Chapter 184: Saving the Emperor

Wan Tang sat upright on the stage, taking in all the scenes below with her eyes.

A hopeful faint smile slightly tightened, tinged with a barely perceptible shade of worry.

This spring examination was, from the start, different from previous years.

According to ancestral rules, the selection of civil and military talents should be separate, and the emperor and imperial concubines should not attend such occasions, lest they interfere in governance or invite criticism.

But this time, it was because the position of Grand General had been vacant for a long while; it concerned the nation's foundation and was no trivial matter.

Chu Yunzheng made an exceptional personal appearance, intending to personally select a minister who could wield military authority.

Therefore, not only the nation's young talents gathered, but also many serving generals and even some civil officials eager for the role had to attend to take part in the assessment or submit proposals.

This made the scene far more complicated than a usual spring examination.

The crowd was mixed, eyes intersected, featuring both genuine scholarly competition and hidden currents of power and status.

Consort Hui, dressed in military armor, was already eye‑catching; now, with her edge too exposed, she became the focus of the entire venue, and Xu Yanchuan's gaze was unabashed…

Wan Tang pondered inwardly; such a scene in the eyes of a Schemer would surely breed endless trouble.

She tilted her head slightly, glancing at Chu Yunzheng beside her.

Chu Yunzheng's face was as still as water, his deep gaze sweeping the hall; he showed no obvious joy or anger, yet Wan Tang could feel that his stare on Consort Hui lingered unusually long.

It was far from pure admiration.

After the brief linger, Chu Yunzheng's gaze was covered by tenderness.

Wan Tang was horrified to discover that Chu Yunzheng's look at Consort Hui was also off.

He was still looking through Consort Hui, at another person.

Wan Tang observed repeatedly, confirming that Consort Hui and Bai Li indeed looked different, and only then relaxed her guard.

【Quick, quick, this is so interesting—Xiao Chuan won't spark a love flame with Consort Hui, will he!】

【Speaking of it, Consort Hui isn't that old—she's only three years older than Xiao Chuan. Haven't you heard of a woman three years older hugging a gold brick?】

【I don't know whether it's a gold brick or not, but I do know that Xiao Mingshu's family has been preparing for so long, they're definitely about to make a move.】

【Did you think the training ground was just a simple arena? This time, many of the participants are from the Xiao Family. Their purpose is to appear clumsy, thereby targeting Wan Tang's life.】

【When that happens, Wan Tang won't even find a place to cry—after all, who made a frail palace girl go to such a dangerous place?】

Xiao Mingshu intends to strike her here?

Wan Tang felt a sudden shock in her heart.

This position truly is hard to guard.

Xiao Mingshu sat on the Phoenix Throne, lightly tapping the armrest with her fingertip; the trusted palace maid standing behind silently stepped back.

She turned her face, her voice low but clear enough for the few near the imperial seat to hear: "Virtuous Consort's younger sister, you have always been meticulous."

"Why not look closely, and perhaps offer the Emperor some appraisal?"

Wan Tang sneered coldly in her heart.

She leaned slightly forward: "Empress has overpraised me. I know nothing, how could I dare to give a reckless appraisal."

She shifted tone, eyes gently on Chu Yunzheng, with a hint of coquettish dependence, "Your Majesty surely sees more clearly than I do. Emperor, do you agree?"

Without waiting for the emperor's reply, she naturally continued, voice light: "If I go alone, my view may be biased."

"How about the Emperor accompanies me to take a look together?"

Chu Yunzheng felt the contest below was a bit dull, and thought the suggestion quite fitting.

Enjoying Wan Tang's dependent worshipful posture, he nodded: "Tangtang's words are indeed apt. I shall accompany you to see together."

Having said that, he actually rose.

Xiao Mingshu's smile froze instantly, her color drained.

She never imagined Wan Tang would dare to pull the Emperor into the water like that!

The killing move she had arranged lay below the stage; if the Emperor stepped in… the consequences she could not bear!

