This scholar is a bit cruel

Chapter 324 Hero
The sun gradually sets.

Inside the Bai residence, the Bai family members waited anxiously.

"Master, Madam, the son-in-law has not yet left the palace."

Every half hour, a servant would return to report that as soon as Luo Zijun left the palace, the news would be received here.

Ever since Luo Zijun entered the palace, the Bai family has been very uneasy.

After all, such a disgraceful incident had occurred in the Bai family.

As the Empress's advisor, Luo Zijun bears a heavy responsibility, especially at this crucial moment when all the civil and military officials are watching. If the Empress becomes angry, the consequences could be disastrous.

They waited another half hour until the sun set.

Bai Qingtong finally couldn't hold back any longer and volunteered, "Father, I'll go to the palace to take a look."

Bai Ming's face darkened, and he scolded, "What are you going to do? Aren't you embarrassed enough already?"

Bai Qingtong's eyes reddened, she pouted, and looked aggrieved.

Chu Meixiang advised from the side, "Qingtong, don't worry, let's wait a little longer. If he's alright, he'll come back on his own. If something's wrong, even if you go, it won't do any good, and things might even get worse."

Outside, night had fallen.

The servants lit lanterns, and the entire mansion fell silent.

About half an hour later.

As night fell over the entire city of Lin'an, news finally arrived from the palace.

Hong Ning, the Queen's personal guard, brought the Queen's decree: "There are important matters to discuss at the border. Luo Qing will stay in the palace tonight to talk with me all night and discuss countermeasures. I will send someone back tomorrow morning."

The Bai family members finally breathed a sigh of relief.

After the people from the palace left, Chu Meixiang smiled and said, "See? I told you you didn't need to worry. That boy is currently favored by the Queen. It's just a family matter. How could the Queen possibly blame him?"

Bai Qingtong frowned slightly and muttered in a low voice, "What important matter requires an all-night discussion, especially between a man and a woman alone together..."

Upon hearing this, Bai Ming's expression changed, and he immediately reprimanded, "Qing Tong, don't talk nonsense!"

Then she said sternly, "Now our Great Liang is at a critical moment of life and death. The Queen alone bears the safety of the entire Great Liang on her shoulders. If there is anything that Zijun needs, Zijun should do her best and repay her with her life! That is the Queen. There is a difference between ruler and subject. How dare you have such thoughts?"

Bai Qingtong pouted and could only weakly say, "Father, I was wrong..."

Bai Ming snorted coldly and said, "Now, is there no one else in your eyes but that kid? You even dare to doubt the Queen. What will happen in the future? If he really marries you, what will you do with all those other women? Will you argue with him every day and go out to fight with other people every day?"

Bai Qingtong blushed instantly and said, "Father, he... he didn't say he wanted to marry me..."

Chu Meixiang knew her thoughts and smiled, "Don't worry, when he comes back tomorrow, his sister and brother-in-law will go to see him."

Bai Qingtong said, "Father, Mother, let's find my sister first."

Chu Meixiang couldn't help but sigh and said, "We've searched everywhere, inside and outside the city..."

She suddenly added, "Didn't your sister also leave a letter for Ziju? Have you read it? Does it say where she's going?"

Bai Qingtong said, "My brother-in-law won't let me see it..."

Bai Ming looked thoughtful and said in a deep voice, "Your sister couldn't have just disappeared without a trace. I'm afraid she has the help of someone else."

He paused, then added, "Qingtong, ask Zijun again when he returns tomorrow. If he knows, he doesn't need to tell us the specific location, just tell us if Meixue is safe."

"Oh……"

That night, in a certain room of the Bai residence, the lights remained on all night.

Around midnight, a light rain suddenly began to fall.

The night wind howled, and the two lanterns hanging at the door swayed and swayed, constantly bumping against the door, accompanied by the drizzling rain.

“Clang…Clang…”

It rang relentlessly all night.

The next day, before dawn, the courtyard was wet and completely covered in snow.

"Squeak..."

Bai Qingtong, who hadn't slept all night, opened the window and found that it was snowing outside.

This should be the last snowfall before the New Year.

Looking at the snow-covered courtyard, she felt a secret worry. She wondered if her brother-in-law had put on warm clothes and if he was cold, and where her sister had gone and if she was freezing.

