Chapter 111

Chapter 111

Perhaps assuming one person was enough to subdue Ming Tang, a seemingly weak woman, the intruders who had infiltrated the courtyard were in a relaxed mood. Ming Tang and Hong Ying held their breath, utterly still, waiting behind the screen door between the main hall and the inner chamber, faintly hearing hushed voices at the entrance.

"What’s taking so long? Could something have gone wrong?"

Someone chuckled softly. "Impossible! I bet he’s never seen a woman from an elite family before—who knows what he’s up to now."

"That can’t be! His Highness only ordered us to take them as hostages. If things go smoothly on their end, we’ll be dead if even a single hair on her head is harmed."

The murmurs gradually faded. Ming Tang stared intently toward the hall, her fingers gripping the crossbow so tightly they turned pale. Hong Ying also raised her long blade, gripping the hilt with both hands, her tension nearly making her sick.

Erratic, soft footsteps approached. After listening carefully, Hong Ying silently held up three fingers. Ming Tang nodded and waited quietly. The intruders outside seemed to sense something amiss, their footsteps suddenly quickening.

The dim interior made it difficult for them to adjust after entering from outside, leaving only blurred outlines visible. The first one to step in tripped over a chair after a few steps and cursed under his breath, thinking how ridiculous it was to carry out such a task at night without even a damn candle—sure, it concealed their movements, but did no one consider that villains couldn’t see in the dark either?

Advancing a few more steps, he finally spotted a black-clad figure lying motionless on the floor near the bed—his earlier companion. The bed curtains still hung undisturbed, swaying faintly from the draft he brought in.

Unsure whether their target still hid behind the curtains, he glanced down and saw the small arrow embedded deep in the man’s throat. Realizing they had misjudged the situation—Ming Tang was not a woman who couldn't harm a fly, but one who truly dared to kill, and she wielded a lethal weapon—he hesitated, fearing an arrow would shoot out the moment he lifted the curtain. The crossbow’s design suggested formidable power; a single hit anywhere would be devastating.

The House of Dingguo was truly bold, daring to keep such weapons at home—and even handing them over to the women! Now they had to deal with this unexpected trouble.

Not daring to act recklessly, he froze, and his companions who followed also hesitated. The three of them stood around the cooling corpse, the atmosphere growing eerily tense.

After exchanging glances, two of them suddenly slashed their blades through the bed curtains. The third, meanwhile, scanned the surroundings warily—only to lock eyes with two faintly gleaming pairs in the darkness.

"Behind us!" he shouted.

But those were his last words. Ming Tang, having aimed carefully, released the arrow with absolute certainty. Even before it struck, she had already raised the crossbow toward the bed.

With one of them down in an instant, Ming Tang fired several more arrows in quick succession, no longer prioritizing precision but simply aiming to leave some marks on the remaining two. Once her loaded bolts were spent, she retreated further to avoid obstructing Hong Ying, swiftly reloading fresh arrows.

The dull thuds of metal piercing flesh confirmed she had hit her targets more than once. Hong Ying, with keen senses, also heard the sounds and steeled herself before lunging forward, blade flashing.

The crossbow bolts, barbed and deeply embedded, inflicted excruciating pain. Coupled with Hong Ying’s relentless assault, the two men’s desperation was palpable. Moreover, Hong Ying knew the room’s layout far better and wielded her blade skillfully, fighting two opponents evenly.

Realizing they might die here, their leader abruptly retreated and shouted, "Lady Pei, we underestimated you—that’s on us. But for your own sake, I advise you to submit quietly. There are more of us outside this annex residence. His Highness only wants to invite you as a guest—he swore not to harm a hair on your head. But if things go awry, he’ll burn this place to the ground!"

Seeing the maid lower her blade and no further arrows flying from the darkness, he assumed Ming Tang was intimidated and pressed on, "Lady Pei is clearly a smart woman. Killing several of us proves you’re a heroine among women. But think long-term—just lead us to the main courtyard where your mother-in-law and nephew are. You won’t even need to move far."

Truthfully, had the main courtyard not been so far from the walls—and had their master not been so certain that Crown Prince Pei treasured his wife above all—they would’ve gone straight for the old and the young. An elderly woman and a boy would’ve been far easier targets.

Goddamn it, this woman’s aim was terrifyingly precise—two arrows had already struck him in the dark. Thankfully, neither hit a vital spot, or he’d be lying dead like the other two unlucky ones.

