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"Your Highness wishes to see Empress Dowager Qi?" The Imperial Consort frowned, looking at the young man whose status seemed even higher than Shen Qi’s, and fell into hesitation.

She was not foolish. It was obvious that the other party’s true intention was not purely for business, but rather to do something else she was unaware of.

Considering that the Emperor had suddenly announced allegiance to Jiangnan, and that all the major families had mysteriously closed their doors, there must be something significant at play here.

As an Imperial Consort on the fringes of power, she truly did not want to get involved.

"Has Your Highness ever heard of Jiangnan Academy?" Chen Qing suddenly asked.

"I’ve heard of it....." The topic caused the Imperial Consort’s eyes to light up instantly.

More than just hearing about it, she envied the younger generation’s opportunity to stay in Jiangnan. From a young age, which child of the Beiyu Family didn’t aspire to become a Magician? If it wasn’t for a lack of talent for magic, who would marry into the Imperial Palace?

After marrying into the Royal Family, she had given up on such aspirations, but then..... Jiangnan had reignited her desire.

Those youngsters..... were not much younger than herself. Wasn’t the oldest one about twenty-seven years old? Hadn’t he also stayed in Jiangnan? It was said that he even became a Medical Practitioner; even medical studies could lead to a career as a Magician!

Since she was young, she had studied the Central Plains’ Five Elements and Eight Trigrams, as well as various other esoteric arts, in an effort to compensate for her inability to inherit her family’s techniques.

But she couldn’t make it. In terms of divination and the Yin Yang Eight Trigrams, no one in the Beiyu Family could match her.

If Jiangnan Academy had appeared just ten years earlier, why would she have had to become a concubine in the Harem?

But after arriving in Jiangnan, she was already an Imperial Consort, bound by rules, hardly able to return to her maiden home, let alone go out to study; it was a ludicrous thought.....

Honestly, when she heard a year before that even an elder of the Beiyu Family, someone older than her, had stayed in Jiangnan and become a Magician, she was so vexed she couldn’t sleep for several days and nights!

"Your Highness is well-versed in the exotic arts of Central Plains and proficient in divination, which makes you very suitable for Jiangnan Academy. It is only because of your status that you have been unable to fulfill this wish, but Your Highness’s age is actually not too late.

Now that this place has pledged allegiance to Jiangnan, if Your Highness is willing, I can make an introduction for you. "

"This..." The Imperial Consort breathed hurriedly, her life had seemingly reached a dead end. Although young, her future in the Imperial Family, living out her days as a widow in The Harem, was almost certain. But..... if she could become a Magician, the situation could be different.

If possible, who would want their life to end here?

"But..... my identity..."

"Your Highness need not worry about your identity.

You are not the Empress Dowager, and not many people concern themselves with you.

If you assume a new identity, Jiangnan is an excellent place to go.

The lifespan of a Magician can reach three hundred years.

In a hundred years, who will remember a childless Imperial Consort from the Harem here? "

Upon hearing this, the Imperial Consort stared intently at the man, her fingernails digging into her flesh beneath her sleeves.

Chen Qing met her gaze with clear, bright eyes.

"What does Your Highness want me to do?"

At last..... she was not resigned to settle for this fate...

After all, with the world changing, even if she kept herself hidden in The Harem, could she really live out a peaceful life? Rather than that, why not try one more time for a different outcome?

"What exactly is the status of Empress Dowager Qi, we wish to know.

.." Chen Qing glanced at Shen Qi, and Shen Qi, understanding, said, "If Your Highness agrees, we will place an ’eye’ on you and prepare a protective Array for you.

We only need you to visit Empress Dowager Qi once, and there is no need for you to do anything more. "

"That protective Array, can it ensure my safety?" the Consort asked thoughtfully.

"I cannot guarantee that," said Chen Qing earnestly: "If The Harem is as I suspect, then there should be no problem, but given the current unpredictable circumstances, no one in this game can truly assure their own safety.

I can only say that if you face danger, we will go to all lengths to ensure your safe retreat. "

"I’ve heard..." the Imperial Consort looked up at Chen Qing: "In Jiangnan, when people die, their souls enter the underworld, able to be reincarnated. If something happens to me, can at least that be assured, to enter Jiangnan?"

Faced with this question, Shen Qi was about to agree when Chen Qing shook his head: "Not necessarily..."

The Imperial Consort was taken aback; she had not expected such honesty.

"I can only say, I will try my best," Chen Qing told her.

"Okay!" The Imperial Consort stood up, curtsied, and smiled, "I trust Your Highness."

