"I..." Jiang Can frowned, hesitatingly saying, "I think I just saw someone walk past here!"
Huo Zhixing cautiously examined the area but found nothing suspicious.
The Grand Palace has a very good ecological environment, and the royal family has never restricted small animals. Cats often sneak in from outside the palace to look for food, or squirrels dart around in the trees.
"Do you think I might be seeing things?"
Huo Zhixing pondered for a moment and said in a low voice, "Whether it's a trick of the eye or not, we have to tell He Jin so he can be more vigilant."
"Yeah, that's true," Jiang Can agreed. "It's always better to be careful."
The couple quickened their pace, but when they reached the center of the garden, the line for taking a group photo was already set up.
He Yan sat in the center, with Sang Qing and He Jin on either side, both wearing crowns and formal attire.
Coupled with their outstanding looks, one can't help but sigh that this is probably what princesses and princes from fairy tales look like.
Nie Xin kept trying to move forward. Even if she wasn't qualified to sit next to Sang Qing, standing behind her would be fine too! But as soon as she squeezed in, Nie Zhen pulled her out.
"This is a group photo of the royal family, why are you getting involved?"
Nie Xin was unconvinced and muttered to herself, "Once I successfully propose, let's see how you old man will control me then!"
All members of the royal family were in position, and the photographer stood in front of everyone.
The atmosphere there was pleasant and relaxed, and no one noticed that a pair of malicious eyes were staring intently at this beautiful scene from behind the stone pillar.
Heya bit her lip until it turned white, and the pistol in her hand was already fully loaded.
As she looked at He Jin, scenes from her childhood naturally came to mind.
Young He Jin was gloomy and melancholic, and not very likable, while Jia Min excelled in everything. Jia Min was very satisfied with her, and given the long-standing tradition of establishing a queen in Southeast Asia, she believed that the throne was rightfully hers.
He Jin never dared to argue with her, and even when he was bullied, he dared not utter a word.
She remembered one time when she was a child, she deliberately let her two wolfhounds out. He Jin was chased all over the place and finally climbed up a tree in a sorry state. Still in shock, He Jin cried very hard, but she let the wolfhounds sit under the tree and told everyone when she returned to the palace that He Jin had secretly run away to play.
He Jin stayed in the tree until midnight that time. When he was found, he was hungry and thirsty, and his body was scratched in several places by tree branches.
He Jin had been bullied like this countless times since he was a child, and he had never fought back.
But why... this time in the battle for the throne, he won't let her have it!
A fire ignited in Heya's heart, and jealousy and anger burned her eyes red.
The more lively the garden became, the more twisted her mind became, and the more she wanted to kill He Jin!
However, at that moment, she noticed Huo Zhixing and Jiang Can hurrying towards her, and the guards stopped them.
"Mr. Huo, Mrs. Huo," the guard said respectfully, "Now we will have a group photo of the royal family members, and then it will be time for the honored guests and their families... Please wait here for a moment."
Jiang Can looked anxious. "Please inform Prince Jin immediately. I just saw someone suspicious. Please ask him to strengthen security!"
"What? Just now?" The two guards exchanged glances. "We've been here the whole time; no suspicious people should have appeared."
Jiang Can didn't know how to explain, but Huo Zhixing stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Regardless of whether there are suspicious people or not, we must ensure everyone's safety at all times!"
“Yes, Mr. Huo…” The guard was intimidated by his powerful aura and nodded vigorously.
The two men turned around, intending to report to their superiors, but in that instant, a gunshot rang out that shook the sky!
Everyone seemed to have been frozen in place, as if a pause button had been pressed. By the time they came to their senses, a guard in the garden was already lying in a pool of blood...
"ah!"
People screamed in terror and panicked.
Huo Zhixing instinctively pulled his wife and children into his arms, cautiously looking around for a suitable place to shelter.
"Guards! Guards!"
"An assassination attempt!"
The guards rushed over, and the garden was thrown into chaos.
Nie Zhen drew his sidearm from his waist, calmly and collectedly directing the Imperial Guards, while simultaneously taking large strides to block He Yan's path.
Amidst the chaos, a dark gun barrel was pointed directly at He Jin!
He Yan noticed it early and rushed over without hesitation, pulling He Jin back with all his might, shouting hysterically, "Ah Jin, get out of the way!"
He Jin slipped and was pulled down by He Yan. At the same time, a second loud bang was heard!
Bullets struck the trees, sending sparks flying!
He Jin froze, his limbs trembling uncontrollably. When he finally saw the face of the person who had fired the shot, he was even more shocked…
"elder sister?"
"Die..." Heya had gone completely mad, "All of you, die!"
Her first shot was aimed at He Jin, but her marksmanship was poor, and she wounded a guard instead. Her second shot was also dodged by He Jin...
She was so angry that she lost her mind. When she aimed again, the gun was not aimed at He Jin, but at Sang Qing!
"Bang!"
She fired her third shot the instant the guards stopped her.
Sang Qing's mind went completely blank.
She saw the gun pointed at her, heard the loud bang, and in that fraction of a second, she lost the ability to think.
She was pushed away by a force and fell to the ground like a puppet. But time seemed to freeze; she didn't experience the expected burning and pain…
"Uncle!"
When she regained consciousness, she suddenly saw Nie Xin lying on the ground!
He was injured by a stray bullet.
The scorching gunpowder pierced his shoulder blade, and blood gushed from the hole in his shoulder, instantly staining a large patch of his snow-white cardigan red...
Sang Qing screamed at the top of her lungs and lunged forward.
When Heya tried to fire again, a guard kicked her wrist. The guards surrounded her from all sides, tied her hands behind her back, and bound her so tightly that she could not move.
Sang Qing called out Nie Xin's name, tears streaming down her face.
Yin Ruohong remained relatively calm. She took out a small bottle from her medicine box and, with trembling hands, poured the powder onto Nie Xin's injured area.
"This medicine... can temporarily stop the bleeding." He was panting heavily. "Get him to the hospital immediately for surgery to remove the bullet!"
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