"Your Highness, don't be angry!" Dan Qing accompanied Xiao Xin and followed behind Yuan De Fei, advising: "The king must not have thought too much..."

  Yuan De Fei, who was walking quickly forward, suddenly stopped and looked at Dan Qing, still with an angry expression: "You speak lightly, but which mother is not most afraid that her own son will not make a good showing?"

  "Your Highness, I know you're anxious, but this is something that His Majesty must take seriously himself!"

  The Empress De raised her head to look at the sky and sighed: "Alas, as a mother, I devoted my whole heart to my child, just hoping he would live well. But if he doesn't appreciate it, then even if I've exhausted myself with worry, what's the use?"

  De Fei finished speaking and walked forward with a disappointed shake of her head, Dan Qing followed behind her with a heartache in her eyes.

  ……

  In the trial forest, Tang Xiao and Tang Liu were making a fire. Mu Junwu was holding a pheasant and shouted to Hua Rou who was holding a string of fish from afar: "Hua Rou, come help me out."

  Huā Róu handed the fish to Táng Xiāo and ran over to Mù Jūn Wú Dào: "What do you want me to do?"

  "Go wash the pheasant." Mu Junwu said, taking a step forward and walking away. Hua Rou naturally followed him, while Tang Xiao watched their backs from afar, his eyes deep and profound.

  Two people came to a stream in the forest, and Hua Rou helped Mu Junwu clean the pheasant with quick hands and feet.

  I silently gazed at Hua Rou's profile, and after a moment, I asked in a low voice: "Do you trust Tang Xiao very much?"

  Hua Rou was taken aback for a moment, then nodded: "Yes, I believe him."

  "Are you so sure he's trustworthy?"

  Hua Rong looked at Mu Junwu in shock: "What does it mean?"

  "Tang Xiao was lying, and about many things regarding the trial, he had been holding back."

  The flower gently lowered its head and continued to clean the pheasant without making a sound.

  I saw that you didn't believe your own words, and I was just about to explain carefully, when I heard footsteps. I looked up to see Yu'er walking towards us, so I shut my mouth tight.

  "What are you washing?" Yuer walked up and asked.

  "Mountain chicken, caught by Mu Gege." Hua Rou looked up and smiled at her.

  "I'll help you." Yuer enthusiastically stepped forward, putting the wild vegetables and mountain mushrooms she had washed on a large stone aside, and began to help Hua Rou.

  But Hua Rou didn't show any sign of refusal, and Mu Jun's eyebrows furrowed slightly as he saw this.

  ……

  Ma Xi Sheng paced back and forth anxiously in the hall, while Zhao Ji Chang hastily entered the hall to pay his respects.

  "The emperor hastily summoned the old slave, but didn't know..."

  Zhao Jichang hadn't finished speaking when Ma Xisheng quickly stepped forward, grabbed his arm and anxiously asked: "I'm asking you, what have Lao Da, Lao Liu and Lao Qi been busy with recently?"

  "This one..."

  "What's going on? Spit it out!" Ma Xi's voice was urgent, he really hadn't expected these two brothers to come, after all with Qi Wang around they were nothing but trash, but now that Qi Wang was gone, these few pieces of trash could also turn the tables!

  "Your Majesty, please take a seat." Zhao Jichang supported Ma Xisheng as he sat down and replied in a low voice: "After the old master entered the Tao, he no longer had dealings with worldly affairs. He seems to be calm and composed, like still water. If Your Majesty is worried, I can have someone investigate further."

  "Where's Lao Liu?"

  Zhao Jichang seemed to be reminiscing: "Sixth Master... Sixth Master is still as infatuated with books and paintings as ever, not too involved in court affairs..." Zhao Jichang suddenly seemed to remember something: "However..."

  "But what?"

  "I heard he and Peng Wei's second daughter seem to have gotten engaged..."

  Ma Xi's face changed immediately upon hearing this, and with one arm he swept the objects on the table to the ground: "Why can't you all just live in peace?! Why?!"

  Zhao Jichang lowered his voice and whispered in Ma Xi's ear: "The king's power is granted by heaven, how can human hearts not be greedy?"

  Ma Xi looked at Zhao Jichang with a worried expression: "Having just gotten rid of one Qi Wang, another one comes along, and there are still several more... how can I rest easy?"

  Zhao Jichang stared straight at Ma Xisheng: "These restless and unscrupulous people, of course... either die or become useless!"

