Chapter 530: Under House Arrest
Since Mu Qing wasn't sick, there was naturally no need for treatment. Ye Zhen had only given her a few decoctions to recuperate her body and make her complexion look better.
On the fifth day on Zhao Jia Island, everything seemed different. Ye Zhen discovered that there were many guards outside their courtyard. They didn't look like they were here to protect Zhao Tianji. Even the Island Lord was stopped from going out.
They had been placed under house arrest in disguise. It was only now that Ye Zhen realized that the person with ambition was not Zhao Tianji but Zhao Mingxiao.
"Zhao Jia Island has become a country? Could it be that Zhao Mingxiao wants to become the emperor? He's crazy!" When Ye Zhen came to know the real reason Zhao Mingxiao put them under house arrest, she felt that this person was too crazy. Now, she wasn't worried about being imprisoned on Zhao Jia Island. If Zhao Mingxiao dared to claim the title of emperor, she believed that it wouldn't be long before Mo Rongzhan would send troops here.
"He's not crazy. He's been preparing for many years," Zhao Tianji said indifferently.
Ye Zhen suddenly looked at Zhao Tianj's legs. “So, you couldn't walk before because your own big brother hurt you?"
Zhao Tianji pursed his lips, reluctant to admit it in front of outsiders, nonetheless, it was the truth.
"You are the Island Lord. You won't be put under house arrest just like that, right?" Seeing Zhao Tianji mum, Ye Zhen could not help but ask. She did not believe that a person who could become the Island Lord really could not do anything.
"I'll contact the old elders and find a way to send you off first," Zhao Tianji said nonchalantly. He raised his eyes to look at the girl before him. “Especially you. You are the Princess of Jin Kingdom. If Zhao Mingxiao were to become the emperor, he would definitely use you as a hostage to threaten Mo Rongzhan."
Ye Zhen was stunned for a moment before shaking her head and laughing. “Isn't Zhao Mingxiao thinking too highly of me?"
Mo Rongzhan had probably forgotten about her long ago. With his beloved by his side, how could he care about her life and death, let alone compromise with Zhao Mingxiao because of her?
"Yaoyao, listen to Ah Ji. No matter what, you must leave Zhao Jia Island first anyway,” Huangfu Chen said softly. He was a bystander and knew about Mo Rongzhan's feelings for his little apprentice better than anyone else.
"Master—" Ye Zhen frowned. “Now that everyone is Zhao Mingxiao's people, how can I go out?"
Zhao Tianji stood up from his wheelchair. "Didn't you just say? In any case, I'm still the Lord of the Island"
"Even so, you haven't been on the island for many years. People are unpredictable. How many people you can trust?" Huang Fuchen asked.
"Since I can become the Island Lord, there is naturally a reason for it too. Besides, the elders on the island are not all that easy to deal with. Although Zhao Mingxiao has replaced half a dozen elders, each elder represents a family. And unless he has killed all the people of the original six families, the six elders he replaced can still help us," Zhao Tianji said.
“You've been back for so long, but those elders haven't looked for you. Are you sure they'll still help you?" Ye Zhen asked.
"There should be very few people who know that Ah Ji has returned. The six elders may not know." Huangfu Chen said in a low voice, “Zhao Mingxiao deliberately hid the news of your return."
Zhao Tianji smiled faintly. “No matter how much he hides it, I'm still the Island Lord. I still have the ability to let the entire Zhao Jia Island know that I'm back and that I can stand up again."
"The two of you are truly different.” Ye Zhen looked at Zhao Tianji and said, “Are you really biological brothers?"
If Zhao Mingxiao really treated Zhao Tianji as his younger brother, how could he have done something so heartless? If he hadn't met her, Zhao Tianji probably wouldn't have been able to move his entire body today. He would only have been able to speak.
Zhao Tianji's entire body would have been destroyed. If it weren't for his deep-seated hatred, would he have done such a thing?
Zhao Tianji probably knew the tragic consequences that he might encounter. He had long suspected that there was a problem with the internal strength secret manual that Zhao Mingxiao had given him. This time, he came back to Zhao Jia Island with the last bit of affection for his brother. Unfortunately, he was still disappointed.
"Do you think we look like blood brothers?" Zhao Tianji said.
If he was a blood brother, why would his father give him the Island Lord position? Unfortunately, he had kept this matter a secret from Zhao Mingxiao. He was afraid that it would create a rift between them. However, he did not expect that the moment he became the Island Lord, an irreparable barrier would appear between them.
"Liang Yin, ring the island bell tonight. I want to light the holy fire of the Island Tower personally.”
Only by becoming the Island Lord could one enter the Island Tower. The Island Lord would ignite the fire on the tower whenever he left and returned. The entire island would be able to see it. At the same time, they would know that their most respected Island Lord had returned.
Zhao Jia Island had a history of over 100 years. The master of Zhao Jia Island held a sacred and noble existence in everyone's heart. It could not be replaced by someone bent on replacing it.
"Yes, Island Lord!" Liang Yin shouted excitedly.
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At this moment, in the imperial palace on the other side of the vast ocean, Mo Rongzhan was starting to become more and more restless.
"You haven't found the princess yet?" His dark and cold eyes stared at the secret guards kneeling before him. He had already sent all the secret guards to look for his little girl, but there was still no sign of her. Could it be that Zhao Tianji had really taken her to Zhao Jia Island?
"Replying to the emperor, we parted ways with Shen Daren* to look for the princess. We didn't find any trace of her," one of the secret guards kneeling on the ground replied.
[*Shen Yi, MRZ’s shadow guard. Daren is a title of respect toward superiors.]
Mo Rongzhan let out a sigh of relief. “Keep looking!"
He had almost dug up the ground in the Jin Kingdom, but he still could not find her. It seemed that she had really gone to Zhao Jia Island…
His Yaoyao… Nothing must happen to her!
Mo Rongzhan panicked. He had never been afraid of losing her, but now he was scared witless by just the thought of losing her.
Afraid? He didn't expect that one day he would feel such emotions. He had never been afraid of anything before.
"Your Majesty, there is a letter from Shen Daren." Xue Lin panted as he came in from outside. He held a secret message, knelt on the ground, and offered the letter with both hands.
Eunuch Fu hastily took the letter and handed it to Mo Rongzhan.
It was a secret report from Shen Yi. They had already found the location of Zhao Jia Island, but there were maze formations outside the island. They needed to think of a way to enter. As for the whereabouts of the princess, they would need to enter the island before they could know.
Mo Rongzhan stared at the letter in his hand and did not speak for a long time. In the end, he only waved his hand and signaled Xue Lin to leave.
Eunuch Fu looked at his master worriedly. “Your Majesty?"
As Mo Rongzhan's personal eunuch, he had clearly witnessed first-hand his master's worry and loss of appetite these past few days. He had never seen the emperor eat and sleep this badly for any girl before. For the princess, how long had the emperor not visited the inner palace?
Even Xu Xianfei… Oh, no, she should be called Concubine Xu*, she had the title Consort abolished a long time ago. Now, she wouldn’t dare to be as arrogant as before.
[*She is Xu Pin now, a lower-ranked concubine… for ease of conversation, we will stick to Concubine Xu for now.]
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