Xiao Feng dejectedly followed Mo Lingxi back to the Prince Ming Rui's mansion, occasionally casting resentful glances at his father.
Mo Lingxi lightly tapped his head, "Even if you're unwilling, you must stay in the mansion obediently. This is your mother's wish."
Xiao Feng became even more dejected, "I know. It's my fault for making mistakes and angering Mother. These are the consequences."
These consequences were too severe, too terrifying.
After this incident, he wouldn't dare to make a mistake again.
Mo Lingxi chuckled twice and arranged for a dark guard to take Xiao Feng for training. He felt the child still needed discipline.
Arriving at the study, he summoned a dark guard, "Go investigate the academy matters, focusing on those who survived the academy incident."
The academy was related to the state's stability, so His Majesty and he had arranged many guards to protect it. If there wasn't an inside job, the academy wouldn't have encountered such a major incident.
The dark guard accepted the order and retreated to handle the matter.
Meanwhile.
Sheng Lengshuang also asked a dark guard to investigate the academy. She had a hunch that the academy incident was not that simple and that there might be hidden matters.
"Lengshuang," Madam Sheng walked in, smiling, "I had the embroiderers make a few new outfits for you. Try them on, and if anything needs adjusting, take them back."
Sheng Lengshuang understood Madam Sheng's intentions and tried on the new clothes one by one, "Mother, I have plenty of clothes. There's no need to make new ones."
Madam Sheng chided, "Others wish they had countless new outfits, but you find having a few more too many."
Sheng Lengshuang truly felt she had too many clothes. Even if she changed into new clothes every day, she could go half a month without repeating. Moreover, she often preferred simpler attire.
"Mother..."
As she started to speak, she heard the voice of a wet nurse.
"Madam, Eldest Miss, Tao Li is at the main gate and says she has something to discuss with the Eldest Miss."
Sheng Lengshuang's thoughts turned, "Tao Li coming to find me so late at night. Is she unable to show herself in broad daylight, or is it better to scheme against me at night?"
"Lengshuang, don't go," Madam Sheng was worried, "Tao Li is too malicious. It's possible she has some poisonous scheme to harm you."
Sheng Lengshuang pondered for a moment and decided to meet Tao Li. Perhaps she could get useful clues from Tao Li.
"Mother, don't worry. She's just at the main gate. Even if Tao Li wants to do anything, she can't. Mother, wait for me here. I'll be back soon."
Madam Sheng knew her daughter was opinionated. She worriedly instructed, "Be careful with everything. Remember, no matter what conditions Tao Li proposes, do not agree to them."
Sheng Lengshuang agreed, asked the wet nurse to take good care of Madam Sheng, and then went to the main gate with her maid.
Upon arriving at the main gate, she was startled to see Tao Li, who was so gaunt and emaciated that she looked like a ghost.
"Tao Li, after not seeing you for a while, you've become this terrifying. It shows how terrible your life has been recently."
Tao Li's eyes bulged, and she glared at Sheng Lengshuang with utter hatred, "It's you, you're the one who caused me to fall into this situation."
Just seeing the increasingly radiant Sheng Lengshuang made her want to devour her.
Back then, if she hadn't been kind-hearted, this wretched Sheng Lengshuang would have long been dead. It was also her fault for being too kind and sparing this wretched woman's life.
Sheng Lengshuang knew Tao Li's thoughts without guessing. She crossed her arms and said coldly, "You came to find me so late at night just to say this?"
Tao Li suddenly coughed violently, as if she were about to cough up her lungs.
Sheng Lengshuang watched coldly.
Tao Li coughed for a long time. Just as she was about to cough to death, she finally stopped, "Sheng Lengshuang, I want to negotiate with you."
Listening to her breathless words, Sheng Lengshuang could roughly guess her condition, "What conditions do you want to negotiate? Do you have anything worth negotiating with me for?"
Tao Li recovered for a moment, "Cure me and help me regain my former noble life. Then, I will not only tell you everything but also hand Zhou Wenxing over to you."
Sheng Lengshuang looked at her as if she were an idiot, "Do I look like an idiot? You're hilarious, expecting me to help you just by saying a few words."
Upon hearing this, Tao Li clapped her hands a few times.
Sheng Lengshuang then saw two masked figures forcibly dragging someone over. As they approached, she recognized the person as Zhou Wenxing, and her gaze towards Tao Li changed.
It had to be said, Tao Li had some brains, knowing how to use Zhou Wenxing to achieve her goals.
"Tao Li, you dog, release me quickly, or I'll make you pay," Zhou Wenxing glared at Tao Li menacingly.
'Clap, clap, clap.'
Tao Li slapped him several times and said fiercely, "Zhou Wenxing, you are in my hands now. You'd better be sensible. If you dare to speak to me like this again, I'll make you pay."
Zhou Wenxing was not intimidated, "Tao Li, don't forget your master's instructions. Without your master's help, you are nothing and will die soon."
A flicker of apprehension crossed Tao Li's eyes, "What my master wants to do, I can help him accomplish. I don't need trash like you."
"Tao Li, are you sure you can accomplish what your master wants? You're such a waste. If your master weren't kind, you would have turned to dust long ago."
"You dog, how dare you insult me? Come on, teach this dog a lesson!"
As Tao Li commanded, the two masked figures began to punch and kick Zhou Wenxing, making him yelp in pain.
Sheng Lengshuang stood there watching the dog-eat-dog drama. Oh my, she never expected to witness such a good show.
"Tao Li, doing this will only anger your master. You'd better be sensible," Zhou Wenxing yelled.
Tao Li kicked him a few more times and then turned to Sheng Lengshuang, "Are you going to agree to my conditions?"
Originally, she didn't want to come to Sheng Lengshuang for treatment, but those people couldn't cure her, and her body was getting weaker and weaker.
To survive, she could only come to the person she hated the most.
Sheng Lengshuang ignored Zhou Wenxing's curses and smiled at Tao Li, "I agree to your conditions. However, if you do anything you shouldn't, you know the consequences."
No matter how unwilling or jealous Tao Li was, she understood that she couldn't offend Sheng Lengshuang for the time being, "Don't worry, I won't go back on my promised conditions."
Sheng Lengshuang gestured for Tao Li to come closer.
Tao Li didn't go over alone; she walked over protected by a masked figure.
Sheng Lengshuang didn't mind. She took Tao Li's pulse and inquired about her condition, arriving at a diagnosis.
"Do you know what happened to your father and the others?" she asked.
Tao Li knew, and a bad premonition arose in her heart, "What do you mean by that?"
Sheng Lengshuang smiled, "I told you before, if you didn't treat this illness, you wouldn't live long. Yet, you're still alive. Don't you find it strange?"