After a while, Li Xiran, who had arranged everything, was walking anxiously in the house. Suddenly, he heard three familiar chirpings from outside the window. He breathed a sigh of relief. He saw two slender figures through the faint window, and ran out of Donghua Gate without looking back. Outside, an inconspicuous gray carriage was already waiting for the two of them, and the tall and thick dark red palace wall was immediately thrown away in the night.

The gray carriage carried the two of them and ran away without stopping for a moment. It was not until they could avoid Hexu Mountain from afar, and then they slowed down and slowly drove into the streets of Jinling City. The wheels of the car rolled over the slippery blue brick floor, and the muffled sounds spread far in the empty alleys.

Looking through the car windows, the blue sky seeped out of the white fish belly. When morning in May, the air was still filled with a slight cool breath, mixed with the water of the Qinhuai River, lingering wet.

The sun was getting higher and the sound of the silk and bamboo gowns on the Qinhuai River gradually became lower, and finally disappeared silently and returned to silence. The streets in Jinling City had some bustling voices, and shops on both sides opened their doors to start business, and the hawkers shouted endlessly.

Luo Kui gently raised her fingertips, lifted the curtain of the car, revealing a beautiful face of hibiscus, looking at everything in front of her as if she was greedy and reluctantly. The familiar street market and corners were a bit dilapidated. The Lin Mansion, which had been uninhabited, made her heart feel as if she had lost a lifetime.

She came back to her senses and sighed softly. Zhilan held her hand and said comfortingly: "Miss, it took so much effort to come out. Now it has arrived in front of our mansion. Let's go in and take a look."

Luo Kui nodded, Zhilan whispered to Mingyan who was driving. He responded, and the carriage ran through the streets and turned around and drove towards the Lin Mansion. The dust raised up was disturbing behind the car.

As before, the palace maids and eunuchs were busy sweeping the courtyard corridors, and the concubines who were close friends also took advantage of the gentle breeze of the morning to walk around.

The abnormal situation that happened in Feiyan Palace yesterday had already spread throughout Ziyuan. Concubine Yun rushed to Feiyan Palace early in the morning and wanted to comfort Luo Kui, but she didn't want to be turned away. Xiuchun respectfully sent it out.

At this time, Concubine Yun was full of suspicion, held Qi Xiu's hand, and hesitated around the Furong Pool. She faintly felt something strange about Feiyan Palace, but she couldn't say anything wrong. Xiuchun's answer was as calm as before, and there was nothing wrong with it, but she caught Leng Cui leaning her head aside. The entire Feiyan Palace was quiet and strange, and there was no trace of Zhilan.

Concubine Yun tilted her head and thought for a while, but she couldn't find any flaws. The so-called abnormalities may be all for the prince's affairs. Luo Kui was upset and everyone was careful. Thinking of this, she shook her head slightly and smiled slightly, laughing at herself as being too suspicious.

Just as she was thinking about it, she suddenly heard some extremely low and extremely thin rings in her ears. Just as she looked in the sound, Qi Xiu suddenly grabbed her sleeve. The two of them quickly squatted in the green trees, looking at each other through the shadows of the trees.

The scene not far away reflected into her eyes. They were two figures hidden faintly. After careful identification, they looked like a man and a woman, who were very close, as if they were whispering something. Concubine Yun leaned slightly, trying her best to hear it, but she couldn't hear it clearly.

Concubine Yun and Qi Xiu were so arrogant that they didn't dare to show off, and they didn't move. It took me a long time to see that their legs and feet were sore and numb, and the two people in the shadows in the distance left separately. It was not until the two of them left for a long time that Concubine Yun let out a long sigh, stood up, and thought with suspicion.

"Master, look at the figure. The man doesn't look like a eunuch, the woman looks like a cherry blossom master..." Qi Xiu was about to continue speaking, but Guipin Yun quickly covered her mouth and nose, and said heavily: "Any word of what happened today is allowed to be revealed."

Qi Xiu was startled by Concubine Yun's vicious expression. After struggling for a while, he said tremblingly: "I know my crime and I dare not talk nonsense anymore."

