The moment Pang Xinhui stood up, Ling Hua felt a sense of foreboding.
After hearing this explanation, he was even more certain that everything that happened today was her doing.
"Uncle, please allow me to inform you that Qingyun just received news that his wife is drunk and is taking a nap in the Imperial Garden. I think they should be back soon, so there's no need for such a fuss."
As Ling Hua said this, she clenched her fists and prayed silently in her heart: Yun Qing, you must be alright.
However, things didn't go as planned.
At this moment, Yun Qing lay on her bed in the East Palace, feeling that something important had happened to her.
As Ling Ye's handsome face drew closer, she subconsciously swallowed, feeling her mouth dry.
"Your Highness, what are you going to do? Don't forget, I am the wife of your good friend Xu Qingyun."
"Heh." Ling Ye smiled. "Of course I won't forget. But, Madam Xu, you wouldn't want Qingyun to know, would you?"
Yun Qing didn't have a chance to answer. She only felt a sharp pain on her lips as a hot body pressed down on her.
...
An abandoned palace.
Xu Qingyun rushed over with hurried steps, only to find that the door could not be opened.
In desperation, he burst through the door. To his surprise, the vast palace was completely empty.
At that moment, the sound of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.
“Right here,” a woman’s voice said confidently. “Madam Xu went in and never came out again.”
At this moment, Xu Qingyun keenly noticed that in addition to the musty smell, there was also a faint sweet fragrance mixed in with the hall.
His eyes narrowed, and he felt a strong urge to tear the person behind the scenes to pieces.
If he finds out who it is, he will make that person regret ever being born.
In the courtyard outside the palace, Emperor Wen listened to the palace maid's words and was momentarily at a loss for how to react.
The abandoned palace and the missing officials' families easily evoke inappropriate thoughts.
Xu Taifu was once Emperor Wen's study companion, and Xu Qingyun was the right-hand man that he had cultivated for the crown prince. With such an incident occurring in the palace, Emperor Wen was somewhat embarrassed and tried his best to save face for the Xu family.
"You audacious palace maid, since Madam Xu has not come out for so long, why don't you go in and check or report to her in time?"
The palace maid who led the way was startled and quickly knelt down: "Your Majesty, I went to check, but I don't know why the palace gates can't be opened."
"Oh, is that so? In that case, let's wait for Minister Xu to arrive before making a decision."
"Waiting for my cousin to arrive?"
Pang Xinhui was unwilling to accept this; if he had already found Yun Qing, then today's plan would have been wasted.
"Your Majesty, I am very uneasy because I haven't seen my cousin. If some villain has designs on her, it will be too late. Let's go into the palace first and see if she is not inside, so as not to waste everyone's time."
Consort Wan, standing behind, chimed in, "Yes, Your Majesty. Madam Xu was taken away by my people. If anything happens to her, I will be very worried."
Consort Wan! Pang Xinhui! As Xu Qingyun silently recited these two names, a raging fire seemed to ignite within him.
He strode out of the hall and bowed to Emperor Wen, saying, "Your Majesty, my wife is not here."
Pang Xinhui was startled when she saw Xu Qingyun suddenly appear from the palace, and a sense of unease flashed through her heart.
"Cousin, what are you doing here?"
Xu Qingyun ignored her question and instead pleaded with Emperor Wen: "Your Majesty, this matter concerns the reputation of my wife. I beg you to investigate the truth."
Emperor Wen felt helpless. He had seen Xu Qingyun's love for his wife, and the current situation was truly troublesome.
“My dear minister, I understand your feelings, but finding the right person is the priority now.”
With that, he summoned the imperial guards: "Gather your men and search carefully for Madam Xu's whereabouts."
The results were not yet available. Everyone could only wait together.
After a while, a young palace maid from the Empress's palace rushed over.
"Your Majesty, Your Highness, Aunt Fangcao sent me to deliver a message: we have news of Madam Xu's whereabouts."
"Where is she?" Xu Qingyun asked excitedly, grabbing the palace maid. "Take me there quickly!"
Ling Hua pulled him away, saying, "Qingyun, calm down and let her finish what she has to say."
The palace maid was startled and quickly explained the situation.
"It's like this, Aunt Fangcao said that Madam Xu encountered something evil in the Juling Palace and was quite frightened. Sister Qinghe happened to be passing by, so she brought her out and closed the palace gates while she was at it."
"So that's how it is." After hearing the palace maid's explanation, the Empress asked, "So, Lady Xu is currently in Jingren Palace?"
"No," the palace maid shook her head. "Madam Xu was frightened and did not want to stay in the palace, so Aunt Fangcao sent someone to send her back."
"You went back?"
Xu Qingyun and Ling Hua couldn't put their minds at ease until they saw the person. They hurriedly bowed and said, "Your Majesty, please forgive us. We are truly worried about my wife. Please allow us to take our leave."
"Ahem, of course, please do as you please."
At this moment, at the entrance of the Xu residence.
Sitting in the carriage, Yun Qing felt like her body was about to fall apart, and she cursed the culprit beside her in her heart.
Ling Ye sneezed and handed her the cloak he was holding: "Put this on, it's chilly at night, don't catch a cold."
Yun Qing felt awkward and didn't want his things, so she wanted to get off as soon as the carriage stopped.
"Wait!" Ling Ye grabbed her and forcefully draped the cloak over her shoulders: "Don't risk your health just to spite me."
"His Highness the Crown Prince is truly understanding; anyone who didn't know better would think I was ungrateful."
Yun Qing's eyes flashed with anger, her autumn-water-like pupils shining with an astonishing brightness.
Ling Ye stared at her face, which appeared even more beautiful in her anger, and was momentarily lost in thought.
Everything that happened tonight shattered his self-perception. He secretly followed her away from the banquet, sneaked into the Gathering Spirit Palace to deliberately scare her, and later even abandoned all sense of propriety and shame, doing that kind of thing.
Ling Ye's words caused Yun Qing's emotions, which she had been holding back all night, to collapse.
How could this person be so shameless? He's the one who hurt me, yet he acts like he cares about me.
Her nose tingled, and glistening tears involuntarily slid down her cheeks.
The beauty's silent weeping seemed to be accusing Ling Ye of shamelessness. He stood there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do, and felt a strange pain in his heart.
With calloused hands, he covered Yun Qing's small face and awkwardly wiped away her tears.
"Don't cry, it was my fault."
Upon hearing this, Yun Qing paused for a moment, but her tears fell even faster.
Ling Ye felt helpless, so he could only hold her in his arms and coax her gently.
If others saw this scene, they would probably be shocked. The Crown Prince, who is usually known as the living Yama, actually has such a gentle side.
Xu Qingyun and Ling Hua rode their horses at breakneck speed, and when they saw the carriage parked at the gate, the weight that had been hanging over their hearts finally lifted.
The two immediately dismounted, hurried over, and, ignoring the coachman's attempts to stop them, directly lifted the curtain.
"My wife, are you alright?"
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