Chapter 524: Secret Rendezvous in the Palace

Chapter 524: A Secret Rendezvous in the Palace

"Besides, when the Old Witch came out, she didn't bring a single person with her except Nanny An. She's someone who's so afraid of dying—don't you think that's abnormal?"

After hearing Ji Yuntang's analysis, Hua Feixue couldn't help but feel something was off too.

Then it suddenly hit him, and he exclaimed, "You don't think the Old Witch and the Imperial Advisor are hooking up, do you?"

"The Late Emperor died early, and the Old Witch has no man by her side. A woman as ambitious as her would surely grow restless and want to find a man to have a kid with. So could her kid be the Imperial Advisor's?"

Ji Yuntang: "..."

She couldn't help but twitch her mouth. She had to admit, when Hua Feixue actually used his brain, he was pretty sharp.

After all, when Nanny An had asked Empress Dowager Yuan whether she was going to the Imperial Advisor's place, Ji Yuntang had the same suspicion.

But she was just guessing—she didn't have any real proof, so she couldn't answer his question.

The more Hua Feixue thought about it, the more he believed he was right.

He continued, "Before I left the Xishu Kingdom's palace, I had never heard of any Imperial Advisor. Xishu has always had good harvests and peace, and no emperor ever thought to bring in an Imperial Advisor to worship."

"But the moment I left, the Old Witch couldn't wait to bring one in from outside. How could that be a coincidence?"

"Not to mention, we heard from the townsfolk that day that this Imperial Advisor is utterly loyal and attentive to the Old Witch. Whenever she faces problems she can't handle, he handles them for her personally. The Old Witch even had a Baohua Hall specially built for him, and she made it off-limits to everyone."

"But from what I know, a normal Imperial Advisor is supposed to just do fortune-telling and read the stars—how could they get involved in politics?"

"Moreover, with how paranoid the Old Witch is, she can't even trust those around her. How could she trust some fake Taoist priest who came down from Mount Taibai, acting all mysterious?"

"I'm telling you, there's definitely something fishy here."

Ji Yuntang rarely heard him talk that much at once, and she agreed completely, "I also think there's something wrong with those two."

"So what are we standing around for? Why don't we follow the Old Witch and see what she's really up to at the Imperial Advisor's place?"

"If we can get some dirt on her, wouldn't that be perfect?"

Hua Feixue exchanged a glance with Ji Yuntang, and they were on the same page. After getting Emperor Chu situated, they quickly rushed out of the secret chamber.

At that moment, Emperor Chu had not yet awakened, and Empress Dowager Yuan had just come up the stairs.

As soon as she came up, she went to the inkstone and turned it, getting ready to close the entrance.

In the nick of time, Ji Yuntang dashed out just before the passage closed.

She'd barely caught her balance when she heard Empress Dowager Yuan tell Nanny An, "Pass on my order: starting tomorrow, stop sending food to the person down there!"

Nanny An was startled and asked hesitantly, "Empress Dowager, what do you mean?"

Empress Dowager Yuan said coldly, "He's of no use to me anymore."

Basically, she was going to starve Emperor Chu to death.

Nanny An didn't dare ask more and could only mumble, "This servant obeys."

Hua Feixue was livid and started cursing up a storm, "That old witch has no shame! She imprisons my father in an underground chamber, cuts the tendons in his hands and feet, and now she wants to starve him to death! Why doesn't she just die herself!?"

But even with all his cursing, Hua Feixue knew Emperor Chu wouldn't die within three days.

Before they left, Ji Yuntang had anticipated this outcome, so she not only fed Emperor Chu a Guyuan Pill to keep him alive but also left him some food and clean water.

As long as Emperor Chu woke up and turned his head a little, he could reach the food.

Hua Feixue also knew full well that as long as Ji Yuntang could get the key to the chains, they could rescue Emperor Chu within three days, and his life would be out of danger.

Actually, with Empress Dowager Yuan not sending anyone to bring food and water, he'd be safer.

Nanny An carried a lantern and helped Empress Dowager Yuan walk out, and they eventually reached the entrance of Baohua Hall.

Unlike the Chongming Hall they had seen earlier, this place was also quiet and secluded, but just the white jade exterior alone screamed understated luxury.

It wasn't so much a palace as it was a pagoda made entirely of white jade.

The tower had three tiers yet was used for residence—which was unheard of in any imperial palace.

Empress Dowager Yuan told Nanny An, "Stand guard here and don't let anyone near the entrance of Baohua Hall. I have important matters to discuss with the Imperial Advisor."

Nanny An had done this plenty of times and knew exactly what was going on. She replied respectfully, "Rest assured, Empress Dowager, this servant will guard the entrance well and ensure no one disturbs your exchange with the Imperial Advisor."

Seeing this, Hua Feixue rubbed his hands excitedly, "She's going in, she's going in! The Old Witch went in—let's sneak in too!"

Ji Yuntang shot him a look, unsure what he was so excited about.

She had a feeling that this "exchange" was anything but proper.

But to catch more dirt on Empress Dowager Yuan, Ji Yuntang still led Hua Feixue slipping into Baohua Hall.

The moment they entered, they were stunned!

The interior was even more luxurious than the outside. A massive golden dragon coiled across the ceiling, nearly occupying the entire space—imposing yet lifelike.

The walls were coated with pepper-infused plaster, the floor paved with white jade, and pearls hung as curtains. Sixteen night pearls the size of human heads were embedded in the surrounding walls, illuminating the hall as bright as day.

In the center sat a giant tortoise shell, along with a divination ruler and bronze coins used for fortune-telling, while yellow talismans were laid out on the table.

Hua Feixue walked around the palace taking it all in—whether out of jealousy or anger, he beat his chest and stamped his feet, saying:

"This, this, this! If anyone tells me this Imperial Advisor isn't the Old Witch's kept boy toy, I won't believe a single word!"

"I've lived in the palace for so many years and never seen her be this generous to anyone. Even the Late Emperor's former residence wasn't half as luxurious as this Baohua Hall."

"Could it be that the Old Witch raided the national treasury to build this hall for the Imperial Advisor?"

Just as he finished speaking, they saw a middle-aged man in a purple Taoist robe descending the stairs from the second floor.

The man had a refined countenance, a tall and slender figure, steady strides, and walked with an air of authority.

As soon as he reached the bottom, he swept Empress Dowager Yuan into an embrace.

Seeing her pale face and reddened eyes, the Imperial Advisor asked with concern, "Cousin, what's wrong? Did some disrespectful fool in the palace upset you again?"

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