Gently pushing open the door, Xu Yuehuai carefully stepped out of the room. The morning breeze brushed against her cheeks, carrying a slight chill.
She looked up and saw Qi Guze standing alone in the courtyard, facing the pond, with his back to her.
Xu Yuehuai slowly approached and asked softly, "Gu Ze, what are you doing here?"
Qi Guze turned around upon hearing the sound, his face as pale as paper, his eyes filled with exhaustion and worry. He frowned deeply, his lips slightly pursed, as if he were suppressing something.
"What happened?" Xu Yuehuai's heart tightened; her intuition told her that this was definitely not a good thing.
Qi Guze took a deep breath and slowly said, "King Wuling knows we're here. He just sent someone to tell us to go to the palace to see him today."
Xu Yuehuai's heart sank. She knew this invitation was no simple matter; it was likely a trap. But she still looked firmly at Qi Guze and asked, "Do you suspect this is a trap?"
Qi Guze nodded silently. "Yes." His voice was deep and powerful, filled with worry.
Xu Yuehuai clenched her fists. She knew that this journey was fraught with risks, but she also knew that they had no way out.
She looked up at Qi Guze and said, "We'll just have to be careful then."
Qi Guze nodded silently, his eyes filled with determination and resolve. He knew this was going to be a tough battle, but he would never back down.
Just then, a slight noise came from inside the room. The two turned to look and saw that Qi Ziang had woken up and was getting out of bed alone, walking out barefoot.
"Father, Mother." Qi Zi'ang rubbed his sleepy eyes and, seeing the two standing in the courtyard, asked curiously, "Why are you up so early?"
Xu Yuehua smiled gently: "Your father and I have something to discuss." As she spoke, she went over and hugged her son. "Why don't you go back to sleep for a while?"
Qi Ziang nodded obediently, "Mm." Although he was still young, he already knew how to be considerate of his parents.
Watching their son return to his room and fall asleep, Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze exchanged a glance, both understanding that this journey might mean certain death.
However, they did not back down, because they knew that for their families, for their country, and for justice and fairness, they had to face it all.
Qi Guze and Xu Yuehuai stood side by side in the courtyard, their gazes fixed on the group of people in front of them—Xia Sen and the little princess.
Suddenly, Xu Yuehuai took a deep breath and said to them, "I'm leaving Qi Zihang in your care."
In the soft morning light, the little princess's face was filled with worry. She looked at Xu Yuehuai before her, then at Qi Guze, and asked in a slightly trembling voice, "Are you all leaving Wuling Kingdom again soon?"
Xia Sen was taken aback by the little princess's question. A hint of panic flashed in his usually calm eyes, but he quickly regained his composure and asked, "Where are you going?" He looked at Xu Yuehuai and Zhou Wan, waiting for their answer.
Xu Yuehuai chuckled softly, trying to ease the tense atmosphere. She looked at the little princess and Xia Sen and said softly, "Don't worry, we're just going to the palace."
Her voice was soft, like a spring breeze, trying to soothe their unease.
Zhou Wan frowned slightly upon hearing Xu Yuehuai's words.
She looked at Xu Yuehuai and asked in confusion, "What? The Prince of Wuling found out you were here so quickly?" There was a hint of surprise in her voice, clearly she hadn't expected things to develop so fast.
Xu Yuehuai looked at Zhou Wan, shook her head gently, and smiled slightly, saying, "Well, it's nothing serious, you don't need to worry."
Although her tone was casual, it was full of determination, as if everything was under her control.
Seeing her composed expression, Zhou Wan's worry lessened slightly. But she still couldn't help asking, "Mother, how can we not worry?"
Xu Yuehuai gently stroked Zhou Wan's head. "There's no use worrying. Just wait here for us to come back." Her voice was gentle yet powerful, warming Zhou Wan's heart.
Then, Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze disappeared ahead, while Zhou Wan and the little princess stood at the entrance of the mansion, their eyes fixed on the distance.
Although their hearts were filled with worry, they also held a firm belief. They believed that Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze would return safely.
As the sun rose, golden rays bathed the earth. Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze held hands tightly and resolutely embarked on the road leading to the palace.
Their figures appeared exceptionally resolute in the morning light, as if foreshadowing an inevitable storm that was about to break.
Qi Guze and Xu Yuehuai entered the palace of the Wuling Kingdom. The atmosphere inside the palace was somewhat oppressive, as if it foreshadowed something bad happening.
The two followed the long corridor to the throne, where they saw King Wuling waiting alone. His face was pale and his eyes showed a hint of anxiety.
"You two have finally returned safely. I was extremely worried about your safety during this time." King Wuling smiled slightly when he saw the two of them.
Qi Guze nodded and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty." He was also somewhat moved. Although the King of Wuling was a king, he was very different from the kings of the Great Zhou Kingdom and the Mingyue Kingdom. He was a very approachable person.
Xu Yuehuai looked at the King of Wuling and saw him open and close his mouth repeatedly, as if he had sensed something. She asked, "Your Majesty, you probably didn't call us here just to reminisce, did you?"
The Prince of Wuling's smile faded, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the two of them. "Since you left, I've noticed that the Imperial Preceptor has disappeared!"
Qi Guze and Xu Yuehuai exchanged a deep glance. They knew that the Imperial Advisor was a high-ranking official of Wuling Kingdom, and his disappearance would inevitably cause great chaos.
"Oh? The Imperial Advisor has disappeared?" Xu Yuehuai asked, feigning surprise. She carefully observed the expression on the Prince of Wuling's face, trying to find clues.
The Prince of Wuling frowned. "Yes, I have already sent people to search the entire palace and the surrounding area, but we have not found any trace of him. The disappearance of the Grand Preceptor has now caused a stir in the court and among the people. I must find out the truth as soon as possible."
Qi Guze pondered for a moment and said, "Perhaps we can try to get some information from the Grand Preceptor's attendants."
Xu Yuehua nodded. "That's a good idea. Let's go ask them right away."
They bid farewell to the Prince of Wuling and headed to the Imperial Preceptor's residence. On the way, Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guzhe began to exchange their views.
"Why do you think the Imperial Advisor disappeared?" Xu Yuehuai asked. "And why did he impersonate him in the first place?"
Qi Guze shook his head. "It's hard to say right now, but we can start by investigating the background of the Imperial Advisor."
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