Chapter 103: Domineering White Moonlight 22 Fu Youzhi

This was the first time Ali stepped out of the palace where she was imprisoned. The sky was bright outside, and she raised her hands to cover her eyes with some discomfort.

The carriage was already waiting in front of the palace gate. Ali moved his feet and slowly followed.

Before the curtain fell, she glanced at the plaque in front of the palace gate.

Hidden Moon Pavilion.

It is exactly the same as the original one, but it is no longer the original one.

Because it was a period of national mourning, the palace was dead silent, and all one could see was mourning.

Xie Jingchuan was also wearing white mourning clothes. After the late emperor passed away, he had to keep vigil for twenty-seven days.

Ali pulled at the moon-white cloak on her body to cover the sky-blue skirt underneath, with a solemn expression.

No conversation along the way.

The carriage stopped outside Qixia Palace. Ali got out of the car and suddenly felt a little dazed.

Her last impression of Qixia Palace was when she went to the imperial concubine to plead for mercy on Xie Jingchuan's imprisonment, but she was politely asked to leave by the palace servants before she even stepped into the palace gate.

At that time, the Qixia Palace was magnificent, with the glazed tiles on the walls gleaming golden in the sunlight. The palace gardens were filled with exotic flowers and plants all year round. With just one sentence from the emperor, "My beloved concubine likes it," treasures from all over the world were brought here.

The palace servants moved about with brisk steps, their faces always filled with proud expressions, and the air was filled with a sweet and warm fragrance.

But now, the gate of Qixia Palace is closed and the pale silk cloth is hanging high.

The flower gardens that once competed with each other for splendor were now unattended, with withered flowers and fallen leaves scattered all over the ground, and only dead branches trembling in the autumn wind.

Xie Jingchuan and A Li stepped in. Now there were only five or six palace servants serving in Qixia Palace. When they saw someone coming, they hurried forward and kowtowed to greet them.

"Where is the imperial concubine?" Mo Wen asked.

One of the palace maids knelt forward and said, "Your Majesty, since the late emperor passed away, the queen has been in tears all day long. Her health has been getting worse and worse. She is now resting in the palace."

Xie Jingchuan was silent for a moment, then looked at Ali: "I'll wait for you outside."

Ali nodded, lifted her skirt and went up the stairs, looking back at Xie Jingchuan before pushing the door.

He was looking at her, with no discernible difference in his expression, when a palace servant came from outside the palace gate, holding a tray in his hand, and stood respectfully behind him.

There were three things on the tray.

Ali understood what Xie Jingchuan meant, retracted his gaze, and pushed the door open.

The hall was dark and unlit. In previous years, because the imperial concubine was weak, the floor heating that was lit early had gone out, and it was as cold as an ice cellar inside.

The once-favored Concubine Xiao was now lying alone beside the bed, dressed in mourning clothes, with no decoration in her hair, and her face was even paler than the clothes.

Ah Li slowly approached and sat down at a table not far from her: "Greetings to the Imperial Concubine."

Concubine Xiao still had her eyes closed, with tears still lingering on her thin cheeks, and she ignored Ali's arrival.

Ah Li raised his hand to pour himself some tea, the sound of running water echoing in the empty hall. "Your Majesty must be heartbroken by the passing of the late Emperor, but you must take care of yourself. You still have His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, and he will take good care of you."

Concubine Xiao finally reacted. She laughed bitterly, "Crown Prince? He's nothing but the bastard offspring of that lowly woman in Kunning Palace. I've wasted all my years raising him! He actually dared to kill his father and the emperor and seize the throne!"

Concubine Xiao became increasingly agitated as she spoke, and she suddenly stood up. "Your Majesty is a strong and healthy person, how could he be bedridden by such a minor illness? It must be that bastard Xie Jingchuan who harbored a grudge and plotted to murder Your Majesty!"

If she hadn't finally learned the truth from Xie Jingchuan a few days ago, she would still be kept in the dark by His Majesty.

For so many years, she could never get close to Xie Jingchuan. It turned out that the reason was that he was not her own flesh and blood!

No wonder Xie Jingchuan's face didn't look like hers at all. No wonder every time she looked at him, she would be reminded of that pretentious woman in Kunning Palace.

This woman opposed her in every way when she was alive, and tried to separate her and His Majesty. She is still restless after her death, and has been pestering her and His Majesty for so many years. She is simply shameless!

Ali lowered his eyes and placed the cold teacup in his hand on the table with an expressionless face. There was a very light sound, but it made the angry Concubine Xiao stunned for a moment.

"Why does he hold a grudge against his father and plot to murder him in revenge?" Ali asked quietly.

