Huanzhu Time Travel: Yan Luo's Unbreakable Love in the Yong Dynasty

With only a few days left until the full moon, a tense and oppressive atmosphere permeated the entire palace. Inside the Imperial Study, Hongli, Xiaoyanzi, and a group of ministers were discussing countermeasures.

"Erkang, this mission is extremely difficult, you must be extremely careful. The Shadow Pavilion acts strangely, and we know very little about the location and specific arrangements of their rituals, so you must not act rashly," Hongli solemnly instructed.

Erkang knelt on one knee, his gaze firm: "Your Majesty, rest assured! I have made all the necessary preparations and will be careful and prudent, and will not fail Your Majesty's trust."

Little Swallow, her face full of worry, stepped forward and said, "Erkang, I'm really worried about you. The Shadow Pavilion is ruthless and capable of anything. What will we do if anything happens to you!"

"Your Majesty, rest assured, I have practiced martial arts since childhood and have the assistance of the guards. I will surely return safely. Moreover, in order to uncover the Shadow Pavilion's conspiracy and protect the safety of the royal family, I am willing to die for it!" Er Kang said earnestly.

Princess Hejing added, "Erkang, you must be extra careful. If you encounter danger, don't be reckless; preserving your life is the most important thing."

"Your Highness, I will remember your concern. I will certainly complete my mission safely," Erkang said.

Lin Yuhang frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Your Majesty, we need to make several preparations for this operation. In case Erkang and the others are exposed and fall into danger, we need to have a plan to provide backup."

Hongli nodded. "Minister Lin is absolutely right. Fulun, you lead a team of men and lie in wait nearby. If Erkang and the others give the signal, go and provide support immediately."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Fu Lun clasped his hands in acceptance of the order.

"Furthermore, we need to gather as much information as possible about the location of the Shadow Pavilion ritual. In the next few days, have the spies in the capital intensify their investigations and not overlook any suspicious areas," Hongli continued.

Su Peisheng bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this servant will immediately convey the imperial decree, ordering the secret agents to conduct a full investigation."

"In addition, notify all palaces to strengthen their defenses. Although we are still unsure of the Shadow Pavilion's target, we cannot rule out the possibility that they may take action against the Imperial Palace," Hongli instructed.

"Yes, Your Majesty!" the crowd replied in unison.

In the past few days, Erkang and his guards have been gathering intelligence everywhere, trying to find the possible location where the Shadow Pavilion is holding its ceremony. They have been traversing the streets and alleys of the capital, not letting go of any possible clues.

Finally, on the eve of the full moon, Erkang obtained an important clue. A martial arts figure who had previously been in contact with the Shadow Pavilion revealed that the Shadow Pavilion's ceremony might be held in an abandoned Taoist temple on the outskirts of the capital.

Erkang immediately went to the palace and told Hongli the news.

“Your Majesty, I have ascertained that the Shadow Pavilion’s ceremony is very likely to be held in an abandoned Taoist temple on the outskirts of the capital,” Er Kang said.

Hongli frowned slightly. "Are you sure it's there?"

“While we cannot be completely certain at the moment, this is the most reliable lead we have so far,” Er Kang replied.

“Alright, in that case, you will lead the guards to lie in ambush near the Taoist temple tomorrow and wait for the right opportunity to infiltrate,” Hongli said.

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

That night, inside the Shufangzhai, Little Swallow heard that Erkang was going to investigate the Shadow Pavilion and looked worried.

"Sister Empress, is Brother Erkang in danger? I'm so worried about him," Little Swallow said, holding Little Swallow's hand.

Little Swallow patted Little Swallow's head and comforted her, "Little Swallow, don't worry. Erkang is highly skilled in martial arts and has many guards with him, so everything will be alright."

"But the people of the Shadow Pavilion are so evil, I'm still scared..." Little Swallow's eyes reddened.

“Be good, we must trust Brother Erkang. Besides, Father has arranged for people to meet him, so he'll be fine. Be good and don't worry your sister,” Xiao Yanzi said.

"Yes, I will be good. I hope Brother Erkang will come back safely and catch all the bad guys from the Shadow Pavilion," Little Swallow said.

The night of the full moon finally arrived. The sky was pitch black, covered with thick clouds, and the moon appeared and disappeared among the clouds. Erkang led a team of elite guards and quietly arrived near the abandoned Taoist temple on the outskirts of the capital.

"Everyone be careful and don't make any noise. Observe the surrounding situation first," Er Kang instructed in a low voice.

