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The wind and snow continued, and the fine silver charcoal in the stove inside crackled and popped, making the room feel soft and cozy.

When Xu learned the news in Sima An's courtyard, he was thinking about He Miao and Xi Yushao. He was a little dazed when he suddenly heard that Gu Qingyi had fallen ill.

He couldn't help but ask, "Who?"

Ruolan kindly explained, "It was Madam Gu who fainted. The physician from the manor said it was due to overwork and that Madam Gu should rest well."

Is Gu Qingyi sick?

In my memory, her figure is tall and majestic, and will never crumble.

Why is she sick?

Sui Zhixu lowered her eyes in thought; according to etiquette, she should go and see him.

"Let's go together."

At least we should go outside to offer our condolences and, while we're at it, visit the people at the Prince's residence.

"yes."

On the way, Xu Youxian chatted with Ruolan, "When did you come to serve the county princess?"

“I entered the manor a long time ago, about four or five years ago.”

Sui Zhixu smiled gently, "That was quite a long time ago, and quite a coincidence."

Ruolan laughed along with her, secretly trying to figure out the meaning of "Xi Yuzhen." She felt that Xi Niangzi's words were strange.

“I heard from my brother that he has been having a good chat with Master He recently. Is Master He at home? I will give him my regards later.”

"My lady, you're talking about Master He? I haven't seen him in a long time. But Master He lives in Hengyuan. You can visit him when you have time."

Sui Zhixu smiled and said, "Okay, thank you, Madam Ruolan."

Ruolan: "..."

Tsk, weird.

How eerie.

Based on her years of experience mingling with Sima An, she instinctively felt that something was wrong with Xi Yuzhen.

At first, she would secretly try to find out about Madam Lu, but upon learning that she hadn't seen her since she entered the manor, she immediately changed her tune. She acted timid and weak in front of Sima An, but was very imposing in front of her.

They always wanted to win over their husbands, as if they thought that having a face similar to their wives would allow them to do whatever they wanted in front of their husbands.

Later, she abandoned her husband and fell in love with Xun Wang instead, and was then granted the title of County Princess by the Emperor. It's hard to say whether she was lucky or unlucky.

Fortunately, she was blessed with good fortune. County princesses were a rarity in the Great Qi Dynasty. There were few royal offspring, and only a handful of county princesses in this generation. In Chang'an, there was only one county princess from a different family, Sima An.

Unfortunately, everyone in Chang'an knew about Xun Wang's affair with her. She was impeached by court officials for entertaining half of the dancers from the brothel on a pleasure boat, and then she bumped into Xie's wife at a banquet, Xun Wang's rightful fiancée...

Being granted the title of County Princess naturally meant she couldn't become a concubine of the Prince Xun; otherwise, wouldn't that be a slap in the face to the Emperor?

After all, judging from the way he acted, His Majesty clearly regarded Lady Xi as a junior, while Prince Xun and His Majesty were of the same generation.

Oh, right, now that the Prince of Xuanping has rebelled, the title of County Princess is practically meaningless.

Logically, she shouldn't be going crazy, so why should she thank her?

Wait a minute, according to the orders given by my husband, it's very likely that we'll be heading to Chang'an with my wife at this time.

So she has a bold conjecture.

Sui Zhixu turned to look at her, "Why are you looking at me, Lady Ruolan?"

"No, it's nothing. It was this servant who was rude to you, madam."

This matter requires careful consideration; we cannot rashly expose ourselves.

As soon as he withdrew his gaze, he had already made up his mind.

In response to Ruolan's reply, she simply smiled and said it was alright. But as soon as she stepped into Gu Qingyi's courtyard, she heard what sounded like an argument.

“A bunch of useless people. The people left behind by the Prime Minister have different thoughts. I only asked them to do some small things a few days ago, and they still messed them up. How can I trust them?”

Sima Xian: "Even if things go badly in the court, I will take care of things. There will be no one to help you. Your most urgent task now is to take good care of yourself."

"The ascension to the throne is a busy affair, and everything in the court needs to be taken care of. I am not at ease with this situation."

"Teacher, don't forget me."

Hearing Sima An's words and seeing her innocent and naive foolishness, Gu Qingyi felt even more troubled.

