NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 487
“Lady, is this really going to be okay?”
In Kunning Palace, Xi Que bit her lip: “What if the Emperor really gets hypnotized by them?”
Jiang Xinyue smiled and sipped a cup of sweet floral tea: “Then you should hurry up and marry Deputy General Meng, and I’ll let Shuang Jiang accompany me to the Palace of Exile again.”
The first time she went to the Palace of Exile, it was Xi Que who accompanied her. Shuang Jiang had been complaining about it ever since, saying that she hadn’t shared the hardship with the Lady and wasn’t a loyal servant.
Although… but… really, wasn’t it too much to insist on sharing that particular hardship?
“Your Ladyship!”
Xi Que stomped her foot, her face turning red with anxiety: “If you go to the Palace of Exile again, I’ll still accompany you.”
“Are you stupid?”
Shuang Jiang knocked on her head: “This is a trap set by the Emperor and Lady Jiang for the Jin Kingdom’s Emperor. It’s all about making the Jin people fall for it. Why are you taking it so seriously?”
Xi Que’s eyes welled up with tears: “What if someone takes advantage of the chaos to harm the Lady? I’m strong, aren’t I?”
She would definitely pound the person who dared to harm Jiang Xinyue into a pulp on the ground.
“There’s no need for Sister Xi Que to worry. Just focus on preparing for your wedding! The Lady is in good hands with us!”
Several young palace maids entered with dinner in hand: “We’re all disciples of Sister Xi Que.”
Xi Que had hand-picked them from hundreds of palace maids, choosing these few “warriors” known for their extraordinary strength.
She had specifically requested to have them transferred to Kunning Palace to train them as her successors.
Although Xi Que herself was leaving Kunning Palace, her spirit of valor would live on.
The performance of music and dance continued. Su Yanran spoke up at the right moment: “Honorable Emperor of Great Yan, the last time our Jin Kingdom’s dancers performed for you, they couldn’t finish their dance, which was quite a pity. Today, could you grant them another opportunity to perform? They’ve been practicing this dance ever since their journey to Great Yan, and if they can’t finish it, all their effort and hard work would have been in vain.”
Most importantly, with the Empress not present, the Emperor of Great Yan could openly admire the beauties without fear of being splashed with wine.
The Emperor was still a bit nervous, unsure if Jiang Xinyue’s method would actually work.
But since things had come to this, he had no choice but to make the best of a bad situation.
Giving one’s fate into someone else’s hands was, indeed, an uneasy feeling.
While thoughts like this ran through his mind, his words were: “Granted!”
So, his trust in Jiang Xinyue even surpassed his own understanding.
He had entrusted the future of Great Yan and his own life to her.
A mysterious melody began to play, and the dancers from the Jin Kingdom all wore thin veils, obscuring their true features beneath.
Their waists swayed like willow branches, with small bells attached.
Hei Yun swayed her body until the Emperor’s gaze turned vacant and dazed. Only then did she retreat back to Su Yanran’s side.
The dance ended, earning a chorus of praises.
Su Yanran and Hei Yun exchanged a glance, both wearing victorious smiles.
However, they were cautious enough. Su Yanran muttered something under her breath, causing the Emperor to accidentally knock over his wine cup. Tang Shiliang quickly stepped forward to wipe his hand.
Hei Yun nodded to Su Yanran, and the grand palace hall appeared exceptionally bright and clean.
All the Emperor’s attendants held small mirrors, which they used to shine the reflective side into the eyes of the Jin Kingdom’s delegation as they passed by.
Hei Yun scoffed: “Trying to outsmart a professional.”
She slammed her palm on the table, shaking her wrist beneath it, and the bells on her waist were removed. The rope broke, and the small bells scattered, flying toward the direction of the Jin Kingdom’s delegation.
“Snap!”
Everything seemed to spin around, and Hei Yun swayed, her vision twisting. The mirrors aimed at her seemed to connect into a row, flashing back and forth before her eyes.
Sounds of someone talking seemed to echo in her ears.
“Hei Yun… are you okay, Hei Yun?”
A prolonged ringing filled her left ear, sharp enough to make her curl up in pain.
Only after the piercing noise subsided did she open her eyes and look up…
The carriage had already traveled far beyond Great Yan’s city gates, and the Jin Kingdom’s delegation was on their way back.
What was going on?
Hei Yun cradled her head, flashes of disjointed fragments passing before her eyes.
The Emperor of Great Yan had been hypnotized by her, publicly embracing and kissing the dancers at the banquet, acting out of control. He had even grabbed a sword, intent on going to Kunning Palace to kill Jiang Xinyue.
Meanwhile, Jiang Xinyue had also been hypnotized, seeing everyone as the vengeful spirits of the dead, which had scared her into fainting several times. If not for the intervention of the palace staff, Jiang Xinyue would have already been dead.
The conflict between the Emperor and Empress would undoubtedly leave the Great Yan Palace in chaos for a long time.
“Madam Hei Yun, Her Majesty the Empress requests your presence.”
Outside the carriage, a maid of Su Yanran’s spoke respectfully. Hei Yun shook her head, pushing aside the strangeness for now: “I’ll be there shortly.”
Perhaps there really was someone in Great Yan who knew how to counter hypnosis. She had probably expended too much mental energy while trying to break the hypnosis trap, which led to her dizziness.
There was no way the Great Yan royal family had a hypnotherapist more skilled than her.
The only person in the world who could be better than her had already been killed on the day she mastered her craft.
Inside Su Yanran’s tent, several palace maids knelt beside her, massaging her legs and shoulders. She exuded a seductive charm as she enjoyed fresh fruits washed by her maids. Upon seeing Hei Yun, she sat up and handed her a scroll of cloth.
“This is…”
“This is a gift from me to Chi. Open it and have a look.”
The golden fabric, adorned with intricate patterns, unfolded, revealing a grand layout that took one’s breath away. It was the military deployment map of Great Yan’s eastern border defenses.
It detailed the arrangements of Great Yan’s Eastern Expedition Army camp, including the granaries, stables, the commander’s quarters, training grounds, and armories…
With this military deployment map, the Jin Kingdom would no longer have to fear an attack from Great Yan. They could strike first.
It was said that the Commander of the Eastern Expedition was a woman, which made Great Yan seem truly desperate, sending a woman to lead the battle.
Hei Yun’s eyes gleamed with excitement: “Your Majesty, with this, our Jin Kingdom can breach the border defenses and march south, taking over the Central Plains.”
But… how did such a critical secret of Great Yan end up in the hands of the Empress?
“Hei Yun, your hypnosis skills have been instrumental this time. Once we return, I’ll make sure the Emperor rewards you handsomely.”
Apparently, after the Emperor of Great Yan was hypnotized, the Empress had taken the opportunity to obtain the military deployment map from him.
The Empress was quick-witted, asking for the map while preparing to leave the palace. They needed to hurry back to the Jin Kingdom as soon as possible.
Great Yan had someone capable of countering hypnosis, and there was no telling when they might discover that their Emperor and Empress had been hypnotized. They had to leave before that happened.
“What a pity…”
Su Yanran clenched her teeth in frustration: “I couldn’t kill Jiang Xinyue with my own hands. That’s a real shame.”
But it wasn’t a total loss. It was said that she was being haunted by the ghost of Jianxi every night, unable to sleep, her appearance haggard, and her health failing.
It wouldn’t be long before she would be driven to the edge of insanity and take her own life.
No one could survive a month of being tormented by ghosts every night.