Gao Jin wore a troubled expression as he cast a furtive glance at Lou Xiyan before replying cautiously, "Your Majesty, the wooden platform in front of the lotus pond suddenly collapsed. Lady Qingling was in the midst of a painting performance and accidentally fell into the water. Rescue efforts are currently underway."
Before he had finished speaking, Lou Xiyan was already dashing toward the lotus pond in a frenzy.
"Xiyan!" Yan Hongtian stared at her receding figure, utterly astounded. "Stunned" was too mild a word—he had known her for over two decades, and not once had she lost her composure like this. She hadn't even waited to hear the rest of the report before sprinting away, completely disregarding propriety.
As Lou Xiyan reached the central courtyard of the imperial garden, the hurried sound of her footsteps turned many heads. At the sight of her, the gathered noble ladies quickly curtsied. Lou Suxin, visibly surprised, stepped forward. "Xiyan, what are you doing here?" she asked.
This was the imperial garden—the residence of the emperor's concubines. For a court official to appear here alone was a grave breach of etiquette.
Breathing heavily, Lou Xiyan ignored her question and, with unmistakable urgency, demanded, "Where is she?"
Startled by the fury in her expression—a sight she had rarely witnessed—Lou Suxin's face darkened. She replied coldly, "She's still in the water. We've already sent people to rescue her."
Before the words were fully out of her mouth, Lou Xiyan rushed past the onlookers to the edge of the lotus pond. Lou Xiwu, already in a panic, burst into tears at the sight of her. "Brother! What do we do? Qingling has been under for nearly half a stick of incense, and she still hasn't been found!"
Nearly half a stick of incense, and still no sign of her—if she couldn't swim, she was likely already drowned. Lou Xiyan's heart pounded with unbearable dread. His eyes darkened, and he pushed aside the sobbing Lou Xiwu, sprinting directly toward the pond.
He leapt onto the precarious remains of the collapsed platform and, without hesitation, dove into the water.
"Brother!" Lou Xiwu screamed in terror.
Another dark figure followed him into the water—Mo Bai.
"Xiyan!" Even Lou Suxin, who had maintained her composure until now, leapt up from her seat, pointing frantically at the guards. "Someone, hurry! Into the water! Protect Lord Lou at all costs!"
Meanwhile, Qingfeng, her body bruised and eyes dry from fruitless weeping, watched the chaos unfold with chilling detachment. Lou Suxin's shrieks and the guards' frantic dives into the water rang hollow in her ears. Her fists clenched tightly. She hated them all. Moments ago, when she had cried and begged for them to save her sister, they had stood by coldly, ignoring her pleas. Was Lou Xiyan's life worth more than her sister's? Were the value of lives dictated by power and privilege?
The pond was now filled with people—guards swam in every direction, creating a scene of utter confusion. But none seemed truly focused on rescuing Qingling; all were merely clustering around Lou Xiyan.
Yan Hongtian arrived at the water's edge and had already seen Lou Xiyan dive in. He wasn't surprised. Knowing how deeply Xiyan cared for Qingling, he had expected him to act rashly. But he hadn't foreseen that Xiyan valued her this much.
"Long live His Majesty!" the people along the bank finally regained their senses and saluted upon seeing the emperor. All except Lou Suxin and Yang Zhilian, who stared anxiously at the lake, Qingfeng with icy arrogance, and Lou Xiwu, utterly beside herself.
With no patience for ceremony, Yan Hongtian waved a hand. "Dispense with the formalities. All of you, leave."
Aside from the Empress Dowager and a few concubines, the rest of the noble ladies and wives were escorted out of the garden.
"Gao Jin, summon the imperial physicians!"
Still no word from the pond. If Qingling could not swim, she might already be lost. If Xiyan cherished her this deeply, and they pulled up only a corpse…
"Yes, Your Majesty." Gao Jin hurried off toward the Imperial Medical Bureau. Judging from how the Emperor and Lord Lou treated Lady Qingling, her death would undoubtedly implicate many.
Tears streaked Qingfeng's face, but in her eyes burned unrestrained despair and loathing—emotions that seemed to fascinate Yan Hongtian. She was like a wild creature, always on the brink of striking. He had come to enjoy the idea of taming her.
His eyes narrowed at the sight of the bruises on her wrists—faint yet unmistakable beneath her drenched sleeves. He frowned and gestured coldly to the palace maids holding her. "Let her go."
Frightened, they released her at once.
As soon as they did, Qingfeng lunged toward the unstable platform, but before she could take a step, a pair of strong hands wrapped around her waist and a commanding voice sounded beside her. "With so many people in the water, what good would it do for you to jump in? Stay here and wait."
She glared at the man with all her fury and stomped on his foot, but Yan Hongtian didn't even flinch. His grip only tightened, nearly suffocating her.
"Ling'er!" Lou Xiyan shouted from within the lake. The situation was worse than he had feared. Giant lotus leaves blanketed the water's surface, blocking both sight and movement. But their presence gave him a sliver of hope. If Qingling had managed to grab hold of one, perhaps she hadn't drowned yet.
"Ling'er!" he called again, louder this time, praying she would respond.
Another wave of guards leapt into the water. Amid the chaos, Lou Xiyan yelled, "Dive! Search the bottom!"
"Yes, my lord!" they obeyed, but the lotus leaves above cast deep shadows, and the tangled stems below made visibility nearly impossible.
Several guards approached him, one of them trying to flatter him. "My lord, we will search with all our might. Please, get out of the water—it's too cold and may harm your health…"
"Silence!" Lou Xiyan snapped.
With every passing second, his panic grew. Never before had he experienced such overwhelming dread. He knew she was near, but he couldn't find her. The sense of helplessness and fear stripped him of his usual composure. All he could think about was finding her—getting her out of this freezing water.
Mo Bai swam up beside him. Gripping his shoulder, Lou Xiyan cried out, "Mo Bai! Where is she?"
His usually pale face had turned deathly white, and the panic in his eyes shook Mo Bai to his core. Never had he seen his master so distraught—so unhinged.
This, more than anything, revealed how much Qingling meant to him.
Mo Bai closed his eyes, drawing deeply upon his power. Lou Xiyan felt the water around them shift. He had always known Mo Bai possessed elemental abilities, though Mo Bai rarely used them. His unusual eye color alone made it difficult for him to live among common folk—revealing his powers would only brand him a monster.
But now, Lou Xiyan was grateful. If Mo Bai couldn't find Qingling, no one could.
After a moment, Mo Bai opened his eyes. The sky-blue hue had lightened nearly to white, flickering faintly with a ghostly glow. He pointed to the left. "That way."
Without hesitation, he dove beneath the surface. Lou Xiyan followed, parting the dense lotus leaves, until he saw—just ahead—two figures dressed as eunuchs pressing something repeatedly beneath the water. The splashing was unmistakable.
The direction matched Mo Bai's. Lou Xiyan's heart seized.
"What are you doing?!" he roared.