At that moment, the Imperial Palace was already in complete chaos.
Over a hundred years had passed since the founding of the Eastern Radiance Kingdom, spanning nine emperors. Although transitions of power inevitably saw bloodshed through the generations, an assassination attempt on a prince was a first during the reign of the Mingcheng Emperor.
The Fifth Prince, Mu Qishao, hadn’t even been married a full month. He had just been granted the title of Prince Rong. With his family, country, and the world at heart, full of high spirits, he had personally requested an assignment to go to Granary River County to find Wei Qingchen. No one expected that he would ride out of the city on horseback only to be carried back horizontally into the palace.
Looking at his pale face and blood-stained robes, the Mingcheng Emperor’s sharp, sword-like eyebrows instantly furrowed. He first summoned the imperial physician to ask if any vital areas were wounded.
The physician said one blade strike had landed on his arm, and another had slashed his waist. Fortunately, the waist wound wasn’t deep. The arm injury was more severe—the bone was visible.
Hearing the wound wasn’t life-threatening, the Emperor relaxed slightly. He didn’t go to the Imperial Study but directly summoned the accompanying guards for questioning in Splendor Hall.
After questioning, his fury almost exceeded his concern!!—not that it mattered, he had many sons, and this one wasn’t even his favorite. But for a prince to be assassinated within the kingdom’s borders, right near the capital, practically under his very nose—how could that not infuriate him!
The Mingcheng Emperor summoned officials from the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of War, the Imperial Censorate, and the Court of Judicature and Revision to the palace overnight. Due to the Heir Wei’s involvement, Grand General Wei was also summoned.
Wei Huaishu had already heard the report from the household attendant and roughly knew the course of events. Not daring to be remiss, he immediately entered the palace.
Arriving at the Imperial Study, he saw His Majesty the Emperor with a dark expression. Wei Huaishu respectfully paid his respects. The Emperor asked him if he knew why he had been summoned.
Wei Huaishu said, “Slightly. The household attendant has already returned to the mansion. I heard that His Highness Prince Rong and my unworthy son were attacked on their way back to the capital. His Highness was injured. It was because my son’s protection was insufficient.”
The Mingcheng Emperor snorted coldly, his face grim. “Wei Qingchen went to Granary River County on my orders to thoroughly investigate the Orderly Cloud Cult case. The moment he uncovered a lead, he ran into assassins. If Fifth hadn’t happened to bring people along, Wei Qingchen’s little life would have been lost in Granary River County!”
Wei Huaishu’s expression also turned unsightly. Although he never said so outright, of his three sons, his most beloved was indeed this legitimate son. Hearing the Emperor’s words, he knelt, about to kowtow and thank the Emperor’s son for saving his son’s life.
But this was too convoluted. The Emperor didn’t have time to listen. He waved his hand impatiently, motioning him to cut the nonsense. Then he sneered coldly, “Dear ministers, do you know where these assassins came from?”
The assembled officials looked at each other in dismay. After a moment, they said in unison, “Your servants are dull and slow…”
The Emperor’s fingers, pressed against the imperial desk, slowly tightened into a fist. Anger simmering in his eyes, he said, “All men from the Northern Chen Kingdom. Death warriors, every last one of them! Did they think that just because they died, We wouldn’t be able to find out?!”
The ministers were genuinely shocked. Upon more careful thought, there were indeed clues. The Northern Chen and the Southern Plume were colluding in secret—weren’t they just eyeing them covetously?
The Mingcheng Emperor pointed at the Minister of Justice and bluntly ordered, “For colluding with foreign enemies, immediately dispatch men to arrest the Orderly Cloud Cult! Don’t let a single one escape!” Then, sweeping his gaze over everyone present, he enunciated every word: “As for that batch of assassins—weren’t they death warriors? Then let them die completely! Chop off all their heads and send them via fast horse to the Northern Chen Kingdom immediately!”
“Your Majesty!” The Minister of War, Luo Cong, stepped forward half a pace. Slightly worried, he cupped his hands and said, “This would be tantamount to immediately declaring war on the Northern Chen Kingdom. This is a matter of great importance. Please, Your Majesty, reconsider.”
