Chapter 397

Li Qingluo lowered her head, not daring to reply.

Her two ears are the giveaway.

I only hope that the pitch darkness will keep these few guards from seeing clearly.

Moreover, I only came here with my grandmother earlier today.

He felt that as a Daoist priest, he was unfamiliar to her, but if she were to lift her head and look at him a few more times, he feared she would become familiar with him.

Ling Fengzi stepped forward, hands on his hips, and said: "How about it? Do you want me to post the portraits and names of every little Daoist from our Green Pine Temple at this palace gate, so you can check them each time before letting us through?"

"Our Green Pine Temple has over a hundred Daoist priests; you must know them all."

"But be careful not to delay His Majesty's affairs, or I will hold you accountable!"

The guard then dared not pester them further and let them straight in.

After all, the State Preceptor and those Daoist priests from Green Pine Temple have recently been the emperor's favorites.

They come and go four or five times a day, carrying the State Preceptor's waist tablet each time.

Although these guards basically look down on these Daoist priests, considering them frauds who play mysticism, on the surface no one dares to offend them.

Ling Fengzi's deliberate show of might actually managed to intimidate people.

Li Qingluo then clearly realized that Emperor Yan's zeal for the Dao was probably already on the verge of going berserk.

After arriving at the Hall of Purple Majesty, Li Qingluo knelt outside together with the other little Daoist priests and meditated.

After a while, a little eunuch came.

"Little Daoist, the Venerable Master invites you this way."

Li Qingluo looked at Ling Fengzi.

Ling Fengzi gave her a nod, whereupon Li Qingluo hurriedly rose and followed the little eunuch, winding this way and that, out of the Hall of Purple Majesty.

Li Qingluo had already walked the palace roads twice.

But each time she still ended up taking a new route she had never walked before.

In the pitch‑black night, the little eunuch held a lantern and led her through the quiet long street.

Palace servants passing by saw them and hurriedly avoided them.

As if they had seen something extremely terrifying.

Li Qingluo looked at the little eunuch's back and noticed he was quite hunched.

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Li Qingluo was brought to the outside of Cassia Fragrance Palace.

Qingyangzi wore a Daoist robe, his wide sleeves gathered, standing outside the palace.

Seeing her arrive, he gave a slight nod.

"Miss Li, please forgive my rashness; I informed you of Your Highness's news merely to lure you into the palace."

Li Qingluo looked left and right, all around.

He spoke so openly—does he not fear drawing attention from others?

Qingyangzi candidly smiled and said: "Miss Li, you need not worry; I have been coming to Cassia Fragrance Palace these days, and His Majesty already knows about it."

"My master said that Cassia Fragrance Palace is filled with heavy resentment, yet it is also the most suitable place in the entire imperial palace for cultivation."

"To dispel the resentment, one needs a close blood relative to use pure yang energy to drive it away."

"That is why the sage found fault with Your Highness and confined him here—the truth."

"When the time comes, my master will perform a ritual, and the resentment here will naturally dissipate."

"Moreover, Your Highness is a grown young man; to keep him from being bumped into by the concubines of the rear palace, the area around Cassia Fragrance Palace has long been made a forbidden zone."

"Besides me, the little Daoists, and this Eunuch Hai, no one else may approach."

That is why Qingyangzi can speak freely.

Li Qingluo does not know what attitude the Immortal Yunhe holds.

But can Qingyangzi still not understand?

Merely, the deeds of Emperor Yan still startle her heart.

This person is truly unworthy to be a father!

Cold‑blooded, selfish, and cruel are not enough to describe his loathsomeness.

Li Qingluo: "Does Your Highness know the truth?"

"Besides, is there really resentment inside Cassia Fragrance Palace?"

"But the death of Consort Yue was full of grievance?"

Qingyangzi merely stared at her and countered: "What do you think?"

Even if there is resentment, Li Qingluo resolutely walked in without hesitation.

Eunuch Hai, that is, the little eunuch, whispered: "Lady County Chief, would you like to go in and wait?"

"Your Highness should be bathing at this moment."

Li Qingluo scanned the whole palace; only a dim lamp hung swaying in the corridor.

The direction of the sleeping quarters is the brightest.

All other places are pitch black.

Li Qingluo obediently nodded: "All right, please take me to a place where I can wait for Your Highness."

Eunuch Hai: "Please follow me."

After going around the garden, Eunuch Hai truly did not take Li Qingluo straight toward the sleeping quarters.

Instead, he turned and wound his way, bringing her to another small hall behind the palace.

"Miss, please go inside yourself."

"I will go fetch you some tea and snacks."

After saying that, Eunuch Hai slipped away.

I haven't run this fast all night.

Li Qingluo sensed something odd, but she still walked toward the palace before her.

She reached out to push the door; the inside was so dark she could barely open her eyes.

Only the innermost room was bright, as if it were daytime.

Li Qingluo walked over, doubtful, reached out, hesitated a moment, then slowly pushed the door open.

Inside was actually another world.

A huge open-air pool was steaming with rising heat.

Around the pool, besides the lovely laid stones, there were various lovely flowers and grasses.

The flowers were in full bloom.

Clusters gathered at the pool's edge.

Willow branches drooped, with vines falling onto the water surface.

