Reincarnated as the daughter of my mortal enemy, all I want is to ascend the throne.

Li Qingyan clicked her tongue twice, "Sure enough, the more capable a person is, the more eccentric their temper is."

Master Zheng agreed with this statement. In fact, he wasn't even sure if his senior apprentice would be willing to help Li Qingyan with this favor.

Master Zheng's senior apprentice, Yun Zhao, lived in a dilapidated thatched hut, but in this run-down place, there was a pile of porcelain bottles outside the courtyard.

Li Qingyan casually picked up a white jade bottle and held it up to the light to examine it. She didn't know much about porcelain, but she could tell it was a fine piece. "He just left it outside like that? This white porcelain could sell for a lot of money outside."

Master Zheng pointed to a tiny, almost invisible air bubble at the bottom of the bottle, "There's something wrong here."

Li Qingyan's lips twitched. Even so, this thing would be a valuable item in a wealthy family. To have such skill and yet live such a hard life, I really don't know what to say.

"Senior brother, senior brother," Master Zheng called out several times.

A man came out of the house, dressed all in black, but covered in mud splatters. His face and hair were also covered in mud.

"You've arrived?" Yun Zhao glanced at Li Qingyan. "This is...?"

"This is Princess Zhaoyu," Master Zheng quickly introduced.

Yun Zhao turned and walked into the house. "Come in."

Master Zheng's face turned pale. With his style of doing things, if someone takes it seriously, he'll probably lose his head.

He quickly apologized to Li Qingyan.

Li Qingyan said it was nothing. Then she led her people into the house.

The room was very dark, with only one window providing some light.

Yun Zhao picked up the jade, looked at it, and put it back. Then, from a pile of bottles and jars, he found a dark, unremarkable bottle and handed it to Li Qingyan. "This is the material for the restoration, and this is a book." He then handed Li Qingyan a book.

Li Qingyan accepted it. "Thank you."

Master Zheng tried to speak but was stopped by Li Qingyan. The Emperor Emeritus wanted her to repair it herself, which was the right thing to do.

Master Zheng and Li Qingyan left after getting what they wanted, but the assassins searched the house thoroughly.

Cuiping ran to Li Qingyan's side in a few steps, "Your Highness, there are people inside."

Li Qingyan looked at Master Zheng, "Does your senior apprentice have guests?"

Master Zheng was also a little puzzled; his senior apprentice didn't seem to get along well with outsiders. Sensing something was amiss, he decided to go back and check, but as soon as he reached the door, Yun Zhao roared, "Get out of here! Don't bother me!"

Master Zheng hesitated for a moment, then left dejectedly, still somewhat angry as he boarded the carriage, muttering, "That dog's temper."

As the carriage was heading back, something suddenly fell down in front of them. The assassins rushed to investigate.

Cuiping frowned after just one glance. "The young prince is Yunzhao's head."

Upon hearing his senior apprentice's name, Master Zheng hurriedly dismounted from the carriage, stumbling several times as he walked forward. He peered closer and, sure enough, it was Yun Zhao's head. How could this be…

"Go after them." Li Qingyan gave the order, and the group immediately went to search the vicinity.

If someone dares to throw something in front of them, they must not have gone far.

Li Qingyan suddenly felt a dagger pressed against her neck. "Yi Luofeng?"

A chilling voice came from behind her, "It seems Princess Zhaoyu still remembers me. Did you like the gift I gave you?"

Cuiping and the others dared not move rashly, for fear that Li Qingyan would be injured.

"I don't really like him. What's your relationship with Yun Zhao? Why did you kill him?" Li Qingyan asked casually, without a trace of fear in her voice.

"You mean this?" Yi Luofeng chuckled, his voice tinged with madness. "He touched the master's things, so he deserves to die."

Li Qingyan's lips curled into a smile. "Did your master tell you something?"

Just as Yi Luofeng was about to make a move, Li Qingyan's words drew his attention. "What is it?"

"Don't underestimate this little girl." Li Qingyan pulled out the silver needles that had just been inserted into Yi Luofeng's body.

Just then, the poison took effect, and Yi Luofeng collapsed to the ground, his lips and face turning bluish-purple. "You..."

He clutched his neck and vanished as a wisp of black smoke.

"Things that can't die are just annoying." Li Qingyan wiped the blood from her neck.

Li Qingyan asked Master Zheng what orders Yun Zhao had taken recently.

Master Zheng thought for a moment and said that Yun Zhao had taken on two orders to make two Guanyin statues, one small and one extra large.

Li Qingyan gave a look to the person behind her, and the assassin quickly left.

He returned in a quarter of an hour, holding a small Guanyin statue in his hand. "Your Highness, there were countless Guanyin statues in that kiln, but one of them disappeared."

Li Qingyan looked at the one the assassin was holding, and examined it closely. It had some minor flaws, though they were small.

The best one was probably taken.

"They're even using the same old 'discarding the millstone after it's done its work' approach on the craftsmen," Li Qingyan sneered. "Don't let me catch them."

-----------------

Inside the Hall of Diligent Governance, Li Qingyan repaired Caiyu while recounting what had just happened.

"Father, who exactly is that damned thing's master?" Li Qingyan gritted her teeth in anger. "He doesn't even spare an old craftsman."

Li Yan sat beside her, watching her repair the colored jade.

His little brat is adorable no matter what he does.

"Perhaps it has something to do with the Luan Dynasty. Didn't you say that too?" Li Yan helped her clean the jade pieces.

"You're not worried at all. This thing dares to yell at me and even threw Yun Zhao's head in front of the carriage." Li Qingyan was actually more worried about whether Li Yan would be tricked.

"They don't dare to touch me for now. Not everyone can ignore the Nine-Story Purple Tower and sit in this position." Li Yan tapped Li Qingyan's head.

This was not arrogance on Li Yan's part; indeed, since the beginning of the dynasty, Li Yan was the first person to ascend the throne by crossing the nine-story Ziwei Pagoda.

However, it has been criticized for many years.

Fortunately, Li Yan didn't care about those rumors.

"That's true." Li Qingyan looked at Li Yan. "I will be even more powerful than you in the future."

"I will climb to the ninth floor."

Li Qingyan was very proud.

Li Yan said she would wait until she reached the ninth floor.

No one has ever seen what lies above the seventh floor of the nine-story Purple Mystery Pagoda.

"Alright, then I'll wait for you to get to the seventh floor or higher." Li Yan wiped a piece of colorful jade clean.

The fragments in Li Qingyan's hand gradually stuck together, making her face look ashen.

-----------------

"I didn't manage to kill her," the woman sneered, looking at Yi Luofeng opposite her. "How are you?"

Yi Luofeng clutched her chest. "Master, I'm fine. It's just a pity I couldn't complete the task you assigned me."

The woman touched her fingernails. "These are minor matters. I never expected you to actually kill her."

"But this person is getting more and more cunning, setting up such a grand scheme. Keeping them around will only bring trouble." The woman rubbed her temples. "Next, they will eventually have to leave the capital."

Irofeng knew what to do. "Yes, your subordinates will do their best to handle it."

The woman waved her hand, signaling Irofeng to step back.

She looked at the small Guanyin statue inside the room. Believe in Buddhism? She trusted herself more; it was just that it would be better for others to see her as a believer.