Chapter 61

Xiaoming Palace is to the west, 1,494 zhang away from the Nan Yang Gate of the Imperial Palace. From the Nan Yang Gate to the Weiyang Palace in the outer hall, it is more than 700 zhang. At his speed, without alarming the palace attendants, how long would it take to get to the Weiyang Palace from here? Which chapter of the music was being played in the night?

The Southern delegation must have already arrived and taken their seats; the Qingteng Banquet was about to begin. If she hurried over, she should still be in time. First, she needed to know the reason. Luoluo thought about these things, remaining silent, her face cold, making the entire palace seem chilly.

Fortunately, in this palace, apart from one female official, only she and the palace's owner were present, so no one would scold her for being impolite.

Xiaoming Palace is the quietest yet most luxurious palace in the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, as it is where the Empress Dowager's most beloved and only daughter, Princess Pingguo, resides. The young lady sitting in the main seat had a beautiful face, seemingly not very old, but her eyes naturally exuded an indelible charm.

Facing Princess Pingguo, who is adored by the entire Great Zhou, ordinary people would not even dare to breathe loudly, but Luoluo's attitude was completely ungracious, and her words were tinged with a hint of accusation: "Pingguo, you tricked me here and didn't let me attend the Qingteng Banquet. Do you not intend to give me an explanation?"

Earlier, the female official had invited her to Xiaoming Palace on behalf of Princess Pingguo. Unexpectedly, after arriving at Xiaoming Palace, the official kept delaying, and it was only after Luoluo realized what was happening that Princess Pingguo finally appeared, by which time a lot of time had passed.

She was very clear that Princess Pingguo was acting on someone else's behalf, and it was definitely related to the Qingteng Banquet. However, she only thought of the Empress Dowager's followers who were eyeing the National Teaching Academy with covetous intent, and did not realize that the other party's target had always been Chen Changsheng.

Princess Pingguo listened to Luoluo's questioning without getting angry, and smiled, saying, "We haven't seen each other for a few months. I heard you're pretending to be a well-behaved student at the National Teaching Academy, so I was a bit curious. By the way, what kind of person is the master you worship?"

Luoluo ignored her, staring into her eyes, and continued, "Why?"

"Mo Yu knows that we are close, so she asked me to keep you here for a while. As for why... she didn't tell me."

Princess Pingguo said, her expression very calm, not treating it as a serious matter.

However, Luoluo saw through her deliberate act—many people knew that Princess Pingguo and Miss Mo Yu were not very close, maintaining only a surface-level warmth and politeness for the sake of the Empress Dowager. She naturally did not fully believe her explanation.

Princess Pingguo said, "Don't think too much. Mo Yu is hosting the final night of the Qingteng Banquet on the Empress Dowager's orders, and she is most concerned about the marriage proposal between the Phoenix and the Qiu Shan family's child. She asked me to keep you here to prevent you from causing trouble."

She, who looked so young, referred to Qiu Shan Jun as a child, which seemed quite strange.

Luoluo was most uncomfortable with this attitude, frowning slightly and saying with disgust, "Speak properly... I'm not you, why would I cause trouble?"

Princess Pingguo's eyes brightened slightly, a bit shy, and said, "Why would I cause trouble? Luoluo, you really like to joke."

Luoluo said, "You don't like Xu Yourong... who doesn't know that in the palace?"

Princess Pingguo's smile vanished, and she said coldly, "The Empress Dowager likes her, why should I like her? Besides, Qiu Shan family's child is perfect and so excellent, he should be the prince consort of our Great Zhou Dynasty. Why should he marry that mountain girl covered in mud?"

Luoluo said sarcastically, "Even if you repeat the story of losing to her in childhood countless times, it won't change her status in the Empress Dowager's and everyone else's hearts. Not to mention Qiu Shan Jun, even I would rather marry her than you."

Princess Pingguo was very angry and said, "Whose side are you on?"

Luoluo said, "You know I've always liked her—of course, if you let me leave, I can stand on your side."

Princess Pingguo stood up and looked at her quietly, then suddenly smiled, "This is the first time Mo Yu has asked me to do something. Do you think I would mess it up?"

Luoluo stood up and said, "You never do things that don't benefit you, right?"

Princess Pingguo sighed helplessly, "I am a princess, after all, and I have to do some things for the Great Zhou Dynasty."

Luoluo thought for a moment and realized that the matter she was referring to was likely related to the Southern delegation's marriage proposal tonight. However, she couldn't understand how her presence or absence at the Qingteng Banquet would affect the proposal. Although she admired Qiu Shan Jun, she had no romantic interest in him.

Her hand lifted, very close to her waistband. With a thought, she could draw out the Jingyu Whip.

The other party was the Great Zhou Dynasty's Princess Pingguo, extremely favored by the Empress Dowager. Even she could not do something too extreme, but at that moment, Luoluo suddenly wanted to kill her because she suddenly realized that the other party had only tricked her to Xiaoming Palace but might have taken action against her master!