The guards nodded and cautiously lay in ambush around the Taoist temple.

After a while, seeing nothing amiss, Erkang waved his hand and led the guards slowly into the Taoist temple. The temple was completely silent, with only the whistling of the wind in their ears.

Suddenly, a guard accidentally stepped on a stone, making a slight sound. Er Kang's heart tightened, and he immediately signaled everyone to stop.

Just then, footsteps sounded from inside the Taoist temple. Erkang and the others quickly hid in the bushes nearby. They saw a group of men in black carrying torches patrolling inside the temple.

"It seems they are heavily guarded; we need to be even more careful," Er Kang whispered to the guard beside him.

After the men in black patrolled past, Erkang led the guards onward. They arrived at the backyard of the Taoist temple and discovered an entrance to a basement.

“This is very likely where the ceremony will be held. Let’s go down and take a look,” Er Kang said.

The group cautiously descended the stairs. The basement was filled with a pungent odor, and several oil lamps hung on the walls, casting a dim light.

After walking for a while, they heard a series of low, muffled sounds coming from ahead, like someone chanting incantations.

Erkang gestured for everyone to slow down and approach quietly. When they finally saw what was ahead, they couldn't help but gasp.

In the center of the basement stood a massive stone platform, covered in strange symbols. A group of men in black were chanting incantations around it. Offerings were also placed on the platform, creating a bizarre scene.

"What on earth are these people up to?" a guard asked in a low voice.

Erkang shook his head, signaling him to be quiet. Just then, a man in black suddenly looked up, as if he had noticed something.

"Damn it, we've been discovered!" Er Kang shouted. "Everyone, prepare for battle!"

The men in black immediately surrounded them, engaging in fierce combat with Er Kang and his companions. Er Kang brandished his sword, dodging and weaving, and for a time, the basement was filled with the glint of blades and the sounds of battle.

However, as the number of men in black increased, Er Kang and his companions gradually found themselves in a predicament.

"No, we'll all die here if this continues! Send a distress signal!" Er Kang shouted.

One of the guards immediately took out a signal flare and fired it.

"Hold on, everyone! Reinforcements will be here soon!" Er Kang shouted.

Just then, a man in black took advantage of Er Kang's momentary lapse in attention and attacked him from behind. Er Kang was unable to dodge in time and was slashed on the back by a sharp blade.

"Erkang!" the guards exclaimed.

"I'm fine! Keep fighting!" Er Kang endured the pain and continued fighting the man in black.

Outside the Taoist temple, Fu Lun saw the signal flare and immediately led his men into the temple.

"Kill!" With a command from Furen, the reinforcements rushed into the basement like tigers and engaged in a chaotic battle with the men in black.

With the arrival of reinforcements, the situation immediately turned around. The men in black gradually lost their grip and began to flee in all directions.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Er Kang approached the stone platform, wanting to see what secrets those strange symbols and offerings held. Just then, he suddenly noticed that the symbols on the stone platform were somewhat similar to those he had seen earlier in the wooden house in the woods south of the city.

"There must be some connection between these symbols," Er Kang thought to himself.

However, before he could examine it closely, a man in black suddenly rushed over, trying to destroy the things on the stone platform. Er Kang reacted quickly, stabbing the man in black down with his sword.

At this moment, Fu Lun walked over and asked, "Erkang, how are you? Are you hurt?"

Er Kang wiped the sweat from his face and said, "Father, I'm fine. I just suffered a minor injury. These symbols are very important; we need to take them back to study them."

“Okay, let’s clean this place up first, then take these things back,” Furen said.

Just as everyone was about to leave, they suddenly heard a sinister laugh coming from deep within the basement.

"Hahaha, you think you can ruin our ceremony so easily? How naive!" a voice rang out.

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw a figure slowly emerge from the darkness. The person was tall, dressed in a long black robe, and wore a mask, obscuring their face.

"Who are you?" Er Kang shouted.

"Who I am is not important. What is important is that none of you will leave this Taoist temple today!" the mysterious man said.

“Don’t spout such nonsense! There are so many of us, do you think we’re afraid of you?” Furen said.

The mysterious man sneered and waved his hand, and another group of men in black emerged from all directions.

"It seems that a fierce battle is inevitable today." Er Kang gripped his sword tightly, his gaze fixed firmly on the mysterious man.

This sudden turn of events has made the situation even more critical. Can Er Kang and his companions defeat the mysterious man and the man in black? And can they uncover the conspiracy behind the Shadow Pavilion? End of this chapter. Stay tuned for the next chapter.