His Highness the Madman gave in again today.

"Did you kill Shen Hanzhou to provoke a conflict between the two countries?"

"It's probably not that simple."

After the couple returned home, they went to see Yueying again.

Although Yueying's injuries were not as severe as Yazi's, she would still be bedridden for at least ten days to half a month.

Seeing that Mo Sangyu and Feng Xingyu had come to see her in person, she struggled to get up, but Mo Sangyu gently pressed her down: "Don't move, just lie still."

After speaking, Mo Sangyu raised her hand, signaling the palace servants following behind her to come in.

Several palace maids carried exquisite wooden boxes and placed them one by one on the table. In addition to nourishing medicinal herbs and healing ointments, there were also gold and silver jewelry and fine silks and satins.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, what's going on...?"

Looking at the table full of gifts, Yueying was startled and hurriedly tried to get up to bow again, her eyes filled with overwhelming gratitude.

"Keep these, take your medicine on time, and take good care of your injury." Mo Sangyu gently pressed down on her shoulder, preventing her from moving.

"Your Majesty, I was merely fulfilling my duty. I am utterly unworthy of such a generous reward. Please, Your Majesty, take it back."

"These are just material possessions. You were seriously injured protecting the post station, so you deserve them."

Feng Xingyu stood aside and calmly echoed, "The Empress's gift is yours to accept."

Seeing that His Majesty and the Empress have both said so, it would be ungrateful to refuse any further.

Yueying dared not refuse any longer and whispered her thanks: "Your Majesty, I thank you for your grace."

I felt both moved and apprehensive.

She didn't handle the task well this time, and she even implicated Ya Zi.

After the palace servants retreated outside the door, only three people remained in the room.

Mo Sangyu pulled over a stool and sat down, his expression gradually becoming serious.

"Moon Shadow, I've come today to ask you, what did you discover during your encounter with the assassin who tried to kill Shen Hanzhou that night?"

Yueying concealed the emotions in her eyes and thought back carefully.

After a moment, she slowly spoke: "I did not see the person's face clearly. Her face was covered with a black veil, but she was very tall and rather robust. However, she was dressed in women's clothing, so she should be a woman."

"When I fought her, I couldn't detect any internal energy flow. She wasn't using any martial arts we were familiar with; it was a kind of evil skill that I had never seen before."

"Furthermore, she carries an indescribable aura, cold and sinister. When you get close, you feel a chill run down your spine, making you extremely uncomfortable."

Mo Sangyu and Feng Xingyu exchanged a glance, neither of them interrupting Yueying, and listened to her continue.

"That night, I was on my routine patrol outside the post station when I suddenly heard a commotion inside. When I rushed in, Shen Hanzhou was already lying in a pool of blood, and I ran right into the assassin."

"I tried to capture her, but she was far stronger than me. I couldn't stop her and was injured instead. Her target was probably only Shen Hanzhou of Qingyue Kingdom. She didn't want to kill me and cause trouble for herself. So, she ran away after injuring me."

"But she didn't expect to run into Ya Zi right after she stepped outside."

At this point, Yueying paused, her eyes filled with guilt and self-reproach: "I thought that Yazi's martial arts were stronger than mine, and that I would definitely be able to capture this person, but in the end..."

As Yueying spoke, her eyes reddened slightly, and her hands, hanging at her sides, clenched tightly.

"It's all my fault for being useless. I failed to stop the assassin and even caused Ya Zi to be seriously injured."

"This is not your fault."

Mo Sangyu spoke softly, interrupting her self-blame: "The opponent's kung fu is so strange that it's not something an ordinary person can handle. If you encounter a similar situation again, don't try to stop them. Preserving your life is the most important thing."

Upon hearing this, Yueying felt a warmth in her heart.

"Oh, right."

Then, as if remembering something else, she added, "I remember there was a strange fragrance about her when she turned her wrist, but it was masked by that cold aura and was not easily noticed."

"Okay, we understand."

Having asked all the necessary questions, Mo Sangyu stood up, her gaze falling on Yueying's pale face, and her tone softened: "Focus on recovering from your injuries and don't worry about this matter anymore. Leave the investigation of the assassin to us."

"Your subordinate obeys, and thanks Your Majesty and Your Highness for your concern."

Yueying lay on the bed, respectfully agreeing, her heart filled with gratitude.

Feng Xingyu put his arm around Mo Sangyu's shoulder, and the two of them turned around and slowly walked out of the room without saying anything more.

It's already late August, and the afternoon sun is just right, making people feel hot all over.

The couple returned to the palace, where Gu Jinzhi and his entourage had been waiting for them for a long time in the imperial study.

They came to discuss and analyze the death of the Qingyue envoy in Dachen.

Feng Xingyu sat on the dragon throne, while Mo Sangyu leaned lazily against the couch behind him, seemingly unwilling to move.

A group of people stood below, including Gu Jinzhi and his wife, Yan Qing and his group of military officers, several Grand Councilors of the court, and the Minister of Rites, who was in charge of receiving and entertaining foreign envoys. They were all present.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty."

