His Highness the Madman gave in again today.

In the following days, the entire court changed.

The ministers, unaware of the truth, didn't know what had happened; they only felt the atmosphere was exceptionally gloomy and oppressive.

His Majesty sat on the dragon throne, his face and expression still the same, yet he was still someone people dared not look directly at.

During court sessions, all the officials were trembling with fear and dared not utter a sound.

Originally, there was only one empress in the harem, which already caused many ministers to complain. Now, there is only one empress, and she is never home, sometimes disappearing for a month or two.

No matter how capable you are, you can't disregard the rules like this.

Such an unruly empress is simply unprecedented in history.

But unfortunately, with the Emperor's favor and the tyrannical generals indulging them, the court officials could only swallow their anger and suppress their dissatisfaction.

Some ministers originally wanted to bring up the matter of the imperial heir, but the tense atmosphere of the past two days made them not dare to bring it up.

"Jinzhi".

On the fifth day, with most of the matters at hand finally resolved, Feng Xingyu said in the imperial study, "I need to go out for a while, I'll be back soon."

Gu Jinzhi, who was organizing the approved memorials, paused upon hearing this and looked up: "Where to?"

"The Nine Provinces Continent," Feng Xingyu said calmly, "go and see all the places around you."

Gu Jinzhi felt a sudden darkness engulf her vision.

He opened his mouth, almost dropping the memorial in his hand.

"His Majesty."

His usually steady voice was trembling: "I only managed two full nights of sleep."

The implication was that he hadn't rested enough, hadn't recovered, and wasn't ready to continue shouldering the burden of the entire court alone.

Feng Xingyu glanced at him indifferently: "I'll talk to you soon, it won't disturb your sleep."

harm.

A sigh.

Looking at Feng Xingyu's face, which was so calm it was almost empty, Gu Jinzhi couldn't bring herself to say a word of refusal.

His Majesty is not going on an inspection tour, nor is he going to relax; he is going to find someone.

Find someone whose whereabouts are unknown, and whose return is uncertain.

What else could he say?

He couldn't say anything.

He was born to be an ox or a horse...

"Then, Your Majesty."

Gu Jinzhi's voice was somewhat hoarse: "Try...not too long."

Feng Xingyu met his somewhat resigned expression, and after a long while, he solemnly uttered a single word.

"Um."

After saying that, Gu Jinzhi felt something float before her eyes, and when she looked again, Feng Xingyu was gone.

He rubbed his eyes, looked again, and it really was gone!

No wonder I've been feeling lately that His Majesty has a strange, ethereal aura about him after his trip to Cloud City. It wasn't just my imagination.

Gu Jinzhi stood alone in the Imperial Study for a moment, and only then did he realize that His Majesty had not left a dummy to stand in for him when he left. He could do the work, but what about tomorrow's morning court?

The empress is gone, and the emperor has fled...

Gu Jinzhi was in a real bind, but she was also mentally prepared to continue guarding the house for the long term.

As for the morning court session, we'll deal with whatever comes our way, we'll meet it head-on and deal with whatever comes our way... we'll talk about it tomorrow.

however.

None of his fears came true.

When Feng Xingyu said he would be back soon, he really was very soon.

How fast?

It was like taking a stroll through the Imperial Garden.

In just one afternoon and one night, he had traversed more than half of the territory of the Great Chen Dynasty.

The first place he went to was naturally the place where he and Ayu first met.

That dilapidated prince's mansion on the border of the Great You Kingdom.

This place is now part of the Great Chen Dynasty's territory, and a new general is stationed here.

He didn't disturb anyone; he just wanted to confirm whether there was any trace of Ayu nearby.

Once he confirmed there was no such place, he stopped lingering and teleported directly to the next location.

He went to Youdu City.

Now, entering Youdu City is a piece of cake for him. As long as he doesn't want to, no one can find him, including Chu Canglan.

The front yard of the city lord's mansion.

