“How can this be?!”
Hadn’t the Princess been locked away by them?
The Southern Border envoy shrieked in disbelief, his eyes bulging with rage.
She was supposed to fall into a deep slumber the moment she swallowed the Gu insect how could she appear here so quickly? Besides, they had left guards to watch over two mere toddlers. He simply could not understand how Yi Yi had managed to escape.
“Seal his mouth,” Dongfang Mo ordered. The noise was unbearable.
The guards obeyed immediately, stuffing cloth gags into the envoys’ mouths.
“Father, Mother, I’m back~”
Seeing the redness in Dongfang Mo’s eyes, Yi Yi thought he was about to cry. She tugged anxiously at his sleeve, trying to make him kneel down.
Looking a little sheepish, she said, “I’m sorry… Father… I wandered off.” Her big eyes blinked up at him, oozing pure childish charm.
After a long pause, Dongfang Mo finally crouched down.
He was indeed furious, but far stronger than his anger was his fear.
Only that day he had promised her he would always keep her safe…
He studied the little girl closely. Her cheeks were rosy and her energy boundless; aside from her hair sticking out in every direction like a messy bird’s nest, she appeared completely unharmed.
He lifted her onto the seat beside him and asked, “Now tell me exactly what happened.”
“I went to use the restroom, and then they grabbed me!” Yi Yi did not mention eating the bug, worried that if Dongfang Mo and Jiang Wantang found out, they would surely spank her.
“I fell asleep,” she said, placing her cheek against her folded hands and mimicking a sleeping pose. “They locked me and Brother Jingchuan up together.”
“Then I woke up all by myself, and woke Brother Jingchuan too.” She balled her tiny fists and struck an exaggerated fierce pose. “Take that! Pow! Pow! Pow!”
“I beat all the bad guys flat on the ground!”
Having finished her story, the little girl seemed to find it quite amusing and burst into happy giggles.
The assembled ministers found her far too adorable to resist though as for her account of events, not a single soul believed a word of it.
Dongfang Mo did not believe it either. The way she laughed with obvious guilt and unease made it clear she was hiding something.
Right now, all he wanted to do was carry her back to the Purple Star Palace and give her bottom a sound spanking.
“Take all the Southern Border envoys away and interrogate them one by one.”
It was customary not to harm messengers from other nations but if they acted with treachery, he need not show them any mercy.
The Southern Border envoys stared daggers at Yi Yi, as if they could bore holes through her with their gaze alone. They exchanged quick glances, all realizing their plan had failed.
In that case, there was only one thing left to do “Ah! They’re turning into bugs!”
In just a few seconds, more than a dozen Southern Border envoys vanished without a trace, leaving behind only large, plump insects wriggling slowly across the floor.
After twitching for a moment, the bugs went completely still.
“Your Majesty, these are the Puppet Gu,” someone explained.
With the exception of their leader and the Holy Maiden, the rest had been turned into living vessels for the Gu.
The people of Southern Border were masters of witchcraft and Gu arts; though they lacked strength in open battle, they had once fought Great Xia to a standstill. The greatest reason for this was their secret army of puppets.
But that army had been utterly destroyed years ago by General Duan Guihong how could it have returned so quickly?
If Southern Border had rebuilt their puppet forces, Great Xia would be in grave danger.
And now that Duan Guihong was confined to a wheelchair, crippled in both legs, who was there to face them?
For a moment, the mood in the hall turned heavy and gloomy.
Dongfang Mo’s expression hardened like stone. “Let them come we shall meet them head-on. They are nothing but defeated foes!”
If it came to it, he would personally lead the army into battle.
He lifted Yi Yi into his arms and left the hall. With the Emperor’s departure, the state banquet ended abruptly and unhappily.
……
……
Back at the Purple Star Palace.
Dongfang Mo sat upon his throne, rubbing his temples with clear signs of exhaustion.
