“At that time, the Scorpion Envoy might make some unusual moves. I need you to activate the bond between you and him and protect his soul. This will help him resist for a while,” Ji Fengyao said bluntly. “But doing so may injure your soul and cause you pain.”

"Chirp!" The golden phoenix bravely flapped its little fleshy wings, its childlike voice sweet and innocent: "I'm not afraid of pain, I will protect my master!"

"Good boy, I'll give you something delicious later." Ji Fengyao was so charmed by it that she smiled and reached out to stroke its round little head.

Ji Fengyao began inserting the needles.

Shang Xiye sent telepathic instructions to Wuying and Wuzhong respectively, and the entire Hui Nuan Pavilion was immediately placed under full lockdown. Even the maids in the outer courtyard were asked to return to their rooms and were not allowed to move around or make loud noises.

Lin Shuang, along with Xi Que and Bai Lu, three maids, stood guard outside the door.

The three of them didn't know what had happened, only that Hui Nuan Pavilion had suddenly been placed under martial law, and they were all a little worried.

Lin Shuang couldn't help but keep peeking into the room through the door.

She was usually the most composed of the three maids;

Her restlessness was so palpable that even the sparrow noticed something was wrong: "Sister Lin Shuang, why are you more anxious than I am? Who are you worried about?"

"Could it be Prince Anping?" Bai Lu chuckled mischievously.

Lin Shuang said sternly with a slight reproach, "Don't talk nonsense! What is the status of Prince Anping, and what is my status? Don't let this get out and make people laugh."

"If it's not our young master, could it be our head of the family?" Xi Que stared in disbelief, his face also serious. "That won't do! Our head of the family already has a wife. She's a wonderful woman. You can't ruin things between them."

Lin Shuang: "..."

Bai Lu secretly rubbed her forehead: "Sister Xi Que, there's still the Black Owl guard, why are you so worried about Marquis Anping? Marquis Anping is the Queen's father, even if Sister Lin Shuang had nine heads, she wouldn't dare to covet him!"

Xi Que scratched the back of his head and chuckled, "That's right. So, Sister Lin Shuang's sweetheart, isn't it Master Hei?"

Lin Shuang blushed instantly, biting her lip and turning away, saying, "Nothing of the sort, don't make wild guesses."

Her blush immediately made Xique and Bailu understand, and they both chuckled softly, "Oh, so Sister's sweetheart is really Blackie."

"No wonder you made red clothes around the New Year, sister. When I looked at the embroidery patterns, they didn't look like women's clothing," Bai Lu said with a sudden realization.

Xi Que even joked without any restraint: "I thought Sister Lin Shuang was getting married and was making her wedding dress in advance!"

Lin Shuang was so embarrassed by what the two of them said that she stomped her foot lightly and said, "I'm ignoring you. I'm going to go see how the food preparation in the small kitchen is going."

At this time, in the Chen State Duke's Mansion.

Lady Chen was overjoyed to receive news that the Duke of Chen and his two sons were on their way back to the capital. She burst into tears of joy, but was filled with anxiety at the end.

To her delight, the pillar of the family had finally returned, and the Chen State Duke's Mansion had a backbone again, so she no longer had to live in fear.

What troubled her was that the Duke's mansion, which had been prosperous before the New Year, had been ruined to the point of near destitution in just one year. She didn't know how to explain it to him.

If I hadn't known that the Chen family had a secret stash of assets;

And since her eldest daughter is the Empress, she probably has no choice but to atone with her death.

Chen Ziying, however, was filled with anticipation. She was just waiting for her father and elder brother to return so that she could properly avenge the bandits who had robbed her mansion.