The Minister of Rites spoke first: "I believe that this assassination attempt was most likely carried out by people from the Qingyue Kingdom itself."

"That is indeed possible."

Gu Jinzhi spoke in a deep voice, his tone carrying a cool, insightful understanding of the world.

"The relationship with Qingyue Kingdom is quite complicated. Shen Hanzhou is the eldest disciple of that mysterious national teacher. He should have a very high status in Qingyue Kingdom, and his martial arts skills are not low. He also knows some other secret techniques. The fact that he was killed so easily means that this person must be someone of great importance."

After a moment's thought, Wen Zhixia said calmly, "If it was done by Qingyue itself, and Shen Hanzhou came to break the curse for the royal family, then this person's purpose is clearly to prevent His Majesty and the Empress from saving the Qingyue Emperor."

Yan Qing said indignantly, "If that's really the case, then the Qingyue Kingdom's court would probably already be divided into two factions. One faction hopes that Shen Hanzhou can successfully break the curse and stabilize the imperial power, while the other faction is eager for the emperor to die so that they can seize power."

"I'm afraid it's more than that."

A hint of seriousness flashed in Gu Jinzhi's eyes: "I have questioned Ya Zi and Yue Ying. The evil martial arts used by that woman have no internal energy flowing through them, and they are imbued with a chilling aura. Perhaps..."

Before he could finish speaking, one of the Grand Councilors' eyes narrowed: "Does Grand Secretary Gu mean that the person behind this might not be a local force in Qingyue, but rather someone who deliberately set up this scheme taking advantage of the internal strife in Qingyue?"

"That's certainly possible."

Gu Jinzhi pursed her lips, her expression serious as she analyzed the situation.

"Killing Shen Hanzhou and obstructing the breaking of the curse may seem like an internal strife in Qingyue, but in reality, it might be an attempt to drag Da Chen into this turmoil as well."

"Shen Hanzhou died in Da Chen territory, and the post station guards were seriously injured. If Qing Yue Kingdom takes this opportunity to cause trouble, or deliberately spreads rumors, the person behind the scenes can reap the benefits when the two countries are at war."

Upon hearing this, everyone's expressions became serious.

What was initially thought to be a simple assassination case has, upon closer examination, revealed a series of conspiracies.

From internal strife in Qingyue to the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and then to a mysterious and treacherous force, everything is interconnected.

However, after they discussed and analyzed for a long time, neither Feng Xingyu nor Mo Sangyu, who were in the main seat, spoke.

Another Grand Councilor said urgently, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, please say something!"

"What did you say?"

Mo Sangyu's head was throbbing from listening: "I'm not good at these political schemes and plots. I'm only good at taking down an entire group at once."

The ministers: "..."

Feng Xingyu turned to look at her, a hint of a smile flashing in his red eyes.

Gu Jinzhi rubbed her forehead.

Wen Zhixia couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle.

Yan Qing, Yuan Zhao, Lu Jinhan, Xiao, and the others immediately perked up.

All schemes and plots are nothing but bullshit in the face of absolute power.

They can't control whether or not there's internal strife, but anyone who dares to plot against their Great Chen deserves to die!

"Your Majesty."

The heavy atmosphere in the room was easily dispelled by Mo Sangyu's words.

Gu Jinzhi laughed and said, "Even if we want to wipe them out in one fell swoop, we have to find out who they are first. Right now, we need to see what Qingyue's attitude is when the news of Shen Hanzhou's assassination reaches back to Qingyue."

"No matter what, the person died in our Da Chen. As long as their demands are not excessive, we can make some appropriate compensation."

"Um."

Feng Xingyu nodded, his gaze falling on Yu Chengwei, the Minister of Rites: "This matter will be left to you, Minister Yu. See what the other party's attitude is before making a decision."

"Yes."

Yu Chengwei accepted the order.

It has to be said that, after Mo Sangyu's words, although everyone's expressions were strange, they inexplicably felt more confident.

you do not say.

With His Majesty and Empress presiding over the court, and the Great Chen Dynasty having a strong army, abundant supplies, and brave and skilled generals, its powerful forces are awe-inspiring. What is there to fear from the undercurrents and schemes of all sides?

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, there is one more question."

Yu Chengwei looked worried and said, "Although it's already the end of August, the weather is still hot. What should we do with Shen Hanzhou's body? The news has only been back in Qingyue for three days, and we haven't received a reply yet. What if they ask us to take the body back..."

"I'll think of a way."

Mo Sangyu said lazily, "You just need to go and negotiate."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Everyone took their leave.

In the following days, during the autumn imperial examinations, the court was busy but orderly.

The provincial autumn examinations have begun as scheduled. The Ministry of Rites and the Cabinet have submitted the list of appointed examiners. All arrangements for guarding the examination halls and inspecting the examination sites have been made, and the examinations are just waiting to begin.

Feng Xingyu casually flipped through the memorials and gave a nonchalant order: "The autumn imperial examinations are a matter of national importance. Order all departments to supervise the examinations according to regulations, strictly prevent any fraud, and submit any difficult cases to the palace."

