31: Cao Zei (Please collect and read)

Chapter 31: Cao Thief ( Seeking collection, seeking follow-up reads )

Late at night.

One large and two small figures, surrounded by several eunuchs, walked towards Qiankun Hall.

After Jiaotai Hall was destroyed, Zheng Yi had been living in Qiankun Hall for the past two months.

The number of guarding Imperial Guards and Jinyi Guard directly doubled.

What a pity.

The Shadow Guard that Zheng Yi wanted the most had all been killed, otherwise letting a group of loyal little eunuchs guard around Qiankun Hall would have been safer.

"Mother, where are we going ~"

"Mother, this place is so big. Are those stars? Dongyun Yu is seeing them for the first time, how beautiful!"

"Right, Mother, where is Father? I haven't seen him for a long time."

"Me too, me too ~"

The beautiful woman nervously hugged her two daughters. With no time to grieve in her heart, she could only comfort them: "Your father... has gone to do something for Your Majesty."

"Really?"

"Is it Your Majesty we are going to marry?"

"Mn."

The beautiful woman nodded hard, her eyes sorrowful.

She had long known about the death of her husband, Eastern Cloud Wind, but she could not truthfully explain such a matter to her two daughters.

She could only hide this sadness in her heart and raise her two daughters well.

Who would have thought that tonight, a eunuch suddenly came knocking, saying that Your Majesty summoned them.

Emotionally stirred, the beautiful woman quickly brought her two daughters and followed the eunuch here.

After comforting her two daughters, the beautiful woman took two quick, small steps forward and asked in a low voice: "Hello, Father-in-law, I wonder what important matter Your Majesty has in summoning the three of us mothers and daughters?"

Liu Chengen was very self-aware and respectfully said: "Madam, this servant is not clear about it."

"However, since Your Majesty can summon you at this time, he must have his own arrangements."

"Madam should think carefully about how to serve Your Majesty later ~"

"Serve?"

The beautiful woman was stunned for a moment, then as if she thought of something, her charming face turned alternately red and white.

Her heart was desolate, but she didn't know what to do.

Deep in her heart, there was actually a trace of... secret joy?

Their family had been arranged by the Great Yu royal family to live in the underground palace long ago, especially since her husband grew up right there.

Day and night, there were special personnel teaching them how to be loyal to Great Yu, and how to be loyal to Your Majesty.

Under decades of daily brainwashing, their family had long since become dead retainers of the Great Yu Dynasty.

Or rather... dead retainers of Emperor Zhengyong.

Even if Emperor Zhengyong told them to die, they would do it without hesitation.

Just like... those few little eunuchs.

"Mother, what's wrong with you?"

"M-Mother is fine, let's hurry."

The beautiful woman pulled the two little girls and lowered her voice: "Do you still remember what Mother taught you?"

"Remember, remember!"

"When meeting Your Majesty, you must be respectful and obedient!"

"Mm mm, and whatever Your Majesty wants to do, you must cooperate!"

"What Your Majesty says is an imperial decree!"

"Your Majesty cannot be wrong..."

Amidst the chatter of the two little girls, the dim road quickly became bright.

Qiankun Hall had arrived.

"Your Majesty, the widow and daughters of Eastern Cloud Wind have been brought here."

Liu Chengen said respectfully, and then the beautiful woman heard a steady and majestic voice.

"Come in."

"Nuo!"

Liu Chengen whispered: "Later when you see Your Majesty, absolutely do not raise your head, and be respectful."

"Mm mm..."

Soon, the three walked into the inner chamber, where the surrounding lights were bright and the air was warm.

"Your Majesty."

"Step down."

"Nuo."

Liu Chengen retreated, leaving only Zheng Yi, the beautiful woman, and the two little girls in the room.

"Commoner Li Lizhen greets Your Majesty."

"Raise your head."

"Nuo."

The beautiful woman's delicate body trembled, but she still slowly raised her head.

Under the bright lights, Zheng Yi's heart couldn't help but stir.

Last time in the underground palace, the lighting was dim and his attention was all on Eastern Cloud Wind, so he hadn't noticed the beautiful woman behind him.

He didn't expect this woman to be so charming.

She was like a fully ripened peach.

Under a cluster of red jade and mandarin duck curtains, sleepy eyes are hazy with a hint of wine;

Fair wrists raised high with a graceful body, soul-stirring twin breasts bulging through gauze clothes.

As the saying goes, a woman is prettiest when dressed in mourning white.

Eastern Cloud Wind died because of Emperor Zhengyong, and although Li Lizhen had passed her mourning period by this time, she subconsciously still wore a plain white long dress.

Now kneeling on the ground, from Zheng Yi's perspective, she exuded a radiance that people could not bear to look directly at.

A widow?

By her side, two small faces just as exquisite as porcelain dolls were also raised up—they were precisely the two daughters of Eastern Cloud Wind.

At a glance, they were also two budding beauties.

Damn it, in my past life, it was truly well-deserved that everyone wanted to be Cao Thief.

It was simply... too seductive!

"Someone come."

"Your Majesty."

Two little palace maids walked in and said respectfully.

