Free Web NovelChapter 770: Chapter 205: Demon Palace Banquet (Part 2)
"Such viciousness!" Qing Ze snorted coldly.
Yan Ya was terrified by the old Imperial Physician’s words. She had thought her secret was hidden, yet an outsider had come to know it. And unfortunately, this very person appeared at her most critical moment.
"No! You’re lying! I was just being kind and bringing her supplements, never drugged anything." Yan Ya panicked completely inside, seeking someone she could rely on, only to find Ling Jiu and the other four were watching coldly, while Su Sheng and the others took the path of self-preservation. A tinge of despair rose in her heart as she pointed accusingly at Mu Qingge, "It’s you! You’re falsely accusing me! You’re trying to frame me!"
Mu Qingge looked at her sympathetically, slowly shook her head, "Why would I want to frame you? Did I invite you here? Or force you to make soup? I am the Princess, you are a subject, why would I want to frame you?"
"That’s not it!" Yan Ya desperately tried to defend herself. She shouted, "It’s because of jealousy! You are jealous of me!"
"Jealousy?" Mu Qingge chuckled lightly, "Why would I be jealous of you? What do you have that’s worth my jealousy?"
Yan Ya’s eyes showed signs of panic as she screamed, "You are jealous I knew Your Majesty before you did, you fear he will grow tired of you, and you fear I may eventually become the mistress of this Mountain and Sea Palace!"
Her shout provoked astonished glances from everyone in the hall.
"Has this woman gone mad? Would Your Majesty favor her?" Ling Jiu sneered.
Qing Yan smirked, the teardrop mole beneath his eye adding allure, "Perhaps too much fantasizing has led to hysteria."
Gu Ya and Gu Ye silently watched, glancing at the calm Mu Qingge, giving her a thumbs-up in their hearts, ’Lord, brilliant!’ This foolish woman dreaming of Your Majesty, she came and was directly dealt with.
Yan Ya’s words brought amusement to Mu Qingge’s eyes.
She looked at Yan Ya and said, "Never mind where your worries come from. Before, I clearly stated that when Your Majesty returns, I’d ask him to invite you to the palace, fulfilling your wish. The palace maids serving here can attest. I was touched by you calling me ’sister’ repeatedly, yet secretly you’re taking such cruel actions, trying to harm my unborn child."
"You!" Yan Ya fell to the ground, speechless before Mu Qingge.
She simply couldn’t refute because every word Mu Qingge said was the truth!
Mu Qingge sighed in disappointment, turned to the eight Vassal Lords, and spoke, "Vassal Lords, Your Majesty is currently absent. This matter involves a Vassal Lord and an unborn royal heir, and as a weak woman, I don’t know what to do. Do you think this matter can just be overlooked?"
Her gaze subtly swept over the eight, observing their respective expressions.
Weak woman? You a weak woman?
Lord, is this appropriate?
Ji Fu grasped Mu Qingge’s intent, stepped forward, and respectfully said, "The crime of plotting to harm the royal heir is punishable by death. Moreover, Yan Ya has twisted the truth, attempting to defame the Princess; such crimes cannot be forgiven."
"Indeed! Nothing else to say, plotting against the royal heir—in no case can this be pardoned," Ling Jiu loudly stated.
"This crime must be punished!"
"This crime must be punished!"
"This crime must be punished!"
With the wall toppled, everyone pushes, not to mention Yan Ya was always set on becoming Si Mo’s woman, so she had no friendly ties with Su Sheng and the others. At this moment, who would speak for her?
"No! You cannot kill me! Your Majesty is not here; I am a Vassal Lord! Even as Princess, you cannot kill me!" Yan Ya clung to the last lifeline, trying to save herself.
If she can survive, everything could change when she meets Your Majesty!
"I certainly won’t kill you." Mu Qingge suddenly spoke.
However, her words stunned everyone, looking at her with bewilderment. Whoever orchestrated today’s scene ultimately aimed for Yan Ya’s demise, right?
Why, then, at the last moment, did the opposition become Mu Qingge, the victim?
Not just Ling Jiu and the others were confused, but also Su Sheng and his group, and even Gu Ya and Gu Ye were puzzled, not knowing what Mu Qingge intended.
Yan Ya gazed at Mu Qingge, yet felt she wouldn’t be so kind-hearted.
Ignoring her gaze, Mu Qingge lowered her eyes and slowly said, "She is right to some extent; with Your Majesty absent, how could I handle a Vassal Lord? Death is not immediately on the table, but punishment is necessary."
She raised her eyes, looking at Yan Ya. "I don’t quite understand the rules of the Taixuan Ancient Palace. Who can tell me how should she be punished?"
Ling Jiu’s eyes turned, immediately grasping Mu Qingge’s intention. He looked at Mu Qingge with glittering eyes, eager to assist the Princess in dealing with this person, especially since he disliked her.
He stepped forward and told Mu Qingge, "Her fate can be decided once Your Majesty returns. However, until Your Majesty returns, we cannot let her live comfortably. By rule, her crime of plotting against the heir must be announced to the Demon Realm, and she will be stripped of her Vassal Lord title, reduced to slavery, and publicly hung in the Capital City for a month, subjected to public disdain."
"No—No—You cannot treat me like this! I am a Vassal Lord! I am the only female Vassal Lord in the history of Taixuan Demon Realm! Your Majesty won’t let you treat me this way!" Yan Ya cried out in terror.
