After listening to Xu Suiyan's description, Qiao Zhaorong couldn't help but ask, "If what you say is true, then Jiang Qingluan certainly deserves her punishment."

But so many years have passed, and everything has changed. Aside from the Holy Land, how many people still remember this grudge?

Xu Suiyan said: "The Xu family will never forget Jiang Qingluan's betrayal. For nearly 1,500 years, generation after generation of the Xu family will never forget the suffering she brought to the Xu family and even the entire Shu region."

Qiao Zhaorong: "But even if you find Jiang Qingluan now, will she admit what happened back then?"

Even if you admit it, with her current cultivation level and strength, how can you bring her back to the Holy Domain to face punishment?

"You don't need to ask about Rong'er. If she really is the murderer who harmed my Xu family back then, I have my own ways to make her obediently return to the Holy Domain."

Xu Suiyan was very confident and didn't take Jiang Qingluan seriously at all.

Just then, the wind chimes in the inner room rang.

Consort Qiao stood up: "We have a guest. Your Highness, please stay here to recover. I'll go out and take a look."

"Okay, go ahead and do your work, don't worry about me."

After Qiao Zhaorong left, Xu Suiyan immediately grimaced in pain.

"Just who are these three guys? How could they be so ruthless?"

...

Inside the main hall, Shen Zhao stared intently at the pot of phoenix flowers, as if there was something mysterious about them.

"Fellow Daoist Shen, why have you suddenly come to my humble abode?"

When Qiao Zhaorong's voice rang out beside her, Shen Zhao came to her senses and immediately took out the brocade letter and threw it onto the table in front of her.

"You want me to deliver this completely illogical thing to Jiang Qingluan?"

Faced with Shen Zhao's questioning, Qiao Zhaorong was speechless.

"You didn't open it yourself, did you? Fellow Daoist Shen, I must remind you that it's extremely tasteless to open other people's mail without permission."

Did you say I couldn't demolish it?

Shen Zhao asked a question in return.

"Luckily I took a look, otherwise who knows what terrible thing might have happened."

He strode to the table and opened the brocade letter in front of Qiao Zhaorong.

Inside was a blank sheet of paper, without a single word written on it.

"Can you explain to me what's going on?"

Qiao Zhaorong helplessly shrugged.

"Okay, to be honest, I didn't write anything, but if the brocade letter were placed in front of the Queen of Yaochi, she should understand what would happen and be able to make plans in advance."

"So you're using me?" Shen Zhao laughed. "Qiao Zhaorong, do you know that?"

The first time I saw you, you reminded me of another face that looked exactly like yours, and at that moment I really wanted to slap you.

Qiao Zhaorong narrowed her eyes: "Then I am truly honored to be slapped by the elder of the Eighth District of the world-renowned Court of Justice. Many people would rather die than have such an opportunity."

"I'm not here to talk nonsense with you today. I want to know everything about Jiang Qingluan's life, the more detailed the better."

"Fellow Daoist Shen, that's asking too much. How could I possibly know so much about the life of the Queen of Yaochi?"

"Didn't you say you had a close relationship with the Jade Pool Holy Land? Why are you denying it now?"

Qiao Zhaorong took a deep breath and slowly said, "It's because Yuanhuang Island and Yaochi Holy Land have a good relationship."

It's not me, Consort Qiao. I only know the Empress of Yaochi through correspondence, but our relationship isn't what you're thinking.

I know you have doubts, but please believe me, I truly don't want anything to happen to the Queen of Yaochi.

"Is that so?"

Shen Zhao closed his eyes and scrutinized Qiao Zhaorong with a critical gaze.

"What's wrong, Rong'er? I just heard you arguing with someone. What happened?"

Just then, Xu Suiyan's voice rang out from the inner room.

Qiao Zhaorong was startled and quickly put away the brocade paper on the table.

"I'm fine, it was just a disagreement with a customer about flowers."

But Xu Suiyan still appeared in the hall.

Shen Zhao looked up, then his eyes narrowed slightly as he scrutinized the scene closely.

Xu Suiyan, unaware of the impending crisis, continued to say to Qiao Zhaorong, "Since someone has a problem with the flowers you planted, why not just kick them out?"

Then he looked at Shen Zhao, sized him up, and cupped his hands in a respectful gesture: "This guest, I don't want to see the flowers my friend planted subjected to any questioning."

This is something she has nurtured with countless efforts; please understand and don't be unreasonable. Please leave quickly.

Shen Zhao gave a light snort: "May I ask, young master, is your surname Xu?"

Xu Suiyan was startled: "Do you know me, sir?"

Shen Zhao pressed on, "Is Xu Rong, the Prince of Bashu in the Holy Land, your father?"

"It is indeed my father. Do you perhaps know my father as well?"

Upon arriving in the outer realms, few knew about the situation in the Holy Domain, let alone the deeds of the Xu family of Xishu County.

Now that he's heard about it, Xu Suiyan suddenly feels a bit more favorably toward Shen Zhao.

"So, you are the heir of the Bashu Prince's Mansion, the future consort of the Great Feng Dynasty, Xu Suiyan, the heir apparent?"

"Ha, I didn't expect my Xu family to be so famous in the Eastern Region? May I ask your honorable name?"

"Dead people don't need to know that much."

"What do you mean, sir?"

boom--

The next second, without saying a word, Shen Zhao raised his hand and swooped down in front of Xu Suiyan.

Immediately afterward, with a "smack," Xu Suiyan was hit in the face with a hook punch, and he was sent flying sideways.

This scene left Qiao Zhaorong dumbfounded, completely bewildered as to what was happening.

Poor Xu Suiyan's newly applied ointment was completely wasted; the moment she landed, she felt a burning pain on her face.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!