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

Thick, dark clouds obscured the sky above the Forbidden City, creating a suffocating atmosphere that seemed to foreshadow an even greater storm to come. Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, the atmosphere was as heavy as the gloomy sky. Hongli sat on the dragon throne, his brow furrowed, his hand tightly gripping the memorial concerning the unusual activities on the frontier, as if he wanted to crush the traitors and conspiracies with that force.

"These traitors and remnants of the Shadow Pavilion are so rampant!" Hongli slammed the memorial onto the imperial desk, causing the ink and brush on the desk to vibrate. His voice was filled with anger and authority.

Xiao Yanzi stood to one side, dressed in a magnificent bright yellow phoenix robe. The gold embroidery on the robe was still dazzling in the dim light, but it also made her expression appear even more solemn. "Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to take a two-pronged approach. On the one hand, we must continue to investigate the clues in the capital, and on the other hand, we must strengthen the defenses of the border. We must not let their conspiracy succeed." She frowned slightly, her eyes revealing determination and worry.

At this moment, Su Peisheng hurriedly entered the hall, his steps quick and his face showing a hint of panic: "Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress, we have just received news that one of the guards who went to investigate the spice shop has woken up."

Hongli and Xiaoyanzi exchanged a glance, a glimmer of hope flashing in their eyes simultaneously. "Summon him to see me immediately!" Hongli said urgently.

A moment later, a guard was helped into the Hall of Mental Cultivation. He was wrapped in layers of bandages, his face was ashen, and his steps were unsteady, each one extremely difficult. Upon entering the hall, he forced himself to kneel: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty the Empress, this servant is utterly incompetent..."

Little Swallow quickly stepped forward and said gently, "Don't blame yourself. It's a blessing that you survived. Tell me quickly, who attacked you?"

The guard raised his head, his eyes filled with guilt and resentment: "Your Majesty, the attackers were a group of men in black. They were agile and coordinated, clearly well-trained. Moreover, they seemed to know our whereabouts perfectly, and they went straight for our vitals from the start."

Hongli's gaze grew even colder: "Do you know where they went after they stole the account books?"

The guard shook his head: "I was seriously injured and unconscious at the time, so I don't know anything. I only remember one of them mentioning that the ledgers were to be sent to a secret hideout."

Xiao Yanzi's heart skipped a beat, and she looked at Hongli: "Your Majesty, could this secret hideout be the abandoned house on the outskirts of the capital that Yongqi discovered?"

Hongli nodded slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Very likely. Issue my decree to immediately gather elite guards, led by Yongqi, to investigate the abandoned mansion. Be sure to proceed with extreme caution and avoid alerting the enemy."

"Your Majesty, Yongqi's injuries have not yet healed..." Xiao Yanzi said with a worried expression.

Hongli sighed: "I am also worried about Yongqi, but this matter is of great importance. He is meticulous and familiar with the situation, so I trust him. Besides, I will send my most capable guards to protect him."

Little Swallow had no choice but to nod: "Alright then, Your Majesty, you must ensure Yongqi's safe return."

Upon receiving the imperial decree, Yongqi disregarded his injuries and immediately began preparations. He was dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, with a sharp longsword at his waist. His expression was resolute, and his eyes revealed fearless courage.

"Fifth Prince, your injuries haven't healed yet, are you really going?" a guard asked with concern.

Yongqi smiled slightly: "This injury is nothing. This operation concerns the safety of the palace, how can I back down?" He gently patted the guard's shoulder, "Everyone, cheer up, we must uncover the secret behind this."

Meanwhile, in Consort Na's palace, she sat before her dressing table, having her hair combed by Rong Momo. Consort Na wore a purple qipao embroidered with exquisite peony patterns, but her face was terrifyingly gloomy.

"Granny, has everything been arranged?" Consort Na asked coldly.

While skillfully combing the concubine's hair, Rong Momo said, "Your Highness, rest assured, everything is arranged. Those men in black are all our trusted confidants. They will lie in wait in the abandoned mansion, waiting for the Fifth Prince to walk into their trap."

