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On the other side, the Emperor also slowly regained consciousness. There were still traces of the drug's effects lingering in his body, leaving him weak and powerless.

And, though he wasn’t sure if it was just his imagination, aside from the weakness, he felt as if his entire body was sore and aching all over.

The Emperor frowned, struggling to sit up with great difficulty. He held his forehead with one hand to steady himself from the dizziness when he suddenly sensed that something was off. He reached up and felt around his head. There was nothing!

His wig was gone!

Ever since Han Ye had slashed him bald, the Emperor had been too ashamed to be seen without a wig. He wore it whenever he went out and only removed it when he slept.

When he had gone to the cold palace to see Han shi, he had been knocked unconscious by her unexpectedly. When he woke up in the underground cellar, his "hair" was still there.

The underground cellar——

That’s right! Han shi had locked him in the underground cellar!

How could there be such strong daylight in an underground cellar?

This wasn’t the cellar!

What new trick was Han shi playing now?!

Creak——

The door to the room was pushed open, and Zhang Dequan entered, carrying a pot of freshly cooled tea.

The Emperor, straining his sore arms, pulled back the bed curtains and immediately spotted Zhang Dequan placing the tea on the table.

His brows knitted tightly. "Why are you here? Even you have betrayed Zhen?!"

Otherwise, why would he be in Han shi’s place?

Zhang Dequan was so startled by the Emperor’s sudden outburst that he nearly lost his grip on the teapot. If not for his years of experience as an old eunuch, he might have sent it flying.

Steadying himself, he stepped to the bedside, bowed, and said with a tone of relief, "Your Majesty, you’re awake?"

"Where is that venomous woman, Han shi?!" The Emperor demanded coldly.

"Ah?" Zhang Dequan was momentarily taken aback, thinking the Emperor was asking about Han shi’s whereabouts and fate. He hurriedly answered, "Han shi is in the cold palace."

"Isn’t this the cold—" The Emperor started to speak but suddenly realized the implication of Zhang Dequan’s words. His brows furrowed. "Where is this place?"

Zhang Dequan replied, "Your Majesty, this is Duke An Estate."

Seeing the Emperor’s utterly bewildered expression, Zhang Dequan proceeded to recount, in full detail, how he had escaped the imperial palace and sought help from Lord Xiao at Duke An Estate. "…It was all thanks to His Highness the Eldest Imperial Grandson and Lord Xiao. It was they who devised a plan to rescue Your Majesty from the cold palace."

The Emperor was utterly astonished.

He had never expected that the ones to pull him out of the tiger’s den would be the weakest imperial grandson and the person he usually found most disagreeable, Xiao Liulang.

It seemed that the old saying held true, one must never judge a book by its cover.

The Emperor asked, "Where are they now?"

Zhang Dequan replied, "They are also staying in this courtyard. After all the commotion last night, they must be exhausted and still haven’t gotten up. Would Your Majesty like me to wake them?"

The Emperor waved a hand dismissively. "Forget it. Let them sleep."

Zhang Dequan smiled and said, "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Help Zhen up and assist Zhen in getting dressed."

"As you command, Your Majesty."

Zhang Dequan carefully helped the Emperor out of bed. As soon as he moved, the Emperor instinctively covered his imperial backside, frowning in confusion.

Why was his backside so sore? Had someone kicked him?

But on second thought, that was impossible. He was the sovereign ruler of a nation, the Emperor himself. Who would dare to kick him?

"Hiss—"

It really hurt though.

As for his "hair," it had been lost sometime during last night’s escape. Whether it was when he crawled through the dog hole or when Gu Chengfeng carried him back to the Imperial Advisor's Hall, no one could quite remember.

He did have spare wigs, but unfortunately, they were all in the imperial palace. With no other choice, Zhang Dequan had to fetch a bamboo hat for him.

Just as the Emperor put the hat on, Duke An arrived, being pushed in his wheelchair.

Zhang Dequan glanced out into the courtyard and said, "Your Majesty, Duke An is coming."

"Here this early to pay respects? Fine, let him in." Although the Emperor had always been at odds with Duke An, he decided to grant him a chance to earn merit, given the latter’s loyalty in this matter.

However, just as Zhang Dequan cheerfully pulled open the door, Duke An’s wheelchair rolled right past their door without stopping.

The Emperor: "…"

Zhang Dequan: "…"

Duke An had come to have breakfast with Gu Jiao, but upon realizing that she was still asleep, he simply had his servant turn his wheelchair around and left, deciding to return later.

