Chapter 17 Floating Light Dragon: Blood Hibiscus
Floating above the sky was a colossal, winding, and soaring dragon.
The two attacked almost simultaneously. Xie Xingzheng wielded a tree branch and struck, while Tang Yu unleashed a wisp of smoke from her sleeve.
Without thinking twice, she flicked her wrist, and the Rain of Pear Blossom Needles poured out, their silver light as swift as a sudden downpour.
Xie Xingzheng's eyes turned cold as he sensed something was wrong. He leaped back and retreated hastily, narrowly avoiding several flashes of cold light that grazed past him.
Tang Yu seized the opportunity to escape into the night, but suddenly felt a gust of wind rushing towards her from behind, as if it were about to pierce her heart. She hurriedly dodged to the side, and what grazed her face was the broken tree branch in Xie Xingzheng's hand!
The force of the tree branch ripped off his mask, and Tang Yu instinctively covered his face. But then he realized that the tree branch must have never seen his true face before.
Although the two distanced themselves, Xie Xingzheng still caught a glimpse of the other's face out of the corner of his eye as he dodged, and his movements paused slightly when he landed.
How could it be a woman?
He thought it was...
But he didn't think about it any further. Instead, he suddenly pushed off with his feet and closed in on Tang Yu in just a few steps, his fingertips almost touching the skin on the side of her neck.
Tang Yu hurriedly retreated; if she had been even a fraction of a second later, he would have grabbed her by the neck.
Just then, a startled cry came from afar: "Oh no!"
Upon hearing the sound, Xie Xingzheng paused, but after only a second of thought, he abandoned Tang Yu, who was right in front of him, and turned to rush towards the direction of the sound.
Xiao Fangliang's shout not only drew Xie Xingzheng away for Tang Yu, but also alerted the people from Wangyuan Escort Agency. The lights in the courtyard gradually came on, and the people, their eyes still blurry, came out of the houses one after another, asking what had happened.
Tang Yu pushed open the door at the perfect time, already disguised as a traveling doctor. Although she seemed somewhat hasty, the darkness of the night made it unlikely that she would be noticed.
Still feeling sleepy, she stepped forward with concern to inquire.
Xiao Fangliang simply smiled faintly: "I was startled when I saw the dark shadow flash by."
But she could tell from his smiling eyes that he was doing this on purpose to help her out of a predicament.
Knowing that Xiao Fangliang was unharmed, Xie Xingzheng kept his gaze on Tang Yu's face, trying to find any trace of disguise, but he found nothing.
Could that face be real?
If the woman was him, would he really have had enough time to disguise himself again and calmly leave the house?
Even though there were many inexplicable things, he still felt that this Su Yutang was somewhat strange.
His gaze shifted downwards, and he noticed her slender wrist. He subconsciously reached out to confirm whether it belonged to a woman, just like the one Xia Nan had done that day in the suburbs.
As if sensing something, Tang Yu let her arm hang down naturally, and her sleeve slipped down, just enough to cover her fair and slender wrist.
Realizing his rudeness, Xie Xingzheng slightly withdrew his fist and took half a step back.
Wang Yunxi glanced at Tang Yu and suddenly felt that this itinerant doctor seemed to have become even more attractive than she had been at the banquet.
The events of tonight did not cause much panic at the escort agency.
The head of the household was initially quite anxious and hurriedly went into the attic to check, only to find that all his most beloved and valuable items were still there, perfectly intact, with none missing.
In the end, they had no choice but to tell Xie Xingzheng that no treasures were missing from the building, which was probably because he had stopped them.
But in his heart, he felt that the thief's eyesight and skills were quite poor.
If Tang Yu heard this, she would probably roll her eyes and then seriously plan to steal something big next time, to teach those careless people in the Wang family a lesson.
The matter of the nighttime theft was thus put on hold.
The following day, the Floating Light Ceremony took place as scheduled.
Early in the morning, songs and dances took place on the decorated tower, accompanied by loud drums and music, filling the capital with a joyful atmosphere.
