Chapter 8 Clouds Cover the Sun (1) Lu Guanque, it turns out you are not...

Xiao Cong was still speechless in shock in the imperial study, when Lu Guanque's figure disappeared into the darkness like an arrow shot from a bow.

"What's going on?" His quick footsteps made a sound in the corridor.

Uncle De trotted after him, speaking in a low voice, "At 3 p.m., Miss Xuanli went out to buy some things, and on her way back, she was kidnapped by a masked man."

The knuckles of Lu Guanque's sword-gripping hand turned white, veins bulging, and he said coldly, "Are all the people around her dead?"

Uncle De didn't dare to breathe: "The grooms and maids were all killed, and that's it..."

Lu Guanque's face was as gloomy as iron, and the breath he exhaled seemed to be crawling with bone-eating poisonous ants, gnawing at his flesh inch by inch.

"You must immediately lead your men to surround the Meng residence." He continued walking, his voice firm and decisive, "Without my order, no one is allowed to enter or leave."

"That old bastard Meng Zhongliang," Lu Guanque said coldly, "he promised so much back then, and now he's made such a mistake?"

"Tonight, you go and see him off."

If you can’t even keep an eye on one person, what’s the point of keeping him?

It’s better to die.

Uncle De was shocked when he heard this. He stopped in his tracks and immediately accepted the order: "Yes." His figure quickly disappeared into the shadows.

*

A dilapidated temple in the countryside, in ruins, lies dormant, surrounded by desolate graves, where bones lie buried beneath the red earth. Smoke billows from the graves, like the lingering sighs of departed souls.

Meng Xuanli woke up suddenly, and saw a thick black cloth covering his eyes, leaving only a dead darkness.

Her hands and feet were tightly bound, and even a silk scarf was stuffed between her teeth, preventing her from making any sound. Meng Xuanli leaned against the wall, swallowing her fear and forcing herself to wake up.

The masked man stood before her, looking down at her like a prey. He reached out and ripped the cloth from her mouth.

Meng Xuanli finally caught his breath, his voice hoarse as he accuses, "Who are you? Why did you kill the people around me? Why did you bring me here?"

The masked man sneered in his throat and did not answer. He just walked around behind her and picked her up by the waist with his arms like iron clamps.

Meng Xuanli was horrified and struggled hard, ramming his head into the other person's chest.

The man didn't care at all and pushed her down on the broken mat covered with dry grass. His voice was strangely soft and gentle: "Don't move anymore. If you move again, you can't guarantee what will happen."

The tone was eerily soft, a softness she had never heard before.

There was endless darkness before Meng Xuanli's eyes. The chillness of the straw mat beneath him penetrated his body like a poisonous snake. He felt as if he had fallen into a bottomless abyss with nowhere to rely on.

"You're not going to kill me," she said, her voice trembling as she forced herself to remain calm. "Are you going to use me as a threat?"

The masked man chuckled, a mixture of approval and cruelty. "You're quite clever. You guessed it before I even said it. But," he suddenly changed the subject, his tone chilling, "Miss, have you ever heard of an old saying?"

Meng Xuanli's heart tightened: "What?"

"Too clever is half the trick." Before he could finish his words, the man chopped down with a fierce palm wind.

Meng Xuanli only felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck, and his consciousness sank into the endless darkness like a kite with a broken string.

Seeing that she had completely fainted, the masked man glanced out the window, quickly took out the prepared medicine, pinched her jaw open, and forcefully poured the medicine into her.

After waiting for a moment, he stretched out his fingertips and crushed her lips with an almost blasphemous force until bright red blood oozed out of her lower lip. Only then did he stop with satisfaction.

*

Rushing out of the Duke's Mansion, Lu Guanque led his secret guards through the dark alleys and countryside of Dongdu like night owls. Finally, they found Meng Xuanli's trace in a ruined temple in the suburbs.

Lu Guanque suddenly raised his hand and signaled everyone behind him to stop.

