murderous intent
This time, not only Wu Wenpin was stunned, but everyone present was shocked.
Strange, when did Qi Junxu and He Lin become so close?! For the first time ever, Qi Junxu was willing to stand up for him, even overshadowing his older brother He Yu.
Wu Wenpin broke out in a cold sweat. His public humiliation of He Lin and Jiang Yi was not only revenge for the beating He Lin had given him, but also an attempt to curry favor with Qi Junxu. Little did he know that Qi Junxu had already joined forces with him.
He really went to all that trouble, like taking off his pants to fart – his attempt to flatter backfired spectacularly!
Everyone present knew that Wu Wenpin was on Qi Junxu's side, but in today's situation, Qi Junxu didn't give him any face at all. What's the difference between this and slapping him in the face on the spot!
Although Wu Wenping was indignant, he still said tremblingly, "Your Highness, I did all this for you!"
Qi Junxu scoffed: "Oh? Did I tell you to say that today?"
No, it's not.
Qi Junxu stood up and straightened his sleeves, then lazily raised his eyes to stare at him, saying word by word, "Young Master Wu, watch your words next time, or not only will Young Master Lin not forgive you, but I will not tolerate you either. Remember that?"
These words were a warning to him to think before he spoke, and also an implication that he should be more polite to He Lin.
"I'll remember, I'll remember."
"This banquet is utterly boring and a complete waste of my time. I'm leaving."
After Qi Junxu left, Qi Junyuan turned his gaze to Wu Wenpin, his eyes filled with complex emotions, making it impossible to discern what he was thinking.
As the Crown Prince, his every move is watched by officials and common people. He cannot act as recklessly as Qi Junxu. Otherwise, based on what Wu Wenpin said today, he would definitely make him pay.
Not only could he not punish Wu Wenpin for this, but he also had to do his best to suppress the matter and prevent it from spreading to his father, the emperor.
This may seem like a trivial quarrel, but the implications are far from minor.
Firstly, his father, the Emperor, is now filled with guilt and love for He Lin. If His Majesty knew, he would surely punish Wu Wenpin severely. In that case, the Minister, out of love for his son, would surely go to the palace to plead for him. At that time, he would also know about He Lin's background. If the Minister knew, then all the officials and the people of the world would know, and then He Lin's identity would truly be impossible to hide.
Secondly, if this matter is suppressed, He Lin will inevitably suffer injustice, which would only benefit Wu Wenpin.
"Young Master Wu."
Wu Wenpin was struggling to pull the dagger from between his legs when he heard Qi Junyuan call him. He looked up and found everyone staring at him. He was filled with shame and indignation, his face turning a deep purplish-red. He must have been out of luck today! He Lin was his nemesis; nothing good ever came of it when he ran into him!
Qi Junxu's dagger pierced through Wu Wenpin's clothes and stuck in the wooden stool. Seeing so many people watching him make a fool of himself, he panicked and could neither pull out the dagger nor stand up.
He then lowered his head, coughed lightly twice, and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying, "Your Highness the Crown Prince."
Qi Junyuan said, "This matter arose because of you. Don't you owe Young Master Lin an apology?"
Wu Wenpin suddenly looked up: "Your Highness the Crown Prince!!"
Qi Junyuan shifted his gaze away from him, picked up the wine glass on the table, and took a sip of wine.
This means they absolutely have to make him apologize.
At this moment, Wu Wenpin glanced sideways, hoping someone would put in a good word for him, but the few spoiled young men behind him pretended not to see him, wishing they could disappear as if they were invisible.
This shows that although they were spoiled brats, they were not as stupid as Wu Wenpin.
Who told him to be so clueless? He Lin's older brother, He Yu, was right there, yet he dared to mock his younger brother. Luckily, Qi Junxu came to his rescue; otherwise, given He Yu's explosive temper, he would have knocked out two of his teeth, walked in upright, and carried out horizontally!
Jiang Yi laughed: "Hey! Wu Wenpin, do you know what you're doing? I'll teach you a saying: 'No zuo no die!' Want to know what that means? It translates to 'If you don't do stupid things, you won't die! Got it?'"
