coobybook Chapter 253: The Tide of Peace
Chapter 253: The Tide of Peace
Zhen Huan frowned and said to An Lingrong and Hua Fei in the palace's warm room, "Those important officials and Prince Shen are still harboring evil intentions and are trying to find other ways to disrupt the situation. We can't just sit there and wait for death."
An Lingrong looked worried. "Huan'er, since they've already thought of this, they must have a new plan. We should prepare for it early."
Hua Fei's eyes were filled with majesty, and she slammed the table and stood up: "What are you afraid of! If they come one by one, I will deal with one. If they come two, I will deal with a pair!"
Zhen Huan shook her head slightly. "Sister, please don't be reckless. Their conspiracy is still unclear. If we act rashly, we will be caught in a passive position."
An Lingrong pondered for a moment. "Huan'er, I'm wondering, if they want to create chaos, will they start with the palace maids? After all, there are so many people in this palace, and if they stir up some unrest, it could cause quite a stir."
Zhen Huan nodded. "Lingrong, your concerns are well-founded. We might as well start with the aunts in charge of each palace. Instruct them to keep an eye on the movements of the palace servants and report any unusual activity immediately."
Hua Fei replied, "As you say. I will go and tell Song Zhi to be alert as well."
A few days later, Concubine Hua hurried to Zhen Huan's palace, her face gloomy. "Huan Huan, Ling Rong, I've received news that several young eunuchs have been gathering in the Imperial Garden, whispering to each other. Their behavior is very suspicious. They seem to be discussing some 'big changes'."
Zhen Huan's expression was stern. "'Big changes'? This must be part of their conspiracy. Come on, let's go to the Imperial Garden and take a look."
The three of them arrived at the Imperial Garden. Zhen Huan pretended to be casual and approached the eunuchs. She asked softly, "What are you guys talking about here?"
The young eunuchs were startled, and one of them stammered, "Your Majesty, the servants...the servants were just chatting, they didn't say anything."
An Lingrong's eyes were sharp. "Chatting? I see you look flustered, so you must have something to hide. If you tell the truth now, Her Majesty might be lenient with you. But if you tell even a single lie, I will not forgive you!"
The young eunuchs looked at each other, hesitating for a long time, and finally one of them spoke up boldly, "Your Majesty, we have heard that something big is going to happen in the palace soon, something that seems to be unfavorable to you, Your Majesty. They also said that there will be many rewards for us, as long as we do what they say."
Zhen Huan pressed on, "Who told you that?"
The young eunuch said in panic, "It was a mysterious gentleman. We didn't see his face clearly, but we knew he was wearing a black robe."
Concubine Hua angrily said, "Black robe? He must be the subordinate of the person who is secretly making trouble."
Zhen Huan said in a deep voice, "It seems they have already started to act. We must find this man in black robes as soon as possible and put a stop to their plot."
On the way back to the palace, An Lingrong suddenly said, "Huan'er, I remember I once developed a kind of incense in the spice shop. If you light a little, it can make people relax their guard and tell the truth. Perhaps we can use this incense to trick the man in black into revealing his true identity."
Zhen Huan's eyes lit up: "Lingrong, this is a very good plan. However, this spice needs to be used in the right place to achieve twice the result with half the effort."
Hua Fei asked, "Then where should I use it?"
Zhen Huan thought for a moment: "Since the black-robed man is operating in secret, he must be meeting or passing on information in some remote corner. We can first have Xiao Yunzi and the others keep an eye on those places. If they find any trace of the black-robed man, they can light the incense nearby."
An Lingrong added, "Huan'er, to be on the safe side, we can also arrange for some guards to ambush us secretly, just in case."
Zhen Huan nodded: "That's it. We must crush their conspiracy before it can fully unfold."
A few days later, Xiao Yunzi came to report: "Your Majesty, I spotted that black-robed man appearing near the cold palace, and he seemed to be exchanging something with someone."
Zhen Huan immediately ordered: "According to the plan."
An Lingrong brought spices with her, along with Concubine Hua and Zhen Huan, and quietly approached the cold palace. An Lingrong lit the spices, and the faint fragrance slowly wafted away.
The black-robed man seemed to sense something was amiss and looked around warily: "Who is this? How dare you set a trap here!"
Zhen Huan stepped out from the shadows and said, "You, the man who's been causing all this trouble, today is your end. Surrender now and tell me who's behind this!"
The black-robed man snorted coldly, "Noble Concubine Xi, do you think you can catch me? You are too naive."
Concubine Hua angrily said, "I'll see how long you can keep your stubbornness!"
As she spoke, Concubine Hua signaled the guards to approach and capture the man in black robe. However, the man in black robe pulled out a dagger from his sleeve and started fighting with the guards.
An Lingrong watched nervously from the side, "Huan'er, this man in black robes is quite skilled in martial arts. The guards may not be able to subdue him easily."
Zhen Huan said calmly, "Don't panic. Let's trap him first and wear down his energy."
In the fierce fight, the guards gradually gained the upper hand, and the man in black robe gradually lost.
Zhen Huan took the opportunity to ask again: "Tell me! Who is the mastermind behind you?"
The man in black gnashed his teeth and said, "I won't tell you!"
Hua Fei said impatiently: "Then don't blame me for being rude. Just kill him and see if he still dares to talk back."
Zhen Huan tried to stop him, "Wait a minute, sister. If you keep him alive, he might still be of use."
At this moment, a sinister laugh suddenly rang out from the depths of the cold palace: "Hahahaha! Do you think you can stop everything by catching him?"
Zhen Huan and the others were startled and asked in unison, "Who are you?"
The voice slowly said, "I am the wronged soul in this palace, and an opponent you will never be able to defeat."
A chill ran through An Lingrong's heart. "Huan'er, this voice is so strange, as if it came from hell."
Zhen Huan forced herself to remain calm: "It doesn't matter whether you are a human or a ghost, if you dare to go against us, don't blame us for being ruthless."
Hua Fei shouted loudly: "If you have the guts, come out and stop playing tricks here!"
However, the voice no longer sounded, and the man in black robe took the opportunity to break free from the guards and ran deep into the cold palace.
Zhen Huan shouted, "Chase him! We can't let him get away!"
Everyone chased into the cold palace, only to find it eerie and horrible, filled with a foul odor.
An Lingrong covered her nose and asked, "Why is this cold palace so gloomy?"
Hua Fei said, "Who cares? Let's catch the black-robed man first."
Just as they were looking for the man in black robes, many dark shadows suddenly appeared and surrounded them.
Zhen Huan's heart sank: "It seems we have been ambushed."
Concubine Hua angrily said, "How dare these rats plot against me!"
An Lingrong clenched the spice bag in her hand: "Huan'er, sister, what should we do now?"
Zhen Huan looked around and said calmly, "Don't panic, everyone. We'll stand back to back, stabilize our position first, and then look for an opportunity to break out."
The guards formed a circle, protecting Zhen Huan, An Lingrong, and Concubine Hua. Dark shadows slowly approached, and a fierce battle was about to break out in the cold palace. Can Zhen Huan and her companions escape danger again, or uncover the deeper conspiracy behind this? Everything remains unknown. Only with their wisdom and courage can they struggle to survive in this desperate situation and protect everything they cherish.