Bei Xuan also stated that she would severely punish those who provoked the incident and strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries.
The news caused a sensation throughout the capital. People applauded Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guzhe's bravery and wisdom, and felt gratified and proud of the peace between the two countries.
"Our princes and princesses of the Great Zhou Kingdom truly care about our people," an old man remarked with emotion.
“Yes, if it weren’t for them, how could our trade be so convenient now?” someone nearby chimed in.
“I think the other three kingdoms must be extremely envious of our Great Zhou Kingdom,” someone else interjected.
"Of course! Our Great Zhou Kingdom is truly blessed to have such an enlightened prince and princess." The old man nodded with a smile.
In the days that followed, Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze continued to be busy.
Inside Tianxiang Restaurant, they exchanged culinary tips, their cheerful laughter echoing through the air; in the courtyard of the Prince's Mansion, they walked side by side, discussing the future and development of the nation. They knew that only a prosperous and strong country could ensure that its people could live in peace and happiness.
By chance, Xu Yuehuai met an envoy from the Mingyue Kingdom. The two sat at a stone table in the courtyard, sipping fragrant tea and chatting about the customs, traditions, and cuisine of their respective countries.
The envoy praised Xu Yuehuai's culinary skills and invited her to the Kingdom of Mingyue to teach her cooking.
Xu Yuehuai readily agreed and decided that while teaching culinary skills, she would also spread the friendship and culture between the two countries.
During his time in the Kingdom of the Underworld, Xu Yuehuai received a warm welcome.
She not only taught cooking skills to the local chefs, but also shared the culture and customs of the Great Zhou Kingdom with them.
At the same time, she also learned many new cooking skills and food processing methods from the Kingdom of the Dark Moon.
These experiences honed her culinary skills and deepened her understanding of the importance of friendship and cultural exchange between the two countries.
Thanks to the joint efforts of Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze, the friendship between the Great Zhou Kingdom and the Mingyue Kingdom has deepened. Trade and cultural exchanges between the two countries have become more frequent, and people's lives have become increasingly better.
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guzhe also grew and progressed throughout this process. They used their wisdom and courage to safeguard the peace and stability of the two countries, becoming heroes and role models in people's hearts.
"Ah Yue, you are truly our pride!" Qi Guze said affectionately at a banquet.
“You too, Aze.” Xu Yuehuai replied with a smile, “We’ve been through so much together, through so many hardships and obstacles. But as long as we walk side by side, no demons or monsters can stop us.”
The two smiled at each other, their eyes filled with anticipation and hope for the future.
The moonlight, like water, fell on the bluestone slabs of the Regent's Palace, reflecting a faint silver glow.
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze walked out of the banquet hall side by side, both of them looking tired.
The clinking of glasses and lively conversation at the banquet seemed irrelevant to them; their minds were preoccupied only with the impending storm.
"Your Highness, Your Highness, His Majesty requests your presence." A eunuch rushed in, breaking the tranquility of the night.
Qi Guze nodded slightly and exchanged a glance with Xu Yuehuai, both of them showing a hint of doubt.
Inside the palace, Qi Hanlin sat on the dragon throne, his brows furrowed, clearly preoccupied with worries.
Upon seeing Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze, he immediately stood up, his tone tinged with anxiety: "Imperial Uncle, Imperial Aunt, I have a request to make."
"Your Majesty, please speak freely," Qi Guze said, cupping his hands in greeting.
Qi Hanlin took a deep breath and slowly said, "Recently, several ministers in the court have suddenly contracted a strange illness with similar symptoms, but no one can cure it. I have heard that my uncle and aunt are highly skilled in medicine, so I have specially invited you to the palace to assist in investigating this matter."
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze exchanged a glance and nodded. They knew that this was not just a strange illness, but more likely a meticulously planned conspiracy.
Upon returning to the Regent's Palace, Qi Guze immediately summoned his secret guards and ordered them to secretly collect a list of the sick officials.
After some investigation, they discovered that these officials all had close ties with a place called "Moonlight Theater".
"Moonlight Theater?" Xu Yuehuai repeated the name softly, a hint of doubt flashing in her eyes.
Qi Guze nodded and said in a deep voice, "It seems we need to go to this theater ourselves."
The night was as heavy as thick ink, slowly spreading out.
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze, two wise men at the center of the power vortex, quietly took off their official robes, changed into civilian clothes, and slipped away from the Regent's Palace, a symbol of power and wealth.
Their destination was the once-famous Moonlight Theater in the city.
As night fell, the Moonlit Theater was brightly lit and bustling with activity. The noise inside and outside the theater seemed to have driven away the tranquility of the night.
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze exchanged a glance, both revealing an unwavering determination in their eyes.
They knew this trip was no small matter, concerning the safety of many officials and even the fate of the entire Great Zhou Kingdom.
The two carefully made their way through the bustling crowd and entered the theater.
Everything inside the theater seemed ordinary, but Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze sensed something unusual.
On stage, the actors vividly portrayed the joys and sorrows of life; off stage, the audience was immersed in the world of drama, seemingly forgetting the troubles of reality.
However, behind this excitement lies an extreme danger, which none of them have yet discovered.
Xu Yuehuai and Qi Guze weaved through the crowd, like two fish searching for clues in a turbulent sea.
However, amidst the surging crowd, an invisible force seemed to push the two of them apart.
Xu Yuehuai turned around, but Qi Guze was nowhere to be seen. Her heart tightened, but she did not panic. Instead, she calmly continued to search deeper into the theater.
Deep within the Moonlight Theater lies a garden shrouded in night.
The moonlight filtered through layers of clouds, barely illuminating a corner of the garden.
Xu Yuehuai stumbled upon this secluded garden, and the scene before her startled her.
An official was seen embracing a glamorous woman, the two behaving intimately and oblivious to their surroundings.
What shocked Xu Yuehuai even more was that the official was holding an exquisite pipe in his hand, exhaling an unknown kind of smoke.
A thought flashed through her mind, and she immediately realized that this might be related to the officials' strange illness. She followed the two men discreetly, wanting to uncover the truth. However, her presence was quickly discovered.
"Who dares to trespass here?" the official shouted, his voice booming like thunder in the garden. His guards immediately surrounded Xu Yuehuai.
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