we’re around the same age!"Cloud Shallow Snow realized that she didn't even know her own birth date. She had always heard people say she was approaching coming-of-age, but no one had given her an exa...Volume 1: Smiling at the Splendor Chapter 78: Continuous Assassinations

After Yun Qianyue left, there was a moment of silence in the Mandarin Duck Pool Pavilion.

The Cold Imperial Concubine looked extremely displeased. She thought that it was too lenient to let Yun Qianyue leave so easily today, but time would tell. She turned to the Queen, who had been deep in thought, and said sarcastically, "Big Sister Empress, you should really teach this Miss Yun Qianyue a lesson. She is truly unruly and shows no signs of being well-read or well-mannered. Not only has she disgraced the reputation of the Cloud王府, but she's also tarnished your name."

"Sister Cold, if even the Emperor doesn't bother with this matter, why should I" The Queen, having finished her thoughts, looked at the Cold Imperial Concubine and said coolly, "Furthermore, aren’t your nephew and niece no better than Moon She may be frivolous and unteachable, but at least she's not a bully who forces good people into evil or commits cruel murders. Over these years, Prince Xiao has done many wicked deeds that the Emperor knows about despite turning a blind eye to them. As for Princess Xiao’s recent fight with Lady Second of the Glory王府 in the Crown Prince’s府邸, it certainly doesn’t befit her status as a well-bred lady. She's on par with Moon. How can I manage my nephews and nieces when even you, their aunt, cannot"

The Cold Imperial Concubine was at a loss for words in embarrassment.

"I find Miss Yun Qianyue quite lovable! She must have some merits to be protected by both the Prince of Jing and Little Prince Rong. Those two are among the best young men in our capital, not everyone can win their favor."

“What merits She's a frivolous fool who doesn't know how to read and knows nothing other than having a pretty face,” the Cold Imperial Concubine sniffed disdainfully.

The Queen’s expression turned cold immediately. "Having a good appearance is something one is born with. There are people whose faces can’t be improved no matter how much rouge or powder you put on them. Being able to bewitch the men in this city and even across the land is an impressive feat."

The Cold Imperial Concubine, who always cared about her appearance, was furious upon hearing that, "Sister Empress, are you talking about anyone in particular"

With a gentle smile as she met the Cold Imperial Concubine’s anger, the Queen replied calmly, "Of course I am talking about my own incapable niece. Thankfully, her good looks make up for her shortcomings; today her beauty even surpasses that of Miss Qin from Chancellor’s府邸. Why are you angry Don’t tell me you think I’m referring to you."

The Cold Imperial Concubine glared angrily at the Queen, this was an indirect criticism! She didn't think she was dumb enough not to understand.

Continuing in a calm tone, the Queen said, "You are no longer young and neither is His Majesty past his age of admiring flowers. It’s been a long time since new concubines have entered the palace; Sister Cold doesn’t need to worry so much about her looks anymore. A woman's youth fades, even if she was once the most beautiful in the land, after twenty years, it will be hard for anyone to look at her. Appearance isn't everything for a woman. I’m talking about Miss Yun here, why are you trying to relate this to yourself"

The Cold Imperial Concubine felt a great anger welling up inside but managed to suppress it since she was still somewhat capable and couldn’t afford to lose her temper. She said with a smile, "Sister Empress is right. Miss Yun’s good looks are of no use without talent. Men can be superficial; the Prince of Jing is above such trivialities, he deserves someone as talented as him. His favor towards Miss Yun must just be because she entertains him."

The Queen's phoenix eyes glowed with anger but she restrained it, her smile fading. "How many women would kill to be his toy Even a glance from him is a blessing, yet he hasn’t taken an eye for anyone except Moon. Does this mean that the women who don't receive even one look from him are less fortunate than toys Like Little Princess Xiao in Prince Xiaoshen’s府邸."

The Cold Imperial Concubine held her breath, veins throbbing on her forehead; if she weren’t sitting across from the Queen now, she might have stormed out already. She was speechless and could only stare at the Queen with hatred.

"Though I say so, Sister Cold should be more careful with what she says. One knows not where misfortune can come from a careless word. The Prince of Jing is just carrying out my father’s wishes by taking care of Miss Yun; even His Majesty hasn’t said anything against it. You shouldn't slander Moon unless you want to invite trouble for yourself. Even if I’m here, I won’t blame you. But what will happen if your words reach the ears of the Prince of Jing"

The Cold Imperial Concubine’s expression changed.

