After Hai Ling finished speaking, Xi Liang frowned: "Won't she be in danger if she goes back? That imperial brother will never listen to her."
“I can’t stop her,” she said. She didn’t want her to go back, but she knew it was impossible. After all, Feng Zixiao was her brother. No matter what the final outcome was, she should go back to settle the matter once and for all.
"As long as she doesn't blame you, that's fine."
Xi Liang spoke calmly, saying that the most precious thing in life is friends, so she didn't want any conflict between Hai Ling and Feng Qian. Hai Ling stopped thinking about it and instead asked Xi Liang with concern, "What about you? What are you going to do in the future? Do you plan to stay in Xiangguo Temple forever? After all, this is a place for monks, and it's not really appropriate."
“Living here recently, my heart is at peace. I copy scriptures and read texts in my spare time. I have realized that this kind of life is not bad at all. At one point, I even thought about becoming a nun.”
Xi Liang laughed as he spoke, which startled Hai Ling.
"What nonsense are you talking about? How old are you? You've been through so many relationships before, and nothing happened to you."
"Maybe none of the previous ones were love."
Xi Liang sighed softly. The room felt quite oppressive. Hai Ling stood up and said cheerfully, "Let's go for a walk on the back mountain of Xiangguo Temple. It's too stuffy here."
“Alright,” the two left the back hall and headed towards the back mountain of Xiangguo Temple. The group strolled around the back mountain for an hour, then had a vegetarian meal at Xiangguo Temple before leaving and returning to the palace. Before leaving, Hailing held Xiliang’s hand.
"If you've come to terms with it, then go back to the Prince Cang's residence. Time will heal all wounds."
“Okay,” Xi Liang nodded, waving goodbye to her good friend. At such a young age, she leaned against the mountain gate, the sunset casting a lonely glow on her face. A thin veil of color, like smoke, veiled her small face, and a slight smile appeared on her lips. Yes, everything will pass. No matter how unbearable it is, they can travel from their past lives to this one. What else can't they overcome? Having figured it out, she turned and walked briskly toward Xiangguo Temple.
Hai Ling led the group back to the palace. They had barely entered the Liuli Palace, and before they could even sit down, Fu Yue anxiously reported, "Your Majesty, you had just left when Helian Qianxun, the chieftain of the Yunjiang tribe, arrived and has been waiting for a long time!"
"He's here."
Hai Ling laughed. It seemed she hadn't misjudged Helian Qianxun; this man did have a sense of responsibility. Now, Nalan Mingzhu and Feng Qian both had found their lifelong partners, but what about Xi Liang? Her heart ached slightly as she looked at Fu Yue: "Does the Emperor know he's here?"
"I know. His Majesty has ordered someone to invite him to the Imperial Study and instructed me to invite Her Highness to the Imperial Study as soon as she arrives."
Ye Lingfeng didn't want Helian Qianxun to be alone in a room with his beloved wife. Helian Qianxun was a handsome man, and although he knew that he only had Feng Qian in his heart, it was still a depressing thing for his woman to see such a good-looking man. So Ye Lingfeng ordered someone to invite Helian Qianxun to the study.
Hai Ling nodded. She had originally planned to visit her son, Xiao Mao'er, on his first day there, and wondered if he was adjusting well to the care of his wet nurse and the female officials.
However, since Helian Qianxun had come, she decided to go and submit a memorial first. With that, she turned and led Shimei and Shilan out, heading towards the study.
Before they even entered, they could hear hearty laughter coming from the Imperial Study. Ye raised an eyebrow in surprise. She had always disliked Helian Qianxun, so she hadn't expected the two of them to be laughing so happily. She wondered what had happened. As she thought this, the group of people arrived at the door of the Imperial Study. The eunuch bowed respectfully and said, "This servant greets Your Majesty the Empress. His Majesty is waiting for Your Majesty."
Hai Ling nodded. The people in the study heard the voices outside, their laughter stopped abruptly, and they all looked over, just in time to see Hai Ling leading people in.
When Helian Qianxun saw Hailing, he looked her up and down, a hint of appreciation flashing in his dark eyes. Ye Lingfeng beckoned Hailing over and asked with concern, "Ling'er, did everything go smoothly at Xiangguo Temple today?"
"Yes, nothing happened, don't worry."
As the couple chatted affectionately, Helian Qianxun's face darkened in the study. He was thinking of Feng Qian, that damned woman who dared to run away. If he caught her this time, he would give her a good spanking to teach her a lesson. She might sneak out of Yunjiang again, forcing him to leave the valley to find her.
