Wait a minute, where is my master?

In Shangjing City, within the prison of the night watchmen.

Li Mi was being detained here at this time.

His question had caused a sensation throughout Shangjing, yet Xia Xuanmin responded only with three words.

"Arrest him."

Then, Commander Luan took action with his men. To seize this opportunity to atone for crimes and preserve his position, he had to make the arrest.

As a result, Li Mi did not resist. Perhaps his despair was too deep, or perhaps he knew resistance was futile.

In any case, he was now behind bars.

In front of a cell gate made of mystic iron crystal and sealed with prohibition spells, Xu Qian, carrying a tray of food, looked somberly at the man who had once been his superior.

How unpredictable life is, he thought, having just been promoted to a Sixth-Grade night watchman, only to see Li Mi become a convict.

"Mr. Li, why don't you eat something?"

Xu Qian had also heard the question that echoed throughout Shangjing City. At this moment, not knowing how else to comfort the wall-leaning, dazed Li Mi, he could only arrange for some wine and dishes to be brought here by someone else, and then he personally delivered them. After all, this was someone Emperor Min had personally ordered to be arrested, so expecting treatment like that given to Jin Xu was out of the question.

"Mr. Li?"

Xu Qian called out again, but Li Mi continued to lean against the wall, lost in thought.

Ignoring him...

On the other end of the prison, Xia Yunzhao was engaged in an intense discussion with Taoist Jin Xu about how to kill her imperial uncle.

"You're going to be Emperor!"

"You're going to be Emperor?"

"Does that make me the Emperor's uncle!?"

When the Seventh Princess declared her intention to ascend to the throne of Great Xia, Jin Xu and the two women were exceptionally surprised. The friend who had just been with them at the auction house the day before, was suddenly about to become the ruler of the largest empire in the Nine Provinces.

The whole thing sounded unbelievable.

Xia Yunzhao affirmed once more with a nod, saying word for word, "Yes, so I'd like to invite you all to stay a few more days to attend my coronation ceremony. Oh, and please keep this quiet for now, Grandpa Emperor will only make the announcement tomorrow morning. Also, you are not my uncle!"

The last sentence was especially directed at Jin Xu.

The Taoist and others all nodded. They had not interacted much with Xia Yunzhao but liked her temperament and felt it reasonable to stay and witness such a grand event.

They could afford to spend a few more days in Shangjing City; after all, there were no pressing matters waiting for them.

On a personal note, this was Jin Xu's niece!

Apparently, the Taoist had not taken in the last sentence uttered by the Seventh Princess.

The group exchanged a few more words before Jin Xu suddenly spoke solemnly.

"I have a question for you. What happens when a member of the Great Xia Imperial Family violates the law?"

Xia Yunzhao knew what the Taoist wanted to say, and her face grew serious as well.

"When Grandpa Emperor was on the throne, members of the Imperial Family were punished for unjustly breaking the law. However, after my father ascended the throne, such matters became ambiguous."

Jin Xu's brow furrowed upon hearing this.

The abduction of Little White and Yu Yaoer certainly couldn't be left unresolved.

After he wiped out Master Li with a single blow at Longevity Mountain, he picked out a cultivator who caught his eye from the rest, and under Little White's guidance, used some interrogation techniques common to the Demon Clan, and found out that these cultivators were backed by the Mu Royal Mansion.

Afterward, the little Taoist sketched out a plan in his mind, but he needed to confirm some questions about the laws of Great Xia with Xia Yunzhao.

"So, if we proceed according to the laws of Great Xia as they were during your Grandpa's reign, what should be done if a prince kidnapped a cultivator without cause, intending to kill him but failing to do so?"

Jin Xu calmly looked into the Seventh Princess's eyes and spoke softly.

Xia Yunzhao pondered for a moment, about to speak.

Suddenly, Yu Yaoer spoke up, "Young master, the prince of Great Xia should be Yunzhao's royal uncle, right? You are Yunzhao's uncle, so that would mean your seniority compared to that prince would be..."

The Little Fish Demon didn't finish her sentence before she was interrupted by the Seventh Princess.

"To be executed."

"Eh..." Yu Yaoer wanted to add something more.

Xia Yunzhao repeated, "By law, to be executed."

Then she continued, "Yaoer and Little White were kidnapped by people from Mu Royal Mansion, right?

That's my father king's brother. I met him a few times when I was young, a man who seemed gentle and quiet. As I grew up, I saw less of him. But once in a while, I heard my mother say that although he seemed kind, he was actually sly by nature. It was fine when Grandpa reigned, but after my father king took the throne, he couldn't restrain himself and gradually began to expose his true colors.

Moreover, you don't need to worry about me. If I were to ascend to the throne, this royal uncle of mine would definitely make a move.

So I should thank you, for giving me a legitimate reason to act."

The Seventh Princess spoke haltingly, many of the interests involved being things she had just heard in the Taiji Palace from Xia Xuanmin, using them on the fly.

Yu Yaoer, on hearing this, silently stuck out her tongue.

She had just wanted to make peace, not realizing that the relationships within the Imperial Family of Great Xia could be so cold-blooded.

"I know, I know. Once, when the Golden Lion Tribe next to our clan was fighting over the Clan Leader position, the old Clan Leader's son was about to succeed when his uncle harmed him. Luckily, he had a huge stroke of fortune and feigned death to escape the calamity. Later, when he grew up, he came back with supporters to defeat his uncle and once again became the Clan Leader. That's why it's important to strike first!"

Little White spoke as if she had seen this plot before, blustering loudly.

Xia Yunzhao nodded, patting the husky's head, and said, "Little White is right."

Happy after being praised, the husky went on, "However, the Golden Lion Tribe weakened significantly due to the two internal conflicts and was eventually swallowed up by our clan."

The Seventh Princess: "..."

The little Taoist quietly pulled a chicken leg from the leftover dishes aside and handed it to Little White, hinting for her to eat more and talk less.

However... seeing the husky accept the chicken leg, she probably took it as a reward.

The four chatted a bit more, and Xia Yunzhao suggested visiting Li Mi.

They agreed and, led by the Seventh Princess of Great Xia, boldly left the cell and headed toward Mr. Li's prison.

At the Taiji Palace, Xia Yunzhao felt like speaking on behalf of Li Mi, but in the end, she remained silent. After all, it was too grave a matter to directly question the founding Emperor of Great Xia in front of the whole capital whether he still remembered the founding principles of the nation.

Perhaps seeing his granddaughter's hesitation, Xia Xuanmin, while ordering Li Mi's arrest, also passed a message to Xia Yunzhao.

"Today, Great Xia is under my rule, and I order his arrest. 'Tomorrow,' Great Xia will be under your rule."

As quick-witted as the Seventh Princess was, she instantly understood the meaning of this message and didn't take Li Mi's arrest to heart at all. After having a hearty chat with the little Taoist, she then said she wanted to check on their 'inexpensive' senior brother.

Both once studied under Prime Minister Qin.

When the four approached Li Mi's cell, Xu Qian, carrying the meals, lit up upon seeing them and pretended to use an exaggerated voice to say,

"Yo, Taoist Jin Xu, you've come!"

At these words, Mr. Li, who had been leaning against the wall and daydreaming, showed a glint of life in his eyes.