The leading secret guard stepped forward and said, "My Lord, if we don't accompany you as a guard, His Majesty will blame us."

Lu Guanque's expression was uncertain, and he only uttered two words lightly: "It's okay. Go back." His tone did not allow for any discussion.

The secret guards looked at each other, and finally bowed helplessly: "Yes, sir." The figures quickly disappeared into the night.

Lu Guanque walked alone and entered the ruins of the dilapidated temple.

He pushed open the rotten wooden door, and the ground was littered with porcelain pieces and medicine stains.

His heart was as heavy as iron as he continued to look inside. Through the broken window frame, his eyes fell on the pale figure on the straw mat.

Meng Xuanli lay there quietly, his face pale and his breathing weak, like a moon that had fallen into the dust.

"Who are you..." A faint whisper floated from the table.

When this voice fell into Lu Guanque's ears, it was like a poisonous snake slithering through a rainstorm, spitting out its tongue while wrapping itself around thorny flowers, making him exude a sinister and violent aura.

His face was as gloomy as water. He walked forward quickly, took off his cloak, and wrapped her body tightly in his arms.

The bright white moonlight shone on her face. Lu Guanque narrowed his eyes and looked at her carefully.

His hair was disheveled, his brows were furrowed, his swollen lips were jarring, and he looked so fragile that a single touch could choke his breath.

very good.

How dare you touch his people?

Still so provocative.

Then die.

Lu Guanque's ears suddenly buzzed, and his eyes were bloodshot. He knew that this was the lingering sound of the fire.

He suppressed the surging murderous intent and addiction, picked up Meng Xuanli again, and staggered out of the ruined temple.

The sky was deep purple, and the two figures gradually merged into it.

In the darkness, a masked man quietly appeared and stood calmly in front of the broken Buddha statue, staring at the lip grease and bloodstains on his fingertips.

In a moment, a mournful laugh erupted from his throat, echoing in the dead silence of the dilapidated temple: "Lu Guanque, it turns out you are not sick at all."

*

At dawn the next day, several crows circled over the Duke's Mansion, their shrill cries piercing the morning mist.

When Lu Guanque heard the sound, his brows furrowed and he sent people to drive it away, but a black-feathered crow circled and screamed for a long time and did not leave.

Uncle De saw this and quietly approached, whispering, "My Lord, the Meng family has already taken care of it."

Lu Guanque stood in the corridor, took the medicine expressionlessly, and drank it all in one gulp: "Hmm."

Last night, he carried the unconscious Meng Xuanli back to the Duke's Mansion. Considering the impending wedding date in December, he ultimately spared Meng Zhongliang's life. He simply announced to the public that Meng Xuanli was ill and needed rest, and declined all visitors.

Uncle De took the empty bowl, looked at the lingering gloom between his brows, and said anxiously, "This morning, the thief bit his tongue and committed suicide while being escorted."

Lu Guanque smiled faintly. She was still in a deep sleep, her life or death uncertain, and the culprit was freed so easily?

"Where is the body?" The voice was light, like brushing away a speck of dust.

Uncle De's face turned pale, unable to guess the prince's intention: "It has been hastily buried."

"Dig it out." Lu Guanque's voice remained calm. "Give it a hundred lashes and bury it."

Uncle De was horrified and almost lost his voice: "My Lord, death is like the extinguishing of a light. Such a treatment would probably cause criticism and harm the harmony of nature."

"I don't believe this." Lu Guanque tilted his head slightly, looking into the distance, "Besides, this is what he deserves."

"Go ahead."

Seeing that he had made up his mind, Uncle De didn't dare to say anything more and could only bow and leave.

Just as light snow was falling, Lu Guanque dismissed his attendants, walked into his bedroom alone, and closed the door tightly.

The room was filled with the faint scent of agarwood, and the silence was so intense that only the sound of each other's breathing could be heard. He slowly walked to the bedside, leaned over, and his fingertips brushed aside the sweat-soaked hair on her forehead, finally resting on her lips, which were still stained with blood.

