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The majestic palace was enveloped in a sense of desolation, with faint candlelight flickering in the night, casting a dim glow on Li Ye's face, whose sharply defined features showed no sign of life.
Sitting idly on a red Sandalwood chair, his once keen and sharp eyes resembled wilted flowers, now reduced to a state of utter silence.
Outside the hall, Zhang Zehai stood trembling at the door. It was already the dead of night, the time when the emperor would typically summon him, but he dared not step inside even half a step, fearing that his unpredictable master within might crush his skull at any moment.
The bright moon hung high in the palace, unusually luminous compared to usual nights, appearing oval-shaped as if it were joyfully flaunting its beauty to the stars twinkling around it.
Yet those living beneath the continent seemed shrouded in darkness, unable to disperse the veil that obscured their vision.
Li Ye was lost in thought, unaware of anything else; he had sat in that chair for an entire night without anyone disturbing him.
In the General's Mansion
Night Star stood by the window in purple attire, hands clasped behind his back, cold eyes fixed on the thunder and lightning outside amidst the torrential rain. His thick brows furrowed; this storm arrived just as the mysteries surrounding the emperor and his own lineage began to unfold, as if signaling some kind of warning.
This was the first time in two years that such heavy rain fell upon Heavenly Universe Kingdom, pouring down like a city-wide waterfall, seemingly intent on cleansing the world anew.
A faint sound came from behind him, yet he remained silent and still.
The person behind him was unsure of his thoughts and feared interrupting his train of thought, so they too stayed quiet. For a moment, aside from the occasional thunder rumbling through the mountains outside, there was no other sound.
Time passed without him turning around until accompanied by another clap of thunder came a voice: "How is it?"
Those two short words were enough to instill fear in the person behind him; their master had reverted to his former self again—cold and devoid of warmth. The chilling aura emanating from him felt as if it could consume them whole.
With a slight sigh, Qinglong silently thought: Only Miss Mo could possibly ease their master's frigid emotions.
"There has been no progress." He glanced at the man still facing away from him, his tone inexplicably anxious. "According to your orders, while they were away from the mansion, I secretly infiltrated the ancestral hall and discovered that hidden passageway, but..."
At this point, Qinglong's words abruptly halted; he dared not continue.
Because Night Star suddenly turned around, his gaze was like a sharp knife, piercing directly at him. The kneeling figure abruptly shrank back, swallowing the words that were about to come out.
He knew that if he couldn't say those three words, given his master's current anger, he might be kicked away. His body could no longer withstand such torment from his master.
Heaven knows that when his master was angry, he used all his strength. Even though he had practiced martial arts for many years and had completed numerous missions from the Training Institute, he still couldn't endure the repeated onslaughts from his master these days.
If that were the case, it was likely that Miss Mo's ointment would not be enough.
Night Star looked at him coldly, his black pupils devoid of any emotion: "Your efficiency is getting worse and worse. Are you tired of staying in the General's residence and want me to send you to a remote area? Hmm?"
The clear voice accompanied by the cold night wind carried a hint of chill.
Even the seasoned Qinglong couldn't help but tremble. He keenly sensed his master's anger, but at this moment, there was nothing he could do but apologize. "I'm sorry, Master. I have failed in my duties!"
"What I want is not your apology or acknowledgment of failure." The cold voice rang out again above him. "I want you to find Mo Xi'er. Do you understand?"
Lowering his head and not daring to look up at those dark eyes, Qinglong could only report honestly, "Yes, I will find Miss Mo Xi as soon as possible. However, I have already searched through Night Manor, yet I still haven't found her. I wonder if she has been locked up somewhere else by Old Madam?"
At this point, Qinglong also wore a puzzled expression. Given Old Madam and Old General's personalities, it was indeed a time of turmoil; they would never hide Miss Mo Xi elsewhere. Keeping her close would be the most reliable option.
The Emperor's background had been revealed, and Miss Mo Xi knew the details behind it. If she were hidden elsewhere and rescued by someone who then disclosed this secret to the court, their plans would surely fail.
Helplessly, he had searched through Night Manor but still could not find any trace of Miss Mo Xi.
Suddenly, Night Star's cold eyes changed slightly; his mind raced. In an instant, he said, "Since she is not in Night Manor, go to the Prime Minister's Residence. In any case, dig three feet into the ground and bring her back."
He could not allow her to suffer even the slightest harm; he could not let her become a victim in the power struggle involving Old Madam.
Qinglong responded affirmatively but then thought of something else. Looking at the dark and unpredictable Night Star, he hesitated over whether to speak up.
His actions could not escape Night Star's notice. With just a sidelong glance at him, the icy words rang out again: "Speak if you have something to say!"
The tone was resolute, leaving no room for doubt.
Qinglong's body trembled as he immediately pulled out the item given to him by Xinrong today. "This is what Xinrong gave to me today, saying it was found under Miss Mo Xi's pillow."
Taking the item from Qinglong's hand, it was merely a white handkerchief, but the mottled bloodstains on it made Night Star's eyes narrow sharply.
He said nothing but walked over to the black table filled with sandalwood fragrance. The sandalwood from the military residence could not compare to that of the palace, but even though it was not as good as that of the palace, it was still rare in the world.
