rds over her shoulder as she strode out.“Sister, where are you going” Unexpectedly, Yun Muhán was still standing at the door and asked Yun Qianyue coolly when he saw her come out.Yun Qianyue's face da...Chapter 88 The Scholar of the Southern Liang Kingdom

Yun Qianyue looked at the old emperor and sneered inwardly. .i^How could they be here Was it really so surprising for him to feign ignorance She realized she had underestimated this old emperor before; his ruthless methods were as astonishing as his cunning ones. Today's incident couldn't have anything to do with him. He must have wanted her dead. The Nine-Loop Mandala Gourd was just a decoy; he truly intended to kill her.

If she lost her senses and judgment when it came to Rong Jing’s affairs, regardless of whether they were real or not, wanting to test them out would mean that Ye Tianyi wouldn't be rational about his feelings for her either. It wasn’t because she thought she was important to him, but rather, he simply wouldn’t do something as drastic as killing her.

Imperial guards had only ever listened to the emperor throughout history; the old emperor should have deliberately let Ye Tianyi know about the Mandala Gourd to involve Rong Jing and lure her here. Those poison needles were actually set up specifically for her. When seeing the cracks in the golden bricks, Ye Tianyi must have figured out their connection. The old emperor wanted to use him as a tool to kill her; that was why he was so scared afterward but could do nothing to stop it, and thus had to accompany her, later using his body to protect him.

She believed that at that moment, Ye Tianyi truly wanted to protect him. If Rong Jing hadn’t come, he would have died from poisoning! After this long, the old emperor probably figured out how fixated Ye Tianyi was on her; hence, he resorted to such a tactic—blurring reality and falsehoods, making it difficult for others to differentiate, leading them into his trap. Or perhaps he had already prepared himself to kill her if it went well, but if not, he wouldn’t hesitate to destroy this son of his.

Yun Qianyue thought of these things in an instant; a chill grew from her chest and abdomen, slowly spreading until she felt cold all over. The saying "Old ginger is spicy" wasn't without reason—Ye Tianyi was still too naive, or perhaps she had become his weakness unknowingly. This time, the old emperor probably gave him a lesson, as Yun Qianyue turned to look at Ye Tianyi. He was slightly pursing his lips and showing no emotion while facing the old emperor's surprised inquiries.

Rong Jing didn’t speak either; he carefully tied Yun Qianyue’s hair.

"Hm What is going on here Why are all of you silent" The old emperor’s gaze fixed on Rong Jing.

“I woke up in my aunt’s Glorious Palace and suddenly felt hungry, wanting to go out to find something to eat. I didn’t expect to meet the Seventh Prince, who said he was also hungry. Since the banquet has already been set here, why not sneakily come over for some food And it's quiet here too, so we came.” Yun Qianyue thought that embellishing peace wasn't bad; since today’s incident couldn’t be brought to light, there was no need to talk about it. She could pretend nothing happened, but the bill would eventually have to be paid—just not with such a stupid method.

“Hm” The old emperor frowned. “If you were hungry, why didn't you go to the imperial kitchen Why did you come here instead”

"The Imperial Kitchen is crowded and busy! You know I like Rong Jing. If he found out about me being with the Seventh Prince, he’d be jealous. Also, if it got out, it wouldn’t look good. Here there’s no one, and it's quiet, so we came here." Yun Qianyue said lazily.

"But why is the Crown Prince also here" The old emperor raised an eyebrow.

“That needs to be explained He was also hungry. He ran over for some food and just happened to meet us. They say what you fear will come true, which is exactly what’s happening on my unlucky self.” Yun Qianyue said as she looked at the main hall entrance. Behind the old emperor stood Ye Tianqin, Ye Tiandyu, Night Qingran, among others. One man wore a black iron mask; his body was clad in a blue soft robe. Although his appearance couldn’t be seen, only that he exuded an extraordinary aura compared to the crowd, she couldn't help but appraise him thoroughly, finally fixing her gaze on the eyes revealed by the iron mask. Even though she had never met this person before, it wasn't hard to guess who he was—none other than the Scholar of Southern Liang.

The Scholar of Southern Liang was also looking at Yun Qianyue at that moment; his gaze was as clear and aloof as ever.

