Imperial Secrets - 15

Hearing her nephew's words, Jiang Fengqin thought they made sense and readily agreed, "Qing'er, alright then! Let me handle this! But I can't guarantee I can persuade Li Zhiqiang to cooperate with our family!"

Jiang Hanqing laughed, "No problem! Absolutely no problem! With you in charge, what can't be accomplished? Of course, it will be very smooth! Nephew, I'll be waiting for your good news."

Jiang Fengqin reached out and patted Jiang Hanqing's cheek, smiling as she kissed him, "Pah! You little rascal, trying to flatter your aunt? Hehe! Auntie won't fall for that! By the way!...I..." At this point, Jiang Fengqin's tone suddenly paused, as if she had remembered something but wasn't sure if she should say it. She seemed conflicted. Jiang Hanqing was slightly taken aback and quickly asked, "Aunt, is there something you're having trouble saying?"

Jiang Fengqin sighed several times before hesitatingly saying, "This...this...um...Qing'er, there's something I'm not sure I should say about your father." Hearing

her suddenly mention her father, Jiang Hanqing immediately understood what she meant and quickly nodded, "Aunt, please speak freely!"

Jiang Fengqin sighed again for a while before saying, "I originally wanted to say these things to my elder brother in person! But...sigh! Your father is my elder, and the head of the family, so there are some things I can't say directly to him! You're different; you're his only son, the closest person to him in this world. You can tell him!" Jiang

Hanqing said, "Yes! I understand! I will find a way to convey your words to Father!"

Jiang Fengqin said solemnly, "I know your father is very dissatisfied with your second and fifth uncles! He's the head of the family, so of course he can do whatever he wants! But no matter how wrong your second and fifth uncles are, he shouldn't be so blatantly pressuring them!" He should know that they are, after all, his own brothers! Treating his own brothers like this will chill the hearts of many in the family! He might even face betrayal and abandonment!

Jiang Fengqin paused here, observing Jiang Hanqing's expression. Seeing him listening intently, she continued, "I know your two uncles, especially your second uncle, have indeed played many tricks behind the scenes, and we should find a way to teach them a lesson. But we shouldn't be so ruthless and cruel! Look at the expressions on your fifth uncle's face today; they were practically ready to tear off the mask right there! How can we do this?"

Knowing Jiang Fengqin's reasoning was sound, Jiang Hanqing nodded repeatedly in agreement. Jiang Fengqin continued, "It's not that simple! Think about it, our Jiang family has continued for hundreds of years, with a large and diverse family, numerous branches, and each faction is scheming and fighting amongst themselves! These intricate relationships make the entire family far from being as united as it appears on the surface!" Some branches dissatisfied with the current distribution of benefits are constantly seeking their representatives among the family's power holders! Your second and fifth uncles, for example, have many family branches supporting them, hoping to gain more benefits by disrupting our direct line! I think you and your eldest brother are naturally aware of these things! However, you two may have always been arrogant, considering these demons and monsters insignificant, and therefore paid no attention. But you must know that the foundation of the family is these small fry! If one day this foundation is broken, can the main branch survive? You two should never easily ignore these situations!"

Jiang Hanqing listened to his aunt's words in silence for a long time, then nodded solemnly and said, "That's right! My father and I have never taken the other branches of the family seriously. If it weren't for your reminder today, we would really be in trouble! Don't worry! I will tell my father what you said! I will make him consider these issues more! My father is a smart man; I think he will understand with just a little guidance!"

Jiang Fengqin smiled slightly and said, "Qing'er, I've wanted to say these things to my elder brother for a long time! Alas! I've always found it difficult to say them! Seeing the way they acted at the meeting today, if I don't speak up, things might really get out of hand!" Jiang

Hanqing said gratefully, "Aunt, thank you! I'll go talk to Father about these things as soon as I get back!"

The aunt and nephew changed the subject and chatted for a few more minutes. Jiang Hanqing was eager to discuss things with his father, so he got up to take his leave.

Chapter

46 The Crown Prince's Palace Meeting

After leaving Jiang Fengqin's place, Jiang Hanqing went to his father's place, intending to tell him about the conversation they had just had. However, he hadn't gone far from Jiang Fengqin's courtyard when he unexpectedly encountered his second uncle, Jiang Haotian. This road was the only passage from Jiang Fengqin's courtyard to the main road of the main compound. If someone wasn't looking for Jiang Fengqin, they wouldn't have taken this road. So when Jiang Hanqing saw his second uncle walking towards him, he couldn't help but feel a little surprised, thinking to himself, "What's this guy doing here?" "He's going to see his aunt? But what could he possibly want?" Seeing his nephew appear before him, Jiang Haotian was visibly startled. However, his expression quickly returned to normal, as if nothing had happened. Stopping there, Jiang Haotian smiled and asked Jiang Hanqing, "Qing'er, where are you rushing off to?"

Jiang Hanqing quickly replied with a smile, "Oh! I just went to see my aunt and asked her to accompany Fifth Aunt to the Li family tomorrow. I'm on my way back to report to Father!" Jiang Haotian exclaimed in surprise, "What? You asked your aunt to go to the Li family? Did she agree?" Jiang Hanqing looked puzzled and said, "Yes! What? Uncle, do you think something's wrong?"

Jiang Haotian quickly covered up with a smile, "Um...no...nothing! Well...alright! You should go and report to your father! I also need to talk to your aunt about something; I'll go ask her myself!"

Jiang Hanqing asked, "Uncle, what do you want to discuss with your aunt?" "May I tell my nephew about this?"

Jiang Haotian replied, "It's nothing! It's all about your good-for-nothing brother, Hansong. That kid is a disgrace to the Jiang family! Sigh! He's always idle and doesn't learn anything good! I'm thinking of having your aunt find him a wife, hoping that marriage will settle his mind! Sigh! Just thinking about him makes me angry! Never mind! I'm leaving!" After saying that, he patted his nephew's shoulder and started walking towards the courtyard where Jiang Fengqin was staying. But after taking only a few steps, he suddenly remembered something, turned around and called out to Jiang Hanqing, "By the way! Qing'er! Remember to come see me tomorrow! I need to hand over all the information about the intelligence system to you, and I hope you can get started as soon as possible."

Seeing Jiang Hanqing nod in agreement, Jiang Haotian said no more and walked forward. Watching his scheming second uncle walk away, Jiang Hanqing muttered to himself, "What's this guy up to? Why is he so eager to hand over power to me? I really don't understand! Humph! And what about asking Aunt to find a wife for that Hansong guy? He probably wants Aunt's support for something! Sigh! Whatever, I'll just have to wait and see! He can't possibly pull anything!" Thinking this, Jiang Hanqing shook his head and continued walking towards his father's study. Sitting upright in the study, Jiang Haoyu listened silently as Jiang Hanqing recounted the events that had just occurred, including his conversation with Jiang Fengqin. After

a moment of quiet contemplation, Jiang Haoyu sighed softly, "That's right! Your aunt is absolutely right! There's always been a power struggle between the various factions within the family. I've been trying to find a solution, but many things… sigh!" "These ingrained habits are likely to cause trouble soon! We must be prepared, at least to escape the capital alive! Alright! Don't worry about that now, hurry to Xu Sheng's place to take care of important business!" Seeing his father's words, Jiang Hanqing naturally dared not delay, readily agreeing and taking his leave.

When Jiang Hanqing arrived at the Crown Prince's residence, the first to come out upon hearing the news was his aunt, Yin Yuji, but Xu Sheng was nowhere to be seen. After Jiang Hanqing rose and greeted his aunt, he hurriedly asked, "Aunt, is Uncle not here?"

The attack on her refusal to return to the capital filled her with shock and anger. "This...this idiot! How could he...how could he think of joining Xu Yu and Wang Mingde in this commotion! They're clearly targeting my sister and Shi Yanying! It's such a simple matter: how could this fool not see that! He's just following his enemy, isn't he helping them?! How could he...sigh! I really don't understand him!"

Jiang Hanqing saw her aunt's beautiful face flushed red with anger, and tears seemed to be welling up in her eyes, so she quickly comforted her, "Aunt, don't be so angry! Uncle's actions are reasonable! He's probably worried that this is a conspiracy between our Jiang family and the Li family, and he's afraid that if this overthrows the current emperor, his own future will be ruined as well." "That's it." Yin Yuji's anger flared even more upon hearing this, and she said angrily, "He deserves to die even more! What future does he have now? Xu Yu could drag him off the throne of the Crown Prince at any time and put him to death! Yet he remains obstinate! Is he just helping Xu Yu and the Wang family's scoundrels succeed by acting like this? Alas!

How can he be so stupid! Doesn't he understand that his only chance to turn things around is to keep his original promise and join forces with your Jiang family to fight against the enemy? He actually has the mind to make wild guesses! Alas! This...this pig!" Jiang Hanqing had never seen his aunt utter such insulting words before, especially directed at her own husband, and he was stunned on the spot. Yin Yuji, realizing her loss of composure in front of her nephew, coughed awkwardly to calm herself and said softly, "Qing'er, you still haven't told me what's going on with your mother!" Jiang Hanqing replied frankly

, "Aunt, there really is enemy activity on Mother's side. In her letter, she said the Bolin tribe of the Western Regions is gathering troops along the empire's border. Their main force, plus allied tribes, now numbers over 500,000, and the numbers are still increasing. Mother said the Bolin's momentum this time surpasses even that of the Tu La tribe! I estimate the situation on Shi Yanying's side is similar; it's probably not a lie." Yin Yuji had calmed down from her earlier outburst of anger at her husband's foolishness. After thinking for a moment, she asked Jiang Hanqing, "What do you think about this?" Jiang Hanqing sneered, "Xu Yu and Wang Mingde are probably involved in this!"

Yin Yuji nodded, "That's right!" "That's what I think! It seems these two groups are really planning something!"

Jiang Hanqing said. "That's why I came here today hoping to talk to my uncle, hoping he can recognize the situation, eliminate unnecessary concerns, and we can all work together to overcome this difficult time." Yin Yuji nodded solemnly a few times and slowly said, "Yes! We can't be careless anymore! Your stupid uncle is still having the mind to be suspicious! Alas! He can't distinguish friend from foe! He's hopeless!" Jiang Hanqing said, "He might need more guidance from you, Aunt! Otherwise, we'll all be finished!"

Yin Yuji stood up and paced back and forth in the room, sighing repeatedly, "Alas! It's really not easy to persuade him! He always thinks he's extremely clever and doesn't listen to others much! Even if he agrees verbally, he's always thinking of his own agenda." "Just as the aunt and niece were discussing this matter, they suddenly heard hurried footsteps outside the room, and a person rushed in. Looking up, they saw it was none other than Xu Sheng! Xu Sheng, who had rushed in, didn't say a word, but simply stood there coldly scrutinizing Jiang Hanqing, his expression extremely unfriendly. Seeing his expression, Yin Yuji knew something was wrong and quickly said, 'Qing'er came to talk to you about some important matters! I was just wondering where to find you! It's good that you're back!'

Hearing his wife's words, Xu Sheng smiled coldly and glanced at her disdainfully, saying, 'So you came to talk to me about important matters? I thought he came to discuss with you, his aunt, how to harm our royal family!' Unexpectedly, her husband said this, and Yin Yuji was speechless for a moment, then angrily said, 'You...you...how could you say that! You've gone too far!'" Xu Sheng laughed loudly a few times, then said coldly, "I've gone too far! You conspired with your vile sister to rebel, isn't that going too far?" Yin Yuji retorted angrily, "Fine! My sister is a vile woman? I'm going to rebel too? What real evidence do you have?"

Xu Sheng scoffed, "Evidence? What evidence do we need? The facts are right before our eyes! Father ordered your vile sister to return to the capital, but she dared to disobey! What else could this be but a plot to rebel by force? Father thinks so! Xu Yu thinks so too! All the officials in the court, except for the lackeys of your Jiang and Li families, think so too! Is there any doubt about this? You've been acting behind my back, do you really have any good intentions? Hmph! Once you overthrow Father, deal with Xu Yu and the Wang family, then it'll be time to deal with me, won't it?"

Jiang Hanqing calmly listened to him and then said, "Your Highness... no... Uncle, think about it!" "You're Diao's closest person...she's her husband! How could we possibly play tricks on you? She would never harm you! ...You..." Xu Sheng rudely interrupted Jiang Hanqing, angrily rebuking, "Don't give me any of that kinship stuff! I don't care about this heartless woman! Do you think I don't understand? There are plenty of treacherous, heartless people in this world!"

Hearing her husband's ruthless words, Yin Yuji laughed in fury, "Fine! I'm a heartless woman! I'm heartless, I'm a traitor! I colluded with the Jiang family, colluded with my sister, trying to seize your family's power, trying to kill your father, and then kill you, the crown prince! Are you satisfied now, Your Highness, so wise and courageous!"

After his outburst earlier, Xu Sheng's resentment seemed to have subsided considerably over the past two days, and he was now able to think about the problem more calmly. Looking at his wife's piercing smile, he felt a pang of guilt and muttered, "I'm not entirely blaming you!" "It's just that you won't explain things clearly to me, so of course I'm going to suspect you!"

Yin Yuji sneered. "Fine! You came in shouting and yelling, insisting we were trying to harm you. Now you're saying we're not explaining things clearly to you! Do you think you can decide everything by yourself?" Hearing Yin Yuji's words, Xu Sheng calmed down a little and nodded after thinking for a while. "Alright! Then tell me first, what exactly happened on your sister's side!" Seeing that Xu Sheng was gradually calming down, Jiang Hanqing quickly seized the opportunity to explain the current situation to him in detail, and finally concluded, "So the truth is that Xu Yu and Wang Mingde may soon be plotting a rebellion, not what you thought before." Hearing Jiang Hanqing's words, Xu Sheng suddenly realized something and exclaimed in surprise, "So it was Xu Yu and Wang Mingde who did this! My God! So they really are planning to rebel!"

Yin Yuji's anger had not subsided, and she sneered from the side, "Hehe!" "I think they're not planning a rebellion, but are about to take your and your father's stupid heads!"

Xu Sheng, hearing her disrespectful words, showed no anger. He stood there silently for a long time before suddenly speaking viciously, "That damned Xu Yu, even a thousand cuts wouldn't be enough to quell my hatred!"

Yin Yuji said, "Don't get worked up! Think about how to deal with the current crisis!" Xu Sheng turned to look at Jiang Hanqing, his face no longer bearing the deep-seated hatred of before, but instead filled with a fawning smile. "Qing'er, what are your thoughts on this matter?" Jiang Hanqing

cleared her throat and slowly said, "First, I want to declare to my uncle that at this critical juncture, our Jiang family sincerely hopes to join hands with you against the enemy, and we will absolutely not harbor any disloyalty! I hope you will not harbor any further unfounded suspicions about us!" Xu Sheng's face flushed red instantly, and he stammered, "This... don't worry... I won't do it again! Hehe! Qing'er, quickly tell me our strategy!"

Jiang Hanqing said, "First, I need to understand one thing: do you have any trusted confidants within the Imperial Guard system? In case of trouble, are you absolutely certain you can control approximately how many Imperial Guards?" Xu Sheng's expression immediately changed upon hearing Jiang Hanqing's sudden question. He nervously turned to look at Yin Yuji, who was also glaring at him, clearly expecting an answer. Helplessly, he said to Jiang Hanqing, "Qing'er, is this really that important?"

