She realized it was the wind, opened her eyes and tried to sit up, but she felt a splitting headache and couldn't sit up... Not only her head, but also her whole body's joints ached.
This is……
"...Empress?"
...Chunxiang?
She looked towards the direction from which the sound came, and Chunxiang looked at her with a sad face.
"Are you awake? Are you okay...?"
"here……"
She knew this was not Chunying Palace. She was lying on the cold wooden board. When she looked up, she found that there was no ceiling and she could only see the night sky.
"..."
Shui Xinyuan sat up slowly, and Chunxiang forced out words from her throat to tell her: "Now it seems that we have sailed from Jingshui into Xuanliu River...I am not very sure..."
"...Have you left the capital?"
Shui Xinyuan reluctantly turned his heavy head and looked around.
It was very dark and I couldn't see clearly. I could only hear the sound of water and it was shaking... It turned out that I was taking a boat.
"What's going on? Why...?"
"I'm sorry...Mother, I'm sorry, I..."
Chunxiang finally couldn't help covering her face and started crying.
Shui Xinyuan couldn't figure out what was going on, but he still stretched out his hand to comfort Chunxiang. At this time, the corners of his eyes lit up with fire.
"...Oh, is the Queen awake?"
Hearing the relaxed questioning voice, I looked back and saw Chun Cha standing there holding a candle.
"Spring tea...?"
"Yes, it's me. What do you think?"
"..."
Seeing Chun Cha's charming smile, Shui Xinyuan remembered before he fell asleep... and why he fell asleep.
...I planned to practice dancing. After changing my clothes, I was waiting for Chunxiang.
At this time, Chuncha brought black vinegar.
That is?
"You...made me drink?"
"right."
Chun Cha admitted it simply and chuckled.
"If you take one more sip, you should be able to sleep until dawn... However, we are already here. No matter how powerful the Queen is, she shouldn't be able to escape in the middle of the river, right?"
"Why? Uh..."
Shui Xinyuan couldn't help but want to stand up, but his head was dizzy and his body couldn't help but collapse.
The alcohol I drank before is still in my body.
"...Why are you doing this? Where are you going to take me...?"
"Where did you say it was?"
The candlelight flickered, and the shadow reflected on Chun Cha's face also swayed.
"You will know where you are going soon. As for the purpose... you can ask your brother yourself after he gets up."
"Qian Cheng? Qian Cheng is here?"
Chun Cha put her index finger on her lips and shook her head.
"Keep your voice down... His Highness is sleeping on the other side."
"...Your Highness?"
"Oh, aren't you also a descendant of the Xia Kingdom?"
Shui Xinyuan's head suddenly calmed down...
...Shui Qiancheng...what on earth is Chuncha thinking?
"Oh, are you awake?"
A strange man's voice came, and Shui Xinyuan suddenly became nervous.
The speaker came out from behind Chun Cha.
"Queen, nice to see you."
"……Who are you?"
"Me? I am Xu Gongchun, a classmate of Qian Cheng's private school. Didn't Qian Cheng mention it to you?"
"I never heard him mention it."
"Then it's a pleasure to meet you. It's a pleasure to meet you. Ah, I'm from Liuzhou too."
"Please go wake up Shui Qiancheng."
Gongchun and Chuncha looked at each other... and they laughed together.
"Don't worry, there will be plenty of time to chat in the future."
"Yes, that's right! Instead of looking fierce, why not take advantage of the moment and have a good cry? Just like that Chunxiang, because you are all protons."
"Proton..."
Shui Xinyuan finally knew why Chunxiang was here.
Chunxiang must have been brought here under duress.
If she escapes by herself, Chunxiang's life will be in danger.
Shui Xinyuan stared at the hands that were clenched unconsciously.
She once walked down this river.
Four years ago, after being sold to a human trafficker, she left Sanhu Village, followed the trafficker, and took a boat to the capital with other girls.
The traffickers said that if they took the land route, they might escape, so they had to take the water route.
...It's hard to escape here, let alone with Chunxiang.
"..."
...There are only a few days left... Originally, I only had to wait a few more days before I could see the emperor.
emperor……
She raised her head and found that the sky was full of stars, which made her feel sad. Half of the moon that was not round enough was hidden in the clouds.
…if I suddenly disappear…
The maid would be shocked, and the court servant who had agreed to practice dancing together would also be worried.
Maybe the Zhuge family has been notified, Qing'er must be very anxious.
Where is the emperor?
Has someone already informed His Majesty?
What would the emperor think if he learned that he was missing...and that his younger brother and maid were also involved in this matter?
……sorry……
Your Majesty, I'm sorry.
I shouldn't have let my brother come to the capital... If I had known that this would happen, no matter how much he wanted to come, I would never have agreed to it.
Shui Xinyuan opened his eyes and looked at the empty ground without saying a word.
Now I am no longer an ordinary palace princess, but the queen of Yuan Kingdom.
If someone kidnapped someone in the palace, no one else could stand by and watch.
