Outside the cave, suddenly bright and clear.

  No more gloom and silence in the secret path, but a beautiful landscape with clear mountains, green water, birdsong and fragrant flowers, lush vegetation.

  "It's so beautiful here!" Yuer softly exclaimed, and Hua Rou also stretched her body, deeply inhaling the fresh scent of the forest.

  While everyone was admiring the beautiful scenery, Tang Xiao and Tang Ji walked around observing, then Tang Xiao took out a roll of white cloth, grabbed a charcoal pen, and began to draw on the cloth.

  "What's going on?" Yuer curiously stepped forward and asked.

  "Draw a map so we can judge where the checkpoints are located. Otherwise, finding them will waste a lot of time."

  "We should be in the southwest," Tang Ji said, making his own judgment. Yu'er saw this and quietly retreated, not daring to disturb him.

  He glanced at the two people in the painting, then scanned his surroundings, and after that he raised an eyebrow, letting out a faint hiss.

  Hua Rou was right beside Mu Jun, and she curiously asked: "What's wrong?"

  I shook my head and looked around, thinking to myself: This is a trap! However...

  "Alright!" Just then, Tang Xiao had already drawn the map. Everyone heard the sound and naturally gathered around him, surrounding him.

  "I and Tang Ji calculated it, now we should be here." He pointed to a location on the map: "So the nearest checkpoint should be from this side forward one mile, so let's go find that checkpoint first!"

  Apart from them two, everyone else was a first-timer, so there were no objections. Tang Xiao took the lead and they headed deep into the forest.

  At the same time, in the Chu Wang Palace of Changsha Prefecture, King Ma Xisheng, who should have been busy with government affairs, was now squatting in the garden of the imperial flower garden, fighting crickets with two small eunuchs.

  "Bite it! Bite it!" Ma Xi excitedly urged the grasshopper with a straw: "Bite to death! Bite!"

  Eunuch Zhao Jichang hastily arrived with his men, carrying clothes, and reached the side of the two without anyone noticing. He couldn't help but shake his head and clear his throat.

  At that moment, the two little eunuchs immediately stood up in fright, nodding and bowing, while Ma Xi's voice remained squatting on the ground watching the quails in the enclosure and kept shouting "Bite him."

  Zhao Jichang saw this and took a dustpan in his hand, sweeping towards the little eunuch.

  "What are you doing, you rascals? There's still half an hour before the morning assembly, and you're still fooling around here. Aren't you afraid of being late?"

  What can two small eunuchs do? They dare not blame the king, nor can they retort to Zhao Jichang, and can only suffer silently.

  Ma Xi Sheng finally waved his hand and stood up after being beaten several times in a row. Zhao Ji Chang immediately stopped beating him and rushed forward to support him.

  "It's late, so it's late!" Ma Xi said nonchalantly: "I am the king, they are my subjects, what's wrong with making them wait?"

  "Yes, yes, yes. You let them wait, and they naturally should wait." Zhao Jichang continued with a respectful appearance, but he was actually giving a signal to the little eunuchs, who immediately understood and came forward to serve Ma Shi, helping him change his clothes.

  Zhao Jichang's tone suddenly changed as he said: "However, it seems that the ministers today want to discuss with you the funeral rites for Consort Chen..."

  Ma Xi's voice paused: "What else is there to discuss? Didn't we say last time that we would follow the rules and bury him on Shou Mountain?"

  At this time, Zhao Jichang reached into his sleeve pocket and pulled out a letter.

  Ma Xi Sheng's eyebrows furrowed slightly in displeasure the moment he saw the letter, but after snatching it and scanning it briefly, he smiled. "Come, come, come! Hurry up and help me change."

  Xiao Taijian was busy serving, Zhao Jichang quietly stretched out his hand and took the letter from Ma Xisheng's hand, putting it back into his own sleeve pocket.

  ……

  Inside the Chu King's palace, in the hall of political discussion, several high-ranking officials had already been waiting there.

  The boss's tardiness and early departure have become frequent occurrences. At first, they still offered words of advice, but it never had any effect. After a long time, people got tired of it and became accustomed to it. As a result, everyone lazily gathered in their own groups, chatting idly.

