After a pause, although it was still hard for him to accept, Lu Yuan still felt that the truth should be made public.
So, steeling his resolve, he suppressed the immense sorrow that had been weighing on his heart for so long and said, "The princess was swept away by the hurricane and sandstorm in Lu County."
Upon hearing this shocking news, the people in the hall began whispering and discussing it again.
"What?"
"The princess was swept away by the hurricane and sandstorm?"
"I heard that was the strongest hurricane and sandstorm in the history of Western Qin."
"How could a mere weak woman like the princess withstand the attack of a sandstorm?"
"Could it be..."
"Could it be..."
"The princess has already..."
Just as some people in the crowd began to lower their voices, suspecting that Yi Shangyun had already perished.
Lu Yuanyi then slowly clenched his fists hidden under his sleeves and let out a cold, sharp voice.
"She won't!"
Upon hearing this, everyone, including Mei Zhixuan who had been sitting high above, turned to look at Lu Yuan's location.
For a long time, even though everyone around him believed that being caught in the hurricane and sandstorm would surely mean certain death, only Lu Yuan firmly believed that Yi Shangyun was the only miracle in the world.
"The princess will not die."
"She must still be alive."
"She's just lost somewhere in this world, unable to find her way home."
"I will definitely find her myself."
"Dongning can do without anyone, but it cannot do without Princess Yongning."
Upon hearing of such determination, Mei Zhixuan was instantly taken aback.
He had always been somewhat wary of Lu Yuan.
It wasn't just because he was the person whom Yi Shangyun entrusted to protect this city and this country when he left.
It wasn't because of the ongoing epidemic that Lu Yuan decisively decided to seal off the entire Longhu City, thus containing all the deaths within the city and preventing them from affecting other surrounding cities.
The reason is that Longhu City has a special geographical location, being the gateway to the Dongning Kingdom.
Whenever there is a battle, Dragon Tiger City becomes a strategic location that is fiercely contested by military strategists.
If the country's borders are not protected, the enemy will be able to penetrate them and advance unimpeded.
Currently, looking across the entire court, only the Lord's Mansion of Dragon Tiger City has the ability to guard this gate.
Mei Zhixuan was truly helpless in this situation, yet he had no other options.
Unexpectedly, Yi Shangyun, a mere woman, could make someone like Lu Yuan willingly do anything for her.
It seems that it's time for me to do something to get help from someone like that!
Finally, Mei Zhixuan spoke.
He echoed, "Young City Lord is right. Princess Yongning is of noble status and is protected by the spirits of our royal ancestors. How could she have been so easily killed by a sandstorm? I, the prince, cannot believe it either."
This is the first person in a long time who shares my belief that Yi Shangyun is still alive.
Sure enough, a slight change occurred in Lu Yuan's heart, and he looked at Mei Zhixuan's face, saying, "Your Highness, Third Prince..."
After a moment's thought, Mei Zhixuan continued, "I will immediately gather the best experts in the palace to assist the young city lord in finding Yongning in Western Qin. I hope the young city lord will live up to my expectations and make sure to bring Princess Yongning back."
Lu Yuan's confidence increased even more, and he said, "Lu Yuan has long sent people to infiltrate Western Qin to search for the princess's whereabouts, but unfortunately there has been no progress so far."
Mei Zhixuan said, "With the protection of Heaven, Yongning will definitely be alright. I believe she will return safely."
"Princess, wait for me..."
As soon as he stepped out of the palace gates, Lu Yuan confidently led a team of elite royal guards toward the Western Qin.
After the court session.
Mei Zhixuan then went straight to Xuan Yuan Yue's palace alone.
Upon entering, one sees only Xuanyuan Yue alone, accompanied by her maid Jinlan, tending to some flowers and plants in the courtyard.
Jinlan caught a glimpse of Mei Zhixuan approaching and was about to curtsy to him.
Mei Zhixuan quickly hissed to stop her, and Jinlan smiled and carefully retreated.
Mei Zhixuan then slowly stepped forward and wrapped his arms around Xuan Yuan Yue's waist from behind.
Xuanyuan Yue was startled and said, "What is Your Highness doing in broad daylight? There are outsiders here!"
Mei Zhixuan gently nuzzled her shoulder and said, "There are no outsiders here. I sent Jinlan away long ago!"
As he spoke, he glanced around the courtyard again and asked, "Where's Hai'er?"
Xuanyuan Yue continued pruning the flower branches, thought for a moment, and said, "The weather hasn't been as stuffy as it has been the past few days. Perhaps after breakfast, the nanny took him to the garden to aid digestion! The little one must have been cooped up in the palace all day these past few days..."
Sensing that Mei Zhixuan was beaming and seemed to be in a very good mood, Xuan Yuan Yue asked, "Your Highness, why are you so happy today? Has something good happened?"
Mei Zhixuan slowly reached out and took the scissors from Xuan Yuan Yue's hand.
He then took her hand, and the two of them walked into the bedchamber together.
Mei Zhixuan told Xuan Yuan Yue everything that had happened at the morning court session.