"you……!"
Wu Wenpin clenched his teeth in anger. Even if he broke his teeth today, he still had to apologize to He Lin. After all, it was His Highness the Crown Prince's order, and he had no choice but to obey.
He bent down and forcefully pulled out the dagger, angrily throwing it onto the table in front of him. He also knocked over a wine glass, spilling wine all over the table, dripping down.
Anyone with eyes could see that Wu Wenpin was angry, but so what? He had offended He Lin.
Almost everyone in the capital knew that the people in the General's Mansion were not to be trifled with. Even though He Lin was just a sickly man in the eyes of outsiders, and the son of a concubine posed no threat, his status was undeniable, and not just anyone could step on him.
Wu Wenpin suddenly stood up, staring directly at He Lin and Jiang Yi opposite him. When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. So he clasped his hands together, reluctantly turned his head to the side, and said, "I'm sorry! I was drunk tonight and said the wrong thing. Please don't take it to heart, Young Master Lin!"
He Lin paused for two or three seconds before slowly getting up, not wanting to get entangled with this kind of person any further.
"Your Highness, I am not feeling well and must take my leave now."
Qi Junyuan nodded: "Mm."
He Lin led Jiang Yi away from their seats in full view of everyone. After leaving the East Palace, Gu Ziyu walked in front, carrying a lantern to light the way, while the two of them followed behind.
Suddenly, a gust of cold wind swept by, and the lantern in Gu Ziyu's hand swayed as if it was about to go out. The long corridor was empty, and as far as the eye could see, it was pitch black and seemed to have no end. Only the shadows of the three of them were on the floor tiles, which was inexplicably eerie.
"He Lin, why do I feel like this road is so creepy?"
Shh, don't talk.
Those who practice martial arts always have a more accurate intuition than ordinary people. This road is right next to the East Palace, and it is usually bustling with people. Tonight, when the Crown Prince is hosting a banquet, it should be even more quiet.
He Lin slightly raised his eyes to observe the eaves, and sure enough, they were here!
Although they moved very quietly, He Lin still noticed.
Gu Ziyu had obviously noticed as well: "Young Master..."
"Don't look back, keep walking."
"yes."
"..."
Jiang Yi gripped He Lin's clothes tightly with one hand. These reckless people really dared to come! Luckily, He Lin had already guessed and was prepared!
The men in black, who were lying in ambush on the palace walls and eaves, were closely following the three people below, secretly waiting for their chance.
As they walked, a person appeared and blocked their way. He stood motionless in the middle of the passageway, and it was impossible to tell who he was. It seemed as if he was waiting for He Lin and the others.
These were not Feather Guards, not their people. Gu Ziyu suppressed his instinct to retaliate and did not shout at them, so as not to alert the men in black on the roof.
The man's face was hidden in the darkness. After a few seconds of confrontation with He Lin, he sighed and walked towards them.
"It seems that the Crown Prince's banquet is indeed very boring. Young Master Lin and Miss Jiang have both left their seats early."
That voice was clearly Qi Junxu's!
Didn't he leave a long time ago?!
Jiang Yi squinted, trying hard to make out the person in front of her. Seeing that he didn't have any dangerous things like swords or knives in his hand, she finally breathed a sigh of relief. Luckily, it wasn't him.
"Qi Junxu? What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to see you out of the palace. Come with me."
After saying that, he first exchanged a glance with He Lin, then turned around and walked back the way he came, as if he really wanted to lead the way for them.
They're all smart people; they just see through it but choose not to say anything.
He Lin said softly, "Let's go."
The men in black on the roof were in a dilemma. The leader gripped his gleaming sword tightly, hesitated for a moment, and then decisively jumped down.
Then, the men in black behind him also jumped down in a burst of energy.
A gust of wind swept in from behind, and the lantern Gu Ziyu was carrying went out completely.
He Lin chuckled, drew the sword from Gu Ziyu's waist, and shielded Jiang Yi behind him, instructing, "Protect her!"
Before he finished speaking, He Lin rushed into the darkness with his sword and started fighting with the group. Qi Junxu frowned as he watched.
