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

After returning from the burned-down Prime Minister's residence, both Xiao Yanzi and Hongli were preoccupied with their own worries.

"Your Highness, what exactly is the purpose of the Shadow Pavilion? Why is it targeting the Prime Minister's residence like this?" Xiao Yanzi frowned, her eyes full of worry.

Hongli gently grasped her hand: "My beloved consort, do not worry. I will definitely investigate and find out the truth. Gao Wuyong is connected with Empress Yixiu, and he must be the key to it."

"But wasn't Empress Yixiu confined to her quarters? How can she still cause trouble in the palace?" Xiao Yanzi asked in confusion.

"Hmph! Although he is under house arrest, he has been in the palace for many years and has many followers. He should not be underestimated." Hongli's eyes revealed a hint of coldness.

At this moment, Xiao Tao rushed over: "Miss, Your Highness, something terrible has happened! Prince He... he's causing a scene in the manor, saying he wants to see you!"

Little Swallow was startled: "Hongzhou? Why is he doing this?"

Hongli frowned slightly: "It must be for you, my beloved consort. You must not see him. I will handle this myself."

Little Swallow shook her head: "Your Highness, I have known him for a while, so I will try to persuade him. Perhaps I can calm him down."

Hongli said with some concern, "My dear consort, please be careful on your journey. Hongzhou is currently in a state of agitation and may hurt you."

When Xiao Yanzi arrived at the Prince Heshuo's mansion, she saw Hongzhou drunk and smashing wine cups in the courtyard.

"Hongzhou, why are you doing this?" Xiaoyanzi said softly.

Hongzhou's eyes lit up when he saw Xiaoyanzi, but then filled with pain: "Xiaoyanzi, why did you abandon me? Wasn't I good enough to you?"

Xiao Yanzi sighed: "Hongzhou, we are destined to be apart. My heart is now with the Prince. Please don't persist."

"No! I don't believe it! You must have been forced by Hongli!" Hongzhou shouted.

“Hongzhou, you’re wrong. This is my own choice. You’re married to Dili Leyao now, so you should live a good life,” Xiaoyanzi earnestly advised.

Hongzhou staggered toward Xiaoyanzi: "I don't care, I just want you, I just want you back by my side."

Just then, Dilire Yao came out and saw this scene. Her eyes were filled with tears: "Your Highness, how can you do this to me?"

Hongzhou turned to look at Dilire Yao: "Le Yao, don't interfere, this is between me and Xiao Yanzi."

Xiao Yanzi looked at Dilire Yao and felt a little guilty: "Le Yao, I'm sorry, it's my fault."

Dilireyao shook her head: "Sister, I know your heart isn't with the Prince, but the Prince..."

Xiao Yanzi said to Hongzhou, "Hongzhou, look at Leyao. She is the one who will accompany you for life. Don't continue to live such a muddled life."

Hong Zhou looked at Dilire Yao and felt a pang of emotion. He slowly lowered his hand and said, "Little Swallow, it's over. I can never have you."

After leaving the Prince Heshuo's Mansion, Xiao Yanzi returned to the palace and continued to discuss with Hongli how to deal with the Shadow Pavilion.

"Your Highness, what should we do about Empress Yixiu?" Xiao Yanzi asked.

“I have already sent men to keep an eye on her every move. If she makes any further moves, I will not let her go,” Hongli said.

"But we haven't found the Shadow Pavilion's inside agent in the palace yet," Xiao Yanzi said anxiously.

"My dear consort, this matter cannot be rushed. We will investigate slowly and eventually find some clues," Hongli comforted her.

On the other side of the palace, Niohuru Zhixi was discussing something with Rong Momo.

"Granny, Xiao Yanzi and Hongli are getting closer and closer now, what should we do?" Zhixi frowned.

"Madam, we must find a way to break up their relationship. We can't let Xiao Yanzi succeed," Rong Momo said viciously.

"But they are currently investigating the Shadow Pavilion. If we act rashly, will we be implicated?" Zhixi asked with some concern.

“Madam, we must be careful; we can’t just sit here and wait to die,” said Rong Mama.

Xiao Yanzi and Hongli searched for clues throughout the palace. When they arrived at the Imperial Garden, they saw Su Peisheng pruning the flowers and plants.

"Eunuch Su, have you noticed anything unusual?" Little Swallow asked.

Su Peisheng respectfully replied, "Your Highness, I haven't found anything, but I've heard that there have been some strange things going in and out of the Imperial Household Department recently."

