At the seventh quarter-hour mark of the Xu hour, Yun Lang arrived.
The corners of his lips were upturned, and he was carrying a box of freshly made sour jujube cakes. "A new product from Zhang's shop. Try it quickly."
Chu Ruoyan dismissed the servants and asked, "Second Brother, hasn't the Bai Xiao Pavilion picked up any rumors?"
"What rumors? Are you talking about Third Yan?" Yun Lang thought she was worried about her husband and said with a smile, "He just had a skirmish with the southern barbarians and hasn't yet engaged Meng Ze and his sister. It'll take at least two or three months no matter how fast he is. Don't worry too much..."
Chu Ruoyan cut straight to the point. "I'm not talking about him. It's my father... my Adoptive Father and my Uncle. Both of them lost contact with their families after attending court yesterday!"
Yun Lang's pupils contracted. "Could they be on a secret mission?"
Chu Ruoyan shook her head. "No matter how urgent the mission was in the past, he would always inform the household. He wouldn't leave without a word. Moreover, one is the head of the Six Ministries, the other is the Assistant Grand Secretary of the Grand Secretariat. Wherever they go, they attract attention. What kind of secret mission could they possibly be on?"
Yun Lang frowned and turned to give Heiya a few instructions.
Soon, the man returned and reported, "Pavilion Master, Third Miss, I've asked the Intelligence Division. Nothing major has happened in the capital these past two days. I've also made inquiries with the Five City Military and Patrol Command. They haven't received any reports!"
In other words, two pivotal court ministers had disappeared while everything seemed calm and peaceful?
A flicker of coldness passed through Yun Lang's eyes as he thought of something. "Do you suspect the Emperor?"
Only he could suddenly take control of people without causing the slightest ripple!
Chu Ruoyan pressed her lips together and nodded. Yun Lang's expression turned even colder. "Could it be that he knows about your ident—"
Before he could finish, his younger sister covered his mouth. "Second Brother, everything is still just my speculation for now. But I've heard Yan Zheng say that you have people placed in the palace too, right?"
Both siblings were exceptionally intelligent. Yun Lang said, "You want 'him' to make inquiries? It's possible, but for his safety, we've always waited for him to contact us proactively..."
"We can't wait that long!" After a moment's thought, Chu Ruoyan turned her head. "Shadow, return to the Chief Minister's residence. Invite the Sixth Young Master to enter the palace first thing tomorrow morning!"
"Yan Zhao?" Yun Lang raised an eyebrow. "You want to use him to test the Emperor?"
"Exactly. If our suspicions are correct, the Emperor won't see him!" After all, she also held the identity of the Third Young Madam of the Yan family! If Murong Feng truly suspected her, he wouldn't risk alerting the enemy by meeting a member of the Yan family at this critical juncture!
The next day, outside the Fengtian Gate.
Yan Zhao stood there, feeling somewhat confused himself.
Last night, Shadow suddenly returned, saying Third Sister-in-law wanted him to enter the palace for an audience with the Emperor. As for the reason... not a single word of explanation was given...
But never mind, Third Sister-in-law couldn't be wrong!
After waiting for nearly an hour, a young eunuch came out with a smile. "Sixth Young Master, apologies for the long wait. His Majesty says he is feeling unwell today and will not be receiving anyone. If the Sixth Young Master has any urgent matters, you may tell this servant. It's the same if I relay the message on your behalf."
Yan Zhao quickly waved his hand in refusal and turned to leave.
As he passed by the Imperial Garden, he heard voices inside.
"Hmph, the Chu family is facing great calamity this time. Let's see how that Chu Changle can still act so arrogant!"
Hearing his Third Sister-in-law's name, he stopped. Then he heard another domineering female voice say, "What Princess Jiahui says is correct. This time, the Emperor seems truly angered. I heard he even mobilized the Hidden Guards..."
The Hidden Guards were the successors to the Eagle Guard, directly subordinate to imperial authority, obeying only the Emperor's orders.