Jiang Hanqing sighed inwardly, "Xu Sheng! Xu Sheng... You've been the Crown Prince for so many years... How can you be so spineless! At a time like this, you're still afraid your allies will know your secrets? Humph! Without the courage to accomplish great things, I think someone like you is truly incapable of being an emperor!" Thinking this, Jiang Hanqing outwardly remained indifferent, saying, "Whether this is important or not, I think Your Highness knows perfectly well! If you still want us to cooperate against the enemy, I think Your Highness should tell us the truth from the bottom of your heart!" Xu Sheng noticed that Jiang Hanqing had changed his address from "Uncle" to "Your Highness," adopting an attitude of setting aside personal feelings to discuss serious matters. He knew that he couldn't afford to be evasive any longer at this point.

Yin Yuji then interjected, "What time is it now! What are you still hesitating about? Don't you trust the Jiang family? I advise you to tell Qing'er the truth, and let's all figure out how to salvage the current crisis!" Xu Sheng gritted his teeth and finally spoke, "It's not that I don't trust Qing'er. I just think these things aren't a big deal. Since Qing'er wants to know, I'll tell you the truth!" He looked up and thought for a moment, then turned to Jiang Hanqing and said, "Qing'er, you know that Father Emperor has very strict control over the Imperial Guard system. As Crown Prince for so many years, relying on my status as the rightful heir to the throne, I've painstakingly cultivated some of my own people within the Imperial Guard system. However, Xu Yu has recently been favored by Father Emperor and has also started placing his own people in the Imperial Guard system, even replacing my original personnel in many positions. So, the few people I had in the Imperial Guard system have now been reduced."

Jiang Hanqing patiently listened to his rambling and nodded, "I understand! But could you tell me the exact number?" "Xu Sheng said, 'I just did a calculation. If something happens, judging from the current situation, I can control about 150,000 Imperial Guards! The Imperial Guards probably number over 50,000.'

Jiang Hanqing and Aunt Yin Yuji were both shocked and exclaimed. Yin Yuji asked suspiciously, 'You can control 50,000 Imperial Guards? How is that possible? They are the Emperor's precious darlings! Are you dreaming?' Xu Sheng said smugly, 'Hehe! You underestimate your husband's abilities! Think about it, after being the Crown Prince for so many years, I have to find a way to accumulate some capital for myself! Some generals in the Imperial Guards saw that I was the rightful heir to the throne, and in order to rise to prominence in the future, they all secretly signed pledges of allegiance with me. Originally, I still couldn't control many Imperial Guards just by relying on that, after all, the old Emperor keeps a close eye on the Imperial Guards.'" "But this failed expedition to Qiut actually helped me a lot. A large number of Imperial Guard officers died on the Qiut battlefield, and the remaining 120,000 Imperial Guards lacked commanders, so many generals were promoted from the Imperial Guards, most of whom were my own people! In this way, I have control over most of the Imperial Guards."

Jiang Hanqing said excitedly, "Your Highness, if you can really control so many Imperial Guards, then our chances of dealing with the Wang family and Xu Yu will greatly increase." While saying this, he was thinking about something else. "This Xu Sheng was able to prepare in advance and control so many Imperial Guards, he does have some cunning! But why did he foolishly help his opponents attack us in court? And why did he so indiscriminately vent his anger on me and Aunt Diao just now? It seems the key is that this man is a good-for-nothing, lacking the magnanimity required for great things, always suspecting that others are trying to harm him! Humph!" "You have to be careful around this kind of person in the future; he might stab you in the back at any time."

As he thought this, Yin Yuji continued to press Xu Sheng with uneasy questions: "Are you sure you can really control all these people? How could the Emperor be completely unaware? Is Xu Yu aware of this situation? How many people can he control?" "Xu Sheng explained: 'Father is completely unaware of this matter! In fact, the Imperial Guards are indeed extremely loyal to Father! The reason I can control them is entirely because I am the rightful heir to the throne. If I wanted to use them against Father, I doubt many would follow me. But if it's to deal with the rebellious Xu Yu, I think most would obey my commands.'

After a moment's thought, Xu Sheng continued: 'As for Xu Yu, he probably isn't very clear about these matters. After all, he only recently began to intervene in the Imperial Guard system, and he knows nothing about the past. I'm certain he has no idea how many men I control within the Imperial Guard system. Now, some opportunistic officers in the Imperial Guard, seeing his recent favor, are starting to get close to him. I've taken this opportunity to send several trusted high-ranking officers to infiltrate them, hoping to obtain some useful intelligence. According to the information they provide, Xu Yu may control...'" There are probably twenty or thirty thousand Imperial Guards, and tens of thousands more in the Imperial Guards! But I believe that once these soldiers know that Xu Yu is planning a rebellion, they will definitely turn against him. If Xu Yu wants to use them, he can only conceal the truth and find an excuse to lure them. Only then can he possibly command those loyal Imperial Guards.”

Jiang Hanqing nodded in satisfaction and said, “Excellent! I never imagined that you would control so many men in the Imperial Guards! This is our lifeline! With this force, once Xu Yu rebels, we will have a powerful force to deal with him! Even if we are unlucky and cannot eliminate him in the struggle in the capital, we can at least protect ourselves and escape the capital, and then gather our troops in other places to return to the capital. Wouldn't that eliminate them? Hehe! I want to see what kind of terrified expressions Xu Yu and his men will have when they discover the truth!”

Hearing him say this, Xu Sheng also happily expressed his agreement. However, Yin Yuji was not as happy as they were. She glanced at the two jubilant men in front of her and calmly said, "Don't underestimate them! Xu Sheng, how can you be so sure that the intelligence sent back by the few officers under Hunren Xu Yu is accurate? Perhaps Xu Yu controls more than that number of troops! Maybe the men you sent have already defected to Xu Yu's side, and the intelligence they gave you is all false." Xu Sheng was shocked and said, "You mean they might defect to Xu Yu? No way! They are all people I carefully selected and absolutely trust! How could they defect to Xu Yu? Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Yin Yuji said, "I was just making a hypothesis, I didn't say they actually betrayed you! I just think we can't be too blindly optimistic! Think about it, Xu Yu and Wang Mingde dared to plot and prepare for a rebellion, they must have absolute confidence, otherwise they wouldn't have acted rashly. The power they control must be much stronger than we see now, so strong that they believe they can easily subdue us no matter what. And we know absolutely nothing about these things. What do we have to be happy about?" "What? I don't think we can relax just because you think you control such a small force, Xu Sheng. Our strength is still very weak! Our preparations are far from complete! Qing'er, I remember last time you came here you also underestimated the Wang family as an opponent, and I specifically lectured you about it! I didn't expect you to forget my words so quickly! Alas! It's true that old habits die hard! If you continue like this, you will suffer a lot in the future because of this habit of underestimating the enemy!"

Jiang Hanqing, who had been very happy because of Xu Sheng's words, listened to her aunt's calm words. Feeling deeply ashamed, Jiang Hanqing silently reflected, "Alas! I'm still not experienced enough! I got a little carried away as soon as I heard some good news! I'm not even as good as my aunt, a mere woman. Shame on me! Shame on me!" Thinking this to herself, Jiang Hanqing repeatedly agreed, "Yes! Aunt is absolutely right! Qing'er was indeed a little careless just now! I must always remember your teachings from now on! Hmm!... We must be careful of those vipers! I'll send someone to investigate their background thoroughly later, striving to obtain as much useful information as possible!" Yin Yuji nodded, "That's right! We should investigate more thoroughly! Qing'er, let me remind you again, never underestimate your enemies in the future!"

While Jiang Hanqing repeatedly agreed to her aunt's admonition, Xu Sheng anxiously interjected, asking, "How exactly should we deal with Xu Yu and Wang Mingde's conspiracy?" Jiang Hanqing's original purpose in coming to Xu Sheng's residence was simply to explain to Xu Sheng the truth about Yin Yuji's inability to return to the capital; he had no intention of offering any advice on how to deal with Xu Yu. However, now that Xu Sheng had asked him about it, he couldn't very well say that he hadn't had time to think about the issue carefully.

After thinking for a moment, Jiang Hanqing forced a response, "Uh... This matter... is of great importance, so I dare not draw any conclusions lightly. I think it's like this: with the sudden outbreak of the border incident, has the Li family also been implicated? Li Zhiqiang is a smart man, he will naturally understand the problem. I think we should join hands with the Li family to fight against Xu Yu and the Wang family!" Xu Sheng paced back and forth in the room, hesitating, "Join forces with the Li family? Can these guys be trusted?"

Yin Yuji slammed her hand on the armrest of her chair and said loudly, "What's there to trust or not trust? We're already forced into this situation! Neither we nor the Li family have any other choice. If we don't unite, we risk being defeated one by one. The Li family isn't stupid, they will definitely weigh the pros and cons." Xu Sheng still hesitated after hearing Yin Yuji's words. "Then... what will happen to the Li family after we wipe out the Wang family and Xu Yu?"

Jiang Hanqing saw his expression and knew he was worried about how the spoils of victory would be distributed. He understood that if he didn't give him a clear answer now, Xu Sheng's suspicions would not lessen. So, upon hearing Xu Sheng's words, he immediately replied, "Don't worry! When that day truly comes, with our strength, we can naturally wipe out the Li family completely. Once we achieve final victory, as long as you guarantee the Jiang family's wealth and honor, we will definitely hand over all our troops." Xu Sheng smiled broadly and said, "Good! Then I'm relieved! However... regarding contacting the Li family..."

Jiang Hanqing quickly replied knowingly, "I'll send someone to handle this as soon as I get back. You don't need to worry about it. Once there's a result, I'll send someone to inform you." Seeing that Xu Sheng didn't say anything more, clearly indicating his tacit agreement, Jiang Hanqing continued, "Your Highness, this..." "Please keep in touch with your trusted confidants within the Imperial Guard system to ensure you receive their strong support. Also, I think we should prepare some escape plans from the capital. After all, no one can guarantee victory!" Xu Sheng was clearly satisfied with Jiang Hanqing's words, nodding repeatedly in approval. "Yes! You're absolutely right. I certainly won't neglect the Imperial Guard system! I've been busy contacting them these past few days, and I just returned from searching for people in the Imperial Guard camp. Don't worry about that, I'll handle it. As for escape plans, it's indeed necessary to prepare them. How about this? We'll split up and prepare after we get back; having a few backup plans can't hurt!"

The three discussed some details for a long time, and it was getting late. When they had almost finished discussing and Jiang Hanqing got up to take his leave, Xu Sheng suddenly realized something. He glanced at the scene outside the house, then turned to Jiang Hanqing and said, "Qing'er, it's getting late! It's time for dinner! Why don't you have dinner here before you leave? Your aunt has been saying she wants to see you lately! Spend

some more time chatting with her! Oh, and I'll ask your cousin and younger cousin to come out and chat with you later!" Jiang Hanqing had initially planned to decline when Xu Sheng invited him to stay for dinner, intending to return early to spend time with Bai Yingjue. However, when he heard Xu Sheng mention that his cousin Jingwen would also join them for dinner, he immediately changed his mind. "Alright! Since Uncle says so, I'll have dinner before I leave!" As he said this, his cousin's pure and beautiful smile, like a lotus emerging from water, already appeared in his mind.

The Crown Prince's residence, following the example of the imperial palace, also had banquets prepared throughout the day. At this moment, Xu Sheng gave the order, and the food and wine were immediately brought out in a continuous stream. In less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a sumptuous feast was neatly set out in the center of the room. Jingwen and her twelve-year-old brother, Zhaojun, had also been notified by the servants and rushed over promptly. Today, Jingwen was wearing a lake-green silk dress, her hair simply styled in a double bun, and a pearl necklace around her neck. The pearls on the necklace were large, round, lustrous, and uniform in size—clearly the finest pearls. They accentuated Jingwen's elegant neck, making her look exceptionally charming. Unlike previous meetings, this time, Jiang Hanqing saw Jingwen for the first time. Her face was lightly powdered, subtly revealing something unusual. When Jingwen, holding her brother's hand, stepped through the door, she immediately spotted Jiang Hanqing. Her bright eyes instantly sparkled, and a blush rose on her lightly powdered face. Gently releasing her younger brother's hand, Jingwen stood gracefully and curtsied to Jiang Hanqing. In her clear, melodious voice, she said, "Cousin, you've arrived? When did you come? Why didn't you send a servant to inform me?" Her gentle voice carried a hint of slight reproach, and her rosy lips pouted slightly, clearly indicating her displeasure at Jiang Hanqing's arrival without informing her. From the moment Jiang Hanqing saw Jingwen, he had been inwardly marveling at her stunning appearance, appearing somewhat absent-minded.

Hearing his cousin's question, coupled with her slightly flustered and adorable expression upon first seeing her, his mind went blank. He was truly taken aback, frozen in place, unsure how to respond, speechless for a long time. Yin Yuji stood to the side, watching her beloved daughter and nephew's performance with great interest. Seeing Jiang Hanqing's awkwardness, she stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "Wen'er! You really are something! Your cousin is here to discuss important matters with us! Where would he find the time to play with a little kid like you?"

Hearing her mother's words, Jingwen pouted even more and protested in a coquettish voice, "I'm all grown up now! I'm not a child anymore!" Her voice betrayed her anxiety; she was clearly very upset that her mother called her a spoiled child. Yin Yuji, of course, understood her daughter's true feelings and quickly comforted her, "Yes! My Wen'er has grown up! She's not a child anymore! She's a beautiful young lady! Soon she'll be married!" Hearing her mother's teasing words, Jingwen realized her mother had seen through her little scheme. She shyly called out "Mother," then lowered her head and remained silent, only glancing sideways at Jiang Hanqing, who stood to the side grinning foolishly.

Xu Sheng, standing to the side, laughed a few times and said, "Alright! Who cares about young ladies or little girls! Come! Everyone, sit down first. Qing'er, come! Sit down!" His words immediately eased the slightly awkward atmosphere considerably. Just as everyone sat down according to their status, Xu Sheng suddenly remembered something and turned to a servant behind him, instructing, "Go and invite Consort Ru over as well! Quickly!" Hearing his words, Yin Yuji and her daughter Jingwen, whose faces had been full of smiles, immediately turned grim. Jiang Hanqing was stunned; she hadn't expected Xu Sheng to call out her newly acquired concubine in such a situation. Jiang Hanqing turned to look at her aunt. Seeing that although her face was ashen, she didn't say anything to stop Xu Yu's actions, she sighed inwardly, "Sigh! That damned Xu Sheng! He doesn't even cherish such a good person as my aunt! Sigh! He's truly despicable! But Aunt Diao is also quite pitiful! It seems she's already accepted the fact that Xu Sheng is taking a concubine. But thinking about it, it makes sense. Once Xu Sheng becomes emperor, he'll inevitably have three palaces and six courtyards. Even if my aunt wanted to stop him, how long could she stop him? She must have seen through this and felt utterly powerless, thus accepting this unavoidable reality. Oh, right! Last time I was worried that Ru Feng might have some connection with the Holy Maiden Sect..." "Yes, I even specifically reminded Aunt Diao that that girl might not be a good person. I wonder if Aunt Diao has found out any secrets about that bitch. I'll find an opportunity to ask Auntie about it. Once I find out her identity, I'll follow the clues and dig out the person hiding behind her!"