Na Fei sneered, "Hmph, Yongqi, do you think you can find out the truth? This time, I'll make sure you never return."

Meanwhile, in Kunning Palace, Xiao Yanzi remained deeply worried. She paced back and forth inside the palace, clutching a silk handkerchief tightly in her hand, glancing out the window every now and then, as if she could see Yongqi's safety through the layers of palace walls.

"Your Highness, please don't worry too much. The Fifth Prince is a lucky man, he will definitely be alright," Xiao Tao said softly from the side.

Xiao Yanzi shook her head slightly: "I'm feeling really uneasy. I have a feeling that this mission will be dangerous. Xiao Tao, go and prepare some medicine and nourishing foods. We might need them when Yongqi comes back."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Xiao Tao hurriedly withdrew.

A-Zhu stepped forward and poured Xiao-Yan-Zi a cup of tea: "Your Majesty, please have some tea to soothe your throat."

Xiao Yanzi took the teacup, but only took a small sip before putting it down again: "Azhu, do you think we can really find this traitor?"

Azhu said firmly, "Your Majesty, we can definitely do it. The Emperor and the Fifth Prince are both so wise and capable, and with our collective efforts, we will surely bring the traitor to justice."

Little Swallow forced a smile: "I hope so."

On the outskirts of the capital, an atmosphere of deathly stillness permeated the abandoned mansion. Overgrown with weeds, the crumbling walls appeared particularly eerie under the dim sky. Yongqi led his guards closer silently, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily, his longsword slightly drawn, ready to deal with any unexpected situation.

"Everyone be careful, there might be an ambush here," Yongqi said in a low voice, his voice carrying an undeniable authority.

The guards nodded, gripping their weapons tightly and moving even more quietly. As they approached the mansion gate, Yongqi raised his hand, signaling them to stop. He examined the gate closely and noticed some fine scratches, as if someone had just moved on it.

"Something's not right. Someone has tampered with this door." Yongqi frowned, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

Just then, the gate suddenly creaked open, and a group of men in black rushed out, surrounding Yongqi and the others. The leader of the men in black sneered, "Fifth Prince, you've finally arrived."

Yongqi's expression changed, but he remained calm: "Hmph, as expected, there was an ambush. Did you think you could trap me like this?"

The leader of the men in black laughed loudly, "Fifth Prince, you are too naive. Today is your death day!" With that, he waved his hand, and the men in black brandished their weapons and rushed towards Yongqi and the others.

Yongqi charged at the man in black first, his swordsmanship fierce, each move carrying a deadly aura. The guards were not to be outdone, engaging in fierce combat with the man in black. For a moment, shouts of battle shook the heavens, and the glint of swords flashed.

However, the men in black outnumbered them, and Yongqi and his companions gradually found themselves in a difficult situation. Yongqi's wounds reopened during the strenuous activity, blood seeping out and staining his clothes red. But he gritted his teeth and persevered, his eyes shining with unwavering determination.

"Fifth Prince, you're injured! Retreat quickly!" a guard shouted anxiously.

Yongqi shook his head: "No, we can't just go back like this. We must find the ledgers and evidence to expose their conspiracy."

Meanwhile, in Kunning Palace, Xiao Yanzi suddenly felt a wave of panic. The teacup in her hand fell to the ground with a "crash" and shattered.

"Your Highness, what's wrong?" Xiao Tao and A Zhu rushed forward.

Xiao Yanzi's face was pale, and she muttered to herself, "I feel that Yongqi is in danger. No, I have to go and see him."

Xiao Tao quickly stopped her: "Your Highness, you can't go! It's too dangerous. What if something happens to you..."

Little Swallow shook off Little Peach's hand: "I can't worry about that now. Yongqi is my son, I can't just stand by and watch him get hurt. Issue my decree to gather all the palace guards and come with me to the outskirts of the capital!"

Xiao Tao had no choice but to accept the order and leave.

