Chapter 72 Locking the Phoenix Tree (Part 5) The arrow pierced her left side with a "thud"...
Gu Lianzhou was pushed into Jixiangju, the best restaurant in the southern city, and sat down at the table, where he and Liu Dai looked at each other in silence.
Yu Qi was incredibly talkative, recounting his experiences in Huanxi Village like a storybook. Zhao Heng's eyes widened as he listened, and he didn't put the peanuts in his mouth for a long time.
The two brothers, arm in arm, one carrying a wine pot and the other holding a teacup, were drinking to their hearts' content.
It was tough on Gu and Liu, who didn't know what to say and just kept their heads down, eating the food on the table. They had almost finished gnawing the eight-treasure duck down to the skeleton, but the two of them still wouldn't stop.
"Clang—"
A pot of pear blossom white wine was smashed on the table.
Zhao Heng's cheeks flushed slightly, and he exhaled a thin breath of alcohol: "Since you are Yu-ge'er's brothers, then you are also my brothers, Zhao Guanyan's brothers."
He turned to look at Yu Qi, grinned, and said, "This rascal doesn't drink, so neither do you guys?"
Gu Lianzhou silently took the wine pot, poured a cup of wine for Liu Dai, and then explained, "I have been taking medicine recently, and I am afraid that the wine will interfere with the medicine, so I will not drink it."
The renowned physician Liu, who had prescribed medicine for someone, was speechless.
"I see, that's a real pity." Zhao Heng glanced at Gu Lianzhou and suddenly laughed, "Why are you so young and already so sickly? Are you feeling unwell?"
Before Gu Lianzhou could reply, Liu Dai cleared his throat and said, "He's lovesick and his heart is burning with desire, but it's not a serious problem."
Upon hearing this, a look of confusion flashed across Zhao Heng's face.
Yu Qi nearly spat out his tea before he could even swallow it. He slammed the teacup down, puffed out his cheeks to calm himself for a moment, and then pointed at Gu Lianzhou's face, saying, "Brother Gu, what kind of lovesickness are you suffering from?"
After saying that, he couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Gu Lianzhou lowered his eyes to look at the wine glass on the table, pursing his lips and remaining silent.
Seeing his reaction, Yu Qi assumed he had tacitly agreed to the matter. His smile gradually faded, and his gaze darted back and forth between Liu Dai and Gu Lianzhou. "Why... why did you keep it from me alone?"
Liu Dai picked up his wine cup, brought it to his lips and took a sip. He glanced at the silent Gu Lianzhou and the bewildered Yu Qi, and chuckled, "Just kidding, don't take offense."
A smile returned to Yu Qi's face: "I knew it! I haven't seen Brother Gu take a fancy to any girl along the way."
After saying that, he winked at Gu Lianzhou, "Right, Brother Gu?"
Gu Lianzhou glanced up and said calmly, "Of course."
Liu Dai: "..."
Judging from your tone, you two are actually comparing yourselves?
He glanced at Gu Lianzhou with a complicated expression, thinking to himself, "You speak so confidently, are you not planning to get married in the future or what?"
Thinking this way, I couldn't bring myself to say it.
"Come on, come on, let's eat." Zhao Heng hiccuped and picked up his chopsticks to pick up the sugar-fried lotus seeds in the center of the table. Whether it was because he was dizzy or for some other reason, his chopsticks slipped every time they touched the lotus seeds, making people laugh.
Yu Qi teased him, "Let's change the dish. Do you really have to eat this one?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the perfectly round lotus seed flew up from the plate with a "whoosh" and landed on the ground.
With a muffled thud, Song Qiling picked up the scattered incense pills, a sense of unease creeping into her heart.
Today, she observed the celestial phenomena and saw dark clouds gathering on the horizon, a sign that heavy rain was imminent. She had been planning for a long time and intended to sneak into the South City Prince's Mansion tonight under the cover of the rain.
