Chapter 166

Empress Dowager's face turned ashen, her lips trembling, she almost spoke incoherently: "No! Impossible... he wouldn't, he wouldn't!"

"Why don't you understand yet!"

Tuan Tuan pointed at the love knot: "The person who gave you this thing is a big liar!"

"The only use of this thing is to eat others' lives."

"When the old woman's hair is wrapped around it, it tells it to eat, to eat this person!"

"My blood dropped on it tells it to start eating! Hurry up and eat!"

"But mine is stronger, so it gobbled up the old woman in one bite! The old woman turned to ashes."

"Yours is a bit weaker, so it needs seven days."

"The person who made this thing, and the one who gave it, surely both know."

"After it eats the Imperial Uncle, with nothing left to eat, of course when hungry it will eat you!"

Empress Dowager's vision went black, she could no longer support herself, and collapsed straight to the ground.

All along she thought she held the silk thread controlling the emperor, but never imagined it was actually a venomous snake that devours everything.

Xiao Jieyun coldly looked at the dazed Empress Dowager: "Empress Dowager, do you see clearly now?"

The Empress Dowager did not answer, her eyes hollow, like a soulless shell.

Xiao Jieyun stopped looking at her, turned and walked out: "Cheng Jinyan! Clean up this place."

"Effective immediately, please have the Empress Dowager return to Shoucheng Palace to rest. Without my order, no one may disturb her."

"Yes!"

The next day, a carefully worded document from the Da Xia envoy lay on Xiao Jieyun's imperial desk.

Gongsun Hong, citing "the female attendant Chang who entered the palace yesterday has not returned, fearing an accident," inquired about Granny Chang's whereabouts.

If it weren't involving the Empress Dowager's private matter, I would have already blamed you; how dare you even ask me about this?

Xiao Jieyun gave a cold laugh: "Convey my verbal order: the Da Xia envoy lost personnel in Jingcheng; this is no trivial matter."

"Order the Imperial Guard to immediately take people to the Yiguan where the Da Xia envoy resides, search inside and out thoroughly for me! Make sure the envoy's safety is ensured!"

"Also find them a good place to move into!"

Eunuch Cheng bowed and accepted the order: "This old servant will go attend to it immediately."

Shortly after, outside the "Fangfang Guan" where the Da Xia envoy was staying, a squad of the Lie Kingdom's Imperial Guard, clad in armor and radiating killing intent, suddenly surrounded them.

The Imperial Guard commander stood with hand on sword, voice like a great bell: "By His Majesty's verbal order, to ensure the safety of the Da Xia envoy, we have come specially to assist in searching for the missing female attendant."

Gongsun Hong, face grim, led his retinue out, suppressing anger: "This is the residence of our Da Xia envoy; your kingdom mobilizing troops like this seems improper, does it not?"

The Imperial Guard commander, expressionless, clasped his hands and bowed to heaven: "Please forgive us, Your Highness! His Majesty has ordered that to guarantee your safety we must find the missing attendant, hence he sent me."

"If, due to impropriety, your envoy's personnel go missing accidentally, would that not harm relations between our states? Search!"

As the word "search" fell, the Imperial Guard surged into the courtyard like tigers and wolves, forming groups of three and quickly spreading out.

The Imperial Guard moved swiftly, opening every chest and basket one by one, examining all items thoroughly then tossing them aside randomly, even lifting the bedding.

This is hardly a search; it's clearly a ransacking!

Gongsun Hong and the Da Xia entourage stood in the courtyard, watching the other side act so wantonly in their residence, each face turning dark with humiliation.

The Yiguan buildings are connected; surrounding other nations' envoys were also alarmed, watching from afar, pointing and whispering, making the Da Xia people feel even more uneasy.

After tossing about for over an hour, each team reported: "Deputy Commander, we have found no trace of the missing female attendant!"

Only then did the Imperial Guard commander turn to the black-faced Gongsun Hong, clasping his hands: "Your Highness, to ensure your absolute safety, this place is no longer suitable for residence."

"His Majesty, out of compassion, has prepared another lodging for your envoy; please move there at once!"

Said to be "another lodging," it is actually an old government office that has not been repaired for many years.

The courtyard walls are mottled, the interior furnishings are crude, and there is even a faint moldy smell; compared to the previous spacious and bright Fangfang Guan, it is worlds apart.

The Imperial Guard commander escorted all the Da Xia personnel here: "Your Highness, reside here in peace, there is absolutely no safety concern!" Then he led his troops away.

Gongsun Hong stood in the ruined courtyard, looking at the group of anxious subordinates behind him.

Even if he were slow-witted, he now fully understood.

Before departing, Father Emperor instructed that he must help Granny Chang gain an audience with the Empress Dowager, but did not say what it was about.

Now it seems there must be some secret matter, and the Lie Kingdom's Emperor already knows of it.

Granny Chang is likely in grave danger!

Today's action is clearly a warning.

A chill rose slowly from the soles of his feet up his spine.

Gongsun Hong had no doubt that if he continued to pester over Granny Chang's disappearance, the Lie Kingdom's Emperor would certainly let him, the Da Xia crown prince, also disappear accidentally in this foreign land!

He clenched his fists tightly, barely suppressing the fear and raging anger in his heart.

After a long while, he slowly relaxed his grip: "Issue the order: everyone, behave yourselves, no more trouble! No one is allowed to mention Granny Chang's affair again!"

A few days later, Xiao Jieyun held a banquet in Taiji Hall to entertain all visiting envoys.

Inside the splendid hall, string and bamboo music played pleasantly, and wine cups were exchanged.

Envoys from all nations gathered together, the scene grand, the atmosphere harmonious.

Xiao Jieyun sat high on the dragon throne, holding a wine cup, wearing a faint smile.

Prince Ning and his wife, accompanied by Tuan Tuan, sat among the guests.

Tuan Tuan was dressed especially finely today, wearing a lotus‑rose palace robe that made her little face look even more pure and lovely.

She didn't care whom the emperor was entertaining; she focused on eating a piece of hibiscus cake, her cheeks puffing in and out, looking especially adorable.

After three rounds of wine, the formal pleasantries on the floor gradually faded.

Among the Da Xia envoy, one person slowly rose.

It was none other than Da Xia's Minister of Literature, Sima Dongchen.

He is about forty-odd years old, his face gaunt, his three long whiskers meticulously groomed, his bearing solemn and steady.

He walked to the center of the great hall and bowed deeply to Xiao Jieyun: "His Majesty, today's banquet of all nations sees host and guest alike rejoicing; it is truly a fine tale of a prosperous age."

"As a foreign official, I act on the command of the Emperor of Xia, bringing a supreme treasure here to add to the elegance."

"I also wish to take this opportunity to ask the learned talents of Lie Country, who are widely knowledgeable, to dispel my doubts for Da Xia."

Here it comes!

The Lie Country officials present all felt a chill in their hearts.

Xiao Yuanhang's hand holding the wine cup paused slightly, and he exchanged a tacit glance with Cheng Ru'an.

Cheng Ru'an instinctively placed his hand lightly on Tuan Tuan's back, his posture elegant, his eyes wary.

Tuan Tuan and Da Xia are, so to speak, old enemies, and must be guarded against.

Xiao Jieyun's smile unchanged: "Oh? The supreme treasure of Da Xia?"