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墨書 Inktalez
A sleepless night passed, and Night Star sat on the edge of the bed, his heart heavy as water.
As the night gradually faded, sunlight began to filter in through the window, illuminating his face, which appeared exceptionally haggard. The handsome features lost their usual luster. A shadow swiftly jumped in from outside the window and knelt on one knee beside him.
"What happened?" he asked coldly.
"General, I spent all night thoroughly investigating Miss Xi's whereabouts, but found no trace of her at all; it was as if she had vanished into thin air."
Before Qinglong could finish speaking, he was abruptly interrupted by the man in front of him, who coldly reprimanded, "How could Mo Xi'er possibly disappear without a trace? Stop talking nonsense!"
"Yes, it is my incompetence," Qinglong replied, lowering his head heavily with a look of shame.
"Continue," Night Star seemed to realize he had overreacted. He sighed lightly and waved his hand.
Qinglong lowered his head and continued, his voice devoid of any unnecessary emotion. "Last night, I asked people who were out at midnight around Night Manor and found that no one in the city has seen a woman matching Miss Xi's appearance and figure."
"How is that possible? Have you asked the servants in the manor?" Night Star asked coldly.
"I have asked them; they all said they hadn't seen her. I suspect that although Miss Xi usually keeps a low profile and appears delicate, absolutely no one would know her secret.
However, only you, General, know that she possesses exceptional martial arts skills. If she wanted to play tricks in front of our servants and sneak out undetected, it would not be difficult at all."
Qinglong's voice was calm as he cautiously analyzed the situation.
Night Star nodded thoughtfully, recalling that day in the palace when Mo Xi'er struck him on the waist. Although it did not leave him severely injured, it was still quite painful; an ordinary person would likely have suffered severe internal injuries.
Moreover, Mo Xi'er had not even used her full strength. With this thought, he felt a hint of reassurance; at least she would not be harmed elsewhere.
Thinking about it, it was indeed good. However, a wave of immense panic followed, accompanied by a sense of sadness. Did she suddenly decide to leave him?
How could that be? Just the day before, they had been laughing and joking together; how could her attitude change so quickly? It was impossible!
He comforted himself in his heart, dismissing the thought. At that moment, he suddenly had an idea about someone who could help him and who shared the same determination to find Mo Xi'er.
After the morning court session, Li Ye quietly reviewed memorials in the Imperial Study, where a calming incense called Incense was melting in the burner.
This was a unique spice from a neighboring country that had recently attacked, very expensive and known for its soothing effects. He usually only lit this incense when he was sleeping.
But today, for some reason—more accurately, for the past few days—his mind had been in turmoil, wandering elsewhere.
Every time he reviewed the memorials, his thoughts would become chaotic as he remembered that person. Sometimes during morning court, he would think of that girl in the bright Yellow Dress, so stunning and captivating.
"Ah." He sighed softly, pausing his brush. It had been several days since he last saw her. He thought about how she was about to marry Night Star, and a wave of sadness washed over him.
How much he liked that girl! From childhood to adulthood, he had never encountered anyone who made his heart race like she did.
"Even so, I will do whatever it takes to bring you back."
He made a silent vow. He didn’t care if she was married or if she had once held feelings for another man; as long as he could keep her by his side, he was willing to pay any price.
As if responding to his thoughts, at that moment, Zhang Zehai suddenly stepped forward to report: "Your Majesty, Night General requests an audience outside."
Li Ye frowned slightly and said, "What does he want?"
A hint of displeasure arose in him. Did Night Star really want to flaunt his upcoming marriage to him, the emperor? He then added, "Tell him I am busy and cannot see him."
"Yes." Zhang Zehai respectfully lowered his head and left. After a short while, he returned and reported, "Your Majesty."
Before he could finish, Li Ye impatiently asked, "What is it now?"
Zhang Zehai hesitated, "The Night General said it concerns Princess Fuyuan."
Li Ye smirked sarcastically, "He isn't coming to boast about his engagement to Fuyuan, is he? What a waste of time; I have no interest in dealing with him."
As he spoke, a surge of jealousy rose within him, making him uncomfortable. Unexpectedly, the eunuch Zhang Zehai leaned in cautiously and said, "Your Majesty, I heard it seems to be about Princess Fuyuan's disappearance."
"What?" He suddenly raised his head, surprise evident in his eyes.
"Princess Fuyuan is missing; we don't know if she is in danger. The Night General wishes to report this matter to Your Majesty."
Zhang Zehai carefully observed the emperor's expression. Li Ye's face instantly showed concern as he shouted loudly, "Why haven't you let him in yet?"
Although he did not want Mo Xier to marry Night Star and did not like Night Star, he still hoped she was safe and waiting for him to come and take her away.
Outside the door appeared a tall figure who strode into the hall with an imposing presence, just as dignified as ever.
However, his face looked somewhat haggard; there were heavy bags under his eyes, stubble on his chin, and he appeared rushed.
