Facing Emperor Shunwu, He Zhiran had no patience to explain.
"As long as you still want the Da Shun dynasty to continue under the name of Nan, you must listen to my arrangements now."
"Very well, I will wait for you all here," Emperor Shunwu knew he had no other choice.
He Zhiran and Mo Jiuye did not intend to waste time. With Mo Jiuye's capabilities and her spatial abilities, the two of them did not need to worry about how many people were searching outside. Moreover, they were both disguised as palace attendants, so it would not be a problem to blend in.
After leaving the Palace of Exile, they did not discover any human presence outside, which showed that Mo Jiuye's decision to bring Emperor Shunwu here was correct. At least for a short period of time, those people would not be able to find this place.
As long as they had an hour, it would be enough to bring Concubine Yuan here and have her verify Fei Nanyu's identity.
Although their disguises prevented them from arousing suspicion, the two still avoided the searching palace guards as much as possible.
Mo Jiuye moved quickly, occasionally using light martial arts techniques while leading He Zhiran. It did not take long for them to reach Concubine Yuan's bedchamber.
Everything there was as usual, but from the footprints in front of the door, it was evident that the palace guards had already searched here and left.
They still entered by climbing over the wall. After explaining the situation to Concubine Yuan, she readily agreed to see Emperor Shunwu and clarify the child-swapping incident from years ago.
However, they could not just leave with Concubine Yuan like that.
"Your Ladyship, you know that the Empress's people are everywhere outside. When we take you to see the Emperor, you must cooperate with us," He Zhiran reminded her.
"Rest assured, this palace lady will follow your instructions," Concubine Yuan sincerely promised.
"Also, my husband and I have sensitive identities. Please help us keep our secret, in consideration of our help to Master Fei."
"You can rest assured about that. This palace lady will not say a word, even if the Emperor asks. I will only say that you are people sent by Nan Yu."
With Concubine Yuan's understanding, He Zhiran had no further reminders. She took out a silver needle from her spatial dimension and said, "Forgive me."
Soon, Concubine Yuan fell into a deep sleep.
Seeing this, Granny Wang appeared somewhat panicked and flustered.
Mo Jiuye casually tossed out a pouch of sleeping powder, and before Granny Wang fell, he and He Zhiran carried her onto the bed together.
The two returned to the Palace of Exile and brought Concubine Yuan out of the spatial dimension before entering the room where Emperor Shunwu was.
After He Zhiran used the needle to wake Concubine Yuan from her slumber, she brought the bewildered Concubine Yuan into the room.
Emperor Shunwu was highly vigilant. As soon as he heard the slightest sound outside, he began looking for a place to hide.
While he was cautious, Concubine Yuan was extremely nervous. Although she had prepared herself to face the crime of deceiving the Emperor, she still could not remain completely calm.
"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, are you here?"
Hearing Concubine Yuan's voice, Emperor Shunwu let out a sigh of relief and said in a deep voice, "I am here."
Although nervous, Concubine Yuan did not forget the proper etiquette.
She knelt down facing the direction of Emperor Shunwu's voice, "Your Majesty, this palace lady has committed a crime."
Emperor Shunwu had just heard He Zhiran's explanation, so he naturally harbored resentment toward Concubine Yuan.
In the past, if Concubine Yuan had committed such an error, no matter how much he favored her, he would not have been able to avoid punishing her.
However, this time was different. He clearly understood his current predicament. Not to mention punishing Concubine Yuan, he could not even guarantee his own safety now.
"Get up first! Tell me what happened back then."
Concubine Yuan wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and recounted in detail the mistake she had made years ago.
Whenever necessary, He Zhiran would also provide additional explanations.
Emperor Shunwu believed Concubine Yuan's words.
She was risking the crime of deceiving the Emperor and the possible loss of her head by revealing these things, all for the sake of her own biological son.
"I heard them say earlier that Nan Yu's talents and wisdom surpass those of Nan Rui and Nan Qi. If this is true, I am willing to pass the throne to him.
However, before that, I must meet him in person to make the final decision."
Emperor Shunwu's decision was understandable to Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran.
It was already not easy for him to believe Concubine Yuan's words so quickly. Moreover, he had also mentioned that he still had a final trump card to use.
He wanted to meet Fei Nanyu before deciding on the next steps, which was a prudent action.
He Zhiran entered her spatial dimension and glanced at the large clock on the wall. It was already past three o'clock in the morning.
If they sent Concubine Yuan back now, they could still leave the palace before dawn.
"Tonight, I will find a way to bring Master Fei to meet you. As for your safety, we will be unable to assist after we leave."
He Zhiran believed that within his own domain, it would not be difficult for Emperor Shunwu to find a hiding place where the Empress's people could not locate him.
However, before Emperor Shunwu could say anything, Concubine Yuan spoke up.
"Is there any way for the Emperor to go to my place? My quarters have already been searched by the Empress's people, and it seems safe for now."
Concubine Yuan was intelligent. Although she did not know the method He Zhiran and Mo Jiuye used to bring her here to meet Emperor Shunwu, she realized that these two could also bring the Emperor to her quarters.
Moreover, Concubine Yuan's suggestion was indeed a good idea.
Despite He Zhiran's earlier statement for Emperor Shunwu to find his own hiding place, she was still somewhat worried. After all, she and Mo Jiuye had already done so much, and it would not be the outcome they desired if the key player died in the middle.
As Concubine Yuan said, her bedchamber had already been searched, and the Empress was currently preoccupied with the frantic search for Emperor Shunwu. Her quarters would be safe for a short period of time.
To prevent any unexpected incidents, He Zhiran did not want to delay any further.
She took out the silver needle again and located their acupuncture points, pricking them one by one...
This time, when they left the Palace of Exile, there were noticeably more palace guards outside. Fortunately, Mo Jiuye and He Zhiran had disguised themselves, so they were able to pass through smoothly when questioned a few times along the way.
Upon reaching Concubine Yuan's bedchamber, He Zhiran released the two of them from her spatial dimension, along with Granny Wang. After waking them all up using the silver needle, she and Mo Jiuye left again.
This time, they could not use the token to enter and exit the palace through the main gate as they did when they arrived, because they had already heard the palace guards say that the palace gates had been completely sealed, and no one would be allowed to enter or exit for the time being.
With the heavy guard presence, climbing over the wall was also not the best option, as those serving as palace guards were not to be underestimated.
Especially with his beloved wife accompanying him, Mo Jiuye did not dare take such a risk.
He Zhiran also realized the difficulty of the situation, but they had to leave here before dawn no matter what.
After considering various options, Mo Jiuye ultimately had only one solution.
