From cute to empress

Chapter 321 Secret Letter Reveals Palace Conspiracy

The letter was thin, sealed with wax, and unsigned. It was obvious someone had deliberately left it there secretly. My heart sank, and a sense of foreboding washed over me. I carefully opened the wax seal and pulled out the letter. In the light from the window, lines of beautiful handwriting came into view:

"Your Majesty, I have recently heard of an important matter. It is of great importance and I must report it. There seems to be unusual people coming and going in the palace recently. Their behavior is suspicious and I am afraid they are related to the enemy country..."

The letter contained little, but it struck me like a hammer. "In the palace?" Could it be that, besides the message delivered by Shadow, the enemy nation has other actions? My hands trembled slightly. Who was it? Who was delivering this message to the enemy nation?

"What's wrong?" Zhen Youcai asked with concern when he saw that my face looked strange.

I took a deep breath and tried to sound calm: "Nothing, just remembering some old things." As I said that, I put the letter next to the candlelight and watched it turn to ashes.

Shadow's letter already worried me, and now that I'd discovered this secret letter, I felt even more uneasy. What exactly is the enemy plotting? How many people have they planted in the shadows? I felt as if I were caught in an invisible web, full of dangers.

Over the next few days, I suppressed my uneasiness and prepared for An'er's birthday celebration while secretly investigating suspicious individuals in the palace. Zhen Youcai also stepped up his military training and patrols, but he still found nothing unusual.

"Strange..." That night, Zhen Youcai returned to his study, brows furrowed. "There were always mistakes in today's formation practice, just like..."

"It's as if someone deliberately revealed the formation route?" I said, my heart trembling.

Zhen Youcai nodded and said in a deep voice, "I suspect there might be a traitor in the army."

He and I exchanged glances, each of us seeing a solemn expression. If there were enemy spies within the palace and the army, what were their objectives?

"The most urgent task is to find these people as soon as possible and bring them to justice!" I said in a deep voice.

Zhen Youcai nodded and was about to speak when suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard outside the door, and the guards' anxious voices rang out outside: "Your Majesty, General, something terrible has happened..."

"Why are you so panicked?" Zhen Youcai stepped forward and asked sternly.

The guard knelt on one knee and said hurriedly, "Reporting to the General, the Imperial Guards discovered unusual movements in the direction of the library while on patrol. It is suspected that an assassin has broken in!"

The library! My heart suddenly trembled. There are many important state secrets stored there. Could it be that...

Without time to think, Zhen Youcai and I exchanged a glance and immediately rushed to the library. Under the cover of night, flames shot up from the library, and the cries of killing were deafening. The Imperial Guards had already surrounded the library, but a few men in black still held out, their swords flashing and their blades etched with a resolute, murderous aura.

"Capture them alive!" Zhen Youcai gave an order and rushed into the battle circle with a sword in hand.

I stood on the periphery, anxious and helpless. Each of these men in black was a skilled warrior, their moves ruthless and brutal. They were clearly specially trained assassins. Soon, several bodies lay on the ground, and the air was thick with the smell of blood.

Finally, with the last scream, the battle ended. Zhen Youcai walked out, covered in blood, holding a man in black who was tied up.

"Your Majesty, General, all the assassins have been apprehended. However..." A Royal Guard commander stepped forward, his tone tinged with uneasiness, "Some confidential documents have been stolen from the library."

"What?!" I gasped, my heart suddenly filled with shock.

My eyes fell on the captured man in black. He had his head lowered, not saying a word, but there was a strange smile on the corner of his mouth.

Oh no! My alarm bells were ringing. These people might just be bait. Their real target is...

Thinking of this, I immediately turned around and ran towards An'er's bedroom. Zhen Youcai also realized something and followed closely behind. However, we were still a step too late.

In the bedroom, An'er was sleeping soundly, but the two palace maids who were originally guarding the bed fell to the ground, their life or death unknown.

"Damn it!" I cursed inwardly, my heart burning with anxiety. The enemy was making a feint to the east and attacking in the west, their real target was An'er!

"Chase!" Zhen Youcai made a prompt decision and took his men to chase after him.

I slumped helplessly beside An'er's bed, my heart icy. The enemy had meticulously planned their attack, clearly well prepared. Who were they? What was their purpose?

At this moment, I accidentally noticed that there seemed to be something under An'er's pillow. I reached out and touched it, and it turned out to be a thin piece of paper.

I took a deep breath and slowly unfolded the note. In the dim candlelight, a line of beautiful handwriting came into view:

"If you want to save your daughter, come to the back mountain of Yongning Temple. Remember, you can only come alone, otherwise..."

At the end of the letter, there was a picture of a charming mandala flower.

My heart sank suddenly and a chill ran from the soles of my feet to the top of my head.

