The Plan

Lu Qiancha held up her brand-new, white, and tender little hands to take a look. Then, she changed back into her disguise as a young man and briskly stepped out of the pill room, returning to Shuixian Palace.

Pushing open the bedroom door, she saw Xun Xue already reclining on the soft couch covered with thick flannel blankets. Her deep blue hair cascaded down like a waterfall, and her eyes were closed as if she were already asleep.

Lu Qiancha removed her disguise, took off her outer coat, and quietly climbed onto the couch. She skillfully dove headfirst into Xun Xue’s warm embrace, found a comfortable position, and inhaling that reassuring frosty fragrance, her eyelids gradually sank into a dreamless, sweet sleep.

Early the next morning, Xun Xue was awakened from her soft, warm dreamland by a strange, rhythmic, and tiny pressure.

She opened her eyes hazily, and the first thing she felt was a warm little creature pressing on her body, its small hands very restless.

It seemed to be making biscuits (kneading)…

“Hm?”

Xun Xue’s body stiffened slightly. She looked down and met Lu Qiancha’s small face, her blue eyes half-open and filled with confusion—she seemed to have been woken up by her own movements.

“Little Qiancha… what are you doing?”

Xun Xue’s brows furrowed slightly, with a trace of confusion and amusement.

“…Ngh?” Lu Qiancha raised her little head groggily.

“What am I doing?” She tilted her head and repeated Xun Xue’s words, her small face showing genuine bewilderment without a hint of falsehood.

“I don’t know.” Lu Qiancha’s voice was soft and sweet, still carrying the nasal tone of just waking up.

Xun Xue looked into her big, crystal-clear eyes that were full of innocence.

The subtle shyness in Xun Xue’s heart was instantly replaced by a deeper softness.

She sighed helplessly and reached out to gently rub Lu Qiancha’s pair of fluffy little ears.

She felt that this little guy was becoming more and more like a child, and she didn’t know if that was good or bad.

Seeing that Xun Xue showed no sign of anger or rejection, Lu Qiancha continued to “make biscuits” with peace of mind.

At the same time, as this action continued, a warm sense of satisfaction bubbled up from the bottom of her heart.

Although she didn’t know why, doing this made her very happy.

Just then.

“Bang, bang, bang!”

A somewhat hurried, yet deliberately respectful rhythmic knocking sound suddenly rang out.

“Who would be looking for her so early in the morning?”

Xun Xue frowned slightly, raised her slender hand, and gently pressed it on Lu Qiancha’s little head, signaling her not to move.

“Is Xun Xue there?”

A gentle female voice came from outside the door, sounding a bit familiar.

Xun Xue’s eyes widened abruptly. This voice…

“Lu Qiancha, don’t make a sound!”

Xun Xue’s voice was very low, almost nonexistent, but Lu Qiancha still heard the seriousness in it.

Lu Qiancha obediently shrank into Xun Xue’s arms.

Xun Xue lifted the little guy’s whole head and circled her in her arms.

Then she used spiritual energy to open the door.

Outside the door.

A maid in palace attire, with lowered eyebrows and pleasing eyes, was bowing respectfully.

Her voice carried a trace of nervousness: “Immortal Venerable, His Majesty is waiting for you in the side hall. Please move to the Hall of Mental Cultivation.”

“Mm, let him wait. I’ll be there in a while.”

Xun Xue’s voice was cool, and she nodded slightly in agreement.

A moment later, in the side hall of the Hall of Mental Cultivation.

Sandalwood smoke curled upwards.

Ling Ze, dressed in casual clothes, was bent over a mountain of memorials, reviewing them with a vermilion brush.

Between his brows was a lingering trace of fatigue and worry.

The palace door opened lightly.

Xun Xue entered the Hall of Mental Cultivation with Lu Qiancha.

Hearing the sound, Ling Ze looked up. Seeing Xun Xue, his tired eyes lit up slightly.

He put down the vermilion brush, pondered for a moment, and his voice was low, carrying a probing tone: “Xun Xue, what do you think about Muxue’s matter?”

Xun Xue’s footsteps didn’t stop. She took Lu Qiancha straight to a wide couch covered with soft animal skin cushions in the hall and sat down comfortably.

Only then did she look up at Ling Ze, her voice flat and emotionless: “Me? I don’t have any special opinion.”

Xun Xue leaned forward slightly, and an invisible pressure, like a cold wind from an ice plain, instantly enveloped the entire side hall. “The premise is that the punishment you give satisfies me and my child.”

Hearing this, Ling Ze first gave a bitter smile. He rubbed his throbbing temples, as if a thousand-pound burden had been lifted: “I’m tired. Since I’m helpless… this punishment will be decided by you.”

