was an old urchin, he did things casually, had a simple mind, and was quite cute. She deliberately raised her face and said coldly, "Didn''t Hall Master Duan don''t want to see me? Why did he come out now?"


    Old Man Duan never took his eyes off the grilled fish, and waved his hands indifferently, "It was just now. Now is now, girl, you won''t be so careful."


    Zhao Ling snorted, pointed to the small stream next to her, and said, "If you want to eat it, just grab it yourself." If you wanted to eat for nothing, how could it be so cheap?


    "Okay, I''ll go catch the fish, and you''ll grill the fish. We''re done." The old man nodded, immediately stood up and rushed into the stream, catching the fish with his bare hands, and even catching the fish accurately, making Zhao Ling look at him with a stunned expression.


    After a while, the old man came back with a bunch of fish, put it in front of Zhao Ling as if offering a treasure, and asked flatteringly, "How is it, girl, are these enough?"


    Zhao Ling glanced at the pile of live fish on the ground, and the old man Duan looked eager to please. She suppressed her smile and gave him half of the grilled fish. He sat down and ate it. Sure enough, the pure natural and pollution-free taste was delicious. She grilled more and gave to Old Man Duan.


    Old Man Duan took it with a wide-eyed smile, and sat on the ground like Zhao Ling, praising Zhao Ling''s skill in grilling fish while eating.


    "By the way, why did that boy Yin Zhan send you to me?"


    In the wooden house, while eating grilled fish, Duan old man took a sip of wine from a wine gourd. While he was comfortable, he remembered the business at hand.


    Wouldn''t it be you who asked me to grill fish for you? Zhao Ling glanced at the way he was eating, took a slow sip from the tea cup, and said, "It''s probably the same reason that you had. I''m shameful?"


    It turned out that the name of the enchanting leader was Yin Zhan.


    The old man slapped his thigh, "I remembered, Wuhen just said that you should be able to see people within half a month. However, you look like this..." He carefully looked at Zhao Ling''s face and shook his head, "Half a month is indeed a bit difficult, but for the sake of grilling the fish you just gave me, old man will try his best."


    Zhao Ling had been tormented by the poisonous comments of Wuxia and this group of people, and her mentality was now extremely strong. Hearing this, she just raised her eyebrows and continued to drink her tea.


    In fact, what she initially thought was that since the demon leader had such a serious cleanliness, she should simply destroy her own face more, and make his plan completely over. Then, she changed her mind and decided to see what this old man could do.


    However, this old man did had some skills. Under his external application and internal therapy, after ten days, the scars on her face were almost invisible, and the skin on her face became whiter, tenderer and smoother. Looking at her own reflection in the stream, sometimes even she herself would be dumbfounded. Is this person with a beautiful face, like a flower-like jade, really herself?


    Old Man Duan looked at Zhao Ling''s increasingly perfect face, and said proudly. "Tthis is the most conservative treatment. If the disfigurement is more serious, I could also use skin replacement to replace part of your face or the whole of your face. But as you can see, it wasnt too serious."


    This old man could really change her face! Zhao Ling felt a chill all over her body, and instantly dispelled the idea of ??deliberately disfiguring herself. Even if it was to be destroyed, it must not be in the Hundred Herbs Hall.. She didn''t want her face to be covered with the human skin that Duan Duan got from somewhere.

 Chapter 56 - Blood Poisoning

    Counting the days, this was the twelfth day that Zhao Ling had stayed in the Hundred Herbs Hall. These days, in addition to cooperating with old man Duan to heal the scars on her face, she also followed him to sprinkle water and weeds in the medicine field, and by the way, she also got to know a lot of medicinal herbs.


    Her memory and understanding were super strong, since she had a medical foundation. Even old man Duan was full of praise for her talent in medicine. If it wasn''t for the hostage situation, her being captured by Yin Zhan, he would have thought of taking her as his apprentice.


    "Oh, what a pity." Duan old man looked at the figure of Zhao Ling sprinkling water in the medicine field, and shook his head.


    Of course, for Old Man Duan, it was even more unfortunate that the half-month period was approaching, and his good fortune was about to come to an end.


    Cooking was a hobby for Zhao Ling. Aside from regular work, researching food was her favorite thing to do. And she also enjoyed the process of turning all kinds of ingredients into gourmet food with her hands. For the production of each dish, she treated it with the focus and devotion, just like dissecting a corpse.


    These days, Zhao Ling had prepared a lot of delicious food for Old Man Duan. She even built a kitchen in Baitang and cooked all kinds of food for him every day. Honey grilled chicken, boiled fish fillet, sweet and sour pork ribs, tea fragrant duck, hibiscus shrimp... some of which he had never seen or heard of.


    No, no, I''m drooling! He quickly wiped the corner of his mouth, sighed, and went into the back room to drink.


    Zhao Ling finished pouring water on the medicine field, and seeing that it was still early, she walked leisurely to a dense forest on the hill behind the Baitang.


    This was where she and Yan Mo made an appointment to exchange news. Yan Mo''s work was still relatively reliable. For more than ten days, they have not lost contact with each other.


    After entering the forest, she went straight to the eleventh tree on the left, dug out a piece of bark on the trunk, and there was a note inside. She unfolded it and saw a few words on the note. "The prince is coming soon, please rest assured, the princess."


    Zhao Ling smiled slightly and put the note into her sleeve. Thinking that Meng Yuan had been caring about her all the time, she felt a touch of warmth in her heart.


    Just as she was about to turn around and return, suddenly a mass of white objects flew towards her like an arrow. Zhao Ling was startled, and instinctively raised her hand to block. In a blink of an eye, a tingling pain came from her arm, as if it had been cut by something sharp.


    She took a closer look, and it turned out to be a little fox with a snow-white body. The little fox threw itself into Zhao Ling''s arms and looked back from time to time. A pair of big watery eyes showed a blue luster, full of terror, looking at Zhao Ling as if asking for help.


    "What''s the matter, little thing, is something chasing you?" Zhao Ling patted its head and looked at the direction where the fox came from..


    Seeing what was chasing the fox, Zhao Ling was also taken aback. This was not good.


    Slowly swimming in front of where she was standing was a huge piebald python! The body of this python had the thickness of a bowl and a length of nearly ten meters. It opened its mouth to spit letters and sizzled. Two dark eyes were shining, and it was staring at the little fox in Zhao Ling''s arms.


    The birds on the tree were startled and flew away with a chirp. Suddenly, there was silence all around, except for the hissing sound of the python "Tsks tks" spitting out letters, and the air became extremely heavy.


    Zhao Ling was engrossed in confronting the python, and he was quickly thinking about how to get out.


    With such a huge disparity in power, if she wanted to win, she must take advantage of the situation and hit it with a single blow.


    Zhao Ling made a decision. She turned around immediately, and ran back quickly, listening to the sound of the python sliding on the ground getting closer and closer. Her figure suddenly flashed to the side, grabbed a big tree and climbed up.


    Fortunately, her ability to climb trees was not bad. When she climbed to a certain height, she looked down and saw that the python was under the tree, a wicked light in its eyes.


    Realizing that the python was about to start climbing the tree, Zhao Ling let out a soft breath and adjusted herself. She held the scalpel that she carried with her tightly, looked at the direction of the snake, and jumped down. She fell just below the snake''s head, the knife in her hand plunged into the snake''s head, seven inches deep.


    "Pfft", the snake blood spurted out, splashing Zhao Ling all over. The python was in pain, raised its head and growled deeply. It swung its thick tail violently, intending to throw Zhao Ling off.


    Knowing that it would be a certain death if she fell off the snake, Zhao Ling firmly grasped the dagger that had pierced the snake''s head, and firmly clung to the swaying body of the snake, preventing herself from falling off.


    "Stop!" A loud shout suddenly echoed in the air.


    Wuhen appeared with a large sword in his hand. Ordered by the leader, he was about to go to the Hundred Herbs Hall to check on Zhao Ling''s current situation, when he saw this scene unexpectedly. He was so frightened that he quickly used his sword to stop what appeared to be a bloody fight.


    "You actually hurt the snake in my teaching!" Wuhen was shocked, but also deeply surprised. Unexpectedly, this seemingly gentle and weak Princess Xuan has such ability.


    Zhao Ling pulled out the dagger and jumped down from atop the snake. The spirit snake groaned in pain, its dark and shining eyes stared at Zhao Ling, but it lay on the ground limply, unable to fight back.


    Zhao Ling wiped the blood splattered on her face, put away the scalpel, and looked calm. "What about the snake, it came to attack me first, should I sit still?"


    Wuhen stepped forward to check the snake''s injuries. He called two disciples, and then gave Zhao Ling a deep look. The injury was very serious, and he reminded himself that he could not call the shots, but for now, the snake needed urgent treatment. "You two, take the snake to Hall Master Duan for treatment."


    The spirit snake was injured, and the leader didn''t know how to get angry. At this moment, he couldn''t help sweating for this Princess Xuan. "Please, Princess Xuan, come with me to see the leader."


    Inside the Promise Hall.


    Yin Zhan was dressed in a red garment, leaning lazily in the upper seat. His phoenix eyes half-squinted, looking at Zhao Ling, who was standing calmly under His Highness'' gaze. a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes. This woman really had some ability, but I underestimate her.


    As soon as he took a step, he was already in front of Zhao Ling in a blink of an eye. He aised her chin, his sinister phoenix eyes swayed, and his slender fingers slowly stroked Zhao Ling''s left face, which was as smooth as silk.


    "Well, you can finally see people now. It seems that old man Duan is good at medicine, and he has gotten better in just a few days."


    For some unknown reason, when Yin Zhan''s fingers flicked, Zhao Ling suddenly felt a warm feeling in her heart, and then spread to his limbs, and her face also showed a bit of crimson.


    What''s happening to her? She was startled.


    Yin Zhan naturally noticed Zhao Ling''s strangeness. He was stunned for a moment, then noticed a few scratches on Zhao Ling''s right arm, and suddenly laughed. "Hahaha, it''s really easy to get you here. The snake really helped me a lot."


    "What have you done to me?" Zhao Ling''s tone turned stern.


    "Why should I do anything to you? It was the little fox you rescued that hurt you. Now, the snake blood has infiltrated your body through the wound on your arm. Tsk tsk, bad thing for you, good thing for me." Yin Zhan opened her cuff and looked at the bloodstains on it, with a wicked look flashing in his eyes. "Spiritual snakes have grown up in Bichi since they were young, and have used Biluo flowers as their food for decades. Its blood is thousands of times stronger than fresh Biluo flowers."


    "The snake blood is poisonous?" Zhao Ling frowned. This place was really not a good place. Not only people use poison, but even animals are poisonous.


    "Fortunately, yes. I''m afraid even Old Man Duan can''t detoxify you. Now, the only way to detoxify is..." Yin Zhan paused for a while, but his face was filled with inexplicable excitement. He approached Zhao Ling''s ear, and a charming voice whispered, "..... male and female sex."


    Seeing Zhao Ling''s pale face, Yin Zhan laughed heartedly. Now, he was in a good mood.


    He waved his wide robe sleeves, turned to his seat, and said as he walked, "Come here, throw her into the dungeon.. When Meng Yuan arrives, let him watch a good show."

 Chapter 57 - The Cave

    The Promise Religion dungeon was dark, damp and airtight.


    Zhao Ling had stayed here all night, she quietly huddled herself in the corner of the dungeon.


    The snake venom attacked more and more intensely. She felt as if her whole body was being roasted in the fire, and her heart felt like there were thousands of ants gnawing at it.


    Her clothes were already wet with sweat, she licked her chapped lips, picked up the scalpel and slashed hard on her left arm. Blood immediately overflowed from the wound. The severe pain brought her consciousness back to a sense of clarity.


    Thinking of the plan of the enchanting leader, she felt a little nauseated, so she propped herself up and retched a few times.


    Suddenly, a white shadow shot from the only small skylight on the dungeon wall. Zhao Ling only felt a flower in front of her eyes, and there was a fluffy round thing on her chest. She took a closer look and saw that it was the little white fox that was in the jungle last time.


    "Little thing, why are you here?" Zhao Ling patted the little fox''s head and asked softly. She had always liked this cute little animal.


    The little fox opened its big watery eyes, raised his chubby short legs, and squeaked at Zhao Ling.


    A small bamboo tube was tied to his leg. Zhao Ling untied it, opened it, and found a small piece of paper rolled up inside.


    A line of words was written on it, "the blood of the blue-eyed spirit fox can relieve toxicity".


    Zhao Ling recognized that it was Old Man Duan''s handwriting. She smiled slightly and hid the note close to her body. Seeing the little fox lift its leg, it seems to want it to cut its flesh and draw blood.


    She smiled and gently stroked its furry body, "What a good little thing you are, why don''t I call you Little Good in the future?"


    The blue-eyed Linghu blinked, squeaked excitedly, and jumped a few times in Zhao Ling''s arms, as if it was satisfied with its new name.


    Zhao Ling was amused by its cute actions, but the next moment her body was like a volcanic eruption, and the feeling of burning fire came rushing back. She leaned against the stone wall feebly, gradually falling short of breath.


    Seeing Zhao Ling''s poisonous attack, and the pain being unbearable for her, the blue-eyed spirit fox raised his leg to Zhao Ling again, screaming and screaming in a hurry.


    As long as she took its blood, she could relieve the pain of her poisoned blood. Looking at the little fox in front of her, Zhao Ling held the scalpel tightly in her hand, but couldn''t cut the fox''s leg. This little fox was so well-behaved, how could she be able to do it?


    She gritted her teeth, raised the knife and was about to slash her arm again, when she heard a dinging sound, and the dagger fell to the ground.


    "Hmph, Duan old man is really good to you, and he''s willing to send the blue-eyed spirit fox to relieve you of the poison." Yin Zhan''s evil voice sounded outside the dungeon.


    Zhao Ling only felt the soft approach of a floating flower, and Yin Zhan''s red figure suddenly appeared in front of her.


    He squatted down, grabbed Zhao Ling''s left arm, saw the blood-stained scratches on it, his phoenix eyes narrowed slightly, and an inexplicable expression flashed across his face.


    "Let go of me!" Zhao Ling used all her strength to shake off his hand. But under Yin Zhan''s tight restraint, her resistance was so powerless.


    Yin Zhan turned her arm over and put her slender fingers on her wrist, a look of surprise flashed on her face. He grabbed the blue-eyed Linghu and inspected it, making sure that Zhao Ling hadn''t taken its blood.


    Satisfied, he threw the spirit fox to the ground, lifted Zhao Ling''s chin, forced her eyes to meet his, and asked : "What are you carrying on your body, why can you suppress the poison of Biluohua?"


    Why does this monster like to pick people''s chin so much! Zhao Ling really hated his action. She tried her best to control her emotions, looked at him with cold eyes, and said nothing.


    However, Yin Zhan saw the red silk thread tied around her neck. With a flash of light in his eyes, he pulled out the red thread and saw the small and warm blood jade, making him frowned bitterly. "Unexpectedly, Meng Yuanheng has already given you all the exquisite blood jade. It seems that Wuhen and the others have indeed caught the right person."


    Yin Zhan stared at the piece of blood jade, gritted his teeth and said, "Come on, clean up this woman and send her to my chamber."


    On the way to the shower room, Zhao Ling clenched the blood jade on her chest and thought to herself. No wonder everyone was poisoned at her grandfather''s birthday party last time, only herself was fine, so it was due to this piece of blood jade. If there was no blood jade on her this time, the poison of the blue flowers on its own might have attacked faster and more violently, how could she persist until now?


    The exquisite blood jade was so precious, but Meng Yuan gave it to her. Thinking of this, Zhao Ling felt a warm feeling in her heart.


    It was just that Yin Zhan, the leader of the Wuji Sect, seemed to know a lot about Meng Yuanheng. Could it be that they have known each other before?


    Zhao Ling couldn''t figure it out for a while. But she knew that now was the best time to get out.


    Zhao Ling had already sensed that Bi Luohua was actually a kind of sex. Spirit snakes had used Biluo flowers as food for decades, and its blood medicinal properties were unimaginable. Although she had the properties of the blood jade to relieve the poison, if she was taken to Yin Zhan''s bedroom, she might really not be able to withstand his teasing and lose herself to him.


    She couldn''t let this happen. In any case, she must persist until Meng Yuan would find her. At this point in time, she could only hope Yan Mo could find out about her sooner and save her in time before Meng Yuan arrived.


    Two Wuji religious women took Zhao Ling to a bathroom not far from Yin Zhan''s chamber, and stepped forward to undress her. Zhao Ling raised her hand to stop them, her tone was cold, and her whole body exuded a sense of majesty. "You guys go out, I don''t like being served when I take a shower."


    The two female believers looked at each other. Although this woman was a hostage, the sect leader seemed to attach great importance to her, and she would be sent to the dormitory tonight to please him. Maybe after tonight, she will be favored by the leader. It was better not to offend her.


    The two nodded yes and bowed back. Zhao Ling was the only one left in the bathroom, and of course there was a little fox in her arms.


    Zhao Ling looked around the room, only a small window led to the garden outside. She patted the little fox''s head and said to it, "Little girl, wait a minute and you jump out of the window and divert the attention of the people outside. Can you do that?"


    The blue-eyed spirit fox was very humane, and immediately understood Zhao Ling''s intentions. It nodded again and again.


    "You''re so smart." Zhao Ling patted its head in praise, and the little fox shook its short tail, as if to please her and leaned into her arms.


    Zhao Ling carefully examined the terrain outside the window, and said softly to Xiao Gao. "Now, go."


    The blue-eyed spirit fox got the order, and jumped out of the window.


    The guard outside the door heard the change and immediately chased after the sound.


    Zhao Ling took a deep breath, forced herself to regain some consciousness, turned over and lightly jumped out of the window.


    There was only one guard left outside, and everyone else was probably chasing the blue-eyed spirit fox. Zhao Ling had the scalpel in her hand, approached behind him, and struck sharply, stabbing the Mingmen acupoint in his back waist. The guard was stabbed to the point, and before he could make a sound, he fell softly to the ground.


    "I''m sorry, but I don''t want to kill anyone unless the situation is urgent." Zhao Ling thought to himself.


    Under the cover of the night, Zhao Ling ran quickly along the garden path while checking the terrain.


    Wuji Island was surrounded by sea, and she knew that she couldn''t leave this place. She just wanted to persevere herself, and when Yan Mo learned the news that she was imprisoned, he would come to save her and prevent Yin Zhan''s disgusting plan from succeeding. Then, she would win.


    In the depths of the garden, she found a cave. The most dangerous place was the safest place. If Yin Zhan learned that she had escaped, he would never have imagined that she would not have run away at all and would hide under his nose.


    Thinking of this, Zhao Ling bent down and hid in the cave.


    There was not much space in the cave, and it could only accommodate four or five people. She sat against the wall and closed her eyes to calm her breathing. It was just that the running just now seemed to stimulate the poison in her blood, and Zhao Ling felt that she was getting hotter and hotter by the minute.


    The feeling like being roasted in the fire came again, even stronger than the previous few times. Right now, she was weak, sweating profusely, and her consciousness had become more and more sluggish.


    At this moment, she heard a few strange noises outside the cave.


    "Who!" She shouted sharply, holding on to the last trace of clarity.

 Chapter 58 - King Meng Yuan [I]

    Zhao Ling held on to her consciousness and looked at the entrance of the cave with all her attention. Then she felt the presence of a flower in front of her eyes, and there was a fluffy little thing in her arms.


    It was the little fox. Zhao Ling breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Little fox is so smart, I knew you would definitely find me." Zhao Ling touched its head and said softly.


    The blue-eyed spirit fox looked at her with big eyes, and whimpered, as if she was happy to find her.


    At this moment, the moonlight streaming in from outside the cave was suddenly blocked by a tall black shadow. Zhao Ling raised her head alertly, only to see a man even more handsome than the moonlight standing at the entrance of the cave under the hazy moonlight.


    Before she could see who it was, Zhao Ling felt herself falling into a warm and familiar embrace.


    A faint herbal smell came to her nose, and the cool smell relieved the burning feeling in her heart. She felt relieved that she had been hanging on.


    "Meng Yuan, you are finally here." Zhao Ling said dully in his arms.


    Meng Yuan hugged her tightly, her hands trembling slightly. "I''m sorry, Ling''er, I''m late."


    She shook her head. In fact, Meng Yuan had arrived much earlier than she expected.


    "Take me out of here." Zhao Ling moved uncomfortably in his arms. Bi Luohua''s toxicity was getting stronger and stronger, but her self-control was getting weaker and weaker. She couldn''t stay here and become Yin Zhan''s bargaining chip to threaten Meng Yuan.


    "Okay, Ling''er, let''s go." It was rare to see Zhao Ling showing such a lazy and well-behaved side in front of him. Meng Yuan felt that his heart was about to be melted, and the gentle tone was infinitely pampering.


    He carefully picked her up, turned and stepped out of the cave.


    Yan Mo and Changdong, who were guarding outside, immediately greeted him.


    "My lord, how is she?" Yan Mo was worried about Zhao Ling''s safety and couldn''t help asking aloud. Chang Dong also secretly looked at Meng Yuan''s arms with a worried expression.


    But the lord was so protective that they couldn''t see it at all.


    Meng Yuan ignored him and only asked, "Do you know what poison is in the princess'' body?"


    Yan Mo lowered his head, his tone a little hesitant. "According to my subordinates, it should be... the poison of Bi Luohua."


    Meng Yuan''s face darkened instantly when he heard the words. Yin Zhan, you were so damn wicked! To actually give Ling''er such an underhanded poison.


    The look in his eyes at Yan Mo also turned cold. "This king asked you to protect the princess along the way, is this how you protect?"


    When Yan Mo heard this, he immediately knelt down and pleaded guilty. "My subordinates are negligent, please punish me."


    Zhao Ling heard the conversation between the two in Meng Yuan''s arms, and pulled his sleeve, "Yan Mo did a good job. This time it was an accident, don''t blame him."


    Yan Mo, who bowed his head to accept the punishment, was moved to tears. The princess was indeed a good person! He decided that he would go through fire and water for the princess in the future, and he would not hesitate.


    Meng Yuan snorted coldly. "Looking at the princess''s face, I will send it lightly. After returning to the mansion, I will go to Feiyunqi to receive my punishment."


    "Yan Mo thank the king." Yan Mo replied. For this punishment, he was willing.


    The princess was poisoned this time, and in the final analysis, it was due to his dereliction of duty. If he had arranged it more carefully, she would not have encountered this accident. The princess must be safe and sound. Yan Mo secretly begged God to bless him. If the princess had three strengths and two weaknesses, he was really to blame for her death.


    "You continue to stay here to look out and respond, this king will take the princess back first." Seeing that Zhao Ling''s face was flushed and her body was hot, it seemed unbearable. Meng Yuan was also in a hurry, and quickly ordered Yan Mo before hugging Zhao Ling and flew away.


    Not far away, he was stopped by Yin Zhan who heard the sound, followed by the four protectors of Wuji sect.


    This was the first time Zhao Ling had seen the Great Protector Wuchen. Wuchen looked to be in his forties, with a long beard and bright eyes, and at first glance he knew that he was a person with deep inner strength.


    "It''s rare for King Xuan to visit, so are you in a hurry to leave so soon?" Yin Zhan stood in the wind with red clothes and black hair. He saw Zhao Ling in Meng Yuan''s arms, and his long and narrow phoenix eyes were full of anger.


    It seemed that he really underestimated the ability of this woman. It was obvious that she was already unconscious, and she could still take the opportunity to escape, and she easily killed the guard.


    Meng Yuan was still dressed in black, the expression on his face was dim in the night, but the words he spat out were cold.


    "Hand over the antidote."


    Seeing the urgency and worry evident in his eyes, Yin Zhan''s expression changed, and he shouted indignantly, "What''s so good about this woman to make you so nervous. Are you worthy of Yan''er for doing this?"


    Who was Yan''er? When Zhao Ling heard the name in confusion, her heart turned slightly, but her mind was a little short-circuited at this moment. So she decided to give up thinking and shrank in Meng Yuan''s arms with peace of mind.


    When Meng Yuan heard the word "Yan''er", a strange look flashed on his face. Seeing Zhao Ling''s body shrinking into his arms, he thought she was suffering from the poison, he was very anxious, and his eyes looked at Yin Zhan with a bit more murderous intent.


    "Hand over the antidote, this king can let you live two more days."


    Yin Zhan laughed loudly. "Hahaha, Meng Yuan, in fact, the antidote you want is far in the sky, right in front of you."


    "What do you mean?" Meng Yuan frowned, he always hated people who tricked with the mysteries.


    Yin Zhan smiled bitterly. "The antidote is... this lord. Only this lord can defuse the poison of this blue flower. And this is the way to detoxify..." He deliberately paused, seeing Meng Yuan''s face getting more and more ugly, he continued proudly: " It is after this lord merged with her that the poison in her body would extradited into the body of this lord."


    When Zhao Ling heard Yin Zhan''s words, she couldn''t help but scolded, "Shameless!" She really felt disgusted.


    Meng Yuan clenched Zhao Ling''s hand tightly, his eyes filled with overwhelming violence. His thin lips parted lightly, and his words contained ice aura. "Yin Zhan, you are courting death."


    "Hmph, as soon as I die, your woman will be buried with me. It''s not bad to think about it." Yin Zhan ignored Meng Yuan''s killing intent and seemed intent on angering him.. "Or you can try to detoxify her yourself, but then your woman is likely to be a widow."

 Chapter 59 - King Meng Yuan [II]

    Meng Yuan was too lazy to talk to Yin Zhan any more, he protected Zhao Ling with one hand and attacked Yin Zhan with the other.


    Yin Zhan naturally shot back, and the two of them fought together. In a blink of an eye, they had already exchanged more than a hundred moves.


    Yin Zhan was shocked at how high Meng Yuan''s martial arts cultivation was, it was simply unfathomable. He only used one hand, but he was able to fight with him for hundreds of times effortlessly without changing his facial expression. Had his internal strength reached an unfathomable level?


    In the past seven years, how did he cultivate with his crippled and weak body?


    When Changdong saw the master''s move, of course he couldn''t be idle, so he fought with a few guardians of Wujijiao. Seeing this, Yan Mo also summoned several guards who were secretly protecting them to fight with the Wuji sects.


    Not long after, Yun Yi led the shadow guard of Woyun Villa to join in. The Promise Teaching was exhausted for a while, and gradually fell behind.


    Yin Zhan''s heart was anxious, and his moves were a little unstable. Meng Yuan found a flaw, and he knocked him down with a palm strike, and a wisp of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth.


    He slowly got up, stretched out his tongue and licked the blood from the corner of his mouth, and a bloodthirsty smile appeared on his face. The color of his eyes gradually changed, and they all turned purple in an instant, his eyes were burning of purple fire, staring at Meng Yuan. .


    Meng Yuan was shocked. "You actually practiced the Purple Charm Magic Art?"


    Yin Zhan didn''t answer, he seemed to have lost his mind completely. There was only one goal left in his eyes, and that was to kill the woman in Meng Yuan''s arms.


    He flew up, his eyes glowed purple, and the palm of his hand was also a touch of purple, and he tried his best to attack Meng Yuan''s direction.


    Meng Yuan protected Zhao Ling, facing Yin Zhan head-on, and took his palm. In this move, both of them used their full strength, and it had an earth-shaking effect on the whole area.


    After the collision of the palms, the two landed.


    "Pfft", Yin Zhan staggered and spurted a mouthful of blood.


    Similarly, Meng Yuan also took a few steps back, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.


    "Meng Yuan, are you okay?" Seeing this, Zhao Ling quickly wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and asked worriedly.


    Meng Yuan nodded his head at her and gave her a reassuring look. "It''s okay."


    Seeing the two of them being affectionate to each other, Yin Zhan was even more angry, and his words were even more vicious. "Ah, I almost forgot, King Xuan, you seem to be inhumanely incapacitated, so you don''t even have the conditions to detoxify her, you can only watch her die of lust, hahaha..."


    Seeing that Yin Zhan''s words became more and more outrageous, Zhao Ling couldn''t listen anymore. She glanced at Yin Zhan coldly and said, "I''d rather die than let your plan succeed. Meng Yuan, let''s go, it''s disgusting here."


    Meng Yuan didn''t care about Yin Zhan''s nonsense, he only cared about Zhao Ling''s safety. Hearing her say "Let''s go", his heart softened, the frost on his face melted, and he looked at Zhao Ling and said softly, "Okay."


    The secret guards of the Xuanwang Mansion and Woyun Villa were fighting fiercely with the Wuji Sect, but Meng Yuan didn''t even look at them. He was just carefully protecting Zhao Ling. He jumped up, and flew away.


    Changdong also followed. As a personal bodyguard, naturally, wherever the master went, he would go as well.


    Meng Yuan, you are an inhuman fellow of the opposite sex! With a curse in his heart, Yun Yi cut off an arm of a certain disciple of Wuji Sect with a sword, and continued to fight his fate.


    Seeing Meng Yuan leave, Dafa Wuchen wanted to chase, but was stopped by Yin Zhan. "Don''t chase, he will come back."


    Yin Zhan looked at the direction in which Meng Yuan disappeared with a complicated expression.


    Meng Yuan, were you really so nervous about that woman? For her, you actually gave up such a good opportunity, don''t you even want to investigate the truth of that incident seven years ago? If Yan''er was still alive, she would be so sad to know that Meng Yuan would actually treat a woman so tenderly and take care of her in every possible way.


    Zhao Ling followed Meng Yuan in the air all the way, but she really experienced the feeling of flying through the clouds. Not long after, she was taken to a large warship by Meng Yuan.


    The warship was owned by the Suzhou Navy. After knowing that the Wuji Teaching site was located on a small island in the South Wuzhen Sea, Meng Yuan used the power of the Xuanwang Mansion, and without reporting to the court, he called the warship of the Suzhou Navy first.


    In the Dasheng Dynasty, because there were not many battles on the water, the navy did not often use it. So Emperor Ming ordered that if anyone wanted to call the navy, the person must report to the court for approval, so as not to be used indiscriminately if it was not used for a long time.


    But Meng Yuan was so anxious, how could he wait for Lu Ziqing to apply to the imperial court, and then wait for the imperial court to issue an approval. It would take a month at the fastest to go through this process. He couldn''t wait, and he couldn''t wait.


    Zhang Xian, the Admiral of the Suzhou Navy in military uniform, was patrolling the bow of the boat. When he saw Prince Xuan flying over with a woman in his arms, he was stunned and forgot to salute for a while. When he reacted, King Xuan had already left. He hurriedly followed.


    Chang Dong, Situ Gong and others also followed.


    Meng Yuan didn''t look sideways, hugged Zhao Ling and walked straight into his room, and said coldly without turning his head, "Everyone go out now, no one is allowed to come in without this king''s order."


    Everyone looked at each other in dismay, and had to be ordered to retreat. Zhang Xian continued to patrol the deck, while Chang Dong and Situ Gong stood outside the door, waiting for the master''s orders at any time.


    Meng Yuan carefully placed Zhao Ling on the bed, looking at her flushed face and sweaty appearance, got up and took a towel, wiped the fine sweat on her face, and asked anxiously, "Ling''er, how are you feeling?"


    Zhao Ling felt that she was on the verge of breaking out. There seemed to be a scorching hot air in her body, but there was nowhere to vent it.. Her consciousness had long since fallen into confusion.

 Chapter 60 - King Meng Yuan [III]

    Meng Yuan''s cold fingers stroked her cheek, and she felt a little awake.


    "Meng Yuan, hurry up." Zhao Ling was about to cry. Could he stop looking at her with such gentle eyes, could he stay away from him when she was not completely out of control? She was afraid that she would not be able to bear it, so she threw him down desperately.


    Meng Yuan saw bloodstains on her raised left arm, his face turned cold in an instant, and his anger was mixed with deep distress.


    Yin Zhan, this king will surely make you regret it.


    He lowered his head and leaned closer, kissing the bloodstains gently. The gentle and moist touch made Zhao Ling tremble uncontrollably.


    "Meng Yuan, don''t."


    But to Meng Yuan''s hearing, this rejection was so powerless, it seemed like a kind of refusal and welcome. His eyes darkened, he left her arm, and turned to place a light kiss on her forehead.


    Meng Yuan, you bastard! Zhao Ling cursed inwardly. What time was it, you still wanted to tempt me? Do you know how much this girl had suffered in order to endure the poison of Bi Luohua that killed like a thousand knives?


    "Get out of the way!" Zhao Ling glared at Meng Yuan angrily and said through gritted teeth.


    Meng Yuan smiled softly. "Ling''er, you are so beautiful." He approached Zhao Ling''s ear, his voice was low and hoarse, with a natural charm that made Zhao Ling unable to extricate herself from the fall.


    She seemed to know what Meng Yuan was going to do next. If he went ahead, the poison would kill him. With faint tears in her eyes, she used all her self-control to push him away. "Go away, or you''ll die."


    Meng Yuan''s eyes were as gentle as water. "Ling''er, don''t be afraid, we will be fine."


    After saying that, he kissed her lips.


    When the two lips touched, Zhao Ling let out a satisfied "um". This light hum was like a catalyst, and Meng Yuan''s self-control collapsed in an instant.


    He deepened the kiss gradually, with a force that couldn''t be denied.


    "Meng Yuan, don''t." Zhao Ling murmured while retaining the last trace of her sobriety.


    "Call me Ah Yuan." Meng Yuan bit her earlobe lightly and said dissatisfiedly.


    Zhao Ling trembled all over, and couldn''t help but murmured. "Ah Yuan."


    Hearing her intimate whisper, Meng Yuan''s eyes darkened, and he raised his hand slightly, the bed curtain slowly lowered, separating the charming scenery inside the tent...


    "Ling''er, Ling''er." Zhao Ling could only hear his low, hoarse voice whispering in his ears. When Meng Yuan made a little effort to break through the last line of defense between the two, she finally couldn''t resist her body''s instinct, raised her hand around his neck, and a line of tears fell from the corner of her eyes.


    When Zhao Ling regained consciousness and woke up, she opened her eyes and saw the unfamiliar top of the bed, and was stunned for a moment. What was this place?


    She remembered that she was hiding in the cave of Wuji Sect, and it seemed that Meng Yuan had found her. What happened afterward? Why are you lying here?


    Zhao Ling tapped her head and tried to get up, but she felt pain and weakness all over her body. She was startled, but the memory flooded in like a tide at this moment.


    Last night, she and Meng Yuan had...


    She turned her head to the side, and next to her was Meng Yuan''s handsome sleeping face.


    Looking at him up close, this guy was simply handsome, despite being unreasonable atimes. Three-dimensional features, clear contours, perfect lip shape, and long eyelashes. Unexpectedly, the always cold and stern King Xuan looks like a child when he falls asleep, looking innocent and cute.


    The corners of Zhao Ling''s mouth twitched slightly, and she was stunned for a while.


    But why was he sleeping like an innocent corpse?


    She suddenly remembered the method of detoxification that Yin Zhan said at that time, and she was shocked. Could it be that her poison has been transferred to Meng Yuan?


    She leaned in and probed for his breath. He was breathing evenly and should be fine. But why wasn''t he awake yet?


    "Meng Yuan, Meng Yuan." Zhao Ling called softly.


    But Meng Yuan seemed to be having a very beautiful dream and never wanted to wake up.


    She was a little flustered. She didn''t understand the toxicity of Bi Luohua, and she wasn''t sure whether her poison was really extradited to Meng Yuan.


    She quickly got out of bed and got dressed, before shouting out, "Someone."


    Chang Dong and Situ Gong, who had been guarding the door all night, were in a drowsy state when they suddenly heard a call from inside, stood up immediately, pushed open the door and walked in.


    Zhao Ling saw Situ Gong, her eyes lit up, and she quickly said to him, "Mr. Situ, you came just in time. Come and have a look, what''s wrong with your lord?"


    Situ Gong took the order and stepped forward a few steps to check Meng Yuan''s pulse. After a long while, he withdrew his hand and pondered.


    "How''s the situation? Was the prince poisoned by Biluohua?" Zhao Ling asked anxiously when he saw that he was silent.


    Situ Gong shook his head, "Please rest assured, princess. The cold poison in Wang Ye''s body is extremely toxic, and it can suppress the toxicity of Bi Luo Hua. So, in a certain respect, Wang Ye''s current physique can be said to be invulnerable to all poisons."


    It was because of knowing this that Situ Gong was relieved to let Meng Yuan detoxify Zhao Ling last night.


    "Then why didn''t he wake up?" Zhao Ling was puzzled.


    "Your Highness is fine." Situ Gonglue replied a little embarrassedly, "It''s just... too tired."


    What? too tired? When Zhao Ling heard the words, she only felt a boom in her brain, and two red clouds rose on her face.


    Wasn''t it because she was too needy last night that she tired out Meng Yuan, the detoxifier?


    Thinking about this, Zhao Ling felt that she had never been so embarrassed in her life.

 Chapter 61 - What Do You Know About Yin Zhan?

    Slowly, Meng Yuan turned his body and stretched his hands. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Zhao Ling sitting on the edge of the bed, her face flushed red. Thinking that her poison was not cleared, he sat up nervously, and asked anxiously, "Ling''er, are you alright?"


    Zhao Ling glanced at him complainingly, and said in her heart. No, I have something to do. It''s you who made me humiliated.


    Meng Yuan couldn''t understand her expression, and he furrowed his brows in puzzlement. He turned around to see Changdong and Situ Gong, and his face sank. "Why are you two here? This king remembers saying that no one is allowed to come in without this king''s order."


    "Your subordinates deserve to die." Chang Dong and Situ Gong quickly stepped back and pleaded guiltily.


    "Since Mr. Situ is here, let''s check the princess to see if the poison has been resolved." Meng Yuan just wanted to ask Situ Gong to help Zhao Ling diagnose and treat.


    "Rest your mind, my lord. The subordinates have just seen that the poison of the princess has been resolved, and she will recover as long as she rests for a few days." Situ Gong replied.


    "That''s very good. You can all leave now." He breathed a sigh of relief and said. His tone was much softer after confirming that Zhao Ling was all right.


    "Yes, lord. Your subordinates will leave leave now." The two of them stepped back. They walked out the door, looked at each other, and both breathed a sigh of relief.


    After Chang Dong and Situ Gong left, Zhao Ling was the only one left in the room.


    Zhao Ling looked at Meng Yuan''s infatuation, remembering the intimacy between the two last night, and a faint blush climbed up her cheeks.


    "Who the hell said that King Xuan was inhumane?" Zhao Ling scolded secretly in her mind, "If you come out, I promise not to kill you."


    She straightened her face and coughed lightly. "You... do you want to get up first?"


    At this moment, Meng Yuan was reclining lazily on the head of the bed, with loose black hair and disheveled clothes. The whole appearance was casual and sexy, but the eyes that looked at her were infinitely gentle and charming.


    The picture was so visually striking that she was afraid that she would not be able to hold it, so she stepped forward and threw him down.


    Meng Yuan grabbed her hand and took her into his arms, slender fingers caressing her cheek slowly. "Ling''er, you are so beautiful."


    Yan Mo once mentioned in the letter that the princess was healing her face in the Baicaotang. Unexpectedly, his Ling''er became so beautiful.


    Nevertheless, he couldn''t help scolding Yin Zhan for being wickedly troublesome. Even when her face was scarred, Zhao Ling was still so charming, and now that she had such a beautiful face, he didn''t know how many people will covet her in the future.


    Seeing the infatuation in Meng Yuan''s eyes, Zhao Ling felt that the treatment she had received in Wuji Jiao these past days had made her regain some self-esteem.


    "Speaking of which, I would like to thank that enchanting leader." Thinking of Yin Zhan, Zhao Ling felt a little chilly. Such a perfect looking man is a psychopath. This is the same as when she knew that the handsome foreign teaching assistant was a paedophile when she was a younger student.


    "Yin Zhan? Mph, this king will not let him go." Mentioning Yin Zhan, Meng Yuan''s eyes instantly became cold and severe. He had tolerated Yin Zhan for too long, but this time, he would never be soft-hearted towards him. Thinking of his plan to poison Zhao Ling so badly and use her to deal with him, killing intent flashed in his eyes.


    "You are very familiar with that enchanting leader?" Zhao Ling remembered the tone of the two of them when they were talking about each other, and it seemed that the relationship was not an ordinary one.


    Being gently embraced by Meng Yuan, she adjusted her position slightly, listening to his strong heartbeat quietly, and suddenly felt a sense of peace.


    Meng Yuan''s low voice sounded above her head. "The two of us were once brothers of the Mo family."


    It''s the Mo family again! This Mo family was really talented. Zhao Ling couldn''t help being curious about Shandong Mojia. What kind of place was it, even the dignified palace was willing to send its only heir to the door.


    "But I see that Yin Zhan seems to hate you to the core. What happened between you two?" Zhao Ling left his embrace and raised her head to ask him. Hearing the king used "once" when talking about their relationship probably meant that the relationship must be broken now.


    Thinking of the past, Meng Yuan''s eyes dimmed a little. "Does Ling''er know Yin Zhan''s background?"


    Zhao Ling remembered the source of the Wuji Sect and guessed, "Could it be that he is a descendant of Emperor Zhaowen of the previous dynasty?"


    "That''s right." Meng Yuan glanced at Zhao Ling with admiration, "Prince Xuan''s mansion has a grudge against him, so he naturally hates this king to the core."


    It turned out that Yin Zhan was an orphan from the previous dynasty! Things in this world were often so coincidental.


    When the Emperor Taizu of the Dasheng Dynasty destroyed the previous Wuji dynasty, the infant prince survived. Fifty years ago, when the second-generation Xuan Wang Meng Baichuan slaughtered the Wuji Sect, there was also the Yin family bloodline that survived, and later gave birth to Yin Zhan.


    "What are you going to do now?" Zhao Ling asked him.


    "Hmph, this king will definitely make him regret what he did to you." For various reasons, Meng Yuan tolerated Yin Zhan again and again, but this time, Yin Zhan threatened him with Zhao Ling, which was simply a step too far. Thinking of what he did to Zhao Ling, there was a strong murderous look in his eyes.


    Zhao Ling frowned slightly. Mr. Misty had seen countless people, and he was right about the king. Beneath Meng Yuan''s indifferent appearance, there was indeed an element of violence and bloodthirsty hidden in his nature. If someone touched his bottom line, this kind of violence would erupt.


    Worriedly, she patted the back of his hand and called softly, "Meng Yuan."

 Chapter 62 - A Thousand Beauty

    Hearing Zhao Ling''s call, Meng Yuan came back to his senses, and his face immediately returned to normal. He protested dissatisfiedly: "Call me A-Yuan."


    "No." Zhao Ling categorically refused. She was not used to calling people so affectionately. Last night was a temporary affair, and now it seemed a bit embarrassing to make her suddenly call out so affectionately.


    Meng Yuan smiled charmingly, with a dangerous light shining in his eyes. He wrapped his long arms around Zhao Ling''s slender waist and placed a kiss on her forehead.


    "My name is A-Yuan." His tone was like a coquettish child.


    Zhao Ling turned her head away. No, she still couldn''t speak. It was not that she was deliberately hypocritical, but she never liked to be too close to people, and she had never called others so intimately, and she was really not used to it for a while.


    Meng Yuan turned her head back with both hands and made her look directly at him with a charming voice. "If you don''t call me, I don''t mind repeating what happened last night."


    Zhao Ling quickly drew back her head. "Huh?"


    Meng Yuan smiled evilly, and his handsome face approached hers and wanted to kiss her lips.


    "A-Yuan." Zhao Ling finally gave in and called out quickly. There were still a group of people outside waiting for them to go out, and she didn''t want to lose a reputation for being a prostitute in the daytime.


    "Call again." Meng Yuan smiled smugly.


    Zhao Ling rolled her eyes helplessly. How shameless this guy was. She yelled a lot in anger. "A-Yuan, A-Yuan, A-Yuan..."


    After the calling of his name, even the king himself was amused.


    Meng Yuan looked at her flowery smile, his mind was swayed, and he kissed her lips domineeringly without any explanation.


    Asshole! Zhao Ling scolded secretly, bit hard, and tasted blood in her mouth. She must have bitten his lip.


    The smell of blood seemed to irritate Meng Yuan even more. He deepened the kiss even more, and then with force, he brought Zhao Ling to the bed.


    Meng Yuan, you are indeed a rogue!


    The moment he gently entered her body, Zhao Ling''s thoughts drowsily faded into the back of her mind.


    By the time the two of them appeared in the Warship Chamber, it was already three poles in the sun, and everyone had been waiting a long time for them.


    "Ling''er!"


    "Thousand Ling!"


    Zhao Ling heard two familiar shouts and looked around. When she finally saw the sources, it was Feng Ze and Xie Mingyu. Of course, Lu Ziqing also came.


    There was also a handsome boy in white clothes and a general in military uniform with a black beard. They are Yun Yi, the owner of Woyun Villa, and Zhang Xian, the admiral of the Suzhou Navy.


    When everyone saw the two appeared together, their expressions were different. But when they saw Zhao Ling''s face clearly, they were speechless and shocked.


    Yun Yi even dropped his jaw in shock. Unexpectedly, the eldest lady of the Zhao''s mansion whose face was ruined in rumors, was really so beautiful in appearance.


    "I have seen King Xuan." When everyone saw the two coming out, they all saluted Meng Yuan.


    After Meng Yuan left Wuji Island with Zhao Ling willfully last night, Yun Yi led Woyun Villa and Wuji Sect to fight fiercely, and was full of resentment at this time.


    Seeing Meng Yuan''s refreshing appearance with Zhao Ling in his arms, he said calmly, "Prince Xuan''s beauty is in his arms, wouldn''t he be drunk and unable to get up in a gentle township?"


    Meng Yuan gave him a sideways glance as a cold snort came out of his nostrils, still holding Zhao Ling''s slender waist firmly.


    Zhao Ling also did not change his color in a generous way, smiled gently at Yun Yi and Zhang Xian, and nodded. She and him now not only have the name of a marriage contract, but also the reality of husband and wife, and there was nothing to be embarrassed about.


    Seeing this, Yun Yi touched his nose and turned his head away indifferently, inwardly admiring Zhao Ling''s calm air.


    Zhang Xian, who had a serious face, couldn''t help but smile.


    "Cousin!" Seeing Xie Mingyu, Zhao Ling smiled and went forward.


    Xie Mingyu was also very excited. For so many days, he had always been concerned about Zhao Ling''s safety, but now that she was safe and sound, his joy was beyond words.


    "Ling''er, the injury on your face..." Xie Mingyu was asking when he stopped, looking at her flawless face.


    Zhao Ling touched her left cheek and smiled mischievously, "Yeah, after being cured at Wuji Religion, I don''t have to be afraid of scaring people anymore."


    "That''s great." Xie Mingyu''s face burst into a big smile, "I didn''t expect Ling''er to be so beautiful, so people can''t take their eyes off her."


    "Thank you cousin for your compliment." Xie Mingyu was used to laughing with her, and his words were naturally more casual.


    Zhao Ling didn''t take it seriously, she responded with a smile, then turned her head to greet Feng Ze and Lu Ziqing. "Fengze, Master Lu."


    Although Lu Ziqing was also amazed at Zhao Ling''s beauty, he immediately returned to normal. In his eyes, women''s beauty was not the only one.


    It was just that since the last time he saw Zhao Ling''s righteous act of sacrificing herself and saving others in Xie''s residence, he had eliminated the grudge against her in his heart, and turned to have a little more respect for her, so he politely greeted her.


    On the other hand, Feng Ze had a gloomy face and remained silent.


    He had just heard from Situ Gong that Zhao Ling was poisoned and King Xuan detoxified her. Although Situ Gong did not explain the detoxification method very clearly, he had roughly guessed it.


    Now seeing Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan coming out with each other intimately, confirming that his guess was true, he only felt blood rushing up for a while, and he even felt pain in breathing.


    His dark eyes were fixed on Zhao Ling, and his right hand holding the tea bowl slammed hard on the oak table with a bang, and the tea bowl cracked in response. The ceramic fragment cut through his palm, and his right hand was immediately dripping with blood.


    Everyone heard the sound and looked sideways.

 Chapter 63 - Attacking The Wuji Sect

    Seeing Fengze this time, his face seemed even worse. Zhao Ling stepped forward and asked with concern, "Fengze, are you alright?"


    Feng Ze shook his head at her. He clenched his fists tightly, covering up the injury on his palm, and in his deep black eyes were complex emotions that Zhao Ling couldn''t understand.


    Xie Mingyu and Lu Ziqing walked all the way, and naturally saw the clue. The two glanced at Feng Ze with a little sympathy, and sighed inwardly. ~General Wuwei, you can like anyone, but this Princess Xuan in front of you, you should break your mind as soon as possible.~


    Meng Yuan pulled back Zhao Ling''s hand, displeased. He looked at Feng Ze coldly, and said lightly, "If General Feng is tired, you can go down to rest first."


    Hmph, how dare you looked at Ling''er like this, be careful that this king wouldn''t dig out your eyeballs!


    Zhao Ling thought about it, right. Feng Ze''s face was so bad, it must be due to this time traveling day and night. Looking at it again, although Xie Mingyu and Lu Ziqing looked a little better than Feng Ze, their faces were also exhausted.


    Just as he was about to go along with Meng Yuan''s suggestion and let the three of them go down and have a good rest, they suddenly heard Yan Mo coming from outside.


    Yan Mo came in wet and told Meng Yuan: "Your Highness, we have caught two spies from the Wuji Sect, please deal with them."


    The two spies sneaked into the waters of the melee ships in an attempt to find out the reality of their forces.


    Meng Yuan''s expression did not change. After thinking for a while, he decisively ordered: "Kill them. Pass the order of this king to attack Wuji Island tonight."


    Zhao Ling glanced at him and secretly said. ~Lord Xuan really made a killing decision and acted resolutely. She admitted that such Meng Yuan was very attractive.~


    At night, the attack on the Promise Sect officially began.


    Meng Yuan sent Yan Mo to lead a hundred elites as the vanguard. Yan Mo had been lurking in the Wuji Sect for so many days, and he knew the topography of the island the most. He also drew a detailed topographic map of the Wuji Island, which was a great help for tonight''s attack. It would be better for him to take the lead.


    Zhang Xian and others were full of praise for the topographic map presented by Yan Mo. This map not only covered the hills and valleys of Wuji Island, but also identified the secret passages as detailed as possible.


    The Promise Sect was good at side-by-side, and their viciousness was beyond the imagination of warrior from the regular army.


    Yan Mo bowed his head in shame and confessed that this topographic map was drawn according to the princess''s instructions, not his own credit.


    When everyone heard the words, they all looked at the gentle and weak Zhao Ling in disbelief. They never imagined that a boudoir daughter who stayed at home would have such a skill.


    Zhao Ling did not deny that the information provided on the topographic map that was indeed drawn by Yan Mo was given by her. Dasheng''s attack on Wuji Island was only a matter of time, but Wuji Island had a complex terrain, was full of agencies, and had a warship of its own.


    It would be extremely difficult to annihilate them in one fell swoop. From the moment she set foot on Wuji Island, she had this plan, but what she didn''t expect was that Yan Mo was a good and intelligent person, and he could see through it at one point.


    The topographical drawing was better than she expected, and being a dark guard was really a bit of a condescending talent.


    Meng Yuan and Yun Yi led the men of Xuan Wangfu and Woyun Villa as the middle force, following Yan Mo''s vanguard, while Fengze, Lu Ziqing, and Xie Mingyu led the officers and soldiers they brought along with Zhang Xian to stay on the warship, with the imminent confrontation with the Wuji Sect.


    Zhao Ling also went to Wuji Island with Meng Yuan. Just because Meng Yuan didn''t want Fengze to have the opportunity to be alone with her, and he was confident that he could protect her well.


    Of course Zhao Ling didn''t know Meng Yuan''s thoughts, but she was happy to go there too, and she was a little worried about the old man Duan of Baicaotang. In Promise Religion, the only thing she didn''t want to have an accident was this old urchin-like Old-Man Duan.


    There wass also Xiaojiao. She heard Yin Zhan say that day, Xiaojiao seemed to be raised by old man Duan, so he must be in Hundred Herbs Hall at this time.


    Seeing the back of Meng Yuan holding Zhao Ling''s hand and the two leaving side by side, Feng Ze''s eyes became darker.


    The vanguards led by Yan Mo were the elites of the Xuanwang Mansion''s dark guards and the Woyun Mountain Villa shadow guards, and their fighting power should not be underestimated.


    Therefore, Zhao Ling did not encounter any major obstacles along the way, not to mention Meng Yuan took great care of her and protected her very well.


    Seeing Meng Yuan holding Zhao Ling in his hand for fear of falling, and holding it in his mouth for fear of melting, for Yun Yi, it was really eye-opening. If it was in the past, he wouldn''t believe it if he was beaten to death. Meng Yuan, who always put on a dead face and never looked directly at women, would one day treat a woman so tenderly. It caused him to laugh many times, making Meng Yuan to roll his eyes.


    The group fought and fought, and although they also encountered many secret techniques set up by the Wuji Sect along the way, they were all resolved by Meng Yuan and Yun Yi.


    The corpses of the Promise Sect members were scattered all over the place, and there were also several shadow guards and shadow guards indirectly among them. One could imagine the tragic situation of the battle just now.


    There were also bursts of fire from the sea in the distance, and it was Zhang Xian who also fought with the navy of the Promise Sect.


    Zhao Ling checked one by one and confirmed that several dark guards and shadow guards had died.


    Yun Yi squatted down and covered their dead eyes with a look of awe.


    "Take their bodies back and bury them properly." Meng Yuan stood against the wind, his robes fluttering, and the faint voice made people unable to hear the slightest emotion.


    Zhao Ling stepped forward and gently held his hand, comforting him wordlessly.


    At such a moment, he still remembered to settle the remains of the soldiers. It seemed that Meng Yuan wasn''t that cold-hearted, cruel and tyrannical person in essence.


    Zhao Ling felt a little relieved.

 Chapter 64 - A Deadly Grudge

    Inside the Promise Hall.


    Yin Zhan leaned lazily on the seat and listened to the report of the battle situation of the Great Protector.


    At the entrance of the Seven Halls, more than ten warships, and more than five thousand religious members, except the Baitang, all went out to meet the enemy.


    However, the Xuanwang Mansion was not weak. A pioneering force of a hundred people had already made a great effort to recruit more fighters, not to mention the troops of Woyun Mountain Villa and General Wuwei, and the Suzhou Navy is a regular army.


    As the battle was going fiercely, they were suffering heavy losses. With the way things were going, it seemed that they could not resist for long.


    "Master, let your subordinates escort you to leave first." Wuchen bowed his head and asked for instructions.


    Yin Zhan sat quietly, as if he was listening, but also seemed to have not heard a word. His mind appeared to be here but his thoughts were far off. For many nights in many years, he had been thinking of this moment.


    The day had finally come.


    He involuntarily breathed a sigh of relief. After that incident seven years ago, he seemed to have been waiting for this day, waiting for Meng Yuan to knock at the door.


    "Where is old man Duan?" He asked lightly with thin lips parted.


    "Old Duan has been staying in Hundred Herbs Hall and has never appeared." Wuchen replied.


    Yin Zhan nodded. "He figured it out. That''s fine. In this religion, only you and him are truly loyal to the Yin family."


    Others, some were forced to join the teaching because of the control of the mind-eater, and most of them were just here to make a living.


    He raised his eyes and glanced at the magnificent and spacious Wuji Hall, and suddenly felt that he had never been so alone.


    Suddenly, the years of studying in Momen when he was a teenager, flashed in his mind flashed in his mind. At that time, he didn''t know his background. He thought he was an orphan that was rescued by the Momen elder and put under his sect.


    At that time, there were only two things in his life, one was studying art, and the other was Mo Yan.


    He was talented and intelligent, and he practiced diligently. His martial arts practice was advancing by leaps and bounds. But since Meng Yuan came, he could only be second. So while sympathizing with Meng Yuan, he also regarded him as his biggest opponent, working hard day and night to overcome him, and never admitting defeat.


    And Mo Yan is the most beautiful existence in his heart.


    The first time he saw her was in Shili Taolin in Mozhuang. She practiced swordsmanship in the peach forest, her face was red with peach blossoms, her figure was light, her clothes were fluttering in the air, and the petals of peach blossoms fell on her like rain. She was like a nine-day mysterious girl who descended to earth. His heart fell deeply at that moment.


    Later he learned that she was the only precious daughter of the elder Momen. Later, he became good friends with her and Meng Yuan. After contact, her beauty and kindness made him even more ashamed, so he buried his feelings for her deeply in his heart.


    He felt that as long as he could see her smiling like a flower every day, he would be satisfied.


    Life was so simple and beautiful back then, and it was the best time of his life.


    But one day, Wuchen found him and told him that his real surname was Yin, and he was the only bloodline of the previous royal family, and was responsible for revitalizing the Yin family. As for Meng Yuan''s family, Xuanwang''s mansion had a grudge against him.


    The world was so ironic. In fact, he didn''t want to be a descendant of the royal family at all. He just wanted to be an ordinary person, stay in the Mo family forever, and silently guard by Yan''er''s side. As long as he saw Yan''er''s pure smile, he felt extremely satisfied.


    But since he knew his life experience, he had lost the right to choose. His life no longer belonged only to himself, but belonged to the Yin family and the Wuji religion.


    He laughed self-deprecatingly.


    There was a sound of fighting outside the door. The sound was getting closer and closer. If their master wanted to escape, now would be the time. If not, it would be too late.


    Wuchen anxiously urged again: "Master, please leave first."


    Yin Zhan waved his hands weakly, and said a little tiredly: "No need, Uncle Wuchen, let''s go."


    "Master!" Wuchen exclaimed: "Leave the green hills, not afraid of running out of firewood. Does the master want to cut off the incense of the Yin family?"


    It was the Yin family again! Yin Zhan felt so tired. He really wanted to go back to the past, back to Momen, back to the carefree teenage years.


    But they couldn''t go back.


    With a "bang", a huge figure flew in from outside the door and fell heavily in the center of the hall.


    It was the second guardian who had been fighting.


    Immediately afterwards, Wuhen and Wuxia were also beaten and retreated, from outside the hall to the inside of the hall. The two looked behind them and shouted, "Brother, quickly escort the sect master away from here."


    Yin Zhan stood up and said slowly, "Meng Yuan, come out and meet me."


    Yin Zhan used his internal force to utter this words, so although the voice was not heavy, it spread far. Meng Yuan was not far away, when he heard Yin Zhan''s words, he embraced Zhao Ling, jumped up vertically, and flew to Wuji Hall.


    When Yin Zhan saw Zhao Ling in Meng Yuan''s arms, he said resentfully, "Meng Yuan, do you really like this woman so much? How can you be worthy of Yan''er by doing this?"


    It was Yan''er again! Zhao Ling frowned.. This was the second time she had heard the name. What does this Yaner have to do with the two of them? Could it be Meng Yuan''s ex-girlfriend?

 Chapter 65 - A Deadly Grudge [II]

    With a "bang", a huge figure flew in from outside the door and fell heavily in the center of the hall.


    It was the second guardian who had been fighting.


    Immediately afterwards, Wuhen and Wuxia were also beaten and retreated, from outside the hall to the inside of the hall. The two looked behind them and shouted, "Brother, quickly escort the sect master away from here."


    Yin Zhan stood up and said slowly, "Meng Yuan, come out and meet me."


    Yin Zhan used his internal force to utter this words, so although the voice was not heavy, it spread far. Meng Yuan was not far away, when he heard Yin Zhan''s words, he embraced Zhao Ling, jumped up vertically, and flew to Wuji Hall.


    When Yin Zhan saw Zhao Ling in Meng Yuan''s arms, he said resentfully, "Meng Yuan, do you really like this woman so much? How can you be worthy of Yan''er by doing this?"


    It was Yan''er again! Zhao Ling frowned. This was the second time she had heard the name. What does this Yaner have to do with the two of them? Could it be Meng Yuan''s ex-girlfriend?


    Meng Yuan clenched his hands tightly and hugged Zhao Ling a little bit, but his tone was calm. "This king has never been sorry to anyone, and the one who is sorry to Yan''er is you."


    "You are talking nonsense!" Yin Zhan''s eyes turned red, and he lost his temper instantly. "You killed Yan''er, she likes you so much, but you killed her!"


    Meng Yuan frowned slightly. "You were the one who killed Yan''er, Yin Zhan, are you alright?"


    Yin Zhan heard the words, his eyes flashed a bit of confusion, and the next moment, the whole person gradually became crazy. "It wasn''t me, I didn''t kill Yan''er, it was you, you killed Yan''er, you killed her!"


    It was definitely a mental problem. Zhao Ling guessed that the person who killed Yan''er must be Yin Zhan. He should have liked Yan''er very much, but he accidentally killed her, and he couldn''t accept it psychologically, so he put the blame of killing Yan''er on Meng Yuan. This was a typical escape mentality.


    Unfortunately, Meng Yuan could not allow him to continue to escape. He said mercilessly: "That day in Shili Taolin, you planned to plot against me, Yan''er was accidentally injured by you in order to save me, and finally died of serious injuries. Have you forgotten about this?"


    Yin Zhan was a little confused. Hearing Meng Yuan mention Shili Taolin, his eyes were even more angry. "Yeah, that day in Shili Taolin, you and Yan''er hugged each other and kissed me, but when Yan''er died, you were so tender and caring to this woman, how dare you say you didn''t feel sorry for Yan''er?"


    Zhao Ling looked up at Meng Yuan. It seemed that this Yan''er was indeed his ex-girlfriend.


    "Nonsense." Meng Yuan''s tone was cold and severe. "This king really feels worthless for Yan''er. Do you know how much Yan''er has suffered for you? You are a descendant of the royal family of the previous dynasty, how could the elder agree to betroth his only daughter to you, but Yan''er did not hesitate to do so for you? Breaking with the Mo family, she would follow you. Who knew that day you were indiscriminate and wanted the king''s life as soon as you made a move. You are right, Yaner did die to save me, but the one who killed her, is you."


    It was rare for Meng Yuan to say so many words at once, which showed how angry he was. He originally thought that Yin Zhan was a manly man who dared to act, but who would have thought that he was a coward who liked Yan''er but dared not speak, and would only run away if he made a mistake.


    After slowly digesting what Meng Yuan had just said, Yin Zhan suddenly found it hard to accept. He danced with long sleeves and his eyes gradually became frantic. "You bullshit, the person Yan''er likes is you, and the person who killed her is also you, you lied to me, you lied to me..." It seemed that this way, he could feel better in his heart.


    "Master, wake up!" Wuchen shouted loudly from the side.


    Wuhen and Wuxia also looked at Yin Zhan with a worried look, stared at each other, and thought: The sect leader was not crazy, was he? So what should they do? Run away in chaos?


    Yin Zhan gradually fell into madness, his eyes slowly turned purple again, staring at Meng Yuan and Zhao Ling with burning eyes, with a strange expression on his face.


    "Purple Charm Magic Art is extremely yin and poisonous. It is a martial art that is strictly forbidden by Momen. Why do you practice it, Yin Zhan?" Meng Yuan said angrily.


    At this time, Yin Zhan seemed to be a different person, and his whole body exuded the smell of bewitching and dangerous. "Why do I practice? Hmph, naturally, to be able to compete with you. Meng Yuan, when Yan''er died, do you know what I swore?"


    Meng Yuan frowned. This Yin Zhan seems to have been corroded by the Purple Charm Magic.


    Yin Zhan deliberately paused, and then said slowly, "I swore that I will let you live alone without relatives or love. So... this woman must die."


    Before he finished speaking, Yin Zhan''s red figure was like a flaming phoenix, rushing towards Zhao Ling''s direction.


    When Meng Yuan learned of his intentions, killing intent suddenly appeared in his eyes, he shielded Zhao Ling behind him, and pointed his long sword directly at Yin Zhan''s chest.


    But Zhao Ling noticed Yin Zhan''s eyes at this moment. It was an expression full of dead silence, as if holding the belief of mortal death. She felt a move in her heart and hurriedly shouted, "A-Yuan, stop!"


    But it was too late.. Meng Yuan''s long sword had pierced into Yin Zhan''s heart.

 Chapter 66 - Hall Of Chaos

    Blood spurted out of Yin Zhan''s heart like an arrow as he fell on his knees, blood dripping down the corner of his mouth.


    "Master!"


    The four guardians of the Promise Sect shouted in unison, and hurriedly stepped forward to check Yin Zhan''s injury.


    Meng Yuan held the blood-stained long sword, frowned, and asked in confusion, "You did this on purpose? Why are you begging for death?"


    Yin Zhan''s mouth was full of blood, and he grinned, looking very coquettish. "Meng Yuan, I knew this day would come. But if I, Yin Zhan, are going to die, I can only die at your hands."


    "Why?" Meng Yuan pondered for a moment, and suddenly seemed to have thought of something, and asked sharply: "Seven years ago, how much did you know about the Guinu River, outside Jingzhou City?"


    "Haha..." Yin Zhan looked up to the sky and laughed. "Meng Yuan, I didn''t expect it. For the past seven years, the Kinugawa Massacre that you have been investigating is me."


    "Yin Zhan, you are simply not human!" Hearing this, Meng Yuan pointed his long sword directly at Yin Zhan''s heart, his eyes spitting fire, and his face became extremely violent.


    Seven years ago, in Kinugawa, he lost his father, lost his health, lost hundreds of brothers and sisters in Momen, and even lost the lives of a hundred thousand soldiers. And all of this was actually a conspiracy of Yin Zhan!


    It was not that he never guessed like this, but he had always been reluctant to believe it, just because he thought that Yin Zhan still had a conscience and would not be so mad. But now, all this had been confirmed by his own mouth, which made him feel bad.


    His whole body was tense, the hand holding the long sword trembled slightly, and his anger rushed to his heart for a while, and his blood surged, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "A-Yuan!" Seeing this, Zhao Ling hurriedly stepped forward to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth and looked at him worriedly.


    In the end, what happened to Kinugawa seven years ago that made Meng Yuan, who had always been self-control, to be out of control?


    She suddenly remembered that when she was in Shengjing, she had heard that the former King Xuan died in the battle of Jingzhou City seven years ago, and Meng Yuan also suffered from cold poison at that time. Could it be that this Yin Zhan did all this? Oh, heavens?


    If so, it was no wonder he was out of control.


    Thinking of this, she lightly wrapped her hands around Meng Yuan''s waist, hoping to give him some strength.


    Meng Yuan wrapped her arms around Zhao Ling''s petite body, her heart warmed. With Zhao Ling''s comfort, at this moment, when he recalled the horrific scene seven years ago, it didn''t seem to be so heart-wrenching.


    Yin Zhan laughed at himself, "Meng Yuan, the grievances between us are indescribable. From the moment we learned of our own background, you and I were destined to be enemies only."


    His eyes gradually returned to a dead silence, as if he was talking to himself, and he continued to say slowly: "In this world, the only person I feel sorry for is Yan''er. Yan''er has paid so much for me, and I had been blinded by inferiority complex and jealousy, and there is only hatred in my heart."


    He raised his hand and said painfully: "You''re right, I killed Yan''er, I''m not a human, I should be damned. Yan''er, you must be cold and lonely down there. Don''t worry, A-Zhan is here to accompany you."


    After finishing speaking, Yin Zhan grabbed the long sword in Meng Yuan''s hand at an unexpected speed, and with a "pop", stabbed the sword into his heart again. Afterwards, he slowly fell to the ground, slowly closing his beautiful phoenix eyes, with a faint smile on his handsome face.


    It was an expression of great relief.


    Meng Yuan dazedly held the hilt of the sword, not knowing how to react for a while.


    He remembered the boyhood years when he and Yin Zhan were studying in Momen together. At that time, they competed in martial arts, cherished each other, and showed each other with sincerity.


    But that day, in the ten-mile peach forest in Mozhuang, he suddenly attacked him, and Yaner was killed by Yin Zhan in order to save him. Later, everything changed. Overnight, the two of them became mortal enemies.


    All this was just because his surname was Meng and his own surname was Yin.


    "A-Yuan." Zhao Ling''s soft voice entered his ears. He turned his head and saw Zhao Ling''s worried look in front of him. He put down his sword and hugged her tightly in his arms, speechless.


    "Master!" The great protector Wuchen let out a shrill scream and threw himself on Yin Zhan like a madman. After confirming that Yin Zhan was dead, he sat heavily on the ground, as if his whole body was drained of energy for a moment.


    He looked at Meng Yuan with fierce light in his eyes, got up and was about to strike him with all his strength, but was stopped by Yun Yi and Chang Dong behind him, and the three of them fought together.


    Although Wuchen was highly skilled in martial arts, Yun Yi and Changdong were not ordinary people either. So he couldn''t get any advantage when they join forces. In desperation, he caught a glimpse of Wugou Wuhen Wuxia, three people hesitating on the side, and shouted sharply. "What are you three doing standing there, if I die, you will not survive."


    Hearing this, the three of them froze, and after looking at each other, they immediately joined the battle. At this time, Yan Mo also led the vanguard troops to arrive, and the Promise Hall was immediately plunged into a chaotic fight.


    Meng Yuan had been firmly protecting Zhao Ling, watching from the side. There was such a huge disparity in the strength of the troops, and the people he brought were all elites. No matter how high the martial arts of the Four Great Dharma Protectors were, they couldn''t last for too long, so now, it was not his turn to take action.


    Sure enough, an hour later, the number of casualties from the Promise Sect increased, and the outcome seemed to be divided. After fighting for so long, Wuchen was exhausted. Yun Yi placed the long sword in his hand on Wuchen''s neck.


    Wuchen looked up to the sky with a long sigh, looked at Yin Zhan''s figure lying quietly on the ground, and a cloudy tear fell from his eyes. "God''s will cannot be violated. It is God who wants to destroy my Yin dynasty. Lao Duan, I will take a step first. Master, you have a good journey, and your subordinates will come to accompany you."


    "Big brother!" The three guardians called out at the same time.


    "The wood is beautiful in the forest, and the wind will destroy it. Xuanwang''s mansion has built a lot of power, and there are too many enemies. The incident seven years ago was not accidental, and it was not something that I could do with Wujijiao alone." Wuchen uttered as his eyes widened in anger, staring at Meng Yuan.


    After he finished speaking, he followed Yin Zhan''s example, grabbed the long sword that Yun Yi was holding on his neck, slashed his neck ruthlessly, and suddenly fell to the ground with blood gushing out of it like a wild stream.


    "Nooo, big brother!"


    "Big brother, you can''t die!"


    "Big brother!"


    The three Wugou, Wuhen and Wuxia had also been fighting, and they were also covered in scars. Seeing Wuchen died like this, all of a sudden, their faces turned ashen, and they threw away their weapons and hugged themselves.


    Just when Zhao Ling and the others thought they couldn''t be more surprised, they heard a few "bang, bang" sounds, and the heads of many Wuji sects, including Wugou Wuhen Wuxia, burst open, and the Wuji Hall was filled with all kinds of brains for a while.


    The sound of cracking, the bloody scene, all was horrible and disgusting.


    Seeing such a scene, Meng Yuan, who had experienced countless bloody battlefields, couldn''t help frowning and felt chills in his heart. He protected Zhao Ling in his arms and didn''t want her to watch this disgusting scene.


    This scene was so shocking that Zhao Ling couldn''t bear it for a while. She remembered the "Old Duan" mentioned by Wuchen before her death, and thought to herself: Oh, was it that this old man was just like Wuchen, a person who was ignorant and loyal to the royal family of the previous dynasty?


    She raised her head in Meng Yuan''s arms and said anxiously to him, "A-Yuan, take me to the Hundred Herbs Hall."


    Seeing her eager face, Meng Yuan immediately nodded in agreement, wrapped his long arms around Zhao Ling''s body, and rushed towards the Hundred Herbs Hall.


    It was easy to be easy. Not long after, Meng Yuan brought Zhao Ling to the wooden house of Baitang.


    Under the shadow of the night, the wooden house was silent, with the occasional sound of insects, which added to the quiet atmosphere.


    As if isolated from the world, the fighting outside did not affect this place. Zhao Ling pushed open one of the doors. This was the room where Duan old man slept and rested.


    In the room, the old man turned his back to her, and was drinking alone with a gourd of wine, and there was a small plate of peanuts on the table. It was the appetizer that Zhao Ling prepared for him a few days ago.


    Hearing the door opening, the old man didn''t look back, but said in a light tone, "Girl, you''re here.. It seems that you haven''t forgotten about this old man."

 Chapter 67 - Old Man Duan [I]

    Seeing that the old man was fine, Zhao Ling breathed a sigh of relief. She and Meng Yuan looked at each other, and they both walked into the room and sat down opposite him.


    As soon as they sat down, a fluffy little thing jumped into Zhao Ling''s arms and called out to her.


    "Little girl, did you miss me, eh?" Zhao Ling touched the blue-eyed spirit fox''s head with a light smile, and a softer tone.


    "This little fox is destined for you." Duan old man said, glanced at Meng Yuan, raised his white eyebrows, and said, "This one must be Lord Xuan."


    Meng Yuan nodded. "Exactly."


    Old Man Duan looked at him carefully, then smiled at Zhao Ling and said, "Girl, you have a good eye."


    For some reason, Zhao Ling always felt that the old man Duan was a little weird tonight. He didn''t have the usual old urchin look. Such a serious look made her feel inexplicably shocked.


    She asked worriedly, "Old man, are you alright?"


    "I have lived for more than sixty years, and it has never been easier than it is now." Old man Duan shrugged, raised his gourd and took a sip of wine, then wiped the corners of his mouth. He grabbed a few peanuts, and put them into his mouth. While eating, he said, "Girl, the peanuts you made are better than those made by the chefs of Wuji."


    "If you like it, I can make it for you often." Seeing that he had regained the temperament of an old urchin, Zhao Ling relaxed a little and spoke in a lighter tone.


    After spending more than ten days in the Hundred Herbs Hall, Zhao Ling really fell in love with this simple-minded old man.


    Although he was under Yin Zhan''s order to heal her facial injury, when she was poisoned by the snake''s toxin and was locked in the dungeon, he sent Xiaojia in and asked her to take Xiaojia''s blood to relieve the poison, which was good enough for her. The old man kindness really Impressed her.


    Zhao Ling had always had a clear love-hate temperament. If others treated her well, she would naturally repay their kindness. She would never be polite if someone wanted to do something bad to her or those around her.


    Hearing this, the old man lowered his head, and remained silent for a while, with tears in his eyes. When he raised his head again, his face had returned to normal, and his tone was a little choked. "Girl, this old man may never have this chance."


    After he finished speaking, a line of blood slowly flowed from the corner of his mouth.


    Zhao Ling was shocked, stood up and walked a few steps in front of him, and asked anxiously, "Old man, what''s wrong with you?"


    The blue-eyed spirit fox jumped from Zhao Ling''s arms onto the old man Duan, screaming and turning around in a hurry.


    Meng Yuan snatched Old Man Duan''s wine gourd, sniffed it, frowned and said, "Is there poison in the wine?"


    Zhao Ling was taken aback, and her heart ached immediately. "Why?"


    Old Man Duan sat panting, with more and more blood spilling from the corners of his mouth. He wiped it with his sleeve carelessly, and asked them: "Girl, you are here to see me now, have this kid Yin Zhan and that old guy Wuchen, already left?"


    Zhao Ling nodded at him, tears welling up in his eyes.


    "Then, it''s time for me to go down and accompany them." Old Man Duan looked relaxed, as casual as he said, "I should go to dinner."


    "Why does it have to be like this?" Zhao Ling''s eyes were filled with tears.


    "This is the old man''s promise to the Yin family. Although I am greedy for food and cups of wine, my promise is the most important. So, girl, don''t be sad."


    Old Man Duan looked at Zhao Ling lovingly, then turned to Meng Yuan and said, "Fifty years ago, Meng Baichuan was ordered to hunt down the Wuji Sect and hang the heads of several leaders of the Wuji Sect on the city wall. Acting brutally. In fact, what they don''t know is that Meng Baichuan didn''t know about the incident at that time, but several generals below him made their own opinions. After learning about it, Meng Baichuan severely punished those generals and released them. This old man, was also one of the several Wuji believers who are about to be beheaded in the prison. Therefore, the old man''s life is still saved by Meng Baichuan."


    After speaking, the old man laughed at himself.


    Regarding this matter, Zhao Ling had also heard Mr. Mimiao talk about it, so he had some impressions. It turned out that there was such a secret! She looked at Meng Yuan and saw that his face was tightly pulled together in a frown, she stepped forward and took his hand, patted the back of his hand lightly.


    Meng Yuan took Zhao Ling''s hand back and shook his head lightly at him, indicating that he was fine.


    After saying so much in one breath, Old Duan''s breath became weaker and weaker. He took out a booklet from his arms and handed it to Zhao Ling.


    "Girl, I have no relatives or apprentices, but I have a relationship with you. This is what I have learned all my life, all in this book. I will give it to you today, I hope you can make good use of it. Also, this little fox seems to like you very much. You, you take it away too. The blood of the blue-eyed spirit fox can relieve the cold poison in the king, so let me repay Meng Baichuan for the life-saving grace of the old man."


    "Old man!" Zhao Ling took the booklet and knelt in front of the old man Duan, and the tears she endured finally fell.


    Meng Yuan squatted beside Zhao Ling, and wrapped his arms around her, his cold and hard face also showed traits of loving kindness.

 Chapter 68 - Old Man Duan [II]

    "Girl, after I died, you cremated me and scattered my ashes in this South Wuzhen Sea. In this way, this old man can drift around with the sea and take a good look at the outside world."


    "Okay, okay." Zhao Ling looked at him with tears in her eyes, she didn''t know what to say other than the nodding of her head.


    "Girl, I really want to eat your grilled fish again." Duan old man smiled, with a little yearning in his eyes, and then slowly closed his eyes.


    "Old man! Old man!" Zhao Ling knelt on top of Duan old man, sobbing.


    Yin Zhan was dead, and the four guardians also died one after another. After Wuchen died, a large number of Wuji sects also burst their heads and died. After one night, the power of the Promise Sect has been disintegrated.


    According to Old Man Duan''s last words, Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan cremated his body, and then brought his ashes back to the warship.


    By the time they got back to the warship, the sky was already showing fish belly white. Fengze, Lu Ziqing, Zhang Xian and others were already waiting on the boat.


    Although this battle basically wiped out the power of Wuji Sect, their side was also damaged.


    The vanguard troops brought by Yan Mo lost more than twenty elites, and more than ten were injured. The navy led by Zhang Xian also lost hundreds of troops, and a warship was burned. It seemed that the Promise Religion was not a mob, and it was still a bit powerful.


