Lingjiu Hall was located in a secluded courtyard in the back of the imperial palace.
Chu Qianli followed the night, searching for it. At first, she could still spot quite a few patrolling imperial guards.
But for some reason, the closer she got to Lingjiu Hall, the fewer guards there were.
Upon reaching the vicinity of Lingjiu Hall, the guards were almost nowhere to be seen.
The occasional one or two would only pass by from a distance, not venturing into the area of Lingjiu Hall.
It was said that this Grand Tutor preferred tranquility and disliked noisy atmospheres, so there weren't even guards protecting the area around Lingjiu Hall?
Chu Qianli did not dare to be careless. She slowly approached, hidden by the shadows of the trees along the forest path.
The closer she got, the more she could feel the solemn yet quiet atmosphere emanating from within Lingjiu Hall.
There were truly no guards protecting it.
She circled around to the high wall of Lingjiu Hall, then suddenly leaped up, landing lightly on the wall.
Inside, the scent of sandalwood was rather strong.
Chu Qianli lightly tapped her feet and landed gracefully in the back courtyard.
Two young monks in plain white robes walked past.
Chu Qianli immediately hid behind a large tree.
These two young monks seemed to possess no martial arts skills at all. They walked casually, occasionally chatting and laughing about something.
Continuing along the path towards the row of houses, she saw two other young men, dressed as monks, sitting on the corridor, cracking melon seeds.
The atmosphere was not as solemn as Chu Qianli had imagined. Everyone here seemed to be living quite happily.
She had expected them to be rigid, silent, and cautious in their actions and lives.
It turned out she had overthought things.
She infiltrated the main hall.
This should be the place where the Grand Tutor prayed for blessings.
The surroundings were equally quiet. Perhaps it was due to the late hour, as there wasn't even a cleaning monk in the hall.
Chu Qianli lingered and searched for a while, finally discovering that the place where people carried things was behind the main hall.
There was a small path leading from the main hall to the rear.
It turned out that behind the colossal statue of the deity, there was another world.
However, a young monk delivering tea was stopped by two guards at the entrance of a corridor.
Chu Qianli didn't know what they were saying, but she understood the meaning.
It was likely that the Grand Tutor did not wish to be disturbed by anyone at the moment.
While they were talking, Chu Qianli's feet slid, and she quickly glided over the corridor.
The end of the corridor led to the entrance of another small courtyard.
As soon as she entered, Chu Qianli's eyes lit up, and she was stunned for a moment.
This atmosphere...
Why was the decoration of this courtyard so completely different from the outside?
Rockeries, pavilions, and flowing water, with a sense of age, yet possessing a more modern feel than the outer palaces.
It seemed to be a step ahead of this era.
The decoration had a retro feel that modern people would appreciate, but it wasn't purely ancient.
Chu Qianli rubbed her temples, unsure if her feeling was a mere illusion.
She quickly slid down from the tree, bypassed the pavilions and terraces, and quietly approached the main house.
The Grand Tutor was clearly not in the main house. She had checked every room, even finding the Grand Tutor's residence, but she couldn't see the Grand Tutor himself.
It was so late, and the Emperor had already returned. Where could the Grand Tutor be?
While she was wondering, she heard two people talking from the backyard.
Chu Qianli concentrated her senses, leaped up, and landed on the roof.
She saw a figure leaving the backyard.
This figure...
Chu Qianli's heart jolted, and she couldn't quite believe it.
The Princess Consort Ling?