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

The three of them caught their breath in the woods. Hongzhou frowned and broke the silence first: "The people from the Shadow Pavilion arrived so quickly. They must have planned this in advance. I'm afraid they still have spies in the Prime Minister's residence."

Little Swallow was extremely anxious: "Then we must hurry back and tell Dad to be careful."

Hongli shook his head: "No, going back now would be like walking into a trap. Our priority is to start with the names on that letter, find out the truth, and only then can we completely resolve the crisis."

Hongzhou nodded in agreement: "Fourth Prince is right. But this name is completely unfamiliar. Where should we even begin to investigate?"

After thinking for a moment, Xiao Yanzi's eyes lit up: "We can go to General Zhao Hui. He has many connections on the frontier and may know this person."

Hongli agreed, saying, "This plan is excellent. Let's not delay, let's set off now."

The three hurried to General Zhao Hui's residence. Upon hearing of their ordeal, General Zhao Hui's expression turned grave.

“Fourth Prince, Consort, Fifth Prince, I have indeed heard of this name. He is the leader of a tribe on the frontier named Batel. It is rumored that he has dealings with some mysterious forces, but I never thought that he would be related to the Shadow Pavilion,” General Zhao Hui said.

Little Swallow asked anxiously, "General, how can we find him?"

General Zhao Hui pondered for a moment: "He often frequents a market on the frontier, a place where all sorts of people mingle and information flows freely. I can send a few trusted men with you, so that we can look out for each other."

Hongli said gratefully, "Thank you, General. With your help, we will surely be able to proceed much more smoothly."

Under General Zhao Hui's arrangement, they set off for the frontier with a few trusted confidants. After enduring wind and rain and sleeping in the open along the way, they finally arrived at the frontier market.

The market was bustling with people speaking various accents and wearing different clothes. Hongzhou looked around curiously: "This place is really lively, but also quite chaotic. It might not be easy to find someone here."

Little Swallow, however, was full of confidence: "As long as he's here, we're sure we can find him."

They inquired about Batel's whereabouts in the market. Some said they had seen him at the tavern, while others said he had gone to the horse market. The three decided to go to the tavern first.

The tavern was filled with the smell of alcohol and noise. Hongli stepped forward and asked the tavern owner, "Sir, have you seen Chief Batel?"

The boss gave them a wary look: "What do you want with him?"

Hongzhou took out a silver ingot: "Boss, we just have some business to discuss with him. If you can tell us his whereabouts, this silver is yours."

The shopkeeper's eyes lit up when he saw the silver, and he whispered, "He just left not long ago; it seems he went to the camp outside the city."

The three thanked the innkeeper and immediately headed towards the camp outside the city. The camp was heavily guarded. They were stopped by the guards as soon as they approached.

"Who are you? What brings you here?" the guard shouted.

Hongli said, "We are here to visit Chief Batel; we have important matters to discuss."

The guard was skeptical, but went in to report anyway. A moment later, the guard came out and led them into the camp.

Batel sat in the tent and saw them, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"Who are you? Why have you come to find me?" Batel asked.

Hongli looked him straight in the eye: "Chief Batel, we've come to ask about your relationship with the Shadow Pavilion, and why you framed Lord Lin?"

Batel's expression changed: "I don't know what you're talking about. I have no connection with the Shadow Pavilion, nor have I framed anyone."

Little Swallow took out the letter: "Then what's the story behind this letter? Why is your name mentioned in it?"

When Batel saw the letter, his face turned pale: "This...this letter was forced upon me. They arrested my family and threatened me to do what they demanded."

Hongzhou asked, "Who forced you?"

Batel hesitated for a moment: "It's a leader of the Shadow Pavilion named Shura. He's ruthless, and I dare not disobey him."

Hongli frowned: "Then do you know their plan? Why do they want to frame Lord Lin?"

Batel sighed: "They want to create chaos in the court to prevent you from uncovering the secrets of the Shadow Pavilion murals. Lord Lin is an obstacle for them, so they want to get rid of him as soon as possible. They are also secretly plotting a bigger conspiracy, which seems to be related to the power struggle in the court."

Little Swallow said angrily, "They are so wicked! We must stop them."

Hongli pondered for a moment: "Chief Batel, if you want to save your family, cooperate with us. Help us find Shura's whereabouts and atone for your sins."

Batel nodded: "Okay, I'm willing. I know he often frequents a stronghold in a valley, but it's heavily guarded and difficult to get in."

Hongzhou smiled and said, "Even the tightest defense has flaws. Let's discuss how to attack."

The three men discussed their attack plan with Batel in the tent, deciding to launch a surprise attack on the valley stronghold under the cover of night.

As night fell, they quietly approached the valley with their trusted men. The valley was silent, exuding an eerie atmosphere.

"Everyone be careful," Hongli said softly.

They cautiously crept into the valley, avoiding the guards' patrols. Suddenly, an alarm sounded.

"Oh no, we've been discovered!" Hongzhou shouted.

In an instant, members of the Shadow Pavilion surged in from all directions. Hongli drew his sword and shouted, "Don't panic, everyone! Today we will wipe them all out!"

Little Swallow displayed her superb martial arts skills, engaging the enemy in a fierce battle: "Come on, let's see how I deal with you!"

Hong Zhou was not to be outdone, his sword gleaming coldly in the darkness: "Shadow Pavilion scoundrels, today is your doomsday!"

The battle raged fiercely, with casualties on both sides. At a critical moment, reinforcements sent by General Zhao Hui arrived, instantly turning the tide of the battle.

"Haha, reinforcements have arrived! You can't escape now!" Little Swallow shouted excitedly.

As they gradually approached the stronghold in the valley, Shura finally appeared.

"You think you can ruin my plans? You're too naive!" Shura said viciously.

Hongli confronted Shura: "Your conspiracy will not succeed. Today is the day of your destruction."

After saying this, Hongli charged towards Shura first, and the two engaged in a thrilling duel. Hongzhou and Xiaoyanzi assisted from the side, fighting fiercely against the other experts of the Shadow Pavilion.

After a fierce battle, Hongli finally found Shura's weakness and thrust his sword at him. Shura screamed and fell to the ground.

“It’s over…” Hongli said, panting heavily.

They found the imprisoned Batel family members at the stronghold, and also found evidence of the Shadow Pavilion's conspiracy.

With the evidence in hand, they returned to the capital. Upon seeing the evidence, Emperor Yongzheng ordered the severe punishment of the remaining members of the Shadow Pavilion and reinstated Lord Lin to his official position.

The Prime Minister's residence was filled with jubilation. Lord Lin said gratefully to Hongli and Xiaoyanzi, "Thank you so much, Fourth Prince and Princess. If it weren't for you, my grievances would probably never have been redressed."

Little Swallow smiled and said, "Dad, I'm so glad you're alright. It's what we should do."

Having weathered this storm, Xiao Yanzi and Hongli's relationship deepened, with Hongzhou offering his silent blessings. They knew that challenges might lie ahead, but as long as they joined hands, nothing could stand in their way.