The sudden disappearance of a nation's emperor in broad daylight was no trivial matter. The entire capital and palace were placed under strict lockdown, with every household searched and questioned. Those within the palace who knew the truth were thrown into panic.
Even the Empress Dowager, who had long retired from court affairs to enjoy her twilight years in the rear palace, emerged to address the crisis. Present alongside her were the Empress and Imperial Concubine Liu. The commander of the Imperial Bodyguards, the chief eunuch who attended the emperor, and Prime Minister Liu—who had been the last to see the emperor—all knelt in a row. The Empress Dowager’s face was dark with fury as she rebuked them, "In broad daylight, the emperor vanished without a trace. What use are any of you?! What good is it for the royal family to keep you around?" None dared to argue, only kowtowing and begging for mercy. Among them, Prime Minister Liu felt the most wronged—he had merely sought an audience with the emperor to discuss official matters. What did the emperor’s disappearance have to do with him? Yet, as the last person to have seen the emperor, he couldn’t escape suspicion.
"Search thoroughly! The emperor must be returned safely! As for your lives… we’ll decide once His Majesty is back!" the Empress Dowager commanded coldly. The assembled officials hastily assented. Only after venting her anger did the Empress Dowager turn her gaze to Prime Minister Liu, still kneeling on the ground. "Prime Minister, what did His Majesty discuss with you last?"
"Reporting to Your Majesty," Prime Minister Liu replied, "it was merely routine state affairs—nothing out of the ordinary."
The Empress Dowager was no fool; she could see through his evasiveness. Her eyes darkened as she pressed, "Speak in detail."
After a brief hesitation, Prime Minister Liu answered, "His Majesty was displeased about matters from the morning court session, but he said nothing of great importance—only that further discussion would wait until tomorrow’s court assembly."
It wasn’t that Prime Minister Liu deliberately withheld information from the Empress Dowager, but the matter concerning the Xu Family was classified. Unless the emperor issued an edict, not a word could be leaked—otherwise, the Liu Family would face dire consequences.
The Empress Dowager studied him skeptically, but Prime Minister Liu remained composed and earnest under her scrutiny. A seasoned fox of the court, he knew how to conceal his tracks when necessary.
In the end, the Empress Dowager dismissed them all with a wave of irritation. Once the hall had emptied, the matron attending her ventured cautiously, "Your Majesty, regarding the emperor’s situation…"
The Empress Dowager closed her eyes, feigning repose. "This old one has long withdrawn from court affairs. Such matters are for the Empress and the ministers to handle. Where is Prince Li now?"
The matron lowered her voice. "After His Highness Prince Li agreed to a truce with the emperor, he promised to return to the capital this year to celebrate Your Majesty’s birthday. By my calculations, he should already be on his way."
The Empress Dowager nodded. "Good. Send word for Prince Li to hasten to the capital. Also—that woman he left behind in the city… Ye Ying, wasn’t it? I heard she was with child?"
The matron confirmed, "Indeed, Your Majesty. Consort Ye bore Prince Li a son. The child is nearly a year old now.""Have someone keep an eye on things," the Empress Dowager instructed, waving her hand to dismiss the maidservant. Thinking of her two sons, her expression darkened involuntarily. Others said she was fortunate—in the previous emperor's harem, where bearing children was particularly difficult, she alone had two sons, the eldest of whom became the ruler of the nation, elevating her to the position of Empress Dowager. But who knew that this eldest son of hers was inherently suspicious, even wary of his own birth mother, fearing she might gain too much power and threaten him. If not for this, she could have peacefully remained as the Empress Dowager without scheming against the emperor with her younger son. All these years, though she appeared supremely honored in the palace, it was merely a facade. The emperor would even defy his own mother for the sake of a favored concubine, and she had no influence whatsoever over the harem's affairs. How could the Empress Dowager, who had spent a lifetime maneuvering and scheming, resign herself to this when she had thought her path would henceforth be smooth?
After bidding farewell to Consort Liu, the Empress returned to her palace, her usually serene face now showing traces of worry and confusion. She dismissed the maids and attendants following her and pushed open the door to her bedchamber. Entering the room, she gazed at the quiet space before her and sat down at the table, saying calmly, "Come out."
