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

Chapter 506: The Secret Reopens, the Storm Is About to Change

The night in the Forbidden City was deep and quiet. The gentle moonlight, like water, fell softly on the glazed tiles of the Shufangzhai, casting a cool glow. Xiao Yanzi lay in bed, her eyes fixed on the curtains above her bed. The promise to meet her at the dilapidated temple on the outskirts of the city the next day kept replaying in her mind. Filled with worry, she tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

Before dawn, she got up, quickly washed up, changed into a light and practical outfit, put on a black cloak, and carefully tied the long whip around her waist. Every movement revealed her determination and resolve.

At this moment, Yongqi also arrived at Shufangzhai early. He was dressed in a black robe and had a long sword at his waist. He looked at Xiaoyanzi with concern and said, "Xiaoyanzi, are you really sure? The dilapidated temple in the suburbs is too dangerous. We must be careful in everything we do."

Little Swallow raised her head, her eyes shining with determination: "Yongqi, I have to go. This is the key to solving the mystery, and I can't let the people around me be in danger because of me."

Yongqi gently grasped Xiaoyanzi's hand and nodded firmly: "Okay, no matter what happens, I will always be by your side."

As the two were talking, Erkang walked in. He was dressed in a dark blue training uniform, looking dashing, and carrying a short knife: "I'm ready, let's go together."

After a brief discussion, the three of them quietly left the Forbidden City before dawn. The streets were silent all the way, with only the sound of their footsteps echoing on the stone pavement.

On the other side, Lin Yuxuan also got up early and paced back and forth in the courtyard of the Lin residence, clutching the mysterious note tightly in his hand. He was dressed in a white robe, his brows furrowed, his eyes revealing anger and determination. Seeing Xiao Yanzi and the others arrive, he hurriedly went to greet them.

"Young Master Lin, is everything ready?" Little Swallow asked.

Lin Yuxuan nodded: "Don't worry, I've arranged everything. I'm willing to do anything to find out who killed my sister." As he spoke, he looked at Xiao Yanzi, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes, "Xiao Yanzi, no, I should call you Xiao Yan now. I've done as you asked and spread the word that Xiao Yan is alright. Now you are Lin Xiao Yan."

Xiao Yanzi nodded slightly, giving him a grateful look. The two avoided the crowd and walked to a corner of the courtyard. She took a deep breath and slowly spoke, "Brother, do you know, I've been keeping my past life a secret from you, but now I've decided to tell you. In my past life, I started as the wife of Prince Bao. Back then, I was full of hope, unaware that the road ahead would be fraught with thorns." A look of reminiscence crossed Xiao Yanzi's eyes, and her tone carried a hint of emotion.

"Later, the Emperor ascended the throne, and I became a Consort, and eventually the Empress. In that deep palace, every day was filled with scheming and struggle. One wrong step and you would fall into an abyss of no return." Xiao Yanzi frowned slightly, a painful expression on her face, as if those difficult past events were resurfacing before her eyes.

"I still can't forget the feeling of being humiliated at the palace poetry gathering and being misunderstood by everyone, that feeling of isolation and helplessness. And the palace fire, I struggled to survive in the sea of ​​flames, and it wasn't until much difficulty that I regained their trust." Xiao Yanzi's voice trembled slightly, and a trace of fear flashed in her eyes.

"Not to mention those horrible memories, they keep popping up and disturbing my peace." Xiao Yanzi smiled bitterly, her eyes full of exhaustion.

Lin Yuxuan's eyes widened in disbelief. His lips trembled slightly, and he was too shocked to speak. After a long while, he slowly came to his senses, his brows furrowing even deeper, his face filled with heartache and anger: "Xiaoyan, you have suffered all these years."

Little Swallow shook her head with a wry smile: "These are nothing, but later, fate played a trick on me, and I don't know why I returned to the present and became Little Swallow. But I know in my heart that I am closely connected with everything in the past, and I must find out the truth."

