“Your Highness, forgive us! We arrived too late to save you!”
Outside, someone dropped to his knees with a heavy thud.
Prince Ling gripped his sword and held it across his chest, cautiously peering through the gap in the carriage.
It was one of his hidden guards!
Only then did Prince Ling let out a sigh of relief.
“Check whether there are any survivors,” Prince Ling ordered before collapsing into his seat.
Fortunately, he had sensed that something was wrong just in time. If he had not reacted quickly, he would either have died today or suffered serious injuries.
His guards all addressed him as “Your Highness.” But the guard who had just called out had said, “Crown Prince.”
When he turned around, he had immediately sensed that something was amiss.
The hidden guard outside the carriage turned every one of the attackers over.
“Your Highness, they’re all dead!”
By now, Prince Ling had also regained his composure.
“Search them carefully. Can you find out where these assassins came from?”
Prince Ling remained seated inside the carriage, not daring to go out again.
He could not be sure whether there were still enemies lurking outside.
The hidden guard soon returned to report.
“Your Highness, there are no identifying marks on them.”
“Forget it. You drive the carriage. We’re going back to the residence.” Prince Ling no longer wished to remain there.
The enemy was hidden while he was exposed. That put him at a great disadvantage.
He could only return to the residence first and make further plans.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
The hidden guard answered and quickly set the carriage in motion again.
Prince Ling did not dare relax. He gripped the sword in his hand tightly and kept his eyes fixed on the carriage door.
It felt as though an entire year had passed before the carriage finally came to a stop.
“Your Highness, we’ve arrived at Prince Ling’s Residence,” the hidden guard called from outside.
“Go inside and tell the steward to bring people out.” Prince Ling did not dare trust anyone.
The sound of the hidden guard’s footsteps moved away.
Only then did Prince Ling cautiously lift the curtain and look outside.
He saw the hidden guard just entering the main gate.
Prince Ling looked around. It was indeed Prince Ling’s Residence.
He relaxed a little.
Soon, the steward came running out with more than a dozen guards.
“Your Highness!” the steward called anxiously from below the carriage.
Prince Ling rose to his feet. Just as he was about to leave, his gaze suddenly fell on the arrow lodged in the carriage.
He reached up, pulled out the arrow, and climbed down.
“Take some men and investigate those assassins. Find out who they were working for.”
“And report the attack to the Shuntian Prefecture!”
The steward hurriedly answered, “Yes. This old servant will see to it immediately.”
Under the protection of his guards, Prince Ling finally entered Prince Ling’s Residence.
Only after he truly crossed the residence’s main gate did the tension leave his body.
His legs went weak, and he nearly collapsed.
The guard beside him quickly caught him.
Supported by the guard, Prince Ling made his way into the study.
He waved the guards away, then took the arrow from his sleeve.
At first glance, it looked no different from an ordinary arrow.
However, Prince Ling noticed that its fletching was slightly shorter than usual.
The material of its arrowhead was also different from that of ordinary arrows.
Under the lamplight, Prince Ling examined it repeatedly, trying to uncover the slightest clue.
“Crown Prince!”
The sweet, delicate voice of Secondary Consort Wei came from outside the door.
Prince Ling frowned and slipped the arrow back into his sleeve.
“Come in!”
Prince Ling lifted the teacup beside him.
The door opened, and Secondary Consort Wei entered with an anxious expression.
“Crown Prince, I heard that you were attacked?”
“Are you all right? Where are the guards who were serving you?”
Her eyes glistening with tears, Secondary Consort Wei hurried to Prince Ling and looked him over.
When she saw the injury on his forehead, she cried out in alarm.
“Oh! Crown Prince, you’re hurt!”
“Someone, hurry and summon a physician to examine the Crown Prince!”
Secondary Consort Wei scolded the guards.
Hearing her call him “Crown Prince” again and again, Prince Ling felt inexplicably disgusted.
He raised his hand, seized Secondary Consort Wei by the throat, and slammed her down onto the writing desk.
The concern on Secondary Consort Wei’s face instantly turned to terror.
“Crown Prince... what... what’s wrong?”
She could barely breathe and felt her vision going black.
Secondary Consort Wei desperately tried to pry Prince Ling’s hand away, struggling to escape his grip.
“Tell me! How did you know I had been attacked?”
Prince Ling’s eyes were bloodshot, and he looked as though he might devour someone in the next instant.
Secondary Consort Wei struggled to explain.
“I... was... waiting... for Your Highness...”
“I... heard... when I was... at the gate...”
As Prince Ling listened to her explanation, his sharp, hawk-like gaze swept over her face.
Tears streamed down Secondary Consort Wei’s cheeks.
Her expression was filled with fear, regret, and terror.
Prince Ling released her.
Clutching her throat, Secondary Consort Wei collapsed to the floor and gasped for breath.
She had never known that Prince Ling could be so terrifying!
The feeling of having narrowly escaped death left her filled with dread.
Secondary Consort Wei knelt on the floor while Prince Ling looked down at her.
“It’s so late. Why weren’t you asleep? Why did you go to the gate?” His voice was full of suspicion.
“I saw that you still hadn’t returned, and I was very worried. I couldn’t put my mind at ease, so I went to the gate.”
“Just then, I saw the carriage and happened to hear what you said.”
“So you followed behind me the whole time?” Prince Ling recalled how weak he had been when he entered the residence.
Secondary Consort Wei hurriedly shook her head.
“No!”
“When I saw you return, I remembered that I had a soup simmering on the stove for you, so I turned around and instructed my maid to fetch it.”
“By the time I looked back, you had already gone far ahead with your guards.”
“Your Highness, if you don’t believe me, you can ask Zhenzhu!”
Secondary Consort Wei pointed toward Zhenzhu, who was trembling by the door.
Prince Ling looked over.
Sure enough, Zhenzhu was holding a tray with a small covered bowl on it.
Prince Ling’s expression shifted unpredictably.
After a while, he reached out and helped Secondary Consort Wei to her feet.
“Tonight, I was attacked and badly shaken. That’s why I frightened you.”
Tears welled up in Secondary Consort Wei’s eyes once again.
“It was all my fault! I was too concerned about Your Highness, so I forgot the rules.”
“I was in the wrong first. I don’t blame Your Highness.”
Prince Ling patted the back of her hand approvingly.
“To have such a virtuous and capable wife as you is truly my good fortune.”
At his words, Secondary Consort Wei immediately smiled.
“Thank you for your praise, Your Highness. I’ll do my very best to improve.”
“By the way, I personally watched over this soup as it simmered all afternoon.”
“You work tirelessly every day, so you must take good care of your health.”
“This restorative soup is especially nourishing. You must drink plenty of it.”
Smiling, Secondary Consort Wei beckoned to Zhenzhu. Trembling with fear, Zhenzhu carried the tray over to her.
Secondary Consort Wei took the porcelain bowl and placed it in front of Prince Ling before lifting the lid.
She failed to notice that Prince Ling’s expression had become extremely grim.
