Chapter 60 Whose Daughter Is She?

  Her clothes retreated, and her upper body was left with only a camisole. In ancient times, women used to wrap their chests with a long piece of cloth, which was not aesthetically pleasing and felt tight and uncomfortable. Ling Feng never used that method, not wanting to subject her perfect chest to such torture. So she made herself a modern camisole, which accentuated her already perfect breasts even more.

  Xuanyuan Chen's gaze naturally fell on her chest, his eyes flashing involuntarily, and beneath the deep **, a hint of puzzlement and curiosity was hidden.

  That bulging peak squeezed out by that brassiere was a fatal temptation to any man, and he was no exception.

  A pair of eyes, because of being full of ***, became bewildered, fingers gently stroked the delicate silk flower pattern, and asked in a low voice, "What is this?" It was just an icy cold voice that had become hoarse at this moment.

  Ling Feng was forced to retreat, but he easily pulled her into his arms. Unexpectedly, this camisole temporarily caught his attention, causing him not to notice her secret, only that...

  His slightly hoarse voice accompanied by his playful chuckle sounded in her ear again, "Now? Where else do you want to escape to?" His sensual lips deliberately brushed against her earlobe, causing a tremble of fear.

  Both hands supported her back, around the buttons on her chest, slightly exerting force, one tug.

  He was clever and knew that the buttons on this vest were at the back, but he didn't know how to open them.

  Without pulling, Xuan Yuan Chen couldn't help but frown slightly and let out a low growl, "Really troublesome." With another burst of strength in his low growl, he successfully tore off the buttons on his shirt.

  Rough in also pulled painful Ling Feng.

  The robe is loose, spring light is everywhere, the candlelight on the table sways with the wind, bewildering whose heart, confusing whose eyes.

  At this moment, Xuan Yuan was completely unable to notice whether she had that little bit on her arm, because the temptation in front of him was enough to make him ignore everything.

  His hand circled around her back, slowly moving forward, inching closer and closer...

  "Your Highness, something terrible has happened." Just at this most critical moment, Chu Wei's urgent voice came from outside the door, interrupting all the confusion.

  Xuan Yuan's eyes sank, and a layer of anger flashed through his pupils. What was wrong with Chu Wei that he would come to disturb him at this moment? He quickly picked up the clothes on the ground and wrapped them around her body before asking in a deep voice, "What is it?" The deep voice was filled with unconcealed anger, and if Chu Wei didn't have something extremely important to say, he might be in trouble.

  Chu Wei, standing outside the door, heard the anger in Xuan Yuan's voice and was startled. He naturally knew that he couldn't disturb the king at this moment, but this matter was not trivial, it was almost as if the sky had fallen.

  "Your Majesty, the Emperor suddenly fainted in that small courtyard outside the palace and is now unconscious. He has been sent into the palace by the guards, but the imperial physicians cannot find any reason for it." Chu Wei carefully explained.

  Xuanyuan Chen was also startled, and a hint of surprise flashed across his normally expressionless face. He suddenly thought of the woman the Emperor had taken away earlier and asked in a low voice, "What about the woman the Emperor took away?"

  "It's unclear, it seems like she suddenly disappeared in that small courtyard." Chu Wei thought for a moment before speaking again.

  Xuanyuan Cheng's eyes narrowed slightly, and a layer of deep thought passed through the depths of his pupils. That woman must have had some problem. If it wasn't for the Emperor taking her away, would the person she wanted to harm be him?

  Her slightly narrowed eyes swept over Ling Feng, and seeing the shock and incredulous doubt flashing in her eyes, she couldn't help but conclude that she probably didn't know what was going on either.

  Could it be Murong Lingyun? However, based on his understanding of Murong Lingyun, Murong Lingyun would not possibly do such a vicious thing. Moreover, if the Emperor had not taken away that woman, he would not have been deceived. So, that woman was originally a failed pawn. And Murong Lingyun should not be so foolish, after all, he is not the Emperor and will not be easily deceived...

  In an instant, a faint doubt flashed through her mind, and her arms involuntarily loosened their grip on Ling Feng. She picked up her clothes and quickly put them on, then glanced at Ling Feng again before hastily leaving.

  Ling Feng couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief, but thinking about what Chu Wei had just said, his heart grew even more anxious. That woman was sent into the palace by Murong Lingyun, and now the Emperor suddenly fell unconscious, while that woman mysteriously disappeared. This matter must be related to Murong Lingyun.

  It's really one wave subsides and another rises, what will be waiting for them next? She really doesn't dare to imagine.

  ……

  In the palace,

  Although it was still deep in the night, the entire imperial palace was brightly lit and in a state of utter chaos.

  His Majesty was brought back in a coma in the dead of night, and all the imperial physicians were at a loss for what to do. What could be more terrifying than this?

  "What has happened to His Majesty?" The empress dowager looked anxiously at the several imperial physicians by the bed, while the women behind her also wore worried faces.

  "The...". The imperial physicians looked at each other, but didn't know how to respond. The emperor was now in a coma, and they couldn't even determine the cause of his illness.

