Crowned Consort in Golden Age-Chapter 205 - 204. Kidnap the Emperor
204. The Palace Kidnapping Case
"Leave here with me!" he repeated, looking at the visibly frightened woman before him. His voice was deep, his tone firm.
The Empress was stunned by his words, taking some time to regain her composure before shaking her head slightly. Fury sparked in Feng Zhiyao’s eyes as he gritted his teeth, asking, "Why?"
The Empress cast her eyes downward, concealing the sorrow and desolation in them. When she looked up at Feng Zhiyao, her face held a gentle smile. "I am His Majesty’s wife, the mother of Great Chu. Anyone can leave, but I cannot." Despite the fact she had no romantic feelings for Mo Jingqi, she hadn’t been unhappy when the late emperor arranged their marriage. From then on, she was bound to him, no matter the circumstances. She was Mo Jingqi’s wife, and he was the father of her daughter. Although she didn’t love him, she had to accompany him. She hadn’t understood Feng Zhiyao’s feelings before, but now that she did, she could not leave with him. Taking the Empress of Great Chu from the palace would only bring trouble to Feng Zhiyao.
Feng Zhiyao glared at the Empress’s calm smile, his lips almost bleeding from biting them so hard.
The Empress looked at him, her voice soft. "You’re not getting any younger. I heard Princess Consort Ding is already pregnant. You’re the same age as Prince Ding; it’s time you found a good girl and got married. Ah-Yao, I appreciate your visit. But... please don’t come again. The palace is not a place you can enter and leave at will. It’s not good for you or me."
Feng Zhiyao stood abruptly, his eyes blazing as he responded, "Fine! Fine! I shouldn’t have come to disturb Her Highness Empress’s life. I’ll leave now!" Even as he said it, he didn’t move. He regretted his words once they had left his mouth, knowing full well that she was only trying to get him to leave and he wasn’t really causing her any trouble.
The Empress sighed, "You’re still so childish. Leave now."
Feng Zhiyao glared at the Empress, unable to find words. He wanted to tell her what Mo Jingqi had done, warn her that Prince Ding would not let Mo Jingqi go. He wanted to beg her to leave with him. But he knew her; even if she knew all this, she still would not come with him. From the moment she stepped onto the bridal carriage to Prince Qi’s Mansion, her life and death, honor and disgrace, were tied to Mo Jingqi. Even if Mo Jingqi became a ruler of a fallen nation, she would only accompany him to the end.
"No matter what Mo Jingqi does, will you never leave him?!" Feng Zhiyao demanded coldly.
The Empress was taken aback. She was a very intelligent woman and knew from Feng Zhiyao’s words that Mo Jingqi must have done something he shouldn’t have. A bitter smile touched her lips. "As an Empress, it’s my fault for not being able to advise him. If anything happened, I would bear it with him. Ah-Yao, please leave and don’t come back. If you ever have a chance... please look after Changle for me."
Feng Zhiyao remained silent. Even though he was known for his quick wit and eloquence, he could never win against her. All she had to do was look at him softly, and he would be left speechless. After a long silence, Feng Zhiyao nodded, looking at the Empress and said, "Alright, I’ll leave... Please take care of yourself..."
As he watched Feng Zhiyao disappear into the night, the Empress gazed blankly at the flickering candlelight, lost in thought. After a while, she let out a soft sigh.
After leaving the palace, Feng Zhiyao roamed through the streets of the Capital City, from courtyard to tower, until he arrived at the backyard of the Qingcheng Workshop, covered in dew and the night’s chill. It was already the fourth night watch, and even in such a bustling place, everything had quieted down. Feng Zhiyao strode into Indulgence, kicking the door open as he went in. Inside, Leng Haoyu was taken aback. Raising his eyebrow, he asked, "What’s happened to you?"
Feng Zhiyao shook his head, went to the table, sat down, and chugged down a jug of wine. Leng Haoyu watched his actions. He knew that something bad must have happened. He patted Feng Zhiyao’s shoulder. "What’s wrong, can’t let go of something? Don’t worry, I’ll drink with you until we get drunk. But now... How did your trip to the palace go? Did you find the Bilo flower?"
Feng Zhiyao put the jug down, shook his head, and said, "No, Qilin’s men almost turned Mo Jingqi’s sleeping quarters upside down and still found no trace. They also checked the secret rooms inside the palace."
Leng Haoyu furrowed his brows. "Could Tan Jizhi have fooled us?"
Feng Zhiyao shook his head. "No, the Saint Lady of the Southern Border is still being held captive in the Northwest. The Imperial Princess of the Southern Border is close friends with Young Master Qingchen. If the Saint Lady died, Tan Jizhi’s power in Nanzhao will vanish."
