In the game.
Today is the day of the imperial ancestral worship, and the streets are packed with people coming to witness this grand event.
Su Fan was delayed in reality by helping the supervisory bureau encircle wizards, and by the time he arrived, the royal family had already departed. Su Fan missed them coming out of the palace.
By now, the emperor and others had already reached the ancestral temple.
As Su Fan had predicted, Xiao Yan could not participate in this imperial ancestral worship.
The surrounding citizens were now discussing the matter of the Crown Prince not accompanying the emperor to the ancestral worship.
Only one of the three princes appeared, but surprisingly, the princess, who had never been seen before, was accompanying them this time.
"The Crown Prince isn't here for such an important occasion, something must have happened."
Someone boldly speculated, and they were actually right.
"Then why didn't the Second Prince come either? Could something have happened to him too?"
Another person asked in confusion.
"Who knows? How can we speculate about royal matters? Be careful not to be dragged away and beheaded. I won't say any more."
Although they were discussing the Crown Prince's absence, they knew when to stop at critical moments. If any soldiers overheard them, they would be in trouble.
"However, I didn't expect the princess, who has never shown herself, to be so beautiful. Anyone who can become a驸马 (fùmǎ - consort) would be blessed."
Someone next to him couldn't help but smack his lips and say.
"Indeed. My relative who works in the palace told me that he hardly ever saw the princess in the palace. The emperor rarely lets her go far from her chambers. I don't think becoming a 驸马 would be a good thing."
Another person who knew a bit of insider information shook his head and said.
"You have relatives in the palace? Which eunuch? Hahaha!"
The others didn't pay much attention to the princess matter, but instead focused on the relative in the palace, which drew a burst of laughter.
Su Fan didn't glean any useful information, so he decided to head directly to the ancestral temple to take a look.
Su Fan saw people everywhere along the way, all here to watch the excitement, but it was not easy to get in. The area was heavily surrounded by soldiers, and no suspicious individuals would be allowed in.
Even Su Fan couldn't get in. Even though he showed his waist token, he wasn't allowed in and could only watch from afar.
Su Fan was helpless and could only watch from the outside.
Su Fan's view was blurry due to the great distance.
The general process was that led by the emperor, the members of the royal family took turns to worship the ancestors, and then, with the announcement of the eunuchs, the ceremony concluded.
Afterward, they returned by carriage.
Soldiers cleared the way ahead, and no one was allowed to stand in the middle of the road. Anyone found obstructing the imperial procession would be killed without mercy.
Don't think this is cruel; assassins would go to any lengths, and exploiting human kindness was just the most basic tactic.
At the front were a group of eunuchs holding flower staffs, followed by a squad of Imperial Guards on horseback. After them was the emperor's carriage, followed by the Third Prince, then the princess, and finally a group of soldiers to bring up the rear.
In front of the convoy, a child suddenly ran into the middle of the road and fell to the ground.
His mother rushed into the road to pick up the child.
Because of them, the eunuchs in front had to stop, and the entire convoy came to a halt on the road.
"Who is blocking the way! Move aside quickly!"
The captain of the Imperial Guards in front immediately shouted at the front.
"Officer, spare my life!"
The woman in front, along with the child, immediately knelt on the ground, looking terrified.
The emperor was already displeased by the halt of the convoy.
"What is happening?"
Xiao Yuan lifted the curtain of the carriage and asked forward.
"Your Majesty, a woman and child are blocking the way ahead."
The captain of the Imperial Guards said to Xiao Yuan.
"Get them out of here as quickly as possible!"
Xiao Yuan instructed him.
"Yes!"
The Imperial Guards rode to the front.
"Leave quickly!"
The captain of the Imperial Guards said to the kneeling woman on the ground.
The woman lowered her head, and a cold glint flashed across her face.
She instantly drew a soft sword from her waist and thrust a sharp blow at the captain of the Imperial Guards.
The captain of the Imperial Guards' eyes sharpened, and he tilted his head slightly. The soft sword grazed past his face.
The woman suddenly flicked her soft sword, which coiled around the captain of the Imperial Guards' neck like a snake.
The Imperial Guard suddenly reached out and grabbed the soft sword, making it impossible for the woman to move it.
The Imperial Guard's hand shimmered with a metallic luster, and the sword blade did not harm him at all.
"Villain! Die!"
The Imperial Guard snorted coldly and stabbed his long sword directly through the woman's neck with his other hand.
The woman died instantly.
The Imperial Guard shifted his gaze to the child beside her.
The child next to her, having witnessed someone die before his eyes, began to cry hysterically.
"Sir, spare my life! That is my child!"
Suddenly, a wail came from outside.
"Mom!"
The child, as if finding a savior, called out to the person.
The person rushed over, hugged the child, and kowtowed to the Imperial Guard, begging for mercy.
"Take the child and leave quickly!"
The Imperial Guard retracted the long sword he was about to thrust and said to the woman.
As if granted a great pardon, the woman hurriedly took the child and left the middle of the road.
The captain of the Imperial Guards returned to the formation.
"Your Majesty, the way ahead has been cleared."
The captain of the Imperial Guards reported to the emperor.
"Let's go quickly."
Xiao Yuan didn't have the mood to bother further and signaled them to return to the palace quickly.
The convoy resumed its journey, as if nothing had happened, but the corpse on the ground served as a reminder to everyone that a murder had occurred here.
After the convoy passed, the soldiers behind even disposed of the body, leaving no trace that a person had died there.
Xiao Xue'er had been curiously sticking her head out of the window, looking at the surroundings.
She had few opportunities to leave the palace, and this was the first time in several years, so she was very curious about the outside world and full of novelty.
Xiao Xue'er scanned the pedestrians around her and suddenly saw a familiar figure in the crowd.
Su Fan, dressed in the uniform of an Imperial Guard, was particularly conspicuous among the crowd.
"Su Fan!"
Xiao Xue'er shouted excitedly at Su Fan.
Su Fan was startled and immediately looked embarrassed.
"My lady, what kind of occasion is this? Can't you just not call out to me?"
Su Fan dared not respond. If rumors of an affair with the princess spread, he would likely be targeted by the emperor!
However, the surrounding citizens almost instantly noticed Su Fan, as he was wearing an Imperial Guard uniform.
Su Fan looked speechless.
He forced a smile that looked like he had eaten shit.
Xiao Xue'er was still excited. She felt they were truly fated to meet Su Fan here.
"Su Fan! You must come and see me!"
Xiao Xue'er reminded Su Fan, fearing he would forget their promise.
Su Fan was even more speechless. "You really won't rest until you ruin me!"
In the carriage ahead, Xiao Yuan heard the commotion behind him and lifted the curtain.
"Su Fan? How does he know Xue'er?"
Xiao Yuan was somewhat surprised and also a little angry.