Chapter 556

His Majesty is probably completely unable to turn the tide.

Next, the Crown Prince will ascend the throne.

By rights, he should quickly turn and cling to the Crown Prince's thigh, so he might still be able to keep his position later.

But……

He still struggled in his heart, for he keenly sensed something was off.

The fiercer the fire burned, the more composed and calm the Valiant Cavalry General seemed at heart.

Though his eyes were fixed on the flames, his calm demeanor still let Eunuch Ji notice…… This matter absolutely still has room for reversal!

Could it be……

No, how could anyone possibly escape alive from such a great fire?

But he seemed unconcerned about this fire.

Really strange.

This person is merely a merchant's live-in son-in-law; why would I care about him so much?

He has no influential clan behind him.

Nowadays, even those with little power and influence are not as lowly as I, a eunuch.

But he has an aura that makes people wary and fearful, letting me disregard even the Crown Prince and Empress, the future masters of the world.

Never mind, let's just bet from the heart!

"Reporting to Your Highness, reporting to the Empress."

"His Majesty always stays alone in this secret chamber; you all know that."

"This secret chamber is off-limits to anyone; none of us servants dare defy His Majesty's orders."

"Today is just the same; we servants guard outside, not even letting the Valiant Cavalry General rush back to report enter and announce."

"Thick smoke suddenly burst from inside; by the time we entered again, it was already too late……

Empress: "I know His Majesty's temperament."

"Don't blame you."

"Perhaps this is fate……

The Empress spoke while wiping her moist eyes.

Although she looked sorrowful, her eyes still betrayed a hint of joy she couldn't hide.

If the Emperor died in there, wouldn't her imperial son naturally ascend the throne?

Who would have thought this day would come so quickly and so smoothly!

The Fourth Prince, that great worry, now has no chance to overturn things.

The Emperor's fickle nature will no longer sway the Crown Prince's heavenly mandate; his imperial son will ascend the throne, and I will become Empress Dowager!

She will become the most noble, supreme woman in the world!

The Empress almost burst out laughing.

If not for the old granny tugging at her sleeve beside her, she really couldn't have held back.

"Wait——

"Brother Li, the fire isn't completely out yet——

"Li brother—"

Duan Rongshi suddenly rushed into the fire scene.

Yang Qilang and Zhang Tingji exchanged a glance, then also hurriedly followed inside.

Only see inside, black smoke billowing.

Although the fire had been extinguished, it still made people unable to catch their breath.

Duan Rongshi quickly wetted his sleeve, then covered his mouth and nose.

Only see this secret room not large; at this moment, besides the two shelves and table still somewhat intact, the floor was covered in paper ash.

"How, how come there's none?"

"Right, why is there no one on the shelves?"

"It couldn't have burned to ashes that quickly, could it?"

"Pah! What are you talking about?"

"The table isn't even completely burned, would people disappear first?"

But in this room visible at a glance, where is there half a corpse?

Yang Qilang looked delighted: "Could it be that His Majesty and sister-in-law aren't inside at all? So they didn't die?"

Zhang Tingji wanted to speak but stopped.

In his heart he thought: "Although it's good that the younger sibling didn't die, it's a pity that such a tyrant as His Majesty could also escape disaster."

"Not dying is naturally good; hurry and look for any mechanism, so His Majesty and the younger sibling must have left this place earlier."

Duan Rongshi had already walked to a pitch-black corner behind the bookshelf.

He reached out and pushed hard.

Sure enough, the corner slowly turned, revealing another dark passage behind it.

Li Qingluo threw the Chu emperor onto the ground.

Afterwards she sat on the ground, taking several heavy breaths.

If she hadn't discovered there was a mechanism to escape, she wouldn't have set that secret room ablaze with a great fire.

Originally, she had planned to light a small fire at the entrance of the secret room.

And burn the mother consort's portraits one by one.

With the smoke and mist also able to escape, the eunuchs outside will naturally open the door.

And with her holding the Chu emperor hostage, she isn't afraid of being unable to leave the palace.

But that would be too risky, and it might ruin Duan Rongshi's later plans.

Fortunately, she remembered what Zongzheng Xingyao had said.

A favored beauty who entered this secret chamber never came out again.

Not coming out means dying inside, right?

But Li Qingluo had already searched carefully.

The secret chamber not only had no corpses, but also no foul smell.

Moreover, given the Chu emperor's temperament, he wouldn't dump corpses inside, as that would defile the holy place in his heart.

So, how would this beauty's remains be disposed of?

Li Qingluo casually searched and indeed quickly found a movable door behind the shelf.

Behind the door was a passage.

Li Qingluo dragged the Chu emperor into the passage, then packed up a large bundle and slung it onto her back.

After glancing at the portraits of the imperial consorts filling the room, she decisively and straightforwardly tossed the fire starter onto a pile of paper.

Fortunately, this secret passage was long and damp, quickly leaving the smoke and mist behind.

