Chapter 49 The Cuckoo Takes Over the Nest
Consort Qin grabbed her maid's shoulder and asked urgently, "Explain clearly what exactly happened?"
The maid was startled by her appearance and stammered, "More than ten years ago, my fellow villager worked in the Empress's palace. She said that on the night the little princess was born, she saw the head maid carrying the baby out alone and then returning shortly afterward. Although she had her doubts, she didn't think much of it because the head maid was the Empress's most trusted person."
"Not long after, the head maid asked to leave the palace. Later, she heard from the princess's wet nurse that the little princess seemed to have a birthmark on her leg when she was born, but it was gone when she looked again. But how could a birthmark disappear so quickly? She immediately connected the two things and suspected that the head maid had sent the real princess out of the palace and brought back a fake one."
Consort Qin frowned.
The maid said, "But this is just her speculation, there's no basis for it, and it probably poses no threat to Princess Hexi..."
"It's against the rules to take the newborn princess out alone late at night; there's probably something fishy going on..." Consort Qin said. "Is your fellow townsman still working in the palace?"
The maid nodded. "She's currently working in Consort Qi's palace."
"Find a way to contact her and bring her here. I want to interrogate her thoroughly." Consort Qin's lips curled into a cold smile. "If someone were to usurp my place, they would probably die a more miserable death than I did."
"Yes," the maid replied.
A few days later, she brought the maid to Consort Qin late at night.
——
Ning Qi hadn't gone to the main peak to cultivate for a long time. After resting for a few days, he went back and felt that there was a tense atmosphere everywhere. Even the training ground had more people than usual, and they were all clashing and striking each other with real swords and spears.
During her break, she asked Xie Xiyue, who had come to find her, "What's going on? The atmosphere is so lively."
"In twelve days, the sect competition, which takes place once every five years, will be held. All cultivators will participate, and the Immortal Realm will also send an Immortal Lord to visit. The top five will have the opportunity to study in the Immortal Realm for half a year, and there is a very small chance that they will stay in the Immortal Realm." Xie Xiyue explained to her, "However, the last time someone stayed was fifty years ago."
She looked on with longing, "Five years ago, my dad said I was too young and wouldn't let me participate. This time I can finally compete. I hope I can make it into the top five. I've wanted to go to the Immortal Realm for a long time."
Ning Qi encouraged her: "You can definitely do it."
After all, she had read this part of the story. Xie Xiyue ranked third and did indeed enter the Immortal Realm for study, but in the end, she was unable to stay.
The only one left was the male protagonist who ranked first.
Tsk tsk, no wonder he's called Long Aotian, he rose to the top in one step.
As she was reminiscing, the system's voice popped up, "Don't forget to complete the tasks during this time."
Ning Qi's task was to show concern for Yan Chongyan every day, attend his matches to cheer him on, and demonstrate her deep infatuation with him.
A chill ran down her spine. She remained silent, but then she remembered something else: "Did Xiao Sui participate? It doesn't seem to be mentioned in the book."
"Of course not, he's already gone to the Demon Realm," the system said.
"Oh." Ning Qi suddenly had an idea. Why not encourage Xiao Sui to participate? He was clearly more powerful than Yan Chongyan, but he was suppressed by Xie Jingyan and bullied by his fellow disciples. If he participated in the competition, at least he could eliminate those people's misunderstandings about him and gain a foothold in the cultivation world.
He can't stay by her side as a servant forever; he deserves a wider world to explore.
"I advise you not to have such thoughts," the system said. "The villains have difficulty controlling their power because of the demonic seal. If they lose control during the competition and unleash demonic energy, harming others, it will be an even bigger problem."
“Xiao Sui has never harmed any innocent person,” Ning Qi said firmly.
system:"……"
As soon as she returned to the courtyard after school, she told Xiao Sui her thoughts.
Xiao Sui shook his head. "Princess, I can't do it."
“What’s wrong with you?” Ning Xi said. “You’ve cleared your name regarding Gu Xinxue’s matter, and Father will no longer care about Ning Xuanzhou’s matter. Now you can participate in the competition openly and let those ignorant people see your strength.”
“I can’t control my abilities,” Xiao Sui said.
Ning Qi was displeased. "Who exactly is instilling this idea in you? The seal on your neck has been off for so long, and it has never gone out of control."
Xiao Sui was still hesitating.
Ning Xi pouted, pretending to be angry, "If you don't want to participate, fine. I'll go watch Brother Yan's competition and cheer him on. Anyway, I have nothing to do if I don't participate."
The system said to her in her mind, "That's right, this is the important thing."
Xiao Sui's face paled. "You..."
Ning Qi continued, "If you participate, I'll cheer you on."
Xiao Sui opened his lips, "Okay, I'll sign up."
Ning Qi smiled and said, "That's right."
The system called out in her mind: "Aren't you going to do the mission? Do you know what cheering for the villains means? It means our points will continue to drop."
“Okay.” Ning Qi replied, “I know. I’ve decided to abandon the mission. You can leave me here and go back on your own.”
After the system emitted a series of alarm sounds, it remained silent for a long time.
Ningqi didn't know if it had already left.
She took out the prepared registration form from her bosom. "This project is divided into a written test and a practical test. The written test includes basic Taoist magic and talisman drawing... The practical test includes swordsmanship, alchemy, formations, and demon exorcism... Which ones are you suitable for? I'll register you. The more you register, the higher your accumulated score will be."
"Report them all," Xiao Sui said.
Ning Qi suddenly looked up, "W-Is it that amazing?"
"Yes." Xiao Sui nodded and said seriously, "I won't let you down."
"Then there's no need to report them all..."
