Chapter 300

Chapter 300

The previously quiet woods suddenly swarmed with assailants, their numbers clearly surpassing those of Kangxi's entourage. Masked and wielding blades menacingly, they charged forward with murderous intent.

Everything happened abruptly, throwing the scene into disarray, but the guards quickly rallied to protect the emperor.

At the sight of blood spraying and bodies falling, Consort Ping couldn’t hold back a gasp, her face drained of color. She bit her lip until it turned bloodless, forcing herself to remain silent—clearly putting on a brave face.

No matter how mentally prepared she was, this was her first time witnessing such carnage. In her modern-day world, such scenes were unimaginable. It was impossible not to panic, but with the system as her safety net, she clung to her system-given confidence. She knew wailing would just irritate everyone and cause more trouble. Feigning calm despite terror would earn more sympathy.

Despite her panic, Consort Ping didn’t forget to scramble up from her cushion, her expression terrified as she tried to move closer to Kangxi. The guards naturally prioritized the emperor’s protective circle—staying near him was the safest option.

Yet before she could reach him, a blur of movement shoved past her, roughly brushing her shoulder and sending her stumbling backward. She barely managed to steady herself, her head spinning from the jolt.

The same person who’d rammed into her had already pulled someone up from the sitting mat, shielding them protectively with both arms.

The person sheltered beside him wore a dazed, helpless expression, eyes glistening like rain-drenched petals, bracing for the coming storm yet firmly guarded from the first moment.

Consort Ping, who had tried to rush to Kangxi’s side, was instead shouldered aside as Kangxi pivoted toward Rong Noble Consort. The force sent her staggering, barely keeping her balance!

Consort Ping almost let slip a vulgar curse aloud.

"It’ll be alright," Kangxi’s steady voice reassured, his vigilance unwavering even as he offered comfort.

Su Yi responded with a soft hum, her lashes fluttering, her jade-like skin radiating fragility—like delicate porcelain on the verge of shattering, demanding tender care.

Watching from the sidelines, Consort Ping burned with resentment. Rong Noble Consort’s beauty was an unfair edge. Her glass-like vulnerability, enhanced by her looks, was breathtaking—enough to stir any man’s protective instincts. Losing this first move forced Consort Ping to adopt a different approach, avoiding direct comparison from the start.

Yet before she could even showcase herself, let alone earn pity for her genuine illness, Kangxi had already decided her illness was poorly timed.

Consort Ping was completely fed up. Initially, she had airily assumed she could easily win him over—even if only as a fleeting novelty. But now, she hadn’t even shaken Rong Noble Consort’s position.

It was as if Rong Noble Consort had never considered her a rival. Worse than being seen as a threat and suppressed, this indifference stung more—proof she wasn’t even seen as competition.

Her earlier fear was now drowned in resentment. She hurried after them, calling out, "Your Majesty! This concubine is terrified!"

Forget dignity—Consort Ping ignored her still-numb shoulder and rushed to Kangxi’s side, tears welling in her wide eyes, her voice trembling pitifully.

Though she longed to cling to him, she feared he might shove her away. Her numb shoulder was a stark reminder of that possibility. Another rejection now would destroy her. So she stayed close, inching closer to Rong Noble Consort’s space while keeping her body angled toward Kangxi.

"Hm." Kangxi spared her a glance—acknowledging her existence, albeit dismissively.

The stark difference in their treatment nearly made her grit her teeth in frustration. Thank goodness she hadn’t actually tried to cling to him!

The assassins were numerous and fierce, but the imperial guards held their ground despite being outnumbered. Reinforcements had been summoned, but time was of the essence—the situation was dire.

A path was cleared for the emperor’s escape, with guards holding the line to buy time. But hidden archers loosed cold arrows, aiming to stall them until reinforcements arrived too late.

Guards dropped like flies—some struck fatally, others wounded but fighting on. In this critical moment, protecting the emperor took absolute priority.

Had Consort Ping not stuck so close, she might’ve been deemed "insufficiently protected." But Rong Noble Consort, never once released from Kangxi’s grasp, would never face such negligence.

Watching the carnage unfold, blood soaking the ground, Consort Ping’s nerves were stretched to the breaking point.

Finally, the guards carved an opening and urged the emperor to flee. Without hesitation, Kangxi seized Rong Noble Consort and dashed toward the gap.

Su Yi had been under Kangxi's protection the entire time. Despite several stray arrows being shot her way, she remained unscathed thanks to his shielding. Su Yi was likely the only one left unscathed.

"This is the spot."

A strange glint flickered in Consort Ping’s eyes, gone in an instant. In the chaos, no one had the time to notice her odd behavior—even if she had openly changed expressions, it wouldn’t have mattered.

Consort Ping shifted her position, putting on a panicked act. Just then, she was bumped into by a retreating guard, causing her to lose her balance as if she hadn’t moved aside in time. Her shoe was trampled and came loose.

This wasn’t an act—she had genuinely been stepped on. Ignoring the pain in her foot, she yelped, "Ah!" and stumbled forward.

