freenovelworld Chapter 283 Junior Uncle of Wudang Mountain
Chapter 283 Junior Uncle of Wudang Mountain
Before long, an old Taoist priest walked in. His beard and eyebrows were white, and the hat he was wearing seemed a little too small. His white hair grew outwards in a very unruly manner, making him look quite comical.
Shen Li had met this person before. He was the emperor's most trusted alchemist. Although he was a bit eccentric, he was quite skilled in alchemy and pill making. The emperor almost always listened to him.
However, because this old man was simply a Taoist alchemist with no political stance in the court and no involvement in court struggles, people knew very little about him. Shen Li only learned today that he also came from Wudang Mountain.
Fortunately, Bai Wuyou wasn't a fake, otherwise she would have been exposed right away.
Even if it were true, Shen Li was worried because of the age gap between the two and they had never met, so she was very anxious.
The old Taoist priest did not kneel before the emperor, but only cupped his hands in a gesture of respect. Moreover, his expression was indifferent and showed no sign of respect. Clearly, he did not know why the emperor had summoned him.
Emperor Cheng was about to introduce him, but at that moment the old Taoist priest had already seen Bai Wuyou. His small eyes widened in surprise.
"Nephew Xuan Yuan, how have you been lately?" Bai Wuyou asked.
"Junior Uncle, you've grown so much!" The old Taoist priest circled Bai Wuyou, then exclaimed in delight, "The Master has finally decided to let you descend the mountain?"
"Yes, Master has instructed me to travel around and broaden my horizons."
The old Taoist priest seemed to suddenly remember something, walked up to Bai Wuyou, and knelt down to pay his respects: "Greetings, Uncle-Master."
"Please rise, junior disciple." Bai Wuyou reached out to help him up.
Shen Li was almost stunned. This little kid wasn't much older than her, so why was his seniority so terrifying?
Emperor Cheng originally intended to test the truth, but unexpectedly, the test revealed the ancestor of the Taoist sect, and he immediately clapped his hands and cheered.
It's as if the heavens are helping him; the path to immortality is within reach!
So Shen Li had nothing to do after that. Emperor Cheng sat down with the two of them to discuss philosophy, only praising Shen Li a couple of times, and then asked her to go to the inner palace to see the Empress Dowager and the Empress.
Shen Li didn't want to stay either. Before leaving, she exchanged a glance with Bai Wuyou, and the two understood each other without saying a word.
As long as he establishes a firm foothold in the palace, his time to make a difference will come.
Shen Li didn't actually want to get involved in the harem. After all, although she didn't do anything on the surface, the crown prince's deposition was directly related to her.
The Empress was certainly displeased, and the Empress Dowager probably had her own thoughts as well.
The crown prince is, after all, the foundation of the court and the country. Moving against the crown prince could easily cause unrest in all directions, destabilize the court, and attract powerful enemies.
She had prepared herself for a reprimand, but to her surprise, she didn't even get into the Wanshou Palace. The palace maid said that the Empress Dowager was unwell and then disappeared.
Shen Li thought of her previous life. The Empress Dowager passed away not long after this, and now her health was indeed failing.
She was still somewhat saddened by this, as the Empress Dowager was one of her few confidantes, and it was a pity that there would be few more opportunities to discuss calligraphy and painting with her in the future.
She entered the Empress's Fengxiang Palace and learned that the Empress was also ill. What stopped her was Zhou Qianqian, whose belly was slightly protruding.
Shen Li glanced casually at the two maids behind her. One of them was Zhou Qianqian's dowry maid, and she wondered if the other was Yingyu.
"Your humble servant greets the Consort." Shen Li bowed slightly.
Zhou Qianqian looked haggard, as if she was under immense psychological pressure. When she looked at Shen Li again, there was no longer any hostility, only a deathly silence.
"Lord Shen, may I speak with you in the side hall?" Zhou Qianqian asked, her voice completely hoarse.
Peony didn't know how to react, but Forsythia had already stepped forward half a step to block Shen Li, worried that Zhou Qianqian would try to extort money.
Murdering a royal heir, even the child of a deposed crown prince, is a grave crime.
Shen Li raised her hand to indicate that she didn't need to be nervous, and looked up at Zhou Qianqian and said, "Okay."
Lianqiao was a little anxious. This was the Empress's palace. Wasn't the young lady afraid of being set up? If she was really being harmed, she would never be able to clear her name.
"That's great." Zhou Qianqian admired Shen Li's decisive expression, but at the same time felt a sense of loneliness.
This is her opponent. It seems that she can always see through me. How can I fight her?
Shen Li knew, of course, that Zhou Qianqian wouldn't resort to desperate measures. People only lose their rationality when they have no hope, but Zhou Qianqian still had hope.
As expected, there was nothing in the side hall. After the door closed, Zhou Qianqian spoke directly: "Judging from your expression, it seems you know what I'm going to say."
“The Crown Prince has already said so, and I think it’s your turn now,” Shen Li said truthfully.
"You agreed?" Zhou Qianqian asked, glancing at Shen Li as she did so, not wanting to miss a single expression on her face.
This is very important to her.
“You know that thing can’t save your family of three lives. He’s already made his choice.” Shen Li said without hesitation, “What you need to do is wait for his orders and hand the thing over to me.”
Zhou Qianqian's face turned pale: "He only protected himself, didn't he?"
"I can't say more. The concubine can wait for news," Shen Li said expressionlessly.
Zhou Qianqian's gaze gradually shifted from deathly stillness to venomous malice, and her voice became sharp: "The item is in my hands. You can only make deals with me, not him."
"What does the concubine mean by this?" Shen Li asked, puzzled.
"I want to save my child. I can die, but I want to give birth to him." Zhou Qianqian even knelt down, her eyes filled with pleading.
“I know I have offended you in the past, but this child is innocent. He hasn’t seen the world yet, and he cannot come with me.”
Shen Li was genuinely moved for a moment upon hearing her words.
No matter how shameless or despicable a woman may be, there is always a moment when she is a mother.
She hesitated, then finally closed her eyes and said, "Let me think about it."
“Shen Li, you will be a mother too. Please help me out of consideration for our shared experience as women.” Zhou Qianqian tugged at the hem of her robe and pleaded, “If you promise me, I will give you every single one of those things.”
"What about the Crown Prince?" Shen Li asked again.
"Let him die." Zhou Qianqian said viciously, "This selfish and useless man is of no benefit to the country or the family, he deserves to die!"
When Zhou Qianqian said this, Shen Li noticed a change in the expression of a palace maid, who turned out to be Zhou Qianqian's dowry maid.
She stretched out her finger and drew on the pillar as if meaningless.
It is a petal-shaped mark used for signing on handkerchiefs.
“I’ll consider it, but you know this isn’t easy,” she said to Zhou Qianqian.
Zhou Qianqian looked at her expression with suspicion: "Shen Li, are you lying to me? Are you trying to steal my last hope?"
Shen Li seemed much more approachable today, whereas she was usually quite prickly.
Although she didn't know what methods Shen Li could use, her sixth sense told her that Shen Li was still dangerous.