The outcome was very smooth, in line with the people's expectations. The story of the King of King of Qin capturing and releasing the enemy with one move and defeating the enemy with one move spread throughout the capital in just one afternoon, and Princess Mingxue was also announced as the King of Qin with great success.
Everything was as perfect as in many storytelling tales, making the originally gloomy capital city much more lively.
But many aristocratic families found it somewhat strange.
They felt the whole thing had been resolved too smoothly.
The emperor went to such lengths to lure the delegation from Jiangnan, did he really place his hopes on a fair duel? Did he really expect a Southern Barbarians to defeat the King of Qin of Qin, who could possibly control Jiangnan?
Although the strength displayed by that Southern Barbarians was incredible, to say that the emperor only had this one method seems a bit too simplistic.
But the truth is, the whole thing went smoothly without any trouble!
On the training ground, Chen Qing didn't use the barrier technique to do anything, and the emperor didn't continue to make trouble. Everything seemed to have been perfectly resolved because of Wutu Gu's lost duel. Everything seemed to be calm and peaceful!
--
Royal Palace
Many people did not see the emperor after the martial arts training ground, including the imperial Imperial Guard who had escorted him all the way; they could not find their lord for a while.
Meanwhile, the king, whom no noble family could fathom, was striding menacingly toward the former queen's palace with a gloomy expression.
But the further he walked, the worse his expression became.
The Empress's bedchamber reeked of a foul stench, which the Emperor sensed even before he approached. All the palace maids in the bedchamber were dead. A cold glint flashed in his eyes as he strode into the bedchamber.
His former empress was a simple person, so her bedchamber was decorated in a very simple way. But after that woman came, she became extremely luxurious. The entire bedchamber floor was paved with a kind of jade brick, a specialty of Jiangnan, which was magnificent and noble. But now, the originally noble floor bricks were covered with blood and bits of flesh.
A disturbing scene and the sound of chewing were unfolding in the hall of the imperial bedchamber. Countless beautiful palace maids lay in pieces, their limbs scattered everywhere, while a monster covered in dragon scales devoured the most pungent entrails.
The face was still faintly recognizable; it was the face of the former empress.
The emperor's gloomy expression vanished, his face turned cold, but a hint of disgust lingered in the depths of his eyes.
It's hard to believe that I've been entangled with something like this for three long years!
"So you're finally back?" The monster's voice was still the Queen's, but it carried a hint of the hoarseness of a wild beast.
"What happened?" the emperor asked bluntly. "I couldn't use any of the Ghost Temple's abilities. If Chen Qing wanted to kill me, he could have done so at any time!"
"He wouldn't dare to make a move," the Queen shook her head. "That would be a lose-lose situation, but the reason you can't use the Ghost Temple's abilities is also because of him."
"What exactly happened?" the emperor asked, frowning.
The queen swallowed the liver in her hand, stood up, and looked behind her.
The emperor also quickly looked over.
The true core of the Ghost Temple is not any of the four famous Daoist temples in Beijing, but an ancient temple located inside the Imperial Palace, once sealed at the bottom of the palace!
At this moment, visible tears appeared on the outer perimeter of the temple, resembling a spider web.
"That fellow is no simpleton," the Queen murmured. "He seems to know everything about us!"
--
Five hours ago.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Chen Qing visited Palace of Compassion and Tranquility for the first time and met the old lady who was said to be the last elderly elder of the Xiao Household, and who was also the first woman in the Xiao Household to have a son-in-law at home and give birth to Xiao Mingyue.
Before coming here, Wang Ye had already said that the old lady played a decisive role in his successful re-entry into the Yin-Yang Road to rescue him.
Yes, in the Yin-Yang Road, his only chance of survival was the Flying Star Mark left there by Wang Ye back then.
