After crossing over, the demon king rolled in my arms and acted like a spoiled child

Ming Yuan said calmly, "I'm lost."

Bai Jiri's face twitched. If he was telling a lie, he should at least make it sound like the truth. This was too perfunctory!

After a while, Bai Jiyue and Xiao Hei also came back.

Bai Jiri immediately went up to her and asked, "Big sister, how is it?"

Bai Jiyue nodded solemnly: "Let's talk about it tonight."

Bai Yiri was smart enough to stop asking.

The convoy continued to move forward and arrived at an inn outside the capital before dark.

After dinner, when everyone had a rest, Bai Ji Ri immediately went to find Bai Ji Yue.

Bai Jiyue told Bai Jiri what he had discovered today and asked him, "Brother, have you heard about Dad's relationship with the Queen?"

Bai Jiri shook his head: "I've never heard of it. Dad was born in a poor family and earned his military merits through hard work, while the Queen was born in a famous family and grew up in the capital. There is no chance for the two of them to have a personal relationship."

He thought for a moment and asked, "What should we do next?"

"Since the people who are hunting Qingyue are also related to Dad's case, let's investigate both things together. Right now, the most important thing for us is to determine who these killers are working for!"

“Where should we start?” Bai Jiri touched his head.

"The Queen's place." Bai Jiyue said in a deep voice.

On the morning of the second day, the convoy set out early and entered the capital city and headed straight to the Ministry of Industry's warehouse.

After counting the hidden stones, reconciling the accounts and handing over the work, Bai Jiyue went to the palace to submit a letter and report to the emperor.

She didn't even have lunch, and it was not until the afternoon that the emperor summoned her.

Bai Jiyue handed the proof of reconciliation with the Ministry of Works to the emperor, who was very happy: "You have done a good job on this matter. Go down and have a good rest. You can return to the Dark Stone Wasteland another day."

Bai Jiyue thanked him and presented the information he had compiled recently about the decreasing number of dark stones in the Dark Stone Wasteland.

The more the emperor looked, the more his brows furrowed.

Finally, he put down the information and asked coldly, "According to you, you want me to reduce the amount of dark stones I collect?"

Bai Jiyue lowered his head and said, "A good cook cannot cook without rice. The common people cannot dig up the hidden stones, and we cannot confiscate them by force."

"The Dark Stone Wasteland is a vast area. Isn't there any new place to mine?"

"There are indeed some dangerous mountains and wildernesses in the Dark Stone Wasteland that may contain dark stones, but those places are full of swamp miasma and spiritual beasts live there all year round. They are really not suitable for us humans to mine."

"Everything depends on human efforts. As long as you are determined to do it, how can you not accomplish it?" There was a hint of coercion in the emperor's voice.

Bai Jiyue looked at the emperor and said: "If we force the people to go to dangerous places to dig for hidden stones, I am afraid that the people will resent it."

"What? Do I have to be afraid of those unruly people?" the emperor said angrily. "The people in Dark Stone Wasteland are mostly barbaric and despicable. You should kill them if you need to. Don't be soft-hearted!"

Bai Jiyue lowered his head and said nothing.

She didn't say just now that if these barbaric and despicable people complained, they might easily rebel!

Moreover, the Dark Stone Wasteland is not populated entirely by people like this; there are also some kind-hearted folks.

People like Xie Ping are the second or third generation who have lived there. They have transformed from criminals into good citizens, and they have regarded the Dark Stone Wasteland as their hometown.

"The number of dark stones cannot be reduced in any case. As for how you can ensure the number of dark stones, that depends on your ability. You can fight or kill them, it's up to you. Anyway, if the number is not enough, I will test you!"

After the emperor finished speaking, he waved his hand and did not allow for rebuttal: "You can go down now."

Bai Jiyue said no more, bowed and left.

She had originally thought of some ways to negotiate with the craftsmen, but now it seemed unnecessary.

The emperor seemed to have little sympathy for his own people, so there was no need to even mention negotiations with the craftsmen.

After coming out of the imperial study, she turned a corner and went to the harem.

When she arrived at the palace gate, she handed out the sign given by the Queen Mother and asked to see Princess Qingyue.

The eunuch took her card and went in. After a long while, he came out and reported: "The Queen said that Princess Qingyue is seriously ill and it is not easy for her to see guests. Please go back, Miss Bai."

Bai Jiyue was not surprised.

Qingyue was not in the palace to begin with, so how could the Queen allow her to see Princess Qingyue?

She said to the eunuch, "Then please help me go to the Cining Palace and deliver it again. Tell her that I want to see the Empress Dowager and talk to her about Princess Qingyue."

The eunuch hesitated.

Bai Jiyue immediately stepped forward and secretly slipped him a silver ingot.

The eunuch immediately smiled and said, "Miss Bai really cares about Princess Qingyue. You can wait here for a while. I will be there soon."

He went there quickly, and after a while he came back and said, "The Queen Mother wants to see you, Miss Bai, please follow me."

After walking for a while, we arrived at the Cining Palace where the Empress Dowager lived.

Bai Jiyue entered the palace and paid her respects to the Queen Mother in a proper manner.

The Queen Mother asked straight to the point, "You said you wanted to talk to me about Princess Qingyue. What is it?"

"I came to the capital to deliver the Anshi and to the emperor. I wanted to meet Princess Qingyue, but the queen told me that Princess Qingyue was seriously ill. I wonder if the queen mother can tell me what disease Princess Qingyue has?"

The Queen Mother sighed, "Qingyue has contracted an epidemic, and it is hard to predict whether she will live or die. She is now locked up in Kunning Palace, and I am afraid that she will be spread to people outside. No one can see her."

Bai Jiyue immediately said, "Your Highness, I have taken care of patients with epidemic diseases in the Dark Stone Wasteland before. I am willing to serve Princess Qingyue personally!"

"Aren't you afraid of getting sick?" the Queen Mother asked with some emotion.

"I have taken care of patients with epidemic diseases before, so I know how to avoid getting sick. Your Majesty, don't worry! Even if I do get sick, it's my own will!"

Bai Jiyue knelt down and touched the ground with her head. "Please allow me to serve Princess Qingyue personally, Your Majesty!"

The Queen Mother was very touched and said loudly, "Good! You are a good girl! I have granted your request. If Princess Qingyue gets better in the future, you will have done a great deed. I will definitely reward you well!"

"Thank you, Queen Mother!" Bai Jiyue answered loudly, then showed hesitation, "I'm just afraid... I'm afraid that the Queen Mother will not allow it..."

"Why would she object? What's wrong with having more people to take care of Qingyue? Besides, you have experience!" The Queen Mother stood up and said, "Let's go. I will go with you. It's a good opportunity to ask about Qingyue's current situation!"

The group of people went to Kunning Palace in a mighty manner.

Upon hearing that the Queen Mother had arrived, the Queen led everyone out of the palace to welcome her in person.

When Bai Jiyue saw the queen, he was surprised. After not seeing her for two months, she had lost a lot of weight. Her cheeks were sunken and her complexion looked very bad.

When the Queen Mother saw the Queen, she also sighed: "Look at you, you are so worried about Qingyue. I haven't seen you for a few days, and you have lost weight again!"

The queen lowered her head, her eyes full of sorrow, and she really looked as if she had lost weight because of worry about her daughter's clothes.