Chapter 1284

Qiqi's heart was greatly shaken, her eyes filled with shock. Is the Third Imperial Brother still alive? And has he already been found? Why hasn't the Emperor told me? Is he keeping it from me, preparing to let Long Tingzhen replace my authority at any moment? Why would Hong Beimo reveal the truth to me? What exactly is his purpose?

While speaking, Hong Beimo did not forget to observe Qiqi's expression, the corner of his mouth revealing a knowing smile: 'Your Highness, are you interested in having a deep talk with me?'

Qiqi quickly calmed down and softly said, 'Mr. Hong, please have tea!' Although she did not directly answer Hong Beimo's question, this sentence already indicated her attitude was beginning to soften.

Hong Beimo pointed at the drawing and said, 'Your Highness, you might as well take a close look.'

Qiqi sensed there was more to his words, wondering if the picture hid some secret. She nodded and, in front of Hong Beimo, unfolded the drawing. Once fully unfolded, Qiqi gasped in shock—the picture was not at all a prince consort's mansion, but a portrait of a graceful, peerless beauty whose face resembled hers by seventy percent. The painting must have been years old; the surface had begun to yellow, and from the inscription at the bottom a short poem could be seen, but due to dampness the characters were mostly blurred.

Hong Beimo said, 'This painting depicts the former crown princess, Ling Jiazi.'

Qiqi bit her lip; the crown princess Ling Jiazi was none other than her mother. She wondered where Hong Beimo had obtained this portrait of her mother, and who had painted it.

Hong Beimo said, 'Your Highness is about to turn sixteen. If the crown princess were still alive today, seeing your achievements would surely comfort her.'

Qiqi quietly gazed at Hong Beimo, striving to stay calm, but inside her heart surged like waves. Hong Beimo did not come for no reason; his visit today must have some hidden motive. From his words one can infer he knows what happened back then—how her mother died, and what her relationship truly is with Laohuangdi.

Hong Beimo secretly marveled that Qiqi, so young, could remain composed under such circumstances.

Qiqi whispered, 'I have never seen her!'

Hong Beimo sighed, 'The day you were born is the day the crown princess passed away; you could never have seen her.'

Qiqi said, 'You seem to know a lot.'

Hong Beimo's gaze fell upon the portrait: 'New Year's Day is both your birthday and her memorial day. When your mother gave birth to you, she suffered a difficult labor; fortunately, Guiyi Fulou came to her aid, turning danger into safety. With Guiyi Fulou's medical skill, both mother and daughter could have been safe, yet someone refused to let your mother live in this world.'

Qiqi said, 'You mean my mother was killed by someone?'

Hong Beimo did not answer her question: 'There was also a portrait of the crown princess in the Cloud Temple. It was personally painted by the present Majesty, and although it has considerable spirit, it still cannot compare to this portrait painted thirty‑eight years ago. You must be curious why the Emperor has a portrait of the crown princess, and who painted this thirty‑eight‑year‑old portrait.'

Qiqi remained silent, but Hong Beimo had already captured her full attention.

Hong Beimo slowly rose, took a few steps forward, hands clasped behind his back, and left Qiqi with a lonely silhouette: 'Before entering the palace, Ling Jiazi was my only female disciple. She was not only stunningly beautiful but also extraordinarily wise. At that time many in the court admired her grace, and suitors came incessantly, yet she looked down on ordinary mortals as her nature was proud. Later, the then crown prince Long Yelin also came to propose, wishing to take her as a consort. I once asked Jiazi's opinion; if she were unwilling, I would have refused according to her wishes.'

Hong Beimo let out a long sigh and said, 'I never expected her to agree to this marriage. Later I learned that, while I was wandering the world in pursuit of the Way of the Elixir Cauldron, I entrusted many affairs of the Heavenly Mechanism Bureau to her for handling. During my absence something unexpected occurred.' He turned to face the portrait and continued, 'This painting was created by a rare genius of Tianlong Temple who appears only once every few centuries—his name is Minghuai. At that time Tianlong Temple and the Heavenly Mechanism Bureau had some contact, and Ling Jiazi thus came to know Minghuai. Being constantly together, they developed feelings, and this portrait was painted then. As I understand it, Ling Jiazi secretly harbored affection for Minghuai, but Minghuai, bound by his status as a Buddhist disciple, rejected her. Ling Jiazi was a woman who dared to love and hate; moreover, her nature was proud and she held herself in high esteem. After being rejected by Minghuai, her disposition changed greatly. Just then the crown prince Long Yelin sent someone to propose, and in this state she agreed to become his consort.'

Qiqi clenched her fists; although Hong Beimo's recounting of the past felt like steel needles piercing her heart, she believed the truth was not far off, and what he said almost matched the fragmented clues she had gathered.

