In the luxurious and spacious carriage, Simu Wang cautiously sat on a soft chair covered with wool. From time to time, she would size up her expressionless aunt who was sitting motionless.
Her aura is very strong, it makes me feel some pressure … Simu Wang thought to herself. Due to the pressure from her future mother-in-law, she didn't dare move.
Why isn't Simu moving? Her expression is so reserved and serious. Is seeing the Empress Dowager so scary? Say a few words. This old lady's butt is hurting, I want to move a bit … Her aunt maintained her cool posture, but she was very anxious.
But she had never entered the palace to see the Empress Dowager, thinking it was a necessary ritual.
Simu Wang didn't move, so she didn't move either.
The Xu Estate wasn't far from the Imperial City. After half an hour, the luxurious carriage entered the Imperial City. Another quarter of an hour later, it finally arrived at the palace gates.
After passing the inquiry of the Featherwood Guard, the carriage easily drove into the Imperial Palace and stopped next to the shed where the carriage was parked.
With the help of a servant girl, Simu Wang stepped off the carriage on a small wooden stool. Then she turned around and helped her aunt down the carriage like the servant girl had helped her.
The future mother-in-law and daughter-in-law led the servant girls in the direction of Phoenix Perch Palace. Her aunt looked straight ahead, maintaining the bearing she had practiced at home for a long time. She deliberately used a flat tone and said,
"Simu, this is my first time entering the palace. I'm not very familiar with the rules here. Tell me about them."
In fact, her aunt knew a bit. The Empress Dowager was a very thorough person. She knew that the mistress of the Xu family had never entered the palace, so she had long sent a nanny to the Xu Estate to teach her the appropriate etiquette.
It was just that her aunt didn't learn very carefully and often yawned and felt sleepy. After learning with the nanny for a few days, she still didn't make any mistakes.
It wasn't that her aunt was exceptionally talented, but how could Xu Yinluo's aunt make mistakes?
Simu Wang answered every question and gently explained the rules of the palace. When her aunt heard this, she thought to herself, Oh my, this isn't the same as what I've learned. That hateful old nanny, she actually dared to play with me.
If this was at home, her aunt would have pinched her waist and raised her eyebrows.
While talking, a group of people was led into Phoenix Perch Palace by a eunuch.
The environment and layout of Phoenix Perch Palace stunned her. It was hard to imagine that the Empress Dowager lived in such a cold and quiet place.
Crossing the threshold, in the spacious and bright living room filled with the fragrance of sandalwood, Auntie saw Empress Dowager, the biological mother of the current empress. She was a graceful and beautiful woman.
His aunt had seen countless beauties, and because her nephew was a pervert, there were often beauties staying in the house.
In addition, he and his eldest daughter, Xu Lingyue, were also very outstanding beauties.
But when he saw the Empress Dowager, he suddenly realized that if the Empress Dowager was 20 years younger, she would probably be the most beautiful woman in the capital. Oh, that Imperial Preceptor is the number one beauty in the capital.
As for the Flower Goddess, Auntie didn't know her and didn't care about her at all.
The Empress Dowager had a cold temperament. She did not act modest and polite to her aunt just because of Xu Qi 'an.
The Empress Dowager now had no desire. A while ago, her daughter, who became the emperor, came and said that the engagement between Lin 'an and Xu Qi' an should be annulled, but the Empress Dowager said that the engagement had been fixed and could not be changed.
Huai Qing tried to use his aura to force his mother to yield, but he found that his mother had no desires and was fearless, so he lost dejectedly.
After that, Huaiqing was angry and never came to visit the Empress Dowager again.
The Empress Dowager didn't care.
"Xu Yinluo is an outstanding young man. He's the dream spouse of countless unmarried women. I've also heard some things about him in the past."
The Empress Dowager drank tea. Her tone was neither fast nor slow, neither salty nor light, and she was elegant and indifferent.
"Lin 'an is the princess of Daibun. There is absolutely no reason for her to share a husband with other women. I heard from Si Mu that you are a lady with a mind of your own. You can suppress him from a young age.
"I need you to give me a definite answer about this."
How can I suppress him? That brat annoys me every other day. He is like a bell, making life difficult for me every day … Aunt didn't have any expression, but she began to complain for herself in her heart.
