The guard hurriedly reported: “There truly is no trace. I sent two men skilled in swimming to search the channel, but found no sign of the Crown Prince. Later we sent people to the palace lake, but saw no one swimming… If the Crown Prince has met with misfortune… it might take some time before he floats to the surface…”
Empress Tang was so angered by his words that she choked, grabbing a teacup beside her and hurling it violently at the guard: “By the time the Crown Prince’s corpse floats up, grass will already be growing on your graves! Go! Search again! Find him alive or find his body!”
Though struck on the forehead, the guard captain didn’t dare dodge, only enduring the pain as he continued reporting: “But… but when my subordinate went to examine the lake, he discovered that the iron grating blocking the underwater passage had been pried open at some unknown time… I fear the Crown Prince… I fear the Crown Prince has already swum back to the inner palace!”
What! The Empress’s eyes widened, and her whole body involuntarily shuddered.
What was this about the iron grating? Could someone have been working with Feng Qiyuan from the inside and outside?
She maintained her composure, ordering the guards to expand their search and secretly look in the lakes of the inner palace.
After the guards left, the Empress remained unsettled, pacing anxiously in the hall.
Feng Qiyuan had stayed with His Majesty at the Western Sea Palace and could indeed swim. But because he had nearly drowned after being frightened by the Grand Prince in his childhood, he didn’t enjoy water activities.
This kind of madness—jumping into the channel without a word—was completely unlike Feng Qiyuan’s behavior!
Such rebellious actions were more like… his biological sister!
With this thought, Empress Tang suddenly widened her eyes and loudly said to Song Ao: “Come, let’s go to Chunwen Palace!”
When they arrived at Chunwen Palace, the drowsy guard on duty hastily came forward but said the Crown Prince hadn’t yet risen.
That Jian Hu girl was also sleeping deeply, impossible to wake, no matter how they called, until Song Ao finally awakened her with a splash of tea.
The Empress, her heart burning like oil in a pan, had no time to reprimand the servants and directly stormed into the palace.
But when she lifted the curtain, she found the bed empty.
Empress Tang turned around with wide eyes, asking through gritted teeth: “The Crown Prince… where is he!”
The guards looked at each other, speechless. Jian Hu, who had just been awakened with a bowl of cold water, wore an expression of panic, her legs giving way as she knelt.
Just as Empress Tang was about to order a palace-wide search, a lazy voice came from beside the window: “Mother Empress missed me? Why have you come so early?”
Only to see a youth’s head sticking out from the window—hair disheveled, wearing plain white silk casual clothes, biting into a sweet melon with a grin.
This indolent appearance did indeed look like someone who had just risen from bed.
Empress Tang quickly walked to the youth, and seeing the flippant manner, knew immediately this was the imposter Yan Xiaoying.
She reached out to touch the girl’s hair—it was dry, as were her clothes, not at all like someone who had just been swimming.
Could it be… that the insane person who jumped into the water was truly Feng Qiyuan?
The Empress, uncertain and alarmed, waved for the guards and palace maids to leave, then stared intensely at Xiaoying’s eyes and asked tensely: “Do you know… the Crown Prince jumped into the water?”
Yan Xiaoying widened her eyes, spitting out the melon stem: “Ah! How could he be so desperate? Has he been rescued?”
The Empress said nothing more, only narrowing her eyes, trying to find some flaw in the girl’s face.
Yan Xiaoying also remained silent, looking back at the Empress in confusion: “Your Majesty, you’re not speaking. Could it be… the Crown Prince has perished?”
As she spoke, her eyes reddened, and she choked up: “Heavens! So young… how could he be so desperate! Your Majesty, is it because you’ve been too strict, treating the Crown Prince poorly, causing him to harbor such despair that he drowned himself?”
The girl’s voice grew louder, and the Empress hastily covered her mouth, frowning as she scolded in a low voice: “Even if he’s dead, it’s not your place to mourn! Shut your mouth!”
Yan Xiaoying turned her head to shake off the Empress’s hand, her expression changing with perfect control, once again adopting her flippant manner: “You’re right.”
Saying this, she climbed in through the window, continuing to eat the sweet melon while mumbling: “Since I needn’t mourn, what orders does Your Majesty have in coming here?”
Having resolved her doubts, the Empress now had no clear plan, and a throbbing pain developed in her temples.
She once again deeply regretted pulling off the “cat for a prince” scheme those years ago.
Who could have imagined that the always obedient Feng Qiyuan would be so troublesome, jumping into the water and disappearing at such a crucial moment?