While helping him remove his court robes, and listening to Mei Zhixuan's words, Xuan Yuan Yue unknowingly fell into deep thought.
"Unexpectedly, this matter could not be kept secret in the end, and he still found out that Yun'er had married Qin Huangshu."
Now that he knows, what will he do?
...
Mei Zhixuan suddenly realized that she was absent-minded, so he called her name twice in her ear: "Yue'er, Yue'er..."
Upon hearing this, Xuanyuan Yue suddenly snapped out of her reverie and responded, "Your Highness..."
"Yue'er, what's wrong?" Mei Zhixuan asked, puzzled.
Xuanyuan Yue smiled and said, "It's nothing. Yue'er just finds it a bit surprising that someone as aloof and taciturn as Qin Huangshu could have fallen in love. It seems that Princess Yongning is indeed no ordinary woman. As for Princess Yongle, she has only herself to blame and has no one else to blame but herself. Your Highness did the right thing."
At this moment, Mei Zhixuan suddenly probed Xuan Yuan Yue, asking, "Yue'er, do you really know nothing about this?"
Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuan Yue immediately realized what was happening and stared at him angrily, asking, "Is Your Highness doubting Yue'er?"
Mei Zhixuan's gaze visibly evaded.
Xuanyuan Yue said, "The correspondence between Yue'er and Mother Empress has always consisted only of intimate conversations between mother and daughter, and some very ordinary greetings. If Your Highness does not believe me, Yue'er will go and get them for Your Highness to see for yourself!"
As she spoke, Xuan Yuan Yue began to walk towards the dressing table to retrieve the letter.
Seeing this, Mei Zhixuan pulled her back and hugged her tightly in his arms: "Yue'er..."
And he explained, "That's not what I meant..."
Mei Zhixuan still seemed unable to believe it: "I just really didn't expect that Prince Qin, Xuanyuan Han, would be so fond of Yongning! He was willing to risk the crime of destroying the marriage alliance between the two countries to divorce Yongle and send her back to her country. Fortunately, it was Yongning. If his new queen was not Yongning, Dongning would never have swallowed this insult."
Seeing that Xuan Yuan Yue was still struggling angrily in his arms, Mei Zhixuan tightened his embrace again, not giving her any chance to break free.
He quickly apologized, "Okay, okay, I'm sorry, it's my fault, it's all my fault, I shouldn't have doubted you..."
Recalling all the moments over the years, Xuan Yuan Yue couldn't help but sigh, "Do you know how tired I am of you being so suspicious all these years?"
He paused, then suddenly blurted out, "Why don't you let me go too!"
Mei Zhixuan was truly taken aback; Xuan Yuan Yue would actually say such a thing.
So he turned her around to face him and asked again seriously, "What did you say?"
Xuanyuan Yue gritted her teeth and repeated, "I said, Your Highness, why don't you let me return to my country as well!"
For a moment, Mei Zhixuan seemed unable to believe his ears and couldn't help but ask him again to confirm, "Say it again..."
Xuan Yuan Yue seemed to not even know where she got this courage from, perhaps because she had been suppressing it for too long.
Then he spoke again: "Your Highness..."
Unexpectedly, before she could even finish her sentence, Mei Zhixuan grabbed her waist and pulled her tightly against his body, saying fiercely, "Let you go? Don't even think about it."
After saying that, he sealed her lips with a kiss.
"Hmm..." Xuan Yuan Yue then let out a muffled groan.
At first, she struggled to break free from its restraints.
But soon, she was completely conquered by his domineering masculine aura and gradually began to respond to him.
Inside the quiet palace, a gentle breeze blew, causing the white gauze curtains to rise and fall.
After several rounds of lovemaking, the two of them fell asleep, exhausted.
After an unknown amount of time, when Xuan Yuan Yue slowly opened her eyes, Mei Zhi Xuan had already left and was no longer by her side.
Inside the hall, the candlelight flickered dimly.
But not hearing Hai'er or the servants, Xuan Yuan Yue got up on her own.
As soon as she stepped out of the bedchamber, Jinlan greeted her at the door, "Is the princess awake?"
Xuanyuan Yue glanced at the sky and scolded her, "It's already dark, why didn't you go in and wake me up? Where's Hai'er?"
Jinlan replied, "The Third Prince took the young princess to the study to personally teach her evening lessons! Before leaving, he specifically instructed me not to go in and disturb the princess's rest, saying that the princess would have an even harder time tonight and that she should get some more sleep!"
Upon hearing this, Xuan Yuan Yue's face flushed red, and she thought to herself, "What kind of lewd words are these? They're corrupting these innocent young girls!"
He then turned around and went back into the hall.
Jinlan, standing outside the door, instructed the maid beside her, "Quickly, prepare some dinner!"
Then, she followed Xuanyuan Yue back into the palace, took out a letter from her body and said, "By the way, this is a letter from Her Majesty the Empress to the Princess that I just received this evening!"
Xuanyuan Yue took it from Jinlan's hands, opened it, and was immediately stunned, her eyes widening in disbelief...
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