The Prince of Liang looked up, his eyes filled with incomprehension and pleading: "Father, everything I have said is true. The leader of the Red Lotus Sect is ambitious and attempted to control the capital. If Prince Jing had not arrived in time, I would probably have met with disaster. I know that I may have many faults in my daily life, but I would never dare to be negligent in such matters of state."
The Emperor gently raised his hand, stopping Prince Liang from continuing. His gaze swept over Prince Liang, as if he were pondering something. "Second Prince, do you know why I sent Fifth Prince to rescue you?"
King Liang's heart tightened. He shook his head, his voice trembling, "Your subject is foolish and ignorant. Please enlighten me, Father."
"Because I want to see if you can remain clear-headed in the face of life and death, and whether you still remember that you are my son, the prince of Jingyuan!"
The emperor's tone suddenly became serious.
He slowly stood up, put his hands behind his back, and stood by the window. His gaze pierced through the layers of palace walls, as if he could see through the ever-changing winds and clouds outside the imperial city.
“My sons are numerous, each with their own strengths and weaknesses. You, Qi Shen, have been intelligent and quick-witted since childhood, but this intelligence has also made you arrogant and somewhat flamboyant. However, I know that you have extraordinary ambitions and a deep love and responsibility for this country.”
He paused for a moment, then sighed: "But I never imagined that you would commit such a serious mistake, bringing such a huge crisis to the court!"
The emperor's voice was filled with anger and disappointment.
Upon hearing this, Qi Shen's body trembled violently, and his face turned deathly pale, as if all the color had been drained from his body.
He knelt on the ground, his knees sinking deep into the hard earth, but he seemed to feel no pain.
His forehead was pressed tightly against the cold floor tiles, as if trying to hide himself.
The emperor's voice was filled with anger and disappointment as he threw a stack of letters in front of Qi Shen.
The letters lay scattered on the ground, making a crisp sound.
Each letter was like a sharp sword, piercing Qi Shen's heart.
"Look at these letters! They were all secretly delivered to Prince Jing's residence yesterday. Look at what you've done! This is the act of a traitor!" The emperor's voice boomed in Qi Shen's ears like thunder, making him feel dizzy.
He stared wide-eyed at the letters, a nameless fear rising within him.
With trembling hands, Qi Shen slowly picked up the letters scattered on the ground. With each page he turned, his heart sank a little further.
Those were his secret correspondence with Black Wolf over the years, and every word was indeed written by him.
The emperor glared angrily at the man before him, his eyes burning with fury as if he wanted to incinerate him.
He pointed angrily at the other man, his voice filled with rage and disappointment: "You have disappointed me greatly! You are a complete fool! You were thoroughly used by others, and in the end, you were trampled on like this!"
The emperor's words were like a sharp sword, piercing Qi Shen's heart.
However, before he could even utter a word in his own defense, the emperor spoke again, giving him no chance whatsoever.
"Guards, draft an imperial edict!" The emperor's voice carried an irresistible majesty, impossible to ignore.
Soon, an official hurried into the hall, holding paper and pen, ready to record the emperor's decree.
The emperor took a deep breath and announced in an icy tone: "King Liang Qi Shen has failed in his moral conduct and is hereby demoted to a commoner. Effective immediately, all his titles and fiefs are stripped from him, and he is to be relocated to a humble abode on the outskirts of the capital. He is not to leave without an imperial edict. All his former glory and favor have vanished like smoke. I hope you can reflect on your actions, cultivate your character, and atone for your past transgressions."
Upon hearing this news, Qi Shen's face turned deathly pale, his legs went weak, and he almost collapsed to the ground.
The emperor felt no pity for Qi Shen's disheveled appearance. He was instead furious at Qi Shen's foolish behavior.
Chen Quan was handling official business at the Hidden Gate when he received the message.
Since the young master "disappeared", the emperor dismissed Li Xi from his post as General of the Palace Guard on the grounds of "absenteeism" and moved him out of the General of the Palace Guard's residence.
Later, he brought Li Xi's maternal grandfather back to the Hidden Sect's stronghold.
With the sect leader, young master, and hall master all away, he has no choice but to temporarily take charge of the sect's affairs.
"Okay, I understand. You can go ahead and get busy." Chen Quan reorganized the important letters and planned to deliver them to Li Xi at a later time.
After leaving the Red Lotus Sect, Hongying and Wanyue returned to the Hidden Sect.
At that moment, Chen Quan, who had some business to attend to, happened to arrive at their residence.
Upon entering, one sees Hongying training a very small sun-avoiding spider.
This sun-avoiding spider is completely black and covered with stiff hairs, making it look quite terrifying.
"Senior, what are you busy with?" He couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine when he saw such a small animal.
Chen Quan spoke with a hint of caution, but his eyes involuntarily darted towards the sun-avoiding spider, as if afraid it might suddenly make a move. Upon hearing this, Hong Ying's lips curled into a faint smile, her movements gentle and precise, as if she were handling a precious work of art.
"Oh, this is a little guy I obtained by chance while I was in the Crimson Lotus Sect. His name is Shadow. Don't let his current appearance fool you; if trained properly, he will definitely become a great help."
As Hongying spoke, she gently patted the shell of the sun-avoiding spider. Shadow seemed to sense her comfort, and its slightly trembling fur gradually calmed down.
Wan Yue walked over from the side, carrying a pot of freshly brewed tea. He handed a cup to Chen Quan and said with a smile, "Brother Chen, there's no need to be afraid. Although the Shadow has a frightening appearance, it is actually full of spirituality."
Chen Quan took the teacup and took a small sip.
"Is it a letter from Xiaoxi?" Hongying asked anxiously.
For their safety, Li Xi had no choice but to let them leave.
"No, these are all intelligence reports to be sent to the young master." He wanted to ask what else needed to be sent to the young master.
If there's anything useful, it's probably this sun-avoiding spider in her hand.
After thinking for a moment, she smiled slightly and said softly, "I'll send it to her tomorrow. And please take this little thing with you too; it'll be very useful!"
She gently stroked the sun-avoiding spider in her hand, a sly glint in her eyes.
This sun-avoiding spider is no ordinary creature; a single drop of blood on it is enough to make it recognize you as its master.
It possesses the ability to conceal its form and track targets.
Thinking of this, she couldn't help but laugh out loud. In this way, Xiaoxi would soon be able to resolve her current predicament.
Meng Zhelan also sent over a lot of pills and powders, which were colorless and odorless, making it impossible for anyone to detect anything amiss.
Now that Li Xi is a saintess, she is always accompanied by others whenever she goes out or returns.
However, as a sacred and inviolable saint, she has her own independent residence.
After a busy day at the trade fair, I returned to my room and was surprised to find a familiar figure.
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