Thinking of this, she urgently instructed Song Ao to send people to search the entire palace thoroughly.
Furthermore, until the Crown Prince was found, Yan Xiaoying was forbidden to leave her room or see anyone.
After all, if the Crown Prince’s body floated in the lake, or if Feng Qiyuan ran about and was seen by someone, how would they explain this Crown Prince who kept appearing here and there?
Outside the palace, that mad dog Mu Hanjiang refused to let go of the account books, while her brother was in desperate straits, demanding daily that she find a solution.
Now, within the palace, there was this life-threatening chaos with Feng Qiyuan’s uncertain fate!
Empress Tang didn’t know what had gone wrong lately—nothing was going smoothly. There were endless fires to put out, and she was struggling to manage everything at once.
Now all she could do was continue searching the lake, determine if he was alive or dead, and then make further plans.
After the Empress left, the guards she brought remained behind, locking the doors and sealing the windows.
Jian Hu, having been severely reprimanded by Song Ao, was also resentful. She stood by the window, softly cursing Yan Xiaoying for a while, telling her she wouldn’t get dinner that night, before leaving with hatred.
Yan Xiaoying smiled indifferently, tossed away the melon rind, and turned to lie back on the bed.
She needed to sort through the many changes of the day.
Today, after jumping into the channel in her brother’s place, she followed the lakeside, circling to the study where she usually read.
When no one was reading there, there were no guards. The study contained the Crown Prince’s clothing chest. After changing clothes there, she went to find Uncle Hai, who, following her earlier instructions, had prepared a fire.
While she dried her hair using a small stove, Uncle Hai had already left to carry out his part of the plan.
The place where her brother was imprisoned was desolate, situated opposite the mad prince’s residence.
With her brother missing, the people there had lost their leadership. After discovering the breach in the lake’s iron grating, they would surely withdraw quickly to search for him.
In those two days, craftsmen’s carts had been entering and leaving the abandoned hall. Uncle Hai had already contacted her subordinates planted in the capital. Disguised as craftsmen, they would enter the outer side of the abandoned hall and transport her unconscious brother, hidden under the bed, out by cart.
In the capital, she had previously established a safe location. Once out, people would naturally be waiting to receive him.
According to Xiaoying’s wishes, Uncle Hai needn’t return and could regain his freedom.
However, Uncle Hai shook his head, saying he must return; otherwise, the mysterious disappearance of a palace servant would certainly create suspicion.
Xiaoying had not yet escaped, and he couldn’t let her face danger alone.
If the operation to move someone from the abandoned hall succeeded, he would return to the palace before sunset and make a cat’s meow signal as he passed by her palace gate to inform her.
So after drying her hair, Yan Xiaoying snuck back to Chunwen Palace, just in time to encounter the Empress’s sudden inspection.
She stayed not only because there were old scores to settle but also to stall and stabilize the Empress, buying time for her brother and the others, preventing the Empress from thinking of returning to search the room in the abandoned hall.
If all went smoothly, her brother should already have been moved out of the abandoned hall by Uncle Hai.
Xiaoying wasn’t worried about her situation. The Eastern Palace was no longer filled with the Empress’s people.
Once that Tang woman lost her footing and imprisoned him in the Eastern Palace without reason, the news would quickly spread throughout the palace.
She’d heard His Majesty was planning a grand banquet, having prepared for it for some time. General Yezhong, who had been stationed outside the capital, had returned. His Majesty, feeling nostalgic, had already summoned many old comrades from his military days.
Tomorrow, His Majesty would feast with old friends, and if her calculations were correct, all the princes would need to attend to meet people. The Empress couldn’t confine her for long.
She only needed to remain calm and wait for Uncle Hai’s message of safety. With this thought, she peacefully closed her eyes.
However, she felt somewhat guilty toward A’Yuan. That morning, while he was drilling wood for fire, Xiaoying had secretly put some sleeping powder in his water cup. The amount wasn’t much, but enough for a long sleep.
There was no alternative; he was too clever. If he remained conscious, he would certainly discover her subordinates moving her brother next door, creating unnecessary trouble.
Better to let A’Yuan sleep, sparing both of them complications.
As the sun began to set, Xiaoying still hadn’t heard Uncle Hai’s cat meow signal.
Confined in the Eastern Palace, she didn’t know if Uncle Hai had successfully smuggled her brother out of the palace!
A day passed in silence. But Uncle Hai seemed not to have returned at all.
Xiaoying spent a sleepless night. Trying to open the window for fresh air, she found all windows sealed.
