In the Baohe Palace…

Everyone looked back and saw Wan Li standing at the gate together with a Taoist priest in black. Wan Li also had a gold box in his hand. He slightly raised his jaw with arrogance and shouted,

"Your Majesty, Priest Lei has come from far away with the Kunhuang Island map. Today the auspicious time arrives and I will give the true map to Your Majesty."

"The Shenle Marquis?" Emperor frowned, feeling confused. He looked at the door and muttered,

"How? Is there a false map?"

Gradually, the onlookers began to discuss secretly. With permission, Lord Zhang waved the horsetail whisk and announced the two people at the gate into the hall.

In full view of a large crowd, Wan Li walked fast and knelt down with Lei Huan under the golden platform.

With a disdainful smile, Wan Li cast a sideways glance at Leng Qingtang and said loudly,

"Your Majesty, the treasure map presented by Commander-in-chief of the Eastern Depot is false. You cannot believe him credulously. I specially bring Lei Huan to prove that the treasure map in my hand is the real Kunhuang Island map. Please take a closer look."

During the banquet, Leng Qingtang sat upright. He calmly watched the performance of the two, without saying a word.

Emperor was puzzled. He frowned and asked,

"Priest Lei, I met you in Yongning Palace that day. Why didn't you explain this to me at that time?"

Lei Huan bowed with reverence,

"Your Majesty, please forgive me. Since there are yin and yang of the map, which is vital, I fear that the time to present the map has not come and the news is uncovered, I didn't tell the truth at that time. I don’t intend to deceive you. Please forgive me."

Emperor Jingxiao pursed his lips and frowned. He felt that the Taoist priest's words were reasonable, so he gestured to the side,

"Bring the treasure map presented by the Shenle Marquis."

Lord Zhang didn’t dare to neglect, so he trotted off the platform.

Leng Qingtang watched Wan Li being so arrogant. He stood up and chuckled quietly,

"Marquis, are you not fair in this way? Many secret guards of the Eastern Depot died to get the Kunhuang Island map. However, it immediately becomes a false one after you make such a fuss. How do you let me explain to the brothers of the Eastern Depot who sacrificed? "

"So what?"

Wan Li scowled with his eyebrows drooping and sneered,

"Commander-in-chief of the Eastern Depot, how do you dare to stand here and question me? At that time, the Swift Tower was used by Priest Lei to arrest the rebels. You clearly knew who you brought to break the matrix! You collude with rebels. When I tell your evil deeds to His Majesty, I promise that you will be dismissed."

Leng Qingtang smiled and counterattacked calmly,

"Marquis, what are you talking about? I can't understand. Everything has to be proven and if you frame the court official, you will be beheaded"

Everyone looked at the top of the high platform where Lord Zhang had taken out the sheepskin from the gold box and spread it on the right side of the dragon table.

Emperor looked at it for a while. He raised his eyebrows slightly, showing an embarrassment that had never been seen before.

There were two gold boxes and two sheepskins in front of him. The left was given by the Eastern Depot and the right was presented by Wan Li. The geomorphological maps of the Kunhuang Island were exactly the same.

With eyes, the difference couldn't be identified at once.

After exhaling, Emperor raised his voice and asked,

"Commander-in-chief of the Eastern Depot and the Shenle Marquis, both of you say that the treasure map you presented respectively is true, so do you know how to identify this map?"

Wan Li raised his eyebrows and looked at Leng Qingtang with a grin,

"Master Leng, you are a capable person, and so you speak first."

Leng Qingtang gently smiled and made an obeisance by cupping his hand in the other before his chest,

"Report to Your Majesty, since Priest Lei comes from Tianyan Faction, he should know the mystery of this map. I would like to know details."

"Oh, does that mean you don't know it?" Wan Li was arrogant and shouted,

"I implore Your Majesty to give me a pot of vinegar and a candlestick. Lei Huan Taoist priest will demonstrate it."

"OK!"

Emperor Jingxiao couldn't wait to distinguish the true map from the false one. He immediately ordered the palace maids to make preparations and finally said,

"I agree with you. After comparing the results, I will reward the one who presents the true map. The one who offers the false one will be punished severely!"

