“After you go back this time, you will no longer be the prince consort. Don’t always think about going to the palace and causing me any more trouble.”

"mean."

“If I were stingy, I would tie you up so you wouldn’t be able to walk around so brazenly dressed as a man.”

I covered my head with the blanket. He's the most cunning one; if I can't win an argument, I just hide.

As soon as they entered Li Ruowei's courtyard, they saw Meng Anshi carefully helping her out. She was wearing Caiwei's mask, so her original appearance was not visible.

"elder sister."

"Sister-in-law, please come in."

We had only exchanged a few words when someone came to report that I needed to return to the palace immediately to participate in the Crown Princess's funeral.

I have an excuse to return to the palace, even if it's just to say goodbye to Li Zhaole and the others.

Before I could even get up, Meng Anshi, who was wearing Xie Yuancheng's mask, spoke up: "You all go and get ready at the door. I'll be going out with the Prince Consort in a bit."

His voice was so realistic. If I hadn't spent so much time with Xie Yuancheng that I could tell the difference, I would have thought it was Xie Yuancheng standing next to me.

As soon as the people outside left, Xie Yuancheng came in from the other side. It's really pitiful that he has to hide in his own home.

"Sister." Xie Yuancheng glanced at Meng Anshi. When men get angry, they can be just as fierce as women.

"Yuancheng, you and your sister-in-law should go back first." Li Ruowei was as gentle as ever; they were siblings, and they understood each other perfectly.

I kept looking at him while I was in the car; his expression was like that of a child whose candy had been taken away.

"Yuancheng, you'd better be happy, otherwise when you get off the car, people will say that you and the Crown Princess are still entangled in your old relationship."

He finally smiled a little, but he was still very unhappy. I tried to cheer him up for a long time before he looked normal again.

After getting off the carriage, he went straight to the East Palace. To demonstrate his deep affection, the Crown Prince set up a mourning hall for his wife in the East Palace. Considering what he had done, his act of setting up a mourning hall was utterly ridiculous.

Li Ruowei's name was engraved in the Crown Prince's biography, since the name was fake anyway and had nothing to do with her sister.

As soon as I entered the East Palace, I parted ways with Xie Yuancheng. There were many people in the East Palace, but no one made a loud noise, and many of them were ministers I didn't recognize.

After circling around, I finally met Li Zhaole.

"Princess." Her belly was quite large, making movement difficult. If I had faked my death in Sizhou back then, perhaps she could have been with Lin Yu.

But considering that Lin Yu sent people to assassinate the Ji family, I began to doubt his motives.

"Your Highness has been so busy lately that you've lost weight. When you get back, E'ang and Anxiang will help you recover properly."

I helped her sit down. Today, I could only stay with Anxin. Wan'er and Granny Zhang were not by her side.

"Le'er, I thought you were somewhere else. Turns out you're here with the Prince Consort."

The Queen walked over gracefully, looking much better than before; she was clearly overjoyed.

"Mother, my husband and I are often separated and rarely see each other."

"Mother knows, but the Crown Prince needs comforting right now. I've been talking to him for a while and he's still in a bad mood. Le'er, please help talk to your Crown Prince brother."

Judging from your expression, you're clearly very happy.

Li Zhaole said she would go first and asked me to go back with her later. I sat there watching the Empress laugh. Although she was well-maintained, the thought of the wicked things she and the Crown Prince had done as wives made me itchy with hatred, and I wanted to join in.

Fortunately, she only talked to me about everyday things, such as Li Zhaole being pregnant and needing my company often.

"Your Highness, how's your investigation going regarding the matter we discussed last time?"

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I will give you an explanation when I return to the palace this time."

The Empress nodded this time, and we chatted for a few more minutes before Lu Fengjun came over.

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."

"No need for such formalities."

"Your Majesty, the Emperor has summoned your humble servant and the Imperial Son-in-Law."

The Empress nodded: "Then you may go. I have finished speaking with the Prince Consort."

The Emperor has summoned me; could something have happened?

I had only taken a few steps when I asked Lu Fengjun, but he didn't know either. The Prime Minister and several ministers had already gone ahead.

However, the place we went to was not the palace where the emperor held court, but a side hall.

"Where is this?" I looked at the Taoist-style corridor and the steps in front of me. The layout here was completely different from that of the imperial palace.

“Brother Ji, this is the Celestial Master’s Mansion built in the palace.”

I've heard palace servants mention the Celestial Master's Mansion before. It's said to be a martial arts master whom the Emperor trusts implicitly. Could it be that the Emperor also wants to practice martial arts?

I was a little out of breath when I got to the top of the steps; my official robes were heavy, and I was sweating all over.

“Brother Ji, we are both martial arts practitioners, so we should exercise regularly.”

Lu Fengjun laughed beside me. I used to think he looked like a scholar, but now I realize I really underestimated him.

"Brother Lu, I have indeed been lazy lately, and I'm sure you'll find it amusing."

Lu Fengjun just smiled. He looked like a handsome young man. It was Xie Yuancheng. Every time I wanted to praise him, I would think of that day.

As soon as we entered, we saw bronze furnaces for alchemy on both sides, with some Taoist banners hanging from them.

Not far away stood the Prime Minister, General Li, and two or three ministers he had met before. The Emperor was wearing a white dragon robe with dragons baring their fangs and claws. He was talking with a Taoist priest dressed entirely in blue, who was holding a whisk.

He must be the most favored Taoist master. He looks strange no matter how you look at him, and he doesn't look like a monk practicing cultivation at all.

The emperor and he turned around. The man didn't look old, he looked to be under forty. His two tufts of beard were really eye-catching, and anyone could see the sinister look in his eyes.

"My beloved ministers, you have come at the perfect time. The Celestial Master's Nine-Headed Bird has been forged today, so it's a good opportunity for you to broaden your horizons."

The Emperor's voice sounded old, completely different from when I last had an audience with him.

I stood between Lu Fengjun and the Prime Minister, both of them wearing unfriendly expressions.

The Celestial Master waved his whisk, and the furnace where he was refining elixirs automatically opened its lid, from which flew out a strange bird that was entirely red except for its head and feet, which were black.

Birds began to fly around the house. There was a set of chimes nearby, and two people started to strike them. The strange bird actually flew down and danced in front of the emperor.

"Your Majesty, the Nine-Headed Bird is performing a dance for you," the Celestial Master said respectfully, but his eyes were full of mockery.

The Emperor was delighted; he clapped his hands. I saw the Prime Minister shake his head, and Lu Fengjun also sighed softly.

This bird looks anything but auspicious, and it's called the Nine-Headed Bird! How could it possibly fool the Emperor? His supposed wisdom isn't all an act, is it? He actually believed such a deceptive trick. It's not even as good as the narrow path where he and Xie Yuancheng faced the Crown Prince's arrow rain. If Ling Wu had been there, she could have done a much better job.

At this moment, the Nine-Headed Bird cried out, flapped its wings and soared up, then gracefully landed on the ground and bowed to the Emperor.

"May Your Majesty be blessed, and may Heaven protect the Great Zhao!"

Even birds are speaking; I have no idea how this Taoist priest managed to do it.