Poisonous Goddess: I'm just lazing around in the mortal realm.

"So you mean this hairpin isn't yours?"

Shen Mu glanced at Hao Jing; he certainly wouldn't be as completely confused as Hao Jing. However, his gaze towards Hao Jing was filled with distrust.

"Um...it's not mine."

Seeing this, Haojing finally gave in and slowly shook his head, realizing that he had not been able to keep this a secret after all.

"Whose is that?"

Shen Mu was clearly losing patience, after all, it was a rare opportunity for him to enter the palace to report on his duties, and his time was naturally precious.

"Young Master Zhou... gave it to me, told me to give it to her," Hao Jing spoke very quickly, as if afraid Shen Mu wouldn't hear him clearly. The way he shook his head and swayed his head made Shen Mu want to punch him.

Shen Mu's temper gradually flared up, and he asked somewhat impatiently.

"Who did he ask you to give it to? Can't he deliver it himself?" He naturally assumed that Zhou Jinghuai had lost Qingfeng again and was rushing to find someone to do something for him.

What puzzled him was why Haojing had to make the trip for him when it was just a hairpin?

Doesn't he have legs?

"I..." Haojing stammered for a long time, not daring to say a single word more.

Xie Qiao, standing to the side, was getting anxious. He had been keeping an eye on Chongming from the corner tower, but now that not only had the adults arrived, but Haojing was also there. He no longer had the time to keep watch.

Seeing that Haojing was hesitant to speak, he preemptively answered.

"My lord, this is a wooden hairpin that Young Master Zhou carved himself. He said he asked Haojing to deliver it to Thirteen on his behalf."

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw Shen Mu's unpredictable face turn icy cold.

The atmosphere around them seemed to freeze. They exchanged a glance, both knowing something was wrong!

Although Shen Mu was about to lose his temper, he managed to hold it in.

Since Zhou Jinghuai wanted to deliver it personally, how could he possibly stop him?

Thinking of this, a cold smile curled at the corner of his lips.

"Give me a wooden hairpin? This is the first time I've heard that Zhou Jinghuai is interested in men."

"My lord... then I... I don't know if he likes men or not, do I?" Hao Jing tried very hard to distance himself from Zhou Jinghuai.

Seeing Shen Mu's deep, oppressive aura, the two sensed that he was truly enraged.

Shen Mu glanced at the two of them, his eyes gradually churning with anger.

"Whether you like it or not is none of my business, but I think you two are confused. Have you forgotten who you are?" He played with the wooden hairpin that Zhou Jinghuai had personally carved in his hand.

Judging from the force he used, Haojing had a feeling that Shen Mu might throw the wooden hairpin away at any moment.

At this moment, he could only put Zhou Jinghuai's instructions out of his mind and quickly explained...

"My lord, this was an accident. I ran into him at the palace gate. He said he couldn't find Thirteen and asked me to pass on the message. Do you know where she is now?"

Haojing is lying through his teeth.

He certainly knew where Thirteen was, but he was also gambling that Shen Mu would tell them the true identity of the girl in the secret room.

After all, if what he guessed was true, then Thirteen was the girl in the dark room who was seriously injured and lost her divine power after fighting with Chongming.

He naturally had to stand on the adults' side, since Thirteen couldn't do anything to him for the time being.

"..."

Shen Mu didn't speak, but gave Hao Jing a deep look. He wasn't in the mood to answer Hao Jing's question right now, so he chose to ignore it.

Hao Jing naturally understood that Shen Mu had a great deal of opinion against the two of them at this moment, so he turned his head and wanted to ask Xie Qiao, who was standing next to him, for help.

Xie Qiao noticed the look Hao Jing gave him, but unfortunately, he didn't understand what they were saying at all. Seeing Hao Jing subtly tug at his sleeve, he finally spoke up with a sigh.

"My lord, I think we should focus on helping the girl in the dark room recover as quickly as possible. Although I'm keeping a close eye on the movements at the Nanyang Palace, I believe the Demon Lord will eventually come out and fight us again."

For Xie Qiao, there was naturally only the Demon Lord Chongming in his eyes.

Shen Mu nodded in agreement.

"Keep a close eye on things. If it gets too tiring, have Haojing take over for you. Don't overwork yourself."

"My lord, I still have to stand guard at the Embroidered Uniform Guard..."

Hao Jing wanted to refuse, but when he saw the way Shen Mu looked at him, his body trembled involuntarily, and a chill instantly spread from his toes to his whole body.

He was still most afraid of Shen Mu.

Seeing that Shen Mu ignored him, Hao Jing had no choice but to shut his mouth.

Xie Qiao, standing to the side, glanced at Hao Jing's tired expression and thought to himself that he had been taking care of that girl in the dark room, so he must be having just as much trouble as he was.

So he stepped forward, intending to refuse Shen Mu's kindness.

"My lord, I'm not tired."

"You may not feel tired, but if you really encounter that Demon Lord Chongming, how can you capture him when you are so exhausted?"

"grown ups……"

"Alright, that's my order. You two find two more trustworthy people to take over the shift. I have something to do with the Emperor of Nanyang."

Shen Mu concealed the wooden hairpin in his sleeve and quickly left the corner tower.

Only after he left did Haojing dare to breathe heavily.

"I thought this day next year would be my death anniversary!" He wiped the fine sweat from his forehead helplessly. The way the adult looked at him had made him momentarily believe that the adult was going to execute him on the spot.

"Isn't this a good thing?" Xie Qiao replied expressionlessly. To him, Hao Jing's reputation in Medicine King Valley was truly a mixed bag.

Although he was loyal to Shen Mu, his petty theft and other underhanded activities had offended almost everyone in Lord Shen's Shadow Guard.

"Good news? Xie Qiao, didn't you see the way the master looked at me just now?" Hao Jing glared at him, thinking that this blockhead was really too slow to react.

It was obvious that Shen Mu had truly intended to kill him just now.

But seeing Shen Mu like this, he couldn't help but feel a little hesitant.

It was obvious that the girl in the dark room was most likely Thirteen. Moreover, when Xie Qiao told Lord Shen that the wooden hairpin was something Zhou Jinghuai wanted to give to Thirteen, he looked at it carefully.

It was clear that this matter had angered Shen Mu.

Thinking of this, his back was soaked with sweat.

"But in the end, I still solved a troublesome matter for you, didn't I?" Xie Qiao was referring to the wooden hairpin that Hao Jing was supposed to deliver to Thirteen on behalf of Zhou Jinghuai.

Haojing glanced at him and nodded in agreement.

“You’re right. Since this wooden hairpin ended up in the adults’ hands by some twist of fate, it’s not our place to worry about who gets it or not.”

For him, it was a rather tricky matter.

imperial study room

In the bright yellow hall, Duan Yuan sat upright on the dragon throne.

He stared down at the group of arrogant old ministers kneeling on the ground. Clearly, his face was filled with rage, and he seemed ready to drag them out and execute them at any moment.