You cause trouble and I collect your body, the little emperor’s aunt abuses the scumbag again

Killing Shangguan Yun'er directly would force the Shangguan family to take desperate measures.

Driving her insane would both shut others up and render her a living piece of trash, forever banished from the public eye.

This is more disgraceful to the Shangguan family than killing her.

Ji Yongyan didn't answer her question. He quickly walked to Meng Siya's side, grabbed her wrist, and checked it.

His hands were very hot.

"She didn't hurt you, did she?"

Meng Siya withdrew her hand and took a step back to create some distance.

What does Your Highness think?

This distant attitude caused the temperature in Ji Yongyan's eyes to drop.

He gave a self-deprecating twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Yes, he forgot that she thought he was dirty.

His gaze fell on the table, where the wooden box was still making a hissing sound.

He walked over and picked up the box, his fingers tracing its contents.

The structure of this thing is very ingenious; he has never seen anything like it before.

"Did Lin Daxiong give this to you?"

"It has nothing to do with Your Highness."

Ji Yongyan's fingers paused.

He turned around and gave her a deep look.

"Ya Ya, does things have to be like this between us?"

Meng Siya didn't say anything, but walked to the window and looked outside.

Her attitude says it all.

Ji Yongyan felt a tightness in his chest.

He stopped trying to make a fool of himself and instead remembered Shangguan Yun'er's screams before she fainted.

Wooden sign.

"Li Dequan".

"The slave is here."

"Immediately take men to search Qingqiu Palace, leave no corner unsearched!"

Ji Yongyan's voice carried a hint of ruthlessness.

"Especially Shangguan Yun'er's dressing table, search it inch by inch!"

"As ordered!"

Li Dequan accepted the order and led his men to rush towards Qingqiu Palace.

Chengqian Palace returned to quiet.

Meng Siya suddenly spoke.

"Isn't Your Highness curious about what that wooden plaque is?"

Ji Yongyan turned around and looked at her back.

"No matter what it is, I will take care of it for you."

"is it?"

Meng Siya turned around, her face expressionless.

"What if even you can't afford to offend that wooden sign?"

These words made Ji Yongyan's brows furrow.

Li Dequan returned in less than half an hour.

His face looked even worse than when he left, and he was holding a sandalwood box in his hands.

"Your Highness, we've found it."

He presented the wooden box.

Ji Yongyan opened the wooden box.

Inside lay a piece of black iron.

The sign is entirely black and feels cold to the touch, with the character for "ghost" engraved on it in ancient seal script.

That word had an eerie feel to it.

The moment Ji Yongyan saw that word, his pupils contracted sharply.

He slammed the box shut.

"No one is allowed to spread this news."

His voice was very low and carried a very solemn tone.

"Anyone who disobeys this order will have their entire family executed!"

"The slave obeys the order!"

Li Dequan and the palace servants inside the hall were so frightened that they all knelt on the ground, not daring to raise their heads.

Seeing his reaction, Meng Siya felt a sinking feeling in her heart.

It seems that this wooden plaque has a more significant background than she imagined.

Ji Yongyan dismissed everyone, leaving only the two of them in the hall.

He walked up to Meng Siya, his face still looking grim.

"You don't need to worry about this sign anymore."

"I'll handle it."

What exactly is it?

Meng Siya pressed for an answer.

Ji Yongyan's lips pressed into a thin line, as if he was hesitating.

After a long while, he slowly spoke.

"Ghost Market".

"An underground organization operating outside the law, rumored to have influence throughout the seven kingdoms and be all-pervasive."

"They'll sell anything and kill anyone who pays the right price."

"This ghost-themed token is the highest-level token in the Ghost Market, representing the master of the Ghost Market."

Meng Siya's heart sank little by little.

She never expected that Shangguan Yun'er was actually connected to such a powerful force.

"So, the Shangguan family are from the Ghost Market?"

"Do not."

Ji Yongyan shook his head.

"Shangguan Hong doesn't have that kind of guts."

"This token should be Shangguan Yun'er's own trump card, something she used to save her life, or rather, something she used to perish together with me."

No wonder she dared to be so arrogant.

With the Ghost Market as her backing, even if the Shangguan family falls, she still has a chance to turn things around.

"So what do we do now?"

Meng Siya asked.

Killing Shangguan Yun'er would offend the Ghost Market.

If we don't kill her, she's a ticking time bomb.

Ji Yongyan clenched his fists.

This was the first time since he became the crown prince that he had felt so helpless.

"For the time being, we can't touch her, nor can we touch the Shangguan family."

His voice was filled with resentment.

"Father won't allow us to investigate any further."

"The existence of the ghost market is a taboo for the royal family."

Meng Siya understood.

This matter must end here.

In the end, all her elaborate schemes only drove Shangguan Yun'er mad and caused minor damage to the Shangguan family.

This result made her feel very frustrated.

……

The palace remained unusually quiet for the next few days.

The Crown Princess Shangguan went insane after her bewitching spell was exposed.

The news quickly spread throughout the palace, and Qingqiu Palace was completely sealed off and turned into a cold palace.

Prime Minister Shangguan Hong also submitted a memorial claiming illness and staying at home, refusing to attend court again.

The once-powerful Shangguan family fell into obscurity overnight.

The newly appointed Consort Chen became the most watched figure in the harem.

But only Meng Siya herself knew that a greater danger lurked behind this calm.

That afternoon, Ji Yongyan left the palace.

The token from the ghost market bothered him.

He changed into casual clothes and went alone to Wenxiangju, the largest teahouse in the capital, to meet with his spy.

The teahouse was bustling with activity, and the storyteller's narration drew cheers from the audience.

Ji Yongyan requested a private room by the window.

Outside the window is the moat, where painted boats come and go in a bustling scene.

But he felt extremely agitated.

He had just picked up his teacup to drink when the sound of a guzheng suddenly rang out from downstairs.

The tinkling sound of the piano instantly drowned out all the noise.

Ji Yongyan paused in his movements.

This piece of music...

It is the story of the Phoenix Seeking its Mate.

It was the piece that Ya Ya loved to play for him back then.

A thought struck him, and he subconsciously pushed open the window and looked downstairs.

On the platform in the center of the hall sat a woman playing the piano.

She wore a light blue silk skirt, and her long hair was loosely tied up with a jade hairpin.

Because we were far away, I couldn't see her face clearly.

But just a glimpse of his profile and the gesture of him playing the zither were enough to make Ji Yongyan hold his breath.

They look so alike.

This posture is exactly the same as it was three years ago, when Meng Siya was still unmarried.

She was like that back then too, preferring to wear simple dresses and quietly play the piano for him.

Ji Yongyan's heart tightened.

He instinctively stood up and quickly walked out of the private room.

He wanted to go down and take a look.

He wanted to see the woman's face clearly.

He made his way through the crowded people, step by step, toward the platform.

The closer he got, the faster his heart beat.

Finally, he stepped onto the stage.

As the music ended, the woman slowly raised her head.

Eyes facing each other.

Ji Yongyan froze on the spot, his mind blank.