The Storm unleashed

Yang Mi hurried through the celestial Peach Blossom Hall at Kunlun Palace, her heart pounding with a mix of fear and determination. She knew her mother's wrath would be fierce this time, especially since even her formidable uncle, Lord Fang Zhu, was afraid of the Queen Mother's fury. No one could appease the wrath of the Queen Mother.

As she and Tan Qi reached the gates of Kunlun Palace, they quickened their pace towards the main hall. Inside, the ministers were gathered, discussing important matters of state. The hall fell silent as Yang Mi entered, all eyes turning towards her.

Yang Rui, the Queen Mother of the West, paused the meeting, her piercing gaze locking onto her daughter. Her eyes were sharp enough to kill, and Yang Mi felt their weight as she bowed deeply.

"Mother," Yang Mi said respectfully, kneeling before her.

Yang Rui's voice was cold and unyielding. "Yang Mi, you have defied my orders and brought shame upon this palace. What do you have to say for yourself?"

Yang Mi kept her head bowed, her voice trembling slightly. "I am sorry, Mother. I meant no disrespect. I only wished to experience the mortal world for a brief time."

The Queen Mother's eyes narrowed. "You have always been headstrong, Yang Mi. This time, your actions have consequences. You are confined to your palace. You will not step out even one step from your quarters until I decide otherwise."

Yang Mi's heart sank, but she knew better than to argue. "Yes, Mother."

Yang Rui turned to the assembled ministers. "This meeting is adjourned. We will resume tomorrow."

As the ministers filed out, Yang Mi rose slowly, her mind heavy with worry and regret. Tan Qi followed her closely, offering silent support.

Meanwhile, in the Dayu Kingdom, Bai Jue was beside himself with frustration. Inside the crown prince's palace, he was making a fuss, demanding that the city be searched for the girl who had shared his bed the previous night. The palace was in an uproar, as every servant and guard was mobilized to find her.

"Where is she?!" Bai Jue shouted, throwing a vase against the wall. "She left behind her jade pendant and… and the bloodstain on the bed. I must find her and take responsibility for my actions."

Da Yi, ever loyal and composed, stepped forward with Tang Li, Bai Jue's personal doctor and close friend. "Your Highness, please calm down. Tang Li is here to check on your condition."

Tang Li immediately took Bai Jue's pulse, his brow furrowing in concentration. "Your Highness, it appears the love poison's effect has nearly dissipated. I'm astonished. Your condition has improved drastically overnight."

Bai Jue's eyes widened. "Is that true? Then, the girl… she must have something to do with it."

Tang Li nodded, though he looked troubled. "However, there is still a trace of an aphrodisiac in your system. This is a new drug, likely acquired from the black market. I can treat it easily, but we must be cautious."

Just then, Chang Er and Pei Yuan entered the room. "Your Highness, we have news," Pei Yuan said. "The culprit responsible for the attack has been killed in prison overnight. Someone infiltrated the palace prison."

Bai Jue's expression darkened. "Someone inside the palace must have helped. We need to find out who."

Pei Yuan continued, "Additionally, half of the rice delivered for the public kitchens is rotten. It's clear that corruption runs deep. We have also received insider information about a shipment of salt on the river route. The main benefactors are your half-brother, Bai Li, and Minister Gu Xi. We must do something about it."

Bai Jue's anger boiled over. "Those greedy fools will pay. We must act swiftly and decisively."

That night, Bai Jue and his loyal companions set out towards the river. They moved swiftly and silently, determined to complete their mission. The shipment of salt was their target, and they couldn't afford any mistakes.

"Remember," Bai Jue said, his voice low and urgent, "we need to replace the salt with sand and sink the ship. We must ensure that no one suspects our involvement."

They reached the river under the cover of darkness, and Pei Yuan signaled to his men to begin the operation. Within minutes, the valuable salt was replaced with sand, and the ship was sabotaged to sink upon its next journey.

"Now, we wait," Bai Jue said, his eyes glinting with determination. "This will send a clear message to those who think they can exploit the people."

As they returned to the palace, Bai Jue and his companions strategized their next moves. "We need to gather more evidence against Bai Li and Minister Gu Xi," Bai Jue said. "Their corruption runs deep, and we need solid proof to bring them down."