"And just now, you heard the news from Upper Study: Little Prince Rong also fiercely protects Moon; he doesn’t tolerate a single bad word about her. Much less would he allow vicious slander. Even His Majesty can't control that little devil. Of course, if Sister Cold is not afraid of Little Prince Rong, feel free to continue your talk. But when you have angered him and incurred punishment, don’t come crying to me or His Majesty."

The Queen stood up straight as she spoke, her words dignified and commanding, overshadowing the Cold Imperial Concubine.

The Cold Imperial Concubine trembled involuntarily; she knew she had angered the Queen. The Prince of Jing and Little Prince Rong were not to be trifled with easily. She was just angry and confused today. Forcing a smile, she said, "Sister only spoke without thinking, please don’t blame me. To put it bluntly, Miss Yun is still just a child; seeing how hard Sister works, I feel sympathetic and wanted to advise you to guide her a bit more, but that’s all."

"It's good if you understand!" The Queen replied indifferently.

Though the Cold Imperial Concubine was furious, she had to suppress it as she didn't have any grounds for complaint in the harem. Speechless, she prepared to leave but then noticed that Grand Princess Dowager Qin, who had been seated beside the Queen all along without a word and seemed lost in thought, was now smiling. She got even angrier and said with a smile, "I forgot just now; you might have spoken wrongly. It's not only Miss Yun who receives special treatment from the Prince of Jing."

"Oh Do tell," the Queen guessed what she implied when she saw her glance at Grand Princess Dowager Qin.

"Just now I heard that today’s lesson in Upper Study was about scholarship. The Prince of Jing greatly praised Miss Qin's views, calling her a great talent worthy to be Empress Consort and saying Miss Yun is nothing but a frivolous fool inferior to Miss Qin. Sister Empress, with such words coming out, isn’t it obvious that the Prince of Jing favors Miss Qin"

Grand Princess Dowager Qin looked at the Cold Imperial Concubine, smiled, and said, though close to seventy years old, her face still revealed she had been a top beauty in her youth. Glancing at the calm Queen beside her, she slowly spoke, "That child is talented in many ways; there are very few young ladies in this city who can match her. She deserves praise from the Prince of Jing. But to call her fit for Empress Consort might be too much."

"Grand Princess Dowager, don’t you believe in the Prince of Jing's judgment Who is he He’s a genius of our Heavenly Saint Dynasty and perhaps the greatest genius across all lands. His words are always seen as wise admonitions. For him to call Miss Qin fit for Empress Consort must be true," Cold Imperial Concubine said, her gaze flickering between the Queen and Grand Princess Dowager Qin; she smiled even more when she saw the Queen remained calm.

"Whether or not one is fit for Empress Consort depends on luck as much as talent," Grand Princess Dowager Qin did not want to argue further. She stood up, looking somewhat tired: "As I age, my energy wanes. After sitting here for so long, I’m exhausted. You youngsters sit back and relax; I’ll go back now."

"Grand Princess Dowager take care!" The Queen also rose and gave a slight bow.

"See off the Noble Consort!" Mingfei and all the other concubines stood up to pay their respects to Empress Dowager Qin.

Cold Noble Consort had好不容易找到打擊皇後的把柄，冇想到秦太妃不給麵子。始祖皇帝的祖訓已經沿襲百年了，總該終止了吧？況且雲淺月又那麼不堪大用，這後宮之主總不能讓雲王府繼續把持著，不是她冷家，也要換一家。她就不信秦太妃和秦丞相冇有這個想法。她笑著說道：“我正好很久冇去太妃娘娘那裡坐了，我送太妃回宮吧！”

Empress Dowager Qin paused in her steps and nodded. "Alright! Then it's a lot of trouble for Cold Noble Consort!"

"It's no trouble at all, Your Majesty is filial to you, and as your daughters-in-law, we should also be filially obedient, right It’s only natural that I do this." Cold Noble Consort stepped forward to support Empress Dowager Qin's arm and said with a smile.

"That's true. Because of Your Majesty's filial piety, I can enjoy my old age in peace," Empress Dowager Qin also smiled.

Cold Noble Consort looked back at the queen once and pretended to be concerned: "It doesn't look too good on your face, Sister Queen. Are you feeling unwell We should get a court physician to take a look at you as soon as possible! You are our backbone; if you fall ill, we would lose our mainstay."

