predicament
The night was as dark as spilled ink. The noble ladies and officials who had come to the banquet had mostly dispersed, and the splendor had vanished. Only the light of the palace lanterns flickered uncertainly at the end of the long street. The three hurriedly avoided the main road and turned into a secluded path beside the imperial moat. All around was utter darkness, and even the sound of each other's breathing could hardly be heard.
Liao Yan carefully looked around to make sure there were no spies before lowering her voice:
"...We cannot force our way into Yan Ying Hall. Prince Mao already holds the imperial guard's military tally. Even though I still have the authority to supervise the training grounds, I can only mobilize the soldiers there. But the situation is urgent. If we don't have enough time, a head-on charge would be nothing but suicide."
Lin Xuyi understood.
They were prepared for this night. Since Liang Si's return, he had been in control of most of the Five Cities Garrison. He was gentle and skilled in martial arts, and these men had all become his confidants. Now, these loyal and capable subordinates had already hidden themselves in various secret locations not far from the Forbidden City under the pretext of a palace banquet curfew and increased patrols, waiting for Liang Si's order to immediately surround the palace.
However, even though these were the most important defensive forces in the capital, how much more valiant and skilled were the Imperial Guards compared to them? Not to mention the subordinates who had followed Prince Mao without fear of death.
These people had finally gained the upper hand after years of suppression by Zhao Xiang's faction of civil officials, and they treated Prince Mao like their second parents, obeying his every command. If Prince Mao were to enter the fray today, they certainly wouldn't stand idly by. And then... they would likely be at a disadvantage.
Lin Xu pursed her already dry lips, and just as she was feeling anxious, she saw Liao Yan's expression become even more determined under the evening stars.
"There is a hidden door in Yanying Hall."
Upon hearing this, Lin Xu was taken aback. She had long known that Liao Yan was a member of the royal family and had moved freely within the palace since childhood, but she never expected that Liao Yan knew such palace secrets.
Liao Yan knew what she was thinking and nodded solemnly. In her youth, Yan Ying Palace was often left vacant and abandoned. She was able to move freely in the palace by virtue of her mother, Princess Duanhe. At that time, the Empress Dowager was still alive, so she was even more favored. She not only got along well with several princes and princesses, but she also knew exactly where in the palace a brick wall was missing a corner or where there was a patch of weeds.
On the other hand, her uncle, Prince Mao, had been fighting for many years. Although he had grown up in the palace in his youth, as far as she knew, he had grown up in the deep palace and was not very familiar with the layout of Yan Ying Hall. Given the current critical situation, he might have no choice but to take a desperate gamble.
Liao Yan composed herself and continued, "I'll go see my uncle. Given our long-standing relationship, he won't refuse me. Yingzhi, proceed according to plan. As for Lin Xu..."
Lin Xu looked up and heard Liao Yan's firm and unwavering voice.
"Stop here. Once... you know what to do."
"No!"
Lin Xu felt a sudden, overwhelming shock, her heart clenching painfully. She almost blurted out, "Princess Kunrou is so noble! How could she risk her life for her own romantic feelings? Besides, what they've been secretly plotting all along is for Kunrou to one day reach that position of universal adoration!"
How could she just stand by and watch all these plans fall apart because of her!
Liao Yan's eyes curved into a brief smile, as if she could see the tremor in her heart, and she simply said softly:
“You are incredibly intelligent… I have something even more important to entrust to you. And this matter… Lin Xu, only you can do it.”
Liao Yan looked up at the round moon overhead, which was obscured by dark clouds and only faintly cast a sparse ray of light. The river meanders around the fragrant fields, and the moon shines on the flower forest like scattered snowflakes. (1) The fog will eventually dissipate, and it is now dawn.
Through the palace walls, the faint clanging of armor and the sound of boots approaching could be heard. It must be the imperial guards on their routine patrol. It was already late; further delay would only worsen the situation. Liang Zhengyuan gave the two of them a deep look, his expression more grave than ever before.
The group nodded, and he suddenly flipped over and mounted his horse again. He glanced back at them briefly before galloping toward the light and the sound of voices.
Soon, the patrolling guards heard them shouting at the figure, then, upon realizing it was Marquis Liangping, sheathing their weapons and bowing respectfully. "Greetings to Lord Marquis Liangping."
Meanwhile, on the other side of the towering palace walls, Lin Xu and Liao Yan exchanged a glance, then nodded slightly as if making a pact, and went their separate ways. Their figures quickly disappeared into the thick night fog, until they were completely swallowed by the fading night.
It was already the end of the Chou hour (1-3 AM).
In the stillness, the Imperial Guards patrolled the palace after the banquet, with only the sound of the wind whistling through the layers of halls, causing the shadows of the red pillars to sway.
A major incident had occurred in the palace, causing widespread anxiety among the soldiers. The ranks were unusually quiet, with only the occasional soft cough quickly drowned out by heavy footsteps. Within the heavily guarded walls, any slight movement would attract their attention.
But no one noticed that at the end of the imperial road, a plain black carriage was quietly parked. The imperial merchants who usually delivered goods to and from the palace would wait here as usual, but tonight, because of the banquet, the coachman had to give way to them.
The interior of the car was decorated in a simple and elegant style, except for a small silver stove burning in the corner. The fire was still warm and emitted a faint fragrance that permeated the air conditioning, making it feel a bit stuffy and warm inside the car.
