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

"Ah..." Before Xie Xing could even cry out, someone covered his mouth and dragged him into the bushes behind him.

Xie Xing's eyes widened.

"Shh, Fifth Miss, it's us!" Hua An's voice rang in Xie Xing's ears.

Upon hearing that familiar voice, Xie Xing's tense body immediately relaxed.

She turned her head and immediately saw two...

Uh…

Xie Xing stared blankly for a moment before finally asking, "What kind of outfit are you all wearing?"

Hua An and Qi Yu were both dressed in women's clothing. Qi Yu was fine; he was young and had a pretty face, so when he changed into women's clothing, he appeared taller than women his age, but it didn't look out of place at all.

As for Hua'an...

It's really an eyesore for such a big, burly man to dress up as a woman.

Xie Xing tried to hold back, but couldn't help looking away.

It's truly an eyesore.

Hua An naturally knew that his outfit was really ugly, but it was the only way he could sneak in.

He said aggrievedly, "Fifth Miss, please don't laugh at me. We really have no other choice. If we don't do this, we won't be able to get in."

Qi Yu nodded obediently: "Yes, yes, Miss, we've finally found you."

Qi Yu's eyes were brimming with tears.

They had been subdued for a long time at the foot of the mountain before they managed to sneak in by knocking out two maids during the annual procurement opportunity of the Yama Palace.

Xie Xing "..."

Xie Xing paused for a moment.

She looked around and whispered, "How are the three of us going to get out?"

Hua An also whispered, "Fifth Miss, don't be afraid. When I came, the Prince sent me a letter saying that he was on his way and that we should hold on."

Qi Yu said with dissatisfaction, "What's the use of him coming? He couldn't take Miss away last time he came."

Hua An was even more dissatisfied: "Don't look down on our Prince. The Prince has specifically inquired and found out that Luo Hanfeng is working for His Majesty and is not in this Yama Palace today."

Seeing the two arguing back and forth, Xie Xing quickly called out to stop them: "This place is heavily guarded; it's not a place to argue."

The two fell silent.

but--

Xie Xing's eyes darted around, and he leaned closer to the two of them, whispering, "If I can't get out, then you should tell the Prince this."

“I saw the old queen in this Yama’s Palace.”

what?

Hua An was utterly shocked.

"Is what Fifth Sister said true?" He eagerly grabbed Xie Xing's hand.

Xie Xing nodded.

"is true."

"The old princess and Luo Hanfeng's master seem to have a story."

Hua An's expression turned serious; this matter had to be told to the Prince.

Before Jun Lanjin arrived, Hua An and Qi Yu were secretly protecting Xie Xing, and they did not show themselves again after they infiltrated the area.

……

And the other side.

The Emperor of Chu's health was deteriorating rapidly, and he had no choice but to secretly summon Jun Lanjin from the Cold Palace.

In the entire Golden Palace, there were only Jun Lanjin and Emperor Chu.

The Chu Emperor's face was deathly pale. He raised his eyes to look at Jun Lanjin, his expression heavy. He looked at Jun Lanjin with a sigh and reached out his hand: "Zhiheng, you won't blame me, will you?"

Whether the Chu emperor was close to people can be seen from the way he addressed them.

When we are close, I call him Zhiheng; when we are not close, I call him Prince Jin.

Jun Lanjin's lips curled slightly, his eyes devoid of any emotion, and he said, "Where did Your Majesty get these words? It's just a pretense to deceive outsiders, so why blame me?"

Only the emperor himself knew what his intentions were when he ordered so many people to keep Jun Lanjin under guard.

Now, the reason for this sudden change of heart is simply that the body has realized there's nothing more it can do.

He couldn't wait for Luo Hanfeng to bring people from Medicine King Valley.

Currently, the only person who can mobilize Medicine King Valley and has connections within it is Jun Lanjin.

The Chu Emperor looked at Jun Lanjin with pleading eyes. He pursed his lips and said, "Zhiheng, don't blame me. The reason I'm so cautious with you is simply because you are indeed not the old prince's son, but my own son."

If Jun Lanjin hadn't known about this beforehand, he might have been shocked.

But at this moment, Jun Lanjin's expression was very calm.

Seeing his calm expression, the Emperor of Chu frowned slightly: "Why aren't you surprised? Could it be that you already knew about this?"

"Your Majesty, I have known about this ever since I learned that my mother had put a slow-acting poison on me."

The Chu Emperor was taken aback.

Jun Lanjin lowered his eyes and said, "Your Majesty need not worry that I will threaten the throne. I am already nearing my end and have no interest in the throne."

When the Chu Emperor saw Jun Lanjin in this state, he was suddenly overwhelmed with guilt.

He had previously suspected Jun Lanjin and sent the imperial physician to examine his pulse. The result, of course, was that Jun Lanjin was already terminally ill and did not have much time left.

Afterwards, the Chu Emperor had the idea of ​​wanting Jun Lanjin to control the military.

Jun Lanjin was unwilling, and he had no way to force her to comply.

Furthermore, his body...

The Chu Emperor gave a bitter smile: "Zhiheng, you should know that I have always wanted to pass the throne to you. Now I have been framed by treacherous people and poisoned. I'm afraid... my days are numbered."

At this point, a hint of resentment flashed in the eyes of the Chu Emperor.

He is in the prime of his life, not old and feeble; he was simply poisoned due to momentary carelessness. If only a divine physician could save him…

"Zhiheng, I cannot afford to get into trouble now. If something happens to me, the world will surely descend into chaos."

Jun Lanjin said, "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, there is a skilled physician in my household who can cure Your Majesty's poisoning."

Hearing Jun Lanjin say this, the Chu Emperor felt relieved.

His eyes flickered as he looked at Jun Lanjin, then he said, "Zhiheng, now that you know your identity, even if I..."

Before the matter could be announced to the world, Jun Lanjin interrupted the Chu Emperor, saying, "Since I have inherited the resources of the Jun family, I am a member of the Jun family. This will not change regardless of my bloodline."

The Chu Emperor was taken aback.

He looked somewhat disappointed.

But this is indeed the best plan.

The Chu Emperor said, "I am fairly certain who is plotting against you behind your back."

"The Jun family is the head of the four great families. It is normal for the other three great families to be wary of the vast resources they possess."

"Now they are restless and unwilling to be subservient, and I'm afraid they've joined forces with others..."

The Chu Emperor's expression turned cold.

They act so arrogantly because they have their own family background.

If he could easily deal with them now, he would definitely confiscate all their property!

Jun Lanjin said, "I'm afraid it's not just about colluding with others, but also about secretly communicating with enemy countries."

The Chu Emperor clenched his fist.

"Now that no evidence has been found, I am annoyed by their discord."

Jun Lanjin said slowly, "Since no evidence has been found, they will probably offer it up themselves soon."

"But all of this requires Your Majesty's cooperation."

Ok?

The Chu Emperor looked at Jun Lanjin with a puzzled expression.