Chapter 78: The Lost Princess Bai Yueguang 9 Assassination
So the two of them began a cold war.
No one knew what Ji Hanlin had said to Emperor Xuanping, or what excuses he had made. Regardless, he soon moved out of Princess Zhaohua's side chamber and returned to his original, simple courtyard. He presented it with a formality, seemingly fearing gossip and the inconvenience of living together long-term. But to Wen Qianning, it was clear the young man was deliberately distancing himself.
She was so angry that she gritted her teeth and, in her rage, she found someone else to replace her seat in the study.
She no longer sat in the back row with him, but sat next to Xie Yunji.
In the past, Princess Zhaohua was very impatient when studying and always asked him question after question.
But now, Wen Qianning turned to another man with a smile.
Ji Hanlin was sitting not far away, his eyes fell on her, and his heart felt like being pricked by needles.
He saw the girl's eyes squinting, her expression focused, and a smile on her lips. That scene that originally belonged to him now fell on someone else.
The boy clenched his brush tightly and unconsciously drew a mark of ink on the paper, ruining the entire page of homework.
Ji Hanlin felt extremely regretful and felt very uncomfortable at the moment.
If I hadn't said something careless back then, why would I have forced her to turn away?
But now it seems too late to speak...
In the blink of an eye, it was Xuanping’s annual sacrificial festival.
The sacrificial ceremony was a major event for the entire country in Xuanping. No matter if they were princes of the royal family or hostages, they had to accompany them to show their piety.
From the moment it was light, drums and music began to play in the palace, and carriages and horses set out one after another.
Princess Zhaohua's carriage was at the front, with Wen Qianning sitting inside, her face propped up in a daze, a bit lost in thought. At the back of the convoy, the chariot carrying the hostage slowly moved forward, with Ji Hanlin sitting quietly inside.
The convoy slowly drove out of the palace gate and headed along the imperial road towards the sacrificial site, which was located on a mountain outside the capital, where an ancient temple dedicated to heaven and earth was built.
By the time they arrived at the temple, it was almost dusk.
The emperor and his important ministers each had their own arrangements, and the accompanying royal family and noble children were also placed in the monks' quarters and side courtyards next to the temple according to regulations. Princess Zhaohua, as the most favored princess, was naturally given the best courtyard.
There are green lamps and ancient Buddhas in front of the temple. As night falls, the entire mountain temple has sunk into a quiet and solemn atmosphere.
Wen Qianning took a bath and changed her clothes early, and was helped to bed by the maids.
“…”
I tossed and turned countless times, unable to fall asleep.
After all, this place is different from Yaoguang Palace. She is familiar with everything in the palace and feels safe no matter what. But when she comes to another place, no matter how exquisitely decorated the bedroom is, Wen Qianning still feels an inexplicable strangeness.
She was somewhat attached to her bed. Right now, it was unusually quiet all around her. She could even hear the rustling of the wind blowing through the forest. This made her feel inexplicably empty in her heart, and she couldn't close her eyes.
"Forget it." Wen Qianning sighed softly and lifted the quilt.
As soon as the curtain moved, Zhuiyun and Zhuyue, who were guarding outside, immediately lifted the curtain and came in.
"Your Highness?" Zhuyue called softly.
Wen Qianning put on a light outer garment and landed barefoot on the thick carpet. She looked sideways at them and said, "I can't sleep. I want to go out for a walk."
Zhuiyun's expression tensed, and he knelt down to persuade her, "Your Highness, absolutely not! This isn't the Imperial Palace after all. Although there are guards, it's in the mountains. It's cold and damp at night. If we disturb anything... it's absolutely inappropriate."
"Yes, Your Highness, you should take a rest. If all else fails, let me get you some tranquilizing medicine. It's better than walking around in the middle of the night." Zhuyue nodded repeatedly, with a hint of worry in her tone.
Wen Qianning just waved his hand.
"It's okay. I'll just be out for a walk and back soon. I won't go far."
The two of them couldn't persuade Wen Qianning, so Zhuiyun bit her lip and said hesitantly, "If Your Highness insists on going, then let us servants go with you. The dew is heavy at night and the road is slippery. If you fall, we servants can still take care of you."
Wen Qianning glanced at her sideways, but ultimately didn't refuse: "Okay, you guys come with me."
The three of them left the courtyard together. The night wind blew in their faces, bringing with it the unique coolness of the mountains. The moonlight fell on the stone path, making it appear silver and hazy.
Wen Qianning walked absentmindedly, her steps slow and leisurely. A gentle breeze brushed past her ears, ruffling her hair. The moonlight fell on her, seeming to coat her with a faint glow.
Ji Hanlin happened to have just left the side courtyard. He also had trouble sleeping, so he walked alone along the corridor on the other side of the temple. When he reached the corner, he looked up and saw the slender figure in front of him.
That was the girl he saw in his dreams every night. She was born bright and beautiful, and now she was walking quietly under the cold moon, like a fairy who had fallen into the mortal world.
Ji Hanlin paused, the regret in his heart had not yet dissipated. Looking at her at this moment, even his breathing became rapid unconsciously.
He wanted to just look at her, even if it was just from a distance.
However, before he could take that step, a dark shadow suddenly jumped out from the side.
The knife flashed, and a sharp dagger was approaching Wen Qianning.
"Your Highness, be careful!" Zhuiyun saw it, screamed, and rushed forward to block her.
