“Ah?”
In the woodshed, Mu Qingyao cried out as if she had gone mad. Her pupils were bloodshot, and the killing intent emanating from her made her hands tighten as she pulled out the dagger.
She stood up abruptly, her entire being like a raging inferno. Her fine robes billowed, her dark hair splayed out, and her eyes were crimson, like a vengeful ghost emerging from a blood-soaked hell. This sight startled everyone in the woodshed, causing them to step back.
In an instant, she moved with lightning speed, like a bolt of lightning. She rushed to Changsun Zhu's side with an unimaginable swiftness and thrust her sword forward with all her might.
Whether it was due to the suddenness of the attack or Changsun Zhu's own guilt, he was struck. The dagger plunged deep into his chest. Everyone was stunned and cried out in unison, “Your Highness the Crown Prince.”
However, Mu Qingyao was not finished. She applied more force, pushing the dagger another two fen deeper. Changsun Zhu’s face turned as pale as paper in an instant. His lips trembled slightly as he reached out a hand to grasp hers. “It’s my fault. I didn’t know you were pregnant.”
With that, his body weakly leaned backward. Mu Qingyao froze, releasing her hand and looking at it, covered in fresh blood. Yet, a strange sense of relief washed over her.
Meixin, I promised I would never let him off. Even if I die, I will punish him.
The people from the Crown Prince’s manor were terrified by the scene. The Crown Prince had been stabbed. This woman deserved to be dismembered a thousand times over. Ying Qing roared, “Come, seize this woman immediately!”
Mu Qingyao’s icy gaze swept over them, and she turned to look at Mochou and Moyou, who stood beside her. Their faces were grim and filled with anger as they rose to her side and asked respectfully, “Miss?”
“Take Meixin and Mao Xueqiu with you. Today, we live together, and we die together.”
“Yes, Miss,” Mochou replied, quickly moving to Meixin’s side. Even if she was dead, they would still carry her out.
Mochou pulled at her skirt, tearing off half of it to tie Meixin to herself. Mao Xueqiu, as if sensing their intent, leaped into the air and perched on Moyou’s shoulder. The three of them formed a circle, facing the fully armed guards and the Crown Prince’s men at the entrance of the woodshed with cold determination.
“Since I dared to kill your Crown Prince, I never intended to leave here alive.”
Mu Qingyao declared arrogantly. With a wave of her hand, Chang Ling appeared in her hand. Mochou and Moyou also held their weapons. The three of them frowned, ready to charge.
At this moment, the injured Crown Prince Changsun Zhu, who had fallen to the ground, suddenly spoke. Though his voice was weak, it still carried a cold sharpness.
“Let them go.”
“Master?” Ying Feng and Ying Qing exclaimed simultaneously, their faces changing.
They dared not disobey their master’s orders, but if they let the assassin of the Crown Prince go, and if their master were to meet with an accident, the entire Crown Prince’s manor would likely be buried with him.
“Did you not hear me?”
Changsun Zhu clutched the wound on his chest, gasping for breath. His face was pale, and he slowly slumped to the side. Ying Feng and Ying Qing cried out in alarm and rushed over, commanding in deep voices, “Quick, summon the imperial physician! Summon the imperial physician!”
The Crown Prince’s manor descended into chaos. Steward Hong Wen, leading his men, carried the Crown Prince out, followed by the rest of his retinue.
Taking advantage of the confusion, Qingyao led Mochou and Moyou out.
Outside the gate, guards clad in silver armor aimed their spears at them. Seeing the three figures radiating killing intent, the guards hesitated to advance. The Crown Prince had given his orders.
If they disobeyed the Crown Prince’s command, and he survived, none of them would live to see another day. But if the Crown Prince died, and they let these women go, they would likely face the same fate.
Mu Qingyao and the others pressed forward, while the guards retreated step by step, escorting them towards the gates of the Crown Prince’s manor.
Outside the manor gates stood carriages and horse-drawn carriages. Moyou leaped onto a horse, shaking the reins and stating calmly, “Miss, get on.”
Mu Qingyao and Mochou quickly climbed onto the carriage. The guards, seeing Mu Qingyao and the others mounting the horse, feared they would escape. If the Crown Prince were to have an accident, none of them would be spared. Thus, with a flourish, more than a dozen spears were leveled, attempting to block the carriage.
However, a flurry of hidden weapons shot out from within the carriage, striking the guards’ hands simultaneously. With a series of thuds, all the spears clattered to the ground.
The carriage sped away.
Mu Qingyao and Mochou were startled. They turned to look and saw another person in the carriage – Ying Feng.
Her pretty and delicate face was set in a frosty expression. She looked at them without a word, then sighed and slowly said, “Let’s go. I’ll escort you out of the city.”
Mu Qingyao was taken aback, not expecting Ying Feng to help them. She gratefully said, “Thank you.”
“The Crown Prince ordered me to do this,”
After speaking, Ying Feng turned her head to the side, no longer looking at them. Silence fell upon the carriage.
Ying Feng couldn’t understand why the Crown Prince was so good to Miss Mu, only for her to harm him so deeply and even kill him personally. Couldn't she see how much the Crown Prince liked her? He had never been so kind to anyone else.
Ying Feng’s words made Mu Qingyao’s expression grow colder. Even with Changsun Zhu acting this way, she would not forgive him because Meixin would never return. Her eyes were filled with coldness as she reached out to touch Meixin’s face. She looked so peaceful, so cold. In her mind, she saw Meixin’s smiling face.
Miss, Meixin will never marry and will serve Miss for a lifetime.
But she didn't wait for a lifetime; only a few short months passed before she died. She must have been terrified when she died, alone in such a place. But before her death, she said nothing, still concerned about her.
Meixin, do you know how much my heart aches?
Qingyao placed her hand on her chest, where it felt as if something was missing.
The night was deep, and the streets were quiet. The carriage sped past, the only sound the rumbling of its wheels.
All was silent, everyone was immersed in dreams. Who knew the earth-shattering changes that had occurred in the Crown Prince’s manor? The state of Qingluo would fall into panic and turbulent conspiracy.
At the city gate, the guards were leaning against the city wall, resting. Upon hearing the sound of hooves, several of them swayed unsteadily, brandishing their spears and signaling for the carriage to stop.
Mu Qingyao’s heart tightened. With her heart in her mouth, she turned to look at Ying Feng beside her.
Ying Feng scanned them with a blank expression, then calmly lifted the carriage curtain and presented a token from the Crown Prince’s manor. The guards dared not delay. They immediately became alert, opened the city gate, and let them pass.
Once outside the city, Ying Feng alighted from the carriage and gazed at them fixedly.
In her heart, she didn’t blame Miss Mu at all. She was a person of loyalty and righteousness, so good even to a maid.
But what she couldn’t understand was why she couldn’t stay in the Crown Prince’s manor and become the Crown Princess. She was such a unique person, and it was said that even the astute and wise Emperor Xian divorced her. So, how could she have taken a liking to the insignificant Crown Prince?