Her hands flailed wildly in the air as if trying to grab onto something, and in the next moment, she yanked hard on whatever she had seized, pulling the sleeve’s owner forward with the momentum.

The person she pulled instinctively tried to steady themselves but instead felt their foot sink into something, followed by a sudden drop as they disappeared into the pit below.

Su Yi, who had been shielded closely by Kangxi the whole time, remained silent and still, sticking to her no-nonsense rule. She followed Kangxi’s lead without protest. At one point, she considered simply holding his hand—being held might slow them down—but the moment she stirred, Kangxi stopped her. "Don’t move."

From within his embrace, Su Yi couldn’t see his expression. Despite the surrounding chaos, Kangxi’s heartbeat thudded loud and fast, much quicker than its usual steady rhythm.

Just as she was listening, her sleeve was suddenly yanked to the side.

Under normal circumstances, Consort Ping wouldn’t have been strong enough to pull Su Yi away. But Consort Ping had resorted to cheating to ensure Rong Noble Consort was successfully removed. With Kangxi keeping her so close, and given his strength as a man, Consort Ping had no choice but to use this method to guarantee success.

The system, for whatever reason, backed her—even insisted on it.

With the system’s intervention, Su Yi found herself unable to resist, letting Consort Ping win this round. After all, Consort Ping had worked quite hard to reach this point.

It all happened in a split second. Even with Kangxi’s quick reflexes, his outstretched hand only brushed her fingertips before Su Yi vanished into the pit below.

"Noble Consort!"

Kangxi lunged forward, only to be held back by his guards. "Your Majesty, you mustn’t!" One noble consort had already fallen—they couldn’t afford to lose the emperor as well. With the situation so dire, who could have expected a trap here of all places?

In the blink of an eye, Su Yi had stepped into the trap and fallen into the pit. The hole was about five or six meters deep. Had she not braced herself upon landing, she would have eaten dirt face-first. As for rolling to disperse the impact—she couldn’t be bothered.

The pit was filthy. Rolling in this filth? Her robes wouldn’t survive.

To make matters worse, there were even a few bear traps lying in wait—just perfect.

Hearing Kangxi’s frantic voice from above, Su Yi looked up to see him peering down. With a quick thought, she called back clearly, "I’m fine, Your Majesty. Forget me—just go!" She waved her hand to show she was unharmed.

After all, Kangxi was the one attracting the enemies. Falling down here meant she didn’t have to flee anymore—faking fear was tiresome anyway.

Consort Ping, having not even finished savoring her victory, had barely begun to gloat when she heard Rong Noble Consort’s composed response. Like she’d just taken a detour, not a death trap—no panic, no despair—just calmly telling them to leave her behind.

Damn it!

Under these dire circumstances, they’d have to leave Rong Noble Consort behind!

No matter how much Kangxi wanted to rescue her, there was simply no time. She would have to be left behind.

Consort Ping darkly imagined how heartbroken and terrified Rong Noble Consort would feel upon being abandoned. Even if it was understandable, the betrayal would fester. If this created a rift between her and Kangxi, his initial guilt might curdle into resentment over her "lack of understanding."

But now, Rong Noble Consort had preemptively told them to leave her—wouldn’t that only deepen Kangxi’s guilt toward her?!

This woman was a real piece of work, reacting so swiftly with the most advantageous response!

Hobbling forward, one shoe still gone, Consort Ping hurried over in a fluster. "Thank heavens you’re alright, Elder Sister Noble Consort! This is all my fault—I wouldn’t know what to do otherwise!" Tears streamed down her face as she spoke.

Then, turning to Kangxi, she added, "Your Majesty, this is all my fault. But you must prioritize your safety now—don’t waste Elder Sister’s sacrifice. Whatever punishment I deserve, I’ll take my lumps once we’re safe."

Consort Ping wept pitifully, putting on an air of helpless indecision, yet in truth, she was more anxious than anyone to urge Kangxi to leave. She cared not at all for the fate of the abandoned Rong Noble Consort—if the assassins could finish off the consort while at it, even better.

She knew Kangxi would surely resent her for ‘accidentally’ pushing Rong Noble Consort into the trap, but Consort Ping played dumb, putting on a show of earnest resignation, ready to face his wrath later.

But after this incident, Rong Noble Consort would just have to choke down this injustice. Suppressing her glee, Consort Ping wore an expression of deep concern as she urgently pulled Kangxi away.

After the noble consort fell into the trap, Kangxi’s simmering agitation was forcibly restrained. He averted his gaze and turned his head, giving Consort Ping a deceptively calm look—one that hid a bottomless fury.

That look made Consort Ping’s heart quiver, as if all her schemes had been laid bare. Her tears vanished, leaving behind a flimsy, guilt-stricken act.

Fortunately, the imperial guards, alarmed by the worsening situation, pressed their plea once more—there was no time to delay any longer.

"Your Majesty, if we do not retreat now, it will be too late!"