The meals provided by Tian Ci Pavilion are priced significantly higher than those outside, but everything they make is top-notch.
The ingredients and flavors can rival those of the renowned Exquisite Delicacies House.
When Tang Muxi and Jiang Yin returned, everyone happened to be gathered together after a meal, taking the opportunity to share the information they had gathered today.
Wen Mingyu saw them finally return and smiled at Wen Fei beside her, saying, “See, I knew they would be sensible and come back safely.
Auntie was worrying too much.” Wen Fei pursed her lips, pulled Tang Muxi to sit down, and looked her over from head to toe.
Only after confirming she was truly unharmed did she finally relax, though she still lightly scolded with disapproval, “Next time you go to the capital, don’t leave without a word and make your master worry for nothing.”
They hadn’t informed anyone about their trip to the capital, and Wen Mingyu’s group only found out by chance in the afternoon when they ran into Feng Yuan.
At that time, Wen Fei was so angry her face turned dark, saying she would give her troublesome disciple a good scolding when she returned.
However, now that they had returned safely, all that anger had turned into concern.
Tang Muxi scratched her head awkwardly, “I understand, I won’t do it again next time.”
It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and she had carelessly forgotten about the consequences.
After some small talk, the tardy Senior Sister also sat down to eat and joined the conversation.
Since Wen Mingyu was leading, she naturally started first, “Today, Bai Ling and I wandered around the Treasure Pavilion and nearby shops and teahouses, and we heard quite a few… interesting pieces of news.”
Interesting? Hearing this description, everyone was puzzled, and Tang Muxi was full of confusion, “What kind of news could be considered interesting?” Wen Mingyu no longer pretended to be mysterious and began to explain slowly.
She had discovered information related to the Nine Sha Hall’s Hall Master.
Before the capital was sealed, the Nine Sha Hall had held two grand events, one for the main wife’s birthday six months ago and the other for the princess’s birthday later.
As the ruler of the Nine Sha Hall, the Hall Master’s wife’s birthday was naturally a national event, meant to be grandly celebrated to show her prestige.
The event would not only invite esteemed individuals within the Nine Sha Hall but also various other forces to participate.
Wen Mingyu had also received an invitation back then, but she declined because she was busy looking for her aunt.
“It’s said that on the day of the event, the Hall Master appeared with a weak complexion, as if he had internal injuries.” Jiang Yin couldn’t help but frown upon hearing this, “A weak complexion?” A ruler attending a grand event and exposing his injuries to various forces, wasn’t he afraid of inciting others’ predatory intentions? Jiang Yin held a skeptical attitude towards the authenticity of this news.
Seemingly noticing her doubts, Wen Mingyu smiled, “At first, I didn’t believe it either, but this information was provided by an acquaintance who attended the event, and I confirmed it with multiple sources afterward. There’s no mistake.”
“And not only that, during the princess’s birthday a few months later, he didn’t attend at all, leaving everything to the main wife to handle.
He even rarely attended the bi-monthly court meetings.”
Although the Nine Sha Hall is similar to a mortal dynasty, it is ultimately composed of cultivators, and certain outdated ideas have been abolished, with everything being based on strength.
The Hall Master has the highest cultivation, having reached the late stage of the Integration Period, just a step away from breaking through to the Tribulation Stage, thus holding the greatest power in the country.
The main wife, with slightly lesser cultivation at the late stage of the Transformation Period, doesn’t have as much power as the Hall Master, but her family has many important officials, making her influence in the court sky-high, with her power second only to the Hall Master.
Below them are various elders and ministers.
The princess, as their only daughter, although her current cultivation is still shallow, only at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, she is bound to be the next ruler when the Hall Master passes on his position.
With the royal family’s abundant resources and the exceptional talent inherited from her parents, her cultivation progress is only a matter of time.
While organizing the grand event may seem ordinary, it actually reflects the increasing prestige of the main wife, hinting at a trend of overshadowing the Hall Master.
It’s possible that the court officials have long been following her orders.
Tang Muxi wasn’t interested in these power struggles but keenly noticed the timing, “Sister Mingyu, are you saying that half a year ago, during the main wife’s birthday, the Hall Master showed weakness, and a few months ago, during the princess’s birthday, the Hall Master didn’t attend? Isn’t this… precisely the time when Xia Ci discovered the court’s collusion with the Ghost Domain and then left the capital with her family?”
Wen Mingyu looked over with approval, “That’s right, little junior sister is truly exceptionally smart. Besides, these two time points also happen to coincide with the Nine Sha Hall’s strict investigations and the subsequent sealing of the capital.”
“Speaking of the princess, when my junior sister and I went to find Feng Yuan today, we also heard some news.” Jiang Yin thought this matter might be related to the Hall Master’s weakness, so she decided to share it directly.
“Even before the capital was sealed, the princess had been moved out along with the nobles and confined in the Seven Mysteries.
And today, Feng Yuan was in a hurry, with the city gates under increased scrutiny and defense, all because the princess ‘escaped’.” When she said ‘escaped,’ her tone was deliberately emphasized to indicate the underlying meaning.
Wen Mingyu suddenly understood, “No wonder there was a sudden increase in manpower at the city gates today.”
