He has lived long enough.
So it’s time for him to die.
The words sounded extremely arrogant.
However, looking at the Prince Yan sitting in a wheelchair,
the people of the Blood Rain Pavilion suddenly felt that this statement was not so arrogant.
Because Xiao Jin’s face was delicate and cold, and her expression was normal.
Even though she he had just said such amazing words,
The smile on her face was still light and airy, as if she he was talking about eating and drinking, or having three meals a day.
The woman in red looked at Xiao Jin through the holes in her mask and squinted.
After staring at each other for a long time, she said softly, “Killing an important minister is too risky.”
Xiao Jin almost laughed.
Despite her restraint, she couldn’t help but laugh softly, “Killing an important minister is too risky?”
“Then may I ask how you explain the assassination that your organization launched against me a few months ago? Is Minister Mu’s life worth more than mine?”
The woman in red was startled, and then looked meaningfully at Xiao Jin: “Although there was indeed the participation of the Blood Rain Pavilion in that assassination a few months ago, the Blood Rain Pavilion was not the mastermind behind it. It was just a few undercover agents of the Blood Rain Pavilion among the hired killers.”
At this point, the woman in red fell into a misunderstanding.
She assumed that Xiao Jin had already investigated the facts and knew that the group of killers were actually people that the Blood Rain Pavilion had placed around the Fourth Prince.
However, Xiao Jin didn’t know.
She only knew that Blood Rain Pavilion had ordered Chunshan Kong from Bai Zheng.
And she only guessed that the poison in the fragrance pill was probably the work of Blood Rain Pavilion.
Unexpectedly, due to the system’s enhancement, it interfered with the woman in red’s judgment of Xiao Jin.
The other party mistakenly thought that Xiao Jin’s strength was unfathomable and directly revealed the secret of the undercover agents planted around the Fourth Prince.
What a stroke of luck?
Xiao Jin was extremely shocked in her heart, feeling that her luck was too good.
However, she did not show any emotion on her face and pretended to know everything: “Indeed, Blood Rain Pavilion assassinated me before, and that is a fact.”
The woman in red took a sip of tea.
After pondering for a long time, she sighed: “This is also a fact, but regardless of whether Your Highness Yan believes it or not, Blood Rain Pavilion did not intend to assassinate you.”
Xiao Jin calmly asked, “Oh? If you didn’t want to assassinate me, then who did you want to assassinate?”
She glanced at Chu Shao who was next to her, and coincidentally met her smiling gaze.
It was obvious that the target of Blood Rain Pavilion’s assassination might not be Xiao Jin, but herself.
But Chu Shao didn’t care.
It was just that Xiao Jin actually cared a bit, which was why she asked that question.
However, the woman in red had already realized that Xiao Jin probably didn’t know as much as she thought.
So she smiled and said, “Blood Rain Pavilion didn’t intend to assassinate anyone, they were just following orders.”
Following orders?
Xiao Jin furrowed her brows slightly.
The meaning behind this statement seemed vague, but in reality, it was very clear.
Besides the Master of Blood Rain Pavilion, who else could make the Vice Master follow orders?
Earlier, through questioning those assassins, Xiao Jin had already found out who had sent the killer to assassinate the Qin sisters.
Although on the surface they were the people of the Fourth Prince, their previous allegiance was to Xiao Shuang.
Combined with the fact that Xiao Shuang had wanted her to marry Shen Shuang, it seemed that…
The person Blood Rain Pavilion wanted to kill might be Chu Shao.
Therefore, Xiao Shuang was very likely the mysterious Master of Blood Rain Pavilion.
However, there was one thing that Xiao Jin could not understand.
Since Xiao Shuang had won over the Fourth Prince, she must have had some thoughts about that chair.
But logically speaking, the original owner had already become crippled and had no value to her anymore.
However, Xiao Shuang had no reason to kill Chu Shao.
The biggest motive was to marry Shen Shuang, which was undoubtedly to win over the Minister of War, in other words, to pave the way for Xiao Jin.
But Xiao Shuang had no reason to pave the way for her.
Thinking of these contradictions, Xiao Jin looked at the red-clothed woman in front of her. In a daze, she recalled the figure in red she had seen on the platform, with an embroidered crane about to take off in silver thread.
She couldn’t guess what Xiao Shuang wanted to do.
Seeing Xiao Jin’s changing expression, the red-clothed woman smiled and said, “Your Highness Yan, this matter has been long past, it’s better to talk about what you just mentioned.”
