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

Inside the Imperial Study, the atmosphere was as heavy as the sky before a storm. Hongli sat on the dragon throne, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe. The golden dragon embroidery on the robe seemed poised to take flight in the candlelight, yet his face was unusually somber. His eyes were fixed on the secret letter in his hand, his brows furrowed into a deep frown. Xiao Yanzi stood beside him, her slender figure accentuated by a royal blue cheongsam. Her fingers unconsciously gripped the hem of her skirt, her eyes filled with anxiety and urgency. She glanced at Hongli every now and then, trying to glean some clue from his expression.

"Your Majesty, what exactly is written in this secret letter?" Xiao Yanzi finally couldn't help but ask, her voice trembling slightly, breaking the suffocating silence in the study.

Hongli slowly raised his head, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, including shock, doubt, and a hint of worry: "Fuheng sent word that the man in black had appeared in an abandoned Taoist temple on the outskirts of the city, and among his entourage was a familiar figure—Princess Hejing's personal maid."

"What?" Little Swallow's eyes widened, her face filled with disbelief. "Princess Hejing's maid? How is that possible? Why is she with that mysterious man in black? Does Princess Hejing know about this?" She bombarded her with questions in rapid succession, her emotions growing increasingly agitated.

Hongli sighed softly, placed the secret letter on the table, and rubbed his temples. "I can't figure it out either. Princess Hejing has always been innocent and carefree, and we have a deep friendship. How could her maid be involved in such a conspiracy? This matter must be investigated as soon as possible, and Princess Hejing must not be implicated." His voice was deep and powerful, revealing an undeniable determination.

"No, I have to go find Princess Hejing and get some answers." Little Swallow said, turning to walk out.

Hongli quickly reached out to stop her: "Empress, this matter must not be handled rashly. What if Princess Hejing is truly kept in the dark? If you go there so hastily, wouldn't you be alerting her?"

Little Swallow stopped in her tracks, biting her lower lip, her expression anxious: "What should we do? We can't just sit here and wait, can we?" Her hands clenched into fists, as if she was trying to suppress her inner unease.

Just then, Su Peisheng hurriedly entered the imperial study, knelt down with a thud, and said in a somewhat urgent voice: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, Princess Hejing requests an audience."

Hongli and Xiaoyanzi exchanged a glance, both of them momentarily stunned. Then Hongli immediately said, "Summon them quickly!"

Princess Hejing, dressed in a pink qipao with delicate peony embroidery on the hem and a pale purple silk sash around her waist, strode into the imperial study. Her cheeks were slightly flushed, fine beads of sweat glistened on her forehead, and her hair was somewhat disheveled, clearly indicating she had rushed there. Before even bowing, she said urgently, "Father Emperor, Mother Emperor, I have something to tell you."

Hongli frowned slightly, a hint of wariness flashing in his eyes: "Hejing, what's the matter that you're in such a panic? Speak slowly."

Princess Hejing took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down: "Father, I've noticed that my maid Cui'er has been behaving very strangely these days. Last night, she secretly slipped out of the manor, and I felt something was wrong, so I quietly followed her. As a result..." She paused, a hint of fear flashing in her eyes, "...I saw her meeting with a man in black at an abandoned Taoist temple on the outskirts of the city."

Xiao Yanzi was startled and quickly asked, "Was that person in black completely shrouded in a black cloak, so you couldn't see their face?"

Princess Hejing looked at Xiaoyanzi in surprise and nodded quickly: "Empress Dowager, how did you know? I was terrified at the time and didn't dare to get too close. I only heard them talking about something like the Shadow Pavilion and secrets. After they left, I went back and questioned Cui'er, but she denied it and said I was mistaken."

Hongli's face grew increasingly grim: "It seems the conspiracy behind this is more complex than we imagined. Hejing, don't make a sound for now. I will send people to thoroughly investigate this matter."

Princess Hejing bit her lip, her eyes filled with guilt: "Father, it's all my fault for not disciplining the maid properly, which led to her getting involved in this kind of thing."

Little Swallow stepped forward, gently took Princess Hejing's hand, and comforted her, "Hejing, it's not your fault. Cui'er's actions were her own choice. You did a great job by noticing and telling us in time." Her eyes were full of tenderness and concern as she gently patted the back of Princess Hejing's hand.

At this moment, Hongli spoke up: "Su Peisheng, immediately convey my decree that Fucha Fuheng must bring Cui'er before me today. I want to interrogate her personally."

"Yes, sir!" Su Peisheng acknowledged the order and hurriedly withdrew.

After Princess Hejing left, silence fell once more in the imperial study. Xiao Yanzi paced back and forth, her brow furrowed, her mind racing as she pondered the connections between these events. Hongli looked at her, his eyes filled with worry: "Empress, don't worry, we'll find a way to figure this out."

Xiao Yanzi stopped and looked at Hongli, her eyes filled with determination: "Your Majesty, I always feel that all of this is related to my background. That man in black said I was a pawn chosen by fate, what secret is hidden behind this?" Her eyes revealed confusion and unwillingness, as if she was trying hard to find the answer.

Hongli stood up, walked to Xiaoyanzi's side, and gently embraced her: "No matter what happens, I will always be by your side. We will uncover the secret behind this together and will not let anyone hurt you." His voice was deep and warm, like a ray of light in the darkness.

As dusk fell, the afterglow of the setting sun bathed the walls of the Forbidden City in a golden hue. Fucha Fuheng brought Cui'er to the Imperial Study. Cui'er, dressed in simple maid's attire, her hair disheveled, her eyes filled with fear and panic, knelt down with a thud as soon as she entered the study.

"This servant greets Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress." Cui'er's voice trembled, and her body shook slightly.

Hongli sat on the dragon throne, his expression stern, his voice icy: "Cui'er, do you know your crime?"

Cui'er immediately kowtowed, her forehead hitting the ground with a "thump, thump" sound: "Your Majesty, spare my life, this servant knows her mistake."

"Speak, what is your relationship with that man in black? What are you plotting?" Hongli's voice, like a booming bell, echoed in the study.

Cui'er raised her head, her eyes filled with tears: "Your Majesty, I was forced into this situation. The man in black threatened me that if I didn't help them, he would kill my family."