Joyful Motherhood in a Rural Family

Chapter 912: Chapter 912 Accident

Came back? Liu Sisi felt as if a huge weight had suddenly fallen to the ground in her heart.

Waiting was anxious and long.

Liu Sisi stood on the high platform beside her, with Di Cheng and Feng’er standing next to her. Also, there was Di Xuan, who had passed the examination and become a Cultivated Talent, stretching his neck to look outside.

Di Xuan had always dreamed of climbing up the ranks through his own efforts. Last autumn, he had successively passed the child prodigy examination and the county examination, earning the title of Cultivated Talent. However, due to the war, his next examination was postponed until June of next year.

As everyone was chatting and laughing while waiting there, to their surprise, Eunuch Xiao came over with an even more bent spine than usual.

“This servant has seen Princess Ruyu. A thousand blessings and peace to you.”

Originally intending to avoid notice, Liu Sisi couldn’t hide the flash of annoyance in her eyes: “Eunuch Xiao, why have you come here instead of attending to Father Emperor over there?”

Eunuch Xiao: “To report to the Princess, His Majesty has requested your presence, saying that he has something to discuss with you alone.”

Instinctively furrowing her brows, the deeper Liu Sisi understood the mystery surrounding her mother’s identity, the less she wanted to involve herself with her Father Emperor. She hadn’t accompanied the main entourage precisely to avoid her Father Emperor, and yet she hadn’t managed to escape notice.

“Eunuch Xiao, do you know why Father Emperor has summoned me?”

“How would this servant dare to speculate upon His Majesty’s intentions?” replied Eunuch Xiao with a face full of smiling wrinkles.

As expected, she couldn’t get a clear answer!

Everything was as anticipated, and Liu Sisi didn’t feel any disappointment: “Please lead the way, Eunuch Xiao.”

When Liu Sisi arrived, the furrowed brows of His Majesty showed no sign of relaxing. Seeing Liu Sisi coming, he gestured to her.

“Ruyu has come, come over here! From this vantage point, we can immediately see the arrival of Marquis Yongping’s men.”

“Thank you for your deep affection, Father Emperor. Ruyu is ashamed.”

Liu Sisi gave her respects, stood up, and slowly walked over to Zhao Yuanlang’s side: “Father Emperor, the sun is not only scorching out here, but the sandstorms can also easily blur one’s vision. It would be better for Father Emperor to wait inside the pavilion.”

The crowd on the perimeter had retreated far away, while the ministers and eunuchs in the middle encircled Zhao Yuanlang like stars around the moon. Should any unforeseen event occur, Zhao Yuanlang standing at the very center would be an easy target, with each shot hitting its mark.

Laughing with a ‘hehe’, the Daoist Master from beside them said, “Princess Ruyu worries too much. The day before yesterday, His Majesty just took an elixir personally crafted by this Immortal for His Majesty, ensuring that he will be free from all illnesses. What is this mere sun in comparison?”

At this statement, Liu Sisi’s complexion instantly changed; she had forgotten about this person.

The Daoist Master, reportedly the elder brother of Taoist Master Zhu, appeared before His Majesty last year during an auspicious celestial event. At that time, Liu Sisi was engaged in a military campaign with Zhao Heng’s forces and did not witness the specific events. She only knew that by the time she returned, this person had already been by Zhao Yuanlang’s side, day in and day out.

Not just that, Zhao Yuanlang had also specially built a temple for him in the Palace and had a spectacular garden called Genyue hastily constructed. The garden, said to be nothing short of miraculous and like a fairyland, spanned roughly ten miles, constructed with hills as a blueprint. They stacked soil to form mountains, and the main Gen Mountain was scenically beautiful, cool in the summer and warm in the winter, making it an ideal retreat from the heat. The temple was majestic and lofty, not something ordinary palaces could compare with.

Liu Sisi had heard that the body of Gen Mountain was hollowed out in the middle, housing several large caves. Within these caves, realgar and cinnabar were hidden deep. Realgar was not only crucial for expelling snakes and insects but also essential for alchemy and artifact crafting. Cinnabar could emit yin energy and gather clouds and mist, causing the mountain to be shrouded in fog all day long, like a valley in the deep mountains, as beautiful as a fairyland.

At the foot of the mountain, there were various rockeries piled up with grotesque rocks and odd peaks, and the waterfalls and hot springs flowed all year round.

In the middle, scattered strategically were Yaoliao, Xizhuang, Chaoyun Pavilion, Bailongyi, and other enchanting places that made people linger and forget to return. It had been Zhao Yuanlang’s favorite place to stay for more than a year. As Zhao Yuanlang became increasingly dependent on Taoist Master Yongzhen, even when Liu Sisi occasionally asked for an audience, he seldom granted one. And when he reluctantly did, Taoist Master Yongzhen was sure to be present.

“What are you implying, Taoist Master Yongzhen? Could it be that after eating a few elixirs, you’re not even afraid of the sunlight?” Liu Sisi’s face stiffened slightly, her smile becoming forced.

She didn’t have the slightest fondness for Taoist Master Yongzhen, and she had never heard of any genuine elixirs being developed. This was also why Liu Sisi was increasingly reluctant to enter the Palace and attend court.

“Is Ruyu concerned about Father Emperor? You needn’t worry, Father Emperor is in very good health. He won’t be harmed by a bit of sunlight. The elixirs recently presented by Immortal Chief Yongzhen are very effective. I’ve only taken two pills and already feel more spirited. Ruyu, you must not misunderstand the Immortal Chief,” Zhao Yuanlang said, shaking his hand casually with a significant tone, feeling somewhat critical of Liu Sisi’s words at heart.

This wasn’t about being poisoned by the sun, was it?

But Liu Sisi didn’t know how to respond; Taoist Master Yongzhen was surely a charlatan.

She glanced to the side and saw Taoist Master Yongzhen’s eyes, which seemed to smile but not to smile, brimming with malice. She shivered involuntarily and quickly spoke.

“Father Emperor, Ruyu naturally knows that Father Emperor’s health is robust, only that Ruyu cannot bear to see Father Emperor suffer. So that’s why…”

She clenched her teeth, speaking these flattering words, wondering when she’d finally be done with sycophantic phrases?

Zhao Yuanlang laughed heartily, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes: “It’s rare for Ruyu to have such filial piety. Now that Marquis Yongping has also returned to the capital, you just wait a moment, they will soon arrive.”

Liu Sisi kept waiting for Di Yelei’s troops to arrive, but she didn’t see anyone. From the previous turmoil until now, more than two cups of tea’s time had passed. Perhaps something significant had occurred along the way.

“Father Emperor, allow Ruyu to assist you,” she said.

Liu Sisi did not continue the conversation.

Zhao Yuanlang was pleased: “Let’s go! We’ll meet them to see how far those troops are.”

While talking, a cloud of dust billowed in the distance, and the sound of thunder approached—it seemed the troops had arrived.

The leader dismounted and immediately knelt in salute: “This humble Marquis Yongwu greets Your Majesty! I have not failed in your Imperial Decree and have brought the traitorous leader to be presented as a captive for Your Majesty to judge.”

Everyone was shocked! The murmurs and discussions began at once.

Wasn’t it said that the one coming to present the captive was Marquis Yongping? How did it turn into Marquis Yongwu? Could it be that Marquis Yongping dared to defy the Imperial Decree?

Liu Sisi was also surprised to see that none of Di Yelei’s confidants were among the people in front of her.

What… What exactly was going on?

While the others were oblivious, Zhao Yuanlang had already sensed it—alas!