Xiao Jin snapped back to reality.
She knew that even if she asked now, the red-clothed woman probably wouldn’t answer. It was better to put this matter aside and focus on the current problem.
So Xiao Jin glanced lightly at the red-clothed woman and said, “If Blood Rain Pavilion wants to avoid risks, they should exchange it for the life of Master Shen. This idea is quite naive and it makes this prince seem too kind-hearted.”
The people from Blood Rain Pavilion were all stunned, then their anger surged. They were all people who licked their blades and drank blood on the edge of the knife. How could a prince who had only been a soldier for a few years, living a life of luxury in the palace, dare to call them naive?
However, when they thought of the two people who had just died, they could only stare at Xiao Jin, unable to express their anger, and attempted to attack her with their eyes.
For a moment, there was silence at the table. The man with the folding fan looked at the woman in red, whose smile had vanished completely, and wanted to say something to ease the tension.
However, the next moment, Xiao Jin chuckled and said, “But you’re lucky because I am indeed very kind-hearted.”
Xiao Jin’s words should have shown some kindness, but the effect was completely the opposite. The expressions of those present, hidden behind their masks, were filled with disbelief, as if they had seen a ghost.
The infamous killer in the Qi Country, Xiao Jin, was claiming to be kind-hearted? Who would believe that?
Only Chu Shao, who was standing, still had a gentle smile on her lips. She knew that Xiao Jin had probably come up with some “kind-hearted” way to solve this problem.
Seeing the stunned expression on the faces of the Blood Rain Pavilion members, Xiao Jin felt satisfied. She then said in a calm voice, “I have a solution that can reduce your risk and bring good publicity to the Blood Rain Tower. At the same time, it can also ensure that Mu Yuan journey is safe and sound.”
The Blood Rain Pavilion members did not believe that there could be such a good solution in the world. But looking at Xiao Jin’s indifferent smile, they somehow felt that she might really have a way.
Should they believe it or not?
The woman in red watched Xiao Jin silently.
Then she smiled and expressed her attitude first: “I’m all ears.”
Xiao Jin was straightforward and took out a book from her sleeve: “This is the ironclad evidence of Mu Yuan’s corruption and injustice in the past years. I believe everyone knows better than I do how to use it.”
Her expression was indifferent: “Killing is the lowest means. To destroy a person, one should first kill them from the public opinion level.”
“Indeed, if a country’s important minister dies, it is inevitable that the monarch and the people below will panic… but if the one who dies is a corrupt official who robs the people’s wealth, then everyone will probably applaud and cheer.”
The woman in red looked at the account book in Xiao Jin’s hand and suddenly smiled: “In fact, not only will the people applaud and cheer, but they will also feel that he deserved to die.”
She continued, “But… Your Highness, the Yan Prince, you have overlooked a problem.”
Xiao Jin asked, “What problem?”
The woman in red smiled slightly, “If Mu Yuan is killed and this book is left in the Mu Mansion, the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review will definitely come to investigate. But behind the Mu family stands the Fourth Prince. Who can guarantee that there are no trusted followers of the Fourth Prince in the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review?”
Xiao Jin nodded, “Right, the Ministry of Justice and the Court of Judicial Review must have trusted followers of the Fourth Prince, and there may be other forces’ spies… such as mine, or Princess Zhao Yang’s.”
When it came to Xiao Shuang, Xiao Jin intentionally left a glance, secretly observing the expressions of the woman in red and the folding fan man.
As a result, they seemed to have no reaction.
It seems that these people are indeed professionally trained assassins and will not reveal any flaws.
Xiao Jin paused and continued, “Of course, what I really want to rely on is not the Yan Prince’s spies or Princess Zhao Yang’s trusted followers, but… the Crown Prince.”
“The Crown Prince?” The woman in red seemed a little confused.
Xiao Jin nodded, “The minister of Dali Court is a man under the crown prince’s command. If this account book falls into his hands, it will inevitably be reported to the emperor.”
The woman in red smiled mysteriously, “But as far as I know, the emperor of Qi is notoriously incompetent. It is unlikely that he will be able to do anything about it.”
Xiao Jin neither agreed nor disagreed, smiling, “But I never intended for the emperor to take action.”
“I only want to bring this matter to the court and let the people of Qi know that the Mu family’s prosperity was bought with the blood of the people in the disaster area.”
