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墨書 Inktalez
Perhaps this is the bond of blood, the connection of kinship, a silent understanding between hearts.
Upon waking again, Yang Yichen felt much better. Reflecting on the scenes from his dream, he couldn't help but smile.
His heart was filled with determination, and a voice within him urged him to move forward, quickening his pace.
Suddenly, he noticed an envelope in the wardrobe. It looked somewhat old and was still sealed. He picked it up casually.
He was certain that this letter did not belong to him; it must be Liu Qingxi's.
Since Liu Qingxi went missing nearly twenty days ago, he would do anything to find even the slightest clue about her.
Not willing to give up any hope, he opened the envelope without hesitation, knowing it might be related to Liu Qingxi.
It was a letter of recommendation. After reading it, Yang Yichen realized that Elder Ying and Lin Shurong had once shared a deep friendship. The letter mentioned that if Liu Qingxi encountered trouble in the capital, she could seek help from Lin Shurong.
With this letter in hand, he would not hesitate to face any challenges.
No wonder Liu Qingxi had reacted so differently when she heard Elder Ying's name from him.
Based on their own abilities, while they had earned Lin Shurong's respect, it wasn't enough for him to set aside his dignity and exhaust all his resources to assist them.
Without hesitation, Yang Yichen took the letter and headed out, making his way directly to Lin Shurong's residence.
Without wasting words, he stated his purpose: "Lord Lin, I ask for your assistance!"
Indeed, upon seeing the contents of the letter, Lin Shurong's expression changed dramatically. After a few seconds of silence, he sighed heavily: "Very well. You young ones are truly pitiful. I will send someone to help search."
Having been an official for a lifetime, who doesn't have some connections? Especially someone as influential as Lin Shurong in the court.
He could mobilize as many people in the capital as Yang Yichen could, not to mention that some unknown forces could reach places he couldn't investigate.
"After searching for so long, do you have any thoughts of your own?"
If he could provide even a small valuable clue, it would make the investigation much easier.
Yang Yichen then stopped hiding: "Lord Lin, to be honest, I have searched every household in the capital, and there is only one place left."
"And my people have been guarding all the exits of the capital; she cannot leave. She must still be in the city."
By process of elimination, since there was no one left in various places in the capital, the only remaining location was the palace.
However, Yang Yichen did not know what connection he had with those in the palace; working for the court should not involve his family.
It was only later that he suddenly realized that it was merely due to a whim from the other party that he and his wife had to endure such torment for so long.
"Alright, if you want to go back and wait for news, I will have someone search as soon as possible and notify you immediately when there is any information."
Yang Yichen was not someone who would just sit idly by. That night, he continued his search according to his original plan.
In the palace, Liu Qingxi lived in constant fear.
At first, it was manageable, but as time went on, some things could not be hidden forever. Although Dugu Hao had hidden Liu Qingxi in this hard-to-find remote palace, his whereabouts would eventually be discovered.
In the harem, Dugu Hao only had three women. They were merely a few beauties without much status since he could not casually find more after ascending to the throne.
He had never stayed overnight with any of them.
But which young girl does not yearn for love? Which woman does not hope to receive affection from her partner?
However, Dugu Hao remained as calm as a monk in meditation, showing no reaction to the flower-like figures before him.
They did not seem like normal men, but from another perspective, Dugu Hao, as the most esteemed man below, was pure and self-respecting, handsome and charming—exactly the kind of partner every girl dreamed of.
Even knowing she could never gain his affection, she still strived to emulate him, constantly paying attention to his whereabouts.
As time passed, one of them, an eighteen-year-old named Wang Huiya, whose father was the current Minister of War, had long been infatuated with Dugu Hao.
"What are you?" She suddenly stood up, her delicate makeup cracking slightly to reveal a fierce expression.
"Your Majesty has been sneaking out these past few days?"
"Yes, Your Highness. This servant has followed him several times. Each time he goes out, he changes his clothes, but from behind, he does look like the same person," a respectful maid in her twenties with a sharp appearance replied.
She was specially sent by Minister of War Wang Jun to assist Wang Huiya and was skilled in martial arts; otherwise, her tracking would have been discovered by Dugu Hao immediately.