"Oh? The Imperial Household Department?" Hongli's heart stirred. "My beloved consort, let's go to the Imperial Household Department and take a look."

When they arrived at the Imperial Household Department and examined the account books, they found that several entries were unclear and appeared to have been tampered with.

"There's definitely something fishy going on here!" Little Swallow said.

Just then, Gao Wuyong walked in and saw Xiao Yanzi and Hongli. His expression changed: "Your Highness, Miss, what are you doing here?"

Hongli looked at him coldly: "Gao Wuyong, you've come at the right time. I was just about to ask you, what's going on with these accounts?"

Gao Wuyong stammered, "Your Highness, this...this old servant doesn't know either; it was someone else who remembered it."

"Hmph! Don't try to deny it. I will find out the truth sooner or later," Hongli said.

Xiao Yanzi looked at Gao Wuyong with suspicion in her heart: "Gao Wuyong, are you a member of the Shadow Pavilion? Are you secretly causing trouble in the palace?"

Gao Wuyong quickly waved his hand: "Miss, please don't wrong this old servant. This old servant is loyal to the Prince."

Hongli and Xiaoyanzi continued to press him for answers, but Gao Wuyong insisted that he knew nothing about it, though a hint of panic flickered in his eyes.

“Your Highness, he definitely has a problem. We can’t just let him go like this,” Xiao Yanzi said.

"Rest assured, my beloved consort, I will handle this myself," Hongli said.

They also discovered fragments of patterns similar to those in the Shadow Pavilion murals at the Imperial Household Department, which further convinced them that the Imperial Household Department and the Shadow Pavilion were inextricably linked.

“This fragment must be a key clue, my dear consort. Let’s take it back and study it carefully,” Hongli said.

Back at their lodgings, Xiao Yanzi and Hongli pondered deeply over the fragment.

“Your Highness, this pattern looks like some kind of formation, but it doesn’t quite look like it,” Xiao Yanzi said.

“Hmm, I also find it strange. It seems to be an ancient symbol, related to some secrets within the palace,” Hongli said.

Just as they were conducting their research, Fucha Fuheng came to report: "Your Highness, I have discovered that Gao Wuyong met with a mysterious martial arts figure outside the palace. This martial arts figure seems to be related to the Shadow Pavilion."

"Oh? Who are those martial arts figures?" Hongli asked.

"Your Highness, that martial arts figure is called Black Wind. He's an assassin from a mysterious organization in the martial arts world, and he's skilled in using poison," Fu Heng said.

"Black Wind? It seems the Shadow Pavilion intends to create chaos in the palace using poison," Little Swallow said.

“My beloved consort is right. I must strengthen the palace’s defenses and not let them succeed,” Hongli said.

They decided to start with Black Wind to investigate the Shadow Pavilion's conspiracy. Little Swallow and Hongli disguised themselves and went out of the palace to look for Black Wind's whereabouts.

In a secluded alley in the capital, they found Black Wind's hiding place.

"Black Wind, what are you colluding with the Shadow Pavilion? Speak up!" Hongli shouted in a low voice.

Black Wind saw them and sneered, "What do you think you can get from me?"

Little Swallow said, "If you don't speak, today will be your death day."

Suddenly, Black Wind threw out a handful of poison powder, attempting to escape. Little Swallow and Hongli were prepared, dodging the poison powder and giving chase.

After a chase, they finally caught Black Wind.

"Speak! What exactly is the Shadow Pavilion's conspiracy?" Hongli pressed.

Black Wind, however, remained defiant: "I will not tell you. You cannot even imagine the methods of the Shadow Pavilion."

Just as they were locked in a stalemate, Black Wind suddenly changed his expression and coughed up black blood. It turned out that he had taken poison and committed suicide.

"Damn it! The trail has gone cold again," Little Swallow said angrily.

Hongli looked at Heifeng's corpse: "My beloved consort, do not be discouraged. Although the clues have been cut off, we also know that the Shadow Pavilion has a plan to use poison in the palace. We can take precautions from this aspect."

They returned to the palace and strengthened security, especially regarding food and drink.

However, the Shadow Pavilion's conspiracy did not stop, and they were secretly plotting new actions. Meanwhile, Xiao Yanzi and Hongli were constantly searching for new clues. On the perilous path of the palace, they relied on their deep affection and trust for each other to move forward with difficulty. They did not know how many dangers awaited them ahead, but they had only one belief in their hearts: to protect the peace of the palace and find out the truth.