  Seeing their expressions, the Empress's heart sank. These few were the most powerful officials of the Xuan Yuan Dynasty, and now even they were at a loss for what to do. Could it be that the Emperor really...

  "Tell me, what has happened to the Emperor?" The Empress Dowager muttered to herself, trying to calm her anxious heart, but she had to figure out the Emperor's situation first.

  "What's going on?" The first imperial physician spoke cautiously, "Although the Emperor is unconscious, there's nothing unusual about it. We really don't know the reason."

  The empress's body stiffened involuntarily. Having an illness was not what she feared, at least the cause could be found and a prescription could be made to cure it. But now the most frightening thing is that even the cause of the disease cannot be detected.

  A sentence with no difference, not consolation, but the most deadly blow.

  "What's going on here?" The usually gentle Empress Dowager now had a gloomy face, sternly staring at the guard who brought the Emperor back. Maybe if they found out what happened, they could find a solution, and for now, the only one who knew what happened was this guard who followed the Emperor.

  The guard's body stiffened involuntarily, and he replied in a trembling voice, "I don't know what happened either. I heard the emperor's shout, rushed into the room, saw the emperor lying unconscious on the bed, and immediately brought him back to the palace."

  He also felt that this matter was too strange. He was one who rushed into the room as soon as he heard the emperor's shout, but when he entered the room, he did not see the woman who had returned with the emperor. Although he dared not boast that his martial arts were the best in the world, being able to become one of the emperor's most trusted among so many guards was absolutely not a trivial matter. Yet, he had not expected that a woman would mysteriously disappear before his eyes.

  "How dare you, still not telling the truth at this moment, how could the Emperor possibly fall into a coma for no reason?" The Empress's eyes sank, her voice also involuntarily raised, on her beautiful and noble face, there was an aura of majesty that could not be ignored.

  "This..." The guard was startled once again, hesitating slightly, unsure of where to begin.

  "You scoundrels, don't you dare to confess the truth? You slaves, who have been spoiled by the Emperor in the past, now want to turn against him." The Empress Dowager's piercing eyes coldly swept over the guard, making him involuntarily shiver.

  The empress dowager's gentle nature was renowned throughout the palace, but no one had ever thought that she also had such a terrifying side. The palace maid, eunuchs and several imperial physicians standing by couldn't help but tremble with fear.

  "Back...back to the Empress Dowager." The guard's voice was slightly trembling, "At that time, His Majesty took a woman and left for a small courtyard outside the palace, while I was guarding the door from the outside." The words paused for a moment, seemingly hesitant, but also knowing that it was already too late to hide.

  It's not the first time something like this has happened. In the past, when the Emperor would favor those women in the palace, he would also often stay outside. At first, everything seemed normal, but somehow it ended up like this...

  "What?!" The empress's eyes suddenly widened, her teeth clenched in a low growl. Her arm shot up and slammed heavily onto the table beside her. "You bunch of canine slaves, actually daring to take the emperor out of the palace for a wild adventure." The empress was truly furious at this moment, but since ancient times, even if the master was in the wrong, it was always these servants who had to bear the consequences.

  So the guard looked like he didn't dare to speak out, only slightly lowering his head and enduring the empress dowager's anger.

  "Tell me quickly, where did you find that woman? Where is she now?" The empress dowager's anger flared up again as she saw the guard's bowed head and his continued silence, and she couldn't help but shout in indignation.

  "Empress!?!" The guard looked up in alarm, hastily explaining, "That woman wasn't brought by the slave." He didn't have the guts to find a woman for the Emperor outside the palace. Not to mention that the Emperor wasn't interested, even if he was, if those imperial family members found out, he wouldn't be able to keep his head on his shoulders, not even with ten lives.

  "How dare you be so stubborn?" The empress suddenly stood up, took a few strides, and walked to his front, coldly looking down at him. "If it weren't for you despicable slaves causing trouble, how could the emperor possibly do such a thing." If she wasn't constrained by her current status, perhaps she would have kicked him several times.

  "Empress, it really has nothing to do with me. That woman was brought out of the palace by the Emperor himself and is also the princess that Prince Wang just married into the palace today." The guard hastily said, at this moment, if he continued to conceal the truth, his own life would be in danger.

  "What did you say?" The empress's eyes widened in incredulity as she stared at him, her voice trembling with shock. The crowd in the hall also burst into exclamations of surprise. How could this matter be related to the prince again? And why would the emperor take away the prince's princess on his wedding night?

  "The slave said that the woman was a princess and the emperor himself went to the Wang Fu..."

  "Shut up." The empress dowager seemed to have only just reacted, fiercely shouting, "You this dog slave, not only did you lead the emperor astray, now you also want to defile Prince Wang, you truly have a big nerve. Come, take this dog slave away and give him thirty heavy slaps for me." In this grand hall, naturally he could no longer be allowed to speak wildly.

  "Your Majesty, everything I said is true. If you don't believe me, you can ask the king." The guard blurted out in his anxiety.

  "How dare you, be careful or I'll have your tongue cut out!" The empress shouted sternly. She would of course find out what was going on and naturally ask Xuan Yuan Chen, but she absolutely couldn't let this guard speak so recklessly, after all it wasn't a very glorious thing.

