“My lady, the elder has ordered that you cannot leave this room.” Xue Zi Ning opened the room door, only to find guards stationed outside, blocking her exit.
“Why? Even if you’re going to confine me, you should at least provide a reason?” Xue Zi Ning asked.
“The elder did not say,” the guard replied.
“If there is no reason, then on what grounds do you prevent me from leaving?” Xue Zi Ning stated coldly.
“The elder has ordered…”
Xue Zi Ning suddenly attacked. The man dodged and retaliated with a palm strike. She stepped back, no longer attacking, and returned to her room, closing the door.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want to leave, but she suddenly realized that she couldn’t even defeat a simple guard.
Recalling the words of the third and fourth elders from last night, she was certain they intended to make a move against her.
Staying here any longer would likely be dangerous.
Tonight, she had to escape.
Fortunately, her meals had not been lacking.
At the stroke of midnight, Xue Zi Ning changed into a set of night clothes and opened the window, only to find guards outside.
Xue Zi Ning sighed, marveling at their meticulous planning. They clearly anticipated her trying to sneak out in the dead of night.
Just as she was pondering a solution, urgent voices suddenly erupted from outside the door. “There are intruders outside! All of you, go support them.”
“Brother Akui, the elders ordered us to guard here.”
A Kui sneered, “Is guarding a person more important than letting outsiders break in? Think for yourselves.”
The guards exchanged glances, then after a moment’s thought, said, “Akui, we’ll go with you.”
A Kui smirked, “She won’t be able to get away. If she tries to escape, she’ll definitely head west, towards Second Elder’s territory.”
The outside quieted down. Xue Zi Ning opened the door and indeed, no one was there.
She quickly stepped out, unsure of where to go. Suddenly, she remembered A Kui’s mention of the west and decided to head in that direction.
Along the way, she encountered very few people from the Feng Yin clan, and those she did see hurried away.
They were likely all off to provide support.
There were no residences to the west, and the darkness was absolute.
Xue Zi Ning moved forward in the gloom, occasionally hearing the chirping of insects.
After walking for roughly the time it takes an incense stick to burn, she saw a faint glow in the distance.
She quickened her pace, and as she drew closer, she realized the faint light was from a lantern hanging under the eaves.
It swayed back and forth in the wind.
The path ahead was no longer visible. Xue Zi Ning understood that the path hadn't disappeared, but was concealed. To proceed, she would have to go through this point.
The moment she lifted her foot, a voice called from within the room, “You’ve arrived?”
Xue Zi Ning paused slightly but still entered. The room was stark and empty, with hardly anything inside. She could even feel the wind from outside.
“You’ve arrived?” the voice suddenly spoke again, sounding ancient and drawn-out.
Xue Zi Ning instinctively looked up at the speaker, her eyes widening in surprise. It was a handsome young man.
She had expected someone like the Third or Fourth Elder, perhaps an old man given their hierarchy. She hadn’t anticipated such a young man, who appeared to be around her own age.
“Who are you…”
“You’ve come here; you know who I am.”
The man extended his hand. Xue Zi Ning didn’t understand his intention, but what happened next stunned her. A chair materialized behind her. The man said calmly, “Sit.”
Xue Zi Ning reached out to touch the chair; it was real.
“Sit, it’s real,” the man said.
Xue Zi Ning sat down, her mind reeling with astonishment. This Second Elder could conjure objects from thin air; it was truly unprecedented.
As if sensing her surprise, he poured a cup of tea and pushed it towards her, saying softly, “What’s so strange about it? I’m more curious how you managed to trigger the Soul Lantern.”
Xue Zi Ning looked at the tea in the cup, her reflection visible in the water, and asked, “Doesn’t the Second Elder know?”
“If I knew, why would I have invited you here?” the man replied, meeting her gaze.
She saw nothing but an unfathomable darkness beneath the calm surface.
It evoked a sense of despair.
“You invited me here simply to know why I triggered the Soul Lantern?”
“And why else?” the man inquired.
Xue Zi Ning said, “The Second Elder can probably guess my identity?”
The man chuckled softly. “Indeed. If I’m not mistaken, you are the Empress who overthrew the Regent before even coming of age, the Empress of Chang Jiu who unified the realm and believed in one lifetime, one love. You are also the Empress of Chang Jiu who would risk her own safety for the Feng Wei.”
Upon hearing this, Xue Zi Ning sighed, “Feng Wu, seeing your Empress, why do you not pay your respects?”
The man smiled, and all the illusory objects around them vanished, along with the chair behind her. Xue Zi Ning couldn’t help but frown, “You could have at least left the chair for me!”
Feng Wu knelt on one knee. “I beg Your Majesty’s forgiveness. These things could only last for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Feng Wu implores to return to Your Majesty’s side.”
Xue Zi Ning stepped forward and helped Feng Wu up, asking, “Has your injury healed?”
Feng Wu nodded. “All healed, Your Majesty need not worry.”
“Do you know that Feng Dazui died by my hand?” Xue Zi Ning asked.
Feng Wu nodded. “Feng Dazui deserved his fate.”
“Feng Wu, while you may think that, your clansmen might not. However, I am still grateful to him. If not for him, I wouldn’t have known how to heal you,” Xue Zi Ning looked up at Feng Wu.
Feng Wu was slightly startled. “Your Majesty, I will speak with them.”
Xue Zi Ning stopped him. “Xue Zi Jie’s ability to repeatedly summon people from the Feng Yin clan suggests that someone here is already being manipulated by him.”
Feng Wu asked, “Does Your Majesty wish to find that person?”
“Yes,” Xue Zi Ning replied.
“Does Your Majesty have any suspects?”
Xue Zi Ning looked at Feng Wu. “The Third Elder and the Fourth Elder. Which one do you think it is?”
Feng Wu frowned, contemplating for a moment. “Your Majesty, if I must give an answer, I believe it is the Fourth Elder.”
“Why do you say that?” Xue Zi Ning inquired.
“The Fourth Elder is most resistant to outsiders entering the clan. Such a person is most likely to become Xue Zi Jie’s pawn.”
Xue Zi Ning nodded. Feng Wu’s reasoning wasn’t wrong, but she always felt it wasn't that simple. Although the Fourth Elder was a suspect, she dared not jump to conclusions.
“Have you heard anything about the Fifth Elder?”
Feng Wu blinked, then after a pause, replied, “Your subordinate only learned of it upon my return this time.”
Xue Zi Ning sighed. “Ultimately, the Xue family wronged her.”
“Your Majesty, what does this have to do with you? It was Xue Wen Jie who committed the wrong, not you…”
“Regardless of whether it was me, it was still done by a member of the Xue family…”
“Your Majesty…”
“Alright, let’s go and see who exactly has broken in.” She had a persistent thought in her mind, but she wouldn’t be able to confirm it until she saw the person.
Xue Zi Ning and Feng Wu walked towards the area illuminated by the lights.