"You came under cover of night, clearly fearing exposure. If you truly dared to burn this place, do you think you could silence public censure afterward?" Ming Tang refused to believe his threats. Even if the annex residence was surrounded, she wouldn’t surrender now while she still had the means to fight. To fall into their hands would mean surrendering her life to their whims. Besides, with Pei Yue’s situation still unclear, she refused to become a weapon used against him.

A prince bold enough to kidnap an officially titled lady meant something was unfolding in the palace. Pei Yue would never ally with those who exploited vulnerabilities, and the emperor was not yet so feeble. The intruders’ lack of thorough planning revealed their master’s incompetence. Such reckless actions suggested the prince’s chances of success were slim.

Ming Tang refused to believe that if these men truly dared to defy universal condemnation by openly burning down a duke’s annex residence—amidst a gathering of the empire’s most shrewd aristocrats—those elites would ever bow to such a ruler. While the man spoke, she had already reloaded her crossbow. Without waiting for further words, she fired.

Hong Ying, who had been holding back in case he revealed anything crucial, immediately followed with a decisive slash. Once both men collapsed, she delivered a final cut to each of their throats for good measure.

Caught up in the heat of the moment, she only later realized her lower body was drenched in blood and worried Ming Tang might judge her for such brutality. Instead, she was abruptly pulled into a fierce embrace. "Well done!"

Two women who had never before shed blood had just killed four men in mere moments. As the tension eased, their emotions surged. Ming Tang squeezed Hong Ying’s hand tightly, then, without further words, replenished her arrows and turned toward the door. "Quick, let’s check the main courtyard."

But as she turned, movement at the doorway made her instinctively raise the crossbow—only to lower it upon recognizing the figure. Wen He rushed forward, grasping Ming Tang and examining her frantically, tears streaming. "Thank heavens you’re unharmed!"

Wen He was disheveled, her hair in tangles and her body bearing fresh wounds. Only then did Ming Tang notice another figure clad entirely in black lying motionless outside the door—unconscious or dead, she couldn’t tell.

"I was sleeping lightly and faintly heard sounds in the courtyard. I saw strangers at your door with weapons in their hands. Worried there might be more inside and not wanting to alert them, I quietly woke the others. We saw a few enter the room, leaving only one outside, so we took up scissors and fought with him for a while, trying to rush in to help you. Who'd have thought even four or five of us were no match for you and Sister Hong Ying? Thankfully, none of us were seriously hurt."

Wen He smoothed her disheveled hair, then burst into tears again upon seeing Hong Ying covered in blood. "Thank goodness it was Sister Hong Ying on night duty tonight. If it were me, who knows what would’ve happened. Zhe Liu is alone in the capital and won’t even hear the news. When she finds out later, she'll be heartbroken." As she spoke, she clung tightly to Hong Ying, clearly shaken by the ordeal, letting the blood on Hong Ying’s clothes stain her own, mingling with the blood already on her.

Hearing no one was injured, she went outside and saw the others, though messy, bore no obvious wounds. Finally, she let out a long sigh of relief.

The maids, still in disarray, saw Ming Tang unharmed and no sign of the intruders—clearly taken care of—and their hearts settled. Seeking reassurance, they asked eagerly, "Young Madam, is the danger over?"

Meeting their hopeful gazes, Ming Tang refused to lie. "The man earlier said their people are still surrounding the estate. If they fail to capture us, they’ll burn down the villa. So I need you all to keep your wits about you. If anyone’s hurt, open the chests for medicine and tend to each other. Also, change into clothes and shoes that are easy to move in, and wait for their next move."

Seeing their lingering fear, Ming Tang encouraged them, "This is the Emperor’s domain, the royal hunting grounds. Even if there are villains, they won’t dare act too brazenly. Besides, I and Madam are with you. If the worst happens, we’ve already killed five of them—we’ve more than gotten our worth!"

The sight of Ming Tang’s cold-glinting crossbow and Hong Ying’s bloodied long knife seemed to restore their courage. Calm returned as they followed Wen He’s lead, fetching clean cloth and medicine to dress each other’s wounds.

Ming Tang breathed a sigh of relief, then helped Hong Ying collect the fallen knives from the corpses to distribute among the group. Once order was restored, she hurried with Hong Ying toward the main courtyard.