She took a deep breath, not wanting to disturb her thoughts, and picked up a feather duster nearby, using it as a sword to perform a staff routine from the opera “Thunder God Saves His Father.”
After dancing to her satisfaction, she sang in the martial actor style: “Lei Kai, take my staff!”
From outside the door came a voice of admiration: “The Crown Prince has fine taste. This melody stirs one’s spirit!”
Yan Xiaoying calmly put away the feather duster, peered through the door crack, and grinned: “Eunuch Li, how do you have time to visit me?”
It was Eunuch Li from Emperor Chunde’s side.
The old eunuch smiled at the iron-locked doors and asked the nearby guards in a neutral tone: “His Majesty wishes to summon all the princes to a banquet. What game is the Eastern Palace playing, locking the doors like this?”
No matter how incompetent Feng Qiyuan might be, he was still the Crown Prince. Throughout the palace, apart from His Majesty, only the Empress would dare to lock up the Crown Prince.
Li Quan knew perfectly well, but pretended ignorance.
The guards beside him looked uncomfortable, saying it was the Empress’s order.
Eunuch Li remained calm, smiling: “His Majesty summons him. Will Empress be willing to release him?”
If they couldn’t make such a simple choice, they shouldn’t be serving in the palace.
Before Eunuch Li finished speaking, someone had already hurried to unlock the door.
A clever guard, when no one was looking, quickly ran off to send a message to the Empress.
Once the door was opened, Yan Xiaoying swung the feather duster in her hand, sauntering out grandly. She then tossed the duster to Jin Zhong, the small eunuch beside her, and followed Eunuch Li out of the Eastern Palace.
Just after leaving the Eastern Palace, she saw the Second Prince standing by the palace pathway, chatting casually with someone.
Seeing her emerge, the Second Prince turned as if by chance, then smiled and hurried over to pay his respects.
It seemed news of her imprisonment by the Empress had quietly spread throughout the palace overnight.
Mother and son at odds—the hidden story was too enticing. The Second Prince, tortured by curiosity, had deliberately waited here to watch the drama unfold.
Yan Xiaoying ignored this smiling tiger, looking past him at the other person.
That jade-like elegance, that refined and poised demeanor—in all of the capital, only the Mu family’s young master had such a bearing!
It seemed Young Master Mu was deeply favored by His Majesty. Though not a prince, he had also been summoned into the palace. But why had he come to chat outside her door?
Her “private meeting” with Mu Hanjiang at the opera house couldn’t be revealed, so she greeted him cheerfully: “Young Master’s leg has healed wonderfully. Perhaps it’s the mystical feng shui of Father Emperor’s steps. I should try falling them sometime to see if my mind might become sharper!”
What a sarcastic remark!
The Second Prince stood to the side with a fake smile, waiting to see Mu Hanjiang “return the favor” to the Crown Prince.
Everyone at court knew of the enmity between Mu Hanjiang and the Crown Prince. This fourth brother must have lost his mind, with such audacity to tease the normally cold and aloof Young Master Mu.
Had the Empress raised him to be a fool? Did he truly not know what a formidable character the next head of the Mu family was?
Four years of imprisonment had taught him nothing!
However, much to the Second Prince’s disappointment, Mu Hanjiang seemed to possess a gentleman’s demeanor today. Looking at the grinning Crown Prince, his expression remained peaceful. He even complimented the Crown Prince, saying he was the proud son of the dragon, naturally born clever, and expressing his wishes for good health, along with other pleasantries.
That completely non-confrontational, humble manner made it seem as if the Mu family’s young master had become a different person, entirely forgetting how Feng Qiyuan had once caused his leg to become lame.
Not only was the Second Prince secretly shocked, but Xiaoying also found such a peaceful Mu Hanjiang uninteresting and stopped teasing him.
She simply turned her head and pretended not to know, asking Eunuch Li why His Majesty had summoned the princes.
Eunuch Li smiled and said, “His Majesty is hosting a banquet today for General Ye and several old comrades from the military. These are all people who fought together with His Majesty in the wilderness. They’ve brought their families and children, making it like a family gathering. His Majesty wants his old friends to see the princes’ demeanor, so he sent me to find you all.”
It turned out that Yezhong, Emperor Chunde, and Mu Hanjiang’s father, Mu Shen, were sworn brothers from their youth, with life-and-death friendship.
All three had led troops in battle, and many of their commanding officers who had charged into battle with them were numerous. Many were elderly now, having long retired from military service.
