After my father was sent to marry into the princess's household, I became the darling of the en

Xiao Jingchen's movements were surprisingly fast.

The following night, three highly skilled assassins sneaked into the back mountain of Qishan Academy.

The moonlight was mostly obscured by floating clouds, and the back mountain of the academy was so dark that one could not see their own hand in front of their face.

The wind rustled through the dense bamboo forest, creating a continuous sound of branches and leaves rubbing against each other.

The sound perfectly masked the subtle rustling of clothes.

As the three figures approached the low wall outside the Hundred Herbs Garden, their movements were light and agile, clearly those of seasoned veterans who had spent years licking blood from the edge of a knife.

The leader looked around in the dim light and gestured for them to move forward.

"Once inside, split up and search for letters and maps of the Great Yan. Be quick and efficient."

His accomplice behind him nodded, gripped the dagger in reverse, and approached the gate.

"Don't worry, brother. We brothers can turn this dilapidated courtyard where a mere hostage lives upside down with our eyes closed."

The iron lock hung coldly on the door knocker, and the unique bitter smell of herbs wafted from the cracks in the door.

The man took out a thin wire, inserted it into the keyhole, and with a slight twist of his wrist, the lock popped open with a click.

"You must evacuate within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, and leave no trace."

Pushing open the door, the stone path gleamed with a damp, bluish-gray luster under the moonlight. The herb gardens on both sides were quiet, and the bamboo leaves were occasionally stirred by the night breeze, making a soft rustling sound.

It looks ordinary.

The three of them stepped lightly onto the stone path, and after only a few steps, they felt the pebbles beneath their feet sink.

With a whooshing sound, a sharp whistling sound ripped through the air from all four sides of the bamboo wall on the left, and countless iron arrows shot out in rapid succession, accompanied by strong winds.

The three were unable to dodge in time and were all injured by the arrows to varying degrees.

"There's an ambush!"

The two people behind him reacted quickly, turning around and running away immediately. However, the stone slabs under their feet made a dull clattering sound again the moment they turned around.

With a loud bang overhead, rubble was ejected from the high walls on both sides, heading straight for them.

"Damn it! What kind of place is this?!"

One of them cursed and dodged to the side, his left foot stepping into the muddy ground next to the herb garden, a sharp pain shooting through his boot.

Looking down, he saw more than a dozen caltrops spring out from the cracks in the rocks, their sharp spikes piercing through the soles of his boots and embedding themselves in his feet, leaving a trail of blood mixed with mud on the ground.

He was frozen in place, letting out a mournful howl.

The last assassin drew his sword and held it in front of him, looking around to try and determine the direction of the attack.

Just then, a second volley of crossbow bolts was fired from a hidden compartment in the bamboo wall.

This time there was only one arrow, but it was a thick, large arrow that pierced straight through his calf.

It all happened in the blink of an eye.

Three highly trained assassins fell dead on the stone path before they could even catch a glimpse of the bamboo house.

The Hundred Herbs Garden fell silent again, with only suppressed breathing and the occasional sound of blood dripping onto the stone slabs.

A person leaped off the roof.

Rong Jing stood steadily less than five steps away from the three of them.

"Visiting late at night without even knocking—is this the rule the Prince of Dayong taught you?"

He fiddled with the bird-shaped jade pendant in his hand, his tone languid.

"Please pass on a message to your master."

The assassin lay on the ground, panting heavily, blood constantly seeping from the wound on his calf.

"Is the prince of Dayong sending someone to assassinate the hostage prince of Dayan at night in an attempt to provoke a diplomatic dispute between the two countries?"

He paused, then ground his foot on the assassin's hand that was supporting him on the ground.

"Does he want to settle this score with me himself, or does he want me to go to the Yanhe Hall and ask your Emperor to decide it personally?"

The man in black was pale, and a sharp pain shot through his hand; he didn't even dare to swallow.

"Get lost." Rong Jing withdrew his foot and waved his hand casually.

The assassin scrambled away into the moonlight, disappearing in less than the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.

Wenren Du swiftly tied the remaining two people up like dumplings and dragged himself toward the cellar.

After returning from tying up the man, he stood beside Rong Jing and asked in a low voice, "Does Young Master really intend to alarm the Emperor?"

Rong Jing stretched and said, "Whether or not we should alarm him depends on his choice."

Wenren Du hesitated for a moment: "Then Miss Shen..."

"What's wrong?"

"What I'm saying is that Miss Shen deliberately fed her sister false information to lure the Third Prince into a trap. Isn't she using you, Young Master, as a pawn?"