Yun Qianyue looked at the Scholar, feeling as though she could see all things in this world within those eyes. The vastness of heaven and earth, boundless and expansive—it seemed that through his eyes she could clearly see how insignificant she was, like dust. Suddenly, her heart felt clear and serene. She steadied herself; because she had been reincarnated with a soul, she had never liked masters or fortune-tellers who could uncover her secrets, but this time, she couldn't find it in herself to dislike him—whether due to the jade plaque or simply because he was someone one found hard to dislike.

“So that’s how it is!” The old emperor swept a glance around with his aged eyes; no emotion could be discerned from them. “But these tables and chairs are all in order, as if they haven't been touched.”

"We found a hidden weapon before eating! It nearly cost our three lives. We were so frightened that we couldn’t think straight—how could we eat We were already scared full." Yun Qianyue pointed at the lifted golden brick and the fine needles on Rong Jing's severed sleeve, snorting, “Uncle Emperor, how can I be this unlucky Everywhere I go, there’s an assassination. Let me not talk about the past; just recently, a hundred imperial guards almost took my and Rong Jing's lives, and now these poisoned needles nearly killed us. Even if I had ten lives, they wouldn’t last long enough for such hidden enmity to be aimed at me. Whom did I offend”

“Hm Hidden weapon” The old emperor’s expression darkened.

"Yes! A highly poisonous one too! This weapon is said to have been passed down a hundred years ago by a strange person, and it's called 'No Return'. As for this poison, it's called Nameless Poison. It's lethal upon contact with blood.” Yun Qianyue sighed. “Fortunately we arrived first; otherwise, when the imperial guests, your aunt, the concubines of the harem, court officials, and their families arrived at Emperor Uncle’s birthday feast, if someone had stepped on this weapon, can you imagine what would happen A thousand poisoned needles could cause countless injuries and deaths. Your uncle emperor's banquet might turn into a funeral.”

The crowd turned pale upon hearing this.

Even the old emperor’s expression changed; he roared angrily: “How dare they! Who is so bold”

Yun Qianyue rolled her eyes and said, "How should we know If we had known earlier, we wouldn’t have nearly lost our lives. Uncle Emperor, hurry up and order a thorough investigation! Maybe the culprit is right in this great hall."

The old emperor’s face turned dark as he glared at Ye Tianqiong with anger, "Crown Prince, I ordered you to prepare for my birthday banquet today. How could such an incident happen"

Ye Tianqiong paled and hurriedly stepped forward, “Your Majesty, your son indeed carefully checked everything without any oversight as per your orders. The area around this great hall is heavily guarded by soldiers at all times. But if Yue’er Sister and Brother Seven along with Viscount Jing could enter the hall undetected by the guards outside, then whoever set up these hidden weapons must be an expert who wanted to disrupt the banquet.”

The old emperor snorted coldly and shouted angrily at Ye Tianqiong, "No matter what, having such a weapon placed in the great hall is your dereliction of duty. Guards, take the Crown Prince—"

Suddenly Yun Qianyue understood that the old emperor was trying to kill Ye Tianqiong with one stone while aiming for two birds; at least he wanted to use this incident as an excuse to strip him of his title. She immediately interrupted the emperor, "Uncle Emperor, since it’s a mastermind who could set up these hidden weapons without being detected, that proves how skillful they are. It can’t be blamed on Crown Prince for not preventing it; instead, it’s the culprit behind the scenes who’s too powerful to be stopped by anyone. So don’t blame him; today is your birthday celebration and a joyous occasion, no need to get angry. After the banquet, we’ll thoroughly investigate which villain was playing tricks from behind and punish them severely. i^"

"Yes! Father, Crown Prince Brother has such strict precautions, but the culprit could still enter the hall. This indicates that the murderer is very capable. It’s impossible for it to be a case of Crown Prince Brother embezzling; after all, this would only happen in a fool's mind!" Ye Tianyu also quickly added.

"Yes, Your Majesty! The birthday banquet is important!" Chancellor Qin hurriedly spoke up on behalf of Ye Tianqiong as well.