She placed the incense pills on the table, picked up the cloth bag inside, and saw the gaping hole at the bottom. Her brows furrowed slowly.
It was fine on other days, so why did it break down today?
With the operation imminent, this is not a good sign.
After changing to a sturdy, waterproof leather bag and checking the clothes and talismans, Song Qiling sat down at the table and used water to remove all the powder and cream from her face.
The damp handkerchief was used to wipe the eyebrows from top to bottom, revealing their original shape. Unlike the sharp eyebrows that were deliberately drawn when the person was disguised, the eyebrows were soft and gentle, like distant mountains shrouded in mist. The eyes, which were like pools of water, were made even brighter.
The dark pink powder on her lips was carelessly wiped away, revealing her original lip color. Without rouge, her lips were filled with a faint rosy hue due to the rough handling.
Staring at her reflection in the mirror, Song Qiling was momentarily dazed, as if she were seeing another person through the mirror.
Once the basin of clear water had become murky, she put down the towel, got up, and changed into a dark, fitted outfit.
This night outfit, made of the finest lacquered cloth, cost her a considerable sum of money, all for the sake of smoothly entering and leaving the Prince's mansion tonight.
After she finished dressing, she lay down fully clothed and waited for night to fall.
At exactly 11:00 AM, raindrops began to tap against the windowsill, accompanied by several "bang" sounds, and the rain gradually intensified.
Song Qiling got up, put on a black veil, blew out the candle, and climbed out the window.
-
The rain, as thick as hemp rope, fell vertically from the dark clouds, striking the green tiles of the five courtyards of the Prince's Mansion, stirring up bursts of white mist. From a distance, the entire mansion looked as if it were steaming in boiling water.
Short waterfalls spewed from the mouths of the beast heads on the eaves, merging with the cascading rain to form a curtain of water that washed the vermilion gate until it was stained blood-red.
A black figure landed silently, crouched down, and sprinted forward. Despite the rain obscuring the view, it seemed like a leopard spirit with a keen sense of perception, accurately discerning the route.
Night had fallen, and the entire palace was fast asleep.
Outside the covered walkway, a bronze vat overflowed with rainwater. Song Qiling paused briefly, using the water to wash the mud off her shoes before heading towards the center of the palace—the bedroom of Prince Zhao Yu of the Southern City.
This room was truly eye-catching. Although it was late at night, the glass lamps under the eaves were still lit, and four guards with swords stood in front of the door, their gazes fixed on the front as if they were frozen in place.
Song Qiling crouched in the shadows, took out a fragrant pill the size of a longan, and gently pushed it forward. The pill rolled on the wooden floor, generating heat as it rubbed, and slowly released a faint fragrance.
one two three……
Song Qiling silently counted to ten, and then saw the four people with glazed eyes collapse to the ground.
The Prince's mansion was heavily guarded. Although there were only four guards on the surface, there were also many assassins hiding in the shadows.
After waiting patiently for a while, but seeing no movement for a long time, Song Qiling finally felt relieved. She walked forward along the wall, bypassed the few people lying crookedly by the door, and pushed the door open.
...It failed to make progress.
Zhao Yu's meticulousness and tight defense were to be expected.
Song Qiling pulled out the dagger hidden in her boot and slowly inserted it along the crack in the door, prying it upwards inch by inch until she heard a soft "click" sound, then she knew she had succeeded.
Holding the door frame, Song Qiling pushed it inward, revealing a crack just big enough for one person to pass through. She took a deep breath and tiptoed inside.
The room was pitch black; you couldn't see your hand in front of your face.
My heart was pounding in my ears, vibrating violently like a drumbeat.
She was currently in Prince Zhao Yu's bedroom, and whether or not she was discovered, she was bound to suffer a lot tonight.
If that's the case, she wouldn't mind adding a few more tricks.
She quickly placed three incense pills inside the room and then pasted a soundproof paper strip on the door crack to prevent Zhao Yu from suddenly shouting for help and alerting the guards.