She didn't know how to answer this question. She turned to look at Simu Wang.
Why is she looking at me? Is she dissatisfied that I told the Empress Dowager? She wants me to solve the trouble that I caused? Wang Simu's heart skipped a beat, but she kept a straight face and said,
"Empress Dowager, rest assured. Xu Yinluo and Lin 'an love each other. I will not let His Highness down."
Well, it seems that Lingyue and Si Mu have an agreement in advance. Then I can rest assured … Aunt's eyes brightened. When she saw the Empress Dowager looking at her, she nodded.
The Empress Dowager also nodded.
"That's good."
Following that, the two sides discussed according to the wedding procedures and occasionally chatted about some off-topic topics.
Every time Aunt felt that the things that the Empress Dowager said were too high-end, she would look at Simu Wang.
Simu Wang felt that this was her mother-in-law giving her an opportunity to train her as a future daughter-in-law. She was immediately very attentive.
After lunch, Simu Wang returned to the carriage and felt relieved. She felt as if she had fought a war and was physically and mentally exhausted.
The Empress Dowager and my future mother-in-law are not easy to deal with. It is hard for me to survive in the cracks. Erlang, when will you return to the capital? Simu Wang suddenly missed her fiancé.
At the same time, she admired her future mother-in-law very much. It was obviously the first time she entered the Palace and the first time she saw the Empress Dowager. But she could actually keep a straight face and that kind of attitude, giving people the feeling that she was the Empress Dowager.
For ordinary women, even if their family suddenly became rich and their status could not be compared to before, the cultivation of mentality and temperament was not something that could be done overnight.
My future mother-in-law was really burying a qilin in the field …
I am so tired. My face is almost stiff. Xu Ningyan is such a bastard. He even dragged me into this marriage … Aunt wanted to rub her face with her hands.
…
In the Imperial Study.
Sitting behind the big table, Huaiqing finished reading the memorials. She spread out a piece of rice paper and picked up the brush to write:
"Taoist Master, Burning Incense Shinto, Book of the Earth, Warlock, Supervisor, Gatekeeper …"
In her mind, all these clues were strung together.
Back then, the Taoist Master destroyed the Burning Incense Shinto and collected the Seal of Mountains and Rivers. His purpose was unknown, but it had been confirmed that it was related to the Gatekeeper.
This was deduced from the Warlock System created by the Initial Supervisor.
The Warlock System was obviously an extension or a branch of the Burning Incense Shinto. And the contemporary Warlock was suspected to be the Gatekeeper. What did this mean?
It meant that the Burning Incense Shinto Shinto was very likely related to the Gatekeeper. The Gatekeeper was born from the Burning Incense Shinto Shinto.
Therefore, the behavior of the Taoist Master was in line with logic.
The three questions that Xu Qi'an mentioned in the Book of the Earth were the cause and effect of this truth.
"The Primordial Spirit of the Earth Sect of the Taoist Master became an Artifact Spirit. Then the Initial Supervisor and the Taoist Master have nothing to do with each other. The First Supervisor must have obtained the inheritance of the Burning Incense Shinto by chance. Now it seems that the way the Taoist Master refined the Book of the Earth was wrong.
"On the other hand, the Initial Supervisor accidentally walked the correct path of the Gatekeeper? I feel that something is wrong. "
Huaiqing pondered and did not say anything. She actively racked her brain.
However, because the members of the Heaven & Earth Society did not know what the "Gatekeeper" meant and what it symbolized, it was very difficult to make an effective deduction.
Huaiqing's heart skipped a beat. She collected her scattered thoughts and returned to the problem — the Taoist Master!
"According to the previous clues, it is not difficult to deduce what the Taoist Master has been trying to do. The clone of the Earth Sect is trying to do the Burning Incense Shinto. What are the two clones of Tenzō and Renzong trying to do?
"By the way, was the Taoist Master who drove all the descendants of the Gods and Demons out of the Land of the Nine States himself, or one of the two clones?
"In addition, with the clone of the Earth Sect as a reference, the truth behind the mysterious disappearance of the Taoist Master Tenzō has actually surfaced."
