Chapter 428: Chapter 428: Never Seen Him So Clingy

"CHIRP! CHIRP!"

Chun Hua circled in the air, letting out a couple of cries from time to time.

"Don’t cry out, don’t cry out!"

Song Lianhe waved her hands frantically at it.

Chun Hua didn’t seem very happy about it, but it still swooped down, brushing past her fingertips as it flew away in acknowledgment.

After that, it truly didn’t make another sound, weaving back and forth through the night sky like a ghost.

Chun De walked curiously to the window and poked her head out. "Will this really work?"

"Your Majesty, just you wait and see."

Song Lianhe watched Chun Hua, her eyes filled with gratification.

’I can’t speak for other things, but when it comes to matters like picking locks, prying open windows, and peeping, Chun Hua is definitely the right one for the job! It’ll complete the entire task with autonomy and enthusiasm!’

A moment later, Chun Hua’s figure vanished.

Song Lianhe smiled faintly and pulled Chun De back to her seat. She casually peeled a tangerine. "Your Majesty, have a tangerine."

Chun De felt uneasy and kept glancing outside.

"Please, don’t worry."

She ate happily, reassuring herself. ’It’s not just Chun Hua out there. Xuan Mei and her martial brother, Xuan Qi, are also outside. Since it was inconvenient for Zhou Cangyan to enter the palace, he sent Chi Xiao with a dozen or so of his personal guards. Nothing can go wrong.’

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, a dark figure suddenly dropped from the sky and came straight through the window, startling Fang Xiu. "Ah!"

"Greetings, Your Majesty the Empress."

The newcomer was a woman dressed all in black. She had a slender figure, a ramrod-straight back, and her long hair was tied up high, bound only by a single red ribbon.

Song Lianhe quickly reassured Chun De, "Your Majesty, she’s with me."

Chun De nodded.

Song Lianhe turned her head and asked, "Sister Mei, what did you find?"

"The Princess Consort’s guess was correct. The Holy Emperor is not in Chongzheng Hall."

"What!"

Chun De shot to her feet. "The Holy Emperor isn’t in his bedchamber? Then where could he be?"

Xuan Mei replied, "Chun Hua searched all of Chongzheng Hall. If he were there, Chun Hua would have found him."

If Chun Hua couldn’t find him, then he definitely wasn’t in Chongzheng Hall.

Song Lianhe asked hurriedly, "Did you find any clues?"

Xuan Mei said, "This subordinate tied up a young eunuch from Chongzheng Hall. He didn’t know the specifics, only that some Daoist cultivators entered the palace yesterday, supposedly to pray for the Holy Emperor’s fortune. The Holy Emperor was still in Chongzheng Hall at that time."

"Praying for fortune..."

Chun De recalled, "I went to pay my respects yesterday and was also stopped at the door. They said that Venerable Ling Xi from Dao Yuan Temple had come specifically to pray for the Holy Emperor’s fortune and could not be disturbed, not even by me."

She was angry at first, but thinking about it carefully now, the whole thing reeked of conspiracy.

"For them to give a specific name to Your Majesty means it really happened, but it all seems too deliberate." Song Lianhe murmured, then suddenly realized something. "You said... Venerable Ling Xi?"

Xuan Mei replied, "Yes."

Song Lianhe couldn’t help but laugh. ’What a coincidence!’

She looked up and said, "Your Majesty, let me make a trip to Dao Yuan Temple for you. I happen to be acquainted with this Venerable Ling Xi."

After matters there were concluded, Song Lianhe prepared to take her leave. Empress Chun De wanted to keep her in the palace overnight, fearing for her safety with so many spies around.

Xuan Mei said, "Your Majesty the Empress, my Prince has given an order that the Princess Consort must be brought back to the residence. I hope Your Majesty will forgive us."

Chun De was taken aback, then looked at Song Lianhe with amusement. "He really can’t be without his wife for even a day, can he? I have never seen Biwu be so clingy."

Song Lianhe felt a little embarrassed. After bidding farewell to Chun De, she was escorted out of the palace by Xuan Mei.