    As soon as Zhao Ling got on the boat, he received the concerned eyes of Fengze Xie Mingyu and others.


    "Ling''er, are you alright?" Xie Mingyu asked first.


    "I''m fine, cousin, are you all alright?" Zhao Ling also greeted everyone, but saw Fengze''s arm was wrapped in white bandages, and her face was pale, she asked with concern: "Fengze, are you hurt?"


    Feng Ze looked at her up and down, and seeing that she was safe and sound, his tense face eased slightly. He forced the corner of his mouth and replied, "It''s okay, just a little skin injury."


    Zhang Xian, who was on the side, glanced at Feng Ze and secretly said in his heart: It was said that General Wuwei was brave and invincible. When he saw it today, he really deserved the reputation. Absolutely stunning.


    Alas, it really was a hero who was a teenager, and it seemed that it was time to retire with this old bone! Zhang Xian suddenly felt a little sad.


    How could Zhang Xian know that Feng Ze, because of Zhao Ling, transferred his anger that he had to vent on the Wuji Sect.


    Meng Yuan stepped forward and grabbed Zhao Ling''s waist, gave Feng Ze a sideways glance, and turned to show Zhao Ling a coquettish expression. "Ling''er, I''m tired."


    When Yun Yi saw this, the corner of his mouth twitched. Meng Yuan was really insidious. He couldn''t help but light a row of candles for Feng Ze in his heart.


    Seeing Meng Yuan''s pale face, Zhao Ling could see that he had lost a lot of weight compared to when she first saw him. Thinking about these days, he dragged his legs that had not healed from the cold poison, drifted at sea for so many days, and fought so much on Wuji Island. After a long time, his body was really unable to take it, and she was worried in her heart.


    She quickly said to Fengze, "Fengze, you have a good rest." Then she accompanied Meng Yuan into the interior.


    Meng Yuan was lazy to take care of everyone, and without turning his head, he embraced Zhao Ling and walked away, the corners of his mouth raised slightly, revealing a contented smile. When he thought of Feng Ze, a coldness appeared in his eyes. This person was really getting more and more presumptuous, and it seemed that he had to find a way to completely cut off this thought.


    Feng Ze looked at Meng Yuan''s back hugging Zhao Ling''s waist, clenching his fists, and the emotions in his deep eyes were complicated.


    Back in the room, Zhao Ling asked Meng Yuan to lie down on the bed. Meng Yuan obeyed her instructions, lay down leaning against the head of the bed, and then took Zhao Ling''s hand and asked her to sit beside the bed.


    He wrapped his arms around Zhao Ling''s waist, just as he was about to embrace Zhao Ling in his arms, a fluffy mass shot out of her arms with a "swoosh" and jumped onto Meng Yuan''s shoulders. He grinned at him with a hostile expression on his face.


    Since the death of Duan old man, Xiao Gao has been lying quietly in Zhao Ling''s arms, motionless, so everyone didn''t notice it just now.


    Meng Yuan''s face darkened instantly. He pulled the little fox off his shoulders and stared at it angrily.


    Seeing one human and one fox looking at each other angrily, Zhao Ling couldn''t help laughing out loud.


    "Ling''er!" Meng Yuan looked at her sadly. What''s the situation now? I just got rid of a rival in love temporarily, and this little beast jumped out to make trouble. Was it really so difficult to let him and Ling''er stay quiet for a while?


    Zhao Ling smiled and patted his hand, signaling him to calm down. Then, there was a knock on the door, and Situ Gong''s voice came.


    "Your subordinate, Situ Gong, is waiting outside the door."


    "Mr. Situ, please come in." Zhao Ling shouted.


    Meng Yuan looked at her displeasedly. What does this woman mean? Was it not enough to make trouble with this little beast, why did you call Situ Gong here?


    Zhao Ling ignored him, called Situ Gong in, and showed him the little girl in his arms.


    When Situ Gong saw Xiaojiao, his eyes were wide open with an incredible expression on his face. "Princess, this... is this a blue-eyed spirit fox?"


    "Exactly." Zhao Ling nodded, "It is said that the blood of this blue-eyed spirit fox can relieve the cold poison in the prince''s body. I wonder if Mr. Situ knows about this?"


    Situ Gong was simply incoherent with excitement.. "Subordinate knows, subordinates have always known, but this blue-eyed spirit fox is a rare thing in a thousand years, and my subordinates have been searching for seven years, but they have no clue. This is great! This is really great!"

 Chapter 69 - Sorrowful Memories

    In this way, what the old man said was true. Zhao Ling was also a little excited for a while, she walked to the bed, held Meng Yuan''s hand, and said happily, "A-Yuan, it seemed that your cold poison can be cured."


    He could no longer endure the pain in his heart when the cold poison attacked every month, no longer need to rely on a wheelchair to walk, but could walk like a normal person, and he could be the proud son of the fresh clothes and angry horses again.


    "Ling''er." Meng Yuan stared at Zhao Ling with a smile like a flower, and was deeply moved. He didn''t care whether his cold poison could be cured or not, he was just delighted by Zhao Ling''s affection for him.


    His Ling''er thought about him so much, how could he not be elated?


    With the blue-eyed spirit fox, Situ Gong immediately became motivated. After he quickly retired, he immediately began to study the preparation of the antidote. The blood of the fox was just one of the most crucial materials, and other items were needed to assist.


    After noon, everything was ready and everyone was ready to go. Meng Yuan gave the order to return.


    At dusk, a round of sunset hung on the line of the sea and the sky, the sea surface was sparkling, and the sea breeze came slowly. Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan scattered Old Man Duan''s ashes on the sea, and the ashes were carried in the wind, symbolizing Old Man Duan''s longing for a free soul.


    "Old man, go all the way." Zhao Ling said silently in her heart.


    Afterwards, the two sat side by side on the deck to enjoy the beautiful sunset over the sea.


    "A-Yuan." Zhao Ling leaned lazily on Meng Yuan''s shoulder, her beautiful eyes narrowed, like a lazy and elegant cat.


    "Huh?" Meng Yuan looked at Zhao Ling like this, with a gentle smile on his face, he couldn''t help kissing her on the forehead.


    "Tell me about what happened to Kinugawa seven years ago."


    "Ling''er want to hear?"


    "Yes."


    "Okay." Meng Yuan said eloquently as he fell into his memories. "Seven years ago, Beidi''s army was approaching Zhengyang Pass, and my father and the king led an army of a hundred thousand troops to help, and they took two cities in a row. However, when they attacked the third city, Jingzhou City, they encountered the plot of He Yuanshan, the general of Beidi who was seriously injured. When I heard the news, I asked to go to Jingzhou City for support. In order to save time, I only brought ten thousand flying cloud riders and more than a hundred Momen brothers who volunteered to rush to the battlefield with me.


    "After I reunited with my father, I found that he was in a coma with poisoning and was in danger of losing his life. So I ordered to block the news that my father was critically ill and to fight in his place. In the first battle that day, I shot and killed the Beidi general He Yuanshan, and the Beidi army was forced to retreat dozens of miles. I was eager to take my father back to heal his wounds.


    "The army marched all the way to the Kinu River outside Jingzhou City. There was a long and narrow valley in Kinugawa, and the terrain was easy to defend and difficult to attack. At that time, my father was extremely weak, and it was not suitable to travel for days. So I ordered the army to stay overnight in Kinugawa.


    "Who knew that an accident would happen that night. A fire broke out suddenly, but the only passage in the canyon was closed, and hundred thousand troops were burned to death overnight, all buried in the canyon. My father was so angry but he was poisoned and died, and I did not know why I was poisoned with the same poison as my father''s.


    "Fortunately, the exquisite blood jade on my body suppressed some of the poison and was able to survive. The few surviving Momon senior brothers desperately rescued me from Kinugawa."


    When Meng Yuan remembered the scene of that day, his whole body was tense and his heart ached. The hundred thousand army and a hundred thousand lives turned into piles of scorched bones overnight, and those brothers and sisters who voluntarily followed him to the battlefield ended up with no bones left in the end.


    Every time he thought about it, he felt that the pain he had endured over the years was insignificant at all.


    He swore that he would find out the truth of the tragedy at that time, avenge his father and king, and give justice to the hundred thousand soldiers and hundreds of Momen brothers and sisters.


    Zhao Ling knew that recalling this experience would make Meng Yuan feel uncomfortable, but she deliberately asked him to tell her. She didn''t want him to bury his pain deep in his heart. People who didn''t talk about it were often easy to cause psychological problems.


    She hugged Meng Yuan''s waist, raised her hand to slowly ease the pain between his brows, and said softly, "Ah-Yuan, everything is over, I will be with you in the future." So, your pain we will share together. She thought to herself.


    Meng Yuan was moved, and felt extremely soft in his heart. His Ling''er was so considerate, gentle and compassionate, how could he not love her?


    "Ling''er, being able to meet you is the luckiest thing in my life."


    Zhao Ling smiled gently. For her, why not?


    "According to what you just said, you and your father should have the same poison. Could it be Yin Zhan who poisoned him?" Zhao Ling pondered.


    "Yin Zhan said that he was the initiator, and he must have something to do with this matter." Mentioning Yin Zhan, Meng Yuan''s face turned cold, and his anger suddenly appeared.


    Seeing that he lost control again, Zhao Ling patted his back and whispered, "A-Yuan."


    Meng Yuan returned to his senses and continued: "But this king believes that Yin Zhan''s strength and power alone couldn''t have made such a big noise."


    Zhao Ling agreed. She remembered what Wuchen said before his death, which seemed to confirm Meng Yuan''s guess. Seeing that he seemed to have a comprehensive plan, Zhao Ling stopped talking. Whatever he wanted to do, she would always support him by his side.


    "Speaking of which, this Yin Zhan is an infatuated kind. For so many years, he has been obsessed with Yan''er." Zhao Ling glanced at Meng Yuan with a deep meaning, and said in a hurry.


    Meng Yuan seemed to understand what Zhao Ling was saying, and explained anxiously. "Ling''er, you believe me, there was only brother and sister relationship between Yaner and I, and nothing else. The person Yaner liked was Yin. Zhan. At Mozhuang Taolin that day, Yan''er came to me to cry because she had a falling out with the elder and was angry at Yin Zhan''s unclear attitude towards her."


    "Oh, what about you, do you like Yan''er?" Zhao Ling asked seriously.


    Meng Yuan quickly shook his head, "I only have brother and sister love for Yan''er, and I have absolutely no other thoughts."


    Seeing how he was anxious to explain for fear of her misunderstanding, Zhao Ling smiled and said to him, "Okay, I believe in you. A-Yuan, I just hope that we can be honest with each other, not like Yin Zhan and Yan. Like that, you obviously like the other person but don''t say it, and you will regret it for the rest of your life."


    Meng Yuan understood, and suddenly smiled charmingly. "Then can I think, Ling''er, you like me?"


    Zhao Ling admitted generously: "Yes, I like you. But if you can''t do what I want, I can give up my liking for you."


    Meng Yuan was shocked. Mo''er wants to give up her liking and fall in love with others? Just imagining it made him feel unbearable.


    He hugged Zhao Ling tightly and said in a muffled voice, "This king will not allow it, Ling''er. You can only like me, and you are not allowed to like other men."


    "So, you accept my conditions?" Zhao Ling asked, raising her eyebrows.


    "No matter what the conditions are, this king will accept it." Even if he were to die, he would never tolerate Ling''er liking other men.


    Zhao Ling looked at him and said word by word, "My condition is that we''ll have to be a couple for the rest of our lives, at least, for the rest of my life. I can''t share my life with other women when it comes to love. Do you accept?"


    She knew that in this day and age, such an idea was an alternative and might not be accepted by the world.. Here, even the commoner Bai Ding would have three wives and four concubines, not to mention Meng Yuan''s dignified lordship. Would he accept?

 Chapter 70 - Hearts Of Roses

    Previously, she used to think that he was not compassionate enough to be humane, so she didn''t have to worry about him having other wives and concubines, but now, it seemed that this guy had really changed for better. What reason did she have now for him to marry her alone?


    Meng Yuan looked at Zhao Ling who was looking straight at him calmly, and his heart was shaking. His Ling''er was really different, and there were always so many surprising ideas. And what he liked, wasn''t she who she was?


    He held her beautiful face in both hands, and said to her very seriously: "Okay, I accept. I will have only you for the rest of my life. I, Meng Yuan, will only love Ling''er in this life."


    Zhao Ling was also moved when she heard his affectionate promise. Although she couldn''t guarantee how long Meng Yuan''s promise would last, at this moment, he liked her and she believed in him, that was enough.


    The sea breeze was gently blowing, the waves of the sea were slowly bursting, and the afterglow of the sunset was warmly surrounded. The two embraced each other quietly, like a beautiful and moving painting.


    "Ling''er, I want to ask you a question." Meng Yuan''s hoarse magnetic voice sounded above Zhao Ling''s head.


    This question has been entangled in him for a long time. Just now Zhao Ling said that lovers should be honest with each other. He felt that it was time to ask her the question in his heart.


    "Huh?" Zhao Ling leaned comfortably in his arms, playing with a jade pendant around his waist.


    After a long while, Meng Yuan muttered. "Who is Yuan Lie?"


    Hearing this, Zhao Ling was taken aback. She left his embrace and asked with wide eyes, "How do you know Yuan Lie?"


    Did this person really exist? Meng Yuan''s face sank. He secretly investigated for a long time, but he couldn''t find any clues about Yuan Lie at all. He originally hoped that he had misheard at that time.


    Zhao Ling was of course surprised. Yuan Lie was the captain of the criminal police team of the Public Security Bureau, and it was impossible to appear here. How did Meng Yuan know? She remembered that she never revealed it to anyone.


    Seeing Zhao Ling''s suspicious expression, Meng Yuan had to explain: "That day...the alley next to Yipinxuan..."


    She was a little hesitant, afraid that Zhao Ling would be angry because he thought he was there but didn''t help him. God knew how much he regretted what happened that day. He regretted that he was one step late and she was snatched by that kid Feng Ze.


    If he had arrived on time that day, Zhao Ling and Fengze would not have known each other, and he would not have been jealous so many times in the future.


    Yipinxuan Alley? Zhao Ling remembered, at that time she was attacked by a few ruffians, and Feng Ze came to her rescue. When she first saw Feng Ze, she was so shocked that she called out "Yuan Lie", which must have been heard by Meng Yuan at that time.


    "So, you were there at the time?" Zhao Ling asked.


    "Well, it''s just that this king came a step late." Meng Yuan gritted his teeth.


    Seeing his indignant appearance, Zhao Ling couldn''t help but smile. This guy was quite attentive. She just blurted out the call just once, but he remembered it to this day. But how should she explain it to him?


    "Fengze looks a lot like Yuan Lie, and Yuan Lie..." Zhao Ling paused for a while and continued, "A-Yuan, I can only tell you. Yuan Lie... he doesn''t belong here, and I used to be a colleague with him once."


    It was indeed "once", and she might never go back to that era. Zhao Ling was immersed in her own thoughts, feeling a little sad for a while.


    Although Meng Yuan didn''t quite know what the "colleague" was, he understood one thing, that was, Zhao Ling, like that Yuan Lie, didn''t belong here. In fact, he had long suspected that this woman was too special, and she didn''t look like a daughter-in-law who stayed at home.


    He suddenly felt a strong sense of insecurity, and suddenly hugged Zhao Ling tightly in his arms, as if he wanted to embed her in his body, and said in a trembling voice, "Ling''er, you are not allowed to leave me, No matter what happens, don''t leave me."


    In the hatch next to the deck, Feng Ze sat on the ground, leaned his head against the hatch, closed his eyes, and covered the deep pain in his eyes.


    He finally understood why Zhao Ling treated him so kindly when they first met, and why when she was in prison, she pretended to be Mo Xin to help him find the real murderer. It turned out that it was just because he looked like someone from her old age.


    He smiled bitterly, picked up the jug, raised his head and took a sip of strong wine, flushing the bitterness in his heart.


    After ten days of sailing, the warship finally docked at Suzhou Wharf.


    Because of the seasickness medicine provided by Situ Gong and Meng Yuan''s various care, Zhao Ling''s seasickness symptoms were not obvious on the return journey. Although her face was a little pale, she was still in good spirits.


    The carriage that greeted them was already waiting at the pier. Zhao Ling pushed Meng Yuan''s wheelchair and slowly stepped off the warship.


    Situ Gong had decided to start detoxifying Meng Yuan, so Meng Yuan could no longer use his internal strength during this time, and could only use a wheelchair for the time being.


    "Miss!" An excited shout came from afar, and immediately, a green-clothed girl rushed towards Zhao Ling like a light bird.


    "Miss, this servant misses you so much!" Lu Zhu pulled Zhao Ling, crying and laughing, not knowing what to do with excitement.


    She was kidnapped by the Wuji Sect in the chaos that day, this girl must be very worried. Zhao Ling patted her soothingly, "Okay, Miss, didn''t I come back well? Don''t cry now, you won''t look good when you cry."


    Lu Zhu wiped away her tears, paused, and said with a small mouth, "Miss, you are making fun of me again."


    Zhao Ling also laughed when she saw that she looked like a little girl.


    At this moment, Lu Zhu suddenly let out a scream. "Miss, your face... the scars on your face are gone!"


    Zhao Ling was helpless, this girl was too surprised. "Well, so, you don''t have to sew a veil for me anymore."


    Green Bamboo took Zhao Ling''s hand and jumped up happily. "It''s great, miss, you''ve become more beautiful than ever, it''s great!"


    Zhao Ling was a little embarrassed to be yelled at by Lu Zhu.


    Just at this moment, Leng Aoshuang, dressed in white and fluttering like a fairy, stepped forward, and her normally cold pretty face was also filled with palpable joy. "Ling, it''s great that you came back safely!"


    "Ao Shuang." Zhao Ling was also very happy to see Leng Aoshuang.


    Although Leng Aoshuang looked cold as frost and was not easy to get close to, but she was simple-minded and sincere, and Zhao Ling felt that she could talk to her very easily.


    Xie Mingyu followed Fengze, Lu Ziqing and the others, and Leng Aoshuang briefly glanced at where he was. Zhao Ling caught this glance with sharp eyes, and her heart''s cord strung hard: I don''t know how these two gourds are progressing, should I, the matchmaker, work harder?


    The rest of the people who greeted them also stepped forward one after another, saluting and hugging for a while. The scene was very lively.


    After Yun Yi disembarked, he took the people from Woyun Villa to leave first. Zhang Xian returned to the Admiral''s Mansion, while Feng Ze and Lu Ziqing urgently needed to return to the capital and left in a hurry.


    Before leaving, Feng Ze said goodbye to Zhao Ling, took a deep look at her, and turned around sadly with reluctance and heartache.


    For a while, only the people from Xuanwang''s mansion and Xie''s mansion were left at the scene.


    Arriving at King Xuan''s mansion, they were greeted by a tall, mighty-looking middle-aged man. After he saluted Meng Yuan, he also saluted Zhao Ling. "I have seen the princess."


    Zhao Ling nodded slightly embarrassedly to him, then turned around and glared at Meng Yuan. Why do people in Xuan mansion always like this. She knew she was not the righteous Princess Xuan!


    Meng Yuan gave her an innocent look back. You really can''t blame me. It was because they liked to call you that way. I didn''t force them.


    Seeing the wordless interaction between the two of them, Xie Mingyu laughed secretly, stepped forward and said, "Ling''er, let''s go."


    He naturally knew that King Xuan wanted to take Ling''er to his palace, but he was sure that Ling''er would not agree.


    Sure enough, after Zhao Ling instructed Changdong and Situ Gong to take good care of Meng Yuan, he wanted to follow Xie Mingyu back to the Xie Mansion.


    "Ling''er!" Meng Yuan glared at Xie Mingyu displeased, and then looked at Zhao Ling.


    After spending so many days on the boat, he really didn''t want to be separated from her. If possible, he really wanted to hold her all the time and absorb the warmth from her.. Because only then will he feel that his icy heart had warmth.

 Chapter 71 - Hearts Of Roses [II]

    Xie Mingyu guessed right, Zhao Ling did not go to the Xuang palace with Meng Yuan. It'' was not that she was hypocritical, but that she felt that after returning to Suzhou, the first thing should be to see Mr. Misty.


    Although she also promised that she would go to the Wangfu Courtyard to accompany him the day after, Meng Yuan was so reluctant to let her go.


    Mr. Xie and the rest of the Xie family were already waiting outside the gate of Xie''s house. Zhao Ling got off the carriage, and she felt warm when she saw the Xie family standing at the door to greet her.


    She quickly stepped forward and called out respectfully to Mr. Miao, who was standing at the front of the group. "Grandfather."


    She wanted to kneel down and salute, but Mr. Miao supported her in time. "Ling''er, don''t be too polite. You have suffered enough this time."


    Xie Chun and Yu''s brother and sister, Xie Mingfeng and Xie Yao, also came forward to greet them with concern.


    On the birthday banquet that day, they were all poisoned by Wuxia. It was Zhao Ling who threatened Wuxia and asked Wuxia for the antidote, so that the Xie family was safe. Therefore, the Xie family was grateful to Zhao Ling. Especially those servants, they were more respectful to this young lady who was brave and intelligent.


    The rumored beauty was like a flower, and the princess Xuan, who was not allowed to be a man, was back! This news spread like wings in Suzhou City. For a while, the threshold of the Xie family was almost flattened by those who made a special trip to thank them, as well as the guests who came here especially to wish her well.


    After seeing Zhao Ling''s true face, everyone secretly murmured concerns in their hearts. Such a wonderful woman who was as beautiful as a flower and a jade, a country and a city, and she was also unparalleled in wisdom and courage, she was actually betrothed to the ill-mannered Prince Xuan.


    Worse still, they heard that this prince was not humane! Alas, it was like a flower stuck in cow dung.


    At this time, it was rumored that the "cow dung" prince, who was rumored to be unscrupulous and inhumane, was in the study in the other courtyard of the palace, with a dark and sullen face.


    When saying goodbye that day, Ling''er clearly promised to come to the other courtyard to accompany him the next day, but now it was the third day, and this woman still hasn''t appeared, so how could he not be angry.


    "Go ask again." He ordered Chang Dong in a deep voice.


    "Yes." Chang Dong was expressionless and swiftly retreated. Walking out the door, looking up at the sky, he really wanted to cry but had no tears.


    Yesterday, he went to Xie''s house to invite her once, but the princess said that there were too many people who came to Xie''s house to meet and could not escape, and promised to come to the house today. Lord, why couldn''t you wait any longer?


    He walked slowly to the gate of the other courtyard, but saw a simple carriage approaching slowly, and then stopped at the gate.


    The curtain was lifted, and a girl in green clothes jumped down first. Chang Dong''s eyes lit up, it was the maid next to the princess, called... What was she called again? He couldn''t remember for a while.


    However, since she was the princess'' personal maid, there must be no doubt that the person in the carriage must be the princess.


    He stared at it for a moment, and sure enough, he saw the slender and beautiful figure of the princess jumping off the carriage neatly, and when he saw Chang Dong standing outside the door, she was a little surprised, and then smiled lightly: "Hello Chang Dong. Awesome, how do you know that I will come at this time and greet me at the door?"


    Hearing this, Chang Dong''s always dull face showed a faint red. Could he say that it was because his master couldn''t wait to see the princess, so he sent him to Xie''s house again to invite her?


    After hesitating for a while, he decided to keep it a secret and save face for his prince. He regained his paralyzed face, and bowed his hands in a straight-forward salute. "Princess, please."


    What a kid without a sense of humor! Zhao Ling shook her head secretly, and followed Chang Dong''s footsteps into the courtyard of the palace.


    Green bamboo behind her also glared at Chang Dong, and followed Zhao Ling in.


    Chang Dong scratched his head inexplicably, wondering why this girl didn''t look good every time she saw him.


    It was said that the gardens in the south of the Yangtze River are the best in the world, and the gardens in Suzhou are the best in the south of the Yangtze River.


    Zhao Ling had long heard the reputation of Suzhou gardens. But soon after she came to Suzhou, she was abducted by Wuji Jiao to Wuji Island in the South China Sea, so she did not have the opportunity to appreciate the beauty of Suzhou. Today, when she came to the courtyard of Xuanwang''s mansion, she admired the unique garden scenery of Suzhou all the way.


    The words in the west of the city were cut off, and the secluded habitat was like a savage home. This courtyard of Xuan Wangfu was located in the center of Suzhou city, but it was quiet and elegant in the middle of the hustle and bustle.


    Walking into the depths of the courtyard all the way, the pond was broad and the trees were lush, the scenery was natural, the pavilions and waterside pavilions were scattered in height, built near the water, the corridors were undulating, the water waves were reflected.


    After walking through a stone bridge, there was a corridor, and winding on the corridor were leaky windows with different patterns, which coould be viewed from both sides. The curved corridor surrounds the pavilion and was decorated with flowers, trees and stone peaks. Looking from the empty window of the corridor, it looked like a beautiful Chinese painting.


    To the north of the pond was a rockery, with peaks and valleys, echoing with the trees and pavilions.


    After passing through the corridor, Zhao Ling came to the study in the West Garden. There was a platform in front of the study, which was spacious and bright, and there was a small courtyard in the back, which was elegant and beautiful. It was indeed a good place to meditate and read.


    Chang Dong announced outside the study door: "Master, the princess is here."


    As soon as the words fell, the door of the study was opened, and Meng Yuan was sitting in a wheelchair, looking at her with a sad expression. "Ling''er, you lied to me."


    When Chang Dong heard this, the corner of his mouth could not help but twitch, and he quickly lowered his head, lest his distorted expression be seen by the master.


    Was this man who looked like a resentful woman still the cold-faced prince who was wise and decisive?


    Zhao Ling also rolled her eyes helplessly. This guy was acting like a spoiled child now, regardless of the occasion. She pointed to a food box in Luzhu''s hand, and said to him angrily, "Where do you want to eat, A-Yuan?"


    Following Meng Yuan to a quiet pavilion next to the study, Zhao Ling looked up, and the words "Sijun Pavilion" were vigorously and powerfully visible to her eyes.


    "Sijun Pavilion." Zhao Ling read out slowly, "Does it mean anything?"


    "This was built by my father and king thinking of my mother and concubine." Meng Yuan''s cold voice sounded from behind.


    "I see." When she walked into the pavilion, a line of verse was engraved on the pillars on both sides.


    Flowers bloomed on Moshang and Yufei at dusk


    Looking forward to her return in Sijun Pavilion


    Zhao Ling once read the allusion of flowers blooming on Moshang in a book, "When Qian Liu, the king of Wuyue, missed the princess Dai, who went back to her parents'' home to visit relatives, he wrote this sentence in a letter to Concubine Dai. The flowers are blooming on the Mo, and you can go home slowly."


    Although there were only a few words, the sincerity and delicacy made Concubine Di shed two lines of tears. Later, the matter spread, and it became a legend for a while.


    Zhao Ling pushed Meng Yuan to sit down in the pavilion, instructed Lvzhu to spread the food on the stone table, and then sat down opposite him.


    "Your father, mother and concubine must have a very good relationship." A military general who has been on the battlefield all the year round could still have such delicate feelings, which showed that he had a deep affection for his wife.


    Meng Yuan nodded.. "After my father and king died in battle, not long after, my mother and concubine also died due to depression."

 Chapter 72 - A Summon To The Emperors Palace [I]

    At that time, Meng Yuan''s cold poison was at its worst. Every night, the poison broke out, and the pain was unbearable. However, in the huge Xuanwang Mansion, he didn''t even have a relative to rely on. It was under such circumstances that he taught himself how to close the pain, and also close his feelings.


    Zhao Ling looked at his cold and thin handsome face, and felt distressed for a while. In the past seven years, he had supported the family business of the Xuanwang Mansion with a sick and weak body.


    She held his cold hand and said softly, "A-Yuan, from now on, you will no longer be alone."


    "Ling''er." Meng Yuan held her hand back, a warm feeling spread in his heart. Looking at the woman beside him in a daze, he was at a loss for words.


    Zhao Ling gave him a gentle smile and said, "If you don''t eat it, the food will be cold. These are the dishes you told me you wanted to eat on the boat."


    This guy had been pestering her to cook for him the dishes she made for Old Man Duan ever since he knew that she had cooked for Old Man Duan in Hundred Herbs Hall. It was just that the conditions on the ship were limited. Where and how could she do delicious food on the ship? So she took advantage of today''s opportunity to cook a few dishes for him to bring to the other courtyard.


    "How''s it going, how does it taste?" Seeing Meng Yuan grinning and picking up a chopstick to eat, Zhao Ling asked amusingly.


    "As long as it''s made by Ling''er, it''s delicious." Meng Yuan smiled contentedly.


    "Tsk tsk tsk, I really didn''t expect that, Meng Yuan, you would actually coax women!" A mocking voice came from outside the pavilion.


    Zhao Ling took a look, the white clothes were elegant and handsome, and it turned out to be Yun Yi, the owner of Woyun Villa.


    With a wave of his folding fan, Yun Yi stepped into the pavilion in a dashing manner. Seeing a table full of delicious dishes, a table full of color and aroma, he couldn''t help swallowing a mouthful of saliva, and said to Zhao Ling, "Ling, let me tell you something you don''t know. After this prince got cold poisoned, he lost his sense of taste. So he must be coaxing you when he said it was delicious."


    Meng Yuan lost his sense of taste?


    Hearing this, Zhao Ling glanced at him in surprise. It seemed that this fellow was good at acting, and he still ate with such relish without a sense of taste.


    "Ling''er!" After Meng Yuan was exposed by Yun Yi, his face was a little unnatural for a while. He called her nervously, for fear that she would be mad at him for coaxing her.


    Zhao Ling didn''t care about Meng Yuan''s harmless lies, she just felt more distressed for him. Putting a chopstick of vegetables in his bowl, she said softly, "It doesn''t matter, whether you have a sense of taste or not, I will always make delicious food for you."


    His Ling''er was so generous and considerate. Meng Yuan felt relieved when he heard those words. He picked up a piece of vegetables and then threw it at Yun Yi, who was laughing at the side with a cunning face. Lest the world would not be in chaos, a cold look in his eyes, and his words also carried a strong threat. "Master Yunzhuang better control his own mouth, be careful this king cuts off his tongue."


    Yun Yi was already used to his vicious tongue, and didn''t take it seriously, he just said to Zhao Ling softly. "Dear Ling, Meng Yuan, a guy who doesn''t appreciate so much food, eats it alone. Would you like us to try it together?"


    Zhao Ling naturally had no objection, but Meng Yuan''s face was very ugly at this time. He was even more angry when he heard Yun Yi call her "Dear Ling". Dear Ling was only to be called by him. At the moment, he gritted his teeth and voiced. "Yun Yi!"


    Yun Yi had been with him for many years, and naturally understood his temper. Seeing him calling him by name and surname, knowing that he was really angry, he didn''t dare to joke anymore. So he said with a straight face, "A-Yuan, don''t be angry yet, I''m here to tell you some important news."


    Seriously, this guy was just not kidding. He just thought it was fun to watch him deflate, so he made fun of it. Was it worth making such a big fire of jokes?


    "You''d better have some great news." Meng Yuan was still black-faced.


    "The emperor is critically ill, and the fourth prince is being held in the Sky Prison as the culprit. Do you think this is great news?" Yun Yi took a sip of tea and asked slowly.


    As soon as Yun Yi''s words came out, Meng Yuan and Zhao Ling were both shocked. How could such a big thing happen in the capital in less than three months.


    "What''s going on with the other princes?" Meng Yuan asked in a deep voice.


    Yun Yi touched his chin, "There''s no movement for the time being. But the emperor has already issued an edict that he urgently summons you to the capital. I believe there will be someone in the palace to announce the edict in the past few days."


    Yun Yi''s news was really accurate.


    Three days later, the eunuch who passed the decree from the palace rushed to the other courtyard in Suzhou. After arriving, he could not even take a sip of tea, so he conveyed the imperial order to Meng Yuan. ~Urgently summon Xuan Wang Meng Yuan to Beijing and set off immediately~


    The conveyor eunuch was Eunuch Li, the eunuch who accompanied Emperor Ming. After he passed the emperor''s decree, he bowed to Meng Yuan and said, "Please, Lord Xuan, set off with our family immediately."


    Zhao Ling understood it from the side. This eunuch did not come just to declare the emperor''s decree, but to detain people also. It seemed that Emperor Mingde was indeed in critical condition, otherwise he would not have called Meng Yuan into the capital so anxiously.


    Just why did Emperor Ming have to call Meng Yuan, a prince who was already a waste in the eyes of the world, into the capital?


    Meng Yuan pondered for a while, then instructed Chang Dong, "Pack up your luggage and leave immediately."


    After Zhao Ling said goodbye to everyone in the Xie family, she also rushed back to the capital with Meng Yuan.


    Ever since she heard from Yun Yi, she had been preparing.

 Chapter 73 - A Summon To The Emperors Palace [II]

    After the news that Meng Yuan would be urgently summoned by the palace to return to the capital in the past few days, she decided to go with him. So she had not been idle for a moment in the past three days.


    Before leaving, she went to say goodbye to Mr.Misty in the Bamboo House of Bishan Academy, where she had a long conversation with Mr. Misty.


    Hearing Zhao Ling talking about the events in the capital, Mr. Miao stroked his long white beard and said worriedly, "I''ve been watching the sky at night, and the Emperor Star has faint signs of dimness, while the few small stars around it are gradually flaring bright. Now the situation in the DPRK is unclear, and the ten-year contract of Beidi Kingdom is about to expire, and it is about to move at the border. It seems that there will be another turmoil in this world."


    "In this general trend of the worlds, long-term division must be united, and long-term cooperation must be divided. It is just a historical law, but it is the common people who suffer." Zhao Ling was also quite emotional for a while.


    Mr. Miao looked at Zhao Ling with a deep meaning, and there was a gleam in his eyes. "Ling''er, in fact, the general situation in the world is like a game of chess, and the most crucial move, according to my grandfather, lies in you."


    "Grandfather, Ling''er is just an ordinary little girl, how can she control the general trend of the world?" Zhao Ling felt that Mr. Mimiao looked up to her too much.


    In fact, she was just an accidental intruder in this world and era. With the idea of ????what it was, she did her best to live a more wonderful and comfortable life here, and it was not in vain that heavens had given her a chance to live again. How could she not be so patient?


    Mr. Miao said tenderly: "Grandfather can''t see many things wrong with a person, but he can sense some things. Ling''er, you have a special aura, which is different from here. Only in this way, you will encounter more dangers, so be sure to be very careful at all times."


    "Yes, I thank my grandfather for caring. Ling''er will be careful." Zhao Ling replied respectfully. Although she didn''t think she had such great ability, but Mr. Miao was a person with great wisdom in this world. Hence, he must have his reasons for saying this.


    Did he see that she was not a woman of this world and era?


    "Grandfather, Ling''er has something unknown, why did the emperor urgently summon King Xuan to the capital?" Zhao Ling asked Mr. Miao a question that he had always been puzzled by.


    "Xuanwang''s mansion has a century-old foundation which is supported by the world. The prince has his strength. In addition, there are hundreds of thousands of troops in the north. The emperor called him back to Beijing, presumably to balance the situation in Beijing and the struggle between several princes." Mr. Xia said slowly, then smiled at Zhao Ling and said, "Your grandfather saw that after returning from Wuji Island this time, the relationship between the two of you has become much closer."


    Zhao Ling did not deny his feelings for Meng Yuan. In front of a wise man like Mr. Miao, all the cover-ups seemed superfluous, and it was better to admit it generously. She briefly recounted what happened on Wuji Island, and especially mentioned the truth of what the old man Duan said before his death about Meng Baichuan''s massacre of Wuji believers fifty years ago.


    "In this way, the world has been blaming Meng Baichuan for a long time." Mr. Miao also sighed when he learned the truth. After being silent for a long time, he continued: "I think that King Xuan is strong, forbearing, and determined. With Ling''er as his support, his future achievements will be limitless. It''s just that, for a normal person, it''s not a good thing to kill too much. Grandfather sees that King Xuan values ??you very much, and you have to persuade him more on this matter whenever you have the chance."


    When they were about to leave, Xie Mingyu and Leng Aoshuang came to see them off together.


    When returning to the capital this time, Zhao Ling did not know when she was going to see Xie Mingyu and Leng Aoshuang again, but seeing that their relationship had not progressed at all, she became a little anxious for them. So, two days ago, the three of them met at the teahouse, and, seemingly inadvertently, told them the story of Yin Zhan and Mo Yan.


    After listening to it, the two were deeply shocked, and they looked at each other with a sense of empathy. Zhao Ling left at the right time, leaving the two of them to talk to each other in the restaurant.


    She believed that they had feelings for each other, but Leng Aoshuang had a natural fear of love between men and women, and Xie Mingyu was too concerned, so the two of them never pierced this layer of window paper. And she just didn''t want them to regret for the rest of their lives because of their misunderstanding.


    Seeing them coming together now, she smiled knowingly, thinking that she made the right move. The Xie family was not a pedantic family. As long as Xie Mingyu insisted on his own opinions and was wholehearted towards Leng Aoshuang, the Xie family would eventually accept her.


    On the way back to the capital, the carriage bumped all the way. Zhao Ling leaned on Meng Yuan''s shoulder, the two chatted casually, and there was an obedient little fox lying beside them, the atmosphere was quiet and warm.


    "It''s really unexpected, Ling''er, you still have the talent to be a matchmaker." Meng Yuan hugged Zhao Ling contentedly and said jokingly.


    Zhao Ling rolled her eyes at him angrily. "You seem very happy to see my cousin and Ao Shuang pair up?"


    "If Ling''er is happy, I''ll be happy." Meng Yuan put a kiss on her forehead, and immediately took her into his arms.


    Of course he was happy without a man who might covet his Ling''er.


    Zhao Ling struggled in his arms. Why does this guy like to hold her so much, doesn''t he feel hot?


    When he got into the carriage just now, he told her pitifully that he had a leg ailment and needed care along the way, so he just pulled her into his carriage. Although Green Bamboo was extremely reluctant, under the threat of Meng Yuan''s icy gaze, she dared not to speak out.


    But now it seemed there was nothing new afflicting his leg. Where on this fellow''s leg was the newly developed ailment?


    Just as Zhao Ling was about to break free from his embrace, he heard the sound of a few sharp arrows piercing the sky outside.

 Chapter 74 - The Ambush [I]

    Meng Yuan''s eyes became sharp in an instant, and he shielded Zhao Ling.


    "Ling''er, be careful."


    "Assassins!!! Protect the prince and princess." This was Yan Mo''s voice.


    Zhao Ling sighed in her heart. Her day couldn''t really be more colorful and lively since assassins were now trying to kill them. She wondered why she couldn''t find peace for a moment. She just want to go home, why did she meet an assassin?


    There was a sound of weapons connecting outside, and it seemed that Yan Mo and the others had already started a fight with the assassins.


    She suddenly thought that Lv Zhu was alone in the carriage in front of her. She was timid and must have been extremely frightened.


    "A-Yuan, I''m going to see Green Bamboo." Zhao Ling wanted to get off the carriage.


    Meng Yuan grabbed her. "Don''t worry, Ling''er, someone will protect her."


    Seeing how confident he was in his reply, Zhao Ling felt relieved.


    The fighting continued for a long time, and it sounded that the battle was still fierce. It seemed that these assassins were not amateurs either. Zhao Ling thought to herself. The dark guards of the Xuanwang Mansion were all carefully selected elites in the Feiyun Cavalry. Whether fighting alone or in groups, they are all first-class, but these assassins could persist for so long.


    Meng Yuan had been protecting her firmly. After a long time, the outside gradually returned to his previous calmness.


    Yan Mo reported outside the carriage: "My lord, the assassin had been subdued, please handle it."


    "Yeah." Meng Yuan agreed coldly.


    Lifting the curtain, Zhao Ling got out of the car first, pushed the wheelchair from Chang Dong''s hand, and helped him sit on it.


    Luzhu also climbed out of the carriage tremblingly at this time, and when she saw Zhao Ling, she rushed in front of her and called out "Miss" nervously. Seeing that she was all right, she felt a lot more at ease. Suddenly, she felt scared and almost cried. out loud.


    Zhao Ling patted her on the back to comfort her. "It''s alright, don''t be afraid."


    Seeing her lady''s calm and calm appearance, Lvzhu really admired it. She couldn''t help but scold herself for being useless. She couldn''t protect the young lady in a critical moment, and she also wanted the young lady to comfort her. Thinking of this, she wiped away her tears and calmed down.


    Eunuch Li, who accompanied them back to the palace, also jumped out of the carriage, his face pale and seemed to be quite frightened.


    If he had known that he would encounter such a great danger when he came to make an oral declarations, he should have pretended to be sick and bedridden at that time. Eunuch Li wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead, regretting in his heart.


    After the five black-clothed assassins were subdued, they knelt side by side on the open space in front of them, and were held by the guards of Xuanwang''s mansion with knives around their necks.


    Zhao Ling pushed Meng Yuan forward. Although Meng Yuan was sitting in a wheelchair, his back was straight, his eyes were sharp, his tone was cold, and he had the air of a king.


    "Who sent you to assassinate this king?"


    "We are just nearby bandits. Seeing that your caravan is prosperous and well-dressed, it must be a rich family, so we came to rob."


    Several assassins spoke in unison, insisting that they were just bandits. .


    "Hmph, is this king a three-year-old child?" Meng Yuan snorted coldly, "Yan Mo, let them tell the truth."


    The excuses of these assassins are too lame. Zhao Ling smiled inwardly. At first glance, these few people were true assassins, well-trained, how could it be so simple for them to be a bandit.


    However, although their excuses were lame, they were all tough guys. No matter how severely Yan Mo tortured them, he couldn''t pry their mouths open.


    Meng Yuan''s patience was limited, he couldn''t ask anything, and he didn''t want to entangle him, so he gave the order neatly. "Kill them."


    "Hold on, A-Yuan, let me try."


    Seeing that Meng Yuan seemed to disagree, Zhao Ling patted the back of his hand resting on the armrest of the wheelchair, indicating that she was at ease, her face was always confident and calm.


    She stepped forward slowly, glanced condescendingly at the assassins who were kneeling on the ground in front of her, and quickly chose one of the assassins who was a little younger with flickering eyes, and calmly commanded Yan Mo: "Leave him. Take the rest of the assassins down first."


    Yan Mo took the order and gestured to the other four guards. The guard picked up the other four assassins and quickly retreated.


    The remaining young assassin saw that all his companions were taken away, leaving him alone, his eyes narrowed, and he raised his head and shouted angrily to Zhao Ling: "If you want to kill me, you need to kill everyone of us, so why do you want to make fun of it? means!"


    Zhao Ling ignored him and said to Yan Mo, "Yan Mo, open his mouth to see if there is anything."


    These killers and so on, most like to hide poison in their mouths so that they can kill themselves if they miss, she doesn''t want to waste her efforts.


    Yan Mo understood and stepped forward to forcefully open the assassin''s mouth. Sure enough, he found a small black plastic pill between his teeth.


    The young assassin struggled desperately, his eyes bursting with anger, and he glared at Zhao Ling fiercely.


    Zhao Ling ignored his anger, squatted down, took out the scalpel that she carried with her, and turned it skillfully in her hand with ease, her movements were calm and graceful.


    Then she fixed her eyes firmly on the assassin and said slowly: "I know you really want to die now, but unfortunately, I won''t let you die for the time being. You know why? Because what I want to do is to let you live rather than die."


    "What do you want to do?"


    Zhao Ling gave him a gentle smile. This smile was like a spring breeze, and the young assassin was stunned on the spot. There was only one thought in his mind, which was, this woman in a light blue skirt and elegant dress was really beautiful!


    But what this beautiful woman said next made him tremble with fear.

 Chapter 75 - The Ambush [II]

    "I will cut the flesh off your body one by one, but I promise not to let you die, so you will watch the flesh on your body being cut off piece by piece. Do you want to know whether you can be killed through your own body? How many pieces of meat do you want me to cut?"


    Seeing the growing fear in his eyes, Zhao Ling knew that the opportunity was coming, she continued to stare at his eyes firmly, lowered her voice, and slowly said to him: "Tell me, who sent you here?"


    The young assassin couldn''t help being attracted by Zhao Ling''s dark eyes, the fear in his eyes gradually faded away, and after a while there was nothing but blankness in his eyes. He said slowly, word by word, "It''s the Lord''s order."


    Lord? Zhao Ling frowned slightly. Could it be a killer group? She raised an eyebrow and asked. "Who is the Lord?"


    "The Lord is the Lord of the Shadowless Sect."


    Shadowless Sect? Zhao Ling had never heard of it, so she continued to ask, "Who is the sect master of the Shadowless?"


    "The sect master of Shadowless is the master."


    Well, Zhao Ling felt like she asked a silly question. It seemed that the young assassin didn''t know much about the inside story, and was just doing what he was ordered to do.


    She looked away and snapped her fingers in the young assassin''s ear. Those present saw that the young assassin''s body shook violently, and his eyes gradually became normal.


    After gradually regaining consciousness, he remembered everything that happened just now, looked at Zhao Ling in fear, and shouted: "Demon girl, you are a demon girl, you can do magic!"


    Zhao Ling was dumbfounded. This was just the most basic method of hypnosis, how could it become sorcery? She also felt that her hypnotism was not at home, otherwise how would the hypnotized person remember what he had said.


    "Nonsense, how could my young lady be a demon girl?" Lu Zhu firmly guarded her master and scolded sharply.


    Meng Yuan behind him decisively ordered: "Yan Mo, kill him."


    She looked back at him, only to see him standing aside with an unbelievable expression on Eunuch Li and said coldly, "Eunuch Li, this king doesn''t want others to know what happened just now."


    Eunuch Li came back to his senses, gave Zhao Ling a frightened look, and immediately lowered his head and said, "Please rest assured, Lord Xuan, our family didn''t see anything just now."


    As a senior slave, he certainly knew what to say and what not to say. But his heart couldn''t help but tremble.


    This Princess Xuan was also too terrifying. She just glanced at him and he answered all her questions. He disclosed everything. What kind of sorcery was that?


    Meng Yuan then ordered the other four assassins to be dealt with as well.


    After the rectification was completed, the group continued on their way.


    In the carriage, Meng Yuan hugged Zhao Ling tightly, his eyebrows frowned slightly, his face condensed, and he seemed to be lost in thought.


    Zhao Ling looked at his frowning expression and asked, "A-Yuan, did I do this just now?"


    Meng Yuan shook his head, "No, Ling''er, you did a good job. But the method just now should not be used in front of others."


    Although he didn''t know what method Zhao Ling used just now, he could tell the truth so easily, but he absolutely believed her. Even if Zhao Ling knew magic, he would still love her and pet her, but others wouldn''t think the same way.


    The Dasheng Dynasty forbade those things, including magical practices, and things of magic that pretended to be ghosts. If Zhao Ling was known or used by some people with questionable ulterior motives, Zhao Ling would be a very dangerous element, and the consequences would be unimaginable.


    "En." Zhao Ling nodded obediently. She knew that Meng Yuan was thinking of her. "But why aren''t you curious about the method I used just now? Or do you also think I can use sorcery?"


    Meng Yuan pulled her body away, looked into her eyes, and said very seriously: "If Ling''er wants to use this kind of sorcery in the future, this king can find more people to practice for you."


    Even if his Ling''er was a demon girl, he would definitely protect her.


    Zhao Ling cuddled back into his arms, curled the corners of her mouth, and showed a satisfied smile on her face. She knew that he spoiled her, believed her, and that was enough.


    "By the way, do you know where the Shadowless Sect is?" Thinking of the assassin''s words just now, Zhao Ling asked.


    "I once heard Yun Yi say that it is a killer organization that only recognizes money but not people." Meng Yuan replied concisely.


    "That said, it''s still impossible to know who is chasing you." Zhao Ling was a little discouraged. Using hypnotism was also very tiring. She didn''t expect to spend so much efforts, but it was useless at the end.


    "No, the clues Ling''er asked are very useful. Shadowless Gate charges extremely high fees, and very few could afford it. I know exactly who wants my life." Meng Yuan held her arm tightly, and said coldly.


    Feeling the coldness radiating from his whole body, Zhao Ling stretched out her arms to wrap his arms around her waist, and said softly, "A-Yuan, I will slowly tell you everything about the world I used to live in in the future."


    Although this incident was so incredible, she knew that Meng Yuan would definitely believe her.


    "Yeah." Meng Yuan hugged her petite and soft body back, feeling tender in her heart. He believed that his Ling''er must have come from a very special place, that was why she was so different. And he would wait for the day when she opened her heart completely to him without reservation.


    The carriage galloped all the way, and a few days later, it arrived outside the city of Shengjing.

 Chapter 76 - Home Again

    As soon as he entered the city, Changdong made a report outside the car. "Master, Master Lu and General Feng are here to take you into the palace."


    Meng Yuan frowned when he heard Feng Ze was there, showing displeased expression, and responded lightly. "Ok."


    He snorted inwardly. Hmph, obviously he came to greet this king, but he actually came to see Ling''er. Feng Ze, this person was really haunted.


    Seeing that he didn''t move for a while, Zhao Ling pushed him helplessly, "A-Yuan, get out of the carriage."


    Meng Yuan took her hand and looked at her reluctantly.


    Zhao Ling rolled her eyes at him angrily, and had to lift the curtain by herself, jumped out of the carriage, then took the wheelchair prepared by Changdong, and helped Meng Yuan, who was displeased and deliberately slow, into the wheelchair.


    Looking back, Lu Ziqing and Feng Ze were standing in the middle of the bustling street. Lu Ziqing was wearing a purple official uniform, and Feng Ze was wearing a black Jinwuwei uniform with gold trim. They both looked serious and majestic.


    Obviously, the two had just returned from the palace, and when they heard that Meng Yuan and his party had arrived, they came here to greet them.


    Seeing Meng Yuan get off the carriage, the two of them greeted him and bowed in salute.


    "Xiaguan Lu Ziqing has met Lord Xuan."


    "Feng Ze has met lord Xuan."


    There was no way the etiquette could be abandoned, not to mention that the two were still wearing court clothes, and they must be cautious in their words and deeds.


    Meng Yuan sat in the wheelchair with his back straight, his face was always cold and calm, but he kept holding Zhao Ling''s hand, and said a few words indifferently: "No need to be more polite."


    Feng Ze lowered his eyebrows and lowered his head, hiding the rushing emotions in his eyes. Just now, seeing Zhao Ling getting off Meng Yuan''s carriage, his heart was full of soreness. He asked himself, did the two of them come back in the same carriage along the way?


    Zhao Ling also greeted Lu Ziqing and Fengze generously. They had been through weal and woe along the way, so they were not too formal.


    Here, Zhao Ling felt that the most unaccustomed thing was these red tapes of kneeling down and saluting at every turn.


    It was just that when he saw Feng Ze this time, Zhao Ling always felt that his attitude towards her was a lot colder, as if she had lost her previous acquaintance. Could it be that she inadvertently offended him? Zhao Ling thought about it for a long time, but to no avail. She decided not to worry about it anymore, and just find a time to ask him next time.


    Because Eunuch Li was eager to invite Meng Yuan into the palace, Zhao Ling didn''t talk to them much. After putting Meng Yuan back in the carriage, she told him "be careful with everything", and then said goodbye to everyone and left.


    Passing through the bustling streets of Suzaku Street, Zhao Ling''s carriage stopped in front of Shen Guogong''s mansion.


    Standing at the gate of the Duke''s Mansion, Zhao Ling had a feeling as if she was coming from another world. It had been three months since she went south to Suzhou. She didn''t know how the people in the Guogong Manor have been doing these past three months.


    To be honest, due to the unpopularity and experience of the original owner in the Duke''s Mansion, Zhao Ling didn''t have much affection for this nominal home. Relatively speaking, she prefered to be relaxing and casually associating at the Xie''s home.


    When the servants outside the door saw Zhao Ling getting off the carriage, they shouted excitedly, "Miss is back! Miss is back!" Saluting Zhao Ling.


    Zhao Ling was stunned. When did these servants become so enthusiastic about her? Could it be that they haven''t seen her for so long and missed her?


    She didn''t bother to pay too much attention to it either, and after nodding her head in response, she walked into the mansion. Mamma Xu and Qing Luo were on the way.


    When Mother Xu saw Zhao Ling, she burst into tears. "Miss, you''re back, it''s good to come back safely, it''s good to be back safely."


    Xu also noticed that Zhao Ling''s face injury had healed, and her appearance became more and more beautiful and charming, and she was even more happy to wipe away tears and smile.


    Qingluo was also excited, with tears in her eyes.


    Zhao Ling felt warm in her heart. No matter how disgusted she was with this Zhao Jiang''s authorities, at least these two people really care about her.


    Lu Zhu was a woman who couldn''t hide her words, and immediately chatted with Xu and Qingluo about the various encounters in Suzhou.


    When Xiao Guo, the fox, heard the movement, she stuck out her fluffy head from Zhao Ling''s arms and whimpered a few times.


    Mammy Xu and Qingluo were startled when they saw this white thing at first, but after seeing that it was a cute little fox, they immediately fell in love with it, and laughed and teased it.


    Zhao Ling watched the scene of these three people getting along well, feeling warm in her heart and a gentle smile on her face.


    "Eldest sister has been back for a long time, why didn''t she go to see her father and mother, instead of entangling with a bunch of minions here!" A stern female voice came from behind.


    Zhao Ling frowned, this was Zhao Ruo''s voice. Wasn''t she married to Prince Rong''s mansion, why was she here?


    Looking back, it was indeed Zhao Ruo who was right behind her. Her pretty face was tense, as if her body was full of anger.


    There was also a man standing beside her, with a light purple brocade robe, handsome in appearance, slightly feminine, it was Meng Yun, the heir of Prince Rong''s mansion.

 Chapter 77 - The Demands Of Etiquette

    She hadn''t seen Zhao Ruo for quite some times now, but this time she saw her dressed as a woman, with a jade white top and a skirt of the same color, with a few red roses embroidered at the corners of the skirt.


    Since Meng Yun was accompanying her, she must have returned to her mother''s house to walk around. It seemed that Meng Yun was affectionate and righteous to Zhao Ruo, and he would actually accompany one of her concubines back to her parents'' house.


    But it was none of her business. Seeing that Zhao Ruo didn''t have a good relationship with her, she didn''t bother to pay attention to them, and said to Lu Zhu and Qing Luo, "Let''s go and see the old lady first."


    Zhao Ruo looked at the back of Zhao Ling as she walked away, clenching her fists tightly, her eyes became extremely sinister. This woman had caused her to lose her child, the position of the main concubine of the prince, and the favor of the prince. All this, she would definitely ask of her when she would be back from wherever she was going now.


    Meng Yun, on the other hand, stared at Zhao Ling''s departure direction, unable to return to his senses for a long time.


    Concubine Xuan''s righteous act of saving people and breaking into a cult stronghold by herself had long been spread in the capital. Out of curiosity, she heard Zhao Ruo mention that Zhao Ling had arrived home today, so he made an excuse to accompany her to the palace to have a look.


    Who would have thought that he would be able to see Zhao Ling with such a beautiful and lovely face.


    Was this the eldest lady of the imperial affiliated Zhao''s mansion who was divorced from her marriage? Didn''t Ruo say that she was stupid and was burnt and disfigured by the fire? He was told she had been covered with a veil when she saw her a few times before, and it seemed that she was practically invisible. But why was her true face so enchanting, and alluring?


    At this moment, he really regretted his rash actions.


    Madame. Shen still lived in the Buddhist hall, reciting sutras and worshipping the Buddha all day, without asking about world affairs. But Mother Ning occasionally told her about Zhao Ling.


    She has also heard a little about the recent rumors in the capital about Princess Xuan who did not allow her men, but went into a cult''s den by herself. Seeing Zhao Ling coming to see her at this moment, she really put down the Buddha beads and chatted with her for a long time.


    Zhao Ling also respectfully told the old lady what happened in Suzhou and Wuji Island. She was not good at telling stories, but for the old lady and mother Ning who lived in the country all the year round, these things that happened on Wuji Island were unheard of, and they could be regarded as twists and turns of fate.


    It was interesting, and after talking about it, they felt like it was still unfinished.


    After coming out of the Buddhist hall, Zhao Ling went to see Zhao Jiang and Cui Shi again. Although she didn''t like these two people very much, she would not forget the proper etiquette of greeting her father and stepmother.


    When Cui Shi saw her, she naturally still had that venomous expression of wanting to eat her raw. However, Zhao Ling had a smile on his face which Zhao Ling knew It was rare of her father. So naturally, he mentioned the recent rumors about her in the capital.


    Zhao Ling felt really helpless. She remembered the old saying that "people are afraid of being famous and pigs are afraid of being strong".


    Zhao Ling knew she couldn''t afford to spoil the happy mood of her father, so she briefly explained what happened in Suzhou, of course, very briefly. Soon afterwards, she left her parents'' place.


    On her way back, she met Zhao Mingxuan dragging his mother, Aunt Sun, over to see her. Zhao Mingxuan had always admired this eldest sister, but now that he heard these rumors, he felt more and more that Zhao Ling was invincible in the world.


    He looked at her with adoring eyes, causing Zhao Ling to think that her whole body was covered in the halo. Maybe she had become a god.


    However, the gossip ability of the people in the capital really surprised her. It was a natural thing for her to force Wuji Religion to hand over the antidote in Xie Mansion that day, and it was rumored to be unremarkable after going back and forth.


    The kind of sacrifice to save people, righteousness, and the rest, was said to be of a revolutionary martyr who gave her life generously. What was more, It seemed that there were rumors that she had superb medical skills and peerless martial arts, and could bring the dead back to life.


    Zhao Ling sighed helplessly. Sure enough, three people became tigers or four lions became humans. She had seen the power of public opinion.


    All the necessary etiquettes were done, and seeing that it was already evening, Zhao Ling finally returned to the small courtyard where she lived, Feng-He-Yuan, ot Wind Lotus courtyard.


    During her absence, Mammy Xu and Qingluo kept the place in good order. Zhao Ling took a bath, washed away the dust, and then let Qingluo make a pot of tea, sitting in the courtyard, enjoying the flowers and drinking tea, feeling refreshed and refreshed, and the tiredness of the journey of the past few days was swept away.


    "Qingluo, your tea making skills are getting better and better." Zhao Ling took a sip of tea, sighed contentedly, and turned her head to praise her.


    Qingluo smiled lightly, and bowed her body at Zhao Ling, her movements were somewhat elegant and calm.


    Alas, what a pity, such a beautiful and smart girl was actually dumb. Zhao Ling sighed inwardly.


    Wind Lotus Courtyard, as the name suggests, the lotus flowers in the courtyard must be indispensable. Now was the midsummer season, and the lotus flowers in the pond in the courtyard were blooming just right.


    In the pond full of green plants, there were pink lotus flowers standing tall, just like the stars and the moon.

 Chapter 78 - Meng Yun Shizi Is A Lunatic

    "The wind is blowing from the surface of the pond,


    And beautiful ripples are exposed between the waves.


    Whoever puts a green cover on the water surface,


    But the cover is red makeup and singing lotus picking."


    Facing such a beautiful scenery, Zhao Ling couldn''t help but burst into poetry, stroking the soft white hair of the little fox in hee arms, and reciting a few verses casually.


    Xiaojiao slightly opened her blue eyes, called Zhao Ling twice, then closed her eyes and went to sleep.


    This little thing was not a fox at all, but a cat. How could she be so lazy. Zhao Ling tugged at its ears in disbelief, causing the little fox to raise his claws to protest in dissatisfaction.


    Zhao Ling grabbed then its short legs, the blue-eyed spirit fox couldn''t move, and could only stare at her sadly, panting heavily, with an aggrieved look on her face.


    "Giggle..." Zhao Ling couldn''t help laughing out loud. This little thing was so cute.


    Under a big tree outside the gate of the small courtyard, Meng Yun stood quietly, watching the scene of this lady and a fox interacting with love, and couldn''t help but stare blankly.


    This woman was so beautiful.


    Meng Yun did not know how to describe this kind of beauty. He had been in the flowery world all year round, and it could be agreed that he had seen and been with countless women, but in front of Zhao Ling, he felt like a fledgling boy, and the shock in his heart was indescribable.


    Thinking of what kind of peerless beauty he had missed by his rash decision to break off the marriage, his heart twitched in pain. He swayed involuntarily, stumbled and stepped on a branch under his feet, "craaack", it was very clear in the quiet courtyard.


    Hearing the change of sound in the silent yard, Zhao Ling looked over alertly. Her days on the on Wuji Island, had taught her vigilance and her reaction ability have been enhanced a lot.


    Zhao Ling frowned when she saw the person standing under the tree. It was Meng Yun. What was he here for?


    Meng Yun was not embarrassed when he saw that she had detected him peeping, and simply strode into the courtyard, staring blankly at Zhao Ling.


    The beauty was close at hand, Meng Yun''s eyes were fixed on Zhao Ling''s body like glue.


    Seeing him staring at her so directly, Zhao Ling felt a little nauseated, and her brows furrowed even tighter. Her pretty face became cold and solemn, and she said in a flat voice: "Meng Shizi, what are you doing here? I don''t have anything to say to you."


    Meng Yun saw her stern face towards him, but felt anguish in her heart, and said in a deep voice, "Did you wear a veil on purpose that day to make this prince think that your appearance was ruined and induce this prince to break off the marriage?"


    What? Zhao Ling couldn''t understand it for a while, but after thinking about it, she was almost laughing angrily.


    Was he now blaming himself for not doing his job well enough to induce him to break off the marriage? She sneered: "If I didn''t cover my veil at that time, I''m afraid I would''ve scared Prince Meng witless, and I could''t afford the crime of scaring the prince."


    "Then... why are you so beautiful now?" Meng Yun rebuked dissatisfiedly, with an injured and deceived expression.


    "I didn''t say that my face injury couldn''t be cured." Zhao Ling couldn''t help complaining about Meng Yun''s low IQ, "Prince Meng, this small courtyard is a little secluded, you shouldn''t stay for too long here, please go back to your guest. Qingluo, see the prince off."


    Seeing his unreasonable appearance and listening to his words, Zhao Ling didn''t bother to talk to him anymore. She picked up the little fox and headed towards her chamber.


    Qingluo stepped forward and made a gesture of "please" to Meng Yun, but Meng Yun could no longer bear Zhao Ling''s cold attitude towards him. Pushing Qingluo to the ground, he took a few steps forward to stop Zhao Ling. He stared at her sullenly, his body exuding a dangerous aura.


    "Meng Shizi, please respect yourself." Zhao Ling took a few steps back and her tone was a little stern. This Meng Yun was too ignorant of the power of this mansion. This was the government''s palace, how could he be so foolish.


    Meng Yun considered himself suave and unrestrained, hence women cowered before him. But this woman saw him, and she wasn''t shy and cowered, but blatantly disregarded him. How could he ever suffer such a cold face in front of a woman? He didn''t know what was wrong with her to be that cold towards him.


    Seeing Zhao Ling''s pretty face, which was as flowery as jade but as cold as frost, he felt as if his heart was suffocating and the pain became unbearable. His face became more gloomy and shadowy, and his words were a bit erratic.


    "It''s a pity. Miss Zhao is as beautiful as a goddess, but wants to marry the crippled Meng Yuan. I heard that Meng Yuan is still inhuman, so that would be a waste of Miss Shen''s beautiful beauty. In that case, why not let this prince come to taste the flowery aroma of Miss Shen first."


    Zhao Ling, who didn''t expect to hear such obscene words from this prince, became stunned. Still in shock, she could only watch as Meng Yun rushed towards her like a hungry tiger rushing towards a fattened sheep.


    Suddenly, the little white fox shot at Meng Yun like an arrow, and two sharp claws scratched several bloodstains on his face in an instant. As soon as the hit was done, the little fox immediately jumped back into Zhao Ling''s arms again, showing her teeth and claws at Meng Yun. The fox''s expression was full of hostility.


    Qingluo, who was pushed heavily to the ground by Meng Yun, was unable to move. Seeing Meng Yun so deranged, she was so anxious to act that she struggled to get up from the ground and put herself in front of Zhao Ling.


    Meng Yun wiped the blood on his face and was furious. What he valued most was his own face, but now he was scratched by this hateful little fox. How could he see people now?


    He became more and more determined to want the first-grade beauty, and approached Zhao Ling step by step, the anger and bloodthirsty light shining in his sinister eyes.


    Although Meng Yun was an ignorant playboy, he had also learned the martial arts of horseback and archery since he was a child, and his skills were not weak. Now that he was on guard, Xiaojiao''s sneak attack won''t work.


    He approached Zhao Ling and pushed away Qingluo who was standing in front of Zhao Ling to protect her, then he wanted to hug Zhao Ling and kiss the sweet cherry lips.


    Zhao Ling''s face did not change, but was frantically thinking of her next move.


    While he was approaching her, all of a sudden, his legs softened and he fell on his knees with a thumping sound on the ground.


    Two small pebbles rolled down on the bluestone floor. It seemed that Meng Yun was hit by the two small pebbles in the acupuncture point of his leg. Judging by his expression, the force of the pebbles seemed to be not too light. Meng Yun knelt on the ground with a grin and couldn''t get up for a while.


    He stared at her in surprise and shouted angrily, "What have you done to me?"


    Madam Xu and Luzhu heard the movement in the garden from the back room, and they both ran out. Seeing this scene, they were shocked and hurriedly stepped forward to help Qingluo, and asked, "Miss, what happened?"


    Zhao Ling didn''t want to look at Meng Yun, and said calmly to the two of them: "Meng Shizi was walking in the garden, and when he walked to the courtyard, he suddenly suffered a leg injury, and it seemed that he couldn''t walk. Mamma Xu, Green Bamboo, the two of you will help Prince Meng to the front yard, and ask the government doctor to come and take a look."


    She didn''t want to make things worse. If today''s matter spread out, it won''t be good for his reputation or the reputation of Xuanwang''s mansion. It was just Meng Yun, it seemed that he would be more wary of him in the future.


    Mammy Xu and Luzhu carried Meng Yun away from the courtyard to the front yard. Before leaving, Meng Yun still had an incredible expression, as if he was still puzzled by why he was suddenly attacked just now. He glared at her fiercely, thinking: This woman, he must taste her.


    Qingluo was thrown by Meng Yun twice in a row. She was weak, not as strong as Luzhu, so Zhao Ling let her go to her room to rest.


    For a while, the courtyard was quiet again.. Zhao Ling sat at the stone table and said lightly to the empty yard, "Come out."

 Chapter 79 - A Decree From The Palace

    In the blink of an eye, a man in black attire flew down silently from the air and knelt in front of her.


    Zhao Ling looked at him, he was about twenty years old, a young man who looked thin and handsome.


    "Subordinate Xue Hao, the secret guard of the Xuanwang Mansion, has seen the princess."


    Zhao Ling nodded, it seemed that she guessed right, Meng Yuan had been sending people to protect her in secret.


    "Get up." Zhao Ling was not used to someone kneeling in front of him and talking, "You did it just now?"


    "Yes, princess. I saw that the princess was frightened, please forgive me." Xue Hao got up and lowered his head and replied.


    "Thank you for your help just now." Zhao Ling nodded lightly. Although she believed that she was capable enough to protect herself just now, Xue Hao''s action saved her a lot of trouble.


    "I don''t mind the trouble, princess."


    "You don''t need to report to the lord about today''s affairs." Immediately, she instructed Xue Hao.


    Zhao Ling didn''t want Meng Yuan to know that he was almost taken lightly by Meng Yun. If he knew, with his temperament, she didn''t know what kind of rage he would be in.


    Xue Hao felt that he had never been so entangled in his life. As the secret guard of the Xuan palace, he should naturally obey the orders of the prince. When the prince sent him to secretly protect the princess, he had ordered that every matter must be reported one by one. But for such a big thing today, the princess said he didn''t need to let the prince know.


    This... how should he be?


    Fortunately, Xue Hao wasn''t a dead brain either. The princess only said that she didn''t need to report to the prince, so he shouldn''t be disobeying the princess'' order by reporting to the commander.


    He was so smart. Xue Hao was about to cry at his wit. He turned around and reported the matter to Yan Mo.


    So, that night, Meng Yuan knew that Meng Yun intended to be frivolous with Ling at the Duke''s Mansion. He was so angry that he twisted and deformed the armrest of the wheelchair.


    Meng Yun, since you want to court death so much, don''t blame this king for being ruthless. Meng Yuan''s eyes reflected a particular cold light in the dim candlelight.


    Zhao Ling naturally didn''t know these things, and Meng yun''s episode didn''t have a big impact on her. Laying on her long-lost bed, she slept well all night.


    Early the next morning, Zhao Ling planned to go to the Xuanwang Mansion to discuss with Situ Gong about the medical book Old Man Duan had left for her.


    The old man Duan was known as both medicine and poison master, and the book he left to Zhao Ling was the essence of what he had learned in his life, and it was a good thing. It was a pity that Zhao Ling didn''t know much about Chinese medicine, so he couldn''t fully understand the contents of the book.


    But Situ Gong was different. For Situ Gong, who was devoted to studying medicine, the allure of this book was no trivial matter. She remembered that when Situ Gong saw this book, his eyes lit up with excitement and he swallowed hard. Just because it was Zhao Ling''s thing, he could only stare greedily.


    Zhao Ling was not a person who hid secrets. In modern times, she was used to being a teacher and brought out batches of interns from the forensic department.


    In her opinion, the purpose of learning medical skills was to cure diseases and save people. If the medical books left by Duan could be learned and used by more people, then more people could be cured.


    She believed that if old man Duan was still alive, he would definitely support her in doing so. She really couldn''t figure out why the ancients always liked to get secret books or something of sorts. Apart from adding some mystery, what practical use could it have?


    Of course, she also wanted to know the progress of the development of Situ Gong''s antidote to the cold poison. Xiaojiao''s blood was the last material to lead to the medicine, and it needed to be used fresh. So after Situ Gong had prepared the antidote first, it could be reconciled with Xiaojiao''s blood.


    There was one more thing, but she was reluctant to admit that she was a little worried about Meng Yuan. Since this guy entered the palace yesterday, there had been no news of him. She asked Xue Hao, and Xue Hao said that the prince had not returned to his own palace since he entered the emperor"s palace.


    So, did he actually stay in the palace for a whole day and night? Could it be that Emperor Mings condition has changed?


    However, just when she was about to stop and wanted to go out, someone came from the palace.


    Here came a young eunuch. In front of the people who were kneeling on the ground to receive the decree in the whole room of the Duke''s Mansion, he loudly conveyed the Emperor''s decree in his own sharp voice. "Zhao Ling, the eldest daughter of the Duke''s Mansion of Xuan Zhao, immediately needed at the palace."


    Zhao Ling had never been to the palace before, except for the one time he visited the Forbidden City in modern times. Sitting in the royal carriage chair specially prepared for her to the palace, swaying all the way, made her a little drowsy.


    She didn''t know how long it took, when Zhao Ling was busy fighting to keep her senses from the sideways rocking, the carriage chair stopped steadily at the gate of the palace. The little eunuch outside the door''s sharp voice came again: "Miss Zhao, please get off the carriage chair."


    After the carriage stopped, Zhao Ling was dazed for a moment before returning to normal. She opened the carriage and got out into the dazzling sunlight, making her eyes narrow uncomfortably.


    This was the entrance to the palace of the Dasheng Dynasty.. The palace was built at the southern end of Shengjing City, and all the palace buildings were eaves and bucket arches, gilded copper tiles, shining with dazzling light in the sun, making them extraordinarily magnificent.

 Chapter 80 - The Heavenly Palace Of Emperor Ming

    Zhao Ling followed the little eunuch all the way through the many halls in the outer section and entered the inner hall. Different from the majestic atmosphere of the outer hall, the halls of the inner hall were exquisite, elegant and magnificent.


    The little eunuch walked in front of her at a fast pace, and Zhao Ling struggled to follow behind, complaining to herself. This palace had nothing to do with such a large building. From the gate to this place now, her legs were about to break. Why hadn''t they arrived there yet?


    After walking for a long time, she finally saw the little eunuch stopped in front of a temple, and bowed to a eunuch standing at the door of the temple and said, "Eunuch, Miss Zhao is here."


    Zhao Ling looked up, and the name of the hall read "Funing Hall". Looking at it again, the eunuch turned out to be Eunuch Li who came to Suzhou to announce the emperor''s decree.


    Eunuch Li waited anxiously at the entrance of the hall. Seeing that Zhao Ling had arrived, he breathed a sigh of relief, with a smile on his face, he stepped forward and saluted, "Miss Zhao, please come in."


    Looking at Eunuch Li, she could tell he seemed very anxious. What happened? Zhao Ling was really suspicious. She quickly walked into the Funing Hall with Eunuch Li, and when she looked up, a whole room of handsome men and beauties turned around to look at her, making her instantly dumbfounded.


    What was going on now? Did they go to the wrong place? So many handsome men and beauties all looking at her, making Zhao Ling feel a little chilly even with her self-confessed psychological endurance. It was so dazzling!


    She could only helplessly turn her head and ask Eunuch Li. "Eunuch Li, can you tell me first, what exactly is this place?"


    Li Gonggong wanted to answer aloud, but suddenly a delicate and clear, domineering voice came: "Bold, you won''t kneel when you see my mother and brothers?"


    What? Zhao Ling was stunned for a moment. Mother? Royal brothers? Didn''t the emperor want to see her? How did he become ''mother and brothers''?


    Her complexion did not change, and she glanced at everyone in the room one by one with calm eyes, and found out that a pretty and lovely girl in beautiful royal clothes was staring at her angrily. It must be the woman who scolded her just now.


    Well, let''s start with you.


    Zhao Ling saluted the girl in royal clothes and said respectfully, "Please, forgive my stupidity. I didn''t know that the princess is here. What should I call her?"


    Since the royals were called the queen mother and the emperor''s brother, it should be the princess.


    "Hmph." The girl in the Chinese costume said with her nostrils turned to the sky, "Eunuch Li, come and tell her."


    After being instructed, Eunuch Li quickly introduced everyone present to Zhao Ling one by one, but he secretly complained in his heart.


    On the way back to the palace, Lord Xuan greeted the eldest Zhao family, and took care of her as if he had already identified her as Princess Xuan. Now, he could only beg this unruly and willful Princess Yaohua not to go too far. If it annoyed Lord Xuan, it would not be a fun thing.


    Under the guidance of Eunuch Li, Zhao Ling finally understood the identities of handsome men and women in this room.


    The woman who looked a little older, dressed in a gorgeous palace attire, was naturally the queen of Duanjing, who was dignified and solemn. She really had the demeanor of the mother.


    Next to her was a beautiful and expressionless young woman who was the most favored concubine Li Fei of Emperor Ming. White jasmine smoked soft gauze, with a lake blue mopping plum blossom pleated skirt, set off her mood, as beautiful as a fairy. Immediately, Zhao Ling thought of a poem.


    "The snow river is clear and clear water,


    and the empty valley is quiet.


    It''s not unreasonable to be the emperor''s favorite concubine."


    The arrogant girl in Chinese clothes just now was Princess Yaohua, and the other, who was about the same age but calmer and quieter, was Princess Qionghua, both of whom were beautiful and charming girls.


    Then there were several imperial brothers around Princess Yaohua. The first prince Meng Tianluo was titled King Luo, the third prince Meng Tianli was titled King Kuang, and the seventh prince Meng Tianyan had no titles yet.


    Zhao Ling swiftly glanced at it, but didn''t look at it for too long. Anyway, he was a handsome man with handsome features and a long body. The royal family''s genes were generally very good, and the princes, princesses, and the grand children would naturally be exceptional.


    There were seven princes as the sons of Emperor Ming, but for some reason, four of them were not in presence. And the only fourth prince, Meng Tianlin, who didn''t show up, should be imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison now.


    This room was full of human dragons and phoenixes from the Dasheng Dynasty, but she saw them all at once.


    Zhao Ling didn''t bother to kneel down to them one by one, and knelt directly in the middle of the hall, bowing her eyebrows to her eyes. "Zhao Ling, see the Empress Empress, Concubine Li, His Royal Highness King Luo, His Royal Highness King Kuang, the Seventh Prince, Princess Yaohua, Princess Qionghua."


    Zhao Ling finished speaking in one breath, and secretly adjusted her breathing. Fortunately, her lung capacity was relatively large.


    "Puchi..."


    A light chuckle sounded in the hall, but Zhao Ling didn''t know which prince did, and she pretended not to hear. Still maintaining the same kneeling posture, she waited for the Empress to make a sound and call her up.


    The queen was the most respected in this room, and she was the one who was qualified to get her up.

 Chapter 81 - The Heavenly Palace Of The Emperor Ming [II]

    After a long while, a majestic female voice finally sounded above her head. "Get up and talk."


    "Thank you, Empress." After Zhao Ling thanked her, she slowly stood up from the ground, still feeling a faint pain in her knees.


    Heavens knew that these kneeling and saluting at every second and corner, are too inhumane.


    "The Aijia heard that the eldest lady of the Duke''s Mansion Zhao is beautiful, smart, and unparalleled in wisdom and courage. When I saw it today, she really lived up to her reputation." Queen Duanjing admired Zhao Ling''s calmness just now.


    "Thank you for the praise, my Empress, the ministers and daughters are frightened." Zhao Ling hurriedly bowed her head and said that she did not dare to take it. She could hear the polite words and so on, and she could also say it.


    "Hey..." Princess Yaohua made a disdainful sound from her nose, raised her chin arrogantly, and said, "...why should my mother be so polite to her, let her go in and treat her father directly. If it can''t be cured, It just shows that the rumors about Miss Zhao in the capital are exaggerated, and Miss Zhao is a person who seeks fame."


    Now, Zhao Ling finally understood the real purpose of calling her into the palace. They wanted to ask her to treat Emperor Ming.


    Suddenly, she felt like she wanted to cry without tears. Could she say that in fact she could only perform autopsy and not cure diseases or sicknesses?


    She didn''t know if she would walk in and go out sideways after she said this?


    While she was hesitating, the next words of the eldest prince, Meng Tianluo, completely interrupted her thoughts.


    "Empress mother, your son heard that King Xuan is infatuated with Miss Zhao, and he valued her very much. I believe that Miss Zhao will become Princess Xuan in the near future. King Xuan''s mansion has been loyal to Da Sheng in all dynasties, and I think Princess Xuan will do her best in the future. She will do his best to heal his father''s illness."


    Zhao Ling looked at Meng Tianluo carefully from the corner of her eye. The facial features are handsome, the outlines are clear, and the appearance is handsome, but the eyebrows were somewhat similar to Meng Yuan.


