Chapter 401: Mother and Son, One Mad, One Foolish!

Sha Qi: "Yes."

After speaking, he turned his head and clasped his hands toward Duan Rongshi, saying, "Your Highness, is there anything else you wish to order?"

Duan Rongshi is the sect leader of the Carefree Sect.

Therefore, in the eyes of the assassins of the Night Slayer Sect, he is also their master.

Although they directly obey Li Qingluo as their master, if Duan Rongshi's words do not conflict with the master's interests, they can naturally handle them as well.

Duan Rongshi: "Then go run an errand to the princess's mansion for me."

After Sha Qi left, Li Qingluo asked, "Your Highness, what letter did you write to the Grand Princess?"

Duan Rongshi: "The Li family case has been dragged on until now without any decision."

"The Crown Prince is currently assisting Father Emperor in handling state affairs; he must have suppressed the new evidence the Grand Princess submitted."

"So I have her bring a gift and enter the palace today."

Li Qingluo recalled that today is Consort De's birthday.

She rubbed her hands together in anticipation: "Your Highness, what gift have you prepared for Consort De?"

Duan Rongshi rummaged in the cabinet beside him.

He pulled out a pure gold osmanthus hairpin.

He handed it to Li Qingluo: "This is something I had specially made for her from memory."

"This is her birthday gift."

Li Qingluo reached out to take it, but Duan Rongshi lightly dodged.

"Don't touch it. There's something on the flower core."

He tossed the hairpin into the box, closed it, then pushed it toward Li Qingluo.

"Go, go see her early."

Li Qingluo slipped the box into her bosom: "Your Highness, rest assured, I am here today."

When the time came, Li Qingluo hurried back to her room.

She first tightly bound her chest several times, ensuring it was firm enough that even a light touch would not feel any softness, then put on a loose Daoist robe.

Looking at herself in the mirror, she appeared as a somewhat rough-looking little Daoist, grinning to reveal a row of white teeth.

She nodded satisfied, then waved her little hand at Duan Rongshi, and hurriedly took the gift out of the Cassia Fragrance Palace.

The dozing Eunuch Hai at the gate saw her come out and quickly rose to his feet.

"Daoist Luo Yi, where are you headed?"

Li Qingluo: "I'm going to celebrate Consort De's birthday. Which direction is the Hall of Hibiscus and Cherry Blossom?"

Eunuch Hai pointed left: "Go straight from here, turn left at the fourth intersection, then walk past two more palaces and you'll arrive."

Li Qingluo kept it in mind.

Upon leaving the gate, she saw Sha Qi, Sha Jiu, and three other Daoists guarding the entrance.

Li Qingluo deliberately pointed at Sha Qi: "You, come with me."

Although she is nominally the junior apprentice brother of Daoist Qingyangzi, the other Daoists tacitly acted very respectful.

Only after her silhouette vanished from sight did Eunuch Hai rub his eyes.

He muttered to himself, "How can Daoist Luo Yi's voice switch between male and female?"

"Is she really a maiden or not?"

Eunuch Hai was still guessing.

From his guessing, two dark circles appeared on his face.

After her voice was damaged last time, Li Qingluo had already figured out how to deliberately lower her tone to produce an androgynous raspy sound.

Today she is Daoist Luo Yi, so her voice naturally differs.

She quickly found the Hall of Hibiscus and Cherry Blossom.

Just as she was about to step inside, someone stopped her: "Halt! What are you doing here?"

"The Daoists in this palace are becoming more and more undisciplined!"

"Actually barging straight into the consorts' palaces—do they still have any law?"

"Seize her, regardless of who she is today!"

"First give her a taste of palace rules, then send her to the front hall for the Grand Preceptor to judge—what are the intentions of those Daoists under him!"

The little eunuch and granny at the gate spoke harshly.

Moreover, the entire inner palace has long loathed these foul Daoists to the extreme.

