Thanks to Li Jianqi’s interference, what was supposed to be the arrest of a serious criminal turned into a farce?

However, a perceptive person would realize just how powerful Divine Sect Seminary was. No one would cause trouble for the Seminary from now on, at least not in Luoyang. Who would dare to provoke the so-called “brother” of the beloved Princess of the future Emperor? The brave ones were welcome to try; the Princess had promised not to beat the perpetrators to death, after all.

Just the fright alone was enough to kill.

The bailiffs of the Court of Judicial Review and the officers of the Ministry of War came in high spirits but left dispirited. Irrepressible sneers escaped from the apprentices of the Seminary. The laughter was quiet but landed like an intangible slap on the officers’ faces. He Fei didn’t know about the rest but he swore not to conduct business in the vicinity of the Divine Sect Seminary.

He would be too ashamed.

Of course, it was another issue whether or not he would still have the opportunity to conduct business in the future.

The Crown Prince would soon ascend the throne. Any reminder of the influence the old Emperor and the Second Prince held was a thorn in his eye. Given the chance, he wouldn’t let off any of their men. This time, the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of War had effectively served their heads on a platter. They couldn’t blame anyone for their fate.

News about the Divine Sect Seminary reached the palace in less than fifteen minutes. Then, two squadrons of mounted soldiers set off. One headed for the Court of Judicial Review, and the other for the Ministry of War.

Thus began a legal and legitimate purge.

Ye Que, who had watched the farce with a calm expression, swiftly ended the arms drill for the day.

“Ye Que, why didn’t you look for me after coming back to Luoyang? I thought you died in the ley lines of sovereignty in the Imperial Mausoleum!” There was a slight change in Li Jianqi, perhaps due to the absorption of her Ancestor’s Battle Soul. She looked less exquisite and more gallant. She was a lot more valiant now.

“I just came back yesterday. Besides, I don’t know where you live.” Even knowing that she was about to become a First-ranked Princess, Ye Que treated Li Jianqi casually for they were friends who had survived life-or-death situations together.

To be honest, it didn’t matter if she was a Princess.

He even knew a Dragon Girl called Red Bean.

“Didn’t I tell you?” Li Jianqi contemplated this doubtfully. She then waved impatiently. “Doesn’t matter. It’s in the past now. If you ever need me, you can find me at the palace or the Crown Prince’s Manor. My Father has bestowed me the Crown Prince’s Manor. Very soon, it’ll be renamed the Princess’ Manor.”

“Just report your name when you look for me. I’ll inform the servants beforehand,” Li Jianqi said valiantly. Perhaps not even a Rank Two officer could freely enter the imperial palace with just a name’s mention.

“By the way, what brought you here today?” Ye Que had been surprised to see Li Jianqi here. Why would the all-important Princess show up here?

“For you. I heard about you from Qian Shuxiao. I was there when he entered the palace yesterday, so I asked after you. I once investigated you, so I know you two are close.”

Suddenly, Li Jianqi recalled something and patted her forehead. “You need to come with me.”

Disregarding his consent, she pulled him to the door by the hand.

It was at this moment that Red Bean and Qian Shuhua entered the door.

The two ladies had spent the night on the roof, allowing the sun to rouse them. They only climbed down when it was close to noon and the sunlight was glaring. They stretched and shook their heads as they walked in. Then, they saw a young woman tugging onto Ye Que’s hand.

Instantly, the expression of the two young ladies outside the door turned unpleasant.

Red Bean, in particular, was glaring at them. Wisps of murderous aura were emerging from her.

A Dragon Girl would never share her partner with anyone. Her partner could only be hers and hers alone. Even though she didn’t understand matters of the heart very well and was confused about love still, her heart would never lie to her.

She liked him. That much was true.

She was jealous. That much was true too.

She wouldn’t hesitate to act when upset. Whoever who dared to steal what belonged to her must pay the price in blood.

Red Bean looked more and more terrifying as she looked at Li Jianqi. “Let go of his hand.”

Red Bean had met Li Jianqi in the Imperial Mausoleum but unfortunately, the former had prosopagnosia and could barely remember faces. Perhaps she regarded humans the same way humans regarded horses: they looked more or less the same. When a herd of horses stormed past, a human was unlikely to distinguish which horse was which.

“Where did this girl come from?” Qian Shuhua’s tone was off. She wasn’t as direct as Red Bean, but it was obvious that she had an issue with the situation.

Three ladies were enough to cause plenty of drama.

Ye Que stood among them, feeling the incoming of a headache.

He looked around and opened his mouth, but didn’t know what to say. He chose to take a step backward. He took another look at them, and then another step backward. Then another. With three steps, he exited the ladies’ siege. He saluted Li Jianqi, indicating for her to answer Qian Shuhua’s question. He knew nothing, after all.

“I’m not playing along with you three loud ladies.”

In the end, he pointed to the door. It was obvious what he meant even if he didn’t speak. “If you want to fight, do it outside. Leave my Seminary alone.”

Even without speaking, Ye Que’s disdain was apparent.