    It was just different from Meng Yuan''s cold, arrogant and solitary temperament and sharp and cold eyes. Meng Tianluo''s eyes were a little gloomy, and his voice was slightly gloomy too.


    Zhao Ling wondered if she had been poisoned by Meng Yuan. How could she see a young man and compare him with Meng Yuan? She looked down on herself a little bit.


    However, listening to what Meng Tianluo said just now, it seemed that it was aimed at Meng Yuan.


    Just when she was figuring out how to answer properly, Eunuch Li came in to pass the message. "Qi Niang Niang, Lord Xuan is outside asking to see you."


    Meng Yuanheng was here! When Zhao Ling heard the words, for some reason, her heart relaxed a little.


    "Announce him to come in." Empress Duanjing pondered for a while and said slowly.


    This King Xuan, yesterday they let him entered the palace to see the emperor, but he was reluctant to stay longer, and he disappeared earlier today. Why was he here now?


    Empress Duanjing really didn''t understand why the emperor was still thinking of King Xuan when he was in a semi-conscious state, and insisted on urgently summoning him into the palace.


    Then she thought of the fourth prince who was imprisoned in the Heavenly Prison, and suddenly felt a headache.


    She had no children, only a daughter like Yaohua. Therefore, the struggle for succession between these princes had nothing to do with her. Anyway, whoever was the next emperor, she was a well-deserved empress dowager.


    But for her to be the queen? There were some things that she didn''t want to care about, so she could leave them alone. What''s more, the fourth child''s mother, Concubine Xian, respected her on an average day, and the fourth child was also the one with the simplest mind among these princes.


    Who knew that such a rebellious action could be done was unbelievable.


    She sighed and saw that Xuan Wang Meng Yuanheng had been pushed in slowly from outside the hall.


    Zhao Ling saw that it was Situ Gong who pushed him in, and her eyes lit up. She was saved! Sure enough, Meng Yuan knew her best.


    Meng Yuan stopped the wheelchair and gave Zhao Ling a look, signaling her to be at ease, and then said to the queen indifferently, "Meng Yuan see the queen."


    Others, he didn''t even look straight.


    Everyone present knew about the temper of Lord Xuan, and they didn''t care much. Only Concubine Li, who had been sitting beside the queen, had a strange expression on her face.


    Empress Duanjing looked at Meng Yuan, who could only walk in a wheelchair and was taciturn, and sighed again.


    Thinking back to the beginning, the young prince of Xuanwang''s mansion jumped on his horse and swung his whip across the battlefield. How heroic and unparalleled he was, but now he had become like this. Well...!


    Thinking of this, Empress Duanjing''s majestic face showed a bit of love, and she said to him in a soft tone: "King Xuan doesn''t need to be too polite. You came to visit the emperor early in the morning, and you have the heart."


    Meng Yuan was noncommittal, silent, and stepped aside. Except for a look at Zhao Ling when he came in, he didn''t look at her again.


    Everyone present was puzzled. Didn''t they hear that King Xuan was very serious about this future Princess Xuan? Why didn''t it seem to be the case now?


    Meng Tianluo couldn''t hold his breath at first. "Empress mother, it is important to treat the father and emperor. Why don''t you ask the future princess Xuan to start as soon as possible."


    When he mentioned the words "Future Princess Xuan", he deliberately increased the volume and emphasized it, but Meng Yuan didn''t even raise his eyes.


    Seeing that he had no way to retreat, Zhao Ling had to say quickly.. "Empress Empress, this minister''s daughter has a request."

 Chapter 82 - What Could Be Wrong With The Emperor?

    "You say." Empress Duanjing was also worried about Emperor Ming''s body. If this girl could really cure the emperor''s illness, she would agree to any request.


    "The minister''s daughter usually just read a few more medical books. Although she understands some medical principles, she lacks practical experience, so she wanted to ask for an experienced helper. The minister''s daughter heard that Mr. Situ from the Xuanwang Mansion is very skilled in medicine, so she wanted to ask Mr. Situ for help. Please allow the minister''s daughter this request."


    That said, it should be reasonable.


    When Empress Duanjing heard it, it was indeed reasonable, and she said to Meng Yuan, "What is King Xuan''s opinion?"


    Since Situ Gong was a member of the Xuan Wang''s mansion, she naturally needed to ask Xuan Wang''s opinion.


    "Mr. Situ will try his best to help." Meng Yuan still looked cold, but he said so, and naturally agreed.


    Zhao Ling finally realized that this Funing Hall was Emperor Ming''s chamber.


    Walking into the inner room of the chamber, it was naturally splendid and magnificent, and Zhao Ling didn''t bother to look closely, and walked directly to the spacious wooden bed where Emperor Ming was lying.


    There was an old man who looked like an imperial doctor beside the bed, who was taking the pulse of Emperor Mingde. Seeing that Eunuch Li brought two people in, he stood up and put his hands on one side.


    "Doctor Wang, how is the emperor''s situation?" Eunuch Li asked softly.


    Doctor Wang''s face was full of worry. "The emperor''s asthma symptoms seem to be getting more and more serious, and the time of coma is getting longer and longer. The situation is not optimistic."


    Lying on the bed was a middle-aged man in his fifties. Although his eyes were closed, he still had a majestic face. This was Emperor Ming, the current emperor of the Dasheng Dynasty.


    Zhao Ling saw that he was short of breath, suffocating, his lips and fingers were cyanotic, and his face was covered in sweat, as if he had lost consciousness.


    It looks like a pneumothorax!


    She asked Situ Gong to probe Ming Dedi''s pulse, and it turned out that the pulse was weak and fast. It must be a pneumothorax.


    She asked Imperial Physician Wang, "Has the emperor ever suffered from lung disease?"


    "The emperor caught a cold last month and coughed for a long time. At that time, his lungs were indeed inflamed," recalled Imperial Physician Wang.


    "Then what is the emperor''s illness now?"


    "The emperor recovered a few days ago. Thinking that he had not moved his muscles and bones for a long time, he played polo with several princes. In the middle, the fourth prince''s ball hit the emperor''s chest. After the emperor fell off the horse, he felt chest tightness and shortness of breath. It seems to be more serious today." It was so serious that he had exhaled more and inhaled less. Of course, Imperial Physician Wang did not dare to say this.


    The situation was of course serious.


    Zhao Ling thought helplessly. If she didn''t treat it, he would die. If Emperor Mingde died because of pneumothorax, he would kill himself. Just when he has pneumonia, he runs to do strenuous sports like polo.


    And that fourth prince was also an unlucky one who accidentally smashed the polo into Emperor Mingde''s lungs. The blow should have caused the air bubbles on the surface of the lungs to burst, allowing air to enter the pleural space.


    The problem of pneumothorax could be big or small, and if it was not treated in time, it would indeed be life-threatening.


    According to Emperor Mingde''s current symptoms, only lung puncture could be done for now. She was only a forensic doctor, not a surgeon, but now the situation wass urgent, and she couldn''t care so much.


    She instructed Situ Gong to prepare a long silver needle. After disinfecting the needle, she slowly stroked Emperor Mingde''s chest with her hand.


    No way, there was no instrument testing equipment here, everything could only rely on her own experience and feel.


    Fortunately, she was used to dissecting corpses, and no one knows the internal structure of the human body better than her. This was also the reason why she insisted on doing it herself instead of letting Situ Gong give the needles.


    In a short time, she pinpointed the site of the needle. Under the horrified eyes of Imperial Physician Wang and Eunuch Li, she quickly and accurately pierced the silver needle into Emperor Mingde''s chest. For lung puncture, the most important thing was to be quick and accurate, and she must not hesitate to start.


    There was dark red blood overflowing from the spot where the silver needle was, Zhao Ling breathed a sigh of relief, it seemed that she had not stabbed in the wrong place.


    Due to the limitations of medical equipment, her biggest worry was that she was not positioned correctly.


    She handed the silver needle to Situ Gong, and said to the doctor Wang: "The blood congestion in the emperor''s lungs has been discharged, and he should wake up soon. Next, pay attention to whether the emperor has symptoms such as fever and cough. They should be treated promptly."


    Imperial Physician Wang and Eunuch Li were obviously startled by Zhao Ling''s actions just now. Who was this woman who could stab such a long silver needle into the emperor''s chest without changing her face, and seeing her expression was so confident and calm, they had to be convinced.


    Situ Gong was also very shocked. Zhao Ling''s quick and precise movements when he placed the needle just now opened his eyes. This stab was into the current emperor''s chest. He could imagine the risks she had to take with this needle, but the princess''s eyes were still so confident and calm, and this alone made Situ Gong''s heart to feel admiration for the princess.


    Of course, Zhao Ling was not as calm as they thought, and she was also sweating. After all, this was the first time she had performed a lung puncture. Before, it was just talk on paper at most, and the target was the current emperor.


    If she was careless, it was not something she could solve by dropping her head alone. This was also thanks to her roommate who studied surgery when she was a graduate student, who often used human specimens in her dormitory to experiment with some minor operations. Over time, she also became fascinated by it.


    Fortunately, she succeeded.

 Chapter 83 - Emperor Ming Is Awake

    After coming out of the inner room of the dormitory, everyone''s eyes focused on Zhao Ling again. However, Zhao Ling only glanced in the direction of Meng Yuan through the corner of her eyes very briefly, seeing that he was still indifferent and didn''t even look at her.


    She didn''t know what tricks this fellow was performing, Zhao Ling pouted. But she believed that he must have his intentions for doing this, and since that was the case, she would just go along with it.


    Queen Duanjing asked the question first. "How is the emperor?"


    Eunuch Li knelt on the ground and replied excitedly: "Qi Niangniang, after Miss Zhao''s silver needle blood pricking treatment, the emperor''s asthma has improved, and his complexion has returned to normal. She said that as long as Doctor Wang continue to take care of the emperor, the emperor''s condition will return to normal."


    Silver needle blood? Zhao Ling''s mouth twitched, feeling that this statement was quite appropriate. Eunuch Li was really talented!


    "So, is the royal father all right?" asked the seventh prince Meng Tianyan, who had been silent for a while, but the person who he directed the question to was Zhao Ling. Unlike the eldest prince Meng Tianluo, the seventh prince had a clear voice, bright eyes, and looked a lot more sunny.


    Zhao Ling lowered her head and replied, "Respect to the seventh prince, the emperor''s auspicious person and celestial appearance are expected to be fine. It''s just that he hasn''t woken up yet, so we need to observe him for another night."


    She dared not speak too much. However, according to the diagnosis just now, Emperor Ming seemed to be in good health and should be able to survive.


    "I thought that Miss Zhao''s medical skills were very good, but it''s taking her a long time to heal my father, and It turns out that my father has not woken up yet. It seems that the rumors in the capital are really exaggerated." Princess Yaohua''s face was full of disdain.


    "Yaohua, don''t talk nonsense!" Queen Duanjing gave her a stern look. This girl was really spoiled, and her speech was becoming more and more irregular.


    "Queen Mother, you actually scold me for this woman?" Princess Yaohua''s pretty face collapsed and she cried out in grievance, not forgetting to goug out at Zhao Ling.


    Zhao Ling was too lazy to deal with such a rude and unreasonable little girl who happened to be a princess. She lowered her head, raised her eyebrows and kept silent.


    "I just heard that Miss Zhao said that the father needs to be observed for one night. So just in case, I will invite Miss Zhao to accompany him for one night tonight. I wonder what Miss Zhao thinks?" This time, it was the third prince Meng Tianjue who spoke up.


    This Meng Tianjue looked like he had never been exposed to the sun all the year round, with excessively fair skin and a bit of powdery air. If it wasn''t for his thick voice, Zhao Ling would have thought he was a woman.


    Sure enough, this guy Meng Yuan was more pleasing to the eye. she thought to herself.


    As for escorting for one night, since everyone in power has spoken, did she have the right to refuse?


    "The minister''s daughters should do her best. I just asked His Royal Highness to send someone to inform the government minister, so as not to worry about the family member of theirs." Meng Tianjue pursed her lips and smiled, "Miss Zhao is really thoughtful and considerate in her work."


    "I thank the third prince for his praise." When Zhao Ling bowed her head and thanked, she couldn''t help but spit it out in her heart. Eating a moat grews one''s wisdom. If she didn''t think about it more carefully, would it be possible that she still wanted to get another twenty sticks of beating?


    "Since the emperor has nothing to do, the concubines will retire first." As if she could not bear it any longer, Concubine Li, who had been sitting quietly on the seat and watching silently, suddenly stood up, gave a hasty bow to Empress Duanjing, and turned around to leave.


    For a while, she was wearing jingle bells and swaying robes. She was indeed an elegant and graceful peerless beauty. It was no wonder that she was able to stand out among the three thousand beauties in the harem and became the favorite concubine of Emperor Ming.


    When she passed by Zhao Ling, the fragrance from Concubine Li''s body made Zhao Ling''s nose itch. No way, since she was a child, she had a very sensitive nose and was allergic to some perfumes. She quickly held her breath so that she would not retort to sneezing.


    Sneezing in front of this group of people should be a crime of disrespect.


    Concubine Li walked slowly, walking by Meng Yuan''s side, her footsteps stopped for a while, and then she started to leave.


    Zhao Ling''s eyes flashed. Could it be that there was something between Concubine Li and Meng Yuan that she didn''t know about?


    However, Meng Yuan took a deep look at Zhao Ling at this moment. That look was mixed with self-blame, distress, pity, worry, and longing.


    Zhao Ling lowered her head, the corners of her mouth curved, revealing a reassuring smile.


    At night, the Funing Hall became more and more quiet and peaceful, and the incense in the sleeping hall wafted a drowsy smell. Zhao Ling sat beside Emperor Ming''s dragon bed, leaning against the bedpost and closed her eyes.


    A fresh breeze blew through the window, slightly dissipating the turbid air in the room. The window was opened by Zhao Ling insisting that Eunuch Li opened it. If the windows and doors were kept tightly closed and the air couldn''t circulate, even healthy people would get sick.


    The queen and several princes and princesses had already returned to the palace to rest. Meng Yuan was also pushed by Situ Gong and went to the place where he was staying in the palace. Several palace maids were called by Zhao Ling to wait outside the palace.


    Therefore, at this moment, there were only Zhao Ling, Eunuch Li, and of course Emperor Ming lying on the bed in the huge bedroom.


    So what about the honor of the ninety-five, and what about the world? In Zhao Ling''s opinion, the emperor was actually the most lonely and pitiful person in the world. However, people in the world often find it difficult to resist the temptation of fame and fortune.


    If nothing else, among the princes of Emperor Ming alone, Zhao Ling dared to conclude that everyone had their own careful thoughts, and she believed that there was no real concern for Emperor Ming''s health.


    It was that she didn''t know why Meng Yuan''s attitude was so strange today? What happened to him after entering the palace yesterday?


    "Who are you?" Suddenly, a low and majestic shout interrupted Zhao Ling''s thought and the silence of the chamber.


    Zhao Ling was startled and recovered from her shock, only to see that Emperor Ming had opened his eyes on the dragon bed, his face full of majesty, and staring at her with burning eyes.


    Next to her, Eunuch Li was already kneeling on the ground with a thud, shouting excitedly, "Your Majesty, you are awake, it''s great, this old slave greets you."


    Zhao Ling could only kneel down and kowtow. "Zhao Ling, the eldest daughter of Duke Zhao Jiang, see the emperor."


    "You are Zhao Ling." When Emperor Ming heard the words, his tone softened a lot, and he gestured to Eunuch Li. Eunuch Li immediately stepped forward, helped Emperor Ming to sit up, and put a cushion on his back, allowing Emperor Ming to lean on the head of the bed comfortably.


    Emperor Ming looked at her up and down, and said somewhat unexpectedly: "Isn''t it rumored that you were burned and disfigured by fire, why are you so beautiful?"


    Unexpectedly, this emperor was quite a gossip. Zhao Ling smiled secretly and replied: "Respect to the emperor, the face of the minister''s daughter was indeed burned by fire, but it was cured on Wuji Island a few days ago."


    Emperor Ming nodded. "So the things that are circulating in the capital about you and Wuji are all true? You also cured my illness?"


    In front of the emperor, Zhao Ling certainly did not dare to take credit. "It''s the emperor''s blessings in the sky, and the minister''s daughter is just doing her best."


    Eunuch Li served in front of Emperor Ming for many years, and naturally he could hear the emperor''s admiration for Zhao Ling. So he explained the process of how Zhao Ling healed him in detail. Emperor Mingde nodded again and again, and looked at Zhao Ling with a bit of kindness in his eyes.


    Zhao Ling was horrified by the words of Eunuch Li at this time. His eloquence was so good, that he was putting all the pressure on her. She really wanted to explain to Emperor Ming that her medical skills were not so great as Eunuch Li was saying, but she knew that if she spoke too much, she would lose, and at this time, silence was gold.


    "Eunuch Li has praised me wrongly, and the minister''s daughter is ashamed." Zhao Ling quickly lowered her head, showing a look of sincerity and fear.


    Appropriate modesty was still necessary.


    At this time, the maid outside the hall reported.. "Concubine Xian is here to see the emperor."

 Chapter 84 - Emperor Ming Is Awake [II]

    Hearing Eunuch Li''s whispered words, Emperor Ming''s face froze obviously, and after a while he said, "Xuan."


    Not long after, a beautiful middle-aged woman dressed in plain clothes and with a dignified appearance walked into the hall. This was the emperor''s concubine whose son, Meng Tianlin, was imprisoned in the sky prison.


    Judging by her red eyes at this time, it was obvious she haven''t had a good rest for several days. She was looking a little haggard and disoriented.


    Seeing that Emperor Ming was already awake, Concubine Xian burst into tears, and she knelt down in front of the bed with a plop, and cried to Emperor Ming: "Your Majesty, please forgive Lin''er, he really just missed a moment with the sphere, definitely not intentional! ."


    Emperor Ming hummed. Of course, he knew that the fourth child was not intentional in his acts. With his stupid simplicity, how could he do such a thing? It was possible that he was used by others. He just wanted to take the opportunity to see which of these sons could be supported by him.


    Thinking of his own sons who were ineffective, he felt panicked in his heart.


    Another reason was that he was angry at the time. For a long time, he considered himself to be wise, talented and energetic, but he was retired by the fourth game, and he was in a coma for so many days.


    Concubine Xian was sobbing and begging all the time. Emperor Ming was a little impatient, but he couldn''t ignore her face either. So he turned his head and said to Zhao Ling, "Girl from the Zhao family, tell me, what should I do with the fourth prince?"


    Zhao Ling cursed secretly. You old emperor were really insidious, you couldn''t step down by yourself, and you have to pull me into the water too?


    She pondered for a while, and said carefully, "The fourth prince''s crime of driving the sphere by surprise should be punished, but it is normal for you to come and go on the sports field, and it is normal to miss a moment. At the same time the heart is also rare. The emperor is benevolent, generous, and reasonable. He has imprisoned the fourth prince in the sky prison for these days. He must only want to punish the fourth prince and make him remember not to be so rash in the future, and also ask the concubine Xian to relax. The emperor has just woken up. His body is still very weak, and he needs a good rest, why don''t the concubine Xian go back to restore her spirits, and come back to the Funing Hall tomorrow to take care of your illness?"


    She had heard Meng Yuan say that among the princes of Emperor Ming, Meng Tianlin, the fourth prince, was the purest in mind and had a straightforward personality. It was a momentary miss. How could Emperor Ming not know? He just needed a step down.


    She didn''t know if he was satisfied with the steps she laid for him?


    After some long seconds, Emperor Ming couldn''t help nodding secretly in his heart. This girl from the Zhao family really had some insight and courage. She was so eloquent and witty, and it was more than enough to match that of the boy, Meng Yuan.


    Concubine Xian listened to Zhao Ling''s words, and she paused. She cast a grateful look at Zhao Ling, and immediately made a request to Emperor Ming to come to serve with the doctor early in the morning, and then accepted Xiang Ming as soon as she saw it.


    Her son should be fine. On the way back to her bedroom, she thought about it and felt a lot more at ease. The woman who spoke out to save her from the siege just now must be the future Princess Xuan who had been rumored in the capital recently.


    Seeing it today, she had to agree that the minister''s daughter was indeed talented and well-deserved.


    After Concubine Xian retired, Emperor Ming leaned on the head of the bed, staring at Zhao Ling with an inexplicable look on his face, and she felt a little nervous when she saw it. Zhao Ling lowered her eyebrows to shade her eyes and stood quietly beside the bed, when she saw Emperor Ming''s angry look.


    It was said that companions were like companions, did she say something wrong just now?


    "Zhao family girl, you are so brave!"


    Eunuch Li, who was waiting next to him, trembled, and didn''t dare to breathe while standing on the side. He thought to himself. What was the matter with the emperor? He seemed to appreciate Princess Xuan just now,  then why did he get angry all of a sudden?


    Zhao Ling was also taken aback. Did what he said just now really annoy him? She had no choice but to kneel on the ground again, pretending to be very terrified and saying: "I dare not. As asked, I just confessed my true thoughts in front of the emperor, and I don''t want to be hypocritical in front of the emperor. Please rest your anger, your Majesty."


    "Why are you so sure that I will let go of the Fourth Prince so easily?" Emperor Ming was still angry and his tone was stern.


    Zhao Ling rolled her eyes secretly, and slandered in her heart. ~That''s what you meant, it was just that you can''t hold your face in front of Concubine Xian. I''ve helped you out, but you''re still angry. Such an awkward temper is a bit like Meng Yuan''s guy.~


    Just a respectful look on his face. "The emperor is very careful, and he will definitely understand the pure heart of the fourth prince."


    Zhao Ling felt really sad in her heart. ~This was your Meng family''s own family affairs, okay? The fourth prince is your son. You could keep him in prison for as long as you like, and it had no relationship whatsoever with me.~


    "Okay, let me get up. I just saw through your mind, and you''ll do well not to take all my words to heart, child.." Emperor Ming said with a smile.

 Chapter 85 - Emperor Ming Is Awake [III]

    A''ll of a sudden, the emperor became more pleasant.


    Zhao Ling was really unable to vomit, if not, she would have vomited blood. Your Majesty, do you have schizophrenia? That was so scary, do you think it was funny?


    At this moment, the maid who was serving outside the hall came to report again: "Reporting to the emperor, Lord Xuan is outside to see you."


    Why was he back again? Zhao Ling thought in confusion. Emperor Ming just woke up. Did he hear about the news so soon?


    Emperor Ming smiled knowingly. "Announce him in."


    In the flickering candlelight, a man who was as cold as jade but with a tight face shook his wheelchair and slowly entered the hall. Although he was dressed in black, he was depressed and gloomy, but in Zhao Ling''s eyes, he was still arrogant, brilliant and dazzling.


    Meng Yuan pushed the wheelchair and slowly stopped in front of the dragon bed.


    "Meng Yuan has seen the emperor." His tone was as flat as ever, but Zhao Ling always felt that his performance today was a little unusual.


    When Emperor Ming saw Meng Yuan, there was an instant light in his eyes, but it was only a flash. He calmly took a sip of the tea presented by Eunuch Li, and said to Meng Yuan jokingly, "Why did doctor Xuan come here late at night? Is he worried about me, or about his future princess?"


    Zhao Ling''s expression was a little unnatural when she heard these words. Unexpectedly, this emperor not only gossiped, but also loved to joke. Was it really appropriate to joke about one''s courtiers on such occasions?


    Meng Yuan''s expression didn''t change, and he still said coldly. "Since the emperor is all right, can you let Ling''er go back to rest? With so many women in the palace, it''s probably not of your own make to ask Ling''er to take care of you."


    He admitted that he was really angry when he heard Meng Tianjue say that he wanted Zhao Ling to accompany the emperor for the night.


    His own Ling''er, why should she come to accompany this old man?


    Hearing Meng Yuan''s disrespectful tone, Emperor Ming didn''t take it seriously, but smiled meaningfully, and said, "Child, you haven''t gotten married to her yet, but you protect her so strictly. That''s a dangerous way to go about it in this changing world. If you get married, then it would have been okay. Keep that in mind. It''s alright, I''m tired too. You all can go."


    Zhao Ling glanced at Meng Yuan somewhat unexpectedly thinking the emperor was very indulgent to him. Although she knew that it was not unreasonable for the emperor to be nice to him.


    After all, Xuan Wang''s mansion had made many contributions to the Dasheng Dynasty. Several generations of Xuan Wang died in battle, and Meng Yuan was physically disabled at a young age for the Dasheng Dynasty. The emperor felt guilty for him, and it was normal to be more tolerant.


    Since Emperor Ming agreed to let her go, she certainly wouldn''t miss such a good chance to escape. She didn''t want to stay in this empty and unpopular palace at all. So, after she told Li Gong some precautions to take when taking care of the emperor, she pushed Meng Yuan away from the Funing Hall.


    It was third watch and the palace gate was closed. Zhao Ling thought it was impossible to go home now. Fortunately, Emperor Ming was kind, and allocated a room for her in the side hall next to Funing Hall to let her rest for the night.


    The palace maid who led the way was waiting by the side, and Zhao Ling could only say goodbye to Meng Yuan in a hurry. Meng Yuan clasped her hand silently, staring at her blankly.


    There must be something wrong with this guy! Zhao Ling frowned slightly. She squatted down, faced him, and asked, "A-Yuan, what''s wrong with you, did something happen?"


    Meng Yuan smiled slightly, but with a bit of bitterness. He resisted the urge to embrace her, shook his head, and looked at her in a low voice: "I just don''t want to be separated from Ling''er."


    She glanced at him helplessly, patted the back of his hand, and said, "Go back and rest. I will go back to the Duke''s Mansion tomorrow morning. Be careful with everything."


    There were many people in the palace, and it was really not a good place to express one''s sincere feelings. Zhao Ling understood his indifferent attitude towards her in Funing Hall today, which must be another way to protect her.


    Situ Gong was already waiting by the side. Zhao Ling nodded at him. She wanted to ask him about the progress of the antidote for cold poison, but she gave up after thinking about it.


    When one was in the palace, one must be careful in one''s words and deeds, and be careful with every step.


    The unfamiliar environment and the unfamiliar bed made Zhao Ling unaccustomed to everything. She was lying on a fairly spacious bed in the side hall with her clothes unbuttoned, and she didn''t sleep all night.


    It was the experience of this day that made her a little confused until now. In just one day, she basically got to know several important members of the royal family from Dasheng dynasty. Now her mind was like a movie, and their shadows flashed one by one.


    The first prince made her feel danger, the third prince was quite invisible, and the seventh prince looked harmless, but it was definitely not easy.


    Princess Yaohua was unruly and Princess Qionghua was quiet, but sometimes the quieter the persons, the more dangerous they were.


    And that Concubine Li, Zhao Ling always felt that there was some kind of story between her and Meng Yuan.


    In the second half of the night, a thunderstorm suddenly sounded in the sky, and then it began to rain heavily. Zhao Ling fell asleep on her pillow without knowing it.


    In a daze, Zhao Ling was awakened by the noise that gradually sounded outside the hall. Looking at the sky, she was already feeling her own energy for the day.


    She got up, straightened her clothes, called the maids who were serving outside to wash her face, and after washing a little, she wondered if she should go see Emperor Ming, and said goodbye to him by the way.


    She just didn''t know if he was still resting or not. If she disturbed him so early, would it anger the emperor?


    While she was still hesitating, she heard a scream from a distance outside.


    "Dead! Dead!"

 Chapter 86 - A Murder In The Palace? Lets Summon Zhao Ling [I]

    It was a palace maid who died. The body of the palace maid was found in the lotus pond in the imperial garden.


    This was one of the most remote lotus ponds in the Royal Garden, and few people usually pass by. Due to lack of care, the water in the pool was turbid all the year round. If it weren''t for the heavy rain last night, the body would not have been found so quickly.


    For the palace, the death of one or two palace maids was not a problem at all, but the death of this palace maid caused an uproar, which made the women in the palace panic, and also made Emperor Ming, who had just recovered some spirits, almost startled.


    Because the death of this palace maid wa.s too cruel and terrifying.


    She was in ragged clothes, her entire head was cut off at the neck, and her head was nowhere to be found. Five crooked blood-red words were engraved on her chest.


    GIVE ME BACK MY LIFE.


    This clearly showed that someone maliciously murdered, was trying to create chaos and make the people in the palace uneasy.


    Emperor Ming was furious, and ordered the case to be handed over to the Ministry of Justice for a thorough investigation.


    The Minister of Justice, Dong Runnian, was already a veteran of the three dynasties. He just submitted a letter to the court a few days ago, asking for his return to his hometown.


    The next popular candidate for the Minister of Justice was the current assistant Lu Ziqing, who had been acting as the Minister of Justice for a while now. Because during this period of time, Dong Runnian had gradually relegated himself to the second line, and had not been involved in the affairs of the Justice Department. Lu Ziqing was solely responsible for everything.


    When Lu Ziqing received this case, his always dark and handsome face was even uglier.


    Not long after he came back from Wuji Island, day and night, the backlog of documents in the Ministry of Justice was like a hill, and he couldn''t breathe. The old fox Dong Runnian was now a hands-off shopkeeper, and he didn''t care about it at all, so he had been working overtime every day these days, and he was in a bad mood.


    Now, it was worse than bad for him. Even the death of a maid in the palace required him to take care of it. Did they think he was not busy enough? Were all those old and immortal people in Dali Temple take their salaries for nothing?


    Moreover, the murder happened in the inner courtyard of the palace where the female relatives lived together, and the officers of the Ministry of Justice were all big men, so it would be highly inconvenient and very troublesome to investigate the case.


    And he was really afraid of trouble.


    Inside the Palace of Diligence and Administration.


    Since Emperor Ming''s body had not yet recovered, he issued an oral decree and handed over the matter to the eldest prince, Meng Tianluo.


    Lu Ziqing stood in the center of the hall with his head lowered, and he raised his concerns to the eldest prince Meng Tianluo on the grounds that all the officers in the Ministry of Justice were men and it was inconvenient to enter the harem to investigate cases.


    In fact, his original intention was to say that it was best not to leave this matter to the Ministry of Justice. Wasn''t there a Dali Temple here? The Dali Temple Minister was in a panic, so he had to find something to do for him, or he would be very sorry for him every time. Those white flowers that the month took.


    Meng Tianluo thought for a while after hearing this, and his eyes flashed, and he said calmly, "Lord Lu''s concerns are not without reason. It''s really inconvenient for the officers to enter and leave the harem. Well, this king heard that, the future princess Xuan is erudite and knowledgeable, and the people in the capital say that she is omnipotent, and she happens to be in the palace at this time. Why not let her help Lord Lu regarding the harem?"


    Why was Zhao Ling in the palace? Lu Ziqing was stunned for a moment. To have her help, of course, he could ask for it. It was just the Xuan Wang''s side...


    Thinking of King Xuan''s almost perverted desire for protection and exclusiveness towards Zhao Ling, he was not sure whether Meng Yuan would agree to let his future princess intervene in the mess of the inner courtyard of the palace.


    "Why, is Master Lu worried that King Xuan will disagree?" Meng Tianluo seemed to see Lu Ziqing''s concerns, smiled grimly, and said, "Don''t worry, Master Lu, this king will go and ask the emperor for an order, please forgive. King Xuan will not disobey the will."


    However, who was Meng Yuan, of course he could do anything against the decree. After learning about Meng Tianluo''s intentions, he immediately sent someone to send Zhao Ling, who was still waiting for Emperor Ming''s summons, out of the palace without saying a word.


    What a joke, his Ling''er wasn''t used for your role in the Ministry of Justice.


    But Meng Tianluo sent the decree who ran all the way, stopped Zhao Ling on the way, and read out the imperial decree of Emperor Ming on the spot.


    The eunuch Xuanzhi held emperor Ming Huang''s imperial decree, read the contents of the imperial decree with his characteristic sharp voice, and then said condescendingly to Zhao Ling, who was kneeling on the ground: "Miss Zhao, accept the decree."


    After listening to a lot of obscure ancient texts, Zhao Ling finally understood what Emperor Ming meant. It turned out that she was asked to assist the Ministry of Justice in investigating the murder of a maid in the palace today.


    She couldn''t help but sigh. A good human word, you have to make it so complicated, old emperor, you were really something! The decree also said that she was erudite, intelligent and so on, and she didn''t have to say it in such a high-sounding manner.


    She also knew why Meng Yuan suddenly rushed to send her out of the palace. He definitely didn''t want her to be involved in the mess of the harem.


    But looking at the imperial decree handed in front of her, she felt as if she no longer had the right to choose.. So he had to turn back to the palace again and was taken to see Meng Tianluo at the Qinzheng Hall.

 Chapter 87 - A Murder In The Palace? Lets Summon Zhao Ling [II]

    When Meng Tianluo saw Zhao Ling leaving and returning, a smile appeared on his normally gloomy face. It was a smug smile. ~Humph, Meng Yuan wanted to fight him, but he was still a little tender than normal~


    He appeared to be like the ghost of King Luo with the smug smile on his face.


    Seeing the sinister look on his smiling face, Zhao Ling secretly cursed shamelessly.


    This Meng Tianluo wanted to embarrass her from time to time, but he should have come to target Meng Yuan. Could it be that he had some grudges against Meng Yuan?


    "This king is here to introduce to the future Princess Xuan, Mr. Lu, the minister of Justice." Meng Tianluo''s gloomy and hoarse voice sounded in the hall.


    Zhao Ling glanced at Lu Ziqing and saw that he was also looking at her, so she bowed to him and said, "I have seen Lord Lu."


    In front of Meng Tianluo, she thought it would be better to pretend not to know Lu Ziqing.


    Lu Ziqing was not stupid, he naturally knows how to answer the question, so he bowed to her and said, "In the next Lu Ziqing, I have long admired the name of Princess Xuan."


    Now the streets of Shengjing were full of rumors of how omnipotent Princess Xuan was, wasn''t she a famous name for a long time? Zhao Ling''s mouth twitched, feeling very helpless.


    Meng Tianluo didn''t know the interaction between the two, he stood up and said to the two, "Presumably, the future Princess Xuan also knows the reason why this king invited you to come, it''s not too late, let''s go to the crime scene and see. ."


    The crime scene was in a remote lotus pond north of the Royal Garden. Zhao Ling followed Lu Ziqing to the scene.


    The Imperial Forest Army had surrounded the scene for several miles, and unrelated personnel were not allowed to enter or leave at will.


    Zhao Ling followed Meng Tianluo and Lu Ziqing into the encirclement of the Imperial Forest Army, and all the soldiers of the Imperial Forest Army were dumbfounded.


    How could this beautiful beauty like flowers enter such a dirty and filthy place? It was said that the corpse of the palace maid was extremely terrifying, and even they dare not look closely. They hoped this beauty would not collapse from fright after waiting.


    Of course Zhao Ling didn''t notice the surprised expressions of these sergeants. As soon as she walked into the scene of the crime, she started the work mode, and the people around exuded a strange look.


    How long had it been since an autopsy was performed by her? She felt like her scalpel was rusting due to lack of use.


    Looking at the body of the palace maid, she saw that it was placed on the bank of the lotus pond, covered with a layer of white cloth.


    Zhao Ling approached the corpse, squatted down and lifted the white cloth covering it. A strong smell of blood rushed to her face, Zhao Ling couldn''t help frowning, and scolded Meng Tianluo in her heart.


    It was not too early to ask her to help investigate the case, but at least she could prepare have prepared for it, and bring a pair of masks and gloves.


    Just as she was thinking about it, a white cotton mask was handed over beside her. She looked up and saw Lu Ziqing''s unnatural expression.


    She raised her eyebrows, nodded at his foresight, and put the mask on her face conveniently.


    This Lu Ziqing seemed to be accustomed to the things she had shown him in the past, only the gloves were missing. Even the little things were considered. Yes, people could be taught.


    Wearing the mask, she continued to examine the body.


    Due to being soaked in the lotus pond, the corpse was slightly swollen, and the state of death was indeed terrifying. The entire head was cut off along the neck, and five bloody words were engraved on the shirtless chest.


    GIVE ME BACK MY LIFE.


    It looked especially shocking under the white skin print.


    Lu Ziqing always thought that he was brave, but when he saw the corpse in front of him, he still felt a chill in his heart. He couldn''t help but look at Zhao Ling, who was looking at the corpse with her eyebrows knitted slightly together.


    Was this Zhao Ling a woman? No, was she a human?


    And Meng Tianluo, after smelling the bloody scent, retreated far away from the encirclement of the Imperial Forest Army. Seeing Zhao Ling squatting beside the corpse with a focused look on her face, an eye-catching light radiated from his whole body for no reason. His heart suddenly throbbed, and skipped a beat for no reason.


    Since she was not wearing gloves, Zhao Ling didn''t flip over the corpse at will. "According to a preliminary inspection, the time of death should be around today''s Early Hours. The deceased''s head was cut by a sharp weapon, and the words on her chest should have been pierced with an embroidery needle or a silver needle. But The cause of death of the deceased, as well as whether her head was cut during her lifetime or after her death, and whether these words were stabbed during her lifetime or after her death, will not be known until further autopsy."


    Zhao Ling stood up, took off his mask, and told Lu Ziqing what he found.


    Lu Ziqing nodded and instructed the people of the Department of Justice to transport the body to the morgue of the Department of Justice to wait for Zhao Ling''s further autopsy.


    Turning around, he found that Zhao Ling had already started a careful search along the lotus pond, so he also stepped up.


    "Did Master Lu find out the identity of this palace maid?" Zhao Ling asked Lu Ziqing while carefully examining the footprints by the pool and the surrounding vegetation.


    Lu Ziqing shook his head, "Because the head hasn''t been found yet, and there are too many women in the palace, we haven''t found out yet."


    The footprints by the pool were a little messy, probably because the Imperial Forest Army salvaged the body just now. The two walked around the pool slowly. On a verdant branch, Zhao Ling found a small piece of black cloth.


    After examining it carefully, Lu Ziqing said, "It should be from night clothes."


    "En." Zhao Ling nodded in agreement.


    However, at that moment, Zhao Ling seemed to smell a faint aroma.

 Chapter 88 - Further Investigation At The Lotus Pond

    Although this fragrance was extremely light, even if it seemed to be absent, it made Zhao Ling, who has always had a keen sense of smell, have a familiar feeling. She picked up the black cloth and put it in front of her nose and smelled it carefully.


    That was right, the aroma came from this strip of cloth. And she must have smelled this fragrance somewhere else. She had always been sensitive to smells and couldn''t go wrong. In this, she had full confidence.


    Her eyebrows were furrowed involuntarily, which was her habitual behaviour when she was thinking.


    Lu Ziqing felt that he must have been working overtime for days and was confused. Seeing Zhao Ling''s furrowing brows, he had the urge to reach out and smooth them out.


    Just as he was trying his best to control his abnormal impulse, Zhao Ling suddenly cried out as if he had an epiphany: "Yes, I see!"


    Lu Ziqing was startled, and quickly shook his head, and asked calmly, "What did Princess Xuan find?"


    Seeing Zhao Ling''s bright eyes and her pretty face glowing at this moment, Lu Ziqing felt his heart beating faster, and he couldn''t take his eyes away from her.


    Zhao Ling naturally didn''t know Lu Ziqing''s mind, so she wasn''t concerned with this. She was only worried about her discovery.


    How many people in the harem would be implicated by this discovery, and what kind of impact it would have on the palace, she really had no idea. But as a professional forensic doctor, all she has to do was to speak for the deceased. Any discovery was an important clue and must not be concealed at all.


    Due to the importance of the matter, it would be too much for people to leak the news. Zhao Ling leaned close to Lu Ziqing''s ear and said softly, "The fragrance on this cloth is the same as the fragrance on Concubine Li''s body."


    As the soft voice of Zhao Ling sounded beside his ears, and her faint fragrance drifted into his nose, Lu Ziqing only felt a booming surge of blood in his body, even his ears were hot.


    He swore that he really used his greatest self-control to resist this casual temptation, but his hands were still uncontrollably trying to wrap around Zhao Ling''s waist.


    "Ling''er!"


    At this moment, a low cry came from not far away, with obvious displeasure, as if trying to suppress an anger.


    It was the voice of King Xuan!


    Lu Ziqing''s face froze, he calmly put down his hands. He quickly made fists with both hands, and hid them in the wide sleeves of the official uniform to hide his gaffe.


    Zhao Ling was overjoyed when she heard the familiar voice, and turned to look at the source of the voice.


    A man in mysterious clothes, cold as jade, cold and arrogant, but domineering, was sitting in a wheelchair, glaring at her angrily, with a dark face.


    What was wrong with this guy? Zhao Ling couldn''t help laughing when she saw his awkward appearance. It was inexplicable.


    Since the corpse was salvaged, the footprints at the scene were messy, and there was no need for rubbing. The Royal Forest Army carried out a comprehensive salvage and search of the lotus pond and its vicinity, but did not find the head of the deceased.


    The body had also been transported to the Ministry of Justice, and the next step was to conduct an autopsy on the body.


    It could be said that the on-site investigation has basically been completed, so Zhao Ling proposed to Lu Ziqing. "Lord Lu, it''s done here. Can we go?"


    "Of course, Princess Xuan, please." Luckily, Lu Ziqing was extremely self-controlled. He tried his best to adjust his emotions, and he was basically back to normal.


    Zhao Ling nodded and took the lead in walking towards Meng Yuan''s direction. After standing in front of him, she squatted down and looked at him.


    Seeing that his handsome face was tense and seemed to be uncontrollably angry, Zhao Ling raised her hand to cover his hand holding the wheelchair. His hands were as cold as before, so she rubbed the back of his hand a few times with some distress, and said helplessly. "What''s wrong?"


    Meng Yuan was really angry. It was useless for him to be angry with himself, and he involved her in the mess around him time and time again.


    He would never forget the scene where she was suffering from snake venom and could only self-mutilate in the Wuji Sect cave. When he found her, she trusted him with all her heart and whispered "Take me away". That was just one of those scenes. He always brought her such dangers, but she always believed in him, followed him, comforted him, and helped him.


    He had sworn that he would protect her well in the future, and never let her fall into any danger. But now, he had lost some confidence, and he didn''t know if he still had this qualification of confidence because there were some things that even he didn''t know how to deal with.


    To him, both Feng Ze and Lu Ziqing seemed to be better choices for her than himself, but he couldn''t do it. No matter what, he couldn''t let her go. Without Ling''er''s company, he believed he couldn''t live at all.


    Despite seeing the angry look on King Xuan''s face, Lu Ziqing could only eat a humble pie and bow his head in salute. "Xiaguan Lu Ziqing has met Lord Xuan."


    Meng Yuan glared at him coldly. "Lord Lu, you''d better remember your own identity."


    Hmph, did he think this king couldn''t see it? When Ling''er was talking to him just now, he was obviously lost in his own thought, that he forgot about his own hands.


    The moment he saw Zhao Ling and Lu Ziqing whispering in their ears, he seemed to have the urge to kill.. If he hadn''t believed in Ling''er, Lu Ziqing would have been crushed to ashes at this moment.

 Chapter 89 - Linger, Dont Get So Close To Other Men

    Immediately, he gave Zhao Ling another sad look. Ling''er, how could you get so close to other men? It was easy to know what they want.


    This guy really had the talent to change his facial expression in an instant. Zhao Ling secretly laughed. It was just that she usually saw that he was quite friendly to Lu Ziqing, but why did he suddenly change his face today?


    Meng Tianluo approached just at this moment, and said to Meng Yuan with a smile on his face but not a smile on his face: "Prince Xuan really likes looking at the future princess very closely. Because he couldn''t get enough of her, he had to follow her after a while. It''s no wonder at all. After all, the future princess Xuan is calm, wise, and courageous. She is indeed a rare and strange woman, even this king can''t help but be moved, haha..."


    Zhao Ling frowned. How could Meng Tianluo be so frivolous!


    Seeing that Meng Yuan''s eyes darkened, she seemed to turn her face on the spot, she patted the back of his hand, shook her head gently at him, stood up and smiled coldly at Meng Tianluo''s wild smile. "l commend King Luo has for his courage and confidence. After all, he is better than those who ran away when they saw the headless body."


    Meng Tianluo''s face that was still laughing just now turned gloomy upon hearing this. This was mocking him for not daring to see the headless female corpse just now. He stared at Zhao Ling fiercely, his eyes bursting with anger, as if to tear her to pieces.


    No one had ever dared to speak to him like that, and no one could ever look down on him. This woman, he would regret what she said today.


    On the carriage to the Justice department, Meng Yuan hugged Zhao Ling tightly in his arms, as if in this way, he would feel better after so many days of coldness and emptiness.


    "A-Yuan, are you hiding something from me?" Zhao Ling moved uncomfortably in his arms and asked anxiously.


    This guy had not been normal since he entered the palace that day.


    Meng Yuan squeezed a very bitter smile over her head. He knew that Zhao Ling didn''t like that he had something to hide from her. On that day, he remembered that she said on the boat that two people who love each other should be frank with each other.


    But how could he talk about this matter? So he could only shake his head and choose silence.


    Seeing that he was unwilling to speak, Zhao Ling did not force it. If he didn''t say it, there was always a reason. She knew that Meng Yuan was not a person who was indifferent.


    "By the way, A-Yuan, did you know Concubine Li before?" Zhao Ling was thinking about the case in her heart, suddenly remembering this, she raised her head and asked him seriously.


    Meng Yuan was stunned for a moment, his eyes blank for a moment. "Concubine Li, who is she?"


    Zhao Ling rolled her eyes at him, "Concubine Li is the most favored concubine by the emperor nowadays, don''t you know?"


    The emperor''s favorite concubine? How could knew that? He didn''t even know what Concubine Li looked like. Meng Yuan looked at her innocently.


    Seeing that he didn''t seem to be pretending, it seemed that Meng Yuan did not know Concubine Li, but Zhao Ling was sure that she was not wrong that Concubine Li felt different about Meng Yuan. If that was the whole thing, then it was concubine Li''s unilateral problem.


    Seeing Zhao Ling frowning again and falling into thought, Meng Yuan was dissatisfied with her ignoring her, raised his hand to touch her frowning eyebrows, and said coquettishly. "Ling''er, talk to me."


    Seeing his appearance, Zhao Ling couldn''t help laughing. "Meng Yuan, how old are you?"


    Meng Yuan''s face flushed, and when he remembered the scene where she and Lu Ziqing whispered in the ear just now, his heart was sour, he hugged her and said in a muffled voice, "Stay away from Lu Ziqing in the future."


    It turned out this guy was jealous! Thinking of his angry look in the lotus pond just now, Zhao Ling''s mouth curved up. No wonder she kept giving Lu Ziqing a stinky face just now.


    Just her and Lu Ziqing? Where was this going? You were so inexplicably jealous. Zhao Ling deliberately made a serious face and said, "What should I do, when we have to perform an autopsy? I have to share a room with him, and I like autopsy cases, and I may go to the Justice department from time to time to work with him. So, I can''t keep away from him."


    She won''t be like the daughter of the minister here, who spent all day in her own small courtyard, doing things that are meaningless to her, such as fluttering butterflies and enjoying flowers, hurting in the spring and autumn, reciting poetry and painting, and dressing up.


    She had her own life plan, and in this plan, she was bound to deal with many people, including Lu Ziqing.


    Lu Ziqing''s appointment as the next minister of Justice was already a certainty, and she would continue to investigate the case and perform autopsy and use her expertise without his support.


    When Meng Yuan heard her words, his face was lost and sad, as if his whole body had cooled down.


    Seeing him eating, Zhao Ling chuckled and decided not to tease him anymore, leaned in and kissed him on the face, and said softly, "Don''t worry, he and I are just colleagues at most. I like you, A-Yuan. "


    Hearing her saying "I like you, A-Yuan", Meng Yuan finally showed the most sincere smile in the past two days. He clutched Zhao Ling''s shoulders tightly, his eyes shone with a scorching light, which seemed to melt everything, and Zhao Ling''s heart trembled when he saw it.


    "Ling''er." With a soft call, his voice was still low and hoarse, which sounded so sexy to Zhao Ling''s ears.. She looked at him as tenderly as water, and Meng Yuan couldn''t help but bow his head and kissed her lips, tossing and turning.

 Chapter 90 - Autopsy Of The Palace Maid [I]

    Penal Morgue.


    Qin Niansheng was standing beside the morgue, sighing.


    It had been a few months, and the replacement for Master had not yet arrived. The last one that was arranged to take over from the Justice Department was robbed by Dali Temple again. Therefore, in the past few months, under the strong pressure of Lu Ziqing, Qin Niansheng''s life was really bleak, and he lived like this for a year.


    To make matters worse, he heard that the charitable and kind-hearted Lord Dong was about to retire and return to his hometown, and the next Minister of Justice must be the black-faced Lord Lu.


    "Alas!" Qin Niansheng couldn''t help but sighed heavily. Maybe he should also think about whether this job was suitable for him or not. Whether he should call it a day and find a way out.


    But what should he do with the corpse in front of him?


    According to the elder brother of the Yacha who transported the corpse, the deceased was a little maid in the emperor''s palace. Since she was a little palace maid, she must be a young girl. How could this young woman who was as pure as heaven''s due be killed brutally?


    "Hmm!" A majestic cough interrupted his boundless thoughts.


    This voice, Qin Niansheng was all too familiar with, it was the black-faced Lord Lu who had returned.


    He was shocked, and immediately returned to his senses, turned to the door and bowed his head in salute. "Qin Niansheng, see Master Lu."


    The black-faced Lord Lu did not respond to him, but turned his head behind him, and said in a rare and respectful tone: "King Xuan, Princess Xuan, please."


    Under Qin Niansheng''s tongue-tied gaze, two people entered the door of the morgue.


    No, to be precise, it should be one person and one wheelchair.


    A beautiful woman with a beautiful face like a fairy, pushed a noble young man who was even more handsome and colder than the black-faced Lord Lu, and slowly walked into the morgue, and instantly made this eerie morgue look like a corpse.


    It was so bright that Qin Niansheng felt that the light in the room brightened a lot in an instant, which was a bit dazzling.


    Fortunately, he was also clever. After listening to Lu Ziqing''s words just now, the two seem to be King Xuan and Princess Xuan. So he quickly knelt on the ground and saluted the two of them.


    "Little man Qin Niansheng, pay homage to Lord Xuan, Princess Xuan."


    "Puchi!" Zhao Ling hadn''t seen Qin Niansheng for many days. Seeing that he still looked like a dog''s leg, she couldn''t help laughing softly, and said to him with a smile, "Brother Qin, don''t be too polite, get up."


    Brother Qin? After Qin Niansheng got up, he raised his head in apprehension. Why did he feel that this title made him look very dangerously familiar? He was sure he had never seen this woman before. Certainly, this was the first time he was seeing this unparalleled beauty and elegant temperament, Princess Xuan.


    Anyone who had seen this fairy-like beauty would not easily forget it.


    Meng Yuan was displeased when he saw this little boy staring at Zhao Ling for a moment, with a stunned look on his face, he scolded in a cold tone. "Presumptuous!"


    This scolding, neither light nor serious, was heard by Qin Niansheng. It was a bit more majestic than the black-faced Lord Lu''s scolding. His legs softened, he thumped, and fell to his knees again, but he didn''t know where he was provoking him. He had to bow his head and say nothing, his thin body trembling slightly.


    Zhao Ling glared at Meng Yuan in dissatisfaction. It was nothing to be so fierce, it seemed that Qin Niansheng was frightened.


    In fact, she still had a good impression of Qin Niansheng. Although this person was a little lazy, but he had a strong comprehension ability, a little bit of insight, and a simple mind. Given time, he would definitely be an excellent work.


    But the premise of it all was that he himself liked the profession.


    Meng Yuan just snorted coldly and turned his head away without saying a word.


    This fellow, who was pestering her on the carriage just now, insisted on coming in to see her autopsy together. If she knew it would be awkward like this, he would not have been allowed to follow her.


    Zhao Ling rolled her eyes at him and said softly to Qin Niansheng, "Little brother Qin, get up and take me to see the corpse that was brought in just now."


    King Xuan and Princess Xuan came all the way here to see a corpse? Although Qin Niansheng was surprised, he didn''t dare to ask more and glanced at Lu Ziqing.


    Lu Ziqing had a straight face, and nodded to Qin Niansheng with an ugly face.


    Since the black-faced Lord Lu had no opinion, Qin Niansheng had nothing to say, so he led the three of them to the morgue.


    Standing next to the corpse, Zhao Ling felt that her sense of existence had returned. She nodded to Lu Ziqing as if she had suddenly changed someone and said, "Master Lu, let''s start the autopsy."


    What? Hearing this, Qin Niansheng staggered and almost fell. Was he hallucinating? Did he hear it wrong? What this beautiful princess Xuan just said... was an autopsy?


    But obviously Lu Ziqing didn''t have time for him to continue making a fuss. He looked at Qin Niansheng and ordered in a deep voice, "Qin Zuozuo, do hurry up and prepare!"


    Qin Niansheng shivered, and immediately took out the full set of autopsy equipment that he had prepared just now.


    Zhao Ling''s eyes lit up. It seems that this Lu Ziqing has made great progress. This set of equipment is very complete, not only a mask, a glove, a jacket, but also several scalpels with different shapes.


    Zhao Ling gave Lu Ziqing an approving look.


    Lu Ziqing''s serious and handsome face was a little unnatural. In fact, he just drew the gourd according to what Zhao Ling brought when he pretended to be Mo Xin''s while performing the autopsy last time, there was really nothing to show off.


    Meng Yuan was displeased when he saw the wordless exchange between the two, Yuan''s face showed obvious dissatisfaction, he stepped forward and took her hand, and called out in a low voice: "Ling''er."

 Chapter 91 - Autopsy Of The Palace Maid [II]

    Seeing Meng Yuan''s unprincipled display of jealousy, Zhao Ling glared at him angrily, then put on her jacket, put on a mask and gloves, turned her back to Meng Yuan, and glanced at him. "A-Yuan, help me tie the belt."


    It was really inconvenient to wear gloves to tie the belt behind the waist, but if she found Lu Ziqing and Qin Niansheng to be the tie, she knew that this guy would turn his face on the spot.


    Meng Yuan raised his hand with a serious expression and helped Zhao Ling tie a knot behind his waist with a very clumsy gesture, but the expression on his face softened a lot.


    Qin Niansheng was shocked when he saw Zhao Ling''s fully armed appearance. He widened his eyes, pointed at her, and stammered, "You...you...you are Mr. Mo Xinmo?"


    He couldn''t get it wrong, such eyes, such aura, must be Mo Xin, whose autopsy skills were super invincible.


    Zhao Ling only had a pair of eyes on her. Hearing the words, she gave him a "you''re not too stupid" look. Then, without hesitation, the white cloth covering the corpse was lifted, and a bloated female corpse without a head appeared in front of them.


    Qin Niansheng had not recovered from the shocking incident of "Princess Xuan is Mo Xin", he turned his head and suddenly saw the corpse on the bed, he couldn''t help but let out an "ah", and his body jumped in fright.


    After he came to the Justice Department, he asked himself that he had seen many corpses with various forms of death, but the corpse that appeared in front of him still gave him a creepy feeling. This way of dying is so horrific! He suddenly felt nauseous.


    Here, Zhao Ling had already started the inspection.


    "The deceased, female, between the ages of 14 and 16, 5''2" tall, died around the time of today''s ugly."


    Looking back at Qin Niansheng, he couldn''t recover from the fright. He frowned, and said with some displeasure, "Brother Qin, write it down."


    As a duo, not being afraid of corpses is the minimum professional quality. This Qin Niansheng still needs experience.


    Qin Niansheng was stunned when he saw Zhao Ling''s majestic gaze, and immediately lowered his head and started writing, his face was pale, and his heart was full of mixed feelings.


    "The deceased''s head was cut by a sharp weapon, and it has not been found yet. The words on the deceased''s chest were stabbed with silver needles. Judging from the degree of contraction and bleeding of the neck wound, the deceased should have been cut off after death."


    Zhao Ling came to a conclusion after carefully examining the neck wound.


    "The tattoo on the chest of the deceased, according to the size of the bleeding point, should also be stabbed after death."


    Zhao Ling checked the bleeding spots on the chest one by one, and suddenly paused, as if she had noticed. "Wait a minute, this bleeding spot in the heart of the deceased seems to be different from other places, Mr. Lu, come and take a look."


    Hearing this, Lu Ziqing immediately stepped forward and took a closer look under Zhao Ling''s guidance. Sure enough, the bleeding point at the heart seems to be a little deeper, and the bleeding range is also a little bigger.


    "I suspect this is the fatal wound of the deceased. However, we will have to wait for an autopsy to make a conclusion."


    Lu Ziqing nodded, agreeing with Zhao Ling''s inference.


    Next is the examination of the lower body. This move made the three men present feel a bit embarrassed.


    Lu Ziqing was relatively calm. The last time he saw Zhao Ling examining the lower body of a male body, hser face remained unchanged, let alone a female corpse.


    Although Meng Yuan''s face was a bit ugly, but fortunately, the forbearance skills were first-class, and he did not show it very clearly.


    The most embarrassing one was Qin Niansheng. This kid happened to be in adolescence, and it was when he had all kinds of beautiful fantasies about women. Now that he was shown such a scene at once, it was estimated that it would have a psychological shadow on his future life.


    Only Zhao Ling''s face remained the same, and her tone remained steady. "The lower body of the deceased was unremarkable, and no signs of violation were found. There was a blue birthmark on the top of the buttocks, and no abnormality was found in the rest."


    Zhao Ling raised her head from the corpse and instructed Qin Niansheng, "Prepare for an autopsy."


    Qin Niansheng hurriedly handed over the scalpel prepared by the side.


    Zhao Ling took the knife and kindly reminded Lu Ziqing and Qin Niansheng who were close by. "The corpse didn''t die for a long time, and there may be a lot of bleeding. Stand away."


    As she neatly cut the knife through her chest, with a "pop" sound, a column of blood spurted out from her chest. Zhao Ling was prepared and avoided it at the right time. The blood splashed on the bed, and on the ground.


    Lu Ziqing and Qin Niansheng gave her a grateful look, because the place where the blood splattered was exactly where the two of them stood just now. If Zhao Ling didn''t remind them, the blood would all splatter on both of them.


    But Zhao Ling didn''t have the time to accept their thanks. She had nothing else to focus on now, only the corpse was in her eyes.


    After some internal and external inspections, no abnormality was found in the rest of the organs, only a thin and long silver needle was stabbed into the heart of the deceased!


    The silver needle firmly pierced the heart of the deceased. This was the real cause of the death of the palace maid.


    Most of them were women who used silver needles as weapons.. Coupled with the aroma that Zhao Ling found on the black cloth, it seemed that all the clues pointed to Concubine Li.

 Chapter 92 - What Is Going On Here?

    Lu Ziqing frowned deeply, feeling embarrassed. Concubine Li was the emperor''s most favored concubine, and she liked the harem, even the empress would give her accolades. In the absence of conclusive evidence, if he rashly testified that she was the murderer, wouldn''t it cause him a lot of trouble?


    Zhao Ling also knew that this matter was particularly difficult. It was not appropriate to rashly testify that Concubine Li was the murderer just based on these two clues.


    In the end, Lu Ziqing decided to temporarily suppress these two clues. The most urgent task was to first determine the identity of the palace maid. And Li Fei was undoubtedly the biggest suspect in this case, but her investigation could be carried out in secret.


    After entering the palace yesterday, she first had to deal with the members of the royal family, and then she was forced to treat Emperor Ming. She stayed awake in the Funing Hall all night, and then she encountered a murder case early the following morning and was decreed to investigate the murder and carry out an autopsy.


    Zhao Ling''s spirit had always been in a state of high pressure. At this moment, on the carriage returning to the Duke''s Mansion, nestled in Meng Yuan''s arms, as soon as she relaxed, she felt a little drowsy.


    Another reason was that she apeared to have become more and more accustomed to Meng Yuan''s embrace. As long as she was held by him, she felt inexplicably at ease, and naturally fell asleep easily.


    When she woke up, she found that the carriage had stopped.


    "A-Yuan, are we there yet?" She rubbed her eyes and sat up sleepily from his arms.


    Seeing her sleepy and dazed appearance, Meng Yuan''s belly felt hot, and he couldn''t help taking her into his arms again, whispering in her ear, "Ling''er, are you tempting me? "


    Zhao Ling was keenly aware of the change in his body, and her face flushed, struggling to say, "Meng Yuan, you rascal!"


    Was he trying to sleep with her on the carriage now? Did this guy have any morals?


    A low, deep and slightly teasing laughter sounded above her head. Afterwards, Meng Yuan let go of her reluctantly, pecked her lips lightly, and said softly, "We''re at your home. You can go back now."


    If it went on like this, he was afraid that he would really be unable to hold on to it and sleep with her on the carriage. Heaven knew how much he longed for her.


    Only when Ling''er was by his side would he feel that his heart was calm and warm.


    His Ling''er.


    Whether she was concentrating and earnest during an autopsy, lazy and confused when she just woke up, frowning slightly when she was thinking about a problem, or smiling gently when comforting him, all of them were so impressive and moving to him. He was deeply infatuated with her, unable to extricate himself.


    Zhao Ling lifted the curtain and jumped out of the carriage, but was startled by the scene in front of her.


    She saw that all the people in the Zhao''s mansion were standing at the door in unison, looking at her with different expressions. This includes Zhao Yi''an, Cui Shi, Zhao Gaoxuan, Zhao Mingxuan, and several other concubines, and of course the servants in the house.


    What was happening here? Was there a big fight here?


    Seeing Zhao Jiang standing at the front with an ugly face, she had to step up and call. "Father." Then she called out to Cui Shi, who was standing behind with an even more ugly face. "Mother."


    Cui Shi''s vicious eyes shot at her like a knife. Zhao Jiang just snorted lightly, ignored her, and said respectfully to the carriage of the Xuan Wangfu that turned around and left. "Respectfully send Xuan Wang."


    After watching the carriage go away, he glared at Zhao Ling angrily, and said, "Hmph, you are really good at this, aren''t you?"


    After speaking, he turned around and walked away, thinking.


    Yesterday, the Third Prince sent someone to inform him that he wanted to keep Zhao Ling in the palace to serve the sick emperor. Today, King Xuan personally brought her to the door, and even made him wait at the door for so long.


    When did his daughter become so difficult for him?


    Also, why didn''t he remember that his eldest daughter had studied medicine. He heard that the emperor had been ill for several days, and even the imperial physician was helpless. How could she cure the emperor''s acute illness so easily?


    Cui''s resentful and jealous eyes shot at Zhao Ling again, and then followed Zhao Jiang back to the mansion.


    Zhao Mingxuan looked at her with bright eyes, smiling as he was about to go up to chat with Zhao Ling, but Sun shi just took him away. Zhao Gaoxuan turned her head away with a look of hatred and indignation.


    The rest of the concubine and servants all bade Zhao Ling good day, and went back to their houses.


    Mother Xu, Lu zhu, and Qing Luo came up to meet her, looking at her with smiles, and the expressions on their faces were very heart-warming and interesting.


    Mother Xu took Zhao Ling''s hand, and said comfortingly, "Miss, seeing that King Xuan is so considerate to you, this old slave is relieved."


    "That''s right, Miss, Lord Xuan is really kind to you." Lu Zhu took her hand with inexplicable excitement on her face.


    Zhao Ling was at a loss for words for a few seconds. Then, with a puzzled expression on her face, and asked, "What the hell is going on, what are everyone doing standing at the door?"


    Lv Zhu said proudly: "Prince Xuan brought you back to the mansion in person, that''s a lot of face. Of course, your father and stepmother would come out to greet him. But the lady was still sleeping at the time, and the prince forbade us to wake you up, saying that we had to wait for the lady. They could greet him when you wake up. If the miss didn''t wake up on time, the lord and wife would naturally have to wait at the door all the time!"


    Thinking of the scene just now, Lu Zhu felt happy, and on a whim, she even imitated the tone of Chang Dong when he conveyed King Xuan''s order.


    "Miss, that''s what the dead-face guard said just now," Lu Zhu hummed, cleared his throat, and began to imitate him.


    "The lord ordered that everyone should come out to greet him, but not to disturb the princess. He''ll talk about everything when the princess wakes up."


    When Lu Zhu said this, she laughed happily again, "Miss, you didn''t see the expression on your old man''s wife''s face at that time. Haha, it was so funny!"


    Indeed, it was so!

 Chapter 93 - Zhao Ling, You Are Needed Again

    Mother Xu, Lu Zhu and Qingluo laughed happily, but Zhao Ling was depressed. Now, probably the whole of the province knknowew that she and King Xuan went back to the mansion in a carriage, while she was sleeping soundly in the carriage.


    She suddenly remembered that on the carriage just now, she had called him "a rogue", and anyone who heard it would understand that she was flirting. And it was so quiet at the time that everyone probably heard it.


    She felt that she was really humiliated and lost face this time.


    Seeing the little fox who jumped into her arms excitedly, she remembered that she forgot to ask Situ Gong about the antidote for the cold poison just now.


    She didn''t know when the antidote would be ready. She always felt that Meng Yuan''s face seemed to be getting paler and paler these days, and there was almost no flesh on his cheeks, and she didn''t know if he was eating on time.


    Alas, she held her forehead and sighed, she might have been really tired these two days.


    For the next few days, Zhao Ling had been resting in her courtyard named Fengheyuan, to make up for her lost sleep times and recuperate. During this time, she lived a relaxed and comfortable life.


    Because of the shocking power of Meng Yuan bringing her back to the mansion in person last time, the entire palace was now respectful to her, as if she had been declared as the concubine Xuan. Last time at the gate of the Zhao''s mansion, didn''t Lord Xuan admit that the eldest young lady was the princess?


    Zhao Ruo had been married off, Cui Shi couldn''t slap her again, and she had no one to find fault with her anymore. So she naturally lived a comfortable life.


    Now her only concern was finding out if the antidote for Meng Yuan''s cold poison had been prepared.


    It had been many days since returning from Suzhou, but Situ Gong had not moved at all, let alone her, even the little girl was a little impatient. When will he come to take the fox''s blood, so that he could be mentally prepared.


    Originally, she wanted to go to Xuanwang''s mansion to ask, but after the last time Meng Yuan sent her back to the mansion, she was a little hesitant. After all, she and him have not yet married, and the last incident had made some people look at her in a different light. If she was to there again, she would really lose her reputation and face.


    After all, this was in ancient times, and some things couldn''t be measured by her former world''s modern standards.


    As for the case of the headless female corpse in the palace, that was something Lu Ziqing should be worried about.


    But what Zhao Ling didn''t expect was that a few days later, in the morning, Lu Ziqing would send someone to the Duke''s Mansion to invite her.


    The person who came to invite her was Zhan Zhao, the chief officer of the Criminal Department.


    Every time Zhao Ling saw Zhan Zhao, she thought of the royal cat Zhanzhao in "Bao Qingtian", because the names and occupations of the two were so similar. The only difference was their looks.


    She remembered that when she first heard his self-introduction, she was sitting in the lobby of the Ministry of Justice drinking tea, and when she heard the words, she almost spit out a sip of tea that she just drank.


    This burly man with a black beard and a voice like a bell, how could there be a little bit of the appearance of the extraordinary royal cat Zhan zhao in "Bao Qingtian"!


    Zhan Zhao saw Zhao Ling who nodded to him with a smile on her face, a slight blush appeared on his black face, but fortunately he was rough and thick, and others didn''t see it.


    He quickly lowered his head and said to Zhao Ling respectfully, "Zhan Zhao has seen Princess Xuan before. Princess Xuan, my lord has invited you."


    No way, it was because Princess Xuan was so beautiful that he didn''t dare to look directly at her.


    Zhao Ling sighed helplessly. She hadn''t entered the Xuanwang Mansion yet, why do these people always treated like princess of Xuanwang mansion?


    But after being called too many times, she seemed to be a little used to listening to it, and had long stopped worrying about it. Why did Lu Ziqing just invite her to the Criminal Department? Want to do an autopsy for him again?


    But after examining the body of the palace maid last time, Meng Yuan had clearly warned him that he should not disturb her easily.


    She remember that after coming out of the morgue of the Justice Department, Meng Yuan said with a cold face and sarcasm: "Lord Lu, the dignified Justice Department can''t even do a single job, is this still a good thing? According to this king, in the future, Lord Lu''s position will be considered Even if you take the seat of the Minister of Justice, you won''t be able to sit for long."


    This fellow''s tongue-in-cheek verbal assault was getting more and more powerful. Even she felt that these words were too much, not to mention Lu Ziqing, who had a high self-esteem, how ugly his face was at that time.


    How come after these few days, he ignored Meng Yuan''s warning and came to her.


    "Zhan Zhao, can you tell me why your lord is looking for me?" Zhao Ling felt that it would be better to ask more clearly, so as not to go to the Justice department from time to time and make Meng Yuan displeased.


    When did you actually care about his thoughts so much? Zhao Ling couldn''t help but secretly asked herself.


    Zhan Zhao still lowered his head and replied, "Another palace maid died in the palace, and the method of murder was exactly the same as last time. The murderer has been caught on the spot.. The adults think that it is necessary to ask Princess Xuan to come and take a look."

 Chapter 94 - Autopsy Of The Second Maid [I]

    Two headless female corpses lay side by side in the morgue of the Ministry of Justice.


    When Zhao Ling followed Lu Ziqing into the morgue again, she found that besides Qin Niansheng, there was also a middle-aged man in his fifties with small eyes and fat ears, making him slightly fatter.


    After listening to Qin Niansheng''s introduction, she learned that the man''s name was Feng Jin, and it was Lu Ziqing''s second work from Dali Temple.


    This Lu Ziqing was probably hurt by Meng Yuan''s poisonous and harsh tongue last time, so he didn''t dare to trouble Zhao Ling again, so he had to ask Dali temple to give him someone.


    This Dasheng Dynasty was so lacking in organized work that it actually wanted the next Minister of Justice to borrow someone from the Dali Temple. Zhao Ling couldn''t help but secretly laughed.


    It was just that Feng Jin felt much better about himself because he was, at this moment, the second in qualification ranking. Relying on his rich experience, he couldn''t help but look contemptuous when he saw that Lu Ziqing invited a weak girl.


    "Does Master Lu look down on this old man? Even if he is not satisfied with the autopsy results of this old man, he should find a decent person. Why should he find a little girl to tarnish this old man''s reputation?"


    Zhao Ling raised her eyebrows. It seemed that this old man was a bit arrogant.


    Due to his rare talent, Lu Ziqing was very tolerant towards Feng Jin. "Feng Jin has been thinking too much. Just because the corpse was examined by Princess Xuan last time, she was specially invited to give Feng Jin some advice."


    So you said that last time the body was examined by this little girl? Feng Jin''s small eyes widened a little bit in surprise. If nothing else, Feng Jin could see that the suture technique after the autopsy was absolutely professional.


    He really couldn''t see how a mere little girl had such ability.


    She was just a dignified princess, how could she still do such a perfect thing? Feng Jin really couldn''t figure it out.


    Zhao Ling was not a person who liked to be too polite when work was involved. After saying hello to Feng Jin, she walked over to the two corpses and began to examine them.


    On the other hand, Lu Ziqing introduced to Zhao Ling some details of the discovery of the body and the capture of the murderer.


    "The place where the body was found was also the same lotus pond last time. Early this morning, a young eunuch on duty passed by the lotus pond, and saw a man in black throw a white flower into the pond. The little eunuch screamed out. The sound attracted guards who were patrolling nearby. Later, the guards captured the man in black after a hunt."


    "The man in black has pleaded guilty?" Zhao Ling asked while examining the body.


    "Confessed." Lu Ziqing''s expression was as solemn as ever.


    Habitually, Zhao Ling frowned slightly. It sounded like a perfect fit, but she always felt that it should not be so simple.


    On the surface, the method of attack on the two bodies appears to be identical. The head was also cut off by a sharp weapon, and the words "GIVE ME BACK MY LIFE" were also engraved on the chest of the maid. And since these five words were originally written crookedly by the murderer, covering up his original handwriting, it was reasonable to say that they were written by the same person.


    "Is the fatal injury of the deceased also caused by the silver needle piercing the heart?" Zhao Ling saw that the corpse''s chest had been sutured, and she concluded that Feng Jin had already done an autopsy just now.


    "Exactly." Lu Ziqing replied in a deep voice.


    Feng Jin on the side said impatiently. "According to the judgment of this old man, the murder methods in these two cases are exactly the same, hence, the murderer on the two occasions should be the same person."


    How many times had he said it? How come this Lord Lu didn''t believe his words?


    "Master Lu has another opinion?" Zhao Ling asked Lu Ziqing, who had a dignified face.


    Since she was specially invited here, there must be some doubts.


    Lu Ziqing nodded, "I just think it''s too coincidental. Since the last palace maid died, the lotus pond has been heavily guarded. If the murderer wants to commit the crime again, this is not a favorable time."


    "So, Master Lu thinks this case may be deliberately done by the man in black?" Zhao Ling helped him express his thoughts.


    Lu Ziqing''s always sharp eyes showed some admiration. This woman had unique insights and clear thinking. Right now, he had a feeling of meeting a bosom friend in Zhao Ling.


    "Doing it on purpose? Could it be that this murderer is a pervert, deliberately killing and throwing corpses while the guards are on patrol, and then waiting for them to catch him?" Qin Niansheng asked inexplicably.


    Feng Jin also expressed doubts on his face.


    Zhao Ling ignored the questions of the two of them, she continued to lean down and carefully compared the differences between the two corpses.


    Suddenly, she showed a shallow smile, raised her head and said to Lu Ziqing, "Master Lu, your guess is correct."


    Her eyes were clear as crystals and her smile was like beautiful flowers, which made Lu Ziqing''s serious face froze for a moment, and he suddenly felt his heart beat a little faster.


    Knitting his brows together, he quickly suppressed this abnormal feeling and said coldly, "What did Princess Xuan find out?"


    Zhao Ling didn''t care either, pointing to the incisions in the necks of the two corpses and voiced to him. "The people who cut off the heads of the two dead maids are not the same person."


    Hearing this, the three present were all shocked, and immediately stepped forward to take a closer look.

 Chapter 95 - Autopsy Of The Second Maid [II]

    Zhao Ling pointed to the two incisions and explained, "Judging from the strength of the knife under the incision and the shape of the cut surface, the first murderer used his right hand, while the second murderer used his left hand."


    With Zhao Ling, Lu Ziqing and others discovered that it was indeed the case.


    "Where is the captured man in black now?" Zhao Ling asked.


    "Detained in the prison of the Ministry of Justice." Lu Ziqing replied.


    "What about his identity?"


    "It''s a big guard."


    "Is there a clue to the identities of the two palace maids?"


    "It has been confirmed that they were the maids who cleaned the cold palace. They were innocent and have nothing suspicious."


    It took so long to prove their identities because they were palace maids in the cold palace. In the palace, the cold palace has always been a place that is easily overlooked.


    "If the man in black is left-handed, he is the murderer of the second palace maid, but he definitely knows who is the real murderer of the first palace maid." Zhao Ling''s tone was flat and her expression was normal, but the conclusion she reached was very powerful.


    However, just when they wanted to go to the prison of the Ministry of Justice to interrogate the man in black, a message came from the prison. ~The man in black committed suicide by biting his tongue.~


    Justice prison, dark and gloomy.


    Since the man in black was the key clue to the murder in the palace, Lu Ziqing ordered him to be held in isolation and guard him properly.


    When Lu Ziqing, who received the news, arrived in a hurry, the head of the cell and the jailer were already kneeling on the ground, waiting for Lu Ziqing to reprimand him.


    Lu Ziqing was originally a cold and serious character. He was usually unsmiling and was known as "Dark Lord". Therefore, in the management of his subordinates, unlike Dong Runnian''s generosity and kindness, he was extremely strict.


    But now, the officers who were ordered to strictly guard the prisoner by Lord Lu, the Gloom Face, saw the prisoner committed suicide before their very eyes, which made the head of the cell and the guards really want to fall down and die. They could only pray to the heavens not to allow them to die horribly.


    Lu Ziqing was of course very angry, but when he saw such a scene, he felt helpless again. The people from the Ministry of Justice seemed to have had a very comfortable life.


    For the person in charge, it was the saddest thing to face a scenario such as this one.


    Thinking of this, he felt desolate for a while, but he waved his hands weakly, permitting them to get up, and report what really happened.


    Zhao Ling followed Lu Ziqing and walked slowly into the prison.


    The man in black who bit his tongue and committed suicide lay flat on the ground, his mouth full of blood.


    The man in black was very young, looking only in his twenties, with a tough face but handsome appearance.


    She crouched down to check and confirmed that the man in black was truly dead.


    In order to confirm her guess, she first began to check the hands of the man in black. Sure enough, he was left-handed and left-handed.


    "Is the identity of this inner guard suspicious?" Walking out of the prison, Zhao Ling asked Lu Ziqing.


    "His name was Ding Yifei, a native of Shandong. He joined the Imperial Forest Army two years ago and became a bodyguard in the inner circle. He was usually unknown, but his performance was acceptable, and he had no traces of suspicion on him." Lu Ziqing shook his head.


    "What about Concubine Li?" She still felt that Concubine Li was very suspicious.


    "Concubine Li''s maiden name is An Zhaorong. She is the daughter of An Yuandao, the magistrate of Heyang County. She entered the palace through the draft two years ago. A few days ago, I sent someone to visit Heyang County. I believe there will be results in the near future." Thinking of Concubine Li''s status in the palace, Lu Ziqing''s face became solemn and worried.


    She also came to the palace two years ago? Zhao Ling sharply grasped this point. Could this man in black have something to do with Concubine Li, and that the person he desperately wanted to protect was Concubine Li?


    But she didn''t tell Lu Ziqing her guess. As a professional forensic doctor, what she had to do was to speak for the corpse and use evidence to prove it, instead of using her own guesses to interfere with the thinking of the investigators.


    She believed that Lu Ziqing''s professional ability would definitely direct him through a certain part of investigation. So, what she could think of as important, he might not think of it the same way.


    Just seeing Lu Ziqing''s tired face, she felt some sympathy for him. As the son of the first assistant of the dynasty, he was in an important position at a young age. How many eyes were staring at him, and how many people wanted to fail openly. One could imagine the pressure he was under.


    Seeing that they had arrived at the entrance of the penal department, Zhao Ling comforted him by the way while saying her goodbyes to him.


    "I remember a case-solving expert who said that there is always only one truth, and that any difficult case will come to light one day, so Master Lu doesn''t have to worry too much. Wherever there''s need for me, I will do my best to help."


    I''m sorry, Lord Conan, but I just quoted your famous words first. Zhao Ling thought to herself.