“Then, there will be no need for me to do anything. With the people’s resentment and those who have been offended by the Mu family, as well as the ministers who support the prince, they will all turn against the Mu family.”
Even the most foolish person could understand after hearing these words.
The strategy of the Prince Yan was to use others as a tool to kill her enemy.
The man in white nodded slightly and smiled as he fanned himself, “Your Highness Yan, is truly remarkable… Your move is indeed clever. But I wonder if you had informed the crown prince beforehand. Will he be willing to be the blade in your hand?”
Xiao Jin thought to herself that the male lead was not stupid.
Although she had indeed shown that she did not want to be on the same boat as the prince, the previous host’s legs were already crippled.
For the crown prince, his biggest enemy was still the fourth prince, not the Prince Yan who had long been eliminated.
Even if they were no longer allies.
The enemy of his enemy is his friend. The male lead was not stupid, how could he not understand this?
Xiao Jin was too lazy to explain and spoke slowly, “This is not something your Blood Rain Pavilion should consider. This is something I have to consider. You just need to kill the people I want you to kill.”
“After it is done, I will release Master Shen. I always keep my promises.”
She said this with great power, and it had the taste of a boss.
The people from the Blood Rain Pavilion looked at Xiao Jin and felt a strange sense of trust in her, even though she had a pale complexion and was sitting in a wheelchair.
But in reality, it was just an illusion.
Actually, it is just an illusion.
Because Xiao Jin was too lazy to explain the reason and just wanted to deal with them casually.
Disguised as a tyrant boss, while also lighting up the talent skill of “using words sparingly” that ordinary tyrant bosses have.
Well, it is beneficial for shortening the negotiation time.
The negotiation should have ended when it had reached this point. Blood Rain Pavilion had gained a huge advantage.
However, after the woman in red smiled and agreed, she spoke softly, “Recently, my team caught someone and heard an interesting rumor.”
“So today, I have prepared a good show for Her Highness the Yan Prince and the Princess. I hope that the Prince and the Princess can come and watch.”
Chu Shao felt that this negotiation was already boring.
So she didn’t care what good show the woman in red had prepared.
But Xiao Jin frowned imperceptibly and asked, “What kind of show?”
The woman in red covered her mouth and smiled, “You will know when Her Highness sees the show.”
After she finished speaking, she clapped her hands, “Escort Her Highness the Prince and the Princess to the main hall downstairs.”
…
Sunlit Hall.
At this moment, there weren’t too many people in the room. The idle crowds had already been cleared out.
There were only four chairs, each with a person seated on them.
Naturally, those four people were Xiao Jin, Chu Shao, the woman in red, and the man in white holding a fan.
A maid walked out from the side, carrying fruits and wine.
After the snacks and drinks for the show were prepared, Xiao Jin raised her cup and took a sip, thinking that the woman in red would continue with the “interesting rumor” she had mentioned earlier.
However, the woman in red just smiled and didn’t say anything.
At this moment, Xiao Jin still didn’t quite understand what the woman in red was up to.
But the next moment, she found out.
As a melodious tune began to play, a female performer dressed in formal attire walked onto the stage.
Xiao Jin was somewhat surprised.
She miscalculated.
It was really a literal singing performance, rather than the metaphor commonly used by the high-level people.
Amid her surprise, Xiao Jin looked up at the female performer on stage.
The woman standing on the platform was beautiful.
She wore a blue outfit with silver sleeves, and had pure white feathers hanging from her earlobes. Every move and gesture she made exuded a cool, aloof aura.
Xiao Jin was slightly stunned, almost thinking that the woman might be the reincarnation of Rong Lian.
But when the woman turned around, she realized that she wasn’t as stunning as Rong Lian, which relieved her a little.
Thank goodness she wasn’t, otherwise it would have been really spooky.
On stage, Zhengdan (a type of female role in traditional Chinese opera) bowed lightly and made a simple introduction:
“I am Rong Lian, the leading actress of Jianjia Building. I am just at the age of blooming youth this year.”
Xiao Jin didn’t know how old Rong Lian was exactly.
Of course, she didn’t care too much about it either.
Xiao Jin just turned her head and glanced at Chu Shao.
But she found that Chu Shao’s expression didn’t change much, and she was smiling and looking at the person on stage.
As if sensing something, Chu Shao turned her head and met Xiao Jin’s gaze.
The Zhengdan on stage had a cool appearance, a gentle singing voice, and danced by herself.
And Chu Shao under the stage had a silver-blue floral hairpin on her forehead.
