Chapter 126: Copying the Tao Te Ching
“Princess, are you alright?” Yin Xin asked, stepping forward with concern. “The Junhou was far too heavy-handed.”
Yin Xin had already been worried that they would be severely punished for helping Li Lan. Seeing Li Xuanyue’s face so badly swollen, she felt a wave of regret. Had she known, she would have stayed in the hall to take the punishment in her mistress’s stead. It was better than letting the Princess be seen like this.
Li Xuanyue knew Yin Xin was worried, but with so many ears around, she didn’t want to talk.
“Let’s go back to Fenghe Palace first.”
Yin Xin understood that Li Xuanyue was afraid of her saying something wrong that might reach Hua Shan’s ears, so she nodded obediently. Along the way, they were the target of many strange and inquisitive looks.
Of course, the news eventually reached the ears of the various Shi Jun.
Yao Guang, though physically weak, understood the gravity of the situation. For Hua Shan to be angry enough to slap Li Xuanyue, she must have done something that truly incensed him.
“Young Master, should we go see her?” He Zhao asked tentatively.
Yao Guang’s health was much better than when he was with the Wolf Clan, mostly thanks to Li Xuanyue ensuring Liu Wuya monitored his condition.
“Is there any movement from Jun Shi Jun’s side?” Yao Guang didn’t answer directly, instead asking about Jun He. Among them, Jun He was the first to gain Li Xuanyue’s favor, so Yao Guang had to keep a close eye on him.
He Zhao lowered his eyes. “Currently, none of the Shi Jun seem to be moving. Jun Shi Jun is apparently raising fish outside the rockery!”
A sharp glint flashed in Yao Guang’s eyes. “He certainly has the leisure for it. Forget it, since they aren’t moving, we can afford to wait. Approaching her at this moment might not do us any good.”
Back at Fenghe Palace, Yin Xin quickly brought eggs to roll over Li Xuanyue’s face to reduce the swelling. Li Xuanyue, however, was lost in thought and didn’t notice.
She was wondering how to get Hua Shan to completely let go of Hua Sang. Since Hua Sang still had the Gu inside him, it meant he was still under Hua Shan’s control. Even if Li Lan hid him in the Valley of No One, the damage from the Gu was unpredictable. Her intuition told her that Li Lan would eventually have to bring Hua Sang back to the Phoenix Clan.
Li Xuanyue’s intuition was correct.
After Hua Shan had struck her, he immediately called off the search for Hua Sang. Partly out of guilt for hitting her, and partly because he believed that given enough time, Li Lan would realize something was wrong with Hua Sang’s body. When that happened, Li Lan’s concern for the man would drive him back to the clan.
Sure enough, only two days later, Li Lan sent a secret letter to Li Xuanyue. He said he was bringing Hua Sang back. He didn’t explain why, but Li Xuanyue already knew. He didn’t want Hua Sang to die, so he was willing to risk his own safety to keep him alive.
“Yin Xin, what do I have to do to keep them safe from Fu Jun’s harm?”
Li Xuanyue could think of no better way—unless she could seize the top position in the Phoenix Clan immediately! She had to become the new Fenghuang (Phoenix Empress).
The Sovereign!
A sharp light glinted in her eyes. The idea acted like a needle to her nerves, snapping her into total clarity. If she truly wanted to protect Li Lan and her father, the best way was to become the new ruler. Only then could she command Hua Shan to stop pursuing Hua Sang and live out his days properly with Li Feng.
Without waiting for Yin Xin to respond, Li Xuanyue decided to go to the study to find Li Feng.
The commotion caused by Hua Shan’s search for Hua Sang had been huge; Li Feng couldn’t have missed it entirely. Li Xuanyue’s goal was to test the waters and see how much the Empress knew, allowing her to decide where to strike.
Meanwhile, in the study, Li Feng had been resting for the past few days. The reports from the clan elders were all focused on Li Xuanyue. Some elders argued that her secret departure was due to Hua Shan’s overindulgence and that she needed to be severely punished. A smaller group worried that her leaving was dangerous due to the many wild, unintelligent beasts outside, and they urged the Empress to send more people to find her.
When Li Xuanyue arrived, she saw Li Feng frowning with displeasure.
“Mu Huang!”
Li Feng looked up at the sound of her voice. “When did you return?”
Li Feng was initially excited and happy to see her, but remembering her daughter’s unauthorized flight, her joy instantly turned into coldness. She stared at Li Xuanyue intently, as if trying to see through her.
Guilt flashed in Li Xuanyue’s eyes. “I am sorry, Mu Huang. I have made you worry.”
After the brief pleasantries, Li Feng’s face darkened. “Kneel!”
Li Xuanyue didn’t dare resist and immediately knelt. Seeing her good attitude in admitting her mistake, Li Feng’s anger softened slightly.
“Do you know why I am making you kneel?”
Li Xuanyue remained silent, knowing exactly why. She had done wrong by disregarding Li Feng’s feelings. But if given the chance to do it again, she would still make the same choice. She just didn’t say that out loud for fear of triggering another explosion.
“Do you know how dangerous it is outside?” Li Feng asked. Seeing her silence, she assumed the girl was afraid. “How many people are watching you? And yet you just run off with Li Lan without a word. Do you want to worry me and your Fu Jun to death?”
The more Li Feng spoke, the more she felt the severity of the act. What if she did it again? To give her a lesson she wouldn’t forget, Li Feng decided on a punishment.
“Go to the library and copy the Tao Te Ching three thousand times. I want it by noon tomorrow!”
Li Xuanyue’s eyes widened. “Three thousand times?”
Wait! She hadn’t come here to be punished! She had things to ask!
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