Druid Fairy

Chapter 180 Disfigurement
She looked at the small figure by the bedside, swaying precariously from exhaustion, yet still gritting her teeth and persevering, her eyes filled with loving kindness.

"Good child...my good child..."

As the strange phenomenon dissipated, Li Mengyue could no longer hold on, her face as pale as a sheet of paper.

The emperor rushed forward and, disregarding his supreme status, personally helped her up from the ground.

He looked at his mother, whose complexion had improved and who was even more energetic than before her illness, and his eyes were filled with extremely complicated emotions.

Doubt, shock, elation... all sorts of emotions intertwined, and in the end, they all transformed into an unprecedented sense of importance.

This young princess is not someone you can easily manipulate.

She is a real gold mine that can bring endless benefits to the Great Yu Dynasty and to himself!

"Preach my will!"

"Princess Mingyue, bearing the mandate of heaven, prayed for the country's well-being and relieved the Empress Dowager's crisis. She is the greatest meritorious official of our Great Yu! She is hereby awarded ten thousand taels of gold, a thousand bolts of brocade, and her fiefdom will be increased by three thousand households! Furthermore, she is granted a 'Mingyue Token,' which grants her the privilege of seeing the Emperor himself, and grants her free access to the inner palace and the imperial domain!"

…………

The Empress Dowager recovered, a miracle occurred, and Princess Mingyue, Li Mengyue, became famous.

It is no longer a vague and ethereal name of "auspicious omen", but a real meritorious deed that saves the emperor, a heaven-reaching means that can bring the dead back to life!

The Emperor of Dayu's gifts poured into Mingyue Palace like a flowing river, and the token that read "Seeing the token is like seeing the Emperor" elevated Li Mengyue's status to an unprecedented height.

For a time, Mingyue Palace was bustling with activity, with princes and nobles coming in droves to pay their respects and curry favor. Even the princes and princesses who were usually arrogant had to greet this seven-year-old princess with utmost courtesy.

Li Mengze kept his father's teachings in mind and politely declined all offers, saying only that his younger sister was too young and needed to rest.

Li Mengyue, however, did not confine herself to the palace.

The first thing she did with that token was to open a "Bright Moon Charity Hall" outside the palace.

The charity does not treat difficult or complicated diseases; it only takes in women and children who have been displaced by war, providing them with porridge and medicine and offering them a temporary refuge.

Everyone thought this was just a way for the young princess to win people's hearts, and a show by the royal family to demonstrate their benevolence.

But when that pampered princess actually came to the charity hall every few days to soothe the pain of the sick children, all the doubts turned into heartfelt admiration.

She was no longer a high and mighty princess, but a living bodhisattva descended to earth, a beacon of hope for them.

"Princess Mingyue, live a thousand years!"

Such calls gradually resounded throughout the streets and alleys of the capital, bringing Li Mengyue's prestige to its peak.

…………

With the Empress Dowager in good health and in high spirits, she took Li Mengyue to the largest royal temple in the capital, the "Da Ci'en Temple," to offer incense and fulfill her vow.

Inside the temple, ancient trees reach for the sky, and the sound of chanting fills the air.

The Empress Dowager was discussing Buddhist scriptures with the abbot in the front hall. Li Mengyue disliked the dull atmosphere, so she wandered off alone to the Zen temple in the back mountain.

In the Zen temple, under a Bodhi tree that had grown for countless years, a small figure squatted on the ground, sighing over a pot of orchids that were about to wither.

It was a Taoist boy of about seven or eight years old, wearing a faded gray Taoist robe, with his hair in two buns, and his little face was exquisitely beautiful and extremely cute.

But at this moment, he looked worried and muttered to himself, his voice sounding old and aged, which was in stark contrast to his age.

"Alas, everything has its destiny, and the cycle of life and death is a natural occurrence. But you little thing, you clearly still have a breath left, so why won't you fight for it one more time?"

He reached out and poked the withered yellow leaf. "If you were to wither away like this, wouldn't you be wasting all the sunshine and rain this yard has to offer? What a disappointing thing!"

Li Mengyue found his precocious manner amusing, so she lifted the hem of her skirt and quietly walked over.

"It's not that it's not good enough, it's that it's sick." Li Mengyue's voice was soft and gentle, with a natural charm.

The young Taoist turned around and saw that it was Li Mengyue. He was taken aback at first, then stood up and gave a proper kowtow: "May the Heavenly Venerable grant you boundless blessings. This humble Taoist is Qingxu."