“If that’s the case, perhaps the Hall Master and the princess are on one side, while the main wife might have long controlled the court, secretly conspiring with the Ghost Domain.”
It’s hard to guess what exactly they are trading.
After that, everyone shared information, ate, and discussed until it was completely dark, finally bringing the gathering to a close.
Before leaving, Wen Mingyu shared news from the demon realm with everyone: “The people from the demon realm set out a few days ago and should arrive here within five days.
Please don’t act rashly during this time and be patient.”
This was specifically said to Jiang Yin to prevent her from acting alone.
However, she didn’t know that if Jiang Yin really wanted to leave, she would have taken her junior sister and left long before entering the Seven Mysteries.
Tang Muxi, seeing that her senior sister didn’t respond, worried they might have another disagreement, quickly spoke up: “Don’t worry, Sister Mingyu, we’ll wait.
After all, having more people will help us plan how to enter the city.”
Moreover, she was being watched now and didn’t have the energy to deal with anything else.
With the junior sister’s assurance, Wen Mingyu felt relieved, gave a few more words of advice, and then left them alone.
Jiang Yin saw Tang Muxi waving goodbye with a smile and expressionlessly pulled her hand down: “Still looking? They’ve already gone far.
Junior sister really knows how to make people happy, sweet-talking and calling ‘Sister Mingyu’ until senior sister’s ears have gone soft.”
These words were whispered close to Tang Muxi’s ear, the warm breath making her ears turn red.
Tang Muxi had been with the big demon for so long that she understood her personality thoroughly.
Hearing this jealous tone, she knew Jiang Yin was getting jealous again.
She suppressed her inner flutter and spoke softly: “Senior sister ignores me, so I have to do it.
Besides, it was in front of others, not in private.
It wouldn’t be good to be careless with titles.”
“Senior sister, you’re the one who whispers in my ear every day, making my body go soft.
Please don’t be jealous, okay?” She said, finally opening her arms to hug Jiang Yin.
Senior sister was truly slender.
Even after eating so lavishly with her every day for half a year, there wasn’t an ounce of extra flesh on her waist.
It was cold, and Jiang Yin’s body was warm.
Once Tang Muxi hugged her, she didn’t want to let go, even forgetting they were still in the corridor, throwing all decorum out the window.
Jiang Yin couldn’t resist when her junior sister threw herself into her arms. Feeling the soft body pressing against her, her heartbeat slowed.
But being moved was one thing, and arguing was another.
She had never lost an argument.
Jiang Yin exhaled a warm breath, casually playing with her junior sister’s hair, wrapping it around her fingers while holding her waist and closing the door.
“Junior sister’s body is soft? Let senior sister see if you’re bluffing again.”
Tang Muxi was startled, realizing the other was starting to touch her restlessly, and stopped her, embarrassed and anxious: “Senior sister, what are you doing…” Jiang Yin, being stopped, looked unhappy: “What am I doing? Checking your body.
Senior sister is always worried about not knowing people well, so she has to see for herself.
Coincidentally, today junior sister was targeted and had spiritual energy planted, so senior sister has to check if there’s anything else.
Having a junior sister who loves to attract trouble, senior sister naturally has to worry more than others.”
Her tone was even a bit aggrieved, as if Tang Muxi spent her days partying outside.
How could she endure such slander? Tang Muxi was about to retort but was stopped by Jiang Yin’s immobilization spell.
“Don’t move, you’re interrupting me untying the belt.” Jiang Yin’s eyes were focused, but her fingers were restless, moving back and forth on the loose belt.
With one move after another, Tang Muxi was left dizzy.
Once the belt fell, the rest was easy to remove.
Before long, Tang Muxi was stripped bare, like a peeled egg, smooth and glistening.
“Senior sister… not here.”
This was still the outer hall, just a door away from the corridor.
Being completely naked in a room usually used for dining and entertaining, Tang Muxi’s face was burning red, like a ripe cherry, juicy and tempting to bite.
Jiang Yin’s heart was stirred, but even so, she had to tease.
She smiled mischievously, pinching Tang Muxi’s hot face and asking: “Not here? What is junior sister thinking? Senior sister is just checking your body, nothing else.”
But if there was truly nothing else, why would she be touching her body, her cool fingertips wandering over her snowy back, igniting little sparks?
Tang Muxi was both embarrassed and angry, but being immobilized, she couldn’t move, only able to glare and complain: “Now that you’ve checked, please let me down, senior sister.
It’s cold!”
Jiang Yin felt she was very childish, always enjoying seeing her junior sister’s embarrassed and angry look.
Now seeing her flustered and helpless, she felt unprecedentedly happy.
“We just took off your clothes, how could I have finished checking? Junior sister is really unreasonable.
But senior sister cares for you and can’t bear to see you cold, so let’s go inside to warm up, okay?”
Though it was a question, she didn’t listen to the other’s opinion, carrying her junior sister inside.
Until the next day, Tang Muxi woke up with a sore waist.
Looking at the clothes scattered all over the floor, she suddenly remembered that the spiritual energy was planted on the clothes.
What did it have to do with the body?
