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

The candlelight flickered in Kunning Palace, casting dappled shadows on the walls and illuminating the faces of everyone inside. Xiao Yanzi frowned, gazing at the unconscious concubine, a wave of unease spreading through her. She wore a magnificent phoenix robe, but at this moment, she paid no heed to the exquisite gold and silver embroidery. She gently touched the jewels adorning her temples, trying to calm herself.

"Imperial Physician Liu, you must wake that concubine up no matter what. The secret she knows may be the key to unraveling this conspiracy." Xiao Yanzi's voice was firm and unwavering, yet it also carried a hint of anxiety. Her gaze was fixed on Imperial Physician Liu, as if she wanted to find hope in his face.

Physician Liu looked grave, his forehead covered in fine beads of sweat. He bowed deeply, his voice tinged with helplessness and worry: "Your Majesty, I will certainly do my utmost. However, this poison is far too strange. I need some time to consult medical books and discuss with my colleagues in the Imperial Hospital to see if we can find an antidote." With that, he wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve, his eyes filled with exhaustion and pressure.

Hongli stood to one side, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, his posture upright, yet he could not hide the anxiety on his face. He frowned slightly and said in a deep voice, "This matter is of utmost urgency. We must find an antidote as soon as possible. I want to see just how many conspiracies the Shadow Pavilion is hiding." A sharp glint flashed in his eyes, as if it could pierce through the layers of mist and strike the enemy's vitals.

Zhen Huan sat calmly on a chair to the side, her expression composed. She gently turned the prayer beads in her hand, each turn seemingly soothing the emotions of everyone present. "Your Majesty, Empress, do not be anxious. The more crucial the moment, the calmer you must be." Her voice was unhurried, carrying the wisdom and composure accumulated over the years. "Since that concubine has been poisoned, it means the Shadow Pavilion has realized the matter has been exposed and has begun to silence witnesses. We must speed up the investigation and not give them any further opportunity."

Xiao Yanzi nodded slightly, took a deep breath, and tried to calm herself down. "The Empress Dowager is right. We cannot lose our composure. Consort Ling, Qing'er, you two continue to pay attention to the movements in the inner palace, especially the words and actions of the concubines, maids, and eunuchs. Report any abnormalities to me immediately." She turned to look at Consort Ling and Qing'er, her eyes filled with trust and expectation.

Consort Ling, dressed in a light pink qipao, looked gentle and charming. She bowed slightly and said softly, "Your Majesty, please rest assured, I will be careful." Qing'er, dressed in a white qipao, looked fresh and elegant. She nodded and replied, "Qing'er understands and will be extra careful."

A few days later, Yongqi came to the Hall of Mental Cultivation again, looking tired but also excited. He walked quickly to Hongli, knelt on one knee, and said, "Father, I have made a new discovery."

A glint of anticipation flashed in Hongli's eyes, and he quickly said, "Yongqi, get up and speak. What have you discovered?"

Yongqi stood up and took out a yellowed piece of paper from his pocket, on which were drawn some strange symbols and lines. "Father, I obtained this map by chance while investigating the remnants of the Shadow Pavilion. After extensive investigation, it seems to be a map showing the distribution of the Shadow Pavilion's secret strongholds in the capital." He handed the map to Hongli, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

Hongli took the blueprints and examined them carefully, his expression gradually becoming solemn. "It seems that the Shadow Pavilion's power in the capital is far greater than we imagined. Yongqi, you've done a good job. Immediately send men to investigate these strongholds according to this blueprint, and make sure to wipe out the remaining members of the Shadow Pavilion." His voice was deep and powerful, carrying the majesty of a king.

After receiving the order, Yongqi turned and left. Hongli looked at the blueprints in his hand, pondering to himself: How much more conspiracy does the Shadow Pavilion have? Who exactly is the puppet emperor they want to support? These questions tangled in his mind like a knotted tangle.

Meanwhile, Xiao Yanzi wasn't idle in the inner palace either. Under the guise of bestowing rewards, she summoned the palace maids and eunuchs from all the palaces to the courtyard in front of Kunning Palace. Dressed in a phoenix robe and wearing a phoenix crown, she stood on the steps, her eyes sweeping over the crowd below. "Today, to reward everyone for your hard work, I have prepared some rewards," her clear and melodious voice echoed in the courtyard, "but before that, I have a few words to say."

Everyone knelt down to express their gratitude, then waited quietly for Xiao Yanzi to continue. Xiao Yanzi paused slightly before continuing, "Recently, some things have happened in the palace, which I'm sure you've all heard about. I hope that anyone who knows any clues related to the Shadow Pavilion will step forward. If you tell the truth, I will certainly treat you leniently; if you know but don't report, once discovered, you will not be spared." Her eyes, filled with authority, swept over everyone's faces.

Everyone looked at each other, and no one spoke for a moment. Just as Xiao Yanzi was feeling a little disappointed, a little eunuch stepped forward, trembling slightly, his voice tinged with fear: "Your Majesty, this...this servant has something to say."

Little Swallow was overjoyed and quickly said, "Tell me, and if what you say is true, I will reward you handsomely."

The young eunuch swallowed hard and said, "Your Highness, a few days ago in the Imperial Garden, I saw the Consort secretly meeting with a man dressed in black. I didn't dare to approach and could only watch from afar. Later, the Consort gave the man a package, which seemed to contain something very important."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yanzi was startled: "Did you see what the man looked like?"

The young eunuch shook his head slightly: "Your Majesty, the man was masked, and I couldn't see his face clearly. But I remember that he had a black token hanging from his waist with strange symbols engraved on it."

Xiao Yanzi and Consort Ling exchanged a glance, a knowing look flashing in their eyes. This black token must be the symbol of the Shadow Pavilion. "Very good, you did very well." Xiao Yanzi nodded slightly. "Xiao Tao, go and get some silver to reward this eunuch."

The young eunuch immediately knelt down to express his gratitude: "Thank you for your kindness, Your Majesty. I will serve you even more diligently in the future."

Xiao Yanzi waved her hand, dismissing the crowd. She turned to Consort Ling and said, "It seems that the Shadow Pavilion's influence in the palace is truly deep-rooted. We must find more clues as soon as possible, otherwise, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Consort Ling frowned slightly, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Your Majesty, I think we can start with Consort Na's personal maids and eunuchs. They have served Consort Na for many years and may know some more important clues."

Little Swallow nodded slightly: "You're right. Let's go to that concubine's palace and ask her personal maid and eunuch."

The two arrived at Consort Na's palace, only to find that her personal maids and eunuchs were nowhere to be seen. Xiao Yanzi's expression changed: "Oh no, they must have fled to avoid punishment."

Consort Ling also looked anxious: "What should we do? The clue we finally found has been lost."

Little Swallow bit her lower lip, pondered for a moment, and then said, "Don't worry, they can't have gone far. Immediately notify the guards to search the palace thoroughly and find them."

Just when everyone was extremely anxious, Imperial Physician Liu rushed over, his expression excited: "Your Majesty, great news! After several days and nights of research, my colleagues and I from the Imperial Hospital have finally found an antidote for the poison that concubine was poisoned."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yanzi's eyes flashed with surprise: "Really? That's wonderful! Physician Liu, you are truly my lifeline. Quickly, go and detoxify that concubine."

Imperial Physician Liu rushed into Consort Na's palace and began to treat her poisoning. Little Swallow and Consort Ling waited anxiously outside, silently praying that Consort Na would wake up soon and uncover the truth behind this conspiracy…