Chapter 254: "Senior Meng?

Qi Yue was having the time of her life in the Capital City.

The Empress had created many novelties that others could only dream of, but if Qi Yue took a liking to something, it was hers in an instant.

Whenever she wanted to go out, the Empress would immediately dispatch an escort to accompany her, with strict orders to ensure she enjoyed herself.

All she had to do each day was check on Mu Yunlian and say a few good things about the Empress, and no one would question her further.

When she claimed she needed to research the antidote, the Empress sent over countless precious medicinal herbs and all sorts of insects.

A pity she was more interested in playing for a while longer and was in no rush to research the antidote. The precious herbs and "useless" insects all ended up as food for her pets.

After several days of fun, Qi Yue finally remembered something she needed to do.

On the pretext of having a breakthrough with the antidote, she summoned the Empress and asked bluntly, "Your Majesty, do you like Yun Lian?"

Xiao Yang replied, "Of course I do."

Qi Yue pressed, "Then why aren’t you marrying him? And why are you involved with other people?"

Xiao Yang didn’t answer directly. Instead, she retorted, "Does the Southern Domain King have only one beauty by his side?"

Qi Yue was momentarily flustered. "But you’re a woman."

Xiao Yang said, "And shouldn’t women be held in higher esteem?"

Qi Yue was dumbfounded again. ’Should women be held in higher esteem?’ She, the Holy Daughter, was indeed respected, but that status came at a great cost.

"But that’s not what love is! Love should be about single-minded devotion, faithfulness, and constancy until death."

As if she had finally found a solid argument, her entire demeanor brightened. "Your Majesty, you don’t love him at all! You just like him, you’re using him! You’re only after his money!"

The more she spoke, the more convinced she became of her own righteousness. Her eyes burned with indignant fire, and a brilliant red snake peeked out from over her shoulder, hissing restlessly.

Xiao Yang looked at her, a hint of bewilderment on her face. "I admit, I don’t really understand how to love someone."

Qi Yue had been furious, but hearing this, her eyes suddenly darted about as an idea struck her. "If you don’t know how, I can help you."

"I have a potion. If a man and a woman both take it, they will fall deeply in love, bound to each other for a lifetime, inseparable until death."

With that, she pulled out a small, twin-spouted vial. "This is called a Mandarin Duck Knot. Once you take it, you will surely fall deeply in love with each other, and no one will ever be able to tear you apart."

Xiao Yang stared at the vial for a long moment, seemingly intrigued, but she restrained herself. "Love should be a matter of mutual affection. I cannot force him just because I am the Empress. I wonder, Holy Daughter, when will you be able to wake him?"

Qi Yue put on a troubled expression. "The antidote isn’t that easy to formulate. I need medicinal herbs from the Holy Land."

’The truth was, she hadn’t researched anything. It wasn’t like Mu Yunlian was going to die, and she was actually curious to see what other changes his body might undergo.’

"How about this? I, the Holy Daughter, will make an exception and take him back to the Holy Land. Once he is cured, I’ll have him sent back."

Xiao Yang frowned, appearing to hesitate. "Let me think about it."

Xiao Yang’s "thinking" took two days. Just as Qi Yue was getting ready to press her for an answer, visitors from the Southern Domain arrived.

Seeing the three elders of the Witch Clan, Qi Yue’s panic was plain to see.

She had barely thought of fleeing when seven or eight Medicine Men surrounded her, cutting off any chance of escape.

"Holy Daughter, you have violated the clan rules. Return with us at once to accept your punishment."

Qi Yue was used to being arrogant in front of others, but her Gu Techniques held little advantage against the elders of her own clan.

Yin Tianqi emerged at that moment. He first bowed to the assembled group before stating his purpose. "The Empress’s Imperial Consort was poisoned by the Holy Daughter and remains unconscious to this day. I implore you, Elders, to detoxify him, lest my Southern Domain be plunged into war."

Since it was the Holy Daughter who had caused the harm, the elders naturally had to take a look.

Qi Yue was brought along as well.

After examining the patient, the elders immediately came to a conclusion and began brewing a potion.

Qi Yue watched them bustle about and snorted. "You’re wasting your time. My poisons aren’t so easily countered. Just don’t go and kill him on me. I haven’t had my fun yet."

Qi Yue turned to Yin Tianqi. "You, go get the Empress! Tell her to come save me! I’m the only one who can save Mu Yunlian."

’She could survive the Holy Land’s punishment, but it was agonizingly painful and would take half her life. She didn’t want to be punished. The Southern Domain King couldn’t control the Holy Land; only the Da Wei Empress could help her.’

Yin Tianqi shook his head. "Unless you cure Mu Yunlian, I doubt the Empress will agree to see you."

Qi Yue grew frantic. "I can’t whip up an antidote in a moment’s notice! But if the Empress helps me, I’ll start developing one right away."

Yin Tianqi stated, "So you’ve been deceiving the Empress this entire time?"

Qi Yue retorted, "So what if I was? She doesn’t know anything anyway. She’s the one who wants to save him, so shouldn’t she be treating me better?"

Qi Yue was still trying to persuade Yin Tianqi to fetch the Empress, hoping to negotiate terms.

But barely an hour had passed before the elders finished brewing the potion and administered it directly to Mu Yunlian.

After a short wait, Mu Yunlian slowly opened his eyes.

Qi Yue was in disbelief. "How is that possible? They don’t even know what poisons I used. How could they create an antidote so quickly?"

Qi Yue often created her poisons on a whim, using whatever ingredients struck her fancy, in whatever quantities she pleased.

She treated poisoning people like a game of chance, reveling in their unexpected expressions of agony.

That was why, for her poisons, even she herself would have a hard time creating the antidote.

As it turned out, Qi Yue’s poison was indeed not one an ordinary person could counteract. Even though Yin Tianqi and Qi Yue’s own handmaiden had provided the formula she used, without the exact dosages, the antidote the elders concocted based on the symptoms and their experience was still slightly off.

Mu Yunlian had lost his memory.

He didn’t remember anyone; in fact, his mind seemed to have regressed.

After her initial shock, Qi Yue burst out laughing. "How fun! This is so much fun! He doesn’t remember a thing!"

Yin Tianqi pressed his lips together, his expression grim. This situation was getting harder and harder to clean up.

Xiao Yang was actually just outside. She only entered from another direction after hearing that Mu Yunlian had awoken, only to be met with the news of his amnesia.

Upon waking, Mu Yunlian wore a look of utter confusion. When his personal attendant called out to him, he not only failed to recognize the man but visibly recoiled.

There was no hiding the change in him.

Two of the Witch Clan elders examined him again and again, confirming that Mu Yunlian was physically fine. But as for his memory, there was truly nothing they could do.

"He might recover on his own, or he might remain like this for the rest of his life."

After all, the antidote had already been administered. This was a side effect, and it wouldn’t be easy to mitigate, even with another dose.

It was at this moment that Xiao Yang lifted the curtain and entered. Her gaze swept over the members of the Witch Clan before finally resting on Mu Yunlian. But with a single glance, she froze.

Hesitant. Uncertain.

She took a few steps toward the bed and, meeting his surprised yet hesitant gaze, called out, "Senior Meng?"

Mu Yunlian suddenly lunged forward and threw his arms around her in a tight embrace, his voice choked with emotion. "Thank God, Ah Yang! You’re okay!"

Bad news: Mu Yunlian lost his memory.

Good news: He only lost his memories of this lifetime. He still remembers Xiao Yang.