The sedan chair was carried directly out of Kunyi Palace.

The moment Song Lianhe stepped into the sedan, she froze. Seeing the man sitting inside, she was utterly shocked. "How did you get into the palace?"

Zhou Cangyan was resting his head on one hand. He lazily lifted his eyelids to glance at her. "You’re in a lion’s den. How could I possibly rest easy?"

A sweet feeling bloomed in Song Lianhe’s heart. She went over and sat beside him, wrapping her arms around his and naturally resting her head on his shoulder.

"The Empress asked me to diagnose the Holy Emperor, but I ended up running into Consort Zhao Hui..."

She told him everything that had happened that night, then added, "What’s certain now is that Emperor Cheng Xiao is not in his own bedchamber, and my grand-uncle, Venerable Ling Xi, definitely entered the palace yesterday. So, I plan to go to Dao Yuan Temple tomorrow."

Zhou Cangyan listened intently until she finished, even though he already knew all of this. In fact, he even knew where Emperor Cheng Xiao was at that very moment.

He looked at Song Lianhe and asked slowly, "You want to save him?"

Song Lianhe’s heart skipped a beat.

All her rambling hadn’t been enough to make him overlook the question.

She looked at him and said in a small voice, "A healer’s heart is benevolent. If the Empress hadn’t come to me, it would be one thing, but since she asked, how could I refuse? It’s my duty as a healer."

Zhou Cangyan just gazed at her quietly, his pair of light brown eyes seeming to see right through her.

"Is that the only reason?"

Song Lianhe gritted her teeth and lifted her chin. "Of course!"

Zhou Cangyan lowered his gaze, a mocking smile playing on his lips. "Lianhe, you’re a terrible liar."

"..."

Seeing his reaction, Song Lianhe deflated instantly.

"Alright, alright, I knew I couldn’t hide it from you." She shook his arm and said in a low voice, "Without your permission, I asked the Empress today... about what happened to your mother back then."

There wasn’t the slightest change in Zhou Cangyan’s expression. Feeling a pang of heartache, Song Lianhe reached out to touch his face. "The only things in this life we cannot choose are our parents and our birth."

Zhou Cangyan gave a wry smile. "To him, I’m just an enemy who could threaten his son’s succession to the throne."

However, he didn’t wallow in self-pity. Instead, he looked at Song Lianhe. "This was all arranged by the one who wrote the book, wasn’t it?"

"It was her, and it was also fate. Fate borrowed her hand to give everyone here their lives and their already-scripted destinies."

Song Lianhe rested her head on his shoulder and said softly, "All we can do is not dwell on the path that brought us here, but focus on the road ahead."

He lowered his gaze. "Can you save him?"

"It’s hard to say right now. I’ll have to see him first."

Just then, Xuan Mei’s voice came from outside. "My Lord, we’re being watched. I estimate they’ll make a move once we’re clear of Kunyi Palace."

Song Lianhe lifted her head, a little frightened. Zhou Cangyan gently pressed her head back onto his shoulder, a cold glint flashing in the depths of his eyes.

"Leave no one alive."

"Yes."

It didn’t take long before the sedan chair came to a stop.

Song Lianhe grew nervous. She pricked up her ears to listen carefully. Outside, there seemed to be the sound of wind, WHOOSHING loudly.

Soon, Xuan Mei’s voice rang out, "My Lord, they’ve all been taken care of."

"Mm, back to the residence."

"Yes."

Song Lianhe gulped. ’That was way too efficient!’

"Move out."

Following Xuan Mei’s command, the sedan chair began to sway as it continued forward again.

Meanwhile, Consort Zhao Hui received the news: the men she had sent out had been completely wiped out.

"Who in the world are they? So brazen! To dare commit murder in the palace!"

She threw something to the ground, but quickly calmed down again, her beautiful eyes filled with viciousness.

’With such a capable person backing Chun De, I’m afraid she’ll be difficult to deal with in the future. I must strike first to gain the upper hand!’