CHAPTER 114: CHAPTER 114: THE PUPPET MASTER BEHIND THE SCENES

The palace walls were deep, and a tree of Mu Jin flowers peaked forward, blooming in vivid purple and bright red, stunningly beautiful.

Inside Fuluan Palace, a beautiful lady in palace attire was reclining on the noble concubine’s couch.

The beautiful lady wore a rose-pink immortal skirt, her red lips and white teeth gleaming, her black hair piled up, her features finely drawn, exuding an otherworldly beauty, like a peony that overshadowed all other flowers in radiance.

"Reporting to the Empress, someone has come from outside the palace."

A delicate-featured palace maid walked in slowly, whispering a few words beside the beautiful woman.

The beautiful woman opened her eyes, only to see her brows elegant, her phoenix eyes slightly uptilted, a trace of authoritative air between her brows; this lady was none other than Longteng Empress Feng Piaopiao.

"Summon."

The beautiful lady rose, her eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings, hiding the sharpness in her eyes.

Moments later, a guard in brocade attire came in.

"Greetings to the Empress."

"Did you handle the matter I entrusted to you?"

Feng Piaopiao played with the Jade Ruyi in her hand, asking softly with a velvety voice.

Her voice, smooth and mellow, struck the ears like a gentle pluck of the zither strings, immensely captivating.

"Reporting to the Empress, fortunately, I did not disgrace my mission. The person has been taken care of, and the item has been found."

The guard, after speaking, presented a box.

The box was the one replicated by Xin Lin.

Seeing the box, a hint of joy emerged in Feng Piaopiao’s eyes.

She waved her hand, and the guard hurriedly presented the box.

The Empress glanced at the guard in brocade.

What she wanted was not just the box but also the heads of both members of the Shi family.

Their father had not dealt with her lightly in the past.

Now an Empress, she naturally sought revenge.

"There was an unexpected complication, the government intervened in this matter, so I had to cease my actions. Why must the Empress absolutely..."

The guard, confused, wondered why the Empress tolerated Noble Lady Shi and her son for so long, only to act against them recently.

"It’s because of that fool. He’s already gone mad, yet he still stirred trouble, saying that Seventh Prince was framed. Mindlessly speaking, but the emperor took it to heart upon hearing it while visiting him. The emperor then remembered Noble Lady Shi’s virtue and planned to bring Noble Lady Shi and her son back soon."

The Empress did not fear Noble Lady Shi; that woman was good for nothing but tears.

She worried about the loyalists of Noble Lady Shi’s late father.

General Shi was once the foremost fierce general of Longteng, and although his loyalists remained inactive these years, they still posed a threat to her and the Crown Prince.

To avoid prolonged uncertainties and to secure the secret box swiftly, she deployed her Hidden Guards to pursue and kill Noble Lady Shi and her son.

To prevent tracing back to her, she subtly hired local bandits; as soon as the task was done, she immediately killed those bandits, ensuring no one would associate the death of Noble Lady Shi’s family with her.

"Rest assured, Empress, the matter was handled swiftly and decisively. However, this box is rather peculiar; I have examined it, and there is neither a keyhole nor any mechanism."

"No matter, having the box in hand is enough."

Feng Piaopiao waved her hand, signaling the Hidden Guard to step back.

As the Hidden Guard retreated, Feng Piaopiao held the box, and with a flick of her hand, a drop of blood fell onto it.

The Hongluan secret box opens only with the blood of the Hongluan Royal Family.

The bloodstain floated on the box, but the box remained unchanged.

"What!"

Feng Piaopiao, startled, was about to examine the box closely, but suddenly, the box snapped open with a ’bang.’

A cold arrow, shot out fiercely from inside the box!