Chapter 195: What Does It Have to Do With Him?

"That's not what I—"

Vice Minister Meng rubbed his nose awkwardly.

"Those are all things I've grown used to. I call it being frugal."

Minister Sun shot him a glare.

"Stop making excuses for your stinginess!"

Seeing the two Ancestors about to start arguing again, Sun Yanqing grabbed one with each hand and hurried to mediate.

"Grandfather, Grandfather-in-law, it's getting late. We'd better leave the city as soon as possible."

"Hmph!"

"Hmph!"

The two old children turned their heads in unison, presenting the backs of their heads to each other, and spoke in perfect unison.

"It's all his fault for stirring up trouble out of nothing!"

Hearing the two voices enter his ears one right after the other—once thinking he'd heard an echo—Sun Yanqing rubbed his ears.

"……"

Fine, they really are in sync.

The two families quickly boarded the Horse Carriage. By the time they reached the City Gate, it was already light, and they happened to be the first wave out as the gates opened.

After they had left the Capital a few li behind, they sent word to Chu Yuan.

Meanwhile, at a certain inn some ten-plus li from the Capital.

After receiving the letter, Chu Yuan walked to the window, lazily stretched, looked at the cloudless sky outside, and curved his lips in a pleasant mood.

"My turn to make an appearance."

……

Early that morning, whispers were circulating through every street and alley in the Capital.

An auntie with a basket on her arm pulled her old friend close and muttered.

"Have you heard? Muyuan Kingdom's people will be entering the capital soon."

"Of course! How could we not know about something this big?"

Hearing this, the butcher selling pork nearby paused his knife-sharpening and looked at them with a grin.

"That's news from days ago."

"They entered the capital a couple of days ago. Right now they're probably in Taiji Hall paying their respects to the Emperor, and in a little while, the banquet will probably be starting."

The butcher wasn't wrong—General Lu was indeed waiting outside Taiji Hall for his audience at this very moment.

Inside Taiji Hall.

The Shunhe Emperor sat high upon the Dragon Throne, while the Imperial Officials below knelt in unison, shouting "Ten thousand years!"

"Rise, my lords."

"Thank Your Majesty!"

He tilted his head slightly toward the Crown Prince.

"Have the Muyuan Kingdom's soldiers been settled?"

The Crown Prince stepped forward and replied.

"Reporting to Father Emperor, everything has been arranged properly. The banquet is also being prepared—Mother Empress and the Crown Princess are overseeing the palace servants."

Hearing this, the Shunhe Emperor nodded in satisfaction, then turned to look at the Eunuch Chief beside him.

"Is General Lu of Muyuan Kingdom waiting outside?"

"Reporting to the Xiyue Emperor, General Lu is right outside the hall."

"Let him in."

The Eunuch Chief gave a flick of his horsetail whisk and was about to announce loudly:

"Summon—"

He had only uttered one syllable when a flash of cold light suddenly blinded his eyes.

Then everyone heard a sharp "Zing!" as a Sleeve Arrow embedded itself half an inch deep into the desk before the Shunhe Emperor.

"An assassin!"

The Eunuch Chief turned pale with fright, waving his horsetail whisk to shield the Emperor, his voice cracking as he shouted.

"Guards! Protect His Majesty! Quickly, protect His Majesty!"

The Imperial Guard rushed in from outside the hall, running to the Dragon Throne to shield the Shunhe Emperor behind them, forming a tight ring around him.

After a while, the Imperial Guard Commander hurried in, dropping to his knees with a face full of shame to beg forgiveness.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, the assassin only fired one arrow before fleeing. We… failed to catch him."

"This minister is incompetent. I beg Your Majesty to pardon me."

The Shunhe Emperor's face was ashen, his jaw clenched tight—whether from rage or fright, or perhaps both—and even the beard on his chin trembled slightly.

"Within the imperial palace, inside Taiji Hall, an assassin walked in as if it were empty ground?!"

As he spoke, the Shunhe Emperor pounded the desk before him—bang bang bang.

"Good! Very good!"

"You are all doing splendidly!"

The civil and military Imperial Officials below all dropped to their knees.

"We beg Your Majesty to calm your anger and take care of the dragon body."

The Shunhe Emperor: "……"

I nearly went to meet the Late Emperor just now—how do you expect me to calm my anger?!

