Chapter 23: A False Hired Assassin Concealing a Real Scheme

“Surround the Huaqing Palace! I want a thorough interrogation!”

The Empress Dowager was greatly startled and hid behind Lady Du, murmuring, “Zhao’er... where is my Zhao’er?”

Lady Du’s face was pale as she tightly embraced the Empress Dowager, her gaze sweeping over the chaotic hall. She whispered soothingly, “Don’t worry, Your Highness. The Prince is blessed with great fortune; he will surely be safe.”

In a corner, the two were pressed close together. Mingyue’s breath brushed against Rong Zhao’s back, unsettling his thoughts.

Seeing the situation brought under control, Mingyue tugged his sleeve softly and asked in a low voice, “Prince, do you think we can go back today?”

“No,” Rong Zhao turned his head slightly, his tone gentle. “This matter does not concern us. Even if they investigate, they won’t find anything linking us. Besides, I am frail; no one wishes to court misfortune by attacking me.”

Suddenly, a phrase flashed before Mingyue’s eyes: *Stop talking! They’re right in front of you!*

She quickly looked up. The cold gleam of a dagger suddenly enlarged in her sight, aimed straight at Rong Zhao’s face.

“Prince, watch out!”

Before she could react, Mingyue shoved him aside. Unexpectedly, the assassin’s dagger shifted direction, determined to end Rong Zhao’s life.

In a desperate moment, Mingyue reached out and firmly grasped the blade’s tip.

The knife pierced deeply into her palm. Mingyue screamed sharply as the assassin’s force threw her to the ground.

“Savior!”

With great effort, Mingyue wrested the dagger free and hurled it toward Rong Zhao, shouting, “Prince, kill him!”

Rong Zhao caught the dagger; the handle was sticky with Mingyue’s blood.

The assassin struggled to rise, glaring fiercely at Mingyue as if wanting to devour her alive.

In the next instant, the dagger plunged forcefully into the assassin’s neck.

Rong Zhao was usually gentle, never taking a life lightly. He thought he could not bring himself to be so ruthless, but when he saw Mingyue wounded, he acted without hesitation.

“Savior...” Rong Zhao rushed forward and helped Mingyue up, gripping her slender wrist tightly. Seeing the mangled flesh of her palm, his eyes suddenly reddened.

An old wound still unhealed, now compounded by a new injury.

He truly was useless... unable even to protect the one beside him.

“It’s just a small wound. It won’t trouble me,” Mingyue said lightly, sensing his thoughts. She withdrew her hand and joked softly, “Now we can return to the manor. This incident will at least clear our names by proxy.”

Those who dared kill the Prince themselves could not possibly be assassins sent by them.

All the assassins were subdued, and only then did the imperial physicians rush into the hall to tend to the nobles’ wounds.

Rong Zhao grabbed a young imperial doctor by the arm, pulling him toward Mingyue with a darkened expression. “Bandage her wound first.”

“...Yes.”

The young doctor, meeting Rong Zhao for the first time, was nearly frightened out of his wits and nervously busied himself with his small medical kit.

*That was so dangerous! I thought the Prince was a goner!*

*With so many people in the palace and yet unable to prevent ten assassins, they’re utterly useless.*

*The higher-ups must have been poisoned by the cannon fodder’s perspective. The other characters’ viewpoints don’t even bother with this—these assassins were hired by the Crown Prince, blatantly using connections!*

*In the original story, the Crown Prince’s hired killers created false sincerity, completely removing the Emperor’s distrust of him. But what’s this about the little Prince’s involvement here?*

*Who knows? It was supposed to be an assassination attempt on the Emperor alone, but in the end, the attack split into two and involved the second male lead as well.*

Mingyue held her bandaged left hand, her heart sinking deeply as she read the onlookers’ comments. She glanced sideways to the high platform where Rong Yan was surrounded by imperial physicians, a flicker of disdain in her eyes.

A pompous, shameless show-off!

With such talent, he should be an actor, not a Crown Prince.

“What is the savior looking at?” Rong Zhao followed her gaze and froze when meeting the pale, bloodless face of Rong Yan. When he looked back at her, his expression was a little hurt. “Savior...”

Mingyue came back to herself, their eyes locking briefly. She was startled, then whispered, “Prince, I just have a suspicion... We were attacked and the hall was thrown into chaos, everyone panicked, yet only the Crown Prince reacted swiftly and threw himself in front of the Emperor’s blade.”

“It seems... as if he knew this would happen.”

As Zhou Jin passed by, he halted upon hearing her words, casting a sidelong glance with an unfathomable expression.

Rong Zhao caught sight of Zhou Jin’s figure from the corner of his eye, turned to look at him, and smiled faintly. “General Zhou, long time no see.”

Their eyes met, and Zhou Jin returned the smile with a hint of detachment. “After so many years, it is my honor that Your Highness still remembers me.”

Rong Zhao raised an eyebrow, uninterested in polite exchanges. “The Crown Prince’s quarters are still in disarray. I suppose there are places where General Zhou’s help is needed.”

A clear invitation to leave.

Zhou Jin snorted and glanced at Mingyue’s delicate face. With a low voice, he said, “I will take my leave.”

With that, Zhou Jin turned and walked away, their whispered conversation fading behind him.

“Savior, words must be backed by evidence.”

“I’m not speaking without cause. Whether this was deliberate or not, just have someone check the Crown Prince’s wounds to see how deep they are.”

“This is not our concern. But your wound...”

“Prince, I am truly fine...”

Their voices grew more distant. Zhou Jin’s face darkened as his gaze swept over Rong Yan, collapsed in the Emperor’s arms, his expression unreadable.

The Imperial Concubine in charge of the banquet could not bear the shock and had fainted, inevitably to be questioned by the Emperor.

The Emperor’s fifth son, Rong Lin, stayed by his mother’s side. Across the crowd, he caught Zhou Jin’s eye.

Zhou Jin only frowned slightly. Sensing something wrong, Rong Lin instructed the palace attendants to watch over the Imperial Concubine and rose to approach the throne.

“Your Majesty, the Crown Prince’s injuries are not severe. His unconsciousness is due to shock. With so many people in the hall, it would be better to move the Crown Prince to the inner chambers for a more thorough treatment.”

As Rong Lin approached, he heard the chief physician’s words and cast a meaningful glance toward Zhou Jin. The two slipped together amid the chaos and spoke quietly.

As Mingyue had suspected, Rong Zhao, who had also survived the assassination attempt, was released early.

Yun Lai waited anxiously along the palace corridor, looking left and right, until finally she saw her master. Her smile quickly faded when she noticed the spots of blood on Mingyue. “Prince! Mingyue! What happened to you?”

Rong Zhao lowered his head and coughed twice before saying gravely, “There were assassins in the palace. Let’s return to the manor first.”

“...Yes.”

Yun Lai dared not delay and immediately set down the saddle stool.

The carriage wheels turned slowly, heading toward the Jing’an Prince’s manor.

Inside the carriage, Rong Zhao cast a downward gaze on her hand, wrapped tightly like a bundle, remaining silent.

Sensing the awkward atmosphere, Mingyue cautiously asked, “Prince... why do you seem so troubled?”

Rong Zhao lifted his eyes, dark as a storm cloud, his long lashes trembling. His voice was hoarse. “You saved me before for Rong Yan. Why did you save me today?”