"If we're talking about the disaster relief team, there are only two people who can be considered outstanding young talents:"

Meng Jian, deputy commander of the Imperial Guards, and Pei Xueqiao, the eldest son of the prime minister.

Qin Minghuang's eyes widened suddenly—it was these two!

My resolve wavered again just now because of Xiao Liu's firm conviction; the identities of these two people are simply too sensitive.

The Meng family had guarded the capital region for generations and were deeply rooted in the Imperial Guard.

Even her ascension to the throne was largely due to the Meng family's unwavering adherence to the late emperor's edict and their vow to defend her legitimate status.

As for Pei Xueqiao, he is the only legitimate son of the Prime Minister of Fengtai Pavilion, and his status is equally significant.

With one being a scholar and the other a warrior, no matter which one Zhao Yue chooses to be with, her status in the court will immediately undergo a dramatic change.

Yin Zhe knows Her Majesty the Empress too well; he can tell what she's thinking at a glance.

"What's the rush? It's the two of them who have taken a liking to Zhaoyue."

Huh? Qin Minghuang was stunned; this wasn't what she expected.

If these two were to spread the word that they wanted to meet and get married, the threshold of the mansion would probably be worn down by the crowds. So... they both have their eyes on Xiao Liu?

Of course, it's not that her Zhaoyue is bad, well... she wasn't so great before.

However, along the way, the young men from the Meng and Pei families probably noticed her wit to some extent, and it's inevitable that their impressions of her changed.

"So, Xiao Liu didn't like either of them?"

Not entirely.

Qin Minghuang looked at the person opposite her with a reproach, "Can't you just finish what you're saying at once?"

"Then Your Majesty should ask someone else?"

"Speak quickly!"

Yin Zhe ignored everything and slowly recounted the process.

When Qin Minghuang spoke of Pei Xueqiao delivering ginger soup late at night, she clenched her fists.

Well, what a family of Pei! A family tradition of learning has produced such a reckless brat?

Hearing that Xiao Liu had turned him away and wouldn't even let him into the backyard, he breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed that Pei Xueqiao had a one-sided crush on Xiao Liu.

"And what about Meng Jian?"

"That's a bit complicated. Your Majesty knows what kind of person Zhaoyue likes, doesn't he?"

Qin Minghuang pursed her lips and then shook her head.

It was only this year that she began to take Zhao Yue seriously.

After years of utter disappointment, I naturally stopped paying attention, so it's no wonder the child harbors resentment.

"She likes things with sharp edges."

As he spoke, Yin Zhe gestured to his abdomen and said, word by word, "It has... edges, it has... corners."

Qin Minghuang sighed, thinking, "This really suits Xiao Liu's personality."

"By this standard, she's taken a liking to Meng Jian?"

To be honest, that kid from the Meng family is really good.

A handsome young man, his face makes you think he comes from a scholarly family if you don't know which one he's from. As for his features... well, he certainly has some.

"Hey! At first, yes, Zhaoyue immediately set her sights on that kid from the Meng family, but..."

Yin Zhe drawled, "Ever since I learned about the Meng family's identities, I've kept my distance."

She knew exactly what she wanted and had no desire to get involved in such troublesome matters.

After hearing the whole story, Qin Minghuang felt a little uneasy.

The thing she feared never happened, but her daughter, a princess, had to give up her pursuit because of her status.

"Never mind," Qin Minghuang sighed. With Xiao Liu's current temper, she couldn't get involved anyway.

On the other side, after going around in circles, Sui Mo led the people to a palace.

Qin Zhaoyue looked up and saw the three characters "Qingwuxuan" engraved in gold lacquer in the center of the plaque.

The brushstrokes are vigorous, like gnarled old branches, and the deep ink is mottled with moss, faintly revealing the vicissitudes of time.

The plaque, made of ebony, has fine bamboo-like patterns outlined along its edges with jade-colored lacquer lines, subtly echoing the spirit of the characters "Qingwu".

"Is this the Imperial Armory? Isn't that a bit too ordinary?"

Before she came of age, she had always lived in the palace, but she had no memory of this palace.

Originally, she hadn't shown any martial arts talent since she was a child.

To reach the mortal martial realm, one must cultivate one's muscles, bones, and blood; it's a very arduous process, like the "Boyhood Skill."

The original owner of this body couldn't endure hardship, so he was never associated with the armory.

Before Qin Zhaoyue arrived, she thought it would be a tall tower or some kind of high-end monument, but it turned out to be just an ordinary palace with nothing special about its exterior.

"It's used to store martial arts manuals. All the martial arts manuals in the world come from the Imperial Palace, and there are many people who covet this place."

Qin Zhaoyue nodded, understanding.

Those who steal cultivation techniques are generally not very skilled; most are probably at the fourth rank.

Knowledge monopolies exist in every era, and this is especially true for highly sophisticated and cutting-edge fields.

The palace has a complex layout, and even if an ordinary person could get a map, it wouldn't be easy to find the exact location.

Why build a unique building? It's better to blend in with the crowd.

"Your Highness, please produce the token."

Qin Zhaoyue did as she was told. The moment she took it out, the courtyard gate opened automatically. She looked inside but didn't see anyone.

The courtyard, which looked ordinary, suddenly became much more sophisticated.

"Let's go, don't just stand there."

Sui Mo shook his head. "The armory recognizes badges, not people. I can't get in."

Now that she and Mo Zu have been assigned to His Highness, they need to go through the formalities, and there is still some luggage to pack in the palace.

Learning the techniques is not something that can be accomplished overnight; there should be time.

"Your Highness, I am waiting outside the palace gate."

"Alright, you can go now."

Qin Zhaoyue stepped inside on her own, and the courtyard gate closed automatically.

Looking back, there were no traps or mechanisms in sight, so it must have been the work of a high-ranking martial artist guarding Qingwu Pavilion.

The palace layout was not much different, with a front hall, a back hall, and side halls.

The lazy afternoon sun slanted through the carved windows of the side hall, and the half-rolled bamboo blind filtered down fine golden spots, which fell on the white sleeves of the person inside the window.

I could only see a silhouette in the middle of the road; it must have been a woman, as her fair fingers lifted the pages of the book.

A bird just happened to fly over the eaves, bringing a chirp that broke the silence, but the person's movements did not stop for the moment.

The side hall was closed, but the main hall was wide open, meaning people were about to enter.

But Qin Zhaoyue deliberately limped to the side of the huge window and craned her neck to look inside.

She was indeed a young woman, her black hair loose and unbound, with a white jade ring at the end, which swayed gently as she turned the pages.

The person who could be guarding this place must be no ordinary person. They must have noticed her arrival. It's quite possible that the silent opening and closing of the door just now was their doing.

"Hey beautiful, what are you looking at?"