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

As dusk settled, the Forbidden City was shrouded in shadows, exuding an unusual tension. Inside the Imperial Study, the flickering candlelight cast long and short shadows of Hongli and Xiaoyanzi. Hongli paced back and forth, his brow furrowed, clutching a secret letter tightly in his hand, the paper crumpled slightly. Xiaoyanzi sat beside him, dressed in a royal blue qipao, its collar and cuffs embroidered with delicate gold thread patterns, her expression anxious, her eyes following Hongli's every move.

"Your Majesty, what is the purpose of these mysterious people gathering in the capital? Could they be after us?" Xiao Yanzi couldn't help but ask, her voice tinged with unease, her hands unconsciously clutching the hem of her skirt.

Hongli stopped in his tracks, his expression grave. "I've been thinking about this too. The borders are not yet pacified, and trouble has arisen in the capital. There must be a larger conspiracy behind this." He placed the secret letter heavily on the table, raised his hand to rub his temples, and the golden dragon embroidery on his dragon robe shimmered in the candlelight, adding a touch of chilling intimacy.

Just as the two were deep in thought, Su Peisheng hurriedly walked in, his steps quick and his face showing an unusual panic. He knelt down with a thud: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, Lord Fucha Fuheng requests an audience, saying that he has urgent business to discuss."

"Summon them quickly!" Hongli said immediately, a hint of anticipation flashing in his eyes.

Fucha Fuheng strode in, dressed in official robes, the jade belt ornaments at his waist clinking crisply. His expression was hurried, yet composed. He performed a deep bow, straightened up, and took out another secret letter from his robes: "Your Majesty, I have received information that a batch of mysterious goods will be transported to the capital soon, and it is suspected that they are related to this group of mysterious people."

Hongli took the secret letter and quickly began to read it, his brows furrowing deeper and deeper: "Mysterious goods? So mysterious, even the delivery time and route are kept secret. Fuheng, have you found any other clues?"

Fucha Fuheng bowed slightly and replied respectfully, "I have already sent people to investigate secretly. The goods seem to come from the distant Western Regions, but what they are exactly is still unknown. However, according to my informants, these goods are extremely important to the mysterious person, and may even be related to the safety of the capital."

Xiao Yanzi stood up, walked to the map, and traced the route around the capital with her finger. "Could the goods from the Western Regions be connected with the remnants of the frontier forces?" She turned to look at Hongli, her eyes full of doubt and contemplation.

Hongli nodded slightly, his expression cold: "Very likely. It seems we must find out the truth before the goods enter the city. Fuheng, immediately send more people to closely monitor the movement of the goods and intercept them before they take any action."

"Your subject obeys the decree!" Fucha Fuheng accepted the order and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Little Swallow suddenly called out, "Fuheng, I want to go with you. I know a little about things in the Western Regions, maybe I can help." Her eyes were firm, and her tone left no room for doubt.

Upon hearing this, Hongli immediately objected: "Empress, this matter is dangerous. It is safest for you to stay in the palace."

Little Swallow stubbornly shook her head: "Your Majesty, I can't just sit here worrying. Besides, I have a feeling that this matter might be related to the Shadow Pavilion, so it's more appropriate for me to go." She clenched her hands tightly, her face full of determination.

Hongli looked at Xiaoyanzi, his eyes filled with worry and helplessness, and finally relented: "Alright then, but you must be extremely careful. If there is any danger, come back immediately, understand?"

Little Swallow smiled and said, "Don't worry, Your Majesty, I will take good care of myself."

As dusk fell, the setting sun painted the sky orange-red, its afterglow spilling over the streets and alleys of the capital. Xiao Yanzi and Fucha Fuheng, accompanied by a team of elite guards, dressed in plain clothes, quietly left the city. Following the route provided by intelligence, they tracked the convoy and finally discovered it transporting mysterious goods in a secluded valley.

The convoy was heavily guarded by a group of men in black, creating a tense and oppressive atmosphere. Little Swallow hid behind a boulder, observing the convoy's movements. She was dressed in black night clothes, with a sharp dagger at her waist, and her eyes were piercing.

"Fuheng, look, those men in black are heavily guarded. How are we supposed to get close?" Xiaoyanzi asked in a low voice.

Fucha Fuheng frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Your Majesty, I will lead one team to attract their attention from the front, while you lead another team to flank them from the side and look for an opportunity to inspect the goods."

Little Swallow nodded in agreement: "Okay, let's do it that way. Everyone must be careful and not alert the enemy."

The operation began. Fu Heng and his guards suddenly appeared and engaged in a fierce battle with the men in black. Xiao Yanzi, meanwhile, led another team of guards and quietly circled around to the side of the caravan. Taking advantage of the chaos, she quickly approached a carriage and jumped aboard.

Inside the carriage, a huge wooden crate was wrapped in layers of black cloth. Little Swallow took a deep breath, reached out and lifted the cloth, opening the crate. However, she was stunned when she saw what was inside. The crate contained strange metal parts, oddly shaped, gleaming with a cold luster; she had never seen anything like them before.

"What is this?" Little Swallow murmured to herself, her doubts growing stronger.

Just then, shouts of killing came from outside the carriage, as if the men in black had spotted her. Xiao Yanzi quickly closed the wooden box, drew her dagger, and prepared to fight back.