The chaos in Ming Tang’s quarters had been strangely quiet, and the intruders apparently hadn’t split forces to infiltrate the main courtyard. When Ming Tang arrived, all was peaceful—so peaceful it was almost eerie.

But her late-night visit wasn’t just to confirm safety. She knocked, and with Hong Ying, stepped inside under the astonished gaze of the maid who opened the door.

Mrs. Pei, a light sleeper, was already awake. Seeing Ming Tang armed and Hong Ying bloodied, she showed little surprise. Quickly changing into simple clothes and sturdy boots, she listened as Ming Tang recounted the night’s events.

Hearing how she and Hong Ying had killed the assassins one by one, Mrs. Pei patted Ming Tang’s hand. "My good child." To Hong Ying, she added, "Thank you."

Waving off Hong Ying’s modesty, Mrs. Pei made a swift decision: "If they threaten to burn the estate if things go awry, let’s start the fire ourselves!"

Trapped here, their greatest challenge wasn’t escape but getting word out. Rather than wait for their enemies to act, they’d strike first and disrupt their plans.

At Mrs. Pei’s command, the estate stirred silently, every sound muffled. In moments, a large pile of firewood stood in the courtyard, doused in oil and set ablaze, flames lighting up the sky.

Outside, the men waiting to storm the estate panicked. Their leader cursed, "Wasn’t the fire supposed to wait for word from the palace?"

The plan was to torch the place if they failed, but hostages were still needed. Burning it now made no sense. If Crown Prince Pei surrendered, how would they explain losing his family?

Acting fast, he ordered his men to batter down the gate. As the flimsy door crashed inward, a thunder of hooves echoed behind them.

Back at the palace, Pei Yue and Wang Shen’s conversation continued.

With all unfolding as the Emperor foresaw, Wang Shen got straight to the point: "Seeing the fire at the estate, they feared they were too late. But at the gate, they found Prince of Jin’s men just breaking in. After subduing them, they learned a small team had sneaked in first to capture Young Madam, planning to open the gates from within and seize control quietly."

"Who’d have thought Young Madam would shatter their plans? Five men went in—four dead, the last barely clinging to life." The soldiers, skeptical at first, volunteered to help with the bodies and witnessed the carnage firsthand.

Wang Shen tactfully omitted the gory details. "They tidied up, even scrubbed the floors. From the wounds, Young Madam’s crossbow skills are exceptional—two kills were clean shots to the throat. Forgive my bluntness, but crossbows are contraband. Once this is over, best find another place for yours. As Commander-in-Chief, you’re entitled to weapons, but for your wife, it invites gossip."

Pei Yue nodded. "Thank you. I’ll lock it in my study afterward." Privately, he felt a chill. Had he not taught You Niang to use the crossbow and left it out after hunting, tonight could’ve ended differently. He doubted the captors would’ve released his mother and wife if Prince of Jin had lost.

He then asked, "Who sent the troops to the estate?" Surely the Emperor hadn’t foreseen this too?

Wang Shen smiled lightly. "Prince of Yan. He and his wife happened to be stargazing and noticed the disturbance. Using his token, he alerted the hunting grounds’ garrison, who intervened just in time."

Pei Yue fell silent, glancing at the ajar palace door as the night breeze stirred his robes. His thoughts raced to You Niang—how had she endured such bloodshed? What state was she in now?

As their talk concluded, in the brightly lit hall nearby, the Emperor and his son engaged in a shockingly candid exchange. Though weakened by illness, the Emperor’s voice simmered with fury—whether at the situation or his son remained unclear.

"I truly cannot comprehend how you thought such a flawed plan could succeed? Did you take me for dead, or my subjects for dead?"

How could the Prince of Jin not know his plan was crude?

Yet he raised his head with indifference and said, "Risks bring rewards. Had Your Majesty truly been as gravely ill as in recent days, and had I succeeded in holding you hostage, would I not have achieved my wish? After all, you’ve always looked down on me. As your eldest son, what have I done to displease you? The Empress bore no legitimate heir, and among my brothers, I am the eldest—by both sentiment and reason, I should have inherited the family enterprise. For years, you refused to name me Crown Prince, and now I see myself drifting further from that position. If I didn’t gamble, how would I ever know the outcome?"

He chuckled, "Of course, now I know the outcome. So why bother lecturing me, Father? Whether it’s confinement or execution, I'll accept whatever punishment you decree."

