The Grand Elder Ling Qingming led a group of people down the mountain on a mission. Recently, someone had died in the newly opened Baicao Hall in Yuzhou City. This Baicao Hall was established under the guidance of the Elders' Council. It served as a secret stronghold for Tianmen Mountain's contact with the outside world. However, the sudden death had caught the attention of the government.
This time he left the mountain to investigate this matter. Sitting in the carriage, he closed his eyes and relaxed. He recalled his feelings when his master passed the position of sect leader to Miao Yunshen many years ago.
Now that Miao Yunshen was terminally ill, Ling Qingming's mind started to stir. He either wanted to become the sect leader himself or cultivate a sect leader who was close to him. Recently, he had frequently clashed with the Second Elder, forcing Miao Yunshen to choose a new sect leader. The Second Elder favored Chen Runzhi, but Ling Qingming believed that Yan Fei was the future sect leader cultivated by Miao Yunshen.
There was a rumor on Tianmen Mountain about the "young master", but who was this young master? Was it Wen Sirong or Yan Fei? The more Ling Qingming observed Yan Fei, the more he believed that Yan Fei was the legendary young master.
"Elder, we're almost in Yuzhou!"
Ling Qingming rubbed his neck. Lately, he had been feeling weak all over, but he couldn't find the cause, so he put it aside.
Just as he was about to get out of the carriage to take a break, unexpectedly, there were many black - clothed men lying in ambush by the roadside.
"Kill!"
Ling Qingming sneered. These were just petty thieves. "Ah..."
Before he could activate his inner energy, suddenly, blood oozed from the corner of his mouth, and his vision gradually blurred. As a member of Tianmen Mountain, he knew that he had been poisoned. Who was it? Miao Yunshen or Du Zhouli?
There was no time to think. He staggered forward. Who would have thought that he was blocked by a young man in brocade clothes.
"It's you... Ouyang Jinse!"
Ling Qingming gritted his teeth. He never thought that after years of planning, he would be defeated by a young man today.
"Grand Elder, long time no see..."
"Why?"
"The Second Elder said that you meddled too much!"
Ouyang Jinse clapped his hands, and the black - clothed men swarmed forward again. After killing Ling Qingming, Du Zhouli would be the most powerful figure in the Elders' Council of Tianmen Mountain.
He looked at the body on the ground sarcastically. Miao Yunshen wouldn't be long for this world either.
Not long after they left, someone peeked out from a distance. Seeing that the matter was over, they quickly fled.
In the inner chamber of Tianmen Mountain, a slender hand picked up a teacup and took a gentle sip. "The Grand Elder is dead!"
After hearing the news, Song Jinyu rushed from the back mountain to Miao Yunshen's courtyard in a hurry.
"Master, the Grand Elder he..."
"Was killed..."
Miao Yunshen remained calm. The death of Ling Qingming was within his expectation.
"What's the matter? It's just someone's death! There are always people who can't wait to take action!"
Song Jinyu couldn't contain her impatience. "This is not just an ordinary person. He is the Grand Elder of Tianmen Mountain!" She didn't understand why her master was so calm. Did he know who the murderer was?
"Presumptuous!"
Miao Yunshen smashed the teacup on the ground. "I've been too lenient with you!"
"Master, is there an insider involved?" Song Jinyu was dissatisfied with Miao Yunshen's attitude. She was eager to find the murderer because she was afraid that her master would be the next target.
"Someone, take the young lady back to her room. She is not allowed to go out without permission!"
"Master... Humph!" Song Jinyu was extremely angry. She didn't understand why her kind - hearted master was suddenly angry.
After she left, Miao Yunshen said meaningfully, "Good disciple, you should learn to be a bit more stupid."
He wanted to teach her how to hide her capabilities and bide her time.
Some things should be seen through but not said out loud. In some situations, it may not be the best strategy to expose the truth when you're in the middle of it.
When Yan Fei arrived, Song Jinyu had already been locked up. He walked up to Miao Yunshen and pleaded for her. "Yu'er is still young. Please forgive her rudeness, Master."
"Time is running out for us."
Miao Yunshen looked at Yan Fei and said, "Fei'er, you should keep an eye on Xiao Shiyi. She is always very resourceful."