It seemed he had not had time to groom himself properly that morning before hastily coming to wait outside. Li Ye's thoughts became complicated as he suddenly realized the seriousness of the situation.
"Minister pays respects to Your Majesty." Night Star hurriedly entered but did not immediately express his anxiety; instead, he first performed the customary greeting between ruler and subject.
"Quickly tell me, what happened to Mo Xi'er?" Li Ye waved his hand, eagerly asking with a hint of worry on his face. The longing and sorrow from before vanished in an instant, replaced by a sudden return of his former spirit.
The eyes sparkled with starlight, heavy with worry.
"Your Majesty, yesterday morning, Princess Fuyuan's maid, Xinrong, came to report to me that the princess had disappeared. At first, I thought she was just being mischievous and went out to play, but she did not return all day yesterday or last night. I was very worried and have been sending people to search for her."
Night Star's gaze flickered uncertainly, his complexion pale and haggard as if made of paper.
"I searched all day without finding any trace of the princess. I also asked the townspeople and passersby who went by Night Manor at midnight, but there was no sign of her. I was so worried that I immediately reported this matter to Your Majesty."
"How could this happen? Night Star, how have you been taking care of her? I entrusted Mo Xi'er to your care not because I gave up on her, but because I wanted you to take good care of her on my behalf. Yet here we are! How could a living person simply vanish into thin air? It must be that you have not treated her well, right?"
Li Ye's pent-up anger erupted at this moment. Night Star lowered his head, guilt deeply etched in his eyes as he said, "I deserve to die a thousand deaths."
Li Ye sneered coldly, "You deserve more than just that. But I cannot kill you right now; the Empress Dowager is protecting you. That does not mean I will protect you. Send my decree down: immediately search for Mo Xi'er. Anyone who can provide information that helps me find her will be rewarded with five hundred taels of gold."
After saying this, he picked up a brush and wrote a bright yellow edict, which he handed to Zhang Zehai to present to the men below. The man's eyes had been dull, but upon hearing the emperor's words, they immediately sparkled with light.
The starlight shone brilliantly.
In the Empress Dowager's palace, the scent of Buddha's hand incense lingered in the air as wisps of white smoke rose gently, filling the space with a tranquil aroma. Many attendants stood outside the door with their hands down, not daring to move. Inside, the Empress Dowager sat quietly on a mat in meditation.
"Form is emptiness; emptiness is form," she murmured a passage from the Heart Sutra, trying to calm her heart and maintain a state of detachment from worldly affairs. From then on, she would walk through life with a bamboo staff and straw sandals, weathering storms and rain.
A woman dressed in green lightly ran in. Her figure was slender and delicate, as if a gust of wind could sweep her away. Her feet were as small as spring bamboo shoots; with each step she took, brilliant orchids seemed to bloom around her, evoking a beauty that could move even women.
"Empress Dowager! Empress Dowager!" Green Wisteria hurriedly entered. "Something bad has happened! Princess Fuyuan is missing!"
She paused her chanting, opened her eyes, and looked at Green Wisteria with impatience. "When did this happen?"
Green Wisteria hesitated for a moment before saying, "This morning, Night General reported to the Emperor that Mo Xi'er, no, Princess Fuyuan, has been missing since the night before last and has not been seen since last night."
Looking somewhat worried, Green Wisteria added, "It's as if she vanished into thin air, without a trace. Night General and the Emperor are both very concerned. The Emperor even issued a notice stating that anyone who can find Princess Fuyuan will be rewarded with five hundred taels of gold."
"How absurd," the Empress Dowager scolded angrily, instantly breaking the prayer beads in her hand. That little demon had gone missing; what was there to search for? Her own son not only issued a notice but also offered five hundred taels of gold as a reward—how ridiculous!
"Empress Dowager, please calm down," Green Wisteria said cautiously while kneeling on the ground. "The Emperor said that someone dared to kidnap Princess Fuyuan, which is a disrespect to the royal family's authority. He must capture this person and not allow anyone to bully the royal family; it is simply an affront to their dignity."
After speaking, Green Wisteria raised her head slightly, her innocent and charming face looking toward the Empress Dowager with a hint of inquiry in her eyes, her heart racing.
She was unsure of how she felt at that moment. Upon hearing this news, two complex emotions arose within her.
One was genuine concern for Mo Xi'er’s situation and panic over the trials her good sister would face.
The other was a sense of secret delight—a petty joy that she did not understand. It made her feel humiliated and ashamed.
If Mo Xi'er were to die, then the man in the Dragon Robe whom she saw every day would belong to her.
Yet she truly did not want to be so petty. However, that intense desire for possession continued to swell within her heart, tormenting her day and night.
She even thought that since Mo Xi'er had been missing for a night, in the eyes of others, she would likely have lost her virtue and would never be able to face anyone again. Such a dirty thing was far more humble than herself; she could finally hold her head high.
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