"That’s right, Your Majesty. This murderer should be investigated after the banquet," Prince Xiangqin looked at the three people in the hall and saw Rong Jing tying Yun Qianyue's hair. His old eyes flashed with shrewdness and he quickly added his voice.

"Indeed! Uncle, since we’ve exposed the plot behind this assassination attempt, it’s safe now. Let’s sit down at the banquet first! The envoys of various countries are still waiting!" Ye Qingran's gaze fell on the golden bricks as well as Rong Jing's half-robe sleeve and then he looked at Ye Tianqiong, Yun Qianyue, and Rong Jing before speaking.

Immediately after, Duke Dede and Cloud King along with other ministers in court successively spoke up to advise the emperor. Everyone knew today’s incident wouldn’t be that simple; there must have been some significant event behind it, but they all wisely pretended not to know. It was better if they didn’t know certain things.

"Alright! Since everyone is pleading for him, I won't punish you!" The old emperor looked at Yun Qianyue and waved his hand towards Ye Tianqiong, "From now on, the investigation of this incident will be handled entirely by you after the banquet. You must find out who the murderer is; I want to see which villain dares to set up such weapons in my golden hall and has some connection with a remarkable person from a hundred years ago, could it be their descendant"

"Thank you, Father! Your son will definitely find the culprit!" Ye Tianqiong quickly answered respectfully. He never imagined that one day Yun Qianyue would save him; not only did she send him back to Crown Prince Manor last time but also easily exonerated him this time without causing any trouble for the old emperor. His heart was overwhelmed with conflicting emotions, only feeling regret and guilt for those ten years of pretending.

"State Master, Wise Crown Prince, all officials, please take your seats!" The old emperor turned around to look at everyone.

"Your Majesty, please lead the way!" Everyone bowed in unison.

The old emperor led the way to his seat on the dais. As he passed by Yun Qianyue and Rong Jing, he suddenly stopped, surprised as he said, "Viscount Jing is actually tying Yue’er’s hair for her I know Viscount Jing is an extraordinary talent with both literary and military prowess, but I never knew that he was so meticulous to do such a delicate task."

Rong Jing had already finished tying Yun Qianyue's bun and fastened the last crimson hairpin on her head. He withdrew his hand and gave the old emperor a faint smile, "Your Majesty’s praise is too high! This woman is dumb and clumsy, not knowing how to fix her hair when it gets messed up; I had no choice but to do it for her."

"Hn! Yue’er has good fortune!" The old emperor smiled but showed no emotion in his eyes as he proceeded up the jade steps.

"You are dumb and clumsy" Yun Qianyue touched her well-tied Cloud Flow Bun, glared at Rong Jing. This glare was more a pout than anything else; with a glance that conveyed infinite coquettishness. Although she did it unconsciously, this kind of unintentional charm made others unable to look away.

"Then why do you need someone’s help" Rong Jing raised an eyebrow in response.

Yun Qianyue harrumphed and narrowed her eyes. She hadn’t expected the hidden weapon to act so quickly; it seemed that nothing was impossible, only unimaginable. From now on she must be more careful! She pushed away Rong Jing and bent down to pick up his half-robe sleeve from the ground, tsking as she rolled it up lightly. Then she took out a handkerchief from her bosom, wrapped the sleeve around it, and placed it in her sleeve.

"Yue’er, what are you doing with Viscount Jing’s half-sleeve" The old emperor had already sat down at the high seat and asked Yun Qianyue as he watched her actions.

"Imperial Uncle, this is a good thing. There are over a thousand poisoned needles on it, right And the poison used here has no name; such rare poisons are almost extinct nowadays. Since I happened to encounter one, how could I not keep it for future use If anyone wants to harm me in the future, I'll just stick these needles onto them."

"You should hand this over to Prince Taizi and let him thoroughly investigate this matter!" The old emperor looked at her sleeve and said.

"I will give him two needles after the banquet," Yun Qianmo glanced at Ye Tianqing, "Hey, make sure to ask me for them after the banquet."

"Alright!" Ye Tianqing nodded.

Yun Qianmo saw that everyone was being led by eunuchs and maids to their seats, leaving three empty spots in the second row. Nie Qingran sat in the third row while she didn't see Ye Qian or Yun Muhuan nor Qin Yuning. She made her way towards the Cloud Family seat.

