From cute to empress

Chapter 253: The grudge between the Jianxin Sect and the Poison King

As the night deepened, I followed Master Xiaoyao through many twists and turns until we arrived at a dilapidated temple outside the city. Before I even got close, I heard the sounds of fighting coming from within. My heart raced. Could Master Xiaoyao be setting an ambush? Just as I was about to ask, he grabbed me and quietly slipped into the temple.

The scene before me shocked me: Zhen Youcai was locked in a fierce struggle with several men in black, clearly intent on fighting. Meanwhile, Young Master Xiaoyao stood with his hands behind his back, watching with aloof eyes, as if none of this had anything to do with him.

"Mengmeng, be careful!" Zhen Youcai noticed me and reminded me loudly.

Only then did I notice that a man in black was coming towards me! I subconsciously closed my eyes, but I didn't feel the pain I expected.

"Don't be afraid, Your Majesty. I'm here." Zhen Youcai's familiar voice came to my ears. I opened my eyes and saw that he had subdued the man in black.

"Youcai, are you okay?" I asked worriedly.

"It's nothing, just some clowns." Zhen Youcai said lightly, but his eyes never left the men in black.

Young Master Xiaoyao stepped forward and asked coldly, "Tell me, who sent you here?"

The men in black were all stubborn and would rather die than surrender. Young Master Xiaoyao didn't get angry, but simply smiled faintly and reached out to tap one of them a few times.

"Ah——" The man let out a shrill scream, as if he was suffering from great pain.

"I'll tell you! I'll tell you!" He finally broke down. "Yes... yes..."

"Who is it?" I demanded.

"It's him! It's him!" The man pointed at a man tied up on the ground and said in horror, "It's...it's him who ordered us to do this!"

Only then did I notice that there was a person lying on the ground. It was the owner of the letter - the famous "Poison King" in the world!

"The Poison King?" I exclaimed in shock. I never imagined that this notorious demon was actually manipulating everything behind the scenes!

I suppressed my shock and asked sternly, "Why are you doing this? What good will it do you to provoke a war between the major sects?!"

The Poison King was no longer afraid. Instead, he roared with laughter, his laughter filled with resentment and madness. "Benefits? I've fallen to this point today because of you so-called prestigious and upright people! I was once a disciple of a prestigious sect, but because I made a small mistake, I was expelled from the sect and became a rat crossing the street, hated by everyone! Why?! Why can you hypocrites live so high and mighty while I have to endure such humiliation?!"

"So you're willing to degenerate and seek revenge with even more vicious means?!" Zhen Youcai, who had been silent the entire time, finally couldn't help but speak. His voice was icy cold, as if it came from the Nine Nether Hell. "Do you think this can wash away your sins? Do you think this can change your fate?!"

The Poison King snorted coldly and said nothing, but the resentment in his eyes became even stronger.

I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself. I knew now wasn't the time to dwell on this. The most urgent task was to uncover the truth and restore justice to the underworld.

"You said that you were harmed by a famous and upright sect. Then tell me, which sect was it and who harmed you like this?" I stared at the Poison King and asked word by word.

The Poison King's eyes flickered, and he seemed to hesitate, but he finally gritted his teeth and said, "It was the Jianxin Sect! It was their leader—Master Jianxin! He was the one who expelled me from the sect!"

Sword Heart Sect?! I was shocked. Isn't this the sect that was previously framed by the Blood Blade Sect? Could all this be true? Could the Sword Heart Sect really be related to the Poison King?

"That's nonsense!" Young Master Xiaoyao suddenly shouted angrily, "Master Jianxin is so virtuous and respected, how could he do such a thing?!"

The Poison King sneered, "Whether it's nonsense or not, you can find out by asking him."

Everyone's eyes were focused behind me. I turned around and saw Sect Leader Jianxin and Sect Leader Xuedao walking in side by side. Their faces were grim, clearly having learned the truth.

"Poison King, is everything you said true?" The voice of Sect Leader Jianxin trembled, as if he couldn't believe his ears.

The Poison King laughed heartily: "What? Are you scared now? It's too late! I have nothing left, what else is there to be afraid of?!"

"You..." Sect Leader Jianxin was so angry that he was shaking all over, but he couldn't say a word.

"Brother!" The Blood Blade Sect's leader suddenly stepped forward, supported the Sword Heart Sect Leader, and said in a deep voice, "At this point, are you still stubborn and unwilling to change? Look at what you've done! Do you know that because of your stupidity, we almost both suffered losses?!"

Sect Leader Kenshin fell silent, his face pale and his eyes filled with pain and regret.

After a long time, he sighed and slowly knelt on the ground.

"I was wrong……"

The painful confession of Sect Leader Jianxin echoed through the hall, and my heart grew heavy. The grudges and right and wrong of the Jianghu world can sometimes be so intricate and complex, it's truly heartbreaking.

"Your Majesty, this matter is extremely complex and involves many people. How about..." The Lingjiu Palace Master, who had been silent until then, suddenly spoke up. Her beautiful eyes swept over everyone present and suggested, "How about you take charge and convene a martial arts conference to announce the traitor's crimes. This will also provide a platform for communication and cooperation among the major sects, allowing us to jointly resist foreign enemies and restore peace to the martial arts world!"

