Chapter 74

As dusk fell, the Ningfang Palace deep in the Forbidden Palace was no longer as bustling as before.

Since the death of the previous queen, the palace had been sealed, its gates sealed, leaving the courtyard in a desolate silence. Moonlight, like a thread of silk, streamed in through the half-closed gilded window lattices, falling on the blue brick floor and illuminating Li Yin's tall figure.

His fingertips brushed over the dusty gilded bronze crane lamp in the palace. A thin layer of dust accumulated on the lamp body. It seemed as if time from another world was peeling off at his fingertips. This was the thirty-seventh time he had sneaked in. The guards always knew what he was thinking, but they pretended not to see, allowing this prince to find some old warmth in this cold palace.

Mr. Chashan's words "I need to think about it" were still ringing in Li Yin's ears. He looked at the lonely moon hanging in the sky, his brows slightly furrowed, and even the evening breeze seemed to carry a bit of chill.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of footsteps on the blue brick floor behind him. He put his hand on the jade buckle at his waist and turned back vigilantly. The moonlight happened to fall on the face of the person who came. It was Zhao Yan'er. She was wearing a moon-white skirt and a silver plum blossom on her hair. She was standing at the door of the palace, her figure elongated by the moonlight.

"Your Highness, are you out for some fresh air?" Zhao Yan'er spoke first, her voice so soft as if she was afraid of disturbing the silence in the hall, her fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of her skirt.

Li Yin turned around, a hint of a smile on his lips, and glanced at her: "You are getting bolder and bolder."

Zhao Yan'er's heart tightened, thinking that she had been caught trespassing into the late queen's bedroom. She quickly bowed her head and knelt, "I'm sorry, Your Highness. I shouldn't have trespassed here. It's just..."

"I'm saying," Li Yin interrupted her, his gaze turning towards the old locust tree outside the hall, his voice as faint as moonlight, "it's so late, how dare you come to this remote place alone?"

Zhao Yan'er heaved a sigh of relief upon hearing this. She looked up, her eyes reflecting the moonlight, and said playfully, "Thanks to Your Highness, I now know how courageous I am."

After these words fell, the hall fell silent again. Only the rustling of the wind through the locust leaves could be heard, accompanied by the distant sound of the night watchman's clappers.

Zhao Yan'er stared at Li Yin's profile. His jawline was sharp, and the moonlight fell on his eyelashes, casting a faint shadow that made her lose her mind. After hesitating for a while, she finally mustered her courage and said in a trembling voice, "Your Highness, may I ask you a question?"

"Yeah." Li Yin's voice was very soft, his eyes still fixed on the horizon.

"Is it because I was too presumptuous when we first met, or is it because... because I expressed my feelings directly, so Your Highness hates me?" Zhao Yan'er's voice became lower and lower, and at the end it was almost inaudible. Her fingertips were tightly clenched in her skirt, and her knuckles turned white.

Hearing this, Li Yin finally turned his head to look at her, his eyes clear and without any evasion: "Neither, I have a woman I like in my heart."

With a loud "bang", Zhao Yan'er felt as if her ears exploded. She opened her mouth in surprise, her eyes wide open. She had been paying attention to Li Yin these days, and had never seen any other woman around him. How could he... How could he have someone in his heart?

Seeing her like this, Li Yin slowed down his tone, looked her in the eyes seriously, and said word by word: "What I mean is that this matter is not your fault, nor is it anyone else's fault. Do you understand what I mean?"

Zhao Yan'er calmed herself down, her throat tightening, but she couldn't help but ask, "Then... what kind of woman is that?"

Just as Li Yin was about to speak, hurried footsteps suddenly sounded outside the palace, accompanied by the hoarse cry of Eunuch Ma: "Your Highness! Something terrible has happened! Internal Official Luo…"

Li Yin turned abruptly and hurried forward, reaching out to support the breathless eunuch Ma. His voice deepened, "What happened? Tell me slowly."

Eunuch Ma held Li Yin's arm, his chest heaving violently. He didn't notice Zhao Yan'er in the palace at all. He spoke intermittently, "Your Highness... The Queen... Eunuch Luo was taken to Changle Palace! They also said... They said they would investigate him for the crime of hiding obscene things..."

"What?" Li Yin's fingertips suddenly tightened, and his face instantly darkened, no longer showing any of his previous calmness.

He didn't bother asking any more questions, and turned around and ran towards Changle Palace. His dark robe drew a neat arc in the moonlight, and soon disappeared at the end of the palace road.

Zhao Yan'er was the only one left in the hall. She looked in the direction where Li Yin had disappeared, and the expectation in her eyes gradually faded, eventually turning into a self-deprecating smile.

The wind blew, picking up fallen leaves, which swirled and landed at her feet. She raised her hand to brush away the scattered hair from her temples, turned and walked out of Ningfang Palace. Her figure gradually blended into the thick night, leaving only the moonlight filling the palace, accompanied by the quiet scattering of dust.

——

The candlelight in Changle Palace stretched the figures out of their slender forms, and the palace was filled with the fragrance of agarwood and a hint of panic.

Luo Sanrong was pressed on the cold white marble floor by two palace maids. His ink-black brocade robe had been pulled askew, revealing half of his pale neck.

He clutched his collar tightly, his knuckles turning white, and a faint sound of struggle escaped from his throat.

"stop!"

The palace door was suddenly pushed open, and Li Yin's voice rushed in with the night wind, startling the candlelight and making it tremble.

