Chapter 177 Yi Xingyao actually took a sword for her!
Inside the Qianqing Palace.
Even though the morning court sessions have been held as usual recently, only those close to Emperor Zhaoheng can perceive the torment he has been experiencing lately.
The day before yesterday, the secret guards sent out found a pregnant, headless female corpse near the official road.
Since that day, Emperor Zhaoheng had not slept well for many days and became haggard in a short time. Now that the secret guards had come to report the investigation results, Emperor Zhaoheng took a deep breath before whispering for him to speak.
The guard knelt down and reported:
"Your Majesty, all major passages and checkpoints around the capital have been thoroughly searched, but no one matching the characteristics of Consort Jin has been found."
"The headless pregnant body found in the suburbs of Beijing was carefully examined by the coroner and it was confirmed that the body was over thirty years old and was definitely not that of Consort Jin."
Upon hearing the last sentence, Emperor Zhaoheng's tense shoulders relaxed slightly. He exhaled deeply, closed his eyes, and leaned back against the back of the dragon throne.
It wasn't her... thank goodness it wasn't her.
But then, a deeper worry gripped him.
Where is Xian'er, neither alive nor dead?
Why have we been searching for her for days without finding any trace? Do we really have to use the Imperial Guards?
No, it still won't work.
Five days have passed since Shui Xian was abducted from Jingguang Temple. If the Imperial Guards are used now, Shui Xian's reputation will suffer a devastating blow.
Even if she manages to find the person, she may face condemnation from court officials and even the entire nation.
Emperor Zhaoheng slowly opened his eyes and gave a deep command.
"By imperial decree, expand the search area to all prefectures and counties in the capital region! Utilize all available resources to find him! Live or dead..."
He paused here, the word seeming to carry a thousand pounds of weight, making his breath catch in his throat, but he still said it, "...I want to see the body!"
However, he then emphasized his words, his sharp gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall, stressing each one carefully.
"But all actions must prioritize the safety of the Imperial Concubine! Any action that could endanger the Imperial Concubine's life must be abandoned rather than act rashly!"
In his heart, finding her, finding her unharmed, was the primary objective of this operation.
Before the guards could leave after receiving their orders, a message came from outside the hall that Koriko, who was leading another squad, was requesting an audience.
Emperor Zhaoheng gestured for the head of the secret guards to leave, and then Xiao Lizi quickly walked in. Although she was travel-worn, there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
Upon noticing the light, Emperor Zhaoheng couldn't help but sit up straighter, hoping to hear some good news.
"emperor!"
Xiao Lizi knelt down and carefully presented something with both hands.
It was a simple yet exquisitely crafted plain silver hairpin.
"This item was found in a house next to a family home in the capital that had been wiped out. It is in the style of the palace and is the style that Consort Jin usually liked to use. It should be a clue that Consort Jin deliberately left when the thieves were not paying attention."
Emperor Zhaoheng accepted the cold hairpin presented by Feng Shunxiang. The moment he saw the style of the court hairpin, he felt his hand holding it tremble slightly.
This is indeed Xian'er's!
The thought that Narcissus had once stayed in the capital, but he missed it because he couldn't use the Imperial Guards, filled Emperor Zhaoheng with both joy and regret.
Xiao Lizi continued to kneel and report, having conducted a very thorough investigation.
"I asked the residents in the vicinity, and an old man vaguely mentioned that the day before yesterday, near dusk, he seemed to see a tall man with a large cloak covering a person who looked like a woman, and... her belly was swollen. He rode a horse in the southeast direction."
"But it was still dark and the distance was far, so the old man was not sure."
This was the first time Emperor Zhaoheng had heard about Narcissus's whereabouts five days after she was abducted.
Upon hearing this, Feng Shunxiang quickly reassured him, "Your Majesty, this...this at least shows that the Imperial Concubine was taken away alive, and...and the imperial heir is temporarily safe. This is a stroke of good fortune amidst misfortune!"
Feng Shunxiang wanted to comfort Emperor Zhaoheng, saying that as long as the imperial heir was safe, all the better.
Emperor Zhaoheng, however, did not think so. In fact, he himself did not realize that when he heard that the person taken away was a pregnant woman, his first thought was not that the child was safe, but that he recognized Shui Xian by her belly.
Emperor Zhaoheng rested his hand on his forehead, lowered his eyes, and said in a deep voice, "What I want is for her to return to me safely and intact! The child is important, but without her..."
His words came to an abrupt end, but the profound meaning contained in those unfinished words gave both Feng Shunxiang and Xiao Lizi a jolt.
The Emperor's concern for Consort Jin had become so profound that it surpassed his concern for the imperial heir in her womb!
Especially Feng Shunxiang, who had been by Emperor Zhaoheng's side since he was a prince.
It can be said that Feng Shunxiang was one of the people in the palace who understood Emperor Zhaoheng's temperament best. Hearing that Emperor Zhaoheng cared so much about Shui Xian, Feng Shunxiang was slightly surprised.
What he feared wasn't Emperor Zhaoheng's concern, but rather the thought that if something happened to Consort Jin, the Emperor would be deeply grieved...
"Xiao Lizi."