The moonlight shone on Rong Jing's face, and the corners of his mouth slowly curved upwards, carrying a hint of indulgence and interest.

"That's where her intelligence lies."

Wenren was speechless for a moment.

Why does my young master seem so happy that he's being used as a pawn?

"But she probably didn't expect that, by sheer coincidence, I was also waiting for these people to come."

Rong Jing turned around and slowly walked into the house.

Mr. Fengming was still fast asleep in the inner room, his snoring so loud it shook the bamboo curtain. Despite the commotion outside, the old man hadn't even turned over.

Rong Jing sat down in the rattan chair, his slender fingers casually stirring the cold tea on the table.

"Since she enjoys watching plays so much, I should at least build a stage for her so as not to let her plans go to waste."

……

Inside the Third Prince's Palace.

The candlelight flickered, casting Xiao Jingchen's shadow long and slanted.

The flickering candlelight cast Xiao Jingchen's shadow long and slanted.

He sat behind a large desk, holding a white porcelain teacup in his hand, his fingertips idly stroking the rim of the cup.

Several reports were laid out on the table, but he couldn't concentrate on reading a single word.

Judging by the time, the people who went to Qishan Academy should be back by now.

Hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

There was a gentle knock on the study door from the outside.

"Come in." Xiao Jingchen composed himself and resumed his usual gentle and refined demeanor.

Fu Yibai pushed open the door and walked in, his steps hurried and his face showing undisguised panic.

He closed the door tightly behind him, walked to the desk, and knelt down with a thud.

Seeing his appearance, Xiao Jingchen frowned immediately, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

"Did you mess things up?"

He questioned her, his fingers tightening around the teacup.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Fu Yibai's forehead.

"Your Highness, of the three men we sent, only one returned. The other two perished in the Hundred Herbs Garden, unable to even sneak into the main hall of the courtyard."

Xiao Jingchen stood up abruptly, knocking over the pen holder on the table. Several wolf-hair brushes rolled onto the carpet, getting stained with precious ink.

"What did you say?"

He walked up to Fu Yibai, looking down at him. "You can't even get into the residence of a hostage. What use are you good-for-nothings? Do you think there's a thousand troops hiding in that courtyard?"

Fu Yibai was so frightened that he trembled and kowtowed repeatedly.

"Your Highness, please calm down. That courtyard was full of Mo family traps. Our brothers were caught in them as soon as they entered, without even a chance to react."

He swallowed hard and continued his report with renewed vigor, "Rong Jing was prepared. He personally subdued the remaining men and sent a message to you from one of the brothers who escaped."

Xiao Jingchen's face was so gloomy it could drip water.

"What did he say?"

"He said that the Prince of Dayong sent someone to assassinate the hostage of Dayan at night. Does Your Highness want to settle this score with him yourself, or would you like him to go to Yanhe Hall and ask His Majesty to make a decision personally?"

A deathly silence fell over the study.

Xiao Jingchen stood there, his chest heaving violently. His gentle facade was shattered, revealing his cruel and violent nature.

"Good, very good."

Xiao Jingchen laughed in extreme anger, his laughter carrying a chilling undertone.

He sat back down in his chair, his mind replaying the events of the past few days.

The message from Shen Tingyun: the traps in the Hundred Herbs Garden, and Rong Jing's warning.

The clues are connected one by one, gradually piecing together a complete picture.

He'd been tricked.

He was outmaneuvered by that little girl he had always regarded as a pawn, someone he thought he could manipulate at will.

Shen Jingque.

This is not a secret stronghold of the Great Yan at all; it is clearly a trap set by Shen Jingque for him.

She used Shen Tingyun to send false information to him, luring him to send people to break into the traps in the Hundred Herbs Garden, thus giving Rong Jing leverage over him.

If Rong Jing were to actually go to Yanhe Hall to confront his father, it would only expose the fact that he was secretly raising assassins.

In the eyes of the suspicious emperor, this was irrefutable evidence of forming cliques for personal gain and harboring treacherous intentions.

That girl, who always smiled with her eyes crinkled and seemed completely innocent, actually dared to use him as a weapon.

"Shen Jingque."

Xiao Jingchen murmured the name, his fingers tightening.

With a crisp crack, the white porcelain teacup shattered in his palm.

Sharp shards of porcelain cut his flesh, and tea mixed with bright red blood dripped from between his fingers onto the thick carpet.

He suddenly laughed, a laugh that carried the chilling glint of a venomous snake.

"You'd better not fall into my hands."