Mu Rong Liu Zun remained in the Phoenix Palace. He was very quiet, obediently listening to everything Qingyao said, as if greatly afraid of her anger.
Occasionally, when in a good mood, he would converse with Xiao Yur, but for the most part, he would lie elegantly on the couch in his flowing white robes, deep in thought.
He no longer rejected others, but he remained very aloof. One had to seek his permission to approach him; otherwise, they would only bring trouble upon themselves.
Although Qingyao had repeatedly warned him not to use his inner force, he would occasionally do so. However, as he didn't overuse it, and Mingyue had prepared medicine for him, it caused no immediate harm.
Three days passed in a blink. In another three days, it would be the day the princess married the son of Marquis Yongning.
Qingyao had already issued orders: on the wedding day, they would break into the prison, then have Hua Lig Ge abduct the bride and elope with the princess. Of course, people from Fengchen Palace would be secretly assisting him, ensuring the successful rescue.
As for Mu Rong Liu Zun, Qingyao had secretly instructed Shen Yu to discreetly invite the Prince of Nan’an into the palace.
Now, it was time to send the Emperor out of the palace and hide him somewhere no one could find him. The palace was ultimately a place of much contention. If he stayed too long, flaws would inevitably surface, and she could not leave rashly in a short period.
She needed to find an excuse to conflict with the Emperor, using the opportunity to leave and thus protect the Mu family.
This also extended to all the families in the capital connected to the Mu family. Shangguan Hao was as fierce as a tiger; if provoked, the entire Mu family might suffer misfortune.
Therefore, Qingyao could only send the Emperor away first. However, this man did not easily allow others to approach him, and his emotional wounds were too deep. Sending him away risked him resisting, which was why Qingyao had kept him for some days, despite the risks.
He had become much calmer these past two days. Though he still kept people at a distance, he no longer flew into a rage.
As soon as Shen Yu left, an unwelcome guest arrived at the Phoenix Palace.
Consort Shu, Xi Men Xinyue, looked unwell after a few days. Dark circles under her eyes indicated a lack of sleep, and her eyes showed a flicker of unease as she cautiously greeted Qingyao. She also surveyed the Phoenix Palace, looking for any unusual activity.
However, there was nothing out of the ordinary. The woman on the throne remained as cold as ever, and the entire Phoenix Palace was quiet, showing no sign of anything amiss.
Yet, besides this woman, she could not think of anyone else who could have abducted the real Emperor from the Laundry Bureau. If this matter reached Shangguan Hao's ears, that man would surely kill her. Even with his child in her belly, it would be useless. Fortunately, he had not discovered this yet, so she could only force herself to remain calm.
Today, under the guise of paying her respects, she came to the Phoenix Palace to probe for information.
"Is Consort Shu ill?"
Qingyao spoke casually. Xi Men Xinyue stared at Mu Qingyao, observing her leisurely demeanor and her feigned ignorance. If she truly knew the Emperor in the palace was fake and that she had imprisoned the Emperor, could this woman still be so calm? It was truly doubtful. She would probably wish to kill her.
But if not her, then who could it be? Someone who specifically went to the Laundry Bureau, knocked out two attendants, and abducted that man.
This matter could absolutely not have been done by Shangguan Hao. If it were him, he would have come to settle accounts with her long ago. Besides, she knew he had eunuchs watching her, so she hadn't made any moves for several days and hadn't gone to the Laundry Bureau at all. She hadn't expected an accident. What was she to do now? Xi Men Xinyue was extremely anxious but dared not show it before the Empress. This woman was extremely shrewd; if she truly knew nothing about the fake Emperor in the palace and revealed a flaw, it would be very troublesome.
The thought made Xi Men Xinyue raise her eyebrows and smile faintly, though her smile was bitter and exceptionally strange.
"Your concubine's appetite has declined due to the child in my womb, which is why I am feeling weary."
"Oh, so it's that this empress was overthinking," Qingyao said, knowing full well why the woman had come. She noticed the woman's gaze wandering, looking in and out of the Phoenix Palace. She certainly didn't have Xiao Yur's courage to search the Phoenix Palace for people. Moreover, Shangguan Hao did not yet know about this matter; if he did, she would be doomed.
"Consort Shu, for the sake of the imperial child in your womb, you must take good care of yourself."
Qingyao's voice was dark, like an undercurrent beneath burnt stones, surging with an unknown hidden meaning. Xi Men Xinyue listened with a pounding heart, feeling as though this woman knew something. However, upon careful inspection, there was nothing. It seemed she was overthinking, but who exactly had taken that man away?
Xi Men Xinyue looked lost, lost in deep thought and filled with fear. What if Shangguan Hao found out? She dared not think further and her fingers unconsciously touched her belly. Could the child still be kept safe? No, she couldn't let anything happen to the child. Therefore, it was crucial to maintain secrecy now. She must never let Shangguan Hao know, as he had always believed that man was dead.
"Thank you, sister, for your concern."
Xi Men Xinyue knew that staying any longer would yield no results. Moreover, sitting here was extremely awkward. That woman had a cold expression, as if disdainful of associating with her. She felt as though she was offering a warm face to a cold backside and decided to leave quickly and search elsewhere, to see if perhaps someone else had abducted him.
"Yes, it is good to say."
"Then this sister bids farewell. May Empress Sister have peace."
"Mo Chou, escort Consort Shu," Qingyao said coldly. Xi Men Xinyue's heart constricted, feeling stifled. This woman was truly not polite to her at all. In her eyes, perhaps women like them had never existed.
"Yes, Your Highness."
Mo Chou bowed respectfully, "Consort Shu, please." Although her words were respectful, her demeanor was cold. The princess had been kept in the inner chambers by the Empress today; otherwise, given the princess's temper, she likely wouldn't have let this woman off. This was also why the Empress had kept the princess in the inner chambers.
After Xi Men Xinyue left, Qingyao rose and walked towards the rear hall. In the sleeping quarters, a graceful and handsome figure stood by the window. The half-open window allowed fallen petals to swirl in. His detached aura added to his ethereal demeanor. He stood there, radiating brilliance, captivating the eye. His complexion had improved considerably after these days of recuperation, looking nourished and energetic. His long, ink-black hair was tied with a blue ribbon, exuding a lazy, casual, yet stern air that deterred approach. He was beautiful and otherworldly, making even women sigh in comparison, yet there was no hint of desecration, only a sacred and inviolable presence.
Hearing footsteps by the glazed screen, he suddenly turned his head, a flash of joy in his eyes, bright and spirited.
"You're back."
"Mmm, what were you thinking about, Liu Zun?"
Mu Rong Liu Zun said nothing. His tall frame walked over and stopped beside her. He took her small hand with his large one. The warm, scorching touch instantly warmed her entire being. Her mind couldn't help but recall their first handshake. Back then, his hand was ice-cold, like the frost of February, not just cold but chilling to the bone. But now, his hand was warm, holding hers resolutely, without a trace of hesitation.
"Thinking of you. I was thinking, we must have been very, very good together before."
When he spoke, he revealed a childlike innocence, clean and pure like a blank sheet of paper. When silent, he was like any other person, perfect and flawless.