Wang Yulang's living soul was trapped.
Furthermore, his living soul had been separated from his body for seven days. Although Qing Wu used Xiao Chenyan's yang energy to mask Wang Yulang's death aura, deceiving the Book of Life and Death.
But in essence, this child's death date was already set. The moment his living soul broke free, he would be directly summoned to the Underworld.
Only by binding him with the power of kinship could he be brought back to the living.
After Qing Wu finished instructing Mu Ying, she returned to her room. She also needed to prepare some things, otherwise, Mu Ying might not be able to complete the Yin-Yang Road tonight.
On the other side, the Minister's Manor.
"Minister, please uphold justice for this subordinate."
The young official's face was swollen like a pig's head, his eyes bruised, and he spoke with a lisp.
"Prince Yan is too overbearing. He abducted my wife in broad daylight and ordered officials to be beaten."
"And the Princess Consort, your daughter, was also bewitched by Prince Yan. Yesterday, she helped Prince Yan abduct this subordinate's wife and even accused this subordinate of poor household management and indulging his servants in insubordination!"
Wang Sheng indignantly knelt outside the curtain, verbally attacking Prince Yan, completely unaware of the stiffness of the person inside.
"This subordinate is insignificant. I implore the Minister to uphold justice and report this matter to the Eastern Palace."
"Minister?"
Wang Sheng didn't hear Yun Houxing's voice for a long time, feeling a bit surprised. He subconsciously looked up, only to meet a pair of sinister and malicious eyes behind the beaded curtain.
The two pig-headed faces met eyes, and Wang Sheng was startled: "Minister, your face—"
Yun Houxing, furious, hurled an inkstone out, cold sweat drenching his back:
"Who let you in!!"
Hearing Wang Sheng's accusation, Yun Houxing's first thought wasn't to seize Xiao Chenyan's handle, but fear!
His household was in turmoil, and his life was in the other's hands.
The Eastern Palace avoided him like the plague; his invitations were met with silence.
In truth, he no longer cared if the Eastern Palace reacted. Yun Houxing only hoped his actions would attract the attention of that particular person.
He could barely protect himself now. This fool Wang Sheng wanted him to help?!
How could he help?! His ledger of crimes was in Xiao Chenyan's hands. The hundreds of thousands of taels he had embezzled over the years had also vanished. Not to mention, there was now someone in his mansion...
Screech—*
The door was pushed open, and Madam Luo entered, followed by several servants.
Yun Houxing instantly felt like a goose being strangled, unable to make a sound.
"Master is entertaining a guest. How are the servants serving? They haven't even prepared tea..."
"Someone, quickly serve Vice Minister Wang some tea."
Wang Sheng inexplicably felt a chill. He thought the Minister's Manor was strange today but didn't overthink it. He simply stood up and bowed to Madam Luo, "Thank you, Madam."
While thanking her, contempt flickered in his eyes.
He heard that this new Madam of the Minister was elevated from a concubine. No wonder she lacked propriety. He was discussing matters with the Minister, and she, a mere woman, dared to barge in.
The tea and snacks were brought before Wang Sheng.
"Vice Minister Wang, please have some tea."
Wang Sheng thanked her and perfunctorily raised the cup to take a sip, frowning involuntarily.
Why did the tea in this Minister's Manor have a muddy taste?
"Vice Minister Wang, why are you only drinking tea and not eating the snacks? Do you dislike my cooking?"
Wang Sheng repeatedly said he dared not.
A strange smile flickered on Madam Luo's lips. She looked towards the beaded curtain and said, "Master, since Vice Minister Wang refuses to eat, why don't you try it for him?"
"No!" Yun Houxing's emotions were intense. He suppressed his fear and disgust, coaxing Wang Sheng, "Vice Minister Wang, this is the Madam's kind intention. You must enjoy it well and not waste it."
"Yes." Wang Sheng, full of curiosity, endured his discomfort and picked up a chopstick of side dish. The next moment, his eyes lit up.
"Madam Minister has excellent cooking skills."
Wang Sheng wasn't a glutton. He never expected these side dishes to be so delicious. Eating them made his appetite soar, and after the first bite, he couldn't stop, as if addicted.
"I'm glad Vice Minister Wang likes them..."
'Madam Luo's' laughter held a sinister tone.
Wang Sheng ate with his head down, even forgetting about his complaint. Vaguely, he heard a dry heave.
After Wang Sheng finished eating all the 'delicious' dishes, he was still driven out. He felt wronged. As he left the Minister's Manor, he looked at the heels of the servant leading the way and a thought crossed his mind.