After a while, Lord Zhang led the people back and turned in the two things that the Shenle Marquis dictated. Lei Huan received approval and gave a demonstration.

It became silent again in the Baohe Palace.

Just as Wan Li did in Yongning Palace before, Lei Huan poured the vinegar over the two sheepskins, put them on the candlesticks one foot away from the candle, and baked them for a while. When the sheepskin dried slightly, weird triangles appeared on the two maps.

"Your Majesty, please have a look."

Lei Huan put the sheepskin in his hand back to the right side of the dragon table and motioned to Lord Zhang to place the other map in his hand on the other side. Without concealing his excitement, he said slightly,

"The genuine and fake have been identified. The triangles marked in red in the two maps are opposite, representing life and death respectively. As shown in the two maps now, the mark on the map presented by the Eastern Depot is death and only the map presented by Marquis... means life!"

Leng Qingtang heard clearly in the audience and he put his hands into his wide sleeves. He threw back his shoulders and said in a stern voice,

"I don't know the ground of your words? I just know a little about the so-called metaphysical theory of life and death, but now no one has been able to check it out on the island. How can you say that your map stands for life and ours means death?"

Lei Huan smiled with cattiness on his eyebrows,

"The Kunhuang Island map is drawn by my master Hong Zun. The map is divided into yin and yang. Yin is false and yang is true. I'm his disciple and naturally understand the mystery..."

The more he talked, the more arrogant he was. Just as he was about to continue, the audience suddenly yelled and the cries of the concubines were particularly harsh,

"Oh, Your Majesty, what happened!"

"Your Majesty!"

Lei Huan stopped talking in astonishment and turned to see Emperor Jingxiao who was like a petrified statue. His body on the towering stage suddenly lost vitality and his eyes were dark. He stared at the yang map in his hand that made him and the Shenle Marquis proud. His complexion was very abnormal.

Empress Qian hurriedly got up and ran to the dragon table. She bowed and screamed,

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty!"

"Ah!"

The sound was sorrowful and horrible as it seemed that Emperor Jingxiao woke up from a nightmare. He was sweating profusely. He could not breathe as he rolled his eyes upwards and fainted...

…

In Jingyang Palace…

Faced with the chaotic scene, Gu Yunyao closed her eyes,

"Fine. Since this is the case, I'd better not stop. Lord Lian, please go back to report first. The nanny will bring Xier to the side hall, and teach her the rules. Zhao An, give him a reward."

Zhao An answered, took two red envelopes, and distributed them to the two people. He then stood back behind Gu Yunyao and watched Xier gloating. His eyes were blazing and cold like blowing snow.

Lord Lian returned happily and the nanny took Xier to the side hall.

Concubine Yu collapsed on the armchair with her fingers trembling. She wept sadly,

"I'm so stupid. Why did I hurt everyone around me because of such a vicious woman? Although Imperial Bodyguard Lu and the Fourth Princess were irritable in the morning, they were well-intentioned. It was I who wronged them..."

Zhao An walked around to the front of her and leaned over to hold her chilly hands. He said softly,

"Master, it's not too late to know the truth now."

Gu Yunyao was panicked and gripped Zhao An's big hands. She raised her head in a state of anxiety,

"At the moment she is good at Kungfu, but we are physically weak. How can we defeat her?"

Zhao An looked at Song Qin vigilantly and the chief maid took the hint. She quickly walked to the door.

Zhao An took out a tin box from the cupboard behind him,

"Master, this is what Master Leng gave me in advance. The object inside is a powerful tool to deal with Tu Muxue. When she comes, you pretend to reward her."

Gu Yunyao opened the lid of the box and looked inside. Her eyes were flickering as if she was absorbed in thought,

"Ming Lan of the Western Depot was deadly rivals to us and the Eastern Depot. Why does he turn his coat and tell you the news?"

Before Zhao An could answer, Song Qin lowered her voice to prompt,

"Master, Xier comes back."

Tu Muxue combed her hair back into her heart bun and a few red bead flowers dotted her jet-black hair sideburns. The color contrast was simple but eye-catching.

