"What do you mean by that, little lady?" Yan Li was startled. "Why would I not be at ease?"
Xue Zi Ning sneered, looking coldly at Yan Li. "Is that so? Then tell me, this face of mine is not the same as the one I had when I was luring away the bandits. How did you recognize me? And how did you know I was here?"
Her gaze on Yan Li shifted slightly. Though it was fleeting, she still caught it. Her tone also turned icy. "Speak."
"Little lady, if I didn't know you were here, how could I have saved you in time? If I didn't know you had disguised yourself, how would I have recognized and saved you?"
"Don't play word games with me, Yan Li. If you don't tell me today, I won't let you off." She moved the sword in her hand closer, the blade grazing his skin. If he moved even slightly, blood would immediately flow.
"Little lady, when you were being pursued by the bandits, it was I who saved you, and I fell in love with you at first sight. Later, I heard you had joined the Imperial Guard, so I also joined without delay, thinking that perhaps joining the Imperial Guard might help me find you. I never expected to actually meet you."
Xue Zi Ning was taken aback, her brow furrowing. "You... you joined the Imperial Guard training camp as well?"
Yan Li quickly nodded. "Yes."
"Why haven't I seen you?" Xue Zi Ning asked.
Yan Li said, "Little lady, do you remember that time you overslept and went to the mess hall to get a steamed bun to eat?"
Xue Zi Ning nodded. "I remember." At the time, she had wondered where the steamed buns came from. Now, she looked up at Yan Li and asked, "That steamed bun..."
"I left it for you," Yan Li said.
She blinked. "You... why... didn't you reveal yourself to me?"
Upon hearing this, Yan Li looked even more wronged. "Little lady, when we encountered the bandits, you said that you and I were not from the same path, so I dared not reveal myself, fearing what would happen if you rejected me."
"Then why are you telling me now?"
"Things are different now. Now I am your savior, little lady. As the saying goes, a life-saving kindness should be repaid with a gushing spring." Yan Li said with great excitement.
Xue Zi Ning furrowed her delicate brows. She couldn't help but feel that she was falling into Yan Li's trap.
"Repaid with a gushing spring?" she said, enunciating each word.
Yan Li quickly added, "No need for a gushing spring, just offer yourself in marriage and..."
Before he could finish, he felt a sharp pain in his abdomen. Clutching his stomach, he looked at Xue Zi Ning's slightly mocking gaze. "Offer myself in marriage?"
He endured the pain and said, "Even if you beat me to death, little lady, you can't go back on your word."
Xue Zi Ning sneered, her gaze icy. "Then I'm truly sorry, but I do want to go back on my word. Goodbye!"
"Little lady, you... you can't just burn the bridge after crossing it?" Yan Li shouted from behind her.
"We shall never meet again!" Xue Zi Ning left with these words.
Watching her retreating figure, Yan Li, who had been clutching his stomach, let go of his hand. He stood up straight, his dark robes falling like flowing clouds. His posture was graceful, his face as beautiful as jade, his features picturesque. Every movement exuded an extraordinary elegance.
He looked up at the bright moon, hidden by dark clouds, and breathed a slight sigh of relief.
Suddenly, a person landed in front of him, kneeling on one knee. "Young Master, that person..."
"Take good care of him. If there is even the slightest disability, I will hold you responsible."
The person stiffened and quickly said, "Young Master, please rest assured, your subordinate will bear your words in mind."
"You may withdraw," Yan Li waved his hand, signaling him to leave.
The Ministry of Justice prison was brightly lit.
Prince Jing, Xue Chang Jing, sat at the head of the table, his expression stern, his gaze sharp as he looked at Feng Wei, the Minister of Justice, kneeling below.
Feng Wei was already drenched in sweat, his back soaked, yet he dared not move or speak, fearing that a single wrong word would offend Prince Jing.
"Report."
A voice called from outside. Feng Wei's body tensed as he awaited news from the newcomer.
A guard hurried in and bowed. "This subordinate is incompetent and did not apprehend the assassin. I beg the Prince for forgiveness!"
Prince Jing heard this and let out a cold laugh. "You couldn't find the assassin, and you want me to forgive you?"
The guard's body stiffened. He heard an angry voice from above, "Drag him out and execute him."
"Your Highness, please spare me, Your Highness..." Before the guard could finish speaking, he was dragged away.
The Minister of Justice, Feng Wei, felt sweat pouring down his forehead, dripping one by one.
"Minister Feng..."
"This subordinate is here," Feng Wei said tremulously.
"Three days. I will give you three days. If you cannot find the assassin, then your position as Minister of Justice will likely come to an end." With that, the Regent turned and left.
Feng Wei collapsed onto the ground, unable to regain his senses for a long time.
Under the cover of darkness, Xue Zi Ning returned to the Imperial Guard training camp. As she was preparing to sneak back to her tent, a gust of palm wind suddenly struck her.
She was greatly alarmed, retreating repeatedly, and coldly demanded, "Who are you?"
The other party did not answer but attacked swiftly.
In the darkness, she could not see the other person's face. She could only instinctively move towards the direction where there was light.
Through the dim light, she saw the attacker clearly from the afternoon.
"Song Jiang," she cried out involuntarily.
Song Jiang's gaze faltered. He withdrew his palm wind and said coldly, "Who are you, exactly?"
Xue Zi Ning regretted it. How could she have uttered Song Jiang's name?
Seeing her silence, Song Jiang pressed forward and said coldly, "Speak, who are you?"
Xue Zi Ning knew that if she didn't give Song Jiang an explanation today, she wouldn't be able to escape smoothly, and might even attract others, which would be troublesome. However, she could not reveal her identity. With this in mind, she stepped forward and bowed, "Song Jiang, you may not recognize me. I am a shadow guard newly recruited by the Master."
Song Jiang's eyes flickered slightly. "When did this happen? Why is he unaware of it?"
"A long time ago."
Song Jiang sneered upon hearing this. "Then you are mistaken. A long time ago, I was still in the Imperial Palace."
"The Master sent me to protect Princess Changning," she said, thinking quickly.
Song Jiang was startled. Xue Zi Ning knew this seemed to be working.
"Then why are you here now?" Song Jiang asked.
"Princess Changning knew of Princess Chang'an's scheme and voluntarily escorted Young Master Sun and Princess Changyi back to the Sun family. Later, the Master told me to protect Magistrate Sun. It wasn't until recently that I heard His Majesty was poisoned. Upon investigation, I discovered that Prince Jing had likely made a move and that the shadow guards had been transferred to his side. Later, I heard that Prince Jing had thrown the shadow guards into the Imperial Guard."
Song Jiang frowned and asked a few more questions about Emperor Huang Ze. Seeing that she could answer them, his doubts lessened considerably.
"You... what are your plans?" Song Jiang suddenly asked.
"I have nowhere to go. If you can take me in, I..."
"We are barely surviving here ourselves now," Song Jiang's gaze grew distant.
"His Majesty, will he really not return?"
"No, he will definitely return," Song Jiang said with absolute certainty, looking up.