As for why she noticed something unusual, it was mainly because Dugu Hao's mood was often affected by Liu Qingxi, allowing even low-level followers to go unnoticed.
"Then why is it just a silhouette? Are you not sure?"
"Your Highness, that is exactly what confuses me. Every time I see that silhouette, his face looks different from the Emperor's, but his figure is almost identical."
This was her point of confusion; no matter how similar the silhouette was, if the face was different, it meant nothing.
However, after hearing her words, Wang Huiya fell into deep thought and suddenly declared confidently: "That's right! That person must be the Emperor!"
"What do you mean?" The maid asked in confusion.
"This is something I overheard my father mention occasionally; I didn't take it seriously at the time. I heard there are people in the martial world who understand disguise techniques and can reach a level of deception that is indistinguishable from reality. Think about it—who else in the palace could come and go freely besides the Emperor?"
Thinking about it, that person must undoubtedly be Dugu Hao.
In the Dugu Royal Family, the male heirs are not plentiful, and among Dugu Hao's generation, there are hardly any brothers. The former crown prince has been sidelined, and the current princes do not have a good relationship with him. They choose to remain in the background under Dugu Hao's strong and decisive policies.
Therefore, various factors indicate that the person is indeed Dugu Hao after disguising himself.
At least, she does not know what he is doing there.
Wang Huiya's delicate face revealed a hint of contemplation. After a long while, she slowly spoke, "Let's go and see for ourselves."
Indeed, she wouldn't give up without checking. How could such an unknown Palace Garden possess such great allure?
If it weren't for Dugu Hao's disinterest in women, she would almost suspect that he was hiding a beauty there.
Wang Huiya had to uncover the truth.
At this moment, Liu Qingxi was unaware that every time she was in this secluded place, away from the sun, someone was watching her.
The next day at noon, Dugu Hao came here as usual.
Most of the time, they did nothing, but he just wouldn't let Liu Qingxi leave.
Although he wanted to use his overwhelming power to make Liu Qingxi his woman, anyone who knows Liu Qingxi would understand that she would not be intimidated by power or do anything against her will; otherwise, who knows what she might do.
The situation remained at a standstill. However, in recent days, Liu Qingxi's appetite had noticeably improved, which put Dugu Hao in a good mood as well.
Just as he left not long after, a woman suddenly barged in.
Dressed in palace attire, the vibrant red accentuated her already exquisite features, making her look even more enchanting. Adorned with a hairpin embedded with sparkling gems, she exuded an imposing aura.
"Your Highness, you cannot enter!" It was Cui Ping, who was desperately blocking the doorway.
"Oh really? What kind of person is hidden inside? Why can’t I enter?" She glared coldly, her voice icy, and her gaze towards Cui Ping revealed a strong intent to kill.
Just then, the guard responsible for watching returned. With his presence, Cui Ping gained confidence: "Your Highness, the Emperor has ordered that no one may enter this palace without his permission."
Most importantly, Dugu Hao did not want anyone to discover Liu Qingxi's presence here.
Although he was not afraid of anyone's power, this was the last pure land in the filthy imperial palace, a sanctuary where his body and mind could find peace.
He would not allow anyone to disrupt this place.
Wang Huiya was thus blocked outside; however, if she were so easily deterred, she would not be the daughter raised by the Minister of War.
In the palace, she had merely been suppressing her true nature for Dugu Hao's favor.
"Open the door for me!" The maid behind her wasted no time and immediately engaged in a fight with the guards.
Dugu Hao had not anticipated anyone breaking in; he had only sent the most ordinary guards, who were quickly overpowered by Wang Huiya's people.
"Hmph! I will see what is hidden inside."
The more they tried to prevent her from looking, the more determined she became to confirm it.
This palace was not large; in fact, it was less than half the size of her residence.
Yet every tiny corner was meticulously decorated. Compared to precious flowers and priceless gold and jewels, this place felt comfortable, with a faint fragrance of flowers and grass that refreshed the spirit.
However, Wang Huiya was not in the mood to appreciate the beautiful scenery here; with every glance, her mood became more oppressive.
Inside the house, Liu Qingxi finished her lunch and, as usual, took a short nap.
