Although this person was indifferent, his heart was very considerate, and being close to him, she felt peace of mind, a sense of security like her father and elder brother, completely lacking the malevolence of facing a ferocious person.
Although he had appeared at the beginning, wanting to kill her, after several encounters, she had come to understand that this man had noble character.
As for why he hid in the imperial palace, wanting to incite conflict between the Yun King's Mansion and the royal family, there must be his reasons.
They traveled in silence all the way.
Murong Chong's eyes were as deep as a pool of cold ice, yet his hand was tightly holding the woman in his embrace, leaning motionless against his chest.
All along, this place of his had been numb and indifferent, but since that night, when he saw an unexpected maid, opening her large, watery eyes and glaring at him like a kitten.
Suddenly, a trace of blood had been injected here. He didn't know why, but he knew that she was the only unexpected factor in all his plans.
Humanity had long since become a mere formality in his heart. He thought that only hatred remained in his life, but heaven had sent him such an unexpected occurrence. Was this unexpected person his salvation, or a sin he could not escape?
In the dark night, he was like a light and ethereal white roc, vanishing from the imperial palace in the blink of an eye, heading straight for the Yun King's Mansion.
The night was already very deep.
On the main gate of the Yun King's Mansion, two lanterns swayed in the wind. In front of the gate, guards yawned as they paced back and forth.
Murong Chong, embracing her, leaped over the gate. The guards were completely unaware. It was understandable; with Murong Chong's formidable martial prowess, how could the guards possibly detect him?
Yun Xiao, all the way, directed Murong Chong towards her father's residence, and the two of them hid themselves on a large tree outside.
Inside the room, the light was dim. Lying on the large bed was her father.
The man who had been spirited and energetic just a few days prior now looked much older. There was someone else in the room, her elder brother Yun Zhen. A shallow sorrow was etched on his face as he sat by the bedside, saying something.
In just a few sentences, her father began to cough, his breathing labored like an ox. It was evident that he was truly ill, and not lightly so. Yun Xiao couldn't help but feel anxious. Her body slipped, and she was about to descend from the tree.
She simply wanted to tell her father and elder brother that she was well, that she had survived by impersonating the foolish empress, and that these two were her family.
In the current situation, at least if she were well, they would be a little happier.
As Yun Xiao moved, Murong Chong reached out and held her. His hand was large, completely enveloping her small one. The warm breath that enveloped her made her feel a little better, but she was annoyed by his holding her and commanded, "Let go of me."
A voice as cold as water sounded, "Someone is monitoring the Yun King's Mansion."
Yun Xiao was startled. She quickly looked up, following the direction Murong Chong's finger pointed. Beneath the moonlight, between the treetops, she indeed saw a shadow flicker past and then lie motionless, closely observing the movements in the room.
What was going on?
Yun Xiao's thoughts churned, and she fell into deep contemplation, not noticing that Murong Chong had been holding her hand and had not let go.
Why was someone monitoring the Yun King's Mansion? Was it the Emperor? Was her father truly ill, or was he feigning illness? What unknown secret lay hidden behind this?
Or had the Emperor already made his move? Thinking of the last possibility, Yun Xiao's eyes suddenly widened.
She had heard that the Emperor's esteemed guest resided in the Qingfeng Pavilion. Who was that person? If the Emperor considered someone an esteemed guest, they must be someone who could help him. Now, the thing he most wanted to do was to eliminate the Yun King's Mansion. Then, who was that person? Yun Xiao's heart sank to the bottom...
Yun Xiao crouched on a large tree in the Yun King's Mansion. After considering the situation thoroughly, with the current circumstances unclear, she wondered who that shadowy figure was, whether it was the Emperor or the Empress Dowager's people.
It was like looking at flowers through mist. It would be better for her not to act rashly, lest she spoil things. At this moment, a single misstep could endanger herself and the people of the Yun King's Mansion. Therefore, for now, she could only wait and see.
As the thought crossed her mind, Yun Xiao looked up at Murong Chong.
She didn't expect to be drawn into a pair of unfathomable eyes. They were dark and deep like an vast ocean, with surging waves, rising up to engulf her in layers, overwhelming her like a tidal wave.
It was an indescribable feeling, filled with profound sorrow. It seemed as though he wanted to grasp something tightly, yet dared not reach out, his icy gaze sharp and overlapping.
"What's wrong?"
She asked softly, instinctively reaching out to touch his forehead, a habit of a healer.
Murong Chong watched her hand approach. He remained still, allowing her fingers to lightly brush his forehead. This was something unprecedented. The events of this night had completely exceeded his capacity to bear.
He, who had always disliked women, never expected that one day he would be able to face a woman calmly and even accept her touch. Even he found it incredible.
In the cold night, although her fingertips were icy cold, after touching his forehead, they quickly retracted. Yet, a flame of warmth rose in his heart, and a surge of heat flowed through him.
"It's nothing. Let's go back."
"Alright," he said not another word. Just as they had arrived, he embraced her with his long arm, leaning her against his chest. With a sweep of his hand, his cloak unfurled, enveloping her like a large net. The two of them vanished into the dark night in an instant.
They came without a trace and left without a shadow.
Everything that happened tonight had opened her eyes. This man was not just powerful, but extremely powerful. The person in the palace might not be able to contend with him.
If, in the end, there was internal strife leading to bloodshed in the imperial city, the world would undoubtedly fall into chaos. The world had always been in flux, separating and uniting. What did it matter to her? She only wished for the Yun King's Mansion to escape this calamity and then retire to the wilderness.
The two entered the imperial palace, and Murong Chong, embracing her, went straight to the Jinhua Palace.
Yun Xiao suddenly remembered someone. This person was a crucial figure in the current political game. Who was he?
Her gaze suddenly dimmed, and she said in a low voice, "Murong Chong, you must know where the Qingfeng Pavilion is. Take me to the Qingfeng Pavilion. I want to see who the Emperor's esteemed guest is."
There was no sound from above for a long time. Yun Xiao thought he disagreed, but then she heard a "good." Without asking her reason or about anything, he turned his body and flickered towards another part of the imperial palace.
In the blink of an eye, they arrived at a place where greenery intertwined. Despite it being winter, the bamboo was lush, and the flowers and grass were fragrant.
Yun Xiao was captivated by the scenery before her, not even realizing that the person behind her had let go. Snapping back to reality, Murong Chong was nowhere to be seen. He was truly elusive. However, she knew he hadn't gone far. She couldn't help but call out, "Thank you. I owe you a favor."
This time, she owed him a favor willingly. If the need arose in the future, she would definitely offer her assistance.
In the distance, the man's blood-red eyes, like those of a wolf or an eagle, flickered with darkness. His subordinate behind him couldn't help but ask, "Master, shall we return now?"
"Let's go back."