Looking kindly at Xiao Jin, she asked softly, “Your Highness, is there anything important?”
Xiao Jin was taken aback.
Then she withdrew her gaze and replied, “Nothing.”
The woman in red saw everything but just smiled without saying a word.
It wasn’t until the supporting actor appeared on stage that the woman in red pointed to the white-clothed swordsman on stage and introduced him with relish, “This person is also one of the protagonists of this play. Prince Yan, you must pay attention to him.”
“And this play, half true and half false, can only be called a good play if it is truly false and falsely true.”
At this, Xiao Jin narrowed her eyes and looked at the white-clothed swordsman on stage.
He was carrying a long sword with silver-blue floral patterns engraved on the blade, and his identity was already apparent.
He was Shen Lang.
The swordsman had rosy lips and white teeth, and he arched his hand and said, “I am Shen Lang from Shenjiazhuang, the first disciple of Tianya Sect. I have met Miss Rong.”
The Zhengdan on stage looked at Shen Lang half curiously and half shyly.
After a while, she raised her silver-blue sleeve and danced a dance in front of him.
Shen Lang smiled as he watched Rong Lian, holding a jade flute to his lips and playing a song called “Chang Xiang Si” (Longing for you).
Longing in Chang’an, It breaks my heart.
Watching the graceful dance on stage, Xiao Jin’s mood underwent some changes.
At this moment, she had no time to think about why the deputy leader master of the Blood Rain Pavilion had prepared this play.
Because Xiao Jin remembered Chu Shao’s and Shen Lan’s similar appearances.
And she also remembered hearing the song “Chang Xiang Si” and the box of flutes in Rong Lian’s room in fragments of her memory.
No way.
Did Rong Lian really give Emperor Yao Country a colored hat?
Xiao Jin didn’t look at Chu Shao’s expression because she was afraid she couldn’t resist… asking something.
But in reality, Xiao Jin remembered the last time she was in the rain, Chu Shao said she had nothing to do with Shen Lang.
If there had to be a relationship, it would only be that of enemies.
So Xiao Jin could only suppress her strong curiosity and focus on watching.
After coming back to her senses, she noticed some suspicious points.
But it wasn’t a big problem, just that she felt that with Rong Lian’s personality, she probably wouldn’t make such a coy expression.
On stage, the Zhengdan spoke softly with a shy expression.
On the stage, the Zhengdan words were gentle and her expression was shy, which was quite different from the woman that Xiao Jin had seen in her memory fragments.
However, when the woman in purple appeared, the Zhengdan’s shyness instantly disappeared, and she returned to her normal state.
The woman who appeared on stage was dressed in a purple robe and a carved silk heron cloak. There was a vermilion mole on her eyebrow, and her every move and gesture spoke of her nobility.
This reminded Xiao Jin of the national teacher who had a fake smile on her face and always seemed to be hiding something.
The smile on her face was deliberate and always ambiguous, much like Chu Shao.
Whenever Xiao Jin thought of this, she would look at the national teacher on the stage and her mind would start to run wild with malicious speculations.
It had to be said that the national teacher on the stage did not quite capture the essence of the most treacherous advisor of Yao Country.
At least her eyes were not quite right.
Because the national teacher was only smiling hypocritically and staring at the famous headliner of Zhengdan, Jianjia Building.
She watched as Rong Lian’s dancing clothes fluttered and her bare back was exposed.
The curtains were layered on top of each other, and the silver-blue patterns on the dancer’s shoulders were barely visible under the thin shirt.
After the dance was over, the entire audience was stunned and speechless.
The national teacher stood up, smiled softly, and exclaimed, “Miss Rong Lian’s stunning beauty is truly worthy of being called Yao Country’s number one beauty.”
Rong Lian returned the gesture but did not say anything, and her expression was indifferent, with even a hint of innate disgust.
Xiao Jin thought to herself that she played her part well.
Indeed, this was the Rong Lian she knew.
And Chu Shao, sitting in the audience, seemed to have laughed lightly.
The woman in red heard Chu Shao’s laughter and couldn’t help but take a sip of tea before asking with a smile, “May I ask why the Yan Princess (Chu Shao) is laughing?”
Chu Shao looked at the aloof and cold-hearted Rong Lian on the stage, with a mysterious smile on her lips, “I am laughing at her pretentiousness.”
It was unclear whether she was referring to the actress playing the role of the Concubine or the real Rong Lian.