Without another word, the group headed towards the dilapidated temple on the outskirts of the city. As they walked, the sunlight gradually broke through the morning mist, but their spirits remained heavy.

When they arrived at the dilapidated temple on the outskirts of the city, they saw that the temple was surrounded by overgrown weeds, the temple door was half-closed, and it exuded a gloomy atmosphere. Little Swallow took the lead and gently pushed open the temple door, and a musty smell rushed out.

"Be careful," Yongqi whispered, his hand unconsciously gripping the hilt of his sword.

The group cautiously entered the dilapidated temple, where they found cobwebs everywhere and the Buddha statues incomplete. Suddenly, a dark shadow darted out from behind the Buddha statues and pounced on Little Swallow with incredible speed.

Little Swallow reacted quickly, immediately drawing her long whip to defend herself. The shadowy figure was highly skilled in martial arts, each move swift and fierce, and Little Swallow gradually began to struggle. Seeing this, Yongqi and Erkang immediately joined the battle, engaging in a fierce fight with the shadowy figure.

"Do you think you can catch me?" the shadowy figure said coldly, his voice hoarse.

"Since you're looking for Lin Xiaoyan, then that's perfect, I am!" Xiaoyanzi responded loudly, brandishing her long whip with a fierce gust of wind. "What exactly do you want by showing up time and time again?"

The shadowy figure snorted coldly, offering no reply. Lin Yuxuan also picked up a wooden stick beside him and joined the fray. Under the combined attack of the group, the shadowy figure gradually lost ground.

Suddenly, the dark figure feinted and turned to run out of the temple. Little Swallow and the others weren't about to give up and immediately gave chase. After pursuing for a while, the dark figure suddenly stopped and slowly turned around.

"Who exactly is instigating you? Why are you harassing me?" Xiao Yanzi questioned loudly, her eyes filled with anger and confusion.

The shadowy figure remained silent for a moment, then slowly removed the black cloth from his face, revealing a weathered face: "I was originally a member of the martial arts world, hired to deal with Lin Xiaoyan. They said that as long as I completed the task, they would give me endless wealth and glory. But I never expected that it would cause such a big trouble in the end."

"Who exactly hired you?" Yongqi asked sharply, his long sword pointing directly at the dark figure.

The shadowy figure shook his head: "I don't know. Someone always sends me the information; I'm only responsible for taking action."

As they were talking, suddenly, the sound of horses' hooves came from afar. A moment later, a group of men in black rode up on horseback and surrounded them.

"It seems we're surrounded," Er Kang said gravely, gripping his short knife tightly.

Xiao Yanzi and the others immediately stood back to back, warily watching the men in black around them. A more intense battle seemed imminent.

Inside the Forbidden City, the Empress suddenly fainted in the Imperial Garden. Everyone panicked and hurriedly carried her back to her palace. Just as they were in a flurry of activity, the Empress slowly opened her eyes, then let out a strange laugh: "I've actually become the Empress!"

Granny Rong, terrified, turned deathly pale and knelt on the ground with a thud: "Your Majesty, what's wrong?"

The Empress glanced at Rong Momo, a strange light flashing in her eyes: "Get up. In the future, you will have your time to enjoy life."

It turned out that the concubine's soul had been reborn within the empress's body. All of this remained unknown to anyone, becoming a secret in the empress's heart.

Amidst this turbulent turn of events, Xiao Yanzi and her companions are surrounded by men in black outside a dilapidated temple on the outskirts of the city. Meanwhile, the Empress's unusual behavior within the Forbidden City foreshadows a larger conspiracy brewing. Xiao Yanzi knows they are getting closer to the truth, but the danger is also increasing. Gripping her whip tightly, she looks at Yongqi, Erkang, and Lin Yuxuan beside her, secretly vowing to uncover the truth and protect those around her, no matter what.

As the man in black drew closer, a tense atmosphere filled the air. Little Swallow took a deep breath, bracing herself for the impending battle. She knew this battle would decide everything…