Zhuyue's face turned pale, and he was so frightened that he couldn't stand still. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Someone come! Protect the emperor! Protect the emperor!"
But the assassin was as swift as the wind. As soon as they shouted, he was already behind Wen Qianning in the blink of an eye, with a dagger pressed firmly against her neck.
The girl had no time to react at all. Her whole body was held tightly, and the cold blade was pressed against her fair neck. She dared not move at all.
"If she dares to scream again and attract others, I will kill her!" The assassin had a fierce look in his eyes and a foreign accent in his voice. He threatened Zhuiyun and Zhuyue without any hesitation.
After hearing what he said, Zhuiyun and Zhuyue dared not say anything more, not even daring to breathe, and could only watch the princess being subdued.
This is outside the palace, and the guards are not as strict as those inside the palace. Although there are guards around the temple, they cannot arrive immediately. The assassin was obviously prepared in advance and chose this moment when he had the best opportunity to take advantage of.
Wen Qianning's mind went blank. When had she ever been held hostage like this before? The cold blade pressed against her skin, and the slightest movement could result in a direct cut.
"Okay, okay, we won't move. You can ask for anything you want, including any amount of money, as long as you let our princess go!" Zhuiyun and Zhuyue were just little girls not much older than Wen Qianning. They had never seen such a dangerous scene before. They were so panicked that their eyes were filled with tears and they didn't dare to act rashly.
Money? The assassin's eyes were filled with murderous intent, and a sneer appeared on the corner of his mouth. He came from a small country, but the powerful Xuanping annexed his country, leaving him homeless.
He had already laid an ambush here, waiting for Emperor Xuanping to leave the palace for the ceremony so he could assassinate him. Who could have imagined that Princess Zhaohua would travel alone in the middle of the night? But that was all well and good. He knew that Emperor Xuanping loved this little princess the most, and holding her hostage was a perfect way to threaten Wen Chengyan.
"Humph, I don't care about money. Let you, Xuanping, that dog emperor, live—"
Before the assassin could finish his words, an extremely thin flying knife flew over from the other end.
It hit the assassin squarely between the eyebrows.
The assassin, before he could react, froze in place with his eyes wide open. A moment later, blood gushed from his forehead, and a low groan escaped his throat as the dagger in his hand slipped powerlessly.
The next moment, the body fell heavily.
Wen Qianning only felt her neck lighten as she was freed from the suffocating confinement. She stood there in a daze, as if she was frightened and had not yet fully digested the scene before her.
"Are you okay?" asked the young man not far away.
After hearing Ji Hanlin's voice, Zhuiyun and Zhuyue came back to their senses and rushed over to check on Wen Qianning's safety, their voices trembling: "Your Highness! Are you hurt?!"
The girl shook her head subconsciously, confused: "No, no..."
Wen Qianning raised her eyes and saw a tall figure walking out of the shadow of the corridor next to her.
The moonlight made Ji Hanlin's outline look cold and clear. He looked a little worried, but seemed to be hesitating about something.
When she saw that he was still holding the same flying knife in his hand, Wen Qianning realized that it was Ji Hanlin who had killed the assassin and saved her.
She had never seen Ji Hanlin so decisive and ruthless before, so she was still a little stunned.
The young man approached, his gaze fixed on Wen Qianning, a hidden emotion swirling in his eyes. Only when he looked at her did the cold, oppressive feeling slowly fade.
"Your Highness, I'm sorry I'm late," he said.
Wen Qianning's throat tightened and she wanted to say something, but when she turned around and saw the assassin's body lying on the ground with blood all over it, she felt her stomach churning and had an urge to vomit.
Her legs went weak and she almost fell to her knees. The young man next to her held her firmly without hesitation, preventing her from falling to the ground.
Wen Qianning leaned on Ji Hanlin's shoulder, sniffing his scent to cover up the smell of blood, and then she felt a little relieved.
At this moment, the guards in the distance finally hurried over, and the torches illuminated the mountain path. In a moment, the temple was surrounded by layers of guards.
Princess Zhaohua was urgently escorted back to the courtyard. When Emperor Xuanping heard about it, he hurried to see how his daughter was doing. Although she had no injuries, he was still worried. He only felt relieved after asking several imperial doctors to check and confirm that she was fine.
However, the anger in my heart could not be calmed down.
"Someone!" Wen Chengyan turned and shouted, "We actually let an assassin sneak in here and nearly hurt the princess! Where are the guards responsible for security?"
The commander of the guards who was summoned turned pale and fell to his knees with a thud.
"Your Majesty, please forgive me! It was our negligence in our inspection that allowed the thieves to succeed..."
Emperor Xuanping frowned, his voice displeased: "Everyone will be dealt with according to the law, with no leniency! In addition, this assassin must be thoroughly investigated! No matter who he is, I will exterminate his entire clan!"
"Yes!" The guard commander responded quickly with cold sweat on his forehead.
Wen Qianning leaned quietly on the bed, her long eyelashes drooping, and she looked a little tired.
"Father, actually... the assassin's accent was a bit strange." She pressed her solar plexus, recalled for a moment, and spoke slowly, "It doesn't sound like our Xuanping accent. It's more like... Western Qiang."
Western Qiang? Emperor Xuanping's face darkened. Wasn't this the tiny country that they, the Xuanpings, had destroyed not long ago?
Wen Chengyan understood that Zhaohua's fate was linked to deep-seated grudges between nations. Those who had escaped, those who hadn't yet died out, were unwilling to be swallowed up and were secretly plotting revenge.
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