The attendant spoke respectfully. Yun Xiao stood up unsteadily. "Your Majesty, Leng Yue has returned to the medical hall. I will see Your Majesty again later. Attendant Xiaoting, I shall escort Your Majesty to rest."
"Yes, yes."
Xiaoting responded repeatedly and quickly commanded outside, "Guards, His Majesty is drunk. Escort His Majesty to the sleeping palace to rest."
In the night, the zither music stopped abruptly. Several eunuchs and palace maids waiting outside the pavilion walked in. Two senior eunuchs came forward to help the Emperor up. Xiaoting and a few palace maids followed closely, and faint voices could still be heard.
"Be careful, do not injure His Majesty."
As they gradually moved further away, it seemed everyone had forgotten Yun Xiao. Yun Xiao was too lazy to bother and had already reached out to take some of the palace's jam-filled double-colored pastries, wrapping them in a silk handkerchief and placing them in her sleeve.
She still remembered Murong who was secretly protecting her. He hadn't eaten anything yet. Who cared about that dead emperor? It was good that no one was paying attention to her. Yun Xiao leisurely walked out of Lianye Pavilion. Now was the time to leave, wasn't it? Was she waiting for someone to catch her?
In front of Jingfu Palace, the imperial carriage still waited quietly. As Yun Xiao got into the carriage, she heard panting breaths outside the carriage. It turned out that Xiaoting had settled the Emperor and had run over to see Yun Xiao off.
"Young Master Leng Yue, this humble servant will not personally escort you out of the palace. Let these junior attendants send you back."
Yun Xiao lifted the curtain and looked outside, smiling elegantly. "Thank you, Eunuch Ting. Go back and serve His Majesty well."
"Yes, Young Master Leng Yue."
Xiaoting responded and called out to the two young eunuchs driving the carriage outside, "You must safely escort Young Master Leng to the outer palace gate, or you will lose your heads."
"Yes, yes, Eunuch Ting."
Yun Xiao waved goodbye to Xiaoting, and the imperial carriage slowly moved towards the palace exit.
Only then did Yun Xiao's tightly held heart relax a little. Cold sweat covered her body, and her hair was damp.
To be honest, she was not afraid of death. However, she was afraid of failing to steal the Jade Dragon Talisman, which would disappoint so many people. Moreover, Murong's throne would not be regained anytime soon. This was what worried her the most.
Outside the imperial carriage, the night wind whistled, blowing past as they drove towards the outer palace gate.
The night was cold and desolate. The moon hung high in the sky, casting faint rays of light that enveloped the earth.
Branches swayed, and the fragrance of flowers was rich.
The carriage passed through layers of mottled shadows and quickly exited the inner palace gate, heading towards the outer palace gate.
In front of the outer palace gate, a team of elite soldiers was not the same as before. They merely checked the people being sent out of the palace as a matter of routine before letting them pass.
Yun Xiao got out of the palace carriage and got into the carriage that had brought her earlier.
Inside the carriage, in the small space, a man with a face as calm as water was already seated. He extended his wide, flowing sleeves and pulled her close, embracing her tightly, holding her for a long time. The carriage slowly drove out along the long alley.
Yun Xiao lay softly in Murong's embrace, listening to his rapid heartbeat, knowing he was very worried about her. She couldn't help but lift her face to look at him.
His narrow eyebrows were raised, and those dark pupils, deeper than an ancient well, exuded intense worry. The corners of his sexy lips were slightly cold and stern. A sigh slowly echoed within the carriage, and his deep, magnetic voice spoke.
"Xiao'er, you really made me worry just now."
Yes, he had seen the scene of that man murmuring. Not to mention him, she herself had been scared to death and still had lingering fear.
"Don't talk about you, I was also scared to death. I even doubted why my Yunluo Drunkenness was not effective. Fortunately, it was just a false alarm."
Yun Xiao's clear and beautiful face broke into a smile. Murong Chong was not used to her disguise. He reached out and removed the mask, revealing her true appearance.
Her cute, cunning, and lively big eyes blinked, and faint dimples appeared on her cheeks. She was truly lovable. Murong Chong leaned down and kissed her fiercely. The worried dark pupils instantly transformed into soul-stirring allure.
Yun Xiao responded softly, then remembered something and pushed Murong Chong away, speaking gently, "Murong, are you hungry? I also brought some jam-filled double-colored pastries for you."
She said this and took out the double-colored pastries she had "borrowed" from her sleeve. Opening them, she saw they were slightly deformed and spoke with annoyance, "They're all deformed, can they still be eaten?"
A slender, fair hand reached out and picked up a piece, putting it into his mouth.
Although he never ate pastries before, this was something she had brought back under such dangerous circumstances. This gesture warmed his lonely heart and anchored his wandering soul onto her. She was the shore of his life.
"Xiao'er, thank you."
No one had ever kept him in their heart at every moment. This warmth had come many years too late, but it had finally arrived. He thanked everything in the dark. His Imperial Father must be protecting him.
Imperial Father, thank you for sending Xiao'er to my side.
"It's nothing, it's nothing. I was just afraid you would be hungry."
Yun Xiao smiled, reached out, and picked up a bit, putting it into her own mouth, eating some with him.
However, as soon as she took a bite, Murong held her small hand and ate the jam pastry from her hand. For the first time, he discovered that these sweet pastries were also very delicious.
The night grew deeper. The gentle and moist warmth within the carriage, like a flowing current, gently rippled.
The carriage continued to drive towards the city gate, still using their old route, subtly passing over the high walls.
Meteor, Chasing Moon, and Chasing Wind also appeared. The group left the imperial city together.
A carriage and several fine horses were waiting outside the city.
Yun Xiao and Murong rode in the carriage, while Meteor, Chasing Moon, and Chasing Wind rode horses, heading back to Yunshui Villa.
Finally, the Jade Dragon Talisman had been stolen. Everyone seemed to see hope ahead. Now, they just needed to return to the villa and rest for a few days. By then, Prince Yun's leg injury would have almost healed, and everyone would immediately enter the capital to reclaim the throne.
Yun Xiao held the Jade Dragon Talisman in her hand and handed it to Murong.
"I really can't distinguish any difference. It just feels slightly heavier."
Murong Chong heard this, took it, looked at it carefully, and frowned slightly. He gently stroked it, his face lost in thought, and slowly spoke.
"Actually, the jade quality of this Jade Dragon Talisman is unique in the world. There is also a legend. At that time, when the world was in turmoil and heroes were vying for the throne, our ancestors were also part of a force. One day, passing by a mountain peak, they set up camp. In the middle of the night, our ancestor discovered a dazzling light emanating from a cave. Everyone thought a monster had appeared and decided to immediately transfer their troops. But the ancestor, who had always been bold and meticulous, led a few soldiers to investigate. They discovered this miraculous jade, and it turned out that the light was emitted by this jade. Later, this jade was made into the Jade Dragon Talisman."
"So you know such a story."
Yun Xiao smiled. It was indeed interesting.