  The guard was slightly stunned, suddenly understanding the meaning of the empress. He had been following the emperor for so many years and had actually forgotten this most basic taboo. He no longer spoke out and did not dare to resist, allowing the several guards who had just entered to take him away.

  "Empress Dowager, the Prince requests an audience." Just then, a guard came in to make a request.

  The empress dowager was taken aback, "Let him in quickly." She was just about to have someone go and summon him when he suddenly arrived? Her heart couldn't help but secretly wonder, could this matter really be related to him?

  A moment later, Xuan Yuan Chen walked in quickly and saw the Emperor lying motionless on the bed. His eyes sank involuntarily, while seeing several panicked imperial physicians by the bedside, his eyebrows furrowed involuntarily.

  "Alright, you all go down first?" The empress saw Xuan Yuan Chen enter and ordered everyone to retreat. She wanted to know what had happened tonight?

  As everyone had already retreated, the empress gazed at Xuan Yuan Chen with a serious expression and said in a low voice, "Chen, tell me what really happened?" Her eyes held a few parts of trust, but also hid a few parts of inquiry.

  "What made the empress dowager say this, I also want to know what exactly happened?" Xuan Yuan Chen said half-truly and half-falsely. Subconsciously, he didn't want to drag Ling Feng into this matter. It was obvious that someone had taken advantage of the situation, and she was innocent. Murong Lingyun might have been used as well.

  Because if Murong Lingyun knew things would develop to this point, he probably wouldn't let Lingfeng follow him back to the Wang Manor even if he died.

  The empress's eyebrows furrowed slightly, but a hint of suspicion flashed in her eyes. Her face sank, and she spoke coldly, "Zhen'er, are you trying to deceive me? Do you think I'm old and muddled?" The voice that was usually soft and gentle was now icy and stern. Although she had always been kind to Xuan Yuan Zhen, when it came to her own son's safety, she couldn't afford to be so considerate.

  Xuan Yuan Chen was startled, and then said in a low voice, "I dare not." He had always known that the seemingly gentle and kind empress dowager was not as simple as people imagined. He believed that the empress dowager must have begun to suspect him. Thinking of when he first arrived, he happened to see the guard being taken away, Xuan Yuan Chen couldn't help but feel a chill in his heart. That guard had been by the emperor's side since he came to the Wang Fu, so he was the most clear about everything.

  It seems that guard must have told the empress dowager everything.

  "Hmph." The empress let out a cold hum, followed by a chilly laugh. "You dare not, don't you dare tell me that the emperor didn't go to the Wang Manor tonight?" Although she had just scolded the guard for speaking nonsense, in her heart, she already had some certainty - first, she suspected that the guard absolutely did not have the guts to lie; second, from the emperor's expression last night, she could see that he was unusual towards Ling Feng. With the emperor's impulsive personality, it was very possible that he would do something like that.

  "Haha... " The emperor smiled slightly, "The empress dowager is right, I did go to the Wang Fu tonight." He could hear the affirmation in the empress dowager's voice, so he didn't rush to deny it. Because he knew that the empress dowager understood him too well, and if he hastily denied it, it would only arouse more suspicion from her.

  "What's next?" The empress dowager looked puzzled for a moment, then asked hastily, "I heard that the emperor took away your queen, is this true?" If it were really like that, things would be complicated indeed. At this time, she was secretly shocked in her heart. If it were so, Xuan Yuan Chen would be the most suspicious.

  If Xuan Yuan Che wants to harm the Emperor, I'm afraid the Emperor will really be in danger...

  Xuan Yuan's eyebrows slightly raised, and he countered with a question instead of answering, "What does Your Majesty think?" His words paused for a moment, and his gaze towards the Empress Dowager's eyes flashed with a hint of cold smile, "Does Your Majesty think that I would casually give away my own queen?" The tone was intentionally heavy on the word "give away", and the corner of his lips curled up in obvious mockery.

  At this moment, Xuan Yuan Chen involuntarily spoke hastily, because he understood the severity of the matter. He dared to confirm that someone must have taken advantage of this incident to set up a conspiracy, with the goal of harming the Emperor and also implicating him and Mu Rong Ling Yun. He absolutely could not let that person's conspiracy succeed, so before the truth was investigated, he couldn't let the Empress Dowager know about this matter.

  Doing so is good for everyone, and of course, it's most beneficial for Ling Feng. This way, she won't get into any trouble.

  The empress dowager was a clever person and understood his personality, she should have known that he would absolutely not allow his queen to be taken away by anyone, even if it were the emperor.

  And he, if he hadn't already suspected that the woman was fake, no matter what the emperor offered in exchange, he wouldn't have agreed. Only he never expected things to develop to this point.

  Only he, the Emperor and Chu Wei knew about this matter, as well as the guard beside the Emperor. Now that the Emperor is unconscious and Chu Wei won't talk nonsense, the only one who might reveal this is the guard. However, he believes that as a prince, his words should be more credible than those of a guard. Moreover, he has an important witness - Mu Rong Ling Yun, who will likely cooperate with him to spread this rumor.

