The Prince Can Do Divination

Chapter 400 - 248: Great Victory Stirs the Nation, Demon Country Remnants in the Eastern Palace, Crown Prince’s Mansion Under House Arrest

In the Eastern Palace Mansion, Wang Zhaoyan sat on the main seat, announcing the good news to the many Tributors below, including the Cultivators from the Wang Family.

"Wonderful! Yuan’Er has won a great victory. Now, he’s surely one step closer to the Emperor’s Throne. Who in the Capital City can possibly shake his position?"

Noble Consort Yaoguang, Wang Zhaoyan, had heard the news early in the morning and immediately came to the Imperial City, telling every relative, both close and distant.

’My son is so successful,’ she thought, ’can’t a mother brag a little?’

The Patriarch of the Wang Family, former Prime Minister Wang He’fu, also chuckled and stroked his beard.

"I’ve said it all along: our faith in him was not misplaced. Yuan’Er may appear mediocre on the surface, but he is actually deeply cunning. With the support of so many powerful factions, how could anything go wrong?"

Her rouged lips a shade of crimson, the exquisitely beautiful Huo Hongling gave Qi Muxue a faint smile and said, "His Highness has now completely secured his position as Crown Prince. All that’s left is to wait for the succession."

"It seems the position of Empress is destined for you, sister."

"Empress..."

Qi Muxue seemed not to have recovered from the news, perhaps never having imagined that she would one day be in a position to become the Empress.

To be honest, when she first got together with Lu Mingyuan, her true goal wasn’t to become some Empress.

Instead, she had hoped to spend the rest of her life with Lu Mingyuan.

But if Lu Mingyuan could ascend the dragon throne and rule over the world, she would be very happy for him.

Now, her father was gone.

Her greatest attachment was to Lu Mingyuan alone.

From now on, her goal as Qi Muxue was to take up the mission of her father’s Li Sheng Lineage and carry forward the contemporary Ritual Studies.

The responsibility on her shoulders was heavy.

As everyone was joyfully celebrating, the shrill sound of a guard’s warning whistle echoed from within the Eastern Palace Mansion.

"An intruder has broken into the Eastern Palace Mansion!"

"It’s an assassin! Arrest them at once!"

Squads of armored Imperial Guard soldiers rushed into the rear courtyard of the Eastern Palace Mansion, only to be sent flying by massive waves of energy.

"What’s going on?"

Wang Zhaoyan summoned the Commander of the Eastern Palace and questioned him about the matter.

The Commander of the Eastern Palace broke out in a cold sweat and explained, "A few days ago, a group of Cultivators arrived, claiming to be friends of the Crown Prince. They carried the Crown Prince’s Token, so I let them in. But who would have thought that these people would actually poison the well in the Eastern Palace? Fortunately, we discovered it."

"It’s just that these Cultivators have high Cultivation levels. It will take some effort to apprehend them."

Wang Zhaoyan’s face was cold as she ordered the many Cultivators behind her, "Go and assist the Eastern Palace Mansion Guards in arresting these suspicious individuals."

"Yes!"

The group of Cultivators from the Endless Pavilion who had sought refuge here, with Yun Qinghe temporarily acting as their leader, transformed into several streaks of rainbow light and shot toward the Harem.

Yun Qinghe’s gaze was ice-cold. Lu Mingyuan had just achieved a great victory, and the news had barely reached the Capital City when something like this happened in the Eastern Palace Mansion. It was far too suspicious.

’Is someone targeting the Eastern Palace Mansion?’

She felt something was amiss.

Yun Qinghe was the first to arrive at the head of her group. She found a group of suspicious people in black robes wearing Exotic Beast masks, engaged in a fierce battle with numerous Guards.

The Guards selected for the Eastern Palace Mansion had high Cultivation levels. They were equipped to the standards of the Imperial Palace, with Grandmaster-level experts and Middle Fifth Grade Cultivators among them. How could they possibly fail to take down a few mere Assassins?

She stared at the leader, a black-robed man with a rat head. His helmet was a bronze rat’s head, with no holes carved out for the eyes, giving it a very strange appearance.

All the black-robed men were dressed this way.

Some had the heads of chickens, rabbits, or dogs... In short, the heads of various Exotic Beasts.

A massive Purple Flame Flying Wheel appeared in the palm of the rat-headed man.

In an instant, the wheel grew to an immense size.

A pillar of Demonic Qi erupted from the wheel, instantly sweeping across the entire Eastern Palace Mansion and plunging the scene into chaos.

Yun Qinghe drew her sword, unleashing her Flying Sword Divine Techniques to cut the man down. However, she was blocked by a solid Iron Fan, which emitted a "CLANG" sound.

The man’s body then shot backward, as if he couldn’t withstand the blow.

The sight made her pause.

’My Cultivation and strength are at the peak of Tenth Realm Perfection. Even an ordinary Eleventh Realm expert would have a hard time withstanding my attack—spitting blood would be the least of their worries. How can this mere Assassin’s Cultivation be this high?’

’He actually managed to block one of my attacks.’

’If his Cultivation is truly that high, why is he still lingering in the Eastern Palace Mansion? Why not just escape?’

