“What did you say!” Li Zhaoting’s brow and eyes suddenly darkened like clouds covering the moon.
At this moment, Wei Chenghui let out a low roar, but Sang Zhan’s figure suddenly moved, instantly appearing before him and snatching the child away. Wei Chenghui’s martial arts were extremely high – if not for his shock at what he’d just heard, he wouldn’t have succeeded with one strike.
“Don’t waste any more time, Your Majesty. Do you want to be an unfilial son?” He glanced at Princess Jin, smiling leisurely. Princess Jin hadn’t spoken throughout, her face pale, the agonizing pain in her stomach overwhelming even her anger, leaving no energy for outbursts.
“Fine, I’ll let you go. Sang Zhan, if I’m not mistaken, you’re a lackey of the Murong family. Since I have the ability to dominate, don’t I have the magnanimity to capture and release? The future is long – just wait and see how you remnants will be exterminated.”
Li Zhaoting suspected he feared Wei Chenghui wouldn’t relent and was using Lian Yu’s name to disturb him. He smiled coldly, waved his hand, and the imperial guards again made way.
“Wonderful Minister, please make this trip and serve as guarantor.”
The Wonderful Minister nodded: “Good. Thanks to Your Majesty’s trust, I’ll immediately mobilize troops to leave the city.”
Wei Chenghui and Wuliang exchanged glances, their brows half-furrowed. Wuliang carried poison on him. He had originally wanted to delay time, somehow obtain it from Wuliang and secretly feed it to that bastard Feng Suzhen during their conversation. But this Sang Zhan moved so quickly, and with Li Zhaoting having spoken, he could no longer obstruct – he’d wait for another day!
Sang Zhan only smiled without speaking. He held the child with one hand while using the other to pull off his belt, binding her tightly to his chest. The baby had kept her eyes closed before, but now suddenly opened them wide. A pair of round, black grape-like eyes looked at him as she giggled and babbled.
A trace of tender affection quickly flashed through Sang Zhan’s eyes, then he leaped onto the black horse.
A glint of murderous intent also quickly passed through Li Zhaoting’s eyes.
He whispered a few words in Si Lanfeng’s ear. Having imprisoned Wuqing, Six Fans Gate had long been handed over to trusted subordinates for reorganization. Good – he was just worried about finding Murong family associates. This time he could cast a long line to catch big fish. Otherwise, how would he let someone go so easily!
“First Rank Marquis.”
Just as he spurred his horse out of the garden, Sang Zhan suddenly pulled the reins, turned around smiling: “I almost forgot – having palace servants notify you to enter the palace for audience today was my idea. But originally, the Emperor sought me to deal with you, and I’m certain that without anyone acting, someone like you will naturally meet heaven’s judgment.”
“Also, Your Majesty the Empress, I asked you here to say sorry. I apologize – I cannot take you with me.”
Having said this, he shouted and the black horse’s four hooves flew like wind, disappearing under the palace walls in the night.
Si Lanfeng immediately led a team of elite soldiers away – one to track, another to immediately notify Six Fans Gate constables. Imperial guards naturally brought horses for the Wonderful Minister, with over a hundred imperial guards following closely behind.
Si Lanfeng quietly led two teams of elite soldiers in pursuit – one to secretly track and monitor, another to notify Six Fans Gate.
Li Zhaoting stood in place, his inner rage rolling like river water. Wei Chenghui was old and experienced after all. Though harboring countless thoughts and remembering the previous incident with Wei Wujun, he still managed a dry laugh: “Your Majesty, rest assured. I won’t believe such treasonous words and will naturally exhaust myself serving Your Majesty to preserve peace.”
Li Zhaoting looked at him, also saying: “Exactly so. The traitor deliberately provokes discord, but between me and Minister Wei, no words are needed.”
Wei Chenghui respectfully replied. Li Zhaoting walked to his mother’s side to comfort her gently. At this time, Hong Xiao approached with a pale face, but heard him say coldly: “Don’t think I don’t know – you’ve been extremely close to Sang Zhan recently. You even kept his servant girl in your hall to exchange feelings!”
Hong Xiao felt both angry and fearful. This Sang Zhan seemed to have countless connections with Feng Suzhen. Even if, as Li Zhaoting said, this person was sent by the Murong family, his gaze when looking at the corpse earlier – that look as if viewing all the world’s treasures – had ruthlessly carved through her heart. And his parting words were deliberate…
“Your Majesty, Hong Xiao did this only to make you look at her more…” Her jaw trembled slightly as she hurried to explain.
Li Zhaoting smiled coldly, paying no attention.
Since the Emperor remained here accompanying the Empress Dowager while awaiting the antidote, everyone naturally stayed. Of course, regarding Feng Suzhen and the child, though everyone had thoughts at this moment, none dared say a word.
Everyone could see Li Zhaoting’s temples bulging with veins – his anger had reached the extreme.
Waiting time always feels long. During this period, the entire Imperial Medical Bureau came out in force but indeed could do nothing. Princess Jin clutched her stomach, growing more painful. Just as Li Zhaoting was burning with anxiety and suddenly stood up, Miaoyin’s eyes brightened as she called: “Father.”
