"Flame sect....isn't that the sect that was battled against by all the sects for committing evils in the Jianghu world,"

"Haven't they been in seclusion for eleven years now, why will their sect madam be in the palace," Li Qingzhao questioned, wondering why she will suddenly be in the palace after being in seclusion for eleven years. ​​

"They just came out of the seclusion recently and Father invited them to the palace to be interrogated for the murder of captain Wang Shang who was murdered in Yu-Shan city," Li Daiyu explained, they all seemed surprised as though they weren't aware of the incident since the emperor has forbidden the princes from getting involved with politics, they don't have any way of knowing what happens in court unless they inquire about it through the different supporters in court.

The emperor doesn't want the court to be divided among the princes and he doesn't want to give any one of the power because it might cause conflict and any one of them who has the most power might try to rebel or force him to abdicate, the emperor doesn't have any feeling of love towards his children, he only sees them as offsprings for the line of the royal family to continue.

"I wasn't aware of that, in that case, why did father suspect them of murdering the captain, after all, they have no motive to do so and they haven't shown themselves for eleven years, I don't see any reason why father should suspect the flame sect," Li ChengGuan commented with a confused look on his face like the others who weren't aware of the incident. Needless to ask, Li Daiyu found out about it from his mother who still has her connections in the court although the emperor has made it very hard for them to communicate with the minster but it is impossible for him to completely cut their source of connection front the court.

"You all are not aware of this but the golden eagle and the guardians of the flame sect were in Yu-Shan city at the time of the incident but the main point is not the murder of the captain, it is Huo Jingyu the sect madam of the flame sect," Li Daiyu went on while placing his next piece on the chessboard which succeeded in replacing one of the first prince chess pieces.

"Huo Jingyu...isn't she the rumoured most famous and beautiful woman of the Tang dynasty and the most courageous woman during her youth,"

"It is said that she is stronger than almost all the men in the country including the cultivators, she even had a duel with the regional commander once without using her fire power but no winner was determined at the end,"

"I have always wanted to meet her, she is my idol," the sixth prince remarked with excitement and disappointment written on his face, he has always filled his library with written tales of Huo Jingyu and the outrageous things she has done even when she defied the emperor many times.

"If that is really true then it seems like we missed a lot," Li Changying said with an evil smirk on his lips as he replaced one of Li Daiyu's chess pieces with his chess piece, thus earning a glare from the third prince.

"The main point is that she and her daughter made a fool of the emperor and the court," Li Daiyu continued with his hand toying with the round chess piece in his hand and the corner of his lips tilted up to show that he has something interesting to tell them, they all looked at him with curiosity written on their faces.

"She came to the palace with her daughter! interesting...."

"what does she look like, I have heard many stories of her daughter looks, some say she looks like a monster with red eyes and red long hair cascading her back while others say she is very beautiful with rosy red lips, it is really hard to know what to believe," Li Changying remarked excitedly.

That's right, the first prince is a womanizer but he is not a brainless womanizer.

"That is what you care about, tch!" Li QingZhao responded with a scoff while the first prince glared at him but he isn't afraid of his first brother at all, in fact, he doesn't fear or respect anyone of them except for Li Ruansong.

"That is the daughter who father decreed to be kept in the wind sect, the one she came with yesterday is the other twin but she was wearing the flame mask so no one could see her face, the main point is that the sect madam gave Father and the court a day ultimatum to find evidence that can prove the flame sect involvement with the death of the captain and of course, the court was unable to present any evidence but what they didn't think of if the possibility of the witness or the evidence from Yu-Shan getting to Chang-an in just a day even if they manage to find any," Li Daiyu narrated with an amused expression on his face just like the others, they have all heard of how defiant and bold Huo Jingyu is but they have never heard of her confrontations with the emperor himself, they were quite surprised hearing the third prince narration.

"She is quite bold, I have never heard of any minister not to talk of a woman, who dares to play with the emperor's intellect," Li QingZhao said in a soft voice, he has always adored Huo Jingyu wisdom and talent but he never thought that such a thing would happen to his father who has always proclaimed himself as the high and mighty who has all the authority in the world.

"She is indeed daring, father must have been enraged," Li ChangYing remarked with a scoff, while Li ChengGuan frowned at the narration, being in the military he has developed the same temperament as his father, he hated to hear that a mere woman dared to toy with the emperor's intellect, he couldn't understand why the others are amused by her when they are supposed to be angry when they heard the narration.

Li Changlin just kept quiet listening to what the third prince has to say, he remembered the day he met the young mistress of the flame sect and the two sides of her he saw, if he told his brothers that he has met the young mistress of the flame sect, they will surely not believe him, a slanted curve formed on his lips as he thought of how nice it would be if he is able to tell Li Ruansong about it since he is always dying to know what is going on with the flame sect.