The Assassins didn’t seem particularly strong; after a short while, they were defeated one by one.

But everyone was thoroughly exasperated by the group of black-robed men.

Fortunately, the Grand Array of the Eastern Palace Mansion slowly activated, triggering the Blood Glutton Shadow Warriors within.

The four reclusive Tributors of the Eastern Palace Mansion also made their move, taking down the entire group.

Butcher Yang Jian, Zen Master Fa Hai, Daoist Monarch Zhao Gongming, and Great Righteous Master Zhang Jiao.

Without Lu Mingyuan’s control, the Blood Glutton Shadow Warriors could only act on instinct, their methods simple and brutal. Their very presence also allowed Lu Mingyuan to know what was happening in the Eastern Palace Mansion.

They were a life-saving measure Lu Mingyuan had left behind for his mother and the other women.

The rat-headed man hadn’t expected that the few Tributors who suddenly appeared would be so powerful, surpassing most of the previous experts. His subordinates were quickly captured.

"The Bright Lamp Bureau is here! Do not act so brazenly, you traitors!"

"There are fiends lurking in the Eastern Palace Mansion! This cannot be tolerated! Capture them alive if possible!"

The commotion at the Eastern Palace Mansion was simply too great, attracting the attention of the Bright Lamp Bureau and the Three Academy Cultivators.

Yun Qinghe looked at the other women and couldn’t help but ask, "Which of you ladies called the Court’s Bright Lamp Bureau for reinforcements?"

Qi Muxue nodded slightly. "I just sent a carrier pigeon. It’s only been half an incense stick’s time, and the Bright Lamp Bureau is already here. The Bright Lamp Government Office seems to be located next to the Inner City North Gate. Their speed is indeed impressive."

Huo Hongling mused, "Perhaps it’s because the Eastern Palace Mansion is so important that many of the Bright Lamp Bureau’s Brocade Clothing were stationed nearby. As soon as there was a disturbance, they would be able to detect it quickly."

But Yun Qinghe secretly shook her head.

The Assassins appeared one moment, and the Bright Lamp Bureau arrived with their men the next.

’It’s a bit like a thief crying "stop, thief!"’

It was all far too coincidental.

A moment later, the Commander-in-Chief of the Bright Lamp Bureau came before Wang Zhaoyan, cupped his fist, and said:

"Reporting to Your Highness, all the villains have been subdued!"

In reality, they hadn’t done a thing. The Blood Glutton Shadow Warriors had already finished the job.

"You must investigate the origins of these Assassins! They dare to infiltrate the Eastern Palace Mansion—they must have a death wish!"

Wang Zhaoyan had no intention of being pleasant to this Bright Lamp Bureau Commander; she gave him the nastiest look she could muster.

"Yes!"

The incident seemed like a minor interlude, hardly worth noting.

But a few days later, astonishing news spread throughout the Imperial Capital.

The Bright Lamp Bureau announced that after interrogating the Assassins from that day and searching their Divine Souls...

...these black-robed men bore the Divine Pattern markings of the Holy Netherworld faith. They were clearly people from the Demon Country.

They had infiltrated Great Yan specifically for the Crown Prince of Great Yan.

In other words, they were all spies sent by the Demon Country.

When the Holy Emperor learned of this, he flew into a rage. He paid special attention to the matter, ordering the Cabinet to conduct a thorough investigation at any cost.

The Cabinet issued a stern order: all spies from the Demon Country in the Capital City must be rooted out. People from the Demon Country could not be allowed to infiltrate the Great Yan’s interior.

The Bright Lamp Bureau moved at night, going through streets and alleys, investigating the residences of many noble and great families. Sure enough, similar Demon Country spies were found in the homes of other members of the Nobility—many people from the Great Nether Country bearing Divine Pattern markings.

They were all spies sent by the Demon Country, lying in wait in the Capital City.

The affair grew larger and larger, and the mansions of many prominent families were sealed off.

For a time, everyone felt they were in danger.

The storm even implicated the Eastern Palace Mansion.

After all, the Eastern Palace was the first place where spies from the Demon Country had been discovered, making it the most suspicious location.

Wang Zhaoyan, Qi Muxue, and the others could only watch as the gates of the once splendid Eastern Palace Mansion were shut.

Three days after that incident, they were all placed under house arrest within the Eastern Palace Mansion, forbidden from leaving until the investigation was complete.

"By order of the Holy Emperor, remnants of the Demon Country have appeared in the Eastern Palace Mansion. Before the truth is uncovered, all those involved must be investigated. Your Highnesses, I hope you can understand. We are merely following orders!"

The head of the Bright Lamp Bureau, Departmental Envoy Wang Xiao, personally came to the Eastern Palace Mansion to offer his apologies.

The Bright Lamp Bureau was the Holy Emperor’s Personal Guard, taking orders only from the Holy Emperor and monitoring the Capital City. Therefore, no one dared to provoke them. But the Eastern Palace Mansion was another matter.

After all, the Crown Prince had just returned from a great victory. His star was on the rise, and no one dared to offend him.

But who could have expected something like this to happen?

...