After sending the three concubines away and dismissing the nanny, Wan Li shut the door tight and rushed into the warm chamber.

Wan Yuyao was lying on the couch, her silky hair cascading down half of her delicate face. The other half was cold and pale as porcelain.

Wan Li gently walked over and squatted down by the couch. He picked a strand of her long hair and tucked it behind her ear.

"Eldest Sister, what happened to you just now?"

Wan Yuyao cast her frightened and confused eyes slowly at the man. Her feeble body suddenly trembled as she grabbed his hand and kept sobbing,

"Brother, I just saw Xu Yuanjiao. Huanan Lin was possessed by her. The child's expression was so scary! It's Xu Yuanjiao. It must be her who haunted me. She will have my life sooner or later!"

Wan Li felt pins and needles in the scalp. He exchanged a glance with the chief maid Lihu, who was also nervous and frightened, and then turned back to hold the crying woman to console her.

"Don’t be afraid, Eldest Sister. The Seventh Prince has been sleeping. There is nothing abnormal. It would be fine if you don't buy it. I'll return to Nanyuan to ask Lei Huan in detail. He is a priest and must have a solution."

"No, no!"

The woman's eyes widened. Her cold hands clutched Wan Li's palm as she cried out,

"Brother, don't go. Don't leave Yongning Palace. I'm afraid. I'm so scared. I never want to see the Seventh Prince again..."

After all, they are siblings born to one mother!

Evil as Wan Li, he was worried after witnessing his own sister in madness. Anxious and frightened, he comforted her with a soothing voice,

"I will not leave you behind, Eldest Sister. I will return as soon as possible. Don't worry. Lihu, come here!"

"Yes..."

Anxiously, the chief maid minced over with hesitation, her hands hidden in the sleeves.

Wan Li gave a stern order,

"Quickly get more people to guard Her Grace. Also, I will hold you solely responsible if anyone should leak today's incident!"

The man left Yongning Palace in a hurry for the gate of divine prowess with two of his attendants.

By the corner of the red wall, Yu Xuanji stood with a fluttering robe. He saw the three people rush away and smiled coldly.

Good luck, the Imperial Noble Concubine and the Shenle Marquis!

...

The haunting of Yongning Palace eventually reached the ears of Empress Qian.

Concubine Xu's imprisonment and her suicide by burning herself had always been unbelievable. As the person in charge of the Phoenix Seal, Empress Qian had long fixed her suspicious eyes on Yongning Palace.

Hearing that Wan Yuyao was haunted by evil spirits, Empress Qian couldn’t help but be ecstatic and praise the gods for justice.

Everyone in the Palace was aware of Wan's sins. When she adopted the Seventh Prince Huanan Lin, Chuxiu Palace was set on fire the same night. Concubine Xu's death was certainly related to Wan Yuyao.

Empress Qian couldn’t wait for Wan to die sooner. And then the Eastern Palace would have no more rivals. She wouldn’t have to worry about anyone who would covet her throne and make malicious attempts on her, the Emperor's wife.

The matter of Yongning Palace couldn’t be delayed. She must inform Emperor as soon as possible.

Chuckling at Wan Yuyao's discomfiture, Empress Qian took the sedan and left Kunning Palace.

Soon, Emperor and Empress led people into Yongning Palace.

Once inside, they found themselves surrounded by scriptures and banners.

In the main hall, Wan Yuyao was sitting cross-legged in the center, surrounded by the burning incense. She wore a Taoist robe of the Eight Trigrams and her long hair was tied up neatly by a gold fishtail band.

Wan Li and Nanny Dong stood in the corner.

Nanny Dong carried the Seventh Prince in her arms, staring at a middle-aged priest in black in the hall with fear. With a peach wood sword in his hand, the priest was dancing around Wan Yuyao.

Was this an exorcism?

Emperor Jingxiao looked stunned, but his face didn’t show too much displeasure. After all, he was pious and wouldn’t be disrespectful to the priest.

Empress Qian didn’t like what she saw at all.

It looked like they were putting on a show. Besides, they had violated the Palace etiquette by only tending Wan and ignoring the monarchs.

Sensing Empress's anger, Sulian quickly stepped forward and bellowed,

"Stop it. What are you doing?"

The priest was Lei Huan.

When Wan Li returned from the Palace to Nanyuan and mentioned to him about the Imperial Noble Concubine's unwellness.

Lei Huan found it incredible and followed him to the Palace the next day.

Wan Yuyao was gaunt and thin. Her eyes were sunken and dark. The priest immediately perceived the strangeness and cast sorceries to expel any evil.

The process was cut off when the crowd heard the angry rebuke. They then noticed the arrival of Emperor and Empress and all respectfully bowed.

