I really became a king.

Chapter 24: There is no place outside the law
Shuliu Palace, the palace where the queen lives, is second only to Dingyuan where the emperor lives in height.

A female official in white palace dress had been waiting at the palace gate. When she saw Jiang Yi coming, she knelt down and bowed, smiling sweetly, "Why did the prince come just now? The queen has been waiting for a long time."

She has bright eyes, white teeth, and two dimples on her face when she smiles, which makes people feel close to her. She is Shangguan Bing, a female official of Shuliu Palace. She was born in an out-of-this-world sect and is deeply trusted by the Queen.

Jiang Yi looked up at the position of the sun, laughed, and said, "Does the palace have meals so early?"

Shangguan Bing smiled and bowed: "Please wait a moment, Your Majesty, I will report to you." After that, she turned around and walked in.

"A secluded sect... but it is still not immune to worldly affairs." Jiang Yi shook his head. Normally, people from other worlds should not appear in the palace, but they appeared openly, and there were more than one of them.

It is said that this imperial grandmother herself came from a secluded sect, and it seems that she was born in one of the two holy places above the seven sects and eight schools.

"Sir..."

Jiang Yi looked over and saw Shangguan Bing standing at the corner of the side hall, waving at him. In the royal family, which always pays attention to etiquette, this way of greeting is a bit unconventional, but it also adds a sense of intimacy.

When Jiang Yi approached, Shangguan Bing stood under a tree, bowed slightly and said, "Don't blame me, my prince. It's really hard to like it in such a hot day." After that, he took Jiang Yi to the palace in a casual manner.

"Oh? I heard that Sister Shangguan was born in a secluded sect. I guess the immortals must have profound skills. How could she be afraid of the sun?" Jiang Yi spoke casually.

"What does this have to do with the secular sect? In this hot sun, any woman who loves beauty will dislike it." Shangguan Bing looked back and chuckled, blinking her eyes after laughing: "Even the Queen is no exception."

The Shuliu Palace covers an area of ​​nearly 100 acres, and it takes a while to walk there. Jiang Yi also wanted to know more about the secular sect, so he asked:

"You, the disciples of the secular sect, have always disliked the secular world and only focus on practicing your immortal skills. How could Sister Shangguan enter this secular world?"

"As long as one is a human being, one cannot escape from worldly affairs. How can one completely escape from the secular world?" Shangguan Bing said after a pause.

He added, "But it seems that this name of 'outside the world' is imposed on us by you. No one likes to sit alone in the mountains and forests all day long. Who doesn't like to live in a colorful world?"

"I wonder what the prince thinks of us who live outside the world?" After saying that, he tilted his head and looked at Jiang Yi.

Jiang Yi smiled and said, "People who live outside the world should enjoy their blessings in your own secret land. Why bother wading through the muddy waters of the secular world?"

"So the prince doesn't agree with us entering the society?" Shangguan Bing slowed down his pace and tilted his head to look at Jiang Yi.

"There is no place outside the law in the secular world!" Jiang Yi replied softly.

Shangguan Bing's eyes narrowed, and she looked at Jiang Yi deeply: "It seems that the prince has really changed. He didn't treat people like us before."

"Oh? What was my attitude before?"

"The prince has recruited a group of people from other worlds before." Shangguan Bing said with a smile.

"Sister Shangguan, are you referring to Pan Daoan, Taoist Li and others?" Jiang Yi glanced at the other party.

He shook his head and said, "Just now I said that there is no place outside the law in the secular world, so naturally there is no one outside the law!"

"So the prince killed them?" Shangguan Bing tilted his head and stared at Jiang Yi.

"It's not wrong to say that I killed him." Jiang Yi said indifferently.

"Yes, as far as I know, their sect has vowed to avenge their elder. Oh, and Miss Lan Fu..., I heard that her aunt is coming out of seclusion..." Shangguan Bing said with a smile: "Do you want your sister to help mediate? Or directly destroy these two sects for you?" There was an evil aura about her.

"That's great. I will definitely repay Sister Shangguan when the time comes."

"Haha, you wish for that. I wouldn't do that!"

After saying that, Shangguan Bing quickened his pace and once again led the way, half a body length ahead of Jiang Yi. Not far ahead was the greenhouse where the queen usually lived.

"Your Highness, please go in by yourself."

When they reached the outside of the greenhouse, Shangguan Bing gently lifted the door curtain. Jiang Yi nodded and walked inside. Just as he was halfway inside the door, he heard a sweet breath beside his ear:
"If you can get over this hurdle, you might as well come to me to discuss how to cooperate. Those two sects all practice unorthodox techniques, and they are all vindictive."

Jiang Yi didn't respond and walked straight into the greenhouse.

"Grandson Zhong Bao pays homage to the Empress Dowager." Jiang Yi entered the greenhouse and bowed his head.

"Tsk tsk, Eighteenth Brother is so arrogant. The Royal Mother summoned us to have a meal, but you made her wait for such a long time." Jiang Yi knew without even looking at the chattering voice next to him that it was the cuckold Jiang Shihuai.

"Grandmother, please forgive me. This is my first time visiting the Imperial Palace. It is so huge that it took me two hours to find where Grandmother lives."

Jiang Yi's words were nonsense, purely to disgust the other party. He had already learned about the situation in the northern border from An Daohui. With Princess Duan around, he believed that even the Emperor of Dali would not kill him at this time.

"You..." Jiang Shihuai was a little stunned. This lie came out of his mouth. In the imperial city of Dali, there was a guard post every three steps and a sentry every five steps. The palace maids and eunuchs were in groups. Naturally, there would be people to lead the way. How could he get lost?

He wanted to say something else, but was interrupted by a soft voice.

"Get up. I usually don't pay enough attention to you. I called you here today because I want our family to have a reunion dinner together."

"Thank you, Empress Dowager." Jiang Yi stood up and looked around the room.

In the middle of the warm room was a Luohan bed, on which a beautiful middle-aged woman was lying comfortably. She was dressed in a royal phoenix costume, with thin eyebrows, phoenix eyes, a delicate nose, thin lips, and round cheekbones. She was the current queen, Ye Xinmei.

On the left and right of him stood Prince Zhong Jiang Se and Jiang Shihuai respectively.

"We've eaten first because we can't wait for you to come. We've left lunch for you on the table outside. Go and have your meal first." Ye Xinmei should be as old as the emperor of the current dynasty. She is over a hundred years old, but she is well maintained and looks to be in her thirties or forties.

When Jiang Yi walked in from the outer room, he noticed the lunch left for him. There were not many dishes, just a chicken, a fish, a vegetable and a soup, and exactly one third was left on each plate, not more, not less.

"Grandmother, I have been practicing a certain technique recently, so I can only drink some dew in the morning. I am sorry for your kindness."

After Jiang Yi finished speaking, he felt that the atmosphere in the greenhouse became very depressing, even a little cold.

"Nephew, do you really want to let your mother down?" Jiang Se, who was standing aside, said in a sinister voice.

Jiang Yi knew that he could not retreat at this time, and said: "I dare not refuse the elder's gift, but my father is far away in the northern border. As the prince of Prince Duan's mansion, I dare not abandon this family business without permission."

"Okay, I'm tired, you can leave now." The queen closed her eyes and pretended to sleep, and continued, "In a month, we will follow the ancestral precedent and hold a 'Dragon Gate Challenge' to decide who will be the heir to Prince Duan's mansion. You should go back and make preparations early."

Dragon Gate Challenge! Jiang Yi's expression changed, while Jiang Se and his son smiled sinisterly.

(End of this chapter)