The Buddha Bathing Ceremony was halfway through when, in full view of the crowd, the Crown Prince uttered an ambiguous remark and turned to leave. No one dared to stop him.
Emperor Chunming’s back was drenched in cold sweat as he stared at the Crown Prince’s retreating figure, his eyes nearly bulging with fury.
The Empress and Prince Chen had also heard the Crown Prince’s words—"harboring sinister schemes." Had Emperor Chunming made some move today that the Crown Prince had uncovered?
The imperial relatives below the altar were bewildered, yet none dared to question Emperor Chunming openly, nor did anyone have the courage to demand an explanation from the Crown Prince.
The Crown Prince’s expression was dark and menacing, his eyes bloodshot, resembling the onset of one of his headaches. His chilling, oppressive aura was enough to make anyone shudder, and even Emperor Chunming’s personal guards hesitated to obstruct him.
The officials below the altar exchanged uneasy glances, murmuring among themselves. Finally, the Empress spoke to restore order: "This is a sacred Buddhist site—no disturbances allowed. The Crown Prince is unwell and has returned to the palace. Let the ceremony proceed."
Only then did the crowd fall silent.
The Empress glanced at Emperor Chunming beside her. His brows were furrowed, his face contorted with suppressed rage. She could only signal the abbot of Banruo Temple with her eyes, urging him to continue the ritual.
Hidden in the shadows, Lu Qi watched the unexpected turn of events with frustration.
The scented water had been laced with a potent incense poison meant to drive the Crown Prince into a frenzied, uncontrollable state. Yet something had gone wrong—the parasites in his skull no longer reacted as violently as before.
Once before, Lu Qi had tampered with the incense burners at a palace banquet, increasing the dosage to trigger the Crown Prince’s headache and send him into a mad, demonic fit in front of the court.
But the Crown Prince’s guards were exceptionally skilled, and the assassination attempt had failed. Since then, the Crown Prince had grown wary of all fragrances, making it difficult to poison him again.
The Buddha Bathing Festival had been a rare opportunity. Yet, to Lu Qi’s shock, though the Crown Prince showed signs of distress, he was far from the mindless, violent state he should have been in.
The dosage this time had been far stronger than before. Even if he hadn’t stepped into the center of the altar, he shouldn’t have remained so composed.
Had the parasites failed?
But his face was deathly pale, veins bulging on his forehead—clear signs of suppressed agony. If the parasites were truly ineffective, he should have reacted no differently than an ordinary man.
At this thought, Lu Qi exchanged a glance with Emperor Chunming below the altar. Gritting his teeth, he tightened his grip on his dagger and whispered orders to his subordinates.
The Crown Prince was weakened. Even if the poison hadn’t fully taken hold, his martial prowess would be diminished. Moreover, his cryptic words at the altar had sown seeds of doubt among the imperial clan and officials about Emperor Chunming’s intentions.
He could not be allowed to return to the Eastern Palace alive. If the Crown Prince survived and later exposed Emperor Chunming’s schemes to the world, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Meanwhile, Yun Kui waited outside, only to see the Crown Prince emerge from the ceremony grounds, his face ashen. Her heart lurched, and she rushed forward. "Your Highness, what’s wrong?"
Cao Yuanlu quickly explained, "His Highness is suffering from a headache. I’ve already sent for Military Doctor He. Please look after him on the way back to the palace."
Yun Kui nodded at once, helping the Crown Prince into the carriage.
Veins stood out on the Crown Prince’s forehead, his eyes tinged with red. Every nerve in his skull felt as though it were being sliced by blades, each breath sending waves of excruciating pain through him.
Unsure how to ease his suffering, Yun Kui could only hold him tightly, pressing herself as close as possible, as if to transfer all her warmth to him.
The Crown Prince clenched his eyes shut. After a long while, the pain subsided slightly. He reached up to brush a strand of hair from her temple, his voice hoarse. "Don’t worry. I’m fine."
His fingers came away damp. Frowning, he murmured, "Why are you crying?"
Yun Kui tried to stifle her sobs, but seeing him in such agony, the tears kept falling. "I... I was scared."
The Crown Prince arched a brow. "Scared I’d die?"
She choked out, "Will you?"
He fell silent for a moment before sighing. "Didn’t you see your father today? Even if something happens to me in the future, he’ll protect and care for you with all his strength."
Yun Kui’s eyes reddened, her gaze lost and helpless. Her lips trembled, but no sound came out. Her heart felt as though it were being crushed under a boulder, bleeding from the weight.
The Crown Prince couldn’t hear her thoughts, yet at this moment, he seemed to feel the same suffocating, dull ache.
Like a taut string on the verge of snapping. Like a wound gouged deep into the heart.
He sighed and pulled her into his arms. "Don’t be afraid. I won’t die."
But Yun Kui pushed against his chest, staring intently at him. "Your Highness, don’t lie to me. I’ll believe whatever you tell me..."
The Crown Prince chuckled. "I was just teasing you earlier. I’ve survived over twenty years—if I didn’t die before, I won’t let anyone take my life so easily now."
His lips curved into a smirk. "What, starting to care for your husband?"
Yun Kui pressed her lips together, her voice trembling. "Don’t joke about this. I... I finally..."
Finally, she had found someone to love so deeply, someone to whom she had given her all. After years of loneliness, she had at last found a harbor to rely on.
She had even cast aside all concerns of status and background, mustering the courage to love someone who should have been beyond her reach.
She had climbed to the clouds, but beneath her feet was empty air. Only his strong arms kept her from falling. Without him, she had nothing.