The mountain behind Yongning Temple... Mandragora flowers...

This is clearly...

"Someone come!" I stood up suddenly and shouted to the outside of the door, "Pass on my order to seal off the entire city and thoroughly investigate any suspicious individuals, especially..."

My eyes fell on the letter in my hand, and I gritted my teeth as I read each word, "Especially everything related to Yongning Temple!"

However, before I could finish my words, a loud noise suddenly came from outside the palace. Then, a palace maid ran in in a panic, knelt on the ground, and said in a trembling voice:

"Your Majesty, this is bad. Eunuch Li...he..."

"What happened to Eunuch Li?!" My heart tightened and an ominous premonition came to my mind.

The palace maid turned pale and trembled as she said, "Eunuch Li...he hanged himself in the imperial study..."

My mind went blank. Eunuch Li... he was the old man who had served my father since he was still alive. How could he...

At this moment, Zhen Youcai returned, his face ashen and his eyes filled with frost: "Your Majesty, I have found out..."

He paused, took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice: "Eunuch Li... He is a spy sent by the enemy country and has been lurking in the palace for many years..."

I was struck by lightning, and I froze in place. Eunuch Li...a spy...

how so……

"He also said that tonight, the envoy of the enemy country will secretly sneak into the palace and conspire with a minister of our dynasty for the next plan..." Zhen Youcai's voice sounded like it came from the depths of hell, with a bone-chilling chill.

My heart sank to the bottom, and an unprecedented anger and fear swept over me.

"Where are they?!" I suddenly raised my head, my eyes burning with anger.

Zhen Youcai took a deep breath and spoke word by word, "Imperial Garden, pavilion beside the lotus pond..." Zhen Youcai's words resonated like a thunderbolt in my mind. Imperial Garden, pavilion beside the lotus pond... Those traitors were so audacious, they dared to meet with an enemy envoy in the inner courtyard of the imperial palace!

I suppressed my anger, took a deep breath, and tried to calm myself. Now was not the time to alert the enemy. I needed to find out who had betrayed the country and betrayed me!

"General Zhen," I said in a deep voice, "You must lead your men to the Imperial Garden immediately and capture all those traitors and enemy spies! Remember, I want them alive!"

"Your Majesty, then you..." Zhen Youcai looked at me worriedly.

"I have my own arrangements." I interrupted him, my eyes firm. "The enemy is in the dark, we are in the light. We must act separately to disrupt their deployment."

I know full well that the enemies lurking in the palace are far more than just Eunuch Li and that minister. They are like poisonous snakes, hiding in the shadows, ready to strike us a fatal blow at any moment.

I must find those lurkers as soon as possible and eliminate them one by one!

"General Zhen, from now on, you will be responsible for external affairs. Thoroughly investigate all suspicious individuals, especially those associated with Yongning Temple," I ordered calmly. "I will be responsible for internal affairs. I will investigate any spies in the palace and ensure An'er's safety!"

"Your Majesty, please rest assured. I will do my best to live up to your trust!" Zhen Youcai knelt on one knee, with a determined light in his eyes.

"Go." I waved my sleeves and watched Zhen Youcai turn around and leave.

After he left, I immediately summoned my trusted guards, secretly transferred An'er to a safe palace, and assigned people to guard him strictly.

Afterward, I changed into casual clothes and quietly left the palace. The night was as dark as ink, and the entire palace was shrouded in an eerie silence. I moved between the palaces, taking every step carefully, fearing to alert the enemy.

I knew in my heart that this was a war without the smoke of gunpowder, and I was the commander of this war. I had to remain calm in order to find opportunities for victory in a situation full of dangers.

At this moment, I suddenly thought of someone...

"Come here!" I stopped and whispered to the guards behind me, "Go, invite the Imperial Master here and tell him I have something important to discuss!"

The guard took the order and left, but I continued to move forward, my eyes firm and sharp.

I know this battle has just begun...

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Master has arrived."

I looked up suddenly and saw an old man in plain clothes, with an air of immortality, slowly approaching. He had white hair and a youthful face, his eyes sparkling, and he held a whisk in his hand. Every gesture he made exuded an otherworldly aura.

"Master, you're finally here!" I hurriedly stood up to greet him, a hint of anxiety in my tone, "I have a favor to ask..."

The Imperial Master smiled slightly, motioned for me to sit down, and then slowly said, "Your Majesty, there is no need to say more. I already know everything."

I was stunned when I heard that, and a glimmer of hope suddenly rose in my heart. Could it be...

"Your Majesty, if you want to find those lurkers, I need..." The Imperial Master said, taking out a white silk handkerchief from his bosom, on which was embroidered a lifelike mandala flower.

I immediately understood what he meant and ordered someone to bring it to me...