She was wearing a red smoky gauze and flowered dress. The large dress was embroidered with golden silk and silver thread that was as thin as a lanugo. She looked very luxurious.

Her little white hands stuck out her sleeves and carefully lifted her dress across the threshold. She was followed by the teaching nanny.

And then a line of maids streamed into the Main Hall, spreading out the table full of exquisite dishes.

When the last palace maid came out of the hall, she looked sideways to peep at Tu Muxue, which could be either accidental or deliberate, and her eyes seemed sharp.

"Master!"

Tu Muxue walked slowly and knelt at Gu Yunyao's feet. Tears were gleaming in her almond-shaped eyes.

"Get up quickly. Don't kneel anymore." The woman said gently. She held the girl's chin gently and said with a smile,

"Don't cry. Don't ruin the makeup. Xier, you are wearing a red dress and it looks so good."

The teaching nanny smiled with satisfaction,

"This dress uses gold thread and the silk threading skills are even more complicated. It is a reward from His Majesty. It can be seen that His Majesty still values you."

Gu Yunyao smiled lightly and said nothing.

The nanny said again, "The young master, Xier, has filial piety and is a person who knows how to be grateful. She specially prepares a supper to repay your kindness. Now it's the time. You two can have a chat and I need to go back. After a while, His Majesty's carriage will come and a steward will serve the young master."

"Nanny, thanks a lot."

Xier's smiling face reflected the red glow in her dress, which was particularly glamorous.

Sending away the old maid, she turned to look at Gu Yunyao and said sincerely,

"Master, there are no outsiders at this time. Can you allow me to call you 'sister' again? If I were still trapped in Yongning Palace at this moment, I would never have the life today. I depend on you and I will never forget your kindness."

Hearing the word "sister", Gu Yunyao was really nauseous.

The femme girl in front of her had Yunxi's delicate face and uttered a voice that was the same as that of Yunxi. What she said was full of nonsense and rhetoric.

She was definitely not Yunxi!

Within a short distance, Gu Yunyao's eyes were dark and cold. She really wanted to stretch out her hand to hold the girl's slender and tender neck and personally kill the culprit who killed Concubine Xu and her own child.

However, for the sake of Yunxi and for her to have the opportunity to retrieve her face again, Gu Yunyao knew well that she must bear it again at this time!

"Well, we are sisters and we will serve His Majesty together in the future, even more so."

After hearing this, Tu Muxue smiled and pulled Gu Yunyao to sit down at the table. She said sweetly,

"Sister, I have made a new style of cuisine as night snacks today. Have a try and see whether they suit your appetite."

Gu Yunyao smiled and said,

"Please put it down. I have no appetite."

"Oh, elder sister, why don't you eat it? Do you really blame me for serving His Majesty and doing service for a throne? After you eat the food, I can go to His Majesty's with peace of mind."

"OK, I will eat."

A gleam of light flashed in Gu Yunyao's eyes. She no longer declined but smiled and tasted each dish carefully.

"Lord Zhao and Madam Song Qin, you come here to have a try."

The girl cleverly chose two cakes and pastries and handed them to the chief maid and the chief eunuch.

Zhao An and Song Qin used the clean handkerchief to hold the cakes and pastries. They tasted and praised.

After Gu Yunyao finished eating, she took the tin box by the table. She said to Tu Muxue with a kind and pleasant countenance,

"This is prepared for you early. I used to want to give it to you when you get married. Now it is just the right time."

The box was opened and inside was a phoenix butterfly colored glaze hairpin.

When the girl saw it, there was a gleam in her eyes. She said in amazement,

"Ah, what a beautiful hairpin!"

"Come here and I will help you put it on."

The woman said with a smile.

When the hairpin was put on, the girl suddenly felt pins and needles in her scalp for no reason.

She frowned and the delicate face was a little strange.

The three people on the opposite side suddenly turned pale and looked very sick.

"Ouch, my stomach aches."

Gu Yunyao yelled loudly with her hands on her abdomen and fell to the ground.

"Master..."

Zhao An’s and Song Qin’s faces twisted in pain and they struggled to crawl to the woman, but they fell unconscious halfway.