His dark-colored crown prince's robes were still stained with night dew, and the soles of his boots made a heavy sound as they stepped on the blue bricks. He rushed forward in a few steps, raised his foot and kicked the palace servant who was holding Luo Sanying, causing him to stagger back. The force was so great that the palace servant groaned and crashed into the corridor pillar.

Ji Zelan sat on a throne covered with white tiger skin, her fingertips carelessly stroking the jade ring. Only at this moment did she look up, the upward curve of her eyes full of interest.

She slowly stood up, her gilded skirt sweeping across the steps, making a small friction sound. "Your Highness, you've arrived at the right time. I was just trying to discipline this unruly eunuch for you."

Li Yin lowered his eyes to look at Luo Sanrong who was kneeling on the ground. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes were red, but she was trying hard not to cry. Her appearance made his heart suddenly tighten.

He turned his head abruptly, his gaze piercing Ji Zelan like a cold blade, "When will it be the Queen's turn to lynch the eunuchs of the Eastern Palace?"

"Lynching?" Ji Zelan sneered, and moved lightly in front of Luo Sanying. Her slender fingers suddenly lifted his chin, forcing him to look up.

The candlelight reflected on Luo Sanrong's delicate features. Ji Zelan turned to look at Li Yin, her tone deliberately provocative: "Look at this, Crown Prince. With such a face, people would believe she's a woman. There have been rumors circulating in the palace lately that His Royal Highness has a male lover. Could it be... that they're referring to him?"

The air pressure around Li Yin dropped instantly, and his thin lips were pursed into a straight line. "Take your hand away."

Ji Zelan withdrew her hand in frustration and pulled out a water-green skirt from her sleeve. The fabric was embroidered with delicate lotus patterns, clearly women's clothing. She tossed the skirt in front of Luo Sanrong, the sound of the fabric hitting the ground particularly clear in the silent palace. "We searched the eunuchs' side hall today and found this in his residence. Your Highness, are you still going to cover up for him?"

Li Yin's eyes fell on the skirt, his eyes were deep, but his face remained expressionless: "What does the Queen want?"

"Of course, we have to verify his identity in public," Ji Zelan walked to Li Yin's side, lowering her voice with a tone of certainty and pride. "As long as we strip him of his clothes, the rumors in the palace will be refuted, and His Royal Highness will be able to breathe a sigh of relief, right?"

Li Yin was silent for a moment, then suddenly turned to Ji Zelan's palace attendant and said in a cold voice, "What are you still standing there for? Follow the Queen's orders."

Ji Zelan was stunned, her brows furrowed slightly, and doubts filled her heart. She had thought Li Yin would do his utmost to stop him, but seeing his reaction now, could she have guessed wrong?

Before she could even consider, Li Yin stepped forward, his gaze sweeping across the hall, his tone unmistakable and oppressive, "It's not enough to order a eunuch around; you're stripping and humiliating him in public. How long will Your Majesty continue this groundless speculation? Today, let's verify it. If what I say is true, no one here can escape responsibility."

These words were like a fire, instantly igniting Ji Zelan's pride. Her pregnancy had already made her even more impatient, and now, being publicly provoked by Li Yin, she had no time to hesitate. She shouted, "I'm right! Come, strip him of his clothes!"

Just as the palace attendant was about to step forward, a hurried voice suddenly came from outside the palace: "Report - Shang Gong Han Shouyi requests an audience!"

Ji Zelan's face darkened, and his tone was icy: "What's the matter with Lord Han Shang that brings you to the palace so late at night?"

Han Shouyi, dressed in cyan court robes and holding a tablet, walked quickly into the hall. After a respectful salute, his eyes fell on Luo Sanrong and he spoke slowly, "Your Majesty, forcibly removing the clothes of an eunuch would damage your reputation for virtue. This person entered the palace after a rigorous inspection by the Imperial Household Department. Eunuch Zhang also participated in the inspection and can verify this."

Everyone's attention instantly focused on Eunuch Zhang, who was standing nearby. His face paled, his hands unconsciously clenching the hem of his sleeves. Under Ji Zelan's gaze, he finally nodded, "Yes... I did verify it back then."

"Your Majesty is pregnant with the Dragon's descendant, the foundation of the nation," Han Shouyi raised his head, his tone becoming increasingly earnest. "If your reputation is tarnished by investigating a eunuch, His Majesty will be furious if he learns of this."

"Your Excellency is overthinking it," Li Yin suddenly said, his tone deliberately provocative. "The Queen is just like me. If I don't confirm it myself, I will be unwilling to accept it. Your Excellency should not interfere." He turned to look at Ji Zelan, his eyes as sharp as a knife. "Your Excellency, what are you still hesitating about?"

Ji Zelan was so enraged by these words that she waved her hands fiercely: "Get out! All of you get out!"

As the night deepened, a single lamp lit the eastern palace's chambers. Li Yin held Luo Sanrong tightly in his arms. The girl's body was still trembling slightly, clearly frightened by the scene. He gently stroked Luo Sanrong's back, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a fragile treasure.

Luo Sanrong leaned in Li Yin's arms, her voice a little dull: "Your Highness... What exactly happened just now?"

Li Yin rested his chin on the top of his head. His voice was muffled, with a hint of imperceptible fatigue: "I just want to keep the people I cherish by my side, but why do so many accidents always happen?" He tightened his arms and hugged Luo Sanrong even tighter. "Thankfully you are still here. Thankfully, you have always been with me."

Luo Sanrong felt warm in her heart, raised her hands and hugged Li Yin's waist, calling softly: "Your Highness..."

The flickering candlelight illuminated the figures of the two people hugging each other, isolating all the turmoil and calculations from this small space of warmth.