The air around Nan Shiying was permeated with a chilling aura, and a palpable malice radiated from her, freezing the very atmosphere.
What was wrong?
Ji Jinmo frowned, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.
Why would a mere perusal of historical records incite such fury? What had she seen?
He rose and walked to Nan Shiying's side, taking the history book from her hands. Only when the book was removed did Nan Shiying snap back to reality. She looked up, her gaze meeting Ji Jinmo's deep, dark, yet tender phoenix eyes.
Nan Shiying paused slightly, her anger instantly dissipating.
"What's wrong?" Ji Jinmo glanced at the open page but saw nothing that would warrant such anger. His handsome brows furrowed in confusion as he looked at Nan Shiying.
Nan Shiying lowered her eyes and simply said, "Nothing."
What could she say? That she was furious over a succession dispute for the Great Yuan throne centuries ago?
Seeing her reluctance to elaborate, Ji Jinmo didn't press further. He glanced at the book in his hand before setting it aside.
Nan Shiying did not pick it up again. Instead, she turned to Ji Jinmo and said, "My Lord, I am a bit tired. I..."
"Then rest. The kitchen should be nearly done with the dishes!" Ji Jinmo cut her off before she could finish. Nan Shiying glanced at Ji Jinmo, abandoning her thought of taking her leave.
Ji Jinmo returned to his desk. Nan Shiying leaned back against the cushion, propping her ear with her hand, her eyes closed as if dozing. The history book beside her was cast aside, as if she didn't wish to look at it again.
Ji Jinmo shifted his gaze and picked up the book on his desk once more.
Silence returned to the room.
After the brief surge of anger subsided, Nan Shiying no longer wished to dwell on the past. Upon learning who was responsible for the demise of the Great Yuan, her heart was filled with a sense of powerlessness and unwillingness rather than anger. However, events from centuries ago were merely lingering dust in the deepest corners of her heart. The river of time would never halt its flow for the unyielding sentiments of insignificant beings.
She mused, if she had lived another hundred years, the entire continent would have belonged to her Great Yuan.
Possessing ambition but lacking the mandate.
Nan Shiying looked up at the man seated behind the desk.
She wondered if he could unite the entire continent if Lin Yuan were to ultimately become his dominion.
As she looked at Ji Jinmo, he happened to raise his eyes. Their gazes met unexpectedly in mid-air, and both paused.
Nan Shiying immediately averted her gaze, her cheeks feeling unusually hot.
Xuan Shisan stood outside the door, holding a food container, listening to the sounds within. Apart from the sound of the fierce cold wind rustling the window curtains, he could hear nothing else. He glanced at Lv Wan, his eyes questioning. Lv Wan subtly turned her head, feigning ignorance.
Why ask? If I don't know, does that mean you do?
Xuan Shisan gritted his teeth before raising his hand to knock. "My Lord!"
"Enter!"
A voice devoid of discernible emotion seeped from the crack in the door. Xuan Shisan pushed open the study door, standing at the entrance to shake off the chill from his body before walking in with the food container.
He placed the container on the desk, opened the lid, and took out the pastries.
The aroma of osmanthus cake wafted into Nan Shiying's nostrils. She looked up. Ji Jinmo said to Xuan Shisan, "No need to bring them in. Just place them on the couch."
Xuan Shisan's hand paused. He mentally grumbled, *You could have just said to send them to the Princess Consort!*
Though he thought this, he dared not show it. After saying "Yes," he carried the pastries, plate by plate, to Nan Shiying.
Having done all this, Xuan Shisan withdrew.
...
Thousands of miles away, on an official road, a caravan flying the flag of Dali moved majestically towards Mo City. The accompanying general rode at the head of the procession, with soldiers escorting the carriages on either side. The journey was swift, kicking up dust that flew into the air, only to be swept away by the strong wind.
Yu Chengxuan's eyes were half-closed, and he leaned languidly against the carriage. Strands of sunlight filtered through the gaps in the raised curtain, falling onto his hand and outlining the shape of the jade pendant he held between his fingers.
It had only been three days since Yu Wenyi issued the decree for him to be an envoy to Lin Yuan, and he had already traveled from the capital of Dali to the borders of Mo City.
Soon, he would enter Lin Yuan. If at this moment...
As the thought began to form, he suddenly heard the neighing of horses and then the sound of arrows piercing the air.
Yu Chengxuan's eyes snapped open. A hint of a cold, mocking smile flashed in his deep, ink-like pupils.
"Protect the Seventh Prince."
The general's roar reached his ears, followed by the clash of weapons and the immediate onset of battle.
"Swish, swish, swish~"
Arrows rained down from all directions. The soldiers outside were unable to resist them. The frost-covered arrowheads pierced the carriage, penetrating through.
The general galloped to the rescue, but it was a step too late.
"Seventh Prince!"
His eyes widened in fury.
With a deafening "Boom~," the carriage split in two. Yu Chengxuan stepped on the arrows and leaped into the air. The folding fan in his hand unfurled as he moved. He swung his arm, his wide, cloud-like sleeves drawing a graceful arc through the air, and then, countless flying knives shot out from the fan ribs in all directions.
Muffled groans of pain came from afar. Yu Chengxuan then landed gracefully. He casually drew the sword hidden on his horse. The sword moved like a dragon, piercing the琵琶骨 of one assassin with a single stroke. He then flicked it upward and simultaneously lifted his foot. In one exchange, he disabled an assassin.
He then charged at the other assassins like a wolf entering a flock of sheep.
"Kill!"
Seeing his exceptional prowess, the general immediately raised his spear and charged towards the assassins, his momentum like a rainbow.
The assassins, caught off guard by Yu Chengxuan's skill, suffered heavy losses in mere moments. A sharp whistle was heard from a distance. The assassins, upon hearing it, ceased their assault and began to retreat.
"Trying to escape?"
A wicked, cold glint flashed in Yu Chengxuan's eyes. He shouted to his men, "Leave no one behind! Kill them all!"
The soldiers, receiving the order, charged at the assassins with renewed ferocity.
Yu Chengxuan moved like a phantom of the darkness, appearing silently on the assassins' retreat path, blocking their last avenue of escape.
"Kill!"
Seeing no way out, the assassins' eyes turned red, and they erupted in a frenzy.
The sounds of combat pierced the heavens, lasting only a few minutes. After a few moments, the surroundings fell into an eerie silence.
Looking at Yu Chengxuan, who held a sword dripping with blood but bore no trace of it on his person, everyone was too stunned to react.