“Mother, you can ask me to convey your message. You don't have to meet that vile man personally.” The Crown Prince detested Su Junqing bitterly.

“Don't make me repeat myself.” The Empress's tone was cold, and her sharp gaze was terrifying.

The Crown Prince started. He hurriedly made a fist and palm salute and said, “I wouldn't dare.”

The Empress waved her hand impatiently and said, “Alright. You may go!”

She had kept her a.s.sociation with the Bloodthirsty Sect a secret from the Crown Prince so that he wouldn't get involved. The Bloodthirsty Sect's disciples were madmen with no morals. She couldn't say for sure whether they would or would not court disaster one day. The Empress wouldn't have asked the tiger for its pelt if she didn't have to deal with Bai Linglong and her son, as well as the wretched Imperial Consort Xi. This was all their fault.

Seeing the Empress's sinister expression, the Crown Prince did not ask anything else. Hurriedly, he left the palace then arranged for a carriage to bring him to the Su Clan.

“Your Highness, we are honored by your presence. Please excuse me for not coming out to meet you,” Su Junqing said, then bowed respectfully to the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince's slender eyes swept up and down Su Junqing before he replied with an aloof and remote att.i.tude, “No need for formality.”

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Su Junqing stood up straight. His refined and handsome face smiled as if he had not been humiliated. Hmph, this fellow sure can act! The Crown Prince sneered coldly in his heart.

After sending away the servants, he said arrogantly, “Mother wishes to see you. Tomorrow, dress up like a court eunuch and follow me to the palace!”

In truth, Su Junqing could have entered the palace openly as himself, but the Crown Prince wanted to humiliate him. After all, no man wanted to dress up like a court eunuch.

A flash of coldness flitted across Su Junqing's eyes, but he hid it. He continued to inquire respectfully, “May I ask why the Empress summons me to the palace?”

“Why do you have to ask so many questions? Just go as instructed!” snapped the Crown Prince. His eyes narrowed, and his sharp gaze resembled the Empress's.

“I've gone too far. Please, forgive me,” Su Junqing bowed and apologized hurriedly.

“Fine. Go and make the preparations. I will send someone to receive you tomorrow.”

The Crown Prince could not be bothered to talk more with Su Junqing, so he left after he was finished speaking. Once he had shown the Crown Prince out, Su Junqing's handsome face darkened. The Empress must have summoned him about Xu Hansen and the treasure map's exposure.

The situation in the capital these days was complicated; the Justice Department was apprehending Sorcerers everywhere. When they could not find any, they indiscriminately captured people as scapegoats. Su Junqing could no longer continue his business of trading young girls. As the deadline for delivering the goods drew closer, he was becoming anxious.

On the surface, Su Junqing was the Bloodthirsty Patriarch's disciple. However, the truth was that he was only a lackey. He would die a tragic death if he could not deliver on time. In addition to practicing his cultivation technique, Su Junqing also wanted to create a tense atmosphere in the capital. As a result, Bloodthirsty Patriarch would send over an even stronger disciple. Then, not only would Su Junqing be able to complete the Patriarch's mission, with the second disciple's help, he could also get rid of Wan Ziyang and his companions. However, he did not know who the Bloodthirsty Patriarch would send. If he sent a useless idiot like Xu Hansen, Su Junqing would simply use the disciple to practice his cultivation technique.

Su Junqing could not help but smirk sinisterly. Xu Hansen had already enabled him to reach Mental Manipulation's second stage. Another disciple would allow him to reach the third. If that happened, Su Junqing's useless superiors would be no match for him, unless the Bloodthirsty Patriarch dealt with him personally.

The next morning, the Crown Prince sent someone to receive Su Junqing. He did not ask him to dress up as a court eunuch. No matter how much the Crown Prince wanted to humiliate Su Junqing, he would not mess around in front of the Empress.

The Empress had been up all night. Her face was gloomy as she sat like a sculpture on her phoenix chair. Fengyi Palace was as quiet as a graveyard. The palace maids and court eunuchs held their breath in fear. The mood only lightened up once the Crown Prince escorted Su Junqing into the palace.

When the Empress saw Su Junqing, her mood improved. She ordered the Crown Prince, the palace maids, and the court eunuchs to take their leave. Only Su Junqing remained in the palace. The Crown Prince hadn't expected the Empress to dismiss him too. Although he was unwilling to accept his mother's order, he did not disobey her. Instead, he blamed Su Junqing.

“Greetings to you, Your Majesty.” Su Junqing bowed respectfully to the Empress.Read more chapter on vipnovel.com

“No need for formality!” The Empress lifted her hand and got right to the point, saying, “I need a poison that can kill Imperial Consort Xi and Dongfang Que.”

“What do you mean? Didn't Elderly Lady Xu give you multiple poisons?” Su Junqing asked curiously.

Elderly Lady Xu was a poison expert. Since she'd served the Empress for many years, the Empress should have a store of a variety of poisons.

“They are useless against that wretched Imperial Consort Xi,” the Empress said fiercely.

In recent days, she'd tried all the poisons in her possession. Forget Imperial Consort Xi, she was even unable to kill Elderly Lady Zhou and Hongxiu, who served Imperial Consort Xi. The Empress controlled the Harem using these poisons. Everyone's life or death was wrapped around her little finger. She was unwilling to accept that she could not count on them anymore. Desperately, she wanted to regain the ability to use poisons.

“It seems that Imperial Consort Xi had a stroke of luck and obtained a treasure that allows her to avoid poisons.” Su Junqing was confident about the poisons produced by the Bloodthirsty Sect. No ordinary person could recognize them.

“It's very likely.”

The Empress had similar doubts, and she'd sent spies to investigate. However, Hongxiu had taken strict precautions, and her spies were unable to enter the Jinxiu Palace. If only Elderly Lady Xu were still around, she would have helped her get to the bottom of the matter! The second thing on the Empress's mind (besides poison) was finding another helper similar to Elderly Lady Xu.

“Ask the Bloodthirsty Sect to send me someone else,” she commanded.

“Your Majesty, you know that there are only a few women in our sect. It was difficult enough to find Elderly Lady Xu, and it won't be easy to find another suitable woman in a short period,” Su Junqing replied, shaking his head. He was telling the truth. The rest of the women in the Bloodthirsty Sect were abnormal—they would never serve the Empress.

“How difficult can it be? I will be choosing some prospective concubines for the Emperor soon. I can get you any girl you like. If that's not enough, I can send someone to search for you among the commoners. The Emperor is watching your kind closely at the moment, and you won't be able to get away with anything. With my help, you will achieve twice the result with half the effort,” the Empress said hurriedly.

Before, when the Bloodthirsty Sect had asked for her help collecting little girls, she'd only promised a convoy for protection. She'd refused to undertake the task herself. However, at this moment, she no longer had time to care.

Su Junqing was tempted. However, he could not agree on the Bloodthirsty Patriarch's behalf, so he replied, “I will send a pigeon post when I get back and convey your request to the Sect. However, I cannot guarantee that the Patriarch will agree.”

“That won't do. I want you to convey a message to the Bloodthirsty Patriarch and ask him to send a female disciple to the palace immediately to a.s.sist me. Then, send over a batch of useful poisons,” the Empress sneered. Then, she added, threateningly, “And don't forget about the Alchemy Convention. If you can't satisfy my needs, don't blame me when we fall out.”