    Zhao Ling''s words left Lu Ziqing stunned on the spot, his heart pounding. As the oldest son of Lu, in his life for more than 20 years, only the harshness of his father, the expectation of his mother, the dependence of his younger siblings, the burden of the family, and the coveting eyes of many around him, were the only things he had ever experienced.


    However, no one had ever said to him that I will help you, because they all felt that someone as strong as Lu Ziqing didn''t need help.


    But now, this gentle and weak woman said firmly to him that she would do her best to help him.


    This experience made Lu Ziqing''s hard-earned defenses collapse in an instant. He used all his self-control to prevent his eyes from revealing his inner excitement, and said in a hoarse voice, "Thank you...for your concern."


    He suddenly didn''t want to call her Concubine Xuan anymore, but he didn''t know what to call her for a while, so he had to refer to her vaguely.


    Naturally, Zhao Ling didn''t know Lu Ziqing''s psychological changes. To her, these words were nothing more than cheering each other up as colleagues. She said goodbye to Lu Ziqing calmly, got on the carriage that the Ministry of Justice had prepared for her, and left.


    Watching Zhao Ling''s carriage disappear from his sight, Lu Ziqing finally allowed himself to show reluctance.


    Such a unique and exquisite woman. He was not a person with rich and delicate feelings. For him, women were just decorations while his career was the first thing in his life. Not to mention that this woman had already made a marriage contract with King Xuan, and he must not have any strange thoughts about her.


    Did he still want to be the second Fengze? Absolutely not.


    But why couldn''t he control his heart from getting out of hand when facing her?

 Chapter 96 - Concubine Li [I]

    The carriage galloped smoothly all the way, but the sensitive Zhao Ling noticed an abnormality with the road being taken. This was not the way to return to the Gongfu!


    She lifted the curtain and asked the driver, who had his back turned to her, sharply, "Who are you? Where are you taking me?"


    The driver didn''t respond, but he waved his horsewhip, increasing his speed even more, filling the sky with dust on the narrow mountain road.


    Zhao Ling calmly observed the surroundings. This was a mountain road that she had never traveled before, with a cliff on the right and a cliff on the left. Vaulting was unrealistic now.


    At this moment, she couldn''t help scolding herself for being stupid in her heart. When she came to the Justice Department, in order not to let Meng Yuan know that she was unhappy, she deliberately let Xue Hao away.


    At this moment, the carriage drove out of the mountain road, came to an open flat land and stopped.


    The driver was an honest middle-aged man with a very ordinary appearance, he climbed out of the car tremblingly, and bowed to Zhao Ling again and again: "I''m sorry, I''m sorry, young miss. I''m being forced to do so. If I don''t follow his orders and do what he says, he will kill me."


    "Who is he?" Zhao Ling asked sharply.


    "Miss, I don''t know. While waiting at the entrance of the penal department, a man with a hat came over and threatened Xiao with a knife, asking Xiao to bring you here. Otherwise, he will kill me. "The coachman couldn''t help shivering when he remembered the scene when the man in the bucket hat held a knife to his throat. "Please, come down. I have to be on my way now if I want to keep my life."


    A man wearing a hat? Who is he, and what is the purpose of all this? Zhao Ling was at a loss for a moment. Seeing that the driver was really unaware, she came down from the carriage and said lightly, "Okay, you can go."


    When the driver heard this, he unexpectedly raised his head and glanced at Zhao Ling. Seeing that this woman looked petite and weak, he could not bear it for a while, but after thinking about it, his own life was at stake, so he quickly said to her. "Be careful of yourself, girl," and immediately drove away in a carriage.


    In the quiet and open space, only Zhao Ling''s slender figure was left. She was dressed in a light blue robe standing against the wind, her robe fluttering, like a lonely green lotus.


    After some minutes, this ethereal beauty looked up at the sky and couldn''t help but curse in her heart.


    Shit! Who was so bored of life that would get her to this inexplicable place? Was there a significant meaning to bringing people here but the person not showing up, leaving her alone in the wind on the top of the mountain?


    Zhao Ling was helpless and had to observe the terrain carefully. This open space was surrounded by forests, except for a path that seemed to have been stepped on in the dense forest on the left. Thinking about it, this was the only way to go. So, she could just try it and see where it went.


    She walked slowly along the path in the forest, and at first she was worried that she would trigger a formation like the last time in the Fanyin Forest. But obviously this time she thought too much, because everything went smoothly.


    After walking for a long time, she was surprised by the scenery in front of her.


    This was a huge peach blossom forest. Looking up, the pink petals of the mountain trees were blooming in the wind, and the branches are full of branches. Under the reflection of the warm sun in the afternoon, it was like a fairyland on earth, and the beauty was very unreal.


    It was already midsummer at this time, and it was reasonable to say that the peach blossoms had already withered. Where else could there be such a gorgeous peach blossom forest?


    Zhao Ling took a closer look and found that the peach blossoms in this peach blossom forest were actually made of pink silk.


    It turned out that such a large peach forest was actually full of fake flowers!


    In Zhao Ling''s view, the more unreal thing here was a woman sitting under the peach blossom tree and playing the qin.


    She was dressed in a moon-white floor-length dress, with pink patterns embroidered on the wide hem, and a long smoky purple light silk on her arms. The blue silk was light. Although she was facing down, she still couldn''t hide her stunning face.


    The melodious sound of the violin slowly overflowed from her hands, which seemed to be as mysterious as the ancient times, making her even more ethereal as she appeared to be slightly floating.


    What surprised Zhao Ling even more was that this woman was actually... Concubine Li!


    Zhao Ling stood nearby and listened quietly, while Concubine Li was obviously immersed in the sound of her piano. Without raising her head, her hands kept moving.


    After a long time, the song was over, and Concubine Li''s voice came out slowly. "Miss Zhao, I have long admired your name."


    Although the appearance was superficial, but the voice was like a yellow warbler out of the valley. It was serenely gentle.


    In the palace that day, Zhao Ling didn''t pay much attention to Concubine Li because she kept her head down, but today, when she saw this woman, she was actually a true beauty. Even a bit more beautiful than the ice beauty, Leng Aoshuang.


    However, shouldn''t Concubine Li stay in the deep palace? Why did she come here? Somebody must have gone to great lengths to sneak her out of the palace and brought her here, but why? Zhao Ling couldn''t help but ask herself, and looking at the situation here, and the events of the recent past, she was certain that Concubine Li was the one that arranged for her to be brought here.


    "Concubine Li, what''s the purpose of you leading me here?" Zhao Ling didn''t bother to be polite to her, and asked.


    Hearing this, Concubine Li finally raised her head slowly, revealing a peerless and charming face. She pursed her lips and smiled, and the peach blossoms all over the mountain suddenly paled.


    "Ms. Zhao is really a cheerful person." As soon as she finished speaking, her body moved, and she lept into the air like a light-hung, and in a blink of an eye, she landed in front of Zhao Ling.


    Concubine Li Fei actually knew martial arts! Zhao Ling was shocked again.


    Standing in front of her, Concubine Li''s beautiful eyes slowly swept across Zhao Ling''s body, with a hint of jealousy in her eyes.


    "Why did I lead you here?" She tilted her head and paused for a while. Then in a swift movement, raised her hand and swived it in front of Zhao Ling, who was not expecting it.


    As she waved her hand, Zhao Ling smelled a familiar scent, but she had no time to think about it as she lost her consciousness.

 Chapter 97 - Concubine Li [II]

    When she lost her awareness and slowly fell to the ground, she seemed to hear Concubine Li say in the dimness, "Just want to meet someone, someone you''ll want to see too."


    This Li Fei was too disgusting! When she woke up, she couldn''t help but cursed again in her heart when she saw her situation clearly.


    She found that her hands and feet were tied, and what was even more tragic was that her body was shakily hung from the branches of a big tree. And under her, there was a dark pit, which appeared to be bottomless.


    "Miss Zhao, don''t move, this branch is not very strong, I don''t want you to fall so early." Concubine Li''s pleasant voice came from under the tree.


    Zhao Ling felt that she had never been so embarrassed before. Her eyes turned cold, and she said in an icy tone: "The person you want to meet is Meng Yuan, isn''t it? What is your relationship with him?"


    "Miss Zhao is really a smart person. No wonder you can see through my carefully designed blindfold." Speaking of Meng Yuan, Concubine Li''s hatred for Zhao Ling seemed to deepen.


    "You really killed the first palace maid. You cut off her head and engrave those words on her chest just to cover up the fact that you are the murderer?"


    "Yes, but I didn''t expect you to suspect me so quickly. Brother Ding sacrificed himself in order to protect me, but who would have guessed that you would see through it at a glance."


    "Why did you kill that palace maid?" Zhao Ling couldn''t figure out the motive for the murder.


    Concubine Li smiled coldly, "She was courting her own death. She ran into me in the lotus pond in the middle of the night in night clothes, and she guessed my identity at once, so I naturally couldn''t keep her alive."


    Alas! Should she praise the palace maid for being too smart, or should she scold her for being too stupid? After Zhao Ling learned the truth, she couldn''t help but laugh and cry at the same time.


    "So, Ding Yifei imitated your murder method to kill the second palace maid, completely to take the blame for you?" It seemed that this Ding Yifei had a heart for Concubine Li.


    Speaking about this, Concubine Li''s eyes suddenly showed deep hatred, she raised her voice, and said to Zhao Ling angrily: "It''s all on you, slut. It''s you who made Senior Brother Ding''s sacrifice be in vain, and you forced him to do so in the first place. Damn you, bitch! You left me with no choice but to use this method to meet Big Brother Meng."


    Brother Meng? Zhao Ling raised her eyebrows. The way she called it so affectionate, it seemed that the relationship between the two was really complicated. She glanced at Concubine Li, who was behaving a little out of control, and found that she was holding the exquisite blood jade that she had been wearing around her neck.


    Concubine Li looked at the exquisite blood jade in her hand, her eyes gradually became furious, and there was a hint of sadness. "I didn''t expect Brother Meng to give you all the exquisite blood jade. What''s so good about you, a bitch, to make him like you so much?"


    Zhao Ling couldn''t answer this question. In fact, she also wanted to know why Meng Yuan liked her so much.


    At this moment, a deep shout came from afar. "Shut up, Li! Dare to insult Ling''er, you are really courting death!"


    Before he finished speaking, a slender figure with dark clothes and black hair swept in with an overwhelming anger.


    The man in the fluttering robe, a cold and lonely man, standing in front of Concubine Li, was murderous and angry. When he turned to look at Zhao Ling, he was full of self-blame, distress and worry.


    Seeing him standing tall and straight, standing like a pine tree, Zhao Ling was overjoyed. Was this guy''s cold poison cured? After thinking about it, she knew it wasn''t possible. Xiaojiao''s blood hadn''t been taken yet. It seemed that this fellow was in a hurry to save her, and he forcibly used his true qi to suppress the cold poison regardless.


    Didn''t he know that doing so would be very detrimental to curing his cold poison? Zhao Ling couldn''t help being a little angry, and felt distressed for him.


    "I''m sorry, Ling''er, I''m late." Meng Yuan felt anxious when she saw Zhao Ling hanging from a tree. After speaking, he wanted to jump up and untie the rope hanging from the branch.


    "Stop!" Concubine Li shouted, "Did Brother Meng want to watch her fall off the cliff like this?"


    Concubine Li was holding the other end of the rope. As soon as Meng Yuan stepped forward, she would let go of her hand without hesitation. The distance between the two of them was quite far.


    Seeing this, Meng Yuan''s eyes became colder, his face more severe, and the words coming out of his mouth were like ice. "Put her down, and this king will spare your life."


    Concubine Li didn''t seem to have listened to Meng Yuan''s threatening words just now, but just stared at him in a daze, and said faintly: "Brother Meng, you are finally willing to come to see me, even though you did it for this bitch. You had to come here for her, but I''m still very happy to see you."


    "If you speak rudely again, this king will make you unable to speak again." Meng Yuan gritted his teeth. He would not allow anyone to insult her Ling''er like this.


    Concubine Li didn''t take the warning seriously. She was immersed in her own imagination and couldn''t extricate herself. "Brother Meng, don''t you think this is very similar to the ten-mile peach forest in Mozhuang? Do you remember, that was where we first met, when you and brother were practicing swordsmanship in the peach forest? It was the first time I saw you at that time. I will never forget the way you turned around and smiled at me after you finished your sword practice."


    Why was it the ten-mile peach forest in Mozhuang again! Zhao Ling sighed. If she had the chance, she must go there to see it. It seemed to be a good place to fall in love at first sight.


    It appeared that this Concubine Li''s infatuation with Meng Yuan was really moving. She actually built such a large artificial peach blossom forest for him.


    Meng Yuan frowned slightly when he heard the words, and said somewhat unexpectedly: "Are you.... Lou Xinyue?"

 Chapter 98 - Concubine Li [III]

    Hearing this, Concubine Li was ecstatic and shouted excitedly. "Brother Meng, so you still remember me! That''s right, I''m Xiaoyue, I''m Xiaoyue!"


    After speaking, she raised her hand to her head, and gently scratched the space next to her ear. A few seconds later, a thin human-skin mask was slowly uncovered, revealing her true face.


    Her face was like a hibiscus, her facial features were delicate, and there were two small dimples on her face when she smiles. Although she was not as beautiful as An Zhaorong, she was still a charming woman.


    It turned out that she was not An Zhaorong at all! But what was the relationship between Lou Xinyue and Meng Yuan? Zhao Ling really couldn''t figure it out.


    "Why did you enter the palace and become Concubine Li?" Meng Yuan was also puzzled.


    "Back then, when Brother Meng drove me out of the palace and sent me to the old house, I was heartbroken. I waited for you at the gate of the palace every day, hoping you would change your mind. But you were so heartless that I couldn''t step into the palace for the rest of my life. The palace was half a step. Brother Meng, do you know that what you did was more painful than killing me. If I couldn''t see you, what''s the point of my life?" Lou Xinyue glanced at Meng Yuan while shaking her head.


    That was when she promised to do everything possible to find a way to get close to Meng Yuan again. Two years ago, An Zhaorong, the daughter of Heyang county magistrate An Yuandao, was chosen as a beautiful girl to enter the royal palace in Sheijing. Lou Xinyue killed her on the way and entered the palace in her place. She originally thought that she would see Meng Yuan again after entering the palace. But every time she saw him in the palace, he never even look at her once.


    "Do you know how I survived the past two years in the palace?" Lou Xinyue asked angrily.


    After saying these words, Lou Xinyue''s face was full of misery. In the past two years, more than seven hundred days and nights, she had been happy with an old man who she don''t like, just to see the man she love occasionally. What kind of love was this? Thinking of this, Zhao Ling couldn''t help but feel a little moved.


    This Lou Xinyue seemed to be madly in love with Meng Yuan, but Meng Yuan obviously didn''t care. All he was worried about now was Zhao Ling''s safety and feelings.


    "You put Ling''er down. For Lou Chen''s sake, I won''t kill you." Meng Yuan said in a deep voice.


    Seeing Meng Yuan completely ignoring her affection, with only Zhao Ling in her eyes, Lou Xinyue could no longer hide her jealousy, and said angrily, "Brother Meng, do you really care about this woman so much? Did you forget that you promised me Brother, that you will take care of me for the rest of your life?"


    "It was you who didn''t know how to love yourself back then. This king sent you to the old house and didn''t miss a single time to check on you." Meng Yuan frowned, his tone even colder, as if remembering what happened back then.


    Lou Xinyue smiled miserably, "I just love you wholeheartedly and like you, that''s why I do such a thing. In order to prevent other women from approaching you, I deliberately spread rumors that you are not humane. Come on, I''m the only woman beside you. But why, why are you so cruel to me, yet so affectionate to this woman? Do you know how much I feel in my heart when I see you both in and out of the palace these days? Suffering?"


    It turned out that the news that Meng Yuan could not be humane was released by Lou Xinyue.


    Excessive love often leads to deformities, and this Lou Xinyue''s love for Meng Yuan seemed to have reached the point of going crazy, and it was really love to the extreme. Zhao Ling sighed secretly.


    Meng Yuan remained unmoved, still glaring angrily, and spit out a sentence: "That''s your problem. What''s the matter with you, for heaves sake? This king said, let Ling''er down, and for Lou Chen''s sake, this king can keep you alive."


    Lou Xinyue was completely disappointed, her complexion suddenly turned cruel, and her pretty facial features were gradually distorted by jealousy.


    "Okay, you can let her down, but you have to promise me one condition."


    Meng Yuan stared coldly. He was never threatened, but for Zhao Ling''s safety, he patiently listened to her.


    Seeing Meng Yuan didn''t answer, Lou Xinyue smiled gloomily. "My condition is that you make me Princess Xuan."


    "You are dreaming!" After Meng Yuan said these three words coldly, he wanted to fly forward and grab the rope from Lou Xinyue''s hand.


    "Stop!" Lou Xinyue raised the other end of the rope high, loosened her hand slightly, and Zhao Ling on the other end quickly landed, swaying in the air, and the branch hanging from the rope was also Then there were signs of breakage.


    Seeing this, Meng Yuan was extremely anxious, but he did not dare to act rashly. His hands were clenched into fists, his whole body was tense, and his murderous aura was even worse.


    Lou Xinyue knew that she had caught Meng Yuan''s weakness, and she smiled a little proudly and a little sadly. "If you want her to survive, you must make me Princess Xuan. Maybe while I''m happy, I can let her enter the door of Prince Xuan''s mansion and be a concubine."


    Hearing this, Zhao Ling was really pissed off. This Lou Xinyue, was it because she wanted to be Princess Xuan that she went crazy? Even if Meng Yuan would agree to this condition, she would never agree.


    Besides, did she really think she was one to sit still and take every thing in good fath? She, Zhao Ling, was not one to wait idly by.


    While Lou Xinyue was pouring her heart out to Meng Yuan, she had already untied the ropes that bound her hands, took out the scalpel she was carrying, and quickly calculated the ways to escape.


    Just now, Lou Xinyue fell down too much, and it was impossible to jump up to the tree. The branches had already started to break, and it seemed that it would not last long. For now, she could only cut the rope and jump down.


    The position where he was located was a little far from the cliff.. If she cuts the rope, she would not fair good, and there would only be one result, which was to fall into this abyss.

 Chapter 99 - Concubine Li [IV]

    But she wouldn''t have any trouble, Meng Yuan''s light work was superb. She believed in his abilities.


    After being hanged in such an awkward position until now, it was her turn to express her opinion.


    She raised her voice to Meng Yuan and said, "A-Yuan, I think this girl''s proposal is not bad. Since she wants to be Princess Xuan so much, why don''t you fulfill her wish?"


    Meng Yuan was shocked when he heard Zhao Ling''s words. Ling''er must be angry. If this Lou Xinyue caused a misunderstanding between him and Ling''er, he would definitely not forgive her lightly.


    He quickly looked at Zhao Ling, and called out worriedly, "Ling''er!" But he saw her eyes with deep meaning and the dagger secretly signaling to him.


    In just a moment, he understood her intentions.


    He was relieved, and his heart was full of tenderness. His Ling''er was definitely not an ordinary woman.


    After listening to Zhao Ling''s words, Lou Xinyue gave her a somewhat unexpected look. At this moment, Meng Yuan took advantage of the shape of the fuselage and approached Zhao Ling''s direction. At the same time, Zhao Ling cut the rope that was used to hang her body with the knife.


    "Ling''er!" Although it was expected, Meng Yuan still felt that his liver and gallbladder were torn apart when he saw Zhao Ling''s body falling straight down.


    The speed of the fall was too fast, faster than expected. When Meng Yuan flew to the edge of the cliff, Zhao Ling''s body had already fallen over the cliff.


    "A-Yuan!" Zhao Ling yelled at him.


    Meng Yuan jumped out without hesitation, the black figure soared into the sky like a goshawk, followed Zhao Ling''s falling body. He successfully caught Zhao Ling''s petite body, and held her tightly in his arms Then, with the help of the bumpy boulders on the body of the cliff walls, he flew up in a few steps and successfully jumped to the top of the cliff.


    This series of thrilling events only happened in a few seconds. Lou Xinyue had no time to react. When she came back to her senses, she saw that the two of them were embracing each other in front of her, as if they had never seen each other in long time.


    Ever since he was a child, Meng Yuan had never been afraid of anyone or anything, even seven years ago in Kinugawa, when he was poisoned, he was never afraid. But when he watched Zhao Ling fall off the cliff just now, he really experienced the feeling of being scared to the core.


    His whole body was tense, trembling slightly, and he was speechless for a while. The only thing he could do was to hold Zhao Ling tightly in his arms and feel her soft body and warm body temperature. There was a great unease in his heart.


    "A-Yuan, it''s alright, um." Zhao Ling was about to suffocate in his arms, she gently broke free and looked into his eyes. He must have been terrified just now. Thinking of this, she felt warm in her heart, patted him on the back, and comforted him softly.


    Under the comfort of Zhao Ling''s soft words, Meng Yuan''s tense emotions eased. He grabbed her shoulder and said distressedly, "Ling''er, promise me that you will never do such a dangerous thing again."


    "Okay." Zhao Ling smiled at him. Before cutting the rope just now, she did so after making a full calculation and confirming that there was no danger. The main reason being that she believed in Meng Yuan''s ability and the degree of cooperation between them.


    She was someone who had died once and cherished her life more than anyone else.


    Lou Xinyue looked at the two of them kissing each other in front of her, and nearly vomited blood. How could she still bear it? She only had one goal left in her heart, and that was to separate the two of them, permanently.


    In a fit of anger, she raised her wrist, and a silver needle shot out from her hand, flying straight towards Zhao Ling.


    Meng Yuan was such a vigilant person, since he had already noticed Lou Xinyue''s actions, he embraced Zhao Ling and moved to the side, and all the silver needles shot into the tree trunk behind him. The silver needles were completely submerged, showing the strength of the force. After a while, the bark showed signs of withering.


    This silver needles were actually poisonous!


    Seeing Lou Xinyue''s attack so vicious, Meng Yuan''s eyes suddenly showed killing intent. After he took Zhao Ling to a safe place, he flew back and stood in front of Lou Xinyue, his tone was cold and his words were like ice. "Don''t force this king to kill you."


    Lou Xinyue stared blankly at Meng Yuan, who was facing her with such unfamiliar and fierce eyes, and suddenly clear tears began to flow from her eyes. "Brother Meng, what''s so good about this woman, how can she be better than me? I can kill you for you, can she? I can give up myself for you, can she? I can conquer the world for you, can she? Since I know you are a royal prince, I have started to plan for you secretly, paving the way for you in many ways. I can let the old emperor pass to you and let you rule the world, can this woman do that?"


    Lou Xinyue''s tearful words made Zhao Ling, who had always been calm, apprehensive. The amount of information in these remarks was so much, she had to use her hands to steady herself.


    Royal prince? So Meng Yuan was actually the son of Emperor Ming! This news was too sudden and shocking that Zhao Ling looked at Meng Yuan in utter surprise.


    Meng Yuan''s frowning face was blue and white like that of mountain mandrill, quite unsightly at this moment.. He approached Lou Xinyue angrily, grabbed her neck, and gritted his teeth. "Shut up!"

 Chapter 100 - Hidden Secrets [I]

    Meng Yuan was not ready to tell Ling''er this extremely embarrassing situation about his family, but this irrelevant person was now letting Ling''er know, which made Meng Yuan suddenly lose his mind.


    His stranglehold on Lou Xinyue''s neck gradually tightened in strength.


    If it wasn''t for Lou Chen''s face, and there was still a trace of reason in his heart, he would have already twisted Lou Xinyue''s slender neck.


    Lou Xinyue also felt the strong killing intent emanating from Meng Yuan''s body, she smiled sadly, and finally understood that this man had no feelings for her.


    She was full of grief and anger for a while, and her expression was frantic, and she said with a sinister smile. "Why, doesn''t your sweetheart know your true background? You are so nervous, Yuan. Are you afraid that your sweetheart will dislike you and look down on you after knowing about it? No wonder, with such an embarrassing life experience, even I am ashamed to say it, haha..."


    "Quiet."


    Lou Xinyue suddenly looked at Zhao Ling, her face was full of tears while she laughed wildly. "Miss Zhao still doesn''t know, Meng Yuan is actually the son of emperor Ming and princess Xuan. So, his existence is a huge shame to Xuan Wangfu''s mansion, hahaha..."


    What?! Zhao Ling really couldn''t calm down any longer. Emperor Ming and princess Xuan actually had an affair? This...this...what kind of bloody development was this?!


    So the reason why Emperor Ming urgently summoned Meng Yuan to the capital, was all because he suddenly fell ill and thought he would die before telling Meng Yuan his true source. He was afraid that he would die while having the proverbial three strengths and two weaknesses.


    Hearing Lou Xinyue''s words, Meng Yuan couldn''t control his anger any longer, he raised his hand and slapped Lou Xinyue, but his hand felt weak. Then, his anger attacked his own heart, blood surged, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    Lou Xinyue''s slender body immediately flew several meters backward, then fell heavily to the ground. She leaned over and spat out a few mouthfuls of blood, struggling to hold Meng Yuan''s attention. "Meng Yuan, you can''t kill me. Remember, your life is saved by my elder brother, and before he died, you promised to take care of me for the rest of your life. You can''t break your promise."


    *Pwaah*


    The popping sound of the slap was loud and clear. There were five red marks on Lou Xinyue''s slick face.


    "This slap is for your insult to A-Yuan just now." Zhao Ling stood in front of Lou Xinyue, looked down at her, and said coldly, "By the way, that''ll let you sober up, and not to continue being obsessed."


    Lou Xinyue covered her slapped cheek, gritted her teeth and said bitterly, "You bitch, you dare to hit me?!"


    Zhao Ling''s expression blazed slightly, but her tone was still cold. "I never made a promise to your big brother. A-Yuan can''t kill you, but I can."


    Lou Xinyue struggled to get up from the ground, with a strong look of jealousy on her face, she shook her head. "Why do you want to kill me? How much can you sacrifice for Brother Meng? Do you love him as much as I do?"


    "The matter of love between men and women is about mutual affection. The things you said just now that you can do for A-Yuan, maybe I may not be able to do them, but there is one thing I can do, but you can''t." Zhao Ling''s tone was gentle, but her words were powerful. "I can make A-Yuan fall in love with me, can you?"


    After speaking, Zhao Ling didn''t look at her again, walked to the side of Meng Yuan, who was silent and supported him with her body, raised her hand to wipe the blood from the corner of his mouth, wrapped her arms around his waist, and whispered, "A-Yuan."


    However, Meng Yuan stood dumbfounded as if he had been completely exhausted in an instant. When Zhao Ling hugged him, his whole body was stiff and he trembled slightly.


    He didn''t know how to face Zhao Ling. Lou Xinyue told Zhao Ling the truth of his embarrassing life in such a simple and direct way, leaving him unprepared and feeling extremely humiliated.


    "A-Yuan." Zhao Ling raised her head and reached out to touch his well-defined handsome face, but Meng Yuan shrank back a little, turned his face away, and did not dare to look at Zhao Ling.


    "A-Yuan, look at me." Zhao Ling held his face with both hands instead, forcibly turning him around to face her. "No matter what kind of birth you are, no matter what kind of identity you have, you are you, and I will treat you the same and stay with you all the time."


    Hearing Zhao Ling''s soft but firm words, Meng Yuan''s dead eyes gradually regained some radiance. He finally raised his hand slowly, hugged Zhao Ling''s petite body back, and called out, "Ling''er," in a choked voice, and was speechless for a long time.


    Seeing this, Lou Xinyue showed a despairing and sad smile on her face. Meng Yuan was indeed different to this woman. Only she could make him calm down, regain his senses, and recover his strength.


    She remembered that when she was still in the Xuanwang Mansion, she once encountered Meng Yuan sitting alone in the courtyard, feeling depressed and hurt alone.


    She also tried to hug him close to comfort him, but as soon as she touched the corner of his clothes, she was thrown away by a strong wind. She still remembered his cold scolding. "Miss Lou, please respect yourself."


    She remembered that night, Meng Yuan had a poisonous cold attack and was lying on the bed shaking with pain. In a hurry, she climbed onto the bed and took off her clothes. She hugged him and wanted to keep him warm. What did she get in return? They sent her to the old mansion of the palace, and ordered her not to step into the palace of Xuan Wang again.


    But why, why Zhao Ling, a woman who could easily let him let go of his guard and open his heart? The more Lou Xinyue thought about it, the more jealous she became, and the more she thought about it, the more heartbroken she became.


    Over the years, she had given up on herself and lived on with a lingering breath, wasn''t it just for the glimmer of hope in her heart?


    She had hoped that one day Meng Yuan would see what she had given, accept her love for him, and live with her. But now, that only hope she had was now dashed. So what was the point of her being alive?


    But even if she had to die, she wouldn''t make life easier for the two of them.. Lou Xinyue tightly held the exquisite blood jade in her hand, a look of determination flashed across her face.

 Chapter 101 - Hidden Secrets [II]

    "Return the blood jade to me." Zhao Ling approached Lou Xinyue. Although her tone was flat, she was a little anxious.


    Seeing that Lou Xinyue attached so much importance to this piece of jade, it must have its special meaning. Moreover, this piece of blood jade was so precious and could suppress hundreds of poisons, how could Lou Xinyue take it away?


    More importantly, this was the first gift Meng Yuan gave her, and she must take good care of it.


    Lou Xinyue had a vicious smile on her face, making her beautiful facial features a little distorted. "This exquisite blood jade is the keepsake of Princess Xuan in all dynasties. There is an unwritten rule in the palace of Xuan Wang. Only the person who owns this jade can become Princess Xuan. So, why will I give it back to you?"


    And such a thing? Zhao Ling looked at Meng Yuan with inquiring eyes. Meng Yuan just hugged Zhao Ling tightly, looked at Lou Xinyue without a trace of emotion in his eyes, and said coldly, "This king never follows the rules. Even without this jade, Ling''er will still become Princess Xuan."


    This woman! If it wasn''t for the fact that Lou Chen sacrificed his life to save him, how could he be standing there and telling her about this woman like that?


    Lou Xinyue looked up to the sky and laughed, but her face was full of tears, looking at them with fierce and decisive eyes. "Okay, since that''s the case, then you''ll never get this Blood Jade. And heavens bare me witness, I, Lou Xinyue, hereby curse you with my life. This life, and life eternity, that you Meng Yuan, and you Zhao Ling will never be together. May every ounce of life forever be against the union of the two of you. There will never be a happy ending for the two of you!"


    After speaking, Lou Xinyue turned her head and jumped over the cliff, down into the abyss below.


    Zhao Ling was startled and rushed forward immediately, but she only saw Lou Xinyue''s white figure, like a kite with a bird with a broken wing, quickly falling to the bottom of the cliff, and soon disappeared.


    Some people couldn''t understand the meaning of love. Lou Xinyue was obsessed with her own wishful thinking, but in the end she chose to end her life in this way, and she still couldn''t let it go until her death.


    She couldn''t help looking at Meng Yuan who was standing beside her. Seeing that there was no expression on his face, but a hint of resignation. He was saved by Lou Xinyue''s senior brother and he promised to take care of her. However, never like this. For a man who didn''t love her, why would she do this?


    It was just that, right now, Meng Yuan could figuratively provoke peach blossoms while sitting on his wheelchair. If his leg''s ailment was cured in the future, he couldn''t predict how many people he would provoke.


    Ugh, it gave her a headache just thinking about it. It was not that she was afraid of the open and secret fights with these women, but she really felt that spending time on these meaningless fights was a waste of life.


    Meng Yuan saw that her face was gloomy and uncertain. Not knowing what she was thinking, he felt a little uneasy for a while. After a few seconds, he stepped forward and covered her with his embrace and took her away from the cliff.


    This woman, she chose the path of jumping off the cliff by herself, not in his hand. Although he had made a promise to Lou Chen, if she had gone too far in endangering Ling''er''s life, he couldn''t guarantee that he would not kill her.


    "A-Yuan, the exquisite blood jade is gone." Zhao Ling said in his arms sullenly, thinking of what Lou Xinyue said before jumping off the cliff, she felt a little stricken in her heart.


    In this life, in eternity, she and Meng Yuan would never be together. Lou Xinyue held the exquisite blood jade in her hand, using her own life as a curse, every word was tears, her voice was hatred, how much her obsession, how deep her hatred, how vicious her curse.


    Although she didn''t really believe in such things as curses, Lou Xinyue''s curse was a bit vicious. Thinking of her strange expression and twisted facial features when she started the curse, Zhao Ling felt a little apprehensive in her heart.


    "It''s okay. Ling''er, as long as you''re fine." Lou Xinyue''s curse echoed in Meng Yuan''s mind too. He held Zhao Ling tightly in his arms, and the strength in his hands gradually increased, as if as long as he held her tightly like this, the two would never be separated again.


    He never believed in ghosts and gods, nor did he believe in these curse words. If some people or gods dared to hurt his Ling''er, he would kill the people or the gods.


    As dusk approached, the afterglow of the setting sun shone warmly on the top of the mountain and beside the peach blossom forest.


    Zhao Ling felt that Meng Yuan''s body was a little stiff, as if he was struggling to support his own weight. Knowing that he had traveled for so long, he might have suffered from the leg problems again, so he pulled him to the foot of a big tree, and the two leaned against each other.


    Meng Yuan turned sideways and hugged Zhao Ling, he hesitated, as if he wanted to explain something to Zhao Ling, but he didn''t know how to say it.


    Zhao Ling naturally understood his embarrassment, his own life suddenly became so embarrassing, and it also involved in the love entanglement between the previous generation, he must be very uncomfortable these days.


    She remembered his abnormal behaviours in Funing Hall and Emperor Ming''s extra tolerance towards him that day. It turned out that there was such a hidden secret!


    This man seemed to be carrying more and more weights on his back. She patted Meng Yuan''s back lightly and comforted him silently, feeling helpless and distressed for him.


    Under her comfort, Meng Yuan gradually calmed down and whispered to Zhao Ling the secret of his life experience.


    This involved a royal secret more than twenty years ago.

 Chapter 102 - Hidden Secrets [III]

    Regarding this secret, Meng Yuan only knew some general outlines in the intermittent narration of Emperor Ming on the night he was urgently summoned to the palace.


    The former Princess Xuan''s maiden name was Su Mei. She was the top entertainer of the most famous brothel in the capital more than twenty years ago, the top pleasure woman of Shenyu Tower. Because of her beauty and talent, she was admired by countless men all over the world.


    By utter chance, Su Mei fell in love at first sight with Emperor Ming, who was still a prince at the time, and the two privately agreed to settle together for life. However, Emperor Ming finally established the daughter of the prime minister as the crown princess for the sake of the crown prince.


    The crown princess did not agree with Emperor Ming''s marriage to Su Mei, not even for her to take the title of concubine. Su Mei was also a fierce and arrogant woman. In a fit of rage, she broke with Emperor Ming completely, intending to commit suicide, but was rescued by Xuan Wang Meng Langqing, who had been secretly caring about her.


    Meng Langqing was also infatuated with Su Mei and took good care of her. Su Mei was grateful for Meng Langqing''s kindness and finally agreed to marry him as his wife. Soon after, her pregnancy became obvious.


    But even Emperor Ming didn''t expect that the son born by Su Mei and Meng Langqing after their marriage was actually his own flesh and blood! If Su Mei hadn''t confessed to him seven years ago before he died in depression, maybe he would have been kept in the dark for the rest of his life.


    It turned out that there was such a story between Emperor Ming, the former King Xuan, and the former Princess Xuan. Zhao Ling couldn''t help but sigh that the world was a strange and impermanent place. The proverbial saying that good fortune made people couldn''t be more true.


    To make Emperor Ming and the former King Xuan, two such outstanding men, never forget her, presumably this former Princess Xuan must be a strange woman.


    It was just that in this whole thing, the most innocent person was Meng Yuan. As Lou Xinyue said, Meng Yuan''s identity had always been a stain on the Xuan Wangfu''s name. For the Dasheng royal family, he was also a disgraceful existence.


    For seven years, Emperor Ming has covered up this incident without any leak or omission, indicating that he did not intend to recognize Meng Yuan as his son. If Emperor Ming hadn''t mistakenly thought that he was seriously ill and would die soon, he probably wouldn''t have easily told him this secret.


    It was just that this so-called prince status brought Meng Yuan extremely embarrassing and even dangerous situations.


    Seeing his brows slightly wrinkled and his face pale and haggard, Zhao Ling felt a burst of sadness. With a secret sigh, she let Meng Yuan lay on her lap. According to the method of pinching acupoints that Situ Gong had told her before, he massaged his legs one after another to relieve some of the pain in his body, but the pain in his heart lingered.


    How could she comfort and relieve him of this pain?


    "A-Yuan, I see that King Luo seems to be targeting you everywhere. Did he also know that you are a prince?" Zhao Ling guessed.


    Meng Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly, resting his head on Zhao Ling''s legs, enjoying the right massage from her comfortably. Hearing this, he just nodded casually and said indifferently, "It is very possible that when we were returning to Sheijing last time, the assassins we encountered along the way were also sent by him."


    He had never felt so comfortable laying down. He couldn''t help but secretly sighed inwardly. Why didn''t he think of this way of laying before?


    He never cared about what the eyes of the world were seeing, but only cared about what Zhao Ling thought of him. When Lou Xinyue revealed his life just now, he would be so out of control because he was worried that Zhao Ling would dislike him after he found out.


    If Zhao Ling treated him the same, no matter how unbearable his birth was, no matter how shameful his existence was to the Xuan Palace, so what?


    With that said, this Meng Tianluo was really a dangerous person. Zhao Ling thought, frowning slightly. However, he was so impatient that he planned to assassinate them on their way back to Sheijing.


    Under Zhao Ling''s massage, Meng Yuan felt that the pain in his leg was much better. He looked at Zhao Ling''s beautiful face tenderly, with a contented smile on his face.


    Ling''er didn''t blame him for hiding these days, she didn''t dislike his embarrassing past life experience, and she didn''t misunderstand his relationship with Lou Xinyue. She was so kind and beautiful, intelligent, generous, reasonable, and considerate. He was so grateful to meet her.


    Meng Yuan turned around and hugged Zhao Ling''s slender waist tightly, and swore to himself that from that moment onward, in his Meng Yuan''s life, he could not want anything, but only Ling''er. He would never let go no matter what. Even if there were dangers around him, even if his leg ailment could no longer be cured, he wouldn''t let Ling''er leave.


    Because without Ling''er''s company, he didn''t know what he would be like now. Maybe he should think about marrying Ling''er as soon as possible.


    Zhao Ling felt a little funny when he hugged him like this. This guy always looked innocent and harmless in front of him, but looking at his attitude towards Lou Xinyue just now, even she felt a tinge of his ruthlessness.


    She smoothed out a few strands of his loose black hair, and found that this guy''s hair was smoother than her own. Could it be that Xuan Wangfu''s air shampoo or whatever, was particularly good?


    "By the way, why didn''t Changdong come with you?" Zhao Ling asked. Chang Dong, the personal bodyguard, had always been at Meng Yuan''s side.


    "Lou Xinyue''s letter said that this king can only come alone." Meng Yuan said sullenly with his face buried on Zhao Ling laps.


    In fact, after receiving the letter from Lou Xinyue and seeing the words that she had Zhao Ling in her hands, he immediately left the palace of Xuanwang and rushed here all the way.. Changdong and Situ Gong might not know what happened to him.

 Chapter 103 - Hidden Secrets [IV]

    "Lou Xinyue''s brother Lou Chen, did he ever save you?" Thinking of Lou Xinyue''s words just now, Zhao Ling asked for proof.


    "Yeah. Back then in Kinugawa, then several other senior brothers tried their best to rescue him, but they failed. Lou Chen had been taking care of his sister since he was a child, and had no other relatives, so he took his sister under his wings before he died. Lou Xinyue was entrusted to me, and I also promise that I will take care of Lou Xinyue for the rest of his life."


    "Then why did you drive her out of the palace later?" Zhao Ling was puzzled.


    Meng Yuan was silent for a while. It was so long that Zhao Ling thought whether he was asleep or not, only then did he hear his cold and awkward voice: "One night, I had a cold poison attack and I was confused. She took advantage of the opportunity to take care of her and climbed into bed..."


    Uh! Zhao Ling felt a little regretful for asking this question. In the face of such a charming and lovely girl who took the initiative to give him a hug, Meng Yuan ruthlessly kicked her out of bed and kicked her out of the house. It seemed that the rumors that King Xuan was cold and heartless were indeed based on facts.


    She suddenly remembered that last time at Yunzhou Ruyi Inn, when this guy had a cold attack, she also took care of him for one night, and it seemed that she also got into his bed that night.


    So should she now thank this guy for not throwing her out of bed at that time?


    She didn''t know if Meng Yuan also remembered what happened at the Ruyi Inn that night. She was still thinking about it when she heard his playful voice coming in a whisper. "But this king is looking forward to Ling''er being able to climb into my bed again."


    Zhao Ling couldn''t help but rolled his eyes, slapped his leg hard with his fist, and said angrily, "Meng Yuan, can you be a little less rascal?"


    A deep laughter sounded Meng Yuan, and her waist vibrated slightly, making her feel a little itchy. Zhao Ling suddenly felt a little hot, moved her body uncomfortably, pushed him, and said, "Hey, get up. Should we go back now? ."


    When such a big incidence happened in the palace, the two of them were still here, was it really okay?


    Meng Yuan didn''t want to care about the mess in the palace at all, as long as his Ling''er was fine. It was rare for him to lie down so comfortably, and he really didn''t want to get up.


    But even if he didn''t want to think about it, it was not enough, because Changdong and the secret guards of Xuanwang''s mansion found here. They also followed Lu Ziqing and a group of yamen from the Justicet Department.


    A group of people knelt in front of them, and Zhao Ling couldn''t sit down no matter how thick her skin was. She pushed Meng Yuan, who was still tightly clinging to her waist, again, and shouted sullenly, "Meng Yuan, get up."


    Hearing her anger, Meng Yuan didn''t dare to be rascal anymore, so he got up reluctantly, pulled Zhao Ling up from the ground, and said coldly to the group of people kneeling in front of him. "Everyone get up."


    No one could hear the displeasure in his tone.


    Zhao Ling really accepted his thick skin. Seeing the unhappy look on his face, it was impossible to rely on him, so she had to tell Lu Ziqing the story of Lou Xinyue''s impersonation of An Zhaorong and the case of the headless female corpse in the palace.


    Of course, she concealed the grudges and entanglements between Lou Xinyue and Meng Yuan. She didn''t want Meng Yuan to be involved in this matter.


    In fact, the officer sent by Lu Ziqing to Heyang County to investigate had just returned.


    Heyang County magistrate An Yuandao confirmed that the woman in the portrait of Concubine Li brought by the officer was not his daughter, An Zhaorong. His own daughter had a red mole on the tip of her right eyebrow, but the concubine Li on the portrait didn''t have it.


    Now it had been confirmed that this Concubine Li was indeed a fake.


    Lu Ziqing immediately sent people down the mountain to search for Lou Xinyue''s body along the bottom of the cliff. Zhao Ling also asked Yan Mo to bring a few dark guards down to search together. Perhaps when the body was found, they could also find the Blood Jade.


    Meng Yuan naturally lost his temper towards Lu Ziqing. This Lu Ziqing, despite his own warnings, repeatedly called Zhao Ling to the Justice department for an autopsy, and did not protect her well, so she was kidnapped by Lou Xinyue. This was his fault.


    Zhao Ling rolled her eyes at him from the side. If you didn''t provoke Lou Xinyue, a rotten peach blossom, would she be captured by her? So, if they were looking for the real initiator, was it not you, Meng Yuan?


    As for Xue Hao, Meng Yuan originally intended to remove him from the dark guard team. As a dark guard, if the person he protected was in danger without knowing it, then this dark guard was definitely incompetent.


    However, at Zhao Ling''s plea, Meng Yuan finally lowered Xue Hao to the lowest level among the dark guards, and let him return to Feiyunqi for more training.


    Zhao Ling glanced apologetically at Xue Hao, who was walking away with a sad face, and said to herself, "I''m sorry, young man, it''s better to ho back to the basic first. Hone your skills more and they will be reused in the future.


    The Department of Justice and the Dark Guard searched the bottom of the cliff for a day and a night, but still could not find Lou Xinyue''s body. It was as if Lou Xinyue had evaporated from the world.


    After listening to Lu Ziqing''s report on the case of the headless female corpse in the palace, Emperor Ming was so angry that he vomited blood. He didn''t expect that the concubine he had favored for so long was actually a fake who wore a human skin mask every day.


    In addition to his anger, he ordered a thorough search of the palace where Concubine Li lived, the Cuiwei Palace. After the results of the search came out, Emperor Ming was even more furious.


    Five stone powder was found in Cuiwei Palace!

 Chapter 104 - A Royal Calamity

    Wushisan was a powerful drug. Although its short-term use would refresh the mind and enhance physical strength, but its long-term use would cause addiction, and over time would make people insane, and also cause dementia.


    It was common practice for the nobles and officials of the previous dynasty to consume five-stone powder of Wushisan, which also aggravated the demise of the previous dynasty to a certain extent.


    It was precisely because of the lessons learned from the past that in the Dasheng Dynasty, Wushisan was a drug that was banned from circulation.


    But now that banned drugs have been found in the inner courtyard of the deep palace. How could Emperor Ming not lose face?


    In a fit of rage, Emperor Ming ordered that all the eunuchs and palace maids in Cuiwei Palace be killed, and the Cuiwei Palace was designated as a forbidden area and closed forever. He even carried out a carpet search of all the palaces of all the concubines and concubines in the harem.


    For a time, people in the palace were panicking, and everyone was in danger of the emperor''s anger.


    Zhao Ling could only sigh after hearing about this. This Lou Xinyue had so many innocent lives buried with her for her own selfish desires, and her infatuation with Meng Yuan was truly a sign of heaven and earth.


    Concubine Li actually thought of using Wushi San to control the old emperor and plan for Meng Yuan''s way to seize the throne. No wonder she said at that time that she could conquer the world for him.


    But, did this pale, thin, aloof and cold man in front of her really have the heart to conquer the world?


    Just when there was chaos in the palace, Zhao Ling was sitting in Meng Yuan''s room in the palace of Xuanwang, looking at the horse in front of her. This should have been bright and beautiful scenario, but at this moment she could only lay quietly on the bed.


    This sick and weak man with his eyes tightly closed and his thin lips tightly pursed, must be remembering his sad background, the responsibilities he shouldered, his forbearance after the great changes, and the incomprehension now that she knew his true identity.


    Everything that happened to this man made her feel distressed.


    "Why is your lord still awake?" She stroked the little fox who was quietly laying in her arms, and asked Situ Gong, who was standing beside her.


    Xiaojiao''s short leg was tied with a white bandage, covering the wound that was left after the blood was taken last night.


    On the second day after returning from Taolin, Changdong went to the Duke''s Mansion to report that Meng Yuan was suddenly unconscious, and Mr. Situ asked him to fetch the blue-eyed spirit fox for urgent use.


    Zhao Ling couldn''t delay when she heard that, so she brought Xiao Jiao and hurried to Xuan Wang''s mansion with Chang Dong, who was delivering the letter. Upon entering, she saw Meng Yuan laying on the bed with a pale face and no personality, to her much concern.


    Now that the night had passed, and Xiaojiao''s blood had been given to him, "why was he still not showing signs of waking up?"


    Situ bowed his head and replied: "Please rest assured, Princess, after taking the blood of the fox, the prince will be fine for the time being, and I believe that he will wake up soon."


    After he finished speaking, he was also sweating. The prince''s ailment was too urgent this time. There was no sign that could have prepared them. If it weren''t for the blue-eyed spirit fox, they could really have lost him.


    Alas, sooner or later, her little heart would be troubled by the willful behavior of the prince. Zhao Ling sighed deeply.


    "My lord, hasn''t he cooperated well with the treatment these days?" It stood to reason that with Situ Gong''s medical skills and years of research, the trestment was now at a critical stage. There should not be such a sudden situation, so this guy must not be responding well to the treatment.


    Situ Gong was embarrassed, he was silent for a long time, and then he acquiesced. There was no improvement, and it was actually getting wirse. The lord has explained it that the princess couldn''t know about this matter. But now that the princess saw it herself, it should not be regarded as disobedience on his part.


    It seemed that she guessed correctly. Zhao Ling was really angry. Just when Zhao Ling was sulking and Situ Gong was restless, a low, hoarse voice came from the bed.


    "Mr. Situ, if nothing happens, go out and prepare an antidote as soon as possible."


    This guy finally woke up!


    Zhao Ling was overjoyed. She turned her head to see his weak appearance, and couldn''t help but glared at him, stopped Situ Gong, who was about to retreat, and said in a flat tone. "Mr. Situ, you stay and wait. Your lord, the one who should go out is me. Since King Xuan has woken up, I will leave first."


    After speaking, Zhao Ling stood up and hugged the little fox, who was obviously still in low spirits after the blood was taken, intending to turn around and leave.


    "Ling''er!" Meng Yuan saw that Zhao Ling was really angry this time, and he became anxious. He didn''t know where the strength came from. He sat up and grabbed Zhao Ling''s hand tightly, but because the action was too violent, it caused him a continuous cough.


    He admitted to her that in the days when he first learned of his life origin, it was really difficult for him to accept it for a while, and even he felt that he should not have come to this world at all.


    So, he had the idea of ??giving up on himself, and in a fit of rage, he destroyed all the antidote that Situ Gong had prepared with great difficulty in the past.. He continued to drink alcohol without heeding the advice.

 Chapter 105 - Meng Yuan, You Better Get Treated

    But since he realized the detriment of his intentions and saw where he was heading, he swore that he would never let go of Ling''er no matter what, so he had decided to cooperate with Situ Gong for the treatment.


    But was Ling''er still angry after all?


    Zhao Ling sighed secretly when she saw his pleading, hopeful eyes and pale and haggard face. She wanted to hardened her face and give him a fierce look, but she couldn''t.


    Alas, she was still too soft-hearted.


    But she had to take this opportunity to completely correct his problem of not cherishing his own body. Because she couldn''t guarantee that she could stay here forever. If one day she was gone, what would he do?


    Therefore, she must take care of his body as soon as possible, so that he could cherish himself and live well from now on.


    She didn''t know what was wrong with herself. She didn''t think she was a person who was concerned about gains and losses of life, but Lou Xinyue''s curse was like a drop of ink that fell on her heart and could not be wiped away.


    Thinking of this, she was ruthless and broke his hand, her tone still cold. "Prince Xuan take a good rest. Little girl, let''s go."


    After speaking, she walked out the door without looking back. After taking a few steps, as if she already knew Meng Yuan''s next move, she said lightly, "If King Xuan still wants to see me again, then stay in bed for me now."


    These words, which were as light as the breeze, seemed to have a lot of strength, and they suppressed Meng Yuan''s actions of getting up and getting out of bed regardless of Zhao Ling''s anger.


    Not daring to disobey Zhao Ling any longer, he had to sit back on the bed again, and called out in grievance, "Ling''er, don''t go."


    But Zhao Ling didn''t look back and didn''t stop. The little girl seemed to have regained her spirits suddenly, and jumped on Zhao Ling''s shoulder, grinned at Meng Yuan, and waved her paws, obviously gloating.


    Well, there was always a price to pay for taking my blood, you see, now the retribution was coming. My master felt sorry for me, so she ignored you, haha...


    Seeing that he was mocked by the little fox, Meng Yuan''s face was ashen with anger. If this stinky fox hadn''t thought about giving its blood to cure his cold poison and let Ling''er calm down, he would have pinched it to death long ago.


    But Ling''er seemed to be really angry, what should he do to make her forgive him? The cold-faced prince, who had always been known for his decisiveness in killing, suddenly fell into sad contemplation.


    Situ Gong felt that he must have been spoiled by Xiaojiao. Seeing his own prince''s helpless appearance after being shriveled in front of the princess, he actually had a feeling of exaltation. Sure enough, only the princess could make this prince so obedient.


    He snorted inwardly, now that you were obedient, let me heal your cold poison.


    Alas, he must have been bullied by the prince for too long, and his state of mind was a little abnormal.


    Zhao Ling made up her mind, and would not set foot in the palace of Xuanwang for the next few days, pretending to be indifferent to Meng Yuan. But in the end, she still loved him.


    Every day, she cooked a few dishes that he liked to eat, and gave them to Meng Yuan''s new secret guard to cover her appearance in the palace.


    Although the prince had no sense of taste, she didn''t want him to be eating too casually, not to mention that he should pay more attention to food supplements during his recuperation.


    The last time she went to Xuanwang''s mansion, because she was in a hurry, she didn''t observe Xuanwang''s mansion carefully. So now, Zhao Ling only had two impressions of Xuanwang''s mansion in his mind, one was large and empty, and the other was without women.


    That was the obvious truth. In the huge Xuanwang Mansion, there were few people and plenty of time, and there was not even a woman. From top to bottom, they were all men, and even the cook was a tall and sturdy man.


    Because Meng Yuan had lost his sense of taste for a long time, he didn''t have any requirements for food at all. Eating was just a routine thing for him, so the food in Xuanwang''s mansion was naturally not much better. With only the utensils and ingredients, one could imagine the cooking skills of the big man, which must be uncomplimentable.


    The new dark guard''s name was He Qing. Like Chang Dong, he had a paralyzed face. He did things in a straight-forward manner and had no emotions. He was far less cute than Xue Haolai. Zhao Ling wanted to ask him how Meng Yuan was recovering several times, but when she met He Qing''s dead face, she swallowed the words she was about to say.


    Alas, she might as well wait until the next time they wanted to take Xiaobao''s blood and visit him at the Xuanwang Mansion.


    Situ Gong said that since Meng Yuan had been suffering from cold poison for too long, it was not a one-time thing to completely cure him. According to his treatment plan, ten days was the course of treatment, and a complete cure required at least twelve courses of treatment, and for each course of treatment, the blood of the little fox must be taken once for medicine.


    Just when Zhao Ling was counting the days and hoping that the ten days would pass quickly, another decree came from the palace.


    It was the little eunuch who came to announce the decree last time, and he still used his sharp voice to convey Emperor Ming''s oral decree: Zhao Ling, the eldest daughter of Duke Zhao Jiang''s residence, must immediately enter the palace to be conferred a reward.


    Zhao Ling was really reluctant to enter the palace, but there was no way, the emperor''s order was unbearable, and everything here was the emperor''s final say. Besides, the old emperor asked her to enter the palace this time to reward her.


    It was the same royal sedan chair and the same journey, but this time the place she went to was not the Funing Hall, but the Harmony Hall.

 Chapter 106 - The Royal Harmony Hall [I]

    Zhao Ling followed in the footsteps of the little eunuch and stepped into the high threshold of the Harmony Hall. When he looked up, he found that Lu Ziqing was also there, dressed in a purple official uniform, standing upright and solemn.


    On the other side are several princes of Emperor Ming, headed by Meng Tianluo, followed by Meng Tianjue and Meng Tianyan.


    It was just that between Meng Tianjue and Meng Tianyan, there was a burly, tall and mighty man. He was about 20 years old, with dark skin and extraordinary heroism. His dark eyes were staring at Zhao Ling with excitement.


    Zhao Ling was beyond words. Could it be that this was Meng Tianlin, the fourth prince whom he hadn''t met last time? But this image was too different from the other princes, especially compared with Meng Tianjue next to him. One was suet white jade, and the other was rough rock.


    Zhao Ling stole a glance at Emperor Ming, who was sitting on the dragon chair at the head of the hall, looking down at all beings.


    Although Emperor Ming was over half a hundred years old, he was still handsome, and his body was well maintained. He must have been a handsome and extraordinary man when he was younger.


    Seeing Zhao Ling kneeling below, Wei Yi''s face softened, and her usual serious tone softened a little. "Girl Shen, get up and talk."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty." After Zhao Ling thanked him, she got up and stepped aside, standing next to Lu Ziqing.


    Before she could stand still, the heroic fourth prince on the opposite side rushed in, standing in front of her. Due to the huge difference in height, he squatted down and encircled her with two bright eyes, saying happily. "Are you the one who cured my father''s sudden illness and rescued me from the heavenly prison, Sister Zhao? Wow, you are so beautiful, you look like a fairy in the sky."


    Hearing this, Zhao Ling couldn''t help but staggered on her feet before quickly gathering herself and recovered her footing. She raised her head in surprise, only to see the burly, tall and rough fourth prince in front of her, but she put on a deer-like innocent and harmless look, blinking. A pair of big black eyes stared at her for a moment, with a simple happy smile on his face.


    This... what was this situation? Could it be that Meng Tianlin, the fourth prince with a rumoured pure mind, was actually... mentally retarded?


    Zhao Ling''s inquiring eyes turned to Lu Ziqing who was standing beside him. Lu Ziqing seemed to understand the doubts in her heart and nodded slightly to her.


    Sure enough!


    Facing such an incongruous man, Zhao Ling didn''t know how to respond for a while, so she forced the corners of her mouth, showing a slight smile, and said, "I''m grateful for the praise from the Fourth Prince."


    Meng Tianlin was happier when she saw that she smiled at him. He swayed left and right in front of her, and said dancingly, "Sister Zhao, you look better when you smile. I heard that you could also investigate cases and perform autopsy, right? Can you teach Tianlin? Tianlin also really wants to investigate cases, and really wants to conduct an autopsy."


    "Fourth brother, you will scare Sister Zhao like this." Meng Tianyan smirked on the opposite side, and persuaded aloud. When he said the word "Sister Zhao", he deliberately increased his tone, and finally couldn''t help laughing. "He he he."


    Meng Tianluo turned his head with disgust on his face, obviously looking down on Meng Tianlin. The fact that this fool was actually his own brother made him feel very ashamed.


    On the other hand, Meng Tianjue watched all this calmly, with a secretive expression that made it impossible for people to see what he was thinking.


    "How could it be, Sister Zhao, don''t you like Tianlin?" Meng Tianlin suddenly looked aggrieved, and said with tears in his eyes, "As soon as Tianlin saw Sister Zhao, he liked her very much. Tianlin is very good. Yes, I will be very obedient, why don''t you like Tianlin, Sister Zhao?"


    Zhao Ling felt a headache. She could deal with gangsters, murderers, and delinquent teenagers, but in the face of such an innocent and coquettish big man, she was really speechless and helpless.


    Just when she was in a dilemma, a majestic scolding from Emperor Ming came from the hall. "Nonsense! Step back!"


    Meng Tianlin was still very afraid of Emperor Ming. Hearing his angry scolding, he froze all over. He glanced at Zhao Ling reluctantly, and retreated to the side with a dejected look, making Zhao Ling feel depressed. She felt a little guilty for no reason, wondering if she was sorry for him.


    After Emperor Ming suppressed Meng Tianlin, he sighed helplessly. He had so many sons, but none of them are worry-free. The first had a strong desire for power, but he couldn''t hold his breath. The third child was too deep and had too many thoughts, which were always invisible. The seventh only knew how to eat, drink, play and play flowers. The fourth child was not stupid, but he had suddenly turned into an idiot. And the second child... Well, let''s not mention it.


    It was this girl from the Zhao family, who was demure and unhurried, which made people look at ease. If she hadn''t found out that Concubine Li was suspicious, he might have been kept in the dark for the rest of his life, and he didn''t even know how she died. He shuddered at the thought of those five stone powders found in Cuiwei Palace, and he was more than afraid.


    Thinking of this, he kindly said to Zhao Ling, "Girl from the Zhao family, listening to what Lu Qing said, you have made a great contribution to solving the case of the headless female corpse this time. Tell me, what reward do you want me to give you?"


    It turned out that if one enter the palace, one could still ask for the reward by oneself?


    Zhao Ling didn''t think of this, and couldn''t think of what she could want for a while. After all, this was an unfamiliar world, and this could be her only chance of ever getting a reward from the emperor.. So, she must think carefully before making a decision.

 Chapter 107 - The Royal Harmony Hall [II]

    If she married into the palace of Xuanwang in the future, with Meng Yuan''s birth, he would inevitably have to deal with members of the royal family.


    There were too many royal rules, and the palace was most like to give death sentence or condemnation at any time, so it was better to ask for an exemption order to avoid certain death, and it would be better in the future.


    Thinking of this, she walked out of the column in a hurry, knelt down to his Highness and said to Emperor Ming: "This minister''s daughter dare not take credit. It was all down to luck in solving this case. In the final ways of the heavens, it is still up to the emperor to see things clearly, and to bring blessings of the sky."


    Asking for a reward from the emperor could never be taken for granted. Naturally, it was necessary to pretend to be polite first.


    "You can be polite and still talk with your own mouth. Well, don''t take me for granted. If you want a reward, say it now." Emperor Ming pretended to scold her, but he smiled. The girl was very wise with her words. No one would refuse to listen to such good words, especially for the king of a dynasty.


    It would be hypocritical to refuse any further. Zhao Ling closed her eyes when she saw the king''s smile, deliberately pondered for a while, and said, "It''s not that your servant girl didn''t want to ask for anything. It''s just that when she was a child, she heard the tales and sang the songs of those who held the exemption order, the royal golden token to avoid death. So this servant girl dared to think about it. If it''s possible, I ask the emperor to give this daughter a royal golden token to spare her from death. This all this servant''s wish."


    After Zhao Ling''s clear and gentle voice fell, the Harmony Hall was silent for a period of time.


    After a while, Meng Tianluo''s slightly gloomy voice sounded. "Hmph, Miss Zhao really knows how to figure things out, and she actually made a way out for herself so early. But if you want a gold medal to avoid death, is it because you want to do something that can lead to death in the future?"


    If it were someone else who heard Meng Tianluo''s words, the person would definitely collapse from fright.


    However, Zhao Ling was not affected by Meng Tianluo at all, her tone was still gentle, but her words were powerful. "His Royal Highness Luo don''t understand. The minister''s daughter is asking for the golden token to avoid death simply to satisfy her childhood dreams, and have no intention of causing any future death. I also ask the emperor for a clear lesson."


    This Meng Tianluo really couldn''t spit out ivory from a dog''s mouth, and was against her everywhere. Zhao Ling cursed inwardly. But as long as the old emperor believed in her, Meng Tianluo couldn''t do anything about it.


    "Ms. Zhao, do you know the preciousness of this dynasty''s death-saving gold token?" Meng Tianjue, who Zhao Ling pictured as white jade with suet, asked casually.


    Could it be that the death-free gold medal of the Dasheng Dynasty was particularly precious? Zhao Ling really didn''t know, so she had to pretend to be humble and replied: "The minister''s daughter has little knowledge, so please I ask His Royal Highness to express it."


    "Humph." Meng Tianluo snorted coldly again, "Miss Zhao, why do you have to be so pretentious? Do you think that this death-free gold medal is just a casual grab? Do you think your father will give it to you easily? There has always been only one gold medal, and this gold medal will be invalid if you use it once. Do you even know that?"


    That being said, it was indeed very valuable. It seemed that he made an unrealistic request. Zhao Ling still knelt on the ground and turned to Emperor Ming to plead guilty. "The minister''s daughter is really stupid for not knowing the special feature of the court''s golden token, please forgive me."


    So, she didn''t know if she still wanted to receive the royal golden token just now, so they could all pretend it never happened.


    Emperor Ming was silent for a while, as if he had made a big decision, and said to Eunuch Li, who was waiting on the side, "Please give me a golden token."


    So, Emperor Ming actually agreed?


    Hearing this, everyone present was shocked and looked at Emperor Ming. Meng Tianluo had a look of jealousy and hatred, Meng Tianjue was dark and inexplicable, Meng Tianyan and Lu Ziqing were both surprised. Only Meng Tianlin had an overjoyed smile on his face.


    Emperor Ming''s move was also beyond Zhao Ling''s expectations. Originally, she just hoped that Emperor Ming, for the sake of saving him twice, would not blame her for asking for a golden token. Who would have thought that he would really agree to her request and really reward her with the death-saving golden token.


    After a while, Eunuch Li came out with a tray in his hand. On the tray was a white jade box with exquisite workmanship. Inside the box was the unique death-free gold medal of Dasheng Dynasty.


    Eunuch Li respectfully presented it to Emperor Ming. The emperor opened the white jade box, and inside it was a golden token. After he glanced at it, he motioned for Eunuch Li to give the gold medal to Zhao Ling.


    "Shen family girl, you have been successful in rescuing the palace twice. It is not an exaggeration for me to reward you. Although this death-free gold carving is precious, it is only a dead thing in my place. Since this is the case, I will now reward it to you. I hope you can make good use of it."


    Emperor Ming actually agreed!


    Holding this heavy gold medallion, Zhao Ling had an unreal feeling. Such a precious thing, Emperor Ming gave it to her so generously. It seemed that this old emperor was quite generous, and she did not waste her life to save him twice, and he was almost killed by Lou Xinyue.


    However, she was indifferent by nature, and was used to being unremarkable in her emotions and anger. She was only excited for a moment, and then she returned to normal. She knelt down calmly, and thanked Emperor Ming neither humbly nor arrogantly.


    "The minister''s daughter thank the emperor."


    Seeing Zhao Ling''s calm and indifferent temperament, Emperor Ming somewhat admired it, and his tone was even more gentle. "Now, we''re even,  Girl Zhao."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    "Congratulations to Sister Zhao for acquiring the gold medallion! Sister Zhao, can you let Tianlin see what the golden token looks like?" Meng Tianlin came up to Zhao Ling again with a wide-eyed smile, wanting to grab Zhao Ling''s hand and take a look at the item that the emperor had been hiding for a long time. The mysterious golden medallion.


    The wobbly Zhao Ling quickly steadied herself. She had been kneeling down for a long time, making her legs feel weak. Moreover, Meng Tianlin was born with divine power, his presence was enough to make an average human fall backwards uncontrollably.


    Phew! Zhao Ling sighed in her heart. It seemed that this was an embarrassment.. Alas, this Meng Tianlin was a thorn in her flesh.

 Chapter 108 - The Royal Harmony Hall [III]

    Opening her closed her eyes, Zhao Ling took a step and slipped. She was struggling not to fall on the ground, when felt a strong and sturdy arms around her. The pair of strong arms firmly steadied her body, preventing her from falling down.


    Zhao Ling saw that it was Lu Ziqing who was with her and breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a little grateful to Lu Ziqing in her heart.


    If it wasn''t for his quick eyesight and a quick hand to help her, she would really be down on her back on the ground with her feet in the air. In addition to being a woman here, and under the intense eyes of the royal members, it would be embarrassing to fall on the ground in such a posture.


    She was about to say thank you to Lu Ziqing who supported her, when she heard Eunuch Li come in and communicate loudly.


    "Reporting to the emperor, Lord Xuan asks to see you."


    Meng Yuan was here! Zhao Ling involuntarily looked out of the hall.


    Not far from the gate of the hall, the expressionless youth in green clothes, Chang Dong, stood with his hands on the handle of a dark wheelchair. Sitting in the wheelchair, was a cold and arrogant man in black clothes. When he saw Lu Ziqing supporting Zhao Ling in the hall, a bit of anger was displayed on his cold and unwavering face.


    Hearing Eunuch Li''s communication, Emperor Ming''s eyes flashed with a hint of imperceptible joy, but his face remained unchanged, and he said in a deep voice, "Xuan."


    "Prince Xuan has an audience!" Eunuch Li''s unique voice sounded in the hall.


    As soon as Eunuch Li''s voice dropped, Changdong lifted the wheelchair slightly, stepped over the high threshold of the Qinzheng Hall, and then retreated to wait outside the hall.


    Afterall, he was just a guard, and without special circumstances, he was not qualified to enter the Harmony Hall, popularly known as the Palace of Diligence.


    Since Meng Yuan appeared, Zhao Ling''s eyes were only left with his arrogant and cold figure. She was completely unaware that Lu Ziqing had been holding her body firmly.


    Haven''t seen him in a few days? She suddenly realized that she missed him so much. Seeing that his face was still pale, he didn''t know whether he was actively cooperating with Situ Gong''s treatment these days.


    After knowing his own life experience, he definitely didn''t want to set foot in this palace. But whether it was the Funing Palace last time or the Diligence Palace this time, he entered the palace again and again, presumably to protect her.


    Thinking of this, Zhao Ling felt that her heart was extremely soft.


    The eyes of the two met, Zhao Ling looked at him quietly, and when she received Meng Yuan''s eyes begging for forgiveness, she sighed and found that she couldn''t refuse his weak eyes at all, so she stepped forward and pushed his wheelchair slowly. After passing through the spacious hall, we headed towards the head of the hall where Emperor Ming sat.


    Meng Yuan didn''t look sideways, ignored anyone, just a touch of imperceptible joy flashed on the tense Jun face. When passing by Lu Ziqing, he glanced at him lightly, the knuckles of his fingers gripping the armrest of the wheelchair turned white, and he tightened his strength a little, with obvious anger in his eyes.


    He had deep inner strength and far-reaching vision. He had just seen the scene where Lu Ziqing was holding onto Zhao Ling''s body and was unwilling to let go. At that moment, he had the urge to chop off Lu Ziqing''s hands.


    Lu Ziqing obviously received the hostility from King Xuan, but his serious expression did not change, he just gave him a light salute.


    Wheeling himself before Emperor Ming, Meng Yuan''s cold voice came out indifferently. "Long live the emoeror. Meng Yuan, I''ve seen the emperor."


    Hearing his deliberately distant and indifferent tone, Emperor Ming''s face was faintly disappointed, and he said in a low voice, "No need to be more polite."


    He sighed inwardly. Alas, this second son, it seemed difficult for him to forgive this king. Seeing his face that looked exactly like his own mother, Emperor Ming remembered the past and felt a little sad for a while.


    Back then, the woman, with a beautiful smile and lovely eyes, was once infatuated with him, but he still failed her for the sake of the throne.


    Unexpectedly, she actually left a son for him.


    Thinking of this, he couldn''t help but feel a little apologetic to Meng Yuan, and said to him in a slightly flattering tone. "King Xuan is here just in time, I just rewarded the daughter of the Zhao family with the unique death-free golden token of the Dasheng Dynasty. Since the daughterbof the Zhao family is the princess Xuan, this death-free gold medal belongs to the palace of Xuan Wang."


    Hearing Emperor Ming''s words, Meng Tianluo''s face instantly became very ugly, and the look in Meng Yuan''s eyes became even more sinister.


    He remembered that he had carefully laid his plans to continue hiding some of his well kept secrets, but now all his efforts were all in vain. So how could he not be depressed? Thinking of this, he looked at the gentle and calm beautiful woman beside him.


    This seemingly weak woman seems to have a magical magic power. She had been in trouble, many times now, but she had calmly resolved them one by one. She seems to have endless and unimaginable abilities in her body, which made him love her more again.


    What was even more depressing was that now she had acquired such a precious golden medallion for avoiding death. Was she thinking of killing someone in the royal family in the future? Well, it would depend on the person. He sighed inwardly and gave her another glance.


    Meng Tianjue and Meng Tianyan said to Meng Yuan at the same time: "Congratulations to King Xuan."


    Meng Yuan ignored all of them. He was just looking at Zhao Ling and gave her a gentle smile.


    The only one who was sincerely happy was the fourth prince Meng Tianlin.

 Chapter 109 - The Royal Harmony Hall [IV]

    Since seeing Meng Yuan''s appearance, he had been on the verge of moving, but because of the speech of Emperor Ming, he dared not come forward. Now that the emperor had finished, he jumped up excitedly and shouted cheerfully. "Brother Yuan."


    The other people present had already taken it seriously, but Zhao Ling couldn''t help but twitch the corners of her mouth. The style of presentation here was so out of line, how could she just accept it?


    Meng Yuan showed a rare soft expression to Meng Tianlin who jumped up in front of him, and called him softly, "Tianlin."


    Hmm? Zhao Ling was a little surprised. It was rare for this guy to be so kind to people, but now...


    Meng Tianlin squatted down and shook Meng Yuan''s arm with an innocent smile on his face. "Brother Yuan, Tianlin likes Sister Zhao very much. You should marry her home soon. Tianlin wants Sister Zhao to become your princess soon."


    Meng Tianlin''s words made Zhao Ling almost choke on her own saliva. Could this soft big man be a lobbyist hired by Meng Yuan?


    Meng Yuan rubbed Meng Tianlin''s head and smiled at him, "Okay, as Tianlin wishes. Brother Yuan will definitely be satisfied with that too."


    Because of his guilt towards Meng Yuan, Emperor Ming saw that his second son was infatuated with Zhao Ling and wanted to help him, so he laughed a few times and said smoothly, "Tianlin''s words are true. It makes some sense, girl from the Zhao family, it has been more than half a year since I married you and King Xuan, isn''t it time to choose a date to get married?"


    He turned his head and asked Eunuch Li, who was standing beside him, "Li Yuan, I remember that the eighth day of next month will be the auspicious day of the zodiac, right?"


    Eunuch Li hurriedly bowed and replied, "Your Majesty is wise, the eighth day of next month is indeed a rare auspicious day."


    As an experienced slave, he naturally knew how to agree with his master.


    "Yeah." Emperor Ming nodded, "Since that''s the case, why don''t we set this date, and I will preside over the marriage for the two of you, how about that?"


    When Meng Tianlin heard this, he jumped up happily. "That''s great, Father is wise. Brother Yuan, Sister Zhao, Tianlin can eat candy and happy cakes, so happy!"


    Meng Tianyan also smiled and congratulated Meng Yuan in a clear voice. "Congratulations to King Xuan."


    Meng Tianluo had an indignant expression on his face, Meng Tianluo had always kept his expressions a secret, but Lu Ziqing''s face was even darker.


    Meng Yuan ignored others, just held Zhao Ling''s hand tightly and looked at her expectantly.


    Seeing this, Emperor Ming knew that Meng Yuan naturally had no objection, but seeing that Zhao Ling kept her head down and remained silent, he could only continue to ask. "Zhao family girl, what do you think?"


    Alas, in order to please this second son, he really tried his best here.


    "Long live the emperor, the minister''s daughter do not agree." Zhao Ling''s calm and gentle voice sounded in the hall.


    "Oh, why is this?" Emperor Ming asked in surprise.


    Not only Emperor Ming was surprised, but the rest of the people were also stunned. Isn''t it all rumored that King Xuan and the future Princess Xuan were deeply affectionate and loving? Although they were not married, the two seemed to have acquiesced in their relationship with each other. So, why did the future Princess Xuan refuse in court at this time?


    "Ling''er!" Meng Yuan looked at Zhao Ling anxiously, feeling a burst of fear.


    Was it because he acted too rashly and made Ling''er angry?


    Meng Tianlin''s face was slumped, he stepped forward and grabbed Zhao Ling''s sleeve, and asked anxiously, "Why didn''t Sister Zhao agree? Brother Yuan is a good person, why don''t you want to marry him?"


    Zhao Ling patted the back of Meng Tianlin''s hand, gave Meng Yuan a slightly calm look, and explained to Emperor Ming. "Long live the emperor, when the marriage was granted that day, King Xuan proposed to postpone the marriage for one year. According to his request, there are still five months left in the one-year period, and King Xuan''s body has not recovered yet, so the minister''s daughter also have one request, and ask for the emperor''s permission."


    Mentioning the one-year postponement at that time, Meng Yuan''s face became gloomy. Emperor Ming was secretly amused when he heard it. Huh, silly boy, who asked you to drag the marriage at that time, and now you are suffering for it. He looked at Zhao Ling with interest, and said, "What request, let''s hear it."


    "The minister''s daughter requests that you first grant the one-year agreement that King Xuan proposed at that time. If King Xuan''s body can recover to a level that satisfies the minister''s daughter, then the marriage ceremony will be catried out."


    Meng Yuan felt that he had never been so depressed in his life. At that time, he was really out of his mind, so he thought of delaying the marriage for one year to coldly deal with Emperor Ming''s offer of the arranged marriage.


    He clenched Zhao Ling''s hand tightly, and looked at her with a sad face, and he really regretted it in his heart.


    But Zhao Ling was unmoved, because this was a decision she made after careful consideration.


    There were still five months to go before the one-year period, and it would take at least four months for Meng Yuan to completely cure the cold poison, and the time just fitted. If he paid enough attention to himself, he would definitely cooperate with Situ Gong to treat the cold poison during this time.


    This cold, jade-like, but lonely man had endured too much pain, both physically and psychologically.. She just hoped to do her best to make him the same as before in the years to come, despite the soft and silent dinging sound at the back of her mind.

 Chapter 110 - The Royal Harmony Hall [V]

    When they came out of the Harmony Hall, the entire group of people was speechless.


    Meng Yuan kept holding Zhao Ling''s hand, his face was tense, and he was silent all the way.


    Zhao Ling understood the unease in his heart, but she knew that he could understand it, but it was just unacceptable for a while. She was used to his awkward temper. In front of her, this guy was like a child who didn''t grow up, intentionally.


    Walking out of the palace, Zhao Ling said goodbye to Lu Ziqing.


    In the Harmony Hall just now, Emperor Ming had ordered that Lu Ziqing was promoted to the position of the Minister of Justice because of his outstanding work in solving the case, and others over the time past. Now, the Ministry of Personnel must have been drafting the appointment documents.


    So she politely greeted Lu Ziqing. "Congratulations to Mr. Lu for your progress."


    Lu Ziqing took a deep look at Zhao Ling, "Actually, it''s all thanks to you Ling that you could solve the case so smoothly this time."


    Hearing this "Ling", Meng Yuan instantly turned his face. His eyes were cold and his tone was icy. "Did Master Lu forget his identity?"


    Lu Ziqing bowed to Meng Yuan without changing his facial expre, and replied respectfully, "Ling and King Xuan are not married, and the lower official felt that it was inappropriate to call her Princess Xuan, so he called her that way. Ling, do you mind?"


    He stared at Zhao Ling with inner burning eyes, but the expression on his physical face was still as calm as before.


    Zhao Ling naturally wouldn''t mind. To her, calling her by her first name was far more pleasing than calling her Princess Xuan. She smiled at Lu Ziqing indifferently, and said, "Of course not, Master Lu, please."


    She turned her head and gave the angry Meng Yuan a roll of eyes. She also had an opinion on how people call her by name name. She remembered the last time she was in Suzhou, when Yun Yi called her Ling, and this prince also had an expression of wanting to kill him.


    Hearing Zhao Ling''s answer, Lu Ziqing was overjoyed and couldn''t help but smile back at Zhao Ling.


    In Zhao Ling''s memory, Lu Ziqing had never been seen smiling. When she saw him now, she was probably used to his unsmiling facial features and stiff facial features, that this smile seemed a little unnatural, making her laughed secretly, and the smile on Lu Ziqing face could not help but deepen.


