Chu Chen happily walked out of the Cloud Heaven Pavilion. After that round of verbal sparring, Zhang Chenzhu and An Xian, one a scholar