Chapter 283: Assassination

Dog Emperor, you infuriate me. At a time like this you still side with her mother.

Is this loyalty and filial piety really that important?

I think it is quite important, after all it is the foundation of a nation; how could it be easily shaken?

Fine, I'll keep a closer eye on King Yan and see if I can get any useful information from him.

Wan Tang gave a bitter smile.

It seems impossible to get an answer from the Emperor.

But if you expect her to give up the investigation easily, that's just a dream.

Now I can only settle for a secondary option.

Wan Tang lowered her eyelids and gently nestled in Chu Yunzheng's arms.

Her voice deliberately choked, yet she said softly, "I understand."

"Emperor, you attend to countless affairs daily; I will certainly handle these matters well and ease your worries."

Feeling Chu Yunzheng's tense muscles gradually relax, she finally buried her face against his chest.

"Emperor," Wan Tang's voice was muffled, "I know the Emperor does everything for my sake; it is I who am being immature."

She inhaled, her shoulders trembling slightly, just exposing that fragile vulnerability.

She lifted her tear‑clouded face, her fingertips gently brushing his slightly furrowed brows: "I am only a little worried, after all the Xiao Family's affairs have just concluded."

"Who knows, there is an ancestral injunction. Yet in my heart I still cannot help but worry for the Emperor."

"Actually I am a bit anxious; with the Emperor strategizing, I only need to manage the harem well."

Chu Yunzheng's tense heart completely relaxed, the final scrutiny in his eyes turning into pity.

Even with the Mo Family and Xu Yanchuan, Wan Tang remained the obedient woman who could only cling to him.

Chu Yunzheng held her slightly cool hand and gently caressed it.

Seeing that he had let his guard down, Wan Tang finally changed tone, full of loss and loneliness.

She gave a bitter smile, "Actually, Emperor, you also know that Ping'er is innocent, right!"

Chu Yunzheng gave no reply.

Wan Tang's voice was also full of desolation, "I do not wish to trouble the Emperor, but in this deep palace, only she can keep me company and share my thoughts."

"Watching the blossoms bloom and wither alone, one inevitably feels melancholy."

"Emperor, you attend to countless affairs daily; my heart aches, and I do not wish to nag you constantly."

"Moreover…"

Wan Tang stopped speaking at just the right moment.

There are three thousand beauties in the harem; even seeing a few faces a month is already great favor—how could one expect to be together day and night?

Chu Yunzheng felt his heart soften.

After all, she is just a woman, whose mind is filled with thoughts of being cherished, loved, and accompanied…

And precisely for this reason, Chu Yunzheng loves this woman even more.

He pulled her into his arms, his chin resting on her forehead, his voice low: "It was my oversight."

"State affairs are hectic; I am also unable to be in two places at once."

"But rest assured, I will not let you be lonely."

He gently patted Wan Tang's back, soothing her: "I have the Li Ping'er matter well in mind."

"If it is an injustice, naturally the wrongful snow will also settle."

"As long as you stay peacefully by my side and do not dwell on those irrelevant old affairs, I will rely on you."

Chu Yunzheng said this, his hand already on Wan Tang's waist.

His eyes seemed ablaze with fierce fire.

He leaned forward, conquering the woman again and again.

The night passed like a fleeting dream.

When the dream ended, only a body full of soreness remained.

Wan Tang watched the sunrise and sunset as Li Defu came and went several times, anxious and uneasy.

Night fell.

From outside came a clamor, and Li Ping'er was brought back.

Upon entering, she fell to her knees at Wan Tang's feet, sobbing, "Sister, Ping'er has caused you trouble again."

"Thank you, sister, for saving me."

Li Defu followed behind, hurriedly bowing in thanks.

But his gaze remained lowered, clearly guilty.

We are all compatriots; no need for formalities.

She looked at Li Defu, her voice cold: "Lord Li, the Empress Dowager promised you something, but it was not fulfilled."

"It was I who saved Ping'er."

"Now, shouldn't you reveal the old Mo Family matters?"

Li Ping'er also looked at Li Defu, her eyes filled with barely restrained disgust.

Her voice grew a few degrees sharper: "Sister protects and shields me like this; if you truly, as you say, treat me as your life…"

"Then what else cannot be told to sister?"

Li Defu simply lowered his head and shook it.

His voice intervened, yet stubbornly: "Your Majesty, forgive me, the old servant knows nothing."

"The old servant is old; Ping'er's foundation in the palace is unstable now, so the old servant must have some means to preserve his life."

"Saving one's life?" Wan Tang raised a cold sneer: "Some things, known too well, held in the hand are inevitably a talisman for survival, and may even be a knife that hastens death."

"Li Defu, you are playing with fire."

Li Defu only buried his head lower, kept his mouth tightly shut, and refused any food.

Li Ping'er stamped her foot in anger, also helpless.

Ah!

Little Master.

Wuwuwu, my poor little master!

The cries of desperate, mournful wailing burst through the night.

"Whoever is reckless enough to dare make noise in the Imperial Palace!" Xiao Shunzi said, already peering out warily.

Wan Tang frowned.

Seated on the chair, she shouted to the guard outside the door, Xiao Luzi: "Xiao Luzi, go take a look."

A moment later.

Xiao Luzi returned, his face unusually grim.

"Reporting to the Lady of Grace, Liu Guiren brought a palace maid from her family home, and she is wailing."

"Why?" Wan Tang already had a seven‑or‑eight‑tenths guess in her mind.

Xiao Luzi glanced at Li Ping'er, then said: "An hour ago, Liu Guiren voluntarily went to Cining Palace to plead guilt."

"She admitted that she merely slipped by accident, but was jealous of Yuan Bin, feeling a palace maid had no right to a higher rank than hers."