The actors on stage sang with enthusiasm, but in reality, their performance was lackluster.
Shen Lang would come to the Jianjia Building every day to meet with Rong Lian, either for a tryst under the moonlight or to practice swordplay in the peach blossom forest.
It was said that Rong Lian loved to eat peach blossom soup.
Shen Lang would pluck fresh peach blossoms and offer them to her from afar.
Meanwhile, the national teacher in the palace smiled and destroyed the most beautiful peach blossom forest in Yao Country.
The palace kitchen and the private kitchen of the Imperial Advisor’s residence presented a cup of peach blossom soup in a glass bowl, trembling with fear as they sent it to the Jianjia Building.
But the unfeeling beauty waved her hand and knocked it to the ground.
Rong Lian’s expression remained cold and proud as she returned all of the other’s compliments, “This humble woman doesn’t eat anything sent by the first traitor(national teacher) of Yao country.”
It was very clear.
Yao country’s number one beauty had no desire to have any dealings with Yao country’s number one traitor.
Regarding the national teacher’s behavior of destroying vegetation, Xiao Jin was actually a bit embarrassed.
She thought to herself that fortunately, Rong Lian didn’t like many things, otherwise with the national teacher’s extreme personality, she would probably have to chop everything up and offer it.
In fact, the national teacher was indeed very extreme.
When Rong Lian and Shen Lang planned to escape from Jianjia Building after agreeing to spend their lives together, she declared that there had been frequent natural disasters in Yao country in recent years, and only the star of good fortune could dispel the calamity.
The star of good fortune was not a sign, but a person.
The national teacher said that person was a woman.
On her shoulder was a silver-blue pattern, as pretty as a snowflake with diamond edges.
She said that only the Emperor Yao would welcome this woman into a palace made of glass and name her as his queen, in order to dispel the calamity of Yao country.
The woman in red looked at the national teacher on the stage and added softly, “Actually, the national teacher of Yao country is not so crazy. It’s just that because the consort she supported, Consort Ning, gave birth to a prince and ascended to the throne, she no longer listens to her.”
Xiao Jin was slightly stunned.
The woman in red continued speaking: “Jianjia Building has always been under the command of the national teacher. The national teacher chose Rong Lian to act in this play to counter the imperial concubine, along with the newly supported Concubine Mei. The idea to let Rong Lian enter the palace was to compete against the empress.”
After hearing the woman in red’s explanation, Xiao Jin furrowed her brow.
Even so, she still had some doubts: “But why must it be Rong Lian?”
The woman in red smiled mysteriously, “This, I do not know.”
Rong Lian had a lowly identity, just a dancer in Jianjia Building. If she refused to enter the palace now, she would be going against the imperial edict and who knows how many people would be implicated. After entering the palace, if she did not want to depend on Concubine Mei and the national teacher, she would only have the fate of being tormented by other concubines.
It must be said that the national teacher had planned this well. However, the national teacher and Concubine Mei did not expect that Rong Lian would become pregnant so quickly. For them, if Rong Lian became pregnant, it would be difficult to control her.
Concubine Mei was very worried, but the national teacher comforted her with a smile, “Even if Rong Lian gives birth to a dragon son, it will not change her background. There is no need to worry too much.”
It was still the same deliberate fake smile.
After the fake smile, the national tutor returned to her mansion and carelessly mixed the brown medicine juice into the peach blossom soup.
Although Xiao Jin knew that since the woman in red said the play was partly true and partly false, this part of the plot might be Blood Rain Pavilion’s wild guess.
But looking at the bowl of peach blossom soup in the national teacher’s hand, she could reasonably guess that it was probably something like an abortion pill.
After all, palace dramas always loved to play such plots.
It’s just that the national teacher’s reaction was very strange.
She maintained the deliberate smile on her face and looked at the bowl of peach blossom soup mixed with the medicine juice.
Then she stopped smiling and let the glass bowl in her hand fall to the ground expressionlessly.
Bang –
The sound of the glass bowl shattering on the stage was extremely crisp, and the expression on the national teacher’s face looked very real.
It almost gave Xiao Jin the illusion that all of this was not a play but really existed.
The peach blossom soup flowed all over the ground.
The national teacher silently watched the fragments of the glass bowl.
She did not reach out to pick them up but smiled and had a new bowl of peach blossom soup made and sent it in a food box to the palace of Rong Lian.
Xiao Jin had already seen the scene of what happened next in the memory fragment.
