Chapter 30 Unraveling the Tunnel: I've always felt like I've seen you before.
Galo Lin held Bai Lian tightly in his arms, with such force that it seemed he wanted to meld her into his very bones.
Bai Lian felt a little suffocated by his grip and struggled slightly, but it felt as if she was branded to his chest with a hot iron, unable to move.
The palace maids and guards around them all lowered their eyes, but couldn't help but smile ambiguously.
The silent gaze made Bai Lian belatedly feel embarrassed, and she began to awkwardly squirm in his arms.
Galo Lin then seemed to wake from a dream and released her arms, but her hands urgently gripped her shoulders. Her eyes scanned up and down, and a series of questions blurted out: "Did I hurt you? Where are you injured? Green Willow! Quickly, summon the imperial physician!"
“No need,” Bai Lian sighed helplessly, raising her hand to indicate, “It’s not my blood.” There was indeed no wound on her body.
Galorin's movements visibly paused for a moment. He looked at Byakuren with scrutinizing and questioning eyes, his lips moved as if he had many questions, but in the end he didn't ask anything.
Just then, a group of guards rushed over from a distance. The captain at the head of the group knelt on one knee, clasped his hands, and begged for forgiveness: "Your Highness, we are incompetent! That thief was cunning and elusive, and he escaped extremely quickly. We... could not catch him!"
"Alright, all of you may leave." Galorin waved his hand, his tone calm, but Byakuren, who was standing next to him, could clearly sense the displeasure and coldness emanating from him.
“The assassin was sent by the Empress, but…” Bai Lian hesitated for a moment, then felt it necessary to explain.
"Let's talk in the room." Galo Lin frowned, grabbed her wrist without giving her a chance to explain, and walked towards the inner room.
As soon as he entered the inner room, the door closed, and Galorin's first words were: "Those four people outside the city... did you kill them all?" His voice carried a hint of tension that was barely perceptible.
“Except for Shangguan Yaohua.” Bai Lian turned her head to avoid his burning gaze and walked to the window. “That assassin killed her and then deliberately ‘sent’ me back to the palace. He must have wanted to create a false impression to clear the Empress of any involvement in the assassination.”
Galo Lin remained seated, her gaze sharp and unwavering as she stared at her: "Do you know that the four people you killed were once among the most skilled warriors in the Imperial Guard?"
Upon receiving the secret report, he rushed there anxiously, fearing that if he arrived even a moment later, he would find that she had met with misfortune.
However, what awaited him were four corpses, all killed in a single blow.
The technique was ruthless and precise, striking at the vital points. Even he, who was used to seeing big scenes, couldn't help but feel a chill.
"Is that so?" Bai Lian said in a flat tone. "So the Imperial Guards' skills are nothing special." She walked to the wardrobe, her clothes stained with blood sticky and uncomfortable.
Although I don't know why the Imperial Guards would risk their lives for the Empress...
Galorin recalled her sword duel with Byakuren. While Byakuren's swordsmanship was excellent, how could it have improved to such an astonishing level in such a short time? Considering her recent noticeably distant attitude... what could have happened?
Bai Lian was hesitating about how to ask Jia Luolin to leave temporarily so she could change out of her uncomfortable blood-stained clothes when she turned around and was once again met with his probing gaze.
“That…” She pointed to her clothes, then to herself, the implication clear.
But instead of turning away, Galorin stood up and approached her step by step.
"Who exactly are you?" he asked in a deep voice, one hand bracing against the wardrobe beside her ear, trapping her in a small space, while the other hand gently caressed her cheek, his fingertips burning hot as he tenderly stroked her skin, his gaze seemingly trying to pierce through her pupils and reach the depths of her soul.
Bai Lian's eyes flickered, her heart pounding like a drum. How could she explain to him all these bizarre and unbelievable things that had happened to her? Those unspeakable secrets...?
She tried to organize her thoughts, but couldn't find the right words. She could only stare wide-eyed at the suddenly magnified handsome face before her.
Galorin was very close, her long eyelashes almost brushing against her cheek, bringing a slight tickle.
Bai Lian felt her heart pounding uncontrollably; he always managed to so easily disturb her peace of mind.
Gazing at the blushing face of the girl in his arms, her usually cool eyes now shimmering with captivating tears, Galorin's doubts and curiosity were suddenly overwhelmed by a surge of even stronger emotion. Even if she was hiding something, even if she carried secrets, so what?
He lowered his head, his forehead gently touching hers, and whispered with a sigh, "No matter who you are or where you come from... I only love you as you are now. You are my lawfully wedded wife, Bai Lian."
All other things pale in comparison.
Upon hearing this, Bai Lian suddenly raised her head and looked in astonishment into the depths of Jia Luolin's eyes, which were filled with tenderness and determination.
Outside the room, Cuizhu slowly walked over, carrying the new clothes she had made for Bailian. Just as she was about to knock on the door, Lvliu, who had been lying in ambush by the side of the door, covered her mouth and nose and pulled her away.
What are you doing?!
"Shh..." Green Willow winked at Green Bamboo for a while, and Green Bamboo was not an unreasonable person. She immediately realized what was happening in the room.
She glanced at the like-minded Green Willow, then tiptoed to the window, moistened her finger with saliva, and squinted as she prepared to poke at the window paper...
Seeing that this girl was so "sensible" and didn't need to do it first, Green Willow was very satisfied and joined in as well.
"Hey, you're not allowed to look!"
Why can't I watch?
"What are you, a eunuch, looking at? Are you jealous?"
"I..." Green Willow was instantly speechless. You're the eunuch! Your whole family are eunuchs!!
