LRAB Chapter 40: An urgent summons to the Eldest Princess and Prince Jing to retrieve the palace!
Chapter 40: An urgent summons to the Eldest Princess and Prince Jing to retrieve the palace!
"Your Majesty!" Eunuch Hou was terrified.
He rushed forward and supported the swaying Emperor Qing, feeling the emperor's body trembling violently.
"Your Majesty! How are you? Quickly! Summon the imperial physician!" His voice was trembling.
Emperor Qing's vision blurred, and the excruciating pain nearly tore his consciousness apart.
With his last shred of clarity, he gripped Eunuch Hou's arm tightly with his fingers and gave him an extremely cold look.
Having served Emperor Qing for many years, Eunuch Hou instantly understood the full meaning in those eyes.
Silencing them! Cleaning them up!
We absolutely cannot let a single word of what just happened escape this courtyard!
He was deeply shaken, but the emperor's condition was clearly critical at this moment, so he nodded to show that he understood without having time to think about the reasons.
Seeing that he understood, Emperor Qing suddenly relaxed his strong breath, closed his eyes and completely lost consciousness, his entire weight pressing down on Eunuch Hou.
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"
Eunuch Hou was terrified. While struggling to support Emperor Qing, he turned to the still-shocked assassins around him and shouted sternly:
"What are you all standing there for! Clean this place up! Don't leave a single trace!"
He supported the unconscious Emperor Qing and staggered towards the courtyard exit.
Just as he stepped out of the courtyard, a figure appeared silently in front of him; it was Hong Sixiang.
Upon seeing the unconscious Emperor Qing, blood trickling from his lips, even Hong Sixiang's usually impassive face showed surprise: "What happened? How is His Majesty?"
When Eunuch Hou saw him, it was as if he had found a lifeline. He lowered his voice and said urgently:
"Eunuch Hong, there's no time to explain! His Majesty has decreed that everyone inside must be eliminated! The situation must be thoroughly cleaned up!"
Hong Sixiang's pupils contracted slightly. His gaze swept over Eunuch Hou's pale face, then glanced at the small courtyard behind him, still glowing with firelight and eerily silent. He immediately understood.
Something must have happened inside that absolutely cannot be known to outsiders.
He didn't ask any more questions, but simply nodded emphatically: "This humble servant understands."
At this moment, a squad of Imperial Guards who had received the signal rushed to the scene.
Eunuch Hou immediately ordered, "Quickly! Protect the Emperor! His Majesty's old injury has flared up again. He must be taken to Chang Le Palace immediately! Maintain order along the route; there must be no delays!"
The Imperial Guards, well-trained, immediately formed a protective formation and took the unconscious Emperor Qing from Eunuch Hou's hands, hurrying towards Chang Le Palace.
Hong Sixiang turned around and faced the small courtyard where the firelight was gradually fading. His face was expressionless, except for a cold glint in his eyes.
He slowly walked in, the heavy palace doors closing quietly behind him, isolating him from everything that was about to happen inside.
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.
Deep in the desolate mountains on the eastern outskirts of Kyoto.
Wu Feng tamped down the last shovelful of soil, and a small mound appeared in the chosen secluded spot.
He leaned on his shovel, wiped the sweat from his brow, and planted the simple, wordless wooden tablet in front of the mound of earth.
"Old Ye, the situation is special right now, so we'll postpone carving the inscription. We're sorry to trouble you for a while."
He said something to the small mound, then looked around at the dense weeds and trees, "These are left as cover for you, so that no one sees you by chance."
The mountain wind whistled through the gaps in the forest, as if in response.
Having done all this, Wu Feng didn't linger. He turned and went down the mountain, his figure quickly disappearing into the lush green forest.
……
Qiwu Villa.
Wu Feng took a thorough bath and changed into clean clothes. Just as he finished getting ready, a maidservant hurriedly came to find him.
"Young Master Wu, His Highness is waiting for you in the backyard; he seems to have something urgent to discuss."
Wu Feng's heart stirred slightly. He straightened his clothes and strode towards the backyard.
Upon arriving at the backyard, Wu Feng saw Li Yunrui sitting in the waterside pavilion.
Her white dress trailed on the ground, one hand supporting her chin as she gazed at the fish swimming in the pond. Her charming profile appeared exceptionally serene in the afternoon light and shadow.
