The Heroine Fell Deeply For Her [Quick Transmigration] 133

Chapter 133: Taken Home by the Princess Part 21

The bed curtains were drawn, the maids dismissed. Qin Yang lay down and, turning her head, could vaguely see the figure sitting on the embroidered stool.

Tao Ning held the Decider, her slender back straight, her neat attire making her appear less delicate and more refined.

Qin Yang watched her quietly for a while, then said, “It’s cold outside, Junior Minister, why not go to the side room?”

The maids had been dismissed to avoid being caught in the crossfire, even Cui Hong had been sent away, leaving only Tao Ning.

The figure paused, turning slightly, her gaze falling on the moonlit window lattice: “I won’t go to the side room, in case something happens, and I’m too far away, it would be a delay.”

Qin Yang sat up, the blanket slipping from her shoulders: “But you’re sitting so far away, what if the assassin comes in through the window?”

The rustling sound was amplified in the quiet night, the dim lamplight adding to the unsettling atmosphere.

Tao Ning, thinking the princess had a point, walked towards the bed, sword in hand, and sat on the footstool.

It was covered with a soft, warm blanket.

Qin Yang: “…”

Not hearing Qin Yang lie back down, Tao Ning asked, puzzled, “Your Highness?”

The rustling of fabric sounded as Qin Yang lay back down, but her breathing indicated she wasn’t asleep.

Tao Ning, her back to her, lowered her gaze, her fingers tracing the pattern on the sword’s hilt, although she couldn’t tell what it was.

Her mind wasn’t on it, how could she distinguish between wave patterns and frost patterns?

[If you looked at me, I wouldn’t believe you were unaffected.]

Tao Ning: “?”

In the quiet night, the sudden, emotionally charged voice of a dignified woman startled her.

520’s panicked apology followed: [Accidentally turned on the speaker, please continue, host, continue.]

What was there to continue? Tao Ning remained silent.

To make up for being caught slacking off earlier, 520 tried to make conversation: [Are you worried about how to win the princess’s favor?]

All those dramas weren’t watched in vain, there had to be something useful.

Having hit the nail on the head, Tao Ning asked shamelessly, “Do you have any ideas?”

I knew it, 520 boasted, [You know, I always support seduction.]

Tao Ning thought, I’ve seen all kinds of situations, but not this one, and remained speechless.

520, rubbing its metaphorical hands together, continued boasting, [Choose a time to wear something thin, spill some wine on yourself, then blush and stumble before the princess, she’ll be captivated.]

Tao Ning: “…”

She couldn’t imagine what she had been through these past few years, working with this little thing.

But there was some merit to its suggestion.

She did have some see-through clothes, but wouldn’t stumbling before the princess in white at night be considered disrespectful, resulting in being thrown out by Guard Li?

After assessing their respective combat abilities, Tao Ning decided she could probably prevent Guard Li from dragging her away.

Guard Li, practically hanging upside down in the shadows under the corridor, suddenly felt an itch in her nose and sneezed, attracting the curious gazes of the other guards.

They exchanged glances, their eyes wide.

—So Guard Li can sneeze too?

—First time hearing Guard Li sneeze, just like us.

—Three years, three years working with her, first time hearing her sneeze.

Guard Li glared at them coldly, thinking, I also breathe, you know.

Lost in thought, she heard a faint noise from outside and Tao Ning silently drew her sword slightly.

A breeze brushed past her as Qin Yang sat up and grabbed Tao Ning’s shoulder.

She knew it wouldn’t help much, but she did it instinctively, wanting to pull Tao Ning back in case of danger.

The guards, investigating, found that a stray cat from outside had provoked the cook’s tortoiseshell cat, which, its territory violated, was now chasing and attacking the intruder.

It was a false alarm, but they remained on high alert.

The commotion outside gradually subsided.

Tao Ning patted the hand on her shoulder, saying softly, “I’m here, Your Highness, you’ll be safe.”

Qin Yang glanced at the hand on her shoulder and hummed softly, but didn’t pull it back.

Neither of them moved, maintaining this position, unspoken emotions swirling between them.

To capture the assassin alive, Li Ji had arranged the princess’s residence’s defenses to be easy to enter but difficult to exit.

As the moon reached its zenith, a commotion came from the east, a swordsman in black breaking through the defenses and firing an arrow towards the princess’s bedchamber.

Guard Li leaped from the shadows, using the wall for leverage, and disappeared into the night.

The swordsman quickly put away his crossbow, drawing his sword to meet Li Ji’s attack, sparks flying as their weapons clashed.

A sword against a saber was a disadvantage, and Li Ji’s saber techniques were powerful and relentless, like crashing waves.

The swordsman tried to escape, but Li Ji, remembering the princess’s order to capture him alive, attacked even more fiercely.

They fought further and further away, the guards outside the bedchamber remaining to protect the princess, not letting their guard down even after the assassin was gone.