The fingertips felt soft and warm, with the warmth of life.

"My lord, Imperial Physician Yu has arrived." A little boy came from outside the door to report.

Lu Guanque's fingertips suddenly retracted, and his expression faded into a deep silence. He stood up and opened the door, "Sir, please come in." He then waved to the child, indicating that he should wait outside.

Imperial Physician Yu was on duty at the palace last night. As soon as he left the palace this morning, he was summoned by the Duke's Mansion. Initially, he thought it was a relapse of the Crown Prince's old illness, but upon arriving at the mansion, he discovered the patient was the future Crown Prince's consort.

"She has been in a nightmare since last night and has not woken up yet."

As Lu Guanque spoke, he personally lifted the curtain, sat sideways on the edge of the bed, helped Meng Xuanli up, and let her lean on his arms.

Imperial Physician Yu lowered his head and approached. When he saw the woman's face clearly, his heart skipped a beat. He was so shocked that he didn't dare to move forward.

"Come here." Lu Guanque's voice was low, but it carried an invisible pressure. He gently lifted Meng Xuanli's wrist, revealing a few inches of skin.

Doctor Yu stepped forward with gritted teeth, placed the pulse pillow on the patient, his fingertips trembling slightly.

After a long moment, Imperial Physician Yu withdrew his hand, his face solemn. He knelt on the ground and cautiously replied, "This young lady seems to have been poisoned."

"poison?"

Lu Guanque's tone remained calm, but a terrifying murderous look suddenly surged in his eyes: "What poison?"

"My Lord, it's Xuelianqing." Doctor Yu's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

"Explain clearly."

"Once this poison enters the throat, the mind will plunge into an endless darkness, cold sweat will cascade, and the heart pulse will gradually become weak and sluggish, like a candle in the wind. If it is not treated within two days, there will be no hope of survival and no way to recover."

He stole a glance at the prince's increasingly red eyes and added hastily, "Of course, this girl is in good health. The amount of poison she was poisoned with is very small. She still has a glimmer of hope."

Lu Guanque's shirt was soaked with sweat, and his tense heart relaxed a little. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, his brows were cold and gloomy. "You will stay in the mansion for the next two days. You know how to respond to the outside world."

"I will do my best." Imperial Physician Yu knelt on the ground.

"Go down and get the medicine."

"yes."

Outside the window, the snow fell silently, and the house returned to dead silence.

Lu Guanque's eyes fell on Meng Xuanli's brows, and he pulled the quilt higher, wrapping her tighter. He pressed his chin against her cheek, like a wounded beast clinging to each other for warmth. "It's snowing outside."

His voice was extremely low and hoarse: "Do you still remember, it snowed the night we first met..."

The faint breath of the person in his arms brushed against his neck, bringing a slight itch. Lu Guanque could not help but close his arms and embed her in his arms, as if embedding her into his bones and blood, leaving no gap.

Despite the warmth and fragrance in his arms, Lu Guanque felt cold all over, his clothes soaked with sweat. He suddenly leaned forward and breathed in the medicinal scent of her breath.

The breaths intertwined, the fragrance lingered, and Lu Guanque's ears turned red and hot. He suppressed his emotions. He only needed to get an inch closer to grab the bloody lips.

But he didn't.

He felt like he had a short dream, and then he carefully put her back on the bed.

As Lu Guanque stepped out of the room, he saw a maid hurried over and whispered, "My Lord, His Majesty has ordered you to enter the palace."

Lu Guanque didn't comment, but only coldly ordered the child: "Guard this place well, no one is allowed to enter without permission. If she wakes up, report to me immediately."

After saying this, he turned to the maidservant and said, "Prepare the sedan chair and go into the palace."

In the imperial study, the sun was setting in the west.

As soon as Lu Guanque knelt and saluted, Xiao Cong spoke solemnly, "Now, the person has been taken back to the Duke's Mansion." He paused, personally stepped forward to help Lu Guanque up, and sighed deeply, "Guanque, do you know why I don't like the marriage arranged by your grandmother?"