Once everything was ready, she took out a tinderbox, blew on it gently, and the flame suddenly lit up.
By the dim light, she could make out the general layout of the room.
As far as the eye could see, hundreds of sheets of Xuan paper were spread out on the ground like withered leaves, with something smeared haphazardly with ink on them, some of which were wrinkled with muddy creases from being crushed by shoe prints.
Song Qiling subconsciously took a half step back, then realized that the mud under her feet had been cleaned up beforehand. She felt relieved and shuffled into the house.
Passing around the landscape screen in the center of the house, and looking at the green gauze bed curtains so close at hand, my heart almost leaped out of my chest.
She had set up soundproofing devices beforehand, and the room was now extremely quiet; you could hear a pin drop. Yet, she did not hear the man's breathing.
Is Zhao Yu not on the bed?
With a slight thought, she reached out and lifted the curtain to look inside.
The curtains felt cool and smooth to the touch, and as the gilded bells on the curtain hooks jingled softly, a bitter medicinal fragrance wafted over.
Song Qiling's eyes trembled slightly, reflecting the scene on the bed.
A woman lay there quietly.
Her skin was as pale as cold jade, and the veins on the side of her neck showed faint blue lines, like the cracks in an underglaze porcelain vase. Her long, raven-feather-like hair spread out on the brocade pillow, making her eyebrows and eyes even more exquisite, like a fairy in a painting descending to the mortal world.
He appeared to be asleep, but his chest did not rise or fall.
He wasn't breathing?
Song Qiling's fingertips trembled slightly as she reached forward, intending to check the man's breath, when she suddenly felt a chill run down her neck.
Her eyes suddenly darkened, and in a flash, she tore off the bed curtains, wrapped the man in them, and pushed him backward with all her might!
Taking advantage of the brief moment, she finally saw the person who had come in—a tall but excessively thin man, the owner of this house, Prince Zhao Yu of Nancheng.
Where was he hiding? When did he wake up?
Three incense pills weren't enough to make him fall into a deep sleep, how could that be?
Song Qiling didn't intend to get entangled with him too much. She ducked to avoid his palm strike, rolled on the spot, got up, and ran outside.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Yu did not chase after her, but stood quietly in front of the bed watching her escape into the distance.
Such a cautious person, yet he guarded the person in his bed like a precious treasure.
Who is that woman?
The concubine of the Prince of Nancheng? Or perhaps... Princess Zhaoyi?
Song Qiling tore off the talisman from the crack in the door, opened the crack, stepped onto the railing of the veranda, and plunged headfirst into the rain.
The unease in my heart had not yet subsided when the dense curtain of rain poured down on me, sliding down my spine and into my belt, sending a shiver down my spine.
"call out--"
A sudden sound pierced the air, carrying damp moisture, instantly drowning out the clamor of the surging rain.
Song Qiling turned slightly and looked back.
As she looked out, the arrow shaft spun, shattering the rain and creating a swirling mist. The arrowhead pierced through layers of rain and "plop" pierced her left shoulder.
The blood burst open instantly, washed away by the rain, and quickly disappeared into the dark clothes.
A sharp pain, like a thunderclap, radiated from her shoulder blade to her entire arm, causing her muscles to spasm and twitch instinctively, almost making her kneel down.
Song Qiling staggered back several steps, barely managing to steady herself so she wouldn't fall, and then scrambled away into the distance.
That old scoundrel Zhao Yu really did have a backup plan.
Fortunately, she had taken precautions and wore an extra layer of armor underneath, but the arrow still landed in a tricky spot and left her with a bloody mark.
Cursing his bad luck, Song Qiling drew the dagger from his waist, gritted his teeth, and cut the arrow shaft in half. He then walked back along the route he had come from.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw countless flames emerging from the depths of the corridor. The guards of the Prince's Palace came out in full force, and someone shouted "Assassin!" A row of long swords were drawn with a "whoosh" and chased after her.
"..."
She probably won't be able to leave today.
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