Oops! My Inner Thoughts Are Ruining The Plot

Chapter 177: Chapter

As Su Feng and Su Yu turned and vanished into the dark courtyard to dispatch their shadow trackers, Chancellor Su’s expression instantly cooled into one of quiet disgust. He cared nothing for General Wenzhe’s fate, nor did he care if the Xi family lost their heir. The only reason those two hundred ruthless men were riding north tonight was to stop his daughter’s eyes from filling with tears.

Turning his head toward the head nanny standing quietly by the inner doors, the Chancellor issued a stern, sharp command.

"Prepare Yueqing’s old courtyard immediately," Chancellor Su ordered, his voice laced with disdain for the situation. "Have the servants air out the room, light the stoves, and make sure the bedding is warm. She is staying here tonight."

"Yes, Grand Chancellor," the nanny bowed low and hurried off to prepare the room.

Chancellor Su turned back to Yueqing, his sharp eyes instantly softening as he looked down at her. He noticed how stiffly she was holding her side, her lips completely drained of blood and her skin as white as fresh winter snow.

"Yueqing," he asked gently, his hand hovering near her shoulder as deep worry filled his voice. "Are you truly fine, my child? You look far too weak."

Yueqing forced a small, reassuring smile, opening her mouth to speak. "I am... I am fine, Father, just a little—"

Before she could finish her sentence, her vision suddenly swirled into complete darkness. The long, exhausting journey from the camp, her untreated broken ribs, the lack of food, and the overwhelming panic of Wenzhe’s disappearance finally caught up to her body all at once.

Her legs gave out completely.

"Yueqing!" Chancellor Su gasped, catching her limply in his arms before her head could hit the hard stone floor.

"Madam!" Lu Yue screamed in panic, rushing forward with wide eyes as the Chancellor gathered his unconscious daughter into his arms.

"Call the physician!" Chancellor Su roared, his calm, authoritative demeanor shattering into pure terror as he carried Yueqing toward the inner courtyard as fast as his feet could move. "Fetch the doctor right now!"

Lu Yue shook her head slowly, tears spilling down her cheeks in hot, quiet streams.

"Nothing, Madam..." Lu Yue sobbed, her voice cracking with helpless grief. "There is no news whatsoever. The shadow guards have searched every pass, and the Third Prince’s men are looking everywhere, but... but there is still no trace of the General."

The teacup slipped from Yueqing’s fingers, clattering onto the bedside table as her hands dropped limply to her lap. The cold, hollow silence in the room felt heavy enough to crush her.

[Nothing...] Yueqing’s mind whispered, a numb horror setting in. [Three days and not a single clue...]

"Where is Father?" Yueqing asked, her voice flat and dry as dust.

"Master had to step out to the palace to handle court business," Lu Yue wiped her face quickly. "He only left an hour ago after checking your fever."

"Get me a dress," Yueqing demanded, forcing her voice to stay firm.

"Madam, no! You need to rest—"

"Get me a dress, Lu Yue."

Without waiting for her personal guard, Yueqing swung her legs over the side of the bed and pushed herself up. But the moment her feet touched the cold floor, her knees buckled completely. Her vision swayed, and she collapsed hard onto the carpeted ground with a quiet gasp.

Her waist felt frighteningly hollow, her clothes hanging loose on her frame. In just three days of fever, she had lost a noticeable amount of weight.

Lu Yue gasped, rushing over with her strong, trained grip to carefully hoist Yueqing back onto her feet. Seeing the unyielding determination in her mistress’s eyes, the skilled guard stopped arguing. She quickly fetched a thick, soft blue hanfu, dressing Yueqing gently so as not to press against her tender ribs. Without bothering with elaborate jewelry, Lu Yue tied her hair up securely, and supported her as they stepped out of the room.

Walking down the grand corridors toward her father’s study, Yueqing looked around her childhood home.

The Su estate was large, quiet, and surprisingly warm. Unlike the strict, military discipline of the Xi mansion, this place felt deeply familiar and comfortable. Though only four people lived in this massive residence her father, her two brothers, and herself it was filled with an effortless, cozy comfort. Delicate lanterns warmed the wooden walkways, and every guard and servant they passed bowed deeply with soft, respectful smiles.

To everyone here, she was not the high-and-mighty General’s wife facing a crisis. She was simply their beloved Young Miss, back home where she belonged.

Reaching the double doors of Chancellor Su’s private study, Yueqing pushed them open and stepped inside to wait for her father’s return.

Stepping into her father’s large study, Yueqing told Lu Yue to wait near the doors while she walked slowly around the quiet room. The smell of ink and polished wood filled the air. She trailed her fingers along the high wooden bookshelves, looking over the stacks of official scrolls and leather-bound books.

As she reached the side desk near the window, something caught her eye. Tucked tightly between two thick historical texts was a heavy brown envelope.

It looked slightly out of place, as if someone had hidden it in a hurry. Seeing that the red wax seal was already broken, Yueqing pulled the envelope out. Curiosity took over her mind, and she slid the folded letter out from inside.

The moment her eyes scanned the messy handwriting, her heart stopped.

The letter was from her second brother, Su Yu, written directly to Chancellor Su.

"Father,

Our shadow guards have uncovered the truth. General Xi Wenzhe is alive, but he has been taken hostage by the Iron Raven army of the Northern Tribes. They ambushed his unit and dragged him across the border.

The Iron Raven leadership has already sent a secret demand to the Imperial Court. They are holding Wenzhe as leverage, threatening to execute him unless the Emperor surrenders three border towns and lowers the trade tariffs. Even Grand Duke Xi remains entirely unaware of this ransom demand—that is how difficult it was for my men to pull this information from the court’s shadow network.

My biggest fear is the Emperor himself. Knowing his cold nature, he may very well refuse their demands to protect imperial territory, which means the Iron Ravens will kill Wenzhe without hesitation.

Please, whatever you do, keep this from Yueqing. She is far too weak, and I do not want her to suffer any more worry."

The paper slipped from Yueqing’s cold, trembling fingers, fluttering uselessly to the floor.

The air vanished from her lungs. The room swirled wildly around her as the horrifying truth slammed straight into her brain, Wenzhe was in the hands of the brutal Iron Ravens, the Emperor was likely going to abandon him, and his life was hanging by a single thread.

"Madam?!" Lu Yue’s sharp voice echoed through the quiet study as she saw Yueqing sway violently.

"Wenzhe..." Yueqing gasped out, her vision turning completely black.

Before Lu Yue could sprint across the room, Yueqing’s eyes rolled back, and her weak, exhausted body collapsed limply onto the floor.

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