Chapter 252: Little Fangzi, we... will meet again

I'll go make you some warm soup; it's getting late, have some warm soup to warm your stomach. Zi Su smiled, and she probably also understood what was going on.

She didn't wait for Jiang Yunchu to refuse, and directly lifted the blanket and stood up.

Then she picked up the clothes on one side, helped the master put them on, and finally didn't forget to put a cloak on her.

Jiang Yunchu helplessly said, "Actually you don't need to accompany me."

"Master, this is what I want to do!" Zi Su smiled slightly and answered as a matter of course.

Between master and servant, they exchanged a smile.

Jiang Yunchu went to the study; her mind was in turmoil all along, the impact of the birthday matter was really quite great for her.

Having never possessed it before, suddenly obtaining it now, a person would feel somewhat at a loss, even unsure what to do, and have a sense of unreality.

Even as strong as Jiang Yunchu, she also has ordinary human emotions.

After thinking, she still took out from her space all the letters with the same handwriting that she had secretly hidden in the secret room.

She now urgently needs something to splash a basin of cold water on her to calm down, and that behind-the-scenes person is that basin of cold water.

She has such good children, such good students, such good elders—how could she let them come to harm?

"Master, the warm soup." Zi Su called softly from outside the door; the study had no summons from the Princess Consort, so no one could enter, including these senior maids.

"Come in."

Jiang Yunchu put the letters away; after Zi Su entered the study, she sensitively felt that the Princess Consort's mood was off—before it had been peaceful and warm, now it carried a fierce aura and a cold killing intent.

Zi Su asked nothing, said nothing, merely placed the warm soup beside her, "Master, the temperature is just right now; should you drink it now, or shall I first take it to warm it up?"

"Drink it now."

After she finished drinking the warm soup, it washed away the night's chill; both her stomach and her heart were filled with warmth.

"Master, I'll stand guard outside the door."

Zi Su tidied up, then went out directly, having the night-shift little maid send the things to the small kitchen; she moved a stool and sat at the study's doorway, watching the dappled tree shadows, feeling a cool breeze.

Zi Su had no martial arts; Jiang Yunchu could even hear her breathing, and helplessly shook her head.

After opening the letters she had just collected, she saw clearly that these letters were sent by someone familiar with the handwriting; the person familiar with the handwriting and everyone in the secret room were not the same person.

Another new person appeared, and the situation became even more bewildering.

On the other side, Mingbang Academy.

Steward Yun arranged ten capable hands; this was the Princess Consort's first order, and they must not mess it up.

After the ten were in position, they directly presented tokens to the Wang Fu guards.

After the guards checked, the two forces merged into one, and everyone was guarding attentively.

But…

As night fell, five figures dressed entirely in black, with black cloths covering half their faces, making their features indistinguishable.

Those five people stepped lightly; at a glance they were clearly skilled, their eyes vigilantly scanning, a cautious posture, weapons held in front, ready to fight at any moment.

Watching those people, they had already reached the door's edge when, at that moment, a voice shouted, "Kill."

The Wang Fu people moved; they too were all in black, with black cloths on their faces, except that each had a red headband on the forehead, allowing them to tell friend from foe.

"We've been ambushed."

The man who had just been leading shouted loudly, grabbed his sword, and vowed to block to the death.

This time, having appeared here, their superiors had already prepared them for certain death; they had thought of this before coming, but for their families they had no other choice.

"Kill!"

At that moment, someone in the guard army shouted loudly; all the guards' movements were uniform and orderly—though their martial skill wasn't high, their formation would not be a breakthrough for these people.

A small courtyard, yesterday still peaceful, today was filled with flashing blades and sword light.

"Eunuch Xi, there's movement." A troop approached from far to near, all dressed in black, each holding a weapon.

"Come closer to have a look."

Eunuch Xi's eyes narrowed; he recalled the Princess Consort's reminder, his heart sank a little—indeed something had gone wrong.

After the Hanlin Academy finished checking the rankings, he hurried back to the palace to report, conveying the Princess Consort's words word for word to Your Majesty.

Your Majesty then issued an order, directly summoning the commander of the Imperial Forest Army.

As an attendant, Eunuch Xi changed his identity this time, sneaked out of the palace, and arranged a time with the commander of the Imperial Forest Army, thus arriving here.

They just heard the fighting sounds; in that moment, Eunuch Xi and the commander exchanged a glance—only the two of them knew the details.

The situation is bad!

When the Imperial Forest Army personnel swiftly entered Mingbang Academy, the recent fighting noises and the disturbance of many people occurred, but nobody dared come out; each thought they should quickly leave this place of right and wrong, for fear that if the Dean really was corrupt, taking bribes and selling rankings, they too would likely suffer misfortune.

"People from the palace have arrived—withdraw!"

In the midst of the fierce battle between the two sides, the person with the red headband suddenly shouted loudly, and everyone quickly retreated from the battlefield.

"You want to come, you come; you want to go, you go?"

The commander of the Imperial Forest Army shouted angrily, embracing his battle blade, internal power bursting forth; that mighty pressure made many feel their breath catch.

"Hahaha——"

That unrestrained laugh carried a hint of wanton abandon, but more so an attitude of indifference.

Yet with each "ha" of that unrestrained laugh, the commander's pressure lessened a bit, finally giving the Wang Fu guard troops some respite.

The guard troops, mostly veterans retreated from the battlefield, could deal with some experts by relying on their formation.

But to face experts capable of releasing pressure, their strength was far too inferior—a situation of overwhelming dominance.

"It's you!"

The Imperial Forest Army commander's eyes suddenly narrowed; the pressure he had just gathered was directly shattered, yet his face showed no anger or disappointment, instead a glimmer of light—in his eyes was disbelief, even a hope of renewed faith.

"We are not your enemies; we have helped you guard until now—what comes next is yours to handle."

That person smiled, neither admitting nor denying, his voice devoid of any emotional fluctuation, as if merely stating a fact flatly.

"Little Fangzi, we... will meet again."

Little Fangzi, Fang Zi Lun, three years ago, was promoted to Chief Commander of the Imperial Forest Guard, responsible for the absolute protection authority of the Imperial Palace; besides Your Majesty, no one has the right to command them.

Little Fangzi...

Little Fangzi...

It's him!

He is not dead, he is still alive, he is still alive...

If he is still alive, then the Prince...

Fang Zi Lun was thinking somewhat excitedly; it was just a title, ah, yet it let him confirm many things.