"Miss Yun, your seat is over here!" Wen Lai hurriedly greeted her and pointed to the third seat on the left side of the venue.

Yun Qianmo raised an eyebrow at Wen Lai in surprise.

Wen Lai immediately explained, "This row was personally arranged by His Majesty. Prince Ji, you, Seventh Prince, Crown Prince, Princess Ye, Rui's Crown Prince, Southern Liang's Imperial Tutor, and three of the noblemen."

"Imperial Uncle, don't I lack qualifications After all, I am just a weak woman," Yun Qianmo looked at the old emperor, "I know my position. I’ll sit below!"

"Moonling, you are the legitimate daughter of Lord Cloud and have noble status! How can you be lacking in qualification Don't forget that there is Empress Zhenjing as well as the previous empresses, your aunts, and great-aunties above you. Stop talking nonsense and sit down!" The old emperor's stern voice boomed.

"Alright," Yun Qianmo smiled suddenly and pulled Rong Jing towards her seat, smiling at him warmly, "I didn't originally plan to sit next to you, but it seems that even though my Imperial Uncle doesn’t arrange a marriage for me until I come of age, he still takes good care of us by seating us together."

"Mm! So remember the emperor's kindness towards you and let me watch over you so that you don't cause any trouble and ruin his birthday banquet," Rong Jing smiled slightly; his smile was like a snow lotus breaking through the rain clouds, clear and bright.

"Got it!" Yun Qianmo responded and pulled Rong Jing to sit in the seat Wen Lai pointed out.

Wen Lai was taken aback and looked at the old emperor. The old emperor's expression darkened for a moment but he didn't say anything more. He then said to Ye Tianyi who was still standing, "Tianyi, sit down."

"Yes, Father!" Ye Tianyi sat in front of Ye Tianqing.

Yun Qianmo saw the expressions on Wen Lai's and the old emperor’s faces and sneered coldly. She naturally knew that it was impossible for the old emperor to seat her next to Rong Jing. The position from which the hidden weapon was thrown was actually Rong Jing's; beside him was the Southern Liang Imperial Tutor. In this way, the old emperor aimed to achieve three goals with one shot: if she came and killed herself, that would be best for him; if not, he could take advantage of the opportunity to remove Ye Tianqing and depose the Crown Prince’s position; if she didn't come and no one triggered these weapons, then when it was time, he could instruct someone to activate the mechanism so that Rong Jing and the Southern Liang Imperial Tutor would both suffer. With over a thousand needles appearing unexpectedly, surely at least one needle would hit its mark—just one needle was enough to kill instantly upon contact with blood. His goal would be achieved either way. However, she didn't expect it to be thwarted by her, Ye Tianyi, and Rong Jing so easily; he must certainly be furious now.

"Where is Princess Ye" the old emperor asked as he looked at an empty seat.

"Your Majesty, Princess Ye sent a message earlier saying that she would arrive late," Wen Lai hurriedly replied.

"Oh!" The old emperor nodded and turned his gaze downwards. He frowned when he saw the Cloud Family’s seating spot, "Why isn't Prince Yun here yet Hasn't his injury healed" After speaking, he looked at Yun Qianmo.

Yun Qianmo smiled, "Brother might be delayed by something. How could Brother not come to congratulate Imperial Uncle on such a grand birthday banquet" She then turned her gaze towards the Chancellor’s seat and changed the topic, "Miss Qin isn’t here either!"

"Yes, where is Qin girl" The old emperor asked.

The Chancellor of Qin hurriedly stood up to respond, "Your Majesty, Jade Ning is likely to come with the Dowager Consort and Empress!"

The old emperor nodded. It seemed he only then remembered that no one was by his side. In such a grand banquet setting, high-ranking consorts from the palace naturally had to attend. The Dowager Consort of Qin, Empress, and Lady Ming would certainly come.

"The Dowager Consort of Qin arrives! Empress arrives! Lady Ming arrives!" At this moment, someone shouted loudly at the entrance.