Concubine Yun nodded, just about to explain something else, but she glanced at Ying Zhaorong carefully protecting her belly, walked up to her with a smile, and was about to salute her, she turned her back quietly, avoiding this gift, and said lukewarmly: "Sister is now in a precious body, and my sister can't stand this gift."

These sour words made Ying Zhaorong cover her mouth and burst into laughter: "The Empress is joking. Her position is there. I can't mess with the rules no matter what." As she said that, Ying Zhaorong circled around Concubine Yun, glanced up and down for a while, and finally fell on her waist, covering her mouth and chuckled: "The Empress is indeed young, and her waist is still so good, and my sister can't compare to it."

Concubine Yun's expression changed several times, but unexpectedly did not get angry. She just smiled: "My sister is pregnant with the emperor's heir, and she is still so sharp-tongued, so she is afraid..." As she said that, she seemed to be looking at Ying Zhaorong's bulging belly, with a faint sneer, and the implication was that she could not understand it very much.

Ying Zhaorong was also not fussy or angry, and covered her belly with her hands and sighed softly: "It's nothing to hear about the concubine's sharp teeth and sharp mouth..." As she said, her eyes fell far away at the place where the two people had just stopped, and she paused slightly: "But if the concubine saw something that shouldn't be seen or said something that shouldn't be said, I'm afraid it's not a few jokes from the concubine."

Concubine Yun looked ignorant, lifted up the broken hair that had fallen on her forehead, and said in surprise: "I don't understand what my sister said." After saying that, her eyes flowed and she looked at Ying Zhaorong with a smile.

The breeze pounced on the willows, wrinkling a pool of green in the distance, wrapped in the flowers and the flowers were fragrant and the clothes were blowing.

Ying Zhaorong frowned slightly, adjusted the thin jade smoke and gauze wrapped around his arms, and said with a smile: "I'm joking with the Empress, don't take it seriously."

After saying that, Ying Zhaorong looked at Concubine Yun with a meaningful look. She saw Concubine Yun standing with a light smile. She smiled and continued, "It's really useless. I've just stood there for so long and I'm tired. If the Empress is in great interest, I'll watch the scene for a while. I can't accompany you." As she said that, without waiting for Concubine Yun to say anything, she held the palace maid's hand and left carefully.

Concubine Yun looked at her back as if she was thinking about it. After a long time, she slowly paced, and her long skirt rustled across the green grass. Her steps were unsteady, and her eyes were at a loss.

She thought carefully about what Ying Zhaorong said just now, but she felt anxious and uneasy, as if there were countless unspeakable panics. At this moment, her heart was like the low pressure of lead clouds before the summer rainstorm, and her face was rushing with extreme chills and depression.

She hid and couldn't escape, but she was still trapped in conspiracy and vortex. She knew these things she didn't want to know, whether it was her luck or misfortune. She pulled the corners of her mouth with great self-deprecation and smiled as if she was twitching. Qi Xiu, who smiled, clenched her hand suddenly and shouted in horror: "Master, master, what's wrong with you? Don't scare me."

Concubine Yun tried her best to calm down her ups and downs and asked thoughtfully: "It's okay, what do you think about today's affairs?"

Qi Xiu was also still shocked. She looked around and saw that there was no one else, so she said softly: "Master, I have really scared me to death just now. Master Ying must have seen us and Master Ying and that person. She and Master Ying have always had a good relationship with Master Ying. It must be because she is afraid that Master, you will reveal this matter, so she will remind Master."

Concubine Yun looked at Ying Zhaorong's direction away, and snorted coldly: "She is not a reminder. It is obviously a threat. If I just say a few words, I'm afraid my life will be lost."

Qi Xiu exclaimed in disbelief: "Master, I don't believe they have such courage."

Concubine Yun smiled slightly without comment. The prune was filled with thick worry that could not be dissolved. The sorrow was faintly hidden under her jade face. The wind sounded by the deep pool. The sound of wind passed by in my ears. Several hugged crabapple trees shone in the water. The flowers bloomed until late, and there were traces of the end of the road. The wind passed by, and the ground was full of red.