So when he said, "Even if something happens to me in the future," it felt as though she had been shoved into an abyss, all support ripped away.
The Crown Prince wiped her tears away and held her tightly, feeling the tremors in her body. Softly, he reassured her, "Don’t be afraid. I’ll always be here. Now that I’m your husband, how could I abandon you so easily?"
He would purge the traitors, restore order to the realm, and claim the throne. With supreme authority, he would shield her from all storms, ensuring she remained safe under his protection.
Yun Kui dried her tears and nestled deeper into his embrace.
Suddenly, the smoothly moving carriage jolted to a halt. Outside, the faint but orderly sound of footsteps approached, swiftly surrounding the vehicle.
The Crown Prince’s expression hardened, his gaze sharpening.
Yun Kui blinked, then moved to the window, carefully lifting the curtain to peek outside. A gasp caught in her throat before she could even stifle her sniffles.
"Your Highness—assassins!"
A sea of black-clad figures had encircled the carriage.
The Crown Prince shielded her with one arm while his other hand gripped the hilt of his sword, listening intently to the commotion outside.
The Eastern Palace guards and his shadow guards quickly engaged the assassins. The clang of steel and cries of battle filled the air, assaulting their ears.
Then—a streak of silver shot through the carriage curtain with a deadly whistle, aimed straight for the Crown Prince’s face!
Before Yun Kui could react, he had already pulled her aside. The arrow thudded into the carriage frame with a resonant thunk.
More arrows followed in rapid succession, but the Crown Prince deflected them all with swift strokes of his blade.
Yun Kui's heart leaped into her throat, her back drenched in cold sweat as she curled into a ball behind the Crown Prince, doing her best not to burden him.
Yet the assassins refused to relent. Seeing their arrows fail, they hurled grappling hooks into the carriage's corners, intent on tearing it apart to force the Crown Prince into the open.
Yun Kui could already feel the violent tremors of the carriage, the splintering of wood and the grating of ropes sending chills down her spine.
"Hold tight!" the Crown Prince commanded in a low voice.
Suddenly, Yun Kui felt a firm grip around her waist. The next moment, the carriage roof was ripped open by a sword. She squeezed her eyes shut as she was lifted into the air, her feet landing on scattered wooden debris. Below, a deafening crash erupted—the once-luxurious sandalwood carriage shattered into pieces, splinters and dust flying in all directions.
Once steadied on the ground, a row of black-clad assassins immediately turned their focus, blades slashing toward the Crown Prince.
Yun Kui was about to duck behind him when a striking crimson figure flashed before them like lightning. A saber, wielded with crushing force, cut down the seven or eight assassins closing in.
Yun Kui stared in stunned silence.
How could she not recognize this figure? Earlier at Banruo Temple, only one man among the imperial guards had worn red robes. And now, here he was, rushing to save her and His Highness...
Sheng Yu had heard the Crown Prince's words in the execution ground and noticed his grim expression. Without hesitation, he abandoned Emperor Chunming and his subordinates, following them just in time to intercept the ambush.
He glanced at Yun Kui, then at her hand, tightly clasped in the Crown Prince's grip.
"Your Highness, take her and leave. I’ll handle this."
Yun Kui’s palms were icy, her body trembling faintly, her feet rooted in place.
No sooner had Sheng Yu spoken than a dozen more assassins swarmed him.
Having served as a regional commander for years, Sheng Yu had drilled his troops daily, never neglecting his own martial skills. The constant assassination attempts had only honed his lethality, making him fiercer than in his youth.
Yun Kui and the Crown Prince were shielded within a protective circle of guards. The assassins, overwhelmed by Sheng Yu’s relentless assault, quickly faltered.
Then, another black-clad figure descended from above, his blade aimed straight at Sheng Yu.
Yun Kui recognized those venomous, icy eyes—it was the assassin leader from the Lantern Festival, the one who had wounded the Crown Prince!
"Your Highness, it’s him! The man who attacked you that night!"
The two clashed instantly—one swift as a phantom, the other a crimson storm of unstoppable force, evenly matched in skill.
Yun Kui’s heart pounded as she watched the deadly dance of steel, sparks flying with every strike. She dared not blink.
The assassin struck with ruthless precision, yet Sheng Yu deflected each move with agile grace. Gradually, blood sprayed amidst the crossed blades.
Yun Kui couldn’t tell who was wounded. Her chest tightened, breath hitching in fear.
Other assassins joined the fray, only to be driven back by Qin Ge and his men.
The leader, bleeding from his arm and waist, weakened under Sheng Yu’s relentless assault. Sheng Yu didn’t aim to kill—instead, he carved wounds across the man’s body, finally slashing his cheek and tearing away the black cloth masking his face.
Panicked, the assassin’s movements grew erratic until Sheng Yu pinned him to the ground, a blade at his throat.
For the first time, the man who had always hidden behind a mask or veil revealed his true face—a sight that shocked even his own men.
Trembling, the man tried to cover his disfigured features, but Sheng Yu had already seen them.
Half his face was a grotesque patchwork of scars, burnt a hideous reddish-brown, his right ear nearly melted away.
Yet, recalling the Crown Prince’s earlier hints and the vaguely familiar features, Sheng Yu spoke coldly:
"Long time no see, General Feng."
Feng Yu’s pupils shrank, veins bulging on his forehead as his face twisted in fury.
Sheng Yu, satisfied by his reaction, turned to address the Crown Prince—but his gaze flickered once more to Yun Kui’s hand, still tightly held by His Highness.
Even after the battle, she hadn’t let go?
Propriety dictated distance between men and women. Even if the Crown Prince meant to protect her, was this necessary?