    Seeing the two smiling at each other, Meng Yuan was obviously more delirious. He snorted coldly, grabbed Zhao Ling''s slender waist like a demonstration of affection, and said calmly, "This king heard that Lord Lu will marry a wife in a few days. It''s a double happiness. It''s really worth it. Congratulations."


    Lu Ziqing was getting married? Zhao Ling had never heard of it, but after hearing this, she sincerely congratulated him again. "Oh, that''s great news. In this way, Lord Lu now have a double big celebration. It''s really a double happiness. This is really gratifying."


    Lu Ziqing''s expression seemed a little unnatural, "Thank you. I just obeyed the family''s arrangement and accepted a concubine, not a wife."


    In fact, Lu Ziqing was right, in the Dasheng Dynasty, of course, marrying a wife and taking a concubine were two different things. He didn''t know why he was in such a hurry to explain this, but subconsciously wanted to tell Zhao Ling that he was not married yet.


    Meng Yuan sneered inwardly. Only he knew that if he, Lu Ziqing, took a concubine, no matter how he explained it, he would never have a chance to develop relationship with his Ling''er.


    Because, what Ling''er asked for was "a couple for the rest of their lives". Hmph, even if he told Lu Ziqing about this promise, he might not be able to do it.


    When he was going back, Meng Yuan naturally couldn''t let go of the warm time of being able to chat with Zhao Ling alone in the carriage, so he insisted on sending Zhao Ling back to her mansion.


    However, due to the fact that the carriage of the Xuanwang Mansion was too high-profile, and with the memory of the last time with her family still fresh in her mind, Zhao Ling made the carriage stop at a street corner not far from the Zhao Mansion.


    She didn''t want the same situation to happen again like the last time when the whole Duke household went out to greet her. She was not a person who liked to show off.


    When parting, Meng Yuan was reluctant to part, hugged Zhao Ling tightly and refused to let go. Zhao Ling knew in her heart that her refusal to get married, back at the palace, made him feel uneasy.


    The pain and loneliness and isolation over the years have made Meng Yuan''s character very insecure. But for the sake of his physical recovery, she had to let this cruelty happened.


    Zhao Ling patted him on the back and said softly, "A-Yuan, every ten days, and the day when the blood of the little fox is to be taken, I will come to the Xuanwang Mansion to see you, and I will continue to make your favourite food every day, and send it to your mansion. You must remember to eat on time, you know?"


    "I will." Meng Yuan knew that everything Ling''er did was for his own good, but he just couldn''t let go of her. He felt that he was not suffering from cold poison, but a poison called "Zhao Ling". Once he had the poison of her person, he could never forget it or stop it.


    The only thing he could do was to kiss her forehead, her eyes, her face, and her lips over and over again, as if he wanted to use this method to eliminate the faint unease in his heart.


    After Zhao Ling finally finished coaxing Meng Yuan, the royal child who was insecure and unwilling to let go of her coquettishness, when she returned to the Duke''s Mansion, it was time to hold the proverbial lamp.

 Chapter 111 - Home Again

    As soon as she walked into the door of her courtyard, Fengheyuan, the little white fox flew into Zhao Ling''s arms like an arrow, raised its head, and looked at her with two watery big eyes that glowed with bright blue light. The fox let out a whimpering sound, as if it missed her.


    In the past few days, she had been busy investigating the case and taking care of Meng Yuan, so she had indeed neglected it. She stroked a shallow scar on its leg, which was the wound from the last blood draw. And for such wounds, there would be more than a dozen more on its body.


    Thinking of this, Zhao Ling smoothed the white fur on its back, and said with some distress. "Little fox, I know it''s hard for you."


    There was no other way, for Meng Yuan''s health, she could only make the little fox suffer a bit.


    The little fox let out a few hoots, put her face close to her, and kissed her little mouth wildly, which made Zhao Ling numb and itchy, and laughed out loud.


    Luzhu and Qingluo heard the movement and came out of the back room. They saw Zhao Ling and came forward with a smile.


    "Miss, you''re back!" Luzhu shouted happily, pulling Zhao Ling''s sleeve with a look of joy on her face. "Miss, the emperor has given you a lot of silk satin and jewelry, and there are several boxes in total. Well, the eyes of the slave maid are dazzled, come in and take a look."


    Qingluo also had a look of joy on the side, and nodded again and again.


    "You little girls are making a fuss. Miss must be hungry after a long day of exhaustion. So, why don''t you two hurry up and help prepare the food, let the lady sit down and eat before talking." Madam Xu poked her head out from the inside, also with a happy look on her face.


    Looking at the large boxes piled up in the house, Zhao Ling raised her eyebrows. This old emperor was really generous, and she didn''t know if he was really rewarding him, or if he was just trying to make up for Meng Yuan''s guilt in disguise.


    But since the presents were all rewarded, she would not be polite to decline them. The old emperor even rewarded her with the unique death-free golden token of the entire Dasheng Dynasty. These fabric jewelry were just trivial to him.


    She picked out a few and gave them to Madam Xu, Green Bamboo, Qingluo and others, and gave a few pieces of silver to the cleaning servants in the courtyard. She chose a few suitable ones to keep, some ordinary jewelry. As for the rest of the jewellery, she asked the green bamboo to take them to Luoyufang to sell them.


    She seldom wore gold and silver, along with pearl rings and emeralds. No matter how much jewelry she had, it was not as real as a scalpel.


    However, some things with obvious royal characteristics were not easy to be sold in the store, so they have to be kept.


    After dinner, it was still early, Zhao Ling made Qingluo prepare a pot of tea as usual, and sat by the window to study the medical book that Duan old man left her. Under the guidance of Situ Gong, she had already mastered some of the contents of the book, so now it seemed that it was not as difficult as before.


    Turning to see the girl Luzhu standing beside her with a look of hesitation, she asked, "Luzhu, what''s wrong with you, is something wrong?"


    Lu Zhu murmured, and told Zhao Ling about what she had inquired from Rulan.


    Rulan was the girl by Cui''s side, and she had a good relationship with Lu Zhusu. According to what she said, Zhao Ruo had just come to the house a few days ago, crying to Mrs Cui. It was as if Meng Yunce was suffering from mold sores.


    Green Bamboo blushed as she spoke. In fact, she didn''t understand this disease very well at first, but it was only after the explanation of madam Xu that she understood it. It turned out to be such a mildew disease, and she, a little girl, was naturally a little ashamed to talk about it.


    Mold sores? Zhao Ling was stunned for a moment, as if he had seen it in Old Duan''s medical book. She flipped through it, and sure enough, there was a record in the medical book.


    The mildew mentioned here, from Zhao Ling''s modern point of view, was actually a typical venereal disease, which was commonly known as flower willow disease.


    Often walking by the river, how could he not wet his shoes, presumably because this Meng Yunce lingered in the flowers all year round and did not pay much attention to his private life. This is the end of promiscuity.


    However, Meng Yunce had been hanging around in the flowers for so many years, and he should be very experienced to know the effects. She suddenly remembered how frivolous and rude he was to her last time. Could it be Meng Yunce''s secret trick again?


    The disease of mildew was not an incurable disease. In fact, in modern times, as long as penicillin was used, it was expected to be cured, but here, penicillin was definitely not available, and she was not a professional researcher of pharmacology, so she couldn''t prepare penicillin temporarily.


    However, in Duan old man''s medical book, there was a detailed description of the treatment. Among them, there was a prescription prepared by Old Man Dan, which was said to be a good medicine for the treatment of mildew.


    It was just that this disease was contagious. If Meng Yunce was suffering from this disease, then Zhao Ruo and the rest of his concubines may suffer from it.


    Now, Zhao Ruo should really sit and cry.


    However, she did not have a good impression of Meng Yunce, and naturally she would not take the initiative to diagnose and treat him. He was the heir to Prince Rong, and some had money to hire famous doctors.


    And she didn''t have time to pay attention to this matter, because the annual Qixi Festival was coming soon.


    Every Qixi Festival, a large-scale banquet will be held in the palace. All members of the royal family, including the emperor, queen, harem concubines, princes and princesses, would be present. Family members and children of senior officials and nobles in Sheijing would also be invited to participate.


    At the Qixi Festival banquet, unmarried women must perform their talents, and the unmarried men present would select the most talented woman of the show, and the winner had the right to ask the emperor for a wish.


    Therefore, this Qixi Palace Banquet was a big event for the Dasheng royal family and the unmarried men and women in the noble families.

 Chapter 112 - The Star Festival Palace Banquet [I]

    Zhao Ling was really reluctant to participate in this kind of gathering where nobles, daughters of gold, princes and princesses competed with each other, but there was no other way for her.


    The invitation card for the palace banquet was delivered to her in front of every eyes. If she didn''t go, she would be slapping the old emperor in the face. Even if she didn''t want to go to the Qixi Palace Banquet, she had to go.


    Speaking of which, this was the first time that Zhao Ling, the original owner of the body, had participated in such a large-scale banquet. In the past, under the deliberate exaggeration of Cui Shi and Zhao Ruo, the eldest daughter of the duke''s mansion had always been called stupid.


    How could she have had the opportunity to participate in a banquet as important as the Qixi Palace Banquet?


    Therefore, Madam Xu and Luzhu were obviously happier than Zhao Ling herself when Zhao Ling received the invitation to the Qixi Festival. Early in the morning of the Qixi Festival, the two of them, together with Qingluo, were busy with her dressing up.


    The three agreed that this was the first time the young lady had attended a banquet in public. The young lady of the Zhao family was so beautiful and talented, so she naturally had to wear the best dress for the banquet.


    The clothes she wore and the jewelry she wore had to be carefully selected. Comparing again and again, could be worthy of the identity of the young lady.


    When Zhao Ling returned to the yard after seeing Old Zhao matriarch, she was taken aback by the pile of bright and golden clothes and jewelry prepared by the three of them. If these intricate clothes and jewelry were worn on her body, they would certainly overwhelm the petite and thin nature of the body of the original owner.


    Looking at the expectant eyes of the three of them, she handed a green jade hairpin in her hand to Luzhu, and said helplessly, "Just find a nice dress for me as usual and replace the hairpin with this green jade hairpin."


    What a joke was all this fanciful dressing? She wasn''t going out to show off, let alone find a good husband, she was just attending a palace banquet. As long as she dressed in a decent manner without being rude, why bother herself?


    This green jade hairpin was given by Mrs. Zhao just now. The color was warm and the style was elegant, which was very suitable for Zhao Ling''s gentle temperament. The old lady''s eyes were really good.


    Zhao Ling was rewarded by Emperor Ming with the only death-free gold medal in the Dasheng Dynasty, which was also an extremely honorable event for the Duke''s Mansion.


    The old lady was delighted, so she took advantage of today''s opportunity for Zhao Ling to attend the palace banquet, called her to her presence, gave her some precautionary measures, and gave her this extremely rare green jade hairpin, which was considered a treat to her. These were glorious rewards from the matriarch.


    This year''s Star Festival feast was arranged in the Huagai Hall in the palace.


    The person in charge of organizing the banquet was Eunuch Wei Fang, the chief eunuch of Huagai Palace. For the Qixi banquet tonight, Eunuch Wei had not slept for several days because the success of this Qixi Banquet was really important to him.


    Last year''s Qixi Banquet was held in the Taiji Temple, and the person in charge of it was Li Yuan, who entered the palace in the same year as him. Because the banquet was very successful and very innovative, the dragon heart delighted Emperor Ming.


    As soon as he was happy, he made Li Yuan an eunuch, and he was able to serve the saint of heaven from time to time. How eye-catching was that.


    This year''s opportunity to organize the Tanabata Banquet, fell on Wei Fang who had been begging Li Yuan for a long time, and finally got it. Maybe when the Holy One was happy, he would be able to serve the imperial emperor himself.


    Thinking of this, Wei Fang immediately felt as if he had been beaten by chicken blood. He cast away the exhaustion that befell him since he had no good rest for the past few days. Lack of rest still showed in him in that, when he ordered the little eunuch and the little palace maid to clean up, he became very angry again.


    However, in the collective efforts of the eunuchs and palace ladies in Huagai Hall, this year''s Qixi Palace Banquet officially kicked off.


    By the time Zhao Ling arrived outside the Huagai Palace, it was dark, and it was already the peak time for the guests to attend the palace banquet.


    The road leading to the Huagai Hall was crowded with all kinds of exquisite and luxurious carriages, as well as men and women in bright clothes. The men were all dressed in brocade clothes, and the women were all wearing rings and dangling bells.


    Seeing the traffic jam ahead, Zhao Ling had to get out of the carriage and let Luzhu, who had accompanied her all the way, wait in the carriage, while she followed behind Zhao Jiang and walked towards the Huagai Palace with the flow of people.


    Luzhu was a servant girl, so she was not qualified to enter the Huagai Palace to participate in the palace banquet. And tonight, Zhao Jiang and Zhao Ling were the only people attending the palace banquet in the entire Zhao mansion.


    Since Zhao Ruo came to tell her the last time that Meng Yunce was suffering from mildew, Mrs. Cui had been ill and bedridden for several days, so she couldn''t come to the banquet.


    Along the way, there was an endless stream of people who greeted Zhao Jiang, which instantly satisfied Zhao Jiang''s self-esteem that he had not raised his eyebrows for a long time.


    However, he knew in his heart that these dignitaries, who were usually above the top, would be so enthusiastic about him tonight, just to see the demeanor of the eldest daughter behind him.

 Chapter 113 - The Star Festival Palace Banquet [II]

    Dressed in a light blue-colored Yaluo skirt, this gentle, elegant, and calm woman was the rumored woman who sacrificed herself to save others, heralded to be unparalleled in wisdom and courage. She broke into a cult alone, cured a sudden illness of the saint, solved the murder case in the palace, and was bestowed with a unique gift from the DaZhaog Dynasty.


    The strange woman who received the golden medallion of death exemption? It was really unbelievable.


    In the face of the people around her who were looking at her, whether they were exploring, doubting, jealous, or admiring her, Zhao Ling never changed her facial expression and accepted it indifferently.


    Whether it was greeting her politely, sneering, or deliberately provoking, she responded calmly and politely. Such a graceful and calm lady, like a green lotus that emerged from the mud and was not stained. She stuck to her good temperament in the noisy world, even the always picky chief assistant, Lu Hengshan, nodded and praised her secretly.


    Lu Ziqing, who followed behind Lu Hengshan, followed Zhao Ling''s slender figure, and felt that his heart was sinking more and more uncontrollably. For a moment, he really wanted to recklessly indulge in his emotions and confide his feelings in her. But in the end, reason prevailed over impulse. Sometimes, he really hated himself for being too rational.


    At the entrance of Huagai Palace, Zhao Ling saw Meng Yuan sitting in a wheelchair with a straight back.


    Although the crowd was crowded and bustling, Zhao Ling''s eyes were only on this cold and arrogant figure. He sat far away in a quiet corner outside the hall, staring at her mildly, his eyes extremely gentle.


    It was rare for this guy to wear a moon-white brocade robe tonight, and in the twilight he looked even colder and jade-like.


    Was he waiting for her? Meeting his gentle gaze, Zhao Ling had a gentle smile on her face.


    Meng Yuan was not like this. In the crowded hall, he caught Zhao Ling''s slender and petite figure at a glance.


    His Ling''er was always so generous and calm, different from others. Compared with her, the women around her, who were flamboyant and dressed in gold and silver, were simply unbearable.


    At this moment, he really wanted to dig out the eyes of those men who secretly coveted her and admired her. Ling''er''s beauty could only be admired by him alone, and no one should ever want to covet her.


    He really hated the old emperor''s self-righteousness. To actually think of inviting Zhao Ling to attend this trick to force him to attend this so-called Tanabata feast was really despicable, shameless and hateful.


    "Ling." A deliberately low voice sounded from behind her.


    Zhao Ling turned around and saw that it was a man that she hadn''t seen for many days.


    In today''s style, he was dressed in a light blue robe, which sets off his tall, tall and straight as a pine. He looks like his usual tough face and awe-inspiring justice.


    "Fengze, long time no see." Zhao Ling greeted him with a nod and smiled.


    At the first sight of Feng Ze, she still had a sense of intimacy as if she had seen Yuan Lie, so the smile on her face became a bit thicker.


    Feng Ze clenched his fists with both hands, and quietly hid them in the wide sleeve robe, resisting the urge to hold her in his arms, and there was boundless attachment and pain deep in his eyes.


    The smiling face in front of him had appeared in his dreams countless times. In those dreams, he could caress her delicate face, fiddle with her long smooth hair, wrap his arms around her, and feel her real body temperature. Those dreams were so beautiful that he really wanted to stay in them forever and never wake up again.


    But he knknowew that these were always extravagant hopes for him. Because, this woman, was now out of his reach.


    Seeing Feng Ze staring straight at Zhao Ling, Meng Yuan was instantly furious. He raised his hand slightly, and Chang Dong, who was behind him, immediately pushed the wheelchair to where Zhao Ling was.


    Since the appearance of the princess, Chang Dong knew that his prince would not be able to sit rigid for long, and he was already ready to push him forward.


    Pushing him to Zhao Ling''s side, Chang Dong gave her a respectful salute. "I have seen the princess."


    "No need to be more polite." Zhao Ling said with a slightly unnatural expression. She turned her head and glared gently at Meng Yuan. When would you be able to control your impulse? She was still the Duke''s daughter, not his princess.


    Meng Yuan looked at her tenderly, took her hand, and said with a bit of coquettish affection, "Ling''er, let''s go in."


    He didn''t even bother to give a look to the figure whose face instantly became a coven of frowns when he stood aside.


    Zhao Ling was a little hesitant. Although the two of them had already been married by the emperor, but they had not done the official marriage ceremonies, and now they were showing their intimacy in the public, wasn''t it unethical?


    Although Meng Yuan probably never had rules he followed, but after all, she bore the title of the eldest daughter of Zhao Jiang''s mansion and had borrowed the body of the original owner for so long.


    She firmly broke her hand free from Meng Yuan''s light hold. Seeing Meng Yuan''s displeased face, she was about to appease him, but a crisp and arrogant female voice came from a short distance away.


    "Oh, when I was thinking about who was dressed so shabby to the banquet, it turned out to be Miss Zhao. Why, miss Zhao? Was this Zhao Guogong''s mansion so down and out, that Miss Zhao can''t even get some decent clothes?"


    The voice was very familiar, Zhao Ling recalled the source a few seconds later, and it seemed that it was the unruly Princess Yaohua.


    She sighed helplessly. Sure enough, there was no good banquet, and there would always be a few people who were looking for trouble.


    Fortunately, Zhao Jiang entered the hall early after seeing King Xuan appeared just now, otherwise he would have vomited blood on the spot when he heard Princess Yaohua''s words.


    Slowly, she turned around, and saw Princess Yaohua and Princess Qionghua walking side by side, hand in hand, walking in her direction.

 Chapter 114 - The Star Festival Palace Banquet [III]

    Because of today''s special day, the two of them have been carefully dressed up. Princess Yaohua was dressed in a pink palace dress, with a spring face and a charming look, while Princess Qionghua eas wearing a lavender gauze dress, looking demure and dignified, with a dusty temperament.


    The jewelry they wear was luxurious but not ostentatious, showing the royal style of low-key luxury.


    Compared with the two of them, Zhao Ling''s dress could indeed be described as "shabby". Of course, she was also measured, and fortunately, she had not lost her manners.


    Hearing Princess Yaohua''s bad tone of mockery, Meng Yuan''s expression changed obviously, and he was about to get angry on the spot, but was stopped by Zhao Ling''s eyes.


    She was just an unruly and willful little girl, why bother with her.


    She bowed to the two of them and said in a flat tone: "I have seen Princess Yaohua, Princess Qionghua. The two princesses are naturally beautiful and unparalleled in style. I also ask the two princesses to forgive me."


    When Princess Yaohua heard Zhao Ling''s compliment, she took it to heart, and snorted coldly with her nostrils turned upwards, showing a bit of pride. For Zhao Ling''s four-two trick, there was nothing she could do for a while.


    "Miss Zhao is too modest. Miss Zhao is extremely brave and has solved many strange cases. Now she is famous in the capital, how can she be an ordinary woman?" Princess Qionghua said aloud.


    This was the first time in Zhao Ling''s memories that she had heard Princess Qionghua speak. Different from Princess Yaohua''s arrogance, Princess Qionghua looked more pleasant, with a faint and friendly smile on her face, but the smile did not reach the depths of her eyes, and she looked like someone with a lot of scheming.


    After Princess Qionghua said this, she turned to say hello to Meng Yuan. "I have seen King Xuan."


    Meng Yuan grabbed Zhao Ling''s hand, and snorted badly, obviously lingering anger. What bothers him most were these arrogant, self-willed and pretentious women. Whether they were princesses or not, he didn''t even look at them.


    Princess Qionghua didn''t take it seriously, she still maintained a slight smile on her dignified face, showing elegance, and nodded to Feng Ze who was standing beside Zhao Ling. "General Wind."


    "Fengze has seen the two princesses." Fengze didn''t like to deal with these royal princesses either, but he had no choice but to politely return the courtesy.


    However, Zhao Ling''s sharp eyes caught Princess Qionghua''s eyes when she looked at Feng Ze, and there was a strange light in her eyes, which was clearly a vague love.


    She was moved inwardly. Could it be that this Princess Qionghua was interested in Fengze?


    At this moment, Wei Fang came out from the inner hall to greet the guests. Seeing Yaohua, Qionghua, two princesses, Xuanwang, and General Wuwei were all there, and the beautiful woman who was being grabbed by Xuanwang must be the future Princess Xuan, the eldest lady of Zhao Jiang''s mansion.


    He hurried up to meet him, bowed his head and saluted, "The servant has seen Princess Yaohua, Princess Qionghua, Lord Xuan, General Wuwei, Miss Zhao. Please, come inside."


    Inviting these honored gods into the inner hall, Wei Fang''s heart was beating faster due to the sheer power of these people.


    This Prince Xuan had rarely appeared in front of everyone since he suffered an accidental loss of his legs seven years ago, let alone attending such a large banquet. But why did he unexpectedly come to attend the banquet this year?


    Alas, he really didn''t know if this was his luck or his misfortune? For some reason, Wei Fang suddenly felt a little uneasy in his heart.


    After several of them entered the inner hall, a woman appeared in the dark in the corner outside the hall. She was looking at the direction where Zhao Ling disappeared with a pair of resentful eyes, shining with a vicious light.


    The sky gradually turned dark, the lights in the Canopy Hall first came on, and the voices were full of people. When Emperor Ming and Empress Duanjing both took their seats, and everyone finished paying homage, this year''s Qixi Palace banquet was officially announced by Emperor Ming amid singing and dancing.


    Zhao Ling really had to obey the ancient traditions and ways. Knowing this, even lying on a reclining chair in Fengheyuan and counting the stars was much better than coming here to worship.


    She couldn''t help but look at Meng Yuan, who had returned to his arrogant look on the opposite side, and pouted. There was only Meng Yuan here who didn''t have to kneel, worship or dance. There was no way for his crippled legs to perform any task here. So he just sat in the wheelchair and watched from the sidelines.


    But this guy was now putting on a stinky face, probably angry for not being able to sit with her.


    The seats at this banquet were not random, but they were arranged in detail according to your status, age, gender, and whether you were married or not.


    It seemed that Eunuch Wei had really put a lot of thought into this banquet.


    The row where Zhao Ling sat was naturally full of unmarried women. Sitting on her left was the daughter of Ning Hou, named Ning Hua, and sitting on her right was the daughter of the Minister of Rites, named Fu Yuechan, all of them were beautiful women with outstanding appearance.


    Ning Hua was one year older than Zhao Ling, and she was twenty years old this year, while Fu Yuechan was two years younger than Zhao Ling, at seventeen years of age. Therefore, Ning Chan looked more dignified than Fu Yuechan, and her eyebrows were a little more upright.


    In terms of personality, Fu Yuechan was obviously more lively.. Her big watery eyes looked at Zhao Ling up and down, and she made no secret of her curiosity about her.

 Chapter 115 - The Star Festival Palace Banquet [IV]

    "Are you the eldest young lady of the Zhao family who is rumored to be intelligent and omnipotent, the future Princess Xuan?" After sizing up, she asked bluntly.


    This little girl was really cute. Zhao Ling smiled at her, and said with a slightly joking tone: "Yes, my name is Zhao Ling, but unfortunately I''m not omnipotent. You know, rumors always like to exaggerate, and sometimes they can''t be believed."


    "Ms. Zhao''s words are reasonable." Ning Hua on the other side replied with a slight smile, "Sister Yuechan saw it just now, and everyone in the world has rumored that King Xuan is cold-hearted and unfeeling, but she still takes care of Miss Zhao. Extremely gentle?"


    Although Ning Hua was being a little bit ridiculous in her words, Zhao Ling saw that her face was kind and her eyes were clear. She thought that this sentence was just a playful and joking remark between the girls'' families, and there was no malicious intent, so she smiled kindly at her. Laughing, not denying it.


    It was well known that Meng Yuan treated her well, and she was happy to admit it generously.


    Ning Hou was born in the military, and Ning Hua, the daughter of a military general, had a natural and straightforward personality, while Fu Yuechan was also enthusiastic and cheerful. The two saw that Zhao Ling''s attitude was sincere, her eyes were calm, and she was generous, without any pretentiousness.


    The two of them immediately fell in love with her. So the three of them hit it off as soon as they met, and they quickly became acquainted. Not long after the banquet started, the three of them became sisters.


    "Sister Ling, isn''t your sister Zhao Ruo sitting over there? Why is she here too?" Fu Yuechan pointed to the corner of the row opposite and said to Zhao Ling.


    Zhao Ruo was here too? Zhao Ling didn''t notice. Looking in the direction Fu Yuechan pointed, she saw Zhao Ruo in the corner of the back row where Meng Yuan was sitting. The light-colored top and the lake-blue Luo skirt set off a small face as white as snow, which she felt pity for, but the gaze projected towards Zhao Ling from a distance was obviously malicious.


    Zhao Ruo''s appearance was not bad. After marrying a woman, she removed the arrogance of being a young girl, but added a bit of forbearance. It must be that her life in Prince Rong''s mansion after marriage was unsatisfactory.


    Sitting beside her was Meng Yunce, Prince Rong''s heir apparent. Meng Yunce''s face also looked very gloomy, and occasionally the eyes that were cast towards Zhao Ling also had a strong vicious look.


    The couple seemed to have reached a consensus, they both regarded Zhao Ling as a common thorn in their eyes, with expressions that they could not wait to get rid of.


    Isn''t Meng Yunce suffering from mildew, why was he still in the mood to attend the banquet, and he also brought Zhao Ruo''s concubine to the party?


    In the DaZhaog Dynasty, the status of concubines was not high. Generally speaking, as concubines, they were not qualified to participate in such banquets.


    "Humph." Ning Hua snorted disdainfully, "I robbed my sister''s fianc¨¦, and I ran out of money, but in the end I ended up being someone else''s concubine, and now I dare to come to this kind of occasion, and I''m really thick-skinned. Yes. It''s a shame that I thought she was s smart, but it turned out to be so shameless."


    Back then, Zhao Ruo often attended the gatherings of noble daughters, so Ning Hua naturally recognized her. Later, Meng Yunce gave up the engagement with Zhao Ling and asked to marry Zhao Ruo. There was a lot of rumors in the capital.


    Ning Hua thought about everything before, thinking that Zhao Ruo had flirted with Meng Yunce early on. She was a person of temperament, and she couldn''t rub the sand in her eyes, so she didn''t look down on a shameless person like Zhao Ruo.


    The circle of noble ladies in the capital is just that big, so Fu Yuechan naturally knew about this, and her face also showed a look of contempt, and at the same time she felt resentful for Zhao Ling.


    "That''s right, this Prince Meng is also blind, so he doesn''t want to marry such an outstanding beauty as Sister Ling and insists on marrying someone like Zhao Ruo, I really don''t know what he thinks!"


    it''s kind of funny. It seems that the phrase "where there were women there wlre gossip" was an unbreakable truth in ancient and modern Sheijin abroad.


    Ning Hua looked at Zhao Ling''s half-smiling expression, afraid that she would be sad, so she couldn''t help persuading her: "Qianmo, you must not care about this kind of person, as I see it, although King Xuan''s legs are disabled, they are the same. He''s handsome and handsome, and what is even more commendable is that he had a soft spot for you, and I don''t know how many times it''s better than that Meng Shizi."


    Zhao Ling smiled nonchalantly and said, "Of course I don''t care, thank you two for your concern."


    In fact, she also had to thank Meng Yunce for breaking off the marriage at that time, so that she and Meng Yuan would later marry her. It was precisely because of this marriage that she and Meng Yuan have reached the present step by step.


    Without Meng Yunce''s divorce, how would she have the chance to know Meng Yuan, a man who was always arrogant and cold in front of others, but only cared for himself gently, making people both distressed and worried?


    Thinking of this, Zhao Ling felt her heart warmed up, and couldn''t help but look in the direction where Meng Yuan was, and Meng Yuan also looked at her at this moment.. The eyes of the two met, and although they did not speak, their affection was self-evident.

 Chapter 116 - The Star Festival Palace Banquet [V]

    Seeing this, Ning Hua and Fu Yuechan looked at each other and smiled. Seeing how affectionate they were, they wanted to make fun of Zhao Ling, but it was obvious that she was not pretentious, and generously admitted her feelings for Meng Yuan. So unexpectedly, there was no interest in joking on their part for a while.


    At this time, the highlight of the banquet, the talent show, was announced, and the topic of the two ladies, naturally turned to the show.


    "Sister Ling, what program are you preparing for? It must be very special, right?" Fu Yuechan asked enthusiastically with her bright eyes.


    The strange woman in the many rumors must perform a program that was different and had its own advantages. She looked expectant.


    Hearing this, Zhao Ling couldn''t help but feel ashamed. In addition to being able to perform autopsy, she was only good at sports such as grappling, basketball and tennis, and her talent in performing arts was really good.


    So while enjoying the program that had already started on stage, she smiled casually and said, "I''m afraid I will disappoint Sister Yuechan. The program I prepared is very ordinary and nothing special."


    Ning Hua pouted, and said with a resentful face: "Every year, the winner of the talent show at the Tanabata Banquet is either a prince or the princess. Like us, they just come to make up the numbers for a scene, so why bother."


    "That''s true." Fu Yuechan felt the same way. "However, the Anping County Lady has won for three consecutive years. Does Sister Hu think it will be her turn this year?"


    Ning Hua shook her head, "I don''t think so. She lost such a big face after winning last year, so she should keep a low profile this year." Having said this, Ning Hua suddenly said to Zhao Ling, "Ling, Anping County Lord, Man, you have to be careful."


    Why? Could it be that you have an audience festival with Anping County Master? Zhao Ling raised her eyebrows, apparently somewhat inexplicable about Ning Hua''s warning.


    Seeing her puzzled, Ning Hua knew that she must probably not know the ins and outs of a day like this. No wonder, Zhao Ling had never attended this kind of gathering before, and it was normal that she had never heard of it, so she explained, "Ling, you must know that last year the Anping County Master won, and after winning, do you know what she asked the emperor for?"


    Zhao Ling shook her head. Could it have something to do with this wish?


    Fu Yuechan also came up with a look of interest, "Sister Hu, tell me quickly, what did the Princess Anping ask for, that she would become so embarrassed later?"


    "She asked the emperor to marry her and King Xuan, but before the imperial decree to grant the marriage reached the palace, she was ruthlessly rejected by King Xuan." Ning Yu said mysteriously, with a sneering look on her face.


    This incident made the Anping County Master become a laughing stock in the capital for a long time. It was only because of the authority of her mother, Princess Zhaoren, that the incident was slowly suppressed and did not have a great impact. So, it''s no wonder that Fu Yuechan and Zhao Ling didn''t know about it.


    How could such a thing happen? Zhao Ling really couldn''t figure it out, Meng Yuan didn''t say that his legs were disabled, wasn''t it still rumored that he was inhumane? Why did this Anping County Lady still want to marry him? It seemed that this guy''s peach blossom luck was really not ordinary.


    So, when Emperor Ming gave her in a marriage to Meng Yuan, she made a request for a one-year delay in the marriage date, and he didn''t refuse, or did he save his face?


    It was just that Anping County Lady was the daughter of Princess Zhaoren, and Princess Zhaoren was the elder sister of Emperor Ming, so aren''t the Anping County Master and Meng Yuan cousins?


    Zhao Ling felt a chill. Meng Yuan, it was indeed wise for you to refuse to confer marriage. There was no benefit to consanguineous marriage.


    "The Lord of Anping, relying on the status of Princess Zhaoren, had always been arrogant, with eyes above the others, even as high princess in the eyes of some, but to be rejected by King Xuan so ruthlessly, it is indeed a shame." Fu Yuechan said with a little sympathy.


    Ning Huan said with some worry: "If King Xuan had always remained cold-hearted and unsympathetic, it would be fine, but now he has a deep affection for you Ling, and he takes care of you in every possible way. With the temperament of the Anping County Master, I am afraid that she will hold a grudge against you. So, Ling, you better be careful."


    Under the guidance of Ning Chan and Fu Yuechan, Zhao Ling also recognized the Anping County Master who was sitting at the top of the row with them. At first glance, the appearance was somewhat unexpected to her.


    The arrogant Anping County Lady in the center of Ninghuakou, tonight''s dress was very simple and elegant, wearing a lake blue gauze skirt, there were not too many accessories on her, and there was no cheesy feeling of jewels.


    The sultry summer night, like a ray of clear spring, made people feel refreshed.


    Fu Yuechan let out a soft cry. "Sister Ling, Princess Anping looks just like you."


    That''s right, the Anping County Princess''s dress was actually similar to Zhao Ling''s, and she looked gentle and elegant, neat and generous.


    Due to his equal status, Meng Yuanheng happened to be sitting opposite the Lady of Anping County. Zhao Ling found that although this Anping County Master was sitting elegantly and looked indifferent, she always looked at Meng Yuan, who had a tense face and frowned slightly, intentionally or unintentionally. It seemed that she was really interested in him. She was really hapless.


    Meng Yuanheng was moody and has a bad temper. What''s so good about him? Originally, she thought that by virtue of his bad behavior and inhumanity, it was a no brainer, but who knew that he still had no peace.


    In the chat of the three ladies, the programs were performed one by one. Fu Yuechan and Ning Hua also came on stage. Fu Yuechan was performing dance and Ning Wei was playing the pipa. Both of their performances were quite satisfactory. They were carefully measured.


    At this kind of royal banquet, it was a wise choice to compete with the princesses, and always maintained a mid-level status.


    Therefore, when Zhao Ling came on stage to perform, there was not much psychological burden on her.. Ning Hua stepped down from the stage just after the performance, and crossed over with her, giving her an encouraging look.

 Chapter 117 - The Star Festival Palace Banquet [VI]

    Zhao Ling smiled softly, and sat down in front of the zither with a calm expression. She freed her mind as the serene words of the lunar poem streaked into her mind. She lifted her wrist lightly, and the melodious sound of the zither flowed out with her sweet voice.


    "Life makes a coincidence,


    flying stars spread hatred, the milky way is dark.


    Once the golden wind and jade dew meet,


    they will win but there are countless people in the world.


    The tenderness is like water, the good season is like a dream,


    and I can bear to look at the way back from lunar.


    If the two loves last for a long time, how can they be in the morning and evening. "


    She played and sang by herself, her voice was a little low but clear and pleasant, and her expression was indifferent but fascinating, like a mysterious girl above the nine heavens.


    Prosperous, free and easy, the two are blended in a seamless and elegant way, and the aftertaste was meaningful, which made people unconsciously attracted to her and indulge in it.


    By the time the song was over, nothing had gone wrong. Zhao Ling secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She had learned the zither for a period of time in middle school, and the basic feeling was still there. She practiced it a little bit yesterday, and it seemed that there was no embarrassment.


    She looked at Meng Yuan and saw that he was also staring at her with a deep and inseparable tenderness in her eyes.


    These days, because of Lou Xinyue''s curse, he, like her, had been uneasy in his heart, and his decision to refuse to marry him had only aggravated this feeling. So she took this opportunity tonight and borrowed this song, hoping to make him feel at ease, so that he could concentrate on treating the cold poison in the future.


    This was the decision she made after she learned that she was going to perform at the banquet. If the two loves last for a long time, how could they be in the morning and evening?


    She deliberately chose this song "Lunar Fairy: An Undying Love ", and hoped that he could understand her intentions and eliminate the psychology of worrying about gains and losses.


    Meng Yuanheng didn''t understand Zhao Ling''s intention. He stared at this woman who smiled sweetly and calmly to him, and the emotion in his heart could not be described in words.


    Holding his two legs tightly with both hands, at this moment, he wished that his leg disease had been cured, that he could walk proudly like a peacock, and take her away from here to a place where there was only the two of them. In this way, Ling''er''s beauty could only be appreciated by him.


    Obviously, everyone present had not recovered from Zhao Ling''s performance, and they were immersed in the words and phrases she played and sung just now.


    No matter what Miss Zhao''s singing skills were, just the graceful and lingering words with endless aftertaste made them deeply shock, and suddenly they felt like a dream in the world.


    As long as the two were in love with each other, why should they be greedy for the joys of sunny life. Such a broad-minded, free and indifferent woman is no inferior to a man.


    Feng Ze and Lu Ziqing saw that the interaction between Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan was invariably sour.


    Lu Ziqing''s self-control was very strong, and his intentions from this performance was not obvious, but the light in his eyes dims a little.


    Feng Ze seemed to be out of control, his whole body was tense, and a wine goblet in his hand, was squashed by his firm grips. He filled the glass of wine and drank it, swallowing bitterly.


    The two of them were so affectionate, so where should they go from here?


    They did knew that they should try to let go, but the word love was often involuntarily.


    Meng Tianluo stared at Zhao Ling on the stage, with even more sullenness in his eyes. Meng Yuan''s crippled luck was really not very good. Seven years ago, he couldn''t die under such a dangerous situation. Now he had obtained such a delicate and rare woman in the world. Was it going to be blessings after death for him?


    The scene was silent for a long time, and Zhao Ling didn''t bother to pay attention to everyone''s reactions. As long as Meng Yuan understood her intentions, she couldn''t control how other people felt, and she didn''t want to. She slowly got up, bowed her head, and returned to her seat without squinting.


    "Okay, okay, if the two loves last for a long time, how can it be in the morning and evening? Splendid." Emperor Ming took the lead in breaking the silence and praised her repeatedly. "Zhao family girl, your opinion is really unique, this poem is really unique. The idea is lofty, and it is very difficult for a man to have such a mind, which is very good."


    "Thank you the emperor for your compliment." Zhao Ling stood up from her seat and thanked Emperor Ming, but she secretly complained in her heart This was originally written by a man. She just thought it fit the situation and borrowed it.


    "Congratulations, Sister Ling, you have received the emperor''s praise!" Fu Yuechan congratulated her with a smile.


    Ning Hua also sighed sincerely. "Qian Mo, your poem is so well written. Your knowledge and mind really make me feel inferior." She regarded herself as a woman who eas not shy and unpretentious, but this eldest lady of the Zhao family was a different kind of human entirely. The peace and indifference radiating from her bones were unparalleled.


    Zhao Ling was really embarrassed, and while smiling, she could only silently thank Qin Shaoyou in her heart.


    She had temporarily borrow master Qin Shaoyou masterpiece, and could only hope that he didn''t mind the use of his poem.

 Chapter 118 - Hell Has No Door [I]

    Just when Ning Chan and Fu Yuechan thought that the winner tonight would be Zhao Ling, Princess Qionghua, who appeared at the finale, made the audience even more amazed and shocked.


    Under the hazy moonlight, the graceful woman in the red dress, gently fluttering in the air, the blue silk scarf that was dyed in ink was captivating, the long sleeves moving like waves to her dancing, she was like a fairy. Sometimes raising her wrists and lowering her eyebrows, sometimes relaxing her hands, elegant and vigorous, her flowing figure is an ancient flying dragon.


    This dance was actually "Nine Heavens of Phoenix Dance"!


    The Nine Heavens of Phoenix Dance had been lost for a long time, and it was extremely difficult to learn. It was not easy for Qionghua to dance to such a degree. It seems that she had indeed worked hard for this performance tonight.


    After the dance, Princess Qionghua Yingying was independent on the high platform, and her fiery figure became the focus of the audience, but her shy and timid eyes turned to Feng Ze''s seat from time to time, making Zhao Ling more convinced that this Princess Qionghua was really right. The performance was intentional.


    Unfortunately, Feng Ze was immersed in his own thoughts and did not notice Princess Qionghua''s gaze at all. He didn''t even know what program Princess Qionghua was performing. He only felt mourning in his heart, like sitting on pins and needles. If he hadn''t tried his best to keep his senses, he would have left.


    After a round of performances, it was no accident that Princess Qionghua became the winner tonight with the "Nine Heavens of Phoenix Dance".


    Both Ning Hua and Fu Yuechan angrily fought for Zhao Ling, but Zhao Ling felt that princess Qionghua deserved it. Whether it was Princess Qionghua or the song "Nine Heavens of Phoenix Dance", Zhao Ling felt a sense of surprise.


    This Princess Qionghua chose such an unpopular dance, presumably in order to make an unforgettable scene at tonight''s banquet and attract the attention of her sweetheart.


    Zhao Ling remembered that Feng Ze should be twenty five years old this year. In ancient times, many twenty-five-year-old men were fathers of several children. Mrs. Chu was also worried about Feng Ze''s life-long affairs, so she transferred him from the northwest frontier to Sheijing to work.


    Was this Princess Qionghua a good match for Fengze?


    By convention, the winner of the performance could ask the emperor for a wish. In the face of Emperor Ming''s inquiry, Princess Qionghua pondered for a long time, but did not raise it on the spot, she just told Emperor Ming. "Father, I can''t think of what to ask for at the moment, so I want to wait until I think about it and talk to my father. After that, then I''ll ask father for permission."


    Emperor Ming thought for a while, but he did not violate the rules, so he nodded in agreement and turned aside.


    Behind him, the Anping County Master, who had always been elegant and calm, showed a sneer on her face.


    Hmph, what if she mentioned it in the future, would she get what she wanted and wouldn''t be ashamed?


    Thinking of this, she glanced at the direction where Zhao Ling was, and her eyes gradually turned cold.


    After finally persevering until the end of the banquet, Zhao Ling was about to leave, but Wei Fang appeared at the right time and conveyed Empress Duanjing''s proposal to everyone.


    At this time, the short-lived flowers in the Royal Garden were just blooming. Due to the rare opportunity, Queen Duanjing invited the female guests present to enjoy the short-lived beauty of flowers.


    There was a beauty pavilion in this imperial garden, and various kinds of epiphyllum were planted everywhere in the pavilion. Epiphyllum was also called "beauty under the moon", hence the name of this beauty pavilion.


    Since the Epiphyllum only bloomed in the dead of night, the short-lived beauty in this imperial garden was not easy to see. When the Epiphyllum was blooming, it was beautiful and fragrant. Most of the women present were flower lovers. When they heard the invitation of Empress Duanjing, they were all excited, and immediately followed Empress Duanjing in twos and threes to the Beauty Pavilion in the Imperial Garden. .


    Zhao Ling couldn''t help crying in her heart. This groups of people were really endless. It was like taking stimulants after the Wuzhian Valentine''s Day. Wasn''t it said that everyone here goes to bed early? It should be past 9 o''clock in the evening now, just watch a short-lived flower. , how come these people are all like chicken blood, but they get more and more excited every night.


    Ning Chan and Fu Yuechan were obviously also very interested in Epiphyllum, and the two of them insisted on pulling Zhao Ling along.


    It is naturally impossible for the male guests to follow the queen to enjoy the flowers. After sitting all night, Emperor Mingde was also a little tired, so he announced the end of the banquet, and everyone went back to their houses.


    That''s okay, Zhao Ling thought that it was time for Meng Yuan to go back to take the medicine. The two looked at each other, Meng Yuan was unhappy, but at the urging of Ning Huan and Fu Yuechan, she had to ignore Meng Yuan''s dark and dark expression. With a sad and worried look on his face, he kept up with everyone''s footsteps.


    Beauty Pavilion was in the west corner of Imperial Garden. Empress Duanjing''s proposal was indeed very timely, because it was the best time for short-lived flowers to bloom. Before everyone entered the threshold of the Beauty Pavilion, they could smell the fragrance.


    When they entered the pavilion, they were all attracted by the beautiful scenery of the garden. A pot of Epiphyllum in different shapes, without exception, bloomed layers of petals, white, blue, purple, pink, different colors, under the infiltration of moonlight, like an elegant and holy, beautiful and charming woman, blooming to Tea millet, exuded its own fragrance.


    "This epiphyllum is really beautiful!" Fu Yuechan is cute and innocent, innocent and lively, spinning around in front of the flowerpot like a spinning top, and sniffing it from time to time. She was very busy doing this.


    Ning Hua was relatively stable, but she also looked intoxicated.


    It was not that Zhao Ling had never seen Epiphyllum. In modern times, she has planted two pots in her apartment. It was only because Epiphyllum had the effect of clearing the lungs, relieving cough and resolving phlegm, so she was mainly using it for medicine.


    She had always been a pragmatist, and she did not like to fiddle with flowers and plants like ordinary women. If she had a spare time, she might as well study the corpse more.


    However, she had never seen such a large number of epiphyllum blooming at the same time, and she was a little shocked for a while. Sure enough, the Royal Garden was different from any other garden in the empire.


    Just as Zhao Ling sighed to herself in front of a light purple Epiphyllum, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind.. "Big sister."

 Chapter 119 - Hell Has No Door [II]

    It was Zhao Ruo''s voice!


    Zhao Ling looked back and saw that it was indeed the pretty Zhao Ruo, who was looking at her with big watery eyes, as if she was a little flattered.


    This was totally strange of her half-sister. Zhao Ling frowned slightly. How could Zhao Ruo, who was glaring at her resentfully on the seat just a few minutes ago, show such an appeasing look to her now? What the hell was she trying to do?


    However, she didn''t reach out and hit the smiling face, not to mention that she was still in the palace, Zhao Ling didn''t want to be entangled in any form of arguments with her half-sister, she nodded lightly, and replied, "Sister Ruo."


    Zhao Ruo took two steps forward, approached Zhao Ling, and said softly, "Big sister, I have something to ask for, can I take a step closer to talk?"


    Zhao Ling didn''t want to talk to her, because she felt that Zhao Ruo was a little abnormal tonight. But seeing her pleading with firmness, it seemed that if she didnn''t agree, she would keep pestering her. To avoid trouble, she followed Zhao Ruo to a corner of the pavilion and waited for her next words.


    Seeing that there was no one around, Zhao Ruo immediately changed the pity she saw earlier, her eyes instantly turned sinister, and she said viciously: "Zhao Ling, what you have done is absolutely crazy, even if you want to marry an incompetent crippled person. Now, do you want to cripple the prince as well?"


    Zhao Ling frowned, her tone turned cold. "I don''t understand what Sister Ruo is talking about."


    She knew that Zhao Ruo was talking about Meng Yunce suffering from mildew, but she didn''t think she had done anything wrong, it was all her fault.


    Anger flashed in Zhao Ruo''s eyes, but she lowered her voice and roared softly: "Zhao Ling, do you know how much I hate you, that shocking horse, you caused me to lose my child, and you hurt me even more. I lost my moment to be a mother, and the doctor said that I would never have children in the future. You made me lose my status as a wife, so I could only be a concubine. Do you know how my days in Rong Wang''s mansion are going, and how I get through it? From childhood to adulthood, I, Zhao Ruo, were better than you in every way, but why, why did you get so much, everything you wanted, but I didn''t get everything I want?"


    The more Zhao Ruo spoke, the more angry she became, her beautiful facial features gradually distorted, and the anger in her eyes seemed to burn out Zhao Ling.


    "Everything has a cause and an effect. If you didn''t mean to harm me at the beginning, how could you end up like this? Regarding you, I have a clear conscience." Zhao Ling said with a normal expression and a flat tone.


    She was not Mary Sue, although Zhao Ruo''s current fate could indeed be described as "miserable", but she had never sympathized with those who bring it upon themselves.


    Zhao Ruo suddenly sneered a few times, and warned with a sinister look on her face: "Zhao Ling, don''t be too complacent. You hurt me like this, and I won''t make you feel better in return."


    At this moment, not far away, a beautiful little palace maid rushed to the place where the two of them were, looked at Zhao Ling and asked, "Is this the eldest lady of the Zhao family?"


    Few palace maids ever stared straight at people, and even looked directly in the eyes.


    Seeing this, Zhao Ling had a different intuition and was vigilant, and replied in a deep voice: "I am."


    The little palace maid still looked at Zhao Ling and said, "Miss Zhao, Princess Anping has a request to see you."


    Why did the Lady of Anping call her? Zhao Ling was about to ask aloud, but found that Zhao Ruo''s eyes flickered, she snorted, and turned to leave.


    But at this moment, the little palace maid suddenly pulled out a silver hairpin from the hair on her head, stepped forward quickly, and inserted the hairpin neatly into Zhao Ruo''s back.


    All this happened so fast, and it was completely unexpected. No matter how vigilant Zhao Ling was, it was too late to stop it.


    Only to hear Zhao Ruo let out a high pitched scream, "Aaaaghhrr."


    It was particularly harsh in the quiet beauty pavilion, like thunder piercing through the sky.


    This time, the stab wound was obviously very deep. When the little palace maid successfully pulled out the silver hairpin, blood gurgled from the wound, and Zhao Ruo fell to the ground in unbearable pain.


    Zhao Ling grabbed the little palace maid''s hand holding the hairpin and twisted it hard, the little palace maid''s wrist hurt, and the silver hairpin fell to the ground.


    "What are you doing?" Zhao Ling asked sharply, her shocked face full of seriousness.


    This palace maid''s move was definitely not casual. It must have been planned, and must have deep meaning.


    Hearing Zhao Ruo''s screams, everyone who was admiring the flowers rushed over. Seeing Zhao Ruo lying on the ground covered in blood, crying in pain, they were all shocked. A few timid concubines and princesses were frightened, and cried out. The scene was that of chaos.


    Empress Duanjing was at the forefront. Seeing this scene, in order to avoid another death in the palace, she quickly asked for an imperial doctor.


    Seeing that the perpetrator was a little palace maid, Empress Duanjing''s face was frosty, and she asked coldly, "Which palace maid are you, and why did you attack concubine Shizi?"


    However, the little palace maid appeared shocked, as if she had suddenly recovered her senses. She struggled to break free from Zhao Ling''s hand, knelt on the ground with a plop.. With her body shaking, she pointed at Zhao Ling with her trembling finger, and shouted loudly with fear. "Demon! You are a demon girl! Sorcery!"

 Chapter 120 - Hell Has No Door [III]

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    ***


    Hearing the exclamation of the little palace maid, Empress Duanjing''s face froze, and her voice became even more majestic. "Who is the demon girl and what kind of sorcery are you talking about? Talk clearly. If you dare to confuse the public in the palace, you know what the consequences will be!"


    Concubine Li''s incident had just subsided, and the people in the palace were still unstable. She didn''t want any more troubles.


    The little palace maid was laying on the ground, trembling all over, and said with a crying voice. "Empress Empress, everything the servant said is true. This eldest lady of the Zhao family is a demon girl, she can do magic arts."


    "Nonsense, she is the eldest lady of Zhao Jiang''s residence, and the future Princess Xuan, how can she be a demon girl?" Ning Huan asked anxiously.


    The Dasheng Dynasty had forbidden the use of dark sorcery or black magic, and the invoking of otherworldly entities in the forms of demons, ghosts and the likes. Although Ning Hua had not known Zhao Ling for a long time, she still liked Zhao Ling''s sincerity and generosity. She intuitively believed in Zhao Ling, how could such a calm and upright person be a witch?


    "Miss Ning and Miss Zhao have not known each other for a long time, how can you make such an assertion so easily?" The Anping County Lady retorted. Her expression was light, making people unable to see through her emotions. Afterwards, she turned to the Empress and said, "Empress Empress, this palace maid was just sent by me to invite Miss Zhao. Because I saw Miss Zhao''s talent, I wanted to invite her to enjoy flowers and sing poetry together."


    The maid nodded on her knees, still crying.


    After that, the Anping County Master sternly said to the palace maid who was laying on the ground: "What happened just now, please explain it to the Empress!"


    The little palace maid was still trembling all over, as if she was very scared. "Yes, the county master. Just now when the servant was ordered to invite Miss Zhao, Miss Zhao was arguing with Mrs. Shizi about something. When the servant arrived, I asked Miss Zhao to come over. Miss Zhao asked the servant to raise her head. Come and ask which palace maid the servant is. After the servant raised her head and saw the eyes of Miss Zhao, she seemed to have lost consciousness and didn''t know anything. When I woke up, I saw Mrs. Shizi laying on the ground covered in blood. Please, the Queen''s concubine, the slave girl really doesn''t know anything. It''s Miss Zhao. It must be Miss Zhao who controlled the slave slave with magic, and used the slave to hurt the prince''s wife."


    After speaking, the little palace maid glanced at Zhao Ling in horror, then immediately lowered her head, laying on the ground shivering.


    This soft and weak Zhao family eldest lady actually knew how to perform sorcery! Everyone turned their attention to Zhao Ling and took a few steps away from her unconsciously.


    Among the concubines, only Concubine Xian was grateful to Zhao Ling because she made excuses for Meng Tianlin last time she was in the Funing Hall. She also knew that this incidence was no trivial matter, and Zhao Ling would not be able to get away easily, so she quietly sent her personal maid to invite King Xuan.


    In the current situation, perhaps only King Xuan could help her get out of trouble.


    Ning Chan and Fu Yuechan stood firmly beside Zhao Ling, as if to protect her.


    Fu Yuechan''s face was pale, and she was a little scared, but she didn''t believe that this kind-hearted sister Ling would be a witch.


    Ning Hua was even more convinced that with her experience of knowing people, how could Zhao Ling, who was so calm and upright, be a demon girl or a witch? She shook Zhao Ling''s hand and gave her wordless support.


    Receiving the trusting gazes of Ning Chan and Fu Yuechan, Zhao Ling smiled gratefully at them, her face always calm and gentle.


    She knew this was a designed ploy. And the people who laid this plot were undoubtedly Zhao Ruo and Anping County Master.


    No wonder Meng Yunce brought Zhao Ruo to this banquet abnormally tonight. It turned out to be for such a play, and he even found the perfect partner for the plot in Princess Anping.


    Just how did Zhao Ruo knew that she could hypnotize? Hadn''t the interrogation of the assassin already been suppressed by Meng Yuan?


    But in the current situation, she couldn''t think too much about it, and it was more important to solve the immediate problems first.


    She calmly bowed to Empress Duanjing, and said in a calm tone: "Empress Empress, the minister''s eldest daughter and Mrs. Shizi are sisters, how could she hurt her for no reason? Just now, this palace maid suddenly shot her hands forward and hurt Mrs. Shizi, and now she is talking again. Bloody nonsense, blaming minister''s daughter. I don''t know what''s the motive, I also ask the empress to investigate this."


    The little palace maid on the ground was crying and screaming that she was wronged. "Empress Empress, this servant has been wronged. The servant and the madam have no enmity, so how could I harm her for no reason? When the servant came to invite Miss Zhao, Miss Zhao was arguing fiercely with the madam, it must be Miss Zhao. In a fit of anger, she controlled this slave with witchcraft, so that the slave would become unconscious and do things that hurt the prince''s wife. The slaves have a cheap life, and it is not a pity to die, but the slave swear by her own life, what the slave said, is true. Please, I ask the Empress to see it clearly."


    After the little palace maid finished speaking, she showed a resolute look on her face. She flew a few steps and slammed her head into the rockery next to her. Her head was broken and her petite body fell softly to the ground.


    This little palace maid''s action to seek death was very fast, as if she had prepared it in advance, and the head-butting movement was neat, without any hesitation, everyone wasn''t expecting to see that, and all were taken aback by her.

 Chapter 121 - Hell Has No Door [IV]

    Zhao Ling sneered to herself. It seemed that the plans of the Anping County Master and Zhao Ruo were both vicious and thoughtful. In their eyes, perhaps, the life of a little palace maid was not worth mentioning at all.


    The maid next to Empress Duanjing immediately stepped forward, sniffed the little palace maid''s breath, and returned to Empress Duanjing and said, "Empress, the person is already dead."


    Dead? The on-lookers around were all women, and they were generally timid. When they saw the tragic death of the little palace maid, they screamed one after another, and the crowd began to be chaotic.


    Empress Duanjing never liked these bloody scenes, but now that a good flower-viewing would become like this, she was furious. Over the years, under her own governance, the harem had always been calm and peaceful, but recently, there have been frequent situations.


    The matter of the fake Concubine Li hiding Wushi San had made her unable to hold her head up in front of Emperor Mingd. Now there was still a mess of witchcraft, which was really a wave of unresolved matter, and she couldn''t let myself live for a moment.


    However, Zhao Ruo did not care about the blood dripping on her back at this time, she crawled towards Zhao Ling, hugged her leg and cried, "Big sister, you are so cruel. My husband married me, but didn''t the emperor also marry you and King Xuan later? Why do you keep brooding, hold grudges against me, and hurt me repeatedly? Usually, you just hurt me at home, but now It''s in the palace, the palace is a quiet place, how can you use such vicious sorcery to hurt me? Big sister, even if you get angry again, you can''t use sorcery in the palace!"


    Zhao Ruo burst into tears, and the wound on her back continued to overflow with blood, which made her pretty face pale and sympathetic.


    Empress Duanjing couldn''t help but have some doubts about Zhao Ling. It seemed that since the eldest Zhao family entered the palace, the palace began to be uneasy. This girl from the Zhao family could only do things that ordinary women couldn''t, and it was a bit suspicious to say the least.


    Empress Duanjing said to Zhao Ling with a cold face. "Miss Zhao, Madam Shizi is your sister, and even she admits that you know magic, what else do you have to say?"


    This Zhao Ruo, it seemed that this time, she was desperate, and she would not hesitate to use the bitter trick, but also push her to the path of the witchcraft.


    Zhao Ling had to admit that this move was indeed a brilliant move, especially this little palace maid, who had to risk her own life to prove that she was a demon girl, and now everyone was suspicious, no matter how much she denied it, it was still an excuse.


    But she knew that she could not admit that she was a witch no matter what. In desperation, she had to kneel before Empress Duanjing, but her tone remained firm. "The servant girl has not harmed the wife of the prince, and she is not good at any magic tricks. The lady of the prince probably lost too much blood, her consciousness is a little blurred, and she is talking nonsense. Please I ask the empress to check this."


    "I didn''t, I''m very awake." Zhao Ruo knelt beside her and shouted in a hurry, "The Empress, the concubine heard that the last time King Xuan encountered assassins on his way back to Sheijing, sister just looked at those assassins, all the assassins were all obediently telling the truth, if it wasn''t for sister who knew how to perform sorcery, how could she do this?"


    Sure enough, that''s what happened. It was just that she didn''t reveal anything about the matter at the Duke''s Mansion, how did Zhao Ruo know?


    She looked at Zhao Ruo sharply, and said coldly, "Second sister, do you know what you are talking about, you dare to say such things in the palace?"


    When King Xuan was almost assassinated, they knew it involved the struggle between the various forces in the palace. This Zhao Ruo seemed to be really blinded by hatred, yet dared to publicize it like this in the palace.


    It was no wonder that she was only a concubine of Meng Yunce, and naturally she did not know the influence and powers behind this matter. Prince Rong''s Mansion was a faction of King Luo''s side.


    This was something that everyone knew quite well, and the assassin last time was sent by King Luo, so it was naturally inseparable from Prince Rong''s Mansion. This Zhao Ruo did not shy away from publicizing the matter, and was not afraid that King Luo would kill her.


    Seeing that Zhao Ling''s attitude was firm, her face calm, and she refused to admit it, Empress Duanjing was helpless for a while. After all, it was the eldest daughter of the Zhao Jiang''s mansion, the future Princess Xuan, even if the Jiang''s mansion was in decline now, but the Xuanwang mansion had deep roots and a heavy army, she still couldn''t easily offend them.


    Empress Duanjing pondered for a while, and saw that Princess Zhaoren was by her side, her eyes lit up. The long princess always had an idea, why didn''t she push this problem to her? So she turned around and asked, "According to the princess''s wishes, what should I do with this matter?"


    Princess Zhaoren was dressed in a luxurious palace dress, and should be slightly older than Empress Duanjing in terms of age. However, due to her excellent maintenance, her face was still beautiful. The eyebrows and eyes that were very similar to those of Princess Anping, were slightly raised, and she did not seem to be a gentle person.


    Hearing Empress Duanjing''s inquiry, her willow-leaf eyebrows raised slightly, and she looked down at Zhao Ling, who was kneeling on the ground without changing her color, and said slowly, "I have long heard that the eldest lady of the Zhao family is unparalleled in wisdom and courage. Now, when I see it, I think the rumors are a bit credible. It''s just that today''s events have nothing to do with you. Now it has caused one death and one injury, and it has made the palace uneasy. If you are released like this, not only is it difficult to convince the public, but Miss Zhao must always bear the name of a demon girl. Therefore, according to this palace''s rules, we should temporarily imprison Miss Zhao until the matter is investigated, no matter whether Miss Zhao is a witch or not. So I can explain satisfactorily to everyone."


    Zhao Ling raised her eyebrows. Listening to the meaning of this Princess Zhaoren words, it appeared she was going to put her in jail? Moreover, what she said was on extremely fractured floor.. When the matter was found out in the future, she might still be a witch, and she might be imprisoned for the rest of her life.

 Chapter 122 - Hell Has No Door [V]

    Princess Zhaoren was the mother of the Anping County Lord. Last year, the marriage proposal of the Anping County Lord was ruthlessly rejected by Meng Yuan. As a mother, Princess Zhaoren was naturally also shameless, and she must have hatred for the Xuan Wangfu''s mansion. Therefore, Zhao Ling was not at all surprised that Princess Zhaoren would say so at this time.


    Since Princess Zhaoren made such a suggestion, although Empress Duanjing felt it was a little inappropriate, it was inconvenient for her to raise objections.


    At that time, when Emperor Ming first assumed the throne, when the political situation was unstable and the steps were difficult, he received the strong support and assistance of Princess Zhaoren. Therefore, the status and prestige of Princess Zhaoren in the DaZhaog Dynasty was self-evident.


    Emperor Ming also respected his own imperial sister by a great margin, and Empress Duanjing naturally did not dare to push aside her opinions too much.


    After pondering for a while, she gave the order. "Come here, put the eldest lady of the Zhao family in the Heavenly Prison temporarily, and take the prince''s wife to the side hall and hand her over to the imperial physician for treatment. Tonight''s matter will continue to be thoroughly investigated, and we must find out the truth."


    Anping County Master stood behind Princess Zhaoren, and upon hearing the order of Empress Duanjing, a look of pride appeared on her cold and pretty face, and she gave Zhao Ling a condescending glance, her attitude was extremely arrogant, but deep in her eyes there was a deep look of pride. Strong jealousy.


    How could this woman be so favored by King Xuan, who had always been unfeminine? Thinking of the arrogant and cold man''s dismissive attitude towards her, she felt heartbroken.


    She swore that one day, she wouldl make the man who disdained the world bow down under her feet.


    Zhao Ruo knelt down beside Zhao Ling, her head bowed, a sneer on her face, after her successful trick.


    Zhao Ling, what a situation she got herself into today. This trick of the Anping County Lady was really effective. In this life, she would bear the name of a witch, and shr would never come out of the prison. At this moment, she felt that the wound on her back was less painful.


    Several eunuchs and court ladies led the way. Several palace maids carried Zhao Ruo to a nearby side hall, and handed her over to the imperial doctor who rushed over to treat the wound on her back. Several eunuchs were responsible for arresting Zhao Ling and taking her to the Heavenly Prison in the palace.


    Princess Zhaoren and the Empress both spoke up, although Ning Yan and Fu Yuechan were anxious in their hearts, they were helpless.


    Zhao Ling couldn''t think of a way to escape for a while. She thought in her heart, since she didn''t have the strength to fight hard, she could only go to jail for a few days and make a long-term plan. She didn''t admit that she knew magic tricks, and for the sake of the Duke''s Mansion and the Prince Xuan''s Mansion, forgive them and they didn''t dare to do anything to her without solid evidence.


    She said coldly to a few eunuchs who were close to her and wanted to reach out to fight, "I''ll do it myself without bothering the father-in-laws."


    Standing up, she smiled slightly at both Ning Yan and Fu Yuechan, still looking as usual and acting calmly.


    Just when she turned around and was about to leave with the eunuchs, she suddenly sensed a cold and familiar anger from afar.


    "Who dares to touch this king''s woman!"


    It was Meng Yuan''s voice! How could he go and come back?


    Zhao Ling followed the prestige and saw Chang Dong pushing the wheelchair, coming here at a much faster speed than usual. Meng Yuan was still sitting in the wheelchair with his back straight, his usual cold an?d unwavering face was vaguely eager.


    The two, master and servant, did not look sideways, and went straight to Zhao Ling''s side. Meng Yuan habitually took Zhao Ling''s hand, looked up at her, and asked with concern, "Ling''er, are you alright?"


    Zhao Ling patted the back of his hand, smiled at him gently, and shook her head gently.


    Meng Yuan grabbed her hand a little harder, raised his eyes and glanced coldly at the people around him, and finally stopped on Empress Duanjing, and said in a deep voice, "I dare to ask the empress why you want to put this king''s future concubine in the heavenly prison"


    Queen Duanjing had never seen Meng Yuan look so cold and severe. Usually, when Prince Xuan saw her, although the expression on his face was also light, at least his attitude was still respectful, and he still had the proper etiquette. But now, even the greeting wss exempted, and anyone could see that he was angry.


    Princess Yaohua was accustomed to being arrogant. Seeing Meng Yuan''s attitude towards her mother, she couldn''t help but scolded: "Bold, how dare you be so rude to the empress. Lord Xuan, don''t you know, your future? The princess is a witch, and she used witchcraft to hurt people just now, so my mother put her in the heavenly prison, lest she use witchcraft indiscriminately and hurt others."


    Hearing this, Meng Yuan looked at Princess Yaohua with cold eyes that could freeze, and he said word by word: "Princess Yaohua, you''d better keep your own mouth, if someone dares to talk nonsense in the future, say This king''s future princess is a demon girl, and this king will make her unable to speak again."


    Everyone present was aware of King Xuan''s temper and knew that he had a unique personality. After hearing this threatening remark, they did not dare to open their mouths for a while, for fear that King Xuan would be unhappy and his tongue would be cut off by him.


    Princess Yaohua ate a humble pie, and her pink and pretty face turned pale for a while, but she did not dare to be too presumptuous in front of Meng Yuan. She cried out in grievance, "Queen Mother." She hid behind Empress Duanjing, although she glared at each other, she didn''t dare to say anything.


    Seeing Meng Yuan being so disrespectful, no matter how good-tempered Empress Duanjing was, she couldn''t hold back her face for a while, and her tone became severe.

 Chapter 123 - Hell Has No Door [VI]

    "Xuan Wangxiu is going to be presumptuous. Yaohua is not wrong, that little palace maid''s body has not yet been collected, and the wife of the prince is still in the side hall for treatment. Both of her testified that she was harmed by your future princess using magic. There are so many people at the scene who can testify. The Aijia temporarily imprisoned her in the Heavenly Prison, and just handled it impartially. Come and take Miss Zhao down."


    "Who dares!" Meng Yuan spit out two words coldly, making it clear that he wanted to fight against Empress Yizhi.


    A few eunuchs were about to come forward and saw that King Xuan was firmly protecting Zhao Ling, while Changdong was blocking them loyally and protecting the Lord. They looked at each other, not knowing where to start.


    While the two sides were at a stalemate, a shrill communication sound suddenly sounded.


    "The Emperor is here!"


    Emperor Ming walked towards this place with square steps, followed by Eunuch Li and Eunuch Wei, as well as four princes, Meng Tianluo, Meng Tianjue, Meng Tianlin, and Meng Tianyan. The team was huge.


    Zhao Ling sighed. It seemed that this incident was getting bigger and bigger tonight, and she really didn''t know how to end it.


    Eunuch Wei lowered his head and followed Emperor Ming step by step, but he complained in his heart and complained about his life. He knew that King Xuan''s unprecedented attendance at the Qixi Banquet was not a good sign. No, it really came true.


    Oh, how can he be so unlucky! He wanted to hit the wall.


    "We hail the emperor, long live, long live, long live." Everyone present, except Meng Yuan, knelt down and saluted.


    "Flat body." Emperor Ming''s tone was dignified.


    "Thank you, Your Majesty."


    When Meng Tianlin saw Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan, he was about to run up to greet them excitedly, but was quickly pulled by Concubine Xian. At this time, don''t make trouble for this stupid kid.


    Emperor Ming glanced around the crowd with a sullen face. When he saw the body of the little palace maid placed beside the rockery, his face was even more displeased.


    After sitting at the banquet all night, he was already exhausted. He just wanted to go back to the Funing Palace to rest, but Wei Fang stopped him halfway, saying that something big happened in the Beauty Pavilion. Looking at the tense posture, Wei Fang was right, something happened


    A few days ago, because of the five stone powder incident, many palace maids and eunuchs had been killed in the palace. Some peace had settled in, and now there was a murder case, so they culdn''t let him sleep peacefully? Emperor Ming was very angry.


    Empress Duanjing told the whole story in detail, and Emperor Ming''s face became even darker after listening.


    Does the girl from the Zhao family know witchcraft? Could you control others with your eyes? This was all a mess. What''s more, the crime of abusing witchcraft to hurt others is a serious crime. Does the girl from the Zhao family look like someone who doesn''t know what to do?


    However, this little palace maid testified with her own life, and Zhao Ruo, who came out of the side hall to see the driver after finishing her wounds, kept accusing her, making it difficult for Emperor Ming to judge for a while.


    He looked at Zhao Ling, who was being guarded by Meng Yuan. He was a little surprised when he saw that she was still calm and comfortable. This girl from the Zhao family really had the ability to keep calm when a mountain collapsed in front of her.


    "Girl from the Zhao family, how do you explain the accusations of this little palace maid and the wife of the prince?" Emperor Ming asked in a deep voice.


    Was it finally her turn to speak? Zhao Ling lowered her head and raised her eyebrows, her tone calm. "Going back to the emperor, the servant girl is just an ordinary woman, and she will never do any magic tricks. The palace maid suddenly went mad and attacked Sister Qianxue. According to the servant girl, the problem might lie with this little palace maid. Therefore, I implore the emperor to let the imperial doctor, examine the little palace maid''s body to see if there is anything unusual."


    Emperor Ming thought for a while and felt that Zhao Ling''s words were reasonable, so he asked the old doctor who had just treated Zhao Ruo''s wound to examine the little palace maid''s body to see if she could find the cause of  her sudden madness.


    The old doctor took the order and stepped forward, and after a careful inspection, he actually found a bag of white medicine powder on the body of the little palace maid. When the ingredients of the medicinal powder were found out, the old doctor kept shaking his hands and reported to Emperor Ming with a pale face: "Back to the emperor, this... this is Wushi San."


    Everyone was shocked when they heard it. Why was there such a thing in the palace?


    Emperor Ming was even more angry. It seemed that after a round of thourough search, there we''re still fish that slip through the net, and even a mere court lady had taken it. How popular was this thing in the palace.


    Zhao Ling sighed secretly. Meng Yuan''s work was really vicious. The medicine powder was not eanough to put, but he had to put a pack of five stone powder. She didn''t know where this guy came from. Just like this, she didn''t know how many people in the palace will suffer.


    Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Meng Yuan, obviously disapproving of his practice of disregarding the lives of others in order to clear her name.


    That''s right, when Empress Duanjing told Emperor Ming the whole story in detail, Changdong''s ghostly figure moved, and when everyone was not paying attention, he hid a packet of medicinal powder on the little palace maid''s body.


    And all of this, Zhao Ling knew very well, so just now she specifically asked Emperor Ming to let the imperial physician examine the little palace maid''s body.

 Chapter 124 - Hell Has No Door [VII]

    Since Wu Shi powder was found on the little palace maid, then she just attacked Zhao Ruo for no reason. She thought it must be because she became unconscious after taking Wu Shi powder and suddenly went mad.


    In this way, Zhao Ling''s suspicion of being a witch was naturally cleared.


    So, they had failed in their bitter plot. Was this hairpin a waste? Zhao Ruo saw that Zhao Ling had solved the situation she had planned for so long so easily, and became angry inwardly.


    She was really unwilling to let it go, but had to accept the obvious fact. Everyone was protecting Zhao Ling, even the emperor seemed to protect her, not to mention King Xuan. She was so well protected that she was really envious.


    A sign of Jealousy and hate.


    Seeing that Zhao Ling easily got out of trouble, and seeing Meng Yuan taking care of her in every possible way, the Anping County Master felt as if she had overturned the five-flavor bottle, only to find that inside was sour and astringent.


    Angrily, she said. "Your majesty, King Xuan encountered assassins on the way back to Sheijing. During the interrogation of the assassins, Miss Zhao just glanced at the assassins, and the assassins knew that they had everything to say and confessed everything to her. Wasn''t this a demon technique?"


    Meng Tianluo was panicking for a moment when he heard Anping County Master''s words. The killers of Shadowless Gate were not easy to hire. It took a lot of money and energy to organize the last attempted assassination of Meng Yuan, but who knew that Meng Yuan, a cripple, would easily get out of trouble.


    It was just that Meng Yuan hadn''t made any mention of the incident all this while. So, Meng Tianluo, originally thought that this matter was unknown, but now, it sounded like those assassins have confessed, so Meng Yuan will find out about him sooner or later.


    It seemed that his plan had to be stepped up.


    Emperor Ming was skeptical. "How can such a thing happen in this world?"


    Zhao Ruo even climbed forward and tried her best to agree. "Your Majesty, what the Anping County Master said is absolutely true, there is such a thing, the concubine is willing to guarantee her life."


    After a pause, she felt as if her life was not enough. She suddenly felt blessed. She glanced at Eunuch Li next to Emperor Ming, and said eagerly: "If the emperor doesn''t believe it, you can ask Eunuch Li. When he returned to Sheijing last time, Eunuch Li walked with King Xuan all the way, and he must have witnessed it with his own eyes."


    Seeing what Zhao Ruo said with certainty, Emperor Ming turned his head to look at Eunuch Li and asked, "Li Yuan, is there any such thing?"


    Eunuch Li fell to his knees with a thud, really wishing that a crack would suddenly appear on the ground, so that he could get in and not have to face such an embarrassing situation again.


    King Xuan''s warning was still in his ears, but he couldn''t bear the crime of deceiving the king. Why... why should it be him?


    Eunuch Li was sweating on his forehead and trembling all over his body. He had lost his usual eloquence and could not speak well. "Returning to the emperor, it''s true... that''s true. No matter how severely the assassins were tortured that day. They wouldn''t say who ordered them to die, but the future Princess Xuan only looked at the assassin a few times, and the assassin told her the truth."


    After he finished speaking, he glanced at Meng Yuan, whose face was ashen, from the corner of his eyes, and instantly lowered his head between his legs, his entire body shaking visibly.


    King Xuan was not easy to mess with.


    When everyone heard what Zhao Ruo said just now, they didn''t fully believe it. Just because they have heard that the two sisters had always been at odds, naturally they would not say anything good towards each other. But now even Eunuch Li had confirmed it, so this was actually true!


    There were exclamations around, and even the faces of Ning Hua and Fu Yuechan were faintly frightened.


    Just after a few glances from her, she would be controlled by her. What kind of terrible sorcery is this?


    This girl from the Zhao family was actually so evil. Emperor Ming couldn''t hold his face for a while, and angrily asked Zhao Ling: "Zhao family girl, what do you have to say?"


    Zhao Ling''s face was as usual, and she knelt down to Emperor Ming calmly, and said in a calm tone: "Imperial emperor, just as Eunuch Li said just now, the assassin was very stubborn that day, and the minister''s daughter was worried about King Xuan''s safety and had to use it as a last resort. The illumination technique, not demon technique. This technique of illumination is one of the pupil techniques, and it is a means of interrogating prisoners. This technique has been in existence since ancient times, and it is not a sorcery. Please, I ask the emperor to see it clearly."


    This was the response Meng Yuan had prepared for her since the last interrogation of the assassin, just in case. He didn''t expect it to come in handy so quickly.


    Illumination technique? Although Emperor Ming had never heard of it, but after hearing what Zhao Ling said, he couldn''t say so. If he denied it, it would seem that he was very ignorant of his historical events, so he pretended to be deep and said: "Even if this pupil technique has existed since ancient times, you are a daughter who has lived in a confined courtyard for a long time. How did the lady learn this technique?"


    Zhao Ling had expected such a question, and still responded calmly. "There are many ancient books in Bishan Academy. When I went to Suzhou last time to celebrate my grandfather''s birthday, I accidentally turned to an ancient book in the academy, and it happened to contain this technique. Out of curiosity, this minister''s daughter learned some from the ancient book."


    With a century-old history of Bishan Academy, one or two ancient books were naturally normal, and this girl from the Zhao family was smart and talented, and it was reasonable to say that she could learn this special technique.


    Looking at Meng Yuan''s face, Emperor Ming was trying to calm down and make matters smaller, but was interrupted by a cold snort from Princess Zhaoren.

 Chapter 125 - Hell Has No Door [VIII]

    "Your Majesty, this eldest lady of the Zhao family is a good woman who doesn''t study, but she is interested in these strange arts and crooked ways. I heard that she also likes to deal with corpses, and now she is delving into this kind of magic. I don''t know what''s the purpose of this strange technique. In Dasheng Dynasty, it is most forbidden to pretend to be a sorcerer. This so-called pupil technique is so strange, and the people in the palace are already apprehensive." Princess Zhaoren said in a sad but angry voice.


    This... Emperor Ming was also in trouble. He didn''t have to listen to anyone, but he never dared to disobey the words of his own imperial sister.


    Emperor Ming''s biological mother died at an early age, and he had been battling with the open and secret struggles of the princes. He was always walking on thin ice. Only this imperial sister had taken good care of him and supported him. Speaking of which, he was able to secure the throne, partly due to the credit of this imperial sister.


    Zhao Ruo, who had been kneeling on the ground, also interjected at the right time. "Your Majesty, the concubine can prove that her sister had been abnormal since the fire that day, always doing things that she would not normally do. Even her temperament is very different from before, this concubine thought that it was because my sister was possessed by an evil spirit in that fire that she became so strange."


    Zhao Ling was really convinced by Zhao Ruo''s imagination, she could even figure out the possession of evil spirits. This was because she made up her mind to position herself as a demon girl.