"Imbecile! Even now, you fail to grasp why I hesitated to name an heir early." The Emperor’s tone was almost mocking after this lengthy tirade. "Family enterprise? This is no ordinary inheritance. Do you not understand that this throne carries not just the weight of the realm but the responsibility for the entire realm? How could I dare decide lightly? Had I not remained silent, would you two fools have revealed yourselves so eagerly? You’re not as easygoing as the fourth prince—at least he knows how to let go."

The Prince of Jin remained passive, in a posture of surrender. In truth, the moment he entered the sleeping quarters and saw his father—the Emperor of this dynasty—seated fully dressed, he knew all hope was lost.

Looking back, his father’s illness days prior must have been genuine, but far less severe than it appeared. Summoning his sons to attend him was likely just a ruse to spread the rumor that the Emperor was gravely ill. Had he not seen the Emperor’s apparent weakness with his own eyes, had he not heard the imperial physician advise concealing the condition until their return to the capital for gradual treatment, would he have ever believed the Emperor’s control of the situation had slipped to such an extent?

Yet one detail in the Emperor’s words made him lift his head again. A faint spark flickered in the Prince of Jin’s ashen eyes: "Two? You mean the second prince?"

Seeing he wasn’t entirely witless and had guessed correctly, the Emperor felt an inexplicable flicker of approval. "Indeed. Did you think your entry here was so effortless by chance? Your esteemed younger brother smoothed the way for you. He’s long hoped you’d stir up something earth-shattering, so he could play the filial son before me."

For some reason, the Prince of Jin threw his head back and laughed, the sound strangely echoing through the empty hall.

After laughing to himself for a long while, he finally shook his head. "No wonder you’ve always looked down on me, Father. Reflecting now, I truly was a fool. Had you been the type to blindly favor primogeniture and granted me the title of Crown Prince, I doubt I could have held it for long."

Of his three brothers, the second was a schemer, the fourth always played the fool, but the third—who kept to himself before—had, upon reflection, never made a single misstep.

Seeing this belated realization in the Prince of Jin, the Emperor sighed, recalling how he had once personally taught this eldest son to read and write. But as the children grew, everything changed.

"All of you think too much. I’ve long known immortality is impossible, and my delay in naming an heir was simply to observe longer, to see who would naturally prove most suitable. What matters isn’t how much power you amass, but whether you demonstrate the ability to rule competently."

The Emperor considered himself no fool—his control over the court far surpassed his predecessor’s. Even at his age, he could entrust the Empress with regency while consorts whose sons were grown dared not overstep in her presence. Surely, his sons should have realized he would never loosen his grip on affairs around him.

To scheme for victory through underhanded means under such an Emperor was a basic mistake. Sometimes, doing nothing was far better than acting wrongly—far better indeed.

In silence, the Emperor waved his hand. A man in attendant’s robes stepped out from the hall doors, nodding to Eunuch Wang before addressing Pei Yue: "Pei Yue, His Majesty summons you inside."

Pei Yue gathered himself and followed, stepping into the hall where the atmosphere was tense.

As expected, there was no smell of bloodshed. The exchange between the father and son was even harmonious, save for the armed guards flanking them, adding tension to the scene.

"Take him away to be confined," the Emperor said without lifting his gaze.

Pei Yue acknowledged the order and approached the Prince of Jin. "My apologies," he said, removing the prince's weapons. The guards behind the Prince of Jin instinctively drew their blades but slowly sheathed them under the Emperor’s silent stare.

The clash of metal filled the hall, but Pei Yue paid it no mind. Once the prince was disarmed, he gestured for him to rise.

The Prince of Jin offered no resistance, compliantly following the eunuch guide as Pei Yue escorted him through the early morning light. He remained silent until the eunuch halted before a bare room. Stepping inside, the prince chuckled, "Even my confinement room was prepared in advance."

Seating himself on a chair, he glanced at Pei Yue, who had remained expressionless throughout, and asked, "Since His Majesty was prepared, your family must be unharmed?"

At the mention of his family, Pei Yue’s restrained fury nearly choked him, his hands itching to make this man taste the terror of life hanging by a thread. But he mastered himself and replied lightly, "Thanks to your subordinates being as incompetent as their master, my wife is unharmed—and even eliminated several of your men."

Had anything gone slightly awry, the danger to Ming Tang would have multiplied.