After instructing his servants to call his favorite concubine, Xu Sheng turned to Jiang Hanqing and smiled, "Your aunt isn't feeling well, and I want her to rest properly. I don't want her to be overworked taking care of me, so I found a concubine, hoping she can share some of the burden with your aunt." Jiang Hanqing was furious at his self-righteousness. You bastard, when did my aunt become unwell? It's clearly you who lusted after that slut named Ru Feng! Humph! You even have the nerve to lie to me in front of Aunt Diao! Xu Sheng! Xu Sheng! Your skin is thicker than a city wall! Thinking this to herself, Jiang Hanqing said aloud, "Yes! Uncle is being considerate of Aunt, Qing'er completely understands! Besides, His Highness the Crown Prince will be a wise and capable ruler in the future. He will be the sole ruler of the eight directions and six realms, so having a harem is inevitable! Compared to the future, what is taking a concubine now! Come! Come! Qing'er will toast Uncle, as a token of my congratulations!"

After Jiang Hanqing finished her flattering remarks, she raised her wine cup to toast Xu Sheng. Xu Sheng, clearly surprised by Jiang Hanqing's compliment, nearly grinned from ear to ear, raising her cup and exclaiming, "Good! Qing'er, well said! Come on! Let's drink this!"

At this moment, Yin Yuji's expression darkened further. She glared at her nephew, clearly annoyed that he had flattered Xu Sheng so much. Jingwen, standing nearby, was even more furious, her face pale. She slammed her chopsticks on the table and turned her head away, staring blankly at the ground. Xu Sheng glanced at his angry daughter, his face hardening, and said in a cold voice, "Wen'er, what are you doing! Who are you giving a hard time to? Me? Or your cousin?" Jingwen curled her lip, disdainfully saying, "How dare I give a hard time in front of you adults! I'm just a child, I don't understand anything!" Xu Sheng

gritted his teeth, about to erupt in anger, when he heard a clear, crisp female voice coming from outside. "Oh dear! Who has angered our little princess? Honestly! What's so important that it upsets the young lady?" With these words, a beautiful woman in a green short-sleeved top and a white silk skirt appeared at the doorway. Jiang Hanqing recognized her immediately—it was the woman named "Ru Feng" he had seen here before. Watching Ru Feng sway as she entered the room, Jingwen turned and glared at Jiang Hanqing before standing up and heading out. Seeing this, Jiang Hanqing knew his cousin had misunderstood that he was protecting her father, so he quickly grabbed her arm, saying, "Cousin, don't be hasty! What can't we talk about as family? Come! Sit down and eat!" Jingwen, who was about to rush out, stopped abruptly when Jiang Hanqing pulled her. The strong, warm touch of the man's hand on her delicate arm made her heart flutter, and her face immediately flushed crimson.

She turned to look at Jiang Hanqing, only to meet his pleading gaze. Her heart softened, and she nodded gently to him before turning back to her seat. Seeing his daughter return to her seat, Xu Sheng realized he had made a mistake by bringing Ru Feng to this occasion without consulting others. He quickly placed a large mouthful of food into her bowl, saying softly, "Wen'er, come on! Don't be angry! Eat!"

Jingwen was about to refuse to eat, but then she saw Jiang Hanqing smile gently at her and nod, indicating that she should eat. Seeing Jiang Hanqing's handsome smile, her heart immediately raced. Afraid of arousing suspicion, she quickly lowered her head and started eating, her mind racing: "Brother Qing's smile is so beautiful! Why is he smiling at me? Could it be that he... he... likes me too? But why didn't he speak up for Mother just now?... Sigh! I'm so stupid. Brother Qing must have his reasons for doing this! Mother didn't say much, why should I, a little girl, step forward! I wonder... I wonder what Brother Qing will think of my actions just now? Will he think I'm too childish? He..." While Jingwen was pretending to eat with her head down, lost in thought, Rufeng had already walked to the table.

Curiously glancing at Jiang Hanqing, Ru Feng gracefully bowed to Yin Yuji and said, "Your Highness, Ru Feng greets you!" Yin Yuji coldly nodded and said, "Hmm! You may sit down and eat as well!" Ru Feng then bowed to Xu Sheng and gracefully sat down in an empty seat. After settling in, she curiously looked at Jiang Hanqing and said, "This guest looks very familiar!"

Jiang Hanqing smiled and said, "This is the third time I've met you, Madam Ru! Of course you'd find him familiar!" Upon hearing this, Ru Feng immediately looked blank and said, "What? I've met this guest twice before? I don't remember." Xu Sheng then interjected, "Feng'er, I forgot to introduce you! This is Young Master Jiang from the Zhenguo Duke's family! When you were ill a while ago, Young Master Jiang came here to discuss matters, and you saw him twice. Perhaps you were still sick at the time and didn't notice, so you don't remember now!" After hearing Xu Sheng's words, Ru Feng tilted her head and thought for a moment, then giggled, "Oh dear! Look at my memory! I remember now, I really have met Young Master Jiang twice. It's so kind of you to remember me! Alas! I was sick at the time and not in good spirits, I almost forgot! Haha... Oh right! I heard that Young Master Jiang is our Princess's nephew?"

Jiang Hanqing smiled and nodded, "That's right! Madam is right! Her Highness the Crown Princess is my aunt!" Xu Sheng patted Jiang Hanqing's shoulder affectionately and said to Ru Feng, "Speaking of which, Hanqing and I are really family! Haha!" Ru Feng laughed a few times, then raised her wine cup to Jiang Hanqing, "Young Master Jiang, today is the first time Ru Feng has truly met you! I must ask you to drink this cup!" Jiang Hanqing readily laughed, "Alright! Madam is also my elder! How can a junior refuse a drink offered by an elder!" The two clinked their glasses lightly, tilted their heads back, and downed their drinks in one gulp .

After Jiang Hanqing and Ru Feng finished their drinks, the atmosphere at the table seemed to immediately become more harmonious. After some time, Yin Yuji's anger seemed to have subsided, her complexion gradually improved, and she began to chat and laugh with the three of them. Meanwhile, the still-immature Zhao Jun continued to make a racket. Only Jingwen remained silent with her head down, seemingly preoccupied. However, whenever Jiang Hanqing kindly served her food, she would look up and gently thank him, generously returning his smile with a bright, sunny one. Every time Jiang Hanqing saw his cousin's pure smile, he would feel a slight warmth in his heart. He felt a slight intoxication, but he hadn't yet realized the deeper meaning behind his cousin's smile. Jiang Hanqing had indeed played with many women, but with his Oedipus complex, he had always preferred mature women. He only needed to conquer them, dragging experienced women into bed for a good time. As for a young girl like Jingwen, this was his first time dealing with her; he was completely inexperienced in every way, let alone understanding the ever-changing and difficult thoughts of a young girl. However, those involved are often blinded, while bystanders see things clearly! Xu Sheng and Yin Yuji, observing coldly from the sidelines, clearly saw every move the young couple made. "Good! It seems Qing'er and Wen'er have developed feelings for each other. That's great! It would be wonderful if Wen'er married Qing'er. My sister would be very happy. Xu Yu would probably be pleased too!" Thinking this

, Yin Yuji nodded slightly, a satisfied smile appearing on her face. She turned to look at her husband, trying to discern his opinion on the matter from his expression. Sensing his wife's gaze, Xu Sheng also smiled and nodded slightly. However, the perceptive Yin Yuji easily saw the unease and tension hidden beneath his smile, and her heart skipped a beat. "What is he uneasy about? Didn't he used to think Qing'er and Wen'er were the best match? Why is he now... Is he still worried about the Jiang family's power? How can he be so incompetent! Even if he has many concerns about the Jiang family, there's nothing he can do now! Not cooperating with them is certain death! This man is really something! Besides... letting Wen'er and Qing'er get together might even help restrain the Jiang family in the future... Sigh! I'm willing to give up anything for him, even if it means turning against my sister in the future! Why doesn't he understand my feelings! He's always so suspicious, worrying about this and guarding against that!" "He has to put on an act even in front of me. Judging from his expression, he's clearly worried I'll side with the Jiang family."

While Yin Yuji sat there wallowing in self-pity, Ru Feng, who had been observing the expressions of the Crown Prince and his wife, suddenly spoke up. "Your Highness, I think our young princess and Young Master Jiang are quite a good match! How wonderful it would be if they could become a couple!"

Upon hearing this, Xu Sheng's feigned smile became even more stiff. He subconsciously glanced at Ru Feng, seemingly feeling strange for speaking up, but didn't say anything. Ru Feng, however, simply smiled and looked towards Jiang Hanqing, completely ignoring Xu Sheng's reaction. Jiang Hanqing was visibly stunned when he heard Ru Feng's words. Although he had always liked this cousin and found her company easy and pleasant, he had never considered marrying her. Hearing Ru Feng's words now, he was naturally quite surprised. "Marry my cousin? This… how could this woman have such an idea?"

What did she mean by saying that at this moment? Wouldn't my cousin be angry if she heard that? Without time to ponder Ru Feng's motives, Jiang Hanqing was eager to know how his cousin would react to this sensitive topic. He thought this shy girl would be furious and turn on him on the spot. But when Jiang Hanqing turned to look at his cousin Jingwen, he was surprised to find that she showed no signs of anger at all. Instead, her ears were red and she buried her head even lower. Besides shyness, she even seemed a little happy. "Could it be that my cousin... really has feelings for me? This... how could this be?" Jiang Hanqing could hardly believe his eyes. He had never imagined that his little cousin would develop feelings for him. He often fantasized about marrying his mature and beautiful aunt, Diao, who was as stunning as his mother, but he had little interest in a naive young girl. However, after the initial shock subsided, Jiang Hanqing calmed down and thought it over carefully. He suddenly realized that playing with this innocent girl wouldn't be a bad thing.

"I've had enough of the meat, a change of pace, something lighter would be nice...hehe! That's it! If I get the chance, I'll get Diao and my cousin together for a mother-daughter show! Haha! That would be really fun!" If the people at the table knew what Jiang Hanqing was thinking, they would have killed him on the spot. However, they naturally couldn't know Jiang Hanqing's true thoughts. To them, the incessantly grinning Jiang Hanqing was clearly gleeful because he'd discovered his cousin's feelings for him. Little did they know that this seemingly innocent young master of the Jiang family harbored such lewd and malicious intentions. For the rest of the time, Jiang Hanqing and Jingwen barely ate anything, each harboring their own schemes. As for what the other three adults were saying, they… He didn't care about anything anymore. After dinner, Jiang Hanqing didn't rush to leave.

He thought Xu Sheng would, like the previous two times, leave everyone behind and escort Ru Feng back to her room alone. He wanted to take this opportunity to ask Yin Yuji if she had investigated the mystery of Ru Feng's identity since their last meeting. However, Jiang Hanqing didn't expect that Ru Feng and Xu Sheng were in high spirits that day, sitting there chatting and showing no intention of leaving early. This made it impossible for Jiang Hanqing to find a chance to be alone with Yin Yuji. Helpless, he had to give up the idea of asking his aunt for information, thinking, "Forget it! There's no rush. I don't think Aunt Diao has discovered anything, otherwise she would have found a way to tell me herself! I'll ask her next time I have a chance!" After sitting there for more than half an hour, Jiang Hanqing saw that it was almost time, and with Ru Feng present, he couldn't discuss anything important with Xu Sheng and his wife. So he got up to take his leave. Yin Yuji didn't try to stop him, but simply had Jingwen see Jiang Hanqing out alone. When Xu Sheng heard his wife ask their daughter to see Jiang Hanqing out, his lips moved slightly as if he wanted to stop her, but in the end, he didn't say anything.

Ru Feng, on the other hand, stood by with a beaming smile, looking very smug. As the two young people walked out, Jingwen kept her head down and didn't say a word. Jiang Hanqing didn't know what to say to this shrewish girl, so he could only pretend to be mute. It wasn't until Jiang Hanqing left the mansion and was about to mount his horse that Jingwen looked up at him, bit her lip, and whispered, "Cousin, you...you take care...when...when you have time...remember to come...to see me!" After saying those two sentences, her face flushed bright red. Before Jiang Hanqing could reply, she covered her face and ran back inside the gate. At this moment, Jiang Hanqing was completely certain that his cousin had feelings for him. Watching her disappearing figure behind the gate, he kept calculating in his mind. "Good little girl, since you've come to me of your own accord, I won't be polite! But... I can't let you have it so easily!" With a smug chuckle, Jiang Hanqing mounted her horse, lashed it hard with her whip, and shouted "Giddy up!" Her mount, wincing in pain, neighed and galloped away. The

horse 's hooves clattered on the wide stone pavement, carrying clearly across the now deserted street. Walking along this main road connecting the Crown Prince's residence to the Jiang family compound, Jiang Hanqing's mind replayed the scene of her ambush two months ago. "Whose voice is that that sounds so familiar?

"

The question that had been troubling Jiang Hanqing for over two months resurfaced in his mind. He firmly believed that under normal circumstances, he would be able to identify the owner of the voice; as long as he had seen the person before and heard them speak, he would definitely be able to. However, the situation that day was far too critical, so he had no time to distinguish the voices in the room. Yet, even under such circumstances, he was still able to feel a sense of familiarity with one of the voices. Now, he realized that the owner of this voice must be someone he knew well; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to recognize them in such a critical moment. But who was this person?

Sitting on his horse, pondering this, Jiang Hanqing suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. Yong'an Prefecture, as the capital of the powerful Great Xia Empire, had been a place of revelry for decades. In the past six months, due to a series of strange occurrences, the people... The crowd was filled with unease and had no heart for entertainment, especially after Jiang Hanqing's nighttime attack. The government had strictly controlled nighttime street activity, making Yong'an Prefecture's nights deserted. Even so, although the streets were quite empty after nightfall, one or two hurried pedestrians would occasionally pass by. The imperial guards patrolled the city, appearing in groups every so often. But tonight, Jiang Hanqing had traveled such a long distance without seeing a single pedestrian, and the imperial guards were nowhere to be seen. Wasn't this too strange?

Suddenly noticing this oddity, a sense of unease crept into Jiang Hanqing's heart. He cried out, "Oh no!" and quickly reined in his horse, leaping to the ground. Using his horse as cover, he cautiously looked around, muttering to himself, "Is that kind of thing going to happen again? Damn it! This is terrible! Where did the imperial guards go?" "Suddenly, the sound of a carriage approaching came from afar, the clatter of its wheels particularly jarring in the desolate night." What the hell was that? How could such a loud noise not have alerted the Imperial Guards on patrol? Had none of them been mobilized tonight? Impossible! There must be some conspiracy at play! Jiang

Hanqing gently reached for the hilt of his sword, his eyes fixed nervously on the end of the street. The sound of the carriage grew closer, and Jiang Hanqing's heart pounded even harder. Whoever had orchestrated this situation was no ordinary person; they might even have the authority to mobilize the Imperial Guards. Otherwise, how could he explain the absence of the patrolling guards? Just as Jiang Hanqing anxiously awaited the carriage's arrival, the crisp sound of hooves suddenly came from behind him. Jiang Hanqing quickly turned around and saw two knights appear out of nowhere on the street behind him, riding two tall horses slowly towards him. Both knights wore wide black robes with hoods, obscuring their figures and the shapes of their weapons. In the darkness of the night, their attire made them look like two mysterious and terrifying ghosts from the depths of hell. At that moment, the carriage in front of Jiang Hanqing finally appeared.