...I'm sorry, I have brought big trouble to the emperor and the ministers...
Can't cry, absolutely can't cry... She can't forgive herself more than anyone else.
The sound of the wind was like the roar of wild animals.
If you can shout.
If the emperor could hear himself shouting.
……emperor……
I'm here.
…
Lu Fusu seemed to hear someone calling his name and suddenly opened his eyes.
"...Shui Xinyuan?"
Why do you call your wife who is not with you?
It was dark and silent all around, and it was still a long time before dawn.
Lu Fusu sat up and sighed softly.
I woke up again in the middle of the night.
I've been feeling this way a lot lately, but tonight my chest feels very tight...could it be a nightmare?
You can return to the capital the day after tomorrow, and then you can sleep peacefully with Shui Xinyuan by your side.
Just when Lu Fusu was about to fall asleep again, voices and hasty footsteps came from the next room.
Not just one person, but many people.
"..."
The Liuzhou governor's family who is staying tonight is very large, and he did not hear the voice of the attendant who was responsible for standing guard at night just a moment ago.
Something seems to have happened.
Lu Fusu got out of bed and put on a coat when there was a knock on the door.
"Your Majesty... Your Majesty, excuse me."
"I'm awake, what's going on?"
"Master Li Yuezhen, the supervisory censor, has arrived and said there is something urgent..."
"Let him in."
You could feel the panic in the next room from the open door, and Li Yuezhen walked in quickly.
After he knelt down on one leg and saluted, he didn't have time to say hello and immediately reported: "Report to the emperor that the queen has been taken away from the palace."
"..."
...Being taken away?
Lu Fusu couldn't understand it for a moment and looked at Li Yuezhen in front of him.
A closer look revealed that the usually calm and composed Censor's shoulders were rising and falling slightly.
"...Say it again."
"Someone took Her Royal Highness the Queen away from Chunying Palace... It was almost the afternoon of yesterday."
"Who took it away?"
"We don't know the details yet. The whereabouts of the maids Su Chuncha and Shui Qiancheng are also unknown. It is possible that Su Chuncha took them away after letting the queen drink. Su Chuncha is the daughter of Huang Yi scholar Su Xinzhuo."
"...The maid and Shui Qiancheng?"
...Why did Shui Xinyuan’s younger brother do this?
"In addition, many armed people gathered at Xishenguan in Hushui County. According to what was collected on the way here, the number of people is nearly two hundred..."
"How are the two things related?"
"It's not clear yet. People in Chouzhou say that when traveling from the capital to Liuzhou this season, the water route will be more ideal than the land route."
When heading from Beijing to Liuzhou by water, you will pass through Xishen Pass on the way.
...Shui Xinyuan.
Shui Xinyuan was... kidnapped?
"Li Yuezhen..."
Lu Fusu's voice was hoarse.
"Are there any other situations?...that make you feel something is wrong, or that you think of..."
"..."
Li Yuezhen's expression remained unchanged and his eyes moved slightly.
"There's one thing I've always wondered about."
"Say it."
"After taking charge of the internal affairs, I observed the Rising Sun Palace. How should I put it...I always felt that there were several officials who were in a particularly good mood."
"In a particularly good mood?"
"Yes. It can even be said that I can't hide my excitement."
"..."
If someone secretly plots rebellion and sees success in sight, they will be excited... It is true that this possibility cannot be ruled out.
"Who are they?"
"People like Mr. Zhao, the servant of the sect, Mr. Wang, the minister of the Ministry of War... Mr. Ma, the minister of the Ministry of Rites."
"...I know it too."
Those people are all remnants of the Lu Wuxian sect.
Since there was no evidence that they colluded with Lu Wuxian, they were not arrested.
Lu Fusu held his hands tightly, and his nails dug deeply into his palms.
"I should investigate the matter clearly before this happens."
"No. I didn't eradicate it completely."
"Master Zhuge, the doctor of the Ministry of Finance, is dispatching troops to come here... I will rush to Sanhu Village first."
"……Yeah?"
Li Yuezhen kowtowed and left immediately.
Lu Fusu felt as if he was having a nightmare, but the pain he felt in his clenched hands was absolutely real.
"..."
Lu Fusu slowly released his palm.
Dark blood marks in the shape of fingernails were left on the palms.
...Shui Xinyuan...
There was a knock on the door, and a follower walked in fearfully.
"His Majesty."
"Um……"
"If you go back from here, you can reach Xishen Pass at noon tomorrow."
Lu Fusu looked at his entourage.
The young attendant nodded twice in succession with a solemn expression.
"Everyone is making preparations and can set off soon."
"Let's set off..."
Lu Fusu clenched his fists again, took a deep breath, and raised his head.
When he opened the door and took a look, he found that his entourage was already ready, kneeling and waiting.
"Send two people out first and notify the governor of Hushui County to investigate the current situation."
"As you command!"
"Leave the unnecessary luggage and the carriage. I'll ride on horseback too."