This place holds so many beautiful memories for him and Ayu.

It is still vivid in my mind.

He closed his eyes, only to feel a tightness in his chest, making it hard to breathe.

Standing on the roof of the bedroom where A-Yu used to live, he scanned the surrounding area for miles to see if A-Yu's presence was there.

The result was still disappointing.

No.

Ayu did not return here.

As Feng Xingyu was leaving, he saw Chu Canglan drinking alone in the study, while Yin Yue was living in a separate courtyard outside the city lord's mansion.

The entire city lord's mansion was filled with a repressive atmosphere.

Did they have a fight?

If Ayu could come back to him, he would listen to her in everything and would never argue with her.

Feng Xingyu got angry when he saw his grotesque appearance.

He was jealous of him.

The woman he loves is right beside him, yet he leaves her hanging and drinks alone in silence.

It's a worthless thing.

Feng Xingyu didn't want to deal with this scumbag, so he turned around and went to the grassland tribe.

Under Da Chen's leadership, the grassland tribes have been completely transformed, becoming more stable and prosperous.

Feng Xing stood on the vast grassland, the wind swirling the grass and washing over his clothes.

This was the first defensive barrier set up by Ayu. At that time, he stood guard beside her until she exhausted her spiritual power before taking her back to the camp.

His Ah Yu always puts in so much effort in everything she does.

Feng Xingyu closed his eyes again, his senses spreading out in an overwhelming manner, searching inch by inch.

But still...

There was no trace of her presence, no sign of her.

The dull pain in my chest surged up uncontrollably again.

He stood there for a long time, until the sky was tinged with the fiery red of the sunset, before turning away indifferently and heading to the next place.

He searched for every city they had visited together, every inn they had stayed at, every mountain and river they had seen together, and every battlefield they had fought side by side.

Everywhere I go, memories resurface, and the pain deepens.

From dusk to midnight, from midnight to dawn.

In just one day and night, he had traversed half of the territory of the Great Chen Kingdom.

No.

There isn't one anywhere.

Ah Yu...where did she go?

As dawn broke on the horizon, Feng Xingyu stood atop the highest mountain peak, gazing at the vast land, his eyes filled with emptiness.

No matter how vast, stable, or prosperous this land may be, without her, it is nothing but a desolate and lonely place.

He stood silently for a long time, then painfully closed his eyes.

The next instant, the figure vanished into the morning mist.

Inside the Imperial Study.

Gu Jinzhi, sporting dark circles under his eyes, was frowning and pondering how to get through the morning court session when a flash of light appeared before his eyes, and a figure in black suddenly appeared.

He looked up abruptly, startled, and dropped the pen in his hand.

"Your Majesty... Your Majesty?"

Feng Xingyu stood still, his clothes still carrying the scent of morning dew and distant frost from the mountains. His face was calm, but his eyes were deep and dark, revealing no emotion.

"You're back. Prepare for court."

A single, understated sentence.

Gu Jinzhi stared at him blankly, unable to come to her senses for a long time.

Didn't we say we were going to travel around the Kyushu continent?

So... you're back?

Judging from his expression, he must have gained nothing.

Gu Jinzhi dared not ask any more questions, sighed silently, and went with him to the morning court.

The morning court session has ended.

After calmly handling the trivial matters, Feng Xingyu disappeared again.

He didn't let any of the remaining parts of Da Chen's territory go unexplored; he traversed them all.

Finally, they went to the capital of the Great You Kingdom.

Under Feng Tingye's rule, the capital city is more peaceful and prosperous than ever before.

Everything is moving in a positive direction.

Feng Xingyu quietly entered the palace.

In the cold palace, the large bed that Mo Sangyu had transformed into still exists.

Lying on a soft bed.

Although Mo Sangyu's presence was long gone, Feng Xingyu still felt that the dull pain in his chest that had been pressing down for days had inexplicably eased a bit.

