The Empress has abandoned me? I'll support a new emperor and destroy your kingdom!

The First Prince's residence, a secret room.

Yun Jie paced restlessly, waiting for news from "Night Owl." Midnight had passed, but there was still no movement. According to the plan, regardless of success or failure, a signal should have been transmitted by now.

Could it be... that we made a mistake?

Impossible! How could five elite "Night Owls" possibly fail against a princess who only had palace maids and a mute old woman?!

Just as he was getting anxious and was about to send someone to investigate again, he heard hurried footsteps and suppressed gasps from outside the secret room.

"Your Highness! Your Highness! Something terrible has happened! The Night Owls are back... just one of them! And he's crippled!"

Yun Jie's heart sank, and he rushed out of the secret room.

In the front yard, two guards were supporting a man in black who was covered in blood, whose right leg was bent at an odd angle, and whose face was as pale as paper. This man was the "Night Owl" underling he had sent out.

"What's going on?!" Yun Jie demanded sharply.

Upon seeing Yun Jie, the assassin's eyes widened in terror, and he hissed, "Your Highness... there's an ambush... the princess has powerful guards... all four of my brothers are dead... only I came back to report... that person asked me to deliver a message..."

"What are you saying? Speak!"

The assassin, panting heavily and enduring excruciating pain, repeated Su Che's words in broken sentences.

"...You can't touch the princess's life...You'd better keep your shady dealings well hidden...If you dare to lay a finger on her again...then...you won't just be left with a leg..."

Upon hearing this, Yun Jie's face instantly turned from red to white, then from white to green. His chest heaved violently, and a metallic taste rose in his throat. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms until blood seeped out.

Master!

He's truly a master!

Not only did they break "Night Owl," but they also arrogantly warned him! They even... seemed to know about his deal with the Northern Barbarians!

A humiliating disgrace! And a deadly threat!

"What did that person look like? What weapon did he use?" Yun Jie asked through gritted teeth.

"Green, green robe... looks like a scholar... uses, uses an iron ruler... martial arts... frighteningly high... brothers... can't stop him at all..." After the assassin finished speaking, he finally couldn't hold on any longer and fainted.

"Green robe... iron ruler..." Yun Jie murmured repeatedly, his eyes blazing with murderous intent, yet also mixed with an uncontrollable chill.

This person must be found! He must be eliminated!

"Mr. Jia!" He whirled around and roared at his equally grim-faced aide, "Investigate this man in blue! Dig three feet into the ground, find him for me! Also, strengthen security in the mansion! From this day forward, no one is to enter or leave without my written authorization!"

"Yes..." Mr. Jia replied, but his heart was ice-cold. This time, he had truly kicked a hornet's nest. The strength and methods of the person behind the princess far exceeded his expectations. The eldest prince's situation had suddenly become perilous.

All of this was simply because of a fallen princess whom they had once regarded as nothing, and the mysterious "master" behind her.

Yun Jie walked back to the secret room and looked at the "Ten Memorials on Strengthening the People and Enriching the Country" on the table. Suddenly, he felt an intense irritation. He grabbed it abruptly, wanting to tear it to shreds, but then stopped.

He couldn't tear it. He had to keep it; he wanted to find the flaws in it, to find that person's trail!

"Yun Jin... and that cowardly fellow..." His eyes flashed with resentment and madness, "I'll see how long you can be so smug!"

A failed assassination attempt not only failed to eliminate the threat, but also exacerbated the conflict, pushing the covert struggle into the more dangerous open.

......

Night fog permeated the intricate alleyways of Lin Yuan City, carrying the damp chill unique to late autumn.

Several figures, like fish swimming into the night, silently passed through a shantytown adjacent to the West Market, but even more dilapidated and chaotic, and finally stopped in front of an inconspicuous, even slightly crooked, wooden door.

The door was pushed open and then quickly closed, completely isolating it from the dampness, darkness, and prying eyes of the outside world.

Inside the door, the scene was quite different.

Although still simple, it is clean and tidy, exuding a sense of tranquility after careful maintenance. This is a three-courtyard house. In the front courtyard, there is a well, a stone lock, and bamboo poles for drying clothes.

The main house in the central courtyard has three rooms, and there are two rooms on each side. Although the roof tiles are old, the doors and windows are sturdy and covered with brand-new Korean paper.

The backyard is more spacious, with a kitchen, a woodshed, and even a small plot of cultivated land where some cold-resistant vegetables are grown.

The courtyard wall is higher than it appears from the outside. Some inconspicuous clutter is piled up in the corner, but upon closer inspection, it can be seen that it is a convenient place to climb and stand on.

"It's safe for now." Su Che's voice rang out in the quiet courtyard. He took off the hood that covered his face, revealing a calm expression. "This is a warehouse of 'Huitong Trading Company' used to store unsold goods. The land deed is in the name of a reliable person and has nothing to do with the Princess's residence or any official in the public eye."

The mute woman and Qingdai can stay in the east wing, Your Highness in the main room. I've already had the west wing prepared as a study and meeting place. Daily necessities will be delivered regularly; there's no need for you to go out.

Yun Jin stood in the courtyard, looking around.

Compared to the previous cramped and shabby courtyard, this place is undoubtedly much better. More importantly, there is a sense of security here, as if the place is under tight protection.

Looking at Su Che's profile, which appeared exceptionally calm under the dim lantern light, the tension that had been taut for half the night finally eased slightly, and what followed was a surge of more complex emotions.

The relief of surviving a disaster, the fear of an uncertain future, and a deeper curiosity about the person in front of me, along with... a faint sense of dependence.

"Mr. Su, thank you for your trouble," Yun Jin said softly, nodding to Qing Dai.

Qingdai understood and quickly helped the still somewhat dizzy mute woman into the east wing to settle her in.

"It's my duty." Su Che walked towards the main room, pushed open the door to the middle room, and found that the lights were already on. The room was fully furnished with a table, chairs, and a bed. The bedding was made of slightly used fine cotton cloth, and there was even a small white porcelain vase on the table with a few unknown wild chrysanthemums with water droplets in it, adding a touch of life to the simple room.

"Your Highness, please rest early. We will discuss this again tomorrow." Su Che did not enter the house, but stood at the door.

"Sir," Yun Jin called out to him, standing motionless in the courtyard, her gaze piercing through the dim light of the lanterns to look directly at Su Che, "I...can't sleep. If you, sir, are also not sleepy, could you...talk with Yun Jin for a little longer?"

Her voice was soft, yet it carried an earnestness that left no room for refusal, and a hint of confusion that she tried desperately to suppress but still managed to reveal.

Tonight's bloodshed, murderous intent, and desperate counterattack felt like an overly real nightmare, shattering her understanding of the past decade or so.

She needs to figure some things out and find a more solid foothold for her future.

Su Che looked at the mixture of fear, confusion, and a search for answers in her eyes, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded: "Very well. Hot tea has been prepared in the study in the west wing."

……

The west wing was converted into a simple study.

There was a bookshelf against the wall, which mostly contained common classics, histories, and geographical records, nothing special.

There was a large desk and two chairs by the window. On the desk was a bright oil lamp, a pot of steaming tea, and two plain cups.

Su Che and Yun Jin sat facing each other. Tea was poured into their cups, and wisps of white steam rose, blurring their vision.