Early in the morning, Qin Xiaolin went up the mountain, intending to catch some wild game to nourish Li Xi.
Huang Banxian also followed him up the mountain to collect some herbs.
Although the Gu worms are gone, some herbs are still needed to regulate the body, just in case.
Morning mist swirls through the mountains, and sunlight filters through sparse clouds, dappling the winding path and adding a touch of mystery and vitality to the tranquil forest.
After keeping watch for most of the night, Meng Zhelan saw Hongying come to relieve her and went to rest.
Li Xi's eyes were dazzled by the light from outside.
She slowly opened her eyes and saw a ray of warm, soft sunlight streaming through the half-open window. It slanted across the area beside her bed, casting a soft golden glow over the quiet room.
An old lady was lying by the bed.
When Hongying noticed that she was awake, she exclaimed with joy, "Holy Maiden, you're awake?"
Li Xi found it quite amusing and couldn't help but tease, "Grandmother, why have you become so polite?"
Upon hearing Li Xi's answer, the old lady's face showed surprise, which quickly turned into ecstasy.
"Xiaoxi, you...you remember everything?" she asked excitedly.
Li Xi smiled and nodded.
The old woman burst into tears of joy, hugged Li Xi tightly, and tears streamed down her face.
"Great, great! My Xiaoxi is finally back!" she murmured to herself.
Hearing the cheers from next door, Meng Zhelan ran over without even putting on her shoes.
She saw the person on the bed call out to her, "Lan'er, it's me."
After spending two days in the village, the group returned to the Red Lotus Sect branch.
Having searched in vain, Situ Feng saw her return and hurried forward, his voice trembling slightly: "Xiaoyue, you...you're back? Where did you all go?"
"Brother, when we raided the bandit's hideout, we encountered a master. That person knew formations, and we wandered around in the forest for a long time before we came out. That's why we rushed back to report to you."
Seeing that they were covered in mud, Situ Feng quickly called out, "Come in quickly, change into clean clothes first, and then we'll talk about it in detail."
He and Li Xi were somewhat acquainted, and some of his words were indeed sincere.
So I try my best to take good care of her in her daily life. The clothes and jewelry I prepared for her cost a lot of money.
Li Xi followed his lead and went back to the courtyard.
Two trays were placed on the table, each containing some of the most fashionable clothes and jewelry in Qing'an City.
Meng Zhelan also saw it, her expression complicated: "Although Situ Feng used you, he was still quite considerate to you."
Li Xi smiled slightly, a subtle, profound meaning flashing in her eyes.
She picked up a light blue dress embroidered with lotus patterns from the tray. The delicate stitches and light fabric seemed to dance in the wind.
"Situ Feng is a simple-minded person, and it seems he was also used by that cult leader. But undeniably, he was also an accomplice to evil." She didn't know how to view this person in the future.
Situ Feng took her around to open charitable halls, which was a good thing, but behind it was also the Red Lotus Cult Leader's plan to restore the previous dynasty.
The cult leader is still hiding behind the scenes and hasn't shown up yet. It seems she needs to find a way to get close to him.
"Your Majesty, the Venerable One requests your presence." The person outside the door was Situ Feng's attendant.
"Okay, I'm coming." Li Xi casually picked up a dress from the tray and changed into it.
It was woven from delicate silk, with lotus patterns embroidered on a light blue background. It complemented her identity as a "saint," appearing both holy and gentle.
"It seems like this outfit is quite nice," Li Xi thought, looking at herself in the mirror.
Satisfied, I walked out.
Two months later, seeing that things were almost done, the Grand Protector and Situ Feng took Li Xi back to the capital.
As spring arrived and flowers bloomed, the group returned to Kyoto.
Li Xi originally thought they would take her directly to see the cult leader, but she didn't expect to wait for several days without seeing the cult leader.
But she couldn't show any impatience; she could only wait.
Prince An had already faked his death and left while they were suppressing bandits along the way.
He went straight to the palace, carrying with him a letter from Li Xi.
As early as New Year's Eve, the emperor took the opportunity to announce that he had recovered his health.
Another major event recently occurred: the crown prince was deposed.
It turned out that he was jealous because Prince Jing was acting as regent.
When Prince Jing was in charge of the snow disaster relief work, the Crown Prince fabricated a story that he had embezzled disaster relief funds.
When that failed, they arranged for assassins to kill Prince Jing.
There were other things as well, each and every one of which was a treacherous and cunning act, an attempt to weaken Prince Jing's prestige and power in the court.
However, the net of heaven is vast, and though its meshes are wide, nothing escapes it; the prince's conspiracy ultimately failed.
Prince Jing, with his extraordinary wisdom and courage, not only successfully averted the assassination crisis, but also cleverly exposed the truth about the Crown Prince's fabrication of evidence.
In the imperial court, after a heated debate, Prince Jing presented irrefutable evidence, leaving the Crown Prince with nowhere to hide his lies.
The emperor was furious upon hearing the news, and felt deeply saddened and disappointed.
He never expected that his own son would be so unscrupulous, disregarding brotherly affection and the safety of the country.
New Year's Eve should be a time for families to reunite and celebrate the festival together.
However, this sudden change cast a shadow over the place.
After careful consideration, the emperor decided to abolish the position of crown prince as a punishment and announced it to the world to set the record straight.
This decision, like a thunderclap in winter, shook the entire capital and even the whole country.
The deposed crown prince was imprisoned in the cold palace to reflect on his mistakes.
Prince Jing, on the other hand, gained even more popular support and the emperor's trust due to his talent displayed during the crisis.
Late at night, in a certain house
The Grand Protector reported the achievements of the past few months to the leader of the Red Lotus Sect, and finally asked curiously, "Leader, now that the young master has gained the trust of the emperor, surely the emperor will pass the throne to Prince Jing? Then what about us...?"
Before he could finish his question, the cult leader interrupted him: "That's not right. The dog emperor is only in his forties. He's younger than me. We can't wait any longer."
The good reputation that Prince Jing has gained will soon allow the Jiang family to establish themselves in this world.
"Yes, I understand. How should we arrange things for the Holy Maiden?" the Grand Protector continued to ask.
The leader of the Red Lotus Sect stood up, paced back and forth, and after a long while said, "Do what you usually do, make a bigger splash in Kyoto."
It would be best to force that dog emperor to his wits' end, to force them to fight each other.
They will then seize the city!
Just as Jingyuan's ancestors massacred the imperial city, he now intends to subject the Jingyuan royal family to the same suffering.
"Then, Holy Maiden, would you like to meet her? And what about the eldest son? How should we treat him then?" The Grand Protector couldn't guess what the sect leader was thinking.
Li Xi is indeed an excellent pawn. Situ Feng, on the other hand, is dispensable.
Everything is arranged by the cult leader.
The cult leader came up with a plan and discussed it with the Grand Protector for a long time.
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