After a moment, Feng Zhiyao emerged from behind the curtains of the phoenix bed, silently watching her. The Empress frowned slightly, but before she could speak, Feng Zhiyao said, "I’ve come to retrieve something. I’ll leave immediately." The Empress was taken aback. "What?" she asked. Feng Zhiyao replied, "A white jade box that Mo Jingqi entrusted to you for safekeeping eight years ago." The Empress pondered for a moment before looking up at him. "Was it you who captured the emperor?"
"Yes," Feng Zhiyao admitted. "Do you want to call for someone to arrest me?"
The Empress stood and quickly stepped toward him. "Kidnapping the ruler of a nation? You’ve got some nerve! The capital and the palace are already under complete lockdown—how do you plan to handle this?" Feng Zhiyao arched an eyebrow and smiled faintly. "If I could get in, I can certainly get out. Besides... Mo Jingqi’s life is still in my hands." The Empress glared at him angrily and shook her head. "Have you stopped thinking for yourself after all these years with Prince Ding? Do you really believe everyone wants the emperor to return safely? I’d wager many would prefer you kill him."
"I certainly wish I could kill him!" Feng Zhiyao spat bitterly.
"Foolishness!" the Empress scolded in a low voice. "Kidnapping the emperor couldn’t have been Prince Ding’s idea. What exactly have you come back to do?" Feng Zhiyao hesitated before answering, "By Wang Fei’s order, I’ve come to retrieve the Underworld Flower.""Underworld Flower?" The Empress frowned. She had little knowledge of medicine and naturally didn't know what the Underworld Flower was used for. She gave Feng Zhiyao an annoyed look and said, "Since Princess Ding sent you back for it, it must be important. Couldn't you have just sent a message? I could have helped you look for it. Are you only satisfied now that this has become such a big commotion?"
Feng Zhiyao snorted lightly. "Without making a big commotion, no one would have found it. Mo Jingqi guards the Underworld Flower closely. After all these years, even the person who gave it to him and his most favored Consort Liu don't know about it. Why would he tell you? Besides, if he found out you were inquiring about the Underworld Flower, you wouldn’t be able to escape suspicion either."
The Empress sighed helplessly and asked, "So, do you know where the Underworld Flower is now?"
Feng Zhiyao nodded. "Mo Jingqi said he handed it over to you half a year ago. A white jade box—do you remember?"
The Empress lowered her head in thought for a moment, then nodded. "I remember now. Wait here." She turned and went inside. Shortly after, she returned holding an exquisitely carved white jade box. Handing it to Feng Zhiyao, she asked, "Is this it?"
Feng Zhiyao took the box and carefully opened it. Inside lay a pale green flower resembling a peony. It looked as if it were made of jade, but when he lightly touched the petals, he could feel their softness and a faint, peculiar fragrance. Though the flower had clearly been plucked long ago, it showed no signs of withering—it truly resembled a jade flower. Comparing it to the description Shen had given him, Feng Zhiyao confirmed that this was indeed the legendary Underworld Flower.
The Empress whispered, "Take it. Release the Emperor as soon as possible and return to the northwest."
Feng Zhiyao put away the box and gave the Empress a deep look. "Are you really going to spend your whole life in this palace?"
The Empress smiled faintly. "Where else would I go if not here? Hurry and leave—be careful."
Feng Zhiyao stared at her. "Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill Mo Jingqi?"
The Empress shook her head with a soft laugh. "You won’t do that. The Emperor’s death now would bring no benefit to Prince Ding's Estate. Though no one has spoken up yet, I suspect many in the court already doubt Prince Ding. If the Emperor truly doesn’t return, whether Prince Ding is responsible or not, the blame will still fall on him."
Feng Zhiyao let out a dissatisfied grunt but couldn’t deny the truth in her words. He turned away. "I’m leaving."
The Empress nodded. "Be safe on your journey."
After taking a few steps, Feng Zhiyao turned back with a smirk. "Do you know what your precious Emperor has done? He’s planning to confiscate the Xu Family’s property!"