"Take the two girls down first, and have the imperial kitchen arrange some pastries for them."

"Nuo."

Although the two little girls' eyes were full of interest and surprise, they still obediently followed the two maids down.

"Ahem..."

Zheng Yi gave a light cough and said: "Madam Dongyun, Eastern Cloud Wind died because of suppressing the rebellion. The mastermind has already been locked up in the heavenly prison by Us, and his nine clans will be sentenced to execution in a few days."

"Your husband's revenge, We have already taken it for you."

Li Lizhen's delicate body trembled, and she hurriedly knelt on the ground saying: "Commoner thanks Your Majesty."

Hiss...

This angle.

"Rise, grant a seat."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Li Lizhen gracefully rose and carefully sat on the nearby Eight Immortals stool.

But her mind was still tense, daring only to sit on half her buttocks, and her upper body was even held bolt upright.

With a greedy look in his eyes, Zheng Yi continued: "We had you come over tonight to inquire about an important matter."

"Please ask, Your Majesty, this commoner will surely say everything she knows and say it without reservation."

"Do you know about your husband Eastern Cloud Wind's background, the Cultivation Technique he practiced, or perhaps secrets of the Cultivation World?"

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Zheng Yi said: "Also, did he leave anything behind?"

"Calligraphy and paintings? Books? Jade pendants? Jade bottles?"

"We want all of these things!"

"Secrets of the Cultivation World?"

Li Lizhen tilted her head and said: "Your Majesty, this commoner does not know much about the secrets of the Cultivation World."

"But when my husband was alive, he once had this commoner memorize a classic, saying that this was the ancestral secret classic of his Eastern Cloud clan."

"Ancestral secret classic?"

Zheng Yi's eyes suddenly lit up and he said: "Are there any books or notes surviving in the world?"

"No."

Li Lizhen shook her head and said: "Husband said, said..."

As she spoke, she also cautiously raised her head to glance at Zheng Yi.

Zheng Yi immediately said: "We absolve you of guilt, speak!"

"Nuo."

Li Lizhen whispered: "Husband said that he had once copied that secret classic from memory, but it was destroyed by the late emperor, and he was even punished by the late emperor..."

"Ever since then, Husband never dared to copy any classics from memory again."

"I see..."

Tapping the table with one hand, Zheng Yi said: "Can you copy it from memory?"

"Yes."

Li Lizhen said: "But that classic has a large number of words, and there are many rare characters and incomprehensible parts. This commoner will need thr— no, one day's time is enough."

"One day's time?"

Zheng Yi nodded and said: "One day's time, We can still afford to wait. After returning... No, stay right in Qiankun Hall, don't rush, write slowly, don't make mistakes, We can afford to wait."

"Nuo!"

Li Lizhen quickly stood up and said: "This commoner obeys your command."

"No need for formalities." Zheng Yi said: "Is there anything else?"

"My late husband once mentioned it once, it seemed to mention something like the Fu You Sect, a great change in heaven and earth, the collapse of Spiritual Qi, and so on."

After thinking carefully for a moment, Li Lizhen said: "It seemed to also mention that the entire continent used to belong to the Fu You Sect..."

"Fu You Sect, you say?"

Zheng Yi's heart also stirred. On the night of Yang Xuansu's treason, he had once heard Emperor Zhengyong mention the major words "remnants of the Fu You Sect".

What relationship was there between the Fu You Sect and Fuyou House?

Was the latter an organization left over from the former?

Fu You Sect remnants?

Could it be that the Great Yu royal family, or the royal families of other countries, all had records and classics regarding the Cultivation World?

Because he used to be a shadow, he was not clear about it.

Also...

According to what Li Lizhen said, and his own guess.

This continent, or this landmass, used to be the domain of a cultivation Sect called the 'Fu You Sect'.

But due to the great change in heaven and earth and the collapse of Spiritual Qi, the Fu You Sect collapsed one after another, and was subsequently invaded by other Sects or factions.

Eastern Cloud Wind's ancestors were obviously also one of those branches.

In the end, after a thousand years, or even thousands of years of reproduction and evolution, did it turn into this current appearance?

"Your Majesty ~ This commoner only knows this much, and hopes Your Majesty will forgive me..."

"It's fine, you can be considered to have helped Us a big favor."

All these matters had to be verified and investigated by him one by one.

Today, there was another even more important matter.

With burning eyes, Zheng Yi looked at Li Lizhen and said: "To be able to meet Madam today is a stroke of heavenly fortune."

Stepping forward two paces, looking down at Li Lizhen from above, he grabbed her warm, delicate little hand in one go.

"I wonder if Madam is willing to share a pillow and mat with Us tonight?"

Li Lizhen's entire body shook, and her heart beat wildly.

Incredulously raising her head to look at Zheng Yi, she then hurriedly lowered her head.

"C-Concubine being able to serve Your Majesty is a blessing cultivated over three lifetimes..."

The red candle tent was warm, and the red waves churned over the bedding.

An hour later, on the mirror surface of the Yin Yang Treasure Mirror, a line of handwriting caused Zheng Yi to suddenly open his eyes wide!