"Your Majesty once said that he despised Meng Zhongliang as a person." Lu Guanque lowered his eyes, his tone calm.

Seeing his empty eyes, Xiao Cong seemed to recall the past and nodded slowly: "Since you have made up your mind, then marry me."

He said earnestly: "There is only one thing, you need to take care of yourself."

"Thank you for your concern, Your Majesty. I will send her back home tomorrow." Lu Guanque replied.

Xiao Cong smelled the faint scent of medicine on him and asked with concern, "Can I take the medicine today?"

"Yes." Lu Guanque paused for a moment, "She is still ill, so I will take my leave first."

Xiao Cong looked at him, stunned for a moment, and finally waved his hand helplessly: "Go back."

After the dark figure disappeared at the palace gate, Xiao Cong slowly turned around and let out a long sigh towards the picture on the wall.

I only hope that God will protect his nephew whose life is hanging by a thread.

*

A few days later, Meng Xuanli was still sleeping.

She curled up unconsciously in the quilt, her mind drifting, as if she had fallen into a silvery and chaotic heavenly palace illusion.

Suddenly, a black-robed immortal appeared, stepping onto the clouds, his sleeves fluttering as his magical powers surged, shattering the palace gates. With lightning speed, he attacked a white-robed immortal in the hall. With his five hooked fingers, he fiercely grasped the man's neck, dragged him out of the hall, and pinned him down on the clouds.

One black, one white, one chasing, one fleeing.

Meng Xuanli could not see the true appearance of the immortals because of the heavy clouds, but he felt that he had no control over himself and followed them to a peak.

"You bold evil creature. How dare you steal my pearl? Do you think your life is too long?" The black-clothed immortal's voice was low, filled with rage to destroy the world.

"You evil immortal. You are slandering me. The pearl originally belonged to me." The immortal in white struggled hard.

"Yours? Why don't you just die quickly?" The immortal in black ignored his explanation and fiercely kicked the immortal in white on the back.

"Puff——" Blood spurted out of the white-robed immortal's nose instantly.

His eyes were bloodshot, and in desperation, he raised his fist, gathered his remaining immortal power, and slashed fiercely at the black-clothed immortal's head.

Blood suddenly bloomed on the forehead of the black-clothed immortal, but he grinned fiercely, grabbed the other person's immortal bun with his backhand, and smashed him hard into the clouds.

one time.

Two times.

The white-robed immortal's black eye was smashed and his brains were about to flow out.

The white-robed immortal collapsed on the cloud, vomiting blood and trying hard to catch his breath. "You, you fool, are you worthy enough to compete with me for the pearl?"

The black-robed immortal stumbled to his feet, wiped the blood from his forehead, and sneered, "Fight? I am the attendant Xuanli. This pearl is the essence of the pear blossom I planted in the Moon Palace. Over three hundred years, it absorbed the moon's energy and the sun's essence, finally condensing into a pearl in this lifetime."

“This is a treasure.”

The white-robed immortal stood up and refuted sharply, "That's nonsense."

"I am Xuanli's attendant. This pearl is not a flower, but a peach fetus from the sacred realm of Yaochi. Back then, when that wicked monkey disrupted the Heavenly Palace, it was bewitched, its heart clouded, and it now yearns for the mundane world. Today, I have come to hunt down this renegade spirit."

The black-robed immortal looked down from above, his gaze fixed on the other person like a sharp blade. He spoke calmly, "This pearl was created before the Buddha's throne, inspired by the supreme Buddhist teachings. How dare you speak so recklessly of it, calling it a forgery?"

"Die." The black-robed immortal suddenly turned around, filled with rage. His magic power turned into invisible chains, instantly tightening around the ten fingers of the white-robed immortal.

"Ah——" The immortal in white let out a shrill howl, his finger bones seemed to be breaking into pieces.

"You're about to die, and you still don't confess?" The black-clothed immortal's eyes were filled with murderous intent.

