The Emperor Reads Storybooks Hidden in His Official Reports 62

Chapter 62: Phoenix Ridge

Zhao Linxu’s body was placed in an ice coffin and well-preserved. The ice coffin had been cast with a secret art by Dan Xi, which could preserve an ordinary person’s body for a good while.

Li Jianyu was holding Zhao Lang to see Zhao Linxu. Zhao Lang was very well-behaved at this moment and did not cry or fuss, just quietly nestled in Li Jianyu’s arms.

When they arrived at the deepest attic of the Jinyue Manor, Li Jianyu pushed open the door and saw the ice coffin placed in the center. His whole body stiffened.

“Jianyu,” Chong Xi said, pressing on Li Jianyu’s shoulder. “Are you ready?”

Wan Yunliu stood at the side, looking at Li Jianyu with concern, but he couldn’t interfere. So he could only look at him with concern, his hands clenched into fists, hating his own powerlessness.

“I’m ready.”

Li Jianyu took a deep breath and stepped towards the ice coffin.

Zhao Linxu lay in the long box with his eyes closed, unconscious. His body was covered with the phoenix tattoo, and his complexion was paler than usual, but it couldn’t hide the domineering aura of his features.

Li Jianyu held Zhao Lang and stood by the ice coffin, looking without a word. He just looked, for a long time, until Zhao Lang woke up and fussed. Li Jianyu had a servant take Zhao Lang to the wet nurse, and he himself bent down and kissed Zhao Linxu through the ice coffin.

“Zhao Linxu, wait for me.”

Such a person should not be lying in there.

Li Jianyu smiled bitterly. If it weren’t for protecting him, Zhao Linxu wouldn’t be like this. Now it was his turn to protect him.

With that, Li Jianyu turned around and asked, “Where is Qing Luo?”

Feng Ju Qianli said, “Follow me.”

A prison was built under the Jinyue Manor. The prison was not large, but it was extremely sturdy. At this moment, this prison was heavily guarded, and Zhao Zhanqi and Xu Zheng would also come to patrol in person from time to time.

At this moment, Feng Ju Qianli was holding a torch, leading a few people slowly down the steps to the basement, heading for the deepest part of the prison.

At the end of the prison was a torture chamber, and in it was a tall, huge torture rack. This torture rack had just been built, specially prepared for Qing Luo.

After arriving at the torture chamber, Feng Ju Qianli saw Qing Luo, naked, tied to the torture rack. Several thick iron bars were nailed to the torture rack, inserted into Qing Luo’s limbs and various parts of his body. Although the bleeding had been stopped by the iron bars for now, Qing Luo’s body was still covered in a striking dark red. In the dim light, it looked particularly terrifying, like a demon with a rotten body.

Qing Luo’s face was pale, and he couldn’t even scream. His head was hanging limply, and he was holding on to his last breath as he looked up at Feng Ju Qianli.

Feng Ju Qianli raised an eyebrow, went forward, and pushed one of the iron bars, smiling. “Does it hurt?”

Qing Luo gasped for air, his whole body convulsing.

“It should hurt. Xiao Xi hurt just as much back then. The people you exploited also hurt just as much.” Feng Ju Qianli shook his head. “Tell me, is there a way to save someone injured by the gunpowder?”

Qing Luo forced a cold smile, his face ferocious as he looked at Chong Xi and Li Jianyu. “You… were just my… cough… playthings back then…”

Chong Xi raised an eyebrow slightly.

“You still have a lot of energy and little tricks.” Feng Ju Qianli’s face was dark. He pulled on the iron bar with all his might, tearing off a large piece of flesh.

“Ahhhh—” Qing Luo twisted his body, letting out a distorted cry.

“I’ll ask one more time. Is there a way to save someone injured by the gunpowder?”

Qing Luo glared at Feng Ju Qianli fiercely, as if he wanted to swallow him whole with his eyes.

“A few days ago, when we interrogated you about the Green Lotus Cult and its followers, you eventually told us everything. Shouldn’t you have learned your lesson? You’re going to have to say it in the end anyway. Why not save yourself the pain?”

“Heh… heh… cough…” Qing Luo looked at Li Jianyu and said sharply, “This matter… why don’t you ask… the City Lord… cough, doesn’t Phoenix Ridge still have… a way?”

Phoenix Ridge…?

Li Jianyu frowned slightly.

He seemed to have heard of it…

That’s right! It was Little Jiu’er who had told him. And the reason Little Jiu’er knew was naturally because the old sorceress had told him, wanting him to pass on this information and stories about the phoenixes to Li Jianyu.

Seeing that Li Jianyu seemed to have an idea, Feng Ju Qianli let go of the iron bar, and the few of them left the cell.

Above the prison was a small courtyard. Walking on the small path in the courtyard, Li Jianyu explained, “Phoenix Ridge is the phoenixes’ old nest. It is said to be their largest habitat. But besides phoenixes, ordinary people can’t find it or get in.”

“Perhaps there is a secret hidden there that can bring His Majesty back to life,” Chong Xi said. “We can go there with you.”

Li Jianyu nodded and smiled. “Thank you.”

XXXXXX

A few days later, a small team set off from the Jinyue Manor, heading for the border of the Great Fan, and left the border.

It was said that Phoenix Ridge was in the Great Fan.

The Great Fan had allied with Feng Juheng and had sent out goblins to support him. Now that Feng Juheng had been defeated, except for the captives, the rest of the goblins had all escaped. Now they were just waiting for Zhao Zhanqi and Xu Zheng to clean up the remaining fugitives and remnants and then negotiate with the emperor of the Great Fan.

Everything was not yet settled, so Li Jianyu and the others did not expose their tracks and traveled disguised as ordinary merchants. The ice coffin was well-wrapped and protected in the center of the team.

Besides Li Jianyu and Chong Xi, Dan Xi, as the one who knew the most about secret arts, also went with them so that he could help at any time. And Xing Huan and Wan Yunliu, under the pretext of protecting these people who either did not know martial arts or were not strong, also mounted their horses and traveled with the team.

Now that the war between the Great Xi and the Great Gong was not yet completely over, although Feng Ju Qianli was worried about Chong Xi and wanted to come along, he had his duties and could not get away.

In the forest, Li Jianyu was riding at the front of the team, holding a map and muttering to himself.

Little Jiu’er had once said that Phoenix Ridge was now on one of the islands in the North Sea of the Great Fan. And to get to that sea, they had to pass through this forest.

“Jianyu, how are things?”

Wan Yunliu rode up to Li Jianyu’s side. “Are you tired? Do you want to rest for a moment?”

Li Jianyu shook his head and looked down at the complicated map.

“We’ve been in this forest for two days,” Wan Yunliu said, handing Li Jianyu a water flask. “The roads in this forest are all over the place and very complicated. We probably won’t be able to get out for a while. Why don’t you rest first?”

Li Jianyu stared blankly at the sheepskin water flask, paused for a moment, and said, “Mm.”

Li Jianyu took a few sips, but he saw Wan Yunliu’s expression suddenly harden, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword at his waist. He said in a low voice, “Jianyu, don’t leave my side later.”

“What’s wrong?”

He turned his head and saw that everyone in the team had become alert, unobtrusively forming a formation to meet the enemy.

Li Jianyu frowned slightly and looked around.

It seemed there was an ambush.

Who was it?

Their trip was extremely secretive. The Great Fan couldn’t possibly know. Could it be that the news had been leaked?

Li Jianyu’s eyes darkened, and a small, flickering flame ignited at his fingertips.