The enormous horse rode straight past, and the Prince, clad in a python robe with an imposing demeanor, didn’t pause.

Their eyes met for just a fleeting moment, no more than that.

The tall figure gradually receded, followed by a long procession, surging through the wide city gate like a torrent.

Chen Yi slightly narrowed her eyes.

Even with Zhu E’s incredible disguise technique, masking her female traits, Chen Yi could still tell that it was Qin Qingluo.

Just moments ago, they were merely a few zhang apart, she walked past the city gate, so very close, but the brief moment of distraction made Chen Yi react too late.

The moment of meeting came unexpectedly and left as swiftly as an arrow.

At thirty zhang beyond the Yen Gate, the ceremonial procession halted, and the Prince of Annan dismounted immediately.

Entering the Ancestral Temple’s gate, without haste or delay, descending upon reaching the vestibule, showing detachment from the mundane world.

Black clouds pressed against the city, and mighty thunder tore through the cloud sea, exploding in a blinding white, as the ranks of armor shone with a cold light, illuminating the face of this female prince.

Her expression was solemn and stern, showing no sign of looking back.

Chen Yi... Chen Zunming...

Even with a disguise, in the eyes of Qin Qingluo, who had long seen Aunt Zhu’s miraculous disguise technique, such a method remained shallow, easily seen through with a glance. Besides, no matter how he’d disguised, she would recognize him even if he turned to ash.

Qin Qingluo let go of the reins, as an attendant came forward to take them. Without breaking step, she approached the Ancestral Temple silently.

His presence here, infiltrating the garrison, was indeed surprising, yet with all eyes watching, with the Ancestral Temple towering above, Qin Qingluo concealed her emotions, and at that moment, she stepped through the Yen Gate, her thoughts settled.

His figure once again swept across the Heart Lake.

The Annan Royal Mansion had operated Nanwei for many years, under the management of successive Princes of Annan. The mansion’s network of spies had long formed a complex and interconnected web. While it couldn’t claim to know everything under heaven, the entire Nanwei was enveloped by this web, extending circle by circle outward, with many threads spreading out into the Jianghu, watching all major events.

At the Dragon and Tiger Mountain Hero Conference, the West Factory Battalion Commander Chen Yi, wanted by the world, was known for distinguishing between good and evil. Now, tales of his deeds, said to crush the Heavenly Official, were spreading widely, but this happened less than a month ago and was already known to Qin Qingluo. Upon examining the details, she concluded there was deceit at play, without a doubt - he was plotting behind the scenes, trying to reshape his reputation in the world, aiming for some objective.

Originally, she thought he was still in the Central Plains, never expecting that he had already entered the Southern Border and took the opportunity of the autumn festival to infiltrate Dragon Tail City.

The Ritual Officer, with both hands, held a sandalwood box. Inside the box was placed a Black Feathered Winged Hat. Today’s autumn festival, falling on the Jiashen year, Jiamu belonging to Yang Wood and Shen to Yang Earth, to avoid the omen of Jiashen wood overcoming earth, the usual Seven-tassel Crown was replaced with a Black Feathered Winged Hat.

What was his purpose in doing this?

The Black Feathered Winged Hat was slowly lifted and placed atop her head, Qin Qingluo’s serpent-like eyes narrowed slightly,

... Does he want to kill me too?

Above Dragon Tail City, black clouds churned, lighting flashing and thunder roaring, signaling to everyone that a torrential downpour was imminent.

Yet the Prince of Annan, along with the accompanying royals, civil and military officials, remained composed. The autumn festival is one of the great festivals of the year, held in the temple regardless of weather, any delay or alteration would be considered a desecration of the gods.

The festival attire was woven with golden threads depicting spiraling dragons, coiling and soaring, silently whispering within the clouds and mist.

The Yishan Crown enveloped her forehead, revealing only her solemn face. After donning the crown, she seemed less of a seasoned military figure and more imbued with the majesty of a worldly monarch.

She walked with firm steps along the imperial path, entering deeper into the temple courtyard.

Inside the courtyard, officials and attendants were already lined up, each holding their breath, hands lowered, standing like statues, silent. Wisps of blue smoke rose from the incense burner, swirling and diffusing in the solemn temple hall.

Candles flickered brightly inside the hall, illuminating a row of solemn Divine Master Tablets upon the altar with vermilion lacquer and gold lettering, as though the never-ending spirits of the Qin Family were gathered here.

On the offering table, the three animals of the grand sacrifice were already prepared: ox head, sheep head, and pig head, heaped onto a massive bronze serving tray, towering like a small mountain.

The Ceremonial Officer intoned, "The King enters the temple."

The prince’s following royals, together with the civil and military officials, paused. Qin Qingluo’s face showed neither joy nor sorrow, her entire being enveloped in an indescribable solemnity, the Divine Master Tablet before her making the scene awe-inspiring.

The Ceremonial Officer, in elongated tone, intoned again, "The King enters the temple, bow!"

Just as the Prince of Annan began to move, to pay respects to the ancestral spirits, suddenly a shout rang out:

"Imposter King shall not enter the temple!"

In an instant, surprisingly, a sudden cold light shot up from within the ranks of the imperial family, turning into a bolt of lightning heading straight for Qin Qingluo.

The crisis suddenly broke out.

This crisis did not come from outside the temple, but from the core of the imperial family ranks!

The Ceremonial Officer sharply turned his head, and in this moment, the scene seemed frozen: just moments before, the imperial family members and officials, holding their breath and arranged in neat rows, saw amidst the throng of flying beasts an unexpected reflection of metallic gleam, instantly transforming into startled birds and beasts, hastily avoiding. The eunuchs holding sacrificial offerings and ritual tools dropped their heavy bronze ritual tools, stalling in mid-air, lacquer plates full of grains slipped from their grasp, guards momentarily delayed, gripping their waist swords trying to push forward but couldn’t get through, even the extended note of his "bow——" had yet to fully dissipate, caught as a short, terrified gasp in his throat...

Qin Qingluo, eyes unwavering, lips slightly parted, seemed to outline two words,

"It’s here."

A bolt of lightning split the sky, and the scene resumed motion.

"Protect the king!" 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

A shrill scream erupted, yet the cold light had already streaked toward Qin Qingluo, its source surprisingly somewhere very close in the front row, from an elder of the imperial family, Qin Weini, whose normally gentle and humble face was now twisted like that of a fierce ghost, filled with a madness etched in his eyes.