The white-robed immortal screamed at the top of his lungs, "I am the true Xuanli attendant."

"Stubborn."

The black-robed immortal took advantage of his distracted mind and suddenly took out a brilliant mirror: "Let this magic mirror reveal your true form."

Meng Xuanli, who was hiding behind the clouds, covered his lips in horror. Wherever the mirror light reached, the immortal in white turned into a trembling rat spirit.

She was terrified and turned to escape, but was instantly spotted by the black-robed immortal.

"Where do you want to escape to, my pearl?"

The black-robed immortal waved his sleeves, and a gust of wind instantly swept Meng Xuanli up.

Boundless suffocation surged over her. At the edge of her annihilation, Meng Xuanli seemed to cling to something. She used all her strength to hold it up. "No, Immortal, I am not Mingzhu. Let me go. I really am not."

"Girl, girl..." A woman's voice penetrated the dream and brought Meng Xuanli back to reality.

Meng Xuanli opened his eyes in horror, and two lines of tears flowed down, like stagnant water, lifeless.

Chen Bi suppressed his sadness and said in a very soft voice: "Miss, are you awake? Do you feel any discomfort?"

"Who are you?"

Meng Xuanli was cold all over and curled up in fear in the depths of the bed.

She gasped for breath, her hands anxiously groping for the bedding beneath her, the pattern on the pillow—her boudoir.

She is not dead.

She is still alive.

"My name is Chen Bi, and I am the new servant assigned by the master to serve the young lady." Chen Bi replied quickly.

Meng Xuanli's tears suddenly surged, and her voice broke: "Dan Ruo and the others, are they..."

Memories flooded into my mind: the masked man who suddenly appeared on the way home, the hijacked carriage, the severe pain in the back of my neck, and then, endless darkness and restraint.

Who is that masked man?

What happened next?

The boundless darkness frightened her and she dared not close her eyes.

Seeing her fright, Chen Bi quickly wiped her tears and said, "Yes. That day, the master waited for the girl for a long time but she didn't come back. He was extremely worried and ordered me to lead people to look for her. Fortunately, we finally found her in the suburbs."

She deliberately concealed all traces of the Duke's Mansion.

Meng Xuanli was stunned: "You... know martial arts?"

"Yes." Chen Bi's eyes were firm. "This servant has been practicing martial arts since childhood. I will do my best to protect the young lady in the future."

"As for the villain who kidnapped the girl."

Her tone turned cold. "He has been captured by the government. According to investigation, he is a roaming criminal who kills and robs people. He saw that the girl was dressed in an unusual way and became evil-minded. He wanted to kidnap her and extort money from the Meng family."

"Yes." Meng Xuanli wiped away his tears and said in a hoarse voice, "Later, I'll ask you to give some money to the family of the groom who died in vain."

"As for Danruo," she said, her throat choking with sobs, "she has no relatives at home. Please find a place with good feng shui for her to rest in peace."

"The young lady has been unconscious for seven or eight days and is very weak. I will take care of these matters myself. Please do not worry any more."

Chen Bi comforted her softly, carefully helped her up, and let her lean on the soft pillow: "I will go and bring the medicine to the young lady."

"It's too dark in the room..." Meng Xuanli's voice trembled slightly, "Light a lamp, please?"

At this moment, the snow outside the window reflected the light, and the room was bright. Chen Bi was startled when she heard this, thinking that she had just woken up from a coma and her mind was confused, so she replied softly: "Miss, please take some medicine first, and I will go to light the lamp later."

Meng Xuanli frowned, opened his mouth, and drank the medicine while enduring the bitterness.

The medicine bowl was removed and silence returned to the room.

Meng Xuanli "sat" quietly, an unprecedented fear wrapped around her heart like a poisonous ivy, tightening more and more.

Meng Xuanli stretched out his hand blankly and fumbled in the air, but his fingertips touched nothing.

She clutched the corner of the quilt, her voice filled with despair: "My eyes, could it be that I'm blind?"

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