The Eunuch Chief beside him reminded him.

"Your Majesty, there's a slip of paper attached to this arrow."

The Shunhe Emperor turned his head and glared at him irritably.

I'm not blind—do you think I can't see it?!

Where has your sense of perception gone?

Why don't you present it quickly?

Do you expect me to pull the arrow out myself?!

The Shunhe Emperor would absolutely never admit that he was still terrified to this very moment, his hands trembling and weak.

Eunuch Chief Shi Gui hurried forward and, after exerting considerable effort, finally pulled the Sleeve Arrow out.

Seeing the patterns carved on it, his eyes widened involuntarily, his hands trembled sharply, and a layer of cold sweat instantly broke out across his back.

This… how could it be?

Seeing him hesitate without moving, the Shunhe Emperor's tone grew increasingly impatient.

"Why don't you present it quickly?"

Shi Gui, his face deathly pale, raised it tremblingly before him.

"Your Majesty, please look."

After clearly seeing the patterns on it, the Shunhe Emperor's eyelids twitched wildly as well, his hands gripping the Dragon Throne's armrests tightly.

He stared fixedly at the design on it, shook his head in disbelief, and blurted out a sentence instinctively.

"No! Impossible!"

The Imperial Officials below exchanged uncertain glances.

What on earth could make Your Majesty lose composure like this?

The Shunhe Emperor snatched the arrow from Shi Gui's hand, pulled out the slip of paper, unfolded it, and took a look.

There was only one sentence on the slip:

If you don't want others to know, don't do it yourself.

Seeing these words, the Shunhe Emperor hurled the slip of paper, along with the arrow, away in one go. Even that wasn't enough for him—he reached out with a wave and swept all the Memorials before him onto the floor.

The handwriting on that slip was exactly identical to Cheng He's!

How could it possibly be him?!

This must be someone's trickery!

Seeing his furious display, the Imperial Officials in the hall were all trembling with fear, walking on thin ice, each one shrinking their neck, bowing their head, slowing even their breathing, afraid of being dragged into his wrath.

The Shunhe Emperor's face darkened as he swept his gaze across the court officials and asked in a low voice.

"Minister Sun and Vice Minister Meng still haven't arrived?"

He turned his head to look at Shi Gui beside him.

"After Early Court, send the imperial physician to Minister Sun's residence and Madam Meng's residence. I want to see just what illness requires such a long convalescence!"

Then he looked toward the Imperial Guard commander.

"Before tomorrow, I want to see the assassin. Otherwise, you might as well yield your position as Imperial Guard commander to someone more worthy!"

"This general obeys the Imperial Decree!"

After receiving the order, the Imperial Guard commander left with a mournful face, leading his men outward.

Outside the hall.

At the bottom of the long flight of steps, Lu Xing waited there with his Personal Guards including Shi Xiao.

"General, something seems to have happened inside. The Imperial Guard have all rushed in."

Lu Xing cast him a cold glance.

"You're everywhere, aren't you? What did I tell you before coming? Listen less, look less, talk less!"

Shi Xiao shrugged.

"Oh, this Subordinate knows his fault."

Lu Xing glanced at the great hall atop the steps, feeling quite displeased in his heart.

Although Muyuan was now a vassal state of Da Yin, he had been waiting here before Early Court and had already waited two full hours, yet the Shunhe Emperor still hadn't summoned him—truly not taking Muyuan seriously at all.

Suddenly, he tilted his head slightly, looking suspiciously at a young Eunuch walking down the steps a few meters away.

Those footsteps—his martial arts are no small matter.

Thinking of the disturbance inside earlier, a flash of deep thought crossed his face.

But very quickly he turned back as if nothing had happened.

Even if the other party was the assassin, what did it have to do with him?

The young Eunuch walking downward sensed the gaze falling on him, but his expression remained unchanged, his footsteps never pausing.

Once the other's gaze shifted away, the corners of his lips curved up slightly.

Oh, he had actually been discovered.

But then again, the Invisibility Talisman really was useful—too bad that stingy Cheng Chengxuan had only given him one.

If not for Cheng Chengxuan's prior instructions, given his temper, he would have shot an arrow straight through that incompetent ruler's throat!

Forget it, better not do anything unnecessary.

The Invisibility Talisman's time was up; he had to seize the moment to leave the palace—there would be plenty of chaos here soon enough!