Qin Qianluo's face was cold and she bit her lower lip tightly. The soft "hmm" sound was short and heavy, as if she was suppressing a great deal of grief and anger deep in her throat.
She slowly turned her head, her gaze fixed on Yao Guang. In the instant their eyes met, Qin Qianluo's eyes were filled with worry and determination, concealing a profound meaning that others could not understand.
Yao Guang and Qin Qianluo spent every day together, and Yao Guang knew her temperament and habits very well.
Just by meeting her master's deep and complex gaze, her heart tightened as if gripped tightly by an invisible hand, and her breathing became rapid.
However, she reacted very quickly. In an instant, a gentle smile appeared on her face, and she moved gracefully with light steps, extending her hand to offer support.
Her voice was soft and melodious, like a spring breeze: "Your Highness, the night wind is getting colder, and it feels quite chilly on my skin."
"This servant will help you put on another coat. You are of noble birth; please don't catch a cold."
This was something the two had agreed upon long ago: in front of outsiders, they could only address each other as "Your Highness" and not "Master." Yao Guang was aware of her master's concerns, so she readily complied.
Suppressing the anxiety and grief surging within her, Qin Qianluo nodded slightly, forcing a smile that was more like a grimace, her lips curving into a bitter grin.
She took a deep breath, trying to make her voice sound steady, and bowed to apologize to the guests around her.
His words were full of sincerity: "It's windy tonight, so I'm going to put on some more clothes. I hope you will forgive me."
Despite her best efforts to control herself, the slight tremor in her voice betrayed her inner panic and urgency.
The surrounding guests heard her thoughts and understood why King Jinrui Zhao had left in such a hurry. They all showed understanding and nodded to her so she wouldn't worry.
However, the officials' faces were unusually solemn, and their resentment burned like a raging fire.
In the capital, right under the emperor's nose, someone dared to be so audacious as to carry out such a cruel attack on the subordinates of Prince Jinrui Zhao, and what's worse, they chose such a joyous day as the prince's birthday.
This was not only a blatant provocation against King Zhao's authority, but also a serious violation of the security of the capital.
These officials, who were usually adept at maneuvering in the imperial court, exchanged glances and pondered amongst themselves.
It seems that the hidden forces in the capital really need to be dealt with properly, otherwise who knows what kind of trouble they might cause in the future.
The emperor, who had arrived in disguise, sat at the table and witnessed everything. His face was as gloomy as the sky before a storm, and his eyes were full of heartache and displeasure.
He has always been unable to bear seeing Qin Qianluo suffer even the slightest grievance or unhappiness. Seeing her forced smile just now, he felt as if his heart was being pricked by needles.
He turned his head slightly, looking in the direction of Prime Minister Qin, and nodded gently as their eyes met.
His eyes conveyed an unwavering determination, as if to show Prime Minister Qin that he would not stand idly by in this matter.
Qin Xiang was equally furious, his face flushed red, and his beard trembled slightly with rage.
As Luo'er's trusted confidante, An Yue's current predicament is undoubtedly a blatant offense to the Qin family.
He secretly resolved to investigate this matter thoroughly and give Luo'er and An Yue an explanation.
Lin Ruoqing and Qin Qianyu sat to the side, their faces also full of worry. They knew all too well how important Dark Moon was to Luo'er.
If anything were to happen to Dark Moon, given Luo'er's personality, she would surely blame herself and fall into endless pain.
Their eyes were full of concern, and they kept glancing in the direction Luo'er had left, silently praying that Dark Moon would be safe and sound.
After receiving a meaningful look from his father, Qin Jiyuan immediately understood.
His expression was stern, his eyes revealing determination and courage. With a wave of his hand, he said in a loud voice, "Come with me!"
He then quickly left with a group of well-trained guards.
They hurried along, their boots clicking rapidly on the ground, heading towards the direction where Dark Moon had been attacked.
The goal is to find out the whole story and find out who is behind it as quickly as possible.
The birthday banquet, which was originally lively and filled with laughter, was now shrouded in gloom by this sudden change.
The festive atmosphere vanished instantly, replaced by a heavy, oppressive feeling that made it hard to breathe.
The guests' conversations became sparse, and worry and unease were written on everyone's face.
This birthday celebration, which should have been filled with joy and blessings, was ultimately disrupted by the attack, leaving everyone with only worry and unease about how things would unfold.
Qin Qianluo was extremely anxious, her steps were messy and hurried, and she almost ran all the way back to her courtyard.
The biting wind howled past, but it did nothing to cool the burning anxiety within her.
Along the way, the terrible fate that Dark Moon might encounter kept flashing through her mind, each thought like a sharp knife, piercing her heart.
Her heart clenched tighter and tighter, as if gripped by an invisible hand.
Upon reaching the courtyard gate, she didn't even have time to catch her breath. She was completely unaware that her skirt had been caught on the threshold. With a forceful flick, she rushed straight towards Dark Moon's room.
Her breathing was rapid and heavy, her chest heaving violently, her forehead covered with fine beads of sweat, and her hair was soaked with sweat, sticking messily to her cheeks.
She raised her hand and forcefully pushed open the tightly closed door, breaking the deathly silence inside with a creak. Before her lay Dark Moon, lying unconscious on the bed.
Dark Moon's face was ashen, devoid of any color, like a lifeless wax figure.
The layers of gauze covering her body were stained with mottled blood, the glaring red like blooming, alluring flowers, wantonly proclaiming the suffering she had endured.
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