Murong Chao said without looking up, “Something has happened at the Protector-General’s Estate.”
The master knows again?
Qingdai was truly convinced this time—her master was indeed no ordinary person. If only she could cultivate…
Alas, no one in this world is perfect!
She hadn’t felt this emotional even when she learned that her master was the Crown Princess of the Chiyue Kingdom who had been living in exile.
“It is indeed the Protector-General’s Estate that has encountered trouble. Although they tried their best to conceal the news, the fact that they summoned the imperial physician with the best medical skills from the palace early this morning couldn’t be hidden. It seems several members of the household have fallen ill simultaneously, and even this imperial physician was unable to help. The Protector-General’s Estate has already sent someone to Qingyun Shan to invite a divine healer. No one knows exactly what happened.”
Qingdai honestly reported the information she had gathered.
Ever since the Imperial Marriage Edict was issued, Qingdai had wished nothing but misfortune upon Jiang Anya and Chen Qingyang. Today’s two pieces of news seemed tailor-made for them—how could Qingdai not be delighted?
Qingyun Shan, huh? Even if the Jiang family invited that old man from the Xuantian Sect, it would be useless.
Murong Chao set down her chopsticks. “Any news about Jiang Anya?”
Mentioning Jiang Anya, Qingdai’s expression immediately turned gloomy. “The Jiang family says she is in seclusion for cultivation and won’t emerge until before the wedding.”
In her heart, she cursed bitterly: Why couldn’t it have been Jiang Anya who fell ill?
Murong Chao curled the corner of her lips. As expected, the Jiang family couldn’t bear to discard Jiang Anya as a pawn.
As long as Jiang Anya wasn’t completely foolish, she wouldn’t tell the Jiang family that she had taken the Core Formation Pill. After all, the final symptom of her condition would only be the destruction of her cultivation level due to the poison’s outbreak.
And indeed, at this moment, Jiang Anya remained in her room, without even a servant to attend to her. The Jiang family feared that news of her ruined cultivation level would leak out and affect her marriage to Chen Qingyang.
Jiang Anya pondered how she could make Chaochao’s soul scatter and vanish. Even now, she believed Murong Chao was already dead and that it was Murong Chao’s vengeful spirit that had harmed her so severely last night.
But every time this thought surfaced, her entire body ached so intensely that she wished for immediate death.
After several attempts, she finally understood: she could not harbor any intention of harming Chaochao. This realization plunged her into even deeper despair. When Chaochao was alive, she had been so easy to manipulate and deal with—how could she be powerless against her now that she was dead?
With her cultivation level destroyed, would the Third Prince still favor her? Wouldn’t she become the next Chaochao?
No, she lacked Chaochao’s wisdom and beauty—she could never become the next Chaochao.
This awareness filled Jiang Anya with even greater despair for her future.
Murong Chao was well aware of Jiang Anya’s current state—after all, she had orchestrated it herself.
“Qingdai, tell Shujin there’s no need to come and bid farewell. Leave immediately and head straight out of the city without delay. Lock the courtyard gate and just throw the key inside the yard,” Murong Chao instructed.
Qingdai was taken aback. “Won’t we escort you out of the city, Master?”
Having been by Murong Chao’s side for three years, witnessing her schemes and calculations day after day, Qingdai was no naive young girl. She understood clearly that Chen Qingyang would not let her master leave. Without cultivation abilities, her master was in grave danger.
“No need. I have my own way of leaving. Just wait for me in the Chiyue Imperial City,” Murong Chao replied patiently to her own people.
Especially to those like Qingdai and Qi Shujin, who had sworn a Soul Oath of loyalty to her.
“Shall I take your belongings with me, Master?” Seeing that her master had a plan, Qingdai said no more.
“No need, I can take them myself. Please give me all my belongings.”
Murong Chao remembered that her clothes were with Qingdai, and the garments in the Purple-Gold Space were all Zong Fu from the Xuantian Sect, unsuitable to wear outside.
