Return of the Pearl

"Okay, then I will take you with me and set off tomorrow. You should pack your bags quickly." Qianlong gently stroked Xiao Yun's hair. His voice was as gentle as the spring breeze, which made people intoxicated.

After hearing this, Xiao Yun's face immediately blossomed with a smile as bright as a spring flower. She leaned in Qianlong's arms, feeling his warmth to her heart's content, as if the whole world had become beautiful.

Qianlong described the disaster in Shandong to Xiao Yun in detail. Xiao Yun's face showed a look of shock and heartache. She held Qianlong's hand tightly and said, "Hongli, those people are so pitiful. We must do everything we can to help them."

They slept in each other's arms. On this night, they did not do anything but quietly enjoyed each other's company. Qianlong looked at Xiao Yun in his arms, his heart full of love. He gently kissed her forehead and secretly swore in his heart that he must protect her well and make her happy forever.

Xiao Yun also snuggled up to Qianlong tightly, with a happy smile on her face, as if they were the only two people in the world and everything else no longer mattered.

On a morning when the dawn was just breaking, thousands of rays of sunlight, like golden threads, shone through the gaps in the clouds onto the earth. Emperor Qianlong did not announce his decree to the world as usual, but quietly chose to leave the palace in disguise.

At this moment, Qianlong felt a little uneasy, as if a dark cloud was covering his heart. He thought to himself that there might be some people in the court who were colluding with Shandong officials. If not, even in the face of extreme situations such as famine and drought, the heartbreaking situation of cannibalism would never have occurred.

This time, Qianlong resolutely decided to take Xiao Yun out of the palace. He did not go directly to Shandong, but took a detour to other places first, and then planned to go to Shandong. Such careful arrangements, even if someone really discovered their whereabouts, they would probably be confused and unable to grasp their true intentions, which invisibly increased the confusion of their whereabouts.

After Qianlong left, the government affairs were handed over to Zhang Tingyu. Zhang Tingyu handled various affairs calmly, and every decision seemed so orderly, showing his outstanding ability in administration.

In the deep courtyard of the harem, the news spread like a gust of wind. After everyone learned that Qianlong had left the palace, the anger in their hearts surged like a raging wave, reaching an unprecedented peak. The flames of anger burned in their eyes, as if they wanted to devour everything.

In Kunning Palace, the Queen's expression was unexpected when she heard the news. She did not show any sadness or disappointment. Instead, she raised a playful smile, which was a bit cunning and a bit relieved. There was a barely perceptible sense of relief in her bright eyes, as if a huge rock in her heart had finally fallen to the ground.

Some time ago, the Queen fell seriously ill and was almost killed. Now, her weak body has not fully recovered, and Qianlong's departure from the palace is undoubtedly a relief for her. She secretly thought that at least at this moment, she is safe and does not have to worry about those intrigues and disputes endangering her life.

The queen was not a foolish person. She knew very well the dangers of the harem. She knew clearly in her mind that as long as she was still in power, Xiao Yun would always be just a lowly concubine and would never be able to ascend to the throne. She would never give up the throne easily. She would firmly hold on to her position and not let anyone take advantage of it. Her heart was filled with determination and resoluteness, which was a kind of persistence and defense of power.

In the quietness of the Yanx Palace, Concubine Ling stood quietly in front of the window, like a beautiful painting. Her beautiful eyes revealed deep thought, her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and there seemed to be a trace of sadness lingering between her brows. The slightly wrinkled brows were like two light clouds gathering on her forehead, adding a bit of lovable charm to her originally delicate face.

Her slender fingers unconsciously twisted the corner of her clothes, as if looking for some comfort. Her red lips were slightly pursed, as if trying to suppress her inner uneasiness and doubts. Her eyes were staring into the distance, her eyes were full of confusion and puzzlement, as if she was pursuing the unknown answer.

In this silent atmosphere, Concubine Ling fell into deep thought, countless thoughts swirling in her mind. She secretly speculated on the reason why the emperor had suddenly gone on tour, taking only Xiao Yun with him. Was there something urgent? Or was there some unspeakable secret hidden? Her heart was filled with worry, and a hint of sadness cast a shadow on her beautiful face.

Yonghe Palace

Yongqi sat quietly in the study, like a motionless statue. His body did not move at all. He seemed to be under a spell and fell into a deep daze.

His eyes were empty and lifeless, like a pool of stagnant water, without a ripple. His confused gaze looked straight ahead, but seemed to pass through everything, not focusing on any specific thing, as if everything in front of him did not exist. He just stared blankly, as if trying to find a hint of an answer from the nothingness, but it seemed as if he was just unconsciously emptying his mind.

In this quiet study, Yongqi looked so lonely and desolate. His heart was filled with endless doubts and confusions, which made him sink deeply into the quagmire of pain and unable to extricate himself.

Once upon a time, he was the emperor's most beloved son. What a wonderful memory it was. But now, he only learned about such a big thing as the emperor's departure from the palace from someone else's mouth. This made him feel extremely lost and puzzled.

His brows were furrowed tightly, a deep sorrow condensed between them. Those wrinkles were like the unspeakable pain in his heart. His lips trembled slightly, and his heart was filled with doubts and unwillingness. He kept wondering, why is this happening? Why did it become like this?

He recalled every moment he had spent with the Emperor. Those warm times seemed to be right before his eyes, but now they seemed so far away. He didn't understand why everything had changed like this. Since Ziwei appeared, the relationship between him and Erkang had gradually undergone subtle changes. They were no longer as close as before, but were drifting further and further apart, as if there was an invisible wall between them.

After the Emperor married Concubine Xiao, the relationship between them became even more precarious. Yongqi felt as if he was trapped in a fog, unable to get out, and could not figure out why all this was happening. His heart was filled with pain and confusion, and that feeling of not being able to understand made him suffer. He didn't know how to face all this, and didn't know what the future would be like. He just felt confused.