"Rest assured, Cold Noble Consort. I am still in good health. Considering the daily worries and hard work of Cold Noble Consort, she should pay more attention to her health," replied Queen, her tone as usual indifferent. When seeing that Cold Noble Consort wanted to speak again, she reminded, "Since you are escorting Empress Dowager back to the palace, you must take good care of her. Be careful not to slip on the steps or else Emperor might not forgive you if anything happened to Empress Dowager."

Cold Noble Consort was startled and dared not speak again. She carefully helped Empress Dowager Qin down the steps.

As Cold Noble Consort and Empress Dowager Qin walked away, Queen retook her seat and waved at everyone, "It's getting late. I assume that all of you are tired from sitting here for a while now. Go back to your chambers! I will stay here a little longer."

"Yes!" Everyone stood up to leave.

Mingfei didn't move but looked at Queen and said gently, "I’m not feeling tired yet, so I’ll stay and keep you company for a while."

“Alright!” Queen nodded. She waved to Sun Mama and the others who understood her meaning and retreated.

"Sister, don't take Cold Noble Consort's words to heart. In my opinion, Miss Yun Qianyue is someone blessed by fortune. As they say, 'A person of good fortune won’t fall on unlucky ground.' Some things are still up in the air and depend on His Majesty’s decision. After all, it was just a sentence from Prince Ji.

“Do you think I am worried about this” Queen smiled faintly.

"Doesn't Sister worry about this" Mingfei was stunned.

The queen shook her head and looked at the lotus in the mandarin duck pond, no longer speaking.

Mingfei followed Queen’s gaze to the lotuses in the mandarin duck pond. She saw a group of mandarin ducks playing around the flowers and smiled: "These mandarin ducks are so cute."

"Ming Noble Consort, do you only see how adorable these mandarin ducks are Have you noticed anything else" Queen didn’t look at Mingfei but said directly without waiting for her to ask: "This pond of mandarin ducks is like this imperial palace. The mandarin ducks in the pond are like us. We compete and play every day, entertaining ourselves alone. But where do we know what scenery lies beyond the pond"

Mingfei was shocked and whispered to Queen, “Then, Your Majesty would be like the lotus flowers in this pond”

"Your Majesty Huh…." Queen raised her eyebrows, shook her head with a smile and sighed: "The Emperor is like the moon occasionally falling into this mandarin duck pond. It's visible but untouchable, and no matter how long we live, that moon can never be caught by us."

Mingfei was shocked again as she glanced around and found nobody else present except for a few maidservants standing far away. A hint of sorrow appeared on her face: "Sister is right. This mandarin duck pond is like the imperial palace, and we are like these mandarin ducks in the pond. The Emperor is like that moon occasionally falling into this pond. We spend our lives trapped here, but those who imprison us will never be able to catch it."

“If so, then, Ming Noble Consort, do you still think I would feel sad if Moon could not become Empress and no more women from the Cloud Family enter the palace This is just a cage. Because of an imperial concubine in the era of our founding emperor who was deeply loved by him, several virtuous daughters of the Cloud Family have been sent to the harem for centuries since then. But after the founding emperor, has any other emperor possessed such enduring devotion like his They are all just superficially affectionate and fickle. Stopping here at my position as Empress is not a bad thing.” Queen said slowly. At this moment she was no longer the high-and-mighty queen who had just dominated Cold Noble Consort; she was merely a pitiful woman.

Mingfei remained silent, feeling deeply for Queen. No matter how glorious and wealthy it might be, the imperial palace could only be a stage for her to perform on behalf of herself. When beauty fades and favor wanes, what would happen when Emperor died Either they die or spend their lives in seclusion in the palace. She sat there looking at the mandarin ducks in the pond as if she had seen through all the rest of her life.

"If so, it's more blessed for Miss Yun Qianyue not to enter the imperial palace," Mingfei sighed after a long silence.

“True. I am envious of Moon; she doesn’t know anything and is ignorant of etiquette. Not knowing anything isn't entirely bad either. At least, it might save her from being locked up in this nine-layered palace. In the past, I always felt angry at her for being mischievous and unruly and not learning anything useful or acting like a lady of high rank. But now I no longer think so. If I had been like her back then, maybe I wouldn’t be sitting here waiting to wither away,” Queen said.

"Sister, please don't think like this anymore. If the Emperor finds out that you…" Mingfei whispered gently.

