First annul the engagement, then sever ties with the empress; the empress reigns supreme.

Upon hearing this, Qingyan made the first decision. She raised her eyes and said firmly, "Yes, then let's die together. I won't leave. I'll stay here with you and wait for that evil Taoist Qingyanzi."

Qingmiao immediately echoed, "Me too, I'm not leaving."

“You guys…” Su Li was both angry and touched.

Escaping offers a slim chance of survival, but waiting for Qingyanzi to arrive and leaving with him might mean the end of that chance.

Su Li wanted to persuade them further, but suddenly the poisonous creatures in the Ten Thousand Poisons Pool began to stir.

Su Li, Qing Miao, and Qing Yan's expressions changed simultaneously, because they all knew that this meant Qing Yanzi had arrived.

Qingyan and Qingmiao wanted to leave, but it was too late.

Su Li closed her eyes, resigned to her fate.

Qingyan and Qingmiao stood on either side, bowing their heads and waiting for Qingyanzi's arrival.

Three breaths later, Qingyanzi indeed stepped in.

"Qingyan, Qingmiao, are you trying to let Su Li leave?" As soon as Qingyanzi entered the room, his sharp gaze fell on Qingmiao and Qingyan. Then, he used his inner strength to sweep Qingyan and Qingmiao to the ground with one hand.

After rolling on the ground, Qingyan and Qingmiao quickly got up and knelt down in front of Qingyanzi, explaining in a low voice.

“Master, we don’t want to release Senior Sister. We’re here specifically to wait for you. Everyone outside knows we are your personal disciples. We’re afraid it’s not safe for us to go out.”

"Really?" Qingyanzi was clearly not convinced.

Qingmiao and Qingyan nodded quickly to show their sincerity.

Qingyanzi finally withdrew his gaze, unsure whether he truly believed Qingmiao and Qingyan: "Fine, you both have the Gu I planted within you, and I'm certain you wouldn't dare to act recklessly."

"Thank you for your mercy, Master." Upon seeing this, Qingyan and Qingling quickly bowed and stood up, then followed Qingyanzi back to Suli.

Qingyanzi glanced at Qingyan, who immediately understood and untied the ropes binding Suli.

After regaining her freedom, Su Li stood in front of Qing Yanzi.

Qingyanzi, with one hand behind his back, lifted Su Li's face with the other: "I have lost, lost to your mother, your sister, and your brother-in-law. You have followed me for so many years, I will give you one more chance. Do you want to come with me, or stay and go back to find your family?"

Su Li's eyes flickered slightly, and she obediently declared, "Su Li is willing to swear allegiance to Master. Master raised me, and in Su Li's heart there is only Master, no family."

She knew that Qingyanzi's seemingly magnanimous words were actually just a test. If she really said she was going to find her relatives, Qingyanzi would probably kill her in the next instant.

"Very good, it seems that I have not raised you in vain. In that case, pack your things and come with me." Qingyanzi smiled gently and patted Su Li's shoulder.

Qingyanzi left the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion with Suli, Qingmiao, and Qingyan. As soon as they stepped out of the mansion, they saw a person riding towards them from another street.

The man was handsome, dressed in flowing white robes, with a folding fan tucked into his waistband. He looked hurried and his eyes showed urgency.

"Murong Yuan from the Crown Prince's residence is probably here looking for you. Do you want to go?" Qingyanzi, along with Su Li, Qingyan, and Qingmiao, hid in the shadows. After seeing the person's face clearly, Qingyanzi turned to look at Su Li.

Su Li's hands, which had been hanging down, suddenly clenched.

Suddenly, another person on horseback came from afar and finally stopped in front of the Imperial Preceptor's residence. The person dismounted, and the light from the lanterns in front of the gate illuminated her face, revealing her features clearly—it was Ning Hanshuang.

"Marquis Ningyuan." Murong Yuan stopped and waited for Ning Hanshuang, then bowed and greeted her.

Ning Hanshuang had already discerned from Murong Yuan's words that he was interested in Su Li. Murong Yuan was young, handsome, and talented, the object of desire for many noble ladies in the capital, and Ning Hanshuang was very satisfied with him.

She nodded: "You're also here to see Su Li, let's go in together."

"Okay," Murong Yuan replied.

"Your mother is here too. Should I call them for you?" Qingyanzi had unknowingly appeared behind Su Li, half probing and half threatening.

Su Li pressed her lips even tighter. She cried out, and Ning Hanshuang and Murong Yuan would risk their lives to take her away, but what about Qingmiao and Qingyan? What about the Gu in her body?

Moreover, the fact that Murong Yuan had seen her most vulnerable side again made Su Li very unhappy.

She didn't want Murong Yuan to know about her disheveled appearance.

Even if she's selfish, she's already very happy to see Ning Hanshuang and Murong Yuan doing well.

Su Li blinked innocently: "Master, what are you talking about? What Crown Prince's Mansion? What Mother? I don't know them at all. What does all this have to do with me?"

"Good, I am very pleased that you have such awareness." Qingyanzi was very satisfied with Su Li's answer, and turned to lead Qingyan and Qingmiao into the night.

Su Li lingered a step behind, taking one last, reluctant look at Ning Hanshuang and Murong Yuan before turning to catch up with Qing Yanzi.

As soon as Murong Yuan and Ning Hanshuang entered the Imperial Preceptor's residence, they looked behind them as if by unspoken agreement.

"What's wrong?" Ning Hanshuang asked when she saw Murong Yuan stop.

Murong Yuan frowned, glanced at the mess in the Imperial Preceptor's mansion, and recalled, "I think I just saw Su Li. My lord, let's split up. You continue to search for Su Li inside the mansion, and I'll go out and take a look."

"Okay." Ning Hanshuang readily agreed, avoiding any surprises.

Upon hearing this, Murong Yuan turned around and quickly ran out of the Imperial Preceptor's residence.

Prince's Mansion.

Gu Junxi, lying on the bed, slowly woke up. She touched her groggy head and recalled that she had clearly seen Mu Lingye's face before she fainted.

She sat up in bed, wrapped in the covers, and realized she was sleeping in her own dormitory room.

Could it be that all of this wasn't an illusion, and Mu Lingye really had returned?

An overwhelming surge of emotion filled Gu Junxi's chest. She got out of bed and walked towards the door, where Xi'er entered.

"Your Highness, you're awake!" Xi'er happily helped Gu Junxi up.

Gu Junxi gripped Xi'er's hand tightly: "Xi'er, has His Highness the Crown Prince returned? Where is he?"

Xi'er smiled and said, "Your Highness, His Highness the Crown Prince is back. He figured you'd be waking up soon, so he's making you some soup in the kitchen. Look, here he is."

As they were talking, they heard footsteps behind them. Xi'er turned around and saw Mu Lingye carrying chicken soup into the room.

"Ah Ling!" Gu Junxi was overjoyed to finally see the person she had been longing for day and night, but after the excitement came a little helplessness.

Mu Lingye had been personally guarding Gu Junxi's side for quite some time. For Gu Junxi, it had been a long time since she had seen Mu Lingye, and Mu Lingye had only been gone for a few moments.

"Axi, I personally made chicken soup for you and the baby. You're eating for two now, so just tell me what else you'd like to eat and I'll make it for you." Mu Lingye waved the chicken soup in his hand and walked over to take Gu Junxi's hand.

Gu Junxi avoided Mu Lingye's touch and threw herself into his arms. The familiar scent filled her nostrils, giving her a sense of special comfort.

It was only at this moment that Gu Junxi truly felt that her A-Ling had really returned, and this was definitely not a dream.