"That's because that bitch in Kunning Palace was..." Concubine Xiao blurted out, and then stopped abruptly, as if someone suddenly grabbed her neck, completely losing her usual calm demeanor.

Ah Li slowly raised his eyes to look at her, a faint smile on his lips: "Since the Imperial Concubine already knows everything, why are you still asking this?"

Upon hearing this, Concubine Xiao was struck by lightning. Her frail body suddenly collapsed and she fell to the ground.

Ah Li quietly observed her dazed expression and explained the purpose of his trip: "More than ten years ago, Your Majesty was in danger in that small fishing village and nearly died. It was my parents who saved Your Majesty's life, right?"

Concubine Xiao didn't know why she suddenly brought this up, but her expression became nervous: "Yes."

Ali leaned forward and met her panicked gaze. "Your Majesty, would you like to reconsider whether there are any details you've missed from that incident?"

Concubine Xiao averted her eyes abruptly. "That's strange, Princess. Your Majesty has already made the final decision on what happened back then. How could there be any details that were missed?"

The expression on Ali's face faded a little: "My Queen, think about it carefully. There is no need to answer me so hastily."

As if a sore spot had been touched, Concubine Xiao suddenly raised her right hand and pointed it directly at A Li: "Even if His Majesty is gone, I am still the Concubine! It is not your turn to question me!"

Ali's last bit of patience also ran out.

In her opinion, the woman in front of her was both pitiful and hateful. The baby swap was done by the emperor alone. Although she was not completely innocent, she was not the biggest murderer who killed the late queen.

But for Chen Li, she was the indisputable murderer of her mother, and no one could forgive her on her behalf.

Ali took one last look at Concubine Xiao, then stood up and left.

Concubine Xiao suddenly felt a surge of panic. She asked tremblingly, "Xie Jingchuan, no, what do you want to do?"

Ah Li paused. "Your Majesty has always been intelligent and decisive. She can think calmly even in critical moments. How could she not guess what is best for her?"

Concubine Xiao was horrified: "How did you know?!"

"There's no such thing as an impenetrable wall," Ali didn't look back, not wanting to see her again. "A tooth for a tooth, a life for a life. This is the simplest truth, my lady."

Outside the door, Xie Jingchuan was still standing there. Ali closed the door, leaving Concubine Xiao's resentful curses inside.

She nodded slightly at Xie Jingchuan.

The palace servant behind him came forward with a tray and passed by Ali.

Ali's eyes were gloomy. He did not feel the joy of revenge as he had imagined. Instead, he felt more and more sad.

She and Xie Jingchuan walked out of Qixia Palace together, and neither of them spoke.

The autumn wind blew up the hems of their clothes. Ali felt stuffy and didn't want to take a car, so Xie Jingchuan walked with her back, and the palace maids followed behind from a distance.

Ali took a deep breath and said, "Noble Concubine Xiao said that she wanted to be buried with His Majesty."

"That was her only last wish."

Xie Jingchuan pulled the corners of his mouth, his eyes devoid of smiles: "I will not bury her with my father, nor will I bury my mother with him. There are many grievances in life that are difficult to resolve, and there is no need for them to meet again in death."

"The news of Xiao Xunlu's death will be announced after she arrives at her father's mausoleum. The noble concubine and the late emperor had a deep love for many years, and she was so heartbroken that she decided to be buried alive with the emperor."

A Li glanced at him and asked, "What exactly is the matter with the late emperor's illness?"

Xie Jingchuan stopped and saw that the cloak on Ali's shoulders had loosened. He raised his hand and carefully straightened it for her: "Father is indeed ill, and the Imperial Hospital can't find the cause."

"From the time he fell ill until his final moments, Father endured a full three months. This illness, which came from nowhere, left him unable to live or die."

He sighed, his tone as calm as if he were discussing tomorrow's weather: "It's just that Father can't leave too quickly, otherwise the court will be unstable and the world will be in chaos."

Ali looked at him strangely: "Aren't you afraid that I will tell everyone about this?"

Xie Jingchuan tied the cloak's straps into a beautiful knot and touched her slightly cold cheek: "Will Ali know how to do it?"

At this time, Mo Wen, who had been following from a distance, ran up and said, "Your Majesty, the ministers are already waiting in the Qinzheng Hall. The posthumous title for the late Empress Dowager has not yet been decided. You are the one who will make the final decision."

Xie Jingchuan nodded: "I understand."

He took Ali's hand and kissed her affectionately: "I have something to do in the front court, so let Lan Xin and Ming Shuang accompany you back."

Ah Li did not struggle against his closeness, which made him feel much better. He could not help but place another kiss on her forehead: "I will come to see you again in the evening."

