Chapter 14: The Special Agent Returns

  It was not yet noon, and various news had already been transmitted to the Lan Ting Hall through various strange channels, intentionally or unintentionally. Qing Xia An sat on a luxurious reclining chair, wearing elegant clothes, with an icy face and sharp eyes, sending away several seventh-grade beauties from the Ying Ge Pavilion.

  Three loud chimes of the noon bell rang out, and outside the capital city's official horse relay station, thick smoke billowed, horse hooves were like snow, and urgent reports like snowflakes in the cold winter month flew into the heart of the capital, as a new round of wind and rain stirred up again.

  Chu Li went through so much trouble, of course not just to avenge the humiliation he suffered when he was held captive in Shengdu. The Crown Prince An of Qi was imprisoned in the heavenly prison of Shengdu, guarded by the Iron Floating Pagoda, the imperial guard of Shengdu. The defense was so tight that even flies couldn't fly in.

  Two days later, the two countries of Qi and Chu, which were originally at war, suddenly stopped fighting. The state of Qi retreated twenty miles to set up camp in Shou Mountain Yunling. However, at the same time, the great Qi was secretly deploying troops and generals. According to the report from the Southern Chu scouts, the seven routes of the Western Defense Line of Jingjiang Wang's command were rapidly approaching on horseback and had already arrived at the Molan Mountains. Moreover, the treasury of the Great Qi State was completely emptied, purchasing military supplies from the strong Qin at a high price. Within two days, a large amount of grain and fodder had been gathered. The situation is clearly developing in one direction: if the Crown Prince An of Qi suffers even half an injury, Qi will exert all its national strength to pressure Southern Chu on all fronts.

  The Chu State also dispatched General Meng, the Marquis of Town, to lead an army of 300,000 men to the border, where they were waiting with bated breath. The people living near the Qi-Chu border in the east all fled southward with their families, and the atmosphere of war was becoming increasingly evident. Even in the southern city of Shengdu, the atmosphere was as tense as a drawn bowstring, ready to snap at any moment. As for the rumors about Qing Xia, they spread like wildfire, and no one was interested in the story of Crown Prince Anger's love affair anymore. With war looming, people's hearts were unsettled, and such romantic stories were only suitable for later generations to savor. For those who were directly threatened by the war, they could only curse the femme fatale who had caused the conflict between the two states and disrupted their peaceful lives.

  At this time, Zhuang Qingxia, who was being scolded by everyone under the sky, was on the main hall of the Lan Ting Temple. She overturned a table full of delicacies and fine wines. Her bright red clothes shone with dazzling colors in the sunlight. The sound of shattering porcelain filled the air as sharp shards cut through her pale skin. Yet, she seemed completely unaware, continuing to cry out with tears streaming down her face: "Get out! All of you get out!" Her voice was mournful and eerie, like a ghost wailing.

  The people below were frightened and the great hall quickly became quiet. The slaves and maids who had increased in number due to the honor they received all knelt down outside the door, while Qing Xia exerted her feminine authority, with a heartbroken expression, disheveled hair, running wildly around the great hall, throwing everything that could be smashed out of the hall, the crashing sounds never-ending. After causing a commotion for a while, perhaps tired, Qing Xia let out a loud wail and returned to her inner chambers, slamming the door shut behind her.

  As soon as the door closed, the woman who had been crying suddenly became quiet. Her eyebrows slightly furrowed, secretly thinking that yesterday, Zhuang Dianru had already taken the scholars of Donghua Pavilion to the border, and Chu Li hadn't set foot in the Lan Ting Hall since then. Time was running out, she couldn't wait passively anymore.

  Since everyone thinks that Zhuang Qingxia and Prince An are inseparable in life and death, then she will be as they wish.

  A white ling was hanging horizontally, Qing Xia grasped the end of the white ling and tied a dead knot. She silently counted the tinkling sound of the fragrance orange ring pendant, and stood quietly on the corner stool.

  "Why are you all kneeling here? Is there someone serving inside?"

  The timing was just right, Qing Xia's mouth cornered a sly smile, and with a slight effort from her toes, the stool fell to the ground with a thud.

  The door of the inner chamber was pushed open by a hand, and Xiangjun's sharp, terrified voice instantly spread throughout the six palaces!

  "Oh! Mother!"

  If Zhuang Qingxia were still alive, she would probably have done so.

  But Tang Xiaoshi couldn't. For the wrong things that have been done, there must be rectification, and those who have harmed her should also pay the corresponding price!

  "The Crown Prince has arrived!"

  A long, sharp voice pierced the silent night of the Southern Chu Imperial Palace. Several divine horses galloped swiftly along the Zi Jin Avenue, passing through the Zheng Dian Tong Tu, An Shou Tong Tu, and Lian Hua Avenue, before coming to a steady stop in front of the Lan Ting Hall in the Eastern Palace.

  Chu wore a suit of silver-white armor, handsome and unmatched, with a dark iron helmet on his head, revealing an air of elegance and bravery. However, at this moment, he seemed like a malevolent star, making people shiver without being cold. The attendants around him involuntarily kept their distance from him, lest they be affected by the misfortune that befell the fish in the same pond.