Wang Shanyue was in high spirits and spent the whole day taking Tang Yu from one end of the street to the other, making her complain endlessly that her feet were about to break. On the other hand, Xiao Fangliang had already taken a seat in a private room of a teahouse, enjoying tea and leisurely watching the scenery, which made Wang Shanyue very envious.
Moreover, the imperial guards are personally led by Xie Xingzheng to guard the ceremonial guards at today's grand ceremony.
Even as Tang Yu walked through the crowds, she always felt a gaze fixed on her across the sea of people.
It was something that seemed to be there but wasn't, yet it made her feel uneasy all day.
As night falls, thousands of lanterns illuminate the long street, colorful banners hang high, and the sounds of traditional Chinese instruments weave a lively nocturne. Laughter, fragrance, and crowds mingle as families gather to secure a good spot for the view.
Thanks to Xiao Fangliang, the private room on the second floor where the three of them were sitting had an excellent view. They could see the center of the decorated building clearly with just a tilt of their heads and a glance into the distance.
As the Drum Tower bell tolled, the crowd gradually quieted down.
On the decorated tower, Emperor Wen of Chu raised his hand in greeting, and the delegation from the Southern Frontier personally presented the "sacred object" and respectfully knelt down to pay their respects. Once it spoke, it would reveal its true form before the Emperor of Heaven and all the people.
Tang Yu's gaze swept across the sea of people. The "sacred object" in the center of the high platform was covered by yellow silk, and under the lamplight, it shimmered with golden light, attracting the attention of everyone.
"Gentlemen!" An eunuch beside Emperor Chu Wen stepped forward, his voice high-pitched, his announcement carrying across the crowd to everyone's ears, "The envoy from the Southern Frontier presents today a sacred object—a Blood Hibiscus. We wish to establish friendly relations with the Great Xia and forge an alliance for generations to come!"
As the words fell, the yellow silk was lifted, revealing a strange, fiery red flower inside the box. Its petals curled in layers, like a blazing flame, its entire body as red as blood, and its roots were entwined with fine black and red threads like veins, making it eerily alluring.
A breeze blows, and the flowers and silk seem to come alive, swaying gently in the wind, carrying an indescribable eerie vitality, like flowers blooming in hell.
The people were first astonished, then in uproar.
Tang Yu's pupils contracted slightly, and her fingertips tightened almost imperceptibly on the teacup.
Blood Hibiscus, according to legend, is a twin flower that grows in the blood pool that nourishes countless poisons in the Southern Moon Kingdom. Its roots can break all poisons, its leaves can summon souls, and its flowers can cure all poisons in the world; it is extremely rare.
If she could obtain even a single petal... perhaps she wouldn't need to go to the trouble of searching for other medicinal herbs.
In the center of the decorated pavilion, Emperor Wen of Chu's expression changed slightly, but he did not say much. Instead, he and the Southern Frontier delegation retreated behind the curtain and took their seats to watch the ceremony.
As the drums and music resumed, sparks flew around the decorated pavilion, and thousands of plumes of colored smoke rose into the sky. Then, dazzling fireworks bloomed one after another in the night sky, fading away like a shower of stars, illuminating the entire capital region's skyline in a mesmerizing and magnificent display.
The faces of the people were illuminated by the brilliant light, and they looked up and cheered. The festive atmosphere reached its peak at this moment, and they forgot about the strange and sacred object.
Suddenly, someone pointed to the sky and exclaimed, "Look! There's something in the sky!"
At first, it was just a few people whispering, as if they had caught something in the fireworks, hidden under the night clouds.
Immediately, exclamations rang out from the crowd: "It's a dragon! It really is a dragon!"
The sound was like a pebble dropped into a lake, instantly creating ripples. Exclamations of surprise grew louder, and more and more people seemed to see the enormous dragon shadow as they focused their attention.
At this moment, floating above the sky was a colossal dragon, its scales gleaming like iron, its eyes like bronze bells. Amidst the fireworks and smoke, it roared angrily to the heavens, its tail sweeping across the sea of clouds, its imposing presence awe-inspiring!
"The dragon is enraged! It's an ominous sign! Run!"
Someone shouted something, instantly igniting fear in the hearts of the people, and screams erupted everywhere. In an instant, the once jubilant crowd turned into a panicked mass, fleeing in terror. The crowd surged and jostled, pushing, shoving, falling, and trampling, and chaos spread.
