Return of the Pearl

Qianlong's secret guards moved as swiftly as ghosts. They were agile and followed like shadows, and they escorted Altai back to the government office in Jinan Prefecture at an astonishing speed. In the government office, Altai was detained strictly, as if he was imprisoned in an inescapable cage.

At the same time, other people also became busy. They actively participated in the work of cleaning up the battlefield. They were seen shuttling back and forth between the venues, busy and non-stop, carefully cleaning up the mess and bloodstains on the ground. The broken weapons and debris were also picked up one by one and sorted out by them.

When all this was done, they dragged their tired bodies and took heavy steps back to the government office of Jinan Prefecture. There, they temporarily stopped their running steps and took a short rest. They sat or lay down, relaxing their bodies and relieving physical fatigue and mental tension. In this moment of tranquility, they adjusted their state, conserved their energy for the upcoming actions, and made full preparations.

Qianlong and Xiao Yun walked side by side, their pace was slow and steady, as if every step was carried out with a tacit understanding between them. After returning to the government office and having their meal, the two of them slowly walked towards the room together.

The door of the room was gently pushed open, and a quiet atmosphere came to the face. Qianlong gently took Xiao Yun's hand, led her to the bed, and asked her to sit down slowly. His eyes were fixed on Xiao Yun, and his eyes were filled with endless concern and heartache.

His fingers trembled slightly, like leaves swaying in the wind, with a hint of imperceptible tension. He gently and carefully untied the bandage on Xiao Yun's neck. The bandage was soaked with dark red blood. When he slightly lifted a corner, the hideous and shocking wound was revealed.

The wound was like a deep ravine, bloody and mangled, with dried blood still on the edge. Qianlong's gaze stayed on the wound, and an indescribable pain surged in his heart. His eyes became moist, and tears welled up in his eye sockets, as if they would burst out at any time.

His fingers gently touched the wound, his movements as gentle as the breeze blowing across the flower petals. Every touch made his heart ache more, as if millions of ants were gnawing at his heart. He secretly blamed himself in his heart and regretted that he had not protected Xiao Yun well.

Xiao Yun felt Qianlong's heartache. She raised her head slightly and looked at Qianlong, her eyes full of tenderness and comfort. She gently held Qianlong's hand and said in a weak but firm voice: "Hongli, I'm fine, don't worry, it's you who is in pain!" Her voice was like a spring breeze blowing across the lake, which calmed Qianlong's heart a little.

Qianlong's throat rolled, he wanted to say something but didn't know how to express it. He just treated Xiao Yun's wound more gently, his movements full of care and cherishment. His eyes never left Xiao Yun's wound, as if he wanted to imprint the wound deeply in his mind and never forget it.

Xiao Yun opened her red lips slightly and slowly told Qianlong about her thrilling experiences after being abducted, in detail and without reservation. Qianlong listened attentively, his eyes filled with a mixture of pity and emotion.

They talked for a while, and Xiao Yun suddenly felt weak all over. The feeling of fatigue came over her like a surging wave. Since being kidnapped, she has been worried and nervous all day long. She even dared not sleep and was always in a state of high tension.

Before long, Xiao Yun could no longer resist the drowsiness that was like a tide, and fell into a deep sleep. Her breathing became even and slow, as if she had finally found a moment of peace and tranquility in this sweet dream.

However, Qianlong knew very well that there were many complicated matters waiting for him to deal with, so he carefully tucked the quilt for Xiao Yun, for fear of disturbing her sweet dream. Then, he quietly left the room and walked to the hall of the government office.

At this moment, everyone else in the government office had not returned yet, and only Qianlong was left alone, sitting alone in the living room. His figure in the empty hall seemed even more lonely and desolate, as if shrouded in a layer of faint sadness.

Suddenly, Qianlong raised his voice and shouted, "An Yi!"

This shout was like a thunderclap exploding in the silent space. An Yi appeared from the dark place like a ghost in the blink of an eye. His movements were swift and silent, as if he had merged into the darkness.

An Yi knelt respectfully on one knee, his head slightly lowered, and said, "Master, I have already found out. It is the Empress."

Qianlong's face did not show the anger as imagined. He just shook his head gently and murmured softly: "It is indeed her... Have you ever interrogated Altai?" There was a trace of imperceptible helplessness and sadness in his voice.

An Yi nodded and replied with a firm look in his eyes: "I have interrogated him and he confessed. This is a secret letter written to him by the Empress, and I have already got the secret letter." As he said this, An Yi slowly took out the secret letter from his arms and handed it to Qianlong.

After saying that, An Yi carefully took out the Queen's secret letter from his arms with a serious expression, and then respectfully presented it to Qianlong with both hands.

Qianlong stared intently at the secret letter, his eyes filled with rage. He stretched out his slightly trembling hand, slowly took the letter, and began to stare at the beautiful handwriting. However, as his eyes moved, the words on it were like sharp blades, piercing his heart. He felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, and his whole body was cold. Endless sadness and anger surged in his heart. He thought to himself, "She is determined to keep Yun'er's life in Shandong at all costs. What a cruel heart! How could she be so cruel? Yun'er has no grudge against her!"

An Yi continued his report methodically, "The Empress has long known of the disaster in Shandong, but she deliberately concealed it. She colluded with Shandong Governor Altai, completely disregarding the lives of the people. Furthermore, we have solid evidence regarding this. Master, please make the final decision."

As Qianlong listened to An Yi's report, his expression became increasingly gloomy. He gritted his teeth, handed the secret letter in his hand to An Yi, and said coldly: "Please keep these things. I will settle the score with her after I return to Beijing." After that, a trace of determination and anger flashed in his eyes.

An Yi respectfully accepted the order and left, his figure quickly disappearing from sight. At this moment, Qianlong was sitting alone in the hall, staring quietly ahead with a somewhat empty look in his eyes, and no one knew what was going on in his mind.

His expression was extremely solemn, and deep worry was clearly visible between his brows, as if a heavy burden was pressing on his heart, making it difficult for him to breathe. His lonely figure looked even more lonely and desolate in this empty hall, as if shrouded in a layer of faint sadness, which made people feel pity for him.