Quick Travel to the Clouds

Chapter 532 The Princess Who Wants to Compilation 29

The lights in the Phoenix Jade Palace were just coming on, reflecting the newly fallen snow outside the window.

Layers of palace eaves were covered with white frost, vermilion palace pillars were wrapped with red gold ribbons, glazed palace lanterns under the eaves emitted diffused warm light, and candlelight swayed in the cold wind like falling stars.

Inside the palace, the music of stringed instruments lingered melodiously, and the gentle tapping of chimes sounded like a spring flowing under ice. The air was filled with the faint incense of pine resin from the warm stove, the rich aroma of roasted deer and camel humps, and the fresh scent of cold plum blossoms as the sleeves of the maids passed by.

As the glasses clinked, the nobles in fine clothes talked and laughed cheerfully, but they could not hide the cold undercurrent of power struggles at the table - a coldness that was even more biting than the wind and snow outside the window.

Yun Chu was wearing a crimson brocade robe with gold embroidery, leaning against a jade table, his fingertips casually turning a rhinoceros horn cup.

The light illuminated her lazy brows and there was always a frivolous smile on the corner of her lips, making her look like a dandy who was addicted to alcohol and sex.

But if you look closely, you can see that there is a sharp light like an icy crystal in her eyes, which penetrates the phantom of the wine cup and falls accurately on the throne.

There, the Queen Mother Huang Yuqing sat on a phoenix chair, her nine-phoenix robe embroidered with gold thread and dotted with pearls, looking majestic.

Lan Guijun stood at her side, her sleeves of her moon-white, cloud-like brocade robe fluttering gently, her gentle eyes and smile as she served her mother food and poured wine. The Queen sat below, her lips curled, but the jealous fire in her eyes was like a poisonous silver needle, piercing Lan Guijun's back.

At the height of the feast, the eldest princess, Huang Yunjin, suddenly sneered and raised her glass: "If Sixth Sister could learn even a little bit of your majesty's prudent manner, there would be no need to worry about the unrest in the country."

The fifth princess, Huang Yunxuan, took the opportunity to chime in: "Big sister, you're wrong! I think Sixth Sister is really free and easy. I heard that in the hot spring villa—" She deliberately dragged out the last syllable and glanced at Yun Chu with a squint, "With a beauty in my arms, the wind and snow add to the romance. It's wonderful!"

The second princess Huang Yunli interrupted in a cold voice: "Fifth sister, be careful with your words. Sixth sister, don't let your indulgence ruin your life." Every word was sharp, nailing Yun Chu to the "absurd" pillar.

On the Phoenix Throne, Huang Yuqing gently tapped the golden cup, and the entire hall fell silent. Her eyes swept across the table with tenderness, and her voice was as warm as jade: "As the girls grow up, they should establish careers and start families. The fourth princess Yunlan, the fifth princess Yunxuan—"

He paused slightly at this point, then looked at Yunchu with a smile, "And the Sixth Princess Yunchu, start the spring to choose a handsome and upright husband. The talented people in the capital, I will definitely choose a good match."

He turned to Yun Chu again, his doting expression almost overflowing with words: "Chu'er, you need to choose carefully. Lord Lan has already selected several young men for you, all of them are outstanding..."

Before he could finish his words, Yun Chu suddenly stood up.

The clink of cups knocked over amber wine, and her crimson dress fluttered like the feathers of a phoenix bathed in flames. She raised her head and eyebrows, her voice rippling like silk through the palace: "Mother's kindness, I am humbled! But who is the perfect match for me?" She spread her arms and laughed heartily, her eyes flickering with playfulness. "I, Huang Yunchu, have a lifelong passion for beauties! With mountains and rivers as matchmakers, and rivers and mountains as betrothal gifts, I will embrace all the world's most stunning beauties—"

The whole house was in an uproar.

The second princess frowned like a knife, and the eldest princess snorted coldly and slammed the table.

The Queen covered her lips and sneered, "Ridiculous!"

Yun Chu, however, acted completely oblivious. She twirled lightly over the spilled wine, her red robe fluttering like a banner. "A legal husband? Wouldn't that be like a cage locking me up? I won't marry him! I won't marry him!"

She flicked her sleeves and brushed away the handkerchief handed to her by Lan Guijun, her unrestrained posture making her look like a young god teasing the world.

"Alright." Huang Yuqing suddenly chuckled and raised her hand, her doting expression crushing all the doubts and suspicions in the hall. "Chu'er is still as innocent as ever."