    However, after Zhao Ruo said this, everyone felt that it made some sense. Originally, they thought that Zhao Ling, as a daughter who was raised in a deep boudoir, knew the techniques of autopsy, which was a bit different from ordinary people. Now that they saw that she knew these strange techniques that they had never heard of, and some people were explained the connection with evil spirit possession, it made sense to them.


    For a moment, the eyes of everyone looking at her became even more frightened.


    Emperor Ming was not stupid. He naturally knew that his imperial sister was holding onto Zhao Ling''s pigtails for the sake of Meng Yuan''s ruthless rejection of marriage with Anping last year on Qixi Festival, which made her lose face. He glanced embarrassedly at Meng Yuan, whose face was getting uglier by the seconds, and then glanced at Zhao Ling, who was still calm as usual.


    "Hmph, what this meant was very clear just now. You are the emperor, so naturally everything is up to the emperor." Princess Zhaoren said coldly.


    She had always been used to being domineering. Seeing that she couldn''t even win a little girl, she felt depressed, not to mention that this girl was the future princess of King Xuan. Thinking of the humiliation she suffered last year, she became furious.


    She didn''t believe that with her identity and status, she couldn''t resolve a little girl''s situation. What about the Xuan Wang Mansion? If it wasn''t for her daughter''s deep love for this Meng Yuan, she would have already shown her color to the Xuan Wang Mansion.


    Emperor Ming naturally heard Princess Zhaoren''s impatience and anger, but in desperation, he had to follow her wishes and ordered Zhao Ling to be taken to the Heavenly Prison for temporary detention. He had to make another decision.


    Horizontal and vertical are only temporarily detained for a few days, first to dispel the anger of Princess Zhaoren, and the rest can be discussed in the long run.


    Emperor Ming felt that he had done his best to this second son, but Meng Yuan obviously did not accept his affection.


    Seeing that several eunuchs were about to step forward to lift Zhao Ling up again, Meng Yuan protected Zhao Ling with a frosty look on his face, without giving in half a step. "As long as this king is here, no one can touch her at all."


    This was the rhythm that set out the purpose of resistance.


    Some unmarried women present looked at Zhao Ling enviously and thought: This eldest lady of the Zhao family was really lucky, if there was a man who will openly defy the decree and challenge the authority of the emperor in order to protect them, even if he is crippled, did it matter?


    The eyes of Anping County''s always cold eyes seemed to be able to spew fire at this moment. How could this woman allow the cold-hearted and heartless King Xuan to do this? Why couldn''t she compare to her? In terms of background, talent, and looks, she was not inferior to her. Why did King Xuan despise her, and only had a special liking for this woman?


    "Presumptuous, King Xuan, are you going to openly rebel against the decree?" Meng Tianluo, standing behind Emperor Ming, rebuked righteously and sternly.


    Only he himself knew how much he wished that Meng Yuan could really rebel, so that he could justifiably drive him to the bottom of the valley, and there would be no day to turn over again.


    "This king only wants her to be safe." In the face of Meng Tianluo''s deliberate provocation, Meng Yuan''s expression did not change, but he tightened his grip on Zhao Ling''s hand, as if to announce to everyone that in order to protect this woman, even if he had to rebel, he would not hesitate.


    When Emperor Ming saw this, his heart sank and his eyebrows furrowed. This second child actually had such a deep love for the Zhao family girl. Judging from this posture, he could actually rebel.


    Zhao Ling was naturally moved by Meng Yuan''s unprincipled doting and support of her. She was also well aware of Meng Tianluo''s incitement.


    Then, let her be the one who puts out the fire. She knew that as a ruler, emperor Ming wouldn''t want to see someone under him turn into a rage, which was an invisible threat to his throne. And she would never let Meng Yuan fall into such a dangerous situation, and she would never give those who are waiting for the fallout to hurt him.


    She took Meng Yuan''s hand back, and wrote the word "Reassurance" on his palm with her fingers, and then said indifferently to Emperor Ming. "Your Majesty, the minister''s daughter daughter is willing to go to the Heavenly Prison.. If you investigate carefully, you will definitely be able to restore the innocence of your servant''s daughter."

 Chapter 126 - Locked Up [I]

    Counting the time in the Wuji Sect dungeon, this was the second time Zhao Ling had entered holding cell since she came to this world.


    Compared with the dungeon of the Promise Religion, the conditions in the palace were much better. Although the light was dim, it did not have the damp and cold feeling of a dungeon. A small independent room, isolated from the world. There was a stone bed in the room, which was fairly clean. There was actually a thin layer of quilt on the bed.


    This Dasheng Dynasty was indeed rich and the people were strong, with abundant financial resources, and even the conditions of the prison cells were so good. Or was this cell also divided into ordinary and VIP, and Emperor Ming kindly allocated her a VIP prison?


    After tossing for a night, Zhao Ling felt a little drowsy laying on the stone bed.


    There were thousands of thoughts in her heart, but sleep was gradually hazy. After an unknown amount of time, in the haze, she seemed to see someone standing in front of the bed.


    He was tall, and straight. Due to the dim light in the room, Zhao Ling could not see the face of the person who came.


    She was alert in her heart, and immediately woke up, sat up, and reluctantly looked at the person through the dim light.


    After seeing it clearly, she was a little surprised.


    At this moment, standing in front of her was actually the eldest prince Meng Tianluo!


    What was he doing here? While Zhao Ling was surprised, she wanted to stand up, but Meng Tianluo suddenly reached out, grabbed her shoulders, and suppressed her standing up.


    Zhao Ling was immobilized by him, unable to move.


    Meng Tianluo''s face was in front of her, and seeing the boundless anger and cruelty in his eyes, Zhao Ling was puzzled, but her face remained calm, and she asked in a calm tone, "His Royal Highness King Luo, what are you doing here?"


    Meng Tianluo''s eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar to Meng Yuan''s, which was how Zhao Ling felt when he first saw Meng Tianluo. But now that the two were half-brothers, it was not surprising.


    Meng Tianluo stared at her with sullen eyes, and said bitterly, "What''s so good about Meng Yuan, you''re willing to go to jail and protect him?


    The hoarse and shrill voice entered her ears, as if a knife pierced through glass, making Zhao Ling very uncomfortable. She frowned and said, "Why did His Royal Highness King Luo say this? Meng Yuan and I are fianc¨¦es. Whether it is me defending him or he defending me, it is a matter of course."


    She couldn''t help but miss Meng Yuan''s magnetic and low voice. Whenever he whispered in her ear, he always made her sink unconsciously.


    Hearing this, Meng Tianluo became even more angry, and the strength in his hands increased, almost crushing Zhao Ling''s shoulders.


    "This king is the eldest son, Meng Yuan is just a scoundrel, why did he get such an outstanding woman as you. And our father, the emperor had been very fond of him in the past few years, don''t think that this king didn''t know that he beat him. What''s the plan?"


    Meng Tianluo really knew Meng Yuan''s true identity. Zhao Ling pretended to be puzzled and asked, "I don''t understand what His Royal Highness King Luo is talking about. The prison is so heavy, His Highness shouldn''t stay for a long time, so please come back."


    Seeing her look of disdain for him, Meng Tianluo was in a hurry, and with strength in his hand, he pushed Zhao Ling down on the stone bed, then leaned down and stared at her condescendingly, "Do you know what this king hates the most? The only thing is to be looked down upon by others, especially the woman whom this king looks up to. What qualifications does Meng Yuan have to be compared with this king? Seven years ago, he was considered a great man, and he actually escaped from death, but you wait and see, one day, This king will take everything he has, including his woman."


    Having said that, Meng Tianluo smirked a few times with pride, as if the scene had already been realized, and his eyes were faintly sparkly.


    Seven years ago? Could it be that the Kinugawa incident had something to do with him? Zhao Ling remembered the tragic situation Meng Yuan told her at the beginning, she couldn''t bear the anger in her heart, and her eyes instantly turned cold. "I can''t believe that His Royal Highness King Luo is so innocent. But I promise, there will be no such day. Even if he loses everything, he still has me, and I will always be with him and never give up."


    Zhao Ling''s attitude completely angered Meng Tianluo. Most people were often like this. The more they couldn''t get somethings, the more dismissive they are, the more they want it. What''s more, Meng Tianluo has long been thinking about Zhao Ling, who is different from the outside and the inside, but seeing that she only has a soft spot for her nemesis Meng Yuan, how can she bear it?


    "Hmph, it''s really touching that you never give up. This king has taken over your body now, let''s see if he will never give up on you!" Meng Tianluo has always been impatient and impulsive. In a fit of anger, he clamped Zhao Ling''s shoulders with both hands and pressed her hard on the bed, with a ruthless look in his eyes, he bent down and wanted to kiss Zhao Ling''s face.


    Zhao Ling didn''t expect this Meng Tianluo to be so cowardly. This was in the imperial palace, and the guards were strictly outside. Was he blinded by jealousy?


    Naturally, she wouldn''t let him take advantage of her. She took advantage of the opportunity, and when she was not prepared, she pushed her knees against his lower body, and then took advantage of Meng Tianluo''s pain to relax and pushed him away.. She jumped out of bed, trying to escape his grasp.

 Chapter 127 - Locked Up [II]

    Meng Tianluo was kicked to the point where he obviously suffered a lot, but after all, he had been practicing martial arts since he was a child, and his martial art was not weak, and he returned to normal in no time. Seeing that Zhao Ling was showing no mercy to him, he was even more angry, approaching her step by step, the anger in his eyes seemed to devour her.


    "You bitch, dare to plot against this king!" Meng Tianluo gritted his teeth and slapped Zhao Ling in the face, hard.


    This slap packed a punch, and a few red marks appeared on Zhao Ling''s left cheek instantly, and a trace of blood spilled from the corner of her mouth. This was a fair skin that could be broken so easily, and this red marks were particularly dazzling.


    Zhao Ling didn''t cover her face or wipe her mouth, just stared coldly at Meng Tianluo who was on the verge of losing control, keeping vigilance so that she could be ready to go at any time.


    Zhao Ling seemed to possess martial arts too, and although her own skills were not weak, the original owner was too petite and obviously not a match for Meng Tianluo. The attack just now was only successful when he was unprepared. If he insisted on using force, she could not guarantee that she would be able to escape safely.


    If she had a dagger in her hand, maybe she could still succeed by attacking his vital parts, but unfortunately, because of the palace banquet, she did not bring her scalpel with her.


    Just when Meng Tianluo rushed towards her again, an angry voice came from outside the cell door.


    "Brother Tianluo, why are you bullying Sister Zhao?"


    Before he finished speaking, a tall and burly figure quickly ran into the cell, blocking Zhao Ling like a hill.


    Hearing this voice, Zhao Ling knew without looking that it was Meng Tianlin.


    Meng Tianlin looked at Meng Tianluo angrily, as if he wanted to fight him desperately.


    Although Meng Tianluo had never set his eyes on his younger brother as a threat, he was still afraid of his innate divine power. If this childish big man went crazy, he would not be his opponent either. And as soon as he calmed down, he also realized that, after all, this was a prison, and it was not good for him if things got bigger.


    Thinking of this, he could only suppress his anger abruptly, staring at Zhao Ling for a long while with sullen eyes, then he walked away angrily.


    Seeing Meng Tianluo leave, Meng Tianlin immediately turned to look at Zhao Ling. After seeing the red mark on her face and the blood on the corner of her mouth, he screamed loudly. "Sister Zhao, are you injured?"


    "I''m fine, fourth prince, don''t be afraid." According to Zhao Ling''s assessment, Meng Tianlin''s childish thinking could make him afraid when he saw the bleeding, so she comforted him aloud.


    But Meng Tianlin quickly wiped the blood from the corner of Zhao Ling''s mouth with his sleeve, and muttered unhappily, "Sister Zhao, do you not like Tianlin, why do you always call me the fourth prince? Why don''t you call me Tianlin like Brother Yuan?"


    Uh... Zhao Ling said that she was not familiar with it, and was not used to being so close to strangers. But for the sake of Meng Tianlin''s innocence, she felt that it was all right, so she smiled and said softly, "Of course, Tianlin is very good."


    "Really? Does Sister Zhao like Tianlin as much as Brother Yuan?" Meng Tianlin''s face was elated.


    Zhao Ling was also infected by his simple and direct emotions, nodded at him with a smile, and asked, "By the way, why did Tianlin come here?"


    "Brother Yuan asked me to come. Brother Yuan said that you would be afraid if you stay in prison alone, so he want me to accompany you. Sister Zhao, don''t be afraid. Tianlin has also stayed here, so it''s not scary." Meng Tianlin slowly and smilingly comforted her.


    Meng Yuan must be extremely worried about her being locked up here. He actually thought of asking Meng Tianlin to accompany her.


    A warmth surged in Zhao Ling''s heart, and her tone became softer. "Sister is not afraid, so if Tianlin sees Brother Yuan, he must tell him that elder sister is doing well here, so let him not worry, okay?"


    "Yeah." Meng Tianlin nodded obediently.


    Zhao Ling gave him an admiring look and continued, "Also, can Tianlin promise this sister one thing?"


    "What''s the matter, Sister Zhao, tell me." Meng Tianlin was very serious and curious when he saw what she said in a serious manner.


    "Tianlin can''t tell Brother Yuan about your first brother''s visit here just now, because if brother Yuan knew about it, he would be very angry and sad. Tianlin doesn''t want to make Brother Yuan sad, right?"


    "Well, Tianlin won''t say it. Brother Yuan is already pitiful enough. Tianlin can''t make him sad anymore. But the eldest brother is really bad. Sister Zhao can rest assured that Tianlin will teach him a good lesson." Meng Tianlin, seeing the red marks on Zhao Ling''s face, was filled with righteous indignation.


    "Thank you Tianlin." Zhao Ling smiled. She was afraid that Meng Yuan would lose his mind and completely turn against Meng Tianluo after he found out. As Meng Tianluo said before now, he was the eldest son of the emperor after all. If Meng Yuan attackes him, she was afraid that he would be used by other people with ulterior motives, and he would be considered a rebel.


    It was just that Meng Tianluo was very ambitious, he wanted to fight for the throne, and he regarded Meng Yuan as a thorn in his side. He was an extremely dangerous person, and Meng Yuan must be reminded to be more careful.


    Also, she heard him talk about what happened seven years ago. Did he have anything to do with the Kinugawa massacre seven years ago?

 Chapter 128 - Locked Up [III]

    The Xuanwang Mansion in the night was silent as usual. A tall middle-aged man in black was standing outside Meng Yuan''s study door, reporting in a low voice, "My lord, your subordinate, Wen Renyuan."


    "Come in." Meng Yuan''s cold voice came from the door.


    Wen Renyuan pushed open the door and entered, raised his head and asked Meng Yuan eagerly. "Uncle Wenren, where is Yan Mo?"


    Wen Renyuan sighed secretly. Yan Mo had just set off for a few hours, where else could he go? However, he didn''t show it on his face, he just reported in a serious tone. "Don''t worry, Your Highness, Yan Mo has set off a few hours ago and traveled thousands of miles a day in pursuit of the wind. I believe he will arrive at Momen in a few days."


    Meng Yuan, whose face was always low, noddedin reply.


    Even if Yan Mo was fast in the chasing wind, no matter how sleepless he was, it would take some days to go back and forth from Shandong. Thinking of Ling''er being alone in that dark prison, he had trouble sleeping and eating, and couldn''t sleep at night.


    Wen Renyuan sighed in disbelief when he saw this. His own prince had always been wise and make decisions, but when he encounters the matter of the princess, his reason disappears.


    But right now, he still had something to report. Wen Renyuan had to interrupt Meng Yuan''s thoughts and continued. "My lord, I  just checked, Meng Tianluo should have nothing to do with the battle of Guinuchuan."


    Hearing this, a trace of disappointment flashed on Meng Yuan''s cold face, but his voice did not fluctuate too much, and he instructed lightly, "Continue to investigate, it''s not Meng Tianluo, there must be someone else."


    "Subordinates obey." Wen Renyuan replied in a deep voice. "Although Meng Tianluo has nothing to do with Guinuchuan, he has wanted the prince''s life for a long time, and he has been making frequent moves recently, so he needs to be careful."


    "Meng Tianluo is not difficult to deal with, but now is not a good time to attack him. This king has to rely on him to lead snakes out of the hole. As originally planned, we will start with the Rong Palace."


    Meng Yuan''s order was neat and tidy, and he looked up at Wen Renyuan''s tough and resolute face, he knew that he cared about him.


    "Uncle Wenren, in a few days, it will be the death taboo for the dead soldiers of Kinugawa, so prepare yourself." Speaking of this matter, Meng Yuan''s tone became even lower, and his face became a little dignified.


    Wen Renyuan''s face also became shadowy, and there seemed to be a dark light shining in his eyes. Seven years ago, the scene of the fire in the Kinugawa Canyon and the scorched corpses was still vivid in Wen Renyuan''s mind. As the commander of the warriors, he just watched so many brothers and subordinates died in the sea of ????fire without being able to rescue them.


    Every time he thought about it, he felt the pain in his heart and blood.


    He swore that he would find out the mastermind behind the layout and design of the Kinugawa incident, one by one, in order to comfort the spirits of the more than a hundred a hundred thousand dead soldiers in the eternal testing place.


    And also under the shadow of the night, next to a deserted wooden house on the outskirts of the city, a dark shadow flashed like a ghost. The black figure was dressed in night clothes and covered with black gauze, so no one could see her face at all. One could only tell from her slender figure that the person in black should be a woman.


    After the woman in black looked around to see no one was watching, she tapped a few times on the tree trunk closest to her.


    After a while, a tall figure also dressed in black walked out from the depths of the forest, almost blending into the night. Only the silver mask on his face shone with a faint cold light.


    When the black-clothed woman saw the man appear, she bowed her head respectfully and saluted. "I see the Lord."


    The voice is crisp and sweet, like a yellow warbler out of the valley.


    "Well." The man''s voice was a little hoarse, as if it was deliberately lowered. "You did a good job this time. When this great cause is successful in the future, there will be many rewards."


    Hearing this, the black-clothed woman seemed very happy, and even raised her voice. "Thank you Lord. Your subordinate will do her best to complete the task."


    The man sneered and said coldly, "As long as you do things well, you will surely benefit from it in the future. Tell me, why did you come to see me tonight?"


    The woman in black hurriedly lowered her head and replied, "Reporting to the lord, King Xuan has already sent someone to Momen in Shandong overnight, and this subordinate wants to ask the lord for instructions, what should she do next?"


    "These are all within the expectations of mine. You just need to do your job well. When you are needed to do something, you will be notified. Don''t make any decisions without authorization, you know?" The man said solemnly.


    "Yes, your subordinates will await further instructions." The black-clothed woman knew that she had overstepped herself. Startled, she quickly bowed to retreat.


    The night was getting darker and darker, the wind was blowing gently, the leaves swirled for a while, and in a moment, the abandoned house returned to tranquility.


    The heavenly prison was dark for many years, and Zhao Ling did not know that she had been in the imperial prison for a few days. However, with Meng Tianlin''s company from time to time, it wasn''t too hard for her these few days.


    Meng Tianlin would come to the prison every day to give her information, bringing her news about Meng Yuan, and then he would bring news from her to Meng Yuan, just like a hard-working wild goose.


    Of course, Zhao Ling also told Meng Tianlin to send a message to the Duke''s Palace.. No matter if Zhao Jiang and the old lady care about her or not, at least they could make Mama Xu and Luzhu feel at ease.

 Chapter 129 - Linger, Lets Go Home

    It was just that this goose was stickier than glue. Ever since Zhao Ling accidentally told him a story about a havoc in the Heavenly Palace, Meng Tianlin kept pestering her to tell the story every time he came, which made Zhao Ling extremely tired and wanted to cry without tears.


    Because of Meng Tianlin''s care, the head of the cell and the guards were still polite to Zhao Ling. Of course, there was also a part of the reason, probably related to the rumor that she was a witch.


    They heard that as long as they looked at her a few times, they would lose their mind and be controlled by her. What a terrible sorcery. Therefore, every time the jailer came to deliver food to her, he would put it down in a hurry and run away, for fear of being caught by her inadvertently.


    Every time Zhao Ling saw this, he felt secretly amused. She really never thought that she would become a witch one day. In modern times, she could only be regarded as a monotonous and rigid workaholic at best, who could face a cold body all day without getting bored.


    It seemed that the crossing over to this new world was really level.


    Sitting on the stone bed, Zhao Ling watched the young jailer walk into the cell, lowered his head and swiftly placed the food he was carrying on the small stone table beside him, and quickly exited the cell, as if he regarded her as a beast of a flood.


    Just when she was secretly laughing, there was a scent of rouge perfume wafting in from outside the cell door.


    Zhao Ling raised her eyes and looked out the door, and the person who was slowly walking towards her was the Princess Anping.


    She frowned. The honor of the dignified princess, the unhonorable royalty, coming to her prison this day, must be nothing good. Could it be to see how miserable she was in the prison?


    Seeing the Anping County Master getting closer and closer, Zhao Ling didn''t plan to get up to greet her since she didn''t have any good intentions towards her.


    Today''s Anping County Lord seemed to have deliberately dressed up, whether it was the makeup or not, she looked just right and delicate. In all fairness, Princess Anping was indeed very beautiful, especially the cold and arrogant charm that she showed all over her body, which was extremely attractive.


    In contrast, she had been in prison for a long time, she had not been properly groomed for many days now, and her face was unkempt, which was simply terrible.


    Zhao Ling suddenly realized something after thinking about it. Wasn''t this arrogant look exactly what Meng Yuan displayed?


    Did she deliberately imitate his charm in order to please Meng Yuan?


    "Open the door." The Anping County Lady tilted her head and instructed the jailer who followed closely behind, with a pleasant voice.


    When the jailer opened the door, she slowly walked into the room and glanced sideways at Zhao Ling, who was sitting on the stone bed with a calm look, her beautiful phoenix eyes flashing sternly.


    "Miss Zhao, do you still have the habit of living in prison this day? Is the food still good?" She glanced at the meals and dishes on the stone table, and asked sarcastically.


    "As long as you are open-minded, you will be as comfortable wherever you live." Zhao Ling responded lightly, got up and sat down at the stone table, and said calmly, "The meal time for the cell has arrived. If the Anping County Master doesn''t mind, I''m about to eat."


    Afterwards, she ignored her, picked up the chopsticks for herelf, and started eating gracefully and calmly.


    Seeing Zhao Ling''s self-satisfied look, the Anping County Master was so angry that her phoenix eyes burst into flames, and she wanted to tear Zhao Ling to pieces.


    In terms of origin, appearance, and talent, which one could compare to her? Also, listening to the meaning of her words, was it that she was mocking her for having a ghost in her heart?


    "Miss Zhao is so comfortable, is it because you think that King Xuan will rescue you, so you have no fear?" Anping County Lord snorted coldly, "But according to this palace, it is not so easy for Miss Zhao to escape this time. Now in the entire Zhaogjing city, there are rumors about the eldest daughter of Duke Zhao''s mansion being possessed by evil spirits. even if you are lucky enough to get out of here, you will be treated by the world as a monster, a demon girl."


    "Even if she is a demon girl, she is also the princess of this king, so how can I let others degrade her?"


    A cold and familiar voice came from behind. Zhao Ling''s mouth curved, put down his chopsticks, and turned to look at the person coming.


    Meng Yuan sat in a wheelchair with his back straight, Ruyu''s handsome face was full of frost, and his icy eyes swept across the Anping County Master without any emotion, making her feel as if she was in an ice cellar, and there was a chill in her heart for no reason.


    However, when his eyes crossed Anping County Master and turned to Zhao Ling behind her, he instantly became extremely fond of her.


    Chang Dong pushed the wheelchair into the cell, and the small room seemed a little crowded.


    Anping County Lady Ying Ying stared at the man she had admired for a long time, but was disappointed to find that he did not glance at her, just manouvered the wheelchair straight around her and came to Zhao Ling''s side. He naturally took her hand and said softly, "Ling''er, let''s go home."


    His hands were as cold as ever, but Zhao Ling felt extremely warm. She indulged in his tender gaze, smiled gently, and responded, "Okay."


    Home. She suddenly felt that she liked hearing him say this.


    She believed him. Since he came to take her home now, it meant that he had solved the situation for her. And she, as long as she cooperates well with him.


    She stood up, pushed his wheelchair, and slowly walked out of the prison. Changdong automatically moved aside, and followed behind the two of them, step by step.


    The three, masters and servant, as if there was no one around, simply ignored the Anping County Master, whose facial features were distorted with anger.

 Chapter 130 - The Momen Elder [I]

    Although Zhao Ling knew that Meng Yuan would definitely find a way to save her, what she didn''t expect was that Meng Yuan invited the elder of the Momen who had long since escaped in order to clear her name.


    Momen had been famous for its strange techniques since ancient times. When Emperor Taizu of Dasheng fought against the previous dynasty and fought for the Central Plains, he received great help from the Momen faction.


    The Emperor Taizu was grateful and gave him to Mo after the world was settled. The door "the first door in the world" royal plaque, and inscribed the preface in the book "Mo''s Rare Stories" written by the founder of the Mohist school, to show the recognition and respect for the Momen.


    This "Mo Clan Rare Record" contained all kinds of strange techniques passed down by the Mo family, including the pupil technique.


    Therefore, when Mo Qingshan presented this ancient book handed down from generations of Momen to Emperor Ming, Emperor Ming had nothing to say.


    Since Emperor Taizu wrote an inscription on the book, it meant that he recognizes the legitimacy of the strange arts contained in the book. If he characterized the pupil technique as a witchcraft, wouldn''t he be hitting Emperor Taizu in the face?


    Therefore, without saying a word, Emperor Ming immediately ordered Zhao Ling to be released from the prison.


    In the early morning of the second day after she was released from the Heavenly Prison, in the empty hall of the Xuanwang Mansion, Zhao Ling met the long-famous Elder Mo for the first time.


    Elder Mo was more than fifty years old, wearing a gray robe, with a kind and clear face, only a pair of deep eyes could faintly reveal a sharp and shrewd color. Because of the excessive mourning for the loss of his beloved daughter seven years ago, his temples were stained with frosty white, prematurely, showing an old age that was somewhat inconsistent with his age.


    This was the number one sect in the world with a long history and a long-standing reputation, and the highest man in charge of Mo Sect was Mo Qingshan, known as Elder Mo.


    Since the death of the first head of Momen, Liuyun, Momen had not set up another head, but instead the elders are responsible for specific affairs. To Mo Qingshan, it was already the fifth term.


    Mo Qingshan''s sharp eyes slowly swept across the woman in front of him who had greeted him with a gentle and calm gaze, stroked the beard on his chin, and nodded approvingly.


    Seeing that Meng Yuan had been holding her hand firmly and refused to let go, there was a joking smile in his eyes. "You are the eldest lady of the Zhao residence, Yuan''er''s future princess? It''s not bad, no wonder Yuan''er looks at you differently."


    As the highest authority in Mo Sect, Mo Qingshan had always been used to issuing orders. Although his face was kind, his tone had a natural highness to it.


    To be able to become the elder of the first sect in the world, there must be something special about him. Just by looking at his wise and far-reaching eyes, Zhao Ling knew that this elder of the ink sect was worthy of respect.


    Hearing the sarcasm in his tone, she glanced helplessly at the hand that Meng Yuan was clasping tightly, but she said in a generous and unpretentious manner: "The elder is too polite, just call me Ling or Ling''er. The road from Momen to the capital is a long way, and the elder must be tried now."


    Being able to rush from Shandong to the capital in such a short period of time must have been a non-stop journey day and night. Zhao Ling was grateful and sincerely thanked him.


    It was just Meng Yuan, was it necessary to keep holding her hand like this and refuse to let go, so that she won''t be blown away by the wind?


    After she got out of the prison yesterday, this fellow wanted to take her directly to the Xuanwang Mansion.


    He looked at her with a blank expression, and said softly. "Ling''er, isn''t Xuanwang Mansion our home?"


    Although it was very useful to hear this, she still maintained her sanity and was not confused by his sweet voice and words.


    Elder Mo traveled thousands of miles to help her get out of trouble, and she should have gone to see her as soon as possible. But after staying in prison for so many days, she hadn''t been properly groomed, so she had to see Elder Mo so disheveled, and even she herself felt ashamed.


    Therefore, she felt that it would be more appropriate to go back to the Duke''s Mansion to freshen up and wash away the musty smell, and then go to the Xuanwang Mansion to thank Elder Mo.


    In the end, this king pestered her, and after spending a long time in the carriage, he finally let her go back to the mansion, causing Madam Xu and Luzhu to wait outside the mansion gate and they were so anxious that they almost rushed to the mansion of Xuanwang to bring her home.


    Their young lady had been in prison for so many days for no reason, and they were also very worried, okay?


    Zhao Ling really convinced Meng Yuan. Even she herself couldn''t stand the smell on her body, but this guy didn''t care about it, he actually liked it. Could it be that he not only lost his sense of taste, but also lost his sense of smell?


    Seeing that Zhao Ling was neither humble nor arrogant, and generous, Mo Qingshan nodded in agreement with himself. Looking at this pretty face in front of him, he couldn''t help but think of his daughter Mo Yan, who had a poor life and died unexpectedly, and a bit of sadness appeared on his thin and vicissitude face.


    Mo Yan was his only daughter. He had grown old to have a daughter, and his wife died of dystocia. The father and daughter had always depended on each other. He worked hard to raise his daughter, and Yan''er lived up to his expectations. She was beautiful and intelligent, and many Momen disciples belonged to her.


    He had planned to betroth her to Meng Yuan, but Yaner fell in love with Yin Zhan. What made him even more heartbroken was that Yan''er would be accidentally injured and killed by Yin Zhan.


    If he hadn''t taken in Yin Zhan back then, would his daughter have died unexpectedly? Every time he thought of this, his heart hurt.

 Chapter 131 - The Momen Elder [II]

    Yin Zhan was an orphan of the previous dynasty, and he knew it when he took him in. At that time, he was still in his swaddling clothes, wailing, and the woman laying next to him was dying and powerless. Before her death, she hugged his leg tightly, with a face full of pleading, unable to rest her eyes.


    When he saw the jade pendant in the swaddling clothes, he knew the true identity of the child. Reason told him not to meddle in the child''s business, and taking him in might lead to trouble. But in the end, out of compassion, he took the crying child back to Momen and named him Mo Zhan.


    He didn''t keep Yin Zhan in Mozhuang because he didn''t want the child to have too much contact with his family and Yin Zhan. But who knew, Yaner still had a entanglement with the orphaned boy, and finally ended up like that.


    He lost his only daughter, and Momen lost two outstanding disciples.


    Could it be that it is heaven''s will?


    Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan looked at each other, and both of them knew in their hearts that the elder must be sad because of Mo Yan.


    Meng Yuan also remembered the scene where Mo Yan was accidentally injured by Yin Zhan in order to protect him in Shili Peach Forest in Mozhuang, and his cold and handsome face became even more depressed.


    To the elders and to Mo Yan, he always felt guilty and conscious of being shameless, so he would leave the Momen on his own accord.


    Zhao Ling understood the pain in their hearts, she took Meng Yuan''s cold hand back, gave him a comforting look, then knelt down before Mo Qingshan and said, "If the elder doesn''t mind, you can look at Ling''er as your righteous daughter, Ling''er and A-Yuan will definitely serve you as if you were their own father in the future."


    "Ling''er." Meng Yuan looked at Zhao Ling kneeling beside him, and was deeply moved by her thoughtfulness.


    After Mo Yan''s death, over the years, he felt shameless to face the elder, but the guilt in his heart never diminished. Now Zhao Ling''s action was like unraveling a dead knot between him and Mo Qingshan, which made his guilt, which had been suffocating for so many years, a lot easier.


    Zhao Ling turned to look at him, patted the back of his hand, and gave him a gentle smile, indicating that she understood what he was thinking. Back then, Mo Yan died to save him, but now she recognized Mo Qingshan as her adoptive father, and she also wanted to make up for Mo Qingshan''s lost family and make him feel better.


    Hearing Zhao Ling''s words, Mo Qingshan was filled with emotion for a while, and almost burst into tears.


    In recent years, as he grew older, the feeling of loneliness had grown stronger. Now that he heard Zhao Ling say that she wanted to recognize him as his adopted father, of course he was very moved, and there was no reason why he should not. He nodded, stepped forward to support her, and said repeatedly, "Okay, Ling''er. You made the heart of this old man happy. Yuan''er really chose right."


    This girl was really exquisite and caring, and she was understanding, making people unable to dislike her.


    More importantly, she actually knew pupil art. And this was also one of the reasons why Mo Qingshan, who was at Shandong, came to see her in the capital.


    Although there was a method of pupil technique in "The Records of Mo Clan''s Variations", this technique had been lost for a long time.


    The method of pupil technique required extremely high talents for those who practice it. If those who were not qualified to practice it decided to do so at will, they would easily be attacked by this technique and hurt themselves.


    In the past, there were also some disciples in Momen who did not believe in evil, and practiced this technique secretly, but because there was no systematic way of thinking and professional instruction, they all ended up in madness. Over time, no more disciples dared to practice this technique.


    Therefore, the position of the head of the Momen would always be vacant, and the elders would serve as decision makers. Just because, in order to become the head of Momen, one must know this technique.


    Also because of this, when Mo Qingshan heard that Zhao Ling could perform the pupil technique, he was shocked, but he was always skeptical.


    "Girl, as far as your foster father knows, this pupil technique had been lost for a long time. Where did you learn this technique?"


    Facing Mo Qingshan''s scrutiny and suspicious eyes, Zhao Ling didn''t know how to explain to him for a while. She pondered for a moment, and then voiced. "I was in the palace at that time, and I said that I learned it by accident at Bishan Academy. That is just a word to escape their piercing eyes, and it is not true. As for how I learned this technique, this matter is too unbelievable."


    "I''m all ears, Ling''Dr."


    "I can only say that what I know is actually only one of the pupil techniques, called "hypnosis", which is somewhat similar to the so-called "illumination technique" here. In simple terms, hypnotism was a kind of psychological suggestion. The practitioner changed people''s thoughts and behaviors through the psychological suggestion of certain language, sound, movement, and eyes. Anyone could master this technique through systematic study, so it was not mysterious. I also just learned a little bit on a whim. " Zhao Ling spoke these words very slowly, because she was afraid that Mo Qingshan and Meng Yuan would not be able to understand for a while.


    But apparently she was overthinking this time.


    Meng Yuan believed in her as always. For him, no matter what his Ling''er said, he unconditionally believed it. According to Yunyi''s statement, Meng Yuan''s doting and trust in Zhao Ling had no lower limit.


    As an elder of the Mo Clan, Mo Qingshan had a lot of knowledge and experience, and he had seen many strange people. After listening to Zhao Ling''s explanation, he was only slightly surprised, but he was not too surprised. He just secretly thought in his heart that the newly recognized righteous girl, who looked gentle and weak, was actually not a simple person.


    It was a pity. If her surname was Mo, she would have been a good candidate for the head of the Mo clan.. In this way, his old bones could retire behind the scenes and enjoy the happiness of life, and he wouldn''t have to work so hard as now.

 Chapter 132 - A Handful Of Guests [I]

    The three were chatting casually in the living room when they heard a faint quarrel outside.


    Meng Yuan frowned. Xuanwang''s mansion had always been quiet, and the servants all knew the rules. Who was so bold and loud in the mansion?


    Just as he was about to get angry, he heard Changdong reporting from the outside: "Master, the master of Yun Villa is visiting, and he has brought two young ladies with him."


    Yun Yi brought two women to the palace of Xuan Wang?


    Meng Yuan''s brows raised slightly. Could it be that he was impatient with life, and deliberately ran to him to look for death?


    If his mind was still normal, he should be very aware about this king''s temper.


    He never paid attention to how Yun Yi played with flowers outside and lingered in the flowers, but he would never allow him to bring those so-called empire royalties into the palace.


    Thinking of the last time, Yun Yi brought a few beautiful women to the palace, on the grounds that he wanted to help him dispel the rumors of inhumanity, and he felt extremely disgusted by this. So he immediately lost his cool and spit out two words without thinking. "Get out."


    But at this moment, Zhao Ling faintly heard the noise, which seemed familiar, and quickly raised her voice to stop it. "Wait, Changdong, let me have a look."


    "Why should Ling''er pay attention to those irrelevant people?" Meng Yuan''s face was full of displeasure.


    Zhao Ling gave him a sideways glance. This guy, in his mind, would probably never have the words "hospitality". It was no wonder that this huge palace was always deserted and unpopular.


    "The visitor is a guest, not to mention that the owner of Yun Villa is your friend for many years, is it a good thing for you to kick him out like this?"


    On the stone path in the courtyard outside the hall, a man and two women approached from a distance.


    The man in white clothes was elegant, unrestrained, and he was naturally the owner of the Woyun Villa, Yun Yi.


    As for the two women, one was valiant and the other was charming, and as Zhao Ling expected, they were Ning Yan and Fu Yuechan.


    Seeing that the three of them came all the way noisily, Zhao Ling couldn''t help but smile.


    How did these three get together?


    Fu Yuechan followed behind Yun Yi and Ning Hua, with a small face, she glanced left and right at the man and woman in front of her, who were arguing against each other, and she was really helpless.


    What she couldn''t figure out was that sister Hua, who had always been more rational and stable than herself, met this man, and she already lost her mild temper. Why did she become so hot?


    This Young Master Yun had clear eyebrows, handsome eyes and extraordinary handsomeness, didn''t he look very pleasing to the eye.


    When she saw Zhao Ling standing not far in front of her with puzzled eyes, her eyes lit up and she shouted loudly, "Sister Ling."


    After saying that, she bypassed Yun Yi and Ning Hua, trotted to Zhao Ling, took her hand happily, and said, "Sister Ling, you really are here."


    "Sister Yuechan." Zhao Ling also greeted her with a smile.


    Ning Hua, who was glaring angrily at Yun Yi, heard Fu Yuechan''s shouting, and didn''t care about quarreling with Yun Yi. After giving him a cold snort, she walked quickly to Zhao Ling and took her other hand. With a smile, she said, "Ling, I have seen you."


    "Sister Hua, why are you here today?" Zhao Ling asked with a smile.


    "I heard that you were released from prison yesterday, and I wanted to see you right away, but it was too late to disturb you. This morning, sister Yuechan and I made an appointment to go to the Zhao''s mansion to see you. Who knew that you went out more than we did. This morning, I heard that you came to the Xuanwang Mansion, so the two of us followed."


    After a pause, Ning Hua leaned closer and asked Zhao Ling softly, "Ling, King Xuan shouldn''t blame us, right?"


    It was because King Xuan was too indifferent, and they were a little afraid of him, but they were eager to see Zhao Ling, and on impulse, they came to the door of King Xuan''s mansion regardless.


    The two lingered at the door for a while, but they still didn''t have the guts to knock on the door. They were about to give up, and they planned to wait until tomorrow to visit the Zhao''s mansion. Who knew, they encountered this unspoken, self-proclaimed villa owner, who was beaten by them. He lost his mind in an argument, and followed them into the palace of Xuan Wang.


    Now that she calmed down, she felt a little scared in her heart.


    But at this moment, Fu Yuechan saw Meng Yuan, who was pushing a wheelchair and slowly came out of the hall with an expressionless face, her pretty face turned pale, she pulled the corner of Laninghua''s clothes, and said softly timidly, "Sister Hu , King Xuan has come out."


    Ning Hua''s mouth froze.


    They had come, and Ling was here, even if King Xuan was terrible, he would not eat them.


    After Ning Yan figured it out, she regained her composure, and looked at Fu Yuechan, and they both stepped forward and bowed to Meng Yuan at the same time.


    "I have seen King Xuan."


    Yun Ying Shi Shi Ran stepped forward and waved the fan in his hand, showing a dashing style, but with a cynical smile on his handsome face, he said calmly, "Miss Ning, I am not joking with you. The palace is not a place where women can enter, be careful that King Xuan won''t tie you up and throw you out."


    He wouldn''t forget the horrific fate of the women he brought to the Xuanwang Mansion last time. Meng Yuan didn''t even know how the words "Lian Xiang Xiyu" were written. They were the most famous courtesans of the four major brothels in the capital. Since then, he had no face to set foot in the four brothels for half a step.


    But this Ningfu eldest lady is quite interesting, with a fiery temperament and a straightforward temper, which suits his appetite very well.. Yun Yi stared at the angry Ning Hua with a smile, and his eyes turned dark.

 Chapter 133 - A Handful Of Guests [II]

    However, it was only fleeting. When he turned his head to face Zhao Ling, he immediately put on a flattering face, with a bright smile on his face.


    "Of course, except for you, Ling."


    Since the last time he ate the dishes she cooked in Suzhou Bieyuan, he has been thinking about it until now. In order to be able to have a feast from time to time in the future, of course he had to flatter Zhao Ling.


    Yun Yi had always been smiling, not serious, Zhao Ling didn''t take it seriously, smiled at Ning Hua and Fu Yuechan, who were terrified, and said, "Sister Hu, sister Yuechan, the master of Yunzhuang always likes to joke, don''t you? Listen to him. I''m glad you guys can come and see me."


    Now there were rumors that she was possessed by evil spirits all over the capital. Even the servants of the imperial government were avoiding her, but Ning Hua and Fu Yuechan, who have not known each other for a long time, believed her and were willing to be with her. The relationship moved her very much.


    "Since the two of you are here to see Ling''er, why don''t you just have lunch in the manor before leaving." Meng Yuan''s voice was always cold and unwavering, but it was enough to make Yun Yi drop his jaw in shock.


    This...what, in heaven''s sake, just now came out of Meng Yuan''s mouth?


    Meng Yuan, who was so indifferent and vicious that he has no friends, would actually leave someone to dine in the palace? And still... a woman!


    This... this is the first strange news in the world!


    Meng Yuan glanced coldly at Yun Yi, who was speechless in disbelief, and his tone remained calm. "As for Master Yun, you can take care of yourself."


    After speaking, he ignored them, and after looking at Zhao Ling, Chang Dong pushed him and entered the living room again. When he turned around, no one noticed that the corners of his mouth were slightly raised.


    Ling''er entertained friends who came to visit her in the palace, giving him the feeling that Ling''er had become the mistress of the palace, and he liked this feeling very much.


    "Hey, Meng Yuan, what do you mean? What do you mean by letting me take care of myself? Tell you, this young master will stay in the palace today, how can you not take care of me?" Yun Yi picked up his opened jaw and voiced. He was dissatisfied with Meng Yuan ignoring him and chased after him in a rage.


    Behind him, Zhao Ling couldn''t help but laugh out loud. Ning Chan and Fu Yuechan looked at each other, and then a silver bell-like laughter broke out. The few dark guards who were so shocked that they were hidden in the dark almost fell from the heights.


    This palace has been deserted for too long, so long that they can''t even figure it out, how many days have they not heard such wanton laughter.


    The cook of the Xuanwang Mansion was named Liu Zhun, a burly man of five and three thick, Zhao Ling was very suspicious, whether Meng Yuan was greedy for convenience and grabbed a random one from Feiyunqi''s gang and returned to the top.


    At this time, Liu Zhun, tall and strong, with rough eyebrows and eyes, was standing in front of the stove, facing the pile of ingredients in front of him, his face full of sadness.


    Just now, the old butler handed him this pile of ingredients, and told him to prepare a banquet in the palace at noon.


    This was his first experience since he came to the palace as a cook three years ago. For a while, he felt at a loss as to what to do.


    Sure enough, if the knife was not sharpened, it will rust, not to mention that his cooking skills are not very good, and now it was not on the table.


    Alas, he didn''t know who the distinguished guests he would be entertaining at noon. Hasn''t their prince always liked cleanliness the most? Why did he think of banqueting guests in the palace?


    Just as he was fiddling with the ingredients and was puzzled, the old butler''s old voice sounded outside the kitchen door.


    "Liu Zhun, I haven''t seen Wang Ye and the Princess yet."


    Woulf the prince and princess come to the kitchen? With his back to the door, Liu Zhun looked back suspiciously when he heard the old butler''s words. After seeing them clearly, he almost jumped up in fright.


    Outside the door was indeed the prince in a wheelchair, and the princess standing beside him with a smile.


    He opened his mouth wide in surprise, and a radish he was biting in his mouth fell down, rolling onthe ground.


    But Liu Zhun didn''t bother to pick it up either, so he immediately greeted the old butler and went out to meet them.


    Why did this future princess like to visit the kitchen? Liu Zhun remembers that she had already visited the kitchen once last time, so why is she here again today?  Nodding his head, he said. "Your Highness, Princess, why did you two come to a place like the kitchen?"


    Meng Yuan snorted coldly and ignored him.


    Zhao Ling smiled and said, "Liu Zhun, I''ll be the chef for today''s lunch. Don''t worry, I''ll take it from here."


    Hearing this, Liu Zhun was instantly stunned on the spot. He wondered if he had heard it wrong or not. What the princess just said was... She was going to cook by herself? He had a bitter look on his face at this time that he really wanted to cry.


    His own level of cooking was not so bad, was it? The mansion would be holding a banquet this afternoon, and the princess was now in the kitchen, on this glorious occasion to cook. Why? She was already a princess, so why was she fighting for the same job with them.


    It was fine for the princess to cook by herself, but not at a time like this.. So far gone.

 Chapter 134 - A Petal In The Wind

    After Meng Yuan tied Zhao Ling''s apron, he quietly stared at her every move while she was cooking, as if he was looking at a beautiful scenery, which made him intoxicated and unable to move his eyes.


    This was the first time he saw Zhao Ling cook with his own eyes. He supported his cheek with one hand, leaned on the wheelchair, and watched Zhao Ling cut vegetables, cook, stir fry, add ingredients, and serve dishes. All her movements were so methodical and unhurried.


    Such a day was the life of firewood, rice, oil and salt, and the years were quiet. The corners of his mouth rose unconsciously, and his eyes were full of tenderness.


    When his leg disease is cured in the future, he would be able to travel the world with her, wash her hands and make soup. Just imagining it like this made him feel extremely beautiful.


    For the first time in more than seven years, this empty Xuan Wang Mansion made him feel at home again.


    And Liu Zhizhi was ashamed. Looking at Wang Fei''s craftsmanship, and comparing his own level, he just wanted to hide his face and run away.


    In the end, he secretly swore that from today onwards, he would learn the arts from the princess'' apprentice and make unremitting efforts towards the highest realm of being a cook.


    However, the first family banquet in Xuanwang''s mansion in seven years ended in a tit-for-tat battle between Yun Yi and Ning Hua.


    Ning Hua didn''t know what was wrong with her, anyway, she couldn''t get used to Yun Yi''s stinky and pretentious appearance.


    "Hmph, that cloud is really hateful, what is Woyun Mountain Villa, and Wo Ni Mountain Villa is almost the same!"


    When Zhao Ling sent the two of them out of the gate of the palace, Ning Hua remembered Yun Yi''s ill-fated appearance, and her anger still remained.


    Zhao Ling couldn''t help but smile. "Sister Hu, it''s said that it''s not that enemies don''t get together, but you and Master Yun are like a pair of happy enemies. As far as I know, Yun Yi rarely stalks women, maybe it''s because of you."


    Ning Hua''s pretty face flushed slightly, and she qyickly denied it. "Ling''er, don''t talk nonsense, how can there be such a thing!"


    Zhao Ling just smiled without saying a word. Fate, who could tell? From her observation, Yun Yi''s attitude towards Ning Hua should be different from others.


    It was just that it was better to let the flow of events take its course, and it was not good for her to intervene too early.


    Fu Yuechan was reluctant. But what she was reluctant to give up was the little girl who was quietly lying in Zhao Ling''s arms.


    This little fox was all white, obedient, and had a pair of green eyes. It was so cute!


    But no matter how she teased, the little fox always treated her coldly, which made her very frustrated.


    "Sister Ling''er, can I often come to the Duke''s Mansion to find you, and see the little girl by the way?" Fu Yuechan looked at her with big watery eyes.


    Zhao Ling knew that she liked Xiaojiao. It was no wonder that there were very few young girls who didn''t like cute little animals like Xiaojiao.


    She smiled and nodded and said, "Of course, Sister Yuechan, you are welcome to come here often. Little boy, it''s just a little more recognizable. If you come to see it often, it will definitely like you."


    After she finished speaking, she patted Xiaojiao''s head, lowered her head and asked the fox, "Are you saying that, Xiaojiao?"


    Xiaojiao opened her half-squinted eyes, and gave Fu Yuechan a few soft shouts, and immediately made Fu Yuechan happy, she also stretched out her hand to imitate Zhao Ling, touched its head, and was full of excitement.


    Che, these little fox Washington really easy to coax. The little girl closed her eyes again, and lay back in Zhao Ling''s arms with peace of mind, closing her eyes and resting.


    Just now that guy Situ Gong took a whole bowl of blood, and now he just wants to make up for sleep and rest and restore his spirit.


    After sending Ning Chan and Fu Yuechan away, Zhao Ling returned to the inner courtyard of the palace.


    Mo Qingshan had already returned to the small courtyard where he was temporarily staying to rest, and Meng Yuan ruthlessly chased away Yun Yi, who was nagging.


    Meng Yuan had just finished taking the antidote sent by Situ Gong.


    Zhao Ling has already asked Situ Gong, this guy has been quite cooperative with the treatment these days. He takes medicine on time every day, eats on time, and never loses his temper or makes trouble.


    She was very pleased. In this way, if he persisted for another three months, his cold poison could be completely cured.


    She handed Xiaojiao to Situ Gong and asked him to take care of Xiaojiao. Blood had to be taken every ten days. Xiaoguo had always been unhappy and in low spirits these days. Situ Gong has formulated a prescription that could speed up the recovery, which could be taken after the blood was taken.


    When she turned around and saw Meng Yuan sitting in a wheelchair, her brows were slightly wrinkled, and Zhao Ling felt a little distressed, so she pushed him to the edge of the bed, put him on the bed, and let him rest his head on the head of the bed.


    She sat on the edge of the bed, using the method taught by Situ Gong to do acupuncture massage for his legs one by one.


    Because this medicine could cure cold poison, but it had a stimulating effect on the nerves of the legs, which would lead to more severe pain.


    After pressing it a few times, Meng Yuan grabbed her hand.


    She looked up and met a pair of affectionate eyes.


    "Ling''er, can you follow me to a place later?"


    "Yeah." Zhao Ling didn''t ask him where he was going, just nodded in response, and then said beyond doubt. "But now you have to lie down and rest."


    "Okay." Meng Yuan seldom nodded obediently and lay down, but after lying down, he pulled his hands to take advantage of the situation.. Zhao Ling was caught off guard, and when she was pulled down, she fell down on his chest.

 Chapter 135 - Paying Homage To The Kinugawa Dead Soldiers

    Meng Yuan tightened his arms and wrapped her tightly around her, with an evil smile on his face. "Ling''er accompany me."


    Zhao Ling couldn''t help but give him a roll of eyes when she saw his smug smile. This guy''s rogue skills were really perfect.


    However, she was not disgusted. She even thought that Meng Yuan in this way was quite cute.


    She crouched on his chest and drew slowly with her fingers, seemingly casually, but Meng Yuan felt that she was drawing one word.


    "Ling?" He asked uncertainly with a puzzled face.


    Zhao Ling smiled. This guy''s senses were really sharp.


    "That''s right. A-Yuan, actually, this is my real name." Zhao Ling stared into his eyes, her tone soft and sure.


    She knew that there were too many suspicious things about her, but no matter what the outside world thought of her, the man in front of her had always believed in her, protected her, and petted her.


    Therefore, she hoped to show her truest self in front of him.


    Where should I start? Zhao Ling thought for a while and decided to start with the fire.


    The fire at the Zhao Mansion and the explosion at the crime scene happened at the same time. This was the accidental factor that brought her to this dynasty, and there must be some kind of connection between her and the original owner. That was why she could borrow her body and be reborn from the ashes.


    This incident was so incredible that even an expert with a modern high-tech education could not explain it, so she was not sure Meng Yuan could accept it.


    Meng Yuan had been listening quietly, occasionally interjecting a few words, and his tone had not fluctuated too much. Only he himself knew, listening to Zhao Ling''s narration bit by bit, his heart was also tightening little by little.


    It was not that he hadn''t heard of it, but what made him uneasy was that Zhao Ling came from a thousand years later. And the world she had lived in and the things she had done before were all he had never heard of, and it was so unfamiliar and incomprehensible to him.


    So, was there a thousand years between him and her?


    Thinking of this, Meng Yuan felt a deep sense of insecurity in his heart. He used his arms to tie Zhao Ling''s slender waist tightly, and turned to his side to press Zhao Ling under him, with obvious unease in his eyes.


    "Ling''er, don''t leave me. Promise me, never leave me." He leaned down and whispered in her ear, then took her earlobe and sucked gently.


    "Um."


    This "um", she didn''t know if it was an answer to Meng Yuan''s request, or a natural response when she was emotional. Meng Yuan''s unique masculine aura surrounded her closely, and the moist and warm feeling at the earlobe made Zhao Ling''s heart tremble. She couldn''t help but let out a low groan in the bed, unable to extricate herself.


    Just as the two of them were lingering in sorrow and couldn''t help themselves, "dong dong dong", a few knocks on the door interrupted the scene that was about to get out of control in the house.


    "My lord, the carriage is ready." Changdong replied from outside the door, his tone was always rigid and monotonous.


    Situ Gong stood not far away with Xiao Gao in his arms, looked at Chang Dong who was standing at the door with sympathy, and sighed secretly.


    This kid Changdong had stayed by the prince''s side for so long, but he didn''t even have the ability to look at things from different viewpoints.


    Who didn''t know it was time to set off, but at this time, who would dare to disturb the lingering moment between the prince and the princess?


    Only a young boy like Changdong dared to do this.


    Not long after, the door opened, and Zhao Ling pushed Meng Yuan to appear in front of the two of them.


    Meng Yuan''s face was dark and stern, and his cold and stern eyes stabbed at Changdong, obviously his anger had not subsided.


    Changdong received the glare from his master, and he was puzzled and felt very aggrieved.


    Didn''t the master instruct him just now to remind him as soon as the departure time arrived? Why did the master seem to be very angry? Could it be that he didn''t remind him early enough?


    On the carriage, Zhao Ling finally realized that today was the death taboo of the soldiers who died in Kinugawa. For the past seven years, on this day, every year, Meng Yuan would go to the Feiyunqi garrison camp to pay homage to the dead souls of the more than hundred thousand heroes who gave their lives for the country.


    Because Meng Yuan hadn''t rested well just now, after getting into the carriage, she let him lie on her lap and continue to rest.


    Meng Yuan felt that lying down like this was far more comfortable than lying on a bed. Under the bumps of the carriage, it was rare to fall asleep peacefully, but drowsiness gradually came, and he closed his eyes.


    Zhao Ling watched his sleeping face quietly, raised her hand and stroked his slightly wrinkled brows.


    Even when he was asleep, his brows still did not stretch. Just like the lives of these more than hundred thousand soldiers, he had never let go of them in his heart.


    Meng Yuan had confirmed that Meng Tianluo had nothing to do with Guinuchuan. So, who would be the person who planned this conspiracy and intended to uproot the Xuanwang Mansion?


    The carriage slowly stopped, Meng Yuan, always alert, immediately opened his eyes and woke up.


    Feeling the familiar breath on Zhao Ling''s body, such a natural and comfortable fragrance, made him feel at ease for no reason, so he turned around, put his arms around Zhao Ling''s waist, curled up and leaned into her arms.


    Zhao Ling''s mouth twitched. Why did she have a feeling of seeing Xiaojiao?


    Outside the carriage, Changdong''s voice came. "Master, here we are."


    Zhao Ling patted his back, Meng Yuan got up reluctantly, but still hugged her tightly.


    Zhao Ling glared at him angrily, took the lead to lift the curtain, jumped out of the carriage, and placed Meng Yuan in the wheelchair.


    Looking back, it turned out that this was the Feiyun Riding Camp.

 Chapter 136 - Feiyunqi Great Camp [I]

    The Feiyunqi Great Camp was built on a platform in the southwest of Shengjing City. It covered an area of ??more than two hundred acres and could accommodate thirty thousand troops, but the resident troops were generally around six thousand.


    Although King Xuan''s mansion suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Kinuchuan seven years ago, more than three hundred thousand men from the Meng family who were guarding the border between Beidi and Xiliang were still there.


    The Meng family army was the most brave and best fighting army among all the armies of the Dasheng Dynasty, while the Feiyun Cavalry was an elite force carefully selected from the Meng family army. Whether it was weapons and equipment, or fighting ability, other armies had nothing comparable to theirs.


    As the sharpest sword of the Meng family''s army, Feiyun rode on the battlefield against the Beidi army. How many times it was like a broken bamboo.


    In this world, how many rulers and generals were greedy for Feiyunqi. However, Feiyunqi was established by the first Xuanwang himself, and he only obeyed the current Xuanwang for generations. Others, not even Emperor Ming, could be dispatched.


    Standing on the high stand, Zhao Ling, who had always been calm and composed, couldn''t help but be shocked.


    The large camp, which could accommodate tens of thousands of people, was completely dark, and the flying cloud knights were neatly lined up. Everyone was dressed in black and had a solemn expression.


    Standing at the forefront was the dark guard of the Xuan Wangfu. The dark guards of Xuanwang''s mansion were all outstanding ones selected from Feiyunqi. Zhao Ling saw a few familiar faces. Yan Mo, Xue Hao, and He Qing were all on the list.


    The leader was a tall, middle-aged man with a square face, looking resolute and stoic, with a dignified appearance. He took a step forward, bowed to Meng Yuan and Zhao Ling in the stands, and said, "Your subordinate Wen Renyuan, I have seen the prince and princess."


    His voice was strong and powerful, his face solemn, and his whole body exuded an unquestionable majesty. Since he was in the first place, he must be the leader of Feiyunqi.


    Zhao Ling felt that this person was a little familiar, and after thinking for a while, it turned out that it was the middle-aged man who came to greet Meng Yuan at the Suzhou dock last time.


    After Wen Renyuan saluted, all the flying cloud knights on the entire camp ground greeted both of them in unison.


    "I have seen the prince and princess."


    Nearly ten thousand people spoke in unison, shaking the core of Zhao Ling who had never experienced it before. This scene almost made her deaf.


    Meng Yuan sat in the wheelchair with his back straight, his face was always as cold as jade, and he was calm. He held Zhao Ling''s hand, although his tone was soft, but because of the use of internal strength, the words were clearly transmitted to the ears of every soldier in the school. "Everyone has seen the princess. From now on, seeing the princess is like seeing the king, and the princess'' order is the king''s order."


    "Subordinates obey."


    Zhao Ling turned her head to look at Meng Yuan, and held his cold hand back, her heart moving was self-evident.


    She knew that Meng Yuan''s move was to justify her name.


    He was declaring to the world that even if she was a demon girl or possessed by an evil spirit, she Zhao Ling was always Princess Xuan.


    "Please, a toast to the prince and princess." Changdong held a tray in his hand, and inside the tray were two glasses of water and wine.


    Meng Yuan nodded slightly towards Zhao Ling. Zhao Ling understood, picked up two glasses of wine, and handed one of them to Meng Yuan.


    Despite being in a wheelchair, Meng Yuan''s domineering power was still evident. He raised the wine glass, his expression was cold and solemn, and he said in a loud voice: "Since the body is dead, the gods use the spirit, and the soul is determined to be the hero of the ghost. This cup of wine is dedicated to all the dead soldiers in the Guinu River. This king swears here that I will clear the snow and redress the injustices to comfort the souls of the dead."


    "To wash away the injustice, to comfort the souls of the dead." There was another unanimous voice below, resounding through the sky.


    After the toast, Chang Dong took a zither and placed it on Meng Yuan''s lap.


    Meng Yuan''s slender fingers stroked the strings of the zither, the fingertips moved, and the melodious sound of the zither flowed out.


    There was deep sorrow and a touch of peace in this smooth sound of the zither.


    It should be a song similar to "Requiem" in memory of fallen soldiers.


    Although Zhao Ling didn''t have much attainment in playing the piano, she could tell that Meng Yuan''s piano skills were superb.


    In the warm afterglow of the sunset, the cold jade-like man sat against the wind, his black hair was flying, his clothes were fluttering, his eyes and eyebrows are lowered, he was concentrating and mourning. Excellent temperament, unparalleled elegance.


    She couldn''t help staring. All along, she had extreme disdain for those women''s nympho behavior, however, at this moment, she suddenly realized that in front of Meng Yuan, she was no different from those categorised girls.


    Lamentably, her integrity had been broken, but what made her even more depressed was that she had no intention of mending it up.


    The next few days, Zhao Ling''s life was very pure.


    Since the rumors that she was possessed by evil spirits spread around, under the deliberate exaggeration of Cui Shi and Zhao Ruo, the entire imperial government avoided her. Zhao Mingxuan was clamoring to go to Fengheyuan to see eldest sister, but was grounded by his mother, and the old lady Zhao also avoided her for various reasons.


    Not to mention Zhao Jiang, the little self-esteem that he finally recovered was knocked back to the bottom in an instant, how could he be happy? So he poured his anger on Zhao Ling, if it wasn''t for King Xuan who was supporting her, maybe Zhao Jiang would have sent this eldest daughter directly to the family temple and let her die on her own there.


    Zhao Ling naturally wouldn''t take these to heart. She had never regarded this government house as her home, nor did she regard these people working for the government as her family. Since they were irrelevant people to her, why should she care about their attitudes?


    Therefore, her small days in Fengheyuan were very comfortable.


    However, the situation in the capital was not as harmonious and stable as Zhao Ling''s small days in Fengheyuan.

 Chapter 137 - Feiyunqi Great Camp [II]

    On that day, an explosive news reached Zhao Ling''s ears.


    King Rong was rebellious against the crown, and was imprisoned in the ancestral mansion by Emperor Ming.


    Luzhu, who learned the news from Rulan, immediately told Zhao Ling the news that she thought was heartwarming.


    The news was that, that night, when the moon was bright and the stars were sparse, when the night was quiet, the Imperial Palace Army sent by Emperor Ming suddenly descended on Prince Rong''s mansion, and found a bright golden dragon robe in the mansion on the spot.


    Hidden dragon robes, this was a great sin of treason, and the ambition to usurp the throne was obvious. In his anger, Emperor Ming deprived King Rong and his son of all titles and fiefs. King Rong was imprisoned in the ancestral mansion for life. The son was also imprisoned in the mansion and strictly guarded.


    Green Bamboo''s little face was full of excitement. It was no wonder that over the years, she and Mama Xu have had enough of the oppression and bullying of the Cui Clan and Zhao Ruo.


    Now that Prince Rong''s mansion had collapsed, the good days of the mother and daughter had come to an end. This was something that made the concerned people proud.


    But Zhao Ling was shocked. She knew that Meng Yuan finally made his move, and he chose to start with Prince Rong''s mansion.


    Did Meng Yunce and Zhao Ruo frame their own designs at the Qixi Festival banquet and forced Meng Yuan to make such a choice for them in return?


    However, this King Rong was really naive and confused, and he dared to hide the dragon robe in the mansion. Could it be that if they found a dragon robe in one''s house, one could easily face the wrath of the emperor for the fear of usurping the emperor?


    Not afraid of god-like opponents, but afraid of pig-like teammates. She really sympathized with Meng Tianluo.


    At this time, in the Luo Palace, Meng Tianluo, who always paid attention to his image, was like a madman. He threw things all over the study, and he smashed all the things that could be used to make sounds, to the ground. He never imagined that his uncle would be so stupid.


    "Meng Yuan, this king and you are at odds with each other, and we will never stop!" Meng Tianluo''s handsome features were twisted, and he clenched a note in his hand and said through gritted teeth.


    "Your Highness, don''t be impatient. The most urgent task at the moment is to completely cut ties with Prince Rong''s mansion and find a way to remove the emperor''s guard against you." Meng Tianluo''s adviser and teacher, Xing, who was a lean man in his fifties with a goatee beard, said. The man, with a pair of eyes in the shape of a slightly inverted triangle, looked cunning at first glance.


    Under the persuasion of Master Xing, Meng Tianluo''s anger subsided a little, and he gradually calmed down.


    He had been close to Prince Rong''s mansion, this was something everyone knew, and the old emperor would not be ignorant of it. The current situation was indeed not a good time to deal with Meng Yuan.


    However, how could he swallow this grave undoing of a taste?


    He stared at the note in his hand, and after a while, he said in a sinister tone: "The order goes on, if anyone from Prince Rong''s mansion comes to the door, they will all be blasted out of the mansion. Also, if you pass the news to that person and he asked for the reasons, say that this king agree with this order."


    As Luzhu said, the collapse of Prince Rong''s mansion was like a bolt from the blue for the Cui family.


    All along, she had spent a lot of effort on her daughter, and she hoped that she would marry into the palace and become a phoenix. But in the end, the bamboo basket was empty, and Zhao Ruo couldn''t even keep her status as a little princess and concubine.


    Meng Yunce''s title was stripped away, which was now equivalent to a commoner. He was even imprisoned in the mansion. There was no personal freedom at all. Even the concubine Zhao Ruo could only live in the mansion, staging the drama of mother kindness and filial piety. After all, it was a mother-daughter connection.


    Since Zhao ruo was imprisoned, Cui''s face was washed with tears every day. On that day, when she received a note that Zhao Ruo, she even burst into tears on the spot. Immediately, she ran into the study without hesitation, begging Zhao Jiang to take her to see Zhao Ruo at Prince Rong''s mansion.


    Unexpectedly, she was turned away by Zhao Jiang with a slap. "You troubled mother-in-law, do you have a sick mind? Do you know what crime Prince Rong committed, and you still want to go to Prince Rong''s mansion? Do you really want to die? I don''t want to die."


    This slap was heavy, and half of Cui''s face was instantly swollen.


    Zhao Jiiang said he was also very depressed, but nothing he could do. First, his eldest daughter became a demon girl for no reason, and now his second daughter had been implicated in the charge of treason.


    At such a time, it was too late to distance himself from Prince Rong''s mansion, so how could he still go to Prince Rong''s mansion? Could it be that he didn''t want to live anymore, so he was looking for death?


    "But sir, Xue Er... She is seriously ill and she is in a coma. If she doesn''t get treatment in time, she will probably lose her life!" Cui Shi burst into tears.


    Tiger poison. Although Zhao Jiang was a second-generation descendant who was also the one who had been in pain since childhood, hearing that she was seriously ill and would die soon, he was also a little anxious.


    Althought he could only appear to be in a hurry, there was no good way to go about it. He even begged the old lady with a shy face, but the old lady made it clear that he didn''t pay attention, and she had nothing to do with this.


    Mrs. Zhao ignored the request, and the old lady did not allow Cui Shi to dispatch a doctor from the government. In a desperate situation, she couldn''t find a suitable doctor. She was really desperate, and Mrs. Cui thought of Zhao Ling.


    Since she was able to easily cure the emperor''s acute illness last time, it meant that her medical skills still have a second chance.. For the sake of Ruo''er''s life, she had to try it now.

 Chapter 138 - Death In The City [I]

    Zhao Ling really didn''t expect that Cui Shi would come to her in a desperate situation like this. Seeing Mrs Cui, who had always spoken badly to her, bowed her head this time, it really made her a little uncomfortable.


    After patiently listening to Cui''s intermittent crying, she also roughly understood Zhao Ruo''s current situation.


    In her final analysis, it was because of the bitter tactic she used last time at the Qixi Banquet. At that time, the wound on her back was extremely deep, and the old doctor just quickly made the simplest hemostasis bandage for her. As a result, the wound festered and became inflamed, and the fever persisted, and she was in a coma for two days.


    But today, Prince Rong''s mansion was being strictly guarded by the old emperor''s troops, Princess Rong was also in bed, and Meng Yunce was all angry with Zhao Ruo. Regardless of her life or death, everyone in the mansion was in danger, who else could she think of, to take care of Zhao Ruo, an insignificant concubine.


    It was just that Cui Shi was in a hurry, or in her mind, she was still the stupid Zhao Ling. Zhao Ruo''s bitter trick was clearly designed to frame her. Now that she was seriously ill because of that bloody hairpin, they still wanted her to rush to Prince Rong''s mansion to treat her?


    She''s sorry, she was not the naive girl, and she was certainly not that stupid.


    "If sister Ruo is ill, the doctor in the royal palace will give her a diagnosis and treatment. Why should mother worry so much? Besides, my medical skills are mediocre, and I am really powerless. Please forgive me." expression.


    Cui Shi really had no choice. With a thud, she knelt down in front of Zhao Ling and said with tears in her eyes: "Ling''er, I beg you as a mother, please save Ruo''er. She was really dying. She sent me a note like this."


    The Dasheng Dynasty paid the most attention to etiquette. Cui Shi was still her nominal mother, and now she was kneeling in front of her so upright, she really couldn''t bear it.


    So Zhao Ling helped Cui up and frowned. In any case, as a mother, Cui''s heart for Zhao Ruo touched her a little. Moreover, although she could be said to have abused the original owner of this body in every possible way, she still had the grace of nurturing her in name, and she couldn''t do too much.


    She pondered for a while, instructed Luzhu to take out a small porcelain bottle from the room, and then took out a pen and ink to write a prescription and handed it to Mrs. Cui.


    "The medicine in this bottle is applied externally three times a day, and the medicine in this prescription is taken orally three times a day, which can treat traumatic ulcers and infections. As for how to send this medicine to Prince Rong''s mansion, the mother should find a way by herself."


    This prescription was formulated by her according to Old Man Duan''s medical book, and it must be extremely effective. For Zhao Ruo, she told herself that she had done her best.


    Since it was Meng Yuan''s orchestration to bring down Prince Rong''s mansion, how could she go to Prince Rong''s mansion at such a time.


    Seeing the back of Mrs Cui staggering away with the medicine, Lu Zhu had an indignant expression on her face.


    "Hmph, this is called self-inflicted suffering. If the second young lady is not thinking about harming our young lady, how could she end up like that? Miss, you are too soft-hearted, why would you give her such a good medicine?"


    Zhao Ling smiled indifferently. Why do this? In fact, it was just for her peace of mind.


    She didn''t care about other people''s opinions, the important thing was to have a clear conscience in everything.


    As for what would happen to Zhao Ruo in the future, it was not something she cared about.


    Moreover, she didn''t have time to pay attention to Zhao Ruo anymore. Because a few days later, there was a big case in the capital.


    ***


    In Guanjia Village, a suburb outside the city, many abandoned corpses of children were found.


    Guanjia Village was an ancient village with a long history, located in the western suburbs of Shengjing City. The village was not large, with about two hundred households, surrounded by mountains and rivers, with simple folk customs and no competition with the world.


    But in the early morning of that day, before dawn, an exclamation came from a long-abandoned Guandi Temple outside the village, breaking the tranquility of Guanjia Village.


    When the nearby villagers were awakened by the sound of the call, and when they rushed to the Guandi Temple, they were all shocked by the scene that they screamed without exception.


    The corpses of five children were lying in the corners of the temple, and what was even more cruel and terrifying was that the eyes of these children were dug out, leaving only two holes full of blood. It was precisely because of this that the faces were bloody, and they looked extremely terrifying.


    The old village chief of Guanjia Village was so frightened that he almost fainted when he saw this scene.


    Guanjia Village was under the jurisdiction of the capital of Dasheng dynasty. Now that such a big case had occurred, it was natural that it should be reported to the governor of Kyoto prefecture first.


    The governor of Kyoto, Zhu Deng, received the report and felt that the situation was serious. He immediately rushed to the scene of the crime and reported the case to the Ministry of Justice.


    After Lu Ziqing received the report from the Kyoto Prefecture, he couldn''t sit still.


    After taking up the post of Minister of Punishment, Lu Ziqing was obviously more busy. However, he is used to doing it himself. If he encountered some difficult or important cases, he would usually go out in person.


    In this case of child abandonment, the mass murderer''s method was extremely cruel, and such a vicious case happened at the feet of the emperor, of course Lu Ziqing had to go out in person.


    Before leaving, he did not forget to send Zhan Zhao to invite Zhao Ling out of the Xuanwang palace.

 Chapter 139 - Death In The City [II]

    He didn''t know what was wrong and why he sent out the invitation, he thought maybe in his subconscious, he had already regarded Zhao Ling as his partner at work. Probably as if as long as she was there, there would be no unsolvable case, and his heart would calm down inexplicably.


    Since being appointed Minister of Justice, he has been busy with various affairs, and he had not seen Zhao Ling for many days. Now that such a good opportunity was in front of him, he naturally wanted to make good use of it.


    He knew that Zhao Ling would not be disgusted in investigating the case, and may even be a little enthusiastic. He believed that she would be interested in this case.


    By the time Zhao Ling arrived at Guanjia Village with Lu Ziqing, it was almost noon.


    The yacha of the Kyoto Prefecture had already taken care of the Guandi Temple, and the idle people had been driven outside the temple.


    There were no onlookers at the scene, only a few daring ones, standing in the distance outside the temple, looking around. Most of the timid villagers had already fled in fear, but where would they stay in this terrifying place.


    Zhao Ling followed Lu Ziqing into the Guandi Temple under the astonished gazes of all the yachas in the capital.


    This Guandi Temple had not been properly repaired since it was burned down by a fire in the early years.


    The yachas had placed five small corpses side by side on the ground. The governor of Kyoto, Zhu Deng, was over fifty years old, with a slightly fat body and a goatee.


    The death was so terrifying that he couldn''t bear to look directly.


    Seeing Lu Ziqing walking in, he stepped forward and bowed to salute, "I have seen Master Lu."


    The Governor of Kyoto was a fourth-rank official, while the Minister of Justice was a second-rank official, and his rank was much higher than him, so Lu Ziqing should be called a subordinate.


    As soon as Lu Ziqing, who was tall and slender, entered the Guandi Temple, he instantly felt that the space in the temple was crowded a lot. He nodded to Zhu Deng expressionlessly, and said succinctly: "Master Zhu doesn''t need to be more polite, can you explain the case in detail first?"


    "Yes." Zhu Deng was about to open his mouth, but when he saw Zhao Ling coming out from behind Lu Ziqing, he was stunned for a moment and asked hesitantly, "Master Lu, this girl is..."


    How could Master Lu bring a weak woman to such a terrifying and bloody crime scene? Could it be that she was...


    Lu Ziqing looked at Zhao Ling who was walking straight towards the corpse, her normally cold expression softened a lot. He glanced at Zhu Deng, who was stunned and puzzled, and said, "This is the eldest lady of Duke Zhao''s residence. This official asked him to assist the Criminal Department in investigating the case. Master Zhu needn''t be concerned."


    I see. Zhu Deng thought, he guessed right. This was the famous future princess Xuan.


    Now the entire capital was arguing about whether the eldest lady of Zhao Guogong''s mansion and whether the future Princess Xuan was a demon girl, Zhu Deng naturally understood a little. But since Lu Ziqing brought her, of course he had no objection.


    Even Lu Ziqing, who had always regarded himself as a very high-ranking royal, was very polite and courteous to her. It seemed that this future Princess Xuan was indeed a personality.


    Zhao Ling didn''t look away, only the five corpses on the ground were in his eyes.


    This was her professional habit. As soon as she entered the scene of the crime, she entered a work mode of full concentration.


    She checked the body one by one, her eyes focused and her mind free from distractions.


    The five children were all boys, about the same age. They were around eleven or twelve years old. They were different in physique, fat and thin. Although the clothes on their bodies were stained with blood, it could still be seen that the workmanship was exquisite and the fabrics were high-end. They should be from wealthy families.


    Due to the dug out of their eyes, every face was covered in blood, and the two blood holes on each face were particularly terrifying and gloomy in the dark abandoned temple.


    The murderer''s method were too cruel. Looking at these tender faces, she couldn''t help frowning slightly, her eyes freezing.


    After Zhao Ling checked the last corpse, he slowly covered them with a white cloth, stood up, and told Lu Ziqing what he had found.


    "According to the preliminary judgment, the cause of death of these five children was that their necks were twisted and the carotid artery ruptured. The time of death was about six hours ago. Judging from the bleeding situation, their eyes being dug up should be after death."


    Lu Ziqing had been standing behind Zhao Ling when she was examining the body, but because the eyes of these children were gouged out, their faces were difficult to distinguish, and he could not identify the identities of these children.


    However, judging from their clothes, it seemed that they were not from ordinary family.


    If the children were of noble backgrounds, the case would be even more difficult. Lu Ziqing''s originally cold and handsome face became darker and darker. He asked Zhu Deng in a deep voice. "Master Zhu, can you find out the identities of these dead people?"


    Zhu Deng replied: "It hasn''t been found yet, and the lower official is investigating."


    Lu Ziqing nodded. It was not long since the incident happened, and it was normal that he hadn''t found out.


    After a careful investigation in the Guandi Temple, apart from the messy footprints on the ground, no other suspicious clues were found.


    At this time, a police officer from the Ministry of Judgennt came in and reported: "Sir, a man was found fainting outside the temple, please come and take a look."

 Chapter 140 - A Promising Lead

    When a police officer from the Ministry of Justice searched the vicinity of the Guandi Temple, he found the man lying in the bushes on a slope behind the temple.


    He stepped forward to test the air, and found that there was still gas circulating in the air. He realized that the man must breathed in the gas and just fainted, so he immediately reported to Lu Ziqing.


    When Lu Ziqing and his party arrived on the slope, Zhan Zhao, the chief inspector of the Criminal Division, was squatting on the ground and pinching the man.


    After some pinching, the man woke up leisurely.


    The man had big shoulders and round waist, and his face was full of flesh. After he became awake, he sat up, raised his eyes and met a pair of sharp eyes, staring back at him. A serious and stern young man in a purple robe was staring at him domineeringly, causing his heart to tremble unconsciously.


    Seeing all the officials around him, his face was full of fear for a while, and he fell on the ground tremblingly, and said with a shaky voice. "Masters, the young has always been law-abiding, and has never done anything bad, please forgive me!"


    Lu Ziqing frowned and said coldly, "Who are you and why did you faint here?"


    There was a momentary daze on the man''s face, as if trying to remember, and he was silent for a while.


    The old village chief of Guanjia Village arrived in a hurry at this time. Seeing this, he moved forward quickly and hunched over and replied, "Master Lu, this is the butcher in our village, named Guan Wu."


    He stared at Guan Wu and scolded: "Guan Wu, this is Mr. Lu, the Minister of Justice. Mr. Lu is asking you something. If you don''t answer quickly, don''t blame us for being rude. What are you doing in a daze?"


