Xue Xingyue picked up the brocade box and looked up at Qi Yuheng, asking, "What is this?"
"Peach blossom cake," Qi Yuheng replied.
Xue Xingyue was slightly taken aback. Few people knew she enjoyed eating peach blossom cake, and she hadn't had it in a long time, it seemed.
Her last memory of it was eating peach blossom cake with her mother, father, and imperial elder brother.
She opened the brocade box. Inside was exactly as she remembered, and tears welled up and spilled from her eyes at that moment.
Qi Yuheng, witnessing this, grew flustered. "Your Majesty, you are..."
"I am fine, I just recalled past events. Third Prince, thank you," Xue Xingyue said gratefully.
No one knew better than she did that peach blossom cake was her delicate taboo, her soft spot.
Qi Yuheng breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought Qi Yuze was tricking him, but he hadn't expected a box of peach blossom cake could make the Empress weep.
He found Qi Yuze somewhat terrifying. He had sent people to inquire, but couldn't find out how Qi Yuze had known.
Xue Xingyue closed the box. Seeing this, Qi Yuheng couldn't help but ask, "Your Majesty, won't you try some?"
Xue Xingyue shook her head. "Just looking at it makes me content."
Qi Yuheng no longer dwelled on why the Empress wasn't eating. The fact that the Empress accepted his gift meant she didn't dislike him, so his first step had been successful.
After eating some dishes and drinking a cup of wine, Xue Xingyue made an excuse and left Mingyue Tower.
A Ling and A Da entered. Seeing their master beaming, A Da couldn't help but ask, "Master, was it successful?"
"Whether it was successful or not, I don't know. But at least the Empress doesn't dislike me anymore, which is more than half the success."
At the post station, Qi Yu Ming heard that the Empress had actually accepted the peach blossom cake from Qi Yuheng and was surprised. He ordered Ming Duan, "Go investigate the relationship between the Empress and peach blossom cake."
Ming Duan received the order and left.
"Master, should I have the servants dispose of the peach blossom cake..."
Qi Yu Ming looked up at Ming Guang and said, "This matter is not to be spoken of!"
Ming Guang, frightened, quickly lowered his head. "Yes, Master."
Qi Yu Ming sneered. "I just wonder if the Empress will still be grateful to my good third brother after eating the peach blossom cake."
"Master, something's wrong." Before Qi Yu Heng could return to the post station, he heard A Ling rush in with a panicked expression.
"What is it?" Qi Yu Heng asked.
A Ling whispered, "Your subordinate overheard the Second Prince in the post station; the Second Prince tampered with the peach blossom cake."
Qi Yu Heng's body trembled. "A Ling, say that again. What did my Second Brother do?"
"He tampered with the peach blossom cake," A Ling said.
Qi Yu Heng frowned. He tampered with the peach blossom cake, and then he sent the peach blossom cake, which Qi Yu Heng had tampered with, to the Empress.
He slammed his fist on the table. "Qi Yu Ming, he's going too far!"
"Master, what do you want to do? Your subordinate will do as you say!"
"The urgent matter is to get to the palace immediately and stop the Empress from eating the peach blossom cake," Qi Yu Heng said.
"Your subordinate will accompany you to the palace," A Ling said.
Qi Yu Heng nodded. "There's no time to lose, let's depart!"
They left the post station. As Qi Yu Ming opened the door, Ming Guang behind him said, "Master, the Third Prince is going to stop the Empress from eating the peach blossom cake. Should your subordinate do something?"
"Stop my good brother from entering the palace," Qi Yu Ming suddenly revealed a fierce look.
"Your subordinate obeys!" Ming Guang retreated.
Qi Yu Heng's carriage suddenly stopped. He lifted the curtain, about to ask A Ling why they had stopped, when a blast of cold air hit him. He instinctively leaned back, the cold air grazing his nose.
"Master..." A Ling's voice came from a distance.
Qi Yu Heng lowered the curtain, circulated his internal energy, and burst out of the carriage. Immediately, he heard the sounds of sharp blades piercing into the carriage from below. If he hadn't reacted quickly, he would likely have become a human sieve by now.
He saw several black-clothed figures, all appearing to be highly skilled in martial arts.
A Ling was surrounded by several people, unable to get over, and he knew he might have to rely on himself today.
With that thought, he drew the sword at his waist and descended, engaging the assassins.
As he had expected, they were all masters. The fact that they could nurture such masters indicated their patron was wealthy and influential.
His own Third Prince of the Qi Kingdom had no enmity with the Xing Jiu Kingdom, so he couldn't think of anyone else who would send skilled assassins to attack him other than his good imperial brother.
Gradually, Qi Yu Heng found himself at a disadvantage. If this continued, he might not be able to win. He couldn't die here; he absolutely couldn't.
Suddenly, the opponent thrust a sword into his abdomen. He felt intense pain and spat out a mouthful of blood.
"Master..." A Ling was frantic, but the people in front of him were holding their ground, and he couldn't get through.
Qi Yu Heng saw a black-clothed man swinging a sword towards him. He tried to raise his own sword to resist, but he lacked the strength.
As the sword descended, he slowly closed his eyes. Was he really going to die like this? He was unwilling, unwilling!
Suddenly, he saw a figure step in front of him, a slender and tall figure.
"Who are you?" Before he lost consciousness, he asked this question.
A Ling kicked open Qi Yu Ming's room door. Ming Guang saw this and lunged forward, coldly saying, "A Ling, you are audacious, daring to trespass into the Second Prince's chambers."
A Ling, holding his sword, said angrily, "Second Prince, even if you are dissatisfied with my master, you shouldn't try to kill him so ruthlessly!"
Qi Yu Ming frowned at this, looking at A Ling and asking, "What do you mean by that?"
A Ling roared, "Were the black-clothed assassins in the forest not sent by you?"
Qi Yu Ming looked up at A Ling and asked, "What are you implying?"
"Second Prince, if anything happens to my master, I will not forgive you." With that, A Ling slammed the door and left.
"Second Prince, is this A Ling ill!" Ming Guang couldn't help but exclaim.