Chapter 1012: Ancestral Hall!

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“Nope,” Qi Han immediately replied. “Ever since you separated the two of them and they were locked in here, I have guarded them strictly and never let them leave their rooms.”

Chu Liuyue paused. “Even though their living spaces aren’t next to each other, they seem pretty close, right?”

“Yes,” Qi Han answered and then glanced at her somewhat weirdly. “Are you suspecting… there’s something wrong in between?”

Chu Liuyue didn’t say a word. This is actually only my guess. Shangguan Wan isn’t acting crazy—she really is insane. But before I came, Shangguan Wan was just heartbroken and didn’t have any signs of insanity even though she was in a lot of pain. If Shangguan Wan did go crazy, it would’ve been on the day of her wedding—when she had lost everything. Now, it seems like she is intensely agitated by something.

This culprit… Other than the Jiang Yucheng she keeps muttering about, I really can’t think of someone else. She thought for a moment and then turned around to leave.

The moment she left, she heard a bang sound from the room.

Chu Liuyue’s heart suddenly skipped a beat, and she turned around to take a look.

Shangguan Wan had smashed herself against the neighboring wall, and fresh blood splattered everywhere!

Qi Han immediately rushed over and checked her breathing. “Master, she’s already dead.”

Chu Liuyue glanced at the corpse calmly but didn’t seem surprised. “Check the wound on her head.”

Qi Han nodded and checked it carefully. With this glance, his expression drastically changed! “This… Her skull doesn’t seem crushed from the impact!”

Even though the bloody hole was frightening, Qi Han discovered that the cutting point was very clean after some serious checks. “…It seems like someone slashed her head…”

“This is it.” Chu Liuyue retracted her gaze. “She had long become a good-for-nothing and was trapped here for many days, so she probably doesn’t even have the strength to walk. How could she smash her skull in one bump?”

“You’re saying that… someone had long planned this?” Qi Han furrowed his brows tightly. But Huayang Palace has always been strictly guarded. Logically speaking, it’s impossible—

Chu Liuyue waved her hands. “Go and handle her. I’ll go out to take a look.”

“Yes!”

…

When she walked into the yard, Chu Liuyue discovered that the leaves of some trees were dropping crazily.

It was still the end of summer, so it shouldn’t have happened.

Chu Liuyue walked to the neighboring trees and sized them up. She could tell that these trees had already started wilting.

After a moment, Chu Liuyue summoned the Long Yuan Sword and slashed a tree!

Black juice suddenly dripped out!

Chu Liuyue rapidly waved her sword, and the winds howled!

That juice landed on the ground, and the surrounding leaves started wilting rapidly.

Something seems to be digging this tree empty from within! Chu Liuyue knitted her brows. “Someone—uproot all these trees!”

The Black Guards in charge of guarding the courtyard rapidly came forward. After some busying around, all the trees in the yard were cleared.

Every tree was cleanly uprooted like the one Chu Liuyue had first slashed open, and their roots had entirely turned black!

These roots were intertwined underground, and it was the easiest to connect in this manner!

Chu Liuyue faintly felt that she had flipped over a gigantic mystery! It was just that the path in front was hazy, and it was very difficult to solve it.

A thought popped up in her mind, and she walked toward the back of Huayang Palace. “Continue guarding here! The remaining ones, follow me!”

…

Once Chu Liuyue reached the back, she realized that something was amiss. I clearly remember that this place was planted with all sorts of flowers and trees the first time I came to Huayang Palace with my identity as Chu Liuyue. Even though it was winter and the winds were chilly, this place was still filled with blooming flowers that were vibrant and bright.

Back then, I even secretly found it surprising. Shangguan Wan wasn’t someone who liked florals, so it was weird that she did this. Back then, I still asked in a seemingly unintentional manner. Chan Yi just said that the spring water they directed over allowed these flowers to bloom for a longer period of time.

Chu Liuyue walked in.

During this period of time, some things should’ve been in full bloom, but they had already started wilting.

Chu Liuyue stared at the torn petals and the bunch of wilted leaves and stalks before saying, “Clear all these flowers and plants too.”

…

Huayang Palace’s garden was huge, and it was filled with flowers and plants. Luckily, the Black Guards were always very efficient, so they completed it very quickly.

Chu Liuyue checked them clearly.

As expected, the roots had all turned black.

“Continue digging!”

…

When it was evening, the backyard of Huayang Palace was completely dug clean. Below, the drain used to direct the spring water over had long dried up.

Chu Liuyue jumped down and took a look. She discovered that there was one entrance and one exit here.

Other than this, there was another hole. The hole was deep, and it was clearly a passageway connected to somewhere else.

Chu Liuyue followed this passageway and took a look. This direction… seems to be going toward the royal family’s ancestral hall?

Chu Liuyue lifted her leg and was about to walk over.

“Your Majesty!” The Black Guards stopped her in unison.

At this point, everyone could tell that this passageway had a problem, so how could they allow Her Majesty to put herself in danger directly?

Qi Han—who was done with handling Shangguan Wan—hurried over and was stunned when he saw this scene. “Master, why don’t I help you scout the road first?”

Chu Liuyue shook her head. “This is the Tianling Imperial Palace. What is there to be worried about?”

Even if this passageway really connects to the royal family’s ancestral hall, it belongs to our Shangguan family. How can other people cause trouble for us? She thought for a moment and picked a few people, including Qi Han, to follow her over.

Qi Han saw that he couldn’t stop her, so he changed his tactic and wanted to walk at the front no matter what.

Chu Liuyue couldn’t argue against him, so she let him be.

The other people were in charge of guarding the back.

The few of them walked forward in such a manner.

…

The passage was narrow and long, and the surroundings were rather rough. It showed that it was dug not too long ago.

Chu Liuyue could confirm that this was dug within the past two years. Since it appeared in Huayang Palace, it was clearly done by Shangguan Wan. Of course, perhaps Jiang Yucheng had participated in this.

Qi Han held a pearl and led the way.

Judging from the surroundings, it seemed like Shangguan Wan and the rest didn’t come here many times. However, this was enough to cause the few of them to have their eyes open and mouths agape.

Who would’ve expected there to be such a secret passageway under the royal palace?!

No words were spoken during the entire journey. Noticing that this incident might have great implications, the few of them looked increasingly severe.

The atmosphere was cold.

After around 15 minutes, light finally appeared in front.

“The entrance is here!” Qi Han softly said and glanced at Chu Liuyue. ‘”Master, I’ll go down and take a look first.”

However, the latter shook her head. “No need. It’s the royal family’s ancestral hall right in front!”

…