44: Pei Hua, Painted Skin

Prince Chu's Mansion, Bronze Sparrow Terrace.

Inside a golden hall.

"Your Highness, the Wu Dynasty's situation is volatile, with internal and external troubles. Please consider the greater good and allow Gu Qingxian to return."

Gu Qingxian sat quietly in the hall, looking at Prince Chu opposite her, and gently advised him.

Xia Xuan fiddled with the bottles and jars on the table, then looked up at the white-haired beauty before him.

His gaze lingered for a moment, then he asked, "What do you think Prince Qi will feel if this King lets you go back?"

"He will certainly be unwilling."

Gu Qingxian replied, "Perhaps he will make a last-ditch effort, but no matter how unwilling he is, it won't affect the overall situation.

However, if Your Highness keeps me detained, the situation will only become more chaotic and complicated, even affecting the border war."

"You are very clever, and your analysis is not bad."

Xia Xuan nodded, saying meaningfully, "Therefore, this King will safely send Princess Changming back."

Gu Qingxian's delicate brows furrowed slightly, and a look of confusion appeared in her eyes.

"Then why did Your Highness join forces with Prince Qi to bring me to the Mansion? Doing so seems to have no meaning, does it?"

Xia Xuan smiled: "This King said I would send Princess Changming back, but I didn't say I would send you back."

"Pei Hua."

He waved his hand, and from behind a screen, a beauty walked out, bowing respectfully, "Greetings, Your Highness."

This beauty's skin was sickly pale; she was none other than Madam Pei, the head steward of the Mansion, in her true form.

"Fortunately, you are only in the Divine Martial Realm; otherwise, this King would truly have to rack his brains for other schemes."

Xia Xuan left his seat, yielding it to Pei Hua.

"Next, I will need Princess Changming's cooperation."

Pei Hua shed her clothes, revealing her pale skin.

Gu Qingxian looked at Pei Hua's appearance, then thought of the bottles and jars on the table, and immediately understood Prince Chu's intention.

"Disguise art?"

She gently shook her head, "Immortal Fate Studio is skilled in the art of observing fate; disguise art cannot fool them."

"That will not trouble Princess Changming."

Pei Hua stared at Gu Qingxian's face while sketching on the human skin in her hand, "Although this servant's Cultivation is not refined, I am quite confident in the art of skin painting.

I also have some understanding of the art of observing fate. I only need some essence blood, combined with this servant's secret technique, and within a month, no one will be able to see through the disguise.

Your Highness, please undress. You wouldn't want to trouble His Highness Prince Chu to help, would you?"

"Interesting."

"Among the Crown Prince, Prince Qi, and Prince Chu, it turns out Prince Chu has the greatest ambition."

Gu Qingxian calmly removed her white robes, not like an ordinary young woman who would be shy.

Even when Xia Xuan looked at her completely, she could meet his gaze with composure.

"His Highness Prince Chu's thoughts are profound. With such a plot, has he long intended to be the one to murder the monarch and seize the throne?"

Facing Gu Qingxian's inquiry, Xia Xuan smiled and candidly replied, "The palace waters are deep; I need my good second brother to test them out for this King."

Gu Qingxian asked again, "Is Your Highness not afraid that even if you succeed, you will be surrounded by enemies?"

Xia Xuan snorted, "The Wu Dynasty has long been corrupt; without a new emperor, it will eventually fall. What if I am surrounded by enemies? It's just the death throes of a bunch of petty individuals.

In this chaotic world, if I don't carve out a bloody path and make my enemies tremble with fear, how can I talk about stabilizing the nation?"

"Your Highness's ambition is as grand as the First Martial God's two thousand years ago."

Gu Qingxian smiled faintly, "If the one-month agreement hadn't changed, I should have chosen Your Highness."

"It's not too late now."

Xia Xuan was somewhat surprised by Gu Qingxian's attitude. She was very clever, able to pick up and let go, and even very ambitious, not like Prime Minister, that old stubborn man who regarded ancestral rules and principles as heavenly laws.

If she had been born in the Sun and Moon, perhaps she could have become a female Prince like Spirit Phoenix King.

"This King still needs you to restrain the Prime Minister. It would be best if you could cooperate."

"As Your Highness wishes." Gu Qingxian smiled... An incense stick's time later.

A ten-thousand-strong army of the Tiger and Leopard Battalion surrounded Prince Chu's Mansion.