Princess Pingguo knew her temperament but was not afraid, smiling and saying, "A few days ago, I heard you turned my distant cousin into a cripple at the Qingteng Banquet. You truly live up to your name, Luoluo. I can't beat you, but... if something happens to me, can your family afford it?"

Luoluo looked at her and said, "The Tianhai family is a bunch of lunatics, and we can't afford it... but you know, my family has many lunatics too. If something happens to me in the capital, can you and Mo Yu afford it?"

Princess Pingguo said innocently, "This is the Great Zhou Imperial Palace. How could something happen to you?"

Outside Xiaoming Palace, the night was filled with hidden palace attendants and strong warriors.

They naturally wouldn't dare to really hurt Luoluo, but they could trap her.

Just as Mo Yu couldn't really hurt Chen Changsheng, they had to find a way to trap him.

Now, both master and disciple faced the same predicament.

"Don't act stupid and cute in front of me; I'm good at it too."

Luoluo gripped the Jingyu Whip and slowly drew it out, looking at her seriously and saying, "If something happens to me, who can stop it?"

Princess Pingguo's expression changed slightly because she saw Luoluo's determination. If something really happened to Luoluo in the Great Zhou Imperial Palace, she and Mo Yu together could not bear the consequences, especially since the Empress Dowager was unaware of tonight's events. If the Red River raged for 800 miles, what would happen?

"What is so good about that boy Chen Changsheng that you are so devoted to him?" she looked at Luoluo, very puzzled.

"This is not something you need to be concerned about, nor is it something you truly care about."

Luoluo's right hand moved slightly, and the Jingyu Whip slowly slid on the golden bricks. She looked at Princess Pingguo and said, "I don't want to care about your true intentions now. I just want you to order those people outside to clear the way. I want to attend the Qingteng Banquet."

Princess Pingguo remained silent, seemingly hesitant and struggling, but in reality, she was silently calculating the time. After confirming that, according to Mo Yu's plan, the young man should already be trapped in Tong Palace, she looked up and smiled slightly.

"Please," she said to Luoluo, "I hope you are still in time."

...

...

The night was deep, and the palace was as bright as daylight. Luoluo arrived at the Weiyang Palace, her cheeks brushed by a few strands of hair, a bead of sweat on her brow. She looked towards the shadows behind the palace and saw the figures of Jin Changshi and Li Nüshi. She listened quietly for a moment, her delicate eyebrows slightly raised, a hint of anger.

Chen Changsheng was not in the palace. A moment ago, he was still talking with the Eastern Divine General Xu Shijie on the side of the palace. Then, Prince Chenliu spoke to him for a few words. Jin Changshi and Li Nüshi did not dare to get too close, but the next moment, he disappeared into the night, no one knew where he had gone.

Luoluo looked at the Great Zhou Imperial Palace in the night, with countless eaves and pavilions, and remained silent. She knew how difficult it would be to find someone in such a vast area at this time.

Since some members of the Great Zhou royal family did not want her and her master to appear at the Qingteng Banquet because the Southern delegation was coming to propose, why was this so? She pinched the brocade pouch in her sleeve, thinking of her master's instructions before leaving the National Teaching Academy, her eyebrows raised even higher, as if they were about to fly up.

If the other party did not want her to do something, she would do it.

Luoluo no longer thought about it and directly pushed open the tightly closed doors of the Weiyang Palace, walking in towards the bright light inside.

Inside the palace, the Southern delegation had already arrived and was greeting the important figures from the Qingteng Colleges and the imperial court. Some people who had never met were introducing themselves, expressing their admiration, creating a harmonious and lively scene.

At that moment, there was a loud bang as the palace doors were pushed open!

Although the cold night wind could not blow in, the light inside the palace changed, and the atmosphere changed, because the person who pushed the door open was very rude.

When they saw who the little girl standing at the palace door was, the palace fell into an unusual silence.

Earlier, someone had noticed that the National Teaching Academy's seat was empty and was puzzled. Now, they finally saw the main person.

Luoluo's gaze swept through the palace.

The middle-aged man should be the head of the Qiu Shan family, Qiu Shan Yuanxin.

The old man with white hair and beard, with only a bowl of clear water and a green pear on his table, should be the Elder of Lishan, Xiaosong Palace.

The woman in a white veil, with a serene demeanor, wearing the National Teaching College's ceremonial robe and sitting close to the female professors of Qingyao Thirteen, should be a fellow disciple of the current Holy Maiden.

The three young men with indifferent expressions and swords on their knees should be the famous Seven Laws of the Divine Kingdom.

She had already seen the students from the Five Qingteng Colleges and those who had passed the preliminary exams of the Grand Imperial Examination.

There were many people in the palace, but no Chen Changsheng.

Luoluo's gaze finally landed on a seat at the front.

That seat was very close to the main seat of Prince Chenliu and others, only slightly behind Qiu Shan Yuanxin and Xiaosong Palace.

The person sitting there was a young man.

The young man had a gentle and kind expression, with an ordinary but not ordinary aura.

Because his eyes had a light.

Luoluo looked at him and knew he must be Gou Hanshi, one of the Seven Laws of the Divine Kingdom.

The legendary Gou Hanshi.