The family had a reunion dinner. After the meal, Mo Chou led Little Fish back to their room to rest, while Qingyao entered the study with her father, the Prime Minister, to discuss several important matters.
Inside the study, Mu Hen insisted that Qingyao sit in the place of honor. Although Qingyao considered herself no longer the Empress, the Emperor had not issued a decree to depose her. Therefore, in Mu Hen's heart, propriety must be observed, and he sat below Qingyao, adhering to his duty as a subject.
Qingyao, not one for such formalities, did not insist and sat in the upper seat. Once father and daughter were seated, a young maid brought tea. While serving, the maid couldn't help but steal glances at the third young lady. Rumors had it that the third young lady had become ugly, and she wondered if they were true. If not, why else would she be wearing a piece of sheer veil?
Mu Hen noticed the maid's inattentiveness and let out a cold huff, "You may go." The maid retreated with fear and trepidation.
Qingyao looked up at Prime Minister Mu. After more than a year apart, the Prime Minister seemed much more haggard than before. With the Emperor absent from the palace, he must have been exhausted. Thinking about the Emperor's repeated departures from the palace, Qingyao raised her eyebrows slightly.
"The Emperor is not in the palace, so are all the state affairs handled by Father?"
"The Emperor is not in the palace?"
Mu Hen was clearly startled, then shook his head in disbelief, looking at Qingyao. "The Emperor has been in the palace all along. Where did you hear that the Emperor was not in the palace?"
Qingyao was somewhat taken aback. How could she not know whether the Emperor was in the palace or not? Yet, her father, the Prime Minister, said the Emperor was in the palace. Was there someone else in the palace? Or did the Emperor simply not show himself? This made her curious. She gracefully picked up her teacup, gently blew on the leaves, and took a sip. The tea was subtly fragrant.
"Does the Emperor attend court every day?" she asked calmly. Mu Hen nodded, a little perplexed by his daughter's actions. Since Qingyao's return, she had been asking about the Emperor. Did she wish to return to the palace? But what would the Emperor say about her current appearance? He was momentarily stunned. However, recalling the people who had escorted Qingyao back, there had seemed to be someone else in the carriage, and he had recognized elite imperial guards trailing behind the carriage. What was going on? Mu Hen was utterly bewildered.
"Yao'er, who was it that escorted you back earlier?"
"A friend," Qingyao did not wish to mention Yin Xuan, or the Emperor. Their relationship was simple at the moment. If it reached her father's ears, it might become complicated. More importantly, the Emperor had kept it from everyone, so it wasn't her place to reveal him. Then who was the other emperor in the palace? Was it Prince Nan'an, Mu Rong Liu Zun? Qingyao could only think this way. A faint smile touched her lips, and she said lightly, "How has Prince Nan'an been recently?"
"Oh, he's not doing well. He's ill, and reportedly very ill. Officials who went to visit him couldn't even see him. They say it's a highly contagious disease, so naturally, everyone is afraid to visit him."
"Oh," Qingyao drew out the sound, finally understanding that the Emperor in the palace was Prince Nan'an, Mu Kong Liu Zun. These two brothers were quite skilled at this scheme of substituting one for the other, one in the palace, one outside, moving freely.
She didn't expose them, listening to her father speak while sipping tea, her demeanor calm, like a magnolia flower exuding a faint, unique fragrance in the lamplight. Such a woman would bring warmth at a single glance. Mu Hen gazed at his daughter, noting how different she was. She was neither the infatuated and oblivious girl of the past, nor the composed and wise woman she later became. That wisdom, however, always carried a coolness that kept people at a distance, completely unlike her present self, who exuded peace and serenity.
"Yao'er, can the red patches on your face really not be removed?" As Mu Hen thought of this, his heart ached. What a beautiful daughter she was, only to be inflicted with this by that detestable man. That damned fellow deserved to die! The usually etiquette-conscious Mu Hen uncharacteristically cursed in his heart.
"Father, please don't dwell on this matter. Daughter is here to discuss two things with you."
"Firstly, I do not wish to return to the palace, nor do I wish to stay here. Please find me another place to recuperate, alright?"
As soon as Qingyao spoke, Mu Hen shook his head and refused. His children from the Mu family living outside the home? He must have been annoyed by those gossiping maids. Mu Hen spoke sternly, "Yao'er, don't overthink it. Starting tomorrow, Father will issue a decree of vigilance. Anyone who speaks of it or glances at you too much will be severely punished."
"Then I'll be considered a terrible woman," Qingyao laughed, looking at her father calmly. "I returned to the capital this time because I need to cooperate with Emperor Xian on something. Father, please rest assured. I'm not going out because of what others said, but to do something else."
"The Emperor? You have contact with the Emperor?" Mu Hen was somewhat excited. So Yao'er had been in contact with the Emperor all along. No wonder the Emperor had been less cold and fierce in court recently; he seemed much gentler.
"Yes." Qingyao didn't want to say too much about the Emperor. The residence was what concerned her more. "Father, buy me a secluded residence, a very large one. Preferably with some hidden areas within the estate, that would be more convenient."
Mu Hen, seeing his daughter speak so mysteriously, couldn't help but feel very curious. "What is Yao'er planning to do?" Qingyao knew he would ask this, and she had no intention of hiding these matters from her father. She put down her teacup and took out some blueprints from her怀, handing them to Mu Hen. Mu Hen accepted them steadily and quickly saw things he had never seen before, peculiar in shape, exuding a strange aura and powerful killing intent. He continued to flip through the blueprints, finally seeing something somewhat familiar. He recalled that Yao'er had called this a hand grenade, and it was said to be extremely powerful. He wondered if it was true. She said these were military weapons; could all these things be military weapons?
"Are these blueprints all military weapons?"
"Yes, some simple military weapons that may be used in the future," Qingyao said lightly. These were simple weapons designed by Little Fish using ancient materials. While they might not be as powerful as modern ones, their impact in warfare could be significant.
"Did you return just to meet the Emperor for this?" Prime Minister Mu raised an eyebrow, looking at Qingyao, who was serene all over. His daughter now exuded peace, and the more serene she became, the harder it was to discern her true thoughts and desires.
"Yes, it's a mutually beneficial matter. I sell him weapons, he benefits, and I get money. The reason I sell to him is that I am from Xian Yue. If these things were taken elsewhere, they would likely be snatched up crazily. However, I still want to acknowledge our past relationship." As she spoke, her tone was light, as if discussing the weather. Mu Hen's heart trembled. Was such a daughter an ordinary woman?
"So, have you finalized things with the Emperor?" Mu Hen asked, concerned. Since she had returned, she must have reached an agreement with the Emperor. Who knew that Qingyao only shook her head? "We haven't discussed it yet. It's only when I speak that he has to agree; he has no right to refuse. There's no need to ask him."
"However, I did discuss another matter with him."
"What matter?" Mu Hen's curiosity grew. Such a daughter interested him. If she were willing to assist Emperor Xian, the empire would likely be unified sooner or later.
"I will help him pacify the seven kingdoms. My Feng Chen Palace will, in the future, become the foremost sect in Xian Yue, and the court shall not interfere in any affairs of Feng Chen Palace. Of course, Feng Chen Palace guarantees it will not engage in any malicious activities."
Mu Hen was astonished. Could the Emperor agree to such terms? Wasn't this like placing a thorn in his own flesh? Who would willingly have a thorn pricking them?