This time, His Majesty’s late wife’s brother, Yezhong, had been absent from the capital for a full ten years and finally returned victorious from the northern border city.
Taking advantage of this rare opportunity, the officers who had built the empire with His Majesty received invitations to enter the capital with their wives, children, and grandchildren to reunite with General Ye. Even Imperial Tutor Master Ge, as a former strategist and subordinate, brought his wife, Madam Sun, to attend.
Unfortunately, Duke Ding, Mu Shen, had been bedridden for many years due to poor health and couldn’t receive guests.
So His Majesty had summoned Young Master Mu to the palace to replace his father and meet his father’s old comrades.
The hall was crowded. The children and grandchildren of those old officers, speaking in familiar provincial accents, paid their respects to the princes.
This scene of friendly kinship made Emperor Chunde, long in a high position, feel exceptionally nostalgic and warm.
In years past, when he was still a down-and-out crown prince, wasn’t he drinking from large bowls and sharing large chunks of meat with these old friends?
Back then, when they drank too much, they would even brawl, and after beating each other black and blue, they would drink together again, letting bygones be bygones.
That uninhibited exuberance had been so refreshing!
Now he was enshrined in court, spending his days with a group of literary officials picking over words and phrases, mutually speculating about each other’s thoughts and maintaining balance. How he missed the days in the rural military camps when he was a crown prince!
Besides the princes, Consort Shang was the only female palace inhabitant present to accompany them.
She had entered the household earlier than Empress Tang, being taken into the then-Prince Chunde’s residence less than a year after Lady Ye had given birth.
At that time, Lady Ye’s relationship with His Majesty had soured, and she was ashamed to see people. The affairs of the hall and backyard were mostly handled by Lady Shang.
These old comrades who had fought alongside His Majesty had all eaten soup and rice personally made by Consort Shang in the residence.
With this old friendship, Consort Shang seemed more like a sister-in-law to these people than Empress Tang, who had been properly married later.
Now, seeing old friends and relatives, Consort Shang also showed emotion at the reunion, no longer maintaining a consort’s reserved dignity. She ladled wine and served dishes, taking the Second Prince along to socialize.
Calling them “Sister Xiao,” “Second Uncle Li,” “Third Uncle,” “Sister Sun,” she was all-around charming and approachable.
Xiaoying found a table to sit at, observing the various people.
Among those present were some eccentric characters.
Among them was an old man with white hair and a white beard, his expression gloomy. Rather than appearing like a friend at a reunion, he looked more like someone attending a funeral. Sitting at the table nearest the window, he lay askew without any decorum, drinking sullenly.
He didn’t even bother to accept the wine Consort Shang offered, just staring fixedly out the window at the sky, seemingly looking at nothing in particular.
Jin Zhong didn’t recognize this person, so Xiaoying moved closer to Mu Hanjiang, nudged him, and asked who the man was.
Mu Hanjiang glanced at Xiaoying and said: “He is my maternal grandfather’s younger brother, the third in his family. His given name is ‘Tianyang.’ Being a member of the martial arts world, he has never entered the court as an official, so his manners are not particularly rigorous. I ask the Crown Prince’s forgiveness.”
Oh, so he was the brother of Swordmaster Xiao Jiumu! The Swordmaster’s name resounded throughout the jianghu. His third brother must also be a martial arts figure of considerable skill.
Yan Xiaoying was not familiar with the martial alliance and jianghu heroes and wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about this banquet.
Besides worrying about her brother and Uncle Hai, she also spared some thought for the one in Tianlu Palace.
Yesterday, A’Yuan had deliberately set fire to divert the people from her brother’s palace.
If Feng Qiyuan remained missing, given the Empress’s temperament, she would certainly trace it back to its source and investigate A’Yuan.
Hopefully, A’Yuan was alert enough to handle it; otherwise, even with some martial arts skills, one fist couldn’t fight many, and he would struggle to protect himself…
She wondered what purpose the letter written in code served. Was it just to report safety to an acquaintance? And what was happening now with the Grand Prince who had been pressed under the Five Finger Mountain?
Just then, the face of the guard captain flashed by outside the palace gate. He exchanged a few words with the gate guards, cautiously peered inside, and then turned to leave.
It seemed the Empress had learned of Yan Xiaoying being summoned and had sent him to check the situation. But the great hall was peaceful, with nothing unusual, and certainly no sign of the missing Crown Prince suddenly appearing.
The guard captain was somewhat relieved and turned to leave.
