Chapter 53: with translation of chapter title

The snow fell intermittently for over five days; when it finally stopped, there was only half a month left until my investiture ceremony. I heard that the delegations from various countries coming to celebrate had arrived one after another, and they were lodged in different inns according to their nations and status.

Check if we omitted "I heard that the delegations from various countries that came to congratulate have also been arriving one after another" we included. "Depending on their country and status, they were assigned to different post stations." we included.

That day, I was idling when I suddenly saw Xinhui rush in, her face worried, saying, "Miss, the Empress Dowager has issued an edict."

My heart gave a sudden thump. The Empress Dowager? Since the day of my wedding, I hadn't seen her. Now she summons me—what could it be? That Heart-Eating Art still leaves me uneasy.

Led respectfully into Evergreen Palace by a little eunuch, I was still dazed for a long time when I saw the Empress Dowager's peerless beauty again, until her languid, sensual voice slowly sounded: "What is your name, Lan Yingruo?"

I startled, lifted my head, and realized that in the vast palace only she and I remained. I hastily lowered my eyes and replied respectfully, "Yes."

After I spoke, she fell silent, and I didn't dare to speak either. Thus the great hall stood empty and quiet, and I stood there bored for nearly an hour until I could no longer hold back my urge to lash out, when she moved.

She slowly propped up her bonelessly delicate frame, walked to me, and said, "The Emperor conquered Ting State a few days ago. Do you know that?"

I lifted my head abruptly, my shock meeting the Empress Dowager's probing gaze; my heart jolted, and I quickly lowered my eyes, whispering, "Yingruo does not know."

I never expected Wei Lingfeng to act so swiftly; from the time I left the Lan Family to now, only three or four months have passed, yet he has already annexed an entire country.

"After occupying Ting State, the Emperor's first order was to execute the Chancellor of the Lan Manor—your father, Lan Junqing."

My legs went weak, I could barely stand, and my mouth twitched involuntarily. It seemed I remembered when I set conditions with Wei Lingfeng, I had asked him to treat the Lan Manor's people kindly—except for that old man, Lan Junqing.

He really… maybe he believed the governor's word! Although, hearing that anyone surnamed Lan was to be executed, I felt no sympathy at all, cold-bloodedly, yet my shock was genuine.

I had almost forgotten those details back then, never expecting him to remember them so clearly.

The Empress Dowager suddenly took my hand and walked to the couch, saying, "Please sit with me."

I obediently sat down, and she continued, "It seems the Emperor truly favors you. Since he designated you as Empress, he has suppressed all opposing memorials."

"I originally deliberated repeatedly and thought only making you Empress would be the best policy for Ting State. I never imagined the Emperor had already made preparations, destroying your Ting State in just three months. Now that he still refuses to depose you and insists on holding the investiture ceremony, there is only one explanation—Your Majesty, he must truly have fallen for you."

I truly didn't know how to respond, so I lowered my head and stared blankly at the exquisite embroidery on her shoes.

"But the Emperor personally killed your father—do you hate him?"

My heart stalled, I silently cursed myself for being dense—how had I not thought of this? I was hesitating over how to answer when the Empress Dowager's voice sounded again at my ear: "The Emperor permits you to bring those few attendants with you; though it breaks protocol, it's not a serious matter. He specially allows you not to come daily to pay respects to me. All the affairs the Empress must handle, all the pressures she must face, he has borne them himself, saying there's no rush to discuss them until after the investiture ceremony. I can still understand this as his reluctance to let you wield great power. Yet——" The Empress Dowager's beautiful phoenix eyes, captivating enough to steal one's soul, fixed on me, her sweet soft voice turning deep: "The Emperor actually spared Bu Sha and kept him by your side—just how much do you know about……"

The Empress Dowager's words grew more urgent, as if she were pressing me for answers, but then she suddenly thought of something, paused abruptly, softened her tone, and continued: "Yet for your sake, the Emperor actually refuses to carry out the plan he had arranged for so long, so I cannot help but intervene."