So she already knew what the two of them would say and what they would do.
Hearing Rong Lian on stage say:
‘I dare not eat what the National Teacher sends me, because I think you will poison it.’
Xiao Jin finally understood that it doesn’t feel good to know the plot in advance.
At the same time, she couldn’t help but marvel that the Blood Rain Pavilion’s intelligence network extended throughout the land, which was no exaggeration.
Even the old history of Yao Country was well known.
It has to be said that if anyone had such power, it would be somewhat terrifying.
But why did the woman in red arrange this play?
And who told the Blood Rain Pavilion so many details?
…
Later, Xiao Jin found out.
Because the white-clothed swordsman appeared on the stage again.
He held a long sword in his hand and said to Rong Lian, “Come with me, let’s leave the palace together.”
However, Concubine Rong did not answer, but looked at the girl sleeping in the bed.
By now, Yao Country’s princess, Chu Shao, was five years old.
Rong Lian’s expression was a little trance-like, and she replied, “No, I cannot go with you. My daughter is still here.”
Her acting was as stiff as if she was reciting lines.
Xiao Jin could understand because even though the Blood Rain Pavilion’s intelligence network was vast, there were always things that were not quite clear.
So, this part of the plot was probably made up by the woman in red herself.
As expected, Xiao Jin was not the only one who thought so.
When the party involved, Chu Shao, looked at everything on stage, she couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Clear laughter spilled from her lips, but when she stood up, there was no trace of a smile on her face.
Chu Shao simply looked at the woman in red and softly said, “Vice Master, this show is a bit ridiculous.”
The woman in red noticed the smile at the corner of Chu Shao’s lips.
Immediately, she felt a strong sense of oppression and…killing intent.
However, the woman in red was the Vice Master of the Blood Rain Pavilion.
She had seen countless storms and tempests.
At this moment, she naturally wouldn’t be afraid or stage fright, just softly smiling and saying, “Yan Princess, please sit first. You might as well watch this show before making a judgment. After all, I still have a great gift to give you.”
Hearing the word “gift,” Chu Shao became interested and smiled slightly, “Oh? Since it’s a great gift, it must be a surprising and unexpected joy. If I see your gift, but feel neither surprised nor happy, what will you do then?”
The woman in red took a sip of tea and said lightly, “That won’t happen. Yan Princess will definitely be grateful to me by then.”
Chu Shao smiled and asked, “Grateful?”
The woman in red replied, “Yes, after all, it is a very grand gift.”
These words were very intriguing.
An ordinary person would definitely try to get to the bottom of it, but Chu Shao can afford to wait.
So Chu Shao sat back down and said with a smile, “I am really curious about the great gift that the Vice Master of the Blood Rain Pavilion is going to give me. I just hope that you won’t disappoint me.”
The woman in red also smiled, “I won’t.”
Xiao Jin sat on the side. She wanted to say something, but in the end, she didn’t know what to say.
Although she didn’t know what kind of competition the two had just gone through, through that scene just now, she could clearly feel that… Chu Shao really had the intention to kill.
Intuition told Xiao Jin that nothing good would happen next. But even so, she still wanted to know what would happen next. Because what was being performed on the stage was… Chu Shao’s past that she would never tell her.
As a transmigrator who had read countless online novels, Xiao Jin didn’t have a strong desire to pry into the past of others. But that person was Chu Shao. The Chu Shao who would kill in the moonlit night and play the flute in the pouring rain.
She really wanted to know what Chu Shao had experienced. What had she experienced to become so naive… and yet so cruel.
Thinking of this, Xiao Jin sighed imperceptibly. Then she withdrew her gaze and raised her head again.
Rong Lian on the stage did not leave with Shen Lang. She chose to stay in Yao Country Palace.
There are many sunny days in Yao Country.
Rong Lian often stays alone in the Liuli Palace, looking up at the unreachable horizon through many windows. Then she takes up the jade flute and plays a tune of longing. No one knows what Rong Lian is missing or why she chose to imprison herself in the Liuli Palace and play the tune of longing.
In Xiao Jin’s view, Rong Lian’s reason for staying in the palace for Chu Shao is obviously unfounded because Rong Lian’s attitude towards her daughter, Chu Shao, is almost indifferent in her memory fragments.
Xiao Jin has not yet figured out why Rong Lian chose to stay in the palace instead of leaving with Shen Lang.
Suddenly, a familiar character appeared on the stage, dressed in the costume of a royal physician.
