The emperor was determined to pass the throne to Ye Qianlong, so she captured Ye Qianlong and killed him in front of the emperor, to see how the emperor would then pass the throne to him.
The bright sky suddenly turned gloomy, and a storm was about to break.
A cold wind blew, and withered leaves fluttered down. It was mealtime again. The bustling street was becoming less crowded. Shen Lixue gently took Dongfang Heng's arm and walked slowly. The aroma of food wafted through the air. Suddenly, she felt a churning in her chest and couldn't help but feel nauseous.
"Li Xue, what's wrong?" Dongfang Heng stopped and gently patted Shen Li Xue's back to ease her discomfort.
"I'm not feeling well!" Shen Lixue gently patted her chest, took a deep breath, and her gaze sharpened. The woman smelled an overly fragrant and greasy aroma that made her want to vomit. It could be that she ate something wrong, that she was unwell, or that she was pregnant.
She and Dongfang Heng had only been married for a little over two months, and this body was only fifteen years old. It was impossible for her to be pregnant so quickly, right? Her period seemed to be more than a month late, but this body's periods were always irregular, always delayed...
Dongfang Heng looked at Shen Lixue's slightly pale face, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes. He put his arm around her shoulder and said, "The clinic is just ahead. Let's go see a doctor!"
"Okay!" Doctors cannot heal themselves. In ancient times, there were no advanced pregnancy test kits or anything like that. If you wanted to know if you were pregnant, you had to see a doctor.
At lunchtime, there were few customers in the clinic. Shen Lixue had just stepped one foot across the threshold when a guard hurried over: "Prince An, Prince Yan requests your presence!"
Dongfang Heng's gaze darkened: "What is it?"
The guard maintained his clasped-fist salute and said respectfully, "His Highness didn't say anything, only that he requested the Prince to go as soon as possible!"
"I understand!" Dongfang Heng responded calmly, gently putting his arm around Shen Lixue's shoulder as they prepared to enter the clinic.
Seeing that Dongfang Heng did not intend to leave immediately, the guard wanted to say that the matter was urgent and could not be delayed, as the Prince of Yan had instructed him to go as quickly as possible. However, looking at Dongfang Heng's icy expression, he moved his lips but said nothing.
Seeing the guard's troubled expression, Shen Lixue stopped and looked up at Dongfang Heng: "The Prince of Yan must be very urgent to see you. You should go see him first. I'm just slightly ill, don't worry about me!"
Dongfang Heng hugged Shen Lixue's shoulders tightly: "Since it's a minor illness, it won't take long. After you finish examining her, we'll go together!" Xiliang was an unfamiliar place to them, and he didn't feel comfortable leaving Shen Lixue alone here.
"This is an urgent matter, and not a second can be wasted!" Shen Lixue gestured to Dongfang Heng, noticing the guard's anxious expression: "You go see the Prince of Yan first, I'll come find you after I finish my consultation!"
Dongfang Heng's deep gaze darkened, and his jade-like fingers tightened around Shen Lixue's fair hand. He said in a deep voice, "I'll be back soon!"
Shen Lixue nodded and watched Dongfang Heng leave the clinic. After he turned the corner and disappeared from sight, she walked into the clinic, sat down at the examination table, and placed her fair wrist on the white pulse pillow.
Opposite Shen Lixue was an elderly physician with a white beard. His gaze was steady and he seemed very experienced. His well-defined fingers lightly touched Shen Lixue's pulse, feeling the faint beads sliding beneath his fingers. He examined her carefully, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes: "Madam is not ill. Your pulse indicates..."
"Bang!" The door of the clinic was smashed open, and a group of armored guards strode in, their faces cold and their eyes murderous.
Shen Lixue's gaze sharpened. The imperial guards should be stationed at the city gates, so why are they in the clinic?
The guards' sharp gazes swept over the trembling doctors and waiters in the clinic, finally landing on Shen Lixue. They took out a portrait of a woman, carefully compared it to the photo, and said coldly, "She is Princess Shen Lixue of Anjun. Seize her!"
"Yes!" The guards' eyes turned cold, and they drew their longswords. Streaks of silver light, carrying a sharp wind, pierced mercilessly towards the vital points around Shen Lixue's body.
Shen Lixue remained seated and motionless, while Zi Mo appeared out of thin air, his sharp longsword blocking the guards' fierce sword attacks.
The guards' eyes were as cold as ice as they surrounded Zi Mo. Their sharp sword moves were perfectly coordinated, and they mercilessly stabbed at his vital points.
Zi Mo was highly skilled in martial arts, and he was able to hold his own against more than ten guards. In an instant, figures clashed and swords intertwined, and the entire clinic was in chaos.
Shen Lixue's gaze was cold as she calmly observed the Imperial Guards who were attacking her. What was going on? They hadn't had any conflict with the Emperor of Xiliang, so why did he suddenly order her arrest? And why did he use the Imperial Guards?
