Chapter 84: How Did the Princess Find This Place?
“Greetings, Princess!”
Led by Jun He, they successively raised their hands to bow to Li Xuanyue.
“Sit, all of you.”
Li Xuanyue waved her hand lightly, signaling to Yin Xin.
Quickly, Yin Xin followed Li Xuanyue’s instructions and had the maids bring four golden nanmu chairs to place in the hall.
Jun He and the others lifted their robes and sat down one after another.
“Thank you, Princess!”
They raised their hands to thank Li Xuanyue.
Li Xuanyue waved her hand dismissively. “We are all family; there is no need for such politeness.”
She disliked these empty rituals. “In private from now on, you do not need to bow.”
A look of astonishment gleamed in the eyes of Jun He and the others. Li Xuanyue’s words sounded somewhat rebellious, overturning everyone’s understanding. After all, the nobles of the Hundred Clans wished for others to kneel and bow to them three hundred times a day to display their high status and the respect they commanded.
Yet, these things seemed unimportant to Li Xuanyue.
Was she truly the Grand Princess of the Phoenix Clan? And not someone sent to impersonate her?
“You came regarding Consort Lang’s matter, correct?”
Before they could recover their wits, Li Xuanyue spoke first to preempt them. She wanted to avoid them asking questions all at once that she wouldn’t know how to answer.
“This Princess has already sent people to investigate this matter.”
She took the initiative, saying, “I understand that you have a good relationship with Consort Lang, but at this time, I do not wish for you to intervene.”
“After you return, stay properly in your palaces. Don’t ask, and don’t say anything.”
It was evident Li Xuanyue didn’t want to answer any further questions regarding Lang Hua.
The group’s trip could be considered a fruitless endeavor; they obtained no news whatsoever. They merely drank a few cups of hot tea in Fenghe Hall before being driven away.
Night fell, and the entire Phoenix Clan sank into rest.
Xihe Hall was no exception. Aside from the guards and maids standing silently on night watch, the surroundings were quiet enough to hear the wind blowing.
Dressed in black, Li Xuanyue successfully evaded the patrols of the guards and maids, then flashed into the study within Xihe Hall.
She vaguely remembered that in her previous life, when she had fallen into a coma, Hua Shan had told her that the first thing she should do upon waking was to flee immediately to his study. As long as she turned the third candle on the right side of his desk, a secret chamber would appear.
But in her previous life, because she had been too heavily injured by Li Qinghe, she never had that chance.
In this life, Li Xuanyue came to this study with a heart full of curiosity. She wanted to see exactly what was inside this secret chamber. Were Xiao Han and Lang Hua both inside?
Click.
Under Li Xuanyue’s manipulation, the third candle by the desk shifted position. The corner of the wall, originally piled with calligraphy and paintings, suddenly cracked open into a large gap.
Dark light gathered deep in Li Xuanyue’s eyes. Daring not to delay, she immediately withdrew her hand from the candle and flashed inside.
The air inside the secret chamber was noticeably worse than outside. Even though red candles lit both sides of the walls, the long corridor looked like the gaping maw of a giant python—bottomless.
Oppressive, chilling, and terrifying.
Li Xuanyue never dreamed that there would be such an unknown secret chamber within the study of Xihe Hall.
Li Feng likely didn’t know about this. Given her doting nature, if she knew, she would have told Li Xuanyue long ago.
In her past life, Hua Shan had only told her when she was on the verge of death. Otherwise, how would she have known his study hid such a secret? He would have likely taken her for a stroll in it long before.
With every breath, a chill rose up Li Xuanyue’s back. The further she walked, the emptier it felt behind her, as if she were sinking into an abyss.
Having come this far, Li Xuanyue certainly couldn’t retreat. She could only accelerate forward.
Seeing a faint light appearing ahead, Li Xuanyue’s heart began to pound uncontrollably.
At that moment, locked in the sunless secret chamber and unattended, Xiao Han had visibly wasted away.
The cloth strip in his mouth had been removed by Xiao Ce, but he was still tied to the wooden frame. He looked incredibly wretched. He hung his head low, eyes closed in rest.
He didn’t know how long he would have to stay in this secret chamber. All he knew was that Hua Shan wouldn’t let him go easily.
Li Xuanyue hadn’t expected to see Xiao Han tied to the wooden frame the moment she walked in.
He no longer had the youthful spirit and vigor he’d displayed in Fenghe Hall. He had lost a lot of weight and carried an aura of death, as if he had accepted that he would die silently in this place.
Various torture instruments and shackles were piled in the corner nearby. To the right, a charcoal brazier burned with intense heat, containing red-hot branding irons. These were meant for interrogating those who made mistakes or spies.
Yet, all these instruments were placed beside Xiao Han. One could imagine that although they hadn’t used torture on him, they didn’t intend to let him have an easy time either. They wanted to torment him like this.
Hearing the sound of someone entering, Xiao Han didn’t look up immediately.
He thought it was Xiao Ce. Because in these days, aside from Xiao Ce visiting to bring him water and food, no one else had ever stepped into this secret chamber. Even Hua Shan himself rarely came here.
How could anyone else break in?
Seeing the person in front of her not raising his head, Li Xuanyue thought he might be under the influence of drugs or in a coma. Ignoring the filth on his body, she reached out and patted his shoulder.
“Are you alright? Xiao Han?”
She lowered her voice, asking with concern.
After all, Xiao Han had ended up in this state because of her. She bore responsibility.
Hearing such a familiar voice, Xiao Han subconsciously thought he might be dreaming, or perhaps he had fallen into an illusion.
He kept his head lowered, let out a light scoff, and shook his head while muttering to himself.
“Tch, this is the Prince Consort’s secret chamber. How could the Princess appear here?”
His mind still wasn’t quiet enough, which was why he was fantasizing about such unrealistic things.
Seeing that he still hadn’t come to his senses, Li Xuanyue didn’t get angry. She continued to gently pat his shoulder and said:
“Don’t move yet. Once This Princess unties the ropes on your body, you will follow me and leave this place together.”
If Xiao Han had thought he was dreaming or hallucinating before, then at this moment, looking at Li Xuanyue’s face appearing truly before him, he was completely stunned.
“Pri… How did the Princess find this place?”
He asked in confusion.
This secret chamber was known only to Hua Shan and Xiao Ce. Even he only learned that Xihe Hall harbored such an unknown chamber after being captured and imprisoned here this time.
Translator’s Note (just some info):
- Imperial Physician: In the context of “Beast World,” this usually refers to the clan’s healers or doctors, but “Imperial Physician” is used to maintain the royal court aesthetic.
- Nanmu: A type of precious wood (Phoebe zhennan) often used for high-end furniture in Chinese culture, indicating the wealth of the Phoenix Clan.
- Five Flavors: “Mixed feelings” in English, but “Five flavors” (sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, salty) is the direct translation often used in novels to describe complex emotions. (sometimes)
- Gender Dynamics: A reminder that in this “Beast World” setting, females are dominant (Matriarchal), so men crying or being described as “maiden-like” is a reversal of traditional tropes, highlighting their vulnerability in this society.
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