After several days of searching, the Emperor issued a death notice: the Empress and the Princess had tragically perished, the whole country was in mourning, and all entertainment activities were suspended.
Emperor Jin was also immersed in deep grief, drowning his sorrows in wine every day, and became very thin.
Although Emperor Jin no longer had much affection for the Empress, her sudden departure still left him feeling somewhat lost.
After all, they were husband and wife, and had gone through thick and thin together over the years, but now all that's left are memories and longing.
What troubled Emperor Jin even more was that his original plan to marry the eldest princess to Jingyuan as a princess consort, and even the hope of her ascending to the throne of empress, had now all vanished.
The original plan was to have the third princess marry Prince An in place of the eldest princess, but he refused to marry her due to grief, and the matter was dropped.
The Lantern Festival, the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, should be a day of family reunion, joy, and celebration.
However, the passing of the Empress and the Eldest Princess cast a desolate and bleak atmosphere over the entire capital.
On this day, the retired emperor also led his large army back home.
Despite his illness, Emperor Jin personally escorted the retired emperor and his entourage to the city gate, lamenting, "It is my misfortune that I could not become in-laws with you."
The retired emperor comforted him in a somber tone, "Everything is fate, there will be other opportunities in the future. You're not feeling well, so go back and rest early, we also need to hurry on our way."
Emperor Jin nodded, watching the carriage of the retired emperor and his entourage gradually disappear into the distance until it vanished from sight.
He turned around, his face filled with exhaustion and sorrow, as if he had aged considerably overnight.
The people lining both sides of the road wept, saying that the Emperor's love for the Empress was as deep as the sea, and everyone was moved by the Emperor.
On the second floor of a restaurant, someone quietly closed a window and sneered, "Mother, look at him, he even uses you after you're dead. It's utterly ridiculous."
A woman sighed softly, "So be it. Now that he's gone, I won't dwell on these things anymore. I only hope that he will treat the people well and govern the country well."
The woman's sneer deepened: "Mother, you are so naive. A man like him will stop at nothing to achieve his own interests. The well-being of the people is nothing more than a tool to consolidate his imperial power in his eyes."
The woman was silent for a moment, then gently shook her head: "Perhaps you are right."
A middle-aged man standing nearby chimed in, "Your mother is right."
Before long, the three of them also left the capital, driving away leisurely in their carriage.
The sky is high enough for birds to fly freely, and the sea is wide enough for fish to leap freely.
At this moment, they were free, both physically and mentally...
After leaving the capital, the retired emperor looked coldly at Prince An: "Whose idea was this? How are you going to explain this to your father when you get back?"
Prince An paused for a moment, holding the chess piece, then smiled and said, "Of course I told Father the truth. I was so heartbroken by the sudden death of my fiancée that I decided to travel around to clear my head."
A sharp glint flashed in the Emperor Emeritus's eyes. He glanced at Prince An and said calmly, "Aren't you afraid that I'll tell your father the truth?"
As soon as he finished speaking, Prince An smiled almost imperceptibly: "This Emperor Jin has private connections with the Red Lotus Sect. I believe even my grandfather wouldn't want to become in-laws with him, would he? His true purpose is probably the entire Jingyuan."
The Emperor Emeritus nodded: "What you say makes sense. Those 'bandits' were probably hired by Feng Monian to impersonate them, right?"
He smiled and nodded: "Nothing can be hidden from Grandfather."
But the person behind it must not be known to others.
But this time, the 'bandit' was able to easily charm the guards, and he also used a little trick to help.
As he spoke, a sly glint flashed in his eyes.
Now, he has become the ultimate winner.
He received financial assistance from the eldest princess without having to marry her.
On the surface, Xuanqing is just a princess of Xuanyue Kingdom, but in reality, she owns businesses in all seven kingdoms and is a hidden wealthy merchant.
The wealth she possesses is enough to make any country envious.
Now that she has shed her role as a royal princess, she can run her own business without any worries and maximize the power of her wealth.
At the front of the group, Li Xi was currently in the carriage with Qin Xiaonian, intently flipping through the scrolls they had brought back from the Xuan Yue stronghold.
The scroll contains records of the traces and clues left by the Red Lotus Sect in Xuan Yue Kingdom over the years.
Upon closer examination of these clues, both Li Xi and Qin Xiaonian frowned.
Judging from the timeline, the Red Lotus Cult's activities in Xuan Yue Kingdom have become increasingly frequent, which suggests that they may be planning something big.
Qin Xiaonian pointed to a passage on the scroll and said in a deep voice, "Xixi, look here. It is said that Emperor Jin claimed on the surface that he had eradicated the Red Lotus Sect's influence in Xuan Yue, but in reality he colluded with the Red Lotus Sect in secret, using their name to amass wealth and put all the money into his own private treasury."
She gently patted the scroll and said, "If that's really the case, then the Jin Emperor's ambitions are quite grand."
Qin Xiaolin nodded, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes: "If Emperor Jin really colludes with the Red Lotus Sect, then his purpose is probably not just to amass wealth. The Red Lotus Sect acts mysteriously and is adept at manipulating people's hearts. If they gain Emperor Jin's support, they may do even more outrageous things."
Qin Xiaonian frowned, pondered for a moment, and then slowly said, "We must send these important clues back to the court as soon as possible so that His Majesty can understand the truth and make a decision."
Over the past few years, he had maintained close contact with Emperor Wenyuan under the guise of Feng Monian, and was responsible for collecting and transmitting some key intelligence for the emperor.
"Brother Qin, this intelligence is invaluable! Our disciples in the Hidden Sect really have it tough! They toil day and night, enduring wind and rain, rain or shine. To make a living, to support their families, they have to endure any hardship, any toil."
A hint of shyness appeared on Li Xi's face as she spoke, seemingly finding it difficult to say it.
If she found this information herself, she wouldn't care if she gave it to Qin Xiaolin.
But now...
The person looking at the scroll in their hand froze as if they had been frozen in place.
A look of astonishment crossed his face, followed by a hearty laugh: "Hahaha... Don't worry, I know the rules and ways of this business inside and out. Besides, our Emperor is known for his generosity!"
She smiled too; there was nothing she could do. For the people of the Hidden Sect, doing these things was extremely risky, as they were constantly traveling all over the country.
Therefore, she still had to fight for the benefits she was entitled to. Even though he was the emperor, there was no reason for his own people to work for nothing.
Qin Xiaolin patted Li Xi's hair: "You did a great job. Having a young master like you is a blessing for them. But, if you're short of money, you can come to me. I have both money and love..."
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