Chapter 1503 - 1501: The Emperor Disappears
Chapter 1503: Chapter 1501: The Emperor Disappears
Chapter 1501
While Xia Ruqing gazed at the moon, longing for Zhao Junyao.
Zhao Junyao here was overwhelmed.
He was close to madness, indeed, he was close to madness.
Born into the Royal Family.
The roles of Crown Prince, Emperor, and Taishang Huang almost spanned his entire life.
What scenes hasn’t he witnessed? What storms hasn’t he faced?
Rarely have events made him nearly insane, but this time he couldn’t hold back anymore.
He began to understand Xia Ruqing’s profound feelings when he left her in the cave, making her think he had ’died’ on her behalf.
How heartbroken and desperate she must have been then!
He finally understood that loving someone is not about dying for her, but about living well for her sake.
Xia Ruqing, I’m sorry.
In the midst of busyness, he poured his heartfelt remorse through the window.
"If there is a chance in this lifetime, I will personally apologize to you!"
"If there isn’t, then I will repay you in the next life!"
The bright moon remained as pure as ever.
She resembled the purest, most beautiful white celestial being, bearing all the joys and sorrows of the world.
She also resembled a gentle, kind, pretty, and lovable understanding beauty, quietly listening to the heartsick confessions of all longing souls.
Zhao Junyao looked up at the moon, his heart filled with unspeakable sorrow, perhaps only the moon would understand.
The dim lamplight and chilly moonlight intertwined into an invisible net, completely trapping him, never to break free.
In the faded shadows, his silhouette was so cold and lonely.
His back was no longer upright but slightly bent.
His black hair was no longer jet black like ink but had shades of frost.
His demeanor was no longer so vibrant and spirited, but more like an aging war horse, bearing the weariness of twilight years.
He... is ultimately old.
...
Time passed bit by bit, and the night grew deeper.
He didn’t know how long he stood frozen by the window, waiting.
Just as all his bones stiffened, nearly turning into a statue.
Footsteps suddenly came from outside, Li Deming pushed the door open.
He closed the door gently and quickly, dropping to his knees in front of Zhao Junyao, reporting with a cry.
"To the Taishang Huang, still no trace of the Emperor!"
In that instant, Zhao Junyao seemed to grow even older.
His stiff silhouette suddenly wavered, he weakly clenched his fist, asking in a deep, hoarse voice.
"Have you searched everywhere?"
"From Guangnan City to South Sea State along this path, the main roads, small paths, those forests! All searched?"
Li Deming’s voice was even more tearful.
"Yes!"
"The Emperor’s confidants General Li, General Chen, General Yang, Commander Lu, they all went!"
"Spent an entire day and night searching every path big and small, yet can’t find any trace of the Emperor!"
Zhao Junyao’s fist loosened powerlessly.
He lifted his head slightly, fighting back the rolling emotions in his chest, gritting his teeth as he ordered again.
"Continue the search!"
"Alive, must see the man! Dead, must see the corpse!"
Li Deming’s body slackened, crying as he kowtowed an acknowledgment.
"Taishang Huang, I will go deliver the message now!"
After saying he would rise.
Zhao Junyao still called to him.
"Wait!"
"Those soldiers for the rescue need not go for now, leave some to watch over the city’s victims!"
"Let the rest continue the search!"
Li Deming was struck by a blow, hurriedly responded.
"To the Taishang Huang, all forces have practically been dispatched for searching for the Emperor, to leave them all in the city now! Sending the remaining ones?"
"Those people altogether amount to only five hundred! But Guangnan City is several dozen miles from South Sea State, they... not enough manpower!"
Previously to quickly find the Emperor.
The Taishang Huang left only five hundred men in the city, now wants them to rotate and send these five hundred out?
Heavens, for such a long road, when will five hundred men finish searching?
Is the Taishang Huang... giving up on the Emperor?
Zhao Junyao closed his eyes, gritted his teeth as he instructed.
"Go if you’re told to! What are you mumbling about?"
So many suffering people in the city, and numbers still increasing.
The plague also sporadically flares up, causing countless deaths and injuries, difficult to control.
If he insists on dispatching all forces now, they might fall into the opponent’s bait and switch trap.
Therefore, under any circumstances, the city must not lack people, the citizens must not be at risk!
Li Deming was heartbroken.
But he couldn’t say anything more, could only kowtow and head out to deliver the message.
Watching him walk away while wiping tears, Zhao Junyao felt uneasy in his heart.
Even a servant is so heartbroken.
As a father, how could he not be worried, not be heartbroken?!
But Chenchen!
He is the Emperor, and these are responsibilities he must bear!
Don’t blame Father Emperor, I’m sorry!
...
Things have to be mentioned as of half a month ago.
Half a month ago.
The residents of Guangnan City gradually increased, the plague grew more rampant.
Not just plague, but other strange ailments too.
Some die within three to five days, some in seven or eight days, and some in one or two days.
There are even many who are not dead but linger in agonizing half-death.
If one can’t comprehend what’s happening now, Zhao Qichen as Emperor would be fruitless.
He practically didn’t need much thought to decisively deduce.
"It must be someone poisoning!"
No wonder those ’plague’ outbreak locations were so precise.
One quarantine here, another there, covering the entire Guangnan City.
Turns out someone intentionally did it!
Zhao Qichen was inflamed with fury, immediately sending people to investigate.
Their abilities need no mention.
Though they couldn’t immediately catch the culprit, they found plenty of clues.
The adversaries were cautionary.
They never found any truly useful information.
Until five days ago.
A Hidden Guard reported, capturing a group of suspicious figures in black in the south of the city.
They were highly skilled, their agility superb, sneakily tossing something into a roadside well before scaling the wall to leave.
Just happened the patrolling soldiers caught them red-handed.
A fight broke out very soon.
The opponents were extremely skilled, but the soldiers were no slouches either.
After a fierce battle, eight of ten in black were captured, the remaining two fled south.
The news reached him.
Zhao Qichen studied the map for a moment, then his brow furrowed.
"Isn’t the south the South Sea State?"
He thought it was a significant lead.
Following the trail would surely yield major results.
So without much consideration, the young Emperor took some Hidden Guards and quietly went out.
Then...
He disappeared for several days.
Li Deming and Zhao Qichen’s confidants initially dared not reveal it, opting to search quietly.
Latterly realizing there was no trace of the Emperor, they couldn’t hide it anymore.
Only then were they forced to report the news to the Taishang Huang.
That explains why Li Deming was rushing to the courtyard to find Zhao Junyao that day before dawn.
...
Initially hearing the news, Zhao Junyao wasn’t panicked, just did his best to send people to look.
After all, in his impression, Chenchen acted always steady, never fought a losing battle without a chance of winning.
But...