Dragon Pond and Tiger Xue Enter the Palace
Chapter Quote:
A guest from the palace suddenly appeared in the secret room, and he escaped from danger and met an old friend;
Once you enter the palace, it is as deep as the sea, and you will know that your life experience is a secret of heaven.
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As the eunuch finished speaking, murderous intent suddenly appeared in the secret room. Four palace guards pounced on him like ghosts, their swords weaving a web of death.
Yan Qing remained calm in the face of danger, his body undulating like willow catkins as he dodged and dodged in the narrow space. He knew that a head-on fight was not the best strategy, and with a quick glance, he caught a glimpse of an inconspicuous vent in the corner of the secret room.
"Master Yan, why are you resisting so stubbornly?" the eunuch's shrill voice was tinged with a hint of sarcasm. "The emperor just wants to ask a few questions."
Yan Qing sneered and suddenly raised his hand to throw out a handful of iron lotus seeds. Taking advantage of the moment when the opponent blocked, he quickly retreated to the front of the ventilation hole. Although the ventilation hole was narrow, he should be able to barely pass through it with his bone shrinking skills.
"Want to leave?" The eunuch's face darkened. "Stop him!"
At this critical moment, a familiar voice suddenly came from the vent: "Xiao Yi, this way!"
It was Lu Junyi!
Yan Qing didn't have time to think, and he shrank into the vent. Outside, he heard the guards' angry shouts, but the vent was narrow and it was difficult for them to catch up.
After crawling for several feet in the darkness, a light appeared ahead. Yan Qing emerged from the vent and found himself in an elegant study. Lu Junyi was standing there with his hands behind his back, a solemn expression on his face.
"Master, how come..."
"There's no time to elaborate," Lu Junyi interrupted him, "Put on these clothes and follow me."
Yan Qing then realized that a set of imperial guard uniforms had been prepared on the table. He quickly changed into his clothes and couldn't help but ask, "Were those really people from the palace?"
"Yes and no." Lu Junyi said meaningfully, "They are from the Imperial City Bureau, but they may not be following the emperor's orders."
Seeing Yan Qing's puzzled expression, Lu Junyi continued, "Do you know who is in charge of the Imperial City Department now?"
Yan Qing shook his head.
"He's Gao Lian, Gao Qiu's adopted son." Lu Junyi sneered, "Tell me, are they really looking for you because of the government's will?"
Yan Qing was startled and immediately understood that Gao Qiu wanted to wipe out the roots of the evil.
The two of them left through the secret passage in the study, where a carriage was already waiting outside. After getting in the carriage, Lu Junyi explained the whole story in detail.
It turned out that the old palace maid Su suddenly fell seriously ill three days ago. Lu Junyi noticed something was wrong and went to visit her in person, only to find that she had been poisoned and was unconscious. During the treatment, Su woke up briefly and revealed a shocking secret:
"She said the Qinghui Pavilion fire was an attempt to cover up a palace scandal," Lu Junyi said, lowering his voice. "During the reign of Emperor Zhezong, he fell in love with a commoner woman, who became pregnant with his son. However, due to her humble origins, the Empress Dowager refused to allow her into the palace."
Yan Qing's heartbeat quickened: "That woman..."
"That's your biological mother, Yan Wan." Lu Junyi looked at him with complicated eyes, "You have royal blood flowing in your veins."
Even Yan Qing, with his fortitude, couldn't help but paled. He finally understood why Gao Qiu had been so determined to kill him—in the Qinghui Pavilion fire, Gao Qiu had likely been one of the perpetrators. If Yan Qing's true identity were revealed, Gao Qiu would be guilty of the heinous crime of murdering the prince!
"Where is the Su Palace lady now?"
"I've moved her to a safe place, but..." Lu Junyi sighed, "She's seriously injured, I'm afraid she won't last much longer. She insisted on seeing you, saying she has something important to give you."
The carriage circled the city for a long time before finally stopping in front of an unremarkable house. As the two men disembarked, a group of imperial guards suddenly appeared from the corner of the street. The leading officer shouted, "We have been ordered to arrest the imperial prisoner Yan Qing. All outsiders, please get out of the way!"
Lu Junyi's face changed: "Oh no, I've fallen into a trap!"
It turned out that their whereabouts had already been tracked by someone.
Yan Qing was unusually calm: "Master, go first. Their target is me."
"Nonsense! How could I, Lu Junyi, be such a coward?"
"Master!" Yan Qing said sternly, "If you get involved in this, the foundation of Daming Prefecture will be in jeopardy. Besides..." He lowered his voice, "We still need you to save the Su Palace people."
