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

While Hongli was arranging for people to go to the border tribes to investigate, the security in the palace became increasingly tight. However, beneath this seemingly calm surface, an undercurrent was quietly brewing.

Late at night, under a hazy moonlight, the Imperial Garden was utterly silent. The patrolling guards vigilantly searched every nook and cranny.

Suddenly, a dark figure flashed through the flowerbed like a ghost. A sharp-eyed guard immediately became alert: "Who goes there!"

The other guards quickly surrounded him, weapons in hand, ready for battle. Seeing the situation was dire, the dark figure turned and fled, with the guards in hot pursuit.

"Don't let him get away!" the head guard shouted.

The shadowy figure moved with incredible agility, darting through the imperial garden with ease, leaving the guards struggling to keep up. Just as they were about to lose sight of the figure, it ran towards a rockery.

When the guards chased after him to the artificial hill, the shadowy figure suddenly disappeared.

"Where is he? Why is he gone?" a guard asked in confusion.

“Look carefully, he must still be nearby,” the head guard said.

Just then, a guard discovered a hidden door behind the artificial hill. "Boss, there's a hidden door here!"

The head guard stepped forward and carefully pushed open the hidden door, a damp smell wafting out. Inside was a narrow, dark passage that seemed to stretch endlessly.

"It seems the shadowy figure escaped from here. Let's go in and take a look!" said the head guard.

The guards, carrying torches, moved slowly along the passage. An eerie atmosphere permeated the passage, sending chills down everyone's spines.

After walking for a while, they came to a secret room. Inside the room were some strange objects, and on the wall hung a huge portrait of the Shadow Pavilion's emblem.

“This place is indeed related to the Shadow Pavilion!” the head guard said.

Just then, they heard footsteps behind them. Everyone turned around quickly and saw a man in black walking out of the passage; it was the same dark figure who had just fled.

"You've finally arrived," the man in black said coldly.

"Who are you? Why are you in the palace?" the head guard asked angrily.

The man in black sneered, "Who I am is not important. What's important is that none of you will leave here alive."

Having said that, the man in black brandished his long sword and charged at the guards. The guards, undaunted, raised their swords to meet him.

In an instant, the secret chamber was filled with the flashing of swords and shouts of battle. The man in black was highly skilled in martial arts, and after several rounds, several guards had already been injured.

"Everyone be careful, this guy is tough to deal with!" the head guard shouted.

Just as the fierce battle raged on, another group of men in black poured in through the passage. The guards were surrounded, and the situation was extremely critical.

"It seems we've fallen into their trap!" one of the guards said.

"No matter what, we have to fight! We can't let them succeed!" said the head guard.

Just as the guards were preparing for a desperate fight, a loud shout suddenly came from outside the passage: "Stop!"

Everyone turned to look and saw that Xiao Yanzi and Liu Hong had arrived with a group of people.

"You bunch of scoundrels, how dare you act so presumptuously in the palace!" Little Swallow shouted angrily.

The man in black was slightly taken aback when he saw Xiao Yanzi and the others, but quickly regained his composure: "Hmph, you've come at the right time, let's take care of you all at once!"

Little Swallow drew her sword and engaged the man in black in battle. Liu Hong, not to be outdone, joined the fight. Seeing reinforcements arrive, the guards' morale soared, and they fought back with all their might.

Although the man in black was highly skilled in martial arts, he gradually became overwhelmed by the combined attacks of Xiao Yanzi, Liu Hong, and numerous guards.

"What exactly are you plotting? Tell me!" Little Swallow asked as she hit him.

The man in black did not answer, but continued his frenzied attack.

Just then, Liu Hong seized the opportunity and stabbed the man in black in the arm with her sword. The man in black cried out in pain, and the long sword fell to the ground.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Xiao Yanzi stepped forward and pressed her sword against the man in black's throat: "Speak! What exactly are you plotting?"

A glint of malice flashed in the man's eyes: "Hmph, you think capturing me will stop everything? Too late! The Shadow Pavilion's plan is beyond repair!"

"What plan? Tell me now!" Little Swallow shouted angrily.

Suddenly, the man in black bit open the poison sac in his mouth, a trickle of black blood flowing from the corner of his lips, and he slowly collapsed.

“He’s dead!” Liu Hong said.

Little Swallow frowned: "Damn it, they got their way again."

“Princess, there might be other clues in this secret room,” Liu Hong said.

So, the group began to search the secret room carefully. Sure enough, in a corner, they found a register containing the names and contact information of several people.

"Could this be a list of personnel from the Shadow Pavilion?" Little Swallow said.

“Very likely,” Liu Hong said. “Let’s quickly take this to the Emperor for a look.”

Xiao Yanzi and Liu Hong hurriedly headed to the Hall of Mental Cultivation with the roster in hand. Hongli's expression turned grave upon seeing the roster.

"It seems that the Shadow Pavilion's power is even greater than we imagined," Hongli said.

"Your Majesty, what should we do next?" Little Swallow asked.

Hongli pondered for a moment: "Immediately send people to investigate according to the information on the roster, to see if we can find more members of the Shadow Pavilion. At the same time, the reconnaissance operations of the border tribes must be accelerated, and we cannot let the Shadow Pavilion's conspiracy succeed."

However, the Shadow Pavilion's power structure is complex and intertwined; is the information on this roster reliable? What difficulties and dangers will they encounter in their upcoming investigation? Everything remains to be seen…

This chapter concludes here. Stay tuned for the next chapter.