Suddenly, another arrow flew from the shadows in the west, and the remaining guards instinctively swung their swords.

But the angle was tricky, and the arrow, not only not deflected, but also pierced through their defenses, heading straight for the bedchamber.

There was another assassin!

A flash of cold light in the darkness, and the arrow, aimed at the princess’s bed, was intercepted and cut in half.

Tao Ning said hurriedly, “Don’t worry, Your Highness, I’ll be right back.”

Qin Yang quickly said, “Be careful.”

Tao Ning nodded without turning around, drawing her sword and leaving. Qin Yang, not wanting to be a sitting duck, got out of bed and put on her shoes.

Chaos erupted outside, this attack clearly targeting her.

“Protect the princess! The assassin is in the west!”

“Archers, prepare!”

The guards, no longer bothering with formalities, rushed forward to apprehend the assassin.

A gray figure dodged their attacks, landing before the bedchamber, stepping on a guard’s head, and said with a smile, “The Princess Regent’s guards are nothing much. If you dare shoot at the princess and injure her, don’t blame me…”

Before he could finish, a flash of cold light came from inside, a sword flying out, and the gray-clad swordsman instantly disappeared, landing on the roof, having stepped on a stone lantern.

Looking down, a sword was embedded in the spot where he had just been standing, the blade vibrating slightly, indicating the force behind the throw.

A wave of fear washed over him.

If he hadn’t instinctively dodged, he would have been skewered.

So the guards’ hesitation wasn’t due to concern for the princess’s safety, but because they knew there was another expert inside.

A figure appeared at the door, casually retrieving the sword and looking up at the roof.

Their gazes met, neither moving, seemingly assessing each other.

The swordsman racked his brains, certain he had never seen this person before.

Strange, the only skilled fighter in the princess’s residence was Li Ji, where did this person come from?

The swordsman asked, his face full of surprise, “Who are you?”

“Junior Minister!” The guards exclaimed, still shaken, worried about the princess’s safety.

“You’re An Ning, the Junior Minister of the Dali Temple?” The swordsman chuckled. “You’re here too? Perfect, I’ll kill two birds with one stone.”

Tao Ning simply glanced at him and said, “Twin Star Swords, Jiang Biehan.”

The swordsman, arrogant and confident in his skills, hadn’t bothered with a disguise, not expecting to be recognized so easily.

His face darkened, no longer smiling: “You know my name, I’ll grant you a quick death.”

With that, he jumped down from the roof and attacked.

In a fight between experts, the slightest lapse in concentration could be fatal. Tao Ning, not one for wasting words, met his attack.

The guards only saw a blur, the movements too fast to follow, their expressions turning serious.

The clang of swords echoed as they clashed, exchanging several blows in an instant.

It seemed the assassin’s earlier speed had just been a tease, this was his true strength, worthy of challenging the princess’s residence.

If Guard Li had been lured away, they wouldn’t have been able to stop him like Junior Minister An.

Meanwhile, the swordsman in black, entangled with Li Ji, couldn’t escape: “Slashing Wave Saber, Li Ji? It’s you! You disappeared from the Jianghu for years, everyone thought you were dead, so you’ve become a government dog.”

Li Ji remained unmoved: “Using martial arts to break the law, assassinating the princess, is a capital offense.”

The swordsman retreated as he fought: “Jianghu matters should be settled within the Jianghu. The princess, since taking power, has been restricting our Jianghu rules, and now she even killed my close friend, I’m only here for revenge, what’s wrong with that?”

Li Ji said coldly, “Assassinating the princess.”

The swordsman was furious, unable to reason with this stubborn woman.

No matter his insults, Li Ji remained unmoved, pursuing him relentlessly.

The swordsman’s lightness skill wasn’t as good as Li Ji’s, and he was quickly caught, his weapon knocked away as he was pinned down in the courtyard.

Another swordsman in gray, similar in appearance and build, was already kneeling there.

Li Ji glanced at them, then without a word, kicked the swordsman in black: “So you weren’t alone.”

The Twin Star Swords referred not to one person, but to twin brothers, always together, one always supporting the other.

Their martial arts skills were considered top-notch in the Jianghu.

The swordsman in black, his hands tied, fell face down, and if he hadn’t been gagged, he would have been cursing loudly.

The swordsman in gray was covered in wounds, his face bruised and swollen.

He had attacked Tao Ning confidently, but he hadn’t even lasted ten moves before being injured and defeated.

He couldn’t understand: “Who is your master? I’ve never seen your sword techniques before.”

“Could you be the disciple of a recluse master? No, wait, you’re a descendant of General Shenwu, could it be the An family’s secret sword technique? No, the An family is known for their spear techniques and archery, I’ve never heard of any swordsmanship…”

Tao Ning kicked him, signaling someone to gag him: “When it comes to swords, I’m your ancestor, give it a rest, stop analyzing me.”

