Return of the Pearl

At that time, Qianlong sat upright on the majestic and solemn dragon throne in the Hall of Mental Cultivation, reviewing the mountains of memorials with an extremely focused expression. His brows were slightly furrowed, like two small hills, and there was a deep concentration and determination between his brows, as if he was facing a severe test.

In this atmosphere so quiet that one can almost hear the heartbeat, the only sound one can hear is the rustling sound of the brush gently moving across the snow-white paper, as subtle and clear as a silkworm eating mulberry leaves. This sound echoes in the empty hall, as if it is the footsteps of time, recording Qianlong's hard work and dedication.

Xiao Luzi rushed into the hall like a whirlwind. His originally fair face was now stained with fear and anxiety, with fine beads of sweat covering his forehead, as if he had just experienced a thrilling chase and escape.

Before he even stood firmly, he said anxiously: "Your Majesty, this is bad! People are saying outside..." His voice trembled slightly with nervousness, mixed with a bit of anxiety and uneasiness, like a candle swaying in the wind.

Qianlong raised his head slightly, and a hint of doubt flashed in his eyes as bright as stars. His brows were slightly wrinkled on his resolute face, as if he was in deep thought, or as if he was searching for something.

Xiao Luzi took a deep breath, trying his best to calm his inner excitement, and mustered up the courage to repeat the rumor again. His voice echoed in the empty hall, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples that lasted for a long time.

When Qianlong heard this, his face suddenly became gloomy and terrifying like rolling dark clouds, as if a storm was about to come. In his originally bright eyes, anger burned like a volcanic eruption, and that anger seemed to devour the entire world and turn it into ashes and nothingness.

Suddenly, like an angry lion, he slammed the table with lightning speed. With a loud "bang", it was like thunder exploding in the palace from the sky, and the sound seemed to shake the palace down. At the same time, the pens and ink on the table were shaken high by the sudden force like frightened birds, drawing messy arcs in the air.

He widened his eyes in rage, as if fire was about to spit out of them, and shouted at the top of his lungs: "How dare you! I can bear the infamy of the twelfth prince leaving the palace, but I will never tolerate anyone defiling Yun'er in the slightest!" His voice was like thunder, booming and echoing in the hall. The powerful aura made people's hearts tremble suddenly, as if the whole world was trembling in this anger.

His chest heaved violently, and the anger in his heart surged like raging waves. He clenched his fists tightly, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged, as if he was trying his best to restrain his anger that was about to explode.

After hearing this, Qianlong suddenly became like an angry god, sweeping through the entire harem with the force of thunder. His tough and decisive approach should have made those who had evil intentions feel like they were struck by the nine-day thunder, trembling with fear and collapsing to the ground.

However, unexpectedly, the measures taken this time seemed to have little effect. Instead of stopping, the rumors became more and more intense like a raging fire.

Qianlong was extremely sensitive to the unusualness of the situation, and a sense of doubt and worry gradually arose in his heart. The doubt was like a thick dark cloud, hanging heavily on his heart, making him feel inexplicably panicked and uneasy.

He frowned tightly, and a complex and incomprehensible look flashed in his eyes. Beneath the appearance of anger and majesty, confusion and worry were deeply hidden. He began to carefully think over the various possibilities behind this, trying to find the black hand hidden in the dark and unravel this tangled mystery.

He thought to himself, "What is going on here? Why are these rumors so rampant and spread so recklessly? Is there really someone behind this who is fanning the flames and stirring up trouble?" A light as sharp as a sword flashed in his eyes. The light was so sharp that it seemed to be able to penetrate everything in the world mercilessly and expose everything hidden in the dark.

Immediately, Qianlong made a decision without hesitation and decisively ordered An Yi to trace the source of these rumors. He knew that this matter was urgent and the black hand behind the scenes must be found out as soon as possible, otherwise these rampant rumors would cause great harm to Yun'er and may even endanger her reputation and safety. His heart was full of worry and anxiety, and his eyes revealed a firm determination to seek justice for Yun'er and give her a quiet living environment.

An Yi's investigation is like being in a thick fog. The fog seems to have endless magic, which makes him deeply trapped in it and unable to break free for a long time. The truth has not been able to surface and the clouds have not been cleared. However, under this seemingly calm appearance, the thing that Qianlong is most worried about has inadvertently come quietly like a hideous demon, bringing endless gloom and terror, catching people off guard.

The next day in the court, the depressing atmosphere was like a thick dark cloud, making it hard to breathe. The entire court seemed to be shrouded in an invisible sense of oppression, making people feel suffocated. The ministers all pointed their spearheads at Xiao Yun, their eyes full of hostility and dissatisfaction.

Their words were like sharp arrows, piercing Xiao Yun mercilessly. One of the ministers stood up, his face full of seriousness, and in that seriousness there was a hint of subtle sinisterness.

His voice was loud and powerful, yet it carried a chillingly sinister tone. "Your Majesty, Consort Xian's virtue is unworthy of her position. She doesn't even deserve the word 'virtuous'! How can she deserve such praise when she is so despicable? Moreover, it was clearly she who bewitched you into punishing you for no reason as to what happened to the Twelfth Prince. She must be held accountable for this!"

His words were like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, stirring up thousands of ripples. Other ministers also echoed him. For a moment, the court was filled with accusations against Xiao Yun. The voices were as turbulent as the tide, as if to drown Xiao Yun. They were either filled with righteous indignation, or gloating, or had ulterior motives. All kinds of expressions intertwined together, making the court even more gloomy and terrifying.

Fuheng had always had great trust in Qianlong. When he saw Qianlong being harassed by so many ministers, he felt a strong urge to stand up.

Qianlong was seen sitting upright on the dragon throne, his hands tightly clenched together, the knuckles turned pale from exerting too much force. His heart was burning with rage, but he tried his best to restrain himself and not let the anger erupt. A trace of anger flashed in his eyes, but with deep forbearance.

Seeing this, Fu Heng retracted his foot that was about to take a step. He stood firmly in his position, knowing in his heart that Qianlong must have his considerations for doing this. Although Fu Heng was extremely anxious at this moment, he could only stand there quietly and guard Qianlong silently.