She had this habit originally, but after becoming pregnant, she needed even more sleep. With a child on the way, she was cautious about everything she did, even turning in her sleep.
Before she could fully fall asleep, she was startled awake by the noise outside.
Kicking off a slipper casually, she got up and went out. "Cui Ping, what on earth is happening outside?"
Uh! Then her voice abruptly stopped.
As their eyes met, Liu Qingxi saw nothing but anger and resentment in the other person's gaze.
Wang Huiya saw a woman dressed in a plain long skirt, with hair as black as a waterfall cascading over her shoulders. The woman's bright, watery eyes were enough to evoke jealousy in anyone who looked at her, especially men.
No one could resist the overwhelming protective instinct that radiated from her gaze.
Seeing this woman filled Wang Huiya with jealousy! Why? Why was it that no matter how long she waited, she could never see Dugu Hao? She could only hide quietly along his usual path and steal a few glances.
And this woman, just like that—without any makeup—could effortlessly draw Dugu Hao's unwavering attention. Why was that?
It felt like something precious that she yearned for but could not attain was easily within someone else's grasp, creating a suffocating sense of frustration.
"You are the woman hidden away here?" Wang Huiya spoke harshly.
Liu Qingxi immediately sensed the strong malice from the other party.
Observing her attire, which resembled the luxurious palace dress she had seen at the Mid-Autumn Banquet, countless thoughts flashed through her mind. The suspicion regarding Dugu Hao's identity surged forth; she was just missing that final piece.
At a critical moment, Cui Ping was restless. If the Emperor found out that they had failed to stop Consort Wang, everyone in this courtyard would lose their heads.
He signaled to the guard to quickly report to the Emperor.
The guard, injured by Wang Huiya's maid, dragged his battered body and quickly ran out while everyone was distracted.
At this time, Dugu Hao had returned to the Imperial Study, engrossed in reviewing the Memorials.
He never expected that such a big incident would occur shortly after he left.
Without time to punish the incompetent guard, he suddenly stood up, causing the Memorial in his hand to fall to the ground with a thud. He dashed out, leaving only a golden silhouette behind.
On the way, his internal energy surged to its peak as he rushed towards the harem at an incredible speed.
At this moment, Liu Qingxi was in a tense situation!
She had no idea what was happening when she was met with a barrage of cold mockery from the other side.
"This lady seems to have nothing to do with me, right?" She always retaliated mercilessly against those who were rude to her.
"Hah! What? Do you think you have any reason as a seductress? Your skills in flirting with men are impressive; you don't let any man pass by on the street, do you? I've never seen such a shameless and lewd woman like you."
Wang Huiya's insults were extremely harsh, and Liu Qingxi was furious. She kept reminding herself: "You can't panic, you can't get angry. Think of your baby, think of your husband, think of your family."
However, the emotions that Liu Qingxi had worked so hard to suppress appeared to Wang Huiya as nothing more than blatant boasting, striking her like a loud slap across the face.
"You shameless woman! Do you really think the Emperor likes you? A woman like you, with no status or position, is not worthy of entering the palace. The Emperor—"
Wang Huiya spoke quickly due to her anger, but Liu Qingxi still caught the most crucial words.
"Your Majesty? Entering the palace? Why does she want the Emperor?"
Looking at Wang Huiya's attire, it was undoubtedly that of a woman from the palace.
As for Emperor Dugu Hao? She had encountered him a few times; surely, she wouldn't mistake him!
It seemed as if the confusion from earlier suddenly unraveled. Liu Qingxi realized something, but before she could express it, an angry roar filled with pressure erupted from outside.
"Silence!"
However, it was too late; all the truths were revealed in that moment.
Looking at Dugu Hao in his bright yellow dragon robe, what else could Liu Qingxi not understand?
Ha ha ha! How amusing! Dugu Hao? Master Du? How had she never connected these two before? It turned out they were the same person.
No wonder! No wonder Yang Yichen couldn't find her! The palace was heavily guarded, with layers of soldiers stationed inside and out; it was perfectly normal to be unable to enter.
Seeing Dugu Hao's furious expression, Liu Qingxi suddenly knelt down: "This humble servant greets Your Majesty. Long live the Emperor!"
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