On the table sat a pot of Crabapple Blossom, blooming with a pale and beautiful sacred light, swaying with its delicate figure, exuding an enchanting charm. A flash of white lightning suddenly streaked across, casting an eerie glow on the white Crabapple Blossom.
Night Star stood before the Crabapple Blossom, his brows distant and clear, his long eyes elegantly slender. His cool lips curled into a slight arc as his slightly calloused fingers gently caressed the branch of the Crabapple Blossom, tenderly as if treating a priceless treasure.
Suddenly, his fingers came together, and the flower branch swaying in the wind broke off, landing in his slender palm.
Looking at the handkerchief that bore the characters Jiaqing, with two bright red bloodstains that were just right for two fingers' width, he toyed with the broken flower branch and spoke nonchalantly, "It seems this must have been taken out by Mo Xi'er when she was locked in the secret chamber."
"I thought so too," Qinglong replied cautiously. "That's why I didn't dare delay and brought it to you. But I don't understand why Miss Mo Xi left this handkerchief in her room."
At a glance, it was clear that this bloodstained handkerchief was not good news. Why would Miss Mo Xi place it under her pillow? Qinglong was puzzled!
The arc of Night Star's lips deepened. "She must have discovered something and didn't have time to speak before being taken away again!"
"Did you notice anything wrong with this handkerchief?"
When Xinrong gave him this handkerchief, he had indeed studied it for quite some time. However, aside from the name and two bloodstains on it, he found nothing else.
"Anything wrong?" His slightly curved lips suddenly pressed tight. "It’s likely another unknown secret."
Night Star recalled that when Mo Xi'er last came out, she mentioned to him that she was allergic to cilantro, just like the Empress Dowager. Her deduction suggested that he might be the biological son of the Empress Dowager! Not a descendant of the Night Family!
At that time, however, he had not paid much attention to it, thinking it was all just coincidence.
When he saw this cloth, he felt a bit suspicious.
Thinking of this, Night Star slowly said, "Find Mo Xi'er as soon as possible and keep a close watch on Old Madam and Old General's movements in the next few days."
Qinglong responded and then disappeared into the heavy rain!
The majestic palace still stood tall in the capital, its intricately crafted walls enduring in this country. The bright red walls, soaked by a night of heavy rain, now looked like walls built of blood, quite terrifying.
After the storm, the next day was sunny, as if the violent storm from last night had never occurred.
However, for the highest authority of the Heavenly Universe Kingdom, it felt like a shocking wave!
Dressed in bright yellow, Li Ye stood atop the city wall, gazing deeply into the distance. After a night of rain, everything appeared gray and indistinct; he could not see the scenery or any people walking about!
The only clearly visible thing was that mountain, still standing tall above the mountainous area of Wuzhi City.
Wuzhi City was separated from the capital by three cities, but due to its high elevation, it could be seen clearly from the capital's walls.
His hands were tightly clenched at his sides, his mind racing with thoughts. It was June, yet such a sudden storm had arrived. It should be noted that the Heavenly Universe Kingdom had not experienced such a situation in two years.
In his lifetime, there had only been one occurrence two years ago when enemy turmoil arose. The enemy troops seemed to have received help from powerful figures and entered the Heavenly Universe Kingdom as if it were unguarded.
In just half a month, they captured ten cities of the Heavenly Universe Kingdom. If it weren't for Night Star, perhaps the Heavenly Universe Kingdom would no longer exist.
And this storm came right after he learned about his origins. Could it be that the heavens of the Heavenly Universe Kingdom were about to change?
Standing tall against the cold wind on the city wall, no one knew what he was thinking.
"Your Majesty, it's windy on the city wall; let's go back."
Seeing that Li Ye had been on the city wall for most of the morning, Zhang Zehai approached him with concern for his health and urged him to return.
If someone had interrupted Li Ye's thoughts like this on a usual day, he would have been furious. However, today his mind was elsewhere, and he merely cast a light glance at him, allowing him to drape the black cloak over his shoulders.
"Has the Chancellor arrived?" His voice was somewhat hoarse, perhaps due to the wind.
Lowering his head, Zhang Zehai replied, "He has already arrived and is waiting in the Imperial Study for the Emperor."
As expected! Li Ye looked as if he understood everything; it would be strange if he didn't come!
When Li Ye arrived at the Imperial Study, besides the Chancellor, there was another person present. Although he appeared to be a mere servant, Li Ye could immediately tell that it was the Old General.
Indeed, if a person who was supposed to be dead suddenly appeared before everyone, it would surely frighten those in court!
"Your humble servant pays his respects to Your Majesty."
Upon seeing the newcomer, Jiang Huai's old eyes brightened, then he quickly wiped away the harshness in his gaze and replaced it with a respectful smile as he prostrated on the ground.
"Rise." His tone held no warmth, making it impossible to discern whether his current mood was good or bad.
Glancing at the two kneeling before him, he spoke sternly to Zhang Zehai, "You may leave; do not let anyone else in."
With the Emperor's command given, Zhang Zehai dared not linger any longer and immediately exited. In an instant, only three people remained in the Imperial Study, and no one spoke, creating a tense atmosphere.
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