The Emperor was in the imperial study, inquiring about the search for Rui Ying. With each detail, his expression grew graver. Even with the Iron Cavalry mobilized, there was no trace of her. It was as if she had vanished from the capital overnight. Who possessed such power to spirit her away? And who had poisoned Li Yi’er?
He had interrogated the negligent prison guards again that very morning. They confirmed that the Empress had indeed been poisoned. So, who had taken her away after she was poisoned?
The imperial study was stifling and heavy. His breathing grew increasingly labored. Even the Brazilian wood in a corner bookshelf seemed to wilt, devoid of its usual freshness and vibrancy, as if sensing its master’s agitation.
“Your Majesty, Prince Yan and Lord Jin are requesting an audience,” Xiaowanzi reported respectfully from the doorway. Feng Xie frowned, his narrow eyes creasing. He turned and sat on the imperial couch, waving to Xiaowanzi. “Let them both in.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Xiaowanzi withdrew. Moments later, Feng Lie and Jin Shaoyuan entered and stood before the imperial desk. Seeing that the Emperor was occupied, Ri Ying discreetly retreated.
Feng Xie looked up, his dark pupils piercing. He saw his elder brother’s haggard appearance. The Empress’s abduction had clearly taken a heavy toll. The words of rebuke he had prepared died on his lips, replaced by a single question.
“Elder Brother, are you alright? What happened last night?”
“Yes, why was Consort Shu confined to the Cold Palace?” Jin Shaoyuan’s words were laced with agitation and accusation. He clenched his robes, his palms sweating.
Feng Xie nodded at Feng Lie, then turned his gaze to Jin Shaoyuan, his eyes as sharp as an ice blade, fixing on him. His voice, tinged with a nasal tone, finally spoke.
“It’s all your good sister’s doing. To frame the Empress, she didn’t hesitate to abort her own fetus. Tell me, where else should I confine her if not the Cold Palace?”
Feng Xie retorted coldly and impatiently at Jin Shaoyuan, who froze. Disbelief flickered in his eyes. He knew his sister; she lacked such scheming capabilities. At best, she was merely willful and spoiled. How could she have poisoned her own child?
The thought struck Jin Shaoyuan as peculiar.
“Your Majesty, my sister is not a person with such schemes. How could she frame the Empress?”
Instead of anger, Feng Xie let out a cold laugh, a hint of chilling air curling his lips. His gaze, profound and distant, shot towards Jin Shaoyuan. If Jin Shaoyuan hadn’t been his childhood companion, Feng Xie would have struck him by now.
“How much do you know? Your sister not only drugged the Empress but also had her personal maid, Jin Suo, secretly murder the Empress’s attendants. She confessed to this herself. Is there any falsehood in that? To harm the Empress, she went to great lengths. If anything were to happen to the Empress, I would have her buried alive.”
The autumn wind blew outside, sending a chill through the opulent imperial study. The sky was overcast and heavy with dark clouds, casting a somber gloom over the room. It felt as if rain was imminent, mirroring the oppressive mood within.
Jin Shaoyuan was clearly shaken. Was the palace truly a den of corruption? His sister, so innocent, had only been in the palace for a short time, yet she had become so unfamiliar.
Before she entered the palace, he had repeatedly cautioned her to be discreet to protect herself. The Emperor was astute, but who could have predicted she would fall victim to such misfortune? For now, he couldn’t let their father know what was happening in the palace.
Silence descended upon the imperial study. Feng Lie remained quiet, saying nothing. Though his heart churned like a stormy sea, his words would be useless now. All he could hear was the whistling wind outside, rustling the leaves of the distant trees.
The Empress had simply disappeared?
Meanwhile, Liu Liu stood at the edge of Xiaoyao Island, facing the wind. Her white robes billowed gracefully. Before her lay a boundless expanse of waves, periodically crashing against the cliff face with immense force.
Dark clouds gathered overhead, signaling an impending downpour. She needed to reach the island. She wondered if the ferryman was present. Peering into the distance, amidst the churning sea, she spotted a solitary boat. Though it was a mere skiff, it swayed precariously left and right in the colossal waves, yet remained steadfast upon the water.
Liu Liu quickly raised her hand, her melodious voice ringing out.
“Ferryman, please take me to Xiaoyao Island on the other side.” She didn’t know this person’s name or appearance. He had sold her the island at a very low price and had voluntarily agreed to be her ferryman, always wearing a hooded cloak and black robes, exuding an aura of mystery.
However, Liu Liu knew there were far stranger individuals in the martial world. She didn’t like prying into people’s privacy. If he didn’t wish to be known, why should she inquire?
Without a word, the boat docked. Liu Liu leaped from the cliff and landed gracefully on the skiff. She clasped her hands in a polite thank you.
“You’ve returned,” a rough, powerful voice emerged from beneath the cloak, undeniably certain. Liu Liu couldn’t help but look at him more closely. Since her features had become more beautiful, many people failed to recognize her. When she had met him before, she had a birthmark on her face. Yet, he recognized her immediately. This man had astonishing eyesight.
“Yes, your eyesight is truly remarkable, recognizing me so quickly,” Liu Liu turned to gaze at the heart of the lake. Wave after wave rolled in, creating sprays that reached halfway to the sky, receding only to surge again. The vast lake was empty of all else.
Between heaven and earth, it seemed, only this solitary skiff bobbed amidst the white waves. The small boat crested one wave and then descended with another. The spray that splashed onto Liu Liu was incredibly cool. In this vast expanse, she felt so insignificant, like a mere speck of dust.
Her heart opened strangely, feeling clear and comfortable. The impurities of the world seemed distant.
Liu Liu watched the light skiff beneath her feet, so seemingly fragile, yet navigating the lake with unwavering stability, without any hint of capsizing.
The dark clouds in the sky thickened, threatening rain. She turned to look at the ferryman. He was gazing at her. Liu Liu smiled faintly, her clear, ethereal voice breaking the silence.
“What is it? You’ve been staring at me for quite some time, and I haven’t even seen your face?”
The ferryman, hearing Liu Liu’s words, seemed flustered. He quickly averted his gaze back to the river, his hoarse voice speaking. “You resemble someone greatly. That is why I sold you Xiaoyao Island back then.” The ferryman’s eyes held a trace of bewilderment.
That person was his junior sister. He had bought this island with the intention of living a happy life there with her. However, his junior sister had disappeared after descending the mountain. He had gone to the capital to search for her. Her entire family had been murdered. He had searched among those killed but had not found her.
Twenty years had passed, and he had remained here, believing she would return. But he had waited in vain. He believed she would never come back. Therefore, the moment he saw this woman with a complexion so similar to his junior sister’s, and whose demeanor also bore a resemblance, he had sold Xiaoyao Island to her at a very low price.