“The Emperor Hmph!” The queen let out a cold laugh and turned her head to look at Mingfei. “Ming Noble Consort, do you believe you’re happy You’ve been favored for twenty years without decline. How many people in this palace envy you! But are you really happy”

Ming Fei lowered her eyelashes and was silent for a long time before shaking her head.

"Isn't that the point! Even you don’t feel happy, who else in this palace could be happy This place is like a golden cage; we’re slowly waiting to waste away our lives inside it." The Empress turned her gaze towards the sky. "I might have ruined myself, but I don’t want another woman to ruin herself here as well. Back then, when my aunt told me all this, not one word did I listen to her; I threw myself into it blindly. Initially, I thought Yue Er would be the same, but now that she’s showing no interest in the position of empress and has become cold towards Ye Tian Qing, I feel there might still be hope."

"Sister-in-law, the ancestral teachings set by our forefathers are not easily discarded. In my opinion, His Majesty's attitude towards Miss Qianyue is quite peculiar; it’s probably not going to be easy. Furthermore, with more attention being paid to Miss Qianyue now and with her being protected by Prince Jing Shi and Young Prince Ran, His Majesty might have a different way of thinking than before," Ming Fei said carefully.

"So what if he thinks differently All His Majesty cares about is the imperial power." The Empress seemed tired and unwilling to continue talking. She stopped speaking and smiled at Ming Fei, "Sister-in-law, you still have hope; at least you have three daughters while I don’t even have one."

When these words were spoken, there was an indescribable sense of desolation.

Ming Fei’s eyes welled up with tears. "Sister, as long as I’m here, you won’t be left alone,"

The Empress’ face softened slightly; her once sharp gaze now held a hint of warmth, and she said somewhat guiltily, "If not for me back then, you wouldn’t have been brought into the palace and trapped in this cage for twenty years."

"Sister, please don’t say that. Back then I willingly entered on my own accord. The great favor you bestowed upon me is something Zihan will never forget. If it weren’t for you, there wouldn’t be a me today. Every day I live now feels like borrowed time; I am content with what I have," Ming Fei shook her head.

"Saving your life back then was the luckiest thing that happened to me in my life. However, marrying into the royal family is the unluckiest event of my life. In this lifetime, all I hope for is that during my remaining years, Cloud Manor remains unscathed. That would be enough," The Empress said softly.

"It’s a pity Young Prince Qing Wan doesn’t like Mu Han; if she could marry into the Cloud Manor, His Majesty being her favorite might prevent something from happening. But alas, now that she is so ill, it’s even less likely for her to win over Young Prince Mu Han’s heart…" Ming Fei said.

"Sister-in-law, don’t you understand by now Even if Qing Wan wins Mu Han’s heart and marries into the Cloud Manor, will the Cloud Manor truly remain unscathed" The Empress looked at Ming Fei with a slightly cold voice. "Why am I childless Why are you without sons or daughters Why is Cold Noble Consort without children Why did the mothers of Prince Four and the Crown Prince die so early Why was the maternal family of the sole intelligent prince in the royal family, Prince Seven, uprooted Why hasn’t His Majesty appointed any new concubines these years Why are those young princes left with no support at all Over the past few years, everything that has happened should be enough to make you understand. The Emperor’s heart is cold; he can use familial bonds anytime he wants. What he desires is a stable empire and imperial power concentrated on himself. He needs an heir who possesses nothing but decisiveness and determination, not controlled by any relatives; this is what he seeks."

Ming Fei’s face changed as she stood up abruptly in shock, unable to believe her ears. "Sister…"

The Empress no longer spoke, shifting her gaze towards the Divine Yang Palace. There was a man whom she had deeply loved and then deeply hated; now she felt nothing.

Ming Fei remained shocked for a long time before slowly sitting down without saying another word.

"Qing Wan’s feelings for Mu Han likely won’t bear fruit no matter how many years pass. You better find a way to make her stop, lest the child’s happiness be ruined. Forcing things rarely brings sweetness; you should know what true happiness is as someone who has experienced it all. Also, Sixth Princess’ infatuation with Prince Jing Shi is probably just wishful thinking. If you don’t want an irreparable situation, you must prevent this in time. And Seventh Princess’s illness is actually a heart disease; she survived witnessing the assassination at Wen Bohong Mansion back then by sheer luck. Find an opportunity to summon Rong Feng for her to meet so she might speak up and awaken from her delusions," The Empress continued.

