Switching the Beams and Pillars

The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Dugu Bo stood at the edge of the herb garden, looking at the exotic flowers and rare herbs covering the ground, then suddenly turned his head.

"Boy."

"Hm?"

"Aren't you supposed to have seen and learned quite a lot?"

Dugu Bo pointed around them.

"How many things in this old man's herb garden do you recognize?"

Lin Yuan scanned the garden.

Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.

Infernal Delicate Apricot.

And a few Immortal Herbs he could barely identify.

But as for the rest-

He only knew they were precious.

He really couldn't say what exactly they did.

"A few."

Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow.

"Just a few?"

Lin Yuan didn't find that embarrassing at all.

"Leave specialized work to specialists."

Guang Ling immediately caught his drift.

"Who are you planning to bring in this time?"

Lin Yuan smiled.

"Doesn't Spirit Hall happen to have someone who plays with flowers?"

Dugu Bo's expression immediately turned odd.

"That damned effeminate chrysanthemum?"

Lin Yuan nodded.

"That's right."

Guang Ling was immediately delighted.

"Say that again to Yue Guan's face."

Dugu Bo sneered.

"I will."

"Would this old man be afraid of that rotten chrysanthemum?"

Lin Yuan couldn't be bothered to listen to the two old fellows keep bickering.

They had already found the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

The herb garden wasn't going anywhere either.

Once things in Heaven Dou City were settled, he would drag Yue Guan over and let him take his time identifying everything.

That afternoon.

The three left Sunset Forest.

Heaven Dou City.

The crown prince's residence.

The study door opened.

Qian Renxue sat behind the desk.

Her golden hair draped over her shoulders, her face exquisitely beautiful.

At that moment, she wore no disguise.

She wasn't Xue Qinghe.

She was the real Qian Renxue.

Hearing the noise, she raised her head.

First, she saw Guang Ling.

Then Dugu Bo.

Finally, her gaze settled on Lin Yuan.

It was very calm.

A little too calm.

Lin Yuan hadn't realized the danger yet.

"Xue'er-"

The words had barely left his mouth.

Qian Renxue had already stood up.

The next second.

One hand seized his ear with unerring precision.

"Ow!"

Lin Yuan's body instantly tilted sideways.

"Xue'er!"

"It hurts, it hurts, it hurts!"

Qian Renxue didn't say a word.

Holding him by the ear just like that, she dragged him all the way from the doorway to the desk.

Dugu Bo watched, his eyelid twitching.

Guang Ling had already started holding back his laughter.

Smack.

Qian Renxue slapped an Image-Recording Crystal Ball onto the desk.

Soul Power flowed into it.

An image lit up.

Immediately afterward.

Lin Yuan's all-too-familiar voice came from within.

"She could be a concubine at most."

The air instantly fell silent.

Lin Yuan: "..."

He slowly turned his head.

Guang Ling had already covered his mouth.

His shoulders shook violently.

Qian Renxue, meanwhile, looked at him with a beaming smile.

"A concubine?"

"Is that right?"

The grip on his ear tightened further.

"Lin Yuan."

"It's only been a few days."

"And you're already planning to find me a little sister?"

"A misunderstanding."

"It's all a misunderstanding."

"Oh?"

Qian Renxue shook the Image-Recording Crystal Ball.

"The evidence is right here."

"Tell me what's been misunderstood."

Just then.

"Hahahahaha!"

A red-and-white mask suddenly popped out from behind Guang Ling.

Aha!

It spun excitedly in midair.

"What a show!"

"What a wonderful show!"

"Aha knew this thing would bring some great fun!"

Guang Ling finally couldn't hold back anymore.

"Hahahaha!"

"You little brat!"

"That's what you get for running your mouth!"

"Now you know what irrefutable evidence means!"

Dugu Bo silently took a step back.

At that moment.

He suddenly felt that bringing up marrying off his granddaughter really did seem to have landed the boy in quite a pit.

Qian Renxue stared at Lin Yuan.

"Speak."

"What are you going to do about that concubine?"

Lin Yuan looked at her.

Then at Guang Ling.

Then he glanced at Aha, who was as happy as if the New Year had arrived.

The next moment.

He suddenly broke free of Qian Renxue's hand.

Qian Renxue froze.

Before she could react.

Lin Yuan had already reached out with both hands and cupped her face.

"Xue'er."

Qian Renxue went still.

Even Guang Ling's laughter stopped for a moment.

Lin Yuan looked straight into her eyes.

There was no joking smile on his face.

"You're the only one in my heart."

"You were before."

"You are now."

"And you always will be."

Qian Renxue had originally intended to keep settling accounts with him.

But hearing this, her gaze softened despite herself.

Lin Yuan continued:

"Once things in Heaven Dou City are settled."

"You won't have to be Xue Qinghe anymore."

"When that time comes-"

"I'll take you out into the world."

Qian Renxue paused, slightly stunned.

"Where?"

"To travel the continent."

Lin Yuan smiled.

"Didn't you say it when we were little?"

"That one day, you'd leave Spirit City, forget about the Worship Hall and the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, and go see just how vast the whole continent really is."

"It's been six years."

"That wish."

"I still remember it."

Qian Renxue stared at him in a daze.

For a moment, she actually forgot that she had just been angry.