I startled, lifted my head, and asked, "What——plan?"

The Empress Dowager's crimson lips curled into a faint cold smile as she said lightly, "Since the Emperor values you so highly, I naturally wouldn't dare oppose his wishes. However, some things must be done; I am merely giving the Emperor an opportunity to act freely. Those few people around you are surely no ordinary characters." Her jade-like slender finger traced the smooth brocade over my chest, her voice gentle yet cruel: "I cannot help it—perhaps the Emperor should make good use of them as well."

My eyes widened in a flash, my heart feeling as if a fire had been lit, igniting anxiety that spread rapidly. I forced my voice not to tremble and said, "If the Empress Dowager has no further business, I, Yingruo, will take my leave."

"Not in a hurry." The Empress Dowager leaned lazily against the bed, saying lightly, "You cannot leave yet." A cold smile appeared on her face: "You may not depart from my Evergreen Palace until the plan is fulfilled."

My brows knit tightly, my unease intensifying beyond restraint, I felt something unbearable was happening. I sprang to my feet, heedless of the Empress Dowager, and rushed outward with all my might.

"Hongxiu." The Empress Dowager's icy voice sounded calmly behind me.

A shadow flashed before me; a sash tied with strong wind brushed past my nose, barely blocking me. I stared up in astonishment to see a woman in red clothing, peerless in beauty, standing at my right, her cold gaze fixed on me.

A flash of red silk darted before my eyes like a swift serpent lunging at my face; I focused, ready to counter, when suddenly my vision blurred—a black blade sliced across before me, and the red silk scattered like willow fluff.

The red sash swayed before my eyes, obscuring my vision, yet my heart suddenly became clear.

What plan, what conspiracy requires me—or rather, our participation—to be realized?

I suddenly recalled the cave, where Wei Lingfeng, knowing he had been infected with Blood Gu, wore a sinister expression.

I recalled during the wedding procession, Wei Lingfeng had set a trap targeting Fu Kunmo.

I recalled Wuye saying that Wei Lingfeng had asked him about Xinluo.

Even I recalled that Yan Jing's loss of favor and Qianqian's sudden rise might not be as simple as I thought……

My heart was in a knot, my nails digging into my palms, I drew a deep breath and said in a low voice, "Bu Sha, can you stay here?"

Bu Sha nodded coldly and said, "Go."

I nodded firmly and burst out of Evergreen Hall.

From behind came a faint voice of an unfamiliar woman, straining to stay calm yet unable to hide her anger: "Just who is she, able to make you leave the Young Master…… How do you protect her? She hasn't abandoned you, has she? If it were me…… I would never simply leave you alone in danger without a second thought……"

On the way, Wuye, accompanied by a group following Xingzhi who rushed by, intercepted me; I braced my hands on my knees, gasping a few breaths, regulating my inner breath.

"Master, are you alright?" Wuye also panted heavily, his eyes full of lingering panic after the fright.

"I'm fine. What happened?"

Wuye paused slightly, then said, "Xinhui, Xinluo, and the Worthy Consort are missing."

"What?" I exclaimed, lifting my head sharply, "What does it mean that they're all gone?"

Wuye nodded, seizing every second, and spoke quickly: "The Worthy Consort (Qianqian) had originally come with the Beautiful Consort (Yan Jing) to look for you, Master. Hearing you had gone to the Empress Dowager's place, they were worried, especially the Beautiful Consort, who insisted on going to Evergreen Palace to find you. Xinhui and I also felt uneasy about you, so we accompanied her. Who would have thought that before we even entered the palace gates we were stopped, and immediately the attendants of Luoying Palace came running to report that Xinluo and the Worthy Consort (Qianqian) there had vanished, while the palace maids and eunuchs attending them had all collapsed unconscious on the ground."