Chen Qing also stood and returned the gesture, "Chen will do his utmost not to disappoint Your Highness’s trust!"

Chen?

The Imperial Consort’s eyes widened as she looked at the man before her, a young man with higher status than Shen Qi, surnamed Chen!

He is...

--------------------------------

In the Imperial Palace, it had been ten days since the Emperor made an appearance.

Empress Lady Yun was so anxious she was at her wit’s end.

Others might not know, but she was acutely aware of her young husband’s situation.

Ever since the Murong Family had introduced a mysterious individual, the entire Northern Yan situation had changed.

Before, the chaos of the religious sects had vanished in an instant.

As a military general’s family, her own Yun family had originally been strong supporters of the Dark Moon Sect.

However, that stance abruptly changed, and they started to support the Emperor’s alliance with Jiangnan.

That was one thing, but then her mother wrote to inform her that once her father returned home, he sequestered himself and never left his retreat. Many Family Heads were doing the same.

But today, her mother sent over a trusted Palace Maid to tell her a terrifying piece of news.

That was... her father had actually disappeared.

Within the supposedly secured retreat, her father was nowhere to be found, along with several family elders who had entered seclusion with him.

That wasn’t even the worst thing. The most terrifying thing was that her mother immediately went to her maternal family, the Qi Family, renowned for their battle achievements in Northern Yan and also the Empress Dowager’s family, to try and gather some information from her own grandfather.

However, after discussing with Old Lady Qi, they were shocked to find that Old Master Qi had disappeared as well!

Originally... they had all seen Old Master Qi enter the secluded chamber, and the Family Head and elders had even laid down a powerful Array. There were guards watching day and night, and food and medicinal herbs were delivered punctually.

But how could there be no one in the retreat?

This situation led her mother to a frightening conjecture.

Originally... it’s feared that all the Family Heads who discussed with Your Majesty have gone missing!

The reasons for their disappearance were unknown, but surely nothing good.

The sudden change in stance, and now the disappearance of these people, reminded her of the meetings with the Emperor.

Each of these individuals was influential enough to impact the political landscape of Northern Yan, causing her mother to fear that a significant crisis was brewing!

This was why she sent a confidant to the palace, to find the Emperor at all costs and clarify what exactly had happened.

But that damned eunuch at the Imperial Study just wouldn’t let her in.

Herself, the dignified Empress, blocked by a eunuch from entering—such a thing would seem unbelievable if spoken aloud. But this eunuch... was more forceful than expected!

"Empress My Lady, please return. His Majesty has said he will see no one!"

"His Majesty has not met with any officials for ten days, and this palace has not seen His Majesty for ten days. I am now very worried about His Majesty..."

"There is no need for the Empress My Lady to worry, His Majesty is currently well."

"Well or not is not something you can claim with just your empty words!" The Empress’s face had already turned livid with rage, "Step aside immediately for this palace!"

The frail eunuch, upon hearing these words, stood firm as if nailed down, his expression stiff as he said, "His Majesty has ordered that he will see no one. If the Empress My Lady insists on forcing her way through, she will bear the consequences..."

Was this eunuch threatening her?

The Empress flew into a rage. Once a legitimate daughter of the Yun family and now the esteemed Empress, when had she been so affronted by a mere eunuch?

Just as she was determined to break in, the eunuch suddenly looked up. His originally dull eyes now flickered with an intimidating cold light, which made her shiver involuntarily and hesitant to charge in.

For some reason, she could truly sense that if she did force her way through, the eunuch’s threatening words were not an idle threat...

How dare he?

After a standoff, she eventually did not dare to force her way through and left in a huff with her Palace Maids to rally the guards outside—this accursed eunuch had some nerve!

While walking away, she suddenly caught a glimpse of a familiar figure passing by in the distance, heading towards what looked like Empress Dowager Qi’s side.

The Empress paused and asked a Palace Maid beside her, "That’s... the Bei Yu family’s that Concubine, right?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"What is she doing at the Empress Dowager’s Palace?"

The Empress Dowager once strongly advocated for the Dark Moon Sect, to the point where the entire Imperial Palace was adorned with black lanterns.

Now, the Dark Moon Sect was seen as a heretical cult, and Empress Dowager Qi, as a key proponent, faced an awkward situation.

These days, she also tried to avoid meeting that boastful woman.

But then it dawned on her... that attention-loving Empress Dowager Qi, her mother-in-law... had also been quiet for about ten days.

Could it be...

With this thought, she took the initiative to approach the Bei Yu Concubine.