  The empress slightly frowned, and for Xuan Yuan Chen's words, she had a few points of conviction, because she knew that Xuan Yuan Chen was someone who would not be swayed by any threats or temptations, and absolutely would not allow anyone to force him. So, on the day of the wedding, sending her own princess to marry someone else seemed like a very small possibility.

  Even if that guard had bigger guts, he wouldn't dare say such nonsense.

  "Are you saying that the Emperor went, but returned empty-handed?" The Empress Dowager pondered for a moment before continuing to ask, but would the Emperor really let go so easily? Even if the Emperor did let go, after leaving the palace, why didn't he return to the imperial palace?

  "This humble one dare not say, but the princess is indeed in the palace at this moment, and that's a fact." Xuan Yuan Chen smiled ambiguously again.

  "Is she currently in the palace? Then it's possible that she might have left the palace before?" The Empress Dowager smiled slightly, catching Xuan Yuan Zhi's slip of the tongue, and made a self-affirming statement.

  In fact, she didn't know that this was a doubt left for her by Xuan Yuan Chen on purpose.

  Xuanyuan Chen's face sank in coordination, revealing a few strands of difficulty, wanting to speak but stopping.

  "What? Are you hiding something from me?" The empress's eyes stared straight at him, with a hint of implication.

  "Ah." Xuan Yuan Cheng let out a soft sigh, "Speaking of this matter, I'm really having some difficulty speaking about it." A cold and hard face showed a few hints of deliberate hesitation, feeling somewhat strange, perhaps even he himself didn't know that he still had a talent for acting, but the matter was too big, he couldn't...

  Of course, the most important thing is to drag Ling Feng into this. As long as he admits that the Emperor took her away, regardless of whether she was the one who made the Emperor fall unconscious or not, she would undoubtedly be thrown into the heavenly prison by the Empress Dowager. So, at this moment, he was really thinking hard.

  The empress's eyebrows furrowed slightly, and her eyes grew increasingly puzzled. "Oh? There are still things in this world that you find hard to mention? I'm all ears."

  "Hmm, actually it's not a big deal, and I don't need to hide it from the empress dowager. It's just that yesterday night, the one who was said to be the most beloved little sister in the world, Murong Lingyun, actually took Murong Lingfeng out of the palace quietly on my wedding night because she couldn't bear to part with her sister. And I had just brought the princess back to the palace." Xuan Yuan Chen tried his best to put it delicately, but when it reached the empress dowager's ears, it became that Murong Lingyun had eloped with Lingfeng on their wedding night, which was almost the same thing.

  "What? Such a thing actually happened?" The empress dowager exclaimed involuntarily, "When did Murong Lingyun take Lin Feng away?"

  Although it was an exclamation, it completely confirmed Xuan Yuan Chen's statement. Originally, when they were at the Murong residence, Wan Er said that Murong Lingyun had lived in a room before Ling Feng, but when they went to look for him, they didn't see Murong Lingyun's shadow. At first, they thought he was just too heartbroken and went out for some fresh air, but they never expected that the normally gentle and proper Murong Lingyun would do something so outrageous.

  Xuan Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly, and a faint smile with a deeper meaning appeared at the corner of his lips. He deliberately thought for a moment before responding, "This humble subject really doesn't know about this matter. If I did, perhaps it wouldn't have been allowed to happen." In his heart, he secretly found it amusing that the Empress Dowager seemed so flustered and would ask such a question.

  The empress dowager was also taken aback, realizing her own slip of the tongue, and changed her words to say, "Then when did you discover that girl was not in the palace?" This point was extremely important to her.

  "Haha... " Xuan Yuan Cheng chuckled again, "Of course, it was when I was preparing to enter the bridal chamber that I discovered it." He continued to fluster about, suddenly realizing that speaking nonsense didn't seem to be a difficult task.

  "In other words, when the Emperor went to the Wang Fu, that little girl was no longer in the Wang Fu?" The Empress Dowager's brow furrowed even more tightly. If it were really like that, Xuan Yuan Chen would absolutely not let the Emperor know about Ling Feng's disappearance, but instead would quickly send the Emperor away, and with Xuan Yuan Chen's abilities, the Emperor probably wouldn't have any choice but to obey."

  "It can be said that way." Xuan Yuan's faintly echoed, this statement was not false, originally when the emperor went to the Wang Fu, Ling Feng had already left the Wang Fu.

  The empress thought deeply, believing that Xuan Yuan would never joke about such a thing, and considering Murong Lingyun's feelings for Ling Feng, it was highly likely that he would do something like that. However, the guard had clearly said that the emperor had taken Ling Feng away from the Wang mansion, so was the guard really lying?

  "Your Majesty, General Murong requests an audience." The sudden loud voice of the guard broke into the empress's reverie.

  The empress dowager was stunned, and Mu Rong Lingyun's arrival was indeed timely. However, she could take the opportunity to confirm whether what Xuan Yuan Chen had just said was true or not.

