Chapter 731

Jinzhi stared at the beautiful scenery of Taiye Pond before her, completely dazed; Zhao Lang had kept insisting on taking her to a nice place, and this truly was a nice place.

"Let's go! Follow me!" Zhao Lang had Jinzhi board the boat beside Taiye Pond, then headed toward the island in the lake's center.

The pavilions and towers there, being on the lake‑center island, were rarely visited and even fell into disrepair.

Even though they were deserted, they were still objects from the palace, naturally possessing a splendor that common folk lacked.

Jinzhi followed Zhao Lang ashore, only to discover several shadow guards already waiting there, having even tidied the courtyard inside and out.

The rear kitchen had also been stocked with rice, flour, fruit and vegetables—all top‑grade tribute goods.

After the family settled in, the shadow guards withdrew.

Zhao Lang picked up a rare fruit he never saw on ordinary days, slipped it into Jinzhi's hand and said with a smile, "Eat, this fruit is very sweet; it's from the Min Nan region, where the local officials even had the trees brought over to celebrate Xiao Yin's accession."

"Xiao Yin has caused us such big trouble, let's eat our fill!"

Jinzhi took the fruit with a smile, but then remembered something and hurriedly whispered, "Husband, from now on you must never directly utter the emperor's name; before our relationship was close it didn't matter, but now ruler and subject are distinct."

Zhao Lang felt warm in his heart; marrying a virtuous wife truly is a good saying.

He naturally agreed to it.

The Zhao family settled down peacefully like that, though Jinzhi didn't quite understand why they were living here.

After being well fed and watered for a few days, Jinzhi could no longer hold back and went to the study.

At that moment Zhao Lang was leaning over the desk, head down, not knowing what he was writing.

Jinzhi walked over, and Zhao Lang naturally pulled her into his embrace.

Although they had already given birth to a pair of children, their feelings remained as close as glue and lacquer, like newlyweds.

Jinzhi finally couldn't help but ask softly, "Husband, although I shouldn't ask this, since we are serving the emperor, are we just going to sit here eating and drinking, doing nothing?"

Zhao Lang laughed, "Our eating and drinking here is giving the emperor face."

Zhao Lang raised his hand, pointed toward outside the palace, and said slowly, "Although Gu Kang is a formidable person, he ultimately cannot stay long in the palace."

"Gu Kang always thinks he controls everything, unaware that countless hidden dangers have already been buried for him in this palace."

"The emperor, because Gu Kang can indeed govern the country well, is a talent for statecraft, lets him work a few more days for the emperor."

Jinzhi suddenly understood, for a moment not knowing what to say.

She never expected the emperor to be so treacherous and vicious; yes, this is the first time she has described her sworn brother as treacherous.

"Gu Kang always thought he succeeded in regency, but the result was that Xiao Yin set a trap deliberately letting him be regent, using Gu Kang's talent to stabilize the current court."

"If anyone else were regent, they'd likely have already turned into a mess; only Gu Kang can quickly tidy up the chaos, organizing everything neatly."

Zhao Lang chuckled softly, picking up a handful of tally symbols that had been laid out on the table at some point.

These tallies, though varied, can mobilize any unit of the Southern Qi army.

He clenched those tallies tightly in his hand, gave a light laugh: "Using what the empress once said, power comes from the barrel of a gun. No matter how Gu Kang tosses and turns, at most he's just using the civil official clique and some jianghu sects that can't make it onto the stage."

"If we truly compare, whoever holds this military authority will win. Gu Kang has no military authority; relying only on that mouth of his, I'd like to see how far he can go."

"It's just a tool the emperor picked up to use casually; yet he actually thinks he's someone important."

Jinzhi glanced at the tiger tallies on the table, her heart skipped a beat.

"The emperor truly trusts his own husband; having so many tiger tallies in his husband's hands alone, isn't he afraid he might really rebel?"

Zhao Lang seemed to see Jinzhi's guess, smiling indulgently: "Xiao Yin is shrewd; with you by my side, I will never rebel."

Zhao Lang gently pinched Jinzhi's chin, his starry eyes warming: "Compared to the Southern Qi realm, you, my lady, surpass all."

"Precisely for this reason, Xiao Yin dares to let me hold so much military authority, to station me here as a precaution, just because I have you by my side!"

One month later, a group of people slowly walked into the forest of Mang Shan.

There were roughly a hundred people front and back; from their steps you could tell their martial arts were not weak.

Ling Feng drove the carriage through the thicket, but wanting to go forward the carriage could not move an inch, so he had to stop the carriage.

Gu Jiu Ling stepped down from the carriage; Xiao Yin, who was directing people to scout the path ahead, turned and supported her.

"Rest well; these days of long journey have indeed been exhausting."

"Your Majesty, I'm not tired; where have we arrived now?"

Gu Jiu Ling and Xiao Yin have been traveling for over a month; as they go on, their hearts grow increasingly anxious.

There is no trace of the two children, not even a trace of a single person.

Xiao Yin helped Gu Jiu Ling to a nearby tree stump, placed a pad, and helped her sit down.

Gu Jiu Ling poured out all her anxious suspicions.

"Your Majesty, the children haven't come here; that earlier news was likely false, we've been led astray."

Xiao Yin nodded; he also realized.

"If someone had brought two children here, it would be impossible not to leave even a trace."

"As we go further, human traces become ever rarer; it really doesn't look like anyone has passed through."

"Moreover, bringing two children here would cause quite a commotion on the road; yet along the way we've seen no sign of a child's presence."

"Thinking this, Gu Jiu Ling's heart sank even more; if even the clues here are fake, what clues are real? And where should we go to find our children?"

Xiao Yin said: "Let's not think about it for now; have some water and food. We've always wanted to come to Mang Shan, so let's wander nearby; if we truly can't find any clues, we'll just return home."

"Let's also go to Mo Bei for a trip; Mo Bei's area is truly huge, I've already sent people to visit those tribes one by one, hoping to discover something."

"However, Mo Bei has many nomadic peoples, no fixed settlements, changing homes every few days, making investigation difficult."

At this moment, Xiao Yin's lips were somewhat chapped, with traces of blood seeping out.

His complexion was extremely wan; these days he has been as if tormented in hell.

What was lost are his closest kin; as emperor he is also extremely anxious, only hoping to find some clue.

"Your Majesty, there's no road ahead." Ling Feng hurried over with two guides.

Xiao Yin furrowed his brows; this route's map was drawn personally by Old Master Du when he brought goods in, how could it be wrong?

Moreover, this map was also left behind by Du Laoyezi; it is a map that he and Gu Jiu Ling pieced together after going through numerous dangers.

How could there be no road?