Chapter 171 How could the person who came be Yi Xingyao!
The Qianqing Palace.
Even though today seemed like an ordinary day, everyone in the palace was incredibly tense, as if they were about to face an impending storm.
Emperor Zhaoheng had just finished reviewing a memorial when Feng Shunxiang hurried in and reported in a low voice.
"Your Majesty, several members of the imperial family and officials from the Censorate are kneeling outside the palace gates again..."
"They said it was for the sake of the Empress Dowager's health and the dignity of the royal family, and they earnestly requested His Majesty to grant Consort Jin's request to go to Jingguang Temple to pray for blessings."
"Clang!"
Emperor Zhaoheng abruptly threw the vermilion brush in his hand onto the imperial desk. The fine Duan inkstone was knocked over by his wide sleeve, and the ink spilled out, staining the bright yellow memorial.
His dark eyes were filled with anger, and his thin lips pressed tightly together as he said:
"They're using this as an excuse to pressure me!"
The bright yellow color undulated, reflecting a heart full of anger.
What kind of place is Jingguang Temple?
"The mountain roads are rugged and the conditions are rudimentary! Xian'er is pregnant with twins and about to give birth. If something happens to her in a place like that at this time, who can bear the responsibility?!"
Feng Shunxiang was so frightened that he knelt down and forced himself to persuade the emperor, "Your Majesty, please calm down! This servant understands that you care about the Imperial Concubine, but... but now the whole court and the public are watching this matter."
Feng Shunxiang's words carried a hint of earnest concern: "The Empress Dowager fell ill at the birthday banquet, which already puts public opinion against her. If the Emperor were to forcefully reject the public's opinion at this time, I fear... I fear that those with ulterior motives would seize upon this and spread it widely..."
Under Emperor Zhaoheng's blazing gaze, Feng Shunxiang gritted his teeth and said:
"They say Your Majesty is biased towards the Imperial Concubine, disregarding filial piety and the dignity of the royal family..."
Emperor Zhaoheng slammed his hand on the table. Feng Shunxiang's words angered him, but they also brought him to his senses.
He recalled his father, the emperor, who had caused turmoil in the court by showing excessive favoritism towards the imperial concubine.
Since ascending the throne, he has always taken this as a warning and strived for justice...
Is he now destined to follow in his father's footsteps? This would certainly be of no benefit to his empire.
Emperor Zhaoheng remained silent.
The anger was gradually replaced by a deeper, more complex emotion.
The path to becoming an emperor is never up to one's own choice.
After a long silence, he sighed softly, his voice losing its usual composure.
"Issue the imperial decree: prepare the carriage for the Lihe Palace."
——
Inside the Lihe Palace, Shui Xian was leaning against a round-backed chair by the window, listening to Yin Zhu's low report about the situation at Jingguang Temple that she had inquired about.
"...Your Majesty, although Jingguang Temple is a royal temple, it is located in the mountains outside the city. It has been in disrepair for many years and the conditions are very austere."
"The vegetarian meals are bland, the meditation room is damp, and the mountain road is bumpy... How can you go with your health? Won't you suffer all kinds of injustice?"
Yinzhu's usually calm voice was now filled with worry.
Narcissus remained calm and said indifferently.
"Since we're going to pray for the Empress Dowager, not to enjoy ourselves, you should start preparing your luggage and belongings now, just in case..."
Before she could finish speaking, she heard familiar footsteps and the sounds of palace servants paying their respects outside the hall.
Emperor Zhaoheng arrived, but he did not have anyone announce his arrival; instead, he stopped outside the window.
Narcissus and Silver Pearl exchanged a glance and tacitly continued their previous conversation.
Shui Xian spoke again, her voice full of understanding for Emperor Zhaoheng, and she sounded quite gentle.
"His Majesty is in a dilemma now, with both the court and the harem watching."
"Moreover, Jingguang Temple is only thirty miles from the city. If anything really happens... I trust the Emperor's arrangements."
At this moment, Emperor Zhaoheng lifted the curtain and entered.
When Narcissus saw him come in, she was about to get up to greet him.
Emperor Zhaoheng quickly stepped forward to support her, staring intently at her eyes and brows, his voice filled with emotion.
"Xian'er, you don't need to do this. I'll think of another way. You're heavily pregnant now, and I'm really worried about you being away from the palace..."
Narcissus looked up at him, her clear eyes revealing a resolute expression.
She didn't complain at all, and didn't even show any sign of being wronged.
Instead, she was very sensible, as if she were sharing his burdens: "Your Majesty, I know you care about me. But this matter concerns the Empress Dowager's health, and even more so the dignity of the royal family and Your Majesty's reputation."
At this point, Narcissus curtsied.
"Your Majesty, I voluntarily go to Jingguang Temple to pray for blessings for three days, to pray for the Empress Dowager's recovery, and also to accumulate blessings for the Emperor and the unborn child."
Looking at her sensible and forbearing appearance, Emperor Zhaoheng felt a pang of sadness in his heart and cherished her even more.
He didn't even realize that his initial thought of letting Narcissus go, which stemmed from the pressure of the situation, had now completely turned into an attempt to stop her.
Emperor Zhaoheng raised his hand and grasped hers, the burning heat transmitting through their pressed skin. "Xian'er, what about Jingguang Temple..."
“Your Majesty,” Shui Xian interrupted him softly, offering words of comfort, “Now that the Empress Dowager has made her move, there is no way to avoid it. Rather than letting her cause further trouble in the palace, it would be better for me to temporarily refrain from her advances.”