It was a carriage... The journey was quite ordinary, undertaken by horse-drawn carriage. The driver sat hunched over, motionless like a corpse. He too wore a wide black robe, just like the two knights who had galloped up from behind Jiang Hanqing. The curtain behind the driver was drawn, obscuring the interior. Three knights followed behind, also clad in wide black robes, their heads hidden beneath hoods, their features completely obscured, adding to their mystique. Jiang Hanqing, seeing the situation was far from easy, knew there was no escape. He tightened his grip on his sword hilt, straightened his back, and stood proudly, awaiting the approaching forces. He considered calling for help, but then abandoned the idea. He understood that the absence of the night patrol guards for so long must be the work of these men. What good would a cry for help do if they were capable of this? At worst, he would die; he couldn't afford to appear panicked and tarnish the Jiang family's reputation!

The carriage came to an abrupt stop five zhang away from Jiang Hanqing. The rider behind it immediately pulled on the reins and halted his mount. The two riders who had come from behind Jiang Hanqing stopped ten zhang away. Seeing that their actions didn't seem to carry much malice, Jiang Hanqing felt slightly more at ease. To show his composure, he smiled slightly and sheathed his sword.

"Who are you? What are you doing? Why are you blocking my way?" Jiang Hanqing asked with a cold laugh, hands on his hips. But the group in front of him remained silent and motionless, leaving Jiang Hanqing completely baffled. After waiting for a while, seeing that they still neither spoke nor moved, Jiang Hanqing cursed inwardly, "Damn it! What are they doing! Playing tricks here!" In

desperation, Jiang Hanqing tentatively took two steps towards the carriage to see their reaction. To his surprise, the other party remained completely oblivious to his actions, showing no reaction whatsoever. Jiang Hanqing gritted his teeth, raised his head, and strode towards the carriage. As Jiang Hanqing approached, the three knights behind the carriage still showed no reaction, as if they didn't even consider him a threat. Seeing their arrogant attitude, Jiang Hanqing felt a surge of anger, his right hand, hanging naturally at his side, subtly twitching his fingers a few times, ready to draw his sword at any moment. When Jiang Hanqing was about ten feet away from the carriage, the three knights finally reacted. They pulled on the reins, turning their horses around and galloping away, retreating to a distance of ten feet before reining in their mounts. Then they turned back to face Jiang Hanqing, standing silently as if nothing had happened. As soon as Jiang Hanqing saw their reaction, he assumed they were about to attack and hurriedly reached for his sword hilt, preparing to draw it. But to his utter surprise, what he saw next was so unexpected that he could only stand there dumbfounded, completely at a loss.

At this moment, the coachman suddenly spoke. "Young Master Jiang, please get in! There's a friend of yours in the carriage who wants to have a good talk with you! Don't worry! We mean no harm!" The coachman's voice was low, almost inaudible, and had a deliberately hoarse quality, as if afraid others would recognize his tone.

However, Jiang Hanqing could still tell it was an old woman's voice. Jiang Hanqing was surprised that the driver was an old woman and couldn't help but scrutinize her a few more times. However, to his great disappointment, although they were less than ten feet apart, the old woman's figure was completely hidden under her wide black robe, and he still couldn't see her face or figure clearly. Hesitating for a moment, Jiang Hanqing wondered whether he should listen to her and get into the carriage. He didn't know what was hidden inside the carriage, but he figured it was probably the leader of this group. He worried that the other party would launch a sneak attack when he jumped onto the carriage. If the old man driving and the person hiding inside joined forces, it would be extremely difficult for him to defend himself. Seeing Jiang Hanqing standing there hesitant, the old man chuckled a few times and said, "Young Master Jiang, are you afraid to get on? This carriage isn't some dragon's den or tiger's lair! I didn't expect you to be nothing but a coward!"

Jiang Hanqing remained unmoved and sneered, "Don't try to provoke me! I won't fall for your tricks! Who exactly are you? Explain yourself first, then we'll consider other things!" The old man chuckled coldly twice, about to say something, but suddenly fell silent, only tilting his ear as if listening to someone speaking inside the carriage. Jiang Hanqing understood that the person inside the carriage was definitely using telepathy to give her instructions. Sure enough, a short while later, Jiang Hanqing heard the old man respectfully say into the carriage, "Yes! Master, this old servant understands!" Turning around, the old man's attitude towards Jiang Hanqing seemed much more respectful. "Young Master Jiang, this old servant spoke without thinking just now, please don't take offense! My master said that he and you are old friends. Please get in the carriage and meet him to find out."

Jiang Hanqing shook his head and said, "You think you can just play me for a fool now that you have the upper hand? Humph! Say whatever you want, I'm not getting in the carriage. Your master says he and I are old friends, so why doesn't he get off? Or just tell me his true identity via telepathy, why make it so mysterious! There's clearly something fishy going on!" As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a melodious, silvery female voice gently say, "Sigh! You little devil, you're always so cautious! Someone wanted to give you a surprise, and you don't even appreciate it!" The voice was ethereal and melodious, sometimes near ,

sometimes far, sometimes whispering softly in his ear, sometimes calling from afar, giving it a subtle and distant feel. Jiang Hanqing froze upon hearing the voice. He felt the voice was familiar, but couldn't quite place where he had heard it before. Just as he was racking his brains trying to remember who the voice belonged to, that beautiful woman's voice rang in his ears again. "I knew you heartless bastard had forgotten me! You can't even remember who I am when you hear my voice! Alas! All men in this world are unfaithful!" Her tone was full of coquettishness and sweet talk, suggesting she might have been one of Jiang Hanqing's women in the past. Jiang Hanqing had a vague feeling, but he still couldn't remember who this woman was. She had clearly been intimate with him, yet he couldn't recall her identity. Thinking this, Jiang Hanqing felt extremely embarrassed. Fortunately, at that moment, the woman's voice reached his ears again.

"When I taught you martial arts, how did you appease me? Only a few years have passed, and you've completely forgotten me!" Her tone was like that of a wife abandoned by her husband, full of resentment. Hearing this, Jiang Hanqing finally reacted, remembering her identity, and exclaimed with surprise, "Ah! It's you!" The woman's voice from the car rang in his ears again, but this time it was filled with joy and happiness. "You heartless bastard! You only remember me now! I've been thinking about you all day! Hurry up and get in the car, take a good look at me!" Jiang Hanqing, without a moment's hesitation, rushed forward, leaped onto the carriage, and forcefully lifted the curtain to peer inside.

The carriage appeared ordinary on the outside, but the interior was luxuriously furnished, covered in sable furs and adorned with countless jewels and precious stones. By the light of the specially made carriage lamp, Jiang Hanqing could clearly see a beautiful woman, seemingly around twenty years old, seated on a soft, comfortable brocade seat. The woman wore a black dress with a gold phoenix design, her hair styled in a snake-like bun, and her shoulders adorned with pearls forming two peony shapes. Her appearance was stunning. A shimmering jade belt cinched her waist. On her feet were soft, pointed boots adorned with two pearls at the toes. Countless other small jewels and ornaments adorned her. Against the backdrop of this dazzling display, her beautiful face, as delicate as a flower, appeared even more radiant. Her eyes were bright and sparkling, her nose small and high, her lips as red as cinnabar, and her eyebrows long and slightly curved—every feature of her was the epitome of perfection in a man's eyes. Seeing Jiang Hanqing appear before her, the beautiful woman smiled slightly, revealing two small dimples on her cheeks, making her even more charming and adorable. "My dear, why don't you come in and let me have a good look at you! What are you waiting for outside for?" "Her tone, a mix of complaint and groan, combined with her melodious voice, would make any man's heart itch with desire. Hearing

this, Jiang Hanqing quickly slipped into the carriage, casually pulling down the curtain behind him. Before he could even sit down, the beautiful woman in palace attire had already pounced into his arms like a supple snake. Her jade-like hands, with red nail polish, gently stroked Jiang Hanqing's cheeks, and she said softly, 'Finally, I see you again, you heartless little devil! Ah! It's been years since I last saw you, and you've grown into a grown man!' Jiang Hanqing, naturally, wouldn't be polite to this beauty who had offered herself to him. He reached out and hugged her tightly, kissing her face and neck several times, while his hands simultaneously caressed her body. The beautiful woman giggled a few times at his kisses, gently pushing his head away, and said coquettishly, 'I just said you're a grown man, but I didn't expect you to still be so impatient!'" He doesn't resemble the young sect leader at all.

Jiang Hanqing chuckled shamelessly, "So what if I'm the young sect leader? Can't the young sect leader be impatient? Besides, in front of a beautiful and noble goddess like you, who wouldn't be impatient?" It turned out this woman was the current palace master of the Hidden Sect's Goddess Palace. The Goddess Palace Master giggled a few more times, slapping away Hanqing's hands that were still groping her body. Leaning against him, she looked up at him with seductive eyes and said, "You! You've always been shameless! Back when you were just a little devil, you dragged me to bed, but you didn't know anything, and I had to teach you for ages. It's funny to think about! Sigh! If I, Jiang Xiaoyun, hadn't taken pity on you because you're from the same clan as me, how could I have let you, this clueless little devil, get your hands on me?" Jiang Hanqing's eyes flickered slightly as he slowly moved his hand to her genitals, gently rubbing them through her skirt. Jiang Xiaoyun, the Goddess Palace Master, made no attempt to stop him. Instead, she closed her eyes, seemingly enjoying the sensation, her chest heaving.

Jiang Hanqing whispered in Jiang Xiaoyun's ear, "Palace Master, so you're saying I was the one who offended you back then? You took pity on this little brat?" Jiang Xiaoyun's cheeks were flushed from Jiang Hanqing's teasing. She forced her eyes open and said with difficulty, "But...that's right! You...when you first saw me...when you were staring at me with that squinty look...I thought...the Sect Master made the right choice, this brat is a little pervert!" Jiang Hanqing continued to caress her vulva, saying, "Then how did this little pervert offend you?"

Jiang Xiaoyun said cautiously, "You...your hands are so awful! How can I say anything when you touch me like this!...Ah!" Before she could finish speaking, Jiang Hanqing slapped her buttocks hard. Jiang Xiaoyun felt a burning sensation on her buttocks, letting out a soft cry of pain. She abruptly opened her eyes and glared angrily at Jiang Hanqing, scolding, "What are you doing?" Jiang Hanqing inwardly cursed, realizing he had just done something wrong. This goddess palace master, who held a high position of power in the Hidden Sect, had absolutely no interest in sadomasochism! Jiang Hanqing had become accustomed to abusing women in recent years and had forgotten the preferences of the palace master before him. Now, he had unconsciously made a rough move, naturally offending this tigress's taboo. However, Jiang Hanqing reacted quickly. Although he felt a little flustered by the goddess palace master's anger, he did not show any fear or hesitation on his face. He still smiled and said, "Palace Master, what you just said deserves a beating! He was so cunning back then, and he was just a little boy. How could he possibly offend you! It was clearly you who took advantage of his virginity and tried to seduce him." "It's someone else's."

Jiang Xiaoyun's expression softened upon hearing this, but she frowned and said, "You hit her so hard just now! Do you treat other women like this too?" With such a perfect staircase in front of him, Jiang Hanqing naturally took the opportunity to climb it down, quickly replying, "No! I'm so sorry! I got excited thinking that you, my mistress, are my first woman. I didn't control my strength. Please don't blame me!" As he spoke, he hugged her and kissed her twice, his hands constantly caressing her breasts, lower abdomen, and genitals. Jiang Xiaoyun had clearly forgiven his earlier outburst, laughing lewdly, "It's nothing! You little rascal, you couldn't even recognize my voice! Pah... you don't care about me at all. And you even said I was your first woman." Jiang Hanqing kissed her cheek as he said, "I was so young when we were together, and so many years have passed. It's normal that I couldn't remember your voice for a moment after hearing it again today! Besides, it's a fact that you are my first woman! Are you trying to deny it?"

Jiang Xiaoyun chuckled and reached out to hug Jiang Hanqing. She gently nibbled at his earlobe with her teeth, saying in a sweet voice, "How could I forget? You're my most beloved darling! Don't forget me in the future!" Jiang Hanqing was now certain that Jiang Xiaoyun didn't mind his forceful slap on the bottom earlier, and he immediately breathed a long sigh of relief, thinking, "Damn! That was close! I almost angered this woman! Luckily, I reacted quickly enough! Otherwise, it would have been really dangerous!"

The Goddess Palace Master held a very special position within the Hidden Sect, and with the powerful strength of the Goddess Palace under her control, she always wielded immense power within the sect. In fact, everyone in the Hidden Sect understood that the Sect Master, nominally the head of the sect, was actually only ranked third among the higher-ups. The first was the Holy Mother Palace Master, and the second was the Goddess Palace Master. In the Hidden Sect's activities, the Holy Mother Palace and the Goddess Palace were involved in almost everything, while the Sect Master never had the authority to interfere in their affairs. The Hidden Sect's leader was completely unaware of the recent incident where the two palaces sent He Bingzhang and Zhang Sihai to infiltrate the Imperial Army. This situation didn't exist when the Hidden Sect was founded, but as time passed, the two palaces' power grew so immense that their status gradually surpassed that of the sect leader, making them inviolable figures

within the sect. Consequently, the sect leader dared not disobey the two palaces' opinions in the slightest. Although the palace leaders wouldn't rebel against the sect leader, the feeling of being controlled was something no one in power could tolerate. Recent sect leaders had been extremely troubled by this phenomenon and desperately wanted to reverse the situation. However, the complexities involved were too numerous, forcing each sect leader to suppress the thought as soon as it arose. Regardless of the astonishing power wielded by the two palaces, even if the sect leader truly wanted to eliminate them, the thought of his beloved mother and woman, whom his mentor had cherished, within their ranks would make him hesitate. Furthermore, the thought that his mother and beloved woman would also be placed within their palaces after his death, otherwise they would likely not be respected by future generations, filled him with even more anguish. Once

such thoughts arose, he simply couldn't bring himself to act. It was precisely for this reason that the two palaces, this tumor growing in the hearts of successive sect leaders, had persisted for so many years without being eradicated. At this moment, although Jiang Hanqing had not yet become the sect leader and shouldered the heavy responsibility of commanding all the sect's disciples, he already deeply felt the threat posed to his position by the palace masters of the two palaces. Especially since, in Jiang Hanqing's heart, he had always only regarded the Hidden Sect as a tool for his struggle for the throne. Once he seized the throne, the Hidden Sect would become superfluous, even a tumor that needed to be eradicated.