    Guan Wu.shrank, as if he had remembered something, and said anxiously, "Sir, Wu remembered, this morning, Wu went to a neighboring village to kill pigs, and when he passed by Guandi Temple, he saw a few people dressed in black. The people were sneaky, and there was something on their shoulders. The little one saw that they were very suspicious, so he followed them secretly. When the little one saw that they had entered the Guandi Temple, he hid here, trying to wait for them to leave and the temple to check the situation, but when I was hiding, I was suddenly hit on the back, and then the little one didn''t know anything. My lord, everything the little man said was true, and there was no lie. "


    So, were these men in black throwing corpses at the Guandi Temple?


    From the inspection just now, he already knew that Guandi Temple was not the first scene of the crime. The butcher''s statement was still credible.


    For now, it was still a mystery who these people in black were, and what was their purpose for doing this? After killing those children, why did they deliberately throw their bodies in the Guandi Temple?


    Lu Ziqing frowned deeper and asked seriously, "Have you ever seen the appearance of these men in black?"


    Guan Wu recalled desperately, shook his head and replied: "Those people in black were all covered with face scarves, the little ones didn''t see the appearance of those people, please forgive me."


    Guan Wu was trembling and crouching on the ground, for fear that this majestic Lord Lu would take his anger on him. But it was too dark at that time, and the men in black were all covered with black scarves, so they couldn''t really see their faces.


    He felt really unlucky.


    Seeing that Lu Ziqing did not ask any useful clues, his face was very ugly. However, this Guan Wu was the only witness at the scene. If you want to solve the case, you can only start from him.


    Seeing that Guan Wu was extremely frightened, Zhao Ling exchanged glances with Lu Ziqing and asked her instead. "Guan Wu, think about it again, did you see the person who attacked you from behind?"


    Zhao Ling took two steps forward and asked him in a soft tone as much as possible.


    Since he couldn''t see the faces of those men in black, she started asking about the person who attacked him from behind.


    After Lu Ziqing backed away, Guan Wu instantly felt that the suffocation that enveloped him was gone, and seeing the woman in front of him was as beautiful as a fairy, gentle and calm, with a soft tone, the whole person suddenly relaxed a lot.


    The one who attacked him from behind? Guan Wu scratched his head, thought for a while, his eyes suddenly lit up, and he said loudly: "Xiao remembered, there was no mask on his face, Xiao Xiao was knocked to the ground by him, and he saw his face."


    Hearing this, Lu Ziqing and the others were happy. Zhao Ling struck while the iron was hot, and continued to ask: "Then, what does he look like, can you give a rough idea, or does he have any obvious characteristics?"


    What does that man look like? Guan Wu tried his best to think about it for a long time, but seeing that he was scratching his hair into a mess, he still couldn''t remember what the person who attacked from behind looked like.


    He clearly remembered what he looked like when he saw that person, but when she asked him to tell what he looked like, his mind was blank, and there was no impression at all.


    With a sad face, he sneaked a glance at the black-faced Lord Lu''s face, which seemed to be getting worse and worse, and really wanted to faint again.


    Zhao Ling also frowned slightly. How could this Guan Wu lose the chain of connection at a critical moment?


    According to her opinion, Guan Wu may have temporarily lost the memory of that time period. Maybe in a few days, these lost memories would come back slowly. Of course, the worst result was that he would lose that memory forever.


    In modern times, this problem could be easily solved through hypnotherapy by a professional psychiatrist.


    But the conditions here were too simple, and her hypnotism was not superb, she was not very sure she could obtain the information safely.


    But in order to solve the case as soon as possible and seek justice for these poor children who died tragically, she was willing to give it a try.

 Chapter 141 - A Portrait Of A Killer?

    At Zhao Ling''s request, Lu Ziqing brought Guan Wu to the Justice department and placed him in a very quiet room in the side hall of the Justice department.


    Zhao Ling asked Lu Ziqing to wait outside the door. His aura was too strong, and Guan Wu was obviously very afraid of him, and it was not good for her to hypnotize him.


    As a result, only she and Guan Wu were left in the room. She made Guan Wu sit on a soft chair, made him a cup of tea, and tried to calm him down and relieve his nervousness.


    Under Zhao Ling''s deliberate exaggeration, the uneasy Guan Wu really calmed down slowly.


    He heard that this beautiful and flowery woman was the eldest lady of the government''s mansion, or the future Princess Xuan, but she looked pleasant and approachable, not at all arrogant like one of those officials'' daughters, she looked so gentle and graceful. Her outstanding temperament, made him feel inexplicably at ease, and believed her for no reason.


    He obeyed Zhao Ling''s instructions, stared intently at a pendulum placed in front of him, followed the rhythm of the pendulum swing, and counted silently in his heart. Then, unconsciously, he completely relaxed, leaned back on the chair, and slowly closed his eyes.


    Zhao Ling knew that the time had come, and her soft voice sounded. "Guan Wu, there is a mountain path in front of you now. It''s very dark and quiet. You are walking alone on the road, walking... What did you see?"


    "I saw a few black figures. They ran very fast, as if... they ran into the Guandi Temple." Guan Wu closed his eyes and said slowly.


    "Very good. Then, you were curious, so you followed and hid in the bushes behind the temple. What did you see?"


    "I saw the men in black came out of the temple very quickly. They moved quickly and disappeared immediately. I wanted to go in and see what they were doing in the Guandi Temple, but this time , I suddenly felt a burst of pain in my back, very painful..."


    Guan Wu''s body swayed from side to side, his hands were clenched, his eyebrows were wrinkled, and drops of sweat appeared on his forehead, which was a sign of pain.


    Zhao Ling immediately said: "No, Guan Wu, you are not afraid of pain, you are just curious, who are these men in black, and who is this person who is attacking you from behind? Did you see that person''s appearance?"


    "Yes, I saw it, that person''s appearance... I saw it."


    Guan Wu slowly calmed down in Zhao Ling''s calm and gentle tone.


    "Very well, now, let''s talk about what that person looks like."


    As Zhao Ling spoke, she took the charcoal and paper that she had prepared just now, and according to Guan Wu''s description, she began to draw on the paper.


    No way, there was no computer here, so she couldn''t make avatar puzzles, so she could only draw by herself. Fortunately, she had some sketching skills, so it shouldn''t be a problem to draw a head portrait.


    However, when Zhao Ling finally revised and according to Guan Wu''s intermittent and incoherent description, and completed the sketch of the avatar, she was shocked and couldn''t believe her eyes.


    The man on this portrait... was actually very similar to Mo Qingshan!


    ***


    Mo Qingshan had been living in Xuanwang''s mansion because of the kindness of Meng Yuan and Zhao Ling, all this while.


    Since the last banquet in the palace of Xuanwang, the first time, the second time, the third time, and even the countless times after that have become a matter of course.


    As long as Zhao Ling was in the Xuanwang Mansion, Ning Yan and Fu Yuechan would run to the Xuanwang Mansion from time to time to find her. Of course, there was also Yun Yi, which was like a piece of candy. No matter how badly Meng Yuan spoke ill and treated him coldly, he still sticked it up, Lai Zai Xuan Wangfu refused to leave.


    It was no wonder that there were both delicious food to taste and beautiful women to tease. Of course, Yun Yi would try his best to seize every opportunity to be shameless.


    Ning Yan and Fu Yuechan also gradually eliminated their fear of Meng Yuan. As long as Zhao Ling was there to protect them, no matter how cold the King Xuan was, they were not afraid.


    Sometimes, they really admired Zhao Ling for staying in the Xuanwang palace. This prince Xuan was moody and uncertain, how on earth did Ling endure his strange temper?


    The Xuanwang Mansion, which had been deserted for many years, was increasingly filled with laughter and becoming more and more popular.


    Since Mo Yan''s death, Mo Qingshan hadn''t felt this kind of joyful relationship for a long time. Therefore, he rarely stayed away from Xuanwang''s mansion for more than half a month.


    Sure enough, when people are old, they should deal more with young people. With this group of energetic young people, it seemed that his mentality had also become younger.


    In the pavilion in the garden of Xuanwangfu, Mo Qingshan was playing a game with Meng Yuan.


    "A-Yuan I haven''t seen you for so many years, your chess skills are getting better and better. In this game, your adoptive father lost." Mo Qingshan gave a faint smile, showing admiration on his face.


    Meng Yuan was talented and intelligent in martial arts, and he was well versed in the art of war.


    "Father passed the prize." Meng Yuan just smiled lightly and didn''t care.


    Mo Qingshan looked at the cold, jade-like man in front of him, and sighed secretly.


    Think of how high-spirited he was when he was studying art in Momen, and he looked down on everything. Now, they have to keep a low profile and keep a low profile.


    Mo Qingshan and the predecessor Xuan Wang Meng Langqing were friends for many years. Although he was busy with Mo Clan affairs at that time, and Meng Langqing was out for many years, the two did not spend much time together, but Meng Langqing had always trusted him and his son was sent to Momen to study art.


    But what Mo Qingshan could not have imagined was that there was such a past between Meng Langqing and his concubine, and Meng Yuan was still the flesh and blood of the current emperor.


    Nowadays, Meng Yuan''s status, which was neither embarrassing nor welcoming, was really troublesome.


    "Yuan''er, what are your plans for the future?" Mo Qingshan asked tentatively.


    Since he was the emperor''s flesh and blood, did he also have the heart to seize the emperor''s throne and rule the world?


    Meng Yuan''s expression was still calm, and his tone was not fluctuating. "I just want to find out the truth about what happened seven years ago, in order to comfort father and the dead souls of more than hundred thousand soldiers who died. Then I will spend the rest of my life with Ling''er. Whatever she wants, I will accompany her."


    When Zhao Ling was mentioned, his tone softened a little, and his eyes were a little softer.


    Mo Qingshan nodded, thinking that this wsa not bad. It was a good thing not to have the will to fight for the position. Once people were blinded by the desire for power and status, it was easy to lose themselves and eventually embark on a road of no return.


    Over the years, this child had lost too much and lived too hard. Fortunately, there would be a girl, Ling''er, to accompany him in the future. Great luck.


    While the two were chatting, Chang Dong''s ghostly figure flickered and appeared outside the pavilion, reporting, "Master, the princess is here with Mr.. Lu from the Ministry of Justice."

 Chapter 142 - Could It Be Mo Hanshan?

    How could Ling''er come with Lu Ziqing? Could it be that Lu Ziqing, who didn''t know what to do, had dragged Ling''er to help him investigate a case again? Meng Yuan''s face sank.


    "Let''s go." A low voice commanded.


    Zhao Ling and Lu Ziqing stood at the gate of Xuanwang''s mansion together, and when she saw Changdong pushing Meng Yuan over from a distance, she felt a little guilty.


    Today was the day when Xiaojiao takes blood, but she and Lu Ziqing went to Guancun to investigate the case, she ordered He Qing to send Xiaojiao to the Xuanwang Mansion early, and took the opportunity to pay He Qing. .


    She originally thought that she would come back soon, and it would not be too late for her to explain to Meng Yuan when she went to the palace of Xuanwang.


    Unexpectedly, things turned out to be like this.


    Meng Yuan felt very upset when he saw Zhao Ling and Lu Ziqing standing side by side at the gate of the palace from a distance.


    How could his Ling''er stand side by side with other men to face him together?


    The wheelchair was pushed slowly, and he glanced coldly at Lu Ziqing who bowed his head and salutes him, then turned to Zhao Ling and said in a deep voice, "Ling''er, come here."


    The person who could face everything side by side with Ling''er, was him. There was no second person.


    Zhao Ling heard the displeasure in his tone, knew that he was wrong, and responded with a sound, then came to him obediently, squatted down and looked at him.


    "A-Yuan, can my adoptive father be in the mansion?"


    Aware of the seriousness in Zhao Ling''s tone, Meng Yuan frowned slightly. Could something have happened?


    Mo Qingshan just came out at this moment. Seeing Lu Ziqing wearing an official uniform with a serious expression, he was obviously here for official business. He said, "Master Lu from the Ministry of Justice came to the palace of Xuanwang, I don''t know why you are looking for this old man?"


    Zhao Ling got up and called him, "Foster father."


    Mo Qingshan nodded at her, his expression calm and calm.


    Of course, Zhao Ling never believed that Mo Qingshan would do such an inhuman act of mutilating a child, but she also understood Lu Ziqing, and naturally she couldn''t let go of any clues when investigating the case.


    Since there was only one clue of Mo Qingshan for the time being, of course he had to follow this line to investigate.


    Lu Ziqing took out the portrait that Zhao Ling had just drawn based on Guan Wu''s description, and said to Mo Qingshan: "Elder Mo, please forgive the rudeness of the younger generation. It is only because of a murder case in Guanjia Village, many children were maimed to death, and some Witnesses testified that he was attacked by this man at the scene."


    He unfolded the portrait and compared it with Mo Qingshan.


    The level of Zhao Ling''s portrait painting is obviously very good. Anyone with eyes could see that the man in this portrait was exactly like Mo Qingshan.


    However, seeing this portrait, the person who was most surprised was none other than Mo Qingshan himself.


    He stared at the portrait and asked uncertainly, "Master Lu, did you say Guanjia Village?"


    "Exactly." Lu Ziqing nodded.


    Mo Qingshan had an unbelievable expression on his face, and muttered to himself. "This...how is this possible? Could it be that Hanshan is still alive? But back then, I clearly saw his body..."


    Cold Mountain? Zhao Ling''s mind turned. Could it be that this Mo Qingshan had a twin brother?


    Sure enough! Mo Qingshan''s next explanation immediately confirmed her guess.


    Mo Qingshan did have a twin brother named Mo Hanshan.


    In fact, Mo Hanshan''s talent was far higher than Mo Qingshan''s, and his ability to do things was stronger than Mo Qingshan, so he was trained as the next Momen elder early. It was a pity that Mo Hanshan''s mental skills were not right, and his greed was too high.


    He thought that he was talented and unmatched. So, he secretly practiced pupil illusion, delusionally thinking of becoming the second head in Momen''s history.


    However, due to the lack of systematic mental methods, this method of pupil art was extremely difficult to practice, and Mo Hanshan was eager to achieve success, and after forcefully practicing it, he went crazyf.


    If it were an ordinary person, he might have already gone mad and become a waste. But Mo Hanshan didn''t. He was a rare martial arts genius. After a few misunderstandings, he actually figured out a new kung fu. He called it the Purple Charm.


    Purple Charm? It seemed a little familiar, Zhao Ling thought for a while, and suddenly remembered that Yin Zhan, the monstrous leader of the Wuji Sect, could also perform this kind of kung fu? It turns out that this kung fu was created by Mo Hanshan.


    She remembered that Meng Yuan called it the Purple Charm Magic at that time.


    Because this Purple Charm was extremely sinister and not a virtuous martial art, the former elder had no choice but to imprison Mo Hanshan in the darkness of Mozhuang in order to suppress the demonic nature of Mo Hanshan, and let him think about it.


    Unexpectedly, Mo Hanshan used the dark energy to practice diligently, and his skills became more refined. On that day, he broke through the barricading seals of Mozhuang, injured the former elder, and escaped from the Momen.


    Mo Qingshan was ordered by the previous elder to lead several brothers of Momen to chase after Mo Hanshan, and finally outside Guanjia Village, everyone joined forces to take him down.


    That night, everyone rested in the nearby Guandi Temple, but encountered a sudden fire from the sky. When Mo Qingshan and several other brothers and sisters went out to buy food, the Guandi Temple was in ruins, leaving behind the bodies of several Momen who were guarding them.


    The children died and the adults were wounded, and Mo Hanshan, who was tied to the pillar, was burned alive, leaving only a charred corpse.


    Mo Hanshan''s body was still transported back to Momen for burial by him.


    However, the corpse was burned beyond recognition, and it was difficult to identify. Could it be that it was not him, and the real Mo Hanshan was still alive?

 Chapter 143 - A Slippery Ground [I]

    If Mo Hanshan was really still alive, then his act of mutilating the young children and throwing the corpses of the dead into the Guandi Temple this time was probably because he learned the news that Mo Qingshan was in the capital, and was deliberately provoking him or the entire Momen.


    Just because the former elder hated evil and hated his hatred, he couldn''t hold a grain of sand in his eyes, he was deeply responsible for Mo Hanshan''s love, and was very annoyed at his self-indulgent practice of dark magic.


    He warned him when he was imprisoned in Mozhuang. If he didn''t face the wall in darkness and think hard and change his past, he would gouge out his eyes, so that he could no longer practice this magic art.


    Since Mo Sect was known as the number one sect in the world, and Mo Qingshan was the highest in charge of Mo Sect and was highly respected, Lu Ziqing did not question his remarks.


    It was just that this Mo Hanshan had been driven out of the Momen for many years, and the sea of ??people was vast, and tracing his footsteps was like looking for a needle in a haystack, which was extremely difficult.


    Just when Lu Ziqing planned to go all out to track down Mo Hanshan''s path, the identities of these five children were also determined, one after the other.


    As expected, these five children were all from noble backgrounds. Three were the sons of wealthy businessmen with some status in the capital, but the other two children''s identities gave Lu Ziqing a headache.


    One was the son of the imperial censor Fan Zhongyang, and the other was the son of the King of Nanyang.


    Although these noble families have many descendants, and these children are all descendants, they may not be valued by the ruling government. But now that they were being maimed to death in this way, it was clear that the government would not be able to swallow this grain of forsaken salt no matter what.


    Fan Yushi and Nanyang Wang took turns to cry to Emperor Ming, demanding that the murderer be severely punished and justice must be delivered for them. Several wealthy businessmen even joined forces, and took their wives and concubines to cry and grab the ground outside the penal department every day.


    So these days, Lu Ziqing was very broken down because of this case.


    On this day, he was once again summoned by Emperor Ming to the Hall of Harmony to meet him.


    In the Harmony Hall, Emperor Ming was sitting on the heavenly throne. With the Highness, stood Meng Tianluo and Meng Tianjue on one side, and King of Nanyang and imperial censor Fan Zhongyang on the other. They were looking at him angrily, as if they were blaming him for the fact that the investigation was ineffective, and the murderer had not been caught for a long time.


    Lu Ziqing frowned slightly, looking at today''s struggle, and it seemed a little troublesome.


    These days, Emperor Ming was also one feeling that his body was not as good as before, and he was easily tired, and he was harassed by the tears and snot of Fan Yushi and Nanyang King from time to time, which made him very troublesome. Now that the case has not progressed for a long time, Lu Ziqing certainly didn''t look good.


    He glanced at Lu Ziqing, who was kneeling and salutes under His Highness, with a bad face, and reluctantly said, "Rise."


    "Thank you, Your Majesty." Lu Ziqing stood up and heard Emperor Ming ask in a deep voice, "Lu Ziqing, is there any progress in the case of those five children?"


    "Your majesty, that Mo Hanshan has been missing for a long time. It is not easy to find his traces. The minister is doing all he can to track it down." Lu Ziqing answered with a bow.


    "Hmph, why is Master Lu so sure that the murderer in this case is Mo Hanshan, not Mo Qingshan? This king has heard that Mo Hanshan died twenty years ago. Could it be that Master Lu was trying to cover up Mo Qingshan, and you deliberately put the crime on a dead person?" Meng Tianluo''s gloomy voice came from the opposite side.


    "Why did His Royal Highness King Luo say this? This subordinate officer and Mo Qingshan don''t know each other, so how can I do this act?" Lu Ziqing was neither humble nor arrogant, looking straight at Meng Tianluo and asked.


    "Don''t think that this king doesn''t know, that Mo Qingshan is now the adoptive father of the eldest daughter of the Zhao family, and Lord Lu and Miss Zhao often go in and out of the Justice department together, and the relationship seems to be extraordinary. This king thinks that it is entirely possible that Lord Lu could cover up for Zhao''s sake. I mean, for the sake of the eldest miss, you can protect Mo Qingshan." Meng Tianluo didn''t give in, and said it carefully.


    Lu Ziqing felt disgusted with Meng Tianluo. Zhao Ling is the future Princess Xuan, Meng Tianluo''s words would not hurt him, but it will affect Zhao Ling''s reputation. He immediately responded: "His Royal Highness King Luo, please be careful, Miss Zhao is the future Princess Xuan, and everyone knows about this matter. The lower official just respects her ability to investigate difficult matters and invites her to help, nothing else."


    "Master Lu, why should you rush to protect the future Princess Xuan? This official thinks that Master Lu is ineffective in handling the case and lacking in ability. Then Mo Hanshan is the younger brother of Mo Qingshan, and he is also a member of the Mo family. Even if the real murderer in this case is Mo Hanshan, Mo Qingshan must also be involved with him. Mo Qingshan is inseparable from the Shandong Mo family, so why didn''t Master Lu take Mo Qingshan into custody, and why didn''t he go to the Shandong Mo family for a detailed investigation?" Fan Yushi said vigorously and with conviction.


    The imperial censor,  Fan Zhongyang, was known as "iron teeth", and when he impeached officials, he was absolutely selfless and merciless.


    The King of Nanyang also hopped in. "Hmph, that Mo Qingshan is not as good as he made people believe. I heard that Yin Zhan, the remnant of the previous dynasty, was raised by him, and I still don''t know why, your majesty. Just by adopting the remnant of the previous dynasty, Mo Qingshan deserves death."


    There was no need to wonder why the King of Nanyang was so angry. His daughter Meng Fu and son-in-law Tao Zhirui were killed in the fire of Baoning Temple in Yunzhou.


    Although it was the work of Wuji Religion, but if Mo Qingshan did not adopt Yin Zhan, how could Wuji Religion resurface? Now that his son''s death is related to Momen, how could he not hate Momen so much?


    Had Mo Qingshan adopted the remnant of the previous dynasty? Everyone present, including Emperor Ming, Lu Ziqing and others, were all shocked.. Obviously, everyone didn''t know about it.

 Chapter 144 - A Slippery Ground [II]

    When Yin Zhan was studying in Momen, Mo Qingshan did not keep him by his side because of his sensitive identity. Therefore, he adopted Yin Zhan, except for a few cronies in Momen, others did not know.


    The King of Nanyang did not know where the news came from. In fact, the King of Nanyang himself was puzzled when this news came from an anonymous letter he suddenly received a few days ago. He didn''t know the authenticity, but it was a good way to bring down Momen.


    "King Nanyang, is what you said true?" Emperor Ming tried his best to suppress his displeasure with a dark face.


    "Answering his majesty, the emperor, the minister only learned of this news recently, and has not yet verified it. Since the matter is of great importance, the minister does not dare to conceal it. As for the authenticity of the news, the minister thinks that it can be verified by sending someone to the Mojia family in Shandong to check." The King of Nanyang said.


    "Your Majesty, this minister thinks that King Nanyang''s words are justified. If Mo Qingshan adopted Yin Zhan even though he knew that he was a remnant of the previous dynasty, then his heart would be punishable." Fan Zhongyang agreed.


    Emperor Ming was getting older, but his desire for power and position had not decreased but increased. Especially recently, he was often in a trance and always feels that his throne is in jeopardy. How could he tolerate someone who had two hearts on him?


    So he immediately ordered Lu Ziqing to guard Mo Qingshan secretly and strictly, not to scare the snakes.


    Yu Linwei was a close confidant of the emperors of the Dasheng Dynasty, and he directly obeyed the emperor, and only obeyed the emperor. Their reconnaissance agencies were all over the world, and their work efficiency was extremely high.


    A few days later, an ancient jade found in the Mo family''s possessions was presented to Emperor Ming.


    This was a piece of warm and square white jade, beautifully carved, exquisitely carved, and glowing with a lustrous luster.


    Emperor Ming held the jade tightly, but his eyes were full of anger.


    On this piece of jade, the character "Yin" is clearly engraved.


    This was the token of the Yin family of the previous dynasty, and it was the jade pendant carried by the emperors of the Yin family in all dynasties.


    Mo Qingshan was really daring to hide the royal family token of the previous dynasty. Could it be that he wanted to rebel?


    The Mo Clan had a very high status in the arena. The Mo Clan has a large number of strong and talented people. If the Mo Clan rebelled, a large force had to be gathered to guarded against them.


    Thinking of this, Emperor Ming ordered the commander Yulin Wei, who was kneeling in front of him, to return orders: "Send someone to strictly guard the Mo family and others, and take Mo Qingshan for the crime of adopting the remnants of the previous dynasty and hiding the royal family tokens of the previous dynasty. Arrest him quickly."


    In the study room of Prince Luo''s mansion, Master Xing was reporting to Meng Tianluo. "My lord, I just received the news that the emperor has ordered Yu Linwei to take Mo Qingshan into custody, and the Mo family in Shandong is also under surveillance. It seems that the emperor is going to attack the Mo family."


    Meng Tianluo grinned, and under the candlelight, this smile looked particularly sinister. "Very good. The Mo family has always been on good terms with the Xuan family. Getting rid of the Mo family will weaken some of Meng Yuan''s power. By the way, did that person say when to attack Meng Yuan?"


    Master Xing replied, "The man said that the time will come soon, please let the lord calm down."


    A cold light flashed in Meng Tianluo''s dark eyes. *Meng Yuan, you are unlucky, who let you fall into the eyes of that immortal. You wait and see, this king will let you have nothing, your army, your status, including your woman, this king will grab everything from you.*


    ***


    Zhao Ling never thought that a portrait she painted would bring disaster to Momen.


    When she received the news and hurried to Prince Xuan''s mansion, she happened to meet Lu Ziqing who was about to evacuate the yamen of the Ministry of Justice.


    "Lord Lu, what about Elder Mo?" As soon as Zhao Ling said that, she felt that her question was very unprofessional.


    Now that Lu Ziqing was ready to evacuate, it meant that Yu Linwei had taken Mo Qingshan away.


    Because she was worried about Mo Qingshan, Zhao Ling came all the way from the Duke''s Mansion without stopping. At this moment, her cheeks were flushed, her forehead was slightly sweaty, and the hair on her temples was also a little scattered by the wind.


    Lu Ziqing suddenly felt a little distressed when she looked at Zhao Ling, who had rarely lost her temper. He took a few steps forward and stood still in front of Zhao Ling, his usual rigid tone brought a bit of gentleness. "Elder Mo was just taken away by Yu Linwei. Qian Mo, don''t worry, Elder Mo should not be in danger for the time being."


    Having said that, Lu Ziqing had no idea in his heart what would happen. Just now, he clearly heard Yu Linwei''s reason for arresting Mo Qingshan, who was standing next to him. Adopting the remnants of the previous dynasty and hiding the royal family''s relics from the previous dynasty were both serious crimes of beheading?


    How could Zhao Ling not know this truth. The five children who were killed were all from prominent families in the Dasheng Dynasty, and Emperor Ming was bound to give them a satisfactory explanation.


    And the opinions of the families of these victims were surprisingly consistent. No matter whether the real culprit in this case was Mo Hanshan or Mo Qingshan, in short, it was the people of the Mo family. Mo Qingshan who was under his nose would settle the account.


    What was more, in Emperor Ming''s view, this case was no longer the focus. What matters was whether the Mohists still had loyalty to the previous royal family, but dissent towards the Meng family.


    This was something that all those in power couldn''t tolerate in a feudal society.


    The Mo family would be very troublesome this time.


    "Where will the people who were taken away by Yu Linwei be imprisoned?" Zhao Ling asked since she didn''t know the system here. She only knew that Yu Linwei was the emperor''s confidant and only obeyed the emperor.


    "Yulin Guard has a special place for detaining prisoners, and the guards there are heavily guarded. The prisoners in that place are all serious criminals in the court, and ordinary people cannot enter." Lu Ziqing''s face was cold.


    That being said, even going in to visit was a problem. The Mo family tree had deep roots and many disciples.. It seemed that Emperor Ming was very jealous of the Mo family, so he dispatched Yu Linwei directly.

 Chapter 145 - A Slippery Ground [III]

    Zhao Ling frowned slightly, and said to Lu Ziqing worriedly, "Lord Lu, can you help me and pay more attention? If there is any news, I hope that you can inform me in time." Lu Ziqing was always in an important position in the imperial court, so it would be much more convenient for him to snoop on the news.


    "This is natural. This official also hope that Elder Mo can be safe."


    At this moment, Lu Ziqing suddenly had such an idea, as long as the woman in front of him can stretch her brows and smile, he was willing to do anything and pay any price.


    As for the Mo family''s loyalty to the previous dynasty''s conspiracy, he could completely forget about it and ignore it.


    Startled, Lu Ziqing quickly suppressed this terrifying thought. He was courting death and he knew it. However, his hand still didn''t listen to his brain''s instructions and took out the handkerchief, intending to hand it to Zhao Ling so that she could wipe off the fine beads of sweat on her forehead.


    At this moment, Meng Yuan''s cold voice came from behind.


    "Master Lu has been guarding the gate of Xuanwang''s mansion for so long, and now that the person has been taken away by you, shouldn''t you go back to your life?"


    Lu Ziqing quietly hid the handkerchief back in his sleeve pocket, turned and bowed to Meng Yuan who appeared at the door of the mansion.


    "Excuse me, the subordinate will retire now."


    Before leaving, Lu Ziqing nodded to Zhao Ling as a farewell.


    Zhao Ling also nodded to Lu Ziqing, and after watching him leave, she walked in front of Meng Yuan. Seeing that his face was very ugly, he must be worried about Mo Qingshan.


    "Ling''er, let''s go in." Meng Yuan took her hand, raised his head and said to her, with a dignified tone.


    "En." Zhao Ling took the wheelchair from Changdong''s hand and pushed him slowly into the palace.


    He went straight to the study and found that Yun Yi and Wen Renyuan were also there. Seeing the two come in, Wen Renyuan bowed to Zhao Ling.


    "I have seen the princess."


    Yun Yi also greeted Zhao Ling with a very solemn expression, and continued what he had not finished.


    "Then Mo Hanshan has been missing for more than twenty years. He must have changed his name and surname long ago. The crowd is vast, and it is not easy to find him. The shadow guards of Woyun Villa have tried their best to track them down, but there is no firm news yet."


    Wen Renyuan then reported: "My subordinates have discovered that the Master Xing of the Luo Palace has a connection with a mysterious person in the past few days, but this person is extremely cautious, and the subordinates have not yet found out his true identity."


    A mystery man? Zhao Ling''s mind changed immediately. Could it be that this person was Mo Hanshan?


    Yun Yi also replied, "Could this mysterious person be Mo Hanshan, or someone related to Mo Hanshan? Meng Tianluo is quick to get rid of the Xuanwang Mansion, and Mo Hanshan hates Momen to the core. It is possible for them to join forces."


    "Even if Mo Hanshan is found, it will be of no use to clear the accusation against Mo Qingshan of being the adoptive father of the remnant of the previous dynasty." Zhao Ling frowned slightly, "The accusation of murder is easy to clear, but the accusation of hiding the jade pendant of the former emperor is not so easy to solve."


    She knew that this was the reason why Emperor Ming was really afraid.


    "Didn''t that Yin Zhan leave Momen a long time ago, why is the foster father still hiding his jade pendant?" Zhao Ling was very puzzled.


    "This jade pendant is not hidden by the adoptive father at all. When Yin Zhan left Momen, this jade pendant was naturally taken with him." Meng Yuan''s cold voice sounded.


    What? All three were surprised.


    "How did Yulinwei find this jade pendant in Momen? Could it be that there is something wrong with the Yulinwei who searched?" Yun Yi exclaimed.


    "Even if Yu Linwei deliberately framed it, since this jade pendant belonged to Yin Zhan, and that Yin Zhan had already died on Wuji Island, where did the jade pendant that Yu Linwei gave to the emperor came from?" Wen Renyuan was also very confused.


    Zhao Ling frowned slightly, and calmly analyzed the situation. "Yu Linwei and Momen have no grievances and no enmity, and they will never harm each other for no reason. If the problem really lies with those Yu Linwei, they must have been bribed. It was ordered by someone or some people who are quite powerful. The sudden appearance of Yin Zhan''s jade pendant made me even more sure that Mo Hanshan was inseparable from this matter."


    "How are you so sure?" Yun Yi had a humble and teachable expression on his face.


    "Purple Charm Magic Art was created by Mo Hanshan, and Yin Zhan can also do it, which means that there must be some kind of relationship between the two of them. It is not impossible that Mo Hanshan has Yin Zhan''s jade pendant in his hand."


    Meng Yuan nodded, agreeing with Zhao Ling''s point of view. "Uncle Wenren, check the few Yulin guards who went to Momen to search that day to see if there is anything unusual about the people they came into contact with."


    "Subordinates obey."


    Wen Renyuan was waiting for the order to leave, but there were quick footsteps outside the door, and then Yan Mo''s voice sounded outside the door.


    "My lord, this subordinate is Yan Mo."


    "Come in." Meng Yuan said in a deep voice.


    Yan Mo pushed open the door and entered without salute, so he quickly reported: "My lord, my subordinates just found out from Yu Linwei prison that the emperor has ordered that Elder Mo be secretly executed on the spot."

 Chapter 146 - A Slippery Ground [IV]

    It was nearly the end of July, and the weather was still very hot. Zhao Ling was waiting under the corridor outside the Harmony Hall. The noon sun was unbridled and projected on her body. The complicated clothes and skirts of ancient times added a bit of warmth.


    There seemed to be beads of sweat dripping down her temples, Zhao Ling raised her hand to wipe them, and couldn''t help but cursed in her heart.


    This old emperor could really enjoy taking his time to sleep. She and Meng Yuan have been waiting here for nearly an hour, and he hasn''t woken up from his nap.


    It was a pity that she used to think that Emperor Ming was a good emperor who was diligent in government and loved the people.


    "Ling''er, squat down." Meng Yuan took her hand and said angrily.


    Zhao Ling squatted down according to the words and asked, "What''s the matter, A-Yuan, is there any thing wrong?"


    During the cold poison treatment, it was not advisable to be overly tired, but a few days ago, her imprisonment had exhausted him, and now that Mo Qingshan had happened again, she was really afraid that he would be too tired, affecting the treatment effect, and lead to the failure of all previous efforts.


    Meng Yuan just took out a brocade handkerchief, raised his hand and wiped the sweat dripping from Zhao Ling''s cheeks, with gentle movements, as if he was wiping something that he cherished very carefully.


    He was extremely annoyed that his leg ailment had not been cured, and now he couldn''t even do the trivial task of wiping Ling''er''s sweat.


    At this time, Eunuch Li finally took a small step and came out from the inner hall to communicate: "King Xuan, Princess Xuan, please come in."


    Zhao Ling pushed Meng Yuan''s wheelchair and stepped over the high threshold of the Harmony Hall.


    Emperor Ming raised his eyebrows, showing a hint of surprise. Didn''t he come to plead for Mo Qingshan?


    "Long live the emperor, this minister''s daughter has come to fulfil the emperor''s promise." Zhao Ling uttered solemnly but firmly.


    "Promise? When did I promise you anything?" Emperor Ming snorted coldly.


    However, Zhao Ling calmly took out a piece of beautifully crafted gold medallion from her arms, with a steady tone, and said slowly: "The servant girl asks the emperor''s permission to exchange the death exemption token of the servant girl for Mo Qingshan''s life."


    The emperor''s voice fell, and there was silence in the Harmony Hall for a while.


    Emperor Ming was stunned for a moment. After he reacted, he became furious. With a popping sound, he slapped his right hand on the table, and the memorials on the table were shaken.


    Eunuch Li, who was at the side of the, was shocked, his legs were trembling, his knees were weak, he knelt on the ground, and said in a trembling voice, "Your anger, your majesty. It''s important to take care of your dragon''s body."


    Emperor Ming ignored Eunuch Li, and just stared at Zhao Ling, his face ashen, and said angrily: "Zhao family girl, you are so courageous, how dare you use what I have given you to disobey me? You... ...did you take me seriously?"


    Zhao Ling sighed inwardly. She had long expected that the act of protecting Mo Qingshan''s life with the death-free gold medallion would definitely make Emperor Ming furious.


    Back then, he gave her such a precious gold medal to avoid death, but she was trying to use it to save someone he personally ordered to be executed. Didn''t this make him shoot himself in the foot? Emperor Ming felt that his imperial authority had been deeply teased, and was so angry that he lost his mind for a while.


    Zhao Ling finally realized what "Dragon Stern''s Fury" was, and it was a bit terrifying when the Ninety-Five Vessels got angry. After all, this was an era in which imperial power was paramount. The furious emperor in front of her holds the power of life and death. As long as he spoke a few words, she could be killed immediately.


    Zhao Ling was helpless and had to kneel down again, but her tone was as firm as ever. "The minister''s daughter have no intention of disobedience. Please, I beg the emperor to calm down. It''s just that Mo Qingshan is the adopted father of the minister''s daughter, and now his life is at stake, and the minister''s daughters is so anxious that she has no choice but to think of this method. Your dynasty has always governed the country with benevolence and filial piety, and I believe the emperor will be sympathetic. The minister''s daughter is filial, and she is gracious, hoping that you grant what she asks for."


    Zhao Ling''s words were sincere, and her filial piety moved the sky. Emperor Ming couldn''t think of a refutation for a while. He could only sneer and say a few words. "Okay, very good!"


    The emperor then turned his head, and asked Meng Yuan, "Do King Xuan also meant the same thing?"


    "The words of Ling''er is the words of this king." Meng Yuan''s voice was always cold and unaffected by Emperor Ming''s anger.


    "So, you can also disobey me for the minister''s daughter''s adopted father?" Emperor Ming looked at Meng Yuan with a cold face, a little sad, but also a little hopeful.


    He wished he could hear a negative answer, but he was clearly disappointed.


    Meng Yuan quietly looked at Emperor Ming''s eyes, and the firm and stubborn eyes explained everything.


    Emperor Ming was completely disappointed. His second son was so fond of Mo Qingshan, his adoptive father, but he was so identical to his biological father, which made him feel so indifferent!


    He remembered his plans for the crown prince in the past two years. Whether it was talent or not, Meng Yuan was outstanding among several princes. Recently, he heard that his leg disease is expected to be cured. Emperor Ming really had the idea of ??passing the throne to this second son. .


    But now it seemed that this second son couldn''t be caring towards him at all, he was so disappointed in Meng Yuan that he decided to think carefully about his successor.

 Chapter 147 - A Slippery Ground [V]

    Emperor Ming''s eyes dimmed for a while, and he seemed a little disheartened to speak. "Since you both mean this, of course I will fulfill your filial piety. But since the death-free gold medal is owned by the Zhao family girl, then You can only go to Yulinwei prison in person to save people with the gold medal. If you pass the edict under the guise of others, Yulinwei will definitely not agree."


    The order to secretly execute Mo Qingshan had already been sent to Yulinwei. As for the girl of the Zhao family who rushed over, to save the Momen leader was out of her hands, it depended on Mo Qingshan''s good fortune.


    "The minister''s daughter follow the order. I humbly thank the emperor." Zhao Ling felt relieved. In any case, Emperor Ming agreed anyway.


    "Zhao family girl, don''t blame me for not reminding you that this death-free gold medal will be invalid after one use, have you really considered it?" Emperor Ming really felt that it was a pity for Zhao Ling to use such a precious death-free gold medal on Mo Qingshan.


    "The minister''s daughter thank the emperor for making it happen." Zhao Ling''s resolute tone explained everything.


    Eunuch Li sent Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan out of the Harmony Hall, walked to a quiet place with few people, and whispered to the two of them. "My lord Xuan, Miss Zhao, the emperor''s decree reached Yu an hour ago. Yu Lin Wei is very efficient, and the two of you have to go to Yu Lin Wei prison as soon as possible. I am afraid that Elder Mo can''t wait."


    Hearing this, Zhao Ling couldn''t help but scolded inwardly: "You old emperor is really insidious enough."


    At this moment when a life was at stake, he also put forward such conditions, making it clear that he wanted to embarrass them.


    Yulinwei prison was located at the southwest end of the imperial city, about a dozen miles away. She couldn''t ride a horse, but if she took a carriage, it would take a lot of time, and it was very likely that she would not be able to save him in time.


    After quickly walking out of the huge palace, Zhao Ling was so anxious that she just wanted to rush to Yulinwei prison as quickly as possible. But for a while, she didn''t know where to go to find a horse?


    Meng Yuan was also very anxious and full of annoyance. He said to Changdong quite eagerly. "Changdong, rush to the palace as fast as you can, and let Yan Mo rush to Donghuamen."


    When Changdong was about to carry out the order, not far ahead, one person on a horse was galloping towards them at a high speed.


    The man on the horse was dressed in the official uniform of the Jinwuwei commander in black with gold borders. His facial features were tough like a sculpted rock, his righteous aura was awe-inspiring, and his heroic appearance was valiant.


    Feng Ze was driving a black horse, urging the horse forward with the whip, and coming towards the wind. Galloping to Zhao Ling''s side, he tightened the reins, the black horse neighed and stopped.


    "Ling, get on the horse." Feng Ze stretched out his hand to her, and the four words were crisp and unquestionable.


    Zhao Ling was of course overjoyed when Feng Ze descended from the sky like a dark horse prince. If you rush with the wind now, I believe you can save a lot of time.


    No matter how amazing Changdong''s horse, Qinggong, was, and no matter how fast Yan Mo was driving the horse, Chasing Wind, it would still take some time for them to get back and forth from the Xuanwang Mansion.


    Without further ado, she quickly said to Meng Yuan. "A-Yuan, time is running out, I''ll rush to Yulinwei prison with Fengze first, how about you come later in a carriage?"


    Since Meng Yuan saw Feng Ze appear, his handsome face has darkened. Seeing that Zhao Ling had to ride with him now, he was naturally unhappy in his heart. But he also knew that this situation was not the time to be jealous, Elder Mo''s life was more important than anything else.


    "Mm." He reluctantly watched Zhao Ling hold Feng Ze''s hand. Feng Ze pulled hard, and Zhao Ling jumped up, sitting behind Feng Ze.


    "Hold tight." Feng Ze tilted his head slightly and said in a low voice.


    "Okay, let''s go quickly." Zhao Ling nodded, stretched out his arms and wrapped his arms around Feng Ze''s sturdy waist.


    Although this posture seems a bit ambiguous, but right now, Mo Qingshan''s life is on a tight rope, and as at the moment, this was the only way to get to Yulinwei as soon as possible, and she was also helpless.


    In fact, in modern times, sometimes in order to investigate a case, she and Yuan Lie also rode the same locomotive.


    "Go!" Feng Ze put his legs on the horse''s belly, whipped the whip and jumped on the horse, and trotted away. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised in the wind and sand raised by the horse''s hoofs.


    It was the first such intimate contact between him and her. Feeling the arms around his waist and the soft body behind him, as well as the faint fragrance in his nose, Feng Ze''s body was slightly stiff, the tough and profound facial features were tensed, and there was a hint of imperceptible, flashing on his bronzed face.


    Meng Yuan looked at the direction where the two disappeared, his hands tightly grasping his legs, his thin lips pursed, his frowning face ashen.


    He knew that Zhao Ling had no love for Fengze, and it was a very momentous thing, he shouldn''t be jealous. But seeing Ling''er being so close to other men, especially since this man was coveting her for a long time, he felt sour in his heart. There was an unnamed fire rushing through his body, but nowhere to vent the discomfort.


    At this moment, he felt extremely depressed. Sitting in a wheelchair, he was simply a waste. He used to be most proud of his riding skills, but now, he couldn''t even ride a pony.


    If his leg''s paralysis was not cured, would Ling''er dislike him?

 Chapter 148 - Farewell To The Banished Mo Family [I]

    Zhao Ling galloped all the way with Fengze, and arrived at Yulinwei prison not long after.


    Yulinwei Prison detained all the serious and secret criminals of the imperial court. Naturally, the guards were extremely strict, and there was no way for idlers and others to just come and go.


    At the entrance of the prison, Feng Ze showed his identity badge to the guard. The guard naturally recognized it, quickly clasped his fists with both hands, and bowed to salute. "This guard sees General Wuwei."


    "The sage''s decree, save Mo Qingshan from the death penalty. You, take us to the cell." Feng Ze''s expression was cold and solemn, and he looked directly at the guard in front of him, with a tone of strength that could not be rejected.


    The guard hesitated. Just now, he seemed to have heard that the sage had issued an oral order to secretly execute Mo Qingshan, but why did he now send General Wuwei to pass the oral order, saying that his life was to be saved, what in blinding heaven was going on?


    He glanced suspiciously at Feng Ze, but was surprised to find that a beautiful and gentle woman in a plain dress appeared behind General Wu Wei.


    This beautiful woman, with delicate facial features, skin as white as snow, holds a bright gold medal in her hand, with a majestic face and a cold tone.


    "The heavenly gold medallion is here, so please lead the way quickly."


    Although she looked petite and weak, her majestic aura was no less than that of the tall and straight General Wuwei.


    Although the guards had never seen the death-free gold medallion before, they had also heard that this unique death-free gold medal of the Great Zhaog Dynasty had been given to the future Princess Xuan by the saint of heavens himself. Then the woman in front of her must be her.


    Seeing this, the guard did not dare to neglect, and immediately bowed his head respectfully, leading the way.


    The Yulinwei prison was dark and gloomy. Zhao Ling and Fengze followed the guards and rushed all the way through a dark passage to the cell where Mo Qingshan was being held.


    The head of the cell heard the intention of the two, and said impatiently: "Then Mo Qingshan was taken away by the commander a quarter of an hour ago, and now he may have been executed."


    What? Unexpectedly, Yulinwei''s work efficiency was really of high standard, or was there someone who couldn''t wait to want Mo Qingshan''s life?


    Seeing Zhao Ling''s anxious appearance, Feng Ze felt distressed for a while, he picked up the collar of the prison head, and said with a stern voice: "Where is the execution room? Lead the way quickly, the emperor has already ordered Mo Qingshan to be executed, but here is a token of the emperor to stop it. Do you want to resist the decree and do not comply with it?"


    "Yes, I will take the two of you to the execution room." On the one hand, the head of the cell was shocked by Feng Ze''s momentum, and on the other hand, he could not bear the charge of resisting the edict.


    The execution room was in the deepest part of Yulinwei prison. When the two moved in a hurry to the door, they happened to see Mo Qingshan kneeling on the ground, his hands tied behind his back, a black gauze covering his face, and a Yu Linwei was about to raise his hand and cut his neck with a knife.


    "Stop!" At the critical moment, Zhao Ling shouted sternly, pulled off the hosta on her head, and threw it at the cold steel knife with all her strength.


    "Ding."


    The sound of was crisp and loud in the silent execution room. The hosta fell on the ground and shattered in response, and the steel knife in the hands of the executioner Yu Linwei shook mildly.


    Zhao Ling''s clear and firm voice then sounded. "The gold medallion for saving life is here, according to the emperor''s order, to save Mo Qingshan from the death penalty. The emperor''s order must be obeyed."


    ***


    This was Zhao Ling''s first autumn in Dasheng. Autumn was known as the time when leaves made friends with the ground. In the early autumn, the weather in Shengjing was getting colder day by day.


    The sky was blue, the ground was yellow, and the autumn colors were in waves, with cold smoke and green on the waves.


    The ten-mile long pavilion outside the city, the fallen leaves were flying, and the autumn wind was blowing, showing a bit of desolation for no reason.


    Autumn was as cool as water, and after several days of continuous rain, sitting on the stone bench in the pavilion, Zhao Ling clearly felt a few strands of coldness.


    A plain satin cloak was lightly covered on the back to drive away the chills.


    She turned her head and met Meng Yuan''s gentle gaze.


    "Ling''er, be careful of catching cold." He held her hands and said softly.


    Zhao Ling smiled warmly, clasped her fingers with his fingers, rubbed her thumb on his palm, and whispered. "It seems that Mr. Situ''s antidote is very effective, and your hands are not as cold as before."


    If this process was followed, Meng Yuan''s cold poison would be completely cured in around two months.


    The two were whispering, when Chang Dong reported from outside the pavilion. "Master, Princess, Elder Mo is here."


    Meng Yuan''s face froze, Zhao Ling patted the back of his hand, stood up, pushed his wheelchair, and slowly stepped out of the pavilion.


    On the avenue in front, a mighty group of people is marching towards the Shili Long Pavilion.


    At the front of the team was a police officer from the Ministry of Justice led by Lu Ziqing. There were about ten people in the team.


    Dressed in official uniform, Lu Ziqing was at the forefront of the team, riding a tall horse.


    Walking to the ten-mile long pavilion, seeing Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan waiting outside the pavilion, he raised his hand to signal, and the procession behind him stopped.


    Lu Ziqing jumped off his horse, his movements elegant and unrestrained, and then stepped forward to bow to Meng Yuan.


    "Xiaguan has seen Lord Xuan."


    Meng Yuan''s expression was cold, but he snorted coldly in his nostrils and ignored him. Ever since he knew that Lu Ziqing also had bad thoughts about Zhao Ling, he hadn''t given Lu Ziqing a good face.


    Zhao Ling glanced at him helplessly, this guy''s bad temper really made her speechless.


    Seeing that this was not the way to go, she could only speak to resolve this embarrassing situation. "Lord Lu, thank you for arranging the farewell today."


    "You don''t have to be so polite, Ling."


    The case of Guanjia Village had not yet been resolved. They were yet to catch the real murderer, yet he did not want to but implicate Mo Qingshan and the entire Mo family in this disaster, and Lu Ziqing felt equally uncomfortable.


    Although Zhao Ling used the gold medallion to save Mo Qingshan''s life, when Emperor Ming was furious, how could he easily let the Mo family go? After Zhao Ling rescued Mo Qingshan in Yulinwei prison, Emperor Ming issued an imperial decree.


    The Mo family adopted the remnants of the previous dynasty and kept the royal family tokens of the previous dynasty privately, and should be sentenced to capital punishment, but there was a death-free gold medal to save their lives.


    However, the death penalty could be avoided, but life crimes couldn''t go unpunished. The Mo family were banished from the empire to the Desolate City.


    After escorting the rest of the Mo family to the capital to receive the emperor''s decree, they set off for the Desolate City on the same day.

 Chapter 149 - Farewell To The Banished Mo Family [II]

    The Mo family has a total of eighty three members. Today was the day when Mo Qingshan and the Mo family would be leaving the capital for the deserted region known as the Desolate City.


    Zhao Ling agreed with Lu Ziqing early on that she and Meng Yuan would see off the Mo family at the ten-mile pavilion outside the city.


    Lu Ziqing specially prepared carriages for several older Mo family members. Although the conditions were extremely simple, it was better than a prison carriage.


    Although the rest of the Mo family didn''t have a carriage to sit on, Lu Ziqing only ordered them to be handcuffed and shackled instead of the heavy shackles. In this way, the long journey on the road to exile can finally be a little easier.


    At this time, Mo Qingshan and the other three Mo family members who were sitting on the carriage had already lifted the curtain and jumped out of the carriage. They also had shackles on their hands and feet.


    Zhao Ling pushed Meng Yuan forward and came to Mo Qingshan.


    "Father." They both called out in unison.


    Mo Qingshan nodded slightly, and Qing Zun''s face became thinner due to this sudden change, but his expression was extremely indifferent.


    As the head of the Mo family, he had experienced countless storms, and he had already cultivated the ability to be invisible before the collapse of Mount Tai.


    When he adopted Yin Zhan back then, it wasn''t that he didn''t consider the worst outcome today, it was just that he didn''t regret it. It was not his principle of life to see death and not save him. If he was asked to do it again, he would still make the same choice.


    It was just because of his own kindness that the entire Mo family was exiled to a barren city, and generations had to leave their homes and their homeland. He looked back at the people of the Mo family who followed him, and felt shameless.


    After sighing inwardly, Mo Qingshan introduced the other three Mo family elders to Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan one by one.


    One of them, with a long face and black beard, was taller than Mo Qingshan. He was Mo Qingshan''s cousin. The other two oldest men were both white-bearded and white-haired. They were Mo Qingshan''s uncles, and Zhao Ling called them "uncles" respectfully.


    As for Mo Qingshan''s own family, since Mo Yan died seven years ago, he had been the only one left.


    Momen was the number one sect in the world. Although there were many capable people and disciples all over the world, the Mo clan was actually not prosperous, and there were faint signs of decline in recent years.


    Among the eighty-three Mo family members distributed today, half of them were servants and disciples who were unwilling to leave the Mo family and follow them to the death. There were not many real Mo family members.


    With Lu Ziqing''s permission, the officers of the Ministry of Justice opened the handcuffs and shackles for Mo Qingshan and the other three elders of the Mo family. The four entered the pavilion with Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan, and sat around on the stone bench.


    Zhao Ling filled the wine glasses in front of Mo Qingshan and the three elders of the Mo family one by one, as well as Meng Yuan and himself, then picked up the wine glasses and said, "Foster father, Uncle Mo, and two uncles, this trip is a long way and a long journey. It''s extremely difficult, Ling''er wishes you a safe journey and a smooth arrival."


    Meng Yuan couldn''t easily drink alcohol because of the treatment of his cold poison affliction, but at this moment, how could he do without alcohol?


    Since Ling''er poured this wine by herself, she must have meant it too, so he could drink it with confidence.


    He raised his glass, his tone equally low. "Father, everyone, take care all the way."


    Meng Yuan was not a talkative person at first, so was his farewell speech at the moment, which was very concise and to the point.


    Several people drank the wine in the glass.


    Mo Qingshan drank his glass of wine and exchanged meaningful glances with the other senior Mo family, and then solemnly said to Zhao Ling, "Ling''er, come here."


    Seeing his solemn expression, Zhao Ling seemed to have something important to support, so he didn''t dare to neglect, and immediately got up and came to stand in front of him according to the words.


    "What did the adoptive father command?" she asked with her head lowered.


    However, Mo Qingshan took out a black token from his arms and said solemnly to Zhao Ling, "Kneel down."


    Zhao Ling looked up at him puzzled. After seeing the black token in his hand, although she didn''t know what it was, she suddenly felt a sense of solemnity when she saw the solemn expressions of Mo Qingshan and the other elders. This was a share nameless pressure.


    Since Mo Qingshan was her adoptive father, it was only natural for her to kneel to him.


    Zhao Ling obediently knelt down in front of him, bowing her head and waiting.


    Mo Qingshan held the black token and said in a serious tone: "Ling''er, this Mozi order was made by the first head of my Mo family. It has been kept by the highest deacon of the Mo family in all dynasties, and it is an order for the people of the Mo family in the world. Father is passing this order to you, I hope you can make good use of it, and lead the people of Momen well."


    Mozi order? She had heard Meng Yuan mention that this order of Mozi was the token of the head of the Mo clan. Seeing this order was like seeing the head. With this order, she could give orders to the people of the Mo family all over the world.


    Since the first head of the Momen went away, because the position of the head of the Momen has been vacant, this token has been kept by the successive elders.


    But now, Mo Qingshan actually wants to pass the order of Mozi to her? Zhao Ling raised her head in astonishment, and looked at Meng Yuan in disbelief.


    Meng Yuan''s cold and handsome face was also a little moved. He used to be a member of Momen, so he naturally knew the weight of this token.


    Now that Mo Qingshan passed the token to Zhao Ling, it was equivalent to entrusting the entire Momen to her.

 Chapter 150 - A Swerve Of Fate [I]

    "Foster father, I really don''t dare to accept this order." Zhao Ling was really scared a bit, so she didn''t dare to accept this Mozi order easily.


    "Qingshan won''t misunderstand people. Now that he has decided to pass this order to you, he must believe that you can take on this important task, and hope that Princess Xuan will not refuse in the future." On the side, Mo Qingshan''s cousin persuaded her.


    The two uncles also nodded, and obviously had no opinion on Mo Qingshan''s decision.


    But Zhao Ling was still hesitant. She wasn''t afraid of trouble, just worried that she couldn''t take the responsibility. Although she was not a person who belittled herself, but Momen was the number one sect in the world after all, how could she command the world''s heroes as a female leader?


    "Ling''er, the Mo family can be suppressed, but the Mo family can''t be scattered. FReedom now on, your foster father will be far away in the barren city, so it is useless to keep this token here. Bearing in mind that the life of your foster father was preserved with the death-free golden token by you, I now pass the Order of Mozi on to you. I believe that no one in the Momen will object to this. Since you call me your adoptive father, you are naturally half of the Mo family. Do you have the heart to watch the Momen fall apart and let your adoptive father''s face be faceless after his death?"


    Since Mo Qingshan had put all his words into this, Zhao Ling felt that it seemed a little unreasonable for her to refuse. She had never been a hypocritical person, and she decided to accept it calmly. After all, she did care about her adopted father and the Momen people.


    She stretched out her hands and solemnly took this heavy black token.


    This Mozi was only the size of Zhao Ling''s open palm, but it was made of black gold. It had a thick texture and a smooth feel. Except for the traditional Chinese character "ink" engraved on the front of the token, there were no other patterns and textures. It was low-key. A sense of solemnity.


    "Ling''er will follow the orders of the righteous father, and I will do my best in the future to make good use of this order and live up to the orders of the righteous father."


    Outside the long pavilion, along the ancient road, the grass was green. In life, there were only so many separations, and a pot of turbid wine could fill up the rest of the joy.


    The Mo family was an aristocratic martial arts family, and everyone in the Mo family was a proud and straightforward person, and there was not much sadness in the farewell scene.


    Lu Ziqing gave an order, and the escort team continued to set off. The ancient road outside the city, the hoofs of horses neighed, and the dust was raised to the sky.


    In the midst of the autumn wind, Zhao Ling stood quietly outside the pavilion, watching the Mo family''s team gradually disappear from sight. For a moment, she only felt that the Mozi Token in her hand seemed to weigh a thousand jins.


    "Ling''er." Meng Yuan''s familiar low voice came from his ears.


    She crouched down and looked at him. He raised his hand and stroked her cheeks, which were slightly flushed by the wind, and wiped away the crystal tears from the corners of her eyes.


    "Ling''er, don''t be sad."


    "Well." Zhao Ling sniffed, nodded, and leaned on his knees obediently, "It''s just that I was fascinated by the wind, it doesn''t matter."


    The evening wind was blowing, the sun was setting in the west, the ancient road was quiet, the pavilion was long, and only Zhao Ling and Meng Yuan were left cuddling each other.


    ***


    A month later, Zhao Ling received a letter from Mo Qingshan through Lu Ziqing.


    Although there were only a few words in the letter, she was relieved to know that the Mo family was all right in the barren city.


    Thinking that she should also reply to the letter to greet her, she asked Qingluo to take out the pen and ink, sit down at the table, spread out the letter paper, and write the letter with the pen.


    The experience of writing letters word by word like this, appeared to be a long time ago for Zhao Ling, not to mention the crossing over of her soul into a different world.


    Fortunately, Zhao Ling had learned calligraphy since she was a child, and she could still make characters with a hairpin in small script, but she was not familiar with some traditional characters, so she had to use simplified characters instead.


    She could only hope that Mo Qingshan would probably understand it.


    She finished the letter and was about to give it to Qingluo to send it to Lu Ziqing, but Luzhu ran into the house at this moment, panting, "My lady, miss. Zhengxi... The wife of General Zhengxi is here. She came here, saying that I have to look for you."


    Mrs. Zhengxi? Zhao Ling couldn''t remember who she was for a while, and tapped her forehead for a while. Wasn''t General Zhengxi Chu Pingchuan the adoptive father of Feng Ze, so wasn''t the wife of General Zhengxi Feng Ze''s adoptive mother?


    Why was it so important that the general''s wife needs to come to her door in person? Zhao Ling was puzzled and asked Lu Zhu, "Where is the general''s wife now?"


    "She''s drinking tea in the flower hall, and mistress Cui is with her, but this slave girl seems very agitated when she saw the general''s wife''s face. She''s not looking very good." Lu Zhu replied.


    "Let''s go and have a look." If the general''s wife could come to the door in person, then there must be something important.. Zhao Ling straightened her clothes and called Luzhu to go to the flower hall together.

 Chapter 151 - A Swerve Of Fate [II]

    In the flower hall of the Duke''s Mansion, Mrs. Jiang, the wife of General Zhengxi, was sitting on a chair and chatting with Mrs. Cui over tea, but her eyes kept wandering to the door from time to time, obviously absent-minded.


    Hearing footsteps coming from outside the door, she immediately turned to look.


    She saw a simple and elegant woman wearing a light blue skirt, walking into the hall with neat steps. Although she was not as graceful as Tingting, the daughter of a boudoir, she had the kind of gentleness that naturally radiated from her. The calm temperament made people feel inexplicably comfortable and at ease around her.


    Last time at the Qixi banquet in the palace, Jiang Shi had already met Zhao Ling once, and the song she played and sang at that time also left a very deep impression on her.


    This was an extraordinary woman who was soft on the outside and firm on the inside. Crying gods, it was no wonder that Feng Ze was so obsessed with her.


    For Zhao Ling, this was the first time she saw General Zhengxi''s wife.


    This was Feng Ze''s mother. It had long been heard that Chu Pingchuan, the general of Zhengxi, and his wife are deeply affectionate towards each other. Even if the two have not had children for many years, they would not accept a concubine, but only adopted Feng Ze as their son.


    When Zhao Ling saw her today, she had to admit that the general''s wife was indeed elegant, graceful and generous, with a faint bookish air between her eyebrows. It was obvious that she came from a scholarly family. Although she was over forty years old, her face was still beautiful.


    Compared with Cui Shi, who was sitting next to her, who was full of pearls, the characters of the two was more than a little bit different.


    However, what Luzhu described was true. The general''s wife''s face was indeed not very good. Could it be that something happened to the general''s mansion?


    Zhao Ling calmly bowed to her. "Ling has seen the general''s wife. The girl, Luzhu, said that the lady came to the mansion today to ask me for something important. I don''t know why?"


    She never liked politeness, but seeing the anxious expression on Jiang''s face, she overlooked the greetings, and went straight to the point.


    Jiang''s character was also straightforward. Seeing Zhao Ling asking such a question, she stopped beating around the bush and said with a worried expression, "I take the liberty to come to your house to disturb you, so please forgive me, Miss Zhao. My so, Feng Ze, is sick, and the high fever isn''t going away, he''s bedridden, and I''ve called for famous doctors to no avail. Even the imperial doctor in the palace is helpless. I heard that Miss Zhao is very skilled in medicine, I wonder if you can go to the general''s house to diagnose and treat my son?"


    Cui Shi no longer doubted Zhao Ling''s medical skills. The medicine she gave her to treat Zhao Ruo the last time was very effective, and after only a few days, Zhao Ruo''s body improved greatly.


    Feng Ze was sick? In Zhao Ling''s consistent impression, the tall and burly man was as indestructible as a copper and an iron wall, but now he was sick and bedridden? This surprised her too.


    Zhao Ling finally learned the truth of Feng Ze''s illness from Jiang''s mouth on the carriage to General Zhengxi''s Mansion.


    This was also related to the last Qixi Palace banquet.


    At that banquet, Princess Qionghua won the contest with the song "Feng Dance in Nine Heavens". According to banquet conventions, she could ask Emperor Ming for a wish. At that time, Princess Qionghua did not propose it on the spot, but only said that she would ask Emperor Ming for it when she thought of it in the future.


    Just a few days ago, Princess Qionghua suddenly asked Emperor Ming to grant her marriage, and the object of her marriage request was Wuwei General, Feng Ze.


    Princess Qionghua was nineteen years old this year. In the Dasheng Dynasty, a nineteen-year-old girl was an old girl who could no longer marry. If Qionghua''s biological mother hadn''t passed away prematurely, no one would have bothered to take care of her, why would she have waited until today?


    Although the emperor''s daughter was not worried about getting married, it was always a concern for Emperor Ming. Now that he saw her happy to get married, Emperor Ming was also happy. Although Feng Ze was only Chu Pingchuan''s adopted son, he was likely to be the only heir to the General''s Mansion in the future. Besides, he was a handsome man who could fight well and conquer cities, so he wouldn''t be too wronged to Qionghua.


    So Emperor Ming agreed to Princess Qionghua''s request on the spot, and immediately prepared an imperial edict for the two of them to confer marriage, and commanded Eunuch Li to go to the General''s Mansion to declare the edict.


    But what Emperor Ming never expected was that the ignorant Feng Ze would actually refuse to accept the imperial decree and reject the marriage on the spot.


    Emperor Ming was furious when he heard Eunuch Li''s report. First it was Meng Yuan, then Zhao Ling, and now even Feng Ze was like this? These ministers were getting so bold and disobedient to him, it was impossible to reverse it.


    Caught in his anger, he immediately commanded Fengze to enter the palace, and aggressively forced Fengze to accept the marriage. However, Feng Ze had a resolute and unswerving mind. No matter how hard or soft emperor Ming was, he was silent and refused to agree.


    Emperor Ming was simply blown away. If it weren''t for the military merits of Chu Pingchuan, and the fact that the General''s Mansion was guarding the Xiliang border to the West, he would have already beheaded this Feng Ze who dared to resist and disobey him.


    But if he did''t punish him, how could the emperor''s prestige be preserved? In spite of his anger, Emperor Ming reluctantly looked at Chu Pingchuan''s face, and commanded the guards to give him a hundred slabs on the spot.


    After the hundred slabs were actually delivered on him, he passed out on the spot.. His skin was cracked, and his flesh became blurred.

 Chapter 152 - A Swerve Of Fate [III]

    In Fengze''s bedroom in General Zhengxi''s Mansion, Zhao Ling sighed inwardly as she watched Feng Ze lying on the bed and had not regained consciousness.


    Sadly, this Feng Ze, why was he so hard-headed. There were many ways to refuse a marriage, why did he has to confront Emperor Ming head-on?


    From the hundred slabs, Feng Ze was indeed seriously injured, especially the wound on the back, which had festered. There were no anti-inflammatory drugs in ancient times, and the recovery of the wound was naturally slow.


    Fortunately, the old man Duan left her with first-class medicine, especially in the treatment of traumatic infection, the effect was not generally good.


    Speaking of which, Old Man Duan''s medical attainments were really at the peak of medical practices, which even Situ Gong couldn''t match.


    With the help of several servants from the general''s residence, Zhao Ling finished the external wound medicine for Fengze. Mrs. Chu Jiang took several servants out to prepare the soup for internal use, while Zhao Ling was left in the room to rest. By the way, it also meant to let her take care of Feng Ze.


    Zhao Ling sorted out the medicine box she brought, and seeing that Feng Ze had not woken up, she looked around his bedroom boredly.


    The bedroom was very large. Generally speaking, it was a normal male room. The layout of the room was just like the feeling of Fengze, tough and handsome. Walking to the desk, Zhao Ling found that there were many books neatly placed on the table.


    Unexpectedly, Feng Ze, as a military general, actually liked to read books?


    Zhao Ling picked up a book, opened it and flipped through a few pages, but found a few neatly folded sheets of paper between the pages.


    She took out one of them curiously and opened it. It was a painting, but it surprised her.


    The woman in the painting seemed to be her!


    Zhao Ling opened all the drawing papers in the pages of the book and spread them all on the desk. Seeing this, she was even more terrified.


    The women in these portraits are either frowning and contemplating, or being petite and angry, or looking indifferent, or smiling sweetly. Although the drawing technique is relatively immature and the brushwork is not skilled enough, it was obviously the handwriting of beginners.


    But whether it was the facial features, clothes, or charm, anyone with a discerning eye could see that this was her. Could it be that these were painted by Feng Ze? Were all these done for himself?


    Just when Zhao Ling was holding the portraits in her hand, with a shocked expression on her face, Feng Ze shouted angrily from behind: "Ling, you...don''t look at those paintings!"


    Hearing Feng Ze''s angry low voice behind her all of a sudden, Zhao Ling was startled.


    She turned around and saw that Fengze was struggling to sit up from the bed, but because of the wound on his back, his painful eyebrows were knitted together, and his face was pale. She quickly reprimanded him. "Don''t move, I just finished administering the medicine. I don''t want you to waste my good hard-to-prepare medicine."


    However, Feng Ze ignored Zhao Ling''s reprimand and sat up with difficulty. All he was thinking about was taking those paintings away from Zhao Ling''s hands.


    This was the deepest secret in his heart, and it was his only beautiful thought. He didn''t want her to know, nor could he afford to let her know.


    If Ling knew what he thought about her, they might not even be friends anymore.


    Seeing his anxious look, Zhao Ling frowned, secretly thinking that this matter seemed to be troublesome. She put down the painting in her hand, walked up to him, looked directly at him, and asked softly, "Fengze, is the women in these paintings me?"


    Feng Ze''s eyes flickered, he lowered his head to avoid her gaze, and after a long silence, as if he had made a decision, he raised his head, looked at Zhao Ling with burning eyes, and answered affirmatively and firmly. "Yes."


    If he couldn''t escape, it was better to admit it generously. Feng Ze suddenly wanted to give it a try. He wanted to know how much weight he had in Zhao Ling''s mind.


    Facing Shang Fengze''s burning eyes, Zhao Ling still looked calm and spoke calmly. "Then, you refused to marry Princess Qionghua because of me?"


    "Yes."


    "But you know me and King Xuan..."


    "Of course I know, you and King Xuan are deeply in love and have deep feelings for each other." Feng Ze interrupted Zhao Ling''s words, then laughed at himself, and said faintly, "I also told myself countless times to let go. , but I can''t do it, Ling, I can''t do it..."


    Feng Ze''s tough and handsome face was full of struggles, and the boundless pain deep in his eyes made Zhao Ling terrified.


    Since when did Feng Ze feel so deeply in love with her?


    But emotionally, what Zhao Ling hated most was being tangled up in muddy waters. Since she had already identified Meng Yuan in her life, she would not change her mind. No matter how much Feng Ze was infatuated with her, she couldn''t respond.


    "Fengze, I''m sorry. If I have misunderstood you in the past, I apologize to you. In fact, the first time I saw you, I was very kind to you because..."


    "Because I look like an old friend of yours, don''t I?" Feng Ze interrupted her again with a sad smile.


    "So you already know." Zhao Ling nodded, "Yes, you look very much like an old friend I once knew, his name is Yuan Lie, but for some reason, I may never meet him again. We met. So, Feng Ze, I don''t want to lose your friendship..."


    "Friendship?" Feng Ze said with a gloomy expression and muttered to himself, "Can we just be friends?"


    "I''m sorry." Zhao Ling was very clear about her feelings.. She had no male and female affection for Feng Ze, only the mutual sympathy between two friends.

 Chapter 153 - A Swerve Of Fate [IV]

    In order to avoid giving Feng Ze any hope, she had to be cruel and said: "Since you have woken up now, it is inconvenient for me to stay here longer. Feng Ze, you are seriously injured and need a good rest, so I will say my goodbye first."


    Zhao Ling carried her medicine box on her back and resolutely turned around and walked out of the door.


    "Ling, no matter what, my heart for you will not change, and no matter what the outcome is, I will not regret it."


    When she was about to step out the door, Fengze''s low and stubborn voice came from behind.


    Zhao Ling''s footsteps stagnated, she stopped, looked back at him, and whispered helplessly, "Fengze, what''s the trouble with you?"


    Feng Ze laughed at himself, but his face was full of bitterness. He stared at Zhao Ling strongly, and asked in a low voice, "Ling, if... if at that time, you and King Xuan didn''t marry, would you accept my regards?"


    Zhao Ling was silent, and after a long while she replied in a low voice, "No."


    After speaking, she ignored Feng Ze''s disappointment and sadness and decided to leave.


    Although the undisguised deep pain in Feng Ze''s eyes made her a little worried, she clearly knew her heart.


    Even without Meng Yuan''s presence, she and Fengze could only stop at being friends, just like she and Yuan Lie, although they worked together for many years and got along day and night, they never had a relationship between a man and a woman.


    Now that she had made up her mind, she would no longer give him unnecessary fantasies. At this point, Zhao Ling was obviously determined to be cruel.


    Walking out of the room, she ran into Mrs. Chu Jiang who came to deliver the soup. Zhao Ling said to her, "Mrs. Chu, General Feng has already woken up. It''s better for him to take this soup while it''s still hot."


    When Jiang Shi heard that Feng Ze was awake, her face was happy, and she quickly ordered the servants to bring the soup into the room and serve it to Feng Ze.


    When she saw Zhao Ling saying goodbye to her, she insisted on sending her all the way out of the General''s Mansion, and while they were walking, she said to her: "Miss Zhao is really skilled in medicine, it''s really wonderful that Feng Ze can get to know a strange woman like you."


    Although Jiang''s words were extremely obscure, Zhao Ling could hear the temptation in her words. She smiled lightly and said indifferently, "Mrs. Chu has become acquainted, just call me Ling. Does Mrs. Chu have anything to say to me?"


    Seeing that Zhao Ling was sincere and calm, Jiang Shi was also very happy with her.


    It was a pity that this exquisite and rare woman had already had a marriage contract with King Xuan long ago. Her own stupid son was still not blessed enough.


    She sighed, took Zhao Ling''s hand, and said, "Ling, you are also a sensible person, so I''ll tell you straight. This kid Feng Ze, I''m afraid he has thoughts of you. These two days, he was in a coma and kept calling your name, I couldn''t bear it for a while, but you were good at medicine again, so I invited you over. This is a bit of my selfishness as a mother, and I hope you don''t mind."


    "It''s just an effort for your son, Madam Chu doesn''t need to take it to heart." Seeing that she already knew about this, Zhao Ling no longer kept silent, "I have always regarded Fengze as a good friend, and I don''t want to lose him as a friend, but his affection for me is , I really..."


    "I know." Mrs. Chu clapped her hand and said understandingly: "You have a long-term engagement with Lord Xuan, this child Feng Ze really shouldn''t have such thoughts towards you. It''s just that this child has been stubborn since he was a child, I''m afraid he wouldn''t let go so easily. Sigh, he made Longyan furious this time, and I''m afraid this capital won''t be able to stay any longer..."


    On the way back to the Duke''s Mansion, Zhao Ling''s mind was full of Mrs. Chu''s sadness and dejected figure when she parted. Feng Ze was the first friend she met here, and he was also the key person who made her remember her true origin, which had a special meaning to her.


    But this time, he categorically refused to marry, so that he angered Longyan, and it might affect his future, but it was because of her. This made Zhao Ling feel very uncomfortable.


    Stepping into the door of her courtyard, she saw a familiar figure unexpectedly.


    In the wheelchair sitting on the side, a man with a straight back is holding a book in his hand and concentrates on reading. His black hair was tied in a crown, his expression was indifferent, and he was dressed in a simple moon-white robe, which made him cold as jade and had a dusty temperament.


    Zhao Ling stood at the gate of the courtyard and watched silently, sighing inwardly, Meng Yuan was really becoming more and more pleasing to the eye, just such a side face was enough to attract people''s attention and turn all beings upside down.


    As if sensing someone coming, Meng Yuan turned his head and saw Zhao Ling with a faint smile on her face, put down the scroll in his hand, slowly move the wheelchair forward, and stopped in front of Zhao Ling.


    "Mo''er, you''re back." His voice was always low and magnetic.


    Meng Yuan''s comfortable and natural tone made Zhao Ling suddenly have the illusion that such a scene was like a wife waiting for her husband to come home.


    However, this was obviously the courtyard of the Duke''s Mansion, how could this guy who was supposed to be in the Xuanwang Mansion appear here?


    Zhao Ling was about to ask him why he came here, but saw Meng Yuan''s mouth flattened and said a little aggrieved.. "Ling''er, you came back late, I''m hungry."

 Chapter 154 - A Chilli Taste

    Seeing that the character who had just had a majestic posture and was like an immortal, but in a blink of an eye, he was begging for food. This point of perspective really changed too fast, for Zhao Ling to take in her stride.


    The corners of her mouth twitched, and she couldn''t help giving him a roll of eyes. Looking at the sky, it seemed that it was already dinner time.


    Could this guy have been waiting for her to come back hungry?


    She glared at him angrily, and said in a raised tone, "Why did you come here when you''re hungry? Isn''t there anything to eat in the palace of Xuan Wang, that will make king Xuan to come all the way to the palace of the prince when he is hungry?"


    Meng Yuan answered confidently. "It wasn''t made by Ling''er, I couldn''t eat it."


    Zhao Ling supported her forehead. She was really lost to him. She suddenly remembered that because she rushed to the Pingxi General''s Mansion to treat Fengze''s injuries, she did not prepare meals for him to send to the Xuanwang Mansion.


    But he had asked He Qing to report the matter to him early in the morning, why did this guy come to her place himself?


    But in the end, she still felt bad that he had been hungry for a long time, and Zhao Ling didn''t ask any more questions. She just instructed Mammy Xu and the others to prepare a few simple side dishes immediately, for them to fill up their stomachs first.


    After working in the General''s Mansion for a long time, she also felt a little hungry.


    "Ling''er, I can''t get that dish." He pointed at the spicy chicken diced that was farthest from him, looked directly at her with bright eyes, and said pitifully.


    Zhao Ling rolled his eyes at him, and said calmly, "Meng Yuan, don''t think that you can be a rascal in a wheelchair. Your arms are long enough to reach any dish on this table. If you want to fill your stomach, do it yourself."


    "Does Ling''er despise me?" Meng Yuan flattened his mouth, and his tone instantly became low. "If my leg disease can''t be cured, will you treat me like this, Ling''er?"


    When did this guy become so sensitive? Zhao Ling glanced at him suspiciously, but saw a light flashed in his deliberately dim eyes.


    Well, it was this trick again!


    Zhao Ling was really speechless. Fortunately, Meng Yuan liked to be quiet and didn''t like being served by others during meals, so there were only the two of them in the room at the moment. Otherwise, his image as a cold-faced prince would be greatly reduced.


    She sneered to herself, but she pretended to be considerate and said, "Want to eat that spicy chicken? No problem, come, open your mouth, I will feed you."


    After she finished speaking, she stretched out her chopsticks, took a large red chilli pepper, and stuffed it into Meng Yuan''s mouth.


    He couldn''t taste the taste the food, so it didn''t matter what he actually ate.


    Meng Yuan was overjoyed when he saw that Zhao Ling was feeding him so well and thoughtfully. He didn''t see what it was, so he opened his mouth and ate it in one bite. However, his good upbringing made him unable to spit directly on the table, so he had to swallow hard, cover his mouth and cough a few times, and said to Zhao Ling with annoyance. "Ling''er, you...you want to kill me with hot chilli?"


    Hot? Zhao Ling''s eyes suddenly brightened. She grabbed his hand and asked anxiously, "A-Yuan, do you feel the spice? Can you taste it?"


    Meng Yuan was also taken aback. Yes, he hasn''t had this kind of taste sensation for many years, but just now, the spicy taste that stimulated the taste buds spread in his mouth so clearly, this long-lost feeling made him a little hard to accept.


    Zhao Ling handed him a glass of water, and after letting him rinse his mouth, gave him a chopstick of sweet and sour fish. "A-Yuan, what does this taste like?"