Xiaoying had no interest in remaining in the hall either. She wanted to take the opportunity to find Uncle Hai and ask about the situation on his end.
So she found an excuse of needing to use the facilities, left the side hall, and then, using the pretext of dispelling the effects of wine, took only Jin Zhong with her to stroll in the garden.
After walking for a while, she saw the Empress’s trusted guard captain hurrying not far ahead. She watched as he approached the outer wall of the isolated, abandoned hall.
The Department of Works needed to renovate the outer hall, with funds to be provided by the Imperial Household Department.
Two days earlier, Xiaoying had taken precautions and spoken with Minister Li, wanting to take on the task of repairing the outer hall. Such tasks always had some profit to be made. As a prince, she had enormous entertainment expenses, and some accounts couldn’t be submitted to the household department, so she needed some avenues for income.
Minister Li had understood immediately and, without hesitation, given the task to the Crown Prince, but the key had not yet been handed over to her.
Unexpectedly, the only large gate in that palace wall had already been opened. Could it be that the Department of Works needed to transport materials and had opened the gate early?
The guard captain also seemed surprised. After examining the lock, he seemed to recall something and suddenly hurried toward the abandoned hall.
Xiaoying thought, “This is bad!”
Her brother’s successful escape depended entirely on the fire set by the Grand Prince.
In the chaos of yesterday morning, the guard captain probably hadn’t had time to think carefully. But now, with the outer palace gate wide open, he might think of the mad prince and realize what had happened.
If pushed to desperation, A’Yuan might be affected and unable to protect himself!
After all, they were half master and disciple. She couldn’t bear for A’Yuan to meet a tragic end for helping her.
Just as Xiaoying was about to step forward to follow and see, a deep voice came from behind: “Where does Your Highness intend to go?”
Xiaoying turned to look and saw Mu Hanjiang in his plain robes, standing gracefully with his attendants not far away.
Xiaoying had already prepared an excuse: “I’ve just gotten the lucrative task of repairing the abandoned hall from the Department of Works. Seeing the door open, I wanted to go have a look. What about you, Lord Mu? Have you also come out to sober up?”
The evening sun’s glow hadn’t yet dispersed. Mu Hanjiang looked at the Crown Prince’s soft, clear face and politely said, “That place has been abandoned for a long time and likely has snakes and rats. I’m concerned for Your Highness’s safety and would like to accompany you.”
Having said this, he extended his long arms in a gesture of invitation.
Yan Xiaoying knew that refusal would only make the head of the shadow guards more suspicious. She grinned and said, “Lord Mu is thoughtful. When sobering up with a walk, one naturally seeks what is pleasing to the eye. You and I rarely have the opportunity to converse alone—how delightful!”
In the past, if Mu Hanjiang had heard such flirtatious words from the Crown Prince, he would have long ago maintained a cold distance, dissociating himself from the Crown Prince rumored to favor men.
But now Young Master Mu’s tolerance seemed to have increased considerably. Hearing such explicit words from the Crown Prince, he remained unmoved and walked closer to ask: “Since Your Highness finds me suitable for conversation, might you tell me why the Empress confined you? Perhaps I can help Your Highness share this worry?”
Xiaoying was determined to increase Young Master Mu’s guilt and whispered, moving closer: “Naturally, it’s because I spent an entire day at the opera house, and Mother Empress was furious and reprimanded me… Do you think my loyalty to you is sincere enough?”
Mu Hanjiang had gained some new understanding of the Crown Prince’s temperament. Hearing her speak like this, he narrowed his gaze and whispered in her ear: “I heard that after the Empress confined Your Highness, she sent many people to dredge the palace lake… Did Your Highness drop something important into the lake, thus angering the Empress?”
Worthy of being the head of the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards—he had a knack for gathering information and had immediately grasped the key point.
Her brother had not yet safely left the capital, and Xiaoying hoped that Empress Tang would remain calm and strong, not panicking and revealing too much too soon, bringing unnecessary trouble to her brother and Uncle Hai.
It was too late to back out now, and it wouldn’t dispel this Dragon Scale Shadow Guard leader’s suspicions.
She thought quickly and simply leaned over, standing on tiptoe to whisper in Mu Hanjiang’s ear: “If you’re so curious, do you want to help Mother Empress dredge the lake?”
The youth’s orchid-like breath wafted around his ear, making Mu Hanjiang slightly uncomfortable. His tall body stiffened slightly…
Xiaoying deliberately blew a breath into his ear, then laughed loudly, waving her long sleeves as she strode forward.
How shameless! Trying to trick her? No way!