I thought, this is indeed a good idea. A martial arts conference can not only clarify the truth and calm the storm, but also use this opportunity to resolve the grievances between the major sects and avoid further bloodshed.

"Okay! Just as the Lord of Lingjiu Palace said, I will hold a martial arts conference in the palace square in three days. I invite all heroes to come and participate in this grand event!" I said loudly, my tone full of determination and confidence.

Three days later, the martial arts conference was held as scheduled.

The palace square was packed with people, heroes and heroes from all walks of life gathered here, and the atmosphere was solemn and dignified. Wearing a dragon robe and a phoenix crown, accompanied by Zhen Youcai, I slowly walked up to the high platform and looked down at the dark crowd below.

"My fellow heroes, I convened a martial arts conference today in order to..." I cleared my throat, made the Poison King's conspiracy and the mistakes of Sect Leader Kenshin public, and announced their punishment.

My voice echoed in the square, reaching everyone's ears. After hearing my story, the audience was immediately in an uproar and talked a lot.

"It turns out that all this is the conspiracy of the Poison King. How abominable!"

"Master Jianxin was deceived and made such a huge mistake. What a pity!"

"Your Majesty is wise and has rid the martial arts world of this evil. This is truly a great relief to all!"

……

I listened quietly to everyone's discussion, feeling a surge of emotion. This storm was finally coming to an end.

Over the next few days, representatives from all the major sects gathered to discuss the future direction of the Jianghu. After intense discussion and debate, they ultimately reached a consensus and signed an agreement on peaceful coexistence, pledging to put aside past grievances, work together sincerely, and jointly maintain order and peace in the Jianghu.

The martial arts conference concluded successfully, and the major sects left the capital and returned to their respective sects. I could finally breathe a sigh of relief and return to my palace to rest.

However, the night after the martial arts conference ended, I received a mysterious letter. There was no signature on the letter, only a line of beautiful handwriting:

"Want to know Zhen Youcai's true identity? Let's talk at Zuixianlou at noon tomorrow."

My heart sank suddenly.

Zhen Youcai, what else is he hiding from me? Could it be that he's approaching me, helping me, for other reasons? Countless thoughts swirled in my mind, making me uneasy. No, I don't believe it! Zhen Youcai isn't that kind of person! He's honest, kind, brave, and fearless. He's sacrificed so much for me and the people. I can't easily doubt him.

I clutched the letter tightly, my knuckles turning slightly white from the strain. The beautiful handwriting on the letter now seemed particularly glaring to me, as if mocking my own foolishness and naiveté. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself. I couldn't lose my composure. I had to understand the origins of this letter and what the "true identity of Zhen Youcai" it mentioned was.

"Someone come!" I shouted outside the door.

"Your Majesty, what do you want me to do?" My personal maid Xiaolan came in.

"Go, send someone to check who sent this letter. Also, if there have been any abnormal situations in Zuixianlou recently, we must investigate them one by one and there must be no mistakes!" I handed the letter to Xiaolan with a sharp tone.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Xiaolan took the letter and hurried away.

I paced back and forth in my bedroom alone, anxiously waiting for news. As time passed, my heart became heavier and heavier, as if a huge rock was pressing on my chest, making it difficult for me to breathe.

"Your Majesty, you haven't eaten for the whole day. If you continue like this, your body won't be able to take it." Xiaolan looked at me worriedly, holding a bowl of porridge.

"Leave it there. I don't have an appetite right now." I waved my hand weakly, signaling her to leave.

Xiaolan wanted to persuade me again, but I didn't want to listen to her anymore. I walked straight to the window and looked out at the dark night sky, feeling confused and uneasy. Zhen Youcai, who are you? Why are you approaching me?

Suddenly, a rapid knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. "Your Majesty, we found it! The letter..." Xiaolan's voice trembled, as if she had seen something terrifying. I turned around suddenly, grabbed her shoulders, and asked anxiously, "What's wrong with the letter? Who sent it?"

"The person who delivered the letter was... a peasant woman. She said that she was just entrusted by someone and didn't know the content of the letter. The person gave her some silver and asked her to deliver the letter to the gate of the palace..." Xiaolan spoke intermittently, her eyes wandering.

A peasant woman? Could it be that someone deliberately set up a trap to drive a wedge between me and Zhen Youcai? My brows furrowed tightly, and I became even more confused.

"Your Majesty, there's one more thing..." Xiaolan whispered, seeming to muster up her courage. "There's news from Zuixianlou... saying... that a distinguished guest will be hosting a banquet there tomorrow at noon, inviting you and General Zhen to attend..."

Zuixianlou, distinguished guests... Could it be that all of this was arranged by that person? What exactly does he want to do? I clenched my fists tightly, a glint of determination flashing in my eyes. I want to see who is stirring up trouble behind this!

"Change your clothes and prepare the sedan chair. I want to leave the palace incognito!"