  Cui Ying, as the Minister of Works, and Li Dang, the Minister of Revenue, along with Left Chancellor Yao Yan Zhang, were all gathered together.

  "The Emperor wants to repair the garden, you must stop him!" The Left Prime Minister handed over the task to Cui Ying with a displeased expression.

  "My elder brother, that's got to be stopped! When has the Emperor ever taken our words seriously? He's just making it up as he goes along!"

  Cui Ying pinched her brow with a headache-like expression, wearing a helpless look.

  "Just wait..." As soon as Yao Yanzhang's words fell, the eunuch Sangyin Dawang arrived. Yao Yanzhang immediately whispered: "Wait for a moment, I'll go to remonstrate, follow up."

  The two of them nodded in unison and returned to their positions, standing at attention. Ma Xi also sat down on the throne.

  As soon as Zhao Jichang sang a sentence to start the morning meeting, Cui Ying immediately stood up and mentioned the matter of repairing the garden. Yao Yanzhang immediately stepped forward to offer his advice:

  "Your Majesty, the northern states are in turmoil and war is rampant. Although our southern states have ceased hostilities and are recuperating, we must still be cautious of other countries' movements. At this time, it's not suitable to engage in large-scale construction projects like renovating the imperial gardens. I implore Your Majesty to reconsider."

  "Three thoughts?" Ma Xi scolded with a curl of his lip: "Prime Minister, since you returned from your leave, which day haven't you called me 'three thoughts'? I've already had five or six thoughts!"

  "Your Majesty..."

  Ma Xi waved his hand: "No need to say more, this matter is settled, you can withdraw!"

  Yao Yanzhang looked at Li Dang reluctantly, and Li Dang immediately came out to reprimand him. However, the Right Chancellor Xu Dehuan suddenly shouted and stepped forward: "Your Majesty, I have something to say."

  His sudden appearance disrupted the rhythm of the remonstrance, and Ma Xi's single word "Speak!" instantly skipped over the matter of Xiu Yuanzi.

  Choi Yeong and others exchanged a glance, but could only reluctantly back down in the face of Heo Deok-mun's statement.

  "Your Majesty, it has been a month since Consort Chen was assassinated. In order to investigate the assassin and clarify the cause of death, her funeral has not yet taken place. As today's weather is increasingly warm, it is difficult to keep the ice cellar cool, so I request your permission to bury Consort Chen at Shou Mountain."

  "Yes, it's time to bury her." Ma Xi nodded, but suddenly changed the subject: "However... Chen Zhao Yi was the birth mother of Qi Wang. Now that Qi Wang is missing and his mother has passed away, no one can fulfill their filial duties. Burying her in Shou Mountain would be pitiful. The Emperor's edict is to give Chen Zhao Yi a grand burial, with rites equal to those of a noble concubine!"

  Xu De Xun's face changed with shock, the officials were stunned, Yao Yan Zhang frowned and immediately turned to look at Li Dang.

  Li Dang was also puzzled at this time. He glanced at Peng Hui beside him, and Peng Hui was actually closing his eyes to take a nap.

  Li Dang pouted at the sight.

  "Your Majesty?" Xu De Xun was really confused this time - wasn't it agreed upon before? At the moment, he couldn't help but ask: "Didn't we decide to follow the rules..."

  "King Qi and Gu Shou have a deep affection, I really can't bear to see Chen Zhaoyi's funeral being so desolate, let's do it as you said!" Ma Xisheng finished speaking without waiting for others to express their opinions, directly waved his hand and stood up. Zhao Jichang immediately sang "dismiss the court".

  Alright!

  It started late and ended early, and what should have been a lengthy meeting was hastily concluded after discussing only two matters!

  Yao Yanzhang couldn't bear it and subconsciously wanted to offer some advice, but was caught by Li Dang, who shook his head.

  Ma Xi led Zhao Jichang away, and after the high-ranking officials silently bid farewell, they also began to withdraw.

  Xu De Xun then pulled the sleeve of a minister beside him and whispered: "You go and find out, how did it suddenly change like this without even informing us beforehand!"

  At the same time, Li Dang and Yao Yanzhang quickly caught up with Peng Hui, who was just about to step out of the policy hall.

  "Lord Peng!" Yao Yanzhang asked directly: "What do you think about Chen Zhaoyi's lavish funeral?"