Since Emperor Yan became obsessed with the Dao of longevity, he spends his days either practicing cultivation with Immortal Yunhe or concocting elixirs together.

Since returning from the Southern Mountain Villa, he has never set foot in the inner palace again.

Moreover, he hardly attends court anymore, spending all day immersed in his own pursuit of immortality.

Who in the entire inner palace isn't anxious?

Even the Empress and the Regent Crown Prince are secretly anxious.

The Crown Prince has tasted the flavor of holding power while serving as regent.

He wishes he could ascend the throne as soon as possible.

But his Father Emperor still desires longevity.

Longevity—doesn't that just mean not dying of old age?

If he never dies of old age, when can this Crown Prince truly ascend and inherit the great mandate?

In an instant, the Crown Prince threw aside the earnest words Emperor Yan had spoken before at the sick tower in the Southern Mountain Villa.

She firmly believed in her heart that her father emperor was just toying with and perfunctorily dealing with her.

He felt that he simply did not want to pass the great throne to himself, therefore he sought longevity.

They thought he only paid lip service to liking himself, yet none of his actions truly showed a willingness to let go.

The Crown Prince even began to hate Emperor Yan.

He wants to cultivate the Dao of longevity and even wishes to last for thousands of autumns and myriad years—doesn't that mean that this Crown Prince seat of mine will be occupied until I die of old age while his father the emperor still isn't dead?

So how could the Crown Prince and the Empress allow these Daoists to continue behaving so arrogantly in the palace?

Thus they began spreading the word that these Daoists were frauds who swindled people.

What Dao of longevity, what alchemy—all are deceitful tricks.

As the rumors spread, the entire palace, except for Emperor Yan, began to dislike the Daoists.

They felt that it was these Daoists who had turned a perfectly fine emperor into a madman.

Naturally, wherever these Daoists went, they were no longer welcomed.

The people of Jin Ying Hall rolled up their sleeves, intending to take the opportunity to come forward and give Li Qingluo a lesson.

Sha Qi stepped forward and, with a single pull, threw the person to the ground.

"What do you want to do?"

This is Little Junior Brother Luo Yi, Daoist priest, of our Master Qingyangzi!

"Daoist priest Luo Yi has been obeying the emperor's order these past few days to set up a Daoist altar in Gui Fu Palace. Today, too, he came out at the request of Prince Su, Your Highness, to personally present a birthday gift to Consort De."

"Is this how you people of Jin Ying Hall treat guests?"

"You look down on Daoists; if you have the ability, go cause trouble before the emperor!"

Li Qingluo looked at Sha Qi with new eyes.

Who would have thought that this fool could speak so well?

She smiled slightly, hands behind her back, and walked forward: "I've heard Consort De is virtuous and kind; it's you damned lackeys, relying on your power to bully others, that have ruined Consort De's reputation today!"

Li Qingluo let out a heavy snort.

At that moment, a cheer came from behind her: "Well done!"

"Consort De, you fail to discipline your subordinates; this palace sees that it's no more than this."

The person who arrived was none other than the Grand Princess, who had come in a flurry.

Li Qingluo turned, saw her, and immediately offered a greeting: "This humble Daoist pays respects to..."

She pretended not to know her.

The granny beside her immediately introduced: "This is Grand Princess Xiyue, Your Highness."

Only then did Consort De inside the hall lead the people out in a hurry.

Today being her birthday, she was dressed all in snow-white, her bearing as cold as ice as rumored.

A flash of disdain crossed Grand Princess Xiyue's eyes.

Consort De: "How did Princess Xiyue come?"

"Hurry, quickly welcome the princess inside!"

Only then did the entire Jin Ying Hall bustle about in a hurried yet orderly manner.

Grand Princess Xiyue: "I heard from Xiao Liu a couple of days ago that today is his mother consort's birthday."

"It just so happens that I came into the palace today to see my father the emperor, so I stopped by on the way."

"Someone, bring forth my birthday gift."