Under these circumstances, the existence of the two palaces would naturally become a nightmare that kept him awake at night. Jiang Hanqing was chilled by Jiang Xiaoyun's domineering attitude after he had spanked her. The thought of having to be subservient to them from now on filled him with a sense of humiliation. Although Jiang Xiaoyun was his first woman, she didn't hold a particularly important place in his heart, just as Jiang Hanqing was very important to Jiang Xiaoyun.

For Jiang Hanqing, Jiang Xiaoyun was merely a necessary stage in his learning and growth; the only special thing was that Heaven had chosen her as his first woman. And in Jiang Xiaoyun's heart, her true love was still her former sect leader, whom she verbally treated like a treasure, but Jiang Hanqing was merely a way for her to alleviate her loneliness. Jiang Hanqing, fully aware of this, felt absolutely no affection for Jiang Xiaoyun or the two palaces she represented. He kept muttering to himself, "The two palaces... the two palaces... humph! How can I eliminate them? Then let's see if you lowly women dare to be arrogant in front of me!"

Jiang Xiaoyun, unaware that Jiang Hanqing was harboring thoughts detrimental to the two palaces, was aroused by his teasing and only wanted him to hold her and enjoy her company. Gently stroking Jiang Hanqing's broad chest, Jiang Xiaoyun softly said, "You...you little devil...what are you thinking about? Why are you suddenly silent?" Jiang Hanqing replied, "I was wondering how you suddenly appeared here? Where did the night patrol guards go?" Jiang Xiaoyun covered her mouth and chuckled, her radiant smile instantly brightening the carriage.

She poked Jiang Hanqing's forehead and giggled, "You! You're so silly! Didn't you see Zhang Sihai and the others? Have you forgotten they were sent by me? They secretly sent people to follow your movements and discovered you went to the Crown Prince's residence tonight. So they had He Bingzhang and the others reposition the imperial guards on night patrol, specifically diverting the soldiers from your route. What's so difficult about that? Then they waited here for you to appear so they could discuss important matters with you. The little bit of mystery they created at the beginning was just a joke to give you a surprise." Jiang Hanqing pretended to be angry and said, "Well done! There's a surprise, but not necessarily joy!"

Jiang Xiaoyun laughed, "Alright! I admit I was wrong, okay? I apologize!" She then broke free from Jiang Hanqing's embrace, sat up straight, and put on a serious expression, saying, "Young Sect Master, I was wrong! Please punish me for my mistake!"

Jiang Hanqing cooperated, his face hardening, "Fine! I'll punish you by making you sleep with me for three days and three nights!" Jiang Xiaoyun giggled, "Three days and three nights? Can you handle that?" As she spoke, she looked Jiang Hanqing up and down with a suspicious gaze, clearly doubting his abilities. This angered Jiang Hanqing, who snapped, "You don't believe me? Fine, let's try it right now!"

He then pressed Jiang Xiaoyun down onto the brocade robe, seemingly about to pounce on her. But at this crucial moment, Jiang Xiaoyun stopped him from taking any further action. "What's the rush! We need to talk about serious business!" Jiang Hanqing's newly ignited desire was instantly extinguished by her words. He sighed helplessly, releasing her delicate body. "You should have said so earlier!

What is it?" Seeing his dejected look, Jiang Xiaoyun smiled slightly and ordered, "Move!" At her command, Jiang Hanqing immediately felt the carriage begin to move slowly forward and cried out, "My horse!" Jiang Xiaoyun gave him a disapproving look and said slowly, "What's the rush! The people outside will take care of you." "Damn it! Do you think they're all idiots? They're just watching your horse lying there and won't even let you take it?"

Jiang Hanqing gave an embarrassed laugh and quickly changed the subject, "Where are we going?" Jiang Xiaoyun said, "To one of our bases in the capital. You'll understand when we get there." Jiang Hanqing hurriedly asked, "Palace Master, how many people does our sect have in the capital? Where are they all hiding? How do we contact them? Why has Master never told me?" Jiang Xiaoyun turned and stared intently at Jiang Hanqing for a long time, seemingly surprised by his words, but said nothing. Jiang Hanqing asked, puzzled, "What? Is something wrong?" Jiang Xiaoyun turned to look at the swaying carriage curtain and said coldly, "Your master has never told you any of this? When was the last time you saw your master?" Jiang Hanqing replied, "About three months ago, near 'Nanxingkou' in the south of the capital." Jiang Xiaoyun sneered, "So that's why...! It turns out that brat didn't tell you anything!" Jiang Hanqing was slightly taken aback when she heard her call her master "brat," but then realized that this Goddess Palace Mistress was, after all, her master's mistress, so of course she had the right to call him that. She secretly cursed in her heart, "Pah! I forgot you're an old hag!" "What do you mean? And why didn't Master tell me any of this?" This was a question that Jiang Hanqing had never really understood, so when she asked it now, her tone was very natural and sincere. However, Jiang Xiaoyun still looked at him with some doubt for a while, and finally couldn't help but ask, "Are you really not sure? Or are you just pretending?"

Jiang Hanqing asked in confusion, "What's there to pretend to be confused about? Of course I really don't understand!" Jiang Xiaoyun stared at him for a while, as if trying to find some flaw in his expression. After a long while, she spoke again, asking, "Do you know where your master is now?" Jiang Hanqing quickly retorted, "Where is he? Has he come to the capital too?" Jiang Xiaoyun chuckled coldly twice and said, "That's right! Your master came to the capital a long time ago! But I don't know where he's hiding in the capital. I've been looking for him for the past two days, but I just can't find him! But... hehe... he doesn't know I'm in the capital, otherwise he would definitely be in a hurry to find you first!"

Hearing this, Jiang Hanqing was even more puzzled: "Since Master came to the capital, why hasn't he come to find me? Judging from Jiang Xiaoyun's appearance, it seems she didn't know before that Master hadn't told me the sect's contact information in the capital? What is Master's purpose in doing this? Why would he definitely come to find me if he knew Jiang Xiaoyun was in the capital!" Seeing that he was silent, Jiang Xiaoyun knew he was thinking about some questions about his master, so she continued, "Do you know your master's background?" Jiang Hanqing trembled upon hearing this and said, "No! He..." Never told me! I don't even know his real name! Jiang Xiaoyun laughed twice, then pointed at his nose and cursed: "Jiang Hanqing!" Jiang Hanqing! You are such a big fool!

Jiang Hanqing was not angry when she heard her laughing at him. He just asked, "Why did the palace master scold me like this?" Jiang Xiaoyun shook his head and sighed, "Have you never thought about why your master didn't tell you his name?" "Jiang Hanqing said: "I also asked the master back then, and he said that the name is just a symbol of a person, and there is no need to inquire to the end. He also said that as long as I remember that he is my master, it will be fine. "Jiang Xiaoyun stared at Jiang Hanqing, gritted his teeth and said: "Do you know that your master wants to destroy the Holy Sect? "

This sentence was like a thunderbolt, making Jiang Hanqing's whole body go limp, his face turned earth-colored, and he thought: "She knows! It’s over! "Out of the instinct to protect himself, he subconsciously shouted in a hurry: "Impossible! Impossible! "At the same time, he looked up at Jiang Xiaoyun in a panic, trying to tell her attitude towards this matter from her expression. This look made him feel even more desperate. Jiang Xiaoyun, usually stunningly beautiful, was now distorted by her agitation, appearing like a grotesque ghost in the dim light of the oil lamp. Her menacing gaze pierced Jiang Hanqing like a physical object, sending a sharp pain through him. Jiang Hanqing felt a chill run through him, as if he had fallen into an ice cave, his mind a jumbled mess.

"How did she know this? Does she know I also want to destroy the Holy Gate? She must know, otherwise why would she talk to me like that! Judging from her expression, is she planning to kill me? But if she really wanted to kill me, why did she go through all that trouble before? Why did she flirt with me? Should I fight back? But how could I possibly be a match for her?" Seeing Jiang Hanqing's face turn pale and then red with fear, Jiang Xiaoyun suddenly burst into laughter.

Jiang Hanqing, seeing Jiang Xiaoyun laughing uncontrollably, could only force a wry smile and say, "Palace Master, so you were just joking with me!" Jiang Xiaoyun laughed for a while before gradually stopping, her face turning ashen as she looked at Jiang Hanqing and said, "Who would joke with you about something like this! It's not your fault, of course your master wouldn't tell you this! Hmph! Do you want to know your master's real name?" Jiang Hanqing really couldn't figure out what Jiang Xiaoyun was up to, but seeing that she didn't seem to have any ill intentions towards him, nor did she seem to suspect him, he could only cautiously answer, "This... of course I want to know my master's name!"

A strange smile appeared on Jiang Xiaoyun's face as she stared at Jiang Hanqing and said, word by word, "His... name... is... Wang... Ming... Si!" Seeing Jiang Xiaoyun's smug laughter after she finished speaking, Jiang Hanqing felt his head spinning and stammered, "Wang... Ming... Si! He... he is... could he be...!" Jiang Xiaoyun laughed so hard she could barely breathe, struggling to say, "That's right! ...You...you now...understand...why he didn't tell you...his...real name, right? Because he...he is...a member of the Wang family! Haha! Haha!" Jiang Hanqing stared blankly at the wildly laughing Jiang Xiaoyun, stammering, "Impossible! Impossible! Master wouldn't do that! You're talking nonsense!"

As he said this, he suddenly shouted and lunged forward, grabbing Jiang Xiaoyun's hands. Jiang Xiaoyun stopped laughing, gently flicking her hands away; her powerful internal energy immediately sent Jiang Hanqing's hands flying. Before Jiang Hanqing could react, her right hand shot out, instantly locking Jiang Hanqing's throat; with just a little force, she could crush his throat bones. "Are you going crazy! Hmph! Everything I told you is the truth! Believe it or not! The truth is the truth!"

Jiang Hanqing looked at her anxiously, wanting to say something, but with his throat locked by her internal energy, he couldn't utter a word. Jiang Xiaoyun glared at him, her eyes filled with fear and pleading, and said fiercely, "Originally, I could have executed you on the spot for offending me like that! But your wicked master plotted to betray the sect, and I'll deal with him sooner or later! Hmph! If I kill you, the position of sect leader will be vacant for who knows how long, and that will cause a lot of trouble. So... I'll spare your life today! If you dare to offend me like that again, or if you follow your master's example and harbor disloyalty towards the Holy Sect, I will make you wish you were dead! Do you understand? Hmm!" After she snorted coldly, she withdrew her true energy, and the pressure on Jiang Hanqing's throat eased, finally allowing him to speak.

At this critical moment, survival was paramount, and Jiang Hanqing dared not hesitate for a moment. He hurriedly replied, "Palace Master, please rest assured! I will never dare to do it again! I will never betray the Holy Sect like that old thief! I swear!" Hearing this, Jiang Xiaoyun's expression relaxed slightly, and she released her fingers from his throat. Jiang Hanqing, pale-faced, watched her slender hand slowly withdraw, knowing he had just returned from the brink of death. After the oppressive pressure disappeared, he realized he was completely soaked in cold sweat, and felt a wave of weakness wash over him. He slumped onto the fur-covered cushion. Jiang Xiaoyun chuckled at his disheveled appearance, "You little rascal, so you're afraid of death too! Don't worry, as long as you don't cause trouble, I'll dote on you! I wouldn't bear to hurt you!" She then extended her slender finger and tapped his forehead, her face full of alluring smiles, a complete contrast to her previous fierce demeanor.

Jiang Hanqing hadn't recovered from his earlier terror and could only giggle foolishly. His silly expression amused Jiang Xiaoyun, who giggled again. After a while, seeing that Jiang Hanqing had completely calmed down, Jiang Xiaoyun said to him, "I told you before, if your master knew I had come to the capital, he would definitely be anxious to find you first! Do you understand why now?" Jiang Hanqing nodded and said, "He was afraid you would tell me what you just said! He was afraid I would find out he was a member of the Wang family!"

Jiang Xiaoyun's eyes were fixed ahead, her gaze suddenly becoming empty as she fell into memories of the past, murmuring, "That year, he went out to find a disciple and brought back a child named Wang Mingsi. He told me that this child was a direct descendant of the Duke of Dingguo's Wang family. He said that our sect would develop its members among powerful families, even the royal family, in the future. Through this means, we would use the power of powerful families to achieve the goal of unifying the world."

Jiang Hanqing knew that the "he" Jiang Xiaoyun was referring to was his master, who was also Jiang Xiaoyun's husband back then. He had never heard his master mention these things before, so he didn't interrupt Jiang Xiaoyun and let her continue her recollections. Jiang Xiaoyun continued, "Wang Mingsi was only eight years old at the time, a year younger than you were when you joined the sect. However, this boy's talent was truly exceptional; he could quickly learn any martial art he was taught. When he was eighteen, my husband died from a qi deviation during practice. He then became the new sect leader. He worked very hard and was very capable! Under his leadership, the sect's strength recovered rapidly. This made the Grand Palace Master and me feel very reassured and trust him completely, even entrusting him with the management of many subordinates who had previously been controlled by the two palaces."

The Grand Palace Master Jiang Xiaoyun mentioned was actually the Palace Master of the Hidden Sect's Holy Mother Palace. Since the Hidden Sect had two palaces, there were two Palace Masters. To distinguish between the two, it was customary to call the Holy Mother Palace Master the Grand Palace Master and the Goddess Palace Master the Second Palace Master. Jiang Hanqing, as the young sect leader, naturally understood this system of address. Jiang Xiaoyun paused, sighed, and continued, "Later, thirteen years ago, he suddenly sent someone to inform us that he had chosen you as his disciple. We were all surprised to hear that he had chosen the rightful heir of the Jiang family. Because he was from the Wang family, and we knew that he had always maintained contact with the Wang family, why would he suddenly choose someone from a rival family as his disciple? Wasn't that going against himself? At the time, we didn't think much of it and took the initiative to find him and ask him in person about his motives. His explanation to us was that for the revival of the Holy Gate, we should try to expand our power as much as possible, and choosing the heir of the Jiang family as our disciple..." "From now on, the Holy Gate can rely on the power of both the Jiang and Wang families simultaneously, which will be entirely beneficial."

At this point, Jiang Xiaoyun turned to look at Jiang Hanqing and smiled, "Looking back, we were so foolish to trust him so easily. We thought he was truly dedicated to the Holy Gate's cause, putting aside the interests of our secular families, which was rare, so we completely trusted him. The Grand Palace Master even entrusted him with all the sect's strength except for the two palaces. But later we realized we had all misjudged him. He recruited you as his disciple purely to gather intelligence on the Jiang family!" Jiang Hanqing asked, "Then how did you..." "How did you discover that?"

Jiang Xiaoyun shook her head and said, "Actually, it wasn't that we discovered any specific facts! It's just that the Grand Palace Master knows countless people, and he always felt that when he was facing us, his speech was a bit unclear. He often concealed things and didn't tell the whole truth. So the Grand Palace Master secretly became suspicious and sent people from both palaces to follow and monitor him. As a result, he discovered that he had developed quite a bit of power under his command, but he hadn't let these people join the sect at all, nor had he mentioned this matter to the two palaces! And as for you, his disciple, he didn't have good intentions either. He always obtained information about the Jiang family through you and then passed that information back to the Wang family."

Jiang Hanqing gritted his teeth upon hearing this. He cursed, "That old scoundrel is so despicable! He even has the nerve to pretend to care about me!"

