Seeking Out My Master to Beg for Forgiveness with a Whip

Meng Anli nodded guiltily, "Mm!"

Empress Chu looked at the bloody shoes and, combining them with Meng Anli's words, could guess why she had used Meng Ying's identity.

She didn't blame her, only worried, "Isn't the Crown Prince too much for her? Meng Ying won't be able to handle him, will she? Should we hide Meng Ying for now?"

"That's what I was thinking," Meng Anli asked Meng Ying, "Do you have any wishes or places you want to go? I can grant them all."

Meng Ying held up a chicken leg and cheered, "I want to cultivate immortality!"

Empress Chu looked at her in surprise.

Meng Ying wiped the oil from her mouth and said seriously.

"Mother, I want to protect you, I want to cultivate immortality, I want to become stronger. But countless times I've seen you wake up startled from your dreams, seen you afraid of those who can fly and possess magic, and I didn't dare to say anything.

Today, when Miss Anli arrived and casually immobilized me, I realized more profoundly the importance of having great power. I want to become stronger even more.

I've been thinking all day about how to tell you."

Empress Chu's eyes welled up with tears, "Child, no wonder you haven't been eating much, you can only eat one chicken leg now. So this is what's been troubling you."

Meng Ying grinned, "As long as Mother isn't angry with me."

"You were thinking of me, how could Mother be angry with you? It's just cultivating immortality..." Empress Chu looked at Meng Anli, "Does it require going to the Heavenly Court? Will we run into the Crown Prince?"

Meng Anli had been contemplating since she mentioned cultivating immortality.

At this moment, she said without hesitation, "There's a good place—Taishan Academy. Taishan Academy is second only to Xuantian Academy in cultivating Taoist magic. It's strictly managed, and outsiders cannot enter. The Heavenly Emperor might be able to, but the Crown Prince definitely cannot."

Empress Chu looked at Meng Ying again.

Meng Ying said without hesitation, "This is great! I'll go."

Meng Anli said, "I'll go ask my master first, and then I'll come down to send her over."

"No," Empress Chu stood up and tidied her clothes.

"I'll go find His Majesty. He has some connections with the dean of Taishan Academy, so we won't have to wait three days. I'll tell you now, I am willing to go to the Heavenly Court, but you can't be the one to take me. We should remain adversaries in the Heavenly Realm."

Meng Anli was a little confused.

Empress Chu chuckled lightly, "According to you, the Crown Prince isn't just interested in Meng Ying, he's already fallen for her.

Before he left, he also said he would investigate. Once he finds out what's going on with me, to dispel Meng Ying's worries, he will definitely make me go to the Meng family to overcome my trauma, and thus agree to Meng Ying being with him."

"I won't go with him," Meng Ying refused, "I want to become stronger."

Empress Chu smiled gently at her, "Mother will follow your wishes. For now, let's just discuss the Crown Prince's actions."

Meng Anli hesitated, "Will that work? The Crown Prince is quite cold-hearted. He might forget in a few days."

Empress Chu said, "As long as he comes, I'll find a way to make him take me to the Heavenly Court willingly. If he doesn't come, I'll go up Chongwu Mountain alone. In any case, it's best not to let others know about our relationship."

Meng Anli couldn't help but admire her. This was truly a smart and resilient woman.

After finalizing some details with Empress Chu, Meng Anli returned to Xuantian Academy.

She flew straight towards Qin Zhai.

After landing at the entrance, she took a deep breath and walked in dragging her feet.

The courtyard was brightly lit, and the peach trees glowed with a pink light, with fireflies circling the blossoms.

Her originally tense heart was a little distracted. What was with these peach blossoms?

It was already midsummer, yet they were still blooming so vibrantly.

"Zheng~"

A zither melody filled with killing intent startled the peach blossoms, causing them to fall.

Meng Anli shivered, almost dropping to her knees.

She looked down and saw her master playing the zither under the tree.

Her master wore white robes, his wide sleeves fluttering as if about to fly, and his dark hair danced with the zither's melody.

His ethereal and beautiful face was even more striking than the falling peach blossoms behind him.

As his lean, fair, and long fingers danced across the strings, a murderous zither melody poured out continuously.

She felt as if her master was playing on the artery in her neck.

Yuan Tuo was three zhang away, trembling in fear.

He gave Meng Anli a "good luck to yourself" look.

Meng Anli's knees buckled, and she knelt down immediately, "Master, I was wrong."

Yun Jing's fingers did not stop, he only said lightly, "Wrong about what?"

Meng Anli was overjoyed in her heart. He was letting her explain.

This meant there was still a chance.

She quickly recited the prepared speech, "I shouldn't have gone out with the Crown Prince, but I only went with him for my plan."

"Oh?" Yun Jing's hand slowed down, and the zither's tune also turned gentle and melodious.

Meng Anli secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing she had guessed correctly.

She continued, "I was worried the Meng family would ally with the Crown Prince, use Meng Ying's identity to scheme against Meng Shiwan, and I didn't want the Crown Prince to be attracted to her, so..."

Yun Jing finished her sentence, "You attracted the Crown Prince?"

Meng Anli emphasized, "It was using Meng Ying's identity. I also thought if the Crown Prince was genuinely interested in Meng Ying, he wouldn't keep staring at me, making it much easier for me to break off the engagement later. Besides..."

Meng Anli's eyes sparkled, "I also unintentionally facilitated a major event."

This referred to the possibility of the Crown Prince bringing Empress Chu to the Heavenly Realm.

Meng Anli explained this possibility, then said, "I didn't even show my face, so no one would suspect me. This strategy is called 'hiding the obvious by making it seem hidden,' killing three birds with one stone."

Yun Jing gazed at her bright, slightly proud eyes, his fingers moved slightly, and the zither music became cheerful and flowing.

"It's killing three birds with one stone."

Meng Anli looked at him, confused.

Yun Jing enumerated, "Preventing the Meng family from allying with the Crown Prince, preparing for your broken engagement, and using the Crown Prince to bring Empress Chu to heaven."

"Ah," Meng Anli realized, "If you count it that way, there's another bird. I also got the formula for explosives."

Yun Jing feigned ignorance, "What explosives?"

"It's like this."

Meng Anli took the opportunity to stand up, walking to the small stone table to pour Yun Jing some tea while explaining about the explosives and their formula.

Yun Jing looked at the clear, fragrant tea before him and pressed down with his fingers, stopping the music.

He raised his hand to accept the tea.

Meng Anli seized the moment, "Master, since you accepted my tea, you're not angry anymore, right?"

Yun Jing flipped his wrist and poured the entire cup of tea onto the ground.

His movements were fluid, without the slightest hesitation.

Meng Anli: "..."

She shouldn't have pushed her luck.

Yuan Tuo watched, trembling with fear.

Little Anli, you're truly audacious.

Who dares to negotiate with the Great Emperor Dangmo?

As her elder brother, he gritted his teeth and stepped forward, "Anli she..."

Yun Jing glanced sideways, "Don't you have preparations for class?"

"I do," Yuan Tuo gave Meng Anli a sympathetic look and fled.

I did my best as a brother.

But Master is exceptionally tolerant of Anli, so Anli will surely be able to turn danger into safety.