Mu Tiantian felt that her idea was outrageous and shook her head violently, trying to get rid of the messy thoughts.

It must have been an accident.

The surroundings were extremely quiet, making the heartbeat all the more noticeable.

I just can't tell whose heartbeat it is.

For a moment, Mu Tiantian didn't know what to say to break the awkward yet somewhat ambiguous atmosphere.

After a long pause, Long Fantian spoke, "I will pick you up from the palace tomorrow."

After saying that, he quickly left.

System: [Long Fantian's corruption value decreased by 10, currently at 65.]

Upon hearing the notification sound, Mu Tiantian felt that Long Fantian must have believed the contents of her letter, which was why his "darkening value" had decreased.

She tried to distract herself: "Seven, what's this about the assassins?"

Qi Tong: [I just detected that the assassins from Long Xinghuang's sect came only to test your martial arts skills and further confirm whether you are indeed Lin Miao, but they were thwarted by the palace maids sent by Long Fantian to assist you.]

Mu Tiantian: [He wants to confirm this completely so he can punish me. A wooden dummy isn't enough; he wants to test my martial arts skills too.]

Qi Tong: [He probably already knows your identity in his heart, and he's doing this to leave you speechless.]

Mu Tiantian realized that as long as she didn't acknowledge that she was Lin Miao, he would cause her trouble.

She got out of bed and couldn't smell anything strange. Even in the moonlight, she couldn't see any traces of medicine on the ground. She hadn't expected that Long Fantian's drug would be so effective.

She patted the faces of the palace maids, and after a while, they woke up.

"How did I... end up sleeping on the floor..." The palace maid mumbled, her words slurred and unclear.

Mu Tiantian's eyes darted around as she organized her thoughts and began to deceive the group.

The palace maids were dazed and slow-witted, and they were skeptical of her words.

In short, Mu Tiantian finally managed to persuade the palace maids.

When Long Xinghuang came to inquire about the situation the next day, they all firmly replied that they had stayed by Mu Tiantian's bedside all night and there was nothing unusual.

Mu Tiantian also praised the group, saying, "They were really dedicated and didn't sleep a wink all night."

"Oh? So, the eunuch who delivered your fruit just disappeared without a trace?" Long Xinghuang questioned her directly.

"Your Majesty, with all the chaos caused by the assassins last night, it's understandable that they didn't notice," Mu Tiantian retorted. "I wonder if Your Majesty has caught the assassins? Who sent them? Were they here to kill me? Wouldn't I be in great danger in the palace?"

Long Xinghuang's eyes flashed. "I will definitely investigate and give Miss Mu an explanation. I wonder what Miss Mu has thought about it? Could you tell me how you ended up at the hunting grounds?"

"I really don't know." Mu Tiantian started making things up. "I... I just remember walking by the river and suddenly someone put a sack over my head. After that, I can't remember anything. It's like... it's like someone lifted me up and made me fly."

"I kept struggling, and then I fell from the sky. I was hit by an arrow before I even hit the ground. That's all I can remember. I think it was probably someone with very good lightness skills who tried to kidnap me, but they couldn't catch me and let me fall." Mu Tiantian nodded after she finished speaking. "Yes, that must be it."

That reason... is just too outrageous!

When the emperor goes hunting, the hunting grounds are so heavily fortified that even a bird flying in can be shot down.

Not to mention a living person.

Unless they fly very high, so high that they can't see anyone.

But if that's the case, she would have been smashed to pieces from falling from such a height, so how could she only have arrow wounds and no fall injuries?

Mu Tiantian didn't care anymore; let it be outrageous.

If she continues to pretend she doesn't know, Long Xinghuang can keep finding ways to press her for answers.

"You all get out of here." Long Xinghuang dismissed the group.

Only he and Mu Tiantian remained in the room.

Long Xinghuang approached Mu Tiantian step by step with a blank expression.

Just as Mu Tiantian was about to ask a question, she saw him pull out a dagger from his waist and stab her.

Her body acted on instinct before her brain could process it. She took out a hairpin and pressed the mechanism. The base of the hairpin split into six extremely sharp and tiny silver needles, which were coated with poison. Once they pierced a person's body, they would definitely fall into a coma.

However, the hairpin stopped in front of Long Xinghuang's neck because he was not pointing the blade at her, but rather the hilt.

"Your Majesty..."

Just as she was about to speak, Long Xinghuang threw away the dagger, grabbed her wrist holding the hairpin, and pulled her forward. He grabbed her arm with his other hand and tried to throw her over his shoulder.

Mu Tiantian realized what he wanted to do, but instinct still preceded her brain.

at last.

The person who fell to the ground was Long Xinghuang.

He lay on the ground, gazing at her quietly, a smile playing on his lips. He then slowly opened his mouth and whispered, "Lin Miao."

Mu Tiantian's heart skipped a beat, and she knew something was wrong.

Hearing the noise, Zhao Ping hurriedly opened the door and rushed in with his men. Seeing the dagger on the ground, he was about to call for the guards, but before he could even open his mouth, Long Xinghuang sat up and shouted, "Who let you in? Get out!"

"Can..."

"I order you all to leave!" Long Xinghuang's cold voice dismissed the crowd.

Zhao Ping had no choice but to leave and close the door.

Long Xinghuang stood up, his back aching so much that he coughed a few times. He looked up at Mu Tiantian in front of him and said with certainty, "You are Lin Miao."

Mu Tiantian swallowed hard. She never expected that Long Xinghuang would use her to test her.

I don't know whether to say he's bold or if he's really confident he won't get hurt by her.

"I...I don't know what you're talking about. I don't know any Lin Miao." Mu Tiantian still wanted to try her best.

Long Xinghuang raised an eyebrow slightly, "And your kung fu skills..."

“I have been healthy since childhood. I was often bullied when I was young, so I learned how to do it.”

"And your carving skills..."

"I learned it from a master when I was a child."

Long Xinghuang chuckled, "You've learned quite a lot."

"It's always good to have more skills. I'm a wanderer, and I don't want to starve to death."

No matter how he asked, Mu Tiantian could always find an excuse.

Just as Long Xinghuang was pondering how to get her to admit it, Zhao Ping hurriedly walked in, "Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager has arrived, accompanied by Consort He and Consort Jing."

Upon hearing this, Long Xinghuang's eyes narrowed slightly, and his gaze toward Zhao Ping became more ruthless. "How did the Empress Dowager find out?"

"This servant truly does not know; perhaps some palace maid or eunuch leaked it," Zhao Ping quickly explained.

Long Xinghuang sneered and remained silent.

Although his words carried little weight in the imperial court, in the inner palace, apart from those in the Empress Dowager's palace, all the other palace maids and eunuchs were as afraid of him as mice were of a cat. No one dared to disobey his orders.

Even if they had ten times the courage, they wouldn't dare to complain to the Empress Dowager.

Long Xinghuang gave Zhao Ping a cold look and said, "Zhao Ping, you are truly a good servant by my side."