The Empress froze. By the time she regained her composure, Feng Zhiyao had already vanished. She could only sigh, a bitter smile gracing her beautiful face.With Mu Qingcang secretly providing protection, Feng Zhiyao, being a skilled martial artist himself, managed to exit the heavily guarded palace without incident. The two returned to where they had hidden Mo Jingqi, finding Leng Haoyu waiting in the room while keeping an eye on the emperor. Seeing them enter, Leng Haoyu immediately stood up and asked, "Did you get it?" Feng Zhiyao waved the box in his hand and replied, "We got something, but whether it's genuine needs to be verified by His Majesty himself."
Mo Jingqi's face darkened. "You've taken what you wanted. What more do you intend to do?" Feng Zhiyao smiled. "I'm naturally suspicious. I've heard the Underworld Flower is not only a miraculous elixir but also an extraordinary remedy for wounds. Just a small amount can instantly heal injuries—is that true?" Mo Jingqi stiffened, his eyes fixed on the dagger Feng Zhiyao was toying with. "What are you planning?" Feng Zhiyao gave him a malicious grin. "Naturally, I'd like His Majesty to test the efficacy of this Underworld Flower. After all the trouble we went through to get it, it would be quite embarrassing if it turned out to be a fake."
Mo Jingqi gritted his teeth. "I guarantee it's genuine!"
Feng Zhiyao shook his head. "Your Majesty's guarantee is worthless." Without hesitation, he stabbed the dagger into Mo Jingqi's shoulder. The emperor let out a piercing scream as blood gushed out. A flicker of satisfaction crossed Feng Zhiyao's eyes as he cheerfully gestured toward the Underworld Flower in the jade box with his bloody dagger. "How should this be used? Ah, I heard the medicinal powder needs to be scraped off with a knife. Such a beautiful flower would lose its value if scraped—let's try the underside." Mo Jingqi hastily interjected, "You can't use a dagger! The Underworld Flower must be preserved in a jade box to retain its potency. It must also be cut with a jade knife."
"Oh, thank you for the advice." Feng Zhiyao sheathed the dagger and carefully returned the Underworld Flower to the box. Turning to Leng Haoyu, he said, "Do you have any wound powder? Give him some."
Leng Haoyu raised an eyebrow and silently took out the powder, casually sprinkling it over Mo Jingqi's wound. The emperor paled from the pain, glaring venomously at Feng Zhiyao. "I will never let you get away with this!" Feng Zhiyao sneered. "Instead of threatening us, you should worry about how you'll return to the capital. From what I know, quite a few people don’t want you back. I heard the Empress Dowager has already sent word to Prince Li, urging him to rush to the capital. It seems even the emperor isn’t loved by his parents."
"You—!" Mo Jingqi was stung by the remark, but powerless to retaliate under the circumstances.
Feng Zhiyao had no interest in Mo Jingqi's feelings. Satisfied, he tucked away the Underworld Flower and nodded at Leng Haoyu. "He's your responsibility now. No need to send him back too soon—we don’t want trouble before we’ve left." Leng Haoyu chuckled. "Don’t you trust me to handle it? Go do what you need to do." Feng Zhiyao nodded, then glanced at Mo Jingqi with a smirk. "Since His Majesty has been so cooperative, how about a free piece of information?"
Mo Jingqi stared coldly at him, clearly not believing he would offer anything useful.Feng Zhiyao didn't mind and smiled, "News about His Majesty's trusted minister Tan Jizhi. It's said that Minister Tan's original surname was Lin, with the given name Yuan. His identity traces back to the imperial family of the previous dynasty. Your Majesty, guess what this 'Yuan' in Lin Yuan stands for? Surely it can't be wishing Your Majesty a long reign and boundless fortune, can it?" With that, Feng Zhiyao laughed heartily and turned to leave, leaving Mo Jingqi's face alternating between green and white in shock.
