After my luck was stolen, I led my whole family to defy fate and change our destiny.

Gu Yu'an couldn't answer his younger sister, because he also wanted to know why someone who had ascended to immortality would hunt mortals and earn the reputation of a fallen immortal.

The carriage suddenly lurched, and the bracelet box fell out. Su Xiuran picked it up and put it aside.

Gu Yu'an frowned, recalling his sister's words: "The Empress Dowager's behavior today was quite strange."

Su Xiuran nodded: "It is indeed quite strange. I've never seen the Empress Dowager bestow any gifts before."

The Empress Dowager's behavior was strange; the bracelet she gave was the most terrifying. Once worn, it would seal spiritual power, obstruct meridians, and drain all the blood from the body, leading to certain death within three days.

Su Xiuran and the others were shocked by Gu Linglong's words, which were too vicious. Fortunately, the Empress Dowager did not put it on Gu Linglong, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable.

How could the Emperor and Empress Dowager be so cruel as to punish a child so severely?

Su Xiuran's hands were trembling as she saw Gu Linglong take off the bracelet that was originally on her hand.

Hey, hey, Mother, why did you take my gold bracelet?

Otherwise, you shouldn't wear any jewelry at all; it's really impossible to guard against this.

Gu Linglong snatched it away and put it on her wrist. [This is a gold bracelet my father made for me. Mother can't take it away either, hmph.]

Su Xiuran chuckled. Her father's gift was naturally fine, but what if it was a gift from someone else? What if it was the same bracelet as the Empress Dowager's today?

The bracelet my father gave me isn't like the Empress Dowager's bracelet, which is an evil magical artifact. Besides, I can tell if there's something wrong with those things.

Su Xiuran calmed herself down a bit. It was good that she could see it.

Gu Yu'an returned home and tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. The next morning, he went to find Chu Jingyan and told him about what happened the day before, and he even brought Gu Linglong with him.

Chu Jingyan pondered for a moment: "Your Majesty is kind-hearted. Do you think the Empress Dowager's decision to let you enter the palace was Father's will?"

Gu Yu'an nodded. How should he describe the emperor's strangeness?

"Father... is indeed acting strangely."

Gu Yu'an pressed further, "Do you think the Third Prince and the Fifth Prince might be connected to His Majesty? After all, a normal father would investigate the matter thoroughly immediately, rather than forbidding discussion."

"You are a cultivator, so you must have seen many things involving ghosts and spirits. Do you think this might also involve these things?"

Even Gu Yu'an noticed? How careless of me?

"But...why would Father want to harm Third Brother and Fifth Brother? Their symptoms are similar. Later, I heard Fourth Brother say that he also had similar symptoms for a period of time. Could it be that Father wants to kill all those who might become the Crown Prince, so as to protect the one he truly wants to establish?"

Gu Linglong bit her lip with her sharp little front teeth as she thought, "No way... As the emperor, he wouldn't go through all this trouble to kill someone. If his two sons have similar symptoms and he doesn't investigate, it'll give people something to gossip about. If he wants to kill someone, he'll definitely find a flawless reason or just assassinate them."

Chu Jingyan sighed: "The other day, Fourth Brother was talking about how he threw a tantrum when the imperial physician announced that his legs were failing, but the other day he said he hadn't thrown a tantrum and hadn't said certain things."

"Could it be that His Highness the Fourth Prince doesn't remember?"

Gu Linglong's eyes darted around. [There's another possibility: the fourth brother back then wasn't the fourth brother, but someone else.]

other people?

Chu Jingyan was startled and continued, "Fourth Brother said he was so grief-stricken that he didn't even want to speak, so how could he be wrong? Unless that person wasn't Fourth Brother."

Gu Linglong clapped her hands. [Sixth brother is amazing! He thought of the same thing as me!]

"But... Fourth Brother said his symptoms are similar to Third and Fifth Brothers', and their legs are fine too? They all had some dizziness and headaches before."

As Gu Linglong listened to Chu Jingyan recount these events, she couldn't help but recall the black mudfish beside Chu Yuan and its attempt to seize her body. The fog of confusion gradually lifted.

[Oh, I see. It was the Black Loach, the current emperor's son, who wanted to take over the bodies of the third and fifth princes. But royal bodies aren't so easy to take. Incompatibility or some other mishap led to the deaths of the third and fifth princes.]

[The Black Mudfish really knows how to pick people; it only chooses those of high status for itself. The fourth prince is lucky in a bad way; he can't walk, so the Black Mudfish spared him. I knew that's why the emperor's eyes were so strange when he looked at the fourth prince that day; maybe he was even plotting how to possess the fourth prince's body.]

Chu Jingyan broke out in a cold sweat, and Gu Yu'an's heart sank. If the ruler of a country is a monster, what should the people do?

[But don't worry, the emperor is injured by my aura and can't care about the fourth prince for now. He's probably thinking about how to get rid of me.]

Gu Yu'an hugged Gu Linglong even tighter, otherwise they should escape tonight!

"dong dong dong"

There was a knock on the door.

"What's the matter?"

A messenger has arrived from the palace; His Majesty requests your presence.

Is it too late to run away now?

Gu Linglong put her hands on her hips. [Fine, you bastard! I haven't even come looking for you yet, and you've already come looking for me. If I don't kill you today, I'm not Gu Linglong!]

Gu Yu'an was a little worried. "Can you do it? You look so small, you can't even walk very steadily."

I am a divine beast, and I have an innate advantage over him. I'll kill him if I don't. He'll probably think I'm wearing handcuffs if he dares to see me now.

Su Xiuran and the others led Gu Linglong to the Minghuang Palace. Su Xiuran was very worried and her brows were always furrowed.

[Mother, why aren't you smiling? I'm going to rid the people of evil; you should be happy!]

How could she be happy? If the servant hadn't said the city gates were closed and the eunuchs and guards were still blocking the entrance, she would have run away with her daughter in her arms.

As soon as Su Xiuran entered the hall, she felt a chilling aura.

"This humble woman greets Your Majesty, long live Your Majesty!"

"Greetings, Your Majesty! Long live the Emperor!"

"No need for formalities, please have a seat."

Chu Yuan looked down at Gu Linglong and their eyes met.

Chu Yuan clutched his chest and looked away in a fluster.

"There's nothing special happening today, I just wanted to offer some dishes to Minister Gu's family."

[This is so unlucky, why are you serving me this food? Are you trying to poison me?]

"I will definitely take it back and enjoy it."

"Eat right here."

[Fine, fine, so this dog emperor isn't even putting on an act anymore, huh?]

Soon a group of people brought in the dishes, and at the very end there was a strangely dressed person who kept his head down.

"I know that the Fourth Miss is still young and can't handle hard foods, so I specially prepared porridge for her."

Su Xiuran, Gu Yu'an, and the others knelt down: "It is against etiquette for this humble woman to dine here; please take her back to the manor."

Chu Yuan's face darkened: "What? Are you afraid I'll poison you?"

"This humble woman dares not..."

The food my mother and brothers prepared wasn't poisoned, it was just drugged with sleeping potion; they probably wanted to knock you out so they could deal with me.

Seeing that the people below did not move, Chu Yuan suddenly slammed the door shut, and many guards rushed out from all sides.

"Do you intend to defy the imperial decree?"