Chapter 387: Didn’t You Say You Wouldn’t Come? (3)
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
When Pei Xiangjun heard this, she frowned and said, “Why does your Pacifying Heaven Cult want to enter the palace? Jingtang won’t rebel…”
Ye Jingtang raised his hand slightly and explained, “It’s not a rebellion. It’s just entering the palace to find something. It seems to be buried under the Peaceful Hall. It’s not impossible, but it won’t be easy…”
“Regardless of whether it succeeds or not, 1 have to take it seriously and act on it. If there are any difficulties, I can explain to Xue Baijin and ask her not to rush me.”
“Understood. Well… Before I left, I told the Imperial Court that I would bring you two to the palace to learn the Jade Bone Picture. I’ll ask about the situation tomorrow… But even if you can enter the palace, don’t take matters into your own hands. Let me do it.”
“I know. If you really find it, I’ll have to go back right away. Hmm… Let’s talk about it after you find it.”
After discussing for a while, Luo Ning felt a little more at ease. She got up and wanted to leave, but from the corner of her eye, she saw Ye Jingtang’s broad chest muscles, perfect abdominal muscles, and the hard…
When Ye Jingtang noticed that Ning’er was avoiding his gaze, he understood what she meant and took the initiative to put his arms around her shoulders. “Alright, it’s already so late. Let’s rest first. We’ll continue discussing tomorrow.”
Pei Xiangjun, who had been left hanging, had been waiting for a long time. Seeing this, she flipped over, pressed Luo Ning down, and took the medicine box from beside the pillow. “You came up with a bad idea to mess with me, right? Do you understand the principle of don’t do unto others what you don’t want done unto you? Come, try the taste of being a hairless girl yourself first…”
When Luo Ning saw that Third Lady was going to use force to take off her dress and put the hair removal ointment on her, she naturally panicked and covered herself with her hands. “Third Lady Pei, don’t mess around! What if Yunli finds out when I’m bathing…”
“So what if she finds out? Just say that you shaved yourself because it felt cool. Moreover, it’ll grow out in a couple of months. It’s not like I’m asking you to be a little girl forever…”
“You… Ye Jingtang! If you let her do whatever she wants, 1’11 really go back!”
“Who’s messing around? You’re the one who started it. I’ll give you a chance now. Do you choose to protect the front or the back…”
“What front or back?”
“You came up with two bad ideas. Have you forgotten them?”
Luo Ning pursed her lips. Because she was in the wrong, she simply put on an unyielding expression and tilted her head, closed her eyes, and ignored her…
The next day…
Ding-!
Ding-!
The morning bell rang from the bell and drum tower, and the warm autumn sun shone on the streets and alleys of Yun’an City.
Ye Jingtang rode his big black horse to the Imperial City. After handing over the token to enter and leave the palace freely, he entered the Imperial City.
On the surface, he had gone to Wu Province to investigate the Prince of Wu’s rebellion. But secretly, he had looked for the formula for a substitute for the Snow Lake Flower and captured Zhang Jinglin.
Now that he had finished these two things, he had to report back.
Because Yuhu had instructed Ye Jingtang not to tell Dumdum, he only entered the palace in the name of meditating and practicing at the Roaring Dragon Pond while he was on leave.
Yesterday, the Prince of Wu had been escorted back to the capital. Today, there naturally had to be a morning court assembly to deal with this matter.
Ye Jingtang walked past the square in front of the Hall of the Supreme Principle. He could see many courtiers entering the hall, and the valiant and spirited Dumdum was walking in front in court attire.
Although Ye Jingtang enjoyed the treatment of a fourth-grade military officer, he was not an official official. Even if he were, a fourth-grade military official was nothing among the important ministers and officials of the Imperial Court. He certainly wouldn’t run over to show his face and greet Dumdum. He directly followed the palace maid past the Hall of the Supreme Principle and arrived at the Eternal Joy Palace.
The empress was holding court in the Hall of the Supreme Principle. Other than the palace maids, there was no one else in the Eternal Joy Palace.
Ye Jingtang walked familiarly to the waterside pavilion in the center of the Roaring Dragon Pond. He sat cross-legged with his back straight and practiced martial arts. Only after the palace maids looking at him by the lake left did he open his eyes and study what Ning’er had said last night.
According to Ning’er, at the end of the previous dynasty, the last Yan emperor had fled to Heavenly South. Before he died, he had told Xue Baijin’s grandfather that there was something hidden under the Peaceful Hall that could be exchanged for help from Northern Liang.
The Pacifying Heaven Cult Master didn’t say what exactly it was. He only knew that the Pacifying Heaven Cult Master had emphasized that Ning’er should take it herself and not tell outsiders. The reason was probably that she was afraid that if outsiders got it, they would directly run to Northern Liang to exchange it for a high-ranking official position and money.
Ye Jingtang definitely wouldn’t help the Pacifying Heaven Cult restore its country. But in order for Ning’er to stay in the capital legitimately, he still had to go through the process of investigating the matter.
According to Ning’er, the item was placed under a rockery on the side of the bedchamber.
There was a small secret room under the rockery that was built when Great Yan was founded hundreds of years ago. It had originally been used to preserve the Roaring Dragon Chart. It was extremely hidden and had a delayed opening mechanism. After activating the mechanism, quicksand would fall until the mechanism was activated under gravity.
Although the opening method was not troublesome, this process would take an entire day. The commotion when it was opened would be quite big, so it was impossible for outsiders to open it privately.
Because the opening process was too ceremonial, in the end, even the founding emperor of Great Yan had been too lazy to use it. He had directly placed the Roaring Dragon Chart in his study. This secret room had most likely been used to store precious items that might not be used for decades. As for the last Yan emperor, he had escaped from the capital without bringing the things out of the secret room because he didn’t have time to wait for an entire day.
From Ye Jingtang’s position, he could see the rockery in the garden. It was about 30 feet tall and didn’t look special. Great Wei had only been founded for 60 years, and even the bathhouse that the empress dowager had used to have an affair was still reserved. This rockery probably hadn’t been touched, and the things should still be inside. But it was almost impossible to open the rockery without anyone noticing.
Ye Jingtang observed for a long time, but before he could think of a reasonable method, his ears twitched, and he heard footsteps coming from the lake.
Tread, tread…
Hearing this, he quickly closed his eyes and focused, pretending to be undistracted…