Yun Qianmo glanced at the door, picked up a piece of cake with her hand and put it in her mouth. Finding it delicious, she picked another one and placed it beside Rong Jing's lips. Rong Jing looked at her but did not refuse; he opened his mouth to swallow it.

Though everyone was paying attention to the entrance, many were still watching this side of the second row. Today, virtually all distinguished people had gathered in the front rows of the second and third rows. Many were not surprised by Yun Qianmo's actions since Miss Shallow Moon usually ignored etiquette, but they were amazed that Rong Jing would allow Yun Qianmo to feed him before the emperor announced the start of the banquet and even eat it, such an impolite act was unlikely to be something Prince Jingshi would do

The atmosphere in the great hall suddenly became solemn.

The old emperor noticed their actions but did not speak. Seeing that the emperor remained silent, everyone withdrew their gazes.

First came Dowager Consort of Qin, Empress, and Lady Ming. Although the dowager consort was senior in rank, her status was still not on par with the empress's. So she walked behind the empress by a step, while Lady Ming followed slightly behind the dowager consort. All three were dressed formally. Behind them were ranked consorts and more than ten of the emperor’s princesses, including Princes Six and Seven. The group had quite an imposing presence as they entered.

Yun Qianmo looked at the old emperor's harem, thinking about what Yun Li said about the imperial palace being sparse after no selection for a decade; she couldn't help rolling her eyes inwardly. There must be at least thirty to forty beauties here, how could it be sparse He wasn’t afraid of dying from exhaustion. She saw that Princess Six’s gaze was glued to Rong Jing from the moment she entered and pretended not to see it, looking instead at Princess Seven. Princess Seven seemed particularly good today, showing no signs of being chronically ill. Yun Qianmo recalled that since her amnesia, she had never visited Princess Seven's residence for about three months.

"The concubines wish Your Majesty a long life and prosperity! May the Heavenly Saint reign for ten thousand years!" The empress arrived, leading everyone to kneel and pay their respects.

"No need to bow! Dowager Consort, please sit! Empress, Lady Ming, please rise!" The old emperor waved his hand at the empress and others as he expressed his joy openly.

The empress straightened up, walking gracefully towards the jade steps with a composed smile. Behind her followed Dowager Consort of Qin, Lady Ming, and others.

As Yun Qianmo looked at the empress, she thought about the Jade Maiden Pond in the old emperor's quarters as well as Night Tianyi’s words. She tilted her head to look at Rong Jing; he was looking right back at her. She smiled at him and couldn't help reaching out to hold his hand regardless of what Night Tianyi had said. No matter what, she would have a standard in mind, a compass that guides her heart. Rong Jing’s love for her was true and so was her love for Rong Jing. Of course, before or during their love journey, there might be some conditions attached, but they could all be disregarded. The human heart is the hardest thing to control, simple yet complex; she had studied psychology and understood this better than anything else. Therefore, she would have a measure in her heart. This path was destined to be difficult; if her heart wasn’t steady, how could one even talk about love and the future

Rong Jing seemed to sense Yun Qianmo’s mood changes but didn't avoid it, letting her hold his hand.

Underneath the jade table, their hands intertwined. Rong Jing's hand was warm while Yun Qianmo's was cool; they soon merged into a comfortable temperature, moist and cool in a subtle way. A thread of affection passed through their fingers, weaving around each other intimately.

Yun Qianmo’s heart suddenly calmed down. This was exactly what she needed. In her previous life, she had worked hard for so many years, while in this life, apart from the few stable years after birth, she had been pretending and preparing all along. It was inevitable that it would be confusing, exhausting, and uncertain at times, making one feel fragile and weak. For example, today, if Rong Jing hadn't appeared, she didn’t know what the outcome would have been like; she wouldn’t know how she would react if Night Tianyi really died. Although he was too stubborn, she never wanted him to die. Over these years, she had treated him as Little Seven, watching him grow up while helping him. This was a kind of obsession towards Little Seven that she couldn't control. So even though Night Tianyi troubled her and caused her anxiety, she understood this obsession.

Dowager Consort of Qin, Empress, Lady Ming, and others sat down one by one.

"Dowager Consort, where is Jade Ning" The old emperor asked when he didn’t see Qin Yuning.

