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

Xiao Yanzi leaned against Hongli's chest, nodded slightly, but her expression remained solemn: "Your Majesty, I hope so. But the matters of the Shadow Pavilion and the border are like two mountains, pressing down on us and making it hard to breathe." Her hand unconsciously tightened around Hongli's sleeve, her voice carrying a trace of weariness and worry.

Hongli gently patted her shoulder, about to offer words of comfort, when Xiao Dengzi rushed in, his steps hurried and his expression panicked. He knelt on the ground with a thud, his voice trembling: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, something terrible has happened! Urgent battle report from the border!" As he spoke, he held up a letter sealed with oiled paper.

Hongli's expression changed drastically. He stood up abruptly and snatched the battle report. Xiaoyanzi also hurriedly stood up and stood beside Hongli, her eyes fixed on the battle report, her heart pounding.

Hongli quickly tore open the battle report, his eyes scanning it rapidly, his face growing increasingly grim. "Damn it!" He slammed the report on the table and roared, "The Shadow Pavilion has indeed colluded with foreign enemies! Taking advantage of our army's lax defenses, they launched a surprise attack on several border passes. Although the defending generals fought valiantly, they still suffered heavy losses!"

Little Swallow covered her mouth, her eyes filled with shock and anger: "How could this be? What's wrong with those guards? How could such an important pass be so easily attacked?" Her hands trembled slightly, and her face turned red with anger.

“There must be something fishy about this.” Hongli paced back and forth, his brows furrowed. “The border generals are always cautious, how could they suddenly be so lax in their guard? I’m afraid the Shadow Pavilion is behind this, and there might even be an inside informant.” A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, showing his deep abhorrence of such betrayal.

"Your Majesty, what should we do now?" Little Swallow asked anxiously, her eyes filled with worry about the situation on the border.

Hongli pondered for a moment, then said, "Immediately issue an edict ordering General Zhaohui to lead elite troops to swiftly reinforce the border, recapture the passes, and repel the enemy." He then looked at Xiao Dengzi, "Xiao Dengzi, you will personally deliver this edict; there must be no mistakes!"

"Yes, sir!" Little Dengzi acknowledged the order and hurriedly withdrew.

"Also, we can't let up on Lin Yuhang's investigation into the Shadow Pavilion," Hongli continued. "These two things seem independent, but they must be connected. Finding the Shadow Pavilion's conspiracy in the capital might just solve the mystery of the border crisis."

Little Swallow nodded slightly, a determined glint in her eyes: "Your Majesty, I also want to do my part. I want to ask those people in the common folk who have connections with the martial arts world; perhaps we can find clues about that 'token'."

Hongli looked at her, his eyes filled with worry: "Empress, it's dangerous outside. What if something happens to you..."

“Your Majesty, I will be fine.” Xiao Yanzi interrupted him, taking his hand. “I will bring enough guards, and I am skilled in martial arts, so I won’t be in any trouble. These are critical times, and every extra person adds to our strength.” Her eyes were sincere, and her tone was firm, making it impossible for Hongli to refuse.

Hongli sighed helplessly: "Alright, but you must be careful. If there is any danger, come back immediately. Don't be reckless."

"Don't worry, Your Majesty." Xiao Yanzi smiled slightly, tiptoed, and gently kissed Hongli's cheek. "I will return safely."

The next morning, sunlight streamed onto the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City, reflecting a dazzling light. Little Swallow, dressed in a smart, tailored outfit with a dark blue cloak and a sharp dagger at her waist, strode confidently out of the Shufangzhai. A group of guards, already waiting outside the palace, bowed respectfully upon seeing her.

"Let's go!" Little Swallow waved her hand, and the group headed towards the bustling streets and alleys of the capital.

The streets of the capital were bustling with activity, teeming with people and filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their wares. Little Swallow, accompanied by her guards, weaved through the crowd to an inconspicuous tavern. This tavern was a favorite haunt of martial arts practitioners, a place where information was most readily available.

Little Swallow entered the tavern, which was filled with the aroma of wine and food. She found a corner to sit down and ordered a pot of wine and a few small dishes. After a while, a burly man staggered over and sat down opposite her.