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Hongli also received news of Yongqi's attack. He abruptly stood up, his eyes filled with anxiety and anger: "Issue my decree, ordering General Zhaohui to immediately lead troops to the outskirts of the capital to support Yongqi!"

Su Peisheng quickly replied, "Yes, Your Majesty, this servant will go and convey the decree immediately."

The battle raged fiercely on the outskirts of the capital. Yongqi and his guards fought valiantly, but their injuries worsened, and their strength waned. Just as they were about to give up, the sound of rapid hoofbeats approached from afar.

Yongqi was overjoyed: "Reinforcements have arrived!"

Little Swallow, dressed in light riding attire, though lacking the splendor of a phoenix robe, exuded a more heroic air. Holding a long whip, she led the palace guards to the scene. At the same time, General Zhao Hui arrived with his troops, completely surrounding the men in black.

Upon seeing this, the leader of the men in black's expression changed drastically: "Damn it, we've fallen into a trap! Retreat!"

How could Yongqi let this opportunity pass? He shouted, "Trying to run? Not so easy!" With that, he ignored his injuries and charged at the man in black again.

Under the combined attack of the group, the men in black gradually could not withstand the onslaught and fell to the ground one after another. Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the leader of the men in black turned to escape, but was stabbed by Yongqi with a sword.

“Tell me, who is the mastermind behind this?” Yongqi pointed his sword at the throat of the leader of the men in black, his eyes icy cold.

The leader of the men in black sneered, "You want me to talk? Dream on!" With that, he suddenly bit the poison in his mouth and collapsed to the ground, dead.

Yongqi kicked the corpse in anger: "Damn it!"

Just then, Xiao Yanzi ran over and saw Yongqi covered in blood. She was heartbroken and asked, "Yongqi, how are you?"

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

Xiao Yanzi quickly checked Yongqi's injuries: "You said you were fine, but you're injured like this. Quick, summon Physician Liu!"

General Zhao Hui stepped forward, bowed, and said, "His Majesty has decreed that this abandoned residence must be searched to find the account books and related evidence."

The group immediately began searching the mansion. Finally, in a secret room, they found the stolen spice shop ledger and some letters related to the Shadow Pavilion's collusion.

Holding the letter, Little Swallow's eyes were filled with anger: "These people are utterly wicked!"

Yongqi also said, "Your Majesty, it seems that this traitor has been colluding with the remnants of the Shadow Pavilion for a long time, attempting to overthrow the court. We must wipe them out as soon as possible."

Xiao Yanzi nodded slightly: "That's right. With this evidence, we're one step closer to the truth. Yongqi, you go back to the palace first and have Physician Liu treat your wounds properly. Leave the rest to me and your father."

Yongqi wanted to say something more, but Xiaoyanzi interrupted him: "Listen to me, your health is the most important thing."

Yongqi had no choice but to nod: "Yes, Your Majesty."

Upon returning to the palace, Yongqi was taken to the Imperial Physician Liu for treatment. Xiaoyanzi, meanwhile, hurriedly headed to the Hall of Mental Cultivation with the evidence.

Inside the Hall of Mental Cultivation, Hongli was waiting anxiously. Seeing Xiaoyanzi enter, he quickly asked, "How is it? Is Yongqi alright? Have you found the evidence?"

Xiao Yanzi handed the letter and account book to Hongli: "Your Majesty, Yongqi only suffered minor injuries and is otherwise fine. This is the evidence found in the abandoned mansion."

Hongli took the evidence and examined it carefully, his face growing increasingly grim: "Good, very good! I will make these people pay the price!"

Xiao Yanzi said, "Your Majesty, with this evidence, we can follow the clues and find the traitor. However, this traitor is hiding too well, so we still need to be careful."

Hongli nodded slightly: "I understand. This time, thanks to you and Yongqi, things have taken a turn for the better. From now on, we will proceed according to plan and must not let these treacherous officials succeed."

However, what they didn't know was that this was just the tip of the iceberg; a much larger conspiracy and crisis awaited them ahead...