Although the Imperial Guards reacted immediately, the situation was already out of control. Cries and bloodshed mingled together, turning what should have been a grand ceremony announcing peace into one shrouded in terror.
Emperor Wen of Chu immediately ordered the cessation of the remaining fireworks display, but it was too late.
A thunderous roar seemed to roll down from the clouds, accompanied by tremors of light and shadow, shaking the entire imperial city.
On the high platform, the blood-red hibiscus swayed gently in the lanterns of the decorated pavilion, as if silently watching the chaos unfold.
"Oh no, I'll go help my senior brother!" Wang Shanyue flipped over and jumped down from the teahouse, heading straight for the chaos.
Although Xiao Fangliang and Tang Yu looked solemn, they knew that remaining still at this time was the best course of action to avoid causing trouble.
"Did you also see that so-called real dragon?" Tang Yu pursed her lips, her brows furrowed with confusion.
Xiao Fangliang did not answer, but looked up at the dark night sky, his eyes darkening as if a moment of hesitation had passed through them.
Above that sky, there was clearly... nothing at all.
*
The events of tonight have shaken the court and the public.
Emperor Wen of Chu ordered the city gates to be sealed off overnight, and the imperial guards were mobilized in full force to conduct a thorough investigation in conjunction with the Dali Temple, leaving no stone unturned.
But even as the rooster crowed at dawn, nothing was found, and no one could offer an explanation.
Emperor Wen of Chu was furious.
This is a grand night that everyone is watching closely, and with the Southern Frontier delegation present, even the slightest anomaly could shake the people's morale and damage the prestige of the Great Xia Kingdom.
But in the eyes of the common people, they could clearly see the "real dragon" soaring through the clouds in the sky, now enraged.
In just one night, rumors spread like wildfire. Some said that a real dragon had descended from the sky, a sign of divine wrath or impending natural disaster. Others interpreted it as divine retribution, saying that the Great Xia dynasty was doomed.
The people of Zhongjing were filled with anxiety, and during the morning court session, the officials discussed the matter extensively, expressing their concerns endlessly.
Inside the Golden Palace, Emperor Wen of Chu, his face ashen, slammed his fist on the table in fury, and abruptly halted the Minister of Justice's lengthy speculation, "What was supposed to be a grand ceremonial ceremony has now become a joke! You cannot find the truth, so you try to fool me with conjecture?"
His Highness and his ministers all knelt down and pleaded guilty in unison.
Emperor Wen of Chu sneered, "Since they're all useless, then go find some useful people for me!"
He was not afraid of the so-called ominous signs from heaven, but the situation was now out of control, and people's hearts were easily disturbed. If the truth he sought could not appease the people, it would be meaningless. Those panicked words would still damage the foundation of the Great Xia Dynasty and endanger his imperial power.
Therefore, what he wants has never been the truth.
Emperor Wen of Chu ordered in court that the case be transferred to the Censorate for further investigation, and that the Imperial Guards could be mobilized if necessary.
Xie Xingzheng led his troops to post an imperial edict, proclaiming to the world: Seeking extraordinary individuals to unravel the mystery of the ethereal dragon. The deadline is three days; whoever solves this mystery and restores peace to the capital will receive one of the emperor's wishes as a reward!
This imperial edict, like adding fuel to the fire, instantly stirred up waves in the capital. Many wandering sorcerers, secret agents from the court and the countryside, and extraordinary individuals from the common people were all eager to uncover the mystery behind it.
Outside the crowd, Tang Yu stared at the imperial edict for a long time, then lowered her eyes and smiled softly.
This was practically an opportunity delivered to her doorstep. If she could solve this case, she could obtain a petal of the blood hibiscus without having to think about how to infiltrate the palace to steal the tribute.
The moment he looked up again, his gaze inadvertently met Xie Xingzheng's, who was standing in front of the imperial edict.
His gaze was as sharp as a knife, piercing through the crowded throng and fixing directly on her.
Tang Yu, however, did not flinch, but met his gaze with a smile, her determination to win him over evident.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com