Qingdai was somewhat surprised but still did as Murong Chao said, taking out all her things and placing them in the room.
In truth, her clothes and personal items were not many—only three bundles.
Murong Chao’s lips twitched slightly. It seemed she really was too poor.
Qingdai cleared the bowls and chopsticks, then bid farewell to Murong Chao and went to the front courtyard, telling Qi Shujin and the others to leave immediately.
Qi Shujin didn’t ask any questions. Although Xie Shikun was puzzled, he knew it wasn’t his place to inquire further, so he could only leave with the two of them.
However, even as they left, they didn’t see Murong Chao, which piqued Xie Shikun’s curiosity once more.
Seeing Qingdai lock the door from the outside and then toss the key inside through the door slot, he couldn’t help but ask, “Miss Qingdai, where is your mistress?”
Qingdai shot him a glare. “Is that something you should know?”
Xie Shikun awkwardly rubbed his nose. That was true, but given that her mistress was the Crown Princess of Chiyue, he hadn’t seen her come out. Could she have left last night?
But after glancing at his sworn brother and the temperamental Qingdai, he wisely kept his mouth shut.
In the shadows, Chen Qingyang’s shadow guard saw the main gate locked and felt somewhat confused. Then, Murong Chao’s Shenhun Qi Xi vanished. His eyes narrowed, and he quickly leaped into the courtyard, heading straight for Murong Chao’s room.
He searched the entire courtyard but found no trace of Murong Chao. Instantly alarmed, he realized he hadn’t closed his eyes all night, keeping his spiritual sense tightly focused on her Shenhun Qi Xi, fearing he might lose track of her. Just moments ago, he had seen her eating breakfast—how could she have disappeared in an instant?
Little did he know that last night, when Murong Chao entered the Purple-Gold Space, she had used a Porcelain Person to leave her Shenhun Qi Xi outside, making him believe she had been sleeping in her room all along.
Now, as she prepared to leave and entered the Purple-Gold Space again, she naturally wouldn’t leave her Shenhun Qi Xi outside anymore.
Early in the morning, Chen Qingyang heard the news that his father had appointed the eldest prince as Crown Prince. A storm of fury raged within him, and upon hearing that Chaochao was missing, he immediately opened the secret passage door in his study. Seeing the dark, earthen wall, he remembered—the passage had been destroyed.
With a grim expression, he turned and left the estate, no longer concerned about whether anyone might notice, and headed straight for the small courtyard.
A man in black robes quietly followed behind him.
This man was the same one who had met Jiang Anya the previous night. After leaving Jiang Anya, he received news that the Empress of Chiyue had issued an order: the Crown Princess’s Coming-of-age Ceremony would be celebrated for three days.
The Empress was meticulous in her affairs. Since she had made this decision, she must have been certain that Murong Chao would return on time.
Had he been deceived by Jiang Anya?
Especially after hearing the news of the Jiang family’s troubles this morning, he became even more convinced that things had likely taken an unexpected turn.
He kept watch over Chen Qingyang, reasoning that as long as Chen Qingyang went to meet someone, he would find out who Murong Chao was. If that failed, he would take matters into his own hands and eliminate her.
But upon seeing the small courtyard Chen Qingyang was heading to, the black-robed man had a bad feeling.
Chen Qingyang was completely unaware that someone was secretly following him. Furious, he arrived at the small courtyard, saw the locked gate, and with one palm strike, shattered it. As he walked in, he spotted the key lying on the ground.
His face darkened even further.
The shadow guard, seeing his arrival, immediately appeared.
“What happened? You couldn’t even keep watch over a woman without any cultivation level?” Chen Qingyang spoke with a displeased tone.
The shadow guard recounted the events and asked for forgiveness.
Chen Qingyang went to the backyard and immediately noticed the rocking chair and small table under the bamboo grove were missing.
Taking a deep breath, he entered Murong Chao’s room. Everything else was still there, except her trunk was gone.
Seeing several boxes casually placed on the table, he opened them and his face turned as dark as ink.