"I……"

She really wanted to say, "How could Sima Xian and Shen Huaiyu have given birth to someone like you?"

Her chest heaved as she slowly uttered, "Your mother is exceptionally talented; I think she's excellent."

"ah?"

Shen Huaiyu patted Sima An, who was squatting by Gu Qingyi's bedside. She was confused. Wasn't this supposed to be about her? How did it get to her mother?

"Go back first, don't disturb your teacher's recovery."

"All right."

Shen Huaiyu sat down in front of Gu Qingyi's bed. "You should rest well. There are few affairs in the inner palace, and I will help with the affairs of the court. If all else fails, there is still Runan. Things will be fine after this busy period."

Gu Qingyi nodded and closed her eyes to rest.

"My lady, Lady Xi has come to visit, along with the Prince of Wei and his son."

"What are you doing here, Xi Yuzhen?" Sima An's eyes changed, and he immediately stood up and shouted, sounding very disgusted with her.

Gu Qingyi rubbed her temples; her head was aching even more.

"Let them... never mind, come in."

King Wei rushed in and knelt by her bedside. "Qingyi, how are you? Have all the old Yu Dynasty officials died? You've had to do everything by yourself."

The King of Wei spoke in an unfriendly tone, openly accusing Sima Xian. Sima Xian's expression turned sour, and he turned his back.

"Mother."

"Madam Gu."

Chu Yong's voice and Xi Yuzhen's voice simultaneously echoed in Gu Qingyi's mind, making her feel even more troubled. She shouldn't have brought them both in.

"Alright, don't you know the current situation of your old subordinates? I always have to keep an eye on them."

Through her blurry vision, she saw "Xi Yuzhen" standing not far away, dressed in red, with a beautiful face, but her evasive eyes greatly diminished her good looks.

But it looks very similar...

It's just like when that child got married.

In an instant, Gu Qingyi's memories became even more blurred. She was so sleepy and wanted to go to sleep.

"Come here."

Sui Zhixu glanced around; they were talking about her.

She cautiously stepped forward, knelt down beside Gu Qingyi's bed, and obediently lowered her head, looking both careful and slightly ingratiating.

"I heard that the opera singer ran to the city gate last night?"

"I……"

"Don't be nervous, I was just asking casually."

Although Xu kept her head down, she didn't think so. She knew her teacher best; every word he said was purposeful, and he thought three steps ahead for every step he took. Back then, in the case of the disaster relief funds for the Jiangnan floods, he separated all the old Yu Dynasty officials and pinned all the blame on Xun Wang.

"I heard that my brother has returned. I was raised by him since I was a child and we have never been apart. This time, I have been away for so long, so I am naturally very anxious." Sui Zhixu raised her head and said timidly, "Deputy General Lin also saw me. That is why I know that my brother went to the palace to discuss matters."

"Um."

The girl in front of me, "Xi Yuzhen," looked delicate and frail. She bent over, revealing a section of her fair neck, and occasionally cautiously raised her eyes to peek at my expression.

Gu Qingyi looked listless, feeling that she had been in a daze again. How could she have mistaken Xi Yuzhen for that child?

"Has Yunhuai met with Shujin?" Gu Qingyi turned to Sima Xian and asked softly.

"Yes, we discussed some things. A copy of the document has also been presented to you; you can look at it after you recover."

There were many people, which Sima Xian did not elaborate on.

The Prince of Wei couldn't bear to watch any longer and made Gu Qingyi lie down. "You're so sick, don't talk about these things. Yong'er, come and take care of your mother."

Chu Yong glanced at Sui Zhixu, who was kneeling by the bed. She made room for him and stood obediently to the side.

Sima An looked up and glanced around, then angrily grabbed "Xi Yuzhen" and dragged her out. Shen Huaiyu couldn't stop him and could only instruct Ruolan to keep an eye on things and prevent Sima An from causing any trouble.

Ruolan agreed and ran out with them.

"Princess, please let me go... please be gentle."

Even though the sound of Xi Yuzhen crying could still be heard from afar, interspersed with Sima An's stern rebukes.

Gu Qingyi's head throbbed with pain as she listened. "When is Anniang going to stop making a scene?"

