Chapter 524: Entering the Palace

Chapter 524 Entering the Palace

Huangfu Qing was now feigning innocence, wondering which fool had tried to kill Zhao Changhe back then—this Chamber Fire Pig identity was given by San Niang anyway, all for the sake of watching the fun.

But Xia Chichi secretly agreed with the sentiment. When Zhao Changhe first emerged, people had muttered about his rebellious nature... it was only later, after many acts of chivalry, that this was forgotten.

Yet in truth, he had never changed, always that unruly rebel, that mountain king. He was inherently well-suited to the Four Symbols Sect, though it was best he had no leader above him—otherwise, that leader would either be toppled or be toppled.

"Enough." Huangfu Qing rose with satisfaction, not bothering to dwell on his earlier visit to Tang Wanzhuang: "I'll take you both into the palace. One will pose as a palace maid, the other as..."

Zhao Changhe glared.

Huangfu Qing's eyes twinkled, her voice laced with allure: "If you want face, play an inner guard—but you can't openly stay overnight in the imperial consort's chambers. If you want substance, play a eunuch—you can enter however you like..."

Zhao Changhe's face was expressionless: "Is there a eunuch as tall and imposing as me?"

Huangfu Qing laughed, eyes crinkling: "There is."

Zhao Changhe sighed: "I'm going in to argue with someone. Dressed as a eunuch, I'd be laughed to death before the argument even starts—all momentum lost. I'll be an inner guard."

Huangfu Qing's face fell, and she tossed him a set of guard's uniform in irritation: "A face-loving pig!"

Huh... so she had this prepared?

Zhao Changhe took the clothes and changed unhurriedly in front of them both: "Even as an inner guard, it's not impossible to enter the consort's chambers... whether I can stay overnight depends on how I play it."

Huangfu Qing clicked her tongue, about to say something, but caught sight of Xia Chichi standing nearby with a grim expression. She felt she couldn't discuss this in front of that little wretch, so she swallowed her words. She cursed herself for being foolish—why had she agreed to bring this girl into the palace!

...

The process of entering the palace went smoothly. Huangfu Qing had not left the palace alone; she had brought a carriage convoy, all waiting in the front courtyard of the Huangfu residence. On the return, a large procession marched in, with one extra maid and one extra guard mixed in—no one could tell.

As for the convoy's own people, they were all trusted followers of the Four Symbols Sect, the devout kind.

The Four Symbols Sect valued quality over quantity; among its core members, the likelihood of loyalty issues was very low.

This also proved that making Zhao Changhe dress as a eunuch was merely Huangfu Qing's mischievous whim... In truth, any disguise would do. As long as they got past the guards during entry and safely into her consort's palace, the surroundings were thick with Four Symbols Sect people—you could do whatever you wanted inside, and no one would speak of it.

The dignified Vermilion Lord had personally managed the palace for years and was a collaborator with the fake Old Xia. Besides planting countless Four Symbols Sect followers, she had already bribed most of the other palace staff. Everywhere was her people; Empress Wang was no match for her.

Especially after the Wang family had shown signs of rebellion, Empress Wang, though not yet deposed, was known by anyone with sense to be on borrowed time. They flocked to the consort's banner. Now that the Wangs had openly rebelled, the empress teetered on the brink of deposition at any moment—even death by decree was not surprising. Once the empress was deposed, Huangfu Qing would hold absolute sway in the inner palace.

What Zhao Changhe had least understood about the Wang family's actions was this: testing the realm like that—wasn't it putting their own empress in the palace on a spit over the fire? Later, he thought it wasn't surprising. Since the crown prince was dead and the realm had no heir, the empress's value had suddenly plummeted. With the Wangs' coldness, they might not care about her life or death; turning to the sea clans behind them was probably more important.

Come to think of it... Xia Longyuan had propped up a fake on the throne. The fake and Huangfu Qing were collaborators, so naturally he wouldn't touch Huangfu Qing—he wouldn't dare. But what about the empress? Xia Longyuan tolerated the fake installing a Four Symbols Sect consort in the palace, but would he tolerate the fake sleeping with his empress? That would be too...

"What are those eyes of yours scheming?" In the palace, Huangfu Qing, dressed in elegant court robes, lounged comfortably on a soft couch and said lazily: "Could it be you're thinking of the empress?"