The sun sets inch by inch, and the setting sun burns in full swing on the sky, eroding the clear sky bit by bit. The night splashes like ink gradually spreads. People return home, birds return to their nests, and the streets are quiet. The entire Jinling City is shrouded in boundless darkness.

Luo Kui and his group rushed to the ground, and finally arrived at the foot of Yunting Temple when dusk was falling. They were about to go up the mountain, but found that the roads were all blocked and the guards were tightly guarded. Even the inn at the foot of the mountain was cleaned. In desperation, they could only stay in the nearby farmhouse.

"Miss, it's late at night, let's take a rest sooner." Zhilan held a candle and the white walls of the snow cave reflected by the dim candlelight were warm.

Luo Kui supported her head and stared at the shadows swaying on the wall. She heard the sound behind her and asked without looking back: "Is Mingyan back? Is there any news?"

Zhilan poured a cup of hot water and handed it to him. Wen Yan said, "Miss, don't worry, I think I'm coming back soon."

Luo Kui nodded slightly, thinking about it, Mingyan came in with a curtain, wiped the sweat from her forehead and said, "Master, I'm back."

The two of them stood up together and asked in unison: "Mingyan, what's wrong?"

Mingyan slowed down and said, "I have found out that the Empress Dowager and the Prince will be able to arrive at Yunting Temple in five days. Martial law was imposed on the mountain and outside the temple three days ago, and outside the temple are not allowed to enter and exit."

"Yunting Temple is right in front of you, but the road up the mountain has been blocked." Luo Kui said with a frown.

Mingyan rolled up her sleeves and said, "Master, why don't you just reveal your identity? I'm sorry that those monks wouldn't dare to stop the lady from going up the mountain."

Zhilan was holding the scissors and cutting off a piece of wick, and the candle suddenly lit up a little.

She looked back and knocked Mingyan on the head, angry and funny: "You are such a fool. The lady was sneaked out, and it's too late to hide it. If she reveals her identity, wouldn't she fall into the trap?"

Luo Kui nodded slightly and sighed. She stared at the dark night outside the window. Occasionally, there were several birds singing low, spreading far away in the quiet and darkness. The endless mountains in the distance were reflected on the window paper like silhouettes. Compared with the square sky like Hexu Mountain cage, it was particularly far and free.

Suddenly she thought of something, she whispered: "Zhi Lan, I still remember the back mountain path we walked through at Yunting Temple that year."

"Did the lady talk about the road when she met the prince? Zhilan remember that the road was remote and tight. Do you want to go up there?" Zhilan nodded and said.

"No." Before Luo Kui could speak, Mingyan quickly objected: "The road is very rugged and difficult to walk tightly. The master is rich. What if something goes wrong?"

Zhilan agreed very much and nodded constantly. Luo Kui shook her head and said, "Besides taking this path, you have a way to do it." Hearing this, the two were stunned for a moment, speechless. She continued quietly, "That's it. No matter what, you have to try it. You can prepare separately, let's go up the mountain overnight."

The two had to leave in response and make some preparations silently, leaving Luo Kui alone sitting under the window, rubbing a yellowed scripture with her fingertips. The obscure and difficult words wandered on the paper, gradually connecting them, making people feel upset. She couldn't calm down and recite the scriptures, and her mind was constantly passing by Ya'er. Although she had only seen a few faces, her face seemed to be deeply engraved into the bones and could not be erased.

Luo Kui remembered the boy's jade pendant on her neck, and reached out to take it out, with a warm breath. She held it tightly in her palm, fearing that it would be lost, so she would never find it again. The wind blew through the crack of the window, gently turning the scriptures on the table page by page.

Hexu Mountain was already pitch black at this time, only the dark yellow palace lanterns in front of the palace gates were slightly shaking in the night wind, like ghosts.

The night-time man in Cining Palace heard a very slight rustling sound in the haze. He thought it was a rumbling insect, but the sound became clearer and clearer from far to near. He suddenly opened his eyes, and a carp jumped up and rushed to the yard to take a look, but there was nothing.

He scratched his head in confusion and was about to turn around and enter the room, but a black shadow flashed in front of him. He was shocked. As soon as he spit out the word "yes", he startled a pair of birds in the yard and rushed into the night sky with their wings.

