New Return of the Pearl: The Group's Pet Swallow Flies

The scorching sun in July seemed to set the whole world on fire. The scorching sun mercilessly baked the earth, and the air was filled with suffocating heat waves. This unbearable heat made people feel a little irritable for no reason, and even the usually peaceful and peaceful mood could not remain calm.

The prosperous and bustling capital is still as bustling as before, with shops lining both sides of the street and shouts coming one after another; pedestrians are constantly on the streets, some rushing to make a living, while others strolling leisurely to choose the necessities of life.

In this bustling crowd, a carriage that looks plain but is actually restrained and luxurious is particularly eye-catching. It is surrounded by several horses in the center and slowly passes through the city. These horses have shiny coats and agile bodies, and it is obvious at a glance that they are not ordinary horses. Although the carriage does not have too many gorgeous decorations, its exquisite craftsmanship and sophisticated materials can reveal its extraordinary features.

The men riding on the tall horses were all very handsome, with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, and they scanned the crowded crowd around them with sharp eyes. Seeing that the city was crowded with people and the roads were narrow, it would be inconvenient to continue riding horses, so they all quickly turned over and dismounted. Then, they each took the reins and carefully led the horses forward steadily.

The driver was Ertai, who steadily controlled the speed of the carriage, neither too fast nor too slow. The wheels made a slight "creaking" sound as they rolled, which intertwined with the noisy noises in the streets, forming a unique city symphony.

Everyone gazed at the capital city they had been away from for more than two years, with deep nostalgia in their eyes. Although the city had not changed much since they left, every familiar scene and every friendly face could bring back endless memories. When they cast their eyes on the majestic and magnificent imperial palace not far away, a strong sense of belonging arose spontaneously, as if the wanderers who had been away from home for a long time had finally returned to the warm embrace, and they couldn't help but feel an indescribable joy in their hearts - they were home!

On the wide official road, the sun shines on the ground, reflecting a golden color. Erkang, Benjamin, Yongqi and An Qingchen, four heroic men, each leading a horse, steadily guard the two sides of the seemingly ordinary carriage. Ertai skillfully controls the reins to keep the carriage moving forward steadily.

At this time, four beautiful girls were sitting in the carriage, namely the gentle and lovely Ziwei, the lively and playful Xiaoyanzi, the lovely Anyaxin and the dignified and quiet Mu Yunzhi.

Shortly after arriving in the capital, Xiaoyanzi could no longer contain her excitement. She stretched out her hand and gently lifted the curtain embroidered with exquisite patterns, poked her head out, and smiled as brightly as a flower in full bloom in spring. Her big, lively eyes rolled around, looking around happily, and she couldn't help but cheer in her heart: "Haha, my Xiaoyanzi is finally back!"

At the same time, An Yaxin, who was sitting by the window on the other side, was also attracted by the scene in front of her. Compared with the Yunzhou City she was familiar with, the capital city seemed more prosperous and lively, with shops lining both sides of the street, pedestrians weaving, and all kinds of new and novel things that made people dazzled.

Looking at these interesting things she had never seen before, Anya Xin's eyes sparkled with curiosity, and she couldn't help but feel the urge to get off the bus and have a good look. However, when she thought about not only discussing her marriage with Benjamin, but also meeting Benjamin's family after returning to the capital, her eager heart suddenly became a little uneasy, and a trace of tension and worry quietly crept into her heart.

Mu Yunzhi and Ziwei were sitting opposite each other in the carriage. Although both of them had faint smiles on their faces, Mu Yunzhi actually felt a little uneasy in his heart.

Perhaps it was because she was about to face all kinds of unpredictable situations that made her feel flustered. After all, she was originally the daughter of a prime minister, but two years ago, she unexpectedly chose to run away from her marriage. Fate is always full of drama, and now she and her former "fiancé" have developed feelings for each other again. Such a complicated and tangled situation made her really unsure of how to deal with Concubine Yu and her parents.

In the past two years, she and Yongqi had spent time together day and night, and their feelings for each other gradually warmed up, and finally developed deep feelings. Naturally, she was looking forward to successfully obtaining the approval of the emperor and Concubine Yu after returning to the capital, and also getting the consent of her parents, so that she and Yongqi could have a happy marriage for a hundred years.

However, whenever she recalled the past, her mind would involuntarily recall the time when Concubine Yu wanted to facilitate her marriage with her son, but she quietly ran away without saying goodbye. She couldn't help but secretly worry whether Concubine Yu would harbor resentment towards her family.

