Chapter 39: Assassination at the Summer Emperor’s Mansion, Turmoil at the Prince of Qin’s Estate

Prince Qin's Mansion. Outside the main hall. A evening breeze was blowing. The flowers and trees in the courtyard swayed gently in the light wind.

Feeling the night air, Ye Lantian’s mood settled significantly. Having governed the Great Xia for sixteen years, he knew better than anyone what he had gained and what he had lost. The Ye family had many princes, but few met his requirements or possessed the capability to continue the "Mountain-Shaking Plan." Ye Xun, being the biological nephew of Wei Wuji, was the most suitable candidate. This was one of the reasons why Ye Lantian had refused to give up on him for so many years. Stripping him of his Crown Prince title days ago was merely because he had seemed beyond saving. Yet, witnessing Ye Xun’s transformation today had reignited a spark of hope in his heart.

Just as Ye Lantian was lost in thought, a dark shadow suddenly obscured the moonlight above. Instinctively, Ye Lantian pulled Ye Xun behind him and roared, "Assassins!"

Wei Wuji, also reacting on instinct, shielded Ye Lantian, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Guards! Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor!"

Hearing Wei Wuji’s cry, the guards he had brought with him rushed into the courtyard. However, there was not just one shadow, but two. Two men dressed in black lunged toward Ye Xun from different directions. Indeed, their target was not Ye Lantian, but Ye Xun.

Both Ye Lantian and Wei Wuji possessed martial arts skills—Lantian’s were superior, while Wuji’s were modest. At this moment, Wei Wuji was cursing inwardly. He had told Ye Lantian to bring more guards, but the Emperor had refused. Today, Ye Lantian hadn't even brought his personal bodyguards to the mansion, claiming he didn't want others to know of his visit. What folly.

Ye Xun, possessing only the most rudimentary skills, stood frozen in place, feeling helpless. *Am I really that hated?*

The assassins were clearly elite killers—their movements were fluid and their skills formidable. In an instant, they had Wei Wuji and Ye Lantian backed into a corner. *Bang!* One assassin kicked Ye Lantian in the chest, using the momentum to slide past him toward Ye Xun.

Ye Xun saw the gleaming, blood-stained dagger. Death was so close that he could hear his own heart pounding, and cold sweat drenched his clothes instantly. Yet, his legs felt like lead; he could not move an inch. *Is this the end?* Ye Xun’s mind was a whirlwind of complex emotions. *I haven't even had the chance to enjoy this life yet!*

"Xun'er!" With a furious roar, Ye Lantian threw himself in front of Ye Xun. As the dagger thrust toward him, Ye Lantian did not dodge. Instead, he tilted his body slightly, intentionally turning his right chest toward the blade, as if he had pre-planned this sacrifice. However, such a slight movement was negligible in the heat of the moment.

*Pfft...* The assassin’s eyes narrowed, and the dagger suddenly shifted, plunging deep into the left side of Ye Lantian’s chest—straight into his heart.

Ye Lantian stared at the assassin with bloodshot eyes, disbelief etched on his face. A wound to the right chest meant injury, but a wound to the left meant death. The assassin, locking eyes with Ye Lantian, seemed to flinch.

It all happened in a flash. *Bang!* The assassin kicked Ye Lantian hard, and without waiting to retrieve the dagger, he flew away. The other assassin, who had been skirmishing with Wei Wuji, also broke away. By the time the guards arrived, both assassins had vanished into the night.

"Your Majesty!" Wei Wuji ignored the assassins and lunged toward Ye Lantian.

Watching Ye Lantian fall into a pool of blood, Ye Xun’s mind went blank. He fumbled for a handkerchief and pressed it frantically against the wound, tears streaming down his face. "Father! Wake up, Father!" At that moment, he truly accepted Ye Lantian as his family. An old father who would sacrifice his life to shield him was enough to move his heart.

"Physicians! Get the imperial physicians!" Wei Wuji shrieked, his face streaked with tears. He wished he were the one lying on the ground instead of Ye Lantian; the Emperor was the pillar of Great Xia—he could not fall!

Meanwhile, the sound of barking erupted as Wangcai chased after the assassins. Cao An, hearing the commotion, arrived with the mansion’s physicians. Wei Wuji directed the men to carry Ye Lantian into the main hall; his injuries were grave and his life hung in the balance—he could not endure further movement.

Before long, Qin Yuan, the commander of the Imperial Guard, received the news and stormed into the mansion with his troops. "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

"Lord Wei, what on earth has happened?!" Qin Yuan looked at the pale, bloodless Ye Lantian lying on the couch, his fury rising.

"Assassins! There were assassins!" Wei Wuji’s eyes were blood-red, his knuckles white as he gripped his fists, his voice hoarse. "Quickly, Commander Qin, catch the assassins!"

Hearing this and seeing the unconscious Emperor, Qin Yuan clenched his fists, his anger boiling over. "Seal off Prince Qin's Mansion! Seal off the capital! Even if you have to dig three feet into the ground, find those assassins and drag them out!" He could not believe that Ye Lantian had snuck out of the palace only to be assassinated here, in Prince Qin’s mansion. Who could be so audacious?

As Qin Yuan led his troops to hunt for the assassins, Ye Xun sat slumped in the blood-stained courtyard, his mind a void. Everyone was rushing about in a panic, but he sat there, numb and ignored, as if he were nothing more than air.

Suddenly, a flash of lightning illuminated the capital. *Boom!* A clap of thunder followed, and a torrential downpour began. Ye Xun let the rain wash over him. *This script is truly too difficult. Not only is the starting point a living hell, but the difficulty keeps increasing.*

Soon, the mansion filled with ministers and imperial princes, all arriving in succession. Everyone who passed by glanced at Ye Xun, who sat in the blood-diluted water, but no one paid him any mind. Wei Wuji, however, turned everyone away from the hall.

"Lord Wei, please, let me go in. I need to see my father."
"Indeed, Lord Wei, you said the Emperor is fine, so why won't you let us see him?"
"If we don't see the Emperor today, we cannot rest. I heard that..."

The officials and princes clamored at the doors. Wei Wuji maintained a firm composure and gestured for silence. "My lords, calm yourselves. Listen to me: His Majesty only suffered minor superficial injuries and will be fine after a few days of rest. It is not that I refuse you, but His Majesty has already fallen asleep. If you disturb his rest, none of us can bear the consequences!"

As Wei Wuji spoke, Qin Yuan returned with his troops. A dozen golden-clad warriors stood in formation, sealing off the entrance to the hall. He swept a cold, dark gaze over the princes and ministers but said nothing, standing guard outside. Seeing Qin Yuan’s resolve, the ministers and princes departed in disappointment, lacking the desire to argue. Qin Yuan was notoriously stubborn and answered only to Ye Lantian. Without the Emperor’s orders, the words of anyone else were, to him, nothing more than wind.