TNIBFT -Chapter 77 The Sleeping Queen

The sky was darkening.

Candles and oil lamps were lit in shops and homes throughout the city.

Shen Jie ran anxiously toward the City Lord’s Mansion. Liu Ruyan had already reached the brink of death; she wouldn’t survive much longer. If he didn’t find her now and ensure things were taken care of, it would only make a future reunion with his mother even more difficult.

The streets were almost deserted, with only the occasional barking of dogs echoing through the alleys.

After about the time it takes for one incense stick to burn, Shen Jie finally reached the gates of the City Lord’s Mansion.

He looked up at the towering vermilion doors and the imposing, authoritative plaque above them. Standing at the foot of the steps, a wave of self-doubt washed over him. He was naturally intelligent, with grand ambitions, and had never once felt insignificant.

Given the opportunity, he would surely rise high and become a man above men.

He was different.

He had always believed so. The phrase “do not underestimate a poor youth” was a point of pride for him.

“I am Shen Jie. My mother is Liu Ruyan. Since she came to the City Lord’s Mansion this afternoon, she hasn’t returned. I demand an explanation.” Shen Jie stepped onto the steps, clasped his hands behind his back, and faced the guards at the gate with righteous determination.

He exuded the aura of a filial son worried for his mother’s safety, unwilling to rest until he saw her again.

The guards exchanged glances.

One of them furrowed his brow and barked, “We don’t know any Liu Ruyan. This is the City Lord’s Mansion. If you want to cause trouble, go somewhere else.”

“Get lost!”

Seeing Shen Jie’s imposing demeanor—partly like a fallen noble youth—they restrained themselves. Otherwise, any ordinary boy would have been beaten immediately.

But Shen Jie ignored them entirely.

Liu Ruyan was his last hope. He rushed forward to bang on the main doors, shouting at the top of his lungs, “I’m only here for my mother! I don’t care about the City Lord’s Mansion!”

“Give me back my mother! Give her back!”

“Mother!”

“Let my mother come back! You must have taken her! I want to see the City Lord!”

Shen Jie was blocked by the guards and struggled violently.

At only fourteen, without Sun Wuji’s support and with no training in swordsmanship or martial arts, he was just an ordinary boy. Against several guards, he was no match.

He was only gambling on one thing: causing a scene at the mansion so someone inside would notice.

Whether it was Xiao Haoyang or someone else, once they saw him, he would find a way.

Most importantly, he suspected that Liu Ruyan and Xiao Haoyang had already recognized each other and had yet to recall him.

“Move!”

“Don’t you see this isn’t the place for your tantrums?”

The guards, irritated and impatient, lashed out. One of them landed a punch on Shen Jie’s face. He clutched his cheek and stumbled backward, falling to the ground.

“Beat him!”

Already in a bad mood due to their shift changes, the guards found this sight of Shen Jie infuriating. They rained punches and kicks on him. Shen Jie lay on the ground, covered in blood, but still shouted, “Release my mother, you bunch of dogs!”

“What has my mother done? She’s just a sick woman, she won’t last long! Why don’t you let her go?”

“Let my mother go…”

His voice was hoarse, heartbreaking.

Passersby couldn’t help but wipe away tears; the boy was so pitiful, truly a devoted son. Yet no one dared to step forward. Shen Jie refused to give up, using both hands to crawl toward the mansion.

“You little brat, still not giving up! Looks like you’re looking for death!”

One of the guards, enraged, stomped on Shen Jie’s hands viciously.

“Ah…”

Pain shot through his fingers, making him wail. Just as he hesitated, unsure whether to give up—after all, as long as the green hills remain, firewood will not be lacking—

“Stop!”

“Let him go!” A gentle, sweet female voice rang out.

The palace guards turned, only to see a little girl of about ten, wearing a light green cotton dress, running toward them.

Though young, she already had the makings of an extraordinary beauty.

Her snow-white, oval face framed wide, watery apricot-shaped eyes. Her black hair was casually braided behind her ears into long plaits that hung down her chest. Her figure was slender and supple, and every movement exuded an otherworldly grace. Angrily, she looked at the guards and said, “If you keep hitting him, someone’s going to get seriously hurt.”

“He’s just looking for his mother—why are you treating him like this?”

“Aren’t you his mother?”

“Oh? Little girl, mind your own business?” A few of the guards immediately shifted their focus.

Jiang Yunxi lifted her chin and presented a token to the guards: “Open your dog eyes and see clearly.”

“Now scram!”

At the sight of the token, the guards immediately cowered and quickly bowed in apology.

Jiang Yunxi tucked the token away, bent down, and helped Shen Jie to his feet, concern in her eyes: “Are you alright? They won’t dare hit you again.”

“Is the injury serious?”

“Let go—I don’t need your concern.”

Shen Jie, annoyed, shook off Jiang Yunxi’s hand and staggered forward, still heading toward the city lord’s mansion.

This girl, just by taking action, could command the guards’ utmost respect. Her background must be extraordinary. If he could get her to help find Liu Ruyan—or even recommend Xiao Haoyang—this would be the simplest solution.

Jiang Yunxi frowned. Seeing Shen Jie so disheveled, she gritted her teeth and pressed forward: “I saved you, so I can’t just leave you like this. Come on, I’ll take you home.”

With that, she dragged Shen Jie along.

…

Imperial City of the Great Zhou Kingdom.

The grand palace stretched for hundreds of miles, imposing and majestic.

Palace maids and eunuchs, dressed in elaborate clothing, scurried anxiously across the jade-green stone floors, while many people poured into the central palace hall.

At this moment…

On the enormous dragon bed lay a beauty with icy skin and jade-like bones, eyes tightly shut, her curled lashes casting delicate shadows in the candlelight.

Her beauty was suffocating, yet the aura of imperial authority radiating from her made people dare not even raise their heads.

“Her Majesty can hear us, but her body cannot awaken,” said a frail, aged voice. Everyone in the hall turned toward the elderly imperial physician with white hair and beard.

“When will Her Majesty wake up?”

Someone asked anxiously.

Another added, “We’ve concealed Her Majesty’s condition for five years. Recently, the Daliang Kingdom has been acting restless—they must have discovered that Her Majesty is in a coma.”

“If Her Majesty does not wake, what will become of our Great Zhou realm?”

“Why fear? A small kingdom like Daliang is no match for us. If they dare come, we can still fight.”

Voices rose in a noisy discussion.

Someone else said, “And regarding the child Her Majesty seeks—there’s finally a lead. It’s said traces have been found in Sifang City. But Liu Ruyan is already dead… what do we do next?”

The group frowned and discussed.

On the dragon bed, the woman’s eyes filled with tears at the mention of news about the child.

The imperial physician beside her exclaimed in surprise, “Your Majesty! Your Majesty is about to wake—Your Majesty…”

Seeing the tear tracks at the empress’s eyes, no one dared act recklessly in the hall. All knelt low, shouting long live the Empress, not even daring to breathe.

“Imperial Physician Li, when will Her Majesty awaken?”

The old chancellor inquired with concern. All the ministers suddenly looked up, waiting for Li’s answer.

Li frowned, glancing at the figure on the dragon bed: “With acupuncture and qi massage, judging by her current reactions, I believe Her Majesty will awaken within three months.”

“Three months?”