Ahead, a horse galloped forward with the Wonderful Minister mounted. He entered the inner court without dismounting, showing his extreme urgency. His face also carried a grave, strange expression. Seeing Li Zhaoting rise, he quickly dismounted, followed by Si Lanfeng.
“How is it?” Li Zhaoting asked urgently.
“The medicine has been tested – it’s definitely the antidote. Your Majesty, here.”
He quickly reached out, holding a porcelain bottle.
Li Zhaoting swiftly took it and fed it to Princess Jin. Princess Jin gasped several times, her stomach gurgled, then her tightly furrowed brow finally slowly relaxed.
“Thank you for your trouble, Minister.” Li Zhaoting sighed in relief and bowed.
The Wonderful Minister quickly returned the courtesy: “Your Majesty is too kind.”
Li Zhaoting was perceptive. Seeing that after one sentence, his face again showed that indescribable deep gravity, he immediately asked: “Does the Wonderful Minister have more to tell me?”
“This…” The Wonderful Minister hesitated slightly, finally lowering his voice: “Your Majesty, this assassin… his… his identity…”
Such a usually wise and steady person now repeatedly hesitated, making Li Zhaoting suspicious: “Father-in-law, speak freely!”
“When leaving, this person said one sentence… Lian Yu gives thanks. Also, he said to tell Your Majesty and Minister Wei that for national enmity and wife’s hatred, he will definitely return to settle accounts.” The Wonderful Minister spoke all his words in one breath.
His voice wasn’t loud – only a few people nearby heard – but from Princess Jin to Wei Chenghui, Miaoyin, Wei Wulei to Hong Xiao, all suddenly froze!
“The Murong family wants to frighten me with such tricks?” Li Zhaoting’s voice was gentle yet vicious. “Ridiculous! Even if this truly were Lian Yu risen from the dead, since I could pull him down from the imperial throne then, what do I fear now!”
“Does he really think he won?”
As he spoke, his lips suddenly curved in a shallow arc. Then he ordered Xiao Si to take good care of the Empress Dowager, commanded strengthening palace guards everywhere, had Wei, Miao, Wuliang and others return first, dismissed all consorts, then led Si Lanfeng and Liang Song to a certain place.
…
Cold Palace
In the courtyard, he stood with hands behind his back, calling coldly: “Guo Sizhen, come out.”
However, no one answered from the palace for a long while. His brow furrowed as he kicked the door open and walked toward the inner hall.
If anyone besides Si and Liang had followed at this time, they would have been greatly shocked. How was this Cold Palace like a Cold Palace at all? Inside was extremely clean and tidy with elegant, simple furnishings.
Yet there were no human voices, nor did it seem inhabited.
Finally, Li Zhaoting came to a side room, pushed the curtain aside and entered. Inside was quiet, like the Empress Dowager’s sleeping hall earlier, with several people lying on the ground.
There were female officials and palace maids – all sent by him – but clearly missing were Guo Sizhen and others who had previously served in the side hall.
And on the bed Li Zhaoting nervously scanned – no one.
Only a piece of paper.
Liang Song tremblingly took the paper and handed it to Li Zhaoting.
The paper didn’t have many words, only one line of bold writing:
“I have taken my wife back. Lian Yu.”
A terrifying flame suddenly rose from Li Zhaoting’s eyes. The paper instantly crumbled to dust in his hands. He kicked over the nearby tea table, and the precious five-treasure enamel vase shattered into fragments.
“Good, what a masterful diversion! But her brother is in my hands – can she disregard his life?” He turned and strode out. Just reaching the courtyard gate, he saw two deputy imperial guard leaders approaching with alarmed expressions.
Si Lanfeng inwardly groaned – they didn’t need any more complications now!
“What is it?” He almost ground his teeth as he spoke.
“Reporting to the Commander, all prison guards in the palace dungeon were drugged, and all prisoners inside have vanished… vanished into thin air! Also, we discovered that soldiers guarding the former Emperor’s birth mother’s residence were also all… drugged unconscious…” The two replied with lowered heads, not daring to breathe.
Si Lanfeng wanted to kill both men upon hearing this!
He no longer dared look at Li Zhaoting’s expression, his heart trembling with a voice saying: It’s him, really him – he’s returned! Simultaneously, he heard heavy breathing from above.
“Vanished into thin air? How could they vanish into thin air… Wei Chenghui once said that the night Lian Yu died, Feng Suzhen was rescued to the palace because there were secret passages in the palace. So this passage was in his birth mother’s room, and those prison people were taken out from there!”
Li Zhaoting spoke word by word with a smile. Si Lanfeng’s scalp crawled, then heard one of them cry out and fall – Li Zhaoting had kicked him down and quickly left the courtyard. He and Liang Song followed with hearts pounding.
Moments before, Hong Xiao had returned to the Central Palace. She didn’t enter her room but had someone bring fruit wine and sat alone drinking in the courtyard.
Seeing Li Zhaoting suddenly enter, she was both surprised and delighted, stepping forward to greet him: “Your Majesty…”
An extremely fierce palm wind struck her face. She fell painfully, staring in disbelief at the man before her with raised palm and iron-blue face.