"Sister, you’re right. I understand! Of these three daughters, originally the youngest was supposed to be a bit more sensible, but unexpectedly, she actually fancies Prince Jing Shi. Even if she is a princess, how can she match up to him If His Majesty wants to marry them off, it’s still impossible without Prince Jing Shi’s consent," Ming Fei nodded her head, then looked worriedly at the Empress and said, "Sister, Miss Qianyue seems truly intent on marrying Rong Feng. What if His Majesty agrees"

"Then it would be better. Although I haven’t met him yet, since he’s from Wen Bohong Mansion, there should be no problem," The Empress smiled. "Qing Yue has always been unpredictable and does things that surprise everyone; this time the Emperor didn’t expect her to cause such a commotion."

"She used to get along well with Qing Wan despite their disagreements, often visiting me in the palace too. Now she looks at me as if we’re strangers, not speaking a word after seeing me and hasn't visited Qing Wan for quite some time," Ming Fei said smilingly. "Has she become angry with you too"

"Perhaps. Her personality is always peculiar; that day in the View Garden really frightened her. Father wanted to use the Crown Prince to test the Emperor’s thoughts, but he ended up making me look like a villain. That little girl hated me for over a month, and now even after retrieving the Green Warm Jade from His Majesty, she doesn’t stay longer than necessary; truly she hates me."

The Empress said with a laugh.

"She’s still young; eventually, she’ll understand your intentions," Ming Fei replied smilingly.

"It doesn’t matter if she understands or not. I always remember the words left to me by my sister-in-law," The Empress glanced at the sky and stood up. "It’s noon now, we should go back."

Ming Fei nodded and also stood up; together they left Yuyang Pool Pavilion with a group of maidservants and eunuchs escorting them towards the palace.

After their departure, Yun Qianyue emerged from behind a rock formation on her way to the palace gate. She frowned slightly as she watched in the direction where the Empress and Ming Fei had gone. Originally, she intended to leave quickly but, unwilling to leave without clarifying certain matters, she returned secretly and hid behind the rocks. The thing she was proudest of before wasn’t how many qualifications or degrees she attained, nor entering the State Security Bureau; it was mastering lip reading. Therefore, even from a distance, as long as she could see their faces clearly, she knew exactly what they were saying.

The Empress and Ming Fei’s conversation had mostly been directed towards her direction; thus she heard almost everything.

Yun Qianyue rubbed her forehead, digested the information she overheard, then walked toward the palace gate. It was noon now, with few servants moving about in the palace corridors and no familiar faces encountered along the way, so she left smoothly without any obstruction.

At the palace gate, Rong Jing’s carriage was indeed waiting there as expected.

Yun Qianyue walked up to the vehicle, pulled back the curtain, and saw that Rong Jing was seated inside reading a book intently. She called out, "Bookworm!

"Looks like you've had quite a haul" Rong Jing raised his head and fixed his gaze on the brocade box that Yun Qianyue was holding.

"Hmm, it seems you were right. There really is something to be gained!" Yun Qianyue got into the carriage, leaning against the yoke, and tossed the brocade box to Rong Jing. "Could you keep this for me"

She threw it without any delicacy; it almost hit Rong Jing straight in his chest.

Rong Jing caught the brocade box, opened it briefly before closing it again and arched an eyebrow as he asked, “Keep it for you You trust me”

"Of course there's no need to worry! You have more money than you can shake a stick at; I doubt these few coins could blacken your reputation." Yun Qianyue lay down in the carriage and thought about how painful eavesdropping had been. She hadn’t even dared breathe while crouching between those two fake hills, fearing she would be discovered by Madam Sun or others not far away. Now her arms and legs felt stiff.

"That may not necessarily be true." Despite Rong Jing’s words to the contrary, he still placed the brocade box in a small case inside his carriage. Turning back, he saw Yun Qianyue rubbing her arm repeatedly and asked gently, "Shall I help you with that"

"Thanks!" Yun Qianyue didn’t bother being polite as she scooted closer to Rong Jing.

"You’re really not shy about it," Rong Jing said. Putting down his book, he pressed his delicate hand on Yun Qianyue’s shoulder with the perfect amount of pressure.

Yun Qianyue let out a contented hum and closed her eyes to enjoy his massage. She thought: This guy really is all-rounder! After a while, she softly asked, "What kind of person do you think my aunt is"

"What do you think" Rong Jing didn’t answer but counter-questioned.

