This scholar is a bit cruel

Chapter 335 My name is Qing'er
When falsehood is taken for truth, even truth becomes falsehood; when nothingness is taken for existence, even existence becomes nothingness.

In this royal palace, everyone has their own affairs, and sometimes it is just like the Land of Illusion in Dream of the Red Chamber, where truth and falsehood are hard to distinguish.

Sometimes, when Luo Zijun looks back, she feels like this period of time was a dream.

Everything that happened in the palace seemed like a dream.

Outrageous, absurd, unbelievable, decadent, obsessed, insane... From the very beginning to now, the entire process is like a gradually evolving dream that outsiders simply cannot imagine, nor dare to imagine.

Of course, this is not a dream.

Supported by the old nanny, Consort Jia bowed her head and took her leave, telling him, "I will leave the palace tomorrow to go back and see my parents, and also visit my sisters in the Grand View Garden."

She hadn't dared to leave the palace before, fearing that if she did, she wouldn't be able to come back.

Of course she wasn't afraid of not being able to come back; she just knew that she bore the fate of the entire family on her shoulders, so she had no choice but to return.

Now, she is not afraid.

Because she learned so much, and because she regained her value.

She knew the queen would not harm her again.

The Queen smiled and said, "It's good to go back and visit, especially the sisters in the Grand View Garden. They should go back and visit often and keep an eye on Luo Qing. Don't let her be stolen away when she comes back."

Consort Jia naturally understood her meaning and withdrew, accepting the order.

When only the two of them remained in the room, the Queen finally spoke of what Luo Zijun had been waiting for: "Including you, the caravan has a total of twelve people. Eight of them are from the five major sects of the Great Yan Dynasty, two are from the imperial court, and one is a guide they hired. Every year, a group of such people goes to the Women's Kingdom. They go there not to do business, but to exchange for cultivation resources, or rather, to steal them."

"The Women's Kingdom possesses a unique spirit stone that can accelerate a martial artist's cultivation speed, and a unique spring that can alter a person's physique. They never sell these, so there are many thieves..."

"The Great Yan once reached a brief agreement with them to exchange some cultivation resources every year, but the agreement was torn up a year later. The cultivators from the five major sects and the imperial court were unwilling to accept this, so they could only go secretly."

Luo Zijun interjected, "Why was the agreement torn up?"

The Queen hesitated for a moment, a complex look appearing in her eyes, and slowly said, "Next to the Kingdom of Women, there was another country where a rebellion broke out. Our Great Yan supported the rebels, sending them various resources and even directly sending warriors to help. The Kingdom of Women supported the royal family at the time, and in the end, the rebels won. Therefore, the agreement between our Great Yan and the Kingdom of Women was terminated."

At this point, a mocking smile appeared on her face: "Unfortunately, later, when that rebel family completely took control of the country, they directly severed diplomatic relations with our Great Yan, and even said: 'Between humans and beasts, we would rather believe the beasts.'"

"As a result, all of Da Yan's plans fell apart, and they lost both their wife and their army."

Luo Zijun thought to herself: This must be the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons.

He then asked, "Didn't the Great Yan retaliate?"

The Queen sneered, "Of course they retaliated. They massacred some old, weak, women, children, and ordinary people, but they were gloating and boasting in the country that they had taught the other side a lesson. Then, hundreds of martial artists were skinned and had their tendons pulled out by the other side and hung at the border, including even a Grandmaster."

Luo Zijun asked worriedly, "If that's the case, does the other party hate humans very much?"

The queen paused, looking at him with suspicion.

Luo Zijun had no choice but to admit: "I know that country is called the Kingdom of Ten Thousand Demons, a country composed of many demon families."

The queen suddenly narrowed her eyes, stared at him for a while, and then asked abruptly, "Are you sure you're going to the Kingdom of Women?"

Luo Zijun remained silent.

The queen suddenly stood up from her chair, staring at him with a dark and uncertain gaze.

The room fell silent.

After a long while, the Queen suddenly gave a self-deprecating laugh, gazing at the darkness outside the window, as if muttering to herself, "I should have guessed it long ago, I should have guessed it long ago..."

Seeing her like this, Luo Zijun was afraid she would change her mind, and was about to reassure her that he would come back when he saw her turn her head and stare at him, saying, "Back then, someone saw another woman outside the city. She must have been a demon, right? Was she kidnapped?"

Luo Zijun replied, "Yes."

A thoughtful look appeared in the Queen's eyes as she asked in confusion, "Why? She's clearly a human being now..."

Luo Zijun immediately grasped the key point and looked at her, saying, "Now? Does the Queen mean..."

The queen snapped out of her daze and looked at him coldly, saying, "Do you admit to the crime of deceiving the king?"

Luo Zijun lowered his head and said, "I accept it."

"Hmph, then stick your head out, and I'll behead you!"

The queen snorted coldly.

Luo Zijun dared not resist, walked closer, and stretched her head out.

The Queen, her pretty face cold, pointed her jade finger at his head and said in a cold voice, "Do you think I will spare you if you honestly confess your crimes? The crime of deceiving the emperor is punishable by death, but considering how hard you have served me for so long, this crime can be considered minor or major, depending on your performance tonight!"