Ali nodded obediently and watched the imperial chariot go away.

This place is still some distance away from Yinyue Pavilion. Ali is greedy for this rare free time and moves slowly.

After turning a palace gate, she keenly heard a low cry.

Seeing her stop, Mingshuang asked, "Are you tired, Princess?"

Ali shook his head: "Someone is crying nearby, did you hear it?"

Lan Xin listened attentively for a while and nodded: "I heard it too, it seems to be in that direction."

Ali followed the direction of her finger and walked slowly, and found a crying woman hiding in an alley.

"...Ms. Fu? Why are you here?"

Fu Youzhi raised his head, and a trace of guilt flashed across his tearful face the moment he saw Ali.

Ali's eyes flickered slightly, and he reached out to help her up: "Miss Fu, are you coming to the palace to visit the Queen Mother?"

After Xie Jingchuan rejected the marriage arranged by the late emperor, Fu Youzhi naturally did not marry into the Eastern Palace as described in the book. Now in this situation, the only reason she could enter the palace was to visit the Empress Dowager, her great-aunt.

Fu Youzhi nodded and took the handkerchief handed to him by A Li: "Thank you, Princess."

Ah Li looked at her and said a few words of comfort: "The Queen Mother is old and she may feel sick occasionally. Don't worry too much."

Speaking of this, Fu Youzhi couldn't stop crying and sobbed, "Today I saw that the Empress Dowager's spirits were even worse. She even had difficulty getting up..."

Ah Li sighed, "Miss Fu's face is all red from crying, and her dress is all dirty. It's still early, why don't you go to my palace to tidy up, and then I'll find someone to escort you out of the palace?"

Fu Youzhi raised his eyes and saw a smile in Ali's eyes. He understood what he meant and agreed hesitantly.

Lan Xin and Ming Shuang blocked her way, one on each side: "Princess..."

Ali's face turned cold: "Did Xie Jingchuan say that I am not allowed to bring people back to Yinyue Pavilion?"

"Your Majesty never said..."

Ali shook off their hands, his face filled with anger. "Then why are you all being so hesitant? Is it because my words are no longer effective?"

"Alright! Go to the Qinzheng Palace right now and tell Xie Jingchuan to tell me personally that I'm not allowed to act this way. Then I'll go back with you obediently!"

Seeing Ali suddenly get angry, the palace maids knelt on the ground. Lan Xin and Ming Shuang were even more frightened. The princess looked really angry, just like she did in Qingluan Palace before His Majesty ascended the throne.

They pleaded guilty repeatedly: "We dare not! Please forgive me, Princess!"

Ali ignored them and dragged Fu Youzhi, who was so frightened that he dared not breathe, towards Yinyue Pavilion.

Lan Xin and Ming Shuang were by her side, claiming to be taking care of her but actually to be monitoring her.

They were the eyes that Xie Jingchuan arranged around her, and they had to report to him word for word what she ate, did, and said every day.

When Ah Li stepped out of Qixia Palace, he heard Fu Youzhi crying in the distance. She walked out of Shou'an Palace crying, saying something like, "Now that the Queen Mother can't save him, what should I do..."

Ali didn't know who this "he" was, but he immediately made up his mind to meet Fu Youzhi today, so he walked slowly and took a detour before finally meeting her.

*

Hidden Moon Pavilion.

Fu Youzhi glanced around the hall, was stunned for a moment, and then sat down somewhat stiffly. Seeing Ali pouring tea for him personally, he quickly stood up and took it.

Ali smiled and turned around to sit down.

Lan Xin and Ming Shuang were rudely left outside by her, and now there were only the two of them in the hall.

Ah Li didn't have much time, so he got straight to the point and asked, "Miss Fu is sad today, isn't it just because of the Queen Mother's illness?"

Fu Youzhi almost choked and forced himself to put down the teacup: "I don't understand what the princess is saying."

Ali still smiled in a friendly manner, and his words naturally sounded believable: "Miss Fu, don't be nervous. I have no ill intentions. It's just that Miss Fu is worried about something, and perhaps I can help you."

Fu Youzhi suddenly looked up, then bit his lip and shook his head: "I don't have any worries. Thank you for your concern, Princess."

Ali did not rush for success. He took a sip of tea and spoke slowly.

"Miss Fu should have noticed when she came in just now that the expenses of my palace are not enough for a princess. Thank you... Your Majesty and I grew up together, and the relationship between us is different from that of others. After all, we can have a few words."

"This is the first time I've spoken to Miss Fu today, so it's normal for her to be concerned about what I'm saying. If Miss Fu is truly at her wit's end, why not give it a try?"