Jiang Xiaoyun scoffed, "Of course he cares about you, but not about you personally, but about the Jiang family you represent! Hmph! After the Grand Palace Master discovered these things, he immediately realized this guy had no good intentions, so he started deploying our own people. He Bingzhang and Zhang Sihai were among those deployed at that time." Jiang Hanqing suddenly remembered something and exclaimed in alarm, "Oh no! I already told that old scoundrel about He Bingzhang and the others!"

The "master" Jiang Hanqing had unconsciously turned into "old scoundrel" at this point, proving that he basically believed Jiang Xiaoyun's story. Jiang Xiaoyun naturally noticed this as well, and smiled approvingly at him, saying, "It's alright! When we had He Bingzhang assist you in Qiu Te, it was on purpose that he knew. At the time, although we knew he had ulterior motives, we weren't sure if he was planning to rebel against the Holy Gate. We had He Bingzhang and the others reveal their identities to you simply to let him know about this matter, to make him understand that we were already on guard against him, and thus to warn him not to act recklessly."

Jiang Hanqing asked doubtfully, "You were sure he would rebel against the Holy Gate back then?" Jiang Xiaoyun said, "Recently, several loyal brothers have mysteriously disappeared. The Grand Palace Master sent people to investigate secretly. But after investigating, all the clues pointed to the Wang family. Finally, we realized that the missing brothers..." All the old brothers were killed by Wang Mingsi's men because he discovered that Wang Mingsi was using the power of the Holy Gate to assist the Wang family, and they raised objections. This makes things clear: he wants the Wang family to ascend the throne. For so many years, the Holy Gate has merely been a tool for him; he will destroy it once he succeeds! Hmph! He's now residing in the capital, directing the Wang family's conspiracy to rebel. He thinks we know nothing, so he's not worried about us coming to the capital. Hmph! He thinks we're all fools! Is it really that easy to discard someone once the rabbit is dead? As she said this, her gaze towards Jiang Hanqing deepened, clearly warning him not to have the same idea again, or he would be exposed. Cold sweat broke out on Jiang Hanqing's forehead again. He nodded repeatedly

, saying, "Yes! Yes! That old thief deserves to die! Who does he think he is! He deserves to die!" Seeing that Jiang Xiaoyun was just sneering and didn't intend to continue the conversation, Jiang Hanqing quickly asked, "Palace Master, there's something I've never understood. How did you know I went to Qiu Te?

"You have people from the Xianzong sect in your family, and we have people from the Xianzong sect. Do you understand?" Jiang Hanqing nodded, "That's what I suspected at first too! But...Palace Master...which guy in our Jiang family is from the Xianzong sect?" Jiang Xiaoyun shrugged, "That's the Xianzong sect's top secret. It's not something our people infiltrated could access." At this moment, the old man driving the carriage suddenly spoke up, "Master, we're almost there!" Jiang Xiaoyun replied, "I know!"

She turned to Jiang Hanqing and said, "Your master doesn't know we're coming to the capital, so he's been hiding from you. The Wang family is plotting a rebellion; they have a lot to prepare." He absolutely won't bother with you until he finishes what he's doing right now. When he does come looking for you, it's only to extract final information and pave the way for the Wang family's ultimate move!

Jiang Hanqing gritted her teeth in anger, saying, "That scoundrel! Just wait and see how I deal with him!" Jiang Xiaoyun said, "He didn't tell you how to contact our sect because he's already mobilized all our sect's people in the capital to serve the Wang family. He certainly wouldn't be foolish enough to let you get involved. We were wondering why he didn't tell you how to contact our sect's disciples in the capital. The Grand Palace Master even said you should be able to tell from the mobilization of our disciples in the capital that they were working for the Wang family. How could you not have any suspicions? It turns out you didn't even know how to contact our sect's disciples in the capital..." "We haven't even had any contact with the city's forces! No wonder! Hmph! This Wang Mingsi is truly despicable! But don't worry, now that I'm in the capital, I'll naturally help you!"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Hanqing was overjoyed and quickly thanked her, "Thank you so much, Palace Master!" Just then, the carriage suddenly stopped, and Lao Qu's voice rang out from outside, "Master, we've arrived! Please get out of the carriage!" Jiang Xiaoyun smiled sweetly at Jiang Hanqing and said, "We've arrived! Let's talk after we get out!" After saying that, she turned around, lifted the curtain, and was the first to climb out of the carriage. Seeing this, Jiang Hanqing quickly followed behind her and also climbed out of the carriage.

Chapter 48 Lonely Goddess

Chapter 48 Lonely Goddess

The two got out of the carriage in a spacious courtyard, which looked like the courtyard of some high-ranking official in the capital.

Although compared to the Jiang family mansion, which was like a city within a city, this was only a small courtyard, it was still a rare mansion for ordinary officials and wealthy merchants. As

soon as the two alighted from the carriage, the old woman driving it spurred it towards the carriage shed in the side courtyard.

At the same time, several other knights led Jiang Hanqing's mount into the courtyard, dismounted, and, without waiting for Jiang Xiaoyun's instructions, led their horses to the side, leaving only Jiang Hanqing and Jiang Xiaoyun standing in the courtyard. Jiang Hanqing looked around and asked Jiang Xiaoyun, "Palace Master, where is this?"

Jiang Xiaoyun replied, "This is the courtyard of one of our disciples in the capital. It's also where I'm temporarily staying during my visit to the capital." Jiang Hanqing asked

in surprise, "It's the courtyard of a disciple of our sect? Didn't that old thief know that Palace Master was here?"

Jiang Xiaoyun sneered, "It doesn't matter! This is the residence of a disciple recently recruited by the two palaces, directly under the jurisdiction of the two palaces. The other disciples in the sect don't know!" Jiang Hanqing nodded in relief. Jiang

Xiaoyun gestured inside and said, "Come on! Let's talk inside!" The two entered the main hall and sat down. Immediately, two maids brought fragrant hot tea.

After the maids left, Jiang Xiaoyun said, "Before coming here, the Grand Palace Master and I discussed and decided that our first priority upon arriving in the capital would be to find you; to confirm whether you knew the details of your villainous master! After I arrived, I quickly discovered that your Jiang family, surrounded by powerful enemies, remained completely unaware. I then realized that you were most likely being used by your master, completely oblivious. Hmph!

That's why I decided to intercept you tonight when you left the Crown Prince's residence and question you thoroughly. If you truly weren't on your master's side and hadn't betrayed our sect, I would fully support you from now on. Now it seems, as expected, your villainous master was completely using you! He didn't even tell you any information."

Jiang Hanqing said with a mournful face, "Yes! Who knew that old thief was such a beast in human form!" Jiang

Xiaoyun picked up her teacup, took a sip of fragrant tea, and let out a comfortable sigh. She said leisurely, "You don't need to play the victim! Don't worry! Now that Wang Mingsi's true colors have been exposed, do you think the two palaces would stand idly by? We will fully support you from now on!" Jiang

Hanqing was overjoyed to hear this. With the strength of the two palaces as his backing, the Jiang family would be like a tiger with wings. He said with satisfaction, "With the two palace masters involved, what difficulties in the world could there be?"

Jiang Xiaoyun glanced at him with a smile and said, "Don't be too smug! If the two palaces could handle everything, wouldn't my sect have already achieved its long-cherished wish of unifying the world? Who can predict what will happen in the world? But since we two officials have decided to step down, we will naturally do our utmost to assist you!" Jiang Hanqing, only wanting to please the Palace Master, readily agreed to her words.

Jiang Xiaoyun took another sip of tea, then pointed her slender jade finger at Jiang Hanqing, saying, "Do you know that the capital is a chaotic mess right now? The Xianzong, the Holy Maidens, your dead master's men, and our two palaces' subordinates have all gotten involved in this mess." Jiang Hanqing frowned, "I know that! But I have no idea who's hiding where or what they're doing!" Jiang

Xiaoyun said, "That's not your fault! Your master controls our sect's disciples in the capital, preventing you from contacting them, so naturally you can't obtain information about these hidden forces through ordinary channels!" At this point, Jiang Xiaoyun also frowned, puzzled, "But... with the strength of your Jiang family, you should have discovered that there are some unidentified people active in the capital! How come you know nothing about it?" Jiang

Hanqing said resentfully, "Palace Master, you don't know this!" "My second uncle controls intelligence within the family. He's always coveted my father's position as head of the family, and... I suspect he's connected to the Xianzong!" Jiang

Xiaoyun, upon hearing this, perked up and asked, "You think your second uncle is a Xianzong figure hidden within the Jiang family?" Jiang

Hanqing replied, "I'm not sure, but I think it's possible! This guy..."

Jiang Hanqing then recounted his long-standing suspicions about Jiang Haotian to Jiang Xiaoyun.

After listening to Jiang Hanqing's account, Jiang Xiaoyun nodded repeatedly, saying, "That's right! That makes sense! I think Jiang Haotian might really have some connection to the Xianzong! Hmph! Who cares! Since he's up to no good, you can get rid of him!" Jiang

Hanqing added, "This guy is acting strangely today. He actually offered to hand over control of the intelligence system to me tomorrow! I don't know why he's so eager. I originally thought he would try to delay the handover!" Jiang

Xiaoyun frowned and pondered for a while, but couldn't come up with anything. She could only comfort Jiang Hanqing, saying, "It's alright! We'll wait and see how he reacts tomorrow, then we'll adapt accordingly." Jiang

Hanqing said helplessly, "There's no other way! We can only wait and see! I want to see what tricks this old scoundrel can pull."

At this moment, Jiang Xiaoyun pulled a piece of silk from her sleeve and handed it to Jiang Hanqing.

Jiang Hanqing took it and saw that it was densely covered with names, as well as the names and addresses of some officials.

Jiang Xiaoyun explained, "This is a list of our sect's disciples in the capital. I specially copied it for you. You'll have to find a way to contact them yourself. If you can pull them back from that old scoundrel's control, that would be best! But the chances aren't high! None of these people know of your existence as the young sect leader! The fact that the Jiang family's young master is the young sect leader of our sect is a huge secret!"

Jiang Hanqing had already spotted several familiar high-ranking officials on the list, several of whom held ranks of the third grade or higher. He couldn't help but marvel at the pervasive influence of the Holy Sect. "

Does this list include all the Holy Sect's disciples in the capital?"

Jiang Xiaoyun chuckled lightly at Jiang Hanqing's question. "How could that be! This list only includes disciples with status and position; ordinary underlings are naturally excluded. Also, those recruited by Wang Mingsi behind our backs are obviously not included! You must keep this safe! Don't lose it!" Jiang Hanqing quickly and carefully tucked the silk scroll containing the list of Hidden Sect disciples in the capital close to his body.

After watching him hide the scroll, Jiang Xiaoyun stood up and paced back and forth in the hall, seemingly deep in thought.

Seeing her pacing, Jiang Hanqing couldn't help but ask, "Does Palace Master have some difficult matter to resolve?"

Jiang Xiaoyun stopped and turned to look at Jiang Hanqing, suddenly sighing, "Actually, before I came to the capital this time, I had a discussion with the Grand Palace Master about the current situation." Jiang

Hanqing quickly asked, "What are your thoughts, Grand Palace Masters?"

Jiang Xiaoyun sighed again, smiling bitterly, "It seems that chaos is inevitable this time! This was originally a good opportunity for our sect to rise again! Unfortunately..."

Jiang Hanqing asked, puzzled, "Unfortunate about what?"

Jiang Xiaoyun chuckled, "Unfortunate about what? It's unfortunate that our sect master harbors ulterior motives! You tell me..." How can our sect rise from the ashes? Alas! Our plans have been completely ruined by that old scoundrel; it's utterly miserable. Think about it, he's used our main manpower to serve the Wang family. How many people do we actually have at our disposal? More importantly, we know almost nothing about the actions of other forces. How are we supposed to fight them? The Xian Sect, the Holy Maiden Sect—aren't they all ruthless characters? These guys have surely already set up camp in the capital, and we know nothing about their situation. Alas! It's all that old scoundrel's doing. "What a wonderful thing!"

Jiang Hanqing knew Jiang Xiaoyun was telling the truth, and felt a surge of annoyance. But Jiang Xiaoyun continued, "Originally, with the strength of your Jiang family, we could have overcome this difficulty! Who knew… sigh! All the good things have come together for us! Haha! Your old thieving master forbade you to contact the sect's disciples, leaving your Jiang family completely unaware of the arrangements of the various hidden sects, let alone any targeted defenses; and your so-called second uncle is a wicked devil, manipulating your Jiang family's intelligence system, yet who knows how much useful information he's concealed." "You didn't report the intelligence. This way, your Jiang family is in the open, while others are in the dark. They know everything you do, while you know nothing about them! Tell me honestly, if I hadn't come this time, do you think you would still have the upper hand?" Jiang

Hanqing nodded sheepishly, "Yes! I didn't know that old thief was actually from the Wang family, and I really knew nothing about the other situation. I really thought my family had a great chance of winning!

" Jiang Xiaoyun smiled bitterly, "A great chance of winning, indeed! You don't even know their situation, what are you going to win! If you fail this time, it will be because you underestimated your enemy! Do you have any practical measures to take the initiative to defeat them? Tell me!" Jiang Hanqing felt a little embarrassed by her words and wanted to say something to refute her, but after thinking it over, she couldn't find any facts that were favorable to her. She could only sigh inwardly, "That's right! This bitch is right! We were indeed too careless!" "

They always thought our Jiang family was powerful, with Mother's strong army as a backing, and that no one in the world could shake our family in the slightest! Just now I was thinking that with the Imperial Guards under Yi Sheng's control, plus the support of He Bingzhang and the others, our arrangements in the capital could be said to be impregnable. Alas! Now it seems that was just wishful thinking! That old thief Wang Mingsi knows exactly what kind of strength we have, yet he still dares to prepare for rebellion, clearly confident that he can devour us! Do we know how many chips he has? We don't know! Apart from the Wang family he represents, we know nothing about the Xianzong and the Holy Maiden Sect, we have no idea of their strength or weakness, how can we fight them! If that old fox Jiang Haotian is really a member of the Xianzong, how will the Xianzong act? Alas! If it weren't for that bitch Jiang Xiaoyun coming out to wake us up today, we would have been facing death without even knowing it!"

"Palace Master's reprimand is correct, Han Qing knows her mistake! I hope Palace Master will point out a clear path!" "..." Jiang Hanqing said dejectedly, looking as pathetic as a defeated rooster.

Seeing his pitiful state, Jiang Xiaoyun chuckled. "Oh dear! My young master Jiang! You don't need to act like it's the end of the world so soon! There's still some time. If you rearrange things now, even if you don't win, at least you'll survive! In the worst-case scenario, you can flee west. Once you're with your mother, who can touch you?"

Jiang Hanqing, still annoyed, retorted with a hint of mockery, "Escape? You think it's that easy?"

Jiang Xiaoyun didn't seem to mind his retort, chuckling, "Of course it's not easy! With your current arrangements, you'll likely be caught and killed before you even get far from the capital. With proper planning, there might still be hope of escape!"

