Stepping out of the Jiying Hall, a night breeze blew, carrying the unique cool scent of grass and trees within the palace walls, dispelling some of the stale air inside.
Li Yuheng floated beside Shu Bai, stretched out a big yawn, and suddenly stopped with a cry of "Ah!"
Shu Bai didn't stop walking, only glancing at him sideways: "What is it now?"
"Shu Bai!" Li Yuheng darted ahead of him in a few quick steps. "Something terrible has happened! We seem to have forgotten something extremely important!"
"explain."
"Change Xifeng into women's clothes! What happened to taking advantage of the chaos to turn his dragon robe into a skirt? You were so busy watching the fun and getting close to me that you forgot about the important matter."
Shu Bai stopped and looked at him.
The moonlight and the light from the palace lanterns intertwined, falling on Li Yuheng's feigned annoyance.
Shu Bai knows him too well.
That bastard never really intended to dress Xifeng in women's clothing.
At least, that's not the main purpose.
He was just looking for an excuse to make a surprise return and inspect the work.
After all, the on-site assessment for Xifeng and the others' official appointment had just ended. Whether the matter was handled cleanly and whether there were any hidden dangers that would require the Crown Prince to clean up the mess were what Li Yuheng was truly concerned about.
"Sure," Shu Bai smiled knowingly, playing along with him, "Shall we go back?"
“Go back, we must go back.” Li Yuheng nodded vigorously. “The male lead always keeps his word. He said he would change him into a skirt, so he can’t let him spend the New Year in pants.”
Shu Bai turned and walked toward the Prince of Zhenbei and his wife, who had not yet gone far.
"Father, Mother, my wife and I have some private matters to attend to. You two should return to the inn first, and we will follow shortly."
Shu Bai dismissed his parents with a few words and sent them back to the post station. Although the Prince of Zhenbei had some doubts, he thought that his son was safe with his powerful daughter-in-law, so he let him go.
After his parents had gone far away, Shu Bai turned around and looked at Li Yuheng: "Let's go, Your Highness, go and hold an on-site debriefing meeting for your 'subordinates'."
Li Yuheng raised an eyebrow, grabbed Shu Bai's waist, and lightly leaped onto the shadow of the palace wall with him.
"Those who understand me are my friends. However, the 'summary meeting' is too serious. What we call this is: warmly greeting employees who worked overtime and checking their work results."
…
In a more secluded corner of the palace garden, several figures were already waiting.
Despite being disguised as Crown Prince Jingchen, he remained standing in the same spot, quietly instructing several eunuchs on follow-up matters, maintaining the composure befitting a crown prince.
But the other four are a completely different story.
Tan Wantang, or rather, the former Consort Tan, has long since shed her magnificent palace attire and donned the convenient attire of a ghost messenger.
She was squatting undignifiedly on a stone lantern, resting her chin on her hand, her eyes vacant, her peripheral vision seemingly wandering elsewhere.
Li Qiyang scratched his head and circled around Grandpa Xiang and Grandma Zhen, muttering to himself:
"...It should be fine, right? Was that a firm press? Did you stay alert? Please, whatever you do, don't make any mistakes..."
Grandpa Xiang leaned against the pillar with his sleeves tucked in, looking quite composed, but the occasional glances he made towards the shadows betrayed his inner turmoil.
Grandma Zhen remained quiet, but the handkerchief in her hand had been unconsciously twisted into a pretzel.
They are waiting.
They await the final decision of the Crown Prince of the Underworld regarding their promotion assessment.
A silence filled the air, a mixture of tension, anticipation, and a hint of weariness.
Suddenly, the shadow rippled.
Li Yuheng, with Shu Bai in his arms, appeared silently before everyone like a ghost.
The usual playful smile on his face was gone, replaced by a calm scrutiny.
His gaze swept casually over everyone present.
He did not speak immediately.
This brief silence felt like an invisible hand gripping Li Qiyang's heart.
He almost performed a sliding knee slide on the spot.
Even Tan Wantang, who was squatting on the stone lantern, unconsciously straightened her back.
Li Yuheng's gaze finally fell on Xifeng, who was still instructing the eunuchs.
As if sensing something, Xifeng finished his instructions, waved away the eunuch, and turned around.
"Your Highness." Xifeng nodded slightly, his voice as steady as ever.
Li Yuheng finally spoke: "Has Jinghong's soul been completely disposed of?"
Xifeng nodded: "The five of us have cast spells simultaneously, placed a restriction, and sent him into the soul-guiding passage. The vengeful spirits that exploded within his body have also been completely gathered, ensuring that not a single trace leaks out, and that no residual aura may form new vengeful spirits."
Li Yuheng offered no comment, turning his gaze to Li Qiyang: "Has the source of the Soul Refining Backlash been identified?"