Seeing this scene, Li Qingluo couldn't help but walk in.

This is actually a hot spring pool!

When she was ten, she had seen a natural hot spring in the mountains; ever since, whenever she went into the mountains alone, she would definitely take a soak.

This place smelled like it had been brought in later, but seeing a hot spring in this palace already surprised Li Qingluo.

She hadn't taken a hot spring bath in a long time.

Although she was tempted right now, she still had more sense.

This must be the bathing place.

That Eunuch Hai actually deceived me!

Although Duan Rongshi wasn't here at the moment, she was about to retreat immediately to avoid later embarrassment when she heard a door opening from the other side.

Li Qinglo looked up, and suddenly saw him wearing only a single inner garment and trousers, with that inner garment's chest open and the sash untied!

Thus, Li Qingluo beheld a vivid, sensual portrait of a handsome man.

His firm chest and distinct abdominal muscles made her involuntarily swallow.

Clearly, the last time she had undressed him in the mountain cave, she hadn't felt this dry-mouthed, racing-heart panic.

Today she suddenly felt this strange, untimely sensation…

She even, even had the urge to reach out and touch him herself!

Unable to face herself like this, she turned and wanted to run.

Duan Rongshi looked up and saw a little Daoist standing there, and he was stunned for a moment.

Then he reached out, picked up the teacup beside him, and threw it over: "Get out!"

Li Qingluo dodged quickly; the teacup only hit the doorframe.

However, as she lifted her foot to step over the threshold, she accidentally tripped badly!

Li Qingluo cried "Ay!" and fell to the ground.

Hearing that familiar voice, Duan Rongshi's expression finally changed drastically.

"Luo'er?"

He strode over in disbelief.

After helping Li Qingluo up from the ground and seeing her face clearly, what else was there not to understand?

"Master Qingyang actually sent you in here for me—how absurd!"

Li Qingluo opened her eyes and saw a expanse of white jade-like skin before her.

She quickly covered her eyes with both hands.

"Your Highness, please put on your clothes first."

Duan Rongshi's ears also turned red.

He never expected she would suddenly appear.

He said he had just heard two footsteps in the garden.

He had thought it was those Daoists from Green Pine Temple up to some mysterious mischief again.

He leisurely tied his sash.

Thinking of something, his hand paused, and he did not tie the sash completely tight.

"All right."

"Hurry up and tell me, why did you dress as a little Daoist tonight?"

He looked down at her before him with a half-smile.

His tone was full of indulgence.

"Were you injured just now?"

Li Qingluo shook her head, parted her fingers, confirmed he had indeed put on his clothes, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She truly feared that if Your Highness continued to expose his male beauty like this, she wouldn't be able to restrain her hands.

"Of course I came to see you."

"You've had no news for days; why didn't you let Zhui Yu tell me what happened to you?"

"Your Highness, you told me not to hide anything from you, yet you yourself haven't led by example."

Duan Rongshi took her hand and led her to sit aside.

"This is my fault."

"Luo'er, your appearance truly makes me happy."

Speaking, he couldn't help but tightly hug her.

Li Qingluo also raised her arms and lightly returned the hug to Duan Rongshi.

She felt a sour nose: "Your Highness, but does the Emperor want you to take more concubines… because of the concubines?"

"I know you are someone who doesn't want to force yourself, but if…"

"If…"

Li Qingluo realized she simply couldn't say it.

Duan Rongshi: "If what?"

He suddenly buried his head and bit hard on her shoulder.

Although it hurt, it wasn't to the point of breaking skin.

Li Qingluo just let out a low cry.

Duan Rongshi: "Does it hurt?"

"The person I don't want, even if it's an imperial edict from Father Emperor, I will absolutely not accept."

"Moreover, those concubines are merely his excuse to deceive people."

Li Qingluo: "You… you know everything?"

Duan Rongshi raised his head, met Li Qingluo's eyes: "If I say, all these matters were originally my long‑planned scheme?"

"But would you still worry about this prince?"

Li Qingluo was naturally shocked and surprised.

Is it all his scheming and plotting?

Could it even include living in this Osmanthus Fragrance Palace?

And that whatever Daoist temple, resentment, are all his instructed collusion of Master Qingyang and his disciples?

Emperor Yan actually fell for it so easily.

Li Qingluo merely didn't expect someone like the Cloud Crane Immortal; could he also be colluding to trap Emperor Yan?

She naturally let out a sigh of relief.

And she smiled relieved: "If all this was originally within Your Highness's control, naturally I would be extremely pleased."

"Your Highness, knowing you are safe, I can also relax."

"I…"

She rose to say goodbye, when Eunuch Hai's voice came in.

"Your Highness, the Virtuous Consort of Blessings and Joy Palace again sent someone to deliver osmanthus cake."

Duan Rongshi said coldly: "Bring it in."

Eunuch Hai lowered his head, not daring to look at Li Qingluo.

Having placed the osmanthus cake, he immediately retreated.

Li Qingluo saw Duan Rongshi pick up the osmanthus cake, crush a corner, then feed it to the rabbit kept in a cage nearby.

Li Qingluo: "Your Highness, do you think this osmanthus cake is poisonous? This Virtuous Consort is none other than the mother of the Sixth Prince."