The Mingcheng Emperor’s gaze darkened. Looking at him, he said, word by word, “Does Minister Luo think that having the Northern Chen Kingdom assassinate my prince and my nephew right under the capital’s walls is not yet a declaration of war? Do they need to assassinate me, the Emperor, before it’s called a declaration of war?!!!”
Thunderous fury!
The air in the Imperial Study seemed to freeze for an instant. Minister Luo was the first to kneel. Trembling with fear, he said, “This humble servant would not dare. This servant is foolish and ignorant. I only beg Your Majesty to calm your anger.”
The remaining officials also knelt together. Before their choral agreement could even leave their mouths, the Emperor had already waved his hand grandly: “Do it immediately!”
“Yes…”
The ministers filed out of the Imperial Study. The Minister of War purposely glanced towards Grand General Wei. Wei Huaishu adjusted his official robes and cap and walked away without looking back.
Mu Qishao was temporarily settled in a side hall of Splendor Hall. His mother, Consort Hui, had already come to see him once. Seeing that his wounds, though deep, were fortunately not life-threatening, her eyes merely reddened slightly; she didn’t shed tears in front of others. However, when the Empress Dowager Liu heard the palace servant’s report, leaning on her staff, she came to the front hall herself. Stroking her grandson’s head, she couldn’t hold back her tears.
Everyone tried to console her repeatedly. Even Mu Qishao, his handsome face pale, forced a grin: “Imperial Grandmother, don’t worry. These are all just flesh wounds. I’ll be fine in a while.”
“Able to share His Majesty’s burdens is Shao’er’s fortune. Mother, please don’t worry excessively over a child and damage your Phoenix Body. That would truly be our fault.” Consort Hui, Xie Ling, was a descendant of the great aristocratic Xie Clan. Graceful and virtuous, she spoke so reasonably that the old Empress Dowager had no choice but to listen to their advice. She turned and soothed the two brothers with a few words, then let Consort Hui accompany her back to Longevity Palace.
When they had all finally left and the guards had been posted outside, only Mu Qishao and Wei Qingchen, the two cousins, remained in Splendor Hall. Mu Qishao finally let out a long breath. With a tearful face, he said, “It hurts so much. With Imperial Grandmother and Mother here, I didn’t dare make a sound.”
Wei Qingchen stood two feet away, looking at him hesitantly.
Mu Qishao said, “Why are you looking at me like that?” He instinctively wanted to cover the wound on his waist but was afraid pressing on it would hurt more. He could only struggle to sit up. Seeing Wei Qingchen still standing there, he said angrily, “You could at least help your brother up!”
Wei Qingchen walked to his side, carefully helped him up, then placed a bolster behind his lower back for him to lean on more comfortably.
“At such a young age, always looking so grim,” Mu Qishao grumbled about her.
“Not that young. I’ve been married a long time.” Wei Qingchen knew he was just using other words to console her and played along. She found a chair for herself and sat down in front of the bed.
Mu Qishao remembered that time they had gone out on an assignment together and had been subjected to her showing off her loving wife as sweet provender. He huffed indignantly, “Hmph! I’m married now too. I’ve even established my own princely household.”
Indeed. Wei Qingchen hadn’t established her own household. As the Heir, she had to live in the Marquis Mansion, surrounded by elders above and juniors below.
She pretended to sigh heavily.
The two siblings looked at each other, then both involuntarily broke into silly grins.
Laughing, Mu Qishao suddenly gasped in pain and grabbed his waist. “Stop, stop! Don’t laugh, my wound hurts.”
Wei Qingchen laughed even harder. Mu Qishao felt like beating her up! Finally, she tilted her head to look at her elder cousin. In a very sincere tone, she said, “Fifth Brother, thank you.”
Mu Qishao leaned against the headboard and said, with an air of nonchalance, “What’s there to thank? We’re brothers. It’s not the first time we’ve faced life and death together.”
As he spoke, he grimaced in pain, perhaps having pulled at his knife wound. But the spirit of youthful camaraderie lay all within those ordinary words.
It was already the next day when Wei Qingchen returned to the Marquis Mansion.
Chu Mingxi hadn’t slept much all night. Even at dawn, she had only dozed off briefly. Hearing Ruolan say the Heir had returned, she hurriedly put on an outer robe and came out.