Shen Huaiyu said, "She used to be very obedient and well-behaved. I never expected that A-Ling would have such a big influence on An-Niang."

"You all go ahead and get busy, let me rest for a while."

King Wei: "That's right, that's right, none of you should disturb Qingyi's rest."

"The same to you."

King Wei: "Oh."

The two ran far away, and then Xu shouted for a long time before stopping and coughing for a while.

"Sister, are you alright?" Sima An stepped forward to carry Xu Shun on his back.

"It's alright, it's alright."

After catching his breath, he realized that speaking in a strained voice was not an easy task, and he almost couldn't hold it in.

What did my uncles say?

"Don't worry, sister. I've taken care of everything. You can stay here now and don't need to go to the opera house."

Sui Zhixu nodded and grabbed Sima An's hand, "Let's go to Lingye Courtyard."

"good."

Sima An didn't know what Sui Zhixu wanted to do, but she would do whatever her sister asked her to do; she trusted her sister.

Sui Zhixu smiled faintly, a hint of sadness in her eyes. Sima An glanced at her but didn't get a clear look. She grabbed Sui Zhixu's hand and ran towards Lingye Courtyard.

White banners were hung in the courtyard. Sima An's expression was flat, as if he was thinking of something unpleasant.

"You can go down first."

The servants obeyed Sima An's orders, but before they had gone far, they heard Sima An's angry curses.

"Look up at me, and don't laugh. I'm not like you."

Didn't you hear me tell you to look up?

The servants all shook their heads. Oh no, their county princess was at it again.

Why did Lady Lu have such a tragic fate? The county princess of the past was not like this; she followed Lady Lu around obediently and was always happy to see them.

Why.

Why!

Unlike now, the entire government is in a frenzy. I really don't know if the king's ascension to the throne is a good thing or a bad thing.

In reality, while Sui Zhixu sat on the swing, Sima An was shouting at the top of his lungs in the courtyard.

Sui Zhixu said, "Take a break, come and sit down."

"Is this enough?" Sima An jogged up to her, sweat beading on his forehead.

Su Zhixu nodded slightly, took out a handkerchief to wipe her face, and said gently, "An'an, rest here for a while. I'll go and check on He Miao."

Sima An frowned slightly, took her hand and put it in his arms, "I've always felt that he's a bit mysterious since I was a child, so be careful."

"Okay." Sui Zhixu patted her head and turned back to look at her before leaving. Sure enough, she was waiting for her there and waved happily when she saw her turn around.

Sui Zhixu lowered her eyes, her dark eyes dim beneath her long eyelashes. When would this cycle of revenge end? When she finally confronted Sima Xian, what would become of her and An Niang?

Her thoughts surged, but she suppressed them; now was not the time to think about these things.

If the system is not eliminated, it will surely cause great harm. Such a thing that steals people's fortune and even endangers the lives of all living beings should not exist in the first place.

Regardless of their past or any grudges they may have, the lives of ordinary people should not be treated as a joke, nor should they be used to achieve their own secrets.

Sima Xian was preparing to ascend the throne and had already taken control of the palace. It was very likely that He Miao would enter the palace to find Yue Ling.

She never expected that He Miao would actually move to Hengyuan. Hengyuan was the former residence of the Princess of Runan, her nominal mother's boudoir. How could she give it up to He Miao?

If Ruolan hadn't mentioned it, she might very well have gone to He Miao's old courtyard.

Su Zhixu was overthinking things and overlooked the bamboo flute that Sima An had carefully hidden in his sleeve, yet a corner of it was peeking out.

"Princess of the County".

“It’s alright, it’s alright.” Sima An sat on the swing. “She’s just very busy, busy with her own things, busy with things I don’t understand.”

The sound was very soft, drifting away in the wind into the boundless world. Ruolan didn't hear it clearly, nor did she dare to ask any more questions. She quietly stayed by Sima An's side and sighed silently.

Hengyuan

He knew that Xu had slipped past the servants and climbed over the wall to enter the courtyard. As a child, He Miao was eccentric and always wore a black cloak, keeping to himself. There were hardly any people in the courtyard.

However, there is a maze.

The moment she stepped into the courtyard, white mist rose around her, and in the blink of an eye, the scene transformed into a familiar place.

