219 Untitled (1/2)

”Quickly report this to the Regent King! Someone has attempted to assassinate the emperor!”

Assassinate the emperor.

Xuanyuan's emperor, Xuanyuan Min.

Xuanyuan Min's shoulders were actually shaking slightly. His guards kneeled down, gazing at each other, all at a loss of what to do. In this lonely palace, the only thing that he could do for leisure was to sing opera. The only places he could go other than his own palace would be the last inner court. Yet, today, he came all the way to the third inner court and was even so badly beaten up. Could it be that this fragile majesty is crying?

A guard carefully reached out to help Xuanyuan Min up but was very surprised when he lifted his head.

He had a face full of dirt and bits and pieces of dried leaves stuck on his exquisite skin. A thin trail of blood trickled down his nose with half his lips swollen. All these made him look a lot more disheveled than the guards were expecting before he turned around.

Yet, there was not a single drop of tear on his face.

He was laughing.

He laughed to the point where his shoulders trembled, to the point where he rocked back and forth, to the point where… he had let loose—where tears of joy speckled in his eyes, the emotion of surprise written all over his face.

'Today… Is really a happy day…'

He was used to the lonely palace with the quiet and never-ending corridor, the tall and unreachable dome, the uniform curtains around his bed that seemed to follow him like a nightmare and those zombie-like eunuchs and servants that always had the same tone, same expressions… how many nights did he spend walking barefooted around the huge and magnificent palace, singing an opera only heard by one, walking to the point of exhaustion at the first glimpse of sunlight only to fall asleep on the throne when he went to court.

Not only that, how could he, a serious insomniac, sleep at the hours that one would expect?

And the breeze that entered his room at night was heavy like a metal board, forcing the curtains around his bed to inch closer and closer with one another, barely allowing one to breathe. In such a dark prison, it almost drove one to yell and scream, and yet, everyone else seemed to go nothing above a whisper. Even as he sang to himself, he could not get used to the gazes that were given to him, and so, in his huge room that could accommodate a thousand people, he hummed to himself softly.

Riches were limitless, yet dreams were bleak and desolate.

But today, with an accidental entrance to the third inner court, he had met such a young lad.

Bright and vibrant, he even punched people with such tyranny, not the least bothered by the rich and powerful in the regent king's residence. In the residence more important than the imperial palace, that young lad had continued his opera performance, casually ”toasted him wine” and even punched him as he pleased.

'Interesting, interesting.'

Xuanyuan laughed in surprise as he ordered his guards, ”Come, invite the Regent King over!”

Meng Fuyao was naturally oblivious to her ”good luck”, where just a random punch from her could hit the emperor.

If she had known, she'd definitely lament over the fact that she was cursed to meet the imperial family.

Her thoughts were still on Zong Yue. Since Xuanyuan Yun had no intentions of making life hard for Zong Yue, naturally, Meng Fuyao should find a chance to discuss this with Xuanyuan Yun, convincing her to help.

It had been a while since Zong Yue was kidnapped. She had searched the entire residence yet found nothing suspicious. Then, the only place left would be the building behind the red door, probably where the imperial palace was, and probably where she could find Zong Yue.

So tonight… she would enter the red door.

Whoever stopped her, death awaited them.

The sky gradually darkened. Bringing the guinea pig along, she took the chance and made her way to the big red door.

Meng Fuyao had already familiarized herself with the regent king's residence and had managed to make her way past the inner courts in a jiffy. When she passed by Xuanyuan Yun's court, she carefully slowed down as she could vaguely hear Xuanyuan Yun ordering her servants, ”Bring out the incense burner table, I want to burn some incense.”

'Ay… silly child, prayers are not always helpful. Things like God, sometimes they only make things worse. If you really want to reach your goal, you would have to take action when there's an opportunity.'

Meng Fuyao had raised her hand and tried to grab the stars with all her might.

She suddenly stopped. In front of her was the big red door.

The security was certainly… secure.

There were close to a thousand guards patrolling near the wall. Their weapons gleamed under the winter moonlight as the soldiers passed by each other in groups. There was no room or space for Meng Fuyao to make use of. To enter the red door lit up by those lanterns, forget about two adults, even if it was just Lord Yuan Bao, it would need to lose at least 180 times of its current weight.

'Charge in head-on? Just trespass directly? Really… going in like this?

'Let's just force our way in.'

Meng Fuyao whispered into Tie Cheng's ear. Before the unwilling Tie Cheng could reject her proposition, she slapped him and pushed him out.

What followed was her jumping up and shrieking.

”Thief! Where do you think you are going!”