Fu Youzhi still kept his head down and refused to speak.

Looking at her, Ali had a vague suspicion in his mind: "... Is it His Majesty? Is the matter that Miss Fu is worried about caused by His Majesty?"

Fu Youzhi's eyelashes indeed began to tremble in panic.

Seeing this, A Li took advantage of the situation and continued, "Your Majesty is Miss Fu's cousin. If Miss Fu has any difficulties, just tell His Majesty directly. He will definitely agree."

Fu Youzhi's shoulders slumped, and he said with a wry smile, "Your Majesty and I have nothing to say, and Your Majesty doesn't even take me or the Fu family seriously."

Seeing that Fu Youzhi was finally willing to speak, Ali encouraged her to continue with his eyes.

Fu Youzhi's voice was muffled: "A few months ago, there was a flower viewing banquet in the palace. I came to the palace with my mother. When my mother wasn't paying attention, I secretly went to the East Palace."

Ali recalled for a moment, thinking of the day he saw her in the East Palace.

"I... went to see His Majesty in order to ask His Majesty not to marry me as the Crown Princess." Fu Youzhi blushed after saying this.

Although she has always been casual about her actions, it was still too bold for her to ask the man not to marry her.

Ali didn't show any particular surprise or disapproval, but just looked at her with concern and a gentle expression, which made Fu Youzhi relax a little more.

"Anyway, after I explained my purpose to His Majesty, he agreed not to marry me." Fu Youzhi said vaguely.

Ali blinked. She was a little surprised that Xie Jingchuan agreed so easily.

Fu Youzhi saw her expression and knew he couldn't hide it, so he could only tell the truth: "I... I used an important secret in exchange for your majesty. If I tell your majesty, your majesty will not marry me."

"The secret is..."

She bit her lower lip, her face flushed, as if she couldn't say: "It's you, your identity."

Since he was a child, Fu Youzhi has been able to see things that others cannot see, such as the talking cricket spirit in the grass, the horse-faced peddler wearing human skin in the street, and the little fox monk who turned into a human form in the Buddhist temple.

She didn't know what was wrong with her eyes, so she told her parents and siblings, but no one believed her.

But the monster catcher who was a complete stranger and always had a sour face said that this was a talent given to her by God, which could help her distinguish between monsters and evil and between right and wrong, and it must not be wasted.

So that day at the prince's birthday banquet, she discovered that Princess Wangshu in the palace had been staring at her. When she looked over, she realized at a glance that the princess was a demon, not a human.

Fu Youzhi knew clearly that this princess was not a member of the royal family, but was brought in from outside the palace. The emperor and the empress dowager certainly did not know her true identity. It was really dangerous and terrifying to have such a demon who did not know good from evil staying in the palace.

So when she was locked up in the mansion by her parents and forced to marry the prince, she had no choice but to come up with this idea: tell the prince the secret that the princess was a demon, in exchange for not having to marry into the royal family.

As soon as she finished speaking, Fu Youzhi saw the princess's face froze for a moment, and she hurriedly lowered her head to apologize: "Princess, I don't really want to hurt you, I..." At the end of her words, she had lost her courage.

When they first met, the princess's friendly smile always appeared in her eyes, but she slandered the princess behind her back for her own selfish desires. Now the princess still wants to help her...

Fu Youzhi's eyes couldn't help but turn red, and he felt embarrassed and awkward for the first time.

Ali suddenly looked out the window and was speechless for a long time. It turned out that this was how Xie Jingchuan knew her identity.

Seeing that Fu Youzhi was so anxious that he wanted to find a hole to crawl into, Ali tried his best to soften his expression: "What happens next? What are you worried about?"

Before today, she and Fu Youzhi were just strangers who had only met once, and she had no right to ask Fu Youzhi to keep this secret for her.

In the human world, fairies and ghosts are hated by everyone. Since they have different positions, she has no reason to be angry.

Seeing that the princess had forgiven him so easily, Fu Youzhi felt a pang of pain in his heart. He couldn't help crying and apologized to A Li repeatedly: "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! It's all because of us that you are trapped here now!"

Ali: “…”

She pursed her lips and wiped Fu Youzhi's tears with a handkerchief: "Miss Fu, if you know anything else, please tell us everything."

Fu Youzhi forced back his tears and let out a long breath, "Ever since the day the Eastern Palace met His Majesty, I've noticed there are many more demon hunters in the capital. They must have all been summoned by His Majesty. I guess he doesn't believe my words alone and wants to gather more people to confirm."

"Among the demon-catching families in the world today, the Xu family of Xunyang is the most prosperous. Your Majesty sent people to threaten the Xu family and forcibly brought Xu Xing, the eldest son of this generation, into the palace. Since then, there has been no news from him."

