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

Several more days passed, and the investigation by Fu Lun and Er Kang still made no breakthrough. The entire palace remained shrouded in an atmosphere of vigilance towards the Shadow Cult.

That afternoon, in Shufangzhai, Little Swallow was diligently practicing martial arts moves with Liu Qing and Liu Hong. Little Swallow watched from the side, occasionally offering a few pointers.

Suddenly, Xiao Dengzi rushed in, looking flustered: "Your Majesty, a mysterious person has come from outside, saying that he has important matters to discuss with you and the Emperor!"

Little Swallow frowned: "A mysterious person? What kind of person?"

Xiao Dengzi, panting heavily, said, "Your Majesty, this person is masked and refuses to reveal his identity. He only said that the matter concerns the Shadow Cult and is extremely urgent!"

"Is it related to the Shadow Cult?" Little Swallow's heart skipped a beat. "Let's go take a look."

Little Swallow led Little Dengzi to the front yard, where they saw a person dressed in a black cloak and with a veil standing quietly. Upon seeing Little Swallow, the person bowed slightly and greeted her: "Your Majesty the Empress."

Little Swallow looked him up and down and asked, "Who are you? Why are you wearing a mask? And why do you say this matter concerns the Shadow Cult?"

The mysterious man raised his head, his gaze resolute: "Your Majesty, my identity is special and cannot be revealed for the time being. But everything I have said is true. The Shadow Cult's conspiracy is far more complex and terrifying than you can imagine."

"Hmph! You have no proof, how can I believe you?" Little Swallow said, somewhat displeased.

The mysterious man took out a token from his pocket and handed it to Xiao Yanzi: "Your Majesty, please take a look. This is proof of my identity. Not many people in the martial arts world recognize this token, but as long as you send someone to take it to the Yue Lai Inn in the west of the city to find a man named Lao Hu, he will tell you that my identity is definitely not fake."

Little Swallow took the token and examined it carefully. She noticed that the token was made of a strange material and had some unusual patterns engraved on it, which she had never seen before.

"Alright, I'll believe you this once. Tell me, what exactly is the Shadow Cult plotting?" Little Swallow said.

The mysterious man looked around and said in a low voice, "Your Majesty, there are too many people here, could we perhaps find another place to discuss this in detail?"

After a moment's thought, Little Swallow said, "Come with me."

The two entered the inner room of Shufangzhai. Xiaoyanzi dismissed the servants and said, "Now you can speak."

The mysterious man nodded: "Your Majesty, the Shadow Cult appears to be a martial arts gang, but in reality, it is backed by a powerful force that plots to overthrow the imperial court and seize control of the world. They have been searching for a mysterious treasure, which is said to contain immense power. If they find it, the consequences will be unimaginable."

“We’ve already heard about these things. Do you have any new information?” Little Swallow asked.

The mysterious man continued, "I've learned that the Shadow Cult is planning a major operation soon. They intend to strike during a grand celebration at the palace, creating chaos from within and without to seize the treasures."

"What? A royal celebration? How dare they!" Little Swallow exclaimed in shock and anger. "What treasure is it that they covet so much?"

"I don't know exactly what kind of treasure it is. I only know that it has been hidden in the palace for a long time, and the Shadow Cult has been planning to acquire it for a long time," the mysterious man said.

"Then why are you telling us all this? What is your purpose?" Little Swallow looked sharply at the mysterious man.

The mysterious man was silent for a moment, then said, "Your Majesty, I was originally coerced by the Shadow Cult. Their actions have troubled my conscience. I do not want to see the world in chaos, nor do I want to see innocent people suffer, so I risked coming here to tell you."

Xiao Yanzi had some doubts, but what the other person said seemed to make sense. After thinking for a moment, she said, "I will inform the Emperor about this. But since you know so much, why don't you go see the Emperor directly?"

The mysterious man smiled bitterly and said, "The Emperor is heavily guarded, and I can't get close at all. Moreover, if my identity is exposed, not only will my life be in danger, but many other people will also be implicated."

“Alright, I will pass on your message to the Emperor. But you must leave your contact information so we can reach you anytime,” Little Swallow said.

The mysterious man took out a brocade pouch from his robes and handed it to Xiao Yanzi: "Your Majesty, this pouch contains a method of communication. But please do not use it lightly unless in an emergency."

Little Swallow took the brocade pouch and said, "I understand. Don't worry, if this is true, we will clear your name once we eradicate the Shadow Cult."

"Thank you, Your Majesty! I'll take my leave now." After saying this, the mysterious man turned and left.

Watching the mysterious man's departing figure, Xiao Yanzi felt a mix of emotions. She immediately went to the Imperial Study to inform Hongli of the matter.

"Your Majesty, this is how things are. Do you think this person's words are credible?" Xiao Yanzi asked.

Hongli frowned and paced back and forth: "This person's identity is unknown. Although there is some truth to what he said, we cannot believe it all. However, it is better to believe it than not. We must be fully prepared."

"So what does the Emperor intend to do?" Little Swallow asked.

Hongli stopped and said, "Immediately strengthen the palace's security, especially during the celebrations, and ensure absolute safety. Also, have Fulun and Erkang expedite the investigation to see if they can corroborate the mysterious man's words from other angles."

"Yes, Your Majesty. I will make the arrangements immediately," said Xiao Yanzi.

Back at Shufangzhai, Xiaoyanzi told Liu Qing and Liu Hong what had happened.

"I never expected the Shadow Cult to dare to make a move during the imperial palace celebration. They are so arrogant!" Liu Qing said angrily.

Liu Hong also said with a serious expression, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, we will definitely protect the Princess and never let the Shadow Cult's conspiracy succeed!"

Little Swallow nodded: "Yes, we all need to be careful. From now on, we must strengthen the guard at Shufangzhai and not let our guard down in the slightest."

"Yes, Your Majesty!" Liu Qing and Liu Hong replied in unison.

Little Swallow listened from the side, her face full of curiosity: "Sister Empress, why is the Shadow Cult so evil? Why do they do so many bad things?"

Little Swallow crouched down and stroked Little Swallow's head: "Little Swallow, some people are blinded by power and desire, and they will do many bad things that hurt others. But don't be afraid, your Empress and Father Emperor will definitely protect you and catch these bad people."

"Yes! I believe in the Empress and Father! I will grow up quickly and help you catch bad guys!" Little Swallow said, clenching her fist.

Looking at Little Swallow's innocent and determined expression, Xiao Yanzi felt a surge of warmth and emotion. However, she also knew that the Shadow Cult's plot was like a venomous snake lurking in the darkness, ready to strike at any moment. Could they completely uncover the Shadow Cult's scheme and protect the palace and the people before they could act? Everything remained uncertain, filling Xiao Yanzi with worry and unease.

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