At this moment, the thoughtful Ziwei seemed to see through her deep worries and uneasiness. Ziwei slowly stretched out her hand, gently patted her hand, and said softly: "Don't worry, everything will be fine. Not to mention that Yongqi is here, he will definitely protect you and support you; besides, the emperor and Concubine Yu are both reasonable and amiable people, and they will not be upset about this matter, so just relax."

Mu Yunzhi looked at her gratefully. She didn't expect that she could see through her worries without her saying anything. Thinking of this, she felt a warm feeling in her heart and sighed secretly. Ziwei was really a person with a sharp mind.

Before entering the capital, Yongqi, Erkang and a group of people gathered together to carefully discuss the next plan. After careful consideration, everyone reached a consensus - first go to the palace to meet the emperor.

There are three reasons for this: First, they experienced many hardships during this trip, but finally returned to the capital safely. According to etiquette, they naturally had to pay their respects to the emperor first to show their respect and loyalty to the emperor.

Secondly, Benjamin has already made an engagement with the daughter of the famous Sword Sect leader, and now that the Sword Sect leader has come in person, he must also go to the palace to pay his respects to the emperor. Furthermore, this matter is of great importance, and he needs to discuss the specific details of the marriage with Benjamin's master, Pastor Lang.

Third, Yongqi had always wanted to introduce his beloved Mu Yunzhi to his father and mother. In the past two years, he and Mu Yunzhi had gone through ups and downs together, and their feelings for each other had long been deep and deep. At this moment, he was eager to bring her to meet his relatives and start discussing the subsequent wedding arrangements.

Not only that, there is also the marriage of Xiaoyanzi and Ertai, as well as the marriage of Erkang and Ziwei, all of which need to be reported to the emperor and obtain his consent.

Thinking back to their trip, how they had managed to settle their marriage so smoothly, the four young men looked at each other in surprise. In that casual glance, their eyes revealed an unconcealable pride, but at the same time, there was also a hint of uneasiness that was not easily detected.

Especially the brothers Erkang and Ertai, who had successfully "kidnapped" the two princesses that the emperor loved and cherished the most. When they thought of this, they felt a little nervous and uneasy: they didn't know how the emperor would react when he learned about this after returning to the palace? Would he be furious?

At this moment, inside the solemn and magnificent Qianqing Palace, inside the imperial palace tightly surrounded by tall and thick walls, the emperor, who was sitting at his desk, concentrating on reviewing memorials, suddenly sneezed several times in succession without any warning.

"Ache! Ache!"

The emperor, who was dressed in a gorgeous bright yellow dragon robe and had a delicate and handsome face, rubbed his nose gently with his hand and slightly frowned his sword-like eyebrows. He thought to himself: Why did I sneeze so inexplicably? Did I really catch a cold last night?

Seeing this, Xiao Luzi, who was standing by and serving, was filled with worry. He hurried forward, took out a white handkerchief from his bosom and handed it to the emperor, and asked with great concern: "Your Majesty, did you catch a cold while sleeping at night? How about I call the imperial physician to take your pulse and see what's going on?"

"Don't panic, I'm fine." The emperor raised his hand slightly and waved it a few times, signaling the people in front of him to leave. Then, he returned his gaze to the pile of memorials in front of him and continued to review them carefully.

Time passed quietly, and when the emperor turned to a letter from Xiao Zhihang, his originally calm face suddenly showed a hint of surprise. It was clearly written on the letter: The Japanese pirates in the Qing Dynasty have been completely eliminated!

In an instant, the emperor could no longer suppress his inner joy, and he raised his head and burst into a hearty laugh, which echoed throughout the entire palace for a long time. "Great! Great! Hahahahahaha...these damned Japanese pirates have finally been wiped out!"

Looking back over the past decade, those Japanese pirates were able to secretly develop so many subordinate forces after escaping from the border. They were like cunning foxes, hiding deep and dormant, lurking in the dark and ready to make a move. However, after years of unremitting efforts and investigations, they have finally been completely wiped out. Thinking of this, the emperor couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and said with great emotion: "More than ten years have passed in a hurry, and now we can finally exchange it for long-term peace and stability in the Qing Dynasty."