"She’s just a pitiful woman!" Yun Qianyue sighed.

Rong Jing no longer spoke. He watched the troubled face of Yun Qianyue, his gaze flickering slightly.

The carriage had left the palace gate by now. Yun Qianyue stopped talking and Rong Jing didn’t say anything either; the interior was quiet.

It was midday at this point; there wasn’t anyone around on the road to cause a commotion. When Yun Qianyue first started her journey, she had been thinking about things but she gradually drifted off in the peace and comfort of the carriage.

Rong Jing watched as she fell asleep and gently stopped massaging her. He gazed quietly at her sleeping face for a moment before picking up his book to read again. After just two pages, he suddenly lowered his gaze, threw down the book, and scooped Yun Qianyue into his arms with one hand. In an instant, they jumped out of the carriage.

At that very moment, Xiang Ge shouted furiously as she leaped up.

Simultaneously, countless arrows were fired toward their carriage, whistling through the air and piercing the curtains with a series of "shhh" sounds. In an instant, the surrounding area was covered in a rain of arrows.

Yun Qianyue was fast asleep but suddenly woke up to the sudden surge of killing intent. By nature she had a heightened sense of danger and as soon as she noticed something amiss, she opened her eyes only to be pulled out by Rong Jing, landing with him on the ground just in time to avoid the raining arrows. The two rolled several times on the ground to dodge the incoming barrage.

At this moment, Xiang Ge and Mo Li had also landed beside them. They drew their swords simultaneously to block the second wave of arrows.

The two could finally catch a breath. Rong Jing pulled Yun Qianyue up straight; she recovered her senses just in time to see that their carriage was turning at this quiet street corner, surrounded by roughly fifty black-clothed masked people standing on both sides of the street’s rooftops, each holding a bow and arrow with cold and lifeless expressions. Their movements were quick, precise, and ruthless—clearly trained killers.

The rain of arrows was momentarily halted as Xiang Ge and Mo Li blocked them; Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue remained unscathed. The black-clothed people saw their arrows becoming ineffective, so the leader barked an order and they all discarded their bows to leap down.

Xiang Ge and Mo Li glanced at each other before Xiang Ge guarded Rong Jing while Mo Li protected Yun Qianyue. They both called out in unison, "Let's go!"

With that said, they leaped into the air together.

At this moment, more black-clothed people appeared behind them, raining arrows upon Xiang Ge and Mo Li who were mid-air. The two were alarmed; one hand protecting Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue while their other hands drew swords to fend off the barrage.

No matter how high their martial arts skills were, they found it hard to handle this situation while holding onto both of them. If they also had to deal with the black-clothed people who discarded their bows and arrows for swords, then the situation would be overwhelming.

Yun Qianyue saw that there were dozens more black-clothed people behind them, her heart sinking; a hundred hidden guards and killers seemed to have been waiting here for such an ambush. Someone clearly wanted to put them both in mortal danger. She couldn’t afford to be complacent with this amount of resources being expended on their assassination. Her expression turned cold as she looked at Rong Jing, "What do we do"

Rong Jing didn't look at Yun Qianyue; he reached into his chest and released a signal flare that burst brilliantly in mid-air. At the same time, those black-clothed people who had discarded their bows were already charging with swords drawn straight towards Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue.

Yun Qianyue narrowed her eyes, reached out to pluck the last three hairpins from her head and threw them at the black-clad men. The three hairpins struck their throats accurately, causing three of them to fall dead.

At the same time, Rong Jing sent out something similar to darts, causing several more men to drop dead on the spot.

The moment they lost several men did not deter the assassins but instead made their attacks even more vicious and ruthless.

Yun Qianyue ran her hands through her hair and over her body, finding that she was now completely unarmed. She couldn't help feeling frustrated with herself for being so careless as to only wear a few hairpins out of convenience. Glancing at Rong Jing, she saw him shake his head in return, clearly indicating that he too had nothing left. Fury rose within her, "You're supposed to be omniscient! How could you not have foreseen this ambush"

"It's broad daylight!" Rong Jing replied tersely.

Yun Qianyue was speechless. She wondered who would dare to attempt such an audacious move at midday, even daring to openly assassinate them on the streets of the capital with a hundred or so secret agents and elite warriors. Her first thought was of Prince Xingqing but she quickly dismissed it as unlikely. With him busy treating Leng Shaozhuo's injuries, he wouldn't have had time to think about taking revenge on her.