He lay down on it, feeling his eyelids getting heavier and heavier, and unexpectedly, he fell asleep.

He had an extremely bizarre dream that night.

All around was an endless thick fog, blindingly white and chillingly cold, obscuring even the surrounding scenery, leaving only endless desolation and icy cold.

He stood in the fog, a strange sense of panic rising within him, and instinctively walked forward.

He hadn't walked far when he saw a slender figure with silver hair standing with her back to him in the depths of the mist.

The figure was surrounded by a faint aura of immortality, yet it also carried a coldness that kept people at a distance. Although his face was not clearly visible, Feng Xingyu's heart clenched suddenly.

"Do you regret it?"

The silver-haired woman suddenly spoke, though it was unclear whether she was asking him or someone else.

But there seems to be no one else here.

"Did you get the result you wanted by acting on your own initiative and defying fate?"

Her voice was ethereal, as if it came from a great distance, yet also as if it were right next to her ear.

"Are you... asking me?"

Feng Xingyu was filled with doubt. For some reason, he really wanted to see the woman's face clearly.

He strode after the figure, but the mist seemed to have a mind of its own; the further he ran, the thicker the mist became, and the silver-haired figure always kept his distance from him, making it impossible for him to catch up.

Just as he was straining with all his might and about to touch that strand of silver hair, someone suddenly called his name in his mind.

"Feng Xingyu, you idiot!"

In the instant he was awakened, he clearly heard this sentence.

"Ayu!"

He sat up abruptly, his body covered in cold sweat.

In the dilapidated room, he was still all alone, so quiet that he could hear his own breathing; there was nothing else.

He was hallucinating.

He sat on the bed for a long time before he vaguely remembered that he seemed to have had a dream.

But he couldn't remember the details of his dream very clearly.

Feng Xingyu didn't think much of it. Once he was sure that Mo Sangyu wasn't there, he returned to Wudu.

Just as the time for court was approaching, Gu Jinzhi realized that Feng Xingyu was missing again. He was about to anxiously go look for him when, in the blink of an eye, the man appeared behind him.

They appear and disappear so mysteriously.

Anyone else would have been terrified by him.

"Your Majesty, where have you been again?"

"I went to the capital."

Feng Xingyu left with those words and went straight to the warm pavilion's hot spring bath.

I was covered in sweat, and felt sticky and uncomfortable.

Upon hearing this, Gu Jinzhi instinctively nodded, but only after nodding did he realize where he had been asked to go.

What?

Did you go to the capital?

Even at top speed, it would take seven or eight days for this round trip.

The next two weeks.

Feng Xingyu traveled all over the entire Nine Provinces continent, including all the territories that did not belong to Da Chen.

However, he did not neglect state affairs in the slightest. Although he would disappear at any time, he would appear on time when it was time to attend court or review memorials.

At first, Gu Jinzhi was flustered and worried about him every day, but over time he got used to it and could calmly deal with it no matter where His Majesty suddenly went.

However, as long as the Empress does not return, these days will likely never be peaceful.

He had already agreed with Zhixia to choose a date to get married this year.

He's already in his thirties. If he doesn't get married soon, he'll become a decrepit old man. Who will want him then?

But given the current situation, we have no choice but to postpone it.

Because Zhixia said she would wait for the Empress to return so she could be the witness at the wedding.

Gu Jinzhi was heartbroken.

He could only pray that the Empress would return soon so that he could get married soon.

After searching the entire Nine Provinces Continent to no avail, Feng Xingyu went to Cangxuan Realm and then to the Spirit Spring Mountain Range.

He traveled freely between Cloud City and Great Chen Kingdom, going there every few days, afraid that Mo Sangyu might return somewhere and not see him immediately.

Time passed by little by little during those long and difficult days.

Although Feng Xingyu was in pain, he firmly believed that Ayu would not lie to him.

She said she would come back, and she definitely will.