Empress Qian rushed to Nanny Dong and nervously checked the Seventh Prince, who was sleeping soundly. Only then was she at ease.

Furious, Empress Qian exploded on the spot,

"How dare you? What do you want to do? Why did you bring the Seventh Prince to such a mess?"

Nanny Dong shrank in fear, looking down obediently in silence.

"Your Majesty? Your Majesty!"

Wan Yuyao quivered. She managed to focus her eyes on Emperor Jingxiao, who was standing in sunlight with his hands behind his back.

Wan Yuyao crawled towards him, crying. The gold fishtail band fell off her head, releasing her hair on the floor.

Emperor lowered his eyes to gaze at the wretched woman. He subconsciously backed up and she flopped to the ground.

Enraged, Emperor flung his sleeve hard as he scolded,

"Imperial Noble Concubine, what are you doing? So disgraceful!"

"Your Majesty, there's a ghost, a ghost! Save me!"

Empress Qian looked at her with piercing eyes as a sneer touched the corners of her lips.

"Imperial Noble Concubine, I wonder who you are referring to when you mention this ghost?"

"It's..."

"Your Grace!"

Alerted, Wan Li immediately dashed forward to hold the faltering woman. In secret, he clutched her shoulders hard with his strong hands.

The pain woke Wan Yuyao up. She rolled her bloodshot eyes and fell in silence.

Wan Li was not stupid. His sister would step into Empress Qian's trap if she said that the ghost was Xu Yuanjiao.

Wan Li raised his brows and bowed, smiling cunningly.

"Please be at ease, Your Majesty and Your Grace. Just a nameless ghost that is not worth mentioning."

With a grim face, Empress Qian narrowed her eyes resentfully and turned her harsh gaze to the Seventh Prince.

"Then what is the reason for you to bring the Seventh Prince here?"

Before Wan Li could speak, Wan Yuyao first covered her face and shook her head as if she had seen something extremely horrible. She couldn’t stop trembling.

"Your Majesty, that ghost possessed the body of the Seventh Prince. It really scared the hell out of me."

"What?"

Emperor hesitated as his puzzled eyes shifted between the priest and the prince sleeping in the arms of the nanny. He struggled to make a decision.

Empress Qian gave Wan Yuyao a ruthless glance, leering,

"My dear, the ghost is quite picky. Why would it find the Seventh Prince for no reason?"

Suddenly Wan Yuyao looked up and stared straight at Empress, and then she held her head, screaming,

"Ah! She's still there. She's still there. Right behind you. She's biting you with her bloody mouth!"

Looking behind his back in disbelief, Emperor Jingxiao touched his neck and shuddered.

Empress Qian also felt a cold air current up her spine to freeze her heart. She clenched her fists, sweating.

Lei Huan put down the peach wood sword and stepped forward to bow deeply to the monarchs,

"Your Majesty, Your Grace, I have carefully checked Yongning Palace and found out the evil curse. It has summoned bad things into Yongning Palace and disturbed Her Grace. To expel the evil, I need to cast spells at 9 tonight."

Empress Qian didn’t dare to lash out before Emperor. But she knew in her heart that the priest was not good since the Shenle Marquis had invited him.

Emperor surveyed the priest and asked in amazement,

"And who are you?"

The priest lowered his eyes and groaned,

"Your Majesty, I am Lei Huan. I was seriously wounded by Ji Yaoguang when I came to the capital to present the map. Thanks to Lord Shen, I managed to recover and have the opportunity to meet Your Majesty."

Emperor's eyes shone as he asked in surprise,

"So you are Priest Lei. Lord Shen has informed me of your arrival in the capital. The map nearly fell into the hands of the rebels and was chased back by the Eastern Depot Master. Leng Qingtang will present it to me at the most auspicious time and then I will ask you for advice about the mysteries."

"With pleasure. I'll tell everything I know."

Lei Huan bowed, smiling coldly.

Emperor paused for a second and then asked,

"Just now you mentioned a curse. Who is the caster?"

Lei Huan's scheming eyes flashed. He smiled and said confidently,

"Your Majesty, I'll use my sorceries to capture the malicious person. Then Your Majesty can see him for yourself."

"Well, as you wish."

"Your Majesty..."

Empress Qian was hesitant and wary of Lei Huan.

However, Emperor didn’t think so. He gave the worried Empress a scornful glance and said impatiently,

"The Empress is not a religious person, so she isn’t enlightened yet. This matter is all up to you, Priest Lei. Cure the Imperial Noble Concubine and I will reward you generously."

"As you command."

Lei Huan bowed his head and didn’t raise it until Emperor and Empress left. When he looked up, his gaze locked with the sharp eyes of Wan Li.