"Thump thump thump!" The sound of orderly footsteps grew louder as they approached. Shen Lixue was startled; another group of guards had arrived, numbering nearly a hundred. She and Zimo had little chance of winning against so many people.
Shen Lixue narrowed her eyes, suddenly stood up, and with a flick of her wrist, her cyan whip drew a beautiful arc in the air before slamming into the guards' swords, scattering the unsuspecting men.
"Zimo, let's go!" Her clear, cold voice echoed in the clinic as her slender figure reached the door.
"Yes!" Zi Mo also heard the hurried footsteps. Without lingering, he followed Shen Lixue out of the clinic and quickly ran into the nearest alley.
The alley was in a remote location, and apart from the residents, very few people came here. It should have been quiet and secluded, but when Shen Lixue entered the alley, she saw two groups of people fighting fiercely. One group was the Imperial City Guards, and the other group was probably guards from a certain mansion.
There were many corpses lying haphazardly on the ground, some were from the Imperial Guards, and others were from the palace guards. A faint smell of blood quickly spread.
"Princess Consort, the Imperial Guards are catching up!" Zi Mo's voice rang out. Shen Lixue turned around and saw the Imperial Guards entering the alley. Their eyes were sharp, their bodies filled with murderous intent, and they were rushing towards them with long swords in hand.
“Something’s fishy. We can’t linger. Let’s go to the Prince of Yan’s residence to find Heng!” With that, Shen Lixue leaped onto the roof with her slender figure and ran forward quickly. Zi Mo followed closely behind, his eyes narrowed.
On the main street, the doors of restaurants, teahouses, and shops were all half-open. Every street Shen Lixue walked down, she could see fierce fighting between the imperial guards and the palace guards. Corpses and blood were scattered all over the ground. This was not just a simple arrest, but more like a rebellion...
"Princess Consort, the Prince of Yan's residence is in danger!" Zi Mo's warning came again.
Shen Lixue pulled herself out of her thoughts and looked ahead. The gate of the Prince Yan's mansion was filled with imperial guards holding sharp blades. The maids, nannies, and servants of the Prince Yan's mansion were being escorted out in long lines one after another.
"The Prince of Yan's mansion is under the control of these imperial guards. We can't go in anymore!" Shen Lixue landed quietly and stood in an inconspicuous corner, peeking out. She didn't see Dongfang Heng or Dongfang Yan until the last servant was escorted out. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
“Princess Consort, the Prince should not be at the Prince of Yan’s residence!” Zi Mo suddenly spoke up, looking at the large number of people at the Prince of Yan’s residence.
"I know." Shen Lixue nodded. With Heng's intelligence and martial arts skills, it was impossible for him to be captured by these imperial guards. In the moment when the capital of Xiliang was in chaos and the Yan Prince's mansion was in trouble, Heng should have gone to the clinic to find her. But she left the clinic and ran to the Yan Prince's mansion to find Dongfang Heng. The two missed each other...
With no one at the Prince of Yan's residence, Shen Lixue didn't linger any longer and quietly left, carefully making her way through the narrow alleys.
"Princess Consort, is it possible that the Prince will return to the villa to wait for you?" The capital of Xiliang is in chaos, and they are outnumbered and outmatched. It would be best for them to join forces with Dongfang Heng to deal with the current situation together. After careful consideration, Zi Mo suggested a place where Dongfang Heng might be.
Shen Lixue's gaze sharpened: "The Imperial Guards have been mobilized, the city gates are closed, and the entire city is under martial law. Outsiders can't get in, and those inside can't get out. If Heng was in the capital when the incident happened, he must still be in the city now. If he returned to the villa, he must be there!" She wondered whether he was in the city or outside.
"Princess Consort, where are we going now?" There were countless guards above the city gate, one after another, making it impossible for Shen Lixue and Zimo to break through. However, wandering aimlessly through the streets and alleys was not a solution either.
Looking at the chaotic street, Shen Lixue narrowed her eyes and smiled faintly, "Let's go to the palace." The chaos in the capital must be related to the people in the palace. Going into the palace should allow us to find out what happened.
Furthermore, since the Imperial City Guard has issued a warrant for Shen Lixue's arrest, they will certainly also issue one for Dongfang Heng's. If Dongfang Heng is trapped in the city and cannot find her at the clinic, he will likely go to the Imperial Palace to gather information.
Arriving outside the palace, standing in a secluded corner, Shen Lixue looked at the majestic palace. The main gate was slightly closed, with only one door open. Dozens of cold-faced imperial guards stood at the entrance, guarding it tightly, and anyone entering or leaving had to undergo strict checks.
Her brows furrowed tightly. She was new to Xiliang and unfamiliar with the palace. How could she possibly infiltrate it?
"You want to enter the palace?" A gentle voice suddenly sounded from behind.