Noticing the wheelchair making its way back, Zhang Dequan quickly said, "Here he comes! Duke An must have gone to the wrong room just now!"

The Emperor straightened his posture, doing his best to maintain his imperial aura despite the presence of the bamboo hat.

Then, right before his eyes, Duke An’s wheelchair once again rolled past his door…

The Emperor turned to Zhang Dequan, fuming.

Zhang Dequan gave an awkward, sheepish smile.

If it were just Duke An, that would have been one thing. But soon, as the rest of the courtyard’s residents gradually woke up, not a single person came by to greet the Emperor.

The Emperor’s expression darkened considerably.

Zhang Dequan forced another laugh. "Your Majesty, you are traveling incognito. They don’t know you’re here, nor do they recognize you."

Just as he finished speaking, Empress Dowager Zhuang, who was sitting under the crabapple tree leisurely munching on sunflower seeds, casually glanced toward the room and remarked to the young servant girl beside her, "Hey, does the Emperor of your Great Yan have no hair? Why is he sitting indoors with a hat on?"

The Emperor clenched his fists tightly.

Zhang Dequan, Zhen will kill you!

Grandaunt and the others had only learned about last night’s events over breakfast when Gu Chengfeng casually mentioned them.

Everyone remained perfectly calm.

Empress Dowager Zhuang: Men are all untrustworthy scoundrels.

Old Chief: He’s about my age but has far less hair than I do.

Lady Nan: I just invented a new poison and need a test subject.

Master Lu: No Emperor has ever been a good one.

……

Today, Gu Jiao didn’t have to go to the military camp, so she had planned to sleep in until the sun was high in the sky. However, just after the hour of sishi (9-11 am), she was startled awake by the commotion in the courtyard.

It wasn’t caused by Long Yi or Little Jing Kong, nor was it Gu Yan or Gu Xiaoshun. Instead, it was Steward Zheng rushing in frantically, shouting, "Lord Duke, this is bad! A major incident has occurred!"

It turned out that after the Emperor had been taken away last night, Han shi, fearing that they would retaliate, had come up with a desperate countermeasure overnight. Taking an enormous risk, she had publicly announced an imperial decree during today’s morning court session—restoring Shangguan Qi to his position as Crown Prince.

Not only that, but she also issued an imperial decree to arrest the Third Princess, Shangguan Yan, and ordered both the Commandery Office and the Imperial Guards to seal off the Imperial Advisor’s Hall.

The official reason given for the command was that Shangguan Yan had been bewitched by the Imperial Advisor’s Hall and had acted disloyally and unfilially toward the Emperor, while also framing the former Crown Prince. The decree stated that the former Crown Prince had been falsely accused and that the assassin in the secret chamber of the Imperial Advisor’s Hall that day was part of a conspiracy between Shangguan Yan and the Imperial Advisor’s Hall!

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Description:

In the suspenseful supernatural novel “Records of Mortals,” Jiang Baiyan, once a solitary and impoverished youth, finds refuge in the Shi family of Chang’an due to his extraordinary bloodline. With his clear and captivating peach blossom eyes, this seemingly innocent young man conceals a fanatical and malevolent lunatic within. Destined to succumb to darkness amidst hardship and degradation, he becomes a harbinger of chaos.

When Shi Dai suddenly transmigrates, she takes on the role of the Shi family’s young lady, the one who subjects him to countless trials, eventually leading to her demise.

The twist? She never got to finish reading the novel.

From what she knew of the plot, Jiang Baiyan was just a silent, timid, and often bullied pitiable character.

***

Jiang Baiyan had never encountered someone like Shi Dai.

After he had slaughtered all the evil creatures in the garden, the blood-stained young man, exuding a murderous aura, approached her step by step, his lips curling into a malicious smile, "Scared?"

Shi Dai responded, “You’re really amazing! I applaud you until I spin like a spiral and fly around the moon three hundred times! And also——you have dimples when you smile!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

After seeing her at a lantern festival with another man, Jiang Baiyan lowered his eyes, his fingers twirling her hair. He said in a mocking and sinister tone, "The mansion in the western suburbs...if I hide you there, no one will find you, right?"

Shi Dai replied, "Does it come with meals and lodging? Can I sleep in everyday? Oh, and your cooking is the best!"

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

—

Jiang Baiyan was supposed to dislike her, even hate her, but as their separation drew near, his eyes turned red and he grabbed her sleeve, pleading, "Don't abandon me, alri—”

Shi Dai responded, "Alright, alright, I’ll only have you. Mwah."

Jiang Baiyan: ...?

He hasn't finished his lines yet though…

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