Inside the Imperial Palace, in front of the Sacred Sky hall where the Emperor resided, a lady could be seen kneeling.
One must know that the lady looked delicate and was wearing high quality fabric that could rival any of the royal princesses. If she stood, she'd have the bearing of royalty. But the veiled lady had been kneeling there since this morning.
Some of the passing eunuchs and palace maids were curious but none dared to ask her who she was.
They were too afraid of the dragon residing in this palace. If the Emperor paid no heed to the kneeling young lady then who were they to ask?
Still, a little whisper would go a long way inside these royal residences.
Who knew how it began but someone said that the identity of the kneeling lady was Imperial Daughter Gao Le. Indeed, that willow-like grace and posture. She was on her knees but her back was still ram-rod straight as if hours in that position was nothing to her.
The rumors spread like wildfire along with speculations why she was punished to kneel.
Wasn't imperial daughter Gao Le extremely doted upon by his Majesty? He even treated her more like his child than most of his children.
The people in the palace had foreseen that the imperial daughter would probably be married to the favored ninth prince because of the Emperor's treatment of her.
But alas, here she was being punished.
Suddenly, everyone remembered the news that imperial daughter Gao Le fainted after hearing that the Emperor decreed marriage to his Highness ninth prince Chang and fifth miss Bai.
The palace servants and guards had a look of understanding. It seemed his Majesty was not pleased with that attitude so imperial daughter was punished here.
Eunuch Min Tong, the Emperor's personal eunuch who was respected even by standard first rank officials went out earlier and said a few words to imperial daughter Gao Le. After that, he went in again and never stepped out since.
If only someone would dare to go near the veiled lady, they would notice that there was indeed 90% similarity to imperial daughter Gao Le. But those who truly knew her would see that the kneeling lady was actually the personal maid named Xin Ling!
Xin Ling knelt there, not minding the stares and the heat of the ever rising sun. She had to imitate her mistress as best as she could!
The real Yin Hua Lei was actually in the innermost chamber of the Sacred Sky palace where the dragon bed was. Clothed in black, she was standing in front of the sweating Eunuch Min Tong.
The atmosphere was suffocating.
"Gone? What do you mean gone?!" Yin Hua Lei almost lost her elegant image as she hissed at the old eunuch.
"Hi-his Majesty, when this servant entered the room, he was nowhere to be found." No matter how calm Eunuch Min was in court, he was still horrified at this situation.
How could the ruling Emperor of Da Xia be gone? Could he have encountered bad things or people? Was there a secret rebellion? But why was there no signs of struggle?
Eunuch Min paced around the room in trepidation.
Yin Hua Lei grew more irritated seeing the old one looking like a headless chicken.
Was this the same scary eunuch who could make even the princes sweat?
She drew a deep breath.
Her father, Yin Fang Qi, wasn't in the capital because he was specially sent to the south to secretly investigate the smuggling of salt.
Her second uncle was probably busy with the martial arts academy which was far from the imperial palace.
Third uncle would be doing his own thing. And her cousin twins were surely in the Xiu group's hidden camp, training new hidden guards.
Eunuch Min also vaguely understood their predicament but he knew that he could only rely on the Yin family and no one else. That's why he used the excuse of punishment to summon Yin Hua Lei.
He could not go out of the palace to personally search for the Emperor. That would be too suspicious. The whole imperial city would be in chaos once word went out that the ruler was missing.
Eunuch Min suddenly stopped pacing and directly looked at Yin Hua Lei's eyes before dropping to his knees.
"Imperial daughter, Duke Yin definitely must not know about this. Begging imperial daughter to help this lowly servant!" Eunuch Min even kowtowed.
Yin Hua Lei's brow arched when she saw the old eunuch. She had the urge to kick him. He didn't know what to do so now he was passing all the responsibility to her?!
But of course, she also knew the consequences if the Emperor was not found immediately and if her grandfather caught wind of this matter. She could just imagine the dignified Duke Yin assembling all the hidden guards and waging war against whoever he suspected. The whole capital would be seized by a storm.
Yin Hua Lei decided to ignore the old one and faced the empty chamber.
"All of you, come out!" She seemingly ordered the thin air.
Eunuch Min stiffened when a dozen of black figures looked like they appeared out of nowhere. It was as if they could fade to the background any moment and this room couldn't hold them.
'This... This is Xiu...' In all his years being at the Emperor's side, he only caught sight of them by the corners of his eyes when they reported to his Majesty.
Even then, he knew that appearing like ghosts in front of him was deliberate. If they wanted, he wouldn't sense them at all.
The air seemed to be filled with a tension that was hard to describe. It was as if it was there but not there at the same time.
"None of you're dead. Pray tell what happened?" Yin Hua Lei's faint smile exuded impassivity.