Li Qiyang was startled and quickly stepped forward, bowing as he said, "Your Highness! It's been investigated! It was the Third Prince... Jing Hong who colluded with several evil sects, using the Liu family's influence to secretly detain living souls. The hideouts of those evil sects have been located, and the relevant evidence has been handed over to Zhao Wuwang."
He glanced cautiously at Li Yuheng's expression and added, "I guarantee that Zhao Wuwang can follow this line and nail the Liu family to the ground, without implicating the Zhenbei Prince's Mansion and... and the Crown Prince's Consort."
Li Yuheng gave a soft "hmm," his expression unreadable.
He then looked at Tan Wantang: "What about the aftermath within the palace?"
Tan Wantang jumped down from the stone lantern and clapped her hands: "Don't worry, Your Highness. 'Consort Tan' was frightened and needs to rest. She won't see anyone for a while."
"The emperor will only remember that his good son brought this upon himself, and at most he'll think I was just unlucky to have gotten myself into this mess."
Grandpa Xiang and Grandma Zhen spoke up without him having to ask.
Grandfather: "The eunuchs and palace maids who witnessed the abnormality in the palace have had their memories blurred. They only remember the confusion and cannot recall the specific details."
Grandma Zhen: "The yin energy and evil energy remaining in the Hall of Heroes have been purified and will not have any subsequent impact on the living."
After everyone finished reporting, they fell silent again, staring expectantly at Li Yuheng.
Shu Bai stood beside Li Yuheng, quietly watching this scene.
At this moment, Li Yuheng showed none of his usual abstract and unconventional side.
He simply stood there, calmly listening to the report, and naturally exuded the aura of a superior, making people involuntarily hold their breath.
This is the true appearance of the Crown Prince of the Underworld.
Li Yuheng's gaze slowly swept over the five people again, taking in their expressions of tension or anticipation.
He suddenly chuckled softly.
"OK."
Then, he raised his hand and casually traced a few lines in the air with his fingertips.
Five barely perceptible golden rays entered the brows of Xifeng, Tan Wantang, Li Qiyang, Grandpa Xiang, and Granny Zhen, respectively.
The five people trembled slightly at the same time, feeling a pure power of merit flowing into their souls.
At the same time, a clear "accurate" mark flashed through their senses.
I passed the performance review for becoming a permanent employee.
Li Qiyang almost burst into tears of joy, but he covered his mouth to keep from howling.
Tan Wantang let out a long sigh of relief, and the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up in a smile.
Grandpa Xiang and Grandma Zhen exchanged a glance, their eyes filled with satisfaction.
Even in Xifeng's eternally unchanging, lifeless eyes, a faint ripple seemed to pass through.
"Thank you, Your Highness!" the five said in unison, their voices filled with genuine excitement this time.
Li Yuheng waved his hand, and that seriousness vanished instantly; he returned to being the familiar Li Yuheng.
He grinned, revealing two rows of white teeth, and nudged Shu Bai beside him with his elbow:
"How was it, honey? My men did a pretty good job, didn't they? They didn't embarrass me, did they?"
Shu Bai glanced at him: "He's a bit better than someone who can only turn vengeful ghosts into Hello Kitty."
Li Yuheng: "...Hey! Shu Bai, that's not very interesting. I called it artistic embellishment, it's about dissolving hostility invisibly, don't you understand?"
Tan Wantang couldn't help but burst out laughing.
Li Qiyang quickly lowered his head to suppress his laughter, his shoulders shrugging.
The west wind silently shifted its gaze.
Li Yuheng glared at them, then chuckled to himself. He stroked his chin, his gaze sweeping over Xifeng, and that malicious smile crept back onto his lips.
"Speaking of which... the west wind..."
Xi Feng's body stiffened almost imperceptibly.
"You'll have to use this crown prince's skin for a while longer, won't you? After all, the old emperor has been frightened, and the court needs to be stabilized."
West Wind: "...Yes."
Li Yuheng nodded, his tone becoming earnest: "The task is arduous. The imperial family is the most troublesome place in the mortal realm. Look at you today, running around doing everything, you must be exhausted!"
West Wind: "...It's my duty."
"Hmm, very conscientious." Li Yuheng nodded approvingly, then changed the subject, "So, to help relieve your stress, and to celebrate your successful promotion..."
He slowly reached into his sleeve and pulled out a neatly folded item, made of a very soft-looking, delicate cherry-pink fabric.
He flicked his wrist.
The item unfolded.
It was a long dress with exquisite workmanship and delicate lace trim on the hem.
Li Yuheng smiled and handed the cherry-pink dress to Xifeng:
"Here, put these on. Relax a bit."
West Wind: "…………"
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