When she bowed to the empress sitting on the phoenix throne, Xiao Jin finally knew where this sense of familiarity came from.
She was Su Tan, the youngest daughter of the Marquis of Pingcheng and the head of the Yao Country Hospital. Although she was young, she did not show any fear or nervousness when she saw the king of Yao Country.
She bowed slightly and saluted the person on the high throne, “Chen Su Tan, I have seen the empress.”
It has to be said that the people of the Blood Rain Pavilion are really good at choosing actors. The female lead on the stage was elegant and beautiful, just like Su Tan in Cangjin Lane.
Xiao Jin really didn’t expect that this story still had Su Tan’s role. Su Tan is indeed a tool person who can be used wherever needed.
The empress was wearing a phoenix robe and sitting on the high throne.
First, she politely asked Su Tan to stand up and then smiled and said, “I have heard that Doctor Su is very skilled in using poison.”
Su Tan’s reputation as a divine physician had long been spread throughout Yao Country, but few knew that she was also passionate about studying toxicology.
In front of the empress, even if Su Tan was a genius, she could only awkwardly deny, “Your Majesty… As the imperial physician of Yao Country, how could I study those poisons?”
The empress seemed to understand Su Tan’s thoughts.
She raised her eyes and smiled ambiguously, “Doctor Su doesn’t have to be so restrained in front of me. You should know that I value talent. I appreciate your talent and hope you can serve me.”
“After all, those poisons are beautiful and tempting. Even if it’s not you, I am also very interested in them.”
When Su Tan looked up again, there was a hint of inexplicable emotion in her eyes. “Your Majesty is also interested in toxicology?”
The empress knew that Su Tan had taken the bait.
So she called out the white-bearded old man behind the screen and said with a smile, “This is Bai Lidan, the imperial physician of Qi and also a person who is obsessed with toxicology. Take this opportunity to exchange more with Senior Bai Li.”
For Doctor Su Tan, being obsessed with medicine was the happiest thing in life.
She could never find anything more enjoyable than this in her life.
But even if something could bring supreme happiness, it would eventually reach a bottleneck and become tiresome.
To relieve this mood, Su Tan found another source of joy.
So she began to study poisons.
Because she found that no matter how exquisite medical skills were, they might not be able to solve all the poisons in the world.
At this moment, Xiao Jin saw the fanaticism in Doctor Su’s eyes.
She couldn’t help but feel a little frightened.
Since Bai Lidan was the imperial physician of Qi, why would he appear in the imperial palace of Yao Country?
Could it be that…
The Empress of Yao’s Country colluded with the royal family of Qi Country?
As expected by Xiao Jin, the scene of the empress and the Qi royal family exchanging letters appeared.
The empress secretly leaked information from the Yao’s faction to the person she was communicating with.
The purpose was to develop the most vicious poison in the world and kill the biggest traitor in Yao’s Country – the national teacher.
It has to be said that this move is extremely foolish.
Even Xiao Jin couldn’t bear to watch it.
Although the national teacher is indeed a traitor.
But in order to kill one traitor, resorting to communicating with foreign countries and leaking military intelligence…
It’s not worth it in the end.
However, the empress is a madwoman.
For some reason, her desire to kill the national teacher is so strong.
The empress knew that it was almost impossible to use poison to kill the suspicious national teacher.
So she chose the person who seemed the least likely, instructing her to kill the national teacher.
On the stage.
The empress looked at Rong Lian with pity and said gently, “Rong Lian, this palace knows that you were forced to enter the palace and must hate the national teacher very much.”
Rong Lian kneeled on the ground.
She looked up at the empress with no extra expression, only answering lightly, “Yes.”
The empress seemed not to care about Rong Lian’s indifference, and smiled, “This palace is located in the deep palace, but also heard about the invasion of Qi… Today in court, the emperor conferred the title of General to the National Teacher, and tomorrow is the day of her expedition.”
She took out a brocade box from a hidden compartment and said softly, “This is a gu poison developed by this palace. Its name is Ultimate Sorrow.”
“If you want to retaliate against the national teacher, plant this poison on her before her expedition. When the national teacher takes this poison, Yao Country will be able to cut off ultimate sorrow.”
The empress looked at Rong Lian and smiled gently, “Rong Lian , this palace knows disciples from the Shen Family Village and also knows your true identity very well. You should be the one who wants to kill the national teacher the most, so… Will you do it?”
After a while, Rong Lian nodded her head.
