49. Became the Emperor's Younger Brother by Marriage

The Fire-tailed Chicken King shook its head at his words, pointing earnestly at the map as if giving Xie Wuji a hint. Somehow, Xie Wuji understood what it meant: Danxia Sect was protected by a defensive grand array, and except for the main gate, every other exit was sealed by barriers. Anyone trying to leave would be immediately detected by the disciples guarding the gates, and the sect’s surroundings were riddled with countless traps. That was why neither the Fire-tailed Chicken King nor its harem had ever left Danxia Sect.

Yet for Xie Wuji, staying wasn’t an option. He knew he had to take this risk; the Remaking Pill was too important for Dongmen Qianyun. Without Dongmen Qianyun, he would never have entered Danxia Sect, let alone uncovered so many secrets about the Undying Longevity Sect.

He instructed the fire-tailed chickens, “While I’m gone, hide in the nearby woods and don’t come out, no matter what. I’ll prepare enough food for you!” The Fire-tailed Chicken King nodded vigorously.

Under cover of night, Xie Wuji slipped out of Danxia Sect in secret, not even telling Dongmen Qianyun or the others about his plan.

The reason he dared set out for the Remaking Pill was that it was enshrined in the Haotian Tower within the imperial palace. The tower housed memorial tablets of deceased ministers and heroes who had died for their country; few patrolled there, and defenses were slack. The Forbidden Palace, where the emperor resided, was the most heavily guarded, staffed by watchful keepers of some cultivation.

Xie Wuji’s greatest advantage was the bronze mirror. If things went awry, he could always escape with it. Barring surprises, his life wasn’t in danger.

The night air was piercingly cold as Xie Wuji, dressed for stealth, crept toward the palace. Guided by his map, he quickly found a blind spot: an entrance through the rear court, typically used for food deliveries. He set his sights on the distant white tower and vaulted from rooftop to rooftop. With his newfound agility, scaling walls and leaping eaves posed little challenge.

Meanwhile, in a warmly lit room, moonlight spilled through a glazed window. The pale radiance caressed her skin like sunlight on mutton-fat jade; the water was just a shade warmer than the moonlight. She lounged languidly in the bath, lifting her slender legs high, watching droplets trickle down her skin and fall back into the water.

Bathing was, for women, one of life’s greatest pleasures—whether a noble heiress or a country girl, there seemed to be an innate, almost obsessive delight in it.

Before long, Bai Liuli emerged from the tub. A pristine bronze mirror stood before her. She glanced at her reflection, noting how much her heart had changed over the past five years, while her body remained as it always had been.

Bai Liuli was the emperor—the Empress of Yunshang. Her father had sired nine daughters but not a single son, so as the eldest, she had been chosen as the new sovereign. Yet a woman on the throne defied convention. In five years, she had grown from naive girl to decisive ruler, her reputation transformed from ineffectual to ruthless and capable.

She gazed at her reflection: her chest was still full, her waist slender, her elegant legs inviting imagination, and her bright, gem-like eyes seemed almost to speak. Few could meet those eyes without averting their gaze.

Suddenly, a rustling noise drifted from the rooftop. Instinctively, Bai Liuli looked up, just as a “thump” sounded—a black figure crashed down from above, landing directly in her bath, sending rose petals flying and leaving chaos in its wake.

Her fair face flushed red, then turned ashen. The man before her stared fixedly at her body, blood threatening to trickle down from his nose.

“Impudent!” Bai Liuli shoved him away, spun around, and swiftly donned a gauzy robe. Seizing a sword from the wall, she pointed it at the intruder.

Xie Wuji was in a sorry state, struggling from the water only to find a gleaming blade pressed close to his throat. If she so wished, his life would be forfeit at any moment.

“Spare me, good soul! I was just passing by—just passing by!” Xie Wuji grinned ingratiatingly.

Bai Liuli snorted coldly, her eyes round with rage. “You are bold indeed, barging into the palace! Dare you believe I won’t—cut your throat right here?”

“Spare me, oh beauty—not brave soul, but beauty, please! At least, could you arrange your clothes first before killing me? I’ve already seen everything,” Xie Wuji replied.

Her face darkened, and as she glimpsed her fluttering robes, she quickly covered her chest with a hand, her anger barely restrained.

Xie Wuji, meanwhile, lamented his misfortune; his first attempt at roof-leaping, and he’d slipped on bird droppings, crashing straight into the bath instead of making for Haotian Tower.

At that moment, the gold-inlaid short sword he always carried fell from his arms. He reached for it, but Bai Liuli snatched it up first. As she examined the sword, her face filled with shock.

“Give that back! We can talk this out! If it comes to it, I’ll take responsibility for having seen you—surely you’re a palace maid, right? I’m not here to assassinate the emperor, just to fetch medicine!” Xie Wuji babbled on.

But Bai Liuli cut him off. “Where did you get this sword?”

“Well…” Xie Wuji hesitated; he couldn’t admit he’d gotten it from the Song family, lest he expose his identity.

Just then, a group of female guards surrounded him. Realizing the palace’s vigilance was no joke, Xie Wuji prepared to use the bronze mirror to escape.

But as he reached for his pocket, a guard jabbed his wrist. “Don’t move, or I’ll kill you now!”

“Wait!” Bai Liuli stopped her guard. “First, tell me: is this sword yours?”

“So what if it is? So what if it isn’t?” Xie Wuji grumbled inwardly. If he couldn’t use the mirror, escape was impossible. Perhaps it was better to be imprisoned and break out from the dungeons?

But if he were sent to the dungeons, they’d surely confiscate the mirror. Should he risk it?

His thoughts raced in turmoil.

Bai Liuli declared, “If it’s yours, I’ll spare you—but you must tell me why you’re here. If it’s not, I’ll kill you now!”

Her decisive manner made Xie Wuji silently pray that the Song family would forgive his little lie—he was in deadly peril, and if he didn’t bluff, he might not survive.

All because of that cursed bird dropping.

Gritting his teeth, Xie Wuji said, “It was my mother’s keepsake.”

A tremor ran through Bai Liuli’s heart. “And your mother?”

“She died ten years ago,” Xie Wuji replied.

“You… You really are…” Bai Liuli’s eyes filled with tears. “Father, if your spirit hears me, your ten-year search is over—my royal brother has returned!”

“Huh?” Xie Wuji was utterly baffled.

The female guards began to murmur among themselves. Suddenly, Bai Liuli dropped her sword and threw her arms around Xie Wuji.

“Brother, Father and I thought you and Mother were dead. Who could have imagined…” Tears streamed down her cheeks, choking her voice.

“‘I’?” Xie Wuji’s mouth twitched, a sense of foreboding rising within him. “Forgive me, but may I ask who you are?”

“She is the seventh sovereign and first Empress of Yunshang!” a guard said.

Xie Wuji had long suspected the short sword concealed a great secret, but he had never imagined it would be so momentous as this.