Weiyang Palace.
After the morning court, Empress Song Yanran, her body slightly weary, continued to stroll through the Imperial Garden, admiring the fish.
Just then, a Shadow Guard appeared behind her, panting heavily.
Without turning around, Song Yanran asked, "What has caused such a state of disarray?"
"Your Majesty, Heavenly Desolate Mountain... something has happened there..."
Song Yanran's hand, which had been scattering fish food, instinctively froze. "Heavenly Desolate Mountain... Poison King Valley again? What has occurred?"
Poison King Valley had long been a target of the Dragon Han Dynasty's efforts to suppress it. However, even someone as formidable as Song Yanran could not get close to the Seven-Colored Cloud Gu within the Netherwheel Gu King's body.
Killing the Netherwheel Gu King would be as easy as crushing a fly. But once he died, the Seven-Colored Cloud Gu within him would inevitably go out of control and explode.
The result would be a plague engulfing one-third of the Dragon Han Dynasty's territory, causing the deaths of hundreds of millions of lives.
Therefore, Song Yanran had taken no action. She dared not gamble.
Moreover, in her past life, her hesitation in dealing with Poison King Valley had led her to be infected by the Seven-Colored Cloud Gu. Had it not been for her profound cultivation, which allowed her to suppress the toxin's spread, she would have died long ago.
Recalling this, Song Yanran still felt a lingering sense of dread.
In her previous life, the physical pain from the Seven-Colored Cloud Gu was one thing, but what she found truly unbearable was the disfigurement—her skin turning a ghastly greenish-black, making her unable to show her face in public.
In this life, Song Yanran had been careful to avoid repeating the mistakes of her past. She had kept her distance from Poison King Valley and refused to put Di Feijing in danger again, choosing instead to wait for the right opportunity.
But the Shadow Guard's next words left her utterly stunned.
"Your Majesty, the toxic miasma that has surrounded the Heavenly Wasteland Mountain Range for over a century has vanished without a trace. All the poisonous insects and plants within have withered and died.
Even Poison King Valley has been reduced to rubble. All seventeen hundred of its disciples have perished in a single night. And at the summit of Heavenly Desolate Mountain, we discovered the remains of the Netherwheel Gu King."
"What did you say?"
Even Song Yanran, who had weathered countless storms, lost her composure at this news.
"You're saying Poison King Valley is gone? The Netherwheel Gu King is dead?"
"This is confirmed by multiple sources, Your Majesty. We would never dare deceive you."
Song Yanran gently closed her Phoenix Eyes, forcibly suppressing her excitement. Then, she exhaled a wisp of ethereal orchid-like breath. "Have you discovered who is responsible?"
The Shadow Guard lowered his head. "Your Majesty, please forgive my incompetence. We have no idea what happened. It was all too sudden."
"When did this happen?"
"Two days ago."
"Two days?"
Song Yanran's delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly before she asked, "The Netherwheel Gu King died, and the poison should have spread. But it seems nothing unusual has occurred?"
"Your Majesty, there is currently no abnormality at Heavenly Desolate Mountain. However, the Seven-Colored Cloud Gu has gone missing."
"I understand. Continue your investigation and inform me immediately if you find any news."
"Yes, Your Majesty. This subordinate withdraws."
After the Shadow Guard departed, Song Yanran continued to scatter fish feed into the lake, her mind occupied with matters concerning Poison King Valley.
"Could it be that..."
Just then, a palace maid announced, "Your Majesty, His Highness Prince Jing requests an audience."
Hearing this, Song Yanran immediately adopted the bashful demeanor of a young, innocent daughter. She couldn't help but smooth the lock of hair hanging over her forehead, her expression tinged with nervousness.
"Summon him."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Before long, Di Feijing arrived, limping heavily and with a face bruised and swollen beyond recognition. Long Aotian, also battered and bruised, supported him.
As Song Yanran was contemplating how to treat Di Feijing with particular gentleness, she froze upon seeing his pig-like face. She took a step forward and exclaimed, "Prince Jing! What happened to you?"
Di Feijing hesitated for a moment, then immediately knelt before Song Yanran. Tears streamed from his eyes like water from a broken dam, his expression a picture of pitiful, wronged innocence.
"Your Majesty, this subject's incompetence has brought shame upon the royal family. I beg Your Majesty to punish me."
This act, this expression, would put any green-tea bitch from the women's fiction genre to shame.
After all, when a man gets flustered, it's truly earth-shattering.
"Get up quickly and tell me, who dared to injure you so severely?"
Song Yanran's heart raced with anxiety at the sight of her white-moonlight lover being beaten. This was her absolute reverse scale—a line no one could cross.
Di Feijing clenched his teeth, stubbornly turning his head away, refusing to answer immediately.
Long Aotian, standing nearby, interjected, "Your Majesty, you must uphold justice for the prince! How could such a brazen madman dare to publicly assault the Prince Jing in the capital? If this news spreads, how can the royal family maintain its dignity?"
