Chapter 557: Not seeing the person alive, not seeing the corpse dead?

Under Li Qingluo's guidance, Duan Rongshi easily pushed open that secret door.

He seized the Chu Emperor with one hand and unceremoniously tossed him into the grass outside, leaving him there.

As Li Qingluo was about to follow and leave, Duan Rongshi reluctantly grabbed her.

"Luo'er."

Since their reunion, his eyes have hardly been able to leave her.

They have not been apart this long in the past year.

For Duan Rongshi, these three months have been a torment that multiplies day by day.

The two tightly held each other's hands.

It is the reluctance of having just reunited, knowing they are both safe, yet having to part again urgently.

Though the words of longing were never spoken, their gazes had already read each other completely.

At this moment, neither wanted to let go of the warmth at their fingertips.

But a sound came from the secret passage behind them.

Li Qingluo could only break free of his hand: "A Shi, we have plenty of time ahead."

"Let's take care of business first."

"Be good, I'll wait for you at the place we agreed on!"

"By the way, I left a package where I placed that tyrant; A Shi, when you have the chance, secretly retrieve it and bring it home!"

After saying that, she turned and left swiftly.

She seemed, in her haste, to have become the decisive person untangled from romantic entanglements.

And he watched her reluctantly as she kicked the door shut with one foot, nearly bumping his own nose into the dust.

Duan Rongshi's eyes darkened.

If it weren't for the trouble caused by Zongzheng Langri, we as a married couple wouldn't have to endure these indignities!

He felt somewhat annoyed.

He just wanted to quickly finish the affairs here in Great Chu.

"Zongzheng Langri, it's your turn to taste the agony of wanting to die, to be betrayed, to be loathed and hated."

Footsteps approached from behind—it was Zhang Tingjiu and Yang Qilang.

They came running, panting: "How is it?"

"Is anyone here? Any sign of the younger siblings?"

The three of them had traveled together all the way, encountering many things and sharing weal and woe.

Thus, on the way back, they began to address each other as brothers.

Although they had not sworn brotherhood, their fraternal feeling was already deep.

These two also genuinely cared about Li Qingluo's whereabouts.

Duan Rongshi first asked feigningly: "Do you have any leads on your side?"

After they shook their heads, Duan Rongshi said: "This is a dead end."

"There might be an exit; we need to search carefully."

He unintentionally occupied the true exit's position, waiting for Zhang Tingjiu and Yang Qilang to finish feeling the stones; Duan Rongshi then assumed Li Qingluo must have already left, and only then pretended to be surprised upon feeling the loosest spot.

"Here!"

After the door was opened, the Imperial Garden was already full of guards.

As the three emerged, the Crown Prince spotted them.

He looked at them in surprise, seeing they had come out of the artificial hill.

He instantly realized that the father emperor's secret chamber actually led to the Treading Snow Terrace.

The Crown Prince strode over: "How is it? Have you found the father emperor?"

Yang Qilang: "Your Highness, there is no one in the underground passage."

Crown Prince: "How could there be no one!?"

"Not seeing the person alive, not seeing the corpse dead?"

Zhang Tingjiu: "Your Highness, whose corpse do you wish to see?"

The Crown Prince's face stiffened.

Then he wore an angry look: "Zhang Tingjiu!"

"Formerly I called you uncle out of respect for Aunt Zhi Yuan."

"Now that the aunt is dead, and died so disgracefully, you still dare to put on airs of an elder before me?"

"What are you even?"

"Get lost!"

Zhang Tingjiu wore an embarrassed expression.

Perhaps recalling the humiliation he suffered at Aunt Zhi Yuan's place, a flash of vengeful spite flickered in his eyes, uncontrollable.

Yang Qilang hurried forward to smooth things over: "Your Highness, Lord Yang means no harm; please don't be angry."

"We rushed back nonstop, not even catching our breath, when Your Majesty caused this incident."

"We three officials also spoke wrongly out of anxiety for Your Majesty."

"Your Highness has always been benevolent; please grant us forgiveness."

The Crown Prince gave a sneer: "Only you lot care about the father emperor's life and death; am I truly heartless?"

"The father emperor's whereabouts also concern me."

"Alright, the palace no longer needs the three of you."

「Get out! 」

So you let them go out?

Are you afraid they'll find the Chu Emperor?

Yang Qilang couldn't help but look at Li Wu.

Moreover, along with the Emperor's disappearance, his wife also went missing.

Would he be willing to leave the palace?

Duan Rongshi: "Yes, Crown Prince Your Highness."

Duan Rongshi clasped his hands and led the way, turning his head to leave.

Yang Qilang and Zhang Tinggui hurriedly followed.

"Wu Lang, are you really not caring about your younger siblings?"

"Yeah, the Crown Prince said to leave and they left? The younger siblings are also missing!"

"Now the Crown Prince might not yet know that the younger siblings are also in the secret chamber, but once he finds out, your indifferent attitude will make him not suspect?"

Duan Rongshi: "He won't ask."

The Crown Prince fears the Chu Emperor might come back to life.

So he probably wishes to drag the Chu Emperor, whose whereabouts are unknown, to death.

The more he does so, the easier it is for Li Qingluo, carrying a bulky Chu Emperor, to leave.