Leng Haoyu tapped his forehead, deep in thought. After a while, he looked at Feng Zhiyao and asked, "What if we ask Mo Jingqi directly?"
"Ask Mo Jingqi?" Feng Zhiyao was taken aback; he looked at Leng Haoyu in confusion.
Leng Haoyu fanned his folding fan and said, "Perhaps only Mo Jingqi himself knows where he has hidden the Bilo flower. How can we find it without asking him? We can’t take things slowly anymore; neither your time nor the Prince’s health can afford it."
Feng Zhiyao had to admit that Leng Haoyu made a good point. He couldn’t stay in the Capital City for too long. Furthermore, although Mr. Shen had mentioned that the Prince’s body might not completely deteriorate in two years due to the effect of the spider brake, time was still not on their side. Over a year and a half had already passed. While they might have the time, the Prince’s body could not afford to wait. After some thought, Feng Zhiyao asked, "What about the Lihuo lotus in Beirong?"
Leng Haoyu replied, "Since the Prince can walk again, many people probably believe that his poison has been cured. They no longer pay the same attention to the Lihuo lotus. I’ve already arranged for people to retrieve it as soon as it matures."
Feng Zhiyao nodded. "Whether it’s helpful or not, it’s always good to have more. In case we don’t get the Bilo flower in time, Mr. Shen may still come up with a solution if we have the Lihuo lotus." In reality, nobody was very optimistic about the Bilo flower. Apart from the time and effort needed to find it, the ancient prescription was lost to them. Therefore, aside from studying the Bilo flower, Shen Yang also focused on finding some alternatives that could temporarily suppress the Prince’s inner toxicity.
Leng Haoyu nodded solemnly. All of their efforts rested on the foundation that Prince Ding stayed healthy. If anything were to happen to the Prince, everything they had done would go down the drain. This was the reason why the Mo Family Army had been able to occupy the entire Northwest region for so long, and the officers of the Mo Family Army hadn’t taken more aggressive action. If anything happened to the Prince, the greater their current actions were, the more devastating the impact would be on the Mo Family Army.
"Alright, we’ll do that. Let me know how many experts you need," Leng Haoyu said, getting up. "On this trip, Feng Zhiyao only brought a few shadow guards and a dozen Qilin members. Though they were all elite, there were too few of them."
Feng Zhiyao laughed, raising his eyebrow. "Speaking of experts, when the Prince was leaving, the Princess Consort gave me quite an expert. As long as he behaves, we might even be able to snatch Mo Jingqi straight out of the palace."
"Oh?" Leng Haoyu was surprised. "The Princess Consort has such a martial arts master under her command?"
Feng Zhiyao smiled slyly and said, "Mu Qingcang, one of the Four Great Experts. Plus, the elusive Qilin. Do you think that’s enough?"
Leng Haoyu was stunned for a moment; he burst out laughing. "It’s more than enough. With one of the Four Great Experts and the mysterious Qilin, unless Mo Jingqi’s palace is an impenetrable fortress, we can surely barge in and drag him out."
Inside the emperor’s sleeping chambers, Mo Jingqi walked in with a gloomy expression, the oppressive aura around him making the eunuchs and palace maidens trailing behind him tremble and lower their heads, afraid to look at their master. Standing at the door, Mo Jingqi turned back and glared at the terrified people, furiously ordering, "Everyone get out!"
The crowd heaved a sigh of relief and scurried out. For a moment, Mo Jingqi was left alone in the splendid, yet cold and empty chamber. He strode in, kicking over a small table holding an antique vase, followed by other objects in the chamber. The palace maidens and eunuchs guarding outside the door only heard a series of CRASHES and BANGS from within and knew that His Majesty was smashing things again.
"Sir..." a new eunuch asked the Steward-in-Chief worriedly, "Is it okay for His Majesty to smash things like this?"
The Steward-in-Chief was used to it and casually replied, "Just stand guard and don’t ask unnecessary questions."
"Yes." The young eunuch nodded, though not fully understanding.
"Mo Xiuyao! Ye Li! I will surely kill you!" After venting his anger in the chamber, Mo Jingqi looked at the wreckage on the ground and roared. Every time he remembered the message he received that morning, he couldn’t help but become furious. He even wanted to kill the messenger. The child Ye Li had given birth to, Mo Xiuyao dared to publicly proclaim him as the Heir of Prince Ding. Although Mo Jingqi had already decreed to remove the rank of Prince Ding, Mo Xiuyao’s action was clearly a direct confrontation. He even sent out invitations for dignitaries from various countries to attend the full moon banquet of the Heir of Prince Ding in Ruyang. This was an honour not even accorded to the prince of Great Chu. Was Mo Xiuyao trying to tell the world that his son was more noble than his?