At present, while the imperial court needs to attend to the important task of the imperial examination, it also needs to keep a close eye on things in Qingyue.

Shen Hanzhou's body was wrapped in ice, but ice was a rare commodity, so they couldn't use too much on him.

It's only been a few days, and the body has already changed. If we delay any longer, it might not look good.

That afternoon, Mo Sangyu took Yu Chengwei, the Minister of Rites, to the morgue.

As soon as the door was pushed open, a faint chill wafted out. Shen Hanzhou lay on a wooden board, covered with a white sheet, his exposed hands already turning bluish-purple.

Yu Chengwei sighed and was about to say something when he saw Mo Sangyu raise her hand, a flash of dark blue light appearing in her palm.

A transparent cabinet appeared out of thin air on the ground.

It's square and completely transparent, with a lid on top that lets out cool air when opened.

Yu Chengwei had never seen anything like it before. He looked at it closely and then reached out to touch it.

It was cold and hard, like glass, but not glass.

"Your Majesty, this is..."

Mo Sangyu ignored him, stared at the freezer for a moment, and then suddenly frowned.

Freezer?

Has she lost her mind?

What kind of nonsense is it to put this thing here?

It's as if they're trying to cover up a crime or hide a body.

She waved her hand, removing a freezer and replacing it with a coffin.

The coffin was crystal clear, emanating a chilling aura. The lid was transparent, allowing one to see inside at a glance.

Mo Sangyu then installed several more solar panels, connected them to wires, and linked them to a storage battery.

Once the board was placed on the coffin lid and the wire was connected, white mist rose from the coffin, cool and refreshing; even standing next to it felt cool.

Yu Chengwei and several guards watching the ice cellar were dumbfounded, their eyes almost popping out of their sockets.

Is Your Majesty performing magic?

"Put him in."

Yu Chengwei snapped out of his daze and quickly directed the guards to carry the person inside.

Shen Hanzhou's body was carefully placed in an ice coffin. The lid was closed, and a chill filled the air. The body lay inside, peaceful and quiet.

Yu Chengwei stared at the coffin for a long while, then turned to Mo Sangyu and said, "Your Majesty, isn't it a bit of a waste to give such a fine coffin to a foreign envoy?"

"What, you like it?"

Mo Sangyu gave him a half-smile: "Shall I give you a bite too?"

"Ah...I am still young, I don't need it, I don't need it."

Yu Chengwei shut up and dared not say anything more.

The next evening.

The reply from Qingyue Kingdom was quickly delivered to the palace by horse.

As everyone expected, Shen Hanzhou held a prestigious position in Qingyue, and the Qingyue emperor's letter was earnest.

We earnestly request that Da Chen send Shen Hanzhou's body back to Qingyue so that he may be laid to rest.

The entire text contained not a single word of blame or accusation; the tone was extremely humble.

Feng Xingyu immediately summoned his ministers again to discuss the selection of someone to transport the corpse to Qingyue.

"His Majesty."

Minister of Rites Yu Chengwei spoke first: "Since Qingyue Kingdom has expressed its understanding, then we only need to return Shen Hanzhou's body, and the matter will be considered closed. However..."

"We need to carefully consider who is in charge of transporting the body. This person must be highly skilled in martial arts and have the ability to protect themselves. After all, the journey from Da Chen to Qing Yue is long, and it is hard to guarantee that other accidents will not happen during this time."

Gu Jinzhi nodded.

"Lord Yu is right. That assassin was able to seriously injure Ya Zi, so his strength is extraordinary."

"Although Qingyue Kingdom's attitude is acceptable, who knows if someone will tamper with the body along the way? The person responsible for transporting the body must at least be able to defeat that assassin."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

Can you defeat that assassin?

That would be a bit difficult.

Even Ya Zi was injured like that, so even Han Xiao and Lu Jin, both ninth-rank martial arts practitioners, couldn't guarantee they could defeat that assassin.

"Your Majesty, Her Majesty..."

Just as Yan Qing was about to speak, Yuan Zhao interrupted him, "Forget it. Feng Mian is about to give birth. You absolutely cannot leave Wudu."

"You can't either."

Han Xiao looked at Yuan Zhao and said.

Then, he looked up at Feng Xingyu and Mo Sangyu, who were in the main seats, clasped his hands and bowed: "I am willing to go on this trip."

"I am willing," Lu Jin said.

"However, the eldest princess of Cangwu Kingdom is still here. If you all leave, it might not be appropriate," a minister reminded them.

"Then let me go."

Lu Jin said, "Yuan Zhao and Han Xiao are staying behind. I am all alone, with no ties, and my martial arts skills are still decent. I will not be easily schemed against. I beg Your Majesty and Your Majesty to entrust this task to me."

These words were spoken.

No one in the hall objected.

Yan Qing and the others also fell silent, but they couldn't help but worry in their hearts.

Feng Xingyu pondered for a moment, a cold look flashing across his red eyes.

Just as she was about to speak, someone next to her interjected, "Everyone, stop arguing. I've decided that I will personally go on this mission."