232: Mu Qingning with cold murderous intent!

“Wei King?!”

Empress Mu Qingning nearly dropped her mo yu card, her phoenix eyes widening as she looked up at Zixuan in disbelief.

This Imperial Brother of hers had always been a free spirit, never involving himself in court affairs. He lived as an idle prince in Jiangnan, spending his days composing poetry and enjoying the scenery. Since the Emperor’s passing, he hadn't returned to the capital even once. How could he be involved with the remnants of the Demon Cult?

Li Shengyuan’s relaxed expression also vanished instantly, his brows tightly furrowed.

Wei King Mu Weiran…

He had suspected this person before, in the Xuanyi Guard’s archives, and had specifically asked Zixuan to investigate. But he never expected that as the investigation progressed, these two would be linked together!

Could this Wei King truly be colluding with the Demon Cult? Was the owner of the spiritual energy left behind at Minister Suns Residence the Wei King’s person?

And what was his relationship with the Demon Cult’s Great Priest?

A cold glint flashed in Li Shengyuan’s eyes. If this were true, this idle prince’s reach was truly extensive!

Living in Jiangnan, he could still stir up trouble in the capital!

However, with Bai Xiang Tower, a place where all sorts of people gathered, acting as his eyes and ears, it didn’t seem impossible…

“Zixuan, are you sure you’ve investigated thoroughly?”

Li Shengyuan asked in a deep voice, with a hint of imperceptible gravity in his tone. Before, it was just suspicion, but Zixuan’s findings were close to solidifying the Wei King’s guilt!

However, the efficiency of the Xuanyi Guard truly surprised Li Shengyuan. No wonder they were able to obtain evidence against Prince Yan, Muyun Xiao, and numerous Northern Realm sects before.

Zixuan nodded vigorously, her tone firm:

“Regarding a member of the Imperial Family, your subordinate would not dare to lie!”

“Following the leads from Bai Xiang Tower, your subordinate discovered that Bai Yurou sends a sum of money each month to a shop in Jiangnan called ‘Qingzhu Xuan’, which is precisely one of the Wei King’s hidden private properties in Jiangnan.”

“Furthermore, multiple people have confirmed that the Wei King and Bai Yurou, the owner of Bai Xiang Tower, had a private relationship years ago, specifically when the Wei King first went to Jiangnan over a decade ago. For some unknown reason, the two gradually grew apart.”

“But not long after, Bai Xiang Tower began to rise in the Jiangnan region, and then gradually spread throughout the Great Qian!”

Li Shengyuan looked at Zixuan in surprise. The Xuanyi Guard could even investigate events from over a decade ago. Their intelligence methods were truly extraordinary!

Empress Mu Qingning, on the other hand, fell into deep thought.

Zixuan paused, then pulled out a scroll of secret files from her embrace: “These are the boat ticket records and inn registrations your subordinate found. Years ago, someone even saw the Wei King entering Bai Yurou’s room late at night and not leaving until dawn…”

Qingning’s fingertips tightened around the mo yu card, her knuckles turning white.

This Imperial Brother had a tragic background and was extremely low-key. He never contended with anyone and simply followed whatever the Emperor said, appearing unremarkable on a daily basis.

It wasn't until he broke through to the third rank a few years ago that the Imperial Family discovered him and listed him as a key cultivation candidate.

“Why would he do this?”

Qingning’s voice trembled slightly, not from fear, but from a chill in her heart.

After she ascended the throne, she never mistreated the Wei King’s lineage, even tacitly allowing him to enjoy wealth and prosperity. Even the Imperial Uncles who were uninvolved in worldly affairs placed great hopes on him, providing continuous resources. Why would he collude with the Demon Cult?

How heartbroken and disappointed would those Imperial Uncles of the Imperial Family be if they found out?!

Li Shengyuan walked to her side and gently placed his hand on her shoulder.

He could feel the coldness of his Senior Sister’s fingertips, the chill of utter disappointment.

Zixuan then said in a somewhat uneasy, deep voice: “Your subordinate investigated the Wei King’s movements over the past three years. His contact with Bai Yurou seems more like a collaboration.”

“Last winter, Bai Yurou even used the Wei King’s connections to send a batch of ‘talented’ spiritual medicines to a villa in the imperial suburbs. That batch of goods was later confirmed to have some connection to Minister Sun, whose family was raided a year prior…”

These words were like a heavy hammer, shattering the last shred of hope and solidifying Mu Weiran’s identity as a colluder with the Demon Cult.

Qingning closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, only cold determination remained in her gaze:

“Zixuan, continue the investigation! Find all evidence of their interactions, not a single detail can be missed.”

“Yes!” Zixuan accepted the order and turned to leave.

“Wait.” Qingning called out to her, her voice as cold as ice, “This matter is top secret. Besides you, me, and Shengyuan, no fourth person is allowed to know, not even my Imperial Uncles if they ask!”

Zixuan bowed in agreement and quickly retreated.

The intelligence uploaded by the Xuanyi Guard was fragmented, and only she had seen the integrated content.

Only the two of them remained in the Imperial Study. The air seemed to solidify, and the previous intimacy vanished.

Li Shengyuan looked at Female Emperor Mu Qingning’s tense profile and pulled her into his embrace:

“No matter who he is, if he dares to collude with the Demon Cult, he cannot be tolerated.”

Qingning leaned against his chest, her voice muffled: “He is my Imperial Brother, and he is highly regarded by the Imperial Uncles in the clan. First Prince Yan, and now the Wei King…”

“What is wrong with these people?!” Qingning gritted her teeth.

Qingning was silent for a long time, then suddenly looked up, her eyes clear again:

“You are right. Issue my decree: have the Xuanyi Guard secretly monitor the Wei King’s Residence. If there is any unusual movement, there’s no need to ask for instructions; detain him first!”

Li Shengyuan, however, shook his head and said calmly:

“Just monitor him secretly as before. Don’t alert him. I don’t think this Wei King’s strength is what it appears to be on the surface.”

“I will go to Jiangnan in a few days and meet him myself!”

A cold light emanated from Li Shengyuan’s eyes. He definitely had to go to Jiangnan. Even if it wasn’t for the Wei King, he still had to avenge Aunt Rong’s annihilated clan!