"Mo Xiuyao... Demon Xiuyao... I regret not killing you before, and now you’re causing trouble! Just wait!"
"Your Majesty, Prime Minister Liu requests an audience." The Steward-in-Chief cautiously announced from outside the door.
Mo Jingqi’s eyes darkened; he coldly ordered, "Get in!"
The door was pushed open from the outside and quickly closed again. Prime Minister Liu cautiously walked in, glanced at Mo Jingqi’s face, and knelt down to salute, "Your humble servant pays his respects to Your Majesty."
Mo Jingqi snorted coldly and asked, "What are your thoughts on this morning’s petition?"
Not getting the command to rise, Prime Minister Liu kept his head raised, indignantly replying, "If Your Majesty would permit, Mo Xiuyao’s actions are nothing short of treason. Since last year he has committed numerous rebellious acts, and his ambitions are more than apparent. Despite Your Majesty’s numerous pardons, he continues to behave arrogantly. I implore Your Majesty to issue a decree to severely punish him!"
Prime Minister Liu’s words greatly echoed Mo Jingqi’s thoughts; his mood slightly eased and he nodded, "Rise. Minister, what do you suggest?"
After a moment of contemplation, Prime Minister Liu reported, "Mo Xiuyao is far to the Northwest. It might be difficult for Your Majesty to punish him from afar. In my opinion, we should immediately seal off the King of Ding Kingdom’s Mansion in the Capital City to set an example. Furthermore, the Xu Clan of Yunzhou is the maternal family of King Ding’s Mansion and they have frequent interactions. I implore Your Majesty to immediately order the arrest of the Xu Clan in Yunzhou, confiscate their properties, and make an example of them!"
"Well..." Although Mo Jingqi had long been displeased with the Xu Clan, he was still somewhat hesitant to confiscate their properties.
Prime Minister Liu hurriedly said, "Your Majesty please consider, the Xu Clan controls Lishan Academy, the most prestigious in Great Chu. A large portion of the candidates who attend the civil examinations every year are from Lishan Academy. Even nearly half of the officials in the court are from Lishan Academy. If the Xu Family joins forces with Mo Xiuyao, then these officials and scholars..." Prime Minister Liu did not finish his sentence, but his words were enough to make Mo Jingqi think.
Indeed, Mo Jingqi’s countenance changed, and he nodded, "Minister Liu is right. I’ll leave this matter to you to handle. Just keep in mind not to give the people a reason to complain."
Prime Minister Liu smiled, "Your Majesty can rest assured. It is widely known that the Xu Family has a close relationship with Mo Xiuyao. Given his rebellious actions, the Xu Family surely cannot escape this implication."
Mo Jingqi nodded approvingly, "Good job, Minister Liu, you are dismissed."
"Your humble servant takes his leave."
Watching Prime Minister Liu depart, Mo Jingqi’s mood noticeably improved. He was eagerly anticipating the moment when he could see the expression on Mo Xiuyao’s face when he captured members of the Xu Family. Unfortunately, he could not witness it in person, which caused him a bit of regret.
As he was deep in thought, a sudden intense pain gripped the back of his neck, making his sight dark before he eventually succumbed to unconsciousness.
When Mo Jingqi came to, he realized he was not in his luxurious, resplendent chamber but in a bare, vacant room. There was absolutely nothing in the room, not even a piece of furniture except the chair he was sitting on. It was impossible to determine where he was. However, one thing was clear to Mo Jingqi: he had been kidnapped, and he was definitely not in the palace. His heart sank as he glanced at the ropes binding him tightly to the chair and struggled futilely. "Help! Help! Who dares to behave so audaciously? Show yourself!"
With a soft CREAK, the door was pushed open. Mo Jingqi, with his back to the door, could not see anything but felt someone entering. He roared loudly, "How dare you kidnap me, the Emperor! Untie me right now, or else... I will spare your lives!"
"Oh, I’m so scared..." A chilly, mocking laugh echoed from behind him.
Turning to look, Mo Jingqi saw three men in black standing behind him. They were clothed in black from head to toe, with only their eyes exposed. After looking closely for a moment, Mo Jingqi realized he could not recognize them at all.
"Who are you? Do you know the crime of kidnapping me?" Mo Jingqi shouted.
Feng Zhiyao squinted at the man before him, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe. The man was indeed handsome—like all members of the Mo Family—but the aura about him was nothing compared to Prince Ding’s. Despite his attempts to appear calm, Feng Zhiyao could still see a hint of fear deep within his eyes. A thoughtful smile touched Feng Zhiyao’s lips. It’s good that he’s afraid.
"The crime of kidnapping the Emperor?" Feng Zhiyao looked at Mo Jingqi, his face full of laughter. "Does the law of Great Chu include such a clause here?"