Dou Yanxun impatiently moved his tightly bound hands and looked up at the person opposite him.
"How long are you going to keep me locked up like this?"
The person on the other side remained calm and unperturbed.
He wore an unassuming pale blue round-necked long gown, almost plain, but upon closer inspection, it was made of exquisite brocade, its texture shimmering faintly like water under the dim lamplight. Over his broad shoulders, he wore a moon-white overcoat, the cuffs trimmed with delicate plain edges. As always, he wore two valuable jade pendants at his waist, but the last tie on one side was empty, with only a tassel hanging down.
Even in the darkness, Zhou Weikan remained clear-eyed and composed, without the slightest hint of impropriety. Only her usually radiant face was now paler than the moonlight, bearing a sickly pallor.
He coughed lightly a few times, covering his lips, before looking at Dou Yanxun with a faint smile in his eyes.
"Lord Dou has only sat with me for a short while, yet I am so unpleasant that you want to leave?"
Dou Yanxun's eyes were as dark as ink. He completely ignored Zhou Weikan's light laughter, instead gritting his teeth and saying:
"Do you know that she is in grave danger... The more you trap me, the more dangerous it becomes for her!"
The light in Zhou Weikan's eyes paused for a moment, then he regained his composure and spoke slowly and deliberately.
“But Lord Dou must also understand the principle that one is not free to do what one pleases when serving others. I, Zhou, am but a mere merchant, how could I possibly disobey the Crown Prince’s orders?”
Dou Yanxun raised the corners of his eyes slightly, his peach blossom eyes becoming even more sharp with sarcasm. The flickering candlelight reflected the cold light in his eyes, and deeper within them was an uncontrollable hatred.
He looked coldly at Zhou Weikan and laughed sarcastically:
"...You once professed your deep affection for her, even going so far as to use every means to imprison her. Now that she is truly in danger, you stand idly by. You truly are a shrewd and calculating merchant! What, now that your long-planned scheme is about to succeed, and you are about to assist the Crown Prince in ascending the throne, and your Zhou family is about to rise to prominence, do you no longer care about this woman, this life!"
As soon as he finished speaking, all around was silent, except for the snorting of the horses outside the carriage.
Zhou Weikan lowered his clear, cold gaze, but his voice remained calm and even, almost without any ripples.
"I already have more money than I could spend in several lifetimes, why would I care about these so-called benefits?"
He paused, his slight smile widening. A lingering sarcasm and disdain even seeped into his eyes. "And you? You're here too, unable to escape no matter what you try, aren't you?"
His gaze slowly descended, landing on the pair of rather exquisite locks on Dou Yanxun's wrist.
That was no ordinary iron chain, but one made of finely interlocking links, with the lock narrowing to the size of a jade hairpin, shimmering with golden light. Dou Yanxun was a master of martial arts, but despite his taut veins in his hands and the fact that he had secretly channeled his inner strength several times, the chain did not even tremble slightly; instead, it made his wrists ache.
Zhou Weikan looked at him with almost pity. "I didn't know it was me. Actually, the Crown Prince just wanted her to see that the man she was willing to give everything for was just so useless."
Dou Yanxun looked down at his wrist.
He entered the palace early that night. The banquet was crowded and chaotic, but he still spotted Lin Xu in the crowd at a glance. It was rare for her to be dressed so elegantly, and although her attire was still too plain compared to the other flamboyant noblewomen, her rare splash of color still made his heart skip a beat.
He had no interest in drinking with the sycophantic ministers around him, and despite the separation of men and women, he still greedily tried to find her figure through the crowd all night. Until she and Dou Zhen left their seats and walked out of the hall one after the other.
He didn't realize that the Empress had also left the banquet at some point, so he still followed her out, only to see what happened in the corner of the corridor.
Dou Zhen was practically his only close blood relative in the Dou family over the years. She was also the only person who cared for him when he was poor and destitute, suffering all kinds of contempt and mistreatment in the mansion.
But when she looked at Lin Xu, his eyes filled with nothing but endless hatred and tears, and when Dou Zhen had already noticed him not far away and gave him a triumphant smile, he was still terrified. He had never been so panicked before.
He disregarded everything else and was about to rush forward when he saw Yan Ya's eyes hidden in the shadows. He couldn't act rashly now. The person who had led her to that dark corner was the Empress's man, but if he wanted to truly bring down the Empress and ensure her safety, he couldn't gamble everything, and he certainly couldn't risk her life.
Dou Yanxun nodded to Yan Ya, and then his figure disappeared from the eaves until it was out of sight. Soon after, the Crown Prince hurriedly ran towards Changchun Palace with a look of urgency on his face.
In his anxiety, another eunuch who had been by the Crown Prince's side for many years quietly walked up behind him.
"Lord Dou, the Crown Prince has issued an urgent edict..."
He thought Lin Xu had encountered some danger at Changchun Palace, and as soon as he turned around, his hands were suddenly bound. He was trapped in this place, so close to the palace gates yet so far away, until he could no longer break free.
...
Zhou Weikan raised his eyes, looked directly at Dou Yanxun, and said gently:
"The Crown Prince has long noticed your close association with Prince Mao these days. Rather than leaving future troubles, it's better to nip it in the bud today. I wholeheartedly agree. Please forgive me, Lord Dou, but I am merely following orders today."
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