  ……

  "It smells so good!" Yuer sniffed the fragrance: "The fish we roasted should be done!"

  "I'll try it." Hua Rou took out a string of fish from the frame over the fire, tasted it: "Mmm, done, smells great, come on, Tang Xiao Shixiong, you go first."

  Hua Rou handed a fish to Tang Xiao. Tang Xiao considerately said, "You eat first, you girls aren't as physically strong as us and must be hungry early."

  "Others will be fine soon, you eat...” Before Hua Rou could finish her sentence, the roasted fish skewer in her hand was snatched away by Mu Junwu: “You guys aren't hungry, then I'll eat first!”

  He said, walking to one side, unexpectedly Tang Liu pounced on him like a hungry wolf, biting the roasted fish in Mu Junwu's hand, and then scalded, gasping for air and mumbling: "You guys slow down, I'm hungry, I'll eat first..."

  I watched with Mu Jun as Tang Xiao and Tang Liu ate fish together, both of us looking displeased.

  "My fish is done, who's eating?" Yuer raised the fish in her hand.

  Mu Jun and I looked at each other with Tang Xiao, but neither of us spoke.

  Hua Rou saw this and stretched out her hand to grab the roasted fish: "I'll eat it."

  At this moment, the scene was a bit awkward, but at this time, Tang Liu suddenly pointed to the distance: "You quickly look, wolf smoke!"

  Tang Xiao immediately stopped staring at Mu Junwu, looked in the direction of the wolf smoke, and took out a map to check the location.

  Tang Jing handed the roasted chicken in his hand to Yu'er and walked two steps to Tang Xiao's side: "Is it a hidden weapon card?"

  "Hmm, another relatively easy level has been broken through, we must seize the time now."

  Tang Liu'ertu also came over at this time: "Is the checkpoint we're going to later easy?"

  "That's a clever formation, it sounds quite difficult, but..." Tang Xiao looked at Mu Junwu: "Nine Star Illusory Sun Formation, I believe for Master Mu, it's nothing."

  ……

  At this time, while Hua Rou and others were working hard for the trial level, Tang Jiu'er in the poisonous house was staring at the two lacquer boxes on the table in a daze.

  The door was knocked lightly twice before Linlin walked in.

  "Have you packed everything?" Tang Jiuer looked at her, with a hint of reluctance in his eyes.

  Ling Ling nodded and walked up to Tang Jiu'er: "Tomorrow?"

  "Uh-huh, tomorrow you'll be going out on a mission, this is your chance to leave Tongmen."

  "I don't want to leave." Linlin looked at Tang Jiuer with reluctance: "I want to be with you."

  Tang Jiuer heard that a pair of icy eyes had some eagerness, she reached out and touched Linlin's face: "The young eagle flies to the sky, the cliff leaves the nest, it's time."

  "But I don't want to leave you."

  Tang Jiuer immediately withdrew her hand and deliberately put on a stern face: "There's nothing to be reluctant about, I'm not your mother."

  Ling's lips parted, wanting to say something but couldn't find the words...

  Tang Jiuer pushed forward two lacquer boxes in front of him: "For you."

  Ling lowered her head and looked at the lacquer box. She opened the first one, and to her surprise, it was filled with jewelry and accessories.

  "It's nothing precious, just take it with you."

  Ling Ling bit her lip and silently opened the second lacquer box, inside which was a packet of silver needles, a medicinal pill, and half a jade pendant.

  "This set of silver needles is what I'm used to, leaving it for you as a keepsake. As for the medicine, it's the antidote for tomorrow, after going out and finishing your task, take it immediately, then bring the jade pendant to the Xuanji Medicine Shop in Yuzhou City, there will be someone to take care of you."

  Ling nodded and closed the two lacquer boxes.

  "Alright, go!" Tang Jiuer was always aloof and distant from others, and now it seemed like there was nothing more to say.

  Ling's eyes were red-rimmed, and she silently reached out to hold the two lacquer boxes. Suddenly, Tang Jiuer grabbed her arm and asked: "If I die in the future, can I be buried next to your father's grave?"

  Linlin heard this and tears fell: "You are already...my mother in my heart."

  Linlin finished speaking and couldn't help but burst into loud sobs as she hugged Tang Jiuer tightly.

  Tang Jiuer's eyes were filled with hot tears, but a smile appeared on her face, and she gently patted Linlin's back.

  "Since it's like this, then remember these words of mine: This life doesn't seek glory wealth and nobility, but seeks peace and joy."