Had this prince acted with the Emperor’s decisiveness, the entire villa might already be under enemy control. No matter how skilled Ming Tang was with a crossbow, or how unexpected her tactics, she could never have reversed the situation.

But then again, had he possessed such capability, why resort to threatening women? He would have seized the throne outright.

With a cold laugh, Pei Yue refused further conversation. Leaving the confused prince behind, he swiftly returned to report to the Emperor.

The Emperor remained as before. At Pei Yue’s entrance, he motioned for him to rise, saying as if to himself or perhaps posing a question: "Now I truly wonder if I should regret it. Teach them too much, and they become predators; teach them too little, and they blunder or flee from duty."

Pei Yue clasped his hands. "The past cannot be changed, Your Majesty. Why trouble yourself over it?"

Seeing the Emperor nod as if to speak, Pei Yue quickly added, "Might Your Majesty grant permission to open the palace gates early? My family has suffered a fright, and I am deeply concerned."

The Emperor blinked. "Didn’t the third prince, fearing your family might be implicated, specifically arrange aid for you? The situation is stable—why can’t you wait a little longer?"

Pei Yue bowed. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. Since learning of my family’s peril, I cannot rest until I see their safety with my own eyes." Internally, he was startled—first, that the Prince of Yan had deliberately intervened, even risking exposure of his own intelligence network to send help; second, that the Emperor, aware of this, seemed unperturbed by the prince’s actions.

But this was beyond his concern. Pei Yue focused solely on awaiting the Emperor’s reply.

Sure enough, moments later, the Emperor granted permission. Pei Yue quickly excused himself, his pace quickening until the eunuch escorting him had to jog to keep up.

Through the translucent windows, the Emperor watched Pei Yue’s hurried departure, momentarily speechless. Though he’d long known of Pei Yue’s devotion to family and his deep bond with his wife Ming Tang, such unseemly hurry was still somewhat embarrassing. He nearly wanted to send someone to remind him: *You’re the "'Jade Lad'" praised by the Emperor himself—can’t you maintain some decorum?*

Yet as he watched, he smiled slightly. Coughing lightly, he said to the newly arrived Wang Shen, "Inform the Prince of Yan that after observing Pei Yue these past years, I find him reliable. His concerns are too narrow—limited to his family, with no room for grander ambitions. Even if given external assignments, his reluctance to risk his wife and nephew’s safety ensures he’ll never stray."

Wang Shen assented, following the Emperor’s gaze out the window at Pei Yue’s retreating figure. Silently, he mused: *Does His Majesty not know the Prince of Yan’s wife’s younger brother has long resided with the Pei family, becoming fast friends with the young heir? Given how inseparable the Prince and Princess of Yan are, how could the prince distrust Pei Yue’s household?*

Still, the Prince of Yan’s household had an intriguing way of operating. Wang Shen recalled how the Princess Consort of Yan had once gone to great lengths to be introduced to him through the Empress. Just as he braced for some weighty request, the couple merely sought his opinion on whether the Emperor would like the Cold Fountain Retreat they were building—fearing he might refuse to help gauge the Emperor’s preferences.

Once the retreat was completed, they never sought private contact again.

Though it wasn’t his place to comment on such matters, Wang Shen found their approach refreshing compared to the usual ostentation.

Lost in thought, the Emperor suddenly asked, "Is the Prince of Yan’s little girl still with the Empress?"

Wang Shen nodded. "Yes, Her Majesty is fond of her granddaughter."

The Emperor nodded, then fell silent, watching the rising sun beyond the window.

The maple leaves of Phoenix Ridge burned as fiercely as ever, their vivid hues emerging fully in the daylight. Astride his horse, Pei Yue leaned forward slightly, truly understanding what it meant to be eager to return home.

The villa gates stood open. Servants swept the courtyard at dawn as Pei Yue dismounted, tossing the reins aside and ignoring the exclamations of surprise as he rushed toward the main residence.

He had outpaced all messengers, arriving in time to witness the radiant joy that lit Ming Tang’s face the moment she saw him.

She nearly ran into his arms, embracing him tightly before standing on tiptoe to plant a firm kiss on his chin. "You’re safe!"

Pei Yue held her just as tightly. "Thank heavens you’re unharmed."

Then he nearly folded her into his chest, bending to capture her soft lips in a deep kiss.