Thinking of this, Ling Ze paused and added, “Don’t kill her. After all, that’s the only gift her mother left in this world.”

Xun Xue was noncommittal, just nodding slightly to show she understood.

Then, Ling Ze looked at Lu Qiancha and asked, “My rebellious daughter was in the wrong first. Whatever compensation you want, I will do my best to satisfy it.”

Hearing this, Lu Qiancha looked at Ling Ze and said, “I want to see the medicine Mufeng stole.”

To be honest, hearing these people care so much about this medicine yesterday, Lu Qiancha couldn’t help but be curious about its effects.

“You mean the Nirvana Syrup.”

Ling Ze habitually tapped the smooth red sandalwood table twice with his fingertips, making a dull sound: “This item is a precious medicine of my clan. As compensation, I can give you one bottle.”

“Just one bottle?”

Xun Xue’s eyebrows raised abruptly, her voice carrying obvious dissatisfaction.

“Xun Xue… this medicine is not a mundane item. Its source is secreted by a parasol tree in the Deep Dream Domain. The amount is only one bottle a year…”

Ling Ze smiled wryly and said.

“I don’t believe your royal treasury doesn’t have any stock.”

Xun Xue sneered, unceremoniously exposing him.

“To be honest, there are currently only two bottles left in the secret treasury. Giving you one is already my greatest sincerity.”

Ling Ze sighed and said.

“So, what exactly is the effect of this Nirvana Syrup?”

Lu Qiancha crossed her arms and asked.

“As the name suggests, it revives the dead and puts flesh on white bones. If taken by the living, it can further improve their cultivation.”

Ling Ze answered.

“Is that so…”

Lu Qiancha was thoughtful. She spoke slowly: “I have an idea for Ling Muxue’s punishment. I wonder if you can lend me these two bottles of Nirvana Syrup temporarily.”

…

Ling Ze narrowed his eyes and slowly asked, “Tell me. Let me hear your plan first.”

“Does Ling Muxue have any elders she particularly respects and loves?”

Lu Qiancha didn’t answer directly but changed the subject and asked.

Ling Ze was slightly stunned, the doubt in his eyes deepening, then he mused: “There is indeed a wet nurse who raised her. Muxue regards her as her own mother. But what does this have to do with your plan?”

Lu Qiancha leaned forward slightly and spoke slowly: “I think we can do this…”

…

Nighttime.

The Princess’s bedchamber, with its multi-eaved flying corners, cast hideous black shadows under the bleak moonlight.

Outside the palace gate, a squad of forbidden troops with cold armor and solemn auras stood silently like iron statues.

Turning this magnificent palace into a prison.

Inside the bedchamber, Ling Muxue sat alone by the window, dressed in a pale red palace dress, which made her face look even paler.

Cripple, she wondered how he was doing now…

“Did you hear? That demon in the prison seems to be dying.”

“Tsk, tsk, serves him right! If he dies earlier, Her Highness the Princess can be less implicated.”

“Exactly, exactly. Such a scourge deserves to die.”

Hearing the loud discussion of the guards outside, Ling Muxue’s heart felt as if it were tightly gripped by a cold giant hand.

Mufeng was going to die?

What kind of joke was that?!

“No, I have to get out. I have to save him!”

Ling Muxue gritted her silver teeth.

Just then, outside the palace gate, the guards’ conversation clearly penetrated the heavy palace doors.

“Change of shift, change of shift. Brothers, the old place! Let’s go for a couple of drinks!”

“Ah? Boss… this… shouldn’t we wait for the next shift to hand over?”

“Tsk! Look at you being so cowardly!” A rough voice interrupted impatiently, “This bedchamber has been placed under a restriction. That golden branch and jade leaf inside can’t fly out even if she had wings!”

“Let’s go! It won’t delay anything!”

Footsteps and laughter gradually faded away.

Finally disappearing completely into the depths of the night.

Looking at the moonlight outside the window, Ling Muxue steeled her heart, dug out a talisman from under the wardrobe, and formed seals while chanting a spell.

“Good opportunity.”

A desperate light instantly burst from Ling Muxue’s eyes.

She sprang up and rushed to the corner of the hall, in front of a red sandalwood wardrobe covered with layers of brocade.

Ling Muxue frantically lifted the bottom layer of clothes and fished out a talisman drawn with profound runes from the deepest part.

Her fingertips trembled slightly with excitement, her lips moving rapidly, chanting obscure and difficult spells.

“Om—!”

The talisman suddenly erupted with blinding silver light and a huge noise.

Instantly swallowing her figure.

The next second…

The silver light faded, the noise ceased, and the huge bedchamber was empty.

Only the cold, prying crescent moon remained outside the window.