"Bring her in and lock her up, allow no one to see her. Tomorrow morning, announce her crime to the Demon Realm, hang her in the Capital City," Gu Ye decisively summoned the Demon Guards.
The Demon Guards, unbothered by tender feelings, dragged Yan Ya out.
Yan Ya’s screams echoed through the Mountain and Sea Palace; the piercing sounds seemed quite bleak.
Mu Qingge ’sympathetically’ sighed and murmured, "I already promised to allow her into the palace, why is she so impatient? And why can’t she tolerate my child? Leave her life to be dealt with by Your Majesty."
"The Princess truly has a kind heart," Ling Jiu led the praise.
The eight people were summoned to watch the drama. Mu Qingge did this to prevent Su Sheng and the others from finding an excuse to target her after she silently dealt with Yan Ya.
Now, everything proceeded openly and brightly, and no one could say anything.
Mu Qingge, citing shock, asked the eight and the old Imperial Physician to leave. After they left, Gu Ya and Gu Ye once again guarded Mu Qingge.
"Young Lord, why continue entangling with a woman like Yan Ya? Wouldn’t it be better to just kill her?" Gu Ya looked at Mu Qingge in confusion.
Mu Qingge stretched lazily, stood up from the recliner, and stretched her limbs. "Isn’t it better to leave it to Your Majesty to kill her? What if he feels heartbroken after returning?"
Saying that, she curled her lips.
Though she’s a rotten peach blossom, there’s still a vague discomfort in her heart.
Her words made Gu Ya and Gu Ye shrink their necks, not daring to speak, fearing the nameless fire might burn them.
After stretching her stiffened limbs, Mu Qingge stood in the hall with hands behind her back, sighing, "Such deep palace intrigue is really not a human’s work." She still preferred the satisfaction of defeating enemies in a single blow!
Yan Ya was digging her own grave. She originally planned to use some underhanded means to deal with her, but she was well prepared, saving Mu Qingge the trouble.
"Young Lord can act freely in this Taixuan Ancient Palace without any concerns," Gu Ye lifted his eyes and said.
Mu Qingge shook her head, "Now the Taixuan Ancient Palace is in a sensitive period; it’s impossible for me to give the enemy an excuse to suppress me. Though it may lack some satisfaction, the result I want hasn’t changed, so it’s not a big deal."
As she spoke, she laughed arrogantly, looking at Gu Ya and Gu Ye, "If ever I truly control this Mountain and Sea Palace, and if any woman dares to covet Your Majesty, I won’t say a word, I’ll beat them into cripples and throw them out. My things, my people, how can others covet them?"
Gu Ya and Gu Ye nodded in agreement, as if such a domineering approach matched the Young Lord’s nature.
Today, though Yan Ya was silenced, and the few Vassal Lords couldn’t find fault, the Young Lord still felt stifled.
’All of this is for the master!’
Gu Ya and Gu Ye exchanged glances silently, each knowing the matter in their hearts.
Were it not for helping Si Mo stabilize the situation in the Taixuan Demon Realm, how could Mu Qingge endure?
"No news from Your Majesty yet?" Mu Qingge suddenly frowned and asked softly. Her crystal-clear eyes were filled with worry.
This question, she asks almost every half-day.
Even though she knows in her heart that if there is any news, Gu Ya and Gu Ye would be the first to inform her, she can’t help but ask.
As if not asking would make a feeling of unease rise within her, an inexplicable fear winding around her.
"Young Lord, rest assured, Your Majesty’s life lamp is intact, surely he’s not in serious trouble, just can’t be found for now." Gu Ya comforted.
Mu Qingge lowered her eyes, her gaze falling on the Palace Bell tied around her waist. Her hand involuntarily picked up the Palace Bell and gently shook it.
The crisp bell sound echoed in the Mountain and Sea Palace.
But there was no response for a long time.
In a pitch-black swamp thousands of miles away from Taixuan Ancient Palace, a muffled bell sound rang, startling people passing by the shore.
"What sound is that?"
"Seems like a bell!"
"How could there be bell sounds here?"
"Seems like there’s someone inside!"
...
In the Mountain and Sea Palace, the Palace Maid uncovered the Luminous Pearl’s cover, releasing streams of cold light from the Luminous Pearl, illuminating the grand hall.
The light of the Luminous Pearl was still somewhat insufficient, so the Palace Maid fetched candlelight.
Amber and cold light interwoven, illuminating the entire Mountain and Sea Palace.
Gu Ya came to Mu Qingge and said, "Princess, there is a banquet in the front hall, inviting you over."
Mu Qingge set down the book in her hand, looked up at Gu Ya, somewhat puzzled, "Now that Si Mo is not here, I haven’t set the banquet, who in this Taixuan Ancient Palace can arrange a feast and still invite me?"
Gu Ya’s eyes sank, replying, "It was arranged by Su Sheng, She Yin, Su Yan, and Shu Quan, four Great Feudal Lords, saying it’s a welcoming banquet for the Princess."
Mu Qingge’s lips curled into a cold smile, "Without Si Mo, they really take themselves as the masters." She is the hostess of this Taixuan Ancient Palace; does she need them, as hosts, to welcome her?
"Afraid that the welcoming is false, ill-intentions are true." Mu Qingge coldly said.