"Ah Ling, what are you doing?"

“I…” She turned around and saw the Princess of Runan County.

The Princess of Runan looked remarkably similar to Sima Xian, which is understandable, as they were twins.

"Mother." Her emotions and her heart were taken back to the past, as if her heart was being ripped out, squeezed tightly, swollen and sore.

"What are you doing?"

“My daughter heard that this was the courtyard where her mother used to live, so she wanted to come and see it… I want to know more about you.” She spoke slowly, having just returned from Miao territory and been forced by her teacher to speak the Central Plains dialect, making each sentence difficult.

She looked into her cold eyes with expectant eyes, and her heart sank instantly.

"Do you understand me?" A gentle but not coquettish face passed over her. They had the same appearance, the same compassionate look, but she didn't have that same feeling for Lu Kou.

"There's no need."

She left with her hands in her sleeves, her husband, Lu Langjun, carrying her zither behind her. He didn't even glance at Lu Kou before hurriedly following the Princess of Runan into the house.

After that, the servants passed by her one after another. Lu Kou stood alone in the courtyard, feeling dejected. There was still one thing she hadn't said. She had heard that her mother liked playing the zither, and before leaving, she had specially sought out a famous zither, thinking that her mother would like it. Because of this, A Niang was angry with her and ignored her for a long time.

"Ah Ling, what are you doing here?"

Gu Qingyi walked into the courtyard and stood in front of her.

"Teacher," Lu Kou threw herself into Gu Qingyi's arms, "please take me away from here."

Twelve-year-old Lu Kou was not even as tall as Gu Qingyi, and she threw herself into her arms like a bird returning to its nest.

"It seems that only my uncle likes me among my blood relatives."

People tend to use their native language in critical moments, and Lu Kou used Miao language.

"So can I sleep with you tonight, teacher? A teacher for a day is a mother for life, that's what they say in Zhongyuan, right? I'm really picky about beds, and I'm too embarrassed to bother my uncle and aunt, so please sleep with me, teacher."

Gu Qingyi did not reply to her.

Lu Kou continued, "Teacher, I know you can understand Miao language. I want it, I want it, I miss Ah Niang so much."

"This is a one-time exception; there will be no next time."

Lu Kou nestled in Gu Qingyi's arms and laughed, "Mmm."

"Qingyi." At some point, the Princess of Runan County appeared, watching them from a distance.

Cold and ruthless.

"You shouldn't have done that..."

Xu Zhixu snapped out of his daze, slapped his forehead hard, then closed his eyes and walked inside.

What kind of nonsense is this? Why would she think of this?

He walked straight down, and after stepping over the steps, he opened his eyes when he touched the brass ring on the door.

She gently pushed open the door. The room was a mess, with bamboo scrolls scattered all over the floor. Sui Zhixu picked them up casually; they were all forbidden techniques with severe backlash.

Among them, Sui Zhixu found a special scroll, which was spread out on the ground in a bright light, and the symmetrical circular patterns looked very familiar.

Sui Zhixu picked up the scroll and examined it closely; it resembled the array formation in the secret room of the kitchen at the Mountain and Sea Academy.

"The Reincarnation Array, a secret technique of Moon Mountain, was created by the seventh-generation leader of Moon Mountain. It can guide souls into the body. Through reincarnation and endless life, the soul is drawn together, transcending the mortal realm."

There is another scroll: "The Reincarnation Array, a forbidden technique incorporated by the seventh generation leader of Yueshan. Its effects are similar to the Reincarnation Array. It can cross the mortal realm and bring another body from countless worlds. However, it has severe backlash and is considered an evil technique of our time. It is forbidden among forbidden techniques. Yueshan disciples are no longer allowed to cultivate it."

So, it seems that Yueling used a reversal formation on her.

Xi Yushao, on the other hand, used the reincarnation array that He Miao employed.

What is the cost?

Although Xu searched the scroll but couldn't find it, the backlash from the scroll was bound to be severe.

That would be even stranger.

He Miao was determined to ascend to immortality, so how could Xi Yushao, a mortal, possibly help him?

The day of Sima Xian's death is drawing ever closer, at which time he can enter the palace to find Yueling.