Upon hearing this, Dowager Consort of Qin’s face turned slightly unhappy but she still managed to suppress it, glancing at Night Tianqing and saying, "Jade Ning suddenly felt unwell this morning. Worried about spoiling Your Majesty's banquet mood, she didn't come! She asked me to plead her case with Your Majesty."

"Did she call for the imperial physician" The old emperor worriedly inquired.

"She did! The imperial physician said it wasn’t serious; just that she was a bit weak and would be fine after resting for two days!" Dowager Consort of Qin replied.

"Since there's nothing major happening, it wouldn't do to not come. She is now the Empress-to-be of this imperial house; everyone will be here, how could she alone be left behind Rest assured, no one will dampen my spirits," the old emperor said, then looked at Ye Tianqing and said, "Crown Prince, go to Dowager Consort Tai's palace and bring Qin Yutong."

"Yes!" Night Tianqiong stood up.

"The Emperor favors Jade Coagulation!" The Dowager Consort didn't try too hard to dissuade him.

Night Tianqiong walked out of the hall.

Cloud Qianyue watched Night Tianqiong leave, and thought that Dowager Consort Qin's move was probably a way to test how seriously the old emperor regarded this matter. If he did care about it, then naturally he would order Night Tianqiong to come and fetch her. Otherwise, it meant that the Emperor was furious over his affair with Qin Yutong, since everyone knew about it.

"Since Princess Ye said she will be late, let's start the banquet!" The old emperor looked at everyone present.

There were no objections.

The Minister of Rituals waved his hand, and dancers wearing light gauzy clothing entered one after another. Music filled the hall and it was a scene of great peace and prosperity.

"I'm very delighted that the Wise Crown Prince of Southern Liang and the Imperial Tutor have come to congratulate me, as well as all envoys from Western Yan and other countries," the old emperor raised his cup in thanks. Wenyi immediately filled the cup with wine for him. He stood up and lifted his glass towards everyone below him, "I raise this glass to all your efforts coming from afar!"

"The Emperor is being too kind! I wish you a long life and good health," said the envoys led by South Lingrui.

The old emperor gulped down his cup of wine in one go, looking very satisfied. He put down the glass and saw that all the envoys had raised their glasses to him except for the Imperial Tutor from Southern Liang, whose glass remained untouched. The Emperor smiled and asked, "Why aren't you drinking"

"I'm not good at drinking; please forgive me," said the Imperial Tutor of Southern Liang as he gave a slight bow to the old emperor. Although he didn't drink wine, his behavior was proper and courteous, and his voice was calm and detached, which made people believe that he truly wasn’t good at drinking.

Cloud Qianyue turned her head to look at the Imperial Tutor of Southern Liang and found his voice very pleasant. She looked at his hands; although they were in a nonchalant pose, she felt as if he didn't seem out of place here but rather fitted perfectly into this scene. If Master Lingyin was to appear, she felt sure that such an eminent monk would be completely out of place among the hustle and bustle of this world.

"Oh So the Imperial Tutor doesn’t like drinking" The old emperor raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"Yes," said the Southern Liang Imperial Tutor with a nod.

"Drinking less can be good for your health. Is there something wrong with your body" The old emperor looked closely at him, probing further.

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Tutor has indeed always been in poor health! He suffers from an old ailment, and drinking could trigger it," said South Lingrui as he took over and smiled at the old emperor. "We ask for your understanding."

"So that's how it is!" The Emperor understood with a nod and then laughed, saying, “Then you may use tea in place of wine! I must toast to you. These past years, I have always admired the Imperial Tutor but was never able to meet him. Ten years ago at my birthday banquet, the Imperial Tutor did not come to Tian Sheng which made me feel deeply regretful. But today I finally see the Imperial Tutor and this is truly a blessing."

While talking, the old emperor lifted his cup again.

The Southern Liang Imperial Tutor personally poured himself a cup of tea and raised it, “Your Majesty please!”

"Please!"

The two of them raised their cups together, drinking a wine and a tea to the last drop.

