Chapter 203: Her, Huh
When the eunuch who had been cutting meat in the courtyard suddenly raised his knife and slashed over, Princess Wuyang was both happy and unhappy.
She was happy that Father Emperor had granted her a meal for the first time, and it was the most complex and elaborate roast meat.
She was unhappy because this might not have been granted to her, but to this Miss Yang.
Was this Miss Yang really Father Emperor’s daughter?
Princess Wuyang was somewhat puzzled. Just now, she had personally seen Princess Pingcheng still acting arrogantly, while Yang Luo was as silent as in the schoolroom.
Most importantly, Father Emperor had not even glanced extra at this Yang Luo, his expression cold.
It seemed that even if she really was Father Emperor’s daughter, she would not be favored, and her background was not as good as theirs.
As for what Princess Nangong had said earlier about Yang Luo being more valued than Pingcheng, and Wei Jiao now only listening to her…
It must be for investigating the case.
Princess Wuyang felt somewhat bored, looking at Miss Yang sitting opposite her.
Miss Yang was lowering her head, seriously flipping through her homework.
Imperial Consort Li had said in front of the Emperor to ask Miss Yang to guide on homework, so Yang Luo was directly brought to Princess Wuyang’s palace. After Miss Yang arrived, she indeed started looking at her homework.
“Hey.” Princess Wuyang called out.
Miss Yang lifted her head to look at her, her brows and eyes calm.
“Is my homework really that bad?” Princess Wuyang asked.
Miss Yang smiled: “No, Princess’s homework is actually very good.”
Real or fake? Princess Wuyang was somewhat happy, but then pursed her lips: “You know how to say nice things.”
Recalling when she was a lady-in-waiting in the schoolroom, this Yang Luo had been very respectful to her, and her words were pleasant.
“Let me tell you.” She said lazily, “In this imperial palace, saying nice things is useless. For example, no matter how many nice things you say to Pingcheng, she won’t give you a smile.”
Miss Yang said: “It’s still better than saying unpleasant things and getting an unpleasant face.”
Princess Wuyang chuckled, about to say something, when a palace maid came in from outside: “Princess, they ask if you want—”
Before she finished speaking, the imperial kitchen eunuch following behind the palace maid thrust his boning knife through the palace maid’s heart.
Princess Wuyang’s vision instantly turned blood-red, and for a moment she didn’t react.
So red, what was that?
The next moment, that eunuch kicked the palace maid away and pulled out the knife.
It was a knife.
It was blood.
It was, murder!
Princess Wuyang froze completely, unable to do anything but let out a scream, watching wide-eyed as this eunuch gripped the knife and charged at her, getting closer and closer—
Suddenly her vision went black, and the scent of paper and ink covered her nose.
At the same time, a strong force pressed her down to the ground.
Princess Wuyang lay on the ground, her recovered gaze seeing the few words covering her face, recognizing them as her own handwriting.
This was her homework booklet, which Miss Yang had been holding just now…
So, was this Miss Yang, in fright, randomly throwing the homework booklet in her hand? It had smashed onto her face?
The next moment, with a bang, Princess Wuyang lying on the ground saw someone fall down beside her.
It was that charging eunuch.
Perhaps, because the eunuch’s neck was twisted halfway, half his face turned to the back, unrecognizable…
Princess Wuyang let out another heart-wrenching scream, pressing her hand on her homework booklet to tightly cover her face.
Noisy voices and screams surged like waves by her ears.
“Assassin—”
“There’s an assassin—”
“Protect the princess—”
“Also protect the Imperial Consort.”
Hearing this voice, Imperial Consort Li who had fallen to the ground saw the maidservant being escorted in by imperial guards, and with a bang, the palace courtyard’s main gate was also closed.
Following the maidservant’s words, several imperial guards stepped forward to pull and drag Imperial Consort Li up. They said it was protection, but their actions showed no respect at all, and one imperial guard even went to dislocate Imperial Consort Li’s jaw…
“No need.” The maidservant said, “Your Ladyship has no intention of seeking death.”
That imperial guard withdrew his hand.
Imperial Consort Li looked at the imperial guards surrounding her, then at the maidservant: “You, what are you doing?” She struggled again, saying, “Let me go quickly, Wuyang, Wuyang—”
“Your Ladyship need not worry.” The maidservant said, looking into the courtyard, “Look, how valiant Young Lord Zhu is.”
Imperial Consort Li looked over and saw Zhu Yunxiao, who had rushed in upon hearing the first scream, still in the courtyard at this moment.