Jiang Hanqing's anger flared even more upon hearing this, and he retorted, "Palace Master, how can you be so sure we're doomed? Hmph! We still possess considerable strength, after all. Even a rabbit will bite when cornered! Besides, we are the dignified Zhenguo Duke's family!" Jiang Xiaoyun

suddenly burst into laughter upon hearing his words, leaving Jiang Hanqing completely bewildered, wondering why she was laughing.

"What are you laughing at? What's so funny?"

Jiang Xiaoyun ignored Jiang Hanqing and continued laughing for a few more moments before calming down and coldly saying, "Yes! You are the dignified Zhenguo Duke's family, and I have never looked down on you or thought you were doomed! Just now, you were the one wailing and lamenting, as if you'd seen a ghost!" Jiang Hanqing then realized that Jiang Xiaoyun had used a provocation tactic to rouse his spirits, seeing his dejected state. Understanding Jiang Xiaoyun's intention, he gratefully stood up and bowed to her, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Palace Master. Hanqing knows he was wrong!"

Jiang Xiaoyun waved her hand, saying, "You don't need to thank me! Don't forget, we're now placing our hopes for the Holy Sect's restoration on you. Hmph! Your deadbeat master is no longer the Sect Master of our Hidden Sect. From today onwards, you are the true Sect Master!"

Jiang Hanqing looked at Jiang Xiaoyun's finger pointing at him and gave a bitter smile, saying, "What Sect Master! Think about how to deal with the current crisis first! I've lost all confidence!" Jiang Xiaoyun gently waved her hand, saying, "You're not lacking confidence! You're just a little emotionally unstable because you can't accept the reality that's so unfavorable to you. You'll be fine once you calm down." "Your most urgent task right now is to take over your Jiang family's intelligence system and quickly organize it to establish an effective intelligence network. Additionally, I will send people to gather information from other parties as soon as possible, striving to provide you with some useful information. If your master comes looking for you, you can certainly give him some false information to fool him! Next, you must find out who the Xianzong is hiding in your family, focusing on your second uncle! If it's him, kill him!" Hearing Jiang Xiaoyun's words, Jiang Hanqing's earlier despondency slowly disappeared, and his mind began to work again. Suddenly remembering something, he exclaimed, "No way!" Jiang Xiaoyun was

taken aback and asked, "What do you mean, 'no way'?" Jiang Hanqing stammered awkwardly, "Well… if my dead second uncle is a member of the Xianzong, then what about him and my grandmother?" Jiang

Xiaoyun never expected him to be concerned with such a question at this time. She felt a bit amused and exasperated, scrutinizing Jiang Hanqing with a strange expression for a long time before finally speaking, "Can't you think about something serious?" Jiang

Hanqing solemnly replied, "This is serious! My grandmother is dignified and polite; she would never have such an incestuous affair with my second uncle! So, if my second uncle isn't from the Xian Sect, then who is he?" Jiang

Xiaoyun, watching him deep in thought, said impatiently, "So what if your grandmother is dignified and polite? There are countless dignified and polite mothers among the disciples of our sect, and what's the result? Humph! Besides, isn't your mother dignified and polite too?"

Although Jiang Hanqing found her tone rather harsh, he also found it reasonable and didn't mind, saying, "Yes! What the Palace Master says makes sense..."

Jiang Xiaoyun impatiently interrupted him, "Alright! Go and investigate this matter yourself!" Let's establish the key principles and guidelines first before discussing anything else!

Jiang Hanqing chuckled awkwardly a few times, gesturing for Jiang Xiaoyun to continue. Jiang Xiaoyun glared at him and continued, "Right now, the Imperial Guard system in the capital is something everyone is vying for. You need to think of ways to secure it. Always have a backup plan; preparing to evacuate the capital isn't overly cautious. Remember to prepare several escape routes, the more concealed the better, and don't take shortcuts. Also, since Wang Siming already knows He Bingzhang and his group's identities, they can't make any rash moves. I've also planted people within the Imperial Guard system; when the time is right, I'll naturally hand them over to you!"

Jiang Hanqing was overjoyed to hear that she had planted people within the Imperial Guard system. However, he understood that Jiang Xiaoyun had learned from Wang Siming's mistake and wouldn't easily hand over these forces to him before confirming his reliability. Jiang Xiaoyun thought for a moment and said, "Go back and think about the specifics yourself! I'll be stationed in the capital for a while, and reinforcements from both palaces will be coming to help.

You can come and discuss anything with me anytime! If I need anything, I'll naturally try to find you!" Jiang Hanqing hurriedly asked, "How can I find you? Is it here? Where in the capital is this courtyard? I don't even know how I got here from the carriage." Jiang Xiaoyun smiled slightly and said, "You

'll understand where this courtyard is once you go out. I'm moving tomorrow. If you want to find me, go to the gate of this courtyard and say to the gatekeeper, 'I'm looking for the Second Madam of the family!' The gatekeeper will ask you, 'Which family are you looking for?' You'll say, 'The Second Madam of the Palace from the Jiang side!' The gatekeeper will then ask you, 'Who asked you to find her?' You'll answer, 'Brother Jiang from the Jiang side.' The gatekeeper will then make the necessary arrangements for you to see me." "After having Jiang Hanqing repeat the conversation twice to confirm he remembered it perfectly, Jiang Xiaoyun said, 'You should also quickly send someone to contact your mother. In my opinion, since the Wang family is going to launch an attack, they will naturally consider how to deal with her. Notify her in advance so she won't be caught off guard and get ambushed by the Wang family.'

Jiang Hanqing quickly agreed. Because Jiang Xiaoyun mentioned Yin Yufeng, he also told Jiang Xiaoyun about the recent attacks launched by the Wang family in court against the Jiang and Li families for Yin Yufeng and Shi Yanying's refusal to return to the capital. Finally, he said, 'I think the most urgent thing right now is to deal with the accusations launched by the Wang family and Yiyu. Don't let them keep focusing on whether my mother should return to the capital! If this continues, although we won't be defeated in the court, our power will inevitably be affected to some extent!' Jiang Xiaoyun thought for a moment, then turned to look at Jiang Hanqing and sneered, 'I think you're worrying about the wrong thing!'" "

Jiang Hanqing asked in surprise, "What does Palace Master mean? How can you say we're worrying about the wrong thing?" Jiang Xiaoyun said earnestly, "What I mean is that you might be focusing your attention in the wrong place! You shouldn't be worried about your power in the court; their attacks on you won't fundamentally shake your power. Instead, you should be careful not to let your mother return to the capital!

I don't know what methods the Wang family will use, but since they've chosen this issue to attack you, they obviously hope that your mother and Shi Yanying can't withstand the pressure and will be summoned back to

the capital! That way, they'll have more room to maneuver!" Jiang Hanqing's heart skipped a beat. After carefully considering Jiang Xiaoyun's words for a while, she suddenly realized, "That's right! Lately, we've been focusing on the Wang family's attacks on us in the court, ignoring everything else! Now that you mention it, I suddenly understand. Perhaps their real target is actually my mother and Shi Yanying. Dealing with us in the court is just a side effect, or even a pretext!" "If we're afraid of suffering losses in the court and are forced to send Mother back to the capital, they'll have achieved their goal!"

Jiang Xiaoyun nodded, "That's right! When people think about problems, they always tend to overcomplicate simple things. The Wang family's actions this time have made you overcomplicate things! You all think the Wang family is taking this opportunity to try and weaken the Jiang and Li families' influence in the court, but they haven't considered that aspect at all. Their goal is clear: to target your mother and Shi Yanying, to get them to leave their respective legions. Once they're gone, they might be able to assassinate them on the way; they might be able to wipe out both your families once they arrive in the capital; they might be able to seize leadership of the two legions directly; besides, two legions without their great commanders will be much easier for them to deal with in battle!" Jiang

Hanqing hesitated for a moment and asked, "So you mean that no matter what happens, my mother shouldn't leave her legion?" Jiang Xiaoyun

answered decisively, "That's right!" Even if the Wang family arrests you all, she cannot leave her legion! As long as your mother's powerful legion exists, you have a chance to survive; otherwise, it's all just empty talk! Jiang

Hanqing nodded and said, "I understand! You're right! Perhaps Mother and Shi Yanying have already figured this out, and are determined not to obey the imperial edict to return to the capital!" Jiang

Xiaoyun ignored his words, simply walked to the door of the main hall, looked outside, and suddenly blurted out, "It's almost dawn!" Jiang

Hanqing, being a clever man, immediately understood her meaning. She clearly meant it was late, the important matters had been discussed, and it was time to go to bed.

His eyes darted around, and Jiang Hanqing decided to tease Jiang Xiaoyun. "Yes! It's late! Palace Master, then I'll take my leave and return. I'll keep you in touch if anything happens!" "

As he said this, he actually stood up and walked towards the hall door.

Jiang Xiaoyun, seeing that he really intended to leave, immediately panicked, her eyebrows furrowed, and she scolded in a low voice, "You brat...you...where are you going!" Jiang

Hanqing turned around and looked at the angry Jiang Xiaoyun, answering blankly, "Where am I going? Of course, I'm going back to my own home!"

Jiang Xiaoyun, being a cunning and shrewd woman, immediately understood after her initial panic that Jiang Hanqing was teasing her.

Now she was no longer in a hurry, slowly walked to a chair and sat down, leisurely sipping her tea, and said softly, "Are you going home? Don't you want to stay and look after me? I haven't seen you, you heartless little devil, for seven or eight years, I miss you terribly! Are you in such a hurry to get rid of me?" "She even gave him two flirtatious winks, looking incredibly alluring.

Jiang Hanqing, watching her seductive antics, felt his heart pounding, and couldn't help but recall the wonderful feeling of first tasting forbidden fruit under this woman's influence. He chuckled dryly, then slowly walked up to Jiang Xiaoyun, bringing his mouth close to her ear and whispering, 'I think about the Palace Master every single day! The Palace Master is the first woman in my life, how could I forget?'

Jiang Xiaoyun giggled a few times, gently pushing his head away with her hand, and said coquettishly, 'You! You've fooled countless women with your words, and you still want to fool me?' Jiang Hanqing grabbed her soft, jade-like arm, sniffed it, and exclaimed, 'You smell so good!'"

Jiang Xiaoyun gently pulled her arm away from Jiang Hanqing's grasp, stood up, and tossed out a sentence before walking towards the back. "I'm so tired, I'm going to sleep! You can do whatever you want with me!" Jiang

Hanqing, of course, understood the meaning behind her words and quickly followed behind her.

The two of them turned left and right, passing through countless courtyards, before finally arriving at a lavishly furnished bedroom.

After entering the room, Jiang Xiaoyun went straight to the bed and lay down, then beckoned to Jiang Hanqing, saying, "Little devil... I'm so tired! Can you massage my legs for me?"

Jiang Hanqing's eyes lit up as he suddenly remembered how she had seduced him the first time he slept with her. He remembered how foolish he had acted as a virgin. He had staggered to sit next to the alluring woman, then stupidly massaged her shoulders and legs, his muscles tense with nervousness. Finally, when the woman lifted her skirt, revealing her naked lower body, he felt a buzzing in his head and completely lost his senses.

When he came to his senses, he only knew that he was naked and lying on the bed, while a naked vixen was riding him! Now, looking back, Jiang Hanqing felt deeply that he had been purely raped by Jiang Xiaoyun! Looking at the vixen who was now striking the same pose as before, Jiang Hanqing gritted his teeth and spat out, "You raped me back then! Now I'm going to rape you!" Jiang

Xiaoyun lay on the bed, laughing hysterically, gasping for breath, "You...I...raped you?...Haha...you...took advantage of me back then...and you still say I raped you! Fine...even if I did rape you back then...how are you going to rape me now? Haha!" Jiang

Hanqing looked at the woman lying on the bed, laughing triumphantly, and thought to himself, "You bitch, laugh all you want! Laugh all you want now! You think you're the Goddess Palace Master, with a high status? You don't like sadomasochism? Hehe! One day, I'll train you into a bitch! A bitch ridden by a thousand men, penetrated by ten thousand! Let's see if you can still laugh then!"

Jiang Xiaoyun lay on the bed, looking at the young man with a fierce glint in his eyes slowly approaching her, and suddenly felt a sense of nervous panic, an emotion she hadn't felt in front of men for a long time. She vaguely remembered the last time she felt this way was the night she gave her virginity to her husband. That night, her husband had also pressed down on her with a similar gaze, and then she became a real woman.

Looking into Jiang Hanqing's eyes now, for a fleeting moment, she had the illusion that Jiang Hanqing was her deceased husband. She also remembered her first time sleeping with this young man.

Jiang Hanqing was only twelve years old that year, his foreskin just broken. On a lonely night, a night of masturbation while missing her husband, she didn't know what possessed her, but she had fallen for this innocent boy.

That night, she had seduced Jiang Hanqing just like now, sucking his virgin semen into her hot, itchy womb. That night, when she freed herself from Jiang Hanqing's entangled limbs and jumped into the bathtub to wash herself, she cursed herself fiercely, vowing never to let a third man touch her body again. Strangely, unlike most female members of the brothel, Jiang Xiaoyun was a rather reserved woman. She abhorred anything related to sadomasochism, and she also despised promiscuity. In her entire life, only two men had entered her body: her former husband, the former leader of the Hidden Sect, and Jiang Hanqing. While her husband was still alive, she had already displayed exceptional leadership and organizational skills, as well as innate martial arts talent. Relying on

these heaven-sent abilities, she took on the responsibility of assisting her husband in leading the Hidden Sect during his lifetime.

After her husband's death, according to the rules of the Hidden Sect, she entered the Goddess Palace. Two years later, the then-Palace Master of the Goddess Palace passed away. By this time, her martial arts skills were already the best in the Goddess Palace, and her exceptional leadership abilities were unmatched by others. With these, she became the youngest Palace Master in the history of the Goddess Palace, and the first legendary figure to become Palace Master in less than ten years. These astonishing achievements made her feel even more superior, and she looked down on all men. In her eyes, if it weren't for that one night when she accidentally slept with Jiang Hanqing, she would never have accepted any man other than her husband. And Jiang Hanqing, since she had already slept with him, was nothing more than a tool sent to her by heaven to release her sexual desires.

She repeatedly told herself, "I have no feelings for that little brat Jiang Hanqing!" However, she also enjoyed the unrestrained feeling when she was with Jiang Hanqing. Sometimes, when she recalled the times they made love, she would even doubt whether her true nature was evil, why she acted so lewdly when she was with him. Of course, these terrifying thoughts were only briefly raised in her mind before she forcibly suppressed them. In the seven or eight years afterward when she couldn't see Jiang Hanqing, she didn't have any other men. But she was also in great pain.

Countless sleepless nights, she lay alone on the empty bed, naked and masturbating frantically. At those times, she would incessantly call out the names of her husband and Jiang Hanqing, desperately wishing these two men in her life could appear by her side to soothe her burning desires. On those nights, she would think of Jiang Hanqing, but she always emphasized to herself that she thought of him only because of loneliness, not because she liked him.

She hated her own lewd behavior, so every time she finished masturbating and lay exhausted on the bed panting, she would force herself to forget Jiang Hanqing, even vowing never to have a physical relationship with him again in this life.