Luo Zijun said tremblingly, "Your Majesty, what about the matter of departing tomorrow..."

As long as he doesn't back out of this, he'd be willing to be drained dry tonight, even if it meant being sucked dry.

"Humph!"

The Queen snorted coldly and slapped his head, saying, "You still dare to mention tomorrow's matter?"

Luo Zijun trembled and quickly said, "Your Majesty, as long as you don't go back on your word tomorrow, I will do my best to make Your Majesty happy tonight."

The Queen did not answer immediately. She stared at him for a while, then suddenly asked, "Lord Luo, do you prefer ice or hot? Or do you like both?"

Luo Zijun was taken aback: "Your Majesty means..." The Queen said: "I recently read a martial arts manual called the Ice and Fire Divine Art. It says that practicing this manual can make people quickly fly through the clouds and ascend to the heavens. I don't know if it's true or not."

"It's definitely fake."

Luo Zijun said very seriously, "This kind of technique sounds very fake."

The Queen gently stroked his head and said, "But I have already begun my cultivation, and now I would like to let Luo Qing see the results, what do you say?"

Luo Zijun: "..."

"Qing'er, bring in the ice."

The Queen gave instructions to those outside.

A voice answered from outside, and soon the door opened. Qing'er brought in a jade pot of ice, closed the door, but did not leave.

The Queen said, "The power of this technique will be greater if two people practice it. Qing'er and I will switch roles, one using ice and the other fire. Luo Qing, please check the power first."

Then she said calmly, "This is my first time cultivating. If I make a fool of myself, please don't laugh at me, Luo Qing."

Qing'er lowered her head, her face flushed, and whispered, "This servant...this servant is also cultivating for the first time..."

Luo Zijun looked at the young and pretty maid and asked, "Qing'er, who was retching outside just now?"

Qing'er kept her head down, her cheeks flushing even more.

"Little girl, being a liar isn't good, you've heard of that..."

Luo Zijun wanted to scold her, but seeing her head down, biting her lip, and looking anxious, she had no choice but to give up and could only mumble a few words of reproach: "Um, next time... don't..."

Inside the jade pot, one piece of ice had disappeared, as if it had suddenly evaporated.

The warm and cozy room had somehow become a little chilly.

"Tomorrow morning, take a carriage to the Tianshui Inn outside Cangyun Mountain. They will all be gathering there. Cangyun Mountain is a necessary stop on the way to the Women's Kingdom..."

"Your identity is that of a young master who wants to travel to the Kingdom of Women. I went to great lengths to buy you a spot, but they cannot guarantee your safety."

"You'd better not say anything about your court, and don't say anything about the Great Liang or the Seven Kingdoms..."

"Tomorrow, the Imperial Household Agency will give you a nameplate with your name on it. Once you get there, find a man named Wang Qiangzhuang..."

"Remember, there may be many dangers along the way, you must be patient..."

"When you return, I will take you to the top of the Forbidden City and let you see with your own eyes the empire I have built for you."

"At that time, you will be the Ninth Prince, second only to the Emperor."

It was already late at night outside the window.

On the soft, spacious phoenix bed, the satisfied Queen was finally ready to fulfill her promise and began to tell him about their departure the next day.

Luo Zijun listened attentively, not daring to miss a single word.

Upon hearing the term "Nine Thousand Years Old," he quickly replied, "Your Majesty, I would rather be Eight Thousand Years Old. Nine Thousand Years Old feels like being a eunuch."

The queen chuckled, her bosom swaying, her beauty unparalleled, and said, "So what if I'm a eunuch sitting in that position?"

Luo Zijun reached out and said, "If I were to become a eunuch, what would Your Majesty do?"

The queen said, "There are plenty of men in the world, we don't need you."

Luo Zijun felt that his hands could no longer control the woman in front of him. After thinking for a moment, he said, "But I am the only one who plays the flower thief game with Your Majesty."

The Queen paused for a moment, then suddenly laughed and said, "That's true. Speaking of which, I suddenly feel itchy and want to play one last time."

Luo Zijun asked, "Does Your Highness still have the strength?"

The Queen laughed and said, "I am not a weak woman. Besides, there is more than one flower thief in the palace."

Outside the window, the night is like ink.

As dawn broke, Luo Zijun left Yaohua Palace. The Queen saw him off at the door and watched him get into the carriage. Suddenly, she said, "Luo Qing, you still don't know my name, do you?"

Luo Zijun lifted the curtain, looked at her, and asked, "What is Your Highness's name?"

The Queen smiled slightly and said, "Qing'er, Gu Qing'er."

"Gu Qing'er..."

Luo Zijun nodded and said, "I will remember."

The queen remained silent. Only after the carriage had traveled a considerable distance did she gaze at its departing form and murmur softly, "It's not Gu Qing'er... it's Snake Valley Qing'er..."

Luo Zijun did not say goodbye to anyone, but went straight out of the city and headed to Cangyun Mountain outside the city.

As the sun rose, the dilapidated little building with the Tianshui Inn sign finally appeared in the shadow of the ancient tree in front of it.

But at that moment, Luo Zijun suddenly saw a familiar figure standing in front of the small building.

(End of this chapter)