Lin Yuan said softly:

"So."

"When this is over."

"I'll go with you."

Qian Renxue's eyes grew slightly hot.

Just as she was about to speak.

Lin Yuan had already lowered his head and kissed her.

Her pupils widened slightly.

A moment later.

The hands still pressed against Lin Yuan's chest slowly relaxed.

Finally, they clutched his lapels.

The study fell completely silent.

A long while later.

Only then did the two separate.

Qian Renxue rested her forehead against Lin Yuan's chest.

Her ears were already red to the roots.

None of the fierceness she had shown while tugging his ear remained.

After a long pause.

She finally spoke softly.

"You said it."

Lin Yuan held her.

"I did."

"If you dare lie to me..."

"You can have Grandpa break my legs."

"You said that yourself."

"..."

Lin Yuan suddenly felt that he had said the wrong thing again.

Meanwhile.

Beside them.

Guang Ling was still in the same pose he had struck while preparing to enjoy the show.

His smile had long since frozen on his face.

Aha was also holding up the Image-Recording Crystal Ball.

The mask tilted.

It seemed somewhat unable to accept this.

What it had been planning to record was clearly Lin Yuan getting beaten.

How had it suddenly turned into this?

The man and the mask looked at each other for a moment.

Guang Ling fell silent.

Aha fell silent too.

Standing behind them, Dugu Bo looked at the two embracing.

Then he looked at the two beside them, who had waited to enjoy the spectacle only to end up with their mouths stuffed with dog food.

The corner of his mouth twitched despite himself.

They looked just like a pair of clowns.

Everyone took their seats again.

Qian Renxue was clearly still somewhat distracted.

Qian Jun, who had just arrived, glanced at her and quietly asked Jiang Mo:

"What's wrong with Xiao Xue'er?"

"She looks like her soul has wandered off."

Qian Renxue's cheeks flushed.

"Ahem."

She forced herself to regain her composure and looked at Lin Yuan.

"Let's get down to business."

"Xue Ye's double is ready."

Lin Yuan raised his eyes.

"Then let's begin."

Qian Renxue spread out a map of the imperial palace.

"First, we make Xue Ye gravely ill."

"We seal off his bedchamber under the pretext of treating him."

"Once no one outside can see him at all, we make the switch."

Lin Yuan nodded.

"Who will administer the poison?"

Everyone looked at Dugu Bo at once.

Dugu Bo's face darkened.

"Why are you all looking at me?"

Lin Yuan said evenly:

"If the Poison Douluo doesn't administer the poison, should my teacher do it instead?"

Guang Ling immediately waved his hands.

"All I know is archery."

Dugu Bo snorted.

"What effect do you want?"

"A sudden illness."

"A severe one."

"But it can't kill him outright."

Lin Yuan said:

"Ideally, ordinary healing Soul Masters shouldn't be able to detect anything wrong."

Dugu Bo scoffed.

"Easy."

Qian Renxue continued:

"After Xue Ye falls ill, I'll take over state affairs as crown prince."

"At the same time, I'll invite Ye Lingqiu, the Nine Heart Begonia clan leader, to enter the palace with you to treat him."

Dugu Bo raised an eyebrow.

"Actually save him?"

"No."

Lin Yuan looked at him.

"Once you go in, dispose of the real Xue Ye directly."

"Send the double in."

"Then you and Ye Lingqiu announce to the public-"

"He's been saved."

The corner of Dugu Bo's mouth twitched.

"I poison him."

"I save him."

"And in the end, I have to tell the whole world that I saved Xue Ye?"

Lin Yuan nodded.

"Exactly."

Guang Ling immediately laughed.

"Old Poison."

"This time, you're both the murderer and the miracle doctor."

"Get lost."

Qian Renxue's finger landed on the center of the imperial palace.

"After Xue Ye 'recovers,' the double will continue to sit on the throne."

"The crown prince's residence will coordinate from outside."

"Both the emperor and the crown prince will be in our hands."

"When the time comes, Heaven Dou's power will naturally fall into our hands."

Lin Yuan asked:

"What about Xue Xing?"

Qian Renxue's gaze turned cold.

"By the time he notices something is wrong."

"It'll already be too late."

"Our people in the court, the imperial palace, and Spirit Hall will all be in position."

"He won't be able to overturn the heavens."

Lin Yuan nodded.

"Then it's settled."

"Dugu Bo will handle the poisoning."

"Ye Lingqiu and Dugu Bo will be responsible for 'saving' Xue Ye."

"Grandpa Qian Jun will handle the double."

"Grandpa Jiang Mo will keep watch over Prince Xue Xing's residence and the Hall of Relief."

"Xue'er will handle the court."

"Keep a tight watch on anyone who tries to leave the city ahead of time."

Jiang Mo grinned.

"Finally, there's work for me."

Qian Jun nodded.

"The double can be sent into the palace at any time."

Dugu Bo also spoke:

"The poison can be ready tomorrow."

Qian Renxue closed the map.

"Then in three days."

"Xue Ye falls gravely ill."

Lin Yuan looked out the window.

Three days later.

The emperor of the Heaven Dou Empire would still be Xue Ye.

The crown prince would still be Xue Qinghe.

On the surface, nothing would change.

But in reality-

The entire Heaven Dou Imperial Family.

Would have a new master.