I nodded, frowned in thought for a while, a flash of pain crossing my eyes, yet I still said in a low voice, "You fell for Yan Jing's 'lure the tiger away from the mountain' stratagem. Sorry, this is all my fault; I knew this person was problematic, perhaps sent by Wei Lingfeng to approach me, but because she resembled Xiao Yu……" I struggled to get the words out, but my heartache prevented me from finishing, so I forced myself to continue, "Wuye, please go on."

"When Xinhui heard Xinluo was missing, she panicked, so I accompanied her back first. The two of them vanished without a trace in Luoying Palace—abducting someone from the imperial palace is already difficult, and to disappear so completely is nearly impossible. Hearing you say that, I realized it might only be possible with the Beautiful Consort's and the Emperor's help, making it flawless. Xinhui was frantic. The Beautiful Consort suggested I go report to the Emperor for aid; since I couldn't see you at once and had no other way to mobilize troops, I went to the Emperor." Wuye's eyes flashed with a cold light, then he showed guilt, saying darkly, "I never imagined the Beautiful Consort would…… otherwise, I wouldn't have left Xinhui alone with her."

I barely suppressed my strong unease, sighing, "What did Wei Lingfeng say?"

Wuye's eyes flashed with thoughtful light, and he said in a low voice, "The Emperor's reaction was strange; he was initially surprised, but then he said calmly, 'The show has just begun. Don't worry, this time I will surely root them out completely.' Yet in the blink of an eye he also granted me authority over the imperial palace guards, telling me to mobilize openly to search for people."

I stomped my foot in resentment; Wei Lingfeng this bastard surely knows everything, and I hurriedly asked, "What happened then?"

"I led the imperial palace guards in a careful search of the palace, but to my surprise I found no trace of Xinluo, only to hear someone shout in alarm, 'The new bride has been abducted; the Emperor has issued an edict ordering me to impose martial law and search inside and outside the palace immediately!'"

"The new bride?" I exclaimed in astonishment, "Could it…… be referring to me?"

Wuye nodded, still shaken: "At first I thought the same, panicked and rushed back to the palace, only to find Xinhui missing as well. I asked the attendants of Luoying Palace, and they said they hadn't seen her; the Beautiful Consort (Yan Jing) had just left."

"Meanwhile, rumors that you, Master, had been intercepted spread through the palace, growing worse and making everyone panic. Some said the Emperor was mobilizing the Imperial Forest Army to capture the assassin and rescue the consort, even conducting a great purge of the palace. I had always suspected foul play……"

"So you came to Evergreen Palace and just happened to intercept me?"

Wuye nodded.

Wei Lingfeng that son of a bitch, knowing full well I couldn't be caught, knowing the so-called assassin was merely his own setup, such a huge move must be aimed at purging some faction within the palace, yet he despicably used me, Xinluo, and Xinhui as pawns.

My mind is now a complete mess; calm down! Bingyi, calm down! I must straighten my thoughts—time is short, Xinhui, Xinluo, and Qianqian could be in danger at any moment. I need to figure this out quickly……

When I first met Wei Lingfeng, he was indeed infected with Blood Gu. Blood Gu is not only hard to find, but also difficult to administer. One must introduce it via the Hand Lesser Yin meridian, then take the Worm Guide, for it to succeed.

For someone as shrewd as Wei Lingfeng, if it weren't for someone very close to him, introducing the worm into his meridians from his hand would be impossible. Thus the most likely person would be the initially favored Beautiful Consort—Yan Jing.

Wei Lingfeng's character is to repay every grudge, so the Consort Rong, who had been extremely popular for a time, would lose all favor overnight and almost be sent to the cold palace.

But similarly, Yan Jing's incident also made Wei Lingfeng realize how many agents of the Yin and Yao nations were lurking around him. To wipe out this secret force in one net, he did not kill Yan Jing, but used her and Xin Luo's special status to set this trap.