But who then could this be Without the memories of the body's owner, and unable to discern the origins of these black-clad men from their fighting style, she knew only that they were elite warriors. She couldn't figure out who would want them dead, so she stopped thinking about it and hoped Rong Jing would come to her aid soon.

At this moment, the black-clad men surrounded them with swords and daggers from all directions. Shang Ge and Mo Li protected Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue but they were quickly cornered. Shang Ge was pierced by a sword while Mo Li's arm was slashed open; several swords glinted menacingly as they were about to strike at their throats.

Just then, another dozen black-clad men landed in front of them without any trace of dark energy or even the slightest breeze. They opened up an opening and encircled Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue with Shang Ge and Mo Li in the middle.

The moment the reinforcements arrived, the killing intent around them dissipated abruptly.

Yun Qianyue let out a breath of relief. She saw that there were eighteen black-clad men who were clearly no ordinary martial artists compared to Shang Ge and Mo Li. Their moves were swift and ruthless; many more black-clad assassins fell within moments.

The archers leading the charge saw this and waved their hands, commanding their troops to join the fray as well. Thus, over a hundred men surrounded them completely, clearly determined to kill them all.

Yun Qianyue glared at the black-clad men, then turned to Rong Jing.

Rong Jing's handsome face remained calm despite having just been through生死境 and now amidst the bloodshed. Shang Ge had shielded him well; his white brocade robe was spotless as he stood tall and composed, watching the chaos before him.

She turned back to look at their surroundings. Although Rong Jing had only called for eighteen men, none of the hundred assailants could get close enough. She narrowed her eyes; these were all elite warriors who would be a danger if let go. She wanted them all dead. Turning to him, she asked, "Do you have any more people Call some more!"

"No," Rong Jing shook his head.

"Don't you know who these men are and who wants us dead" Yun Qianyue asked again.

"I don't." Rong Jing shook his head once more.

“I can use hypnosis to extract information. Can your people handle it if I leave one alive” She knew that eighteen men were already a formidable force, but letting them all die would be too much of a waste.

"Elite warriors won't talk no matter what. It's better to kill them all." Rong Jing said.

“I understand hypnosis; I might be able to get something out of these people.” Hearing this, she knew the eighteen men could handle it. Since he already knew so much about her abilities anyway, she didn't mind telling him one more thing.

Rong Jing glanced at Yun Qianyue with no surprise in his eyes and gave orders to form a life-and-death array, leaving only one survivor!

"Understood!" The eighteen men responded together. They quickly rearranged their positions to form the array, surrounding the black-clad men.

Shang Ge and Mo Li escorted Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue out of the circle; now no one could get close enough to them.

Yun Qianyue observed the scene in amazement. The life-and-death array was truly extraordinary, which explained why Rong Jing had so much confidence with only eighteen men. This group of eighteen elite guards was more formidable than a hundred ordinary soldiers. Each man could take on ten enemies; together they would surely form an impenetrable shield.

Rong Jing instructed Shang Ge and Mo Li, "Their blades are poisoned. Sit cross-legged to remove the poison." With that, he tossed two pills at them.

The two immediately caught the pills and swallowed them, then sat cross-legged to practice their cultivation diligently. They knew clearly that this poison was vicious; if they did not practice right away, they could barely keep their lives but all their attainments would be ruined.

Upon hearing this, Yun Qianyue was startled and turned around again. She had not noticed just now, but sure enough, there was black blood flowing from Xuan Ge's shoulder and Mo Li’s arm. Her already gloomy face grew even darker. Who could have been so ruthless Was it to kill Rong Jing alone or her alone, or both of them together She narrowed her eyes.

The Nine Lives and One Death formation was like a huge net covering the sky, tightly sealing off all one hundred black-robed soldiers without any gaps. The black-robed soldiers had already been killed by half by Rong Jing's eighteen Hidden Guards. The remaining black-robed soldiers were in panic and seemed to be using their last efforts to break through the encirclement, but it was completely useless. Before they could even break free from the包圍圈，就被十八名暗衛殺死。

Thick bloodstains filled the air in this street.

Rethinking the scene before her, Yun Qianyue's face darkened further; she did not blink an eye. Although she had also stained her hands with blood in her previous life, nothing compared to the large and intense scenes of bloodshed that she has witnessed since her rebirth. Although she upheld goodness, she was no saint either. She always adhered to a principle: if they don't offend me, I won't offend them; but if they do offend me, I will repay tenfold. Especially from the very first day she arrived in this world and saw Ye Tianqiong pointing a hidden guard sword at her neck, she understood one thing clearly: being merciful here was suicide. Therefore, to not commit suicide, she could only kill others.