"In those days, the Imperial Tutor and Cloud Concubine were known as the Two Wonders of the world. The first wonder was that both the Imperial Tutor and the Cloud Concubine had mysterious origins; the second wonder was their exceptional talent coupled with supreme martial prowess; and the third wonder was their stunning beauty. Back then, I always thought you would sigh at how tragic it is that such a talented woman like her died so young," said the old emperor as he put down his cup. He seemed to glance briefly at Yun Qianyue before he sighed sadly.

Yun Qianyue's eyebrows moved slightly, but not noticeably. She noticed that when the Emperor spoke these words, the Imperial Tutor’s eyes flickered a little, although it happened so quickly she couldn’t tell for sure what had caused this reaction. She turned to look at Rong Jing and saw him nod his head ever so slightly in confirmation. So her eyes hadn't deceived her.

"I have been grieving for the Cloud Prince Consort’s death since I went to his residence," said the old emperor as he glanced again at Yun Shengwang, who had a look of pain on his face. With a smile, he continued, "It has been tough on you, Brother Yun! Ever since your wife passed away, you have changed completely and lost all your spirit. It’s already more than ten years ago!"

The Imperial Tutor remained silent as usual. Yun Shengwang wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his robe but didn’t say a word.

"I’ve always been curious about what you look like, Imperial Tutor! From what I heard, you've worn that mask since you entered public service. Many people must have thought the same thing as me, and I wonder if it would be possible for you to take off your mask at my birthday banquet today so that my curiosity can finally be satisfied" said the emperor, looking at the Imperial Tutor.

"This iron mask was made by my master. I swore never to remove it. Please excuse me, Your Majesty," replied the Imperial Tutor.

“Oh” The old emperor looked at the Imperial Tutor and asked, "Who is your master"

The Imperial Tutor answered in a calm voice, “My teacher has passed away.”

"Imperial Tutor, you place great importance on your oaths, so I understand if you can’t show me your face. However, not drinking and refusing to take off the mask are already two things that have disappointed me. But there is one more thing I want to know from you today; if you refuse again, it would be a huge disappointment for me to return empty-handed after this banquet where I was unable to see Imperial Tutor’s face and fulfill any of my three wishes!" said the old emperor.

"Your Majesty can say what he wants to ask," replied the Imperial Tutor, his gaze still calm and distant.

“I want to know about the relationship between you and Cloud Concubine,” said the emperor as he looked at the Imperial Tutor.

The empress’ expression changed slightly; so did Empress Dowager Qin’s and Lady Ming’s, who remembered that back then the Emperor had done many foolish things trying to find out where the whereabouts of the Cloud Prince Consort were. They felt it was no wonder he looked bad now because in these years, they believed the only person he truly loved was the Cloud Prince Consort, whose other consorts were merely decorations for him. But thinking about how she was dead made them feel better.

The Imperial Tutor suddenly fell silent.

“Is this another matter you can’t talk about” asked the old emperor as he raised an eyebrow.

Yun Qianyue also looked at the Imperial Tutor. She wanted to know what his relationship was with her mother! But she supposed it didn't really matter if he remained silent, since she had that jade token and could use it later to question him. Still, why did the emperor care so much about her mother And especially in this setting

"She is my junior sister," said the Imperial Tutor suddenly.

“Oh” The old emperor raised an eyebrow with a glimmer of light in his eyes. “So Cloud Concubine and you are from the same place, then”

The Imperial Tutor shook his head. "I don’t know where my junior sister is from, but I was out when she joined our sect, so we only met once or twice."

"I see," said the emperor as the glimmer faded from his eyes. He then looked at Yun Qianyue and smiled. "Moonie, since your mother was the Imperial Tutor’s junior sister, you should call him Uncle Master! And if you want to learn martial arts under a master as you’ve always wished for, wouldn’t it be better to have the Imperial Tutor teach you His martial skills are out of this world; fifteen years ago he single-handedly defeated my 150,000-strong army at Fenghuang Pass. Since he was your mother’s senior brother and is indebted to her, I’m sure that if you ask him politely, he won’t refuse!"

The Imperial Tutor naturally wouldn’t be so simple! o(n_n)o~h Ye Tianyi was persistent towards her, making her feel burdened, she still felt in her heart that it wouldn’t cause too much trouble at least for now. However, now that her mother's Green Jade Flute...