Feng Zhiyao quietly retrieved the edict left by the founding emperor from the location Su Zuidie mentioned before her death, along with the Underworld Flower, then disappeared from the capital without a trace. Apart from close associates, no outsiders even knew Feng Zhiyao had returned to the capital. Leng Haoyu didn't hold back either, keeping Mo Jingqi locked in a dark room for three full days. It wasn't until the fourth morning, upon hearing that Prince Li was about to enter the capital, that he had the unconscious Mo Jingqi bundled in a sack and dumped near the city gates in the dim light of dawn. From start to finish, Mo Jingqi never even knew where he had been taken. And since neither Feng Zhiyao, Leng Haoyu, nor Mu Qingcang were people Mo Jingqi could remember, this time he suffered a silent defeat.
Amidst the varied looks from the crowd, Mo Jingqi stormed back to the palace in a rage. Ignoring the concubines and courtiers who came to greet and flatter him, he furiously issued several imperial edicts. The first was to hunt down the audacious rebels who dared to kidnap him, dead or alive. The second was to thoroughly investigate all courtiers closely associated with Tan Jizhi and Tan's activities over the years, arresting Tan Jizhi and bringing him to justice. The third was to confiscate the properties of the Xu Family at the Censor's manor in the capital, the Xu Shi in Yunzhou, and their distant relatives in Lishan, immediately arresting the entire Xu family and throwing them into the imperial prison.
While the first two edicts were somewhat understandable, the third stirred up a hornet's nest. Prime Minister Liu had just stepped out of the palace gates with the edict and the officials and guards assigned to carry out the confiscation when he was met with an uproar. Hundreds of scholars knelt in unison, loudly proclaiming the Xu family's innocence. Scanning the crowd, Prime Minister Liu noticed many were already serving officials. Though he knew the Xu family led the scholarly community, he hadn't expected them to command such loyalty. Less than half an hour after the emperor's edict was issued, so many had already gathered at the palace gates. He couldn't imagine the scene in a few more hours, feeling both envy and resentment. Unfurling the edict, Prime Minister Liu began reading it aloud at the palace gates. Yet even the emperor's golden words couldn't silence the scholars, who rebutted the decree one after another.In truth, it wasn't that these scholars were fickle, but rather the emperor's decree was truly difficult to convince the public. It neither clarified what crime the Xu Family had committed nor specified who exactly was at fault. Normally, whether the emperor's decree could convince the masses wouldn't matter much, as few dared to question imperial edicts. However, the problem lay in the Xu Family's immense influence. Generation after generation of great Confucian scholars had emerged from their ranks. While they couldn't be called supreme sages, they could be considered teachers to most scholars since the founding of the Great Chu. And scholars were a peculiar breed—seemingly weak, incapable of heavy labor, yet possessing an astonishingly stubborn pride in their bones.
When Prime Minister Liu saw so many people kneeling before the palace gates, he knew things were about to turn sour. The guards behind him were equally helpless. While they could easily overpower these scholars physically, these weren't people they could casually lay hands on. Without the emperor's explicit command, who would dare move against so many scholars? The entire Great Chu might be thrown into chaos.
Faced with the sight of countless people kowtowing and pleading, Prime Minister Liu had no choice but to send someone back to inform the emperor immediately.
Upon hearing the report, Mo Jingqi was so furious he nearly fainted. Ignoring the wound on his shoulder, he rushed to the palace gates with Consort Liu in tow. In this world, people were divided into scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, with scholars ranking first. To put it bluntly, every dynasty was governed by these scholars. If something happened to them, the nation wouldn't be far from collapse. By the time Mo Jingqi arrived—a mere half-hour later—the crowd at the gates had more than doubled from several hundred, with more still joining.
Seeing the emperor emerge, the kneeling crowd grew even more agitated, shouting pleas for mercy, justice, and proclaiming the Xu Family's innocence. The commotion made Mo Jingqi—already weakened from days of anxiety—feel dizzy.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Mo Jingqi roared.
A young man at the front cried out, "The Xu Family has served the Great Chu loyally since its founding. Generation after generation of Xu ancestors have devoted themselves to teaching and nurturing talents for our nation, contributing immensely through the ages. May we ask Your Majesty, what crime has the Xu Family committed to warrant the extermination of their entire clan?"
Mo Jingqi choked momentarily, his anger flaring further. "The Xu Family has committed treason, a crime punishable by death! As subjects of Great Chu, how dare you plead for these traitors?"
