novelaction Chapter 198 The Living Abandoned Empress of the Cold Palace X The Invading Unruly Buddhist Son 32
Chapter 198 The Living Abandoned Empress of the Cold Palace X The Invading Unruly Buddhist Son 32
This passage was narrower than the previous one, and a faint cold breeze blew through it, mixed with the scent of the forest.
Queen Yun's gaze narrowed as she said in a cold voice, "Sure enough, he has another way out."
Inside Qianqiu Temple, Queen Yun gazed at the deep secret passage and spoke coldly, "Qi Jueyu, do you think you can conceal all this? I want to see who will be the loser in the end."
She turned around and instructed her attendants, "Search the entire secret passage. If there is any mechanism, make sure to investigate it. Any suspicious activity must be recorded."
The followers responded and left. The firelight gradually dispersed, illuminating the narrow secret passage even more eeriely. The Queen stood there, looking down at the bluestone at her feet. She pondered for a moment, a hint of a sneer on her lips. Nannan had been gone so many years ago, and she had never been able to avenge her. It was her fault as a mother.
Over the years, she had been everywhere, pushing back against the government, and concentrating her power, offending countless people. But no matter, Queen Yun had a clear conscience. This power still belonged to her, and it was because of this that Great Qi had survived to this day.
She didn't believe in the divine right of kings. If that good-for-nothing who indulged in sensual pleasures in the palace was the king chosen by the Eternal Heaven, then why couldn't she be the king? Queen Yun had thought of this more than once, but unfortunately, she might not live to see that day.
She has been overworked over the years, and there are only two things she can't let go of. One is her daughter. When Nannan passed away, she was still very young, so young that the emperor didn't care much about her. He felt that it was unnecessary to spend so much money to build a tomb for a child who died young, but she refused.
As a mother, she would definitely leave the best to her daughter... Secondly, the Yun family. If she died one day, no matter who came to power, they would probably settle accounts with the Yun family. That was why she found Qi Jueyu earlier, but he acted as if it had nothing to do with him and was calm and self-restrained.
She instinctively didn't believe it, but she didn't see any desire for power in his eyes, so she wanted to give up. But who knew that Yun Qian would bring it up again...
In the secret passage, the cold wind grew increasingly biting, and the flickering light of the torches made the patterns on the walls appear sinister and eerie. Yunhou's followers dared not slack off, groping every stone brick for possible mechanisms, even the ground itself. Their breathing was heavy, and the sound of their footsteps echoed in the narrow space, becoming increasingly dull and oppressive.
As time went on, the search for the secret passage reached a deadlock. The lack of progress was like a taut string, pricking Yun Hou with dismay. She stood at the exit of the secret passage, a cold wind blowing through the bamboo forest, ruffling her robes and making her chest feel even more heavy.
She couldn't help but reach into her bosom and fish out the small jade pendant her daughter had worn. It was a delicate, warm jade pendant, carved with a blooming pear blossom. Her fingers gently stroked the edge of the pendant, her eyes complex and deep.
This piece of jade was Nannan's favorite possession. Little Nannan always loved to wear it around her neck, dangling it as she ran around, afraid others wouldn't notice her "treasure." "Mother, how beautiful the pear blossoms are! Look, don't they look like clouds made of snow?" she would say, her smile always innocent, her tone filled with childish pride.
Yunhou's fingertips paused, the coldness between her brows gradually dissipating, replaced by an indescribable sadness. She pressed the jade pendant against her palm, as if she could feel her daughter's remaining warmth. The soft touch nearly choked her, but she gritted her teeth and suppressed all her emotions deep within her heart.
The Queen's gaze gradually grew colder. Her fingers traced the patterns on the white jade. Her voice was low and firm. "Nannan, do you see this? I will not let those people live unharmed. They killed you, and I will make them pay for it."
Yunhou's daughter died tragically. She choked on water and died young. Her lovely little face was swollen by blisters. The water was cold and merciless, and no one came to rescue her. As time went by, she lost her vitality and even showed signs of struggle. Her clothes were wet and stuck to her swollen body, making her look helpless and desperate.
Over the years, whenever she thought of her daughter, Yun Hou couldn't help but tear up. A fierce glint flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly obscured by fatigue and sadness. Nannan's smiling face surfaced in her mind, the only warmth and soft spot in her life.
She slowly closed her eyes and murmured softly, "If I had been more ruthless back then and had eradicated the roots, you wouldn't have…"
Before she finished speaking, her fingers clenched involuntarily, as if she had suppressed all the sorrow and resentment in her heart.
The Queen of Clouds stood quietly, letting the cold wind brush across her face. Her expression was stern, but her gaze was profound, as if lost in reminiscence, or perhaps lost in thought. She slowly reached out and touched a mark on the stone wall. It was a tiny scratch, like a mark left by someone in a hurry.
At that moment, the sound of guards' footsteps could be heard outside the door. The faint light of the torch flickered, reflecting on the stone wall like a ghostly shadow. The guard bowed respectfully, "Your Highness! We've made a discovery!"
A glimmer flashed in the Queen's eyes, but she didn't rush to speak. Her gaze swept over the crowd like a knife, carrying an unfathomable majesty. She raised her hand and said in a cold, hard tone, "Lead the way."
She walked closer, her steps steady and powerful. A powerful person doesn't need to learn those delicate gestures to attract men's attention.
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Her eyes fell on the writing on the desk. It was a few mottled pages of silk, ageless yet still legible. She bent her head to peruse them, her brow furrowing as her doubts and uneasiness grew stronger.
"Qi Jueyu..." Her voice was barely audible, her fingertips trembling slightly as she gripped the silk book tightly, as if a little more force would shatter the hidden truth on the paper.
"Who are you anyway?"
Suddenly, the leading guard hesitated for a long time outside, finally walking to the vicinity of the Queen of Clouds. "Your Highness," the leading guard bowed and reported, "A body was found in the secret room. It seems... it has not been long since it was born."
The chill of the chamber was overwhelming, the torches casting mottled shadows on the walls. Yunhou slowly approached the stone bed, her gaze fixed on the corpse. The young man's face was pale, his eyes sunken, and a hint of frailty still lingered between his brows. His recent death gave the entire room a chilling air.
The guard whispered, "Your Highness, this man has not been dead for long. The medicine jars and quilts beside him seem to belong to someone who has been seriously ill for many years."
The Queen stood still, her gaze as calm as water, yet piercing with coldness. She stared at that familiar yet unfamiliar face, her heart suddenly trembling.