But the slight furrowing of his brow betrayed his inner unease.
"Your Highness, you wanted to see me?" Wu Feng stepped forward and bowed.
Li Yunrui then slowly turned around, her gaze falling on his face. Her charming eyes, which usually held a lazy or sickly allure, now held a rare solemnity.
She didn't answer directly, but instead looked at Chunmei, who was standing to the side.
Chunmei understood and stepped forward, her voice low: "News just came from the palace that His Majesty's injuries have suddenly worsened, he is vomiting blood and has fallen into a coma, the situation is very bad."
Wu Feng's expression immediately hardened.
So fast?
It seems that Emperor Qing was more shocked than he had expected, and the effects of the "shifting stars" technique were indeed immediate.
Li Yunrui's gentle voice rang out, yet it carried a rare hint of tension:
"Little Wu, do you think His Majesty's injury is real or fake? Should I return to the palace immediately?"
Wu Feng quickly thought it over.
Regardless of whether Emperor Qing's injuries are real or not, this situation is already unfathomably deep.
He answered in a deep voice:
"Your Highness, regardless of whether it is true or not, as the eldest princess, you should return to the palace immediately to visit her."
"At times like these, you must maintain the right posture to avoid giving others ammunition to criticize you, and even more importantly, to prevent people from thinking that you are intentionally avoiding the issue."
Li Yunrui pondered for a moment, her slender fingers unconsciously tapping the railing.
Wu Feng is right.
She was about to tell Chunmei to prepare the carriage.
A maidservant rushed in and reported, "Your Highness, the Empress Dowager has sent someone to summon you back to the palace immediately!"
Li Yunrui and Wu Feng exchanged a glance, both seeing certainty in each other's eyes.
The fact that the Empress Dowager personally sent someone to urge him to come is no longer a guess; Emperor Qing is probably really in trouble!
"Chunmei, change your clothes. Xiaowuzi, prepare the carriage. We're going back to the palace!" Li Yunrui no longer hesitated. She stood up abruptly, her skirt drawing a resolute arc.
"yes!"
The carriage was quickly prepared.
Li Yunrui changed into a slightly more solemn black palace dress, and her hair was styled in a more neat bun.
However, the natural gentleness in her eyes and brows intertwined with her solemn expression at this moment, creating a unique tension.
Wu Feng and Chunmei accompanied them.
The carriage sped back to Kyoto, and by the time it entered the Imperial Palace, it was nearly dusk.
Back at Guangxin Palace, Li Yunrui quickly tidied her appearance and then led Wu Feng and Chunmei straight to Changle Palace.
However, they were stopped by the Imperial Guards outside the Chang Le Palace.
"Your Highness, please forgive me," the Imperial Guard captain bowed, his voice flat and emotionless. "The Empress Dowager has decreed that only you are permitted to enter."
Li Yunrui paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the expressionless, heavily armored Imperial Guards, before turning back to look at Wu Feng and Chunmei.
"Wait here." Her voice was calm, revealing no emotion.
"Yes, Your Highness," Wu Feng and Chunmei replied in unison, watching her step into the gates of Chang Le Palace.
The palace gates closed behind them.
Li Yunrui followed the eunuch through the courtyard to the main hall, only to find another figure already waiting there.
Prince Jing is here too!
The moment Li Yunrui saw Prince Jing, the last trace of uncertainty in her heart completely vanished.
Even Prince Jing was urgently summoned to the palace; the situation was far more serious than she had imagined!
"Brother Prince Jing," Li Yunrui stepped forward, a hint of worry on his face, "what is the current state of my imperial brother? Has the Empress Dowager offered any explanation?"
Prince Jing also looked grave. Upon seeing Li Yunrui, he shook his head.
"The Empress Dowager only ordered someone to urgently summon me to the palace, without specifying the details. She only said that we would enter together for an audience once you arrived."
At this moment, an old nanny who served the Empress Dowager came out of the hall and bowed to Li Yunrui and Prince Jing:
"Your Highness, Prince Jing, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager invites you inside."
Li Yunrui and Prince Jing exchanged a glance, said nothing more, and followed the old nanny into the dimly lit depths of the main hall of Chang Le Palace.