  "Hmm, let him come in?" The empress suppressed all her emotions and said calmly, but her eyes slightly swept over Xuan Yuan Chen, as if wanting to see his abnormality.

  Xuan Yuan Chen's face still had its usual coldness, but in his heart, he was also slightly lamenting. Murong Lingyun arrived just in time, couldn't he have come a bit later? At least let him greet him first?

  He came in at this time. If the empress asked, as long as Murong Lingyun's answer was slightly different from his, they would both arouse the empress's suspicion.

  So, as soon as Murong Lingyun stepped into the room, he sneered coldly and said, "Murong General, it's really rare to see you. If not for this king's timely discovery that his queen was not in the palace but had been kidnapped by Murong General, and rushing back overnight, I'm afraid we wouldn't be seeing Murong General now?"

  Obvious sarcasm, cold ridicule, is the kind of scene where enemies meet and eyes are red with anger.

  His voice on that word, deliberately emphasized, sounded like gnashing teeth in the empress's ears, but to Murong Lingyun's ears it became a hint, not "exchange" but "steal away", believing that Murong Lingyun should be able to understand.

  Murong Lingyun, who had just stepped into the doorway, was taken aback for a moment. He slightly raised his eyes and met Xuan Yuan Chen's cold gaze. The clever him suddenly realized what was going on and immediately retorted in a cold tone, "Hmph, being caught by you, I admit that I'm unlucky. However, don't be too pleased with yourself, one day..." His words intentionally trailed off, and his eyes flashed with ruthlessness for a brief moment, the implication clear.

  Although he couldn't understand why Xuan Yuan had to do this, he also knew that by doing so, Ling Feng would not be dragged in, and he would naturally cooperate well.

  "Alright, you two stop arguing." The empress dowager blurted out in anger, and from the conversation just now, she had already gotten a general idea. It seemed that Murong Lingyun really wanted to elope with that girl, but let Xuan Yuan Chen catch them. However, it was unexpected that Murong Lingyun could still be calm and composed at this moment.

  For now, what's most important is still the Emperor's matter. As for those conflicts between them, she no longer has the mind to care about it at this moment.

  The two of them wisely kept silent, originally, neither of them was good at arguing.

  Murong Lingyun only then looked at the emperor who was unconscious on the bed, his eyes involuntarily sinking. How could this be? That woman was someone he had found in a brothel, and he had already taken notice of her for quite some time. There shouldn't have been any problems, how is this possible?

  "What's going on here, in your opinion?" The words of the two ministers outweighed those of one guard, and the empress also knew that these two were sworn enemies at this moment and couldn't possibly be colluding with each other. So it was highly likely that the guard was lying.

  "The empress dowager can rest assured, I will definitely investigate this matter clearly." Murong Lingyun spoke first, thinking that as long as he found the woman, he would definitely find some flaws.

  "What? Does General Murong have some leads?" The empress exclaimed in surprise and delight, her heart rising with a glimmer of hope as Murong Lingyun's words were too affirmative.

  "Ah..." Murong Lingyun hesitated for a moment, realizing his slip of the tongue, and then changed his words to "Your humble servant will definitely do his best to investigate."

  He couldn't help but look at the Emperor with some concern, saying in a low voice, "But Your Majesty, you can't blame people for worrying about you like this." Even Imperial Physician Liang couldn't find out the reason, things were getting serious, and he had no idea what that woman had done to the Emperor.

  "Ah, I'm worried about this too." The empress's eyes also slowly turned to the emperor, a hint of heartache flashing in her eyes. For the emperor, she had always been stricter than loving, and because of the early passing of the previous emperor, he had to take on all the responsibilities of the Xuan Yuan dynasty prematurely, almost being suffocated by the affairs of the court every day, even some ordinary joys of common people's families became a luxury.

  "Now, the only way to save the Emperor is to find the murderer as soon as possible." The Empress Dowager muttered in a low and heavy tone, with an unbearable heartache hidden beneath her words, "Who could be so ruthless as to harm my son?"

  "Your Majesty, please don't worry too much. I will find the murderer as soon as possible." Xuan Yuan Chen couldn't help but comfort her after all. After all, in this world, the empress dowager was still his only close relative.

  "Hmm." The empress responded softly, then slowly turned around, her eyes scanning Xuan Yuan Chen and Mu Rong Ling Yun one by one. She said seriously, "With the two of you here, I believe the emperor will definitely be fine." Although this was also a form of flattery, it was also the truth. In the Xuan Yuan dynasty, everyone knew that Xuan Yuan Chen and Mu Rong Ling Yun were both civil and martial talents, and many things in the Xuan Yuan dynasty relied on these two people.

  "There's one more thing, I have a request to make of the two of you." After a moment of contemplation, the Empress Dowager spoke again, this time in an entreating tone.

  "If there's anything, Your Majesty can just say it. As long as I, your humble subject, can do it, I absolutely won't decline." Murong Lingyun immediately followed up, originally this matter was started by him anyway, and the empress dowager had always been like a sister to his mother, so he truly respected her.