Li Ji waved her hand, ordering her subordinates to take the two brothers away. Seeing the swordsman in gray still staring at Tao Ning with a curious expression, she explained, “Jiang Biehan is obsessed with swords. Before completing his training, he studied all kinds of sword techniques, anyone who used a sword in the Jianghu, regardless of their fame, and even compiled a manual of one hundred sword techniques.”

Tao Ning’s tone turned cold: “Obsessed or not, he seems more like a fool to me. One should be prepared to face the consequences of their actions.”

With that, she turned and walked towards Qin Yang’s bedchamber, then suddenly turned around: “Have them heavily guarded, don’t let anyone break them out.”

Li Ji nodded: “Yes, Junior Minister, rest assured.”

With the assassins captured, the lights in the bedchamber were relit.

Qin Yang sat at the table, and Cui Hong, who had returned at some point, was pouring her hot tea.

Seeing Tao Ning enter, she put down her teacup: “Are you injured?”

Tao Ning sheathed her sword, spreading her hands: “They’ve been apprehended, I’m unharmed.”

Qin Yang: “Is that all?”

Tao Ning, puzzled by the question, looked at the princess, then outside: “It’s late, Your Highness should retire for the night.”

One night without sleep was bearable, but not every night, even the strongest person would collapse.

Moreover, the princess only appeared healthy, she was actually exhausted, burning the candle at both ends.

Qin Yang picked up the freshly poured tea and offered it to Tao Ning: “There’s no rush, I’ve already sent word that I won’t be attending court tomorrow.”

Tao Ning took the teacup and finished it in one gulp.

The maids in the room lowered their heads, pretending not to see, their gazes fixed on their noses.

Tao Ning, however, frowned: “I have to go to the Dali Temple, these two are definitely connected to the remnants of the previous dynasty, interrogating them might uncover their hidden network.”

Qin Yang smiled faintly: “Then I’ll have to trouble Junior Minister An.”

Tao Ning: “Serving Your Highness isn’t a trouble.”

Strange, very strange.

But she couldn’t explain why.

Having been widowed three times, her memories reset, returning to her naive state, Tao Ning, after some hesitation, was sent to the side chamber to rest.

Qin Yang’s excuse was that her residence was too far away, it was better to stay the night.

The princess rarely took a day off, and whether the court was in chaos or Emperor Chongxi was throwing a tantrum, it had nothing to do with Tao Ning.

Early in the morning, she appeared at the Dali Temple. The two assassins had already been delivered by Guard Li.

Martial artists had boundless energy, and the two, their jaws reset, were constantly shouting and cursing, giving everyone a headache.

When Tao Ning arrived, the official in charge of the interrogation stood outside the cell, his face grim, his hands clasped behind his back, pacing anxiously.

He bowed to Tao Ning, saying with a troubled expression, “I’m incompetent, Your Excellency, I couldn’t make them talk.”

Tao Ning was surprised: “Even the Dali Temple’s methods couldn’t break them?”

Hearing this, the official’s face fell even further: “They have internal energy protecting them, our methods are less effective, we can’t force the truth out of them.”

Tao Ning understood. She didn’t enter the cell, instead calling for someone.

“Junior Minister, your orders?”

Tao Ning: “Go and invite Miss Shi Qing, tell her to bring her things, and also invite Guard Li, she hasn’t left yet.”

The constable left to carry out her orders, and soon, Shi Qing arrived, carrying a locked wooden box.

Tao Ning turned and entered the dungeon, followed by the others, Shi Qing right behind her.

This wasn’t Shi Qing’s first time at the Dali Temple prison, but she was no longer pale and uncomfortable, walking with a familiarity that suggested she had been here before.

Passing by the cells, she ignored the cries and moans, stopping at the deepest part of the dungeon.

Two blood-soaked figures were held here, heavily guarded, indicating the Dali Temple’s caution.

Another official was interrogating them.

The swordsman in tattered black clothes sneered, “The princess? Hah! Does she want to defy the heavens and declare herself Empress? What a joke!”

Beside him, the swordsman in gray sat dejectedly, his head lowered, silent.

Just as he uttered the word “joke,” Guard Li arrived, her gaze cold and indifferent.

The official, enraged by the swordsman’s disrespect towards the princess, immediately reprimanded him, scolding him for his insolence.

The swordsman in black continued, “You said she confiscated Chen’s wealth, that’s just dogs biting dogs, the Yu court is corrupt, the emperor weak and incompetent, controlled by a mere princess…”

Tao Ning, standing outside, said calmly, “I don’t appreciate that, Li Ji, give him a few slaps.”

Guard Li, never questioning, stepped forward, cracking her knuckles, and slapped the swordsman in black repeatedly, turning his face into a pig’s head.

The swordsman in gray watched with a mixture of fear and sympathy.