"Can't you two stop provoking people?"
Helian Qianxun teased Ye Lingfeng and Hailing, causing Hailing's face to flush slightly. She had forgotten about Helian Qianxun and quickly looked up to ask, "Helian Qianxun, how did you find your way here?"
“I came to see if Feng Qian had been here, but Emperor Xie already told me that she had indeed been here and has now returned to the Great Zhou Dynasty.”
When the Great Zhou Dynasty was mentioned, Helian Qianxun's face turned very ugly, because Feng Qian's elder brother, Feng Zixiao, did not agree to let Feng Qian marry him. Although he did not care, Feng Qian seemed very sad. Her marriage was still a big event, but she could not get the blessings of her brother and mother, so she was naturally unhappy.
In the study, Hai Ling's face was covered with a light layer of frost as she looked earnestly at Helian Qianxun: "If you truly like Feng Qian, go to the Great Zhou Dynasty to find her now. I'm afraid something might happen to her."
You mean?
Helian Qianxun's face suddenly turned pale, his eyes turned dark, and he spoke in a cold and deep voice.
Hai Ling nodded, opening her mouth as if to say something, but Helian Qianxun vanished in the blink of an eye like a white light. His speed was astonishing. Inside the room, Hai Ling stood there, mouth agape, unable to react for a long time. Although Ye's lightness skill was also very high, she was still deeply impressed every time she saw them use such skills; they were simply too amazing.
Ye Lingfeng reached out and turned Hai Ling's face toward him; he didn't want his woman's heart to be with another man.
"Ling'er, are you saying that Feng Zixiao will force Feng Qian to marry someone else?"
"Based on my understanding of his abnormal and neurotic behavior, he would probably do this. This is what I just thought of. If I had thought of it earlier, I wouldn't have let Feng Qian go to the Great Zhou Dynasty."
When she saw Helian Qianxun just now, she remembered that Feng Zixiao did not agree to Feng Qian marrying Helian Qianxun. Thinking about this, she was alarmed. When Feng Qian went back this time, she was afraid that Feng Zixiao might not let her go, so she might be in trouble. However, with Helian Qianxun taking action, she should be fine.
Hai Ling laughed, and Ye Lingfeng held her on his lap, asking her about her visit to Xi Liang at Xiangguo Temple that morning. Soft whispers came from the study, and the eunuchs and guards outside were all smiles. The Emperor and Empress's relationship was truly enviable.
A strange thing happened in the palace the next day.
Several palace maids died violent deaths. Moreover, these palace maids seemed to have been terrified before they died, with their eyes wide open and their faces contorted, as if they had been scared to death.
The chief eunuch in the palace immediately reported the matter to Liuyue Palace. Hailing's face turned very ugly when she heard this. She knew at once that someone was up to no good. She had only been back in peace for two days when someone had already made a move in the palace. Thinking about this, she became even more worried about her son and ordered Shimei not to leave her son's side from now on.
Shi Mei accepted the order and went to guard the young prince. In the main hall, Hai Ling looked at the chief eunuch Yuan Fu. The previous chief eunuch had been dealt with by her and expelled from the palace. The current eunuch was someone she had selected after careful consideration. He was her confidant and would not cause trouble.
"Yuanfu, search everywhere for me. Take a headcount of everyone in the palace. If you find anyone who has infiltrated, report to me immediately."
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Yuanfu accepted the order and went to thoroughly investigate all the palace maids and eunuchs. The Empress had ordered that someone had likely infiltrated the palace and disguised themselves as a eunuch or palace maid.
The main hall of Liuyue Palace was cold and deserted. The Empress Dowager had also learned of the matter and led her people over.
"Ling'er, I never expected something like this to happen. Who do you think is behind this?"
Having lived in the palace for so many years, the Empress Dowager naturally knew that someone was behind this incident. However, she couldn't figure out who was behind it. At present, no one in the court dared to make a move against the royal family. As for Feng Zixiao of the Great Zhou Dynasty, it was impossible for him to have his reach into the palace. So who was behind this?
"Mother, don't worry, I will investigate this matter thoroughly."
Hai Ling spoke calmly. Now that this person has appeared, she certainly won't let it go. Who exactly is she? People who plot in the shadows are the most dangerous.
"Be careful. This person can easily harm people in the palace, so he may be lurking among the eunuchs and palace maids. So not only these palace maids, but all of us are in danger, so we must be careful."