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

The night in the Forbidden City was tranquil, yet tinged with an eerie air. The moonlight, like water, spilled onto the walls of the Kunning Palace, casting a cool glow on the glazed tiles. Little Swallow, dressed in a bright yellow phoenix robe, sat regally in the main seat of the hall. The phoenix embroidered with gold thread seemed poised to take flight at any moment in the candlelight, but her mind was far from the magnificent attire.

"Xiao Tao, why hasn't Yongqi arrived yet?" Xiao Yanzi frowned slightly, unconsciously twisting the silk handkerchief in her hand into a ball, her eyes filled with anxiety and anticipation.

Xiao Tao quickly stepped forward, bowed slightly, and softly comforted her, "Your Majesty, don't worry, Fifth Prince must have been delayed on the way. He should be here soon." After saying that, she reached out and poured Xiao Yanzi a cup of hot tea. The steam rose gently, but it failed to dispel the tense atmosphere in the room.

A-Zhu chimed in, "Yes, Your Highness, please have some tea to soothe your throat, don't get too anxious." As she spoke, she gently waved her fan, trying to bring some comfort to Xiao Yanzi.

Xiao Yanzi sighed softly, put down the silk handkerchief in her hand, picked up her teacup but only took a small sip, and then fell into deep thought. "I wonder what secrets that steward of the Imperial Household Department that Princess Hejing mentioned is hiding. If we can find clues about the traitor from him, perhaps the palace can be a little more peaceful."

As soon as he finished speaking, a series of steady footsteps sounded outside the hall, and then Yongqi strode in. He was dressed in a black close-fitting outfit, and the white jade pendant at his waist swayed gently with his steps. Although his expression showed some fatigue, it could not hide the determination and focus in his eyes.

"Empress Mother." Yongqi knelt on one knee and performed a deep bow.

Xiao Yanzi quickly got up and rushed forward, reaching out to help Yongqi up: "Get up, Yongqi, what time is it? Don't be so formal." She pulled Yongqi to sit down beside her, her gaze urgently falling on his face, "You know what Princess Hejing said, right?"

Yongqi nodded slightly, his expression solemn: "Your Majesty, I am aware of this. Rest assured, Your Majesty, I will do my utmost to investigate this matter." He took out a small notebook from his bosom and slowly unfolded it. "Your Majesty has already had someone secretly keep an eye on that steward of the Imperial Household Department. This is a record of his recent movements."

Little Swallow took the notebook and examined it carefully. It was filled with dense records of the places the manager had visited, the times he had been there, and the people he had come into contact with. "These places... are mostly ordinary shops, but why do they all seem a little strange?" Little Swallow murmured to herself, her finger lightly tracing the words on the notebook.

Yongqi leaned closer and pointed to one of the places, saying, "Your Majesty, look here. This steward goes to a spice shop almost every few days, and he stays there for quite a while each time. I sent someone to inquire about it, and the spice shop seems ordinary, but it's a bit strange. It rarely has any customers."

Little Swallow's eyes lit up: "Could this spice shop be the place where he contacts the forces behind him?"

Yongqi frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Your subject is not sure, but there must be something fishy about this. Your subject plans to go to that spice shop tonight to investigate and see if we can find any clues."

Little Swallow quickly grabbed Yongqi's arm, her expression worried: "No, this is too dangerous. What if it's a trap?"

Yongqi gently patted Xiaoyanzi's hand, revealing a confident smile: "Empress Mother, don't worry. Your son will act carefully, and I've brought several skilled guards with me, so I will definitely not put myself in danger."

Little Swallow hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded: "Alright then, you must be careful. If you encounter any danger, be sure to come back in time, and don't be reckless."

Yongqi responded, discussed some details with Xiaoyanzi, and then got up to leave.

After Yongqi left, Xiaoyanzi paced back and forth in the hall, her heart filled with unease. "Xiaotao, do you think Yongqi will be able to find any clues on this trip?"

Xiao Tao stepped forward and took Xiao Yanzi's hand: "Your Majesty, please rest assured. Fifth Prince is clever and resourceful, and highly skilled in martial arts. He will surely return safely and bring back important clues."

Azhu chimed in, "Yes, Your Highness, if you're really worried, just rest for a bit. When the Fifth Prince returns, he'll surely bring you good news."

Little Swallow shook her head: "How can I rest? I won't have peace of mind until this traitor is eliminated."

At this moment, inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Hongli was also deeply worried about the traitor. Dressed in a black dragon robe, he sat upright on the dragon throne, toying with a jade pendant in his hand, but his eyes were fixed on the dark night sky outside the window.

"Su Peisheng, tell me, who in this palace is so audacious as to collude with the rebels?" Hongli's voice was deep and cold, exuding a chilling majesty.

Su Peisheng quickly stepped forward, bowed, and said cautiously, "Your Majesty, in my opinion, this traitor must be very well hidden. He must have been pretending to be loyal all the time, which is why no one noticed. However, Her Majesty the Empress and the Fifth Prince are already investigating, and I believe we will have results soon."

Hongli nodded slightly: "I hope so. As long as this traitor is not eliminated, the court will not have peace." He put down the jade pendant in his hand and looked at the pile of memorials on the table. "These memorials may contain some clues. Have someone investigate them carefully."

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will take care of it immediately." Su Peisheng accepted the order and left.

As night deepened, Yongqi, accompanied by several guards dressed in black, stealthily slipped into the streets and alleys of the capital. Moonlight spilled onto the cobblestones, casting their tall, slender shadows. Soon, they arrived at the spice shop.