"Emperor!" she hurriedly tried to rise and block, "The swords below have no eyes; they might frighten the Sacred Majesty…"

Wan Tang, however, was already affectionately supporting the Emperor's arm, softly saying: "With the Emperor here, what demons dare approach?"

"Your Majesty worries too much." She turned her head toward the Empress, smiling, "Your Majesty's concern for the Emperor's safety truly sets a model for the six palaces."

Chu Yunzheng, hearing that, grew impatient with the Empress's counsel and simply said: "No problem."

The two imperial consorts walked down together, observing the ceremony platform.

Xiao Mingshu froze in place, watching them stride toward the already‑laid death trap, cold sweat instantly soaking her back.

Her fingernails dug hard into her palm, yet she dared not utter another word.

Wan Tang leaned against the Emperor, a faint, almost imperceptible smirk at the corner of her mouth.

"Empress, your sword, I shall borrow and use."

"But who the blade's tip ultimately points to is beyond your control."

On the training ground, blades flashed, swords clanged, shouts rang nonstop.

Just as everyone's eyes were drawn to a spectacular duel, an anomaly suddenly erupted!

A martial disciple dressed in indigo armor, at the moment of crossing swords with his opponent, jerked his wrist sharply.

The sword tip that should have pierced the opponent's wooden sword instead shot out like a venomous snake, bearing a fiercely lethal intent, straight toward Wan Tang seated at the spectator's side.

The angle was cunning, the speed extreme, clearly a premeditated plot!

"Ah!" Wan Tang let out a perfectly timed gasp, her blossom‑like face paling.

Yet she did not flee; instead, as if instinctively, she used all her strength to thrust her body in front of Chu Yunzheng, blocking.

A harsh, decisive cry rang: "Protect the Emperor!!"

The position she chose was exquisitely clever; it seemed she shielded the Emperor with her body, but in fact she lodged herself in a dead corner.

This caused the lethal sword, due to her movement, to deviate slightly from its original path, grazing her sleeve and shaving off a piece of fabric!

But to onlookers, it was clearly the Virtuous Consort throwing herself recklessly to protect the throne!

The assassin, seeing the first strike miss, glowed with even fiercer light, did not retreat, and the second sword followed immediately, still aiming straight at Wan Tang!

"How audacious!"

"Stop!"

Two voices exploded almost simultaneously!

The assassin's second sword came down, murderous intent chilling.

In an instant, two figures—one dark, one blue—shot up like arrows released from a bow!

Consort Hui seized the pendant knife, its blade precisely grazing the assassin's sword spine; instead of a hard clash, she used a deft redirection, the move cunning and crafty, instantly deflecting the lethal strike!

Almost at the same moment, Xu Yanchuan slipped forward, discarded his weapon, his fingers pinched together like a halberd, and with lightning speed struck the assassin's sword‑wielding wrist tendon!

"Let go!" Consort Hui barked low, her wrist exerting force again, the back of the knife pressing down with the momentum.

Xu Yanchuan's finger landed precisely as well!

"Ugh!" the assassin felt excruciating pain and numbness in the wrist, could no longer grip the sword, and with a "Clang!" the long sword slipped from his hand and fell to the ground.

The two moved with cloud‑like fluidity, their coordination flawless, as if they had rehearsed thousands of times.

With the crisis averted, they instinctively lifted their heads, their gazes suddenly colliding in midair.

He saw in her eyes the lingering fierce killing aura, and deep within a long‑missed battlefield light—sharp, bright, scorching his heart with a sudden jolt.

She saw on his young handsome face an unmistakable urgency and worry.

That reckless charge, heedless of everything, carried a pure, blazing force that struck her long‑dormant heart lake.

Their eyes met, but only for an instant.

The surrounding shouts, the guards' rushing footsteps, the Emperor's angry shout… all seemed to fade at that moment.

An indescribable, intense palpitations erupted in both of their eyes, then were quickly forced down.

Consort Hui was the first to look away, flipping her wrist, sheathing the knife and standing, regaining her cold demeanor.