He was dressed in a Taoist robe, yet he was in a Buddhist temple, and his whole demeanor exuded an indescribable strangeness.

"Your name is Qingxu?" Li Mengyue blinked. "This is a Buddhist temple. What are you, a Taoist priest, doing here?"

“My master said, ‘The Tao has no name, and the Buddha has no form. Whether I am in a Taoist temple or a Buddhist temple, wherever my heart is at peace is my home.’” Qingxu answered seriously, but a sly glint flashed in his eyes.

Li Mengyue was amused by his absurd reasoning. She squatted down and looked at the orchid: "I can save it."

"You?" Qingxu looked her up and down, then curled his lip. "It's already impressive that you can recognize this flower. Do you perhaps also know medicine?"

“I don’t know anything about traditional Chinese medicine,” Li Mengyue shook her head. She stretched out her small hand and gently placed it on the potted orchid. “But I can hear its voice. It’s saying that it’s in pain.”

She closed her eyes and quietly activated the Yin energy within her body.

A barely perceptible ray of moon-white light, like the gentlest stream, slowly seeped into the roots of the orchid.

To Qingxu's astonishment, the orchid, which had been withered and dying, visibly revived.

The withered yellow leaves gradually turned emerald green, and the wilted flower buds slowly unfurled, releasing a delicate fragrance that permeated the air.

"This is... the power of creation?!" Qingxu stared at Li Mengyue as if she were a monster. "You... who exactly are you?"

"My name is Li Mengyue." Li Mengyue withdrew her hand. "Now, do you believe me?"

Qingxu looked at her, the shock in his eyes gradually turning into a strange light. He circled Li Mengyue three times, stroking his chin, looking quite serious: "Tsk tsk, interesting, interesting! Possessing an innate Dao body, a soul as pure as crystal, yet entangled with the dynasty's destiny. Little girl, I've never seen anything like it in all my years of life!"

He was clearly a child, yet he always said "I've lived for so many years," which made him seem both comical and mysterious.

Li Mengyue found him even more interesting, so she started chatting with him about all sorts of things.

The two chatted about everything from flowers and trees to the stars in the sky, from small animals in the mountains to stories in books. Li Mengyue discovered that this young Taoist boy named Qingxu knew an astonishing amount of knowledge. Whether it was astronomy, geography, or strange tales, he could speak eloquently about them, as if he had seen them with his own eyes.

Before I knew it, the sun was setting.

The Empress Dowager sent someone to find him, and Li Mengyue reluctantly bid him farewell.

"Qingxu, can I still come to visit you?"

"Suit yourself." Qingxu coldly flicked his sleeve, turned and left, "However, I am busy with many affairs every day, so it depends on my mood."

He walked away with a flourish, but the slight upturn of his lips betrayed his true feelings.

For him, a little girl who could understand the language of all things was also a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

"Then I'll come find you again next time." Li Mengyue chuckled, turned and left, her sleeves fluttering in the wind.

…………

Good fortune may be a harbinger of misfortune.

Li Mengyue's growing prestige in the capital was like a poisonous thorn, deeply embedded in Princess Zhaoyang's heart.

Especially after the Empress Dowager recovered from her illness, the Emperor's favor towards Li Mengyue surpassed that of all the princes. This caused Princess Zhaoyang, who was already prone to jealousy, to completely lose her mind.

Looking at her daughter, Wei Ling'er, who was growing increasingly haggard from jealousy, the murderous intent in her heart finally reached its peak. 'A lowly country bumpkin dares to steal my daughter's favor! Dares to oppress me!'

'I can't eat or sleep properly until she's gone!'

With the Empress Dowager and the Emperor protecting her now, ordinary methods cannot harm her in the slightest; on the contrary, they will only bring trouble upon herself.

It must be a fatal blow!
…………

On the Empress Dowager's birthday, a grand banquet was held in the palace.

Singing and dancing filled the air, wine cups clinked, and a peaceful atmosphere prevailed.

Midway through the banquet, Wei Ling'er suddenly took a wine glass and gracefully walked up to Li Mengyue with a friendly and appropriate smile on her face.

“Sister Mingyue, I have been wrong and offended you in the past. Today, on the occasion of the Empress Dowager’s birthday banquet, I would like to apologize to you with tea instead of wine. I hope you will not take it to heart.”

She adopted an extremely humble posture and spoke earnestly, leaving no room for criticism.

Although Li Mengyue was wary, she couldn't refuse her in this situation, so she stood up and picked up the fragrant tea in front of her.