  The empress's eyes turned to the emperor again, and a hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes, but she made a decision and said in a low voice, "Now that the emperor is unconscious, there is no one to handle the affairs of the court. I'm afraid some people with ulterior motives will take advantage of the situation. So, I want you two to temporarily manage the affairs of the court on behalf of the emperor until he wakes up." She was also worried about making such a decision, but she had no other choice. The reason why she let them manage together was that they were both trusted by the people above and below the Xuan Yuan dynasty, and secondly, because their discord would not allow them to collude with each other to seize the emperor's throne.

  Moreover, she has always been aware of Murong Lie's ambition. At this moment, letting Murong Lingyun take charge can also slightly appease him.

  The empress dowager was indeed kind and benevolent.

  Xuan Yuan Chen and Murong Lingyun were both taken aback, looking at the Empress Dowager with some surprise. However, they soon understood her intentions and nodded in agreement.

  No matter what, they are all subjects of the Xuan Yuan dynasty. Now that the emperor is in trouble and the country is in trouble, they naturally have an unshirkable responsibility.

  The news of the Emperor's coma spread quickly throughout the imperial court, and various ministers were also half-believing and half-doubting. Early in the morning, they all rushed to the grand hall to find out what was going on.

  "I heard that the Emperor was attacked after leaving the palace last night and is still unconscious, is this true?" a minister asked in a low voice, also half-believing and half-doubting the rumor.

  This statement was intentionally spread by the Empress Dowager, because too many people knew that the Emperor had fainted outside the palace, but it was impossible to tell the ministers that the Emperor had gone out of the palace to find women and fainted without reason. Moreover, the statement made by the guards was not credible either, and had already been denied by Xuan Yuan Chen and Mu Rong Ling Yun.

  "Oh, you've also heard about it. It seems that the rumors are true after all. I heard that His Majesty was ambushed on his way back to the palace from the Murong residence. This matter is likely to have another hidden aspect." Another minister whispered, but hinted at a doubt in the end.

  "What? Doesn't Lord Li know something?" The minister couldn't help but ask.

  "Hahaha..." The person known as Mr. Li gave a mysterious little laugh, "Cannot be said, cannot be said."

  "Hmph." The man let out a cold hum, his face filled with disdain as he glanced at him sideways and muttered under his breath, "Self-righteous."

  "If the Emperor is really injured, I'm afraid we can't have an early court session today. We might as well just disperse." Someone suddenly shouted loudly, with a tone that seemed to be intentionally provocative.

  The emperor had just ascended to the throne for a few years, and many of the ministers who had once fought alongside the former emperor were not convinced. The forces in the court were divided into several parts with those ministers as the leaders, and the most powerful one was still Murong Lie.

  "What nonsense is this, matters of the imperial court, border affairs, all waiting to be solved. The memorials in our hands, which one is not a major event concerning the safety of the Xuan Yuan dynasty? If something happens now that you can't handle, are you responsible?" A minister retorted indignantly, with an air of stern righteousness, but normally, these people were the kind who changed their minds easily. On ordinary days when they attended court, they had nothing to say, but now every matter became a major event concerning national security."

  As he spoke, he slightly turned towards Murong Lie and smiled ingratiatingly.

  "But now that the Emperor is in a coma, what can you do?" The person from just now shouted again, but while speaking, he also subtly glanced at Murong Lie.

  "If His Majesty is indeed ill, at least we should find a virtuous and respected person to temporarily take care of state affairs." The man with the serious expression finally got to the point.

  The person who had just quarreled with him nodded slightly and said, "Hmm, what you said makes sense, but in this court, who is the most suitable?"

  "This? I believe everyone's eyes are bright and clear, and they all understand who is the truly noble and respectable person." He smiled slightly, with a hint of meaning.

  "Oh." Another person pretended to be suddenly enlightened and echoed, "This person is none other than Murong Chancellor."

  In the morning, most of the voices began to echo in agreement. Of course, there were a few dissatisfied ones, but they didn't dare to protest publicly after all, Murong Lie wasn't someone that just anyone could afford to provoke.

  "The Emperor has arrived, the King has arrived, General Murong has arrived." Just as the entire grand hall was in a state of chaos, the sharp and shrill voice of the eunuch suddenly rang out.

  In an instant, the entire hall fell silent, and everyone's face flashed with confusion. The emperor was unconscious, and the empress dowager came out, which was not unexpected, but at this moment, Xuan Yuan Chen and Wang Ye came together, which could not help but raise suspicions.

  The empress dowager wore a magnificent formal attire, which should only be worn on extremely important occasions.

  Her eyes slowly swept over the crowd in the grand hall, then she slowly walked towards the dragon throne, but did not sit down, showing the Empress Dowager's caution. Now that the Emperor was unconscious, she could not afford to raise any controversy.

  "Last night, the Emperor suddenly fell ill. I'm sure everyone has already heard about it?" The Empress Dowager calmly spoke out after glancing around the hall once again, her face serene despite never having faced such a situation before, without a hint of tension.

  "The Emperor is really injured. Who dares to be so bold and hurt the Emperor?" The great hall was in an uproar again, but most of them were voices of indignation.