The servants behind her presented the rich gifts one by one, so much that even Li Qingluo almost slipped.

Is this what you call 'stopping by on the way'?

These gifts look far too much like they were specially prepared for this occasion!

However, upon closer inspection of the leading bolts of cloth, they were all various colorful patterns except for pink.

"Xiyue, you..."

Grand Princess Xiyue: "Isn't it because I saw that the fabrics in Consort De's palace are too monotonous?"

"All day it's just white, with not a splash of color."

"Xiao Liu is fifteen already; you're practically about to become a mother-in-law, aren't you? Though your demeanor has always been cold and aloof, there's no need to dress all day in plain white like an immortal; otherwise the emperor might think you're a woman who hasn't given birth, a delicate little fairy."

That mouth, it's one that speaks with both yin and yang.

Li Qingluo's eyes smiled as she gazed at Xiyue.

Xiyue felt her gaze and was startled.

Does this little Daoist not want his eyes?

Truly bold!

Just based on his unremarkable face and his small stature, about the same height as me, I could look down on him!

Xiyue showed a hint of disdain.

Consort De saw it, but thought it was disdain directed at herself.

Adding Xiyue's words, her face instantly turned extremely unpleasant.

Even a hint of uncontrollable ferocity showed.

"You—"

Before she could lose her temper, Xiyue had already led the people, mightily pushing aside the palace attendants of Jin Ying Hall, and swaggered into the hall.

Li Qingluo clasped her hands and said: "This humble Daoist, relying on the Grand Princess's favor, dare I ask if I may enter the hall to fetch a meal for Prince Su, Your Highness, on behalf of Consort De?"

"Upon hearing Prince Su's name, Consort De's expression softened somewhat: 'If so, little Daoist, please come in quickly.'"

Li Qingluo deliberately feigned ignorance of etiquette, casually made a greeting, then continued with hands clasped behind her back, swaggering as she followed into the hall.

Afterward, Consort De turned and entered.

I am not well-liked on ordinary days, so every year on my birthday, aside from Little Six, no one remembers.

Moreover, no one will come to celebrate my birthday.

Since you two have come today, why not stay for a simple meal?

Go, tell the imperial kitchen to prepare two tables of dishes for today.

After the palace attendants withdrew, a voice came in again: "Consort De's younger sister, have I come late?"

The arrival was Consort Rong, resplendent in pearl-adorned finery.

Close behind her, another face appeared: "Consort De's elder sister, I too have come late."

And me too. Consort De's elder sister, how many years have we not celebrated your birthday together?

Yes, Consort De's elder sister is usually too low-key; she never publicizes such matters, so if she doesn't tell us, we wouldn't know.

Exactly, if it weren't for Little Six spreading the word everywhere, we wouldn't be able to gather today to liven things up for Consort De's elder sister.

Consort De looked at the sudden appearance of so many consorts, and her breath caught.

She quickly ordered the attendants nearby to summon the Sixth Prince back.

However, before the attendants could enter, the Sixth Prince came running in himself, holding a candied hawthorn and hopping along.

Mother! The son has invited all the ladies; today I will give Mother a grand birthday.

Mother, they all wish to pay their respects to you.

Today, everything is to honor you.

Mother, is the son filial or not, does he listen or not?

Mother, what's wrong? Are you unhappy?

Li Qinglo saw that the Sixth Prince was clearly already fifteen, yet his words and deeds were so innocent as to resemble an idiotic Sixth Prince Duan Rongxu; in that moment she understood what Duan Rongshi had meant when he said Consort De had already gone mad.

She wanted to poison Duan Rongshi.

However, her own son, under her very nose, day by day turned into the very image she wanted Duan Rongshi to become.

In the midst of dead silence, Li Qinglo also produced a brocade box and presented it: "Consort De, this is a gift carefully prepared for you by Prince Su. I, a humble Daoist, convey it on his behalf; please take a look."