"Where is she?" Murong Shengrui asked in a low voice.
"She is..." Xiahou Ying suddenly woke up, biting his tongue. The pain spread through his body, but it also made him completely sober. He lowered his head, not daring to look into the young emperor's eyes. "Your Majesty is drunk. The Empress Dowager has already entered the Yellow Springs and the Hall of Yama."
A glint flashed in Murong Shengrui's eyes. Qu Yang's repeated visits to Xiahou Ying made him suspect something was amiss. He assumed Qu Yang had also sensed something was wrong, but didn't know what it was. After all, not everyone could recognize her with just a pair of eyes like he could.
Murong Shengrui pinched Xiahou Ying's chin, forcing him to look into his eyes. Xiahou Ying quickly closed his eyes. His Majesty could control people's minds; he absolutely must not meet his gaze, or the secret hidden in his heart would surely be spied upon by His Majesty.
"Xiahou, do you hate me?"
"As Your Majesty's subject, how could I hate my sovereign."
"Then, are you loyal to me? In body and mind?"
"Yes."
"Open your eyes and look at me when you say it again." Murong Shengrui coaxed him. He had made Xiahou Ying drink to lower his guard. Hallucinogenic drugs had been added to the wine. Even with his strong defenses, Xiahou Ying couldn't resist the drug's control.
Xiahou Ying gritted his teeth, opened his eyes, and met the young emperor's deep gaze. "Have you ever betrayed me?"
"Your subordinate has never betrayed Your Majesty."
"Are you hiding anything from me?" The hand that Murong Shengrui held Xiahou Ying's chin with loosened its grip. A faint scent of wine wafted onto Xiahou Ying's face as he spoke.
"Your Majesty, everyone has things they don't want others to know." Xiahou Ying intended to gloss over it. He absolutely could not let His Majesty know that he suspected the Empress Dowager was still alive!
"Indeed, I also have secrets I don't want others to know." Murong Shengrui's voice sounded exceptionally pleasant. Xiahou Ying felt his eyelids growing heavy, as if he could no longer keep them open. The young emperor's voice was full of magnetism and enchantment. "I love stormy nights the most, because every time it storms, Mother would come to sleep with me. As long as she was by my side, I feared nothing."
Xiahou Ying thought to himself, so His Majesty liked stormy nights? He clearly remembered that whenever it stormed, His Majesty would be terrified, cowering in a corner, and only the Empress Dowager could bring him peace to sleep.
"Xiahou, what is your secret?" Murong Shengrui asked softly. "Is it related to Mother?"
Xiahou Ying subconsciously nodded. It was indeed related to the Empress Dowager.
"You know where Mother is, don't you?"
Xiahou Ying wanted to nod, but his subconscious told him to deny it. He must not reveal any information about Xiao Man, absolutely must not reveal it!
"Xiahou, where is Mother?" Murong Shengrui saw Xiahou Ying struggling, a flicker of anxiety in his eyes. Xiao Ling was not Aman. So where was Aman? He was certain she was alive and hiding in Yusheng Imperial Capital, but where was she? Based on Xiahou Ying's reaction, he seemed to know where Aman was.
Xiahou Ying struggled in pain. A cold light flashed in Murong Shengrui's eyes, and he immediately gave up. Pushing too hard was not a good thing.
When Xiahou Ying woke up from his nightmare, he found himself asleep at the table. The young emperor, clad in a thin inner garment, stood by the window, gazing at the dark night sky outside.
"Your subordinate actually fell asleep. Please forgive me, Young Master."
"Your tolerance for alcohol has worsened," Murong Shengrui's voice carried over.
"It's been a long time since I drank, so my tolerance has indeed worsened," Xiahou Ying said cautiously. Although his tolerance was not what it used to be, he shouldn't have gotten so drunk. The dull pain on his tongue also indicated something was wrong.
"Go down and rest."
"Your subordinate takes his leave." Xiahou Ying left the room, closing the door. His doubts grew stronger. What had His Majesty done to him? Why had he fallen asleep?
"Master," a figure appeared behind Murong Shengrui.
"Keep a close watch on him and pay close attention to whom he interacts with," Murong Shengrui said slowly. Since he knew Aman's whereabouts, he would surely try to find a way to see her. As long as he dared to see Aman, he would be able to capture her.
"Yes."
"Also, send someone to secretly meet Qu Yang and ask him if there is anyone noteworthy around Xiahou Ying, or if Xiahou Ying has reminded him to pay attention to anyone." Murong Shengrui exerted slight force and crushed the wine cup in his hand. The shards of porcelain pierced his palm, and blood immediately welled up, yet he felt no pain.
Murong Shengrui removed the fragments embedded in his palm and threw them out the window. He looked at the hazy moonlight in the night sky. The cold wind howled, and snowflakes fluttered, much like his current mood – as cold as frost.
"Aman, where exactly are you hiding?" Murong Shengrui said softly. "You'd better hide well. When we were children, you played hide-and-seek with me, and I could always find you first. It's no different now. I will find you!"
Jin Rong's eyes were full of wariness. Madam Jin had suddenly called him to dinner, which was a first. He had no choice but to be extremely cautious in dealing with her.
"Eat quickly, why are you spacing out?" Madam Jin eagerly put food on Jin Rong's plate. "Look at you, busy with the family business all day, you must not have eaten properly. You've lost weight."
Jin Rong smiled, but his heart was full of vigilance. Was Madam Jin, after having already harmed her own son, now planning to make a move on him? If she couldn't find her son, would she destroy the Jin family?
"Madam is joking. Compared to before, I should have gained weight," Jin Rong said calmly. Hadn't he gained weight? In the past, he was sallow and thin, always worried about his next meal. Now, although he wasn't fat, he was at least of normal build.
Madam Jin's smile instantly became somewhat bitter. She quickly put more food on Jin Rong's plate. "I neglected you in the past. Don't worry, I won't let you suffer any grievances in the future."
Jin Rong frowned. What was Madam Jin playing at?
"Thank you, Madam."
"You child, why are you so formal? You should call me Mother," Madam Jin said softly.
Jin Rong felt a chill run down his spine. Madam Jin usually cursed him as a bastard or a dog servant, but now she was so gentle to him. If he said there was no scheme involved, he wouldn't believe it even if he died!
"Does Madam have any instructions?"
Madam Jin looked at Jin Rong's wary eyes and felt as if a thousand arrows were piercing her heart. Thinking of her usual mistreatment of Jin Rong, she felt even more heartbroken. Her own son was by her side, yet she was completely unaware, even treating him like an enemy, allowing the household servants to bully and insult him, deliberately withholding food from him. For him to have survived and grown up was simply a blessing from heaven!
"Rong'er, Mother will compensate you in the future."
Jin Rong felt increasingly terrified. He didn't fear Madam Jin's open attacks or hidden daggers, but Madam Jin's smile was more terrifying to him than a devil's!