Sang Jiang instinctively tried to call out, but a large hand covered her mouth: "Shh, it's me."

Sang Jiang pried at his hand a couple of times before he let go. As soon as she was free, she curtsied to him from a distance and said, "This humble woman greets Your Majesty."

Long Jingchen: ...

Looking at Sang Jiang's more distant expression than before, he felt a headache coming on: "I didn't actually mean to lie to you."

Sang Jiang pursed her lips: "This humble woman dares not blame Your Majesty, but I do not know why Your Majesty repeatedly teases this humble woman."

Long Jingchen felt a surge of panic in his heart. He didn't know why he was panicking, but he knew he didn't want Sang Jiang to misunderstand him, and he didn't like her distant expression.

"I have never said that I am not the emperor."

Sang Jiang curled her lip, her tone slightly sarcastic: "Your Majesty, you never used the term 'I' to refer to yourself before."

Long Jingchen: ...

So why did she dare to be so defiant even after knowing her true identity?

Sang Jiang sighed, "Your Majesty, please return. This humble woman needs to rest."

In fact, even Sang Jiang herself didn't know why she was angry. She was just a little... disappointed after finding out that he was the emperor.

Sang Jiang was startled by her own thought, and she tried her best to urge Long Jingchen to leave quickly to cover up her emotions.

Seeing that she was looking down and didn't want to talk to him, Long Jingchen sighed, turned around, and slipped out.

Sang Jiang watched her departing figure and fell into deep thought.

Meanwhile, at Jingren Palace.

Nian Shihua dragged his heavy steps and knelt at the Empress's feet: "Your Majesty, I have failed in my duties. Please punish me."

The Empress narrowed her eyes, her sharp eyes noticing a tear stain at the corner of his eye: "Nian Shihua, you should know the consequences of betraying me."

Nian Shihua nodded silently: "This subordinate is willing to accept punishment."

"Hmm." The Empress nodded, not angry at all, but in fact seemed to be in a better mood. She waved to Nian Shihua, "Go."

Nian Shihua's hands trembled slightly as he nodded, "This subordinate takes his leave."

After saying that, he went straight into the Empress's inner palace.

He was somewhat frightened by the Empress's attitude. Based on past experience, the Empress shouldn't have reacted this way after he failed to accomplish his task.

He tightened and loosened his hands, which were hanging at his sides, and walked to the Empress's dressing table. He pulled a small cabinet, which contained a hidden mechanism.

Ever since he was rescued from the fire by the Empress, he had been kept by her in a basement in her inner palace.

Besides him, there were three other men in the basement, all secretly trained by the Queen, waiting to be used for secret missions when needed.

This assassination mission was the first task given to him by the Empress. He thought that if he failed, the Empress would treat him the same way she treated them, but he didn't expect her to let him go so easily.

It's now certain that the Empress knows about his relationship with Sang Ruo. So what was the purpose of sending him there this time?

He was torn between conflicting emotions and a sense of relief, unable to imagine what would have happened if it had been three other people, like Sang Ruo.

Although he resented her becoming Consort Sang, he wanted her to live even more.

When Huan Yun saw Nian Shihua walk in weakly, she quickly stepped forward to support him: "Brother Nian, how did you get hurt!"

Her tone was somewhat urgent, and Nian Shihua leaned against her and coughed lightly twice: "It's nothing, I was just injured on a mission."

Huan Yun frowned: "You're the best fighter among us, how could someone have hurt you? Brother Nian, what happened this time...?"