Another voice rose from the crowd, "Where is the evidence of the Xu Family's treason? We beg Your Majesty to present it!"
At this, everyone kneeling before the gates echoed, "We beg Your Majesty to present it!" The message was clear—if the emperor could produce evidence, they would accept it.
But Mo Jingqi had no evidence. Initially, he hadn't even accused the Xu Family of treason. Provoked by the scholars' protest, his rage had blinded him to reason, leading him to pin the gravest charge on them. Moreover, if he accused the Xu Family of colluding with Prince Ding—whose reputation among the people rivaled the Xu Family's—it would only stir up more trouble.
"Outrageous! Disperse at once, and I shall pardon your offenses!" Mo Jingqi commanded."The Xu Family is innocent. Your Majesty, please be just!" These people dared to petition at the palace gates—how could Mo Jingqi's mere words drive them away? The scene outside the palace erupted into chaos, and even ordinary citizens flocked upon hearing the news, nearly sealing off the entire palace entrance. Under such circumstances, it became even harder to take forceful action.
"Your Majesty! What crime has the Xu Family committed to warrant confiscation?" Amid the clamor, a booming voice suddenly rang out. The crowd parted to make way as Old Duke Hua, his hair and beard white with age, strode forward with a large entourage. Mo Jingqi's face darkened like ink as he glared at the old duke advancing with vigorous steps, cursing him inwardly as an old fool. Duke Hua stepped forward, lifted the hem of his robe, and knelt on the ground, declaring, "The Xu Family is loyal and righteous, and Mr. Qingyun is renowned across nations. We do not know what crime the Xu Family has committed to provoke Your Majesty’s wrath. Please enlighten us."
Behind him were court officials of integrity, even including nobles from the imperial clan and retired ministers of the late emperor—all with close ties to Mr. Qingyun and the Xu Family. They echoed in unison, demanding a clear answer from the emperor.
Mo Jingqi, furious, snapped, "The Xu Family has conspired against the throne! Does Duke Hua intend to shield these traitors?"
Duke Hua raised his head and declared loudly, "If the Xu Family truly conspired, this old man would willingly lead the charge to arrest them and leave them to Your Majesty’s judgment. But Your Majesty—where is the evidence?"
Mo Jingqi retorted, "The Xu Family is the maternal relatives of Ye Li, Mo Xiuyao’s wife. Mo Xiuyao now occupies the northwest, clearly positioning himself against the court. Should the Xu Family not be punished?"
Unwavering, Duke Hua countered, "Whether Prince Ding opposes the court remains uncertain. But what is clear to all is that the Xu Family has never been overly close to Prince Ding’s Estate, nor have they ever spoken a word in his favor. Your Majesty seeks to confiscate the Xu Family—who have nurtured countless talents for Chu—solely because of Prince Ding. This is hardly convincing!"
"Duke Hua, you go too far!" Mo Jingqi’s chest heaved violently as he pointed at the duke, speechless for a long moment. Consort Liu, standing beside him, quickly reached out to steady him. Just as Mo Jingqi took a deep breath to speak, a sharp voice from within the palace gates announced, "The Empress Dowager has arrived! The Empress has arrived!"
Before he could turn to look, another announcement echoed from the opposite end of the street, "Princess Fuxi has arrived! Princess Zhaoyang has arrived!" As if Heaven itself wished to add to Mo Jingqi's troubles, just as the ceremonial carriages of Princess Fuxi and Princess Zhaoyang came into view, the sound of galloping horses arose from another street. The suspected rider was none other than Prince Li Mo Jingli, who hadn't returned to the capital for quite some time. Dismounting swiftly, Mo Jingli strode toward the palace gates with his entourage, arriving even before the grand princesses.
"Your younger brother greets the Emperor. Your son pays respects to the Empress Dowager." After completing his formal greetings, Mo Jingli rose with a smile and asked, "Why is it so lively at the palace gates? What are Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Empress Dowager, Her Majesty the Empress, and all these people gathered here for?"
－－－－－－Author's Note－－－－－－
Are any of you missing Xiu Yao and A Li? Time-wise, they're currently busy raising children, nothing much going on~ But this capital scene seems unavoidable~
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