AUBTN -Chapter 198 Spring River, Flower, Moonlit Night

The Empress Dowager not only intended to transfer these two fierce tigers out of the capital, but also to seize their most fatal weakness—forcing them into a position where they wouldn’t dare make the slightest unusual move, nor dare to have any private contact with the Prince of Zhennan, who commanded a powerful army.

This was equivalent to placing a blade at Su Hewan and Yu Qing’s throats, coercing Shen Jue and Lu Yan to risk their lives in the southern frontier!

Faced with this inescapable deadlock—

After a brief moment of stiffness, Shen Jue and Lu Yan exchanged a glance in perfect tacit understanding.

Within that single look was a chilling clarity that saw through everything, along with a surging madness that had to be forcefully suppressed.

They could not resist.

“Your subjects…”

With a flick of his robe, Shen Jue dropped heavily to his knees. Every word seemed squeezed out from between clenched teeth.

Lu Yan followed immediately after, his back straight as a rod, his nails nearly digging into his palms.

“We receive the decree with gratitude!”

All four of them kowtowed in unison, their foreheads touching the cold golden floor tiles.

And in a corner unseen by anyone, Yu Qing buried her head to the ground, her expression completely twisted.

Inside, she was screaming wildly.

【Holy crap! Holy crap! Holy crap!】

【This old hag is vicious beyond belief!】

【This is straight-up kidnapping!】

【Keeping the two of us here as hostages to force Shen Jue and Lu Yan to risk their lives! Your Majesty, after all that high-level political maneuvering, you’ve still resorted to the most primitive method—abduction!】

【We’re done for, completely done for! We’ve become canaries in a cage—no, worse, with a blade at our throats!】

Kneeling on the icy floor, Su Hewan’s fingertips trembled uncontrollably.

A storm had already risen within her heart.

【What a ruthless move—cutting off the firewood beneath the cauldron!】

【Keeping us in the palace is the same as gripping Shen Jue and Lu Yan’s lifelines. How is that any different from holding a blade to their necks directly?】

Shen Jue’s lowered gaze suddenly tightened. Hearing Su Hewan’s calm yet anger-laced thoughts echoing in his mind, his fists clenched tightly beneath his wide sleeves, his knuckles turning a ghastly pale.

Lu Yan’s face was equally grim. From the corner of his eye, he glanced at Yu Qing—who was still knocking her head against the ground while screaming internally—killing intent flickering in his gaze.

In a deadlock like this, the more critical it was not to lose composure.

Su Hewan forced herself to calm down.

Taking a deep breath, when she raised her head again, her delicate face had already transformed into one of fearful obedience and utmost submission.

“Your Majesty the Empress Dowager is most thoughtful. We shall naturally obey the decree. To remain by Your Majesty’s side in service is a blessing cultivated over several lifetimes.”

The Empress Dowager’s fingers paused slightly as she rolled her prayer beads. Lowering her eyelids, she looked down at Su Hewan from above.

A trace of arrogant mockery flickered in her eyes.

At least this girl knows her place—she understands that an arm cannot twist a thigh.

But Su Hewan’s tone shifted, becoming earnestly pleading.

“However, Your Majesty, please allow this humble one to speak.”

“Supervisor Shen and Lord Lu are usually occupied with official duties. Their daily needs—food, clothing, and personal effects—have always been personally arranged by myself and Yu Qing.”

“This journey to the southern frontier is long, fraught with poisonous miasma, and the matter is urgent. How could those clumsy servants possibly know how to properly prepare their belongings?”

“Moreover, Supervisor Shen suffered cold injuries in his early years, and Lord Lu often bears lingering ailments. Only the two of us know where their medicinal ointments and heart-protecting pills are kept, and how they should be prepared.”

As she spoke, her eyes even reddened at just the right moment.

“We beg Your Majesty for mercy—to grant us one day’s grace.”

“Allow us to return to Yu Garden to properly prepare all the life-saving supplies and personal belongings needed for the southern frontier. By tomorrow morning, Yu Qing and I will bathe, change, and enter the palace to serve at Your Majesty’s side without the slightest complaint!”

Her words were flawless—both elevating the Empress Dowager’s benevolence and addressing the real dangers of the southern frontier.

The Empress Dowager narrowed her eyes slightly, her sharp gaze sweeping back and forth across Su Hewan’s seemingly delicate face.

Want to stall for time?

The Empress Dowager sneered inwardly. But then she reconsidered—this vast capital was now entirely under her control. These four were nothing more than turtles trapped in a jar. Even if they were given wings, what waves could they possibly stir in a single day?

She didn’t believe they would dare play tricks right under her nose.

“Miss Su is indeed a woman of loyalty and sentiment.”

The Empress Dowager spoke leisurely, her tone carrying a sense of lofty condescension, as though bestowing a favor.

“Very well. I am not so unreasonable. I shall grant you this request.”

“By noon tomorrow, I expect to see you two girls at Cining Palace.”

“This subject humbly thanks the Empress Dowager for her great grace!”

All four of them expressed their gratitude in unison.

The moment they returned to Yuyuan—

The fury they had suppressed the entire way finally erupted!

Bang!

Lu Yan slammed his palm onto the rosewood table, the force shattering the teacups atop it into pieces. His cold, rigid face was filled with killing intent.

“This is utterly outrageous!”

“She wants to keep Qingqing in the palace as a hostage? She’s dreaming!”

Shen Jue said nothing. He simply stood quietly in the shadows, but a violent storm churned in his eyes.

“If she wants to keep them, let’s see if she has the ability to do so.”

Su Hewan looked at the two men, who were nearly losing control over this matter for their sake. Her heart was both moved and anxious.

She quickly stepped forward to Shen Jue and pressed down on the back of his trembling hand.

“Now is not the time to act on impulse. The Empress Dowager is counting on the fact that you wouldn’t dare act rashly!”

Yu Qing, on the other hand, paced around the room like a headless fly, tugging at her hair in distress.

“Exactly, exactly! I don’t want to stay in the palace serving that old witch tea! Who knows, she might even stick needles into a doll of me every night!”

【Waaah, this fairy hasn’t lived enough yet! Cannon fodder hostages in palace dramas never survive more than three episodes!】

【And we still have to go to Shennong Valley to find clues—staying here is just waiting to die!】

Hearing the panicked thoughts in Yu Qing’s heart, Lu Yan felt a pang of pain. He pulled her into his arms and gripped her shoulders tightly.

“Don’t be afraid. As long as I’m here, I will never let you stay in the capital.”

The four of them gathered around the table, looking at each other in silence. The atmosphere once again sank into a deadlock.

In the midst of that suffocating silence, Shen Jue suddenly coughed softly.

He shifted his gaze slightly, an unusually awkward expression flashing across his pale, handsome face.

“Perhaps…”

He spoke slowly, his voice lowered.

“I have a way to break the situation.”

Everyone perked up instantly—three pairs of eyes snapped toward him at once!

“What way? Hurry up and tell us!”

Yu Qing was so anxious she nearly jumped up, just short of grabbing Shen Jue by the collar.

But Shen Jue, for once, seemed a bit tongue-tied. He didn’t even dare meet Su Hewan’s clear, bright eyes.

He raised his folding fan to cover half his face, coughing lightly to mask his embarrassment.

“Well… we might need to ask someone for help.”

Lu Yan frowned, sharply catching the evasiveness in his tone.

“Who? In this capital, who would dare risk offending the Empress Dowager to help us?”

Shen Jue took a deep breath, as if making an extremely difficult decision. Only then did he brace himself and slowly utter a few words…