The Evening Elephant sorcerer wouldn't use the Flying Star lightly because the imprints are limited. Chen Qing felt that Wang Ye wouldn't erase the mark at this location in Tomb of King Xiang the Yin-Yang Road. With his intelligence, he should be able to determine that it was a very important place.
Sure enough, Chen Qing found the mark there.
Chen Qing has the Flying Star Mark on her body, which Wang Ye used on her when he first saved her. Chen Qing believes that the other party will not easily erase it.
Therefore, when the two marks collide, Wang Ye will definitely be alerted, and with his intelligence, he will surely be able to guess that he is trapped in the Yin-Yang Road.
As for whether the other party will come to rescue him.
Chen Qing wasn't confident.
Wang Ye was the first person in this world who was willing to risk his life to save him. Although it was for a mission, it was because Wang Ye judged that he was the one who could break the deadlock that he took such a risk.
But the fact that someone of demonic origin would be willing to gamble their life on a human is something he still can't quite understand.
But now, the tables have turned; he has entrusted his life and fortune to the other party.
The contact mark would allow Wang Ye to know his location. The other party could save him, but could also scheme against him. In his situation, he was in a very passive position.
Wang Ye's plans remain unclear to him, because in the end he ended up associating with Liu Yu.
This was a last resort, but thankfully, I made the right gamble.
"You're Chen Qing?"
The Empress Dowager looked at Chen Qing with curiosity. After Xiao Mingxue went to Jiangnan, she had been communicating with her through special means. She remembered that her daughter had a very high opinion of this man.
Of course, she sternly rebuked her daughter for her absurd idea of having a child with this younger man.
"This junior is Chen Qing." Chen Qing bowed sincerely.
The other party was Xiao Mingyue's elder, and he and Xiao Mingyue had a somewhat distant relationship. Now that he had escaped from the Yin-Yang Road, the other party had lent him a helping hand. Regardless of their motives, it was a life-saving grace, and he could not be impolite.
Are you aware of the current situation?
"The last piece of information I received was that my subordinates were forced by His Majesty to have someone impersonate me and come to the capital. I know nothing more."
The Empress Dowager nodded upon hearing this. "Then this old man will tell you what he has found out."
A moment later, when Chen Qing heard Ao Zhen an objection in the main hall, but then suddenly disappear, he fell into deep thought.
Do you know what happened?
The Empress Dowager looked at Chen Qing. After Xiao Mingxue awakened her Golden Crow Bloodline, her personality changed a lot, but she still seemed to have expectations for Chen Qing, this scholar. It can only be said that her personality really comes from her aunt. Her own daughter was so bold, but she couldn't get past the man's hurdle. Now her granddaughter is the same.
However, she couldn't easily decide to entrust the only Golden Crow Bloodline of the Xiao Household to this boy.
This was almost a choice that would determine the fate of the Xiao Household. This young man had seized control of Jiangnan, and in the future, he might very well clash with the emperor. Whether he was qualified to confront the emperor and whether he could protect Xiao Mingxue were all factors that needed to be considered.
At the very least, he needs to resolve the current situation first; otherwise, if he can't even resolve this one, how can he guarantee Mingxue's future?
"Before I came, Wang Ye told me about the situation in the capital. He said that many strange temples had been built in the capital, and that human sacrifices of young boys and girls were regularly brought in from outside the capital."
The Empress Dowager nodded. "Yes, what happened? Do you know the details?"
" The Mother and Child Ghosts Temple!" Chen Qing said with certainty, "There were many human sacrifices in ancient times, but very few that specifically targeted only young boys and girls. When I was in the Dragon Palace, I obtained some information that the power behind His Majesty is most likely related to the Snake Mother who sided with the Ghost Domain Realm. And if they chose the Mother and Child Ghosts Temple, I can roughly guess what method they used to seal my subordinate."
"Are you confident?" The Empress Dowager looked at Chen Qing seriously.
"Please rest assured, Your Majesty," Chen Qing replied solemnly, "This junior will ensure Princess Mingxue's safety!"