A wicked mother swaps her son and sucks his blood? The true legitimate daughter is reborn and goes o

These words instantly deflated Xiao Ling's confidence.

He and Song Qingning clashed countless times on the battlefield.

She fought fiercely and ruthlessly on the battlefield, and he believed she could really kill him with a single sword strike.

Song Qingning also had Xie Xuanjin by her side.

Xiao Ling glanced at Xie Xuanjin. From their brief exchange just now, he knew that Xie Xuanjin's title of "Great Jing War God" was well-deserved.

He alone cannot defeat two.

Xiao Ling assessed the situation, then suddenly smiled. "Song Qingning, remember that sword strike for now. We'll see you next time!"

After he finished speaking, he turned around, stepped onto the horse's back, and leaped off the cliff.

Song Qingning and Xie Xuanjin were both surprised.

Below the cliff, everything is unknown.

Xiao Ling jumped so decisively, it's likely she had a backup plan.

Song Qingning swiftly flew to the edge of the cliff, estimated Xiao Ling's falling trajectory, and unhesitatingly threw out the sword in her hand.

The sword pierced the abyss, followed by silence.

In her past life, Xiao Ling did not return the sword strike she had received.

But not long after, he broke the truce agreement the two had signed and once again invaded the southern border.

Marquis Yongning went to the southern border as a general and died in battle.

Xiao Ling advocates for war.

She had witnessed firsthand the devastation brought by war and watched her comrades shed their blood on the battlefield. She did not want the two countries to fight again, and she did not want her father to suffer any more misfortune.

Xiao Ling's purpose in coming to the capital this time was definitely not assassination.

If this sword can kill Xiao Ling, that would be wonderful.

If not...

"I will immediately send men down the cliff to search for the person," Xie Xuanjin's voice came through the sound of rain.

The two had the same idea.

The rain stopped the next day at dawn.

Last night's "assassination attempt" startled Emperor Yuan and Consort Hui. As soon as the rain stopped, the group set off back to the palace.

Emperor Yuan summoned Liang Xingjian and Song Qingning, ordering them to find the assassin.

The two accepted the order.

On her first night back in the capital, Song Qingning went to the Prince of Huai's residence.

Xie Yunli was also in the study.

"Your Highness, I led men to search the area below Suspended Heart Cliff. There was a shallow beach at the bottom of the cliff, but we did not find any bodies. However, we did find bloodstains while searching the surrounding area."

Bloodstains!

Song Qingning's eyes trembled slightly; Xiao Ling was injured.

The sword she swung pierced Xiao Ling!

"There's a lot of blood, so the injury must be quite serious."

"My spies throughout the capital are keeping an eye out for any suspicious injured persons, but so far there have been no further discoveries. I have expanded the search area beyond the capital."

After Wan Ziping finished reporting, she waited quietly for the prince's instructions.

Xie Xuanjin looked at Song Qingning, "Where do you think he would hide if he were injured?"

Song Qingning lowered her eyes.

The capital city is too big. If a person is sincere in wanting to hide, it is not difficult. If someone helps him, it is even easier.

They almost forgot about one person.

"When Wan Zi was tracking Shen Ao in Nanlin, she discovered that he had met with Xiao Ling. This person might be the breakthrough point," Song Qingning said.

Xie Xuanjin's lips curled up slightly, and a hint of approval appeared in his eyes.

He then glanced at Wan Zi, who immediately understood. "Your subordinate obeys. I will have the spies keep an eye on Shen Ao's movements."

Song Qingning was thinking of Shen Ao.

In her past life, in a nunnery, she heard Shen Ao mention "a benefactor".

Song Qingning guessed the identity of the "noble person".

……

For several days in a row, the entire city was under martial law as Song Qingning and Liang Xingjian led the capital's police to search for the "assassin's" whereabouts.

in the hall.

After the sacrificial ceremony to Heaven returned to the capital, memorials from Prince Rui, Xie Yuqi, were received daily.

The memorials were piled up like a mountain in front of Emperor Yuan.

It all started when Xie Yuqi used a fake Mingyue Xian to fool and trick the officials of the powerful families.