"She saw it and came, then deliberately framed her for the push."

Li Ping'er's eyes showed shock.

Obviously, this was not the truth.

Li Defu remained composed; there is never too much truth in the Imperial harem, as long as the outcome is satisfactory.

"Then... what happened to Liu Guiren?" Li Ping'er asked in a trembling voice.

Xiao Luzi paused, his tone heavy: "The Empress Dowager was enraged; Liu Guiren's conduct was improper, she framed the Imperial Concubine, and ordered a hundred punishments."

"The person... is already gone," Xiao Luzi lowered his eyelids.

Wan Tang's hand gave a slight pinch.

A woman who had just suffered a miscarriage already had a frail constitution.

These one hundred punishments were clearly aimed at taking a life.

At this moment the Empress Dowager was venting her displeasure toward the Emperor.

Li Ping'er suddenly covered her mouth, her eyes filled with extreme terror.

Her body went limp, she collapsed onto the ground, trembling violently beyond control.

This is not admitting fault; it's clearly taking the blame, a life for a life!

The charcoal fire in the room was clearly burning brightly.

But Wan Tang's heart was chillingly cold.

【Look, I told you, those who offend the Dog Emperor won't have a good end. The Wang family dared to seek refuge with Yan Wang, Liu Guiren's death is just a warning.】

【She just died a damned person; in the original, Liu Guiren never lived that long.】

【Heh, no one knows Wan Tang is still watching what Liu Guiren is doing? Could it be that they haven't noticed an even more dangerous thing coming?】

【Li Defu's death has already been arranged; there is time here to mourn an unimportant person, but it's better to quickly interrogate Li Defu and make him reveal the truth.】

What?

Is the Empress Dowager really that impatient?

When Xiao Luzi was outside before, any words were still easy to say.

She has already Answering the Emperor, promising not to pursue the Mo Family's affairs any further; how can she still ask?

Thus they could only temporarily let them leave.

The next day at dusk.

Just as they were about to dine, a voice rang in the mind again.

【It's started, it's started, the assassin has already entered the palace.】

【It seems tonight is Li Defu's death day.】

Xiao Luzi was waiting nearby.

Wan Tang, helpless, said: "Ping'er was frightened yesterday; today I will go keep her company."

Li Ping'er was chatting with Wan Tang.

Outside the door a junior eunuch peeked, and Li Defu, seeing this, hurried out.

From the doorway came a voice: "Grandmaster Li, three missing one, just waiting for you, to make a round of flower tiles."

Li Defu clearly became interested, rubbed his hands, and was about to follow out.

Wan Tang lightly reminded: "Grandmaster Li, a tall tree attracts wind. You know too much; in this deep, quiet night, you are still keeping safety within your own palace."

Li Defu stopped, turned his head with a smile, unfazed: "Lady of Grace, rest assured, Nubi has it under control in his heart."

"Knowing even more, haven't you lived peacefully for decades?"

"Besides, this is our protective talisman, Ping'er and I's, it cannot be discarded."

Having said that, he confidently patted his own chest.

Wan Tang's tone was slightly cold: "Times are different from before; be more careful."

"Lady of Grace worries too much; it's just a few rounds of cards."

Having said that, he quickened his steps, blending with the junior eunuch into the night.

Li Defu left, and Li Ping'er curled her lip.

She whispered, "Sister, what does he do?"

"People like that, it'd be better if they died."

Wan Tang gave no reply, only stared at the spot where Li Defu vanished, her gaze deep.

After a moment of silence, she nodded at Xiao Shunzi standing beside her.

Xiao Shunzi understood, slipped out silently.

Just as usual.

The place remained the same.

A hidden gambling den in a repurposed abandoned Guanren quarters.

Only today, there were unusually few people.

Li Defu's luck was good; he just drew a rare strong hand, couldn't help but flash a smug smile, about to play the cards.

The atmosphere at the card table changed abruptly.

The young eunuch who went to fetch Li Defu suddenly got a stomach ache and ran to defecate.

The other three, who a second ago were calling each other brothers, now had eyes that turned fierce in an instant.

Li Defu was unfazed: "Hurry out, I've won the money."

Without waiting for a reply, Li Defu was about to get angry when the attack came almost simultaneously.

One person violently flipped the card table, another flashed a cold blade from his sleeve straight at Li Defu's chest, the third immediately retreated to the doorway, blocking the exit.

The three coordinated seamlessly, striking swiftly.

The key was the move; with just a glance, Li Defu was already intimately familiar.

He was instantly terrified, his soul scattering; he was old, frail, and limped on one leg—how could he be a match?

"Hahaha, didn't expect it, you really wanted to kill Nubi!"

Li Defu's voice was full of despair.

Knowing there was no escape, seeing the dagger about to pierce his chest, he closed his eyes in despair.

The sound of flesh being pierced and the pain never arrived; only a few muffled thuds and short cries were heard.

Li Defu opened their eyes in bewilderment, only to see the three assailants already lying motionless on the ground.

Each neck bore a tiny blood mark, indicating they had been killed instantly.

A lithe figure clad in night‑cloaked black fabric, mask covering his face, stood silently in the room, his short knife still dripping blood.

Li Defu, having escaped death, his leg giving way, collapsed onto the floor and kowtowed repeatedly to the black‑clothed man: "Thank you… for saving my life…"

The black‑clothed man sheathed his blade, his voice low and hoarse, age and appearance indiscernible: "You shouldn't thank me."

His gaze seemed to pierce the darkness, looking toward Changle Palace. "It's the one who has been urging you."

After speaking, the black‑clothed figure flickered, then vanished like a phantom into the night outside the window.

Only the room full of blood and a still‑shaken Li Defu remained.