However, what I cannot understand is why, over the past six months, Wei Lingfeng has been deliberately cold to Yan Jing, even openly showing suspicion and rejection toward her. A clever, scheming man like him, how could a momentary temper affect the whole plan's execution? And Yan Jing… she could have easily set a blood poison against Wei Lingfeng, so why did she suddenly stand on the side of the Qi Nation and betray her original master?

My mind raced at high speed, countless possibilities and conspiratorial truths flashing through my thoughts; something deep inside me gradually shifted from murky to clear.

I don't know what Xin Luo's identity truly is, but from the two generations of Yao Nation emperors' regard for him, it's easy to guess that his value is probably even more unimaginable than the coveted Four Sacred Stones.

The ones who abducted Xin Luo were likely under Fu Junmo, and Wei Lingfeng could only use this bait‑and‑switch tactic, coordinating inside and out, to completely eliminate the Yao Nation's secret informant placed in the Qi Nation Imperial Palace. In fact, with Xin Luo, the plan doesn't even need the Yao Nation; if he lets anyone spread a rumor like "someone is in the Qi Nation Imperial Palace," the Yin Nation would bite the hook as well.

But Fu Junmo knows Xin Luo's importance; there's no reason Wei Lingfeng wouldn't know!

His scheme is so meticulous, his actions so far‑reaching; regarding Xin Luo, he could never let him fall into Fu Junmo's hands without seizing him… So how did he safeguard this second layer of danger?

Where does the missing link lie? Qianqian… why was she abducted together? Was it a coincidence that she got entangled, or was it part of Wei Lingfeng's plan?

And Xin Hui, my mind is a turmoil; anxious fear clings to me like maggots in the bone, impossible to shake off. I feel I must act quickly, as quickly as possible… otherwise something bad will happen.

"Master, instead of racking our brains here, why not go directly ask the Emperor?" Wu Ye's steady voice steadied me.

My heart sank, I nodded, gathered inner breath and sprinted toward the Fengyin Hall.

Wei Lingfeng was… nowhere. The eunuch Xiao Shunzi beside him said the Emperor had just changed into casual clothes and left.

I hurried back to Luoying Gong, and Bu Sha had just arrived; after carefully checking that he bore no injuries, I felt at ease and began a carpet‑style search throughout the palace.

The guest room where Xin Luo and Qianqian disappeared bore faint traces of lingering incense smoke, but no other clues.

"Master, look." Wu Ye's voice suddenly sounded; I turned and saw him holding Xin Hui's outfit from today, "found behind the cabinet."

I clenched the pale‑green fabric in my hand, the anxiety in my chest drummed incessantly, making my whole body tingle with cold.

Wei Lingfeng issued an order that the new bride had been captured, sending Wu Ye to search, while he himself changed clothes and vanished.

The Empress Dowager said Wei Lingfeng, because he liked me, refused to carry out the plan; she could not defy him, yet the plan was still proceeding…

Could it be— I suddenly sat upright, doubt and terror fermenting across my chest, clutching the garment in my hand tightly; could Xin Hui have been captured in my place?

"Squeak—" a sharp cry snapped my thoughts back; I looked down to see Xiao Yin fiercely biting and tugging at my skirt.

Xiao Yin! Right, Xiao Yin! My tangled mind suddenly felt like it had found a lifeline; I joyfully scooped it up and hurriedly asked, "Xiao Yin, you know where Xin Hui and the others are, right?"

Xiao Yin's pair of black‑like glass eyes stared at me and nodded.

"No time left, let's go."

Xiao Yin bit my sleeve and pulled hard; I couldn't help but halt my frantic steps and asked, "Xiao Yin, what's wrong? You said you knew where they are, so why don't we go find them now!"

Xiao Yin looked at me, nodded plaintively, then shook its head.

I frowned, pondered for a while, then suddenly shouted in panic, "Xiao Yin, you mean Xin Luo and Xin Hui are in different places?"

Xiao Yin's black eyes brightened, and he quickly nodded.

Xin Luo and Xin Hui… can only rescue one? Who to save, which one first?