She took a sip from the golden cup, her eyes passing over Lan Guijun as if caressing a jade statue, but she inadvertently cast her eyes towards the side table - there, Luo Yunjun in black was tightening the fox fur coat for the ten-year-old girl Huang Yunmeng beside him. The girl's fair cheeks were nestled in his arms, her innocent smile as bright as the spring sunshine.

The Queen Mother's smile deepened, and she spoke softly, "Since you don't like being bound... let's put the matter of your husband on hold for now." The decision was final, and no one dared to object.

Only Yun Chu lowered his eyes to hide the cold light in his eyes, allowing everyone to whisper that "Your Majesty dotes on her excessively" to weave another layer of protective fog - but beneath this doting tapestry, hidden was the Queen Mother's deep affection for Luo Yunjun and her young daughter.

The palace banquet ended in suffocating silence.

The Queen's last, light-hearted "postpone" suppressed the surprise and rebuke in the hall, but it could not suppress the invisible chill that lingered on everyone's heart.

Many gazes—probing, cold, gloating—were like invisible needles, piercing Yun Chu's resolute back and sweeping across Lan Guijun's forced smile.

The wind and snow grew stronger, and the snow on the palace road was trampled and crushed, mixed with the fragments of lamplight, making it extremely dirty.

Yun Chu's crimson brocade robe left a strange trail of light in the dark night, and then disappeared behind the heavy bronze door with animal heads in the Sixth Prince's Mansion.

The noise of wind and snow outside was blocked by heavy curtains.

The dim candlelight in the study illuminated only Yun Chu. She had long since shed her flamboyant crimson attire and donned a casual attire as dark as night. Her white fingers were no longer embellished, but as her fingertips brushed against the fine iron mechanism, a faint, cold gleam emanated.

"Go ahead." Yun Chu's voice was as soft as a sigh. "Just disturb them, don't destroy them."

The Fire Iron Flying Ant received the order and suddenly flapped its wings and flew up. Like an almost invisible stream of blood-red light, it instantly penetrated the gauze of the window lattice and disappeared into the howling cold night wind and snow outside.

Luo Yunju

Luo Yunjun's residence was always quiet, far from the hustle and bustle of the Imperial Palace. His young daughter, Yunmeng, had long since fallen asleep in his arms, a smile still on her jade-like face.

Luo Yunjun gently stroked his daughter's hair, his eyes full of tenderness, completely unaware that a subtle red shadow had quietly sneaked into the warm room of the incense burner.

The flying ant used the warmth of the fire to dispel the night chill, nimbly avoided the weak flow of air in the fragrant mist, and landed silently on the back of Luo Yunjun's hand holding the book.

Its needle-thin mouthparts aimed at a tiny blue blood vessel in the wrist and gently pierced it.

Luo Yunjun only felt a slight tingling on his wrist, as if scratched by dry burrs in winter, but he didn't pay much attention to it.

However, a moment later, a strong feeling of dizziness came over him, and the scroll in his hand fell to the ground with a "click".

He tried to hold up his head, but his consciousness receded as quickly as the tide, and his body slid down the seat and fell to the cold floor.

The maid who was on night watch heard the noise and pushed the door open, immediately screaming in terror, "Lord Luo Yun! Someone come! Lord Luo Yun is in trouble——!"

The silent palace was completely torn apart!

The imperial physician hurried inside. After taking his pulse, his face turned pale. "Your Majesty! Lord Luo Yun's pulse is as heavy as a rock, and his breathing is so weak it seems to have been cut off. This... this is definitely not an ordinary emergency. It seems... it seems like he's been poisoned! While his life is not in danger for now, he needs a rare medicine to stay alive. When he will wake up... is hard to predict!"

"Poisoned?!" Huang Yuqing's voice was filled with unprecedented shock, anger, and distortion, and her former kindness turned into a storm of thunder.

The golden cup was thrown to the ground, shattering into pieces! "Guards! Seal the palace gates! Investigate thoroughly! Find this daring man for me! Even if we have to dig three feet underground, we will find him!"

She rushed to the bedside in a few steps and looked at Luo Yunjun, whose face was as pale as gold paper and he was dying. His eyes were filled with almost crazy pain and panic that had never been shown to anyone before.

Lines of black-robed guards dispersed like ghosts, crashing through the palace gates and disturbing the various halls. All those associated with Luo Yunju were rigorously interrogated and isolated.