But the hidden guards secretly shuddered, imagining all sorts of macabre upon seeing that smile.
They all knelt at the same time. Not one of them believed that Yin Hua Lei was the noblest, most righteous young lady in the capital.
"My lady, his Majesty left at dawn with two of our strongest, and strictly ordered us brothers not to take a single step out of the palace. Even if this subordinate wanted to, I won't be able to keep up with brother Yi and brother Er's qinggong[1]. These subordinates deserve death!" A hoarse voice sounded out.
Deathly silence.
By now, Yin Hua Lei was sitting on a couch.
She would never doubt her Xiu group's loyalty to the Emperor. Also, she knew her Uncle Emperor's eccentricity.
That old man was gossiped as an easygoing ruler who loved beauties. But those closest to him never believed that façade.
If he wanted to leave the palace, he probably planned it out a long time ago but they were caught off-guard. This was what one called perfect timing.
"Zhao Gang-" before the last word fell from her lips, another figure descended from who knew where.
"Kekeke, my lady finally has use for Zhao Gang other than tailing and harming little Bai, that girl."
This time, the black clothed man was lanky and had a slightly hunched posture from his tall height.
Yin Hua Lei ignored his criminal remark, not minding that her own people dared to expose her secrets. If it was before, she would have lost herself in anger.
"Since these people are useless, you'll lead the search. Tell all our people stationed at every nook and cranny of the capital to keep their eyes open. This lady doesn't need to remind you that large movements aren't necessary lest we attract curious dogs." She paused.
"If bi xia is not found within a shichen[2], crawl out of the capital without your limbs. My Xiu doesn't need you."
She sipped tea as if talking about trivial things with a sister.
Zhao Gang gave one of those creepy laughs again and gestured at the kneeling hidden guards: "You hear that, kittens? Pray you'll keep your head by the end of the day. Mistress only looks like an immortal fairy but is actually rotten inside."
The corner of Yin Hua Lei's lips twitched when she heard that but Zhao Gang was not a person who would heed threats to shut up. Even she was surprised how she managed to raise such a hidden guard.
In his old age, this was the first time Eunuch Min saw a servant talk that way. But the words said... He flung a dazed look at Yin Hua Lei.
He knew just how close Emperor Du Liang was to this girl.
For his Majesty to bestow an imperial daughter title to someone not surnamed Xia, this was the greatest proof of Yin Hua Lei's special treatment.
It was all because she was the granddaughter of his Majesty's honored master and the daughter of His sworn brother.
That's why Yin Hua Lei grew up being adored by the whole imperial city, treating her as a heavenly fairy who shouldn't be tainted by the mundane matters of the world.
But only now Eunuch Min caught a glimpse of her true self. What fairy? Yin Hua Lei, this girl could as well be a malicious spirit possessing a human body!
Eunuch Min, this old person suddenly recalled the rumors about the girls who flaunted their interest in ninth prince Chang. They all antagonized Yin Hua Lei but no one believed them. In the end, didn't those young ladies all have bad ends?
The eunuch shivered while still on the floor. Best not think about those inauspicious things until the Emperor was found. He could only rely on Yin Hua Lei for now.
Half a shichen later, Zhao Gang came back like a creeping ghost. And Yin Hua Lei rushed out of the palace.
***
In a dim alley, a willow-like figure appeared quietly. She was dressed as a commoner and no one suspected anything when she normally walked out of there and across the street to a noodle stand.
"Uncle Chun has it easy, eating here without a care for his niece who combed the entire capital looking for you."
The man in his fifties who still looked lively and rosy sitting and quietly slurping noodles only threw a glance at the lady who spoke.
After swallowing, he snorted. Only Yin Hua Lei, this stinking lass would dare use his forbidden name[3] to address him.
Yes, this man was none other than Xia Chun or Emperor Du Liang as the common citizens had to call him.
But no one knew that among the hundreds of people passing by this lane, the dragon was literally among them.
"This old one doesn't dare to be called Uncle by young lady."
Yin Hua Lei sighed. Of course, she didn't leave the Emperor some face when she all but fainted when she heard that decree. In her defense, what maiden wouldn't be aggrieved when she knew her beloved was marrying another? But of course, one could not reason with a sovereign, especially this one.
So she tried the pitiful tactic.
"Little Lei is wrong."
Who knew that the old one would stop eating and look at her in a solemn manner.
"....Uncle is disappointed."
It was as though Yin Hua Lei's world stopped. She didn't hear the cheerful banter of street sellers and shoppers and the pleasant laughter of the noodle lady. Even a toddler's cries were missed by her ears.
In her eyes, the only one reflected was the robust old man with a look of sad dissatisfaction.
---
[1]qinggong- movement martial arts that defied gravity
[2]shichen- equivalent to two hours
[3]Forbidden name- royalty's given name shouldn't be uttered by subjects
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