Song Yanran's face turned cold. "What exactly happened?"
Long Aotian was about to explain when Di Feijing stopped him. "It's fine. I was simply outmatched. It's no one else's fault. It's nothing for this subject to endure some hardship..."
"I have only tarnished Your Majesty's dignity... I feel I have failed to live up to Your Majesty's boundless grace and favor... Please punish me, Your Majesty."
Song Yanran took a deep breath, suppressing her inner fury, and spoke softly to the two men, "Rise first and explain the entire matter to me in detail."
Di Feijing turned his head away, his expression stubborn yet resolute, as if enduring great injustice but determined to maintain his dignity.
Anxious, Song Yanran pointed at Long Aotian and said coldly, "You speak!"
Long Aotian began, "Your Majesty, it's like this: His Highness Prince Jing and I happened to pass by the Warm Fragrance Pavilion and encountered a ruffian attempting to abduct a young woman. Impulsively, I confronted him.
The man was unreasonable and attacked both His Highness and me. Relying on his cultivation, he proved too strong for us, so..."
"Li Shiwu! Xu Qingran!"
Before he could finish, Song Yanran called out sharply.
In an instant, the two dark guards protecting Di Feijing knelt before her, trembling.
"How could you two have failed to protect Prince Jing?"
"Your Majesty, it was our dereliction of duty. Please punish us."
"Of course they must be punished. What use are they to me? Guards, drag them out and give each of them thirty lashes with the Divine Shock Whip!"
At these words, the two women immediately fell to their knees.
Their delicate bodies trembled uncontrollably, their eyes wide with terror.
The Divine Shock Whip was an Emperor-grade spiritual artifact. Even someone in the Manifest Saint Realm couldn't endure five lashes without their skin splitting open and flesh tearing.
These two women were merely in the Nirvana Realm. Thirty lashes from the Divine Shock Whip would likely reduce them to ashes on the spot.
Just as the women were at a loss, Di Feijing spoke up, pleading, "Your Majesty, they are not entirely to blame. They did their duty, but the enemy's strength was truly overwhelming. I beg you not to vent your wrath on these two."
"No. This is my decree. Prince Jing need not intercede for these lowly wenches. Guards, drag them out and whip them!"
"Your Majesty, if you insist on punishing them, then punish me as well."
Di Feijing struck a righteous pose, as if determined to protect the two women.
Song Yanran sighed. "Very well. Since Prince Jing intercedes for you, I shall spare you this time.
But while you may avoid death, you cannot escape punishment. I sentence you to three months of guarding the Late Emperor's Mausoleum."
"Next time, I won't be so lenient."
"Thank you, Your Majesty. Thank you, Your Highness."
The two women breathed a sigh of relief, but retreated with heavy hearts, feeling deeply wronged.
Ignoring them, Song Yanran continued, "Do you know the identity of the scoundrels who attacked you?"
Long Aotian replied, "His name is Chu Liuxiang. A few days ago at the Heaven and Earth Pavilion, he also attacked a disciple of the Dragon Inquiry Sect who was trying to protect an innocent woman."
"Chu Liuxiang..."
"Good. I'll remember this. I will definitely seek justice for Prince Jing."
Song Yanran closed her eyes in contemplation. When she reopened them, her gaze was filled with a complex, meaningful emotion.
Di Feijing immediately interjected, "Your Majesty, you are burdened with state affairs. My trivial matters should not trouble you. Please trust me to handle this properly."
Song Yanran walked to him with a gentle smile, straightening his slightly disheveled robes. In a soft voice, she said, "In half a month, it will be the day of your wedding to me. You must be especially careful during this time. I don't want to see you harmed again. Promise me, will you?"
Hearing this, Di Feijing smelled a faint, alluring fragrance in the air, yet cold sweat drenched his forehead.
He hastily avoided Song Yanran's fiery gaze and murmured, "To become Your Majesty's consort is a blessing I've cultivated over lifetimes. Please rest assured, I will never do anything to worry you again."
"That's good. Go to the Imperial Hospital to treat your injuries first. Shall I accompany you?"
"No need, Your Majesty. I can go alone."
"Very well. Stay in the palace during this time. I want to prepare the most magnificent wedding for you."
"Yes... Thank you, Your Majesty. I'll take my leave now."
Di Feijing fled as if his life depended on it, not forgetting to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead halfway.
The moment Di Feijing left, Song Yanran's aura surged violently.
"Chu Liuxiang!"
At that moment, a faint disturbance rippled through the air beside her ear.
Song Yanran frowned slightly, withdrew her oppressive aura, closed her eyes, and pondered for a long moment.
"Hmph."
With a soft chuckle, she clasped her hands behind her back and gazed toward the eastern horizon.
-----------------------
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(End of Chapter)