The people in this Minister's Manor are truly strange. Why don't their heels touch the ground when they walk?
After he left, 'Madam Luo' carried a plate of delicacies behind the beaded curtain and placed it directly on Yun Houxing's desk.
Her face was filled with deathly pallor, her smile ferocious, but she spoke:
"Vice Minister Wang has eaten his fill. The rest, Father, you will handle."
Then, the so-called delicacies turned out to be a plate of live crawling insects, writhing and twisting on the plate.
Yun Houxing recoiled in terror: "I won't eat! No! Let me go, let me go—"
"Ahhh—mmph—"
Several 'servants' stepped forward, grabbing Yun Houxing from both sides. Another person pried open his mouth and poured the entire plate of 'delicacies' into it.
Madam Luo, or rather, Yun Qingwu, stood by, watching with satisfaction, and chuckled softly:
"Don't rush, eat slowly. That Lord said, after this meal, there will be another."
"Since you're so greedy, aren't you afraid of bursting? Then eat a little more..."
On his way back to the manor after leaving the Minister's Manor, Wang Sheng stopped his carriage and vomited by the roadside. First, he vomited a pile of insects, many of which were still alive, crawling around and terrifying the onlookers.
In the end, he started vomiting blood. The servants quickly helped him back to the manor and searched for a doctor everywhere.
The first-hand news was sent back to Prince Yan's Manor. Those who heard it marveled. Situ Jing said:
"The Princess Consort really knows how to deal with people. A meal of poisonous insects, making the scumbag's intestines rupture. Wonderful! Truly wonderful!"
Xiao Chenyan paused his writing, a smile flashing in his eyes. He temporarily set aside his military affairs: "How is Yun Houxing?"
"He's being 'fed' constantly. *Gag*—" Situ Jing suppressed a dry heave and said gloatingly, "The person keeping watch reported that the old dog eats every two hours and is beaten every three hours."
"We also saw the message he sent to the Eastern Palace, but the Eastern Palace has been playing dead, likely watching from the sidelines. However, the old dog didn't dare mention anything in his letter, only repeatedly requesting an audience."
"Your Highness, do you think the current Crown Prince was the one who ordered Yun Houxing to frame the Marquis Zhenguo's Estate ten years ago?"
"If it was indeed him, then everything would be simpler."
"Indeed." Situ Jing sneered, "Yun Houxing has ambition but is timid in his actions. After investigating for years, although there are always clues pointing to him, the traces are too deliberate."
"It's not that I look down on the current Crown Prince, but with his abilities, to cause the Former Crown Prince's death overnight ten years ago and frame the entire Marquis Zhenguo's Estate, he truly couldn't have done it."
"Thus, Yun Houxing frequently reporting to the Eastern Palace, yet sending insignificant information in his letters, should be a way to attract the attention of his true master."
"Your Highness's strategy of luring the snake out of its hole is also brilliant. We'll see when this snake from behind the scenes finally shows itself."
"Speaking of which, did the Princess Consort really empty out Yun Houxing's embezzled silver? Was it really forty thousand taels?"
Xiao Chenyan hummed and wrote several names on a piece of Xuan Paper. After a moment of scrutiny, he threw the paper into the brazier beside him.
Situ Jing calculated in his mind, his face showing joy:
"Forty thousand taels! That's enough for our Northern Border Army's military expenses for two years!"
"Your Highness marrying the Princess Consort is like welcoming a lucky star! Hahaha, Yun Houxing must be spitting blood every time he thinks about it!"
"If you find your life too long, you can continue to covet those forty thousand taels." Xiao Chenyan's tone was languid, "Don't forget, that's her 'dowry'."
Situ Jing's smile froze. Alright, he truly didn't dare.
"Why don't Your Highness sacrifice your looks? Our Northern Border Army is truly poor. The Imperial Court has been withholding military expenses, and the brothers haven't eaten meat in a long time."
"The Hu people are also scared of Your Highness's might, so it's not easy to snatch their cattle and horses anymore."
An army of hundreds of thousands is not easy to feed.
Xiao Chenyan glanced at him, but then changed the subject, "What is she doing now?"
Someone outside immediately came to report on Qing Wu's situation.
After hearing that Qing Wu had met Mu Ying, she had been shut in her room and hadn't come out. Xiao Chenyan pondered for a moment and decided to go and see.
As soon as he entered the Iris Courtyard, he heard a creak. The woman pushed open the door and walked out, holding a newly made paper lantern.
It was just that the lantern...
It was another Iris Lantern.
Xiao Chenyan's gaze deepened, unfathomable.
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