Ning Xi studied it for a few days, but in the end she didn't register all of them for him. After all, the number of days was limited, and some projects overlapped in time, so she couldn't participate in both at the same time. After removing those, she finally registered 80% of the projects.
Xie Jingyan had some reservations about Xiao Sui's participation in the competition, but Ning Qi used her status as a princess to suppress them.
——
"How is it? Is there any news from Father?" Consort Qin hadn't slept all night and finally waited for the palace maid to return.
The maid's face lit up with joy. "Master has found the head maid from back then."
"That's great." Consort Qin breathed a sigh of relief. "Let Father do everything he can to get her to talk. As long as we can confirm that the current princess is fake, we'll find a way to get the news to the Emperor. Then the Emperor will deal with this imposter."
The Qin family's reception room was brightly lit, and Minister Qin sat in the main seat, his figure bulky.
The old woman kneeling in the middle said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "I wonder what business the Vice Minister has with me?"
Minister Qin forced a smile, "I want to ask my aunt some questions, and I hope she can cooperate."
"Please speak, sir," the old woman said.
"My aunt used to work in the Empress's palace, right? The Imperial Concubine wants me to ask her how my aunt managed palace affairs."
"I dare not accept such praise. I have been away from the palace for many years and no longer have the ability."
Minister Qin stared at her with his hawk-like eyes. "I wonder why you left the palace immediately after Princess Hexi was born? That must have been when Her Majesty the Empress needed you the most?"
The woman said, "My daughter happened to be pregnant and had no one to take care of her. Her Majesty the Empress took pity on me and allowed me to leave the palace. Unfortunately, Her Majesty passed away a few years later..."
Minister Qin slammed his fist on the table and roared, "Your daughter just happens to be pregnant? I think you've switched your granddaughter's and the princess's identities!"
The previously composed old woman's face showed a hint of panic, which she quickly concealed. "Sir, even if you gave me a hundred lives, I wouldn't do such a thing! This is a capital offense! How can you slander me with baseless accusations?"
Minister Qin snorted coldly, "Although the risk is great, it can bring your granddaughter a lifetime of wealth and honor."
The old woman looked up, her cloudy eyes filled with disbelief. "How can you say such baseless things? Where do you intend to put me?"
"Slander?" Minister Qin said, "When the princess was born, someone saw you carrying her out of the Empress's palace!"
"Impossible, absolutely not," the woman vehemently denied.
Minister Qin narrowed his eyes. "I knew you wouldn't admit it. Someone, bring me the Truth Pill."
The servant immediately handed him a box, inside which was a reddish-brown pill.
"Eat this one, and you'll have no choice but to tell the truth."
The old woman's composed expression finally cracked. "Minister, what are you doing? Are you questioning the princess's identity? Aren't you afraid of the emperor's wrath?"
"The emperor would only blame someone for raising another man's daughter for over a decade." Minister Qin raised his thick chin and instructed a servant to feed the woman medicine.
The woman was already old and could not resist at all. Her mouth was quickly pried open, water was poured in, and pills were stuffed into her mouth.
She covered her mouth and coughed violently twice.
After waiting a moment and seeing that the pill should be taking effect, Minister Qin said, "Now tell me, is Ning Qi the real Princess He Xi?"
The old woman covered her mouth, but the sound escaped through her fingers, "No...it's..."
"Who exactly is she?" Minister Qin leaned forward and pressed for an answer.
"have no idea."
He was not satisfied and continued, "Where did you send the real Princess Hexi?"
“The outskirts,” she answered simply.
Vice Minister Qin immediately changed the subject, "Where is she now?"
"I don't know..." the woman shook her head.
"How can you know nothing?" he asked his servants. "Did you buy counterfeit medicine?"
The servant said tremblingly, "This was purchased from Huaguangzong, it can't be fake medicine."
"So you really don't know?" Minister Qin then looked at the woman. "Speak! Who ordered you to do this?"
The woman covered her mouth and coughed violently, unable to utter a single word.
"Give her water."
The servants immediately took a cup of water and poured it into her mouth. The woman resisted a few times, but eventually drank the water. However, what she coughed up was a pink liquid.
She opened her mouth, but only managed to utter incoherent, hoarse syllables before suddenly losing her voice.
Qin, having no other choice, ordered someone to take her away and keep her under close watch.
Regardless, he at least found out that the current Princess Hexi was an imposter, which was enough to avenge his grandson.
——
The day of the sect competition arrived quickly, and Ning Qi seemed even more nervous than Xiao Sui. "Have you all brought your competition badges? Today we're eliminating demonic beasts, is there anything you forgot?"
"No." Xiao Sui grasped her hand. "They will all be distributed in the examination room."
He frowned. "Why are your hands so cold?"
"It's probably because the weather is getting colder," Ning Qi said casually.
Xiao Sui placed her hand in his palm to warm it, then lowered his head.
He had just brought his lips close to hers when Ning Xi immediately pouted and pressed her lips against his.
Since she gave up the mission, the system has been completely silent. Without the worries of points and infatuation points, her relationship with Xiao Sui has heated up rapidly. Whenever she has time, she wants to kiss him, and now she is very skilled at it.
It wasn't until Qianyu reminded them from outside that the competition time was approaching that the two reluctantly parted ways and headed to the examination hall.
As expected, they encountered Yan Chongyan and Xie Xiyue, who had also signed up for the demon-slaying project.
Yan Chongyan's eyes fell on Ning Qi and Xiao Sui's clasped hands, and his expression turned cold.
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Author's Note: That's right, Xiaoqi and Xiaosui were always kissing when they weren't actually on screen.
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