Hong Beimo said, 'This has always been a regret of mine. At that time I was single‑mindedly seeking the Way of the Elixir Cauldron, paying no attention to Ling Jiazi's changes; even on her wedding day I was still in Da Yong Bei Jiang, unable to return to congratulate her. When I returned, she was eight months pregnant, her martial arts completely lost. I asked her what had happened, but she avoided the topic, merely saying she wished to live out her life in peace.'

Qiqi frowned, and Hong Beimo still had not truly answered the doubt in her heart: why did Laohuangdi claim to be her biological father? She could not bring herself to ask.

Hong Beimo said, 'When your mother suffered a difficult labor, I summoned Guiyi Fulou to the palace to save her; she could have lived, but she was determined to die, and only at her last breath did she confide in me. Half a month before she married Long Yelin, Minghuai came to see her, laying bare his heart. Your mother was moved by him and decided to abandon everything to elope with him, unaware that Minghuai's true aim was to steal my master's treasure, the Heavenly Patrol Treasure Seal. She used the knowledge she had gained from me to locate that very volume, and on that day they consummated their relationship.'

Qiqi's cheeks flushed; although she felt ashamed, she still wanted to hear more.

Hong Beimo said, 'Ling Jiazi once thought she could wander the world with Minghuai, but she did not expect that Minghuai was deceiving her. After obtaining the Heavenly Patrol Treasure Seal, he used the Void Great Law to drain her internal energy completely. When she awoke, she found she had lost everything. She knew that once I returned, all would be exposed; she did not wish to go on living, yet thinking of what Minghuai had done to her, she could not bear to leave the world like this. She wanted revenge, and having lost all her martial arts, she could only rely on imperial power, so she decided to enter the royal family.'

Hong Beimo's face was overlaid with a look of pity: "She never imagined that this decision would be the start of another tragedy for her. Long Xuan'en, upon seeing her, was stunned like a heavenly being, lusting after her beauty. He used the throne as leverage, forcing Long Yelin to hand over Ling Jiazi. In the past, Ling Jiazi would not have feared them, but after losing her martial arts she has become a helpless weakling, her fate no longer in her own hands—her misfortune is easy to foresee."

Qiqi's eye rims were all red; she never expected her mother's fate to be so miserable.

Hong Beimo said: "When I returned, I discovered that the Heaven-Patrolling Treasure Canon had been stolen, and at the same time the elixir I had painstakingly refined over half my life was lost. I then realized where the problem lay—Ling Jiazi is simply too clever. She concealed the truth from me, exploiting my urgency to recover the Heaven-Patrolling Treasure Scripture to get me to look for Minghuai. Minghuai is extraordinarily wise; after this incident he fled the Heavenly Dragon Temple, vanishing like smoke. Where could I find him? At that time Ling Jiazi was already pregnant. I won't hide it from you: if it weren't for the Heaven-Patrolling Treasure Scripture, I would not have spared no effort to save her. But I never expected that after she gave birth to you, she would become determined to die. On her deathbed she told me everything—you were not premature, you were full-term, you are her and Minghuai's daughter."

Although Qiqi had vaguely guessed the outcome beforehand, hearing Hong Beimo say those words still deeply shocked her; she felt as if an invisible pair of hands were choking her throat, making it impossible to breathe.

Hong Beimo said: "Only later did I discover her cleverness. From the moment Minghuai abandoned her, she had already begun preparing for revenge. Yet when she discovered she was carrying Minghuai's flesh and blood, her heart fell into utter despair. She prepared to die, but she also had to pave the way for your future survival in the palace, so she endured humiliation and bore the burden, making Long Xuan'en and his son believe you were his own flesh and blood."

Qiqi was already tear-streaked; only today did she finally learn the origins of her birth—she had never imagined, nor could she even conceive, that her mother's fate back then could be so miserable.

Hong Beimo said: "Your mother is the smartest woman I have ever met. The greatest setback of her life was caused by Minghuai. To ensure you would live well, she mapped out every step of your future. She saved Quan De'an's life, so he has been wholeheartedly devoted to her, always guarding by your side. She is scheming and good at planning; she even planned things sixteen years ahead. I know you have grasped quite a lot."

Qiqi turned her pretty face, quietly wiping away her tears, and her emotions quickly calmed: 'What exactly do you hope to gain by telling me all this?'

Hong Beimo said: 'The Heaven-Patrolling Treasure Scripture—although Minghuai seized it, he ought to be unable to fathom its secrets; I myself have only comprehended a small part of this treasure canon.'

Qiqi said: 'Then you will be disappointed—I have never even heard of this book.'

Hong Beimo said: 'Memories can be inherited; I failed to do what Ling Jiazi accomplished—she not only committed the entire Heaven-Patrolling Treasure Scripture to memory, but she has also penetrated its secrets.' Hong Beimo stared at Qiqi and said: 'This secret has already been passed on to you.'

The second update is posted; today's Monthly Ticket count is too low—please support with Monthly Tickets! (To be continued~^~)