Back when the Eagle Guard carried out large-scale purges of people from the previous dynasty, they were also heavily targeted in revenge, suffering near-total casualties. After the current Emperor ascended the throne, to demonstrate benevolence, he specifically renamed the "Eagle Guard" to "Hidden Guards," recalling them to the palace. They hadn't been deployed on missions for a long time...
A chill ran down Yan Zhao's spine. He was just about to listen more carefully when a startled scream came from within the garden.
"Ah!! What is this thing?! Get away!!"
He quickly walked to the entrance of the Imperial Garden and saw a palace maiden in court attire surrounded by bees!
The girl covered her face, desperately trying to shoo them away, but more and more bees gathered, frightening the other palace servants from approaching!
Yan Zhao clenched his fist. The chivalrous nature in his bones compelled him to take off his cloak and rush forward—
"Be careful! Protect your face!"
Princess Jiahui was in a state of panic when suddenly a cloak descended upon her, saving her from peril like a deity.
The girl looked up dazedly and saw a heroic young man shielding her, driving away the bees...
For a moment, she was utterly captivated, until Yan Zhao shouted sharply—
"What are you staring at? Hurry up and remove those hairpins and flowers from your head!"
Princess Jiahui snapped out of her daze and quickly pulled out all the chrysanthemums she had adorned her hair with that morning.
Fortunately, the bees also departed, no longer swarming around her...
"Princess! Are you alright?"
"Princess Jiahui, were you stung? Should we summon the imperial physician?"
Ignoring the concerned inquiries from the palace servants and Concubine Yan, Princess Jiahui just stared blankly at Yan Zhao. "You... what is your name?"
Yan Zhao frowned, looking regretfully at the cloak...
It was a gift from Ruolan herself. What a pity!
He cupped his hands in salute. "This commoner's humble name is not worth mentioning. Farewell!"
"Hey, you!" Just as Princess Jiahui was about to say something, she noticed the swollen red bump on his arm and immediately said, "You're injured? Stung by a bee? Quick, summon the imperial physician! Have Chief Physician Zhang come personally!"
The palace servants hurriedly assented, but Yan Zhao said, "A minor injury is not worth troubling Your Highness. This commoner takes his leave."
With that, he turned and left. Princess Jiahui stared blankly at his retreating figure, then stamped her foot fiercely. "Quick! Go find out his full name, which family he belongs to, how many people are in his household. I want to know now!"
The palace servants scurried to obey, but Concubine Yan said leisurely, "No need for the trouble. This person is known to me. He is the sixth younger brother of Chief Minister Yan, with the given name Zhao."
"Yan Zhao? He's the Yan Zhao who once saved His Majesty?"
Princess Jiahui was overjoyed, a touch of maidenly shyness appearing on her face. She suddenly headed towards the Imperial Study.
At the Bodhi Courtyard, Duke Chu's residence.
Yan Zhao returned and reported the situation, including the incident in the Imperial Garden.
Chu Ruoyan and Yun Lang exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity in each other's eyes.
She first sent Yan Zhao back, then a bitter smile appeared at the corner of her lips. "Even the Hidden Guards have been mobilized. It seems he truly suspects my origins..."
Yun Lang knit his brows. "But who could have informed on you? Roumin?"
Those who knew her true identity, besides Chu Huaishan and the Bai Xiao Pavilion, were Roumin and the Dowager Noble Consort.
The Dowager Noble Consort was, after all, their grand-aunt. She wouldn't harm them. That left only Roumin!
Indeed, they shouldn't have spared her back then!
"No, not her." After a moment's thought, Chu Ruoyan said, "Second Brother, Chu Roumin may be malicious, but she is certainly not a fool. If she informed, she would inevitably implicate her birth father, Duke Chu. What good would that do her? By saying nothing, she at least remains a Lady. If she spoke, she would become the daughter of a criminal official and likely lose her life... Besides, the Dowager Noble Consort wouldn't allow her to act recklessly!"
Yun Lang saw the logic in this, his slender brows tightly locked. "But if not her, then who?"
Chu Ruoyan looked at his profile. "Second Brother... is it possible... it's the Bai Xiao Pavilion?"