He stayed there, swallowed the second half of the sentence, and opened his eyes carefully. There was no one in the yard. He rubbed his eyes, spitted, and cursed: "It's so fucking bad luck. It turned out to be a bird. I was shocked and made me feel good. I'll poison you sooner or later."

As he said that, he entered the house cursingly, without seeing a dark shadow lying on the winding palace walls, blending with the boundless night.

I don't know how long it took, but the person on duty had already snored and slept very deeply. The black shadow lying on the palace wall moved carefully. Seeing that it had not alarmed others, he decisively spread his body and rushed towards the depths of Hexu Mountain.

In just a quarter of an hour, the black shadow had already passed through the palace walls, and the shadows of flowers and trees fell on the side of the hibiscus pond. A slightly yellow palace lantern had already lit up. The candlelight swayed like a bright moon shining in the middle of the lake, reflecting a woman's jade-like face, which was extremely beautiful and gentle.

"Here, what's going on?" The woman opened her mouth and her beautiful voice made the moonlight tremble slightly.

The black shadow bowed and nodded, and replied respectfully: "Go back to the master, my subordinates are incompetent. I have flipped through the Cining Palace and couldn't find what my master wants. Please forgive me."

After the words came, the woman just held the corner of her lips, showed a cold smile, and said in a very low voice: "Forget it, it must be extremely difficult to find a clue for such a long time. Let's keep more thoughts in the future." As she said, her fingertips flashed through the jumping candlelight, and the burning pain made her heart shake, and she continued: "I have been waiting for so many years, don't care about waiting for more time."

The sound of insects and the wisps of clouds shine on this hibiscus pool to calm down,

It seemed as if the undercurrent had never appeared just now.

The night outside Jinling City is quiet and not as quiet as the world, without a trace of noisy voices. The moonlight outside the window is like a silky beauty. Stars dotted through the window paper, all falling on the mottled table, light and dark, and my heart suddenly becomes messy, and I feel in panic and can't see the end.

Luo Kui was sitting under the window in a daze, but Zhilan and Mingyan came in with a curtain and whispered something. Luo Kui nodded and ordered: "Let's go." Zhilan turned off the lights and the three of them came out in a row.

A crescent moon hangs low in the sky, and a night wind is wrapped in a few cotton-like clouds, lingering around to cover the moon. The moon is immediately as weak as a haggard woman, and her figure is hazy and almost invisible.

Mingyan raised the fire slash and carefully explored the way in front. Zhilan and Luokui supported each other and followed closely behind. The night wind was strong, and the fire slash was light and dark. The mountain road was also rugged and difficult to walk. From time to time, the branches that poked their heads touched their cheeks, which hurt. The three of them walked carefully and walked very slowly.

About two hours later, the group had a very difficult journey to reach the mountainside. When they heard the sound of the mountain streams and streams. The three of them were delighted. Zhilan said, "Miss, bypass this mountain stream and walk for another two hours, you can reach Yunting Temple."

Luo Kui nodded slightly, looked up at the Xinyue hanging in the sky, and said, "Look at the sky, it's almost Yin time. We have to rush to the temple before dawn. We have to leave soon."

After saying that, the group speeded up and turned around the mountain stream. A short bush of low trees saw a few black shadows flashing not far away, as if they were on duty. Mingyan was shocked and quickly blew out the fire note. The three of them hurriedly bent down and hid in the bushes, so that the people on duty did not alarm.

"It's so dangerous, I almost exposed my whereabouts." Zhilan stuck out his tongue and calmed down his terrified mood.

"One, two, three, four..." Mingyan counted the shadows opposite, looked back and asked in a low voice: "Master, there are seven people on duty in total. What should I do? It won't work if I force myself to break through."

Luo Kui looked at the situation around him carefully and sighed helplessly, but there was no feasible way.

Zhilan thought for a while and said, "Miss, this is the only way up the mountain. There are seven people on duty here. I'm afraid of more elsewhere, so it's even more impossible to detour. Miss, since the situation has been discovered today, why don't we go back first and come out tomorrow as soon as it gets dark, and we have to find an opportunity to go up anyway."
Chapter completed!