After her mind was read, the spoiled brat became the darling of the whole group.

Taking a break for some fun?

Luo Cheng'an quickly replied, "Why do you say that, Your Highness?"

Jun Lanjin raised his eyes slightly, glanced meaningfully at Luo Hanfeng behind him, and then said, "Last night, the top scholar was attacked late at night. When the news came, His Majesty was furious. The Crown Prince still had the leisure to play with the princes. He really has a big heart."

what? !

These words struck Luo Cheng'an like a thunderbolt.

He looked at Jun Lanjin in astonishment: "The top scholar was attacked?"

Xie Xing's expression changed drastically.

[Brother attacked?!]

How could this be?

The system was also incredibly shocked. [This isn't part of the original storyline.]

Apart from Luo Huaichuan, who already knew the news, everyone else was shocked.

Luo Hanfeng lowered his eyes, his head bowed so that no one could see the expression on his face.

"His Majesty has been searching for you everywhere, yet you are here flaunting your power as the Crown Prince. What is the rush? I urge the Crown Prince to weigh the matter himself."

Luo Cheng'an immediately abandoned his intention to cause trouble for Luo Huaichuan, and walked towards the emperor's study, saying, "I will go to see Father Emperor now."

Once everyone left, only the other princes and Xie Mingzhu remained.

Xie Xing's mind was in turmoil.

She now wants to know exactly what happened to Song Qingyang.

"Since the Seventh Prince is injured, he should go to the imperial physician for a check-up to avoid any potential health problems."

Luo Huaichuan said casually.

With that, he turned and walked directly toward Jun Lanjin.

"Your Highness, are you about to leave the palace? I happen to be going to the military camp too, shall we go and take a look together?"

Jun Lanjin did not reply to him directly, but looked at Xie Xing: "Miss Xie, don't you have something you want to say to me?"

Xie Xing snapped out of his daze.

She then remembered the matter of the Ghost King.

She gave Jun Lanjin a complicated look. Was this something that could be said so openly and honestly in front of so many people?

Xie Xing coughed lightly and said, "Your Highness, please move aside."

Jun Lanjin hummed in agreement.

He and Xie Xing turned and left together.

Luo Huaichuan crossed his arms and watched the two figures leave, stroking his chin with one hand. "It seems that Prince Jin really has some interest in the fifth young lady of the Xie family."

Luo Mengfei moved closer to the Sixth Prince and watched the two figures leave, somewhat surprised: "The Prince of Jin would take a fancy to that country bumpkin?"

Luo Huaichuan turned his head in astonishment.

"Are you calling Xie Xing a country bumpkin?"

Luo Mengfei avoided eye contact.

She didn't actually dislike Xie Xing, but between Xie Xing and Xie Mingzhu, Xie Tongchen clearly preferred his younger sister Xie Mingzhu. In order to please her sister-in-law, she naturally had to befriend Xie Mingzhu.

Xie Mingzhu, standing to the side, had an unreadable expression, but said in a gentle voice, "His Highness Prince Jin has always been gentle and considerate to my sister."

Standing behind her, Luo Hanfeng looked at her back with an ambiguous expression.

……

the other side.

Jun Lanjin led Xie Xing to a secluded place.

"Speak, what was the meaning of the letter you gave me that day?"

Xie Xing looked around a few times and asked, "Your Highness, is it possible that there are eavesdroppers here?"

Jun Lanjin looked at her with amusement and said, "My personal guards are all around. No one can hear what you want to say."

He wanted to hear what this man had to say.

Xie Xing felt relieved upon hearing this. She cleared her throat, straightened up, and looked at Jun Lanjin, saying, "Your Highness, it's like this."

She paused for a moment before she could finish speaking.

She still needed to think carefully about what she could and couldn't say.

She couldn't say a word about Luo Hanfeng, at least not about him.

"The story begins with the assassin we met at the Prince's residence."

As Xie Xing spoke, he glanced tentatively at Jun Lanjin and asked, "Does Your Highness know of the Ghost Palace and the Ghost King in the martial world?"

"Hmm." Jun Lanjin gave a soft hum through his nose. "And then?"

"Then, I suddenly discovered that the person in the Prince's mansion was the Ghost King!"

Xie Xing's voice was melodious and varied.

"Oh?" Jun Lanjin looked at Xie Xing with a leisurely air. "According to you, why would the Ghost King appear in my manor?"

"I don't know, Your Highness!" Xie Xing said blankly. "This all has to do with the poison in Your Highness's body."

"The poison in my body?"

“It’s like this, Your Highness.” Xie Xing brainstormed for a moment and connected the logical lines: “Your Highness, you must believe in my loyalty to you. Heaven and earth can bear witness to it. If I didn’t have such loyalty to you, I certainly wouldn’t have told you about this momentous matter.”

Before speaking, Xie Xing wanted to express his sincerity.

Jun Lanjin just stared at her like that.

She met his eyes; those bright, clear eyes blinked, gazing at her with utter innocence.

If Jun Lanjin hadn't known everything, she would have truly believed her nonsense.

"I understand." Jun Lanjin's voice remained calm. He asked, "So, the poison in my body?"

Xie Xing said, "That's how it is, Your Highness. As for me..."

She considered it for a moment, "I have some connection with that Ghost King. Originally, he stumbled upon me and saw the old queen's secret, and he wanted to kill me to silence me, but I was clever and escaped his assassination attempt."

“After that, I had more and more contact with him.”

"Perhaps it's my beauty, perhaps it's my intelligence and wit, I don't know what it is about me that attracted him, the Ghost King... is interested in me."

puff.

Jun Lanjin swayed to the side.

His peach blossom eyes widened in disbelief.

Could this woman talk any more nonsense?

He was so angry he almost laughed.

Jun Lanjin closed his eyes briefly, looking at her with a half-smile: "So, the Ghost King has feelings for you?"

Xie Xing nodded. "That's why, Your Highness, I'm able to know some earth-shattering secrets."

Jun Lanjin chuckled twice.

But he still wanted to see just how shameless Xie Xing could be.

Then I heard her say, "Just as the letter says, I suspect that the Ghost King has an affair with your mother and the old queen."

"I wonder if Your Highness has been feeling fatigued and weak lately, even though you are suffering from cold poison, yet you are unable to resolve it?"

Jun Lanjin hummed in agreement.

Xie Xing slammed his fist down, his voice trembling with excitement: "Your Highness, that's because you've been poisoned by a slow-acting poison!"

"Your Highness must already know the identity of the young man in my courtyard. He can cultivate the Hundred Poison Gu from Miao territory, which can cure the poison in Your Highness's body."

“But Your Highness, he is, after all, a wandering holy son of Miao territory. In terms of Gu cultivation, he is certainly no match for his brother, who has always been skilled in Gu cultivation.”

Jun Lanjin smiled; she wanted to protect Qi Yi.

"You know quite a lot."

"But do you know that the current Holy Son of Miao territory has also left Miao territory and disappeared without a trace?"

Xie Xing was stunned for a moment.

"The Miao region is searching everywhere for this Holy Son. Compared to the elusive Holy Son, isn't the one in your courtyard a ready-made one?"

Xie Xing laughed twice: "But his Gu will take three years to mature."

"And the Gu poison on the Miao holy son has been completed."

As she spoke, she coughed lightly, "Your Highness, we've strayed from the topic. Actually, that's not what I wanted to talk about. I wanted to..."