C14 The Rumors in the Market

"That's not surprising; everyone across the land knows it."

"But do you know? The uncle and nephew have been at odds for ages. It's said that the uncle, to control his nephew, has kept Ximu Longchen's mother, his sister-in-law, under house arrest since Longchen was a child."

"Not only that, but he also uses poison to control her, and the antidote is needed monthly. Only Ximu Liu has the antidote, which is why the Crown Prince has been under his thumb for so many years."

"But what does this have to do with our Princess Mingyue and our country?" Farmer B still didn't get it.

"Ugh, that's why I said you're slow. I wasn't finished. Legend has it there's a miraculous pill that can neutralize any poison: the Universal Antidote. No matter what poison someone is afflicted with, the Universal Antidote will cure it."

"The Crown Prince has been searching for the Universal Antidote for years."

"I've heard of the Universal Antidote too, but it's said to be buried in the tomb of the ancient emperor of the Garo Empire, along with treasures of gold and jewels enough to conquer the entire continent."

"Exactly, that's why the uncle and nephew are at odds. Ximu Liu wants the treasure, while the Crown Prince seeks the Universal Antidote. They're both hunting for clues, and someone told the Crown Prince that the key to the Garo Empire's tomb is in the hands of the Emperor of Yan Country."

"Is that why the Kingdom of Ximu attacked the Kingdom of Yan?"

"Yes, exactly. Unfortunately, the entire royal family was killed, and even after such a massacre, they couldn't find the whereabouts of the key."

"Some say Princess Mingyue took the key with her."

"Ah, poor Princess Mingyue. What should have been a happy marriage turned into a tragic affair. But, you know, it's not something we can control. Let's just focus on selling our vegetables. No matter who becomes emperor, we still have to sell vegetables to make a living."

"You're right. Selling vegetables is our fate in this life."

With that, the two vegetable vendors returned to their stalls, busy with their work.

Lo Li, however, couldn't calm down. She had mysteriously traveled through time and found herself in this place. She had no idea about any key.

The most pressing issue was that, according to the two vendors, this matter was far from over. Not only was the Crown Prince looking for her, but even Ximu Liu was on the hunt.

From the remnants of Lo Li's memory, she knew Ximu Liu was the emperor of Ximu and the uncle of Ximu Longchen. Despite his outward appearance of being gentle and courteous, he was actually quite devious. It was rumored that he kept his sister-in-law under house arrest not just to control Ximu Longchen, but also because he was infatuated with her beauty.

Lo Li shuddered at the thought. Thankfully, she managed to escape; otherwise, who knows what fate awaited her if she had been sent to Ximu? However, when she thought of the Crown Prince at the magistrate's court, her eyes narrowed, and an intense aura of hostility involuntarily emanated from her.

...

Meanwhile, in a secluded hall of the palace, General Lin Feng, clad in golden armor, frowned deeply, his mood sour as he faced the haughty and arrogant Princess Xiangxiang.

"I don't care how you do it, but you must find Mingyue for me, dead or alive," Xiangxiang demanded, her chin raised defiantly as she looked at Lin Feng.