There was no one in the direction of Huayu Palace.
Soon, all the people who searched the palace returned and reported that no one had been found. Ye Lingfeng's face was as pale as paper, and he swayed. Shizhu quickly supported him and said calmly, "Your Highness, the Empress will be alright. You must take care of yourself. If the Empress returns and sees that Your Highness is injured, she will surely be heartbroken."
Upon hearing Shi Zhu's words, Ye Lingfeng finally came to his senses and ordered Shi Zhu in a deep voice: "Go, leave the palace, and immediately search the capital of the Great Zhou Dynasty. You must find out where Ling'er is. Also, find out where Jiang Feixue is now."
"Yes, sir."
Ye Lingfeng led his men away from the palace, forgetting even to say goodbye to Feng Zixiao. However, Feng Zixiao looked indifferent and watched Ye Lingfeng and the others leave.
At the entrance of the Yuehe Palace, the Empress Dowager looked at Feng Zixiao and spoke with a heavy heart.
"Xiao'er, quickly send someone to investigate. We must not let the Empress of Beilu be in danger, otherwise the relationship between Beilu and us will deteriorate. Besides, their searching for people within the Great Zhou Dynasty is not good for us."
Upon hearing his mother's words, Feng Zixiao replied in a deep voice, "Yes, Mother, rest assured, I will immediately order someone to handle this matter."
After Feng Zixiao finished speaking, he led his men away from Yuehe Palace and back to the study.
The Empress Dowager comforted Feng Qian a couple more times before leading her back to her palace.
Before the palace gates, Feng Qian watched her departing brother, becoming increasingly certain of her suspicions. Perhaps Ling'er was indeed hidden by her brother. If that were the case, she would never forgive him. He was too shameless to do such a thing.
Seeing that the princess looked pale and weak, Xiao Ke couldn't help but ask, "Princess, would you like to go in and rest for a while?"
"Xiao Ke, Ling'er is missing. How am I supposed to sleep?"
The thought of Ling'er's current situation filled her with a burning desire to tear the person who took her away to pieces. The reason Ling'er helped Feng Zixiao that day was because of her. If it was her brother who took her away today, wouldn't she have harmed her?
Ling'er, where are you?
While shouting, Feng Qian instructed Xiao Ke: "Have someone bring a sedan chair over. I'm going to the study."
"Princess, your body."
Lianyi exclaimed anxiously, "The princess's health is failing, why is she going to the study?"
However, Xiao Ke knew that the princess and the Empress of Bei Lu had a very good relationship, so he quickly accepted the order to have a sedan chair prepared. Then, several palace maids from Yuehe Palace followed Feng Qian to the Imperial Study.
Outside the Imperial Study, eunuchs and guards were on duty. As soon as they saw the princess arrive, someone went in to report, while the others bowed to Feng Qian and said, "Greetings, Princess."
"Get up."
The eunuch who had gone in to report quickly came out and respectfully said, "Princess, please come in with me. His Majesty has summoned you."
Feng Qian instructed Xiao Ke and Lian Yi to wait outside the door, and then followed the eunuch into the study alone.
Inside the Imperial Study, Feng Zixiao was processing memorials when he saw his younger sister arrive ill. He knew it must be because of Hailing, so he waved to dismiss the eunuchs in the room. Once the Imperial Study was empty, Feng Qian raised her head and stared at her elder brother.
Feng Zixiao felt uneasy under her gaze, and couldn't help but shroud himself in frost before speaking in a deep voice.
"Qian'er, why are you staring at your brother like that?"
"Brother, I only have one question for you: Did you take Ling'er away? If so, I hope you will release her. I'm begging you."
Tears welled up in Feng Qian's eyes. Her heart ached terribly. Her brother was no longer the same as before. He was someone she didn't know, so unfamiliar, so distant. Was she wrong to hope that he would return and reclaim the throne?
If it really was the Emperor who hid Ling'er, how could she bear it?
"Feng Qian, what are you saying? This is too much! Hai Ling is missing, and I am very anxious. How dare you come here to question me?"