In an empty mansion on the southwestern outskirts of Chegan, Qi Nation.

"Boss! Trouble, Lord Hou just sent word—we've been duped!"

"Duped? Explain slowly."

"Boss! This woman isn't the Qi Nation's Empress at all; she's just her personal maid."

"What?!"

"Boss, should we still hand her over to the Crown Prince? Strange, the woman we captured was clearly dressed in the Empress's attire…"

"Oh no! Have we all fallen into the Emperor's trap?"

Crackling sounds erupted outside the house, chaos everywhere.

"Boss! That woman killed Sixth Brother and fled! She—she actually knows martial arts!"

"Filthy women! Block this courtyard tightly, see where she can run! She knows martial arts? Capture her and give her the 'Huagong Powder'! Damn it, daring to kill Sixth Brother—since she's not some valuable commodity, see if I won't let you die!"

…

I took a sudden deep breath, licked my lips cracked by the cold wind, and said gravely, "Xiao Yin, which direction did Xin Luo and Qianqian go?"

Xiao Yin leapt from my arms and kept running from the south toward the northwest, shouting nonstop.

"Went northwest?" Xiao Yin quickly nodded.

"Bu Sha." My bewildered gaze fell on Bu Sha, silently pleading.

Bu Sha's cold stare lingered on me for a long while; worry and unease rippled faintly in his black eyes, but after a while he sighed and said coldly, "I'll go look, but I can't promise to bring them back."

I let out a sudden breath, feeling the long‑standing dread making me want to cry. I bit my lip, stared at him for a long time, then said, "Don't get hurt, don't push yourself, and… don't worry about me."

Bu Sha lightly nodded, murmuring, "You too. Wait for my return."

Qi Nation Chegan Yan Marquis Residence.

"Bang!" After a huge crack of wood, an elderly man roared in fury, "Jing'er actually dared to betray me for a man!"

"Lord Hou, all our Yao Nation scouts are being hunted by the 'Flying Eagle,' and the Emperor's army has already surrounded this place. Should we quickly escape through the tunnel? The Crown Prince's men should already be waiting for us at the dock."

"Fool! Since Jing'er betrayed us, do you think the tunnel is still a secret?"

"Lord Hou, then what about us…" At that moment the voice turned frantic with fear.

"Given the Emperor's vengeful nature, even if we surrender we can't escape death."

"Crown Prince, don't blame me for betraying you; to survive I must strike a deal with the Emperor. With 'Yin Tong' in hand and the secrets about him, I don't believe the Emperor will stay unmoved…"

"Lord Hou! Lord Hou! Bad news, that child and the virtuous Consort have both disappeared!"

The old man's voice, hoarse with fear and disbelief, "What disappeared?! Speak clearly!"

"Look, the guards watching them were all hit by poisonous silver needles, dead—dead. They vanished as if into thin air!"

I took the two "jade plaques" left by Xin Hui and Xin Luo, and together with Bu Sha and Wu Ye, we openly left the Imperial Palace gates. I had intended to use "Zi Feng" to mobilize the city's Imperial Guard, but found they had already been reassigned; the remaining troops were tasked with defending the city's fortifications and, by imperial decree, could not leave.

Bu Sha headed northwest, while Wu Ye and I went west under Xiao Yin's lead.

Xiao Yin sprinted forward with all its might, and Wu Ye and I chased it fiercely. My chest felt like a spiked poisonous thistle, stabbing me repeatedly as we ran; I kept thinking that if we didn't run faster, I might regret it for the rest of my life.

In Chegan now, countless ambitions remain unfulfilled, countless hearts are uneasy, countless people are restless, and countless bodies lie in pools of blood, yet this turmoil and urgency have nothing to do with me.

I, besides running, still run, running through this bleak, icy, and secretly murderous cold winter.

Xin Hui! Xin Hui! I beg you, please, please don't get into any trouble!

(End of chapter)