The eastern sky was already turning white, but the light was still dim.

Suddenly, the morning bell rang in the palace.

Upon hearing the bell, the ministers immediately got up, washed, and prepared to attend court.

Although the King of Liang is no longer alive, the daily morning court sessions have not ceased.

Now that the Queen is in charge of the government, there are no objections. She attends the morning court every day without fail.

However, today, as the ministers rode in sedan chairs across the stone bridge over the moat to the outermost gate of the palace, a eunuch outside the gate announced in a shrill voice: "Her Majesty is unwell today and will be resting for the day. Gentlemen, please return."

All the ministers gathered at the entrance, inquiring about the Queen's health with concern.

The eunuch patiently explained, "Her Majesty has just caught a cold; she'll be fine after a day's rest. Gentlemen, there's no need to worry."

The crowd then gradually dispersed.

at the same time.

In a study in Yaohua Palace, red candles burned, and incense smoke curled upwards.

The burning stove continuously emitted heat, warming the entire room.

In the inner room, a beaded curtain veils the room. On the plush carpet beside the bed, several undergarments, stockings, a bodice, and headdresses are scattered haphazardly...

On the bed, the curtains obscured the view, creating a hazy, indistinct atmosphere.

A head of soft, jet-black hair, like black silk, cascaded out from the gaps under the curtains and fell to the edge of the bed, swaying gently like waves in the wind.

Everything calmed down only when light appeared outside the window.

As the sun rose and the entire palace was bathed in golden sunlight, Luo Zijun dragged his weary body out of Yaohua Palace, looking dazed.

A fine carriage was already waiting at the door.

Once inside the carriage, it slowly drove towards the palace.

"Lord Luo, you performed very well last night, I am very satisfied... After today, come again tomorrow, and I will tell you how to get to the Kingdom of Women..."

"Did I say I would tell you today? I'm sorry, I forgot."

"If you are unwilling, then don't come tomorrow."

"Luo Qing, my relationship with you is much closer than your relationship with Miss Bai, and it also started much earlier, isn't it?"

"Moreover, I am very generous. My maids and servants will all come to serve you... If you wish, those concubines whom Prince Liang never touched during his lifetime, including the eldest daughter of the Jia family, Consort Jia, as well as Prince Liang's sisters, the eldest princess and the youngest princess, can all come and serve you alongside me... Unlike your Miss Bai, who can't even bear to part with her sister-in-law..." "So, why did you travel thousands of miles, crossing mountains and rivers to find her and bring her back? You might as well forget about her and just stay with me..."

"Once I ascend the throne, you will be second only to the emperor, a position of supreme honor. Which woman in the world wouldn't be within your grasp? Including your sister-in-law from the Bai family..."

"Luo Qing, what do you think? Go back and think it over carefully, and give me your answer tomorrow."

"A ruler's word is law. Rest assured, no matter what you choose, I will not break my promise."

Inside the carriage, Luo Zijun recalled the words the Queen had spoken on the Phoenix Bed, and thought to herself: A king's word is law... Unfortunately, you are not yet a king.

We agreed on this yesterday at noon, and I told him the method this morning. He worked himself to the bone all afternoon and evening, and now he's saying this.

How could he trust someone so fickle?
But now he was in a bind. If he didn't come tomorrow, given the other party's temperament, they would never let him and the Bai family off the hook.

"Isn't that the allure of power?"

With power, one can truly disregard the law, act without restraint, and do whatever one pleases.

No wonder so many people spend their entire lives pursuing power.

"Brother-in-law!"

Just as the carriage crossed the stone bridge, a familiar voice suddenly came from the roadside ahead.

Luo Zijun lifted the curtain and saw a tall, slender girl wearing a light green dress standing by the roadside, waving at him with a joyful expression.

The orange-red morning sun shone on her face, making her already beautiful face glow like a flower.

I've come here so early to wait for him.

A warm feeling and a sense of guilt welled up in Luo Zijun's heart. She stopped the carriage, got off, and got into the Bai family's carriage with her.

Fortunately, last night was different from before; he did not resist, and the "flower thief" did not retaliate against him again, so he did not have any obvious injuries.

He was just a little listless.