Now, she had dragged the Chu emperor to a dead end.

Li Qingluo carefully took down the large bundle on her back, placed it on the ground, and patted off the ashes.

Then she bent over to fan the Chu emperor's face.

"Hey! Wake up!"

"Your Majesty?"

"Foolish ruler?"

"Tyrant?"

"Zongzheng Langri?"

"Dog emperor?"

"Tsk tsk tsk."

Only see the Chu emperor still tightly shut his eyes, no matter how she called, he wouldn't wake.

Li Qingluo reached out to feel his breath; although he still had a breath, she feared that if she used too much force she would really twist him into a living corpse.

In that case, wouldn't that ruin the big plan?

Although him waking up wouldn't be a good thing either.

"Forget it; since we've come this far, a tyrant like you wouldn't let me go even if you woke up."

"We can only take it one step at a time."

"But we must first get you out of the palace."

Li Qingluo looked around, not knowing where she was at the moment.

She probed around and found that all around were stone walls, and they felt somewhat damp to the touch.

She roughly calculated in her mind the time and direction she had traveled, thinking: Could it be the artificial mountain forest outside the Snow‑treading Terrace?

Inside the artificial mountain is actually the end of the tyrant's secret chamber passage?

Li Qingluo tried carefully feeling each wall, hoping to find the exit.

Soon, she indeed felt a loose spot.

Just as a look of surprise appeared on her face, she heard an abnormal sound from the dark passage.

Li Qingluo hurried back to the Chu emperor's side.

First she slung the bundle onto her back, then dragged the Chu emperor deeper inside and hid him in a corner crevice.

She also drew her dagger, ready for battle.

Footsteps grew closer and closer.

When a black shadow emerged, she brandished her dagger and rushed out.

The two fought fiercely in the dark hollow, unable to separate.

But soon Li Qingluo noticed a familiar move.

Moreover, it was clear that the opponent's martial arts far surpassed hers and could quickly suppress her, yet they did not!

Her killing techniques, he could easily dispel.

Then she looked at the height of that black shadow.

Li Qingluo shouted in disbelief: "A Shi?"

In the darkness came a reply: "En."

"It's me."

He said, and firmly grasped her wrist.

Within her still-unretracted move, he pulled her into his arms.

The two met each other's eyes in the darkness.

Joy and excitement instantly turned into a warm spring trickling in their hearts.

Li Qingluo wanted both to cry and to laugh.

She punched Duan Rongshi hard in the chest, choking out: "How did you only come back now!"

"If you don't come back, I'll get you into big trouble."

"But it's also what you deserve."

Go clean up your own mess!

It's been three months.

Her strength grows day by day.

Duan Rongshi snorted, yet he couldn't bear to let her go.

He simply took her forward and gently pressed her against the damp stone wall.

He held her hand, raised it above his head, lowered his head, and firmly kissed her.

He only wanted to first ease the longing of these days.

The two completely forgot that the Chu Emperor was still unconscious in the corner beside them.

When Li Qingluo realized this, she struggled a little.

"No…… mm…… the dim-witted ruler is still……"

Duan Rongshi: "Never mind him."

He panted, lifted his head, and gazed at her lips, already reddened from his kisses.

At this moment, she was like a delicate, dewy flower petal, making him unable to restrain his emotions, utterly captivated.

Thus he lowered his head and pressed down heavily again.

Intimate sounds echoed in the dark hollow.

If it weren't inappropriate here and now, he would gladly crush her into his bones and blood, taking her completely.

However, reason ultimately triumphed over passion.

Duan Rongshi reluctantly lifted his head, and fastened her opened garment.

Li Qingluo let out a low laugh.

She reached up to touch his face, lifted her head, and eagerly kissed him twice.

"A Shi, I've bound the emperor."

"Such a crime of confiscating property and exterminating the clan—aren't you afraid?"

Duan Rongshi: "What's there to fear?"

"If he dares to move against you, suffering this is what he deserves."

After learning that she and the Chu Emperor were sharing a room, he knew her Luo er would not be at a disadvantage.

Moreover, Zong Zheng Langri will surely fare even worse.

Indeed, his little slippery one could pull off setting the secret chamber on fire.

"Rest assured, I've returned."

"These days, thank you for your hard work."

Duan Rongshi lowered his head, lingering, gently resting his forehead against hers; they shared a smile.

"What do we do next?"

Li Qingluo: "I originally planned to find the exit, then summon my Killing Word Technique, bind him, and throw him into the mausoleum he built."

"But now that you've returned, you decide."

Duan Rongshi: "Your plan is not bad."

"Just to my liking."

"However, we need to act quickly. I found your footprints, so I followed you here."

"There's also a fork ahead; I sent Zhang Tingji and Yang Qilang that way, and they should return soon."

"You must leave before they return."

Li Qingluo understood his meaning.

The married couple will now act separately.

She gave a firm nod, pointing to the exit she had found: "Over there, go!"