"Hua Li, Hua Yun, protect His Majesty," Hua Yun Jin said coldly.
"Yes, your subordinate obeys!" Two figures appeared out of nowhere, one guarding the front and the other the rear.
Hua Yun Jin alighted from the carriage and looked at the black-clothed men ahead, asking coldly, "Who are you?"
"We are here to take your lives for money," the leader said, then lunged towards Hua Yun Jin.
Xue Zi Ning lifted the curtain of the carriage and saw Hua Yun Jin entangled with the assassins. After a few exchanges, she felt Hua Yun Jin was at a disadvantage. "Hua Li, go and help your prince."
Hua Li heard this and replied, "Your Highness ordered me to be responsible for His Majesty's safety."
"Go!" Xue Zi Ning commanded.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." Hua Li did not refuse and leaped into the fray. With Hua Li's assistance, Hua Yun Jin's disadvantage was rectified.
Just as Xue Zi Ning was about to lower the curtain, she felt a cold wind behind her. She tilted her head, and a dagger flew past her cheek.
"Your Majesty, danger." Hua Yun was behind her.
Xue Zi Ning clutched her stomach and rolled on the ground, tumbling out of the carriage. "Your Majesty..."
Hua Yun Jin saw her emerge from the carriage and called out in alarm. Xue Zi Ning got up and saw several more black-clothed men behind the carriage.
Hua Yun Jin wanted to come over but was too entangled with the black-clothed men to break free.
Seeing Hua Yun being outnumbered, Xue Zi Ning stepped forward. Just as a sword was about to pierce Hua Yun's chest, she waved her sleeve, sending a silver light that struck the sword.
Hua Yun felt himself being pulled back by a force. When he turned around, he saw His Majesty, pregnant, pulling him.
"Pay attention to the front," Xue Zi Ning said coldly.
Hua Yun nodded, inwardly shocked. His Majesty actually had good martial arts skills. He had always scoffed at Hua Li's praise of the Empress, disbelieving that a born Empress, a prodigy from birth, would have such prowess.
It turned out he had been ignorant.
These black-clothed men also seemed surprised that the Empress possessed such skills.
The person who had hired them to kill the Empress hadn't mentioned this. If they had known, they wouldn't have focused all their energy on the people around the Empress.
However, there was no turning back now. The black-clothed men roared, "Attack..."
The five black-clothed men who had been attacking Hua Yun lunged forward. Xue Zi Ning picked up the sword she had knocked away earlier and said, "Go."
Hua Yun nodded and leaped forward to meet them.
Xue Zi Ning clutched her stomach and whispered, "Be good, my child, don't make me worry."
After saying this, she also moved forward, fighting side by side with Hua Yun. Hua Yun was slightly taken aback, never imagining that the Empress would fight alongside him.
"Your Majesty, please hide behind this subordinate. Swords and blades are indiscriminate; if you are injured, this subordinate will be solely responsible," Hua Yun said.
"I never hide behind anyone. You don't need to mind me; I can protect myself."
Hua Yun no longer insisted, merely saying "be careful," and engaged the approaching black-clothed men.
Xue Zi Ning also showed no signs of retreating. She untied her cloak and threw it on the ground. Her sky-and-water colored gown fluttered in the cold wind. She held a long sword, standing there.
Noble and beautiful, inviolable by anyone.
She walked forward slowly, looking at the nearest black-clothed man. With a swift movement of her hand and sword, she struck with exceptional precision.
Even the black-clothed men were stunned.
At this moment, Hua Yun Jin was finally able to break free and came to her side, smiling, "It seems they are not your sworn enemies, otherwise, they wouldn't have miscalculated so badly, Your Majesty."
Xue Zi Ning nodded, then suddenly moved forward, heading towards a black-clothed man. The man, not expecting it, moved with surprising agility despite being pregnant, arriving by his side. "It's you." With that, she kicked the black-clothed man to his knees, held her sword to his throat, and looked coldly at the still-fighting black-clothed men, saying, "Don't move, see who this is?"
The black-clothed men stopped fighting. Xue Zi Ning said coldly, "If you can tell me who ordered you, I will let you live. Otherwise..."
The black-clothed man sneered, "I admit defeat in skill, but we have a code: we never reveal the buyer's name."
Xue Zi Ning's gaze turned icy, her sword pressing closer, "You're not afraid of death, that's your choice. What about your comrades? Are they not afraid of death either?"
At this moment, footsteps were heard from not far away. Xue Zi Ning looked up and saw the person leading the cavalry; it wasn't Shen Yun Xuan, but the Minister of War, Shi Lang.
Shi Lang dismounted and commanded the soldiers behind him to surround the black-clothed men. He then approached the Empress and knelt on one knee, "This minister, Shi Lang, arrives late to save you. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness."
"You've arrived at an opportune moment," Xue Zi Ning said calmly.
Shi Lang stepped forward, restrained the black-clothed man, and asked coldly, "Speak, who ordered you to assassinate His Majesty?"
The black-clothed man sneered, "I will not tell you."
"Your Majesty, this minister arrives late to save you!" The sound of hooves approached from a distance. Leading the charge were the Minister of Personnel, Li Si Nian, followed by the Minister of Works, Sun Zhi Yuan.
Li Si Nian arrived at the front, pointing at the black-clothed man, "These... these are the assassins who attempted to assassinate His Majesty?"
Shi Lang nodded, "Yes, Minister Li."
Li Si Nian asked, "Who ordered you?"
The black-clothed man sneered, "There are rules in our profession; we do not reveal the buyer's identity."
"Since you cannot reveal the buyer, where do you come from?" Li Si Nian asked.
The black-clothed man sneered, "Gold scattered, lives taken."
Xue Zi Ning frowned. Li Si Nian continued to ask, "That phrase sounds familiar. Could you be assassins from the Thousand Gold Pavilion?"
The black-clothed man flinched, his gaze towards Li Si Nian showing a hint of confusion. Li Si Nian pressed further, "What else did the Thousand Gold Pavilion order you to do? Speak quickly!"
Xue Zi Ning suddenly interrupted Li Si Nian, "Minister Li, the matter of interrogation falls under the Ministry of Justice. Minister Li has overstepped."
Li Si Nian startled, then quickly bowed, "This minister was too concerned about Your Majesty's safety and acted beyond my duty. I beg Your Majesty's forgiveness."
"It's alright. Minister Li, be mindful of this in the future. After all, the Vice Minister of Justice is here. One might think I had appointed you as the Minister of Justice at some point."
Li Si Nian quickly bowed and pleaded for forgiveness, "This minister knows his mistake. Your Majesty, please forgive me!"
"Shi Lang, take him back and guard him strictly. Without my permission, no one is to visit or interrogate him," Xue Zi Ning said coldly.
"Your minister obeys the imperial decree!" Shi Lang led his men away with the black-clothed man in tow.
Xue Zi Ning looked up at Li Si Nian and said coldly, "Minister Li, your sources are indeed well-informed. You received news of my assassination attempt here."
Li Si Nian's heart leaped. "Your Majesty, I merely happened to see Minister Shi leading his troops out and inquired. I only then learned that Your Majesty might be in trouble. Not wishing to worry, I followed."
"Is that so? I must thank Minister Li for his meritorious service in saving the Empress."
"This minister is humbled." Li Si Nian lowered his head very low.
"Your Majesty, please take care of your health!" Hua Yun Jin said softly, approaching now.