Therefore, Duan Rongshi must make the imperial palace as chaotic as possible.

Zhang Tinggui couldn't help but curse: "The Crown Prince is no good either!"

Stupid, mediocre, incompetent and foolish!

Whether the Chu Emperor is dead or alive is still unknown, yet he already puts on airs.

He's simply a villain!

How much better could such a person be than the Chu Emperor if they ever ascend the throne?

Zhang Tinggui felt somewhat worried about his future official career.

He could see no future for the Great Chu dynasty.

Yang Qilang beside them felt a bit embarrassed: "Actually, it's not necessarily so."

"Crown Prince Your Highness is weak-willed, which also counts as loyal and kind. At least he wouldn't do something like indiscriminately killing the innocent..."

Zhang Tinggui: "You're a relative of the Empress, so I won't say anything."

"Hey, Brother Li."

"Are you really not worried about your younger siblings?"

"To be honest, do you know her whereabouts?"

Yang Qilang also quickly looked over.

The two already had the answer in their hearts.

"Otherwise, this man who has been missing his wife all along wouldn't be so calm tonight."

Duan Rongshi replied without blushing or racing heart: "If I knew, would I still be here sparring with you?"

"You all leave the palace first."

"I want to stay and look some more."

Having said that, he completely shook off the two, turned his head and slipped into the night.

By the time Yang Qilang and Zhang Tinggui chased after him, where was his trace?

The entire imperial palace spent the whole night searching for the Chu Emperor's whereabouts.

However, the Crown Prince and his entourage merely circled around the Snow-Stepping Terrace.

Li Qingluo had already brought the Chu Emperor to a cold palace.

In that cold palace there was a big tree; she threw the Chu Emperor beneath it, and just as he caught his breath, he faintly came to.

"You—"

Li Qingluo picked up a big wooden stick and struck heavily.

The Chu Emperor rolled his eyes and fainted again.

Li Qingluo clapped her hands, dropped the stick: "Is it about dawn now?"

Just in case, she dragged the Chu Emperor into the room and stuffed a cloth into his mouth.

To prevent him from waking up and shouting.

Just as the cold palace gate was closed, Zheng Mama followed the marker and came over.

"Miss."

"You scared this old servant to death!"

"Hearing the Princess say you were missing, Old Servant and Xi Qiu almost burst into tears together. Fortunately, Old Servant knows your abilities, knowing you will have good fortune."

"Miss, what's this, you kidnapped that dog emperor?"

"You wouldn't be thinking of holding the emperor hostage to order the feudal lords, would you?"

Li Qingluo: "..."

"Do you think those feudal lords would want to save him?"

Zheng Mama shook her head.

Li Qingluo: "Stop the cheap talk."

"I originally wanted you to contact the assassins to steal that dog emperor out."

"Now I have another idea. Have Zongzheng Xingyao, if she wants to escape the fate of marrying into the Western Regions, come see me."

Zheng Mama thought it was a bit risky, but she still went ahead and did it right away.

As dawn approached, Li Qingluo suddenly felt her neck damp.

Looking up, she saw that raindrops were falling from the roof.

It turned out to be raining outside, and the cold palace was leaking, leaving small pools of water in many places.

She quickly got up and moved to a different spot.

Only then did she raise her eyes to take in the whole palace of the cold palace.

Spider webs hung everywhere in the cold palace, and the ground was crawling with reptiles.

The palace contained only a single bed, its straw blackened.

In the corner stood a wooden horse and a small chair.

Li Qingluo was feeling doubtful when Zheng Mama hastily brought Zongzheng Xingyao over.

"Nangong Qingluo!"

"It's really you! Thank goodness you're alive!"

Zongzheng Xingyao, eyes red, choked back a sob and saw the Chu Emperor tightly bound and gagged in the corner.

She cried out and collapsed to the ground.

"What have you done to my father emperor?"

Li Qingluo: "Princess, rest assured, he's not dead."

"But if I hadn't done this, I'd be the one dead now."

Zongzheng Xingyao: "What should we do then?"

"Nangong Qingluo, you need to flee now!"

"The farther you flee, the better; don't worry about your husband. Last night he knew you were in the father emperor's secret chamber and wasn't worried at all."

"He just wants you dead so he can be free of his status as a husband living in his wife's family."

"Nangong Qingluo, stop trusting him!"

Li Qingluo laughed helplessly.

Knowing she meant well.

But she couldn't explain to the Seventh Princess.

She merely replied perfunctorily: "Okay, I know."

"But I don't intend to flee just yet."

"Your Highness, I need you to help me get your father emperor out of the imperial palace!"

Zongzheng Xingyao: "Me?"

"Are you crazy? Wanting to help me move my father emperor out? What nonsense are you spouting?"

"Nangong Qingluo, don't be ungrateful!"

"You kidnapped my father emperor; how could I possibly help you move him again?"

"I'll give you one last chance—hurry up and leave!"

"I'll just pretend I never saw you."

"Once you're gone, I'll alert the guards to rescue the father emperor. If he asks, I'll say you're already dead!"

Li Qingluo: "What if your father emperor demands you hand over my corpse and then whips my remains?"