Volume 3, Chapter 256 – The Imperial Selection

Wei Qingyu quickly left the Chi Residence.

Just as Chi Jingwen had said, although this matter from start to finish was merely his speculation without any substantial evidence, the deductions he’d drawn from limited intelligence alone were already enough to shock anyone.

According to Chi Jingwen’s speculation, the Chi family’s legitimate daughter should be a girl adopted by an aristocratic family.

And that girl had disappeared not long ago.

Half a month after her disappearance, Yu Lizhi appeared, also carrying the family heirloom jade hairpin.

If Chi Jingwen’s speculation was true, then someone was controlling the Chi family’s real daughter and had even used her blood to pass through the Chi family’s bloodline formation.

To avoid alerting the enemy and to protect his biological daughter whose whereabouts were unknown, Chi Jingwen could only pretend ignorance and allow that impostor to continue staying in the Chi family.

But Chi Jingwen was not without temper. He couldn’t directly make a move against that impostor, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t let others act.

For instance, Chi Zhong from before.

The Chi family was about to descend into chaos.

And Xiyan. Did she know everything behind the scenes?

“I must report all of this to Her Majesty and let Her Majesty decide.”

Wei Qingyu muttered to herself.

Whether Yu Lizhi was an impostor or not, Wei Qingyu couldn’t make that judgment.

She actually had quite a favorable impression of that girl.

But thinking carefully about everything that had happened since she’d arrived in Beihe Commandery, every single incident—whether it was the destruction of the pheromone detection stone, the wolf clan princess’s escape, or the true and false daughters of the Chi family—all had some connection to that girl, more or less.

Even the Human Empress far away in the imperial capital seemed extremely concerned about that girl.

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That girl might not just be an ordinary impostor. She might also be connected to the demons from beyond the territory.

One or two incidents might be coincidence, but with so many things all linked to that girl, to say she truly had no problems, Wei Qingyu couldn’t even convince herself of that.

After leaving the Chi family, she rushed all the way back to the Demon Suppression Bureau office in Beihe Commandery.

At this time, there weren’t many officials still stationed at the office. Most had been dispatched by Wei Qingyu to investigate the wolf demons’ whereabouts.

However, these past few days had yielded nothing.

According to the formation records of the city garrison troops, those wolf demons were still hiding within the city, with no signs of escaping.

Yet these wolf demons seemed to have vanished into thin air, leaving absolutely no clues to be found.

Could the wolf demons accomplish this on their own?

Wei Qingyu knew that someone must be secretly assisting the wolf demons from behind.

But regarding those people hiding in the shadows, Wei Qingyu had obtained the clue of Sin Moon Tower from Yu Lizhi.

However, if Yu Lizhi herself was problematic, then did the clues obtained from her still have any credibility?

Carrying these various doubts, Wei Qingyu rushed into the office.

She closed the door, entered the secret chamber, activated a secret technique, and reported all the discoveries she’d just obtained to the Empress.

At this moment, far away in the Human Emperor’s Palace thousands of miles distant, the young woman wearing imperial robes listened to Wei Qingyu’s report while slowly toying with a jade slip in her hand.

The jade slip also recorded an investigation report from the Seven Sword Sects.

After a long while, the young woman in imperial robes muttered to herself.

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“According to the sword sects’ report, the pheromone detection stone was destroyed due to an attack by Sin Moon Tower assassins. That girl has no cultivation and was merely a victim.”

“During this period when the sword sects took action, the fox clan has been frequently mobilizing troops, repeatedly violating the borders guarded by the sword sects.”

“All commands received by the fox clan army originated from that fox palace steward called Hu Xian’er.”

“Heh.”

“The fox clan’s actions look more like they’re covering for something. They want to draw the sword sects’ attention away from within the empire’s territory.”

The young woman in imperial robes tossed the jade slip back onto the table.

“The Song family’s daughter Song Shiyuan is hidden by the fox clan, her whereabouts unknown. The Song family and Lingxiao Sword Sect ignore this, yet hurriedly seek out the Chi family, demanding Song Shixuan’s wedding be moved up.”

“The ways of sects and aristocratic families… In any world, they’re all cut from the same cloth.”

Of course, what concerned her most wasn’t this, but rather another piece of news Wei Qingyu had brought.

“Yu Lizhi, a common girl who suddenly appeared, yet became the Chi family’s young lady.”

“The pheromone detection stone’s destruction, Bu Lianshuang’s escape. Both are connected to her.”

“True and false daughters?”

“Heh, is this the script you’ve written for your new book, Divine One?”

Unfortunately, this script didn’t seem very successful.

‘Could this Yu Lizhi be You?’ The young woman silently questioned the system in her mind.

The system didn’t answer.

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The young woman knew that due to the constraints of the rules, she couldn’t get a definitive reply from the system.

She would have to investigate that deity’s hidden identity herself.

At this moment, a maid hurriedly came to report from outside.

“Your Majesty, Noble Consort Wei has come again.”

Hearing that name, the young woman’s originally calm expression immediately fell.

No matter which world she was in, hearing that name always made her unhappy.

“What does he want now?” the young woman said. “I won’t see him.”

The maid continued, “But Your Majesty, accompanying Noble Consort Wei are several senior ministers.”

Hearing this, the young woman’s elegant brows knitted tightly together.

“Did they say what they wanted from me?”

The maid answered, “I heard it’s… about Your Majesty’s imperial selection.”

“They say that Your Majesty has yet to produce an heir, and if this continues, it might… might…”

The maid didn’t dare continue.

But the young woman knew what they’d said.

Nothing more than that same routine about the succession being vacant and the stability of the realm.

She’d heard these things countless times before, and each time they irritated her.

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“Wait.” The young woman’s eyes turned. She suddenly asked, “How have the women sent to the palace for selection historically been chosen?”

The maid answered, “The various ministers select the most talented and beautiful from the eligible daughters of various aristocratic families and send them to the palace.”

“All daughters of aristocratic families?” The young woman stroked her chin. “Which aristocratic families’ daughters?”

The maid was puzzled but still answered, “All from some of the ancient families in the imperial capital.”

The young woman pondered silently. Although this world was different from the one she’d been in before, these basic rules were still the same.

Only families in the imperial capital could truly be called aristocratic families.

Outside the imperial capital, they were all second-rate.

But she knew that the truly outstanding children of those families would never be sent to the palace unless their goal from the start was the position of empress.

“There’s still some time before this year’s selection, isn’t there?” A slight smile appeared on the young woman’s face.

“Since Noble Consort Wei is so concerned about my heirs, then I shouldn’t disappoint him.”

“Summon them to the side hall.”

“This year’s selection rules can be changed a bit.”

“How can only the imperial capital’s aristocratic families participate?”

“This kind of thing should give aristocratic families throughout the entire empire a chance to participate.”

“Hehe.”