The battle elsewhere had already ended, with the Peach Blossom Demon Spirit escaping and Heavenly Dark Star retreating.

Chen Leopard was missing, and the three Dharma Aspect Realm masters who later arrived from Immortal Fate Studio now accompanied the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister, jointly applying pressure outside Prince Chu's Mansion.

The Tiger and Leopard Battalion's formation and the Dharma Aspect Realm masters took turns attacking the grand formation, making it seem precarious each time, but they just couldn't break it.

The Crown Prince's patience ran out, and he roared:

"Xia Xuan, turn back now, and I can still spare your life. Delay for another moment, and you won't escape death!"

As soon as his voice fell, the golden light formation dissipated on its own.

Chen Leopard quickly flew out, his eyes dim.

"General Chen!" The Crown Prince rushed forward to ask, "Did that beast Xia Xuan do anything to Miss Gu?"

Chen Leopard shook his head, weakly saying, "Prince Chu has already agreed to release her. He said it was all a misunderstanding, that he mistakenly believed Prince Qi's words, and now, he realizes he shouldn't have committed such a rebellious act."

"Hmph, at least he knows what's good for him."

The Crown Prince waved his hand, recalling the Tiger and Leopard Battalion army that had been pressing in on Prince Chu's Mansion.

The Mansion gates opened wide.

A pale-faced "Gu Qingxian" walked out.

"Your Highness Changming!"

"Fairy Changming!"

People from the Prime Minister's Residence and Immortal Fate Studio went up to meet her, supporting Gu Qingxian, "Are you unharmed?"

"Although Prince Chu is absurd, he wouldn't truly gamble with his own life."

Gu Qingxian's words made everyone sigh in relief.

Only Prime Minister's expression was somewhat unusual, but he didn't ask further.

"Father-in-law, you've seen it. Prince Qi is a wolf in sheep's clothing. He dared to do it once, and he'll dare to do it again. We need to quickly join forces and uproot his wicked faction."

The Crown Prince called him 'Father-in-law' affectionately.

"Prince Qi's actions this time were indeed overstepping. The power he holds is too great and should not exist."

Prime Minister nodded, and after bidding farewell to the Crown Prince, immediately led his people back to the Prime Minister's Residence.

"I haven't even made a move against you two, yet you've come knocking on my door yourselves. It seems you're too accustomed to living in luxury and don't know how to write the word 'death'."

The Crown Prince stood before the plaque of Prince Chu's Mansion, then glanced at the location of Prince Qi's Residence, snorted, and left with a flick of his sleeve... Prince Qi's Residence.

Prince Qi learned of Gu Qingxian's release immediately. Even with his composure, he couldn't help but curse.

"Xia Xuan, you coward!"

"It's just a woman. You didn't even dare to touch her after bringing her to your Mansion. I truly overestimated you before."

Elder Jia had just rushed back from the South City and, upon hearing this news, almost spat out three liters of blood, his injuries worsening.

"Your Highness, what should we do now?"

"There's no other way. Either flee the imperial capital like a dog, or..."

Prince Qi's expression was conflicted. He looked towards the palace, where too many secrets were hidden. He wasn't confident, and going there lightly would only be courting death.

"Your Highness, urgent report!"

At this moment, a person burst in without announcement.

"Don't you understand the rules? No matter what the matter, it is a capital offense to intrude while this old man is discussing matters with His Highness!" Elder Jia roared.

"Your... Your Highness... Urgent report from the palace! His Majesty's Cultivation has suffered Qi Deviation, his Dharma Aspect has disintegrated, and he is now on the verge of death. He is urgently summoning the Crown Prince to the palace."

The newcomer, enduring the pressure, breathlessly completed his report.

Prince Qi's eyes gleamed upon hearing this, sweeping away his previous dejection, and he coldly asked, "Is this true?"

"This lowly one guarantees it with his life! This matter probably won't be kept secret for long before it reaches the ears of the other Princes."

"Order the Old General of the Hundred Battles to gather all forces, surround the imperial capital, enter the palace, and purge the corrupt officials!"

Prince Qi no longer hesitated, his aura surged, and he ascended to the Divine Martial Realm.

Within the Mansion, numerous dormant secret guards and masters from Myriad Flower Valley and Myriad Desires Palace simultaneously received secret orders and began to act.