But when the next such night came, she would still unconsciously think of that hateful "little devil" in her mind. Before seeing Jiang Hanqing today, she had thought many times about what it would be like to meet him, and she even warned herself not to have any physical entanglement with Jiang Hanqing again.

But when she saw Jiang Hanqing, she still couldn't help but adopt the lewd posture she had used to seduce him back then. She even felt that Jiang Hanqing was more attractive to her than before; after all, Jiang Hanqing was just a little devil back then, but now he was a dashing young man! Jiang Hanqing slowly walked towards her. Her heart pounded wildly. Having been without a man for so many years, this atmosphere felt completely foreign to her. Jiang Hanqing's sharp gaze made her heart tremble uncontrollably, as if he could see right through her clothes. This man would soon insert that familiar thing into her long-dormant vagina. Jiang Xiaoyun felt her lips were slightly dry and couldn't help but lick them. To Jiang Hanqing, already burning with desire, this was undoubtedly a provocative gesture.

Jiang Hanqing was currently calculating how to completely subdue this proud goddess. He knew clearly that his past relationship with her was purely physical, devoid of any emotional connection. Now he wanted to change that. He wanted to make this unattainable woman, the woman who had just choked him and humiliated him in the car, kneel before him. He knew this woman didn't enjoy sadomasochism, so he was even more eager to find a way to gradually ensnare her in this demonic realm. But he had to be careful; he absolutely couldn't let her notice, or provoke her anger, or she would be finished. He believed that once she noticed, or became enraged by pain, she would tear him to pieces without hesitation. It was an extremely difficult task, but he enjoyed the thrill of the adventure, especially the feeling of success afterward.

The thought of one day this woman, who held his life in her hands, being completely submissive to him, like a bitch to be trampled upon, made his penis uncontrollably erect.

Looking at the burning light in the man's eyes, and at his erect penis, Jiang Xiaoyun closed her eyes in ecstasy, believing it was her physical allure that had driven this young man mad. If she understood Jiang Hanqing's true thoughts at that moment, she would have jumped up and strangled him on the spot. Unfortunately, she didn't know; she was simply lying there, smugly fantasizing about the thrilling pleasure that was about to arrive.

Seeing Jiang Xiaoyun lying on the bed with her face flushed and eyes closed, Jiang Hanqing spat inwardly. "Damn slut, you're already this happy before I've even had sex with you!" Sitting down next to Jiang Xiaoyun, Jiang Hanqing gently stroked her breasts. The firm and elastic feel of her full breasts captivated him. Jiang Xiaoyun's breathing became rapid, her chest heaving, and she occasionally let out soft moans, while her eyes closed even tighter.

Her body, untouched by a man for many years, was now burning hot. She desperately wanted Jiang Hanqing to strip her naked immediately, to soothe her thirsty body.

But Jiang Hanqing was in no hurry to satisfy her. He wanted to turn her into a ravenous female beast. Only when her desire burned to its peak, and remained unfulfilled, would she forget her noble status as the Goddess Palace Mistress, forget the mask of her usual reserve. He wanted to unearth the evil hidden deep within her; he firmly believed that every woman harbored a raw, untamed nature.

Jiang Hanqing's movements as he played with Jiang Xiaoyun's breasts were sometimes light, sometimes heavy, as he carefully observed her expression. At first ,

whenever Jiang Hanqing's movements were slightly forceful, causing a slight pain in her breasts, Jiang Xiaoyun would let out a soft moan and her face would contort in displeasure. However, as Jiang Hanqing continued to play with her, she gradually became accustomed to the strength of his touch, and her face now only showed joy and enjoyment.

Actually, at this point, Jiang Xiaoyun's lower body was already wet; she craved Jiang Hanqing's caresses there, but was too embarrassed to say it aloud. She wanted to comfort herself, but dared not do so in front of Jiang Hanqing. To overcome the itching in her lower body, she could only relieve the unbearable thirst by twisting her body and squeezing her legs together, rubbing her genitals with her inner thighs. Her breasts, played with by Jiang Hanqing, quickly became engorged and swollen, even feeling a little sore. Her nipples stood erect, rubbing against the fabric of her chest. At first, she did feel that Jiang Hanqing's movements were sometimes a little too forceful, but now she began to think that Jiang Hanqing's touch was too light. If she weren't so proud, she might already be cupping and kneading her breasts herself.

Watching Jiang Xiaoyun writhe there, Jiang Hanqing knew her desire was rising.

A lewd smile played on his lips as he asked smugly, "Palace Master, are your breasts comfortable?" Hearing Jiang Hanqing's explicit question, Jiang Xiaoyun seemed to be transported back to the passionate moments she shared with her husband. That stimulating feeling sent a warm current through her lower body, rushing deep into her flower. Stimulated by an unusual passion, Jiang Xiaoyun answered in a trembling voice, "Yes! It feels very good!"

Jiang Hanqing persisted, "Where does it feel good?" He knew perfectly well how strong Jiang Xiaoyun's lustful desires were deep inside, and he also understood how difficult it was to destroy her proud mask. He would patiently tear down her defenses layer by layer, just as he was doing now. If once wasn't enough, then twice; if twice wasn't enough, then three times. As long as he persisted, he believed that one day he would completely tear down this woman's noble disguise and expose her most despicable side.

Hearing Jiang Hanqing's increasingly pressing questions, Jiang Xiaoyun had a strange feeling. Before seeing Jiang Hanqing today, her impression of him was still that of a lecherous young boy from many years ago, but today she saw a completely new, dignified Jiang Hanqing. That feeling of rediscovering him... The feeling was almost unbelievable; the person before her was the boy she was looking for.

As she went to bed with this newfound feeling, she also sensed something strange. Jiang Hanqing was no longer the child she once knew, no longer the little devil she could manipulate, but a man with powerful charisma.

Faced with Jiang Hanqing's persistent questioning, she hesitated, unsure whether to answer, for the answer seemed to exceed her limits.

Seeing her hesitation to give that lewd answer, Jiang Hanqing tentatively increased the pressure as he played with her breasts. Jiang Xiaoyun's breasts hurt a little from his pinch. But at this moment, she felt no anger; she only felt it was a game played by a couple in bed. With a soft cry of pain, Jiang Xiaoyun half-opened her eyes and said, "Okay! I said… yes… my breasts feel good!" Because

she was lying on the bed while Jiang Hanqing was sitting on the edge, from Jiang Xiaoyun's perspective, Jiang Hanqing seemed somewhat superior, looking down at her. That feeling of being conquered by a man instantly made Jiang Xiaoyun's heart flutter with panic. She nervously watched Jiang Hanqing, unsure of his next move. Seeing Jiang Xiaoyun's slightly flustered eyes, Jiang Hanqing knew his gamble had paid off; the goddess's facade had been successfully broken down. Gently moving his hands, which had been playing with her breasts, down her slender waist, Jiang Hanqing intended to further arouse her desire.

Even through her silk dress, Jiang Xiaoyun seemed to feel the heat emanating from Jiang Hanqing's hands.

When Jiang Hanqing... When his hands moved to her waist, her body trembled slightly. A strange sensation in her waist made her groan involuntarily.

When Jiang Hanqing's hands finally moved slowly to her lower abdomen, for a moment she seemed to stop breathing.

Jiang Hanqing gently massaged her lower abdomen. The teasing motion stimulated her, as if a fire was burning fiercely inside her. Her legs sometimes curled up, sometimes tried to straighten, but no matter what she did, she couldn't feel any comfort. The tingling and itching sensation in her legs reached its peak, and she almost cried out in discomfort.

Jiang Hanqing coldly scrutinized the woman's expression beneath him. From her fiery and uncontrollable reaction, Jiang Hanqing clearly judged that this woman hadn't been intimate for many years. Perhaps since their last encounter, no other man had touched her body; otherwise, his seduction wouldn't have had such a stunning effect.

Jiang Hanqing silently thanked heaven; this situation provided him with perfect conditions to control this woman. Tonight, he would give her an unforgettable night of pleasure, making her realize that the Jiang Hanqing before her was no longer the naive young boy he once was. Seeing Jiang Xiaoyun's excited expression ease slightly, Jiang Hanqing suddenly pressed his palm against her vulva and rubbed it hard. The

extremely intense pleasure emanating from her thirsty lower body instantly tensed Jiang Xiaoyun's entire body, and she let out a sound she couldn't quite make. The suppressed moans finally escaped.

Tears of joy slid down her tightly closed eyes. A gush of warm, lustful fluid flowed rapidly from deep within her, soaking her undergarments and trickling down her buttocks.

Jiang Hanqing's hand, which had been caressing her genitals, suddenly grabbed her skirt and forcefully lifted it up. Jiang Xiaoyun immediately felt a chill on her thighs; she knew her genitals, clad only in undergarments, were now exposed to Jiang Hanqing's gaze. What aroused her even more was the series of "tsk tsk" sounds Jiang Hanqing made, which she was almost certain were a gasp of surprise at her undergarments soaked with lustful fluid.

Just as she was overwhelmed with shame, Jiang Hanqing spoke. "I didn't expect the Palace Master to have so much lustful fluid? Haha!" His mocking tone made Jiang Xiaoyun tremble, and another gush of lustful fluid immediately flowed out.

"Jiang Xiaoyun! Jiang Xiaoyun!" "You're supposed to be the Goddess Palace Master, yet you let a mere brat harass you like this!" Thinking this, Jiang Xiaoyun was filled with shame and humiliation, but she also felt a thrill she had never experienced before.

She opened her eyes and looked at Jiang Hanqing, pleading in a strange tone, "Qing...give it to me! Give it to me!" Jiang Xiaoyun was now driven mad by intense lust; she had forgotten everything else and almost uncontrollably cried out, "Give it to me!" "I want...I want..."

Jiang Hanqing knew that today's stimulation was enough for a woman like Jiang Xiaoyun. If he went too far the first time, it might only backfire. Gently, he pulled down Jiang Xiaoyun's panties, parted her legs, and aimed his penis at her vagina.

At this moment, whether from excitement or shyness, Jiang Xiaoyun cried out and suddenly covered her face with her hands.

Jiang Hanqing hummed a little tune and reached out to pry open her tightly closed lower body, which had been undisturbed for a long time. Almost without delay, Jiang Xiaoyun immediately began to moan lasciviously.

This was the feeling of happiness she had longed for for many years, and now it had finally become a reality. At this moment, she had forgotten that she was the mistress of the Goddess Palace, forgotten that her martial arts skills far surpassed Jiang Hanqing's, forgotten that she was a proud woman who could look down on all men in the world. At this moment, she was simply a weak woman yearning for a man's love and affection.

She only wished that Jiang Hanqing could forever ride on her like this, giving her lower body that pleasurable, fulfilling feeling. She only wished that Jiang Hanqing could forever hold her like this, allowing her to enjoy the true pleasure of being a woman. At this moment, she felt that even if she were asked to become an immortal, she wouldn't do it, because she had already become an immortal, riding the clouds, reaching that blissful world…

Chapter 49 The Visitor from the Western Regions

Chapter 49 The Visitor from the Western Regions

The next morning, when Jiang Hanqing freed himself from Jiang Xiaoyun's entangled body, this usually incomparably noble Goddess Palace Mistress was still like a little girl, lost in a dream, unwilling to wake up. Her beautiful face was full of the happy and satisfied smile left by the passion of the previous night.

Seeing Jiang Xiaoyun sleeping soundly, Jiang Hanqing knew the previous night's ordeal had left her exhausted, so he didn't wake her. He dressed himself and went out of the house.

Once outside, he saw the sun was already high in the sky. Suddenly remembering he had to find that damned Jiang Haotian to take over the family's intelligence system, Jiang Hanqing quickly ordered a servant to bring out his horse. He told the servant to tell Jiang Xiaoyun he had to go home first, then mounted and rode straight out of the courtyard gate.

Once outside, Jiang Hanqing looked around and was astonished. This courtyard was only about two miles from the Jiang family compound; even from the gate, he could see the compound's walls. Jiang Hanqing never dreamed that Jiang Xiaoyun's hiding place was so close to his home, and a wave of emotion washed over him.

"Jiang Xiaoyun lives right under our noses, yet we know nothing about it. Sigh! It seems our family's intelligence network really needs a thorough overhaul!"

Jiang Hanqing understood that Jiang Xiaoyun's residence was surrounded by bustling commercial areas, a convenient cover for retreat in case of trouble. It seemed Jiang Xiaoyun had already deployed numerous scouts around the area, ensuring no enemies would come looking for her.

After observing the situation around the residence for a while, Jiang Hanqing didn't dare waste any more time. He gently turned his horse, spurred it on, and slowly rode towards the Jiang family compound.

Back in the family compound, Jiang Hanqing didn't linger and went straight to Jiang Haotian's residence.

When Jiang Hanqing entered Jiang Haotian's study, he was busy at work.

Hearing footsteps, Jiang Haotian turned to look at the doorway and saw Jiang Hanqing enter. He nodded slightly and pointed to a chair beside him, saying, "Qing'er, sit here for a moment! I'll talk to you about serious matters once I'm done here."

Jiang Hanqing nodded, said nothing more, and obediently sat down to wait quietly.

Jiang Haotian continued working for a while before turning to Jiang Hanqing and saying, "Qing'er, come here. Your second uncle is handing over all the intelligence-related work to you!"

Jiang Hanqing agreed, stood up, and walked to Jiang Haotian's side.

Jiang Haotian pointed to the mountain of documents piled up beside his desk and said, "These are all relevant documents and materials. I'll have someone send them to you later, and you can take a look yourself!"

Jiang Hanqing patted the pile of documents and exclaimed, "So much stuff! It's quite thick! Enough for me to study for ten days or half a month."

Jiang Haotian laughed and said, "Actually, it's nothing much. Most of it is useless. These are all records of intelligence contacts, the composition of the network, and lists of the family's intelligence personnel in various places over the years! The specific intelligence records are with the respective responsible persons; you can go to them to check."

As he spoke, he casually picked up a dusty file from the pile of papers, glanced at it, and said to Jiang Hanqing, "Look, it's all this useless stuff!"

Jiang Hanqing took the file from him and saw that it was a list of peripheral contacts from more than ten years ago, which was of course outdated now.

Jiang Haotian pulled his nephew to sit down, speaking earnestly, "Qing'er! Our Jiang family has a history spanning hundreds of years, accumulating countless connections across the country. We have tens of thousands of informants alone. But over time, many connections have become less effective, less reliable, or simply lost altogether."

He sighed helplessly, continuing, "Originally, I, your second uncle, had always wanted to properly reorganize things, but…sigh…elder brother is right! I've been managing too many miscellaneous matters. I've said countless times that we need to reorganize things properly…" However, he simply couldn't find the time or energy to deal with these things. "Sigh! Indeed… the family's intelligence work has been handled terribly by me!"

Jiang Hanqing cursed inwardly. "You old scoundrel, who knows what tricks you've played behind the scenes! Humph! Playing dumb here! Intelligence is such important work, how could you not have time to do it? I'd rather die than believe your lies!"

Although he thought this, he comforted Jiang Haotian aloud, saying, "Second Uncle, don't blame yourself too much! Everyone in the family knows how heavy your responsibilities are! If it weren't for you handling all this, anyone else would have collapsed from exhaustion! You've really worked hard!"

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