Jiang Mingtao grabbed the servant standing at the door and said in a trembling voice, "Did you see a woman in a light blue dress come out of the private room next door? She came downstairs with a girl in a moon-white dress. Did you see her?"

"No." The servant shook his head. "Master, I only saw you come out of the house, I didn't see anyone else."

"You haven't seen it either?" Jiang Mingtao asked the other attendants.

"No, sir!" the men replied in unison.

Jiang Mingtao was terrified upon hearing this; his face turned pale, and he felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

Could it be... could it be that he just saw a ghost?

Is it that Ye Miaoyun, who is dead, has come back with her daughter to take his life?

Jiang Mingtao's body went limp, and he collapsed to the ground.

"Master!" The attendants were startled and quickly reached out to help him up.

Jiang Mingtao forced himself to stand up, took a deep breath and said, "Go back...go back to the manor, and have someone...have someone go to Huangjue Temple to invite a high monk to our manor to chant sutras."

The vast majority of people in the Great Yan Dynasty believed in Taoism, but some believed in Buddhism, and Jiang Mingtao was one of them.

Whenever he encountered difficulties, he would send someone to invite a high-ranking monk to his residence to chant scriptures. Listening to those scriptures made him feel much more at ease, as if there were no insurmountable obstacles.

...

Inside the carriage, Ye Miaoyun gently pinched her daughter's nose and laughed, "Girl, did you do something? When we came out of the house, only Jiang Mingtao was watching us. His entourage acted as if they didn't see us at all."

"Hmm." Ye Xianya nodded: "I used mystical arts to set up an illusion so that no one except Jiang Mingtao could see us. Of course... when we went downstairs, I added another layer of magic, so Jiang Mingtao couldn't see us either."

Ye Xianya laughed as she spoke: "Mother, did you see the look on his face when he ran to the bottom of the stairs and looked down? He was terrified. It's clear he doesn't know we're alive and thought he'd seen a ghost."

"I bet he'll have nightmares tonight," Ye Xianya said with a smile.

"This little girl is quite the trickster!" Ye Miaoyun said, pulling her daughter into her arms. "But I like her very much. The more capable my daughter is, the better, so she won't be bullied."

Upon hearing this, Qi Jiu, who was sitting outside driving the carriage, couldn't help but grin.

With all her skills, it's already a good thing if Xianya doesn't bully others; who would dare to bully her?

However, Jiang Mingtao is such a disgusting bastard.

If he were still a prince, he could crush him with a single finger.

As for now!

Even if he could find someone to help kill Jiang Mingtao, his wife and Xianya wouldn't agree.

This mother and daughter wouldn't let Jiang Mingtao die so easily; they wanted to slowly cut him to pieces, watching him fall into the abyss and into hell!

So even though the man disgusted him, he could only endure it for the time being.

Upon returning to the capital, Qi Jiu's mindset was completely different from before.

Call it avoidance or cowardice, all he wants now is a peaceful and stable life.

What else can we do?

To avenge his deceased mother and elder brother?

It was the emperor who drove them to their deaths. Even if they were willing to sacrifice their own family for the greater good, they were no match for that old man.

He wanted revenge, but that would only be sending the old man to his death!

It would be nice to be an ordinary person and do some small business with my wife!

Their distillery is already being set up and will open in ten days at most.

He's good at accounting and entertaining customers; he's more than capable of being a manager and supporting himself.

He wanted to let that old man know that even without his princely status and the protection of the royal family, Qi Jiu could still live a good life.

Although... he is still suspected of being a kept man and relying on his daughter for protection, he is content as long as he doesn't depend on the old man or the royal family.

...

Meanwhile, in the palace.

The emperor was listening to reports from his secret guards.

After the emperor suspected that the secret guards he had sent to protect Qi Jiu and his group had been bribed, he recalled them, secretly dealt with them, and replaced them with another group of secret guards to protect Qi Jiu and the two sons of the deposed crown prince.

Qi Jiu was doing well, because Ye Xianya and Qi Chengshuo were there. Even if he encountered some troubles, they were all resolved one by one.

The deposed crown prince's two sons were not so lucky; one died and the other was injured.

In particular, the eldest grandson of the emperor, Qi Chengbang, and his entire family were killed in exile, leaving no one alive.

Even those of royal blood, when they truly lose everything and have no one to protect them, are no different from ordinary people.

The emperor was stunned after hearing this, and remained silent for a long time.

"Where is Consort Yi?" The Emperor remained silent for a long time before asking in a low voice.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Concubine is in her palace," the eunuch standing to the side quickly replied.

"Call her over!" After saying this, the emperor tried to get up, but felt dizzy and unsteady.

"Your Majesty!" The people in the room immediately became anxious. Some helped the emperor lie down, while others went to fetch the imperial physician.

When Consort Yi arrived, the Emperor was resting on his couch.

"Your Majesty, I pay my respects. Long live the Emperor!" The Noble Consort Yi, dressed in magnificent robes, stepped forward with elegant steps to offer her greetings.

She is 48 years old this year, but because she has a good way of preserving her youth, she looks like a woman in her thirties. She is still very beautiful and has a slender and charming figure.

When she smiles, she radiates joy, making those around her feel happy too.

The emperor used to love seeing Consort Yi smile, but seeing that same smile today, he felt a chill in his heart.

"I ask you, have you bribed those secret guards?" the emperor asked in a deep voice as he struggled to sit up.

"Why does Your Majesty ask such a question? I am merely in charge of the inner palace by imperial decree. I have never interfered in the affairs of the court, much less in the affairs of Your Majesty's inner circle. I do not even know where Your Majesty's secret guards are, so how could I possibly bribe them?"

Consort Yi curtsied to the Emperor, saying, "Your Majesty thinks too highly of me."

Upon hearing this, the emperor pointed at Consort Yi, his lips trembling slightly. He wanted to say something, but Consort Yi grasped his hand.

"Besides, the deposed crown prince is not of royal blood at all, and his two sons are illegitimate children. They are dead, so what? Does Your Majesty feel any pity for them?"

Consort Yi smiled as she spoke, her smile still bright, yet it sent chills down one's spine: "Your Majesty should be thankful, thankful that those who tainted the royal bloodline are no longer alive."

Upon hearing this, the emperor closed his eyes and remained silent.

"Your Majesty, I have heard that the Prince Duan's heir has safely escorted the Ninth Prince to the capital. The Ninth Prince is Your Majesty's own son. As long as he is alive and well, it is no loss for Your Majesty. The children and grandchildren of the deposed Crown Prince are all bastards. Why should Your Majesty care about their lives?"