Although she did not carry weapons into the palace, she grabbed the silk net grill and smashed it on an eunuch’s head, then flew up with a kick, making another eunuch spit blood.
Yes, truly valiant, but Princess, indoors.
Not saving the Princess, for whom is the valor displayed?
This is not right.
Not right!
Zhu Yunxiao’s valor is not right, the Imperial Guards arriving too timely is also not right.
Imperial Consort Li’s heart sank like falling into an ice cave, the noise around her ears like waves, now distant now near.
……
……
“Assassin?!”
Any disturbance in the Imperial Palace, the Empress’s Palace would surely know, let alone an assassin.
“……Yes, it seems so, assassins hidden among the people from the Imperial Kitchen……”
A palace maid looked nervous, raising her voice as she said this.
The Imperial Kitchen in the rear palace is under the Empress’s control.
Thinking of the place where the assassin appeared, it was Princess Wuyang’s location, and that Miss Yang was there too.
Whether Imperial Consort Li or Miss Yang, both of these people have conflicts with the Empress……
The assassin appeared there, if something really happened, in case they frame the Empress……
“Your Ladyship, because they heard His Majesty was granting roast meat to Princess Wuyang, these people took the chance to mix in…” the palace maid hurriedly said loudly.
This was His Majesty’s impromptu decree, what to eat and who to use was not something the Empress could arrange in advance.
The Empress understood the palace maid’s worry, but she did not care at all, instead she smiled: “In our Imperial City, why are there exceptionally many assassins these days?”
“A Feng, Pingcheng, don’t be afraid.” The Emperor said, “This is a strategy set by Us.”
The Emperor’s strategy?
Everyone in the hall was stunned for a moment.
Princess Pingcheng seemed to think of something.
“Father Emperor, is it the assassin from the last palace banquet?” she said.
At the last palace banquet, there were assassins attempting to assassinate Miss Yang, several assassins were executed, but one jumped into the water and escaped, afterward there was a great search in the palace, but that assassin was not found.
Some said he was already dead, some said he had already escaped.
Now it seems……
The Emperor looked at Princess Pingcheng, nodding approvingly: “Us suspects the assassin is still hiding in the palace, so this time We specially let Miss Yang enter the palace, to see if we can lure the assassin out.”
At this point, his expression darkened.
“Indeed, the assassin is still in the palace, what audacious courage!”
“A Feng, you and Pingcheng stay safely in the hall, We will go take a look, this time We will surely annihilate the assassin and find out the mastermind behind it.”
Watching the Emperor stride away surrounded by the Imperial Guards, everyone in the hall breathed a sigh of relief, Princess Pingcheng also let out a long breath, unable to suppress the curve of her mouth.
Father Emperor actually used that Yang Luo as bait.
Truly, too dangerous.
……
……
Leaving the Empress’s Palace, the Emperor’s steps immediately quickened.
“How is it over there?” he asked urgently.
“Your Majesty, rest assured, everything is under control.” The secret guard leader said in a low voice.
Sigh, in this world, where is anything fully under control? Although there had been arrangements early on, the opponent had truly also arranged desperate men.
The Emperor was full of worry, Luo Ying must not have an accident.
He regretted agreeing to Luo Ying’s proposal.
But……
“……Your Majesty, I am already under your wing’s protection, if even this I dare not personally kill the enemy, I would be unworthy as a child.”
Thinking of what Luo Ying said to him, pride appeared on the Emperor’s face again.
Correct, he is not a cowardly incompetent sort, and his Luo Ying is even less so.
……
……
Zhu Yunxiao arrived timely, the Imperial Guards also arrived timely, the assassination in the Princess’s Garden had just begun and already ended.
With a bang, the last assassin disguised as an eunuch was kicked to the ground by two imperial guards. Zhu Yunxiao simultaneously caught the knife that fell from the eunuch and thrust it into the eunuch’s body.
Blood surged from the eunuch like a spring, but he did not die immediately and twitched on the ground.
Zhu Yunxiao half-kneeled on the ground, reached into the eunuch’s mouth, and raised his bloody hand, signaling to the maidservant in the courtyard.
“The poison pill has been retrieved,” he said. “We’ve kept this one alive.”
Miss Yang ignored him and looked toward the hall.
The assassins disguised as eunuchs from the imperial kitchen had all been killed. The palace maids, eunuchs, and palace women in Princess Wuyang’s palace had all been controlled and taken away by the imperial guards.
And in the hall, apart from Princess Wuyang’s initial cry of alarm, there was immediately no sound afterward—no sounds of fighting, and no one rushed out.
