The real heiress is a fortune teller; her divinations are worth a fortune, and the whole internet is

Yunlan dropped her wine glass with a clatter, stood up, and said politely, "I just came out to take a look; I didn't do anything. Let's go back now."

Without the celestial maiden saying anything, Yunlan obediently followed behind and walked out.

Boss Qin watched them leave, feeling puzzled. "The Celestial Maiden Clan doesn't usually come down the mountain, but it's not absolutely forbidden. Why does the Celestial Maiden seem so angry?"

The girl beside him said softly, "We don't know either, but the young master just inadvertently revealed a little bit when he was drunk. He said that the Heavenly Maiden treats him like a grandson because the elders say he has a bad fate."

"Things like 'being incompatible with the foot of the mountain,' or 'dying as soon as you go down the mountain.'"

Upon hearing this, Boss Qin was taken aback. The prophecies of the Celestial Maiden Clan were always accurate and had never been wrong so far.

Yunlan is truly incompatible with the foot of the mountain and cannot descend.

Red Flame captured something the audience wanted to know, then flapped its wings and caught up with the celestial maiden's carriage.

Pingkangfang is bustling with people, and no one would notice when someone is added or removed.

[I knew it! The celestial maiden was furious.]

[So, another one who won't live long.]

Will Yunlan die because of this trip down the mountain?

I don't know, but I have a bad feeling about it.

"Heavenly Maiden, don't be angry anymore, okay?" Yunlan poked her arm.

The Heavenly Maiden's brow furrowed, and Nan Sheng spoke first, "Little Elder, please be gentle, the Heavenly Maiden is injured."

"Huh? Weren't you on an inspection tour of the garrison with His Majesty? How did you get injured?" Yunlan was surprised and looked her up and down.

The celestial maiden shook her head. "It's nothing serious, but His Majesty is more seriously injured. Uncle, do you still remember Grandmother's dying words?"

"I remember," Yunlan said, head bowed, "you are never allowed to leave the mountain in this lifetime. You must stay on Jade Mountain until the day you die of old age."

"Hmm, it seems you still remember," the celestial maiden tilted her head. "Then please explain to me, Uncle, why I saw you in Pingkangfang?"

When this topic came up, Yunlan gained some confidence. "That happened so many years ago. Maybe Grandmother was wrong? The prophecies of the Celestial Maiden Clan aren't always accurate."

The carriage stopped at Yushan.

"I don't know if the Heavenly Maiden Clan's prophecy is accurate, but the punishment you deserve is certainly accurate," the Heavenly Maiden said, stepping down from the carriage first. "Guards, take Elder Yunlan to the ancestral hall so he can apologize to the ancestors himself."

"Heavenly Maiden, let's discuss this again!" Yunlan called out, but the Heavenly Maiden paid no heed.

He quietly clenched his fist.

Nan Sheng followed the Heavenly Maiden, saying, "The Little Elder has gone too far this time."

When the celestial maiden had some free time, she remembered the cave entrance. "Nan Sheng, have someone pack up my things and move them to Nan Yuan."

"Nanyuan?" Nan Sheng was puzzled. That place was remote and uninhabited, far from where everyone lived, making it very inconvenient to travel back and forth for daily sacrifices and incense offerings.

"Why the sudden decision to move there?"

"I just feel that the place I live in now is a bit noisy, and I want to be alone for a while." The Heavenly Maiden did not tell Nan Sheng what happened underground, but something was obviously wrong there. Since the exit was in Jade Mountain, it meant that the ancestors of the Heavenly Maiden Clan knew about it.

As for why such a place exists, that remains to be investigated; first, we must guard the entrance to the cave.

Nan Sheng didn't press for details; she simply did whatever the Heavenly Maiden instructed.

The celestial maiden slept soundly that night, but Xiao Chen did not slept so well.

Inside the palace, apart from Xiao Fengzi on duty, there was no one else.

Xiao Chen lay alone on the dragon bed, fine beads of sweat appearing on his forehead, his brows furrowed, as if he were being haunted by something.

who are you?

In Xiao Chen's hazy state, he seemed to see a human-shaped black mist before his eyes.

The black mist spoke in a deep voice, "I am you."

"Nonsense! I am here, how could you be me?!" Xiao Chen waved his sleeve to disperse the thick fog, which then gathered again in a moment.

The black mist's voice was exactly the same as Xiao Chen's, only a little deeper, "I've waited for you for tens of thousands of years. I was originally you. You abandoned me for her, you and she both deserve to die."

who is she?

Xiao Chen cautiously stepped back. "Who are you talking about?"

"Don't you know?" The black mist slowly approached. "You really don't know? You're thinking of someone, longing for someone, don't you really know?"

The black mist's repeated questioning left Xiao Chen speechless.

He concealed it very well, so why was he discovered by the black mist?

"Who exactly are you?!" Xiao Chen clenched his fist, a hint of killing intent flashing in his eyes.

This murderous intent seemed to enrage the black mist, making its color appear even more intense. "I am you, and you are me. I have found you, and you will never get rid of me again."

Accept me, and I will create a completely new you.

Xiao Chen retreated step by step, but he could not resist the invasion of the black mist, and his whole body was enveloped in it.

A strong feeling of suffocation washed over me.

"Ho, ho—"

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty," Xiao Fengzi said anxiously, getting up to check on his condition.

Xiao Chen suddenly woke up, rolled over and sat up, gripping Xiao Fengzi's throat tightly with both hands.

The force unleashed by those hands was astonishing. Xiao Fengzi could feel his throat being crushed, yet he couldn't utter a sound. He could only watch helplessly as Xiao Chen's eyes turned bloodshot, and he went mad like a wild beast out of control.

Strangle him, strangle him.

No, he is my personal eunuch.

You are the emperor, the ruler of the celestial palace. What's wrong with killing a mere eunuch? Don't you want to experience supreme power? This is your right.

No, that's not right!

Xiao Chen shook his head, dispelling the violent energy, and loosened his grip.

Xiao Fengzi scrambled off the dragon bed, begging for mercy, "Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty, spare me! Is there anything I have done wrong that displeased Your Majesty? Please tell me, Your Majesty, and I will be careful with my words and actions."

Xiao Chen's head was throbbing with pain, and he swallowed back the explanation that was on the tip of his tongue. "It has nothing to do with you. My head is throbbing terribly."

Xiao Fengzi breathed a slight sigh of relief and tentatively said, "This servant will go and fetch the imperial physician for His Majesty."

"Don't go," Xiao Chen pressed his temples. "I'll be fine tomorrow. Don't alarm the Imperial Hospital."

"Yes," Xiao Fengzi's legs went weak, but he forced himself to go forward and help Xiao Chen lie down, tucking the blanket around him.

Xiao Chen's gaze swept over Xiao Fengzi's bruised neck, and he said, "You can rest tomorrow. Go to the Imperial Hospital to get some medicine to apply. The Qingmo inkstone is yours."

"Thank you, Your Majesty," Xiao Fengzi said, looking relaxed. "Your Majesty is too kind. This servant is not at all in a hurry."

Xiao Chen didn't say anything, only thinking that he was too tired and that his behavior was inappropriate, and that he would probably be better tomorrow.

No one else will know what happened tonight.

The next day, the sky was bright.

Xiao Chen was about to attend court, and the court session would end at dawn.

The Heavenly Maiden awaited Xiao Chen's arrival in the Taiji Hall. She did not concern herself with political affairs but obeyed the Emperor's arrangements.

Xiao Chen summoned her, perhaps because he had a new mission to assign her.