The powerful officials couldn't swallow their anger and even brought up Xie Yuqi's past oversights, saying he was unfit for important tasks and inferior to the Prince of Huai.

Emperor Yuan summoned Xie Yuqi to the palace, reprimanded him, and dismissed him from all his posts and duties, which finally calmed the discontent in the court.

Consort Shen's bedroom.

Emperor Yuan was deeply troubled.

He drank some wine and, slightly drunk, looked at Consort Shen's portrait. "I tried my best to support our son, wanting him to inherit the throne, but who knew he would make such a mistake."

"Having offended the aristocratic families and lost the hearts of the ministers, if I were to suggest making him the crown prince now, no one would support it."

"My beloved concubine, will you resent me for dismissing him from his post? I had no choice."

Emperor Yuan raised his hand and stroked the still-young face in the portrait, his eyes filled with helplessness.

"Eunuch Gao, has the Emperor visited Miss's palace? If so, I will come to pay my respects to Miss another day."

Consort Hui's voice came from outside the door.

She finished speaking and was about to leave.

Emperor Yuan called out to her, "Consort Hui, come in."

The door to the bedchamber was pushed open, and Consort Hui brought in pastries that Consort Shen had loved during her lifetime.

Without disturbing Emperor Yuan and Consort Shen's conversation, she bowed and quietly arranged the pastries.

She was calm, gentle, and understanding, much like Consort Shen.

Emperor Yuan was very pleased with her. "You were frightened at Fazong Temple that day. Are you feeling better now?"

"Your Majesty, I thank you for your concern. I have recovered after a few days of rest," Consort Hui said softly.

That night, she went to the main hall of Fazong Temple to pray for blessings, and Emperor Yuan also went.

Then they encountered the assassin.

"I'm glad you're alright."

Emperor Yuan glanced at her, and, unusually, thought of their son, casually asking with concern, "How has the sixth prince been feeling lately?"

When the Sixth Prince was mentioned, Consort Hui's eyes widened slightly, then she smiled bitterly, "His health has always been like that. He would be very happy to know that the Emperor cares about him."

Emperor Yuan felt somewhat guilty.

He rarely thought of his son, and his casual expressions of concern were not genuine.

A prince born with an illness was destined to die young and was not worth his concern.

Emperor Yuan did not think about the sixth prince.

Still troubled by the matter of Prince Rui, he kept drinking and sighing repeatedly that Prince Rui was a disappointment.

Consort Hui comforted him as always, "Prince Rui is kind-hearted, which is why he was deceived by a fake Mingyue Xianmeng. He will surely learn from this experience."

"I hope he can improve. I am determined to hand over the throne to him. This is what I owe the Imperial Concubine."

Emperor Yuan gazed affectionately at Consort Shen's portrait, unaware that Consort Hui behind him was also looking at Consort Shen's portrait, a cold smile flashing across her lips.

……

Wan Zi kept track of Shen Ao's whereabouts and reported to Song Qingning every day.

After returning to the capital, Shen Ao rarely went out of the Shen State Duke's Mansion.

But these past few days, he's been going out a lot.

The Marquis of Yongning's residence, the Brocade Pavilion.

Song Qingning listened to Wan Ziping's report: "Shen Ao went out these past few days. The first time he went was to the Jingzhao Yin prison, and the second time he went to the Ministry of Justice prison. Every time he went out, he went to a prison, as if he was looking for someone."

Song Qingning understood immediately, guessing that he was being asked by Madam Liu to find Song Mingtang.

"Besides the prison, he didn't go anywhere else?" Song Qingning asked.

"Today he went to an abandoned courtyard and met a woman."

"Shen Ao left after only a brief meeting. The woman was wearing a veiled hat and kept a low profile. I found her suspicious, so I had someone follow her to the Yongning Marquis's residence."

"That woman is from the Yongning Marquis's residence."

That woman was undoubtedly Lady Liu.

Song Qingning recalled that when she returned to the manor, she saw Liu Shi looking utterly dejected.

She should know that Song Mingtang is no longer in prison.

Since the person is dead, they are naturally not in prison.

A cold smile flickered in Song Qingning's eyes.

Just then, a commotion arose outside the door.

Immediately following was Liu's fierce roar, "Song Qingning, you come out here!"