"Although Jingguang Temple is austere, it is peaceful. With Yinzhu, Tinglu and Xiaolizi taking care of me, I will be fine. Your Majesty is in the palace, so you can concentrate on handling state affairs and do not need to be distracted by me."
Her serene profile was extremely pleasing to the eye, and the sight of her with his eyes and heart filled with nothing but him moved Emperor Zhaoheng even more.
When has anyone ever chosen him with such unwavering resolve?!
Needless to say, even the Empress Dowager and the concubines only considered the interests of their families and themselves. Only Shui Xian... was willing to suffer grievances for him.
Seeing that she was determined and had thought things through, Emperor Zhaoheng felt both pity and an indescribable admiration.
He stopped trying to dissuade him and immediately began making arrangements to ensure everything went perfectly.
Emperor Zhaoheng immediately dispatched two of his most elite secret guards.
A team led by the alert and loyal Riko, disguised as ordinary eunuchs and palace maids, provides close protection.
The other team, which was larger, secretly followed the convoy, responsible for perimeter security and emergency response, and was ready to follow Xiao Lizi's orders at any time.
Meanwhile, informants were also stationed along the route to Jingguang Temple to ensure the smooth transmission of information.
The news that Consort Jin had decided to leave the palace to pray for the Empress Dowager quickly spread throughout the harem.
The concubines and palace attendants came to pay their respects and see him off, each with a different expression.
Most of it is just superficial concern, a mere formality.
Tuoba's worries were the most genuine; he almost wanted to go with Shuixian.
Meanwhile, the usually low-key Consort Jing, Wen Jingfeng, secretly slipped an inconspicuous jade token to Narcissus when no one was looking, and whispered:
"Consort Jin, please keep this safe. Although Jingguang Temple is a royal temple, it is still dangerous to leave the palace. If... if you really encounter trouble, you can use this token to seek help from the Chang'an Escort Agency, which is located twenty miles outside the temple."
Shui Xian was surprised that Wen Jingfeng, who had once been a young lady from a respectable family, had connections with the largest security escort agency in the martial arts world.
But there was no time to ask further questions. He solemnly accepted the token and put it away, saying, "Thank you, Consort Jing."
On the eve of his departure, Emperor Zhaoheng held Shuixian tightly in his arms and whispered a promise in her ear: "Three days, just three days!"
"When the three days are up, I will personally go to Jingguang Temple to bring you back to the palace. I will not let you stay a moment longer!"
The usually indifferent emperor was now repeatedly giving Narcissus instructions.
"Remember, if there is any unusual activity within the temple, no matter how small, immediately have Xiao Lizi send a message to me... Even if I have to tear down Jingguang Temple, I will protect you!"
The next morning, as dawn broke.
Narcissus, accompanied by Silver Pearl, Tinglu, and disguised guards, slowly drove away from the palace in a carriage.
The carriage curtain was lifted slightly, and Shui Xian turned around to look. She saw that Emperor Zhaoheng's figure still stood on the high palace wall.
Seeing the man's tall figure filled with worry, she gently waved her hand to reassure him.
The journey was uneventful and went smoothly, arriving at Jingguang Temple in just one day.
As Yinzhu had said, the temple was indeed ancient and solemn, and the meditation rooms naturally appeared simpler compared to those in the palace.
Shui Xian went to the main hall to burn incense and pray for blessings every day. Under the watchful eyes of the nuns, her expression was gentle, and she showed no resentment towards the Empress Dowager.
However, the seemingly kind-looking abbot of the temple would always subtly probe Shui Xian's daily life every time they met, seemingly unintentionally but actually intentionally.
The young nun responsible for delivering the vegetarian meals would unconsciously glance at her protruding belly with a look of inquiry.
What made the observant Silver Pearl even more suspicious was:
For two consecutive days, every evening a black carriage without any markings would stop in the pine forest not far from the temple, and would quietly leave only when the night was deep and quiet.
Tinglu told Shuixian about all these unusual events.
Narcissus sensed something was wrong and immediately summoned Riko.
"Strengthen security, especially at night. It seems the Empress Dowager's people are getting impatient."
Now, it seems the only one plotting to impregnate her is the Empress Dowager.
On the third night, Shui Xian had just finished writing a secret letter to Emperor Zhao Heng in her meditation room.
The letter described in detail the unusual situation inside the temple and the mysterious black carriage.
She planned to have Xiaolizi deliver it overnight.
Just as she sealed the envelope, she smelled a rather strange sweet fragrance wafting in through the cracks in the door and window.
She felt a chill run down her spine, immediately held her breath, and covered her mouth and nose with a handkerchief.
But it was too late!
As soon as Narcissus stood up, she felt a strong wave of dizziness wash over her.
"silver……"
She tried to shout, but could only manage a faint whisper.
Almost at the same time, the clanging sound of weapons clashing violently came from outside the meditation room!
Xiao Lizi's angry roar shattered the silence of the night: "Assassins! Protect the Empress!"
Narcissus was terrified. With her last shred of consciousness, she struggled to reach the headboard.
There is a dagger hidden there for self-defense.
However, his vision became increasingly blurry, and his hands and feet became completely unresponsive.
"Bang!"
The door to the meditation room was suddenly kicked open from the outside!
A tall man dressed in black, his face covered by a black cloth, broke through the obstruction and slipped into the room.
He held a handkerchief in his hand, and when he saw Narcissus lying slumped on the edge of the bed, he raised his hand and covered Narcissus's mouth and nose!
The last thing Narcissus saw was a pair of eyes behind the mask, eyes that held a chilling cruelty.
She was terrified.
This person was none other than Yi Xingyao!
The next moment, she was completely plunged into boundless darkness...
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