Su Lijin crumpled the secret letter into a ball and threw it into the flickering candlelight.
"How dare you! Secretly passing on a letter from a man you don't belong to. Do you know what crime this is?"
The eunuch, who had been secretly delighted, panicked and fell to his knees after being shouted at by her.
"My Queen, please spare my life!"
Su Lijin's face darkened, and she said in a cold voice, "I haven't received any letters today, and you've never been to Kunning Palace. Do you understand?"
The eunuch nodded repeatedly and left in a hurry.
She exhaled slowly, and the fingertips embedded in her palms relaxed.
In her previous life, she was too reckless, which led to such an end. When walking in this palace, one should tread on thin ice in order to protect her family and her own life.
Just as she was pondering, there was a sudden sound of something falling behind the screen.
"who!"
Su Lijin didn't dare to delay and rushed over. However, the only response she got was the rustling sound of the cold wind passing through the antique shelf. A few books were scattered casually on the ground, as if they were piled too full and had fallen out.
Su Lijin frowned slightly and picked up the book on the ground. The pages of the book were slightly yellowed, obviously it was quite old.
She flipped through it casually and then remembered that this book was the dowry her father had forced upon her when she first entered the palace.
Maybe it’s a valuable ancient book.
Su Lijin was not interested in it and was about to put it down when she caught a glimpse of the small words printed on the spine of the book.
Hong'en Pavilion.
She pursed her lips in surprise and flipped through the book carefully, but didn't see any clues.
If I remember correctly, this book was given to my father by Guo Tang, the Minister of Personnel. My father didn't understand these calligraphy and books, so he stuffed them all into her dowry.
The Minister of Personnel Guo Tang...seems to have been thrown into prison for corruption and bribery.
Su Lijin narrowed her eyes slightly, and had some thoughts in her mind.
Although both are places where criminals are imprisoned, compared with the Heavenly Prison, the Cold Palace is like a fairyland. As soon as Su Lijin stepped into the prison door, she smelled a fishy smell mixed with blood.
The guard at the gate took the silver into his arms and said respectfully, "Your Majesty, please hurry up, or I can't afford it."
"knew."
Su Lijin nodded calmly and walked into the prison carrying a bamboo basket.
Passing through cells filled with wailing, she stopped outside the innermost room.
The middle-aged man in the prison looked dignified. Apart from some dirt and blood on his body, he did not look like a criminal imprisoned in prison. Instead, he had more elegance than the officials in the court.
"Master Guo."
Su Lijin called out softly, "I'm here to see you."
Guo Tang glanced sideways, his gaze resting on the newcomer. "Are you from...Su Yuan's family?"
"Exactly."
Su Lijin answered calmly, opened the bamboo basket in her hand, and took out an indigo wine bottle.
"I heard from my father that you love to drink this Jade Dew wine, so I sent someone to find some to entertain you."
Guo Tang snorted coldly and turned away: "I can't afford to drink the Queen's wine."
Su Lijin was not annoyed, she just filled the glass with wine and placed it on the ground.
"I know Lord Guo doesn't want to believe me, but the situation is urgent, so I have no choice but to come here."
Sniffing the aroma of wine, Guo Tang's attitude softened a bit. "What's going on? Is that old guy Su Yuan in trouble too? He sent his daughter who entered the palace to come to me?"
"It's not just my father. This matter involves many people. Lord Guo, let me be frank. Are you the head of Hong'en Pavilion?"
Hearing the words "Hong'en Pavilion", Guo Tang's expression suddenly became stern, but his tone remained calm.
"I have been an official for many years, but when have I ever opened a study? I am tired today, your Highness, please go back."
Seeing his attitude, Su Lijin became more determined: "Master Guo! The court is now full of Mongolian spies. If you do nothing, not only our Su family, but the entire Daliang will be in danger!"
Guo Tang's body stiffened, and he slowly turned his head. "What did you say? There are spies infiltrating the court?"
Su Lijin was a little surprised that he didn't know, but she still admitted honestly: "Yes, I have caught one and replaced her identity."
She took off the jade token and handed it to Guo Tang. Guo Tang carefully stroked the jade token, a cold look flashing in his eyes: "Hmph, it seems that those bastards have been making a lot of moves during the time I was imprisoned!"
He picked up the jade cup and drank the wine in it.
"Does your Majesty have a sharp blade?"
Su Lijin pulled out a jeweled dagger from her boot and handed it over.
Guo Tang took the dagger and took off his shirt, revealing his body covered in scars.
Under Su Lijin's astonished gaze, he swiftly cut his arm open, and a jade button covered in flesh and blood fell to the ground with a crisp sound.
Guo Tang acted as if nothing had happened. He simply stopped the bleeding with his belt and handed the jade button to Su Lijin.
The jade button is in the shape of a tiger and is exquisitely carved. It is obviously not an ordinary object.
"Master Guo, this..."
"I didn't dare give this thing to anyone else, so I used a secret technique to seal it into a piece of fake skin and flesh for disguise, and brought it into the prison."
Guo Tang's expression was solemn: "Does your Majesty know what this is?"
Su Lijin shook her head. She had very little information about this mysterious organization in her previous life. She had lived in Mongolia for many years and had no idea what it was.
Guo Tang stroked his tangled beard. "This is something the late emperor gave me. Even the current emperor might not know all about it. As long as you take it to Hong'en Pavilion, you can mobilize a secret guard."
Su Lijin was shocked. Although she did come here to trick Guo Tang into talking, she didn't expect... that this man would give her such an important token.
Guo Tang didn't seem to care that much. He smiled and shook his wine glass: "Your Majesty has a lot of Su Yuan's former style. I can rest assured whether this token is handed over to your Majesty or Su Yuan."
He filled his glass with wine and raised his head slightly: "Please tell that old man that I have to go downstairs and wait for him first."
Su Lijin clenched the token in her hand and promised word by word, "I will rescue you."
Guo Tang glanced at her calmly without responding, but said ramblingly, "It's late at night and the dew is heavy. Your Majesty, please be extra careful when you return."
After receiving such an important token, Su Lijin did not dare to stay for long. She left the Yu Lu wine and a few side dishes to Guo Tang, and ordered the guards to treat him well, then left in a hurry.
Not long after she came out of the prison, she noticed something was wrong.
Su Lijin glanced back with the corner of her eye and found a shadow flashing with cold light on the treetop not far away.
When working at night, he didn't even know to put away his weapons.
She secretly called him an idiot and kept touching the sachet around her waist as if unintentionally.
After turning a corner, the man in the tree finally couldn't hold back anymore and rushed straight over.
The sound of a sharp blade breaking through the air came from behind, and a hand went straight to Su Lijin's waist.
Here we come!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
