Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

Just then, the eldest son of the Duke of Jingguo, who had previously looked somewhat pale, changed his expression.

He became somewhat sinister, showing none of the cowardly demeanor he had displayed moments before.

Suddenly, he exerted force, his shoulders swaying, and he violently shoved away the two Imperial Guards who were holding him on either side.

He shot straight toward the stone wall to his right rear! His speed was so fast that he clearly possessed considerable lightness skill and internal strength.

He calculated accurately that the attention of the Imperial Guards should be diverted by the large number of people from the Duke of Jingguo's mansion. As long as he took the opportunity to climb over this stone wall, there would be a complex garden and rockery behind it. Once he rushed into it, there might be a chance to escape.

Unfortunately, he knew that Eunuch Wei on Xia Jin's side had already set his sights on him.

"Trying to leave?"

A soft, sinister laugh rang out almost simultaneously with his movement.

Eunuch Wei had somehow appeared, blocking the stone wall between the other party's escape route and the escape route. He casually raised his hand and placed it on the chest of the eldest son of the Duke of Jingguo.

"puff!"

The opponent's forward momentum came to an abrupt halt, and he flew backward at an even faster speed, crashing heavily into a solid pillar in the hall before sliding to the ground.

"Ugh..." He curled up on the ground, blood spilling from his mouth, and a noticeable dent in his chest. Wei Gonggong's palm strike had severely injured him.

"Young Master, why bother? The Prince hasn't left yet. It's very impolite of you to be in such a hurry to leave."

Xia Jin never looked back before leaving the Duke of Jingguo's mansion.

......

Just after Xia Jin and the others left the Duke of Jingguo's mansion,

In a pavilion within the palace, the second young lady of the Duke of Jingguo's mansion, now known as Consort Qi, was languidly leaning against a gold-threaded soft pillow. A pure white lion cat was curled up obediently on her lap, letting her slender fingers, adorned with nail polish, gently comb its fur.

Suddenly, a palace maid dressed in a light green palace dress walked in quickly, leaned close to Consort Qi's ear, and whispered a few words.

Her delicate fingers, which had just been stroking the cat, suddenly stopped.

"What! You're saying my father and the others have been arrested and imprisoned by those Jinyiwei bastards!?" Consort Qi's face instantly turned ashen.

She suddenly stood up, grabbed the teacup beside her, and smashed it on the ground with force. The crisp sound of it shattering was particularly jarring in the hall.

"Outrageous! Utterly outrageous! Those Imperial Guards completely disregard me, don't they! Fine, fine, fine!"

"Come with me to see His Majesty. I'll make those guys regret it."

......

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Study, Xia Yu was sitting on the dragon throne, reviewing the mountain of memorials piled up beside him.

Suddenly his brows furrowed, for he had sensed several figures rapidly approaching his study.

"His Majesty--!"

Xia Yu paused, then looked up and saw Consort Qi, her hair slightly disheveled and her eyes red-rimmed, practically running in, supported by a palace maid. A hint of surprise flashed across his face, followed by a gentle smile.

"My dear concubine, what's wrong? You came in such a hurry, are you unwell?"

Before he could say anything more, Consort Qi, like a startled sparrow, knelt directly before him: "Your Majesty! I beg Your Majesty to do me justice! I just heard... I heard that my father, my brother... and the entire Jingguo Duke's mansion have been taken away by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Your Majesty, my father has always been loyal and my brother has always been dutiful; this must be a frame-up! I beg Your Majesty to investigate thoroughly and restore the innocence of the Jingguo Duke's mansion!"

She cried her heart out.

Xia Yu's expression changed slightly.

No one had told him about the matter concerning the Duke of Jingguo's mansion. He pulled Consort Qi to her feet, gently embraced her, and patted her back. "Alright, stop crying. I already know about this matter and know what to do. I'll summon Qin Hu later to ask for more details."

Upon hearing the name "Qin Hu," a calculating glint flashed in the depths of Consort Qi's eyes, which were hidden beneath her dragon robe.

Consort Qi, like a cat trying to please its master, gently rubbed her cheek against Xia Yu's neck, her breath sweet as orchids: "Your Majesty is the best..."

Xia Yu picked up the other person and sat him on the dragon throne, and began to review the memorials again.

Meanwhile, a eunuch hurriedly ran out of the imperial study.

"Your Highness, rest assured, I've long disliked these people from the Duke of Jing's mansion! Within three days, no, before noon tomorrow, I will make them talk and confess everything related to the remnants of the Demonic Cult!!"

As soon as Xia Jin returned to his Jinwang Palace, Qin Hu patted his chest and assured him.

"I don't know about other things from you Embroidered Uniform Guards, but you're certainly good at interrogating people about this matter. Alright, hurry up and go. I'd also like to know why a prestigious family like the Duke of Jingguo's mansion would get involved with the remnants of the Demonic Cult!" Xia Jin revealed a cold smile.

At this moment, a member of the Imperial Guard walked in and whispered a few words in Qin Hu's ear. Qin Hu waved his hand, signaling the man to leave.

"Your Highness, His Majesty has summoned me, so I shall take my leave now!" Qin Hu suddenly said to Xia Yu above him.

"Wait, I'll go with you. I happen to have something to discuss with Xia Yu." Xia Jin was about to nod when he seemed to remember something, stood up, and walked directly from the throne to Qin Hu.

......

"Your Majesty, why hasn't Qin Hu arrived yet? My legs are practically numb from waiting!" Consort Qi pouted and complained coquettishly.

"Don't worry, it should be soon..." Xia Yu patted the other person's cheek and said with a smile, but then his expression changed.

"I'm talking about Yu the Great,"

A calm voice came softly from the doorway.

"It seems you're quite the hedonist. Reviewing memorials while having a woman in your arms, huh?"

As soon as the words were spoken, two figures stepped into the Imperial Study one after the other.

The visitors were Xia Jin and Qin Hu.

Qin Hu looked up and caught a glimpse of the two people embracing on the dragon throne, especially the figure in a pink dress in Xia Yu's arms, and couldn't help but frown.

It was this woman! No wonder I was summoned to an audience as soon as I returned to the palace!

But Qin Hu acted swiftly, immediately kneeling down and bowing to Xia Yu on the dragon throne.

"Your subject Qin Hu greets Your Majesty!"

The moment Xia Yu heard that voice, he was struck dumb, his face turning deathly pale. Without even thinking, almost instinctively, he shoved the warm, soft-smelling Consort Qi away from him!

Caught off guard, Consort Qi cried out in surprise and staggered back several steps. The maid, who had been stunned by her earlier outburst, hurriedly caught her, preventing her from falling. She stared wide-eyed in disbelief at Xia Yu—what was going on? His Majesty had pushed her away so roughly?

What shocked her even more was yet to come.

Xia Yu, the emperor of the mighty Xia Dynasty, hurriedly rose from his dragon throne, even hastily straightening his robes, and strode towards Xia Jin at the door, a hint of flattery on his face.

"Big brother, what brings you here? You didn't even inform me beforehand. I... I wanted to come and greet you."

When Consort Qi saw Xia Jin standing in front of Xia Yu, she was struck dumb as if by lightning.

She watched as Xia Yu spoke to another person in this tone for the first time.

Could this man, who bears a striking resemblance to Xia Yu, be the Prince Jin, secretly known as the "Son of the Underworld" by the ministers and families?

"Yeah?"

Xia Jin asked with a half-smile, then glanced coldly at Consort Qi, whose face was deathly pale.

He then walked past the other person, headed towards the dragon throne, and sat down steadily.