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

The night in the Forbidden City was eerily quiet, almost oppressively so, with a palpable tension hanging in the air. Inside the Shufangzhai, flickering candlelight illuminated the somber faces of Xiao Yanzi and Hongli. Xiao Yanzi, dressed in a moon-white qipao embroidered with delicate begonia blossoms, paced restlessly, occasionally brushing a stray hair from her temple.

"Your Majesty, it's been several days already, and we haven't found a single useful clue!" Little Swallow stopped, hands on her hips, her face full of anxiety, her eyes filled with resentment and helplessness. "Are those bad guys really that hard to catch?"

Hongli, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, sat upright in his chair, his fingers lightly tapping the table, his brows furrowed as he fell into deep thought. Hearing Xiaoyanzi's words, he slightly raised his head, his eyes filled with determination: "Empress, do not be anxious. There must be something fishy about this matter. The person behind it must have been planning for a long time and will not easily reveal their true colors. But I assure you, I will definitely investigate and find out the truth."

At this moment, Xiao Dengzi rushed in, looking flustered, and knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, Lord Lin Yuhang requests an audience!"

"Let him in quickly!" Hongli immediately sat up straight, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

Lin Yuhang strode into Shufangzhai. He wore a dark blue robe with a black belt around his waist, from which hung a warm jade pendant. He appeared capable and composed. At this moment, his forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, clearly indicating he had rushed here. Upon seeing the Emperor and Empress, he hurriedly bowed: "Your Majesty, Empress, this humble servant has important news to report!"

"What news? Tell me quickly!" Little Swallow asked eagerly, involuntarily taking a step forward.

Lin Yuhang stood up, his expression grave: "These past few days, I've been secretly tracking down those suspicious individuals, and I've finally discovered they've been frequently seen in an abandoned mansion outside the city. Today, I managed to infiltrate it and overheard them mentioning the Shadow Pavilion, seemingly preparing for some major operation!"

"The Shadow Pavilion?" Xiao Yanzi and Hongli exchanged a glance, a hint of shock and wariness flashing in their eyes. Xiao Yanzi clenched her fists, her eyes burning with anger: "It's the Shadow Pavilion again! What exactly are they trying to do? We saw through their previous plot, yet they still dare to stir up trouble!"

Hongli's face was terribly grim. He slowly stood up, put his hands behind his back, and paced back and forth in the room, each step seeming to weigh heavily on everyone's hearts. "The Shadow Pavilion has repeatedly provoked us; I will never let them get away with this! Lin Yuhang, have you found out their specific plans?"

Lin Yuhang lowered his head slightly, his face showing guilt: "Your Majesty, they acted with extreme caution. This humble servant did not find out the specific details, but I have a vague feeling that this matter is related to people in the palace."

"Is it related to people in the palace?" Little Swallow's eyes widened in surprise. "Could it be that they have an inside agent in the palace? How is that possible?"

"Your Majesty, this is not entirely impossible." Hongli stopped, his expression serious. "All the previous signs indicate that there might indeed be a traitor among us. Otherwise, how could the Shadow Pavilion always know our actions in advance?"

"What should we do?" Little Swallow was extremely anxious, pacing back and forth in the room. "If we can't find this mole soon, our every move will be under their surveillance. This is too dangerous!"

Just then, Consort Ling entered carrying a steaming bowl of ginseng tea. She wore a light pink qipao embroidered with delicate peach blossoms, making her appear gentle and charming. Seeing the somber atmosphere in the room, she paused slightly, then smiled and said, "Your Majesty, Your Majesty, Empress, please have some ginseng tea to warm yourselves up."

When Xiao Yanzi saw Consort Ling, it was as if she had seen a savior. She quickly grabbed her hand and said, "Consort Ling, you've come at the right time. Please help us think of a way to find this mole!"

Consort Ling placed the ginseng tea on the table, gently patted Xiao Yanzi's hand, and comforted her, "Your Majesty, please don't worry. In my opinion, since the people of the Shadow Pavilion are so cautious, we might as well start from the outside and investigate those who have had contact with them."

"What Consort Ling said is absolutely right." Hongli nodded slightly, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. "Lin Yuhang, immediately send people to investigate those martial arts figures who have connections with the Shadow Pavilion, and see if we can find a breakthrough."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Lin Yuhang accepted the order and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Little Swallow suddenly called out, "Lin Yuhang, I'll go with you!"

"Empress, this matter is dangerous. You should stay in the palace," Hongli hurriedly advised, his eyes filled with worry.

"No, I must go!" Little Swallow said resolutely. "I can't just sit here and wait. I must personally bring those bad guys to justice and get justice for the princess!"

Looking into Xiao Yanzi's determined eyes, Hongli knew he couldn't dissuade her, so he could only nod helplessly: "Alright, but you must be careful and never take any risks. I will send a team of elite guards to protect you."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty!" Little Swallow flashed a bright smile. "I will definitely return safely!"

After everyone had reached an agreement, they began preparations in earnest. A short while later, Xiao Yanzi, dressed in a light and practical outfit with a black cloak over it and a sharp dagger at her waist, walked out of Shufangzhai with a heroic air. Lin Yuhang and a group of guards were already waiting outside the palace; upon seeing Xiao Yanzi, they all bowed in greeting.

"Let's go!" Little Swallow waved her hand, and the group sped off towards the abandoned mansion outside the city.

The moonlight, like water, bathed everyone, and the sound of horses' hooves echoed loudly in the quiet night. Little Swallow rode a white steed, the wind ruffling her hair, her eyes filled with determination and resolve. She secretly vowed to uncover the Shadow Pavilion's conspiracy, find the traitor hidden within the palace, and restore peace to the imperial palace.

Soon, they arrived at the abandoned mansion. The mansion was dilapidated, its gate half-closed, creaking in the wind as if telling a story of the vicissitudes of time. Weeds grew rampant around it, a deathly silence that sent a chill down their spines.

Lin Yuhang waved his hand, and the guards quickly surrounded the courtyard. Xiao Yanzi cautiously entered the courtyard, gripping her dagger tightly and warily observing her surroundings. Suddenly, a soft footstep came from inside the house. Xiao Yanzi and Lin Yuhang exchanged a glance, and the two quietly approached the house, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

Inside, several men in black were sitting together, talking in hushed tones. Suddenly, one of them seemed to sense something and jumped to his feet, shouting, "Oh no! An ambush!" Before he could finish speaking, Xiao Yanzi kicked open the door and yelled, "You're surrounded! Surrender now!"

Seeing this, the man in black immediately drew his weapon and engaged in fierce combat with Xiao Yanzi and the others. For a moment, the room was filled with the glint of swords and the shouts of battle. Xiao Yanzi was agile, her dagger gleaming coldly in the moonlight, fighting the man in black with equal skill. Lin Yuhang and his guards were not to be outdone, joining the battle and fighting desperately against the man in black.

In the midst of the fierce battle, Xiao Yanzi noticed that one of the men in black looked somewhat familiar. A thought struck her, and taking advantage of his momentary lapse in attention, she abruptly ripped off his mask. "It's you!" Xiao Yanzi exclaimed in surprise, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Who exactly is this man in black? What is his connection to the Shadow Pavilion? Will Xiao Yanzi and Hongli be able to uncover the Shadow Pavilion's conspiracy and find the traitor hidden in the palace? Everything is still unknown, and their adventure has only just begun…