TGCFNM -Chapter 536 He Seeks Immortality

Upon hearing this, Lu Shi frowned, repeatedly chewing over the words “who else could be of use”, but no matter how long he thought, he still couldn’t figure it out.

Chu Ling also drew a blank, because even the already exterminated Empress Dowager’s family, the Xuanyuan clan, seemed unrelated to this matter.

Moreover, it was unlikely that the Empress Dowager would issue an order personally. That would be openly going against the Emperor. Even if she was playing the classic “red face, white face” act, it shouldn’t be this obvious.

Lu Shi waved his hand lightly. “Go. Investigate properly.”

Chu Ling nodded in response and left the study.

After leaving the Lu residence, Chu Ling and the others made another visit to the bank. They spent most of the day there before finally returning to the Wan estate.

No sooner had they arrived than they received a decree from the Empress Dowager, summoning them to the palace to accompany Fu Qingyu. Fu Qingyu seemed to be in low spirits because of the matter with Grand Tutor Fu.

Wan Sanjin politely asked the eunuchs to leave without accepting a single coin.

Chu Ling held the decree in her hand and looked at the returning Wan Sanjin with a helpless expression. “I was guessing whether it was Fu Qingyu or the Empress Dowager, but it turns out it’s both of them together?”

“Should we tell Yuan Luo we’re going to the palace tomorrow?” Wan Sanjin asked.

“Yuan Luo trains every day, so that won’t work…” Chu Ling pondered for a moment, then made a decision. “Let him come with us to the palace. We can also look for Gui Wushuang while we’re there.”

Wan Sanjin nodded in agreement and went to fetch Yuan Luo.

After they left, Bai Su looked at Chu Ling with anxious concern. “Be careful at the palace tomorrow, especially watch out for evil spirits.”

“Even though I received the decree to enter the palace, it’s still my own initiative,” Chu Ling said softly. After spending a day at the abandoned manor in the outskirts, the Empress Dowager would definitely know.

She would surely test Chu Ling tomorrow.

“Since it has come to this, we shall handle it calmly,” Chu Ling said, reassuring the spirits. She was prepared.

The next day.

When the palace eunuchs arrived to fetch them, they noticed that Chu Ling and Wan Sanjin had brought along someone extra—not the forensic officer Su that Fu Qingyu had previously requested—and naturally became suspicious.

Yuan Luo seemed oblivious, calmly sitting there.

Chu Ling spoke up to introduce him: “He is a young master with remarkable martial skills. I plan to recommend him to Fu Qingyu to stay nearby and ensure his safety.”

Wan Sanjin looked at the eunuch. “Don’t worry. Fu Qingyu trusts us so much—how could we harm him? We’ll only recommend someone capable.”

The eunuch forced a polite smile, thinking of Qingtong, whose finger had been severed, and feared that if these people got upset, they might do the same to him.

Chu Ling suddenly glanced at the eunuch and casually asked, “Is that arrogant Qingtong, the one who claimed Fu Qingyu would soon be crowned Crown Prince and urged everyone to flatter him, still in the palace?”

The eunuch was taken aback. “Yes… he is still attending Master Fu.”

“Tsk, and Fu Qingyu dares to keep a person like that nearby?” Chu Ling frowned. “And serving inside the palace while being impure in his six senses… that’s not good…”

The eunuch was startled. Surely Lord Chu isn’t planning to take Qingtong to… something.

“Eunuch, let’s enter the palace,” Chu Ling said with a smile, stepping into the carriage first.

Wan Sanjin muttered in frustration, “We probably should have warned him… after all, it’s the harem…” and got into the carriage as well.

The eunuch had no time to suspect anything further and ordered the carriage to return to the palace quickly.

Upon arrival, Senior Eunuch Gao personally received them and guided them to first pay respects to the Empress Dowager.

At the Empress Dowager’s bedchamber, Senior Eunuch Gao went in to report, and Chu Ling and the others waited outside.

