“What happened, Ah Jiu? Why didn’t you deliver it to the Empress yourself?”
A relieved smile spread across Ah Jiu’s delicate face. He didn’t want to tell Yao’an about the bizarre and shifting currents within the palace. Knowing less was more advantageous for him at this moment.
That woman had kept her gaze fixed on him. Once he was dead, she wouldn’t consider that Her Majesty the Empress already knew everything.
This would buy the most time for rescuing His Majesty. Otherwise, the moment Her Majesty and the others made a move, it would bring about a killing blow to His Majesty.
“Yao’an, hurry and leave.”
Ah Jiu urged Yao’an on, a rare smile appearing on his face.
Yao’an felt uneasy and quickly placed the brocade box into his embrace. The brocade box contained a letter.
Eunuchs and palace maids in the palace were not allowed to be literate, so even if Yao’an had looked, he wouldn’t have recognized its contents. Among the palace staff, only Ah Jiu was literate.
The characters he knew were taught by His Majesty, and now they had finally proven useful. Ah Jiu watched Yao’an disappear, then looked up at the sky.
A glint appeared in his eyes, and he let out a soft sigh.
“Your Majesty, you must live well. Ah Jiu will be content. In the next life, Ah Jiu will serve you wholeheartedly, ensuring you never encounter any danger.”
After Ah Jiu finished his thoughts, he turned and walked towards another side of the Liuli Palace, towards his residence.
At that moment, Qing Yao received the news: Ah Jiu had committed suicide.
In Fengluan Palace, a deathly silence descended. Qing Yao looked at Mo Chou and spoke slowly, “Didn’t he say he would come to see me? How could something like this happen?”
“Yes, he didn’t say he wouldn’t see Your Highness.”
“Did you go to see him and get discovered by someone else?”
Qing Yao frowned. Looking at the current situation, Ah Jiu must have known the news. Was it possible he didn’t commit suicide but was murdered? Who could it be? Ximen Xinyue or Shangguan Hao?
Mo Chou thought carefully and shook her head firmly, “No, this servant went to see him, and no one discovered anything.”
“Could it be that he truly committed suicide? Then why would he do such a thing?”
Qing Yao was utterly perplexed. At this moment, Shen Yu walked in from outside and approached Qing Yao, lowering his voice, “Your Highness, Prince Nan’an has arrived?”
Although the eunuchs and palace maids, large and small, in Fengluan Palace were not allowed to move about freely, they remained very cautious to prevent any unforeseen circumstances, such as Ah Jiu’s death.
“Alright, I understand.”
Qing Yao stood up and led her attendants towards the sleeping quarters, with everyone else remaining outside the chambers.
As soon as Qing Yao entered the room, she opened a carved window within the chamber.
Under the night sky, it was pitch black. A figure swiftly glided through, entering through the window in the blink of an eye. A long robe enveloped him entirely, his dark hair cascading down, his presence exuding an aura of frost. It was indeed Prince Nan’an. Prince Nan’an’s eyes flashed with surprise, and he cupped his fist, speaking in a deep voice.
“May I know why Your Highness summoned Liu Zhao here tonight?”
His intuition told him something had happened, which prompted Murong Liu Zhao to ask. Hearing his question, Qing Yao thought of His Majesty, whose whereabouts were unknown. A mist of emotion flickered in her eyes as she spoke in a somber tone.
“Prince Nan’an, the palace is undergoing a major upheaval. I didn’t expect you to be completely unaware?”
“Major upheaval?”
Prince Nan’an raised his eyebrows in confusion, unsure of the cause of this upheaval. Could Her Highness be referring to the Emperor taking concubines?
“Your Highness is referring to?”
“The Emperor in the palace is a fake.”
Qing Yao suddenly lowered her voice, speaking in a whisper so faint it could barely be heard. Prince Nan’an was startled and took a step back, shaking his head in disbelief.
“Your Highness, are you perhaps thinking too much? Who in the world would dare to be so audacious?”
Qing Yao stared intently at Prince Nan’an. This was the very crux of the misunderstanding. Everyone assumed no one would dare impersonate the Emperor, and this precisely provided an opening for that person.
Perhaps even the Emperor himself never imagined someone would dare to impersonate him, which led to his carelessness and allowed the villain to seize an opportunity. Otherwise, with his capabilities, he would never have been so incompetent.
“Shangguan Hao. Although his abilities are not as great as His Majesty’s, they are only slightly inferior.
Don’t forget, he, like His Majesty, came from the tutelage of Old Master Chixia, so his capabilities are not lacking. If His Majesty were not vigilant, he might fall prey to him. Since ancient times, villains have always resorted to any means, making them impossible to guard against.”
Prince Nan’an steadied his emotions. If the Emperor in the palace was Shangguan Hao, then it would be understandable why he had led people to arrest him and throw him into prison as soon as he returned.
His ultimate goal was to eliminate him. As long as he was present, his true identity would eventually be revealed.
If the person in the palace was fake, then what about the real His Majesty? Prince Nan’an became anxious immediately and looked up at the Empress.
“Then where is His Majesty?”
“I don’t know. That’s why I summoned you to the palace tonight – to find the true His Majesty as quickly as possible. I wonder where he is now?”
“Could His Majesty…”
Prince Nan’an suddenly exclaimed, his voice trembling slightly.
The thought that the real His Majesty had been framed made him feel unbearable pain, his breathing becoming difficult.
He truly wished he could rush to Liuli Palace immediately to expose and punish that person severely. However, doing so might endanger His Majesty, and since he adamantly claimed to be the Emperor, they had no means to proceed.
Upon hearing Prince Nan’an’s words, Qing Yao quickly shook her head, rejecting such a possibility.
“No, His Majesty is fine for now. Originally, Ah Jiu knew some truths, but who would have thought that tonight, news came from Liuli Palace saying he had committed suicide.”
“Ah Jiu is dead? What did he know?”
Prince Nan’an paced back and forth in the sleeping quarters. Apart from the sound of his footsteps, there was not a single other sound.
At this moment, light footsteps were heard from outside the chamber. It was clear someone was approaching. Qing Yao’s expression turned cold, and she quickly moved towards the window.
As the person drew closer, she abruptly opened the window. Outside, someone was facing her, causing her to be utterly terrified. The person swiftly threw a square brocade box and stammered.
“Eunuch Ah Jiu asked me to deliver this.”
After speaking, the person quickly flashed away and disappeared. Qing Yao picked up the brocade box that had fallen to the ground. Gazing into the vast night, she wondered if this was Ah Jiu’s true intention. He had sent someone with a letter, yet had drawn everyone’s attention to his suicide. This way, those people would not know that the truth had already reached her hands.
Ah Jiu, truly a loyal and good servant, Qing Yao thought with affection, as she quickly opened the brocade box. Inside, there was a letter…
Within the dimly lit sleeping quarters, Prince Nan’an Murong Liu Zhao quickly walked to Qing Yao’s side, elegantly raising his water-cloud sleeve, bringing a gust of fresh air. His cold voice rang out.
“Your Highness, shouldn’t we see what is written?”
Qing Yao nodded and quickly opened the letter from the brocade box. The handwriting on the letter was elegant and clear, detailing the events His Majesty had encountered that day.