But just as the two were about to clink glasses, a sudden change occurred!
A hint of resentment flashed in Wei Ling'er's eyes, and she suddenly splashed the wine in her cup onto herself!
She must have mixed something into the drink; as soon as it touched her skin, it made a sizzling, corrosive sound. Her originally fair skin instantly became a bloody mess, a truly gruesome sight!

"what--!!!"

Wei Ling'er let out a shrill scream and fell backward violently.

"Ling'er!"

Princess Zhaoyang let out a heart-wrenching scream, "Li Mengze! Li Mengyue! How cruel you are! How dare you commit such a heinous act in public at the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet, disfiguring my daughter! I will fight you to the death!"

She roared as she charged toward Li Mengyue.

"Seize them! Quickly capture these two murderers for me!"

Everything happened so fast, in the blink of an eye, that no one could react at all!
"Who dares!"

Li Mengze reacted instantly, pulling his terrified sister behind him, his eyes filled with coldness.

This was a trap from beginning to end.

Once they are captured, they will face utter ruin!
"stop!"

The emperor and Prince Yong shouted at the same time, but it was too late.

A triumphant smirk flashed in Princess Zhaoyang's eyes. She rushed in front of Li Mengyue, not to attack, but to hand the dagger in her hand to Li Mengyue, trying to create the illusion that Li Mengyue had snatched the knife and killed her!

However, she underestimated Li Mengyue's bloodline talent.

They also underestimated the power an older brother could unleash when his younger sister faces a life-or-death crisis!
"Don't touch my sister!"

Li Mengze's eyes were bloodshot. Without thinking, he frantically poured all his magical power into the jade talisman in his hand!
That jade talisman was a life-saving trump card given to me by my father. It not only had super strong defensive power, but also contained a trace of violent counterattack power!

"Buzz!"

A thick, cyan-gold light shield instantly enveloped the Li siblings!
Princess Zhaoyang's determined charge slammed hard into the light barrier!

The anticipated scene of the light shield shattering and the siblings being captured did not occur.

A force far beyond her imagination, carrying a terrifying recoil, surged back along the dagger with a deafening roar!

"Crack!"

The dagger shattered instantly!

Princess Zhaoyang's sinister smile froze instantly, replaced by boundless terror!
She felt an overwhelming force surge into her body, and her protective aura, which she had painstakingly cultivated for many years, shattered instantly, as if it were made of paper!

At this moment, all the internal organs and meridians were shattered into dust!

"puff!"

A large mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs gushed out of her mouth.

Her still-attractive body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily into the golden dragon pillar in the hall before slid softly to the ground, lifeless.

Those beautiful phoenix eyes were wide open, filled with disbelief.

She never imagined that she would die because of her own scheme!

The whole place was in deathly silence.

You can hear a pin drop.

Li Mengyue stared blankly at the still-warm corpse, which was only a few feet away from her.

Wei Ling'er's bloodied and mangled face, Princess Zhaoyang's unseeing eyes...

The intense visual impact and the overwhelming stench of blood felt like two invisible hands gripping her throat.

"vomit……"

She couldn't hold it in any longer; her stomach churned violently, and she collapsed to the ground, vomiting uncontrollably.

She killed someone.

Although she didn't do it herself, those two people ultimately died because of her.

"Crescent Moon!" Li Mengze was also terrified. He hugged his trembling sister tightly, his face ashen.

"Your Majesty! There must be something fishy about this!" Prince Yong was the first to react. He quickly walked to the emperor and said in a hoarse voice, "Zhaoyang... there's absolutely no way she could have been killed by Mengze in one blow! The backlash from that jade talisman couldn't have been this strong!"

The emperor's face was ashen. He stared intently at the two corpses on the ground, then at the terrified brother and sister, his heart filled with turmoil.

Of course he knew something was amiss!

But the facts are right in front of us!

His own sister, his own niece, was "killed" by the "auspicious" princess whom he valued most at his birthday banquet!

Regardless of the truth, the royal family has completely lost face!

He, the emperor, has become the biggest joke in the world!

"Put them under my supervision!"

The emperor spat out these words through gritted teeth; he had to give an explanation to the royal family and to the people!
Just as the Imperial Guards were about to step forward, a clear voice, tinged with a hint of laziness, rang out leisurely at the entrance of the main hall.

"Your Majesty, please wait."

Everyone turned around and saw that the young Taoist boy named Qingxu from Da Ci'en Temple was walking in slowly with his hands behind his back.

He was still wearing a faded Taoist robe, but his face no longer held its former playful expression; instead, it bore a chilling majesty.

(End of this chapter)