As soon as they were quickly hoisted up, a long arrow was shot out, heading straight for them.

Amidst muffled groans and screams, everyone opened their eyes.

However, I was instantly stunned by the scene in front of me.

At this moment, all around them were "corpses" in various dead states, and people were still struggling.

Of course, besides these, there will always be a few who slip through the net.

Those who were spared and left alive were inevitably subjected to severe torture.

When Gu Jingchun woke up the next day and got out of the carriage, the outside had been cleaned up and the surviving people had been interrogated.

After learning from Shen Hechuan that these people might be involved with Prince Rui, Gu Jingchun frowned.

Shen Hechuan was the same.

"With Prince Rui making such a big move, sending wave after wave of people, he must be trying to kill you. There must be something big going on in the palace."

Shen Hechuan nodded.

Ye Wenxi added a sentence as well.

"And the biggest thing in the palace is nothing more than—the coup d'état."

The two nodded.

"It seems we need to move even faster."

Gu Jingchun said, "Don't just focus on getting there; be careful of dangers too. There will definitely be people waiting for us on the road ahead."

"These people today are all brainless."

Presumably, what awaits us ahead is not so simple.

Shen Hechuan chuckled softly upon hearing this.

"I want to see what other tricks Prince Rui has up his sleeve."

******

Meanwhile, in the capital city, an unbelievable rumor was circulating among the people.

"Have you heard? Everyone's saying that our current Crown Prince is not His Majesty's bloodline."

The middle-aged woman who was buying vegetables spoke in a low voice as she selected the greens.

"What?"

The vegetable vendor exclaimed in surprise.

"How could that be? This is the Crown Prince! Don't talk nonsense, or you'll be arrested and thrown in jail."

The woman buying vegetables immediately spat.

"Ptooey! Ptooey! Ptooey!"

"Don't you dare get me into trouble."

"I've only heard about it. Go and listen to the people on this street. Who doesn't know about it now?"

"This may not be true. After all, our current empress was the former crown prince's fiancée, and they were said to be childhood sweethearts who grew up together."

"If it weren't for our Emperor seizing the throne, they would have been married long ago."

"After all, they are young boys and girls who often play together. It's not impossible that they couldn't control themselves for a moment."

"Just like Wang Cuihua in our village, she was pregnant long before she got married."

However, they were already engaged, so this wasn't so hard to accept.

The woman selling vegetables nodded in agreement.

"Who told you that?"

"It's something I heard on the street, and everyone's talking about it now. I don't know where the news came from, but it's being spread like wildfire."

Princess Rongyang, who was mingling in the crowd, stomped her feet in anger upon hearing this, wishing she could kill all these people right then and there.

However, Luo Ziqian, who was beside her, stopped her in time.

"Princess, do not act rashly. This matter is of utmost importance. You must not make any moves, lest you get involved and fall into someone else's trap."

Princess Rongyang was so angry she jumped up and down.

"Are we just going to let them talk about my mother and my elder brother, the Crown Prince, like this?"

"They actually dared to gossip about the current Empress and Crown Prince. I may spare their lives, but I can certainly imprison them."

Luo Ziqian: "Princess, look how many people are on this street. Are you going to arrest them all?"

"Even if you wanted to arrest them, this prison can't hold them all!"

Princess Rongyang gritted her teeth in anger as she looked at the people coming and going on the street.

"This won't work, that won't work, so what do you suggest we do?"

Luo Ziqian pondered for a moment.

"This matter must have been done by someone with ulterior motives. They are probably planning something big while His Highness the Crown Prince is away from Tiandu. Now that His Majesty has transferred me away, I must leave the city immediately."

"So, Your Highness, the only thing we can do now is to help the Crown Prince."

Princess Rongyang, realizing the seriousness of the matter, immediately nodded.

"Princess, return to the palace now and tell the Empress everything that has happened here. Also, keep a close eye on news from the palace and inform me if anything goes wrong. Is that possible?"

Princess Rongyang nodded.

"Then...how should I deliver this message to you?"

Upon hearing this, Luo Ziqian handed a whistle to Princess Rongyang.

"Princess, all you need to do is blow this whistle, and my men will hear it and come to contact you."

Princess Rongyang nodded, then took her whistle and hurried into the palace.

After Princess Rongyang entered the palace, she immediately went to Jingyu Palace.

At this moment, Jiang Xianhao was embroidering by the window.

When she saw Princess Rongyang running over, she immediately put down what she was holding and stood up.

"Wait a minute, what happened? Why are you so panicked?"

Princess Rongyang immediately threw herself into Jiang Xianhao's arms and told her everything she had heard outside the palace that day.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Xianhao remained calm.

"I thought it was something serious, but it's just that someone with ulterior motives is spreading rumors while your brother is away from Tiandu."

"It's nothing serious, don't worry."

As she spoke, she carefully comforted Princess Rongyang until the princess calmed down before she spoke again:

"A-Yang, you've grown up now. From now on, you must listen to your brother and not be as willful as before. Don't cause trouble for your Crown Prince brother."

In that case, your brother will surely love you as much as Mother does.

Rongyang hummed in grievance.

"Mother, what are you saying? I've always listened to my brother. It's obvious that he's always been cold to me. I told you he's jealous of me, jealous that you love me, but you don't believe me."

Jiang Xian paused for a moment, and his voice became a few decibels lower.

"Your brother has had a tough time these past few years. You should take good care of him in the future, okay?"

Princess Rongyang nodded indifferently.

"Don't worry, my brother has someone who dotes on him now. Even if I went now, he might kick me out!"

Princess Rongyang said, resting her chin on her hands and looking at Jiang Xianhao.

"Mother, I think my brother really likes Gu Jingchun."

"Moreover, although Gu Jingchun can be quite annoying at times, I also quite like her. I wonder when Father will agree to them being together."

"Yes! Gu Jingchun is indeed a good girl."

Jiang Xianhao smiled upon hearing this.

"And what about you, Ah Yang?"

Do you like Luo Ziqian very much?

Jiang Xian's words made Princess Rongyang blush instantly.

"Mother, she threw herself into Jiang Xianhao's arms, acting coquettishly."