  "Welcome, Your Highness the Crown Prince, may you have good fortune and safety." The palace maids all knelt down in unison to pay their respects, but couldn't hide the look of tension and fear on their faces. Xiang Ju's hands and feet were still trembling slightly, but she still steeled herself and walked forward with her waist bent, saying softly: "This servant has committed a crime..."

  But before he could finish speaking, Chu Li suddenly raised the whip in his hand and struck Xiang Ju's delicate face with a loud crack.

  He let out a pained cry and hastily knelt down on the ground, his whole body trembling as he kowtowed repeatedly, unable to utter a single word.

  "A bunch of useless things, take them all out and behead them!" The crowd of attendants thundered to obey, like wolves and tigers they walked in, pulled up the many servants who were suddenly crying loudly on the ground, and were about to walk out.

  "Why don't you take me out and behead me as well?" A cold, snowy voice suddenly rang out in the inner chamber. The voice was low and hoarse, but Chu Li still heard it clearly. He slowly turned his head to see Qing Xia struggling to prop herself up with her hand, leaning on the edge of the bed, her face deathly pale, her lips like blood, having spoken one sentence as if she had exhausted all her energy, panting violently.

  Chu Li's eyes flashed with a cold glint, his mouth tightly pursed as he strode forward, grasping Qing Xia's slender chin in one swift motion. His eyes seemed to be gathering storm clouds, dark and profound, yet radiating an aura of fierce anger. Chu Li's voice was low and menacing as he growled, "Can't keep up the act anymore? Where has your composure gone? Weren't you supposed to be fearless, even in the face of death? What's wrong now? You've caught him, but can't live without him? Is that what it means?"

  "You're using me!" The woman on the bed burst into tears, her pale face tilted upwards as she shouted at Chu Li: "You let him misunderstand me like this, you might as well kill me!"

  Chu Li's face turned icy cold, his eyes red with rage, and he shouted: "If you dare to die, I'll have everyone outside buried with you!"

  "What does their life and death have to do with me?" The woman's face was stern, and she replied loudly: "Don't use the lives of these unrelated people to threaten me!"

  "What about me?" Chu Li suddenly grasped Qing Xia's face, his strength almost crushing his facial bones. His eyes were pitch black, filled with the gambler's reckless abandon. His voice was low and even, each word enunciated slowly as he asked: "In this life-or-death battle between Qi and Chu, it's either him or me who will die. What about me? Am I also someone unrelated?"

  Qing Xia was taken aback for a moment, looking at this tyrannical man. Her mind was even a bit dazed. Wasn't he always disdainful of her? Didn't he marry her into the imperial palace just to maintain the balance of power in the court? Before she came, didn't he never set foot in the Lan Ting Hall? But why would he say such things now? A sudden pain spread across her face, instantly recalling Qing Xia's senses. Her eyes also suddenly turned cold and fierce, filled with intense hatred: "If I could, I really want to do it myself."

  "Boom!" A dull thud suddenly came, Chu Li's right fist heavily hit the bedpost, wood chips flew, and fresh blood dripped.

  "Get out of here, all of you!" Chu Li suddenly roared, "No one is allowed in without my permission!"

  The gate slammed shut, Chu Li yanked off his armor and pinned it on Qing Xia's body, saying in a cold voice: "I'll let you know right now that I can never be an uninvolved person in your life!"

  Suddenly, a great force tore apart the clothes on Qing Xia's shoulders, revealing her snow-white and round shoulders. The sight stimulated Chu Li's eyes, and he quickly lowered his head, heavily kissing Qing Xia's body.

  Unfortunately, he didn't see the expression of the woman behind him at this moment.

  With a vertical hand as a knife, aiming at the acupoint, having practiced thousands of times and experienced countless battles in actual combat, the cut was clean and swift. The next second, the lion that was roaring just now was already sleeping peacefully like a gentle cat.

  The fragrant scent of agarwood induced a deep sleep, Qing Xia nodded in satisfaction, everything went smoothly, Chu Li got what she wanted. Back in the imperial city, she arrived at the Lan Ting Grand Hall and was infuriated, issuing an edict to not let outsiders disturb her. Now he is already unconscious, within two hours, he will not wake up, so she has ample time to do what needs to be done.

  Ma Li quickly changed into black night clothes, inserted a dagger, and brought along a rope, flint, small knife, iron wire and other small items. Qing Xia lightly opened the window at the back, looked back at Chu Li who was sleeping peacefully on the bed, then agilely disappeared into the darkness of the night.

  The third watch had just struck, and Qing Xia had already escaped the palace smoothly. In this ancient palace without infrared, cameras, or heat sensors, she was like a fish swimming freely, agile and nimble, with quick hands and feet, silently heading towards the Heavenly Prison in the east of Shengdu.

  The night is dark and dense, the crows on the branches are crying loudly, their voices are harsh and annoying.

  The moonlight was slowly covered by dark clouds at the horizon, a night with a full moon and sparse stars, a bloody smell quietly spreading in the air.

  No one left a message for Dong Er, so Dong Er doesn't need to vote anymore. Let's leave a message for Dong Er instead.