spread word of this, lest it cause unnecessary trouble. With the palace in turmoil now, Prince Yu would naturally not side with Dugu Yan. I helped the Empress yesterday, but I fear that Dugu Yan will..."I knew I couldn't escape," sighed Zhao.

"Just say what you want, I won't force you if you don't."

Zhao Shi glanced at Feng Ling Xi. She wouldn't force herself, but her granddaughter's life was gone. Now that she was an old woman, she didn't want to protect anyone else but her own family.

“Luo Li is the chief of the Yao clan. Although he is the chief of the Yao clan and his status is noble, he is actually no better than you. He does many things out of necessity, just like us. Since he became chief, I have followed his arrangements. I don't have any special status in the Yao clan. I just do a good job and am arranged by the Great Yuan Dynasty to help the chief. That's all.”

"Is that it"

Feng Ling was utterly incredulous. Seeing Zhao shi nod, her face contorted with disbelief.

"Don't you find it strange why I would obey the Yao Clan's orders"

Feng Lingxi nodded, she honestly didn't understand. Since she had no status or position, why would she fight for the Yao clan, even putting her own children at risk

“This is the Yao tribe’s people. As long as you are born into the Yao tribe, you must unconditionally obey the arrangements of the Yao tribe. If you disobey the arrangements, the Yao tribe will not allow you to survive. And as long as we agree, we can have a new identity, and everything we want will become true.”

"Is that what you want To be the wife of the national general"

Zhao shook her head. "I don't want to be the wife of the Generalissimo. I just want to complete the task of driving your mother away. Your mother is the Holy Master of the Yao clan, but she hasn't done what a Holy Master of the Yao clan should do. She doesn't even want to carry out the tasks given to her by the Yao clan. If those above are unhappy, they will naturally send people to deal with her, and I am that person."

Feng Lingxi suddenly found it amusing. The Saint Lord of the Yao Clan was actually carrying out missions for the Yao Clan. This was truly a laugh riot.

"Then tell me, who really holds the power in this Yao Clan Are both the Saint Master and the Clan Chief just puppets Is it those elders from the Ghostly Saint Kingdom's Yao Clan"

Zhao nodded, “You're right, it was them.”

“...”

Feng Lingxi was stunned. This was the first time she had heard that the emperor was not as powerful as the officials, and that the head of the Yao clan and the Holy Lord were not as high in status as the elders. Thinking back to when she went to the Yao clan in Gui Shengguo, Luo Li's relationship with those elders didn't seem as bad as she had imagined.

You may not know, the elders' identities are mysterious, their abilities and power far surpass the chieftain. Their commands must be obeyed by any member of the Yao tribe, for their mission is to go to the sacred land and carry out the ancestral teachings of the Yao ancestors.

"It's ridiculous! Aren't the treasures protected by the Yao Clan supposed to belong to the Yao Clan Now they've become subordinates of the elders, doing their bidding. To put it bluntly, this is a conspiracy by the Yao Clan elders, something they don't want the world to know about, isn't it"

Zhao nodded, "That's right. What the elders really want is not to guard the Yao clan's treasures, but to open the sacred gate of the Yao clan's holy land and know the secrets that the Yao clan has guarded for a thousand years."

"Didn't you just say that the elders only sent you on a mission after they went to the holy land How..."

Feng Lingxi was a little dumbfounded. This Zhao shi knew quite a lot, it seemed like the answers she wanted were getting closer and closer.

"Haven't you told everyone outside that you can open the Yao clan's treasure and get the treasures But you don't even know where the Yao clan's treasure is or how to open it, and the elders are the same."

Feng Lingxi looked at Zhao Shi's serious eyes. This wasn't a joke.

“Feng Lingxi, I tell you this hoping that you will help my granddaughter.”

"I will save her, I'll have the antidote ready in two days and send it to you."

Feng Lingxi stood up, "Waner, let's go."

“Wait a moment.” Zhao approached Feng Lingxi, glanced at Wan'er, and spoke with great hesitation, "I know you probably won't listen to me or believe me, but I still want to tell you this: when Wan'er becomes ten years old, don't let her go to the Yao Clan. It's not about being a clan chief, but…"

Zhao paused, looking at Wan'er who stared intently at her, feeling a twinge of sympathy.

"Just don't take her to the Yao clan, no matter what they say, don't send her to the Yao clan."

Feng Lingxi was a little surprised. Although she didn't say the reason for the upcoming sacrifice, Feng Lingxi was still quite surprised that Zhao shi would say such things. It was indeed something she hadn't expected.

"She's a child too," Zhao added, seeing Feng Lingxi nod and give a polite yet awkward smile.

"Mother, let's go."

Wan'er held Feng Lingxi's hand, and the two walked out of the General's Mansion. Seeing the carriages waiting outside, Feng Lingxi was puzzled, when a figure came down from the carriage. It was Dugu City. Seeing them come out, Dugu City covered his mouth and coughed lightly.

"I have some things I want to tell you, but I'm not sure if I can go back to Lu Mansion and say them."

Feng Lingxi was still hesitating, but Wan'er pulled her, "Mother, just agree to him, he really has something to say."

Feng Lingxi nodded, got into the carriage, and watched Dugu Cheng cover his mouth and cough lightly, his brows furrowing even tighter.

"How come you're coughing so badly I've finished all my medicine."

"It's nothing, I just caught a bit of a cold last night and have a slight cough." Dugu Cheng endured the cough, in order to be able to go to Lu Mansion as usual, he had slept in the courtyard all night yesterday, letting himself drink dew and catch a cold.

"Your body has become even more delicate; summer dew could make you chilled like this."

Feng Lingxi, although saying that, her hand uncontrollably grasped Dugu Cheng's wrist to feel his pulse, confirming he was truly ill from the cold. She rolled her eyes, if she hadn't seen it with her own eyes, she wouldn't have known how poorly his body had become.

“Mother, today we were scolded by the Empress Dowager when we entered the palace. Perhaps because of this, he coughs so badly.” Waner broke the silence and spoke to Dugu Cheng for the first time. Even Dugu Cheng was stunned, staring blankly at Wan'er, his heart filled with joy. This was the first time Wan'er had spoken up in his defense.

"Why is the Empress Dowager scolding you"

Wa'er glanced at Dugu City, "It's all because of Father. He told the Empress Dowager that you couldn't marry into the distant Xia Dynasty. The Empress Dowager was furious and scolded us both soundly."

Feng Lingxi was surprised, but she did not speak.

"Wan'er, the Empress Dowager is not scolding us. It's our fault for not explaining things clearly and angering her."

Dugu Cheng looked at Feng Ling Xi without speaking, and whispered, "I told the Empress Dowager that you are the 'Sacred Phoenix Princess' bestowed by Xigu Kingdom, and told her not to let you get married."

"How do you know I was bestowed the title of princess by the Emperor of Xi Gu"

She realized it in a moment, she was sure she hadn't flaunted herself. How could Dugu City be so clear

Let me know if you have any other text you'd like me to translate!s sharp eyes, as if wanting to see through her thoughts, which made Feng Ling Xi feel a little flustered. Seeing this, Du Gu Yan pressed her against the table, Feng Ling Xi softened and slipped out fr...