Miss Yang’s lips curved slightly. With A Sheng inside, there was no need to worry.
She then looked at Zhu Yunxiao and shook her head. “No need for a live one. No need to interrogate.”
Zhu Yunxiao nodded, stuffed the poison pill into the eunuch’s mouth, and twisted his hands. With a crisp cracking sound, the eunuch went completely still.
“You, you all, quickly summon His Majesty—”
Imperial Consort Li, firmly restrained by the imperial guards, seemed frightened by this bloody scene and screamed again.
Miss Yang looked at her.
“Your Ladyship the Imperial Consort, what do you plan to say when you see His Majesty?” she asked, then smiled. “Oh, by the way, let me remind you—His Majesty knows everything.”
Knows everything? Knows what?
Imperial Consort Li’s face involuntarily paled.
Although she had already guessed, she didn’t believe it. How was that possible….
Hadn’t everything been progressing very well?
Her brother had sent word that there was a small problem with the Ji family servant on the Dali Temple side. Someone hadn’t been silenced in time to avoid alerting the enemy, but now it seemed he had been ensnared by the snake….
But the problem wasn’t big. He had prepared the follow-up: a scapegoat and the rhetoric to counter it. It wouldn’t trace back to their Li Clan.
No, it wasn’t that problem. It was Zhu Yunxiao.
Zhu Yunxiao!
He had betrayed them!
Imperial Consort Li looked toward Zhu Yunxiao, but the maidservant stepped forward and blocked her gaze.
Imperial Consort Li looked at this maidservant. The maidservant’s features seemed covered in a layer of dust, making her look very unremarkable.
At this moment, the maidservant was studying her so earnestly, so brazenly.
A mere maidservant dared to look at her so directly, scrutinize her like this.
Imperial Consort Li gathered her chaotic thoughts. Even if His Majesty knew, she wasn’t afraid.
She could claim she was unaware. Her brother had said everything would be on him; he would definitely protect her.
She had the Prince of Linhai.
She had the Emperor’s son.
The Emperor wouldn’t kill her. The Emperor certainly wouldn’t kill his own son.
As long as the son was there, the Li Clan would endure.
“How bold you are—” she shouted, not looking at the maidservant but at the imperial guards restraining her. “His Majesty, I want to see His Majesty—”
The maidservant extended her hand and pinched her chin, forcing her gaze back.
Imperial Consort Li was so angry she almost laughed.
Fine. She knew that Miss Yang was formidable, and this maidservant was truly a dog relying on her master’s power….
The maidservant looked at her and sighed softly.
“I’ve finally gotten a clear look at you.”
What did she need to see her for? Imperial Consort Li was about to speak when the maidservant leaned closer.
“You still don’t know my name, do you?” she said softly.
Why should she know the name of a mere maidservant? Imperial Consort Li looked at the approaching maidservant, feeling annoyed, hateful, and inexplicably baffled. The next moment, she saw the maidservant smile.
“I’m Yang Luo,” the maidservant whispered in her ear.
What nonsense?
Imperial Consort Li stiffened, then felt as if struck by lightning.
It seemed she understood everything, yet had countless doubts.
So that’s how it was!
How could it be like this?!
It shouldn’t be…
In an instant, pain stabbed at her neck. She lowered her eyes and saw a knife slashing across her throat, blood spraying out.
Her blood, this is her blood, her neck.
Imperial Consort Li wanted to scream, but opening her mouth only produced clicking sounds.
It hurts so much.
A final thought flashed through her mind.
……
……
After twisting that eunuch’s neck, Zhu Yunxiao raised his head again and saw the maidservant walk to Imperial Consort Li’s side, whispering something.
Her voice was low, he couldn’t hear clearly, he stood up, wanting to walk over, but the next moment he saw the maidservant raise her hand toward Imperial Consort Li’s neck, a cold gleam flashed, and blood spurted out.
A chill surged from Zhu Yunxiao’s soles to the top of his head.
The maidservant turned around, and because she was too close, her face and body were splattered with blood.
She met Zhu Yunxiao’s gaze and smiled faintly.
“Alas,” she said, “Imperial Consort Li blocked a knife for our young lady and unfortunately died. It’s truly saddening and admirable.”
Zhu Yunxiao heard it, yet it seemed he didn’t; he looked at this maidservant, with blood and a smile, his heartbeat pounding like drums, dizzy and lightheaded.
She.
It seemed countless thoughts surged in his mind, but they ultimately converged into one, thundering in his ears.
He must marry Miss Yang.
That way, this maidservant would belong to him too.
