Xie Yun immediately recognized that Xie Jing had been afflicted by demonic energy. Previously, upon returning to the Xie family, he had found a spell that could temporarily resist the demonic energy and stabilize the dantian.
Therefore, Xie Yun immediately used a immobilization charm to temporarily stabilize Xie Jing, and then quickly used a spell to envelop the demonic energy around Xie Jing.
In just an instant, the person who had been looking ferocious just moments before fainted.
Xie Yun stepped forward and helped Xie Jing up, looking at Bai Qianluo: "I'll take Xiao Jing to that room first."
He gestured towards a dilapidated room. Although called dilapidated, it looked more like a room that hadn't been occupied for a long time and had gathered dust.
"Alright."
Xie Yun carried Xie Jing into the room. There happened to be a bed inside. Although the bed looked unclean, he didn't have time to care. He directly placed the person on the bed.
After he went out, he stood outside the door and cast a barrier around the entire room, ensuring that ordinary minor demons could not enter. Only then did he go to find Bai Qianluo.
Fortunately, Bai Qianluo had the elixirs given by her master. When Xie Yun had left earlier, she had taken one. By the time he returned, she had already recovered significantly, although her lips were still pale.
The dried blood on the corner of her mouth seemed to have remained there because it couldn't be wiped off. Looking at Bai Qianluo's appearance, Xie Yun said apologetically, "I'm sorry, Xiao Jing he..."
Before he could finish, Bai Qianluo smiled charmingly and said, "Alright~ It's important to get things done. How is Jiu Jiu doing?"
The two headed towards the Empress's sleeping quarters.
They had found an excuse to come out earlier. Tonight was the deadline of three days. Currently, the Crown Prince was in the hall, and Zhao Yong was also making preparations.
When it reached midnight, the Yin energy would be at its strongest. It was likely that the fox demon's demonic energy would also be at its peak then.
"Greetings, Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Besides the Crown Prince, there was another person in the hall.
Upon seeing him, both Xie Yun and Bai Qianluo were startled. This person was none other than Su Ming, whom they had seen in the illusion before.
Su Ming had not changed much, but it could be seen that compared to his appearance in the illusion, there were more fine lines on his face. He should be around fifty years old now, yet he still looked handsome and refined.
"This is the Grand Tutor." Zhao Yong reminded them.
At this moment, the Crown Prince's expression was not good.
"Greetings, Grand Tutor." Both of them bowed.
Su Ming did not speak, merely raised his hand slightly, signaling them to rise.
The man standing before them, dressed in a dark robe and in the style of the Central Plains, looked full of arrogance, completely unaware of the Crown Prince's somber expression beside him.
"Let's begin."
Sheng Xuan Yin said.
"Yes!"
*
"Host, you should wake up!"
Hearing the system's voice, Qin Jiujiu slowly woke up.
Everything before her eyes was both strange and familiar. She still seemed to be in the imperial palace, yet something was different.
"Host, you have entered the Empress's dream."
"What's going on?"
"The reason the Empress of Sheng Qi Kingdom has been ill for so long is because she is trapped in a dream. This dream is her past memories..."
Qin Jiujiu looked around. "It's not going to be like that illusion, is it?"
It couldn't be such a coincidence that there was a Su Ming here and an illusion as well, right?
"Illusions and dreams are different, Host. This dream belongs to the Empress, so everything you see is from the Empress's perspective~"
She had clearly entered the hall with the Fifth Prince, Sheng Huai'an, but for some reason, she suddenly lost consciousness. When she woke up, the system was telling her she had entered the Empress's dream.
"How did I enter a dream?"
She remembered that she hadn't done anything. Even the Empress was just lying on the bed. She had only followed Sheng Huai'an and taken a distant glance. How could she have entered her dream like this?
"That, Host, you will know later..."
After that, the system disappeared.
Qin Jiujiu was already accustomed to such a system. Without even a word of retention, she walked forward on her own.
She was now at the main entrance of the imperial palace.
She wondered where the Empress was.
Qin Jiujiu's current form was like a soul floating in the air, which was consistent with her original state.
She wandered around the palace gate, looking around. Apart from the guards at the gate, there was no one else, let alone the Empress.
"Miss, Master said that your entering the palace this time is to become the Empress..."
"Be discreet!"
The maid's words were interrupted by a woman dressed as a young lady. Qin Jiujiu heard the voice but didn't know where it was coming from, so she couldn't help but stop and look at the expressions of the guards.
These two likely couldn't hear them either.
Soon, a carriage appeared within her sight.
The carriage quickly stopped at the palace gate. Qin Jiujiu, using her form as a wandering spirit that couldn't be detected, walked to the front of the carriage.
First, a maidservant, about fifteen or sixteen years old, got out. Then, the curtain was lifted again, revealing the Empress.
Qin Jiujiu immediately recognized the woman before her as the Empress. However, the person before her was only fifteen or sixteen years old, with not a single fine line on her face. Her oval face was very dignified.
"Miss," the maidservant carefully helped her young lady out of the carriage. Neither of them noticed Qin Jiujiu, who was right in front of them. After getting out of the carriage, they tidied their clothes and hairstyles and entered the palace gate.
"Zhu'er, once you enter the palace, you cannot speak carelessly. Remember, it's better to be mute than to speak too much!"
The maidservant nodded heavily. She never imagined that she would actually become mute in the future.
Qin Jiujiu followed them and entered the palace gate.
It seemed this was the Empress before she became the Empress.
Was this the previous dynasty or the current one?
Lin Shuxue had told her a lot about the old affairs of the previous dynasty. The current Empress's maternal family was extremely powerful. Although she later married the current Emperor, she was a person who could become Empress in the previous dynasty.
At the age of fifteen or sixteen, she was roughly the same age as the Crown Prince of the previous dynasty, and also similar in age to the current Emperor.
So, whose Empress was this?
"Greetings, Consort Shu!"
Qin Jiujiu followed them into a palace hall and heard them address the person sitting on the chaise lounge in this manner. It seemed that person was Concubine Xiang.
She hadn't expected to meet a key figure first. Qin Jiujiu couldn't help but rejoice inwardly.
This Consort Shu was a concubine from the previous dynasty, the mother of that illegitimate princess.
The Crown Prince of the previous dynasty was raised under her care.
The previous dynasty still existed, so it was likely that these two entered the palace for the Crown Prince.
Everyone thought that the Crown Prince would naturally ascend the throne and become Emperor. Who would have thought that this Crown Prince would die so tragically, subjected to the cruel punishment of heart-digging by his own father?
"Your Highness the Crown Prince."
The person who entered her sight was an extremely young man. He possessed an impossibly beautiful face, his eyes like stars, with a touch of softness. His moon-white robe further enhanced his elegant demeanor, leaving no flaw to be found.
If this person were not dressed as a man, Qin Jiujiu would have mistaken him for a beautiful young lady from some noble family.