    Meng Yuan tasted a few mouthfuls gracefully, and smiled at Zhao Ling, "Sour and sweet, Ling''er''s food is really good."


    It seemed that this guy''s sense of taste had really recovered!


    A big smile broke out on Zhao Ling''s delicate face, "A-Yuan, this is a good sign. You have regained your sense of taste, which means that the day when you will be completely cured of the cold poison is not far away."


    "Yeah." Meng Yuan replied with a slight smile, obviously very happy.


    Before he knew Zhao Ling, he didn''t care whether his cold poison could be cured or not. He even felt that he should be handicapped for the rest of his life, enduring the pain of the cold poison every month, as if only in this way could he be worthy of not dying in vain. More than a hundred thousand soldiers of Kinugawa.


    But after getting to know Zhao Ling, he felt that the hatred of the country and the family was no longer the only thing in his life. There were actually many things he could do.


    He wanted to travel the world hand in hand with her, instead of having her push his wheelchair, the two would never be able to walk side by side.


    When she was hot, he could wipe the sweat for her at will, when she was cold, he could add clothes to her at any time, when she was standing quietly, he could hug her from behind, and when she did not want to walk when the time arrived, he could carry her on his back and hold her as he liked.


    The longer he knew Zhao Ling, the more things he coveted. And all these beautiful thoughts, in another month, would be realized with the complete cure of his cold poison.


    Thinking of this, Meng Yuan''s always cold and unwavering stone face was also full of joy.


    Just the next second, his handsome face with a slight smile turned cold in an instant, facing the door and shouting in a low voice, "Who?"

 Chapter 155 - A Ruthless And Scheming Enemy

    Zhao Ling was stunned for a moment, then understood what he meant, stood up immediately, pushed open the door, and saw Qingluo who came to serve tea standing outside, probably because she was frightened by Meng Yuan''s majestic low voice just now, her pretty face was still a little pale.


    Although she did not order tea, but since Qingluo brought it, she had no objection. Although this girl couldn''t speak, she had always been careful and thoughtful in her work. Zhao Ling was quite satisfied with her.


    So she nodded and let Qingluo come in and put down the tea. Seeing that Meng Yuan seemed to be looking bad, she winked at her and motioned her to step back.


    Qingluo understood, she bowed her body, and quietly retired.


    Seeing Qingluo leave, Meng Yuan''s expression returned to normal. He took out a slightly heavy volume of books and handed it to Zhao Ling, and said, "Ling''er, this is the business situation of Momen in recent years, as well as the list of some accomplished disciples under Momen, as instructed by adoptive father, let me turn them over to you."


    Zhao Ling took the scroll and flipped through a few pages. There were many words in it, and many of them were in traditional Chinese characters. She couldn''t understand it for a while.


    She felt a headache, so she closed the scroll and squatted down with her. She looked up and said to Meng Yuan as if begging for help. "A-Yuan, watch it with me, you know, I can''t read your words very well."


    It was rare to see Zhao Ling showing her weakness and acting like a spoiled child. Meng Yuan couldn''t help but be moved in his heart because of this cute and charming appearance.


    He wrapped his arms lightly, and couldn''t help but hug her into his arms, his deep voice in her ears. Side sounded sexy. "That''s natural. Do you still want someone else to watch with you, eh?"


    He Qing came to report to him early in the morning, saying that the princess was going to Zhengxi General''s Mansion today to treat General Wuwei''s wounds, and there was no time to prepare meals to send to the mansion.


    He was very displeased when he heard it. He felt suffocated all day long and couldn''t swallow. Seeing that it was getting dark and Zhao Ling had not come back, he couldn''t help but rushed to the Zhao''s mansion to wait for her.


    Among these men who coveted Zhao Ling, the one he feared most was Feng Ze, because he knew that Feng Ze had a special meaning to Zhao Ling.


    And Feng Ze insisted on refusing to grant marriage despite resisting the decree this time, and he didn''t have to think about it to know why.


    A stern look flashed in Meng Yuan''s cold eyes.


    Feeling the strength of the arm around her gradually increasing, and hearing the strong threat in his words, Zhao Ling couldn''t help thinking, if she really found someone else to watch it, and that person was still a If it was a man, that man would probably die.


    Really, this guy was more than a little jealous too. Zhao Ling broke free from his embrace and was about to teach him a few words when Changdong''s voice came from outside the door.


    "Master, Commander Yan urgently reports."


    "Come in." Meng Yuan let go of Zhao Ling, but still put his arms around her shoulders, preventing her from getting up, straightened his face, and said in a deep voice.


    Changdong opened the door, walked in quickly, and handed an encrypted letter to Meng Yuan.


    "Leave it to the princess." Meng Yuan spit out four words without any hesitation.


    "Yes." Changdong turned and handed the letter to Zhao Ling.


    This guy was really lazy to a certain extent. Zhao Ling rolled her eyes at him. Seeing how respectful Changdong was bending over to deliver the letter, she was not too embarrassed to take the letter.


    So she took the letter in Changdong''s hand, and under Meng Yuan''s eyes, she opened it and saw that there was only one piece of paper inside. A few vigorous and powerful words were scribbled on it.


    "The Sect Master of Wuyingmen is Mo Hanshan."


    Shadowless door? Zhao Ling frowned for a while, and said to Meng Yuan, "Isn''t the assassin we met on the way back to Beijing last time the killer of Wuyingmen?"


    "That''s right." Meng Yuan took the letter, glanced at it casually, and handed it to Changdong. "destroy it."


    "Yes." Chang Dong took it with both hands and formed a ball. After a while, the paper ball turned into a little powder in his hands.


    This facially dead boy really had great strength. Zhao Ling looked at Chang Dong''s retreating back and thought to himself.


    Seeing that Meng Yuan''s face seemed a little heavy, she pondered and said. "Those assassins are sent by Meng Tianluo, so Meng Tianluo and Mo Hanshan must have colluded, and the mysterious person that his master has been in secret contact with must be Wuyingmen. no doubt."


    Meng Yuan nodded, "Wuyingmen has been acting frequently on the rivers and lakes recently, and its momentum is growing. Mo Hanshan has a deep hatred for Momen. I am worried that he will be detrimental to Momen."


    That was his worry. He was worried about Zhao Ling''s safety.


    Zhao Ling understood that he was worried. With Mozi token in her hand, she was very likely to be the target of Mo Hanshan''s actions.


    In the same way, Zhao Ling also felt the responsibility on her shoulders. She firmly remembered Mo Qingshan''s exhortation before leaving.


    *The Mo family can fall, but the Momen cannot be scattered.*


    But now, the enemy was dark, and Mo Hanshan was ruthless and scheming, and she is not fully sure of being able to keep those words.


    "Is there any trace of Mo Hanshan?" Zhao Ling asked.


    Meng Yuan shook his head gently. "Wuyingmen are all killers who come and go without a trace, lurking in various places and acting according to orders. Mo Hanshan is even more mysterious. It is not easy to find his traces."


    "Mo Hanshan is the biggest suspect in the Guanjiacun case, do you want to tell Lu Ziqing this news?" Zhao Ling asked.


    Since Lu Ziqing insisted that the murderer of the Guanjiacun case be Mo Hanshan instead of Mo Qingshan, the case had not been closed until now. It was conceivable to think of how much pressure Lu Ziqing had endured for this.


    Now that they had this clue, Zhao Ling felt that they should also let Lu Ziqing know.

 Chapter 156 - The True Essence Of Lust

    Who knew that when Meng Yuan heard Zhao Ling mention Lu Ziqing, his face would become displeased, and he snorted coldly. "Hmph, why should I disclose the information that this king found to the Ministry of Justice? Lu Ziqing is a minister of the Ministry of Justice, if investigating a case requires the help of others, then how can he manage such a huge Justice department? Is it possible that he wants someone else to run his errands for him?"


    Zhao Ling gave him a roll of eyes. "Actually, Lu Ziqing is not a bad person and worker. You know he''s a good official who does his best to serve the people. Why should you have such a deep prejudice against him? The Guanjiacun case has also put him under a lot of pressure, but there are some things he needs help with."


    Although Lu Ziqing held an important position at a young age, after being in contact with him for quite some time now, Zhao Ling felt that he was promoted all the way not because of his family background or wealth, but because he was indeed a rare talent. She had always admired people with real talents and eagerness to learn.


    Seeing Zhao Ling speaking for Lu Ziqing, Meng Yuan''s face became even uglier. "Ling''er, are you worried about him now, or are you distressed for him?"


    "I''m just telling the truth, don''t be unreasonable." Zhao Ling was also a little annoyed when she saw that he was always being jealous.


    "I''m unreasonable?" Meng Yuan''s expression changed, he raised his hand and grabbed her arm, and Zhao Ling fell down on top of him.


    He grabbed her shoulders tightly, with eyes as deep as the ocean, he said angrily. "Then what about General Wuwei, for you, he would rather risk the crime of being beheaded and refuse to marry, do you feel sorry for him too?"


    "What nonsense are you talking about? Feng Ze was seriously injured, and I went there to treat him." Seeing that he was talking more and more, Zhao Ling became so angry that she struggled hard in his hold, trying to break free.


    However, Meng Yuan restrained her tightly, preventing her from moving at all, and said angrily. "Hmph, Fengze has liked you for a day or two, and today you came to give him medicine in person, wasn''t he very moved? Didn''t he tell his heart to you? You two must be alone in the room at some point, what did he say, what did he do, eh?"


    If Lu Ziqing was a stalk in his heart, then Fengze was a thorn in his heart. He was also a man, of course he could see how deeply Feng Ze loved Zhao Ling.


    He sent He Qing to the General''s Mansion to spy on them, and he knew all of Zhao Ling''s actions in the General''s Mansion. He knew that she had been alone with Fengze in Fengze''s bedroom for a long time, but he didn''t know what they said or did inside.


    However, he could also guess that Feng Ze would definitely take this opportunity to show his affection to Zhao Ling. But he didn''t know how Zhao Ling responded.


    This made him very uneasy, and this mentality of worrying about what he could lose in her, made it more difficult for him to stay sane.


    Seeing that he was being unreasonable, Zhao Ling also became angry, "Yes, Feng Ze has revealed his heart to me, he has a deep love for me, refused to marry for my sake, and ruined his future, and I didn''t know it. Love, I didn''t know until today, so I feel very guilty and sad..."


    Before she could finish speaking, Zhao Ling saw a flicker of light in Meng Yuan''s eyes, and in the next second, the king''s lips were already grasped.


    Their lips touched, and the warm feeling made Zhao Ling stunned for a moment.


    While kissing her lips, Meng Yuan said intermittently, "Ling''er, how can you be sad for other men, no... This king will not allowed..."


    Did this guy want to be so domineering! Zhao Ling reluctantly swayed from side to side on his lap, trying to break free from his control.


    However, Meng Yuan simply picked her up horizontally, and with the strength of his legs, he stood up from the wheelchair, walked a few steps to the side of the bed, and threw Zhao Ling on the bed.


    "Meng Yuan, what are you doing, you can''t stand up!" Zhao Ling quickly shouted when she saw that he was starting to ignore her again.


    But if Meng Yuan became headstrong, he would not listen to anyone''s advice. He pressed Zhao Ling on the bed, and walked with his hands on her soft body, his dark eyes revealing obvious longing.


    Zhao Ling understood his intention, grabbed his hands that kept going up and down, shook her head and said, "No, your legs..."


    "It''s okay, I asked Situ Gong." Meng Yuan''s low voice sounded in her ear.


    It turned out that this guy had already planned!


    Zhao Ling scolded secretly, although she was shaken by his warm breath, she still shook her head firmly.


    "No, I don''t want it."


    This guy was too domineering, she didn''t want to agree to him easily.


    Meng Yuan was even angrier when he saw that she had repeatedly rejected him, he gathered his sexual aura, and sealed it with a kiss, forcefully prying her teeth open. He intertwined her lips and tongue with his own, his hands kept roaming all over her, igniting clusters of lustful fires.


    "Ling''er, don''t reject me, never reject me..."


    Zhao Ling, who was already feeling dizzy by his appeal, suddenly felt a chill on her chest, and when she regained a portion of her senses, she realized that her clothes had been unbuttoned by him at some point.


    Meng Yuan left her lips and moved to other parts of her body, kissing her sensitive earlobe, slender neck, delicate collarbone, and finally stopped at her heart.


    "There can only be one of me here." He kissed her soft jade warm heart, showing unquestionable strength.


    Listening to his domineering yet gentle declaration, Zhao Ling could not help feeling the numbness and itchiness of his soft lips kissing her chest.


    The thought that she originally had to firmly refuse him had sunk into a bottomless pit in his powerful aura. She wrapped her hands around Meng Yuan''s neck and couldn''t help but murmured softly.


    Bursts of low groans, like two souls lost in the aphrodisiac heaven, completely broke Meng Yuan''s psychological defense. His eyes darkened, and when he touched her naked thighs, he could no longer control himself and he thrust himself deep into her.


    In the dimly lit room, occasionally the candles crackled, mixed with the soft groaning of the woman and the heavy breathing of the man, and the room exuded an intoxicating charm.


    Mamma Xu and Luzhu originally wanted to wait on Zhao Ling to rest, but they knew it well to leave the two alone when they saw this scene.


    The next morning, Zhao Ling felt that she woke up in a burst of suffocation.


    When she opened her eyes, she saw Meng Yuan''s handsome sleeping face in front of her. She could see that his eyes were closed, but his thin lips were pursed lightly, and there seemed to be a faint smile at the corners of his mouth.


    What was this guy dreaming about? Zhao Ling secretly laughed. After the lingering effect of last night, she believed that this guy''s jealousy should have passed by now.


    She really didn''t expect this guy to be so jealous on occasions like that. He was so naive when he was jealous.


    However, did this fellow hold her so tightly that he wanted to suffocate her?


    Zhao Ling slipped out of his arms without a disturbance, and lightly got out of bed and put on her clothes. She felt sore all over her body, and she couldn''t help but turn her head and stare at the sleeping man behind her.


    Seeing that he was still sleeping soundly with his eyes closed, she couldn''t help but chuckle through the corners of her mouth.


    This guy had always been alert, but he slept so deadly today, he must have been exhausted last night.


    The cold poison had not yet healed, and it was easy to get tired. This guy didn''t know how to control himself last night, and he deserved to be exhausted.


    She remembered the last time she was on the boat on Wuji Island, the night he detoxified her, and it seemed to be the same.


    Thinking of this, she felt a little hotness on her face.


    Shaking her head, she decided to ignore these messy thoughts. In order to let him rest for a while, Zhao Ling gently opened the door and walked to the outside, intending to wash up first, and then instruct Mamma Xu and Lu Zhu to prepare breakfast.


    Luzhu had already prepared face wash outside, and when she saw Zhao Ling, she came forward to serve her, and said with a smile, "Miss, you''re up." Looking back, she saw that Zhao Ling was alone and asked curiously, "Where''s Uncle?"


    Zhao Ling was rinsing her mouth when she heard Lu Bamboo''s question, and almost choked on the liquid in her mouth. She coughed a few times, controlled her breath, and said angrily, "Damn girl, what are you yelling about, what uncle?"


    Luzhu handed her the face towel, with a narrow smile on her face, leaned closer to her and whispered, "Miss, don''t be embarrassed, it''s not the first time..."


    "You girl, the more you talk, the more outrageous you are." Zhao Ling raised her eyebrows and tried to frown, but she couldn''t help herself from smiling.


    Luzhu held her head and pretended to beg for mercy: "Miss, spare my life, this servant knows it''s wrong, he is not the uncle, but the prince. Is that okay?" Then she giggled.


    Seeing her charming and naive appearance, Zhao Ling didn''t take it seriously, smiled and commanded. "Okay, don''t be sloppy, go out and prepare breakfast."


    When Zhao Ling was ready for breakfast, she went to the small courtyard for a walk, and when she turned back to the bedroom again, she heard Meng Yuan shouting in a low voice in the room.. "Get out."

 Chapter 157 - War At The Northern Border

    Hearing Meng Yuan''s low voice full of anger, Zhao Ling froze for a moment.


    What''s wrong with this guy? Didn''t he sleep well just now?


    She stepped forward quickly and pushed open the door, but the sight in front of her surprised her.


    She saw Meng Yuan leaning on the head of the bed, looking as if he had just woken up, with only a robe casually draped over his white undergarment, glaring at a woman kneeling on the ground.


    The woman was petite, and she was laying on the ground with her head bowed. It was actually Qingluo!


    Hearing the footsteps, Qingluo raised her head and saw Zhao Ling. A bit of panic flashed across her face, but she immediately put on a sullen expression. She got up and ran to Zhao Ling. A pair of watery hazel eyes looked at her eagerly, as if trying to explain something.


    When Meng Yuan saw Zhao Ling coming in, his anger reduced a little, and his tone softened slightly.


    "Ling''er, come help me get dressed and let this girl go out."


    Hearing what he said, Zhao Ling probably guessed what happened just now.


    It must be that Qingluo wanted to wait for him to get up and get dressed, but he did not want her to wait.


    Really, why was this guy so awkward, just a little girl, not a beast? Was it worth getting so angry about?


    However, Qingluo was also a little strange today. Usually, Luzhu waited for her to get up, how could it be Qingluo suddenly today, and Luzhu didn''t mention it when she was outside just now?


    Zhao Ling glanced at Qingluo lightly, pear blossoms with rain, charming and lovely, with big eyes that seemed to be able to talk, very pretty, she was a pitiful but lovable girl.


    Could it be that this girl was trying to attend to Meng Yuan?


    Although Zhao Ling had doubts in her heart, she remained calm and just said in a flat tone, "Qingluo, I have nothing more for you to do here, you go out first."


    When Qingluo heard the words, she quickly bowed to retreat, and ran out of the bedroom.


    Zhao Ling stepped forward, took the clothes and put them on for Meng Yuan piece by piece, curled her lips, and said calmly, "Your temper is getting more and more eccentric, such a pretty girl is waiting for you to dress, you should be fine with it. Isn''t it just pleasant to the eyes, why are you making such a big issue out of it?"


    Meng Yuan snorted softly, stretched out his arms and embraced Zhao Ling. He kissed her on the lips, entangling his tongue with hers, until Zhao Ling was out of breath and beat his back again and again, then Meng Yuan reluctantly stopped.


    "This is the punishment for you, Ling''er. For secretly getting up in the morning and not accompany me." Meng Yuan pressed her forehead, his tone full of lustful temptation.


    Zhao Ling glared at him and said angrily, "Get up quickly, my lord, it''s already three poles in the sun."


    Meng Yuan stared at her coquettish and seemingly angry appearance, a gentle smile appeared on his handsome face, and his heart was full of joy.


    These days, he had never slept as comfortably as last night, and he was naturally happy at this time.


    It was just the maid.


    Thinking that she seemed to want to give him an intimate hug just now, he frowned and asked Zhao Ling, "Ling''er, how long has that girl been with you?"


    "Qingluo was the girl I chose by myself after I came here. I saw that she was a bit intelligent, so I accepted her. Although this girl can''t speak, she is very clever and careful in her work, and more so, she was more patient than Luzhu."


    Zhao Ling glanced at him and said narrowly, "Why, did you like her?"


    Meng Yuan frowned, as if he didn''t like what Zhao Ling said. "Ling''er, you know, I never like to be close to people."


    "Just because of this?" Zhao Ling asked.


    Since the girl was Ling''er''s own choice, it shouldn''t be a problem to think about it. Maybe he was too sensitive just now. Meng Yuan decided not to speak.


    While thinking about it, he habitually took Zhao Ling into his arms.


    However, Zhao Ling broke free from his embrace, glared at him and said, "Who said just now that he doesn''t like being close to people?"


    "This king only likes to be close to you, Ling''er, how about that?" Meng Yuan''s face was a little bit lightened up.


    "You''re a rogue king." Zhao Ling gently squeezed his thin cheek, only to realize that this guy was so thin, there was almost no flesh on his cheeks.


    It seemed that it was necessary to fatten him up a bit.


    Thinking of this, Zhao Ling patted the back of his hand and said, "Okay, let''s go and get you some breakfast."


    Halfway through the meal, Changdong reported from outside the door: "Master, there is an order from the palace to urgently invite you to enter the palace."


    Another urgent summons to the palace! Zhao Ling frowned, being summoned to the palace so early must be nothing good. Did something happen in the palace again?


    However, what Zhao Ling did not expect was that Meng Yuan was summoned to the palace urgently this time for the sake of war.


    There was an urgent report from the border that the Beidi army made a surprise attack on Licheng last night. Licheng fell early this morning, and Jinyang pass was also in an emergency situation.


    Jinyang Pass was an important territory for Dasheng in the northeast border. It was on the left and right of Zhengyang Pass in the northwest. There was no other option for Dasheng Dynasty than to fight against Beidi Empire in the northern border. If Jinyang Pass was lost, it would be equivalent to the northern barrier being torn open by Bei Di, then the army of Bei Di would be able to drive straight in, and Shengjing City would be in jeopardy.


    Therefore, this Jinyang Pass, like Zhengyang Pass, had an equally important position in the northern border.

 Chapter 158 - What Do You Think, King Xuan?

    Seven years ago, Beidi''s army of three hundred thousand warriorrs invaded Zhengyang Pass and was repelled by the Meng family''s army. In that battle, the former King Xuan was killed, Meng Yuan was seriously injured, and He Yuanshan, the general of Beidi, was also shot and killed.


    It was a general knowledge that the two sides have lost most of their troops and lost their generals.


    Therefore, after the war, the two warring nations signed a ten-year peace treaty, stipulating that the two countries would not go to war with each other for ten years, and they would recuperate.


    Now, there were still three years before the ten-year contract, but Bei Di unilaterally tore up the contract, and an army of hundred thousand attacked Jinyang Pass. The Dasheng defenders were caught off guard, and Licheng was overran by the Beidi army overnight.


    When the news came, he was shocked. Emperor Ming was frightened and angered, but he could not afford to go to court because of his illness. He could only weakly issue an imperial decree on his sickbed.


    The reason why Emperor Mingde abandoned the eldest prince Meng Tianluo and chose the third prince Meng Tianjue to temporarily manage the empire was naturally related to the matter of King Rong.


    King Rong intended to rebel and was imprisoned in the sect''s mansion for life, and Meng Tianluo, who had always been close to King Rong, was naturally implicated.


    Although Meng Tianluo repeatedly cried in front of Emperor Ming that he was used by Uncle Rong because of his lack of knowledge, Emperor Ming always had a thorny image of him in his heart. Therefore, since King Rong was imprisoned, the life of the eldest prince Meng Tianluo had not been easy.


    In the early morning, the solemn Jinluan Hall was full of brilliance and splendor. Meng Tianjue sat on the high dragon chair, his complexion was white and slightly feminine, and his long and narrow phoenix eyes were very secretive. When he saw Meng Yuan, who was sitting firmly on the wheelchair, with a cold and expressionless face, an inexplicable light flashed in his eyes.


    "The emperor is still ill. According to the holy will, while the emperor is recovering from illness, the empire is temporarily represented by this king. Now that Jinyangguan was in an emergency situation, what can we do, lords?" sounded the voice of king Tianjue.


    "His Royal Highness King Tianjue, compared with Zhengyang Pass, Jinyang Pass has long been weakly guarded and has insufficient troops. I think the Beidi people must have already discovered this information, so they chose to start from Jinyang Pass. However, if Jinyang Pass is broken, the consequences are equally unimaginable. Therefore, this old minister thought that we must send reinforcements immediately to solve the urgent need at the border." The first to respond was the old and white-haired Taishi Wen.


    But obviously this was nonsense. Who didn''t know that the top priority now was to send troops to support Jinyangguan guards immediately, but the question was who to send to lead the troops?


    Meng Tianjue nodded, "Taishi Wen''s words are reasonable, but who do you think is more suitable to lead the reinforcements?"


    The civil and military officials whispered to each other for a while, and after a while, Yao Chong, the minister of households who was standing in the left row, came out of the queue, and replied in a loud voice, "This minister thinks that King Xuan is the most suitable candidate."


    As soon as these words came out, everyone in the hall turned their attention to Meng Yuan, who was sitting in a wheelchair, arrogant and cold.


    If King Xuan''s legs were not damaged, he was of course the best candidate to do his part. Who didn''t know that in terms of fighting against Bei Di''s army, if Xuan Wang''s mansion claimed the second place, then no one would dare to claim the first.


    However, now that King Xuan''s legs were disabled and he could only walk in a wheelchair, how could he lead his troops on an expedition to kill the enemy?


    "Master Yao is old and confused. King Xuan is not good enough now and can only rely on a wheelchair. How can he still be a suitable candidate?" Fan Yushi always spoke straight and showed no mercy.


    "Leading troops to go on an expedition does not necessarily have to go on the field to kill the enemy in person. Even if it is bad, for King Xuan, sitting in the middle of the army tent, he can still strategize and win thousands of miles." Yao Shangshu responded with a defiance to Fan Yu historical''s cynicism.


    Following the argument between the two, the rest of the civil and military officials also began to discuss, and for a while, there was a buzzing noise in the Golden Palace Hall, making it extremely noisy.


    "Quiet." Meng Tianjue said loudly. Seeing that it was not an option to keep arguing like this, he directly asked Lord Shoufu, Master Lu Hengshan, for his opinion. "I wonder what Master Lu thinks?"


    Lu Hengshan stroked the long grey beard on his chin, pondered for a moment, then bowed his body and said to Meng Tianjue, "King Tianjue, I think that what Master Yao said has some truth. There are not many generals in Sheijing these days. The other generals are all guarding the border gates, except for King Xuan, I really can''t find any more suitable candidates, but King Xuan''s legs are not in use..."


    Lu Hengshan glanced at Meng Yuan, who was sitting on the wheelchair, watching with cold eyes, and sighed.


    As the head and assistant, Lu Hengshan had always been conscientious, hardworking, and dedicated to the public. What he said was the truth. There were indeed very few military generals in Sheijing now. Originally, General Wuwei Feng Ze was a good candidate. Unfortunately, he heard a few days ago that he had offended the emperor and was severely beaten by a hundred slabs, and he still couldn''t get out of bed.


    Since Lord Shoufu said so, everyone no longer had unnecessary disputes. Seeing this, Meng Tianjue turned to Meng Yuan, who had been silent, and asked, "I don''t know what King Xuan think of all this?"


    Meng Yuan''s cold eyes slowly glanced at the people present, and snorted coldly, "What if this king doesn''t agree?"

 Chapter 159 - Prepare For War, Meng Yuan

    Swept away by his cold and stern eyes, most of the people present lowered their heads, not daring to face Meng Yuan''s eyes.


    Yao Shangshu, who was the first to propose that King Xuan should lead the army, trembled in his heart, and his legs were shaking.


    Meng Yuan was proficient in all aspects of Wentao and martial arts, and he was famous all over the world at a young age. People all over the world said that the young prince of Xuanwang''s mansion had a talent for the world. Back then, when he was ten years old, he went to the battlefield with his father to kill the enemy, and when he was thirteen years old, he led his troops to repel the attack of tens of thousands of troops from Beidi. How could they forget the shot arrow that killed He Yuanshan, the general of Beidi.


    It was a pity that Heaven was jealous of Yingcai, but when he was full of pride and flourishing, he encountered a catastrophe and ended up with his family ruined and his legs crippled. Seven years ago, when this news came out, everyone in the world sighed.


    It was just that Meng Yuan was rebellious and arrogant when he was not injured. After his legs were disabled, he became more moody.


    "Why, does King Xuan want to refuse? King Xuan''s mansion has always set the family aim of protecting the family, defending the country, loyal to the monarch, and loving the people. Could it be that King Xuan doesn''t even care about the family objectives anymore?" After a long while, Meng Tianluo''s gloomy voice sounded in the hall.


    Seeing the eldest prince''s help, the frightened Yao Shangshu straightened his back instantly, and quickly exchanged glances with Meng Tianluo.


    Meng Yuan knew this. He knew that Meng Tianluo would definitely use this opportunity to push himself onto the battlefield.


    It seemed that Yao Chong, the minister of households, had become Meng Tianluo''s person.


    Lu Hengshan frowned. This eldest prince was really not patient enough, and he couldn''t hold his breath so quickly.


    Everyone could see that Meng Tianluo has always regarded Meng Yuan as a thorn in his side and tried to do him harm several times.


    Because of his respect for Prince Xuan''s mansion, Lu Hengshan made a statement to relieve the siege: "If Prince Xuan feels that his physical condition is not enough to go out, can you recommend other candidates..."


    Meng Yuan''s expression was calm, but Ying Ting''s eyebrows were slightly raised as a response.


    Seeing that he was ignoring him, Meng Tianluo could only continue to say: "The general Beidi who led the troops to attack Jinyang Pass this time is the son of He Yuanshan, He Liancheng."


    Everyone was shocked when they heard this.


    "I heard that He Liancheng is good at fighting, and his military talents are not below that of his father''s. Before he was twenty years old, he was awarded the title of Bei Di Huguo General. Bei Di sent He Liancheng this time. No wonder Licheng fell overnight." Taishi Wen said worriedly.


    Everyone also looked worried. It was true that although the Dasheng Dynasty was flooded with civilian officials, there were not many outstanding generals, and the cavalry was even weaker. But Bei Di was different. They were originally nomads. They galloped on horseback every day.


    In the past, Bei Di was afraid of the power of King Xuan''s mansion and did not dare to invade easily, but now, King Xuan''s mansion was in ruins and was not as good as before.


    After a long silence, Yao Chong said: "According to the opinion of the lower official, He Yuanshan was shot to death by King Xuan seven years ago, so He Liancheng may be here to take revenge this time."


    After he finished speaking, Yao Chong glanced at the direction Meng Yuan was in.


    When everyone heard it, they also felt that it made some sense. In this way, King Xuan had no more reason to refuse.


    He Liancheng made it clear that he was here for him, so they would let him clean up this mess himself.


    As for his feat of shooting He Yuanshan seven years ago, it became less praiseworthy for a while, with the people present having different thoughts.


    *Alas, who made king Xuan do things like this?*


    *If he was a little merciful back then and not shot He Yuanshan mortally, maybe Bei Di would not have attacked so early, and they could still enjoy three years of peace.*


    *This was all his fault.*


    If Meng Yuan knew what these sane Confucians were thinking, he might have been so angry that he would have gone mad on the spot and walked away. But obviously, he was not in a good mood right now.


    He Yuanshan must have something to do with the incident in Kinuchuan seven years ago, and since He Liancheng is his son, he must have some inside information.


    It was just that in the past few years, He Liancheng had been studying art in Tianshan, and there was no news from him. Now that he had led his troops on the expedition, he must have finished his studies and went down the mountain.


    Thinking of the scene of the screaming seven years ago, Meng Yuan still felt a tingling pain in his heart.


    Since He Liancheng had called at the door, did he have to go to meet him?


    But when did Meng Tianluo''s news become so well-informed? Or is it that he secretly colluded with Bei Di?


    Meng Yuan glanced at Meng Tianluo, who had a smug look on his face.


    Just as everyone was thinking about each other, Eunuch Li uttered a high-pitched voice: "The imperial decree is here."


    Everyone was shocked and all knelt down to accept the order.


    Eunuch Li stood on the hall, unfolded a scroll of Ming Huang''s imperial decree, and read it aloud to everyone.


    "Fengtian, the emperor''s edict said. Today Beidi does not keep the peace treaty, and the army invades the border, seizes my city, and slaughter my people. Whether it is bearable or unbearable. The special Xuan Wang Meng Yuan leads fifty thousand troops, and will go on an expedition today to reinforce Jinyang Pass. In order to protect my city and strengthen my country''s prestige, all must respect this."


    Zhao Ling really couldn''t figure it out, could this dignified dynasty really not be able to find a general, and why did he want to hit Meng Yuan, a man with crippled legs.


    Was the old emperor sick and confused?


    In the study room of Prince Xuan''s mansion, she sat beside Meng Yuan, and took him back and grabbed her hand, her normally indifferent face also showed a little sullen anger.


    While pacing back and forth, Yun Yi said indignantly: "Your Majesty, the emperor knows that your leg is not healed yet, why does he insist on rushing you to the front line, you are now at the critical stage of treating cold poison, it is not appropriate to travel long distances to get tired, let alone lead the troops to battle."


    An old adage said that tiger poison did not eat its offspring, but the old emperor, knowing that Meng Yuan was his own flesh and blood, issued such an imperial decree, did the emperor''s family really have no family affection at all?


    Zhao Ling looked back at Meng Yuan''s calm and indifferent handsome face, and couldn''t help feeling distressed for him.


    Although she knew that he never recognized Emperor Ming as his father, the kinship of flesh and blood couldn''t be wiped out even if he didn''t admit it. What Emperor Ming did would make him feel sad.


    The most ruthless imperial family. Last time at the Qixi banquet in the palace, when she was defiled as a demon girl, Meng Yuan did not hesitate to disobey the imperial decree in order to protect her. Now Emperor Ming''s move may be more to test the loyalty of Meng Yuan and the Xuan palace.


    "My subordinates have heard that this He Liancheng was apprenticed to the old man Yuxu from Tianshan Mountain. He is highly skilled in martial arts, and he is well versed in the art of war. His ability to march and fight far exceeds that of his father, He Yuanshan. This time, King Beidi ordered him to lead an army of hundred thousand to attack Jinyang Pass. It means that we have the power to win, and the emperor only allocated fifty thousand troops to us, this battle is not easy to fight." Wen Renyuan''s square face was full of solemnity.


    "The fifty thousand soldiers and horses are of no use at all. Uncle Wen Ren, how many men and horses are there in the Feiyun Cavalry Camp?" Meng Yuan''s cold voice remained the same.


    "Less than thirty thousand." Wen Ren Yuan replied.


    "You make them ready and set off early tomorrow morning. Send a message to General Lin stationed in Jingzhou, and ask him to dispatch another thirty thousand Meng family troops to Jinyang Pass to join the Feiyun Cavalry." Meng Yuan ordered.


    "Yes, my lord. Your subordinate obey." Wen Renyuan took the order and left.


    Thirty thousand Flying Cloud Cavalry, against Bei Di''s hundred thousand army, if it were before, it was enough. But this time it was He Liancheng who was leading the troops. He had never fought against this man before, so he didn''t know his strength. For the sake of safety, Meng Yuan dispatched another army from the Meng family in Jingzhou, which was closest to Jinyang Pass.


    "Did you sleep well, A-Yuan? Since when did you become so obedient? If you say that you are bedridden, no one can force you to go to war. What if there is an imperial decree, so what?!" Yun Yi widened his eyes and shouted loudly.


    Meng Yuan ignored Yun Yi''s shouting, but stared deeply at Zhao Ling, who was clasping his fingers, and said in a cold tone. "I would like to see what medicine is sold in Meng Tianluo''s gourd. I''ll be going to Jinyang pass."


    Zhao Ling certainly understood Meng Yuan''s intentions.


    As the saying went, if one didn''t enter the lion''s den, one could never get a lion''s cub.. If he wanted to debunk Meng Tianluo''s conspiracy and find out the Mo Hanshan and Wuyingmen behind him, this was the easiest and most direct way.

 Chapter 160 - Linger, You Cant Do This

    And he said that he was going to meet He Liancheng, which must be related to the Kinugawa massacre seven years ago. As the son of He Yuanshan, He Liancheng must have been aware of who was involved and planned the shocking conspiracy with Bei Di.


    The matter of Kinugawa had been stranded in his heart for too long, and now that he had eyes on him, he naturally wanted to find out. This was his promise to the former King Xuan and more than hundred thousand dead soldiers.


    More importantly, whether he went on an expedition this time was the old emperor''s test for him and the Xuan palace.


    Xuan Wang''s mansion had been expelling foreign enemies for a hundred years, loyal to the monarch and patriotism, protecting the family and protecting the people, and was highly respected by the world. How could this reputation be ruined by Meng Yuan?


    The night became darker and darker, and the huge Xuanwang Mansion seemed to be quieter.


    In the bedroom, Zhao Ling helped Meng Yuan sit on the head of the bed, then picked up a bowl of soup and medicine by the bed and handed it to him.


    Meng Yuan didn''t reach out to pick it up, but opened his mouth slightly, obviously wanting to let Zhao Ling feed him.


    Zhao Ling glared at him speechlessly, but sighed after a few seconds. She obediently scooped up a spoonful of soup and put it to his mouth.


    A satisfied smile spread across Meng Yuan''s handsome face. He usually frowned and found bitter medicine hard to swallow, but today he was enjoying it.


    After feeding the medicine, Zhao Ling was held in a tight embrace in his arms.


    Seeing her casually playing with his hand, counting his palm lines one by one, Meng Yuan felt that today''s Zhao Ling was obedient and docile, which made him a little uneasy and unaccustomed.


    Zhao Ling lay lazily on his sturdy chest, clasped his right hand with her slender five fingers, and said softly, "A-Yuan, tonight, I''ll stay with you, okay?"


    The arm around her tightened, and she heard him laugh in her ears, and a playful voice came from above her head. "Of course, I said, Ling''er is welcome to climb on my bed at any time."


    This guy was really making fun of her more and more. Zhao Ling angrily tapped his back with his pink fist, struggling to raise her head, but accidentally bumped into his hard jaw.


    The sound of "dong" was very clear in the silent room.


    "Ooouch." Zhao Ling grimaced as she touched the top of her head, screaming in pain. "It hurts."


    Meng Yuan didn''t care about the numb chin that was hit, and hurriedly touched the place where she was hit, and asked anxiously, "Did you hit here? Is it still painful, do you want to call Situ Gong?"


    Zhao Ling glared at him, "What, you want to call Mr. Situ over such a trivial matter? There''s no need for that. They also have to rest."


    Meng Yuan''s face sank, "If Ling''er needs it, even if he is paralyzed on the bed, he has to get up for this king. Also, I can''t let Ling''er care about other men."


    "Huh?" Zhao Ling couldn''t be more perplexed by his words. The king was even jealous of Situ Gong, Meng Yuan, can you be any more naive?


    Seeing her bowing her head and keeping her mouth shut, Meng Yuan thought she was angry, and felt a little flustered for a while, and called out carefully, "Ling''er."


    Zhao Ling raised her head, stared at him fixedly, and whispered softly, "A-Yuan, after two more courses of treatment, your cold poison will be completely cured. When you return from this expedition, your leg disease should be cured. , then we''ll be married, okay?"


    Hearing this, Meng Yuan was stunned for a moment, as if he didn''t believe what he heard. He asked incredulously. "Ling''er, you...you mean...married?"


    "Yeah." Zhao Ling nodded affirmatively, "Last time at Qinzheng Palace, I rejected your request for marriage. This time, it''s my turn to propose to you. Are you willing?"


    Ling''er, she proposed to him! Although Meng Yuan heard the word "proposal" for the first time, it did not prevent him from understanding Zhao Ling''s meaning.


    The overwhelming joy flooded Meng Yuan''s heart in an instant, the ecstasy in his eyes seemed to overflow, and the hand holding Zhao Ling''s shoulder trembled slightly. With a "Ling''er", he kissed her lips without hesitation.


    Zhao Ling raised her head meekly to meet his movements, and heard his loving whispers in her ears.


    "Ling''er... I, Meng Yuan, in this life... only love you alone..."


    Zhao Ling was moved in her heart too, and responded to his request with enthusiasm she had never felt before.


    Meng Yuan was full of joy, and was about to roll over and press Zhao Ling onto the bed to make the next move, but suddenly felt dizzy, and the arms that were holding her delicate body gradually lost their strength, and then the whole person slumped and could only powerlessly fell on the bedside.


    Zhao Ling slowly opened her eyes, her long and dense eyelashes trembled, and there seemed to be a misty mist in her beautiful eyes.


    "Ling''er, you...why did you do this?" Meng Yuan forced his consciousness to prevent himself from falling unconscious, his slightly narrowed eyes full of unexpected surprises.


    Zhao Ling caressed his thin cheek very gently, her thumb lightly rubbed his angular thin lips, and said softly, "A-Yuan, I''m sorry, I have to do this. There are only the last ten or so cold poison left. It can be completely cured in a day, so I don''t want you jeopardising all the previous efforts."


    Treating cold poison was not an overnight thing, and the process was definitely not easy. If all previous efforts were abandoned like this, wasn''t the pain he had endured over the past few months in vain?


    "No... Ling''er, you can''t do this...."

 Chapter 161 - It Has To Be Done

    Meng Yuan shook his head again and again, struggling to sit up and grab Zhao Ling, but because of the effect of the drug, bursts of drowsiness struck, and he could only collapse powerlessly.


    Zhao Ling was ruthless and retreated to a position where he couldn''t reach, and the eyes of attachment traced his deep and handsome face inch by inch.


    "A-Yuan, I will wait for you at Jinyang Pass. After you have healed your leg affliction, come and pick me up and take me home."


    After she finished speaking, she turned around resolutely and walked out the door.


    Behind him came Meng Yuan''s increasingly weak voice: "Mo''er, you come back... Mo''er!"


    However, Zhao Ling walked out of the door without looking back, then closed the door and locked his eager cry inside.


    With his back against the door panel, Zhao Ling stood quietly for a long time before feeling that there was no movement in the room.


    It seemed that this guy was finally unable to resist the medicinal power and passed out.


    She knew that Meng Yuan''s willpower was astonishing. She believed that the calming powder added to the bowl of soup just now was enough. She didn''t expect this guy to last so long.


    After a while, Yun Yi, Wen Renyuan, Situ Gong, and Chang Dong came out of the night, and their faces were all heavy.


    "Ling, are you sure that this kid A-Yuan won''t be so angry that he will kill us when he wakes up?" Yun Yi asked with a worried expression, putting away his hilarious smile.


    Meng Yuan hated being designed by others the most, and this time Zhao Ling led the army on his behalf was no trivial matter. Based on the degree of his doting on Zhao Ling, he naturally wouldn''t do anything to her, but to some of her accomplices, it was hard to say.


    He could predict that a few of them would die miserably.


    Zhao Ling understood what Yun Yi was thinking, and smiled lightly. "Master Yun, don''t worry, A-Yuan won''t be so ignorant."


    Of course he would be angry, she could imagine the wrath of thunder when he woke up. But she believed that after reading the letter she left him, he would not do anything to Yun Yi and the others.


    "Going to Jinyang Pass is extremely dangerous, the Beidi army is a deadly foe. Princess, it is better to let your subordinates lead the Feiyun Cavalry to fight the enemy, and it is not too late to come to rendezvous after the king''s leg illness is cured. I would like to ask the princess to think twice about leading the army on behalf of the king." Wen Ren Yuan persuaded aloud.


    Zhao Ling raised her eyebrows slightly and said indifferently, "General Wenren looks down on me?"


    "This subordinate has absolutely no intention of doing that." Wen Renyuan quickly denied it.


    Zhao Ling didn''t take it seriously, even if Wen Renyuan really looked down on her, it was normal. In his eyes, she was only a weak female, how could there be a general demeanor of her leading the troops on an expedition? She understood. Even if she was in her right mind, she couldn''t lead herself to war talkless of an army.


    She smiled slightly and said to Wen Renyuan: "With General Wenren here, we don''t have to worry about marching and fighting. I''m just accompanying the prince this time, just to help the prince stabilize the military''s heart."


    Wen Renyuan certainly understood Zhao Ling''s intention. The last time they paid tribute to the dead soldiers of Kinuchuan at the Feiyunqi Camp, the prince once said in front of all the Feiyunqi soldiers that seeing the princess was like seeing the prince. If the princess could accompany them, it was indeed good for stabilizing the morale of the army.


    But on the prince''s side, how should he explain it? Wen Renyuan was very worried when he thought of this.


    "Mr. Situ, the last two courses of treatment will be handed over to you. Tomorrow morning, I will ask He Qing to bring Xiaojiao to you. During these days, Xiaojiao will be placed in the palace, and you can take care of it." Zhao Ling turned and said to Situ Gong, who was standing beside him.


    "Yes, please rest assured, Princess." Situ Gong bowed to lead the order, but he was still complaining in his heart. He really wanted to stay in the palace of Xuanwang and bear Meng Yuan''s anger after waking up.


    The last two courses of treatment were the key stages of the entire cold poison treatment, and it was indeed not suitable to travel long distances, otherwise it was very likely that all previous efforts would be lost. Situ Gong admitted that what the princess was doing now was the best for the prince''s cold poison treatment.


    But he couldn''t help shuddering when he thought of the terrifying scene of the prince''s fury when he woke up.


    Among the few people present, only Chang Dong, a young man with facial paralysis, remained as quiet and silent as ever.


    Seeing that he and the others had no objections, Zhao Ling ordered: "Then please tell General Wenren to go to Feiyunqi to prepare for the expedition, and I will meet up with you when I have settled the matters related to the palace. Master Yun..."


    "I will lead the troops of Woyun Villa to go with the army, then I will leave first and meet at the road outside the city tomorrow morning." Yun Yi did not wait for Zhao Ling to finish, and after making a hasty decision, he quickly left.


    What a joke, he didn''t want to stay in the palace of Xuan Wang to face Meng Yuan, who would be furious and out of control. He still wanted to save his life to fight a war of words with the beautiful and pungent eldest lady of Ninghou Mansion!


    In other words, he hadn''t seen Ning Hua for some days. When this matter was over, shouldn''t he also go to meet her?

 Chapter 162 - A Troublesome Aftermath

    This was where?


    In the misty white fog, Meng Yuan didn''t know where he was, but just walked forward aimlessly.


    He looked down at his legs and found that he could walk freely.


    Had his cold poison been cured? He was ecstatic.


    What about Ling''er? He hoped that the first person to share this joy with him was her. But where did Ling''er go, why wasn''t she by his side?


    Meng Yuan looked left and right, but there was still white fog in front of him, and Zhao Ling could not be seen at all.


    He was flustered, and he felt that he had never been so frightened before.


    "A-Yuan... A-Yuan..." In a trance, he vaguely heard someone calling him.


    It''s Ling''er''s voice!


    He used light energy, flew up, and followed the sound to find it all the way.


    The surrounding scenery gradually became clear, with mountains and rocks, sparse vegetation, and yellow leaves all over the ground. This was a cliff.


    He slowly adapted to the light, but after seeing the scene in front of him, his heart broke and his body trembled.


    In the midst of the cold wind, the woman who stood on the top of the cliff, as if being blown by the wind would make her fall at any moment, was Ling''er!


    "Ling''er, come here, it''s dangerous there." Meng Yuan shouted loudly.


    "A-Yuan, you are finally here, do you know that I have been waiting for you." Zhao Ling said to him softly, with a gentle smile on her beautiful face.


    "I know, Ling''er, look, my leg problem is cured, I''ll take you home." Meng Yuan also smiled slightly, stepped forward and stretched out his hand to Zhao Ling.


    "Okay." Zhao Ling replied obediently, moving her footsteps to walk towards him.


    However, at that moment, there was a loud bang, and the rock under Zhao Ling''s feet suddenly collapsed.


    "A-Yuan!" Zhao Ling''s face turned pale, and she screamed in panic as her petite body fell like a kite with a broken string, and into the abyss at the bottom of the cliff she plunged.


    All this happened so fast that Meng Yuan had no time to react. He just flew forward intuitively, trying to grab Zhao Ling''s falling body. But it was still a step too late. When he arrived at the cliff, he saw Zhao Ling float down, like a lithe wild goose, descending rapidly, and then disappeared in front of his eyes.


    "Ling''er!" A heart-piercing shout resounded through the sky in the silent cliff, with echoes rippling.


    "Ling''er, Ling''er, don''t go...don''t leave me..."


    As soon as Situ Gong, who came to deliver the medicine, opened the door, he heard Meng Yuan''s urgent low-pitched cry. He was startled, and quickly put down the tray in his hand and stepped forward to check.


    He saw his prince laying on the bed, his two sword brows tightly furrowed, cold sweat dripping from his forehead, and he kept shouting the name of the princess, obviously he was having a nightmare.


    He sighed deeply.


    Sadly, he really didn''t know how he would face the anger of the prince after he woke up.


    Seeing that he was troubled by nightmares, Situ Gong was deliberating whether to wake him up, when he heard Meng Yuan yell "Ling''er", and suddenly woke up.


    He opened his eyes, turned his head to see Situ Gong standing in front of the bed, and seemed to be at a loss for a moment. He sat up with both hands supported, squeezed his eyebrows a few times to relieve the dizziness that still lingered, and then slowly remembered the whole story.


    Hateful, Ling''er. She actually drugged him!


    He stared at Situ Gong with burning eyes, and scolded: "Situ Gong, you are so bold! Where is the princess, where is she now?"


    Situ Gong knelt on the ground with a "dong", and said in a trembling voice, "Your subordinates are damned, please forgive me! Wang Fei... Wang Fei... She left for Jinyang Pass with the army yesterday."


    Started yesterday! With that said, he actually slept for a whole day!


    All of a sudden, anger, worry, anxiety, self-blame and other emotions rushed forward.


    Even he couldn''t predict how dangerous Jinyang Pass was. Meng Tianluo''s conspiracy and He Liancheng''s strength were not within his grasp. But Ling''er was alone in danger, so how could he not be worried.


    He stared at Situ Gong with a livid face, his eyes were like knives, his tone was icy, and he said word by word: "Situ Gong, you cooperated with the princess to prescribe medicine to give this king, so that the princess went to danger alone, you... what should I do with you!"


    Situ Gong''s heart froze, and he felt that the prince was really angry this time.


    He had been a mansion doctor for more than twenty years in Xuanwang''s mansion, and it literally meant that he grew up watching Meng Yuan since he was a child. Because of this, Meng Yuan had always respected him on any given day, and he had never spoken to him in such a tone of voice.


    Based on what he had known about Meng Yuan over the years, the more calm his lord was, the more he spoke word by word, that was when he was so angry that he couldn''t add anything more.


    He quickly lowered his head, took out a letter from his sleeve pocket, handed it to Meng Yuan, and said calmly, "Please calm down your anger, my lord. This is the letter the princess left to you before her departure, please take a look at it."


    In Situ Gong''s eyes, this is not a simple letter, but his life-saving charm.


    The princess said that if the prince woke up and got angry with him, he should take out this letter and give him. Dead gods, he didn''t even know if it would work or not.


    Ling''er also left a letter for him? Although Meng Yuan was still angry, when he heard that this was a letter from Zhao Ling to him, he immediately took it from Situ Gong and spread it out to read.


    The white letter paper still carried the scent of ink, and the graceful small letters on the hairpin were his familiar handwriting, and the anger in Meng Yuan''s eyes subsided slightly.


    From beginning to end, he read the letter word by word, only to feel that his heart was gently caressed by Zhao Ling''s slender hand, and he was moved to the extreme.


    She said that she had regarded Xuanwang Mansion as her own home, and everyone in Xuanwang Mansion as her family.


    She said that she would wait for him at Jinyang Pass, wait for him to heal his leg illness, urge the horse to speed, and take her home.


    She said that after he took her home, they would get married and travel the world hand in hand from then on.


    His slender fingers stroked the graceful font on the letter lightly, and tenderness in his eyes grew.


    His Ling''er was so considerate, always thinking of others. He must have left this letter because he was afraid that he would blame and punish the servants of the Xuan palace, and that he would chase after her regardless of what he woke up.


    Thinking of this, Meng Yuan''s face gradually softened, and he asked Situ Gong in a deep voice, "Where''s the medicine?"


    Hearing this, the big stone hanging on Situ Gong''s heart finally fell to the ground. It seemed that the letter from the princess was really effective, and the prince seemed to be relieved a lot.


    He immediately got up and handed the soup medicine.


    Meng Yuan took the medicine bowl, raised his head and drank it, and asked, "How long until the end of the treatment?"


    Situ Gong bowed and replied, "There are fifteen more days."


    Meng Yuan frowned and ordered decisively, "In five days at most, this king will set off for Jinyang Pass, so you go and prepare."


    The dream just now was so real that his heart was still trembling slightly, no matter what, he was not at ease to let her stay alone in Jinyang Pass for so long. If he could, he really wanted to set off immediately and chase after her.


    But Ling''er''s intentions, he couldn''t live up to it. There are more plans in his heart, which made him want to cure his leg affliction urgently, and stay together with Ling''er for the rest of his life.


    *Ling''er, as long as you stay at Jinyang Pass for five days, I will join you after five days.*


    Situ Gong looked distressed. The prince''s meaning was obvious, he wanted to give up the last course of treatment.


    Although this will not affect his ability to walk, it will affect the effect of the treatment more or less. And what kind of effect it would be, he had no way of knowing.


    He wanted to persuade him with a few more words, but sneaking a glance at Meng Yuan''s face, he really didn''t dare to disobey his prince''s intentions, so he could only helplessly lead the way.


    It seemed that he had to think of a way to make the treatment as effective and complete as possible in the last five days.


    Just when Situ Gong was thinking hard and Meng Yuan was calming his anger, Zhao Ling followed the army all the way, day and night without stopping, speeding towards the Jinyang Pass.

 Chapter 163 - Into The Cold, We Ride

    When the autumn came, the scenery was different, and the geese in Hengyang went about without paying attention, and the sounds from all sides were heard.


    Thousands of mountains, long smoke and sunset, the lonely city was closed.


    It was late autumn, and the further north they went, the colder the weather became. Zhao Ling was sitting on the carriage, and it was obvious that she felt a chill of her surroundings.


    From a very young age, she longed for the feeling of a prancing horse galloping in the sky. Later, she got to know Yuan Lie and learned that there was a big horse farm in his home, so she visited him from time to time.


    Under Yuan Lie''s teaching, her riding skills have become increasingly impressive. Although not as good as Feiyunqi and most men, but among women, she still thought of herself as not weak at all.


    When she came to Jinyang Pass this time, she really wanted to experience the feeling of riding a horse, but unfortunately, in order to accommodate green bamboo, who could not ride a horse, she had to choose a carriage.


    "Miss, do you want to add more clothes?" Lu Zhu next to hee took out a thickened satin-colored cloak with a mink fur collar from her bag, intending to put it on her.


    Zhao Ling waved her hand, "No, it''s not too late to get off the carriage and put it on again." Seeing the tired look on Luzhu''s delicate goose egg face, she asked aloud, "Are you tired of traveling all day long?"


    Green Bamboo quickly shook her head. "I''m not tired, I''m not tired, your servant is very sturdy, not tired at all. It''s you, my lady. Your body has been weak since you were young, and this servant is really afraid that you won''t be able to bear the pain." Luzhu''s little face was full of worry.


    Zhao Ling smiled indifferently, "Don''t worry, your young lady is no longer the ill young lady she used to be, it''s alright."


    "That''s right, the young lady is becoming more and more surprising to the slave maid. The slave maid thinks that there is nothing that could stop the young lady." Lu Zhu''s big black and white eyes flashed and looked at the Duke''s daughter with admiration.


    For convenience, Zhao Ling and Luzhu were both dressed as men. Zhao Ling tied her head full of blue silk with only a ribbon, just like the ponytail she often tied in modern times. She was dressed in a simple light blue dress, with no other accessories on her body. Such as jade, her bearing was calm, and her demeanor was indifferent, showing her unique charm of beauty and gentleness.


    Lu Zhu looked at the young lady she had been with for more than ten years in front of her. She should have been familiar with her, but she felt like a stranger.


    In the past, the young lady didn''t even dare to take a step beyond the gate of the Duke''s Mansion, but the current young lady was bolder than a man, not only could she do autopsy and solve cases, but now she even dared to enter the battlefield.


    Although she didn''t understand what was going on, there were rumors in the capital that the young lady was possessed by evil spirits, but so what, even if the young lady was possessed by evil spirits, she would always be her own young lady.


    "You girl, your little mouth is getting sweeter and sweeter." Zhao Ling smiled when she saw her look of admiration. This girl was really sincere to her.


    Originally, she didn''t plan to take Luzhu with her, but when this girl heard that she was going to the battlefield, she pestered her to the death, and waited at her door with two bags before dawn, which really made her laugh and cry. She persuaded her that there were big men in the barracks, it would be better to bring her with her, so she agreed.


    In the past few months, she had gone through a lot of things with her, but this girl was a lot calmer and bolder, and coming out this time could be regarded as an experience for her.


    The sun was setting on the long river, and the sky was about to turn into twilight. The eighty thousand army hastened through the mountains at a neat pace while the horses neighed all the way.


    "Luzhu, ask Xue Hao, how long will it take to get to Jinyang Pass?" Zhao Ling said lightly with her back on the carriage.


    "Yes." Luzhu responded, lifted the curtain, and asked loudly outside: "Xue Xiaowei, may I ask, how long will it take to get to Jinyang Pass?"


    Since Xue Hao protected Zhao Ling last time, he was punished by Meng Yuan for dereliction of duty, and after clearing out the dark guard team, he returned to flying cloud riding experience again. After a few months, this young man has worked hard and performed well, and now he had been promoted to the post of captain.


    Wen Renyuan ordered him to protect Zhao Ling along the way. He rode a horse, followed by the carriage, and was paying attention to the movement around him. He suddenly heard Lu Bamboo''s question, and turned his head to look subconsciously. When seeing the beautiful face and bright eyes of Green Bamboo, an imperceptible blush appeared on the young and handsome face.


    After a light cough, he pretended to be serious and said, "Miss Green Bamboo, this place is not far from Jinyang Pass. If there is no accident, we can reach it before dark."


    "Oh, thank you very much." Luzhu thanked him and turned back to convey Xue Hao''s answer to Zhao Ling.


    Seeing her blushing flushed, Zhao Ling seemed a little too shy to retreat, and her heart moved.


    Could it be that this girl had feelings for Xue Hao?


    Xue Hao, a young man with clear eyes, a dignified appearance, and a self-motivated spirit, was generally good. He was also a good match for Luzhu. It would be a beautiful thing if the two of them could get along well with Qin Jin.


    As her mind churned, she was about to test Luzhu with a few words, when she heard the louder neighing of war horses from outside, and then the carriage shook and stopped.


    "What happened?" Zhao Ling lifted the curtain and looked out of the carriage.


    Xue Hao got off his horse and reported from outside the car: "Princess, there are several deserters in front of us. General Wenren caught them and is asking them questions."


    Deserters? Zhao Ling frowned slightly. Could it be that the Jinyang Pass garrison was really so bad, or maybe this He Liancheng really used troops like sands and was not easy to deal with?


    "Go ahead and have a look." She instructed Xue Hao lightly.


    "Yes." Xue Hao took the order and ordered the driver to drive the carriage to the front of the group.


    Zhao Ling heard Wen Renyuan''s solemn and righteous rebuke from the carriage. "You guys, since you are the guards of Jinyang Pass, you should do your best to defend the pass, but now you are running away like a coward, aren''t you afraid of military law?"


    Seeing Zhao Ling getting off the carriage, Wen Renyuan turned to give her a salute. "I have seen the princess."


    Zhao Ling nodded at him and saw three soldiers in armor kneeling in order in front of him. They were gray-faced and couldn''t see their true faces. At this time, their heads were drooping. Probably because of Wen Renyuan''s aura, they didn''t dare to raise their heads.


    Hearing Wen Renyuan''s salute, the three of them raised their heads subconsciously and quickly glanced at Zhao Ling.


    Their eyes flickered, showing glimpses of faces layered with sinister and slippery thoughts, and she knew that they seemed to be hiding something. They were not loyal and kind warriors. Zhao Ling glanced at them lightly, and came to a conclusion in her heart.


    Her psychology and micro-expressions were not for nothing. There was more to the suspiciousness of these three men than what they were trying to convey.


    If they were deserters on the battlefield, why only their faces was dirty, but the armor on their bodies were intact, it seemed that the true faces were deliberately hidden.


    And she didn''t think that Jinyang Pass'' food would be so good to show on the soldier''s body. The soldier in the middle was obviously a fat man, and he didn''t look like a soldier who had been fighting on the battlefield for many years.


    "Who are the three of you, why did you pretend to be border guards and escape from Jinyang Pass?" Now that she had come to a conclusion, Zhao Ling asked sharply, without giving them any leeway.


    The three of them shivered when they heard the words, and then they shouted in unison, insisting that they were only soldiers guarding the border. It was only because the war was tight and Jinyang Pass was in an emergency. And several of them had families, parents, wives and children who need to be taken care of, so they just wanted to escape from there on impulse to save their lives.


    The three warriors cried out.


    It was almost sad for those who heard it, and tears for those who saw it. However, Zhao Ling just smiled coldly and said to Wen Renyuan, "General Wen Ren, the soldiers are fleeing, what should be done according to the military law?"


    "To be beheaded." Wen Renyuan spat out the three words majestically.


    Zhao Ling nodded, "The three of you fled before the battle, which caused our army to lose heart and lose the opportunity before the battle. It''s a heinous crime. General Wenren, just follow the military law and deal with this on the spot."


    She didn''t believe their words, and since she couldn''t force them to reveal their true identities, she had to tell general Wen Renyuan that. Now, she waited.


    "Subordinates obey." Wen Renyuan was about to order the deputy beside him to take the three of them down and behead them on the spot, but there was a quickened cry from a distance behind him.


    "Wait, Princess Xuan, please be merciful!"

 Chapter 164 - Deserters?

    Accompanied by this eager shout, a man in military uniform in his thirties with a slightly plump figure rushed out from the back of the team.


    Behind him, Yun Yi, the handsome young man in white, saw that there was a lot of fun to watch, and he followed closely.


    Seeing this, Zhao Ling frowned slightly.


    Why was Yao Wentao here to join in the fun?


    Yao Wentao was the nephew of Yao Chong, the minister of households, and the leader of the fifty thousand soldiers and horses dispatched by the imperial court to Xuanwang''s mansion. Relying on Yao Chong''s protection and the background of the eldest prince Meng Tianluo, this person was always showing off his power and running rampant.


    After knowing his identity, Zhao Ling finally, deeply, understood why Meng Yuan would say that the imperial court''s fifty thousand soldiers were useless at all.


    On the face of it, this was a soldier and horse allocated by the imperial court to the palace of Xuan Wang, but in fact it was the old emperor, or more precisely, it was sent by Meng Tianluo to restrain Meng Yuan.


    Although Yao Wentao was wearing a military uniform, he had always been pampered and had never been on a battlefield at all, so his complexion was much paler than that of ordinary soldiers, and he was not as tough as Wen Renyuan, but more like a white-faced scholar.


    He dismounted in a hurry, and when the fat man kneeling among the three soldiers heard his voice, he raised his head abruptly, as if he had caught a life-saving straw, and shouted loudly, "Brother-in-law, help, brother-in-law."


    Brother-in-law? Zhao Ling raised her eyebrows slightly. It seemed that the two were still in-laws.


    Yao Wentao glared at him fiercely, turned his head and said to Zhao Ling, "Princess Xuan, this person is my uncle-in-law, and his name is Ma Shizu. I also asked Princess Xuan to look at my face and spare his life."


    Although he said it politely, but in the end, because he had Yao Chong and the first prince to support him, his tone didn''t show much respect, instead it was faintly arrogant.


    She''s just a weak little girl, even if she wore the name of Princess Xuan, so what, how capable a mere girl could be?


    However, her appearance was really beautiful. Even though she was wearing a simple blue garment, she still couldn''t hide her beautiful face, especially her elegant and calm figure, which made Yao Wentao, who has seen countless winds and moons, bear it. He couldn''t help but be moved.


    Zhao Ling noticed Yao Wentao''s squinted eyes projected on her body, her brows furrowed deeper, and her voice became a little colder. "Listening to General Yao, could it be that General Yao consider his face bigger than the military law?"


    Yun Yi next to her sneered, and said with a sarcastic tone. "This military law is determined by the emperor. Will General Yao''s face be bigger than the emperor?"


    Yao Wentao was speechless by the words of the two, and he became angry for a while, and his fair face gradually turned into the color of a pig liver.


    At this moment, the image of Wen Renyuan suddenly said sharply to Ma Shizu. "Ma Shizu, aren''t you the deputy general of Jinyang Pass, why did you leave your post without permission and sneak here? What is the current situation of Jinyang Pass?"


    A lieutenant general was an official position second only to the chief general. He was the soul who led the troops when the two armies are at war. If even the lieutenant general ran away, would the defenders of Jinyang Pass still have the confidence to fight?


    When Ma Shizu heard the question, he began to cry with snot and tears.


    The Beidi army was sturdy and belligerent, and the leading general He Liancheng was well versed in arranging troops. He used his troops like sound less sands. It was generally known that he maximized the advantages of the Beidi army in combat, and easily captured the city of Licheng overnight. He also captured all the remaining defenders of Licheng.


    Then he used Licheng as a stronghold, to replenish his troops while planning to hit Jinyang Pass in one fell swoop. To instill fear in the mind of the guards of Jinyang Pass, he slaughtered all the Licheng defenders he had captured under the Pass of Jinyang, without leaving a single one behind.


    On that day, the setting sun was like blood, and the wind and sand filled the sky, but the blood flowed into rivers and corpses were scattered all over Jinyang Pass. When Ma Shizu recalled the tragic situation that day, he could not help but turn pale and tremble all over.


    This scene inevitably made the guards of Jinyang pass feel frightened, and everyone felt he was in grave danger. After a few days of fighting, countless soldiers were killed and wounded, and there was not much left in the army.


    Ma Shizu saw that Jinyang Pass was in a critical situation with no formidable army and would fall to the approaching Beidi army, and he was specificaly terrified by He Liancheng''s cruel treatment of the prisoners. In order to save his life, he brought two entourages, disguised as soldiers, and sneaked out.


    "The Beidi people are ferocious and cruel, and they will cut down the people upon seeing them. He Liancheng''s martial arts are strong, and the killing of the captured soldiers was casual. It was really terrifying. I''m afraid that this Jinyang Pass can''t be defended..." Ma Shizu was chattering and wanted to continue to play up the power of the Beidi army.


    The brutality and power of the man seemed clear to be his reason of escaping.


    But Zhao Ling would not give him the opportunity to grow any form of dangerous ambitions and destroy his own prestige. She ignored Ma Shizu''s voice begging for mercy and Yao Wentao''s obstructions, and decisively ordered Wen Renyuan to tie the three of them, and escort them to Jinyang Pass with the army for military law enforcement.


    It seemed that this He Liancheng was not only brutal, but also knew how to attack the heart of the people. He deliberately chose to slaughter the defenders of Licheng under the city tower. The purpose was obvious, to shake the hearts of the defenders at Jinyang Pass. Once the enemy''s military heart was shaken, he could win without a fight.


    He Liancheng was indeed not simple. Zhao Ling suddenly wanted to meet him for a while.


    Galloping forward all the way, the eighty thousand-strong army finally reached Jinyang Pass before dark, riding the last rays of the setting sun.


    The frontier fortress was bitter and cold, everywhere was desolate, sparsely populated, and the sky was full of sand and dust. The icy cold wind mixed with yellow sand rushed towards her mercilessly. Zhao Ling wrapped her entire body in a wide and warm hooded cloak, leaving only a pair of sharp and agile eyes still exposed.


    In front of her was a tall tower, standing between the vast sky and earth, like a lonely guard, guarding the people in this pass. The two vigorous words of "Jinyang Pass" on the city gate highlight the sense of simplicity and grandeur.


    The gatekeepers learned that reinforcements had arrived and greeted them at the gate of the city early.


    Cao Xun, the commander with a tiger-backed waist, stood at the forefront, with a burly body and a black beard. The frontier wind and frost carved traces on his rough and tough face, and a pair of tiger eyes watched the army in front of him getting closer and closer, and his heart was a little relieved.


    A thick bandage was wrapped around his right arm, which must be what Ma Shizu said, the place where Cao Xun got injured by He Liancheng during the fierce battle with the Beidi army.


    The first thing Cao Xun saw was Wen Renyuan at the front of the team. He knew Wen Renyuan and was about to say hello, but saw a woman in a cloak flashing from behind Wen Renyuan.


    Behind the woman was a boy in gray. Just seeing the handsome and charming appearance of this gray-clothed boy, it should be a woman disguised as a man.


    As for the cloaked woman, her entire body was wrapped in a long satin cloak with a fur collar. It was difficult to identify her appearance. Cao Xun only came to the conclusion that she was a woman based on the peony pattern on the cloak.


    Cao Xun looked surprised. He only knew that the imperial court had sent King Xuan to lead troops to reinforce Jinyang Pass. Originally, he was worried about how King Xuan would be able to march for a long distance with his sickly and disabled body, so he didn''t want King Xuan to appear, but to be replaced by a woman who was too weak to help herself?


    Looking at her frail and weak appearance, it seemed that a strong wind from Jinyang Pass could blow her away.


    Wen Renyuan met Cao Xun''s surprised and inquiring gaze, probably guessing what he was thinking, the solemn and dignified national character''s face was slightly relaxed, the corners of his tightly pursed mouth were slightly raised, and he said, "General Cao, this It''s Princess Xuan."

 Chapter 165 - A Thousand Death To The Deserters [I]

    Cao Xun had been stationed at Jinyang Pass for many years and had not returned to Sheijing ever since, and the frontier information is blocked. Naturally, he had no way of knowing that King Xuan had been given a wife in marriage.


    In the simple-furnished main general''s mansion, Cao Xun was still amazed when he saw Zhao Ling, who had taken off her cloak and wore a simple men''s blue shirt.


    It turned out that Princess Xuan was such a beautiful, gentle, neat and generous woman. There was no abruptness on her body in this men''s clothing, her calm demeanor, and her indifferent and keen eyes seamlessly blended the gentleness of a woman with the refreshingness of a man. In the middle of a group of rough soldiers, there was no timidity.


    After passing  the checks, it was natural for them to settle down for a while. When Cao Xun saw Ma Shizu who was kidnapped by Wu Hua Da, held in front of him, his tiger eyes burst with fire, and he wanted to slash him with a knife. This cowardly bastard who was greedy for life, and for fear of death actually left the soldiers and people of Jinyang Pass to defend themselves. This kind of behavior was like a thousand swords in the heart, for a soldier like Cao Xun.


    Ma Shizu cowered and hid behind Yao Wentao. Seeing this, Zhao Ling didn''t bother to pay any attention to him, but lightly ordered that Ma Shizu and the other three should be escorted down to wait for the decision.


    Yao Wentao thought that his threatful warning had an effect, since he had the protection of the eldest prince, they would forgive them and dare not do anything to Ma Shizu, so he quickly went to his room to rest. He had always been used to being pampered, and the quick march for the past few days almost didn''t make him tired.


    So only Zhao Ling, Cao Xun, Wen Renyuan and Yun Yi were left in the room. After being seated, Zhao Ling saw that there was no one else in the room, so she said to Cao Xun bluntly: "General Cao, your injury look serious, can you let me take a look at your injury?"


    Cao Xun was surprised. Of course he knew he was badly hurt. He Liancheng''s arrow penetrated the armour with force, almost piercing his entire arm. Just to stabilize the morale of the army, he did not disclose his injury to anyone except for a few people close to him. In the past few days, he had been doing his best to keep himself from falling.


    But this Princess Xuan, not long after seeing him, she saw through the secret in his heart at a glance. This shocked Cao Xun.


    But seeing Zhao Ling''s indifferent yet sincere eyes, he knew that this Princess Xuan could be trusted.


    Seeing the surprise on Cao Xun''s face, Zhao Ling knew that she had guessed correctly.


    Ma Shizu once said that Cao Xun was hit by an arrow and was seriously injured, but when she saw Cao Xun just now, it didn''t look like he was seriously injured. At first she thought it was Ma Shizu exaggerating to justify himself, but after careful observation, she could see the clue.


    Cao Xun''s injured right arm was drooping all the time, and it seemed that he had difficulty even raising it.


    And why he concealed his injury, Zhao Ling knew the reason without guessing.


    It seemed that this bearded general was a good general who was loyal to the emperor and loved the people. Hence, she would do her best to ensure that he was safe and sound.


    At Zhao Ling''s strong request, Cao Xun finally agreed to let Wen Renyuan remove the bandage on his arm for him.


    The wound was very deep, almost bone could be seen, the border conditions were harsh, and the medical conditions were extremely poor.


    It was really not easy for this Cao Xun to endure until now.


    Zhao Ling frowned slightly, sighed secretly, and said to him, "General Cao, I admire your patience, and I am moved by your painstaking efforts to conceal your injury, but if your injury is not treated in time, I am afraid it is this arm. It''s all going to be ruined."


    She pondered for a while, and ignored Cao Xun''s reaction, and shouted to the outside: "Luzhu, bring in my medicine box."


    After that, it was a hectic process of treatment.


    Zhao Ling first gave Cao Xun a pain reducing medicine, just because she was going to scrape off the rotten flesh from his wound. Although he had experienced hundreds of battles, he was still alive and well prepared.


    Then there were a series of steps such as disinfection, derotation, application of medicine, and bandaging.


    Cao Xun couldn''t help but admire Zhao Ling''s calm appearance in every move.


    When she scraped off the rotten flesh on his arm with a dagger, even Wen Renyuan and Yun Yi couldn''t bear to look directly, but Zhao Ling''s expression was the same as usual. Her hand raised and lowered the knife professionally, and there was no stagnation or hesitation in her movements.


    This expert technique, this indifferent expression, this skillful posture, everything was so natural, there was no sense of disobedience. It was as if this woman was born doing this.


    This Princess Xuan was indeed an extraordinary woman.


    This was the common thought of everyone present.


    "Thank you, Princess Xuan." Cao Xun felt a little drowsy because of taking the pain relief medicine. He supported himself and sincerely thanked Zhao Ling, who was already sorting out the medicine box.


    Zhao Ling turned her head and said indifferently, "General Cao, don''t be polite. This medicine is very effective for traumatic infection. If other soldiers need it, General Cao can also ask them to find me."


    "Then, the last warrior will thank Princess Xuan for all the soldiers in Jinyang Pass."

 Chapter 166 - A Thousand Death To The Deserters [II]

    Princess Xuan not only had superb medical skills, but also had extraordinary courage. What was even more rare was that she was also compassionate and kind to her subordinates.


    Cao Xun was grateful for Zhao Ling''s kindness in taking the initiative to heal his injuries and her care for her subordinates.


    At this time, Zhao Ling never imagined that the act of healing Cao Xun this time would be exchanged for his loyalty to her in the future.


    Wen Renyuan saw Cao Xun''s arrow wound just now, and said with a worried expression: "The strength of this arrow from General He Liancheng was truly powerful. Indeed, he is not to be underestimated."


    "Hmph, there might be power behind the arrow, but this old man just accidentally fell on its path." Cao Xun was not successful in his face off with the Heidi warriors, and was injured by an arrow from He Liancheng.


    The corner of Zhao Ling''s mouth twitched, secretly laughing, the bearded general''s expression of anger was quite interesting.


    The four of them were chatting about the military deployment of Jinyang Pass, when suddenly one of them participated in the future report outside the gate.


    "Reporting to General Qi, then Ma Shizu shouted loudly in the prison and said malicious words, saying that he must see General Yao Wentao."


    When Cao Xun heard this, his face full of black beards immediately became darker.


    Ma Shizu, in less than a year since he came to Jinyang Pass as a lieutenant general, has done nothing to achieve anything except eating, drinking, and enjoying himself.


    Thinking that he was just relying on the backbone of the eldest prince and Yao Chong, he came here to exercise on a temporary basis, and he could go back to the capital in a month or so, and he didn''t bother to care about him.


    But this time, Ma Shizu was obviously not so lucky.


    Yun Yi sneered, shook his head, and said contemptuously: "This Ma Shizu, can''t wait to be beheaded so badly? He''s already in a dungeon, and he''s still so uneasy, that he wants to show his presence in front of us. It''s really hopeless."


    Wen Renyuan also had a look of disgust. He was upright and honest, and naturally looked down on people like Ma Shizu who were greedy for life and had fear of death.


    For a moment, the three of them turned their attention to Zhao Ling.


    Zhao Ling''s face was as usual, and he said in a flat tone. "Those who disturb the heart of the army, beheaded, those who fled in battle, beheaded, no matter who said what, this Ma Shizu must die."


    Killing Ma Shizu in front of all the soldiers at Jinyang Pass was the aim of Zhao Ling''s purpose of tying the three of them to Jinyang Pass.


    She wanted to use Ma Shizu to kill the chickens among the warriors, as an example, so that all the soldiers could see clearly, this was the end of being a deserter.


    Wen Renyuan and Yun Yi naturally had no objection to Zhao Ling''s decision. People like Ma Shizu should have died long ago.


    Only Cao Xun said worriedly. "But Yao Wentao''s side..."


    After all, his backbone was the eldest prince. If they were to do this first and then explain later, if they angered His Royal Highness King Luo, he was really not sure what the consequences would be.


    However, Zhao Ling just replied lightly. "General Cao just dealt with it according to military law. It was only natural and righteous, and Yao Wentao has nothing to say if he wants to come here."


    Ma Shizu never imagined that his noise, which was originally meant to remind Yao Wentao to rescue him from this eerie dungeon as soon as possible, would accelerate the rhythm of his beheading.


    In the early morning of the second day, the sky was only bright, and in the dim and vast Jinyangguan campus, the three armies lined up, hunting banners and flags, and with solemn looks.


    Ma Shizu and his two entourage were tied up with five flowers and fell to their knees. The two entourages drooped their heads, their faces ashen, only Ma Shizu was still struggling, shouting "Brother-in-law, save me!"


    But Yao Wentao was still sleeping soundly in his room, how could he hear his cry for help?


    Following Cao Xun''s order, a few cold lights flashed, and blood spattered in an instant.


    Seeing this scene, although the guards in Jinyang Guan were frightened, they were more delighted.


    Ma Shizu, the shameless villain who was greedy for life and fear of death, finally had met his end today.


    When Yao Wentao arrived in a hurry after receiving the news, he saw Ma Shizu''s bloody head rolled to his feet, his eyes wide open, staring at him fiercely, as if complaining about why he didn''t rescue him in time.


    Yao Wentao was shocked by this scene, his eyes darkened as if in a trance, and he passed out on the spot.


    After being carried to the room by his subordinates, Yao Wentao woke up several minutes later. He was exceedingly furious and his body trembled when he remembered the terrifying scene just now. He grabbed a celadon tea cup on the table and threw it to the ground.


    "Attend to me." A low growl gritted his teeth.


    A middle-aged man in strong armour flashed through the door, bowed to Yao Wentao and said, "Yes, general?"


    With a gloomy face, Yao Wentao handed him a yellow envelope, and said in a calm tone, "Take this over there, remember not to let anyone find out."


    "Yes." The man in the strong armour took the letter and quietly retreated after taking orders.


    The people of Xuan Wang''s mansion actually didn''t take him seriously, did they? They should just wait and see. Soon, he would give them a fatal blow. He must make them pay the price for this matter.


    Yao Wentao''s slender peach blossom eyes flashed a vicious light.