When Xiao Luzi, who had been waiting nearby, heard the emperor's words, he immediately showed an ecstatic expression on his face. He quickly bowed and took a step forward, flatteringly saying, "Your Majesty is wise and brave in governing the country, and your way of employing people is even more amazing, which is why you can make those vicious Japanese pirates nowhere to hide. Of course, the successful elimination of the Japanese pirates this time also depends on the hard work of Earl Xiao and Princess Huanzhu, who have been running around looking for clues outside. They have also made great contributions. It is really a blessing for our Qing Dynasty!"

The emperor tilted his head slightly and nonchalantly glanced at Xiao Luzi who was fawning on him. The faint smile on his face faded a little, but anyone with a discerning eye could still tell that he was a little happier than before.

The emperor nodded slightly, expressing his agreement and said, "Well, you are right. Xiao Aiqing's family has indeed worked hard and made great contributions. Especially my Princess Huanzhu and Princess Mingzhu, as well as my children Yongqi, Erkang, Ertai and Benjamin. They have been in the martial arts world, experienced countless hardships and obstacles, and finally made a great name for themselves. Not only that, they also assisted the court in successfully eliminating those rampant Japanese pirates. Such achievements are indelible!"

At this point, the emperor couldn't help but burst into laughter, his laughter was hearty and heroic, as if he wanted to vent all the joy in his heart. "When they return, I will definitely reward them generously to commend their merits! Hahahahaha..." The more the emperor thought about it, the more excited he became, his heart overflowing with pride and honor as a father.

As his thoughts drifted, the emperor couldn't help but miss his children who were traveling far away. He murmured to himself, "Unknowingly, three years have passed. Counting the days, it's about time for these children to return to my side, right?"

Xiao Luzi, who had been standing quietly beside him, heard the emperor's words and hurriedly responded respectfully, "Your Majesty, I received a letter from An Yi half a month ago, saying that Gege and others were preparing to return home. I think it won't be long before I can meet Your Majesty again."

The emperor nodded slightly to show his approval. This incident suddenly came to his mind, and a hint of anticipation flashed across his calm eyes. At this moment, he looked at the memorials piled up like a mountain on the dragon table, and he actually felt a little annoyed, and he didn't even have the slightest desire to review them.

After all, most of these memorials reported nothing more than insignificant trivial matters, and even if they were ignored for the time being, they would not have much impact on national affairs.

"What time is it now?" The emperor stood up, stretched his slightly stiff body, and asked casually.

"Your Majesty, it is almost noon. Do you plan to have the imperial kitchen deliver the meals to the Qianqing Palace, or do you have other arrangements?" Xiao Luzi, who was serving beside him, bowed and replied hurriedly.

The emperor thought for a while, thinking to himself: It has been a long time since he last visited the queen. So he walked down the stairs without hesitation and said, "Please go to Jingren Palace. I want to see the queen."

After hearing the emperor's order, Xiao Luzi hurriedly agreed, then turned around and ran to convey the order and arrange related matters.

In Jingren Palace, sunlight shines through the lush branches and leaves onto the pavilion in the backyard, creating a mottled pattern. The queen sits in the pavilion, wearing a gorgeous phoenix robe. The phoenix pattern embroidered with golden silk threads is lifelike, as if it is about to flap its wings and fly high at any time.

She tilted her head slightly, her eyes falling on the lotus pond not far away. The breeze blew, the lotus leaves swayed gently, and the lotus flowers were like graceful girls, dancing gracefully. Under the lotus flowers, a group of colorful koi were swimming happily, shaking their tails from time to time, creating layers of ripples.

However, the queen's eyes were not attracted by this beautiful scene, but instead a trace of boredom that could not be concealed flashed across them. Her sight seemed to stay on the lotus pond, but her thoughts had already drifted far away.

Rong Mama, who had been standing quietly behind the queen, had been paying close attention to the changes in her queen's expression. She saw that the queen's eyes were a little dazed, sometimes staring blankly at the fish playing in the water, and sometimes looking up at the birds flying freely in the sky. Rong Mama couldn't help but feel a little worried.

Finally, after careful consideration, Rong Mama couldn't hold back her inner concern and asked softly, "Madam, what are you thinking about?"

Upon hearing this, the Queen slowly withdrew her gaze, turned her head to look at Madam Rong, a wry smile appeared on the corners of her mouth, and she said slowly: "I was wondering, does the legendary fish leaping over the Dragon Gate really exist? And... will I have a chance to walk out of this palace and see the outside world?" At the end, the Queen's voice gradually became low, revealing a deep desire and helplessness.