  The empress dowager did not rush to stop them, letting them discuss, waiting for their voices to slowly come to a halt before speaking again, "Since the emperor has been in a coma since last night, the court cannot be without a ruler for a day, so temporarily, Prince Wang and General Murong will handle court affairs. Does anyone have any objections?"

  As she spoke, a pair of sharp eyes scanned the crowd, their majesty seemingly no less than that of a man.

  Everyone was secretly shocked. An empress dowager, a prince and a marshal, who would dare to resist? Unless they were really tired of living.

  Even those ministers who had just strongly supported Murong Lie's reign did not dare to speak easily, after all, one of the people in power was the son of the Prime Minister.

  Moreover, everyone in the Xuan Yuan dynasty knew about Xuan Yuan Chen's ruthlessness, and no one dared to provoke him. If someone were to raise objections at this moment, it would be equivalent to openly opposing Xuan Yuan Chen. Although they usually supported Murong Lie, they were the kind of people who shifted their stance with the wind, so naturally, they all wisely kept silent.

  The empress dowager wanted this result, her eyes scanned the hall again and said in a low voice, "Since everyone has no objection, let's decide on this for now. If anyone has anything to report, please go directly to the prince and the marshal."

  It was settled like this, and for the next two days, Murong Lingyun and Xuan Yuan Chen unexpectedly came together, handling court affairs on one hand and searching for clues on the other. However, what was strange was that the woman seemed to have vanished into thin air, and despite Xuan Yuan Chen's use of all four major hints, there was no result.

  "It seems that I underestimated that woman." A cold glint flashed in Murong Lingyun's eyes, and the expression on his face was also icy and terrifying. Or perhaps, that woman had deliberately caught his attention from the start, because not only did she resemble Lingfeng in figure, but some of her actions were also eerily similar. He had thought it was just a coincidence, after all, not many people had seen Lingfeng, and they weren't outsiders, so it was impossible for someone to deliberately imitate her. But now, maybe he was wrong.

  "Hmph." Xuan Yuan Cheng let out a cold hum, the corner of his lips curling up in obvious mockery. "Why don't you just say it directly? You've been deceived by a woman to the point where you can't even tell east from west."

  It's been two days, and not a single clue has been found. Even he, who is usually calm, can't help but feel a little annoyed. After all, the Four Great Assassins have never failed to find someone before, even if that person was dead - they could dig her up from under the ground.

  These two days, for the sake of the imperial court and the emperor's affairs, he hasn't returned to the Wang Fu yet. However, from what Chu Wei briefly mentioned, that woman in his residence seems to be carefree and at ease, as if nothing has happened.

  Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel depressed. He was exhausted from working so hard here, while the person with the most connections was living a carefree life.

  "You're not doing any better, you've been searching for two days and haven't even found a shadow of a person." Murong Lingyun retorted involuntarily. However, over the past few days, he suddenly realized that Xuan Yuan Chen seemed to be deliberately protecting Feng Er. Although it was somewhat inexplicable, he also felt a bit grateful towards Xuan Yuan Chen, because he was very clear that if Xuan Yuan Chen hadn't lied to the Empress Dowager that day, he and Feng Er would probably both be locked up in prison by now.

  Rather than as it is now, one governing in court while another quietly stays in the palace.

  But thinking about what happened that night, he dared to conclude that Xuan Yuan Chen had not discovered Feng Er's secret, so she would help her.

  Xuanyuan's eyes narrowed slightly, "I highly suspect that the woman you brought back isn't even human." Otherwise, why couldn't she be found?

  He used all his strength and still couldn't find her, he had to wonder if she really existed.

  Murong Lingyun was taken aback, although it sounded absurd at first, but after searching for two days with Xuan Yuan Chen, they had not slept or rested for two days and still had no leads. At this moment, such words didn't sound like just a joke anymore.

  "Didn't you see her that day at the Wang Manor?" Murong Lingyun glanced over him lightly, confirming it. Although he and Xuan Yuan Chen didn't want to bring up what happened that day, since it was a big deal, he couldn't not ask.

  "Hmm." Xuan Yuan Cheng responded softly, a hint of contemplation flashing in his slightly narrowed eyes. That night, he had indeed seen that woman, and at the time, he hadn't noticed anything unusual either, just drinking a cup of wine together. At the time, apart from that normal feeling of unease, there seemed to be nothing else out of the ordinary.

  That woman, although she was sent into the palace by Murong Lingyun, but if she had ulterior motives and used Murong Lingyun to harm someone, it should have been him, not the Emperor. After all, who would have thought that the Emperor would suddenly appear and take her away?

  His eyebrows furrowed involuntarily, he remembered that when he let the emperor take her away, she was just bewildered, without a hint of refusal. At that time, she shouldn't have been pretending, and if her goal was him, she wouldn't have left with the emperor so easily?

  Has she already discovered that he has discovered her true identity? If so, this woman is indeed quite frightening.

  "It's already been two whole days, and tomorrow will be the third day, but we haven't made any progress at all. I don't know how much longer the Emperor can hold on." Murong Lingyun said worriedly, the Emperor had been in a coma for so long without drinking a drop of water, if this continued, it was feared that...