Xu Yanchuan also snapped his hand back, stepped half a pace back, his heart pounding like a drum, a thin flush involuntarily rising at the base of his ears.

Everyone was stunned by the sudden turn of events.

Chu Yunzheng's face turned iron‑blue; at that moment he clearly felt the killing intent and saw Wan Tang's resolute shield in front of him.

He grabbed Wan Tang into his arms, but felt her slight tremor, his anger flaring further.

"Take her down! I want her alive!" The Emperor's wrath roared across the land.

The guards surged forward, instantly subduing the assassin whose face was ashen.

Wan Tang leaned in the Emperor's arms, pale, still shocked, but a cold calculation flashed in her eyes.

The Empress stood on the platform, expression blank, her whole body icy.

She watched, eyes wide, as her arranged killing move failed to take Wan Tang's life, instead becoming proof of her selfless protection of the throne.

The assassin was pinned to the ground, seeing no chance of escape, a fierce resolve flashed in his eyes.

His throat convulsed sharply; Ouyang Qing, standing before him, paled and shouted urgently, "Stop him! He's about to…"

Before the words finished, a stream of black blood gushed from the assassin's mouth.

His body convulsed violently twice, his head tilted, and in an instant he fell silent.

The speed was such that no one could react.

On the platform, Xiao Mingshu's tense shoulders barely relaxed, and she exhaled silently.

The fist she had clenched in her sleeve slowly loosened, her palm soaked with cold sweat.

No proof of death, perfect!

Consort Hui furrowed her brows, crouched to feel the assassin's pulse, then rose with a solemn expression.

She looked at the Emperor: "Emperor, the person is dead. The trail is cut, this…"

【This person was originally sent by the Xiao Family as a death servant; suicide would be normal.】

【But the situation changed; at first they only intended to assassinate Wan Tang. They would claim a duel mishap and atone with death. Now Wan Tang has escalated it to an attempt on the Emperor, changing the nature entirely. That's why she bit her tongue and killed herself.】

【Precisely because of this, there are many loopholes. For example, this person came to attend the Spring Gate, so naturally has a household registration.】

【Others can't trace it, but Wan Tang still has Qi Er; as long as he covertly stirs the waters, why worry about not implicating the Xiao Family?】

Wan Tang sneered inwardly.

Right.

Wan Tang straightened slightly from the Emperor's arms.

Her complexion remained pale, but her gaze had regained calm, even bearing a hint of icy sharpness.

She let out a light cough, her voice soft yet clearly reached everyone's ears:

"How dare you act before the throne, assassinating the Emperor? Such a heinous crime cannot be settled with a mere death."

She turned to the chief, Chu Yunzheng, whose face was iron‑blue, knelt and spoke, her tone mournful yet clear: "Emperor, though the rebel is dead, his background, connections, and origins are far from untraceable."

"I humbly request the Emperor to immediately conduct a thorough investigation of this person's household registration, sect affiliation, recent contacts, and any abnormalities at home! Anyone involved must be investigated to the end!"

She glanced over the platform, her voice cutting: "I do not believe such a meticulous assassination could have no mastermind or support!"

"Within the palace and court, we must root out this hidden malefactor to truly eliminate the threat and set things right!"

These words directly raised the investigation to the level of purging the court and harem.

Thus, Xiao Mingshu's fleeting luck vanished entirely.

As long as the inquiry goes deeper, the arranged personnel and traces are hard to keep completely hidden!

Chu Yunzheng heard this, the cold light in his eyes intensified, clearly affected by Wan Tang's words.

He slammed the handrail: "Investigate! Let me have a thorough investigation! Ouyang Qing, I order you to personally oversee it; within three days I want to see the results!"

Ouyang Qing immediately bowed: "I obey the decree!"

Xiao Mingshu just put the heart back into the stomach, and in an instant it rose to the throat; Xiao Mingshu's face turned even more sallow than before.

Wan Tang turned her face and gave Xiao Shunzi a signal with her eyes.

Xiao Shunzi quietly slipped out of the crowd.