newbobooks Chapter 227: The Investigation of the Dangerous Imperial Palace
Chapter 227: The Investigation of the Dangerous Imperial Palace
The palace had finally survived that terrifying ordeal and thought it could finally breathe a sigh of relief. But who knew that this peace, like thin ice, would shatter at the slightest step. The crisis, like a shadow hidden in the darkness, was quietly lurking around, poised to pounce at any moment.
Ling Xuan was alone in his study, the silence around him unnerving. The flame of the solitary lamp flickered, and the shadow cast on the wall wavered, just like his chaotic thoughts.
His face was as cold as ice, his brows were tightly furrowed, and his eyes held an elusive light, like stars in a cold night.
Look at the jade pendant on the table again. It lies quietly, as if it is some spiritual object that emerged from the ancient pond. It flashes light from time to time, as if secretly telling the mysterious things of the past.
Ling Xuan stared at the jade pendant without blinking, as if he wanted to see through it with his eyes. In his mind, this was the key to unlocking the identity of the mysterious visitor. He had to follow this clue to find out the truth behind it and drive away the dark cloud hanging over the palace.
Ling Xuan selected a few of his most trusted confidants, the elite among the elite. Like ghosts in the night, they moved swiftly and disappeared from the streets and alleys of the capital in a flash.
But finding clues is so difficult! Those clues are like catkins in the wind, floating here and there, impossible to catch.
After a lot of effort, some clues emerged, making people happy and thinking that there was hope. However, after a while, they found out that it was a trap set by the bad guys. It was like a dream, and everything disappeared in an instant, leaving only fatigue and a lot of questions. It felt like falling into a mud pit, and the more they struggled, the deeper they sank.
Just when things were giving people a headache, one day, Ling Xuan received a secret intelligence.
He did not dare to delay for a moment and immediately took a few guards with him to a remote place outside the capital.
When we got there, we saw a house, which was dilapidated and looked like an old monster lying in the wilderness, with only a scary frame left.
The walls around had collapsed, and there were weeds everywhere, growing in a mess. The yard seemed to have been forgotten by time. The grass was taller than people, swaying in the wind, making a sound like crying, as if saying that the good days of the past were gone.
Ling Xuan and his companions approached the house quietly, like shadows. Unexpectedly, just as they were about to go in to take a look, they heard a particularly piercing cry. The sound was like a ghost crying in the night, making people's scalps tingle.
Then, a group of men in black emerged like a tide. These men wore black clothes and held long swords, which gleamed coldly in the sun, like stars falling from the night sky.
Their eyes were filled with ferocity, like demons from hell. Ling Xuan was not afraid, standing there like an iron tower. The sword in his hand seemed to sense the master's momentum and unsheathed with a loud and clear sound, like the cry of a crane in the sky.
Ling Xuan's body flashed like a dragon emerging from the water. The sword danced in his hand tightly, and flashes of cold light seemed to be able to split the air. He looked so majestic, like a god descending to earth.
But there were too many enemies, and they coordinated very well, attacking and defending in an orderly manner.
Ling Xuan and the guards fought desperately, but it was becoming increasingly difficult, just like rowing against the current. Every push was extremely difficult, and it felt like they might die at any moment.
Meanwhile, Yun Mengting wasn't idle in the palace either. She was quite clever, and knew quite a few people among the common people. With a little disguise, she looked like a fairy descending to earth, wandering the streets and alleys of the capital.
In teahouses and pubs, you can see her beautiful figure. She speaks softly and gently, chatting with people about family matters like a spring breeze, warming your heart and making you unknowingly tell her everything that is in your heart.
In a teahouse filled with the aroma of tea, Yun Mengting met an old man who used to work in the imperial kitchen.
The old man's eyes were rolling around, and he looked very cunning, like a bottomless pool of water, hiding many secrets. Yun Mengting walked over slowly, smiled and asked softly, "Old man, how have you been recently?"
The old man looked up at her and saw that she was a gentle girl, so his guard was lowered a little. Yun Mengting chatted with the old man, talking about the past events in the palace, and the old man gradually relaxed his guard.
Later, under Yun Mengting's clever questioning, the old man finally confessed that he had seen a mysterious man secretly meeting with a high-ranking official in the palace.
When the mysterious man was mentioned, the old man's face changed and he lowered his voice and said, "That person exudes a mysterious aura and wears a jade pendant. The pattern on the jade pendant is very strange, as if it is hiding a huge secret." When Yun Mengting heard this, her heart skipped a beat. She knew this was an important clue and quickly asked for details.
But the old man seemed to suddenly realize that he had said the wrong thing. He immediately shut his mouth, shook his head continuously, and dared not say anything. It was as if there was an evil ghost staring at him from behind, and he was afraid that he would lose his life if he said a wrong word.
Yun Mengting hurried back to the palace with this clue. At this time, Ling Xuan was pacing around the study room anxiously, like an ant on a hot pan, because the investigation had not made any progress.
Hearing the news Yun Mengting brought back was like seeing a light in the darkness, a sudden ray of hope. However, having been fooled so many times before by false clues, he felt uneasy and didn't dare to believe it easily. So, he and Yun Mengting discussed in the study room how to find a way to confirm whether this clue was real.
During the discussion, the two had different opinions. Ling Xuan felt that he had prestige as an official in the court, so he wanted to start the investigation with the high-ranking officials in the palace.
He said in a loud voice, "There's a lot of information in the palace. We'll definitely be able to find the truth faster if we investigate there." Yun Mengting didn't think so. She frowned and said, "The palace is full of spies, and the relationships are as complicated as a mess. If we're not careful, we'll alert the enemy.
It would be better to start by slowly investigating these clues from the public and proceed steadily." The two of them argued back and forth, their faces flushed and their necks thick. The atmosphere in the study was as tense as a rainy day, and it was stuffy and uncomfortable.
After a while, Ling Xuan looked at Yun Mengting and saw the determination in her eyes, as well as her full trust and expectations in him. Suddenly, he felt like someone hit him on the head and woke up.
Thinking about it carefully, Yun Mengting's words did make sense, and her insistence was all for the good of the palace. Ling Xuan's expression suddenly eased. He reached out and held Yun Mengting's hand, saying sincerely, "Ting'er, I was too anxious and didn't understand your good idea. Let's do as you said and start investigating among the people first."
After hearing this, Yun Mengting blushed slightly, lowered her head and whispered, "Prince, I shouldn't have argued with you so fiercely. We will definitely be able to solve this mystery together in the future." After that, the two looked at each other and smiled. The previous unpleasantness disappeared like a gust of wind, and their relationship became even better, just like the spring sun melting the ice and snow, and like the fragrant herbs and beautiful trees growing in the woods, which grew more luxuriantly after experiencing wind and rain.
Then, they followed the agreed plan and, like an embroiderer threading a needle, followed the clues from the people and went around looking for craftsmen who had worked in the palace before or old knights in the martial arts world to inquire.
Sometimes you can hear some unknown stories from the palace, and sometimes you can know some rumors in the martial arts world. These bits and pieces of information are like small pieces of a puzzle, slowly piecing together the general appearance of the mysterious guest.
However, danger always accompanies them. Every step closer to the truth feels like being swept away by a huge wave. But Ling Xuan and Yun Mengting are like a pair of loving mandarin ducks, clinging to each other tightly. In this dangerous palace struggle, they are not afraid at all and never give up chasing the truth.
Just like the plum blossoms in the cold winter, blooming proudly against the frost and snow, they write their own wonderful stories, making everyone who hears them want to go and see them, and everyone who sees them admires them from the bottom of their hearts.