In another part of the hall, Lu Zhao and Pei Xue were questioning Lu Jingchuan.
“Mother told you to protect Princess Sister how did you let this happen?”
“Wife, those Southern Border scoundrels came prepared. What could a little boy possibly do against them?”
“Quiet!”
Lu Zhao fell silent, grumbling inwardly.
Lu Jingchuan stood there with his small face set tight and his lips pressed into a thin line, saying nothing at all.
He could not speak.
Princess Sister had warned him: if he told anyone about her eating the bug, she would be punished severely. And seeing how stern and fierce His Majesty looked, he did not want her to get hurt.
While Lu Jingchuan faced his interrogation, Yi Yi was enjoying a rare moment of peace.
Jiang Wantang said not a word, focusing only on gently combing Yi Yi’s tangled hair.
Though she had intended to give the stubborn little girl a good scolding, seeing her safe and sound made her heart soften. As long as she is unharmed, that is all that matters.
But Yi Yi, expecting a storm of punishment, felt her heart sink.
Oh no! Father will spank me in the daytime, and Mother will scold me at night… My poor bottom is doomed!
Her face crumpled into a look of misery, her head drooping low as she nervously twisted her dress, as if trying to tear a hole in it with her small fingers.
“Dongfang Qiaoyi. Come here.”
“I’m not here,” came her tiny, muffled voice.
Dongfang Mo shot her a sharp look.
Immediately, the little girl surrendered, covering her bottom with both hands and shuffling forward. “I-I am here… really…”
It’s happening… the punishment is finally here…
Seeing her trembling with fear, Dongfang Mo felt both exasperated and amused. He softened his tone slightly and said, “Tell me everything that happened today, in full detail.”
Then, turning to Lu Jingchuan, he instructed, “Chief Eunuch Li, take the young master to the side chamber and record every word he says.”
Lu Jingchuan was led away.
“Now,” Dongfang Mo warned her, “remember children who tell lies find their noses growing longer and longer.”
Sure enough, the threat worked perfectly on this vain little girl.
Yi Yi touched her nose, tears welling up, and began to speak this time hiding nothing at all and confessing every single detail.
As soon as she finished, she grabbed her nose and buried her face in Jiang Wantang’s arms, sobbing, “I don’t want a long nose… it will make me ugly!”
Just then, Lu Jingchuan returned to the main hall, and Chief Eunuch Li presented his written statement.
Dongfang Mo read through both accounts. They matched almost exactly except that Lu Jingchuan had taken the blame for the incident with the bug upon himself.
With both children’s accounts clear, the whole picture became obvious.
Someone in Southern Border knew of Yi Yi’s strange constitution and had deliberately placed the Gu insect to lure her, hoping to use it to control Great Xia. Their only mistake was underestimating how quickly Yi Yi recovered and the terrifying strength she possessed.
In truth, Yi Yi’s body had been evolving with every creature she absorbed; her assimilation would only grow faster, and soon she would not even need to fall asleep to devour anything.
With the matter resolved, Dongfang Mo dismissed everyone from the room.
Later, in his private study.
Dongfang murmured to himself, “That man from Southern Border… it must be Bai Ningbing.”
No one else knew that Yi Yi was capable of consuming the Soul-Devouring Gu.
“Red Hawk,” he called out.
A figure appeared instantly, bowing low. “Your Majesty?”
“Investigate Bai Ningbing thoroughly.”
“Bai Ningbing?” Red Hawk looked confused. “Is he not affiliated with the Divine Medicine Valley?” Information regarding that mysterious organization was extremely difficult to obtain.
Dongfang Mo gave him a sharp glance. “Just do as you are told.” After a pause, he added, “And place Noble Consort Liu under close watch as well.”
It was rather suspicious. No one had been able to invite anyone from Divine Medicine Valley not even the Empress Dowager or Prince Jing yet Noble Consort Liu had somehow “chanced upon” one of their members.
A little too coincidental indeed…