"Cough." Zhao Changhe cleared his throat: "You know the Xia Longyuan on the throne is a fake, right? Your entering the palace was part of a collaboration with him."

"You're thinking about the fake sleeping with the empress." Huangfu Qing saw through him.

Zhao Changhe turned his head away.

Huangfu Qing said: "The empress is Wang Daoning's younger sister, only a year younger than him. Her martial arts aren't high, and her beauty-preservation skills are limited—she's long past her prime. Whether real or fake, neither would have much interest in an old woman like that. Why do you think emperors throughout history favored certain concubines and neglected their empresses? Because empresses often grow old..."

"Uh... so will she die now?"

"Any time." Huangfu Qing said: "The fake certainly wouldn't dare make such a decision. As for the real one, I reckon the empress has outlived her usefulness to him—he could kill her. In fact, even if the Wangs hadn't rebelled, the empress would still die. Xia Longyuan would use her death as an excuse to provoke the Wangs into rebellion."

Zhao Changhe said: "You saw that?"

"Not only I saw it, Wang Daoning saw it too. He knew that no matter what, his sister would die, so he might as well rebel outright." Huangfu Qing's expression grew serious: "You once warned me to leave the palace, meaning Xia Longyuan wasn't as weak as we imagined. Now it seems you were right."

"Of course."

"Yesterday, energy surged in the palace and fell toward Hebei—I sensed it. Xia Longyuan finally got his chance to see the sea clans show themselves... I think he's also waiting for me, to see if any gods or demons appear behind me." Huangfu Qing smiled brightly: "Though I know he's still strong, I've actually felt lighter these past two days, because I've finally unraveled the purpose behind Xia Longyuan's actions. That feeling of being in the dark was far worse..."

Zhao Changhe glanced at the little palace maid Chichi, who had been standing silently by his side, her expression dazed. He asked on her behalf: "So do you have any idea how to find the real Old Xia?"

"At least I've guessed where his secret retreat is." Huangfu Qing hesitated: "Are you going directly? Isn't that a bit..."

"No difference. I think he already knows we're here." Zhao Changhe said: "He even saw the war a thousand li away... though it was probably through some hidden mark left on the Qinghe Sword, not truly overlooking the world. But this is the imperial palace—his arrangements here far outnumber yours. There's no point in hiding things from him; let's get straight to the point."

Laughter suddenly came from the air: "How clever—you even guessed that I observed the Cui-Wang battle through such means."

Huangfu Qing narrowed her eyes.

Zhao Changhe responded: "No more pretending?"

"When I threw that punch, I couldn't hide it from Z... Huangfu. It's meaningless before sharp eyes." Xia Longyuan's voice carried a strange amusement: "The Four Symbols Sect has lurked for years, finally learning that Xia Longyuan isn't injured—congratulations."

Huangfu Qing: "..."

She thought the joke was about the latter half, but little did she know Xia Longyuan was teasing the pause in the first half.

Zhao Changhe didn't catch it either, and asked: "So can you see me now, or can you only hear every sound in the palace?"

"Hear." Xia Longyuan answered honestly: "The one who can overlook the world is only one person... Though she is weak, her basic traits remain. But even she cannot see many places; she must rely on the eyes on you, just as I rely on the eyes on the Qinghe Sword."

Blind Girl: "..."

Zhao Changhe seemed unsurprised. He had long suspected this about the Eye Behind, and now rarely used it. But it had passively upgraded along with him; now the Eye Behind had become an Overlooking Eye, though its "overlooking angle" was narrow, still a far cry from "overlooking the world."

He didn't dwell on it—he'd sort it out with Blind Girl later. For now, he wouldn't change the subject.

"Are there eyes of yours on the Dragon Sparrow?"

"What would I watch you for?" Xia Longyuan chuckled: "Did you think you were worth my effort back then?"

"And now?"

"Now you're somewhat interesting... but only somewhat." Xia Longyuan said: "If you want to curse me, come ahead, and bring Chichi. If you want to visit, it's easy enough—no need for all this sneaking around. It's laughable to watch."

Xia Chichi: "..."

Xia Longyuan paused, then sighed rarely: "The only one in this world truly qualified to curse me is Chichi."

Xia Chichi finally spoke her first words since entering the palace: "But I don't want to curse you, because you're not worthy."