Chang Er nodded. "We should focus on the public kitchens. If we can expose their misdeeds there, it will create a domino effect."

Pei Yuan added, "We also need to monitor their communications. If we can intercept their messages, we might find more incriminating evidence."

Bai Jue agreed. "Da Yi, I need you to plant trusted men within the kitchens and the transport routes. We need eyes and ears everywhere."

Da Yi bowed. "Consider it done, Your Highness."

The next day, Bai Jue and his team set their plans into motion. Pei Yuan and Chang Er coordinated with their network of spies, while Da Yi discreetly placed loyal men in strategic positions. The crown prince's palace buzzed with activity as they worked tirelessly to gather the evidence they needed.

As reports started coming in, it became clear just how deep the corruption ran. Bai Jue reviewed each piece of information carefully, his mind working quickly to connect the dots. "We're getting closer," he said, determination in his voice. "But we need something that will cause an uproar, something they can't deny."

That evening, Da Yi approached Bai Jue with a stack of documents. "Your Highness, we've intercepted a letter from Minister Gu Xi to Bai Li. It details their plans to embezzle funds from the public treasury and the upcoming shipment of spoiled grains to the capital."

Bai Jue's eyes gleamed. "This is it. This is the evidence we need."

Pei Yuan looked at the documents, his expression serious. "We should create a counter-plan to sabotage their operations without raising suspicion."

Chang Er added, "We should also prepare to protect the witnesses who come forward. Minister Gu Xi and Bai Li won't go down without a fight."

Bai Jue nodded. "Agreed. We must act quickly and decisively."

As the night wore on, Bai Jue and his companions devised a detailed plan to undermine Bai Li and Minister Gu Xi's schemes. The next day, they set their strategy into motion.

Chang Er took charge of the public kitchens, ensuring that loyal men were placed in key positions to monitor and report any irregularities. Pei Yuan focused on intercepting communications, using his network to gather more evidence.

Da Yi coordinated the movements of their trusted men, ensuring that all information flowed seamlessly back to Bai Jue. Each step was meticulously planned to avoid detection and maximize impact.

Bai Jue, in the meantime, worked on building a case that would be irrefutable. He knew that simply exposing the corruption wasn't enough; he needed to ensure that those involved faced justice without causing undue harm to the innocent.

Late one night, Pei Yuan brought urgent news. "Your Highness, we've intercepted a message indicating that Bai Li and Minister Gu Xi are planning another shipment, this time involving gold. They're trying to recoup their losses from the failed salt shipment."

Bai Jue's eyes narrowed. "We need to intercept that shipment and expose their greed. This will be the final blow."

Chang Er agreed. "We must act swiftly. If we can seize the gold, it will cripple their resources and provide undeniable proof of their corruption."

The following night, Bai Jue and his team executed their plan. Moving under the cover of darkness, they intercepted the shipment of gold. Using the same tactics as before, they replaced the gold with worthless stones and ensured the ship would sink before reaching its destination.

As dawn broke, the news of the missing gold shipment spread like wildfire. Bai Li and Minister Gu Xi were thrown into disarray, their plans unraveling before their eyes.

Bai Jue gathered his loyal companions, his expression resolute. "We've dealt a significant blow, but we must remain vigilant. They will be desperate and dangerous now."

Pei Yuan nodded. "We've already increased security around the palace and the public kitchens. We won't let our guard down."

Chang Er added, "We've also spread the word among the people. They're beginning to see the truth about Bai Li and Minister Gu Xi."

As the palace buzzed with the news of the failed shipment, Bai Jue felt a sense of satisfaction. They had managed to cripple the corrupt officials without causing undue harm to the innocent. Their actions had sent a clear message: the people of the Dayu Kingdom would no longer tolerate exploitation and greed.

That night, as Bai Jue reviewed the remaining evidence, he couldn't help but think of the mysterious girl who had changed everything. He still had her jade pendant, a symbol of their fateful encounter.

"I will find you," he whispered to himself. "No matter what it takes."

Meanwhile, in her confined quarters, Yang Mi clutched her own thoughts, wondering if Bai Jue was thinking of her as she was of him. Little did she know, their destinies were already entwined, and the challenges they faced were only the beginning of their journey together.