Wei Qingchen had just stepped into the room when she saw her wife standing gracefully in the hall. Her unadorned face carried a hint of fatigue. A thin sleeping robe was loosely covered by a hastily donned outer garment. Her lovely figure was outlined by the morning light—there was nowhere that wasn’t alluring, and nowhere that didn’t look pitiful.
The door was wide open. A cold wind swept through, and Chu Mingxi’s hem fluttered slightly. Yet her eyes, bright, gazed at her. Seeing that although Wei Qingchen looked somewhat haggard, she was completely unharmed and didn’t seem injured at all, her heart settled. She pressed her lips into a smile. “Why are you stunned the moment you return?”
Wei Qingchen came to her senses. Quickly closing the door, she walked over, took her hand, and chided, “It’s so cold outside. Why did you come out like this?”
Chu Mingxi let herself be led back inside. The inner room was much warmer. She draped the outer garment on the rack.
Wei Qingchen had washed her face and taken a sip of hot tea. Turning around, she saw her wife, dressed in a sleeping robe embroidered with faint patterns, turning her head back. She looked just like a magnolia flower.
She looked closely for a moment, then walked up, held her hand, and kissed her on the cheek.
Actually, she didn’t just want to kiss her face. But there were maids outside, and she didn’t want to be too forward.
Chu Mingxi’s eyes held a smile. With a touch of indulgence, she allowed the kiss, then stroked Wei Qingchen’s face and said, “You must be tired. Look at your complexion, so pale. You definitely didn’t sleep last night. Go wash up.”
Wei Qingchen pressed the hand stroking her face and blinked her eyes. “Will my lady sleep with me?”
That sounded rather odd.
Chu Mingxi withdrew her hand. “No!”
It wasn’t until Wei Qingchen had tidied herself up and eaten some pastries that Chu Mingxi, her heart softening, still accompanied her to rest.
The bed curtains were lowered again, blocking out the daylight outside. Even the birds under the window had been moved far away by the maids. A profound stillness pervaded the room.
Holding her wife, Wei Qingchen closed her eyes and slowly said, “You must have been frightened last night.”
“Yes,” Chu Mingxi nestled in her embrace. Remembering the feeling when she first heard the news, her slender hand lifted, stroking from her shoulder down to her waist. Her tone was still clear and cool. “You didn’t get hurt, did you?”
“No,” Wei Qingchen felt a slight tickle from her touch and shifted slightly. “Just got a big scare.”
“Next time you need to go out, take the Heir’s Guard with you. Alright?” Chu Mingxi had noticed her reaction. Her thick, long eyelashes concealed a hint of mischievous light in her eyes. While talking to distract her attention, her hand subtly turned and tickled her waist again.
“Hey!” Wei Qingchen practically jumped on the bed, trying to catch her hand.
Chu Mingxi laughed until her eyes curved. “Never knew you were actually afraid of this.”
“Is my lady not afraid?” Wei Qingchen gritted her teeth and also stretched out her wolfish claws, returning the favor in kind.
“I’m not afraid,” Chu Mingxi said with a straight face, holding back her laughter.
“Oh?” Wei Qingchen leaned in and gently breathed a puff of air by her ear. Her hand slipped inside the brocade quilt, pressing against her smooth waist, and tickled even more lightly. “Really not afraid?”
“Don’t…!!” Chu Mingxi broke, unable to hold back her laughter. Her eyes curved as she tried to stop her. “Stop it…”
“You clearly started messing with me first.” Wei Qingchen’s hand had already gradually become more unrestrained. “How can only the prefect be allowed to start fires?”
Chu Mingxi’s heart jumped. She quickly pressed down on her hand. With a hint of coquettishness, she said, “Stop fooling around.”
Her coy manner only made Wei Qingchen feel an even greater rush of heat. She stared at her with bright eyes.
Chu Mingxi’s heart was also somewhat flustered. But it was broad daylight; people were coming and going outside. She really couldn’t do anything improper. She could only lift her face and kiss the corner of Wei Qingchen’s mouth. Softly coaxing, she said, “Stop fooling around. Stay with me and sleep for a while.”
Wei Qingchen’s fire gradually subsided. She only held her closer. Closing her eyes, she answered, “Okay…”
