rumbling—
The imperial capital city was unusually quiet tonight, only the sound of thunder, and almost all the shadow guards were mobilized, not only closing the city gates ahead of time, but also sealing off all the intersections outside the city.
"Master Cheng, the entire Stone Village has been surrounded, and we are already looking for people from house to house." A shadow guard said to Cheng Zheng who was standing in the shadows.
"What happened to the Song family?" Cheng Zheng asked in a deep voice.
The shadow guard said, "Song Hongao has been in the study all the time, and the second princess is accompanying Mrs. Song."
"Seeing the Second Princess accompany Mrs. Song?" Cheng Zheng asked.
"This..." the shadow guard hesitated.
Cheng Zheng's voice was cold, "Go back to the palace immediately, keep the second princess out of the way, and don't let her see the emperor."
"Yes." The shadow guard left in response.
slap—
The heavy rain poured down, and the raindrops hurt my face.
"My lord, it's raining too much, why don't you go back first..." a shadow guard holding an umbrella said in a low voice, before he finished speaking, he was interrupted by another voice.
"My lord, there is a house behind the forest of the Taoist temple."
Cheng Zheng's complexion changed, and he walked into the heavy wind and rain, "Guard all the exits of Stone Village."
…
…
Zhao Xiang managed to get out of the secret passage, and before she came to the palace, it was already raining heavily. She didn't take a carriage, and she didn't have an umbrella on her body. She stood in front of the palace gate in embarrassment, but was told that the emperor had gone to bed and blocked her in the palace. outside the door.
"The emperor goes to bed, then I will wait in the main hall." Zhao Xiang looked at the shadow guards standing in front of her, and knew in her heart that it was Cheng Zheng who wanted these people to prevent her from seeing Zhao Rao.
"Second Princess, please don't embarrass us." The shadow guard said.
Zhao Xiang was still standing in the rain, "Is it difficult for you? Now it's pouring rain, how can I go back?"
A palace official held an umbrella to protect Zhao Xiang from the rain, "Second Princess, a carriage has been prepared for you."
"So it was prepared a long time ago." Zhao Xiang sneered, "I won't leave if I don't see the emperor tonight."
"Second princess, the emperor has been sleeping restlessly lately. It's rare to have a good sleep. The servants dare not wake him up. Why don't you come back tomorrow..." the palace man whispered.
Zhao Xiang looked at the palace gate, then looked at the dark sky, "Unless you kill me today, I will definitely see the emperor."
Several shadow guards looked at each other, ready to follow Cheng Zheng's order, if Zhao Xiang insisted on seeing the emperor, he could knock her out first.
"Second princess, offended." The shadow guard struck Zhao Xiang with a palm.
pala—
A flash of lightning flashed by, Zhao Xiang was still standing straight, but there were several figures behind him, their clothes were no different from those shadow guards, they had already protected Zhao Xiang behind him.
Zhao Rao, who was sleeping in the bedroom, was suddenly awakened by a thunderclap.
"Your Majesty?" The maid outside heard the movement and hurried in.
Zhao Rao looked around in a daze, but the person next to her pillow was not there, she frowned slightly, "What time is it?"
"It's time to go back to Your Majesty," said the maid.
It's already midnight!
Zhao Rao came down from the bed and saw that there was no familiar figure in the bedroom, she became more and more puzzled, "Where is Lord Shoufu?"
"After His Majesty fell asleep, Lord Shoufu left the palace." The maid replied.
"Leaving the palace?" Zhao Rao was stunned, is there anything else going on outside the palace today? "Have you left any words?"
The maid put on Zhao Rao's clothes, "Master Shoufu, tell the servants not to wake you up, let you have a good sleep."
Zhao Rao smiled faintly, but felt a little uneasy in her heart, always feeling that something was about to happen.
"How long has it been raining outside?" Why is there still a heavy rain at this time, it is obviously getting cold.
"There was a game in the evening, and I thought it was sunny, but it started to fall again at night, and it has been half an hour." The maid said.
Zhao Rao slept for most of the day, and at this moment she didn't feel sleepy at all. She saw that there was still a large pile of memorials on the table that had not been reviewed, so she asked the maid to light the lamp, and she was going to wait for Cheng Zheng while reviewing the memorials.
She knew that no matter how late Cheng Zheng was, he would come back to accompany her.
Ever since she accepted his affection, he almost spoiled her, just because the fifth younger brother listened to others and reprimanded her in front of everyone, thinking that she had lost face to the royal family, Cheng Zheng simply made her the empress. No one will dare to talk about things between them any more.
Cheng Zheng...
Zhao Rao felt inexplicably missing him. Although he had become stronger than before in the past two years, she knew that he did everything for her.
Why hasn't he come back? With such a heavy rain, what else can he do
"What happened outside?" Zhao Rao asked suspiciously, she seemed to hear the sound of swords.
"Servant, go and have a look." The maid said in a low voice, and went out of the palace to check what happened.
Zhao Rao gathered the clothes on her body, walked out of the dormitory slowly, and when she came to the door, she was sure that she hadn't misheard just now, that someone was really fighting in the rainstorm.
"Your Majesty, there seems to be an assassin outside the palace." The maid exclaimed in surprise, that an assassin dared to break into the palace.
"It's not an assassin!" If it was an assassin, it would have already alarmed the Imperial Forest Army in the palace. The palace is so quiet, it is obvious that the fighters outside are not a threat to her.
"Go and see." Zhao Rao said.
Someone from the palace ran over in the rain, "Your Majesty, the second princess is asking to see you. The shadow guards in the palace and... the former emperor's shadow guards are fighting."
The late emperor's shadow guard? Isn't that Zhao Yong's former confidant
"Second princess, please see me, why are those shadow guards fighting?" Zhao Rao asked coldly.
"Yes... for fear of disturbing the emperor's rest, the second princess is not allowed to enter the palace." The palace man whispered.
Zhao Rao yelled, "It's raining so hard, do you want the second princess to be exposed to the rain outside? Go and invite her into the palace, I want to see her."
She knew Zhao Xiang very well, if it wasn't for some serious and urgent matter, she would not have entered the palace at this time, let alone conflict with Cheng Zheng's people.
"Forget it, bring me an umbrella." Zhao Rao said, those shadow guards listened to Cheng Zheng the most, so she went to see Zhao Xiang in person.
Outside the palace gate, Zhao Xiang looked at the figure fighting in the rain. She didn't expect that someone would come to help her, and they were the shadow guards before her father. They are all masters, and they are not inferior to Cheng Zheng's subordinates.
She can't delay any longer, she must go to the palace to see Zhao Rao.
"Everyone stop!" When Zhao Xiang was about to rush into the palace, she finally saw a familiar figure appear.
"Elder Sister..." Zhao Xiang rushed forward desperately, "Hurry up and save Fifth Sister."
Zhao Rao looked at Zhao Xiang, who was dripping all over her body. Under the lamplight, her lips were so cold that her lips were blue, and her voice was trembling, "Fifth Sister is in Stone City, and Cheng Zheng has already brought someone to find her. Go and save her."
"What did you say? Why is Ning'er in Stone Village? Cheng Zheng won't hurt her." Zhao Rao supported Zhao Xiang, "Hurry up and help the second princess in, please come over with the imperial doctor."
Zhao Xiang held Zhao Rao's hand tightly, "Go, save Ning'er."