Jialuolin, who was in the room picking up Bailian and preparing to put her on the bed, couldn't stand it anymore. How could these two people, separated by just a sheet of paper, not know their duty to keep quiet about peeping!
Bai Lian covered her lips, looking at his frustrated expression, and her heart was already filled with smiles.
Galorin reluctantly placed Bai Lian on the bed. Just as he reached out to untie the bed curtains, he heard a cheer from outside the window: "Well done, brother!"
Galorin's patience finally snapped, and she roared, "Get out!!"
The green bamboo and willow trees shrank back in shock. By the time they moved closer to peek, the red candles inside had already been extinguished, and the room was pitch black.
Green Willow was glared at fiercely by Emerald Bamboo, and helplessly followed her away, scratching her head.
"Hey, wait for me!"
"You damned eunuch, stop following me!"
-
After a tender moment, Bai Lian sat up and lit the red candles again.
The dim yellow light spread out in waves, illuminating the mandarin ducks on the acacia quilt, who shyly hid behind the brocade and gauze curtains. The spring scenery behind the red curtains made everyone blush.
Bai Lian's long, flowing hair brushed against Jia Luolin's face. He reached out and brushed it away, smiling with tenderness in his eyes.
Can't sleep?
"I want to see you." Bai Lian tilted her head, rested her chin on her hand, and stared intently at his face with a serious expression.
Galorin fell silent for a moment because of her unusual remark, and coughed awkwardly, trying to turn her face away.
But Bai Lian reached out and cupped his hands, saying, "Actually... I've always felt like I've seen you before."
"But I can't remember where it was?"
"Uh-huh?"
"I've always had this feeling too, like we met in a past life... Alright, my lady, let's go to sleep."
With that, Galorin stood up and blew out the candles. Satisfied, she embraced Byakuren and whispered in her ear, "This shows that we are destined to be together, so don't try to leave me."
The alluring voice captivated Bai Lian, stirring her heart and carrying her along with the fleeting moments of time.
The person in my memory also held me tightly, refusing to let go.
-
Inside the Phoenix Palace, wisps of smoke rose from the golden beast-shaped incense burner, but they could not dispel the gloomy chill in the hall.
A palace maid bowed deeply beside Shangguan Yun, her voice extremely low: "Your Majesty, the Emperor... has recently started vomiting blood frequently."
Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yun's face remained completely expressionless.
She slowly raised her eyes, her gaze calmly falling on the palace maid, and asked in a flat tone, "What about Physician Wang?"
"Your Majesty, when he was administering medicine to the Emperor, he strictly followed the prescription Your Majesty had given him. From what I've observed, he seems... not yet to have noticed any flaws in the prescription," the palace maid cautiously reported.
“Of course he wouldn’t see through it.” Shangguan Yun’s lips curled into a cold smile as she slowly and deliberately stroked the priceless jade bracelet on her wrist, the cool touch giving her a sense of pleasure. “He was someone I personally promoted. Without me, he would still be a lowly clerk in the Imperial Hospital organizing medicinal herbs. What flaw could he possibly see?”
She paused for a moment and then instructed, "Keep a close eye on things for me. If those old fogies from the Imperial Hospital hold a consultation, report back immediately without fail."
"Yes, Your Majesty." The palace maid bowed deeply, not daring to be negligent in the slightest.
"Go down."
After the palace maid's figure disappeared silently behind the heavy curtains, Shangguan Yun was left alone in the vast palace once again. She coughed softly.
At this moment, a black figure appeared silently in the darkest corner of the hall, as if he had always been standing there.
The visitor bowed respectfully, his voice perfectly steady: "What are your orders, Your Majesty?"
"Ying, you've arrived." Shangguan Yun didn't turn around, but her voice carried a hint of barely perceptible satisfaction. "You handled the matter last time cleanly and efficiently, which pleased me greatly. You will be richly rewarded."
"Thank you, Empress."
Shangguan Yun slowly stood up, her magnificent skirt trailing across the gleaming gold brick floor, making a rustling sound.
She walked step by step toward Ying, finally stopping beside him. She leaned slightly forward, lowered her voice, and her once elegant and noble voice now sounded like a venomous snake's tongue, carrying a chilling venom, as she said, word by word, "I also want to ask you, now that the time is ripe, when will the matter of the Crown Prince be settled?"
The shadowy figure seemed to freeze for a moment, as he precisely caught the barely concealed murderous intent in the Empress's words. "The Empress means," he confirmed, "that she intends to bypass the Crown Princess and eliminate the Crown Prince first?"
"Hmph," Shangguan Yun let out a very soft, cold laugh, her eyes flashing with undisguised ambition and ruthlessness, "This country, this supreme position, whoever wants it... I will naturally make them the first to die!" Her voice was very low, but it carried immense power, and every word was filled with the smell of blood.
Ying nodded slightly, the shadows concealing all his expressions, only his extremely calm voice rang out: "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, I will do my utmost to bring forward His Highness the Crown Prince's 'memorial day'."
"Good!" A genuine smile finally appeared on Shangguan Yun's face. "With your words, I am relieved. I believe you... will never tarnish your illustrious reputation as the 'Number One Assassin of the Central Plains,' will you?!"
“Of course, Your Majesty the Empress.” Ying’s voice remained unwavering, as if she were simply stating a given fact.
He bowed again, then his figure flickered and, just as he had come, silently disappeared into the shadows, as if he had never been there.
The hall fell silent once more, leaving only Shangguan Yun alone. She slowly walked back to the phoenix couch, picked up the slightly cool teacup again, and gently stroked the warm porcelain surface with her fingertips, her gaze fixed on the deep night outside the window.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