Mo Jingqi was taken aback. Of course there was no such clause in the law of Great Chu — nobody would dare to kidnap the Emperor. "Audacious!"
Feng Zhiyao chuckled softly, leaning over the arm of the chair, arrogantly looking down on Mo Jingqi and said, "Since we invited you here, we are aware of the consequences. Therefore, it would be best if you save your breath, or else..." Suddenly, a small dagger appeared from his seemingly empty fingertips. Feng Zhiyao carelessly ran the cold, sharp edge along Mo Jingqi’s neck, causing a layer of goosebumps to appear. "What... what do you want?"
Leaning against the wall, Leng Haoyu chimed in, "It’s nothing really. We just want to borrow something from you, Your Majesty. As the monarch of such a prosperous kingdom, you surely wouldn’t be so stingy?" Although Leng Haoyu’s tone was gentle, it was impossible for one to overlook the implicit threat within.
Mo Jingqi quickly looked at the blade poised dangerously close to his neck and asked, "What do you want?"
"The Bilo flower," Feng Zhiyao responded softly.
Caught off guard, Mo Jingqi said, "I have no idea what you’re talking about, what Bilo flower?"
Feng Zhiyao sneered, "I heard the Bilo flower has magical properties. It can supposedly bring the dead back to life. But, I wonder, if I were to thrust my knife... Would the Bilo flower be able to save you?" With a small sting at his neck, Mo Jingqi could feel something trickling down; it was his blood! His heart skipped a beat as he quickly called out, "Wait! The Bilo flower has been lost for over a hundred years. Who told you I had it?"
Feng Zhiyao replied, "It wouldn’t harm us to tell you. There was a young man by the name of Tan Jizhi, do you know him?"
Mo Jingqi was stunned. Tan Jizhi? If it were anyone else, he might have denied knowing them, but he knew Tan Jizhi all too well. After all, Tan Jizhi was the one who presented him with the flower. He thought Tan Jizhi was killed by Mo Xiuyao. Could it be... "Are you working for Mo Xiuyao?!"
As if reading his thoughts, Feng Zhiyao sneered, "No need to bother guessing. There are many who know that you have the treasure. Tan Jizhi is alive and well, currently residing in the Capital of Great Chu."
"Is he in your custody?"
Feng Zhiyao shook his head. "Although we’re also searching for him, for now, knowing the whereabouts of the Bilo flower is enough. It seems that Young Master Tan wasn’t so loyal to you after all. As far as I know, Young Master Tan had already returned to the Capital City over two months ago. Weren’t you aware?"
Mo Jingqi boiled with anger. He was indeed unaware. He always assumed Mo Xiuyao covertly killed Tan Jizhi. Now, it seems, Tan was in fact, let go by Mo Xiuyao, but he chose not to return. Needless to say...Tan must have betrayed him. At this thought, Mo Jingqi’s heart tightened. If Tan Jizhi had betrayed him, could it mean that Mo Xiuyao was aware of their scheme?!
"I must say, I admire you, Your Majesty, for spacing out at a time like this," Feng Zhiyao said with a laugh. "So, tell us. The whereabouts of the Bilo flower, or Your Majesty’s life?"
"Even if you kill me, you won’t be able to escape the Capital City!" Mo Jingqi raged.
Feng Zhiyao laughed. "Who told you we are currently in the Capital City? I could kill you now and still saunter back into the Capital City with ease. The Bilo flower is in the palace, isn’t it? We don’t mind taking our time to find it. It seems His Majesty is rather obstinate. Perhaps the Great Chu should have a new Emperor." With that said, he raised the dagger as if to strike without any hesitation, aiming for Mo Jingqi’s neck.
"Wait!" cried Mo Jingqi, a cold sweat breaking out as the dagger stopped dangerously close to his neck.
"I’ll tell you..." Mo Jingqi was noticeably pale, his eyes filled with fear. "The Bilo flower is... it’s in the Empress’s chamber."
Feng Zhiyao paused, his eyes narrowed as he asked coldly, "You put such a treasure in the Empress’s palace?"
Mo Jingqi replied, "Exactly because it’s precious, it wouldn’t arouse suspicion in the Empress’s chamber. The Bilo flower, shaped like a jade, was remodeled by me eight years ago as a gift to the Empress, asking her to guard it carefully. Hence, she wouldn’t consume it herself or give it to others."
Feng Zhiyao stood up and said, "I hope for your sake that you are telling the truth."
"I speak nothing but the truth. When will you let me go?"
As Feng Zhiyao headed for the door, he replied, "As soon as we secure the item, you may leave whenever you please. However, if there is anything wrong with the item, I trust you can imagine the consequences."
Feeling deflated, Mo Jingqi murmured, "I understand."