- - - - - -

"It is really not necessary for the emperor to make you escort us back to the sect, we have really troubled you," Sect madam Huo said with a gentle voice and her gaze lowered as she rode on the horse along with Huo Ying and the regional commander with few soldiers following behind them.

"How can it be regarded as being troubled, the both of us are old acquaintances, this little things doesn't matter between us," the regional commander replied with a gentlemanly voice and expression while Huo Ying rode by her mother's side, she could hear their conversation but she really wanted to know what they meant by being old acquaintances, at last, she decides to give in to her curiosity.

"How did regional commander get acquainted with my mother?" Huo Ying abruptly asked, her mother gave her a scolding look while the regional commander smiled hearing her question.

"It seems like you are not aware of your mother's fame and character when she was young, your mother is the most famous beauty of Tang and she is regarded as the most talented woman in the country...." the regional commander ended his sentence in hesitation.

"But she was also known for being too bold and daring, I first met your mother when I first returned from the border years ago, the emperor held a banquet to celebrate my return but during the banquet, he asked someone to volunteer to spar with me," the regional commander added then he glanced at her mother who seemed like she didn't want him to tell Huo Ying about her careless days.

After all, she has always cautioned Huo Ying about her reckless character, if Huo Ying gets to know that she was exactly the same, wouldn't she lose face.

"I am guessing that my mother volunteered to spar with you,"

"That is right, the both of us fought but no winner was determined because I accidentally shattered your mother's mask during the fight...."

"What! you were the one who removed my mother's mask?" Huo Ying interjected before he could even finish his sentence.

"Mother, didn't you say that father was the one who removed your mask?"

"Huo Ying! don't be rude" her mother cautioned, averting the regional commander eyes in guilt.

"After then, I went back to war with the Mongolians but I was ambushed before I even went out of Tang, if not for your mother who rescued me and brought me to the flame sect, I would have died so I owe the flame sect my life," the regional commander ended with a note of gratitude.

"By the way, it seems like the emperor already suspects your relationship with the flame sect," sect madam Huo said with a look of concern on her face while Huo Ying nodded her head in affirmation.

" Sect madam Huo doesn't need to be worried about it, before you were summoned to court, I spoke in favour of the flame sect which made the emperor suspicious of me but since I have proven myself, we have nothing to be worried about," the regional commander said in a reassuring tone.

"In that case then I am assured," Sect madam Huo replied.

Then they continued the rest of the journey in silence until they got to a hotel where they stayed the night before continuing the journey the next day, they arrived at the flame sect at noon the next day but the regional commander and his men were not allowed to go through the barrier of the flame mountain.

Huo Mei and the other guardians were already out awaiting their return as though they had already guessed that they will be able to make it back to the sect on that day, the expressions on their faces showed how happy they were seeing the sect madam and Huo Ying walking towards the sect with happy expressions on their face, showing that everything went well and they have nothing to be worried about.

"Sect madam, Young mistress!" the four of them chorused in unison with their heads bowed and their hands cupped and raised forward, they lifted their heads to meet the smile on the young mistress lips and the sect madam who seemed satisfied just returning back to their home.

She didn't want to ask Huo Mei about her injury in the presence of Huo Lian so she just nodded at her while Huo Mei nodded back, reassured that everything is well with them, they entered into the sect, the disciples bowed their heads as they watched them walk past then they continued what they were doing.

They entered into the sect hall where the elders were already seated after hearing that the sect madam has returned, she took her seat at the high seat of the hall while the others sat below her.

"We have nothing to be worried about now, everything has been resolved and neither the court nor the alliance will bother us regarding the infiltration and the death of the captain,"

"That is good,"

"That is good,"

"We have nothing to be worried about now,"

"Has Huo Li succeeded in coming out of the mind-destroying pagoda?" the sect madam asked with a look full of expectations in her eyes, although she didn't say anything about it, she has been worried about Huo Li all through the way, three weeks has already passed.

"Sect madam, she still hasn't left the mind-destroying pagoda," Huo Qiang answered apologetically even if it wasn't his fault or the fault of the others, he still felt that he and Bingchen should have taken a share in her punishment.

With disappointment written on her face, she sighed disappointingly.

"But we also succeeded in our plan," Huo Ying said to break the depressing mood in the hall, they looked at her with curiosity but her mother's sad expression changed into a joyous one, remembering that she will be able to see her second daughter even if it is for a second.

"The emperor has allowed Huo Lan to return to us for a day!" Huo Ying announced excitedly.

"What!!!!!" they all chorused in unison.

"Is young mistress serious about this?" Huo Mei asked.

"Would I joke about this?"

"This is great, very great," the third elder remarked while the other two filled their face with happiness.

"It is such a pity that the sect leader is in seclusion so he is won't be able to see the second young mistress," the first elder commented while the other nodded in agreement but nobody wanted to talk about Huo Li to prevent the sect madam's happy mood from being sabotaged.