The outcome of this competition was already clear. Ouyang Qinglin did not truly intend to kill the Gu Master; he wanted to spare his life. If Gu Qianying were to be troubled by the Gu poison within Su Cheng's body in the future, this person might prove useful.
As Ouyang Qinglin made a gesture, the Gu Master on the ground gradually regained consciousness. He looked at Ouyang Qinglin with surprise, wondering why he hadn't killed him.
"We agreed to a competition, and I naturally wouldn't take your life."
Hearing this, the Gu Master on the ground was stunned. He could never have imagined that after intending to take Ouyang Qinglin's life, he would end up suffering a backlash and being saved by him.
The Empress looked at the two below with great satisfaction.
"The competition has concluded. Both of you possess distinct advantages in your abilities, but the victor is clear: it is this Wizard Ouyang. I hereby declare you the First Wizard."
Upon this decree, the officials present bowed to Ouyang Qinglin to offer their congratulations.
"It is unexpected that Wizard Ouyang possesses such profound sorcery at such a young age. With you in the palace, the Empress will surely be safe henceforth."
Ouyang Qinglin's position was now of paramount importance, and the court officials vied to flatter him.
Despite being a man, due to his elevated status, he was the sole object of admiration for the Empress.
During the banquet, the Empress issued an order for celebration. After the feast, she summoned Ouyang Qinglin to her imperial study.
Although he was unsure of the Empress's intentions, considering he still needed to find Gu Qianying, he could only comply with the Empress's summons.
However, when Ouyang Qinglin arrived at the imperial study, he found not the Empress, but the Grand Tutor Su, who was second only to the Empress in power.
Uncertain of their scheme, Ouyang Qinglin entered cautiously.
"The wizard has arrived, please be seated quickly."
Grand Tutor Su, seeing him, quickly rose and invited him to sit beside him.
Although the Grand Tutor held the highest position in court, Ouyang Qinglin, due to his exceptional sorcery, held a status equal to hers, even without an official title.
Seeing that the Grand Tutor was being considerate, Ouyang Qinglin nodded and sat down.
The Grand Tutor then ordered tea to be served and dismissed the attendants.
With only the two of them in the room, Grand Tutor Su no longer played coy.
"Wizard Ouyang, before you entered the palace for the competition, did you hear any unfounded rumors about the palace?"
He intended to probe and ascertain how much the wizard knew.
Ouyang Qinglin did not conceal anything. He smiled and recounted what he had learned.
"I heard that children often cry in the palace at midnight, and it is rumored to be haunted. However, I do not believe so. If it were truly ghosts, I would have sensed it on my first day in the palace, but there have been no strange sounds these past two days, so the palace rumors are false."
Seeing his logical analysis, Grand Tutor Su nodded.
"Indeed, the palace is not haunted. It is because the Empress's personal maid was involved with an outsider and gave birth to a child. You may not know this, but that personal maid has been the Empress's close attendant since childhood. Faced with such an incident, the Empress could not bear to punish her harshly and allowed the child to remain as the next Saintess. However, the child is still young and prone to crying. These past few days, the child has been particularly frail, and we are indeed concerned about its health."
Hearing his words, Ouyang Qinglin knew that half of what he said was fabricated; the child was undoubtedly the Empress's.
However, his purpose for coming was not to care for an infant. There was no need to inquire further into these matters; he would simply pretend to know nothing.
Thus, Ouyang Qinglin feigned understanding and rose, cupping his hands.
"Her Majesty the Empress is truly benevolent. The maid should have been executed for such an offense, but the Empress chose to keep her and conceal the matter. She is truly a reincarnation of a Bodhisattva."
Such praise was well-received by those hidden in the shadows. She signaled to Grand Tutor Su, and then heard the Grand Tutor's voice.
"Naturally, our Empress is inherently kind-hearted. However, the child's health is frail. While simple ailments can be treated by imperial physicians, we hope that the wizard can assist in nurturing its weakened state."
Ouyang Qinglin would naturally not refuse such a favorable opportunity. If he agreed to care for the child, he could reside in the palace, which would make finding Gu Qianying much more convenient.
He readily agreed and confidently promised to take good care of the child.
With his assurance, Grand Tutor Su and the Empress were relieved.
Fearing that the outside world would learn of the child's existence, the Empress ordered that the wizard's presence in the palace was for warding off evil spirits and ghosts, and that unauthorized personnel were not to discuss it. This allowed the wizard to move freely within the palace.
With this directive, Ouyang Qinglin's actions became considerably easier.
After familiarizing himself with the palace for two days, one night, while the child slept and the guards outside had relaxed their vigilance towards him, Ouyang Qinglin found an excuse to leave his residence and search the palace for Gu Qianying's whereabouts.
However, this time his objective was not solely to find Gu Qianying; he also intended to investigate Grand Tutor Su's identity.
Gu Qianying had previously mentioned that Grand Tutor Su, despite dressing as a woman, was actually a man. In the Nan Yi Kingdom, even if the Empress favored him, she should not be so obedient to a man.
In the past few days, it appeared that while the Empress issued decrees outwardly, certain decisions were made by Grand Tutor Su alone behind the scenes.
This was clearly irregular.
If Grand Tutor Su's identity was not clarified, and he continued to target Gu Qianying, future troubles would only escalate.
Since he now had the opportunity to move freely within the palace, Ouyang Qinglin would naturally not let it pass.
While he was making efforts, Gu Qianying had not slackened in the slightest.
Having disguised herself as a palace maid, Gu Qianying could currently move within a limited area of the palace.
The imperial kitchens were located in a remote area. After dinner, the palace maids, free from constraints, could naturally move about freely in the vicinity.
There were few guards in this area. As Gu Qianying walked, she arrived before a desolate building.
Although the surrounding vegetation was withered and the place appeared eerie and terrifying, there were surprisingly many guards at the entrance of such a location.
Gu Qianying had been scouting the area for a long time and had never encountered such an out-of-place place.
The various anomalies aroused her suspicion. Taking advantage of the guards' shift change, she stealthily leaped into the courtyard.
When she looked up at the plaque on the roof of the building in the courtyard, she finally understood that this place was the Cold Palace.
She had not expected the Empress's palace to have such a place; it seemed she had underestimated her.
Gu Qianying walked cautiously through the courtyard. It was strange; despite being the Cold Palace, it should not have been so quiet, nor should the courtyard have been empty.
The eerie atmosphere made her alert again. She cautiously leaped onto the rooftop.
As she looked through the opening in the roof tiles at the light emanating from within, Gu Qianying was suddenly shocked.
How could the person inside be in such a state?