Fu Youzhi's voice choked with sobs: "When I came to the Princess's Palace today, I recognized that the restrictions in this palace were all created by Xu Xing. Only he could set up such runes."

Ali retracted his gaze: "What is your relationship with Xu Xing?"

Fu Youzhi paused for a moment, blushing, "I...I have already secretly agreed to spend my life with him."

"So, Xu Xing is now imprisoned by His Majesty in an unknown place, and he has been forced to set up restrictions here. You entered the palace today to ask the Queen Mother to save him." Ali concluded.

Fu Youzhi nodded repeatedly: "I also consulted His Majesty, but His Majesty only said that he would let Xu Xing return home after the matter was over."

"I hurt you and him." Fu Youzhi lowered his head, his face full of frustration and despair.

Ali was silent for a long time, and when he looked up again, his expression was straight: "I can help you rescue Xu Xing, but I am trapped here now, and I need Miss Fu's help to get me out of here."

Fu Youzhi opened his lips slightly and nodded slowly under her determined gaze.

*

That night, Xie Jingchuan was preoccupied with matters of the previous dynasty, and asked Mo Wen to convey a message early, telling her not to wait for him and to go to bed early.

The lights in the hall were turned off and there was no movement outside.

Ali, who was lying on the bed, listened attentively for a while before he quietly got out of bed and took out a crystal clear jade ring from an inconspicuous jewelry box.

This was given to her by Madam Tan, and she took it out for the first time today.

Ali's gaze slowly moved to the palace gate in the distance. It was pitch black there, but as long as she used her magic power, the forbidden runes all over the palace began to flow densely, trapping her inside.

During the first month he was imprisoned here, Ali was constantly looking for a way to break the barrier. He used his hands and body to attack the restriction again and again, leaving himself covered in bruises and coughing up blood.

And every time she tried to break through the restriction, those golden runes would emit a different light, and Xie Jingchuan would be able to notice it at the first moment.

Seeing her hurt herself like a moth to a flame, Xie Jingchuan's face was so gloomy that water could drip from it. Since then, Lan Xin and Ming Shuang followed Ali all the time, fearing that she would do something again.

Ali soon realized this and knew that it was impossible for him to rush out of the palace door on his own.

In order to make Xie Jingchuan let down his guard, she slowly stopped resisting and pretended to be submissive, as if she had accepted everything in front of her.

Finally, after a period of time, Lan Xin and Ming Shuang no longer guarded her as strictly as they did at the beginning. For example, tonight, she could stay in the palace by herself.

Ali looked at the jade ring in her hand in the moonlight. This magic weapon was driven by demonic power and could convey secret messages to Madam Tan. However, according to the results of her previous tests, as soon as she used the demonic power, the restrictions in the hall would stop her.

Perhaps as long as she moved, Xie Jingchuan would know, and she would no longer have the only way to communicate with the outside world.

But if she doesn't take the risk, she might be trapped here forever.

His fingertips slowly stroked the smooth jade ring, and Ali stood in the hall hesitating for a long time.

As the night deepened, the sound of clappers came from afar, each one seeming to strike her heart.

With a determined heart, the last trace of hesitation in his eyes was crushed. Ali took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and focused all his thoughts on the jade ring.

A barely detectable trace of pale green demonic power, like a newly born vine, cautiously stretched out from her fingertips and slowly wrapped around the jade ring.

Ali subconsciously closed his eyes, preparing to face the familiar burning pain and backlash.

However, the expected burning pain did not come.

There was a dead silence all around. The runes that should have lit up instantly showed no reaction and remained dormant in the darkness.

Ali's long eyelashes trembled and he opened his eyes in disbelief.

Everything in the hall was normal, except for the jade ring in her palm, which was emitting a soft yet firm pale green light, gently illuminating a small area of ​​her skin and her cuffs.

The jade ring vibrated slightly, emitting a low humming sound that only she could perceive. An extremely subtle breath leaped out of the window lattice, flew out of the imperial city, and headed towards Yurongzhai.

Is this... a success?

Ali could no longer hold on, his body went limp, and he slumped over the table as if he had survived a disaster, his heart beating non-stop.

She lowered her head, her scattered black hair covering her cheeks, and only her slightly heaving, thin shoulders revealed her rapid breathing.

Cold sweat soaked Ali's hair and pajamas, and now stuck to his skin, bringing waves of cold shivers.

She slid down to the ground weakly, clasped her hands in front of her, closed her eyes, and her pale lips moved silently.

In this bottomless cage, the only thing she can do now is pray and wait.