65: Lan Ji’s thoughts!

Ignoring his gaze, Lan Ji walked slowly into the hall with a cold expression.

"This son greets Mother Empress!"

"Greetings, Empress!"

In an instant, several people in the hall stood up one after another to bow and welcome her.

After the Crown Prince snapped back to his senses, he also obediently gave up his seat. "Mother Empress, please take the seat of honor."

Lan Ji walked over, flicked her phoenix robe, and sat down calmly. "Enough, you may all rise."

"Thank you, Empress!"

Cai Yongming, Lu Sansi, and the others then gradually stood up and sat back down.

"Mother Empress, why didn't you notify me in advance of your visit?"

"I should have personally gone to the gate to welcome you," the Crown Prince said to Lan Ji with great reverence.

Lan Ji looked at him with calm eyes. "Rong'er, your mind is in disarray, do you know that?"

"Do you know what the consequences would be if Head Cai and the others actually did as you suggested?"

The Crown Prince's Face showed some reluctance. "Mother Empress, I know that if Chu Yun dies, Father Emperor will certainly be furious."

"But these several consecutive mysterious failures make me feel as if there is an invisible force helping him in the shadows!"

"Lately, my sense of unease has been growing stronger. If Chu Yun doesn't die, I cannot find peace!"

Lan Ji's eyes turned slightly cold as she said sternly, "If he dies, will you truly be at peace?"

"Rong'er, I have taught you more than once that when playing a game against others, the most important thing is not to see through the opponent, but to strengthen yourself."

"If your own heart were strong enough, how could you be so uneasy that you lose your composure?"

"Letting the Cai and Lu families kill Chu Yun is equivalent to laying everything out in front of your Father Emperor!"

"Doing this will only completely ruin my grand plan!"

"Do you understand?!"

"Do you really think the Shadow Guards in your Father Emperor's hands are useless?"

"The Cai family, the Lu family, including the Cloud Mist Tower and the Thousand Kill Mercenary Group—which of these forces is not under the watchful eyes of the Shadow Guards?"

"You've truly lost your mind to actually send them to kill Chu Yun. It's utterly foolish!"

Lan Ji cursed him out on the spot, showing no regard for his Face as the Crown Prince.

The others remained silent at this moment.

The reason Lu Sansi and Cai Yongming did not agree to the Crown Prince's request was that their forces were all part of the Empress Faction on the surface.

In the Imperial City, the Emperor had long ago ordered the Shadow Guards to keep a constant eye on them.

Forget about killing Chu Yun; if their behavior was even slightly abnormal, the Shadow Guards would immediately report everything.

After being berated by Lan Ji, the Crown Prince was somewhat snapped back to reality, realizing that doing so would only result in more loss than gain.

It might even ruin the grand plan his mother had been plotting for a long time!

"Yes!"

"Mother Empress is right to scold me!"

"This son knows his mistake. I ask Mother Empress for punishment!"

The Crown Prince lowered his head and admitted his mistake in shame.

"Empress, His Highness is still young. Coupled with the strange events that have occurred recently, it is not surprising that his thoughts were impulsive," Lu Sansi spoke up in time to plead for the Crown Prince.

"Indeed, Empress. Although the Crown Prince was a bit impulsive, there was a reason for it. Please appease your anger," Cai Yongming immediately followed.

"Empress, please appease your anger!"

The several Nirvana Realm experts in the hall were all very observant; they all came forward to plead for mercy.

"Mother Empress, please appease your anger!" Chu Yuan also stood up and said.

Seeing this, the anger on Lan Ji's Face faded slightly. "Fine, you don't need to make excuses for him."

"I know my own son better than anyone."

"Rong'er, I hope this will not happen again."

The Crown Prince promised, "Yes, I will keep Mother Empress's teachings in mind!"

"Alright, everyone sit down."

Lan Ji waved her hand. After everyone was seated, they finally got to the main topic.

"Previously, His Majesty issued an order to transfer the hundred thousand troops under the Black Iron King to the border."

Lan Ji's first sentence immediately caused everyone's expressions to change drastically.

"So fast!"

The Black Iron King has only been missing for a few days, and His Majesty has already transferred his army. This is equivalent to stripping him of his military power.

"This is too coincidental!"

"Could it be that His Majesty and Xiao Yan... have some kind of unspeakable relationship?" Lu Sansi said warily.

"There's an eighty percent chance they have some unknown relationship."

"However, there is another piece of news that I believe will soon reach the Imperial City."

"The Liushen Sect in Nanzhou has been destroyed."

"The culprit was cornered by Ru Jun, and a great battle broke out on Mount Qianliu."

"The final result was that the culprit forcibly tore through Venerable Yan's blockade and escaped. Their current whereabouts are unknown." As Lan Ji said this, her expression became increasingly heavy.

"What?!"

"Even Lord Venerable Yan couldn't stop them!"

"Just who is that culprit?!" Cai Yongming said in shock.

The others also showed similar looks of shock.

Yan Ru Jun!

To them, he was like a legendary figure!

Vice Sect Master of the Divine Sect, at the Peak of the Venerable Realm!

One of the famous giants of the Great Xia Dynasty!

For such a person to let the culprit escape, and by forcibly tearing through the blockade...

This means that person's power is definitely not weaker than Venerable Yan!

"The specific identity is unknown."

"His Realm is also at the Peak of the Venerable Realm. He is a bald man, and the attribute of his Cultivation Technique is lightning."

"Other than that, there is basically no other information," Lan Ji said.

"Bald, Peak of the Venerable Realm, lightning..."

The people in the hall thought seriously, going through all the Venerables in the history of the Great Xia Dynasty, but none of them matched.

"Could it be someone from another dynasty?" Feng Bubai couldn't help but say.

"It's not ruled out, but at least we have a specific direction now."

"Nanzhou and the two neighboring provinces have been blockaded by the joint efforts of the Divine Sect, the Blood God Sect, and the Corpse Yin Sect."

"They certainly won't let him continue to stir up trouble!"

Lan Ji said with a serious expression.

In addition to the three major Sects, their various vassal forces have also contributed, determined not to let that bald man succeed again!

The Divine Sect has even used its supreme treasure, the 'Divine Eye', to cover the three provinces. Once Venerable Wan Lei appears, it will be virtually impossible for him to escape!

"In that case, there's no need to worry too much."

"With the three Sects united, he basically won't have any opportunities!" Cai Yongming said.

"Mother Empress, what should we do next in the Imperial City?"

"If Chu Yun cannot die, then aren't we unable to do anything?" the Third Prince, Chu Yuan, asked.

"Two things."

"Do everything possible to catch the mole in the Eastern Palace for me!"

"In addition, you few, find out for me exactly who is helping Chu Yun!"

"Don't let anyone go who has left the city today!"

Lan Ji was certain that since they were watching Chu Yun's residence, the Shi Family, and even the Prime Minister's Residence, and problems still occurred...

...then it could only be that there are others in the Imperial City helping Chu Yun!

"Yes, Empress! (Mother Empress!)"

Everyone stood up solemnly and replied.