"Young lady, aren't you lonely coming here to drink alone?" The burly man grinned, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth.

Little Swallow smiled slightly, took out a silver ingot from her bosom, and placed it on the table: "Big brother, I didn't come here to drink, I came here to ask about something."

The burly man's eyes lit up, and he reached for the silver, but Xiao Yanzi stopped him. "Don't rush, wait until I've finished asking, then the silver is yours," Xiao Yanzi said, her eyes sharp as she stared at the burly man.

The burly man chuckled and withdrew his hand: "Whatever you want to ask, young lady, please speak freely."

"I'd like to know, are there any rumors circulating in the martial arts world lately about a mysterious 'token'?" Little Swallow asked in a low voice.

The burly man frowned, pondering for a moment: "A mysterious 'token'? I've never heard of that. However, there's been a rumor circulating in the martial arts world recently that the Shadow Pavilion is looking for something, but nobody knows what it is."

Xiao Yanzi's heart skipped a beat, and she pressed on, "Then do you know where the people of the Shadow Pavilion operate?"

The burly man took a sip of wine and wiped his mouth: "I do know a little about that. There's an abandoned casino in the west of the city, which is a stronghold of the Shadow Pavilion. There are often suspicious people coming and going there."

Little Swallow nodded and pushed the silver to the big man: "Thank you, brother."

After leaving the tavern, Xiao Yanzi led her guards towards the abandoned casino in the west of the city. Along the way, she felt both nervous and expectant, hoping to find clues about the "token" there.

Upon arriving at the abandoned casino, they found it in a state of disrepair, with the gate half-closed and overgrown with weeds. Little Swallow cautiously entered the casino, with guards closely following behind her, vigilantly observing their surroundings.

Suddenly, a soft footstep sound came from inside the casino. Xiao Yanzi and the guards immediately stopped, drew their weapons, and prepared to fight. Several men in black rushed out, wielding sharp blades, and pounced on them.

"Perfect timing!" Little Swallow shouted angrily, rushing forward to engage the man in black in combat. She was agile, wielding her dagger with great skill, and for a moment, shouts of battle echoed through the abandoned casino.

However, as the battle progressed, Xiao Yanzi noticed that there were more and more men in black, seemingly lured there on purpose. She inwardly cried out in alarm; it seemed she had fallen into a trap set by the Shadow Pavilion.

"Everyone be careful, retreat!" Xiao Yanzi shouted, leading her guards in a retreat while fighting. Just as they were about to leave the casino, a man in black suddenly attacked Xiao Yanzi from behind. Xiao Yanzi sensed the danger and dodged to the side, but was still cut on the arm by the man's sharp blade.

"Your Majesty!" the guards exclaimed, rushing to protect Xiao Yanzi. Xiao Yanzi gritted her teeth, clutching her wound, her heart filled with resentment. She knew the operation had failed, and her whereabouts had been exposed.

"Return to the palace first!" Little Swallow ordered, enduring the pain. The guards quickly escorted her away from the abandoned casino.

Back at the palace, Hongli was already anxiously waiting in Shufangzhai. Seeing Xiaoyanzi return injured, he rushed forward to greet her: "Empress, how did you get hurt? What happened?" His eyes were full of worry and heartache.

Xiao Yanzi recounted the entire incident to Hongli. Upon hearing it, Hongli's face darkened horribly: "These despicable Shadow Pavilion members dared to plot against the Empress!" He clenched his fists, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes.

“Your Majesty, I was careless this time,” Xiao Yanzi said with some self-reproach. “However, we did not come away empty-handed. At least we learned about one of the Shadow Pavilion’s strongholds, and that they are indeed looking for something, which may be that ‘token’.”

Hongli nodded slightly and gently stroked Xiaoyanzi's cheek: "Empress, it's not your fault. I'm relieved that you've returned safely. Next, we'll plan carefully and make sure to completely crush the Shadow Pavilion's conspiracy."

However, unbeknownst to them, a greater crisis was quietly approaching. The Shadow Pavilion's conspiracies grew increasingly complex, and the flames of war on the frontier intensified. The mysterious "token" remained shrouded in mist, awaiting their unveiling of its secrets.