Rebirth of Jinxuan

Lan Yue hurriedly ran into the garden, breaking the afternoon's tranquility.

Zhang Yuxi was lying on a rattan chair, sunlight filtering through the leaves and casting dappled shadows on his face. His eyes were closed, and his breathing was even and long.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" Lan Yue said anxiously, but dared not make a loud noise. She could only lower her voice, and her breathing became rapid.

Zhang Yuxi's eyelids twitched, and she slowly opened them, her eyes showing a hint of displeasure at being disturbed.

"What's the matter that you're in such a hurry?" His voice was deep and languid, with a hint of impatience.

Lan Yue took a deep breath to calm her rapid breathing and handed over the letter.

"Your Majesty, Tu Yu has delivered a letter from Protector Xue, saying... it is of great importance."

Zhang Yuxi then sat up, took the letter, and casually opened it, asking in a nonchalant tone, "Where's Tu Yu?"

"Your Majesty, Tu Yu said that after delivering the message, he got covered in dust and went to bathe and change his clothes." Lan Yue lowered her head, not daring to look directly at Zhang Yuxi.

The letter slowly unfolded at her fingertips, revealing Xue Hufa's delicate handwriting.

Zhang Yuxi's gaze swept over the contents of the letter, and her previously languid expression instantly changed, replaced by an incredulous surprise.

He sat up abruptly, the letter in his hand slightly deformed from his grip.

“Qingke…and the guards…” he murmured to himself, his tone filled with barely concealed excitement.

Upon hearing this, Lan Yue was immediately shocked, and her face turned deathly pale.

"Your Majesty, this..."

Zhang Yuxi raised her head, her eyes flashing with an unusual light.

“Lan Yue,” he said, enunciating each word clearly, “this is good news!” He suddenly stood up, clutching the letter tightly in his hand. “Go, summon the Illusion Protector, the Fallen Protector, and the elders!”

Zhang Yuxi burst into uncontrollable laughter, which echoed through the garden and startled the birds resting on the branches.

"Great news! Fantastic news!" He raised the letter in his hand as if he were holding some rare treasure.

"Lan Yue, don't you understand? Qing Ke has finally given me a legitimate reason!"

Lan Yue looked bewildered, her brows furrowed, clearly not understanding why the king was so happy.

"Your Majesty, isn't it disgraceful for the demon royal family that the queen consort is having an affair with a guard?" he cautiously reminded her, his tone tinged with worry.

Zhang Yuxi's laughter stopped abruptly. He glanced at Lan Yue, his tone tinged with impatience.

"Face? What do I need that damn face for? What I want is freedom!" He shoved the letter into Lan Yue's hand. "Go quickly! Summon the Illusion Protector, the Fallen Protector, and the elders. Tell them we have important matters to discuss!"

Although Lan Yue had doubts, she could not disobey the king's order and had no choice but to accept it and leave.

He jogged along, his robes fluttering in the wind.

Soon, the high-ranking members of the demon race gathered in the main hall, and the atmosphere was solemn.

Sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows of the main hall, casting colorful shadows on the ground.

Zhang Yuxi sat on the throne, playing with a jade thumb ring in his hand, his expression relaxed and cheerful, which was out of place with the solemn atmosphere of the hall.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Zhang Yuxi cleared his throat and said loudly, "I have gathered you all here today to announce some good news." He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

"The matter concerning the concubine Qingke has been resolved."

These words caused an uproar in the hall.

The elders exchanged glances, while the Illusionary Protector and the Fallen Protector wore solemn expressions, as if they had a premonition of something.

Zhang Yuxi handed Xue Hufa's letter to Huan Hufa beside her, saying, "Please take a look, everyone."

The letter was passed around among the people, and the hall was silent for a moment, with only the rustling sound of turning the pages audible.

The letter detailed the secret meetings between Qingke and the guards, providing irrefutable evidence.

"This matter is of great importance and requires careful consideration." An elderly man with white hair broke the silence first, his deep voice echoing in the hall.

Zhang Yuxi's smile deepened.

“Plan? What is there to plan?” He rose from his throne, strode to the front of the crowd, and stared intently.

"My mind is made up..."

"My mind is made up. I will soon bestow the marriage upon that guard!" Zhang Yuxi's tone was firm and left no room for doubt.

These words immediately caused an uproar among the elders.

"Your Majesty! You mustn't!" An elder stepped forward, trembling. "The concubine's affair with the guard is already a disgrace. If we were to grant them another marriage, wouldn't that make the whole world laugh at our demon race?"

Another elder chimed in, "Indeed, Your Majesty, this matter requires careful consideration. The reputation of the demon race is of utmost importance; we must not let a small matter cause us to lose sight of the bigger picture!"

Zhang Yuxi waved his hand impatiently, interrupting the elders' advice.

"Face? I've said it before, I don't care about face!" A glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes. "What I want is freedom! Qingke has finally given me a chance to get rid of her!"

The elders wanted to persuade him further, but seeing Zhang Yuxi's gloomy face, they dared not say anything more.

Although they were dissatisfied, they knew the king's temper; once he made up his mind, nothing could change it.