She knew that if Rong Jing's eighteen Hidden Guards hadn't come in time, they would have already gone to the underworld long ago and couldn't be watching this scene of slaughter right now. So even if all one hundred hidden soldiers died here today, it was still a just death.

In this moment, Yun Qianyue's facial expression and inner feelings were close to being indifferent and cold-blooded.

Rong Jing stared at Yun Qianyue’s face. His originally cold eyes gradually turned warm.

Neither of them spoke; the white brocade robe and light purple embroidered brocade skirt stood side by side, their calm faces standing quietly amidst the killing aura and bloodstains, forming a unique landscape.

About two sticks of incense later, out of one hundred black-robed soldiers only one remained. That one person was the captain of the one hundred hidden soldiers, who had his martial arts disabled by one of the eighteen Hidden Guards and was brought to Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue like a lump of mud lying on the ground.

Yun Qianyue looked at that Hidden Guard with her cold eyes and said to Rong Jing, "We are currently in the middle of the street. We should find somewhere else to interrogate him."

Rong Jing nodded; just as he was about to say 'okay', three white rays shot toward him and Yun Qianyue along with the Hidden Guard lying on the ground silently and swiftly, instantly reaching their vicinity. His eyes turned dark.

Of course, Yun Qianyue had also noticed it. Her face fell; she was now certain that behind those assassins were people who wanted to kill them both together. Moreover, they were top-notch experts! Behind the killers were other killers—what a poisonous way of doing things!

Just as their expressions changed slightly, two out of the three white rays suddenly shattered into another four white rays when they reached about three feet away from Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue.

Yun Qianyue was startled. She never expected that the secret weapons in this world were so ingenious.

Rong Jing's phoenix eyes narrowed slightly as well.

The eighteen Hidden Guards only had one who was closest to Rong Jing and Yun Qianyue, bringing the black-robed soldier captain to them after a round of killing. The other seventeen Hidden Guards were far away; seeing the secret weapons flying toward their masters, they all changed expressions and flew over, but it was too late—the secret weapons arrived before them. The closest Hidden Guard immediately went to protect Rong Jing.

Before he reached Rong Jing's side, however, Rong Jing ordered, "Save her!"

Although the Hidden Guard did not know who 'her' was, he turned toward Yun Qianyue and without hesitation used his inner strength to break away the secret weapon flying towards her.

Yun Qianyue didn't expect that this black-hearted guy would be so righteous. She wanted to praise him for being a true man when she saw him not dodging the secret weapon on himself but stretching his leg toward the unconscious Hidden Guard lying on the ground as if to kick it away and save someone; her face changed, and she shouted angrily, "Rong Jing, you've gone mad!"

Rong Jing didn't seem to hear anything. He continued moving his foot while turning his head at the same time. The man was kicked aside, and Rong Jing avoided a secret weapon, but he couldn’t avoid another one heading straight for him.

Seeing that secret weapon about to hit Rong Jing, Yun Qianyue pushed away the Hidden Guard in front of her without thinking and leaned towards Rong Jing. At this critical moment, there was a clear sound as the secret weapon was shot into her arm instead of hitting Rong Jing’s ribs. Her arm instantly felt intense pain; she stumbled and almost fell down.

Rong Jing turned around upon hearing the noise to see Yun Qianyue pale-faced standing there with a secret weapon embedded in her arm, its tail still sticking out from her flesh. His face changed; he stared at her blankly.

——

The month-end countdown is on; those who are holding onto votes should cast them now! O(n_n)O~

Thank you to the following for their diamond and flower donations!

Lv La Niang (20 diamonds, 1000 votes), chenlm (1 diamond, 100 votes), Ling Liu (2 flowers), Special Forces (1 flower), Queen Fairy (1 diamond), Fang Jingzi (2 diamonds, 2 flowers), 549530230 (1 flower), 826808 (1 diamond), Nine Nines (1 flower), Tianxiang Ye Zi (1 diamond), Ji Anxiao (2 flowers). Big thanks to everyone! O(n_n)O~ay!" said Rong Feng with his face turning cold: "Although he managed to escape today, he suffered a palm strike from me. Without ten days or half a month, his injury won’t heal. We’ll investigate secr...