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

Song Qingning recalled how Xie Xuanjin had taught her to brew tea, and how he had placed the teacup in front of her, just as he was doing now, waiting for her to taste it.

Almost instinctively, Song Qingning nodded, "Yes."

Xie Xuanjin's smile widened, and his previously trembling dark eyes gradually calmed down, revealing a burning hope beneath the surface.

"Song Qingning..." Xie Xuanjin looked at Song Qingning.

Song Qingning met his gaze, but his eyes, as always, passed through her and focused on the memorial tablet behind her.

After a long pause, he spoke, "Could you...?"

He stopped abruptly as he spoke.

A bitter smile then appeared on Xie Xuanjin's lips.

He originally wanted to say, "Can you not forget me?" But as clever as he was, how could he not see after spending so much time together that she didn't remember "him" or their past?

He didn't know why.

I couldn't hide my disappointment.

Thinking about what he had to do today, Xie Xuanjin suppressed his disappointment, picked up the teacup in front of him, and sipped it slowly.

He drank his tea extremely slowly.

It was as if this cup of tea was his last moment.

Watching his every move, Song Qingning confirmed once again that he was indeed saying goodbye to someone.

Song Qingning glanced back at the memorial tablet on the altar behind her, then her gaze fell on the teacup in front of her, lost in thought.

Xie Xuanjin finished his tea, then suddenly stood up, took the memorial tablet from the altar, and strode towards the outside of the curtain.

Song Qingning followed behind him, watching Xie Xuanjin walk out of the room.

Xie Yunli was waiting for him outside the door.

The two left one after the other.

Xie Xuanjin was different today. Song Qingning wanted to chase after him to see what he was up to, but just like before, she walked out of the room, only to return to it the next moment.

She couldn't leave the room; she could only watch those two figures walk further and further away.

The two brothers left side by side.

Xie Xuanjin held the memorial tablet, his smile still on his face, but Xie Yunli saw that smile and couldn't help but feel heartache.

"Fourth Brother." Xie Yunli began, wanting to say something, but the words caught in his throat after he only managed to utter one.

Fourth Brother has always been rational and composed. His only madness is for "Song Qingning." He would do anything for her. So, even if he is reluctant, once he has made his decision today, he will not change it.

Xie Yunli lowered his eyes, took a deep breath, and calmly reported the situation in the front yard:

"Master Lingguang said that the anniversary of Fourth Sister-in-law's death should be today, but the exact time is still uncertain. Master Lingguang has prepared everything for the summoning of her soul."

"Fourth Brother, I have arranged guards to protect Jinhua Palace. No one will approach within a thousand meters of Jinhua Palace. Inside Jinhua Palace, there are only you, me, Master Lingguang and his disciples. No one will interfere with the soul-summoning ceremony."

"And that jade pendant..."

The jade pendant, which served as a medium to send Song Qingning back, is now placed in the soul-summoning array.

Xie Yunli reported along the way until the two arrived at the front yard.

In the front yard, in the center of the large courtyard, there is an altar. Around the altar, red lines are intertwined and arranged, making it look like a talisman when viewed from above.

Master Lingguang and a monk were outside the soul-summoning formation.

Upon seeing Xie Xuanjin and Xie Yunli approach, Master Lingguang nodded slightly to them, while the monk beside him bent down slightly, carefully concealing his nervousness.

The monk was also holding a small note in his hand.

That little note, which Master Lingguang had treasured like a precious gem, has finally found its way into his hands today.

While Master Lingguang was talking to the young emperor, the monk glanced at the magic array, which was set up according to the notes in the book.

On the altar in the center of the magic circle, there was a brocade box.

He had seen what was in the brocade box; it was a jade pendant.

"Your Majesty, you wish to send them back, but the jade pendant has been used before, and this humble monk is unsure whether it will be successful."

Master Lingguang spoke in a deep voice, not daring to be too certain.

He was referring to "them".

The monk only knew about summoning the soul today, but he did not know what Master Lingguang meant by "sending it back".

His mind was filled with the Empress Dowager's words, and his breathing became increasingly tense.

Master Lingguang's voice continued to come:

"If something goes wrong along the way..."

He had barely finished speaking when Xie Xuanjin interrupted him, "We can't afford any mistakes!"

His tone was sharp, as if he were issuing a military order.

The monk listened, his heart skipped a beat, and a thin layer of sweat broke out on his back.

"This humble monk will do his best." After saying this, Master Lingguang took the memorial tablet from Xie Xuanjin's hand, walked around the array of interwoven red threads, and placed the memorial tablet on the altar.

On the altar, a faint light seemed to linger around the jade pendant in the brocade box.

After everything was in place, Master Lingguang stood in the magic array, as if waiting for the moment when Song Qingning would die.

Everything around was eerily quiet.

There were only four people in the entire courtyard: Xie Xuanjin, Xie Yunli, and the monk. They all looked at Master Lingguang in front of the altar, seemingly not daring to utter a sound.

A sudden gust of wind arose, bending the straight incense sticks burning on the altar.

Master Lingguang's expression changed slightly, and Xie Xuanjin and Xie Yunli immediately understood:

coming!

"Song Qingning!" Xie Xuanjin called softly, as he always hoped she would respond so he could determine her location.

But this time, there was no sound.

"Song Qingning?" Xie Xuanjin asked again.

He looked around, certain she was there, but just like before, there was no response.

Gradually, a fiery red tinge appeared in those eager eyes.

Master Lingguang also knew that she had arrived.

He immediately ordered the accompanying monks, "Bring me the small note!"

The monk outside the formation sensed a slight breeze and, observing the reactions of the others, realized that the soul-summoning ritual had indeed summoned the Empress's soul.

He already had something to hide, and Master Lingguang's shout made him tremble even more in fear.

But he quickly calmed himself down.

Holding the small note in his hand, he stepped into the magic circle.

He kept a close eye on the situation, his mind only focused on the words "disrupting the summoning of the soul." He knew that the jade pendant was the medium, and if he broke the jade pendant, even if the Empress's soul came, it would dissipate.

The jade pendant must be destroyed!

The monk was on tenterhooks; he had been unable to approach the altar before, but now he finally had the chance.

Soon, he reached the altar. Just as he was about to present the small note, he pretended to slip behind Master Lingguang, lunged forward, and then gave him a hard shove.

He used all his strength and calculated the angle and distance precisely.

Under that force, Master Lingguang indeed lost his balance and his body tilted as he fell towards the altar.

"master!"

Xie Yunli's voice startled Xie Xuanjin, who was searching everywhere for Song Qingning.

Xie Xuanjin turned around, and Master Lingguang's body had already touched the altar.

Almost simultaneously, Xie Xuanjin and Xie Yunli flew into the magic array.

They tried desperately to grab onto Master Lingguang's tilting body, but it was too late.