Emperor Zhaoheng no longer hesitated and personally ordered, "You lead a team of the most elite secret guards and secretly track me down along the southeast direction!"
"Report any clues immediately! Remember, the primary task is to ensure Consort Jin's safety!"
"Your servant obeys the decree!"
Xiao Lizi kowtowed deeply. Even though she had been working non-stop for many days without rest, she still left quickly without hesitation when she thought of the still unwell Shuixian.
——
Inside Kunning Palace, the smell of medicine still lingered in the hall.
The Empress leaned back on the couch, her complexion now better than before, despite her previous paleness.
She was sipping the dark medicine offered by a palace maid when another maid quietly approached and whispered in her ear.
"Your Majesty, the Emperor's search efforts have intensified, but according to our observations, their main force seems to have been diverted to the southeast of the capital."
"It seems that it deviates somewhat from Yi Xingyao's actual direction."
Upon hearing this, the Empress's lips, stained with the medicine, slowly curved into a satisfied smile.
She put down the medicine bowl, gently wiped the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, her voice slightly weak, yet carrying a hint of ruthlessness.
"Very well... Tell them to make that bitch and the bastard in her belly disappear from the outside world forever, so as not to dirty my hands."
It turns out that Yi Xingyao was able to abduct Narcissus so smoothly and successfully conceal his whereabouts in the early stages because the Empress was indeed secretly helping him and providing some cover.
The Empress learned about Yi Xingyao's obsession with narcissus from Yi Guichun. She was happy to sit back and watch the two fight, and even hoped that this madman, Yi Xingyao, could help her get rid of this major threat.
The palace maid understood and was about to bow and leave to convey the order when the Empress seemed to suddenly remember something. A sinister glint flashed in her eyes, and she called the maid back.
"etc……"
She hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice even further.
“I’m not entirely at ease relying on others. That vixen is always so seductive and adept at bewitching people…”
"Send a message to those assassins secretly raised by our Liu family, and have them make their move. If there's an opportunity... send her on her way personally. Make sure she's dead before I can be at ease."
Only by eliminating the root of the problem can she sleep soundly at night!
——
In the outskirts of Beijing, in a dilapidated, abandoned mountain god temple far from the city gate.
The temple was covered in cobwebs, and a cold wind blew through the ruins. It was summer, but for some reason, the mountain god temple was unbearably cold.
Yi Xingyao, along with Shui Xian, who was still unconscious due to being drugged, and Madam Yi, who hated Shui Xian, had just managed to evade a search and were temporarily hiding here.
He tied Narcissus to a pillar with rough hemp rope, and then personally placed dry grass under her to prevent her from catching a cold from the damp, cold floor tiles.
After all this was done, the assassins in the distance had already started a fire.
Yi Xingyao went to sit over there, the campfire crackling and reflecting his ever-changing face.
He took out a porcelain bottle from his pocket, which contained abortion pills that he had specially ordered from a doctor, and he had never thrown them away.
By the light of the campfire, he examined the small porcelain bottle, lost in thought.
Madam Yi sat to the side, looking at her son's appearance, and then at Shui Xian, who was tied up and in a daze, and finally couldn't help but speak again.
"In my opinion, why bother with an abortion? Why not just..."
She made a throat-slitting gesture, her eyes filled with murderous intent, "...Killing him would be the only cleanup! It would end it all!"
Yi Xingyao pursed his lips, remaining silent and staring at the leaping flames.
At this moment, Narcissus was jolted awake by the cold air in the temple.
She moved her numb arms, still not fully conscious, but she still caught a glimpse of Yi Xingyao's back by the campfire... and the porcelain bottle in his hand.
Her survival instinct immediately brought her back to her senses.
She dared not make any big movements, and moved her stiff and numb hands slightly. However, while she was moving them, Narcissus bumped into a rather sharp pebble on the ground next to her.
The stone was hidden in the haystack, and because the temple was dimly lit, Yi Xingyao did not see it.
Narcissus felt a chill run down her spine and nervously watched the activity around the campfire, while tentatively clutching a pebble in her hand.
However, the next moment, she met Madam Yi's furious gaze.
In a short period of time, Madam Yi had experienced too much. Now, seeing that her son was still not killing Shui Xian, she felt that Shui Xian was seductive and alluring. The hatred she harbored for Shui Xian grew deeper and deeper, finally reaching a critical point.
Madam Yi finally gave up trying to persuade Yi Xingyao. She suddenly sprang into action, grabbed the sword that Yi Xingyao had left on the ground, and lunged at Shuixian, who was tied to the pillar. The tip of the sword was aimed straight at Shuixian's heart!
"You bitch! I will avenge Chun'er!"
Yi Xingyao's expression changed drastically. He never expected that his mother, who was usually strict but would never kill, would be forced into such a situation.
"Mother! No!"
Seeing that the sword was about to pierce the narcissus, Yi Xingyao didn't think twice and almost instinctively lunged to the side.
"Forehead!"
Yi Xingyao let out a muffled groan as a long gash was slashed open on his left arm by the sharpened sword. Blood gushed out instantly, dripping onto the ground with a soft, crackling sound.
Sensing what had happened, Narcissus looked up at him in shock.
Yi Xingyao actually took a sword for her!
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