Seeing that the elders no longer objected, Zhang Yuxi smiled smugly.

"Leave this matter to Protectors Tu Yu and Xue," he instructed. "Make sure it is handled perfectly, without any mistakes."

"Yes, ma'am!" Tu Yu and Xue, the Dharma Protectors, replied in unison.

They understood that the king wanted to use this opportunity to get rid of his concubine completely and live a carefree life from then on.

Tu Yu accepted the order and left, but secretly plotted how to bring the marriage together without anyone noticing.

He had long heard about Qingke's affair with the guard, and now that the king was going to grant them a marriage, it could be considered as fulfilling their wish.

With the affairs of the inner palace settled, Zhang Yuxi was in a good mood. Thinking of Lu Jinxuan and her son, whom she hadn't seen for a long time, she asked, "Lanyue, where are the Princess and Yuhang now?"

Lan Yue bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, the Queen and the young prince are currently sightseeing in the capital."

"Kyoto?" Zhang Yuxi frowned slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes. "What are they going there for?"

Lan Yue explained, "I heard that a pharmacist conference is being held in the capital city recently."

"The Alchemist Conference..." Zhang Yuxi pondered for a moment, then a thought struck him. "Very well, I'll go and join in the fun." He stood up, straightened his robes, and looked towards the capital city, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

"Let's go to Kyoto."

Lan Yue hurriedly followed, secretly wondering whether the King's trip to the capital was for the Alchemist Conference or...

Zhang Yuxi walked briskly into the newly opened branch of Renhe Pharmacy. The aroma of medicine mixed with a faint scent of herbs and trees wafted towards him, making him feel even more cheerful.

He immediately spotted the shopkeeper sitting behind the counter, carefully arranging the medicinal herbs.

"Your Majesty?" The shopkeeper looked up, slightly surprised, then quickly stood up and bowed. "What brings you here?"

Zhang Yuxi waved her hand, indicating that he didn't need to be so polite, but her gaze went past him and landed in the direction of the backyard of the pharmacy.

"Where are the Princess and Yuhang?"

"The Princess Consort is enjoying the flowers in the garden in the backyard with the young prince. I'll go and inform him," the shopkeeper said, heading towards the backyard.

“No need.” Zhang Yuxi stopped him, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. “I will go myself.”

Passing through an arched doorway, Zhang Yuxi saw Lu Jinxuan sitting at a stone table, holding a book in her hand, looking focused.

Lu Yuhang chased butterflies nearby, his silvery laughter echoing through the garden, full of vitality.

The sunlight shone on the mother and child, as if they were coated with a golden halo, creating a warm and beautiful scene.

"Xuan'er," Zhang Yuxi called softly.

Lu Jinxuan looked up, saw it was him, and a look of surprise appeared on her face.

"Yuxi? What brings you here?"

Lu Yuhang ran over, hugged Zhang Yuxi's leg, looked up, and asked in a childish voice, "Daddy, why are you here?"

Zhang Yuxi bent down, picked up Lu Yuhang, kissed his chubby cheek, then looked at Lu Jinxuan and said with a smile, "I'm here to tell you some good news."

Lu Jinxuan raised an eyebrow, signaling him to continue.

"Qingke's matter has been resolved," Zhang Yuxi said in a relaxed tone.

Upon hearing this, Lu Jinxuan showed a hint of surprise on her face, and then asked, "What do you plan to do?"

“I have decided to betroth her to that guard.” Zhang Yuxi shrugged, looking indifferent. “This way, I’ve gotten rid of a troublesome person.”

Upon hearing this, Lu Jinxuan couldn't help but laugh. "You're quite open-minded."

Zhang Yuxi raised her eyebrows smugly, then turned her gaze to Lu Yuhang.

"Yuhang, would you like to go out and play with Daddy and Mommy?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Yuhang clapped his hands excitedly. "Yes! Yuhang wants to go out and play!"

Lu Jinxuan smiled and nodded. "Okay, we were just thinking of going out for a walk too."

"Where should we go?" Zhang Yuxi asked.

Just then, a clear voice came from the side.

"Why don't we go back to Nanmao to see Grandpa first?"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw Qian Feng standing not far away, looking at them expectantly.

Qian Feng ran to Lu Yuhang's side, grabbed his hand, and said excitedly, "Yuhang, let's go back to Nan'ang to see Grandpa! I haven't seen him in a long time."

Lu Jinxuan looked at Zhang Yuxi, seeking his opinion.

Zhang Yuxi pondered for a moment, then nodded.

"Alright, let's go back to Nan'ang to see Elder Qian first, and then go to the Moon Dwelling Demon Kingdom. As for the rest, let's take it one step at a time."

Upon hearing this, Lu Yuhang and Qian Feng cheered with joy.

The two children held hands, running and jumping in the garden, their silvery laughter echoing in the air, full of childlike innocence and fun.

Ai Xi and Qing Yuan appeared not far away, silently protecting the two children with faint smiles on their faces.

The sunlight shone on everyone, warm and bright, as if foreshadowing a journey full of surprises and unknowns that they were about to embark on.