If he hadn't recently broken through to the Nascent Soul Realm and made his soul stronger, he probably wouldn't be able to walk by now.

"Brother-in-law, you look so tired. Did you chat with the Queen all night last night?"

Inside the train carriage, the sister-in-law looked at him with concern and habitually called him "brother-in-law".

Luo Zijun yawned, concealing her thoughts, and said, "Yes, we talked all night about things at the border."

Bai Qingtong asked curiously, "What did you talk about? Can you tell me?"

Luo Zijun said, "These are all matters of national importance and cannot be discussed casually. Apart from the Queen and myself, no one else knows about them."

Of course, this excludes the little maid named Qing'er, who has two dimples when she smiles, blushes like a red apple when she's shy, and is fair and tender; and the one in purple who usually wears a purple armor, has a high ponytail, a slender and curvaceous figure, looks arrogant and aloof, unfathomable, but covers her cheeks and bites her lip when she's shy, refusing to utter a sound.

"Oh fine."

Bai Qingtong was naturally aware that many state affairs could not be disclosed to outsiders.

"By the way, brother-in-law, did the letter my sister left you say where she went? We've searched the whole city and surrounding areas, but we haven't found her. Father and Mother are very worried."

Luo Zijun hesitated for a moment, then said, "Tell your parents-in-law that Miss is safe and sound. I will go to see her in a few days."

Bai Qingtong was immediately overjoyed: "Brother-in-law, do you know where my sister is right now?"

Then, puzzled, she asked, "But why a few days later? Can't we go now? I'll go with you!"

Luo Zijun sighed inwardly and said, "Tomorrow I will have to come to the palace to discuss matters with the Queen. I will need the Queen's help to go find the young lady."

Bai Qingtong frowned and asked, "Where did my sister go? Why does she need the Queen's help?"

Luo Zijun said, "I can't say for now. Anyway, you don't need to worry. Miss will be fine, and I will definitely find her."

Seeing his mysterious demeanor, Bai Qingtong knew that this matter was not simple, but she did not dare to ask any more questions and could only speculate in her heart.

The two returned to the Bai residence together.

Luo Zijun was very tired and said she was going back to sleep. She returned to Junzi Residence, lay on the bed and thought about random things for a while before falling into a deep sleep.

Bai Qingtong then went to see her father and mother, telling them not to worry, that her sister was alright.

Luo Zijun didn't wake up until it got dark.

After eating the dinner prepared by Xiao Huan and Zhi Yuan, he chatted with the two maids for a while, then returned to his room to continue sleeping.

I slept soundly until the next day.

When he woke up the next day, he was fully recovered, both mentally and physically.

At first, it took him several days to fully recover, but now, after just one day and one night, he is completely healed.

However, at this moment, he became increasingly alarmed.

The queen seemed to be able to calculate directly from his cultivation level how long it would take him to fully recover.

He's only just recovered, and he's already going back to the palace.

Before noon, someone from the palace summoned him to the palace: "Her Majesty has decreed that Young Master Luo be summoned to the palace to discuss state affairs."

The Bai family members were all overjoyed and beaming with happiness.

“Look at our Zijun, how much the Queen favors and values ​​her. Only a day has passed, and she’s already summoning him to the palace to discuss state affairs.”

"Your son-in-law is really amazing, he's really capable!"

Luo Zijun had unspeakable suffering; she forced a smile on the surface, but tears streamed down her face.

Stepping onto the carriage, it was like bidding farewell to the Yi River.

The wind howls, the Yi River is cold, the hero departs... never to return...

Generous and tragic.

"You'll never know what I've sacrificed for love... Maybe one day the truth will come out, and you'll despise my actions, but anyone with a conscience will understand my pain and resilience..."

"I am the true hero!"

"I am the true man who will risk everything for love, regardless of whether it's a high peak or a deep abyss, or a den of dragons or tigers!"

Luo Zijun entered the palace and went to the study. Suddenly, she heard the Queen and a woman talking in the room.

The voice sounded familiar, it seemed to be...

"Young master, the Imperial Concubine is also inside. She was specially invited by the Queen."

Qing'er whispered a reminder from the side.

"The Imperial Concubine? The eldest daughter of the Jia family?"

Luo Zijun suddenly remembered what the Queen had said on her bed that day.

(End of this chapter)