Yongqi raised his hand to signal the guards to stop, then cautiously approached the shop. The shop's main door was tightly shut, and the interior was pitch black and silent. Yongqi walked around the shop once, then noticed the back door was ajar. He gently pushed it open and slipped inside.

The room was filled with a strong aroma of spices. Yongqi frowned, covered his mouth and nose, and slowly walked forward. Suddenly, he heard light footsteps coming from the inner room and quickly hid behind a cabinet.

A dark figure emerged from the inner room, carrying a lantern. The flickering light illuminated his indistinct face. Yongqi looked closely and recognized him as the steward of the Imperial Household Department.

"Strange, he should be meeting with someone at this time of day, why is he here alone?" Yongqi wondered to himself.

Just then, the steward suddenly stopped and looked around warily: "Who is it? Come out!"

Yongqi was startled. Had he been discovered? He held his breath and remained motionless.

Seeing that no one responded, the steward sneered, "Don't think I won't know just because you're hiding. Hmph, since you're here, don't think you can leave easily." With that, he pulled out a whistle from his pocket and blew it loudly.

The whistle pierced the night sky, and then a group of men in black emerged from all directions, surrounding Yongqi and the others.

"Fifth Prince, you didn't expect this, did you? You still fell into our trap." The steward sneered, a smug look on his face.

Yongqi's expression changed; he hadn't expected his opponent to be so prepared. However, he quickly regained his composure, drew his sword, and shouted, "Hmph, you lot think you can trap me?"

Having said that, Yongqi charged at the man in black, and the guards drew their weapons, engaging in fierce combat. In an instant, swords flashed and shouts of battle were deafening.

Yongqi was highly skilled in martial arts, moving through the men in black as if they were nothing, and quickly defeated several of them. However, the number of men in black increased, and Yongqi and his companions gradually found themselves in a difficult situation.

"Fifth Prince, we can't hold on much longer, what should we do?" a guard shouted anxiously.

Yongqi gritted his teeth: "Hold on, everyone, we will definitely break through." As he spoke, he swung his sword even more vigorously.

Meanwhile, inside Kunning Palace, Xiao Yanzi was still anxiously awaiting news of Yongqi. She sat by the window, gazing at the night outside, her unease growing stronger.

"Xiao Tao, Yongqi has been gone for so long, why hasn't he come back yet? Could something have happened to him?" Xiao Yanzi's voice trembled slightly, her eyes filled with worry.

Xiao Tao was also a little anxious, but she still tried to remain calm: "Your Majesty, don't think too much. Fifth Prince will definitely be fine. Maybe he encountered some trouble on the way and was delayed."

Just then, a guard rushed in: "Your Majesty, the Fifth Prince has been ambushed by the enemy while investigating the spice shop. He is now trapped there and in critical condition!"

Xiao Yanzi's face turned deathly pale instantly: "What? You said Yongqi is surrounded? Quick, send someone to rescue him!" She stood up, her expression panicked, completely losing her usual composure.

"Yes, Your Majesty, this servant will go and relay the order immediately." The guard accepted the order and left.

Xiao Yanzi paced back and forth in the hall, her heart filled with anxiety: "Yongqi, you must be safe and sound." She clenched her fists tightly, silently praying in her heart.

The battle raged fiercely in the streets and alleys of the capital. Yongqi and his guards fought valiantly, but the number of men in black was simply too great, and they all suffered injuries of varying degrees.

"Fifth Prince, we can't go on like this. We have to think of a way to break through," a guard said, panting heavily.

Yongqi looked around and spotted a small alleyway nearby. Suddenly, an idea struck him. "Everyone, follow me! We'll break through that alley!" he shouted, and charged into the alleyway first.

Seeing this, the man in black quickly gave chase. Yongqi and the others turned left and right in the alleys, using their familiarity with the terrain to gradually shake off the man in black.

"Phew, at least we're temporarily rid of them," Yongqi said, stopping in his tracks and panting.

The guards also stopped, their faces showing exhaustion. "Fifth Prince, what do we do now?"

After thinking for a moment, Yongqi said, "Let's go back to the palace first and report this to Father Emperor and Mother Emperor. Although we didn't find any clues this time, at least we know that the spice shop is related to the traitor. Next time we come, we must wipe them out in one fell swoop."

Everyone nodded and headed towards the palace.

Inside Kunning Palace, Xiao Yanzi was waiting anxiously when she suddenly heard footsteps outside the hall. She quickly got up and walked to the door, where she saw Yongqi leading his guards in.

"Yongqi, you're finally back! Are you alright?" Xiaoyanzi looked Yongqi up and down, her heart aching at the sight of his wounds.

Yongqi smiled slightly: "Empress Mother, I am fine, I just suffered a minor injury."

Xiao Yanzi quickly pulled Yongqi down to sit and asked Xiao Tao to fetch Physician Liu. "You child, how could you be so careless? You knew it was a trap, yet you still jumped in," she said, gently wiping the blood from Yongqi's face.

Yongqi held Xiaoyanzi's hand: "Empress Mother, don't worry. Although we fell into an ambush this time, it also confirmed that the spice shop was related to the traitor, so it can be considered a gain."

Xiao Yanzi sighed, "As long as you're safe and sound, that's all that matters. Once Physician Liu arrives, he'll treat your wound properly. We can discuss the traitor matter more later."

Soon after, Physician Liu rushed over to treat Yongqi's wounds. Watching Physician Liu's busy figure, Xiao Yanzi secretly vowed to find this traitor and restore peace to the palace.