Mo Chou did not expect Murong Ruyin to become a concubine of the Yin Prince's estate. What was she planning? A flicker of confusion crossed her eyes before a young maid led her into a lavish room.
Seated at the head was Murong Ruyin, exuding arrogance. Two young maids stood by her side, serving her respectfully and cautiously, one applying nail polish, the other massaging her shoulders.
The woman appeared utterly at ease, though her expression was cold. The grand reception hall was silent.
As soon as she saw Mo Chou, who had altered her appearance, enter, Murong Ruyin's lips curved into a barely perceptible smile. She waved her hand and spoke in a deep voice, giving an order.
"All of you, withdraw."
"Yes, Your Highness," the maids in the hall withdrew, leaving Mo Chou alone.
Murong Ruyin's brows furrowed slightly, her icy gaze fixed on Mo Chou. This woman had not paid her respects upon meeting her, and she was, after all, a princess of Xian Yue.
Truly, one learned from those they associated with. She was as proud and unrestrained as her mistress. However, she did not have time to concern herself with matters of etiquette now.
"Speak. What is it you want with me?"
Mo Chou bowed slightly, holding out a letter with only a few words.
Qingbo Tower, meeting at the third watch of the late afternoon.
Qingbo Tower was still a teahouse, not particularly luxurious, just an ordinary small teahouse. However, it was best to attract as little attention as possible when the two of them met, which was why Qingyao had chosen an ordinary teahouse.
"Very well. Tell your mistress that I will be there on time."
Murong Ruyin nodded slightly and spoke slowly, calling out towards the outside. "Someone, see the guest out."
The maid who had previously led Mo Chou in immediately came to escort Mo Chou away. It seemed this little maid was one of Ruyin's confidantes.
After Mo Chou left, Murong Ruyin's expression in the hall turned cold, her eyes sinister and deep. She had finally agreed to cooperate with her. Excellent, she wanted to use her to eliminate Zhangsun Yin.
This Yin Prince's estate would be hers from now on. What remained was...? Her pupils flashed with sharp, cold light, like the glint of swords.
The third watch of the late afternoon, Qingbo Tower.
In a private room on the second floor sat two men. One was ordinary-looking, with a sallow complexion, as if he frequented places of ill repute. The other was as graceful as jade, exuding an imposing presence. The two men regarded each other, their eyes emanating an unspeakable coldness, staring intensely. Finally, Qingyao, who had disguised herself as an ordinary man, spoke slowly.
"You lied to me. He is not at the West Suburban Ancient Temple at all. Believe it or not, I could choke you to death with one hand right now."
Qingyao's voice was sharp and ruthless, her eyes dark, and her face eerily grim and particularly bloodthirsty.
Although Murong Ruyin forced herself to remain calm, she still trembled slightly. What she said was true. The gap between them was too vast. She could control everyone with her zither, while this woman was utterly defenseless.
How could such a person kill her, or kill that man? But everyone had their own methods, didn't they?
"I did not lie. I sent people to follow him, and I saw him staying at the ancient temple. If he is not there, he must have left."
Murong Ruyin spoke guardedly, maintaining a distance from Qingyao.
To be honest, it was not false to be afraid. But compared to the woman before her, she was equally afraid of Zhangsun Yin and Shangguan Hao.
Those two men were now colluding like wolves in sheep's clothing, even sharing women. This made her angry and filled her with hatred. Therefore, she now only wished to destroy Zhangsun Yin and Shangguan Hao.
"Enough. I did not arrange this meeting to reminisce. Didn't you say you would cooperate with me? Tell me, what is your plan?"
"Mmm."
Upon hearing her words, Murong Ruyin's fear eased somewhat. She slowly raised her head, a cold smile curving her lips. Since she had said this, she would not kill her anytime soon, so there was no need for her to be afraid.
"It is absolutely not easy to kill Zhangsun Yin. Let alone the Yin Prince's estate with its strict security, but Shangguan Hao is with him all the time. While those two men are wicked and hateful, if they join forces, it might not be easy to deal with them. Therefore, we should defeat them one by one, which will be more successful."
Qingyao frowned as she listened to Murong Ruyin's words, and could not help but praise inwardly. After more than a year apart, this woman's mind had indeed matured, unlike the foolish woman who was deceived by Shangguan Hao back then. This idea was indeed good. xxs壹贰
"But how can we defeat them one by one?"
Qingyao asked in a deep voice. Murong Ruyin's lips curled into a cold smile:
"Although Zhangsun Yin has beaten and mistreated me, he is infatuated with me. Every two nights, he must come to my room for that. So, you can disguise yourself as me and seize the opportunity to kill him. I will lead Shangguan Hao away, giving you enough time to act."
As soon as Murong Ruyin finished speaking, Qingyao's deep dark eyes fixed on her, estimating how much sincerity was in her words, or if she had ulterior motives. Finally, she spoke slowly: "You remember this. If you dare to play any tricks this time, you will die a terrible death."
As Qingyao's warning fell, Murong Ruyin's heart tightened. This woman was intimidating in her aura. However, she was not lying to her this time, so she was not afraid. Her eyes met Qingyao's frankly and she spoke.
"Alright, I also want to kill Zhangsun Yin. With my abilities, I cannot possibly kill him. Of course, I have to borrow your strength. As for what happens after his death, that is another matter."
Murong Ruyin did not hide her hatred for Qingyao, nor her desire for revenge.
"Good. When should we act?" Qingyao asked. Murong Ruyin frowned and calculated the time: "Tomorrow night, at Xu Shi. He will definitely come to my room. You can seize the opportunity to kill him, and I will lure Shangguan Hao out."
After speaking, she stood up and scanned her surroundings. This Qingbo Tower was a small teahouse, and the patrons were chatting about private matters. Who would pay attention to their table? Murong Ruyin left first, while Qingyao sat alone, taking a sip of tea.
Mo Chou walked in from outside and sat opposite her, asking respectfully.
"Mistress, how did the conversation go?"
"Everything went smoothly. Let's go back." Qingyao put down her teacup. Murong Ruyin had already left, and there was no need for her to linger.
As the two returned, they saw a subordinate of Yin Xuan standing at the door. Upon seeing them return, he respectfully called out, "Miss Mu."
"What is it?"
Qingyao knew he must have something important to say, otherwise, he would not have dared to disturb her. Could something have happened to her master? Her heart immediately felt a pang of worry.
"Our master?"
"Yin Xuan, what happened to him?"
It was indeed Yin Xuan. She wondered what had happened to him. Yin Xuan had always seemed powerful and unfathomable to her, as if everything in the world was in his grasp. Therefore, more often than not, she did not pay much attention to him.
"He got drunk last night, very drunk, and has not woken up yet. This subordinate was afraid something had happened to him, so I found a doctor to examine him. The doctor said if he drinks again, his stomach might not be able to take it, and he'll suffer greatly."