Wan Sanjin examined the courtyard and whispered, “It’s surprising that the Empress Dowager’s palace isn’t extravagant. Even the carefully tended flowers are just wildflowers.”

“You know it?” Chu Ling asked in a low voice.

Wan Sanjin nodded. “It’s called Bitterflower…”

“What kind of weird name is that?” Chu Ling looked at the small yellow flower on the ground—delicate, tiny… and it’s called Bitterflower?

Yuan Luo’s expression was hard to read: outside the Empress Dowager’s palace, even someone like him from the Jianghu knew to keep a low profile and stay silent. How could these two be arguing over the name of a wildflower?

Soon, however, Elder Gao returned and smiled at Chu Ling. “The Empress Dowager wishes for you, Lord Chu, to enter alone.”

Chu Ling immediately nodded. “Then I’ll have them wait outside.” She waved at Wan Sanjin.

Wan Sanjin and Yuan Luo bowed and retreated.

Elder Gao looked at Chu Ling. “Lord Chu, please go in.”

Chu Ling gave a faint smile and followed Elder Gao into the hall. Once they were almost alone, she slowly knelt and bowed. “Your humble servant greets the Empress Dowager. May the Empress Dowager be in good health.”

What greeted Chu Ling was long, heavy silence. Even Elder Gao stood silently by, head lowered.

Just as Chu Ling felt her legs going numb from kneeling, the Empress Dowager finally, mercifully, allowed her to rise.

With a graceful flick of her phoenix-like fingers, she said, “Stand outside and keep watch. I have something to discuss with Lord Chu.”

Elder Gao quickly acknowledged and stepped out, closing the door behind him.

The attendants at her side were dismissed as well. Alone, she approached Chu Ling. “Lift your head,” she said again.

Chu Ling obeyed, raising her head to meet her gaze.

The Empress Dowager gently held Chu Ling’s jaw, murmuring softly, “There’s a resemblance… but not quite. Yet… somehow, it’s a little like…”

Chu Ling looked puzzled, unsure what she meant.

She chuckled lightly and released her grip. “I’ve sent countless people to investigate you, but every time the result is the same. Either you really aren’t a problem, or… you’re a big problem.”

Chu Ling bowed her head nervously, twisting her hands anxiously. “Your humble servant truly did donate his position. I stayed in the capital to attend the Emperor’s birthday banquet and make connections, but as for the promotion to perfect, I honestly didn’t know. I only found out after receiving the imperial edict.”

The Empress Dowager laughed aloud. “Ah, donating an office means no salary, no promotion… yet you still got promoted to perfect? It seems the Emperor really has aged and lost his clarity.”

Chu Ling’s head bowed even lower, fear deepening.

She glanced at her and slowly spoke, “I suddenly feel… you may be more useful than Chu Yue…”

Chu Ling was startled. What did she mean by that?

“Go now. Visit that child and guide him,” the Empress Dowager waved, letting Chu Ling leave.

Chu Ling respectfully acknowledged and hurried out, bowing as she departed.

Just as she neared the doorway, the Empress Dowager spoke again: “The Emperor grows more muddled by the day. I lack the strength to advise him, but I do not wish for the Great Zhou to fall. I hope for a wise ruler to emerge…”

Chu Ling didn’t dare breathe, bowing her head to listen carefully. That fiend was right by her side, unmoving.

“The Xuanyuan family indeed erred in blindly obeying orders. But removing them alone won’t make him see clearly…” The Empress Dowager’s face showed exhaustion as she waved her away.

Chu Ling bowed and opened the door to leave.

The fiend remained inside, casting a cold glance at Chu Ling before drifting back to the Empress Dowager’s side.

Chu Ling forced a stiff smile to bid Elder Gao goodbye and quickly left the courtyard.

Once outside, she nervously exhaled, face grim and heart racing.

The Xuanyuan family was indeed the mastermind behind framing the officials—but the one punishing those officials was the Emperor!

So the origin of the Beauty Gu was the Emperor himself. He was using the Beauty Gu as medicine… he was seeking immortality!