Feng Zixiao's face was extremely ugly, his face was covered in black and blue, and his eyes were flashing with anger. It was unclear whether he was angry because he was embarrassed or furious. In any case, he was very angry and glared coldly at his younger sister. Feng Qian was not afraid when she saw that he was angry. She just said coldly, "You didn't hide Ling'er."
Feng Zixiao's expression softened, and he let out a long sigh: "Qian'er, I did not hide her. I have to deal with state affairs now. These piles of state affairs have overwhelmed me. How could I have time to hide Hailin?"
Upon hearing his words, Feng Qian's expression softened slightly. Seeing that she seemed to believe him, Feng Zixiao breathed a sigh of relief.
Who knew that Feng Qian would say something else next.
“You swear to heaven that you did not hide Ling’er. If you did, you are heartless and may be struck by lightning.”
Feng Qian's oath was so vicious and cruel that Feng Zixiao's face immediately turned ugly. He stood up abruptly and glared angrily at Feng Qian.
"Feng Qian, are you still my sister? I am your brother. How could you make your brother make such a cruel and vicious oath for an outsider? Are you still my sister?"
The moment he spoke, Feng Qian couldn't help but burst into tears. He actually asked that question, he actually asked that question.
To help him regain his memory and reclaim the Feng family's throne, she worried more than anyone else, even causing the death of Jiang Feixue's unborn child. Didn't she grieve for that child's death? She felt as if she had committed a sin. Before, when she saw Jiang Batian injuring him, she didn't hesitate to throw herself in front of him to shield him from the sword, preferring to die rather than let him be hurt in the slightest. Now, she asked him to swear a poisonous oath, and he actually asked her if she was his sister. How could he ask such a question? Feng Qian felt as if her heart had been torn in two. This man was not her brother; he was no longer the brother she knew.
If he really didn't do it, what's wrong with making a vow? His furious state probably proves that he has hidden Ling'er.
The thought of this possibility overwhelmed Feng Qian. Already injured, she was further humiliated by Feng Zixiao's harsh reprimand. Her vision blurred, her body went limp, and she collapsed to the ground.
Feng Zixiao's expression changed drastically. Seeing his sister fall to the ground, he remembered her injury and that she was injured because she was trying to save him. He couldn't help but regret that he had spoken too harshly earlier. He rushed out, hugged Feng Qian, and then shouted outside.
"Someone come here."
Outside the door, the little eunuch rushed in, followed by Lianyi and Xiao Ke. Upon seeing the emperor holding the princess, they were terrified and ran over, crying out, "Princess, Princess!"
Feng Zixiao handed Feng Qian to Xiao Ke and Lian Yi, gesturing for them to immediately help the princess back to Yuehe Palace. He then ordered the eunuchs, "Summon the imperial physician to Yuehe Palace to examine the princess. If anything happens to her, none of you will be spared."
The little eunuch trembled in fright, then quickly turned and ran away.
Lianyi and Xiao Ke helped the princess out of the study. Inside the study, Feng Zixiao thought of Feng Qian's injury and her previous words, and couldn't help but feel annoyed that she had gone too far and made her sister faint. So she reached out and slammed her fist heavily on the table, scattering memorials all over the floor, startling everyone outside the door.
Feng Qian returned to Yuehe Palace, and the imperial physician quickly came over. After examining her, he found that the princess was already weak, and then her liver fire became excessive, causing blood to rush to her head, which made her faint. The imperial physician prescribed medicine for Feng Qian to take.
She woke up quickly. As soon as she opened her eyes, she felt a pain in her heart, a headache, and a body when she thought of what Feng Zixiao had said. Her injuries hadn't even healed yet, so how could he say such a thing? He actually said that she wasn't his sister. Hadn't she done enough for him?
Xiao Ke and Lian Yi were worried that the princess would hurt her eyes when she cried, especially since she was still not fully recovered. The two maids were both distressed and saddened, and quickly tried to comfort Feng Qian.