Before Lu Junyi could say anything more, Yan Qing had already strode forward and said in a loud voice, "Yan Qing is here, and it has nothing to do with Mr. Lu."
Seeing this, the imperial guard general waved his hand and said, "Capture him!"
Just as the situation became tense, another group of people suddenly came galloping in. At their head was an old eunuch with a white face and no beard, holding a golden tablet: "The emperor has ordered that Yan Qing enter the palace immediately!"
The imperial guard commander was taken aback. "Your Majesty, I am following the orders of General Gao..."
"How dare you!" Wang Duzhi shouted sharply, "Who's more powerful, General Gao, or the emperor?"
The commander of the imperial guards fell silent immediately and retreated aside in disappointment.
Wang Duzhi turned to Yan Qing and said in a much softer tone, "Young Master Yan, please come in. The emperor has been waiting in the palace for a long time."
Lu Junyi looked at Yan Qing worriedly, but saw him calmly straighten his clothes and nodded slightly: "Thank you for leading the way."
On the way to the palace, Yan Qing's mind raced. He knew this Wang Du had met him in a previous life; he was a trusted eunuch close to the emperor, and he had always been at odds with Gao Qiu. It seemed the power dynamics within the palace were complex, and whether today's summons would be a blessing or a curse remained uncertain.
The imperial palace was majestic, its halls numerous. Yan Qing followed Wang Duzhi through the palace gates, finally arriving at a side hall. Inside, candles lit brightly. A middle-aged man in casual clothes was admiring a painting. It was none other than the current Emperor, Song Huizong!
"I am Yan Qing, a humble servant, and I pay my respects to Your Majesty." Yan Qing paid his respects according to etiquette.
Huizong turned around and looked at him carefully, his eyes complicated: "Resemble, really resemble..."
He waved his hand to dismiss his attendants, and only the two of them were left in the hall.
"Do you know why I summoned you into the palace?"
Yan Qing lowered his head and said, "I don't know."
Huizong sighed deeply, "Twenty years ago, when I was still Prince Duan, I met a remarkable woman outside the palace...Her name was Yan Wan."
He walked to the window, gazing at the bright moon in the night sky, his voice tinged with reminiscence, "Later, she became pregnant with my child, but the Queen Mother resolutely refused to allow her into the palace. I was planning to take the long view, but then I suddenly received the news that Qinghui Pavilion had caught fire..."
Huizong turned around, tears in his eyes. "For all these years, I always thought that you and your son had perished in the flames. Until a few days ago, Wang Duzhi found some clues..."
Yan Qing's heart was filled with turmoil, but his expression remained calm: "Your Majesty, how can you be sure that I am..."
Huizong took out a jade pendant from his sleeve and said, "This is Yan Wan's token of love. You and I should be a pair."
Yan Qing took out his jade pendant and put the two jade pendants together tightly to form a complete Ruyi shape.
"Do you believe it now?" Huizong looked at him with expectation in his eyes.
Yan Qing was silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Your Majesty, do you know who was responsible for the fire in Qinghui Pavilion?"
Huizong's expression changed slightly: "What do you mean?"
"I've found some clues recently," Yan Qing said slowly. "It seems the fire wasn't an accident, but rather someone deliberately set it on fire. And the arsonist is likely related to a senior official in the court today."
Although he didn't mention anyone by name, Huizong was so smart that he immediately understood what he meant. His face suddenly darkened: "What evidence do you have?"
"The witness is currently in Lu Junyi's residence, but is critically ill." Yan Qing raised his head and looked directly at Huizong. "The physical evidence... is in my arms."
Huizong's eyes flickered, as if he was weighing something. After a long moment, he suddenly raised his voice: "Someone come!"
Wang Duzhi responded and entered.
"Pass on my oral order," Huizong said in a deep voice, "From now on, Yan Qing will live in Ninghe Palace. No one is allowed to visit him without my written order!"
Yan Qing's heart sank. Are they going to put him under house arrest?
Wang Duzhi accepted the order and gestured to Yan Qing, "Young Master Yan, please come in."
As they walked out of the palace, Yan Qing and Huizong looked at each other, and saw a complex look in the emperor's eyes that he could not understand.
The palace is so deep and complex, and once he enters, he doesn't know when he will see the light of day again. And outside the palace, are Lu Junyi and the Su palace maids safe? Do the brothers on Liangshan understand his current situation?
The palace in the night is like a gorgeous cage.
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Chapter 60 End
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