  "The third day?" Xuan Yuan murmured, "You didn't mention it, I had almost forgotten. Tomorrow is the third day of my wedding, shouldn't I bring my queen back to pay respects to her father?" His dark eyes gave no hint as to what he was thinking.

  Murong Lingyun was stunned, somewhat bewildered. How could Xuan Yuan Zhi think of this at this time? And he even said he wanted to go and pay his respects to his father. But wasn't Xuan Yuan Zhi always at odds with his father? There was no reason for him to be so courteous and obedient.

  His heart couldn't help but skip a beat, could it be that Xuan Yuan suspected his father and wanted to use the excuse of returning home to...

  He wouldn't think that Xuan Yuan Che made such a decision because he respected Feng Er.

  However, recently there have been many unfavorable rumors about Feng Er outside. Some people have even spread the rumor that Feng Er killed the Emperor and then escaped, with no news of him to this day. If tomorrow Xuan Yuan Zhen brings Ling Feng back home, these rumors will be self-defeating. He said in a low voice, "The prince is indeed kind-hearted." There was no intentional flattery, nor was there any strong refutation. In his deep voice, however, he hid an irrepressible pain that could not be concealed.

  If Xuan Yuan brought her back home, then he would also have to return to the manor and witness their intimacy with his own eyes. The thought of such a scene made his heart involuntarily clench up.

  "Haha... " Xuan Yuan Chen chuckled and cast a meaningful glance at him, then smiled half-jokingly, "Doesn't the king have to take care of his own queen? Do we need others to do it for us?"

  Murong Lingyun's body stiffened involuntarily, Xuan Yuan was too obvious in his hint, how could he not understand, yet at this moment he had no way to respond...

  "Hahaha......" Xuan Yuan Chen couldn't help but burst out laughing, and quickly left with a light heart, leaving behind Mu Rong Ling Yun's heavy and conflicted eyes.

  ……

  The next day, Ling Feng suddenly appeared in front of her and told her to dress up properly, saying that he would take her back to Xuan Yuan Chen's house. She was stunned for half a day.

  Isn't he the one who has always ignored worldly etiquette? How could he suddenly say that he wants to bring her back, and he hasn't returned to the Wang Mansion for two days and two nights. She knew that he had been busy dealing with court affairs and the emperor's assassination, so he didn't have time to return home.

  But now, how would he have time to come back and waste his time accompanying her back?

  In fact, she didn't want to go back at all and didn't want to see Murong Lie or Murong Lingyun.

  Seeing her stunned face, Xuan Yuan Chen couldn't help but chuckle and say, "What? You won't have forgotten your own home after just two days of marriage, will you?" It was a joke, a teasing tone, but to Ling Feng's ears, it still made her secretly frightened, after all, she wasn't Mu Rong Lie's biological daughter.

  "Get the princess dressed properly," Xuan Yuan Chen directly called out to a maid waiting outside before Ling Feng could even respond.

  "Yes." The little maid walked in carefully and slowly made her way to Ling Feng's side, saying softly, "Your Highness, please."

  Ling Feng knew she couldn't refuse, so she sat down obediently. Xuan Yuan Chen didn't leave, instead he stared straight at her, watching as the maid styled her hair.

  Not only did that girl get scared several times and almost dropped the comb on the ground, but she was also getting tense, wondering what was wrong with him today?

  That little girl, due to nervousness, suddenly pulled Ling Feng's hair, causing Ling Feng to slightly furrow his brow. The girl was also startled and immediately stopped her actions. Xuan Yuan Chen obviously also noticed, his face suddenly darkened, and he stood up, just about to scold.

  "It's nothing, you go on." Ling Feng said softly, fearing that the girl would get into trouble, so he pretended to be nonchalant, but also successfully stopped Xuan Yuan Chen's anger from erupting.

  Thanks to Lingfeng's comfort, and seeing that the king hadn't gotten angry, the little maid's courage grew a bit, her movements becoming more skilled. Before long, she finished dressing, and in the mirror appeared a face as beautiful as a heavenly fairy.

  Xuan Yuan Chen, who was standing behind her, couldn't help but be slightly stunned. It was actually the first time he had seen her dressed up so seriously, and she looked so beautiful that it felt unreal, as if it were an elusive dream that one couldn't grasp.

  "Your Highness, it's done." The little maid said in a low voice, standing uneasily to one side, as if afraid that Xuan Yuan Zhi would be displeased.

  Xuanyuan Chen didn't respond to her, but instead glanced at the shadow in the mirror with a hint of regret and said, "Let's go."

  When they arrived at the Murong residence, the entire Murong estate was unusually lively. It was clear that Murong Lingyun had already informed Murong Lie about bringing Lingfeng back today. Given Murong Lie's personality, he naturally went out of his way to invite some high-ranking officials from the imperial court, in order to show off his own prestige.

  Xuanyuan Chen naturally put his arm around Lingfeng, followed by Jia Wei, and slowly walked into the hall. Seeing that the hall was almost full of ministers, a cold smile involuntarily appeared at the corner of his mouth.