"The emperor is taking the medicine more and more frequently. Eunuch Li sent a message."
Yan Fei frowned. He knew the seriousness of what his master said. Now that Song Jinyu had been betrothed by the emperor, it was not a good thing for Tianmen Mountain.
That was why his master repeatedly disagreed with her being with Prince Yu. But his junior sister was the kind of person who did whatever she wanted.
In the palace,
After taking the spiritual medicine, the emperor's body was gradually recovering. However, since he was angered by the crown prince last time, he had been feeling sleepy and weak. He wanted to summon Miao Yunshen into the palace, but he heard that the sect leader Miao was terminally ill.
"Forget it, forget it!" He impatiently pushed away the bowl of medicinal soup and took a spiritual pill from under his pillow and put it into his mouth.
Eunuch Li was shocked. Although this medicine was effective, Sect Leader Miao had once instructed that taking one pill every three days was the best. Now the emperor was relying on this medicine every day.
After Concubine Jia and Princess Heyi visited the emperor, they were stopped in the imperial garden.
"Your Ladyship, the queen requests your presence."
When they met the queen, they found that there was a charming guest in the palace.
It was Rong Qing'er, the second young lady of the Duke Rong's Mansion.
"Quickly sit down. Qing'er came to visit me today."
"My mother often mentions Your Majesty in the mansion. She says that Your Majesty is the kindest person in the world." Rong Qing'er's mother, the Duchess of the Duke Rong's Mansion, was the legitimate daughter of the queen's maternal family.
Heyi rolled her eyes. How pretentious!
Concubine Jia smiled and said, "Qing'er is truly a beauty with bright eyes and a sweet tongue. She is not only beautiful but also good at speaking."
The queen smiled.
"Indeed. She is the apple of Duke Rong's eye at home!" Concubine Shu was also there and praised Rong Qing'er non - stop.
Rong Qing'er's elegant conversation won the praise of the queen and Concubine Jia. "Qing'er, the more I look at you, the more I like you. How about I arrange a marriage for you?"
Hearing that the queen was going to arrange a marriage, although Rong Qing'er knew it in her heart, she immediately blushed.
She knelt down. "I'll leave it all to Your Majesty's decision..."
"I heard that you knew Prince Yu a long time ago. Is that true?" The queen led the topic to Prince Yu, and Rong Qing'er blushed.
Heyi felt uncomfortable. What was the queen up to? Concubine Shu also looked cold, but since the queen was the mistress of the six palaces, there was nothing she could do.
Concubine Jia thought this matter had nothing to do with her, so she just watched as an onlooker.
They heard Rong Qing say, "When I was a child, I was naughty and was coaxed up a tree by my elder brother and couldn't get down. It was..."
"Prince Yu who saved me."
Hearing this, the queen immediately became anxious. "Oh, the Duke Rong's Mansion should have said so earlier."
"If I had known about this relationship earlier, I would have arranged the marriage myself,"
Heyi stood up and wanted to say something, but Concubine Jia desperately grabbed her and winked at her to calm down.
Rong Qing'er said shyly, "Your Highness he..."
"Forget it. The emperor arranged a marriage for him a few days ago. I'm not very satisfied."
The queen's words were false. She was afraid that the emperor would arrange a good marriage for Zhongli Mingye and had disrupted many such arrangements. Rong Qing's face was full of disappointment. No wonder her father had proposed that she become a side concubine first.
With her status, it was appropriate for her to be the main wife of the prince. Why did she have to be a side concubine?
At this thought, her face turned pale.
As if not noticing her expression, the queen continued talking on her own.
It wasn't until Concubine Jia and Princess Heyi asked to leave that the queen was still holding Rong Qing'er's hand and talking non - stop.
"Qing'er, that wild girl was betrothed by the emperor because she saved the princess's life."
"Although you'll be wronged a bit, if you enter the prince's mansion first and give birth to a child, you can be promoted to the main wife."
Rong Qing'er lowered her head. No one could see that her expression was a bit strange and cold.
"..."
The queen looked at Rong Qing'er, took her hand, and said, "Good child..."
"You've been wronged. I'll be your support."