Legend of the Embroiderer

The night was like a huge, thick black carpet, slowly covering the entire palace. The lights in the palace were like stars dotting this carpet, gradually becoming sparse as time went by.

In stark contrast, the candlelight near the school became increasingly brighter and more dazzling, as if it was about to break through the shackles of darkness.

Li Zhao and Su Mengyao stood side by side, quietly outside the school, their eyes fixed on the open door. Through the doorway, they could see that the items that had been neatly arranged inside were now in a mess.

Especially those precious embroidery supplies, which disappeared without a trace, leaving only mess on the floor and empty shelves.

Li Zhao and Su Mengyao were filled with anger and worry at the sight. These embroidery items were a crucial part of their reform plan, and their theft was undoubtedly a heavy blow to their efforts.

Moreover, this blatant act of theft was more like a provocation, announcing to them the existence of the enemy and its arrogance.

"My dear, this is no accident!" Li Zhao said in a low voice, his tone clearly carrying a hint of suppressed anger. Every word seemed squeezed from between his teeth, filled with chilling coldness.

Su Mengyao nodded slightly, agreeing with Li Zhao's opinion. Her beautiful eyes quickly scanned the surroundings, carefully observing every possible place where clues might be hidden, hoping to find some clues to uncover the mystery.

"With the embroidery supplies stolen, the maids' lessons tomorrow will be completely impossible to carry out. This will seriously cast doubt on the reputation the academy has worked so hard to build."

Su Mengyao frowned and analyzed the situation with worry. She knew that the impact of this incident was far more than just the loss of a few items. If it wasn't resolved in time, all her previous efforts would be wasted.

After hearing this, Li Zhao clenched his fists tightly, and veins popped out on the backs of his hands. A cold light flashed in his eyes, and he gritted his teeth and said:

"We must find out the truth as soon as possible and recover the stolen embroidery supplies! Otherwise, all the reform achievements we have worked so hard to promote will be wasted!" After saying this, he took a deep breath and tried to calm the surging emotions in his heart.

At this critical moment, a eunuch rushed in like a gust of wind. He was pale and panicked, as if he had seen a ghost. He said in a trembling voice:

"Your Highness, Miss Su, this is bad! Some suspicious figures have appeared outside the palace walls. It looks like someone is trying to sneak into the palace!"

Hearing this, Li Zhao and Su Mengyao couldn't help but look at each other. Both of their hearts were shocked, and an ominous premonition instantly surged into their hearts.

Su Mengyao had been through many storms, after all. She quickly recovered from her shock and shouted without hesitation, "Quick, lead the way! I want to see who is so audacious as to trespass into this important palace!"

So, led by the eunuchs, everyone hurried towards the palace wall.

The night is like water, sprinkling on the ground like a layer of silver gauze; the night wind is cool, gently blowing across people's faces, bringing a hint of chill.

Soon, Li Zhao and Su Mengyao followed the eunuchs to the palace wall. From a distance, they saw several guards gathered in a group, whispering to each other in hushed voices. The atmosphere was extremely tense and solemn.

Seeing this, Li Zhao quickened his pace and rushed to the guards in a few steps. His face was gloomy and he shouted in a deep voice, "What happened? Tell us the truth!"

One of the guards quickly bowed and reported tremblingly, "Your Highness, we were patrolling here when we suddenly saw several dark figures flash past the palace wall. They moved in a hurry and disappeared in the blink of an eye. In my opinion, these people are most likely criminals trying to sneak into the palace, but their specific purpose is still unclear."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhao frowned tightly, and his sharp eyes scanned the surrounding environment like an eagle.

After a moment, he turned around and whispered to the guards behind him, "Pass on my order, immediately send more troops to strengthen the defense work near the palace wall, and do not slack off in the slightest!

"Also, select several teams of nimble individuals to follow the direction in which those suspicious figures disappeared. Be sure to determine their whereabouts and intentions. If there is any sign of trouble, report back immediately!"

Su Mengyao stood quietly at one side, her brows slightly furrowed, her eyes staring deeply at the front. Various thoughts raced through her mind, and she secretly wondered whether the series of events happening before her eyes was related to the batch of stolen embroidery supplies.

She opened her red lips slightly and said to Li Zhao beside her in a low voice:

"Brother Zhao, in my opinion, these people dared to sneak into the forbidden area of ​​the imperial palace without anyone noticing. Their purpose is probably not just to divert our attention. They may also be trying to further obstruct and undermine the various reform measures currently being implemented."

After hearing this, Li Zhao nodded solemnly, expressing his agreement with Su Mengyao's opinion. A flicker of determination flashed across his piercing eyes, and he responded decisively:

"No matter what sinister intentions they harbor, no matter what ulterior motives they harbor, we must absolutely not let them get away with their crimes! Yao'er, the situation is still unclear. You should return to the academy and comfort those frightened palace maids to prevent them from becoming disorganized. As for tracking down the murderer, I will personally lead the charge."

Su Mengyao shook her head gently and retorted firmly, "No, Brother Zhao, the enemy is coming with such force and their whereabouts are so elusive. If we split up, our forces will be dispersed, and if we encounter an emergency, it will be difficult for us to support each other. Therefore, I must go with you to overcome this difficult time together!"

Li Zhao looked at Su Mengyao's determined expression and knew that she had made up her mind. He stopped pushing her and smiled dotingly, "Well, if that's the case, then let's work together to deal with this crisis."

After saying that, the two of them turned around without hesitation, and with several well-trained guards behind them, they rushed along the towering palace walls under the bright moonlight.

The bright moon hanging high in the night sky casts a cool silver light, like a layer of gauze gently covering the earth.

At this moment, in a dark corner not far ahead, several blurry black shadows could be seen swaying stealthily.

Li Zhao's heart tightened when he saw this. He quickly raised his hand to signal everyone to stop, and lowered his voice to instruct the people around him:

"Everyone, be extremely alert and don't let your guard down. We must not let these thieves escape!"

Everyone's feet moved faster and faster, and they finally succeeded in catching up with those vague figures in a quiet and remote forest.

Li Zhao suddenly shouted, "Stop! Don't run away!" This sudden shout sounded particularly loud and abrupt in the quiet night forest.

Those figures obviously did not expect that someone behind them could catch up so quickly. They were stunned at first, their bodies paused involuntarily, and then turned around and fled in panic like frightened rabbits.

Li Zhao and Su Mengyao looked at each other tacitly. They understood each other and chased after the escaper without hesitation.

The night wind in the woods whistled like the roar of a wild beast; the branches swayed violently in the wind, making creaking sounds, as if playing a thrilling background music for this fierce chase, adding a bit of heart-pounding tension.

"Don't run! You can't escape!" Su Mengyao shouted delicately. Her figure was as nimble as a swallow. With a light tap of her toes, she rushed forward like an arrow. In the blink of an eye, she had caught up with one of the figures.

In the blink of an eye, Su Mengyao stretched out a hand as white as jade and grabbed the man's back with lightning speed.

With a crisp "pop" sound, her palm landed accurately on the opponent's shoulder, and she pulled and twisted it hard to hold him firmly.

The captured man struggled and twisted his body desperately, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't break free from Su Mengyao's seemingly weak but actually powerful grip. In desperation, he had to give up resistance and stopped obediently.

Taking advantage of the bright moonlight, Li Zhao walked forward quickly and finally saw the face of the subdued man clearly.

In an instant, his heart trembled suddenly, an expression of disbelief appeared on his face, and he exclaimed: "How...how could it be you?"