This was also an attempt by the Taoist Master, but it seemed that something went wrong.
After a while, Huaiqing pinched the area between her eyebrows. She decided to tell the matter to Xu Qi'an and let him worry about it. She was tired …
At this moment, a eunuch hurried in and said in a low voice,
"Your Majesty, the Mistress of the Xu family went to the Empress Dowager's place just now."
Huaiqing said calmly,
"Got it."
She paused for a moment and said,
"Go to the Celestial Commissioner and send the woman that Xu Qi'an left there to the Xu family. Then bring a message to the Lingbao Temple. Tell them that Xu Yinluo and Lin 'an will be married in a month. "
Huaiqing still disdained to target a weakling like Lin 'an. She just wanted to put a little pressure on her dear Xu Yinluo.
She wanted him to focus on fighting the war in Yongzhou and not think about love.
…
Xun Province, the magistrate's office, the meeting room.
Yang Gong had gathered all the high-ranking generals for a meeting, including the pillar of the army, Xu Qi'an.
They had won the battle to defend Xun Province, but it was only a partial victory. The situation was still grim.
The real crisis that the Daibun army was facing was coming up next.
Sun Xuanji led Guardian Yuan into the meeting room. Yang Gong and the generals were shocked. They looked at Guardian Yuan and wondered what was going on.
Guardian Yuan was wearing prison clothes, handcuffs, leg shackles, and wooden shackles. He looked like he was about to be beheaded on the execution ground.
Protector Yuan glanced at the crowd and easily read their thoughts. He understood their doubts and explained sorrowfully, "It's not a big deal.
He explained sadly, "Xu Yinluo made me wear this to remind me that a loose tongue can cause trouble."
Everyone was overjoyed. They couldn't help but ask,
"What if I don't learn from it?"
Guardian Yuan said sadly, "What if I don't learn from it?
"I'm already in this state. The next step is obviously to drag me out and behead me."
Yang Gong waved his hand.
"It's not that bad. It's not that bad."
Xu Erlang waved his hand.
"Big brother has gone too far."
Miao Youfang sighed.
"In any case, Protector Yuan is our ally. Xu Yinluo has indeed gone too far."
Protector Yuan glanced at them and felt even sadder.
Yang Gong's real thoughts were:
Even this monkey has such a day. Karma is right. Xu Yinluo is doing a good job for the people.
Xu Erlang's thoughts were:
Big brother must have encountered something extremely embarrassing. I will go back and find out the situation. Haha.
Miao Youfang's thoughts were:
Can I have a bite of the monkey's brain after I behead him?
But with Xu Yinluo as an example, Guardian Yuan went against his instincts and resisted the urge to read his mind and say it out loud.
Li Mubai said grumpily,
"Monkey, how did you offend Xu Ningyan?"
Just as Protector Yuan was about to speak, Xu Qi 'an, who was late, walked into the hall.
Everyone was stunned when they saw him.
A shining iron sword was stuck in Xu Yinluo's skull. The sword penetrated through his skull, leaving only the hilt exposed.
"That's too tragic …" Yang Gong and the others were dumbfounded. They looked at Guardian Yuan and thought, "What have you done?"
"Big brother, what are you doing?"
Xu Erlang was so distressed that the corner of his mouth almost reached his ears.
"I accidentally offended the Imperial Master. She asked me to stab the sword in the ground to reflect on myself. She will forgive me when the sword forgives me."
Xu Qi 'an glanced at Guardian Yuan.
"I'll forgive you when she forgives me!"
Guardian Yuan asked anxiously.
"When will the sword forgive you?"
Xu Qi 'an heard that and looked at Monkey with a "look of enlightenment" in his eyes.
"This is a divine sword without an artifact spirit."
"…" Guardian Yuan was dumbfounded.
Sun Xuanji patted Guardian Yuan's shoulder.
"I will try to be a mute in my next life."
Xu Xinnian coughed and said, "Eunuch Yang, everyone is here.
"Eunuch Yang, everyone is here. Let's begin."
He was afraid that he would not be able to control himself and laugh at his big brother.
He thought back to the time when his big brother would always grab onto his embarrassment and mock him.
Now he had his revenge.
