The empress took Gu Bailu to Qinghua Palace and tactfully didn’t disturb their meeting.

  Bu Yaolian wasn’t surprised to hear that Gu Bailu was here. Su Shenfan had informed her early in the morning that there would be a banquet for her ex-master.

  His tone had been sour and mocking, and he didn’t have anything good to say.

  Bu Yaolian was long used to this mental case. When he was in a good mood, he could joke around without putting on any airs.

  When he woke up on the wrong side of the bed and was in a bad mood, whatever he did would also put you in a bad mood.

  Bu Yaolian came out. Not daring to hug Gu Bailu anymore, she held her hand warmly. “Shao Zun told me that you were coming to the palace today. I was waiting for you. I thought I would see you tonight, but you’re here now.”


  “I can’t be bothered to listen to my husband and the emperor discuss matters. I might as well have a chat with you. Your palace here is as good as our five-star inn.” Gu Bailu observed the palace and smiled.

  The palaces in the imperial palace of Rising Clouds Empire were more or less the same. While the palaces in the imperial harem were a little smaller, the buildings had unique feminine characteristics. For example, some places had golden wind chimes hanging from them, and some had large beds of chrysanthemums planted in the front courtyard.

  The marble floors were even carpeted.

  The women could kneel or sit at any time.

  “Why don’t I move in as well? The presidential suite we’re staying in at the inn costs a thousand taels a night; it’s very comfortable, but the price hurts.”


  Gu Bailu spoke after thinking for a moment.

  “Okay, okay, I’ll have company then. Otherwise, I’ll be bored to death. Shao Zun also comes and goes like a ghost.” Bu Yaolian smiled.

  If Gu Bailu moved in, it would be easier for her to carry out her plans.

  Gu Bailu didn’t say that on a whim. Although Xiao Jingyun was a disgusting person, she was willing to endure it to save her parents.

  Living in the palace would indeed be more convenient.

  Gu Bailu sat on the jade couch and looked around. After making sure that no one was around, she asked in a voice that only the two of them could hear, “Did you find anything?”


  Bu Yaolian shook her head. “I’m sorry, there are guards everywhere in the palace. I wanted to ask around, but there’s no one to ask. With Su Shenfan, unless it’s something he wants you to know, you can’t even get half a word out of him. I got lucky the last time I overheard them talking around the corner.”


  “It’s fine. If it were that easy, there would be no need for the three of them to work together.”


  The Fiend Realm, Rising Clouds Empire and the Earthly Residence were plotting together, so things would definitely be kept under wraps very tightly. For Bu Yaolian to not be able to find out anything was expected.

  But Gu Bailu was still disappointed.

  She wanted to find out about her parents as soon as possible so that she could save them. Their souls had been tormented for so long.

  Now that they knew that their souls would be used to refine pills, how desperate would they be?

  Bu Yaolian smiled. “But there might be a lead.”


  Gu Bailu’s eyes glittered. “What is it?”


  Bu Yaolian took out a letter from her sleeve and handed it to her. “This is the letter the consort asked me to pass to her maiden family.”


  Gu Bailu blinked and digested Bu Yaolian’s words.

  What kind of status did the imperial concubine have? If she wanted to send a letter to her maternal family, she could have just asked the palace to send it out. However, she had gotten Bu Yaolian to send it out.

  There was only one possibility, and that was that there was something that couldn’t be mentioned in the letter. She couldn’t let Xiao Jingyun and the others in the imperial palace know about it.