Chapter 447 Escape from Zichen Palace

Xiyan turned sideways and supported her falling body. With her other hand, she quickly pulled out the handkerchief from her waist and covered her mouth and nose tightly.

In the mirror, her eyes were as cold as ice, without any trace of her usual gentleness - this was an instinct ingrained into her bones from years of life as a death warrior. Even if her internal energy was sealed, her swift, accurate, and ruthless stabbing skills alone were enough to subdue an ordinary palace maid.

"Don't move."

Xiyan leaned close to her ear and lowered her voice very low:

"If you move again, this hairpin will go one inch deeper, and you'll be dead."

Zhu Ling's body was shaking violently, her eyes full of fear and despair, but she could only let Xiyan drag her behind the screen with great effort, like dragging a bag of lifeless cotton wool.

The golden hairpin was still embedded in the back of her neck. The dazzling golden color reflected her pale face, making her look even more eerie.

Xiyan squatted down, held her trembling shoulders, and lowered her voice very low:

"Helian Shu instructed you to mix the Heartbreak Red poison into the scented tea leaves, right?"

Zhu Ling's pupils suddenly shrank and she looked at her in disbelief.

"You don't have to hide it from me,"

Xiyan's fingertips pressed a little harder on her acupoint, and Zhuling immediately broke out in a cold sweat from the pain:

"The silver hairpin can test for poison, and you'll know the answer with just one try."

Under the severe pain, Zhu Ling's defense line collapsed instantly, whimpering sounds came from her throat, and tears flowed.

Seeing that she was speechless, Xiyan loosened her grip a little, but still kept pressing on her acupoint:

"explain!"

"It was... the eldest princess who forced me to do this..." Zhu Ling finally managed to squeeze out a cry.

"She, she said... that I should light the incense according to her instructions. If I am discovered, I will firmly declare that it was the Queen Mother who ordered it..."

Xiyan sneered: Helian Shu is indeed vicious. Not only does she want to put herself to death, but she also wants to take the opportunity to sow discord between Helian Feng and Su Qinyao, killing two birds with one stone.

Helian Feng, ah Helian Feng, you trapped me in the palace by force, which put me in danger, and you still keep saying that you love me?

She didn't ask any more questions, took off Zhu Ling's green palace dress and quickly put it on.

Then, Xiyan covered Zhuling's mouth with a handkerchief.

As for whether she would die from the heartbreaking red poisonous smoke, that was her fate.

After all, anyone who betrays his master deserves death, no matter what his reasons are.

After tidying up her clothes, she pulled out some of her hair to cover her face.

At this moment, she suddenly thought that if she left like this, once the palace servants came in, they would find that she was missing and search the entire palace for her.

She had to add fuel to the fire and stir up trouble.

She walked to the corner where the fumigation cage was piled up, stuffed a few pieces of half-dried mugwort and pine needles into the bottom of the cage, then took an oil lamp from the table and carefully poured a little lamp oil on the mugwort.

After doing this, she struck a flint, ignited a handful of dry incense ash, and gently sprinkled it on the pile of wormwood. The sparks crackled, but were quickly muffled by the damp wormwood, leaving only a thin wisp of green smoke with a burnt smell that was almost unnoticeable without careful observation.

This was the method she had learned in the Death Soldier Camp - using semi-dry grass to start a fire. In the early stages, it would only smolder slowly, gnawing at the combustible material bit by bit like a poisonous snake. When the heat accumulated to a certain level, it would suddenly burst into flames.

At this moment, this faint smoke, mixed with the scent of "Heartbreaking Red" that has not yet dissipated in the incense burner, is even more difficult to distinguish.

She then pulled a nearby gauze curtain embroidered with a phoenix pattern towards the incense burner, and the edge of the curtain hung down, just enough to be slowly licked by the smoldering sparks.

After doing all this, she picked up the tray that Zhu Ling had just given her, took a deep breath, lowered her head, tried her best to imitate Zhu Ling's cautious posture, slowly walked out of the bedroom, and gently closed the door.

The guards outside the door were still standing solemnly, not noticing anything unusual.

Xiyan lowered her head and walked across the palace path without looking around, her heart beating like a drum.

She had heard Fu Yunqing say that there was a secret passage hidden behind the rockery in the imperial garden, leading directly to the outside of the moat. Xuan Yue and others had escaped from the palace from there before.

For some reason, Manluo and the others may know this secret passage, but they have not come to rescue her yet. Could it be that this secret passage has been blocked by Helian Feng?

However, right now, this is her only way to escape from the imperial city.

There is only one chance.

After doing all this, Xiyan's body became weaker and weaker. Every step she took felt like she was stepping on cotton, and her limbs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

From time to time, patrolling royal guards would pass by on the palace road. When the clanging sound of armor colliding came from far away, she would quickly hide behind the columns or in the cracks of the rockery, holding her breath, and would not dare to move forward until the footsteps faded away.

After walking around the winding corridor and passing through the courtyard planted with magnolias, about half an hour later, I finally saw the familiar scenery of the Imperial Garden - stones were piled up to form mountains, ponds were dug to form swamps, and the water pavilion in the distance was looming in the green shade.

She leaned against an old locust tree, took a breath, and looked back into the depths of the palace.

I saw fire starting in the direction of the Purple Palace.

Faint shouts of people trying to put out the fire drifted over on the wind, mixed with the sound of gongs and the noise of the crowd, creating a chaotic scene.

It seems that the Yin Fire she had set up earlier has finally ignited.

A hint of relief flashed across Xiyan's eyes, but was then replaced by a deeper sense of urgency.

Although the fire can temporarily distract attention, it cannot last long.

She calmed herself down, identified the direction, and groped her way towards the rockery where the secret passage was hidden.

Even though her steps were weak, she did not dare to stop, and only silently said in her heart:

Faster, faster...

As long as she escapes from this palace wall, she can see her Yin'er and him...