Jiang Yi couldn't see clearly in the darkness. Although she knew He Lin was prepared, she still couldn't help but worry.
"He Lin! Be careful!"
Just as she finished reminding He Lin, a person suddenly jumped out of the darkness and was about to slash at Jiang Yi. Gu Ziyu, relying on her instincts, hurriedly stepped forward to block Jiang Yi. Just as she was about to take action, she saw half of a sharp sword pierce through his chest. He Lin killed him directly from behind.
Jiang Yi screamed, and Gu Ziyu grabbed her arm and pulled her back, shielding her against the palace wall. Gu Ziyu kept a close watch on their surroundings, fearing that someone might take advantage of the situation...
The smell of blood grew stronger, but the sounds of fighting gradually subsided.
Suddenly, flames shot into the sky in the distance, and the passageway was instantly illuminated as if it were daytime. People holding torches rushed over from the gate of the East Palace.
When Jiang Yi finally saw the scene in the distance, her heart skipped a beat and her legs went weak. Fortunately, she managed to stand up by holding onto the palace wall.
He Lin killed all the assassins, leaving only one survivor. Looking around, there were a dozen or so people lying on the ground, their blood splattered everywhere. The original red walls became even more crimson. The corpses were scattered haphazardly, leaving no place to stand. The only survivor had a blood-stained sword pressed against his throat, unable to move or resist...
In contrast, He Lin had a few drops of blood splattered on his face, his dark eyes were extremely cold, and his murderous aura had not faded. In the firelight, he looked even more like a deadly demon.
Jiang Yi couldn't bear to look any longer and slowly looked away. She swallowed hard, only to find her throat dry and painful. Now she knew how He Lin got his nickname in Yu Ling Pavilion.
When He Yu and Qi Junyuan arrived, they both asked in unison, "Are you alright?"
Two guards immediately stepped forward and took the man away.
He Lin sheathed his sword: "It's nothing."
As a result, the man in black took advantage of the guard's inattention and bit into the poison hidden in his mouth, black blood flowing down the corner of his mouth.
"Your Highness! He committed suicide!"
He Lin gave Gu Ziyu a look, and Gu Ziyu quickly walked up to the man in black, pulled open the shirt in front of his chest to take a look, then went to look at the other corpses next to him, stood up and nodded to He Lin.
These men in black all had black eagle tattoos on their chests; they were indeed the people they were looking for.
When He Lin turned around, Qi Junxu was indeed gone.
Jiang Yi asked, "Have you guessed who it is?"
He Lin's lips were pursed into a thin line. It was no surprise that he could use such a clumsy trick in the palace.
Why did Qi Junxu return and, contrary to his usual behavior, insist on personally escorting him out of the palace? Who on earth was so bold as to attempt an assassination near the Eastern Palace? He hadn't even left the palace gates yet, and they were already so eager to take his life?!
Behind all of this, there was always a pair of vicious eyes watching him, probably plotting from the moment he stepped into the palace gates—the Imperial Concubine!
Killing him on the Crown Prince's territory would kill two birds with one stone: both eliminate him and frame Qi Junyuan!
However, this was exactly what He Lin wanted, so his elaborate scheme wasn't in vain. His purpose was to lure her into making a move and revealing a weakness.
A single misstep could be fatal, but this one wrong move by her might drag her son, Qi Junxu, down with her...
Qi Junxu ran towards Zhongcui Palace, and the palace servants who passed by bowed and looked back repeatedly.
"Feng He, go and deliver that person to the General's Mansion and hand him over to the Eldest Princess. She knows what to do!"
"Your Highness! What will happen to the Imperial Concubine? His Majesty will not let you and the Imperial Concubine off the hook!"
“But if we don’t do this, He Lin will never let Mother go. He’s already determined to kill her. Only this way can we quell his anger and give Mother a chance to live! There’s always a price to pay for wrongdoing. After all, we were the ones who wronged him first back then…”
"Your Highness!!"
"Do as I say! Go now!"
Feng He gritted her teeth: "Yes!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