She walked slowly forward and took the brocade box from the empress’s hand.
On the eve of the expedition.
Rong Lian did not follow the empress’s orders to plant the gu poison on the national teacher.
She just sat in front of the courtyard, looking at the peach blossom tree in the yard that had withered.
Rong Lian listened quietly to the flute and rain outside the courtyard all night.
The next day, the national teacher went to war.
The empress looked at Rong Lian kneeling on the ground, puzzled, and asked, “Concubine Rong, why? Why didn’t you kill the national teacher?”
Rong Lian said faintly, “The national teacher is going to war for Yao Country, and as the empress, you have abandoned the people for your own selfish desires.”
“Placing the gu poison on the national teacher is equivalent to destroying the entire Yao Country. I cannot do such a thing.”
The empress was stunned.
She laughed three times, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes.
She pointed at Rong Lian and said softly, “Shen Rong Lian, your life is really ridiculous.”
“In the past, Tianya Sect only accepted men, not women. The eldest son of the Shen family gave you his name so that you could learn martial arts.”
“And what was the result? You returned after learning, calling yourself the best swordsman in Yao Country, thinking that you were powerful enough to match countless mediocre people. When you heard the poor people and righteous men complaining and shedding a few tears, you got hot-headed and wanted to assassinate the national teacher with your own strength…”
“As a result, not only did you fail, but you also suffered retaliation from the national teacher, causing the Shen family to be slaughtered, with only Shen Da and Shen Er escaping by chance.”
When the empress finished speaking, Rong Lian’s face on the stage was as pale as snow.
Xiao Jin also froze.
“What do you mean by Shen Family’s eldest son giving his name to Rong Lian so she can learn martial arts?”
In the next moment, Xiao Jin suddenly came up with an incredible guess.
Could it be that Rong Lian was the rumored Shen Lang?
So the enmity that Chu Shao talked about was not actually the black-clothed person Shen Lang who appeared that day, but…
her birth mother, Shen Rong Lian?
As Xiao Jin slowly turned her head to look at Chu Shao, the empress on the stage continued to speak without stopping.
The empress smiled and said, “Miss Shen San, before entering the Ning Clan genealogy, I was also a disciple of the Shen family’s branch. According to the rules of the clan, when seeing the main line’s young masters and young ladies, you still have to respectfully address yourself as ‘Miss San’.”
“Just that this palace doesn’t understand, even if you were seriously injured and lost your memory, and were saved by coincidence by the Cattail Pavilion secretly managed by the national teacher, and later regained your memory and entered the palace with so many opportunities, why didn’t you go and kill the national teacher?”
“This palace is only from the Shen family’s branch, and I also wanted to kill the national teacher to avenge my family. But what about you? You are indecisive and incapable, unable to accomplish anything. You are really useless.”
Every time the empress spoke, the smile on Chu Shao’s lips became even more intense.
Finally, the empress looked at Rong Lian and smiled, “Let this palace guess, you repeatedly ignored the national teacher’s goodwill under the pretext of admiring Shen Lang. Is it not because you hate the national teacher, but because…”
“That’s enough.”
“Enough.”
It wasn’t until then that Rong Lian interrupted the Empress and said coldly, “I killed the national teacher for the people of Yao Country. And not killing the national teacher, is also for the people of Yao Country.”
“The massacre of the Shen family was due to my naivety and incompetence. I can’t blame others and can only apologize to the ancestors of the Shen family with my life.”
Rong Lian looked at the Empress and said, “And what about you? Are you trying to kill the national teacher for your own personal grudges or for the people of the Shen family? I believe you know better than I do.”
At this moment, the Empress fell silent for a moment.
Then a very gentle smile appeared on her face. “Miss Shen San, since you want to atone with your life, then this palace can only comply with your wishes and let you take the place of the national teacher and take the gu poison.”
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Author’s note: Thank you to the little angels who voted for me or irrigated me with nutrient solution during the period from 2022-04-0523:58:37 to 2022-04-0923:49:00~
Translator’s note:
Finally, the empress looked at Rong Lian and smiled, “Let this palace guess, you repeatedly ignored the national teacher’s goodwill under the pretext of admiring Shen Lang. Is it not because you hate the national teacher, but because…”
“because you love her?”
Might be the complete sentence that Rong Lian interrupted, but this is just speculation. It’s possible that Rong Lian has feelings for the national teacher. We may find out more in the succeeding or extra chapter.
TO BE CONTINUE…
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