The ladies didn’t end up fighting. Instead, it was the Leader of the Divine Sect Seminary who was in trouble. Qian Shuhua, a Psychic Realm cultivator, was a non-issue but Red Bean and Li Jianqi were honest-to-goodness Formless Realm cultivators. Ye Que was no match for them even after giving it his all.

An hour later, Ye Que entered the palace with Li Jianqi.

Red Bean unexpectedly didn’t stop them. After venting her anger, she graciously allowed him to leave. Ye Que was livid after having his head and eyes bruised.

“Who did I provoke?”

“What does this have to do with me?”

“If your hand itches that badly, hit each other! Why the hell did you target me? Three ladies hitting me! Tell me! Do I fight back or not?! Are there still laws in this world?!”

Ye Que’s anger and misgivings intensified as he got closer to the glorious imperial palace. “What era is this?! Women are truly the most terrifying creatures in this world! No wonder I’d been unwilling to find a cultivation partner in my past life!”

“Sigh. What rotten luck to meet such strange people. One’s a Dragon Girl, one’s an unreasonable Princess, one’s a…”

“Forget Qian Shuhua. That girl likes Ye Yunhai. I’m most probably just a rebound for her.”

Ye Que lamented. He now understood why back in the Qingqiu Sword Sect, the Intoxicated Immortal repeatedly warned him that the true challenge lay not in the pursuit of immortality, but the calamity of love!

“There are no difficulties too great in this world, save for the beauties!”

“Sigh.”

Ye Que sighed again. He wanted to slap himself for getting involved with women for no good reason. Couldn’t he have just cultivated? Look at how much trouble he was in.

After sighing, he looked at Li Jianqi in front of him. He didn’t think this young woman would trick him, but her father was the Crown Prince of the Glorious Tang Empire. Li Chunzhi was about to ascend the throne very soon. Had he invited Ye Que to the palace to thank him? Could this be possible? Who’d believe it?

After walking down a tediously long walkway in the palace and making multiple turns along the way, they finally arrived at the Serenity Palace.

Ye Que calmed down, seeing as he was brought here. He would be meeting the Emperor that was all. He was formerly the Demon-slaying Asura that dominated the Three Realms, after all. Fear could never grow much inside him.

Despite its name, the Serenity Palace was a study. Its main hall was filled with all sorts of books numbering more than ten thousand—and that was only what he could see. There must be an Earth Dragon made of charcoal burning underneath the floor for it was as warm as springtime inside the hall. Seated on a wooden couch, Li Chunzhi was immersed in his work at his desk. Next to his hand was memorials to the Emperor piled half a meter high.

After entering the hall, Li Jianqi sneaked behind her father and made a quiet little cough.

Li Chunzhi finally raised his head fifteen minutes later after stamping a memorial. He reached out to caress Li Jianqi’s hair before looking at Ye Que.

“You’re Old General Ye’s eldest son?” Li Chunzhi’s voice was calm and low. It wasn’t a loud and clear voice, but it was full of magnetism.

Without waiting for Ye Que’s response, Li Jianqi answered for him. “His name is Ye Que.”

“Were you also there at the ley lines of sovereignty in the Imperial Mausoleum?” Li Chunzhi asked.

“Of course. He even saved my life. Didn’t Jue Shuo from the Judicature tell you?” Li Jianqi once again answered in Ye Que’s place.

“I heard that he carried you out of the Mausoleum to safety while injured. That was no easy feat. He even injured his vital Qi and it was said that he’d likely be bedridden for half a year,” Li Chunzhi said calmly.

“It’s like what I told you. Ye Que indeed saved my life. Otherwise, I would’ve died in the Demon Race’s siege,” Li Jianqi said.

“Is that so?” Li Chunzhi looked at his daughter and smiled. “I must thank him then.”

Li Chunzhi looked at Ye Que. “Tell me what you want.”

Li Jianqi casually patted Li Chunzhi. “Father, you don’t have to thank him. I’ve already thanked him.”

Not one word came out of Ye Que’s mouth from the moment he stepped inside this hall. He watched calmly and serenely with a faint smile. He was like sunshine itself and exuded a comfortable aura.

Li Chunzhi nodded as he looked at Ye Que who stood there calmly. “Don’t be embarrassed. I thank you not as the Crown Prince, but as Jianqi’s father.”

While Ye Que was entering the Serenity Palace, twenty homing pigeons flew into Luoyang City in succession. Every pigeon had flown in from different directions, but their destination was the Grand Council.

The officer of the Grand Council that received the pigeons was in a cheery mood. He was even humming. Pigeons flying in at this hour typically carried messages reporting safety, a mere routine exercise. There had been an emergency report about the City of You Prefecture a while back, but that was within the Grand Council’s expectations. However, after the officer relayed the secret letter under the pigeon’s foot, a clamor swept the entire Grand Council.

The Chief Councillor of the Grand Council, Huang Shan, a man more than fifty years old, personally mounted a horse and dashed to the imperial palace. His hands that gripped the reins were drenched with sweat. His heart was pounding furiously.

They were in trouble!