My Wife Turns Out to be an Empress of the Dynasty

In his mind, the swaying figure of the palace maid departing emerged, causing a slight crease on Gu Lan's brow, which soon gave way to a realization.

He recollected it: within the Stone Forest Transmission Array, the veiled woman he had monitored with his soul fragment was none other than this self-proclaimed Jade Sun palace maid!

"Fascinating, she's quite swift... Could her visit to the palace be merely to observe the Empress Dowager?"

Gu Lan murmured to himself, withdrawing his gaze from the tiles of the Cining Palace.

He did not proceed to investigate the Cining Palace further because it was futile.

The woman's cultivation and methods were remarkably proficient; she could even perceive his divine sense.

There would be no oversights in such a place.

Gu Lan turned instead towards the Hall of Nurturing Harmony where Mu Yuyan handled petitions today, as there was no morning court.

Upon seeing Gu Lan, a gleam of joy flashed in her eyes.

"How come you have time to visit today? Missing me again?" She teased.

Gu Lan's lips curled slightly.

"I've nearly finished my reading. Originally, I intended to gather ingredients for soup, but I encountered some matters on the way and felt it necessary to advise you to be cautious, so I came."

Though his tone was casual, Mu Yuyan sensed a hint of gravity beneath the surface.

Her husband's cultivation had always been calmly displayed; it was rare for him to offer such deliberate warnings.

Mu Yuyan's expression turned serious.

"There's no need to be so tense over trivial matters..."

Sensing Mu Yuyan's change in demeanor, Gu Lan reassured her with a smile before continuing, "I encountered a palace maid who had disguised herself so well that I didn't notice at first. It was only through some subsequent tests of cultivation that I realized. This maid had appeared in the Stone Forest Transmission Array and had even manipulated it."

"But when I recalled it, I couldn't find her anymore. Her intentions are dubious... So, I thought to alert Madam and have our subordinates continue searching for her within the capital city."

"The Imperial Announcements Bureau now possesses treasures I bestowed upon them, significantly improving their ability to detect unfamiliar auras. It could be useful."

Understanding her husband's implicit message, Mu Yuyan nodded gracefully.

"Very well, I shall make the arrangements."

Later on, as this command spread, the entire capital city sprang into action.

Numerous patrols crisscrossed the city, scrutinizing suspicious individuals.

The assassins from the Misty Rain Building, upon hearing about this, also joined in, eager to seize this rare opportunity for recognition.

During this period, Wei Zhi became quite busy.

Although his cultivation wasn't high, times like these required loyal grassroots officials to step up, presenting a chance for promotion.

"You search the west of the city; you lead a team to the east!"

Wei Zhi calmly arranged, demonstrating his leadership skills.

"Lord!"

A Misty Rain Building assassin approached, wearing a flattering smile that hardly resembled an assassin.

Wei Zhi paused, asking, "What is it?"

"We wonder if Lord is searching for the suspicious woman mentioned in Her Majesty's reward notice? If so, we're willing to cooperate. We at the Misty Rain Building are quite adept at finding people," the assassin proposed, with nods of agreement from his comrades.

They weren't high-ranking within the Misty Rain Building, and opportunities to gain favor with superiors were rare.

Moreover, they weren't blind to the Lord's attitude towards Her Majesty; pleasing the Lord was akin to pleasing Mu Yuyan and gaining favor with Her Majesty.

Furthermore, the assassin made a valid point: a professional assassin without the ability to track individuals might as well retire.

Wei Zhi's eyes lit up.

Knowing these people were subordinates of the Consecrator of Tianji Pavilion, he felt a natural fondness due to their past lifesaving actions.

Wei Zhi shared the information about the palace maid named Yuyang with them.

With both official and underworld forces now searching, even in such a vast city, every corner was turned upside down.

Yet, despite this extensive search, the elusive palace maid remained elusive.

The Imperial Announcements Bureau and the Imperial Guards could only report their inability to find her.

Perhaps she had already left the capital city.

Meanwhile, at Gu's Teahouse...

Old Yang stood in the hall, his face filled with contentment and a proud smile.

With the support of the court, the teahouse's development was remarkable.

As a prince's enterprise, it enjoyed tax exemptions.

Combined with Gu Lan's unique tea creations, greatly loved by the capital city's populace, business at Gu's Teahouse flourished by the day.

The city was teeming with wealthy individuals, capable of affording a pot of premium flower tea priced at a hundred taels.

Even the surplus of the celestial tea rewards from the system, now part of the teahouse's offerings, was introduced via auctions.

These celestial teas, not priced but auctioned, with only one pot released per month, commanded exorbitant prices, sometimes tens of thousands of taels of silver per pot.

Apart from the teas, the storytellers at Gu's Teahouse garnered considerable attention in the capital city.

More people visited the teahouse for storytelling than frequented brothels.

This was because the stories told were penned by Gu Lan himself.

He had left numerous novels, already read by Mu Yuyan and others, in the teahouse. These fantastical tales proved immensely captivating.

Soon, under the influence of the celestial tea and the court's support, Gu's Teahouse gained prominence in the capital city.

Every day saw a full house, with the fame and wealth of the Gu's Teahouse reverberating throughout the surrounding regions.

How could Old Yang, the teahouse's manager, not feel proud?

After all, the young master was engrossed in his studies, and with the Spring Exams approaching, he had no time to tend to the teahouse.

The current success of the teahouse was all thanks to him.

With such a thriving business, envy and jealousy naturally arose among nearby merchants.

However, they were powerless against the formidable background of Gu's Teahouse.

With Prince Jingyang's overt support, any attempts to undermine the thriving enterprise were futile.

Moreover, besides Prince Jingyang, the teahouse's proprietress was rumored to be none other than Her Majesty, Mu Yuyan herself!

"Waiter, when does today's celestial tea auction begin?"

A bold merchant entered the teahouse, immediately inquiring upon sitting down.

The waiter approached with a smile, "Please wait a moment, Lord. The celestial tea auction will commence in an hour."

The merchant nodded, ordering a random pot of tea. Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire

Even the most ordinary pot here cost ten taels of silver.

This was a common sight today because it was auction day for the celestial tea.

The reason the celestial tea fetched such high prices was its undeniable effects, befitting its celestial grade status.

After consuming it, cultivators could enhance their comprehension for a period, while even ordinary people could extend their lifespan, improve their health, and on the day of consumption, experience a rejuvenating burst of vitality, akin to a second spring.

With such extraordinary effects, the exorbitant prices were understandable.

With Gu's Teahouse offering the celestial tea, envy and longing welled among nearby merchants and even tea merchants in other provinces.