But after waiting and searching for so long, there has been no news at all; she has not even appeared in my dreams.

Countless thoughts and possibilities flashed through his mind.

Could it be that she's trapped in another world?

Feng Xingyu's spatial magic can take him anywhere, but he is only familiar with the Nine Provinces Continent and the Cangxuan Realm. He has never ventured into other possible spaces.

If one rashly opens up an unfamiliar space and gets lost in the void rift, then not only will one not be able to find Ayu, but one may never be able to return.

He doesn't dare to gamble now.

He could only proceed slowly and cautiously, tentatively exploring and attempting to study it.

And so, he guarded the Great Chen Empire while waiting with unwavering devotion, day after day.

Another month has passed in the blink of an eye.

He always felt that the next moment, when he pushed open the palace door, he would see his Ayu, smiling and calling his name.

Occasionally, he would have the illusion that she was right beside him.

But in reality, that wasn't the case.

After the emperor's court was established.

He discussed political affairs with several ministers in the imperial study.

Suddenly, the panicked voice of the Grand Eunuch Lian Chen rang out from outside the door: "Oh dear, young lady, who are you? This is the Imperial Palace, the Imperial Study! You can't enter! You can't barge in!"

They couldn't stop them.

The people in the Imperial Study were pushed aside.

At the entrance, a woman wearing a flowing crimson-purple dress with a trailing hem seemed to dance in the wind as she walked.

Her long hair cascaded down her back, loosely tied up with a simple jade hairpin, with a few stray strands falling across her smooth forehead, making her face look like a celestial being who had mistakenly descended to earth.

Her eyebrows are like distant mountains shrouded in mist, and her eyes are like autumn waters rippling across the surface.

What's even more amazing is her eyes. At first, they carried a hint of urgency and world-weariness, but upon closer inspection, one could see an indescribable tenderness and admiration hidden within them.

The imperial study fell silent instantly; even the ministers who were reporting on state affairs to Feng Xingyu forgot to breathe.

None of the civil and military officials in the hall had ever seen a woman so beautiful.

Is this... coming to see His Majesty?

Has His Majesty finally come to his senses and decided to take a concubine?

Feng Xingyu, who was looking down at the memorials, frowned deeply when he heard the noise and looked up.

The woman ignored the assembled officials and ministers, her steps light as she passed through the crowd and headed straight for Feng Xingyu.

Her gaze fell on Feng Xingyu and never left him for a moment, her eyes filled with admiration and joy.

She walked up to his desk and leaned down slightly across the desk.

Her eyes, brimming with tears, gazed steadily at Feng Xingyu, her voice gentle and magnanimous: "Brother Xingyu, I've finally found you. This time, please don't reject me, okay?"

The person who arrived was none other than Rong Feiyan.

As she bent down, Feng Xingyu immediately leaned back, creating distance, and glanced at her with icy eyes, his disgust and murderous intent undisguised.

She actually managed to find her way here.

Damn!

Rong Feiyan sensed the killing intent emanating from him, froze for a moment, and felt truly unwilling.

She waited so many years for this man, and she even gave up Yun Yihe for him...

No matter what method she uses, she has to get him!

Otherwise, her status as the legitimate daughter would be meaningless.

A struggle flashed in Rong Feiyan's eyes, as if she was making a decision.

Feng Xingyu's breathing became heavy: "You'd better get out of here yourself, otherwise..."

Before he could finish his threat, Rong Feiyan suddenly interrupted him, "Brother Xingyu, you're coming with me, I know..."

She lowered her voice when she said the last few words.

Feng Xingyu's red eyes froze for a moment.

After Rong Feiyan finished speaking, she stood up straight, a confident and smug smile playing on her lips: "Take your time to think it over. Come find me when you've made up your mind. I'll be waiting for you in... the Yun Clan."

Before Feng Xingyu could react, she turned and strode away.

Feng Xingyu remained calm.

The next moment, he slowly got up and quickly caught up with them.