Consort Jing

Aurora Pavilion.

With nothing to do during the day, Li Musheng leaned against the corridor railing, admiring the view of the courtyard below while trying to devise a martial art similar to the "Life-Death Seal."

Although creating his own martial arts was no difficult feat for him, devising one from nothing still required some thought.

At that moment, Li Yuanling, who had been following beside him, stared at him curiously for quite a while before speaking:

"You should be careful. Although Aurora Pavilion appears to be guarded as tightly as an iron bucket, quite a few watchful eyes are hidden in the shadows."

Li Musheng glanced back at her, then suddenly asked:

"Tell me, if I reported you to that Heavenly Brocade Guard Deputy Commander, would they throw you out at once?"

Li Yuanling's face darkened at those words. Her delicate brows furrowed as she said:

"Don't be like this. I truly want to stay and protect you. You have no idea how much my godmother missed you while she was alive. Even in the afterlife, she would never want to see anything happen to you."

The moment she said this, Li Yuanling suddenly realized that she seemed to have said something she should not have. She immediately covered her mouth with both hands.

A strange look appeared on Li Musheng's face as he asked:

"What do you mean by that?"

"As I recall, before the matter of the real and fake princes came to light, wasn't Consort Jing accompanied by the Seventh Prince in Heavenly Prison?"

Li Yuanling blinked, then waved her hands repeatedly.

"You heard wrong. What I meant was... was..."

Seeing her stammer for ages without finding an excuse, Li Musheng shook his head.

"If you don't want to say it, then don't. I'm not forcing you."

He then turned back around and gazed blankly at the distant Red Lotus Pond, continuing to ponder the key principles behind creating the Life-Death Seal martial art.

Li Yuanling let out a slight sigh of relief at the sight.

Yet when she saw that Li Musheng seemed utterly unconcerned about the matter, a deep sorrow rose in her eyes again.

After quite some time, Li Yuanling finally spoke softly.

"My godmother had actually known long ago that Li Zhi was not her own son. She simply never revealed it and told only me."

As she spoke, she fixed her gentle gaze on Li Musheng.

"Before my godmother passed away, she lay in bed for an entire day without saying a single word. But I knew she wanted to see you once before she died. Yet... even in death, she never got her wish."

Li Musheng turned back then. Seeing Li Yuanling's reddened eyes, he fell silent for a moment.

Then he let out a soft sigh.

"So, does that mean you were the one who exposed the fake prince?"

Li Yuanling shook her head.

"My godmother would not allow me to do that. She only wanted you to live safely as an ordinary person. That was also why she had never sought you out."

"Though I did not understand, I never went against her final wish. So I was not the one behind this."

Li Musheng frowned slightly.

"Then who did it?"

"I don't know. The case from twenty years ago is still under investigation, and there has been no result to this day. But I think it was most likely done by Li Zhi's enemies."

Li Yuanling voiced her guess, but since she had not been involved in the matter, what she knew was extremely limited.

Li Musheng merely considered it for a moment and did not continue asking.

At that moment, Li Yuanling spoke softly, her gaze firm.

"You need not dwell on the past. Since you have returned to the imperial capital, I will surely fulfill my godmother's final wish and ensure that you live safely."

The expression on her face suddenly turned solemn as she continued:

"My godmother lived in seclusion and rarely showed herself, but there must have been people in the palace who had seen her. So after you appeared in Aurora Pavilion, there must be others who could recognize your true identity just as I did."

"You must understand, everyone in Aurora Pavilion either dreams of becoming the Seventh Prince or believes himself to be the Seventh Prince. The forces entangled behind them are exceedingly complicated. There is no telling whether someone might take desperate risks and strike at you."

At this point, Li Yuanling paused. She suddenly saw Li Musheng once again staring blankly at the pond below. Instantly angered, she wiped away the lingering tears at the corners of her eyes and shouted softly:

"Are you even listening to me?"

Li Musheng shot her a sidelong glance.

"Of course I'm listening. But stop worrying over nothing. You should go back and be your princess. That is the proper thing to do."

Just then, two figures suddenly descended from the sky and appeared behind Li Yuanling in the blink of an eye.

One wore a dragonfish uniform. He was imposing in build and tall in stature, his temples touched with gray, but his face was resolute, giving off an impression of formidable strength.

The other was fair-faced and beardless, dressed in a neat, well-pressed vermilion eunuch's robe. His smooth black hair was combed straight and hung to his shoulders.

His fingers were slender and long. The moment he lifted his hand slightly, his little finger instinctively curled upward like an orchid.

"Your Highness, this is not a place you should be. Please allow this servant to escort you back to your residence."

Sun Changyu, the chief eunuch of the Directorate of Palace Ceremonial, bowed in salute. Song Shanyue, the Deputy Commander, did the same beside him.

Li Yuanling glared at Li Musheng in shock and fury.

"You really reported me?"

Li Musheng turned back and smiled.

"Did you think I was joking with you?"

That morning, he had already told Little Anzi that Li Yuanling was disguised as a man. It was only that the Heavenly Brocade Guard likely needed to seek instructions from above, so their response had been somewhat slow.

"Ah... ah..."

Li Yuanling was clearly beside herself with rage. Turning around, she roared at Sun Changyu and Song Shanyue:

"All of you, get lost! I'm staying here. I'm not going anywhere!"

Sun Changyu gently shook his head.

"If Your Highness insists, then please forgive this servant for offending you."

"You dare lay a hand on me?"

Li Yuanling's face darkened. Yet in the next instant, she vigorously shook her head, feeling herself grow dizzy and heavy-headed, before slowly collapsing toward the ground.

Sun Changyu hurriedly caught her and called behind him:

"Someone come. Escort Princess Huarong back to her residence."

In an instant, several young eunuchs carried a small sedan chair swiftly up from below. After taking Li Yuanling from Sun Changyu, they carried her away at a quick pace.

At that point, only Sun Changyu, Song Shanyue, and Li Musheng remained in the corridor.

After a while, Li Musheng looked at the two of them and asked:

"Do you still have business here?"

Sun Changyu and Song Shanyue exchanged a glance, and strange looks rose in both their eyes.

What they had used on Li Yuanling just now was a medicinal powder that could soothe the mind and induce sleep, called "Fragrant Slumber Saliva."

It was harmless, but it could make someone fall asleep instantly. Even a Martial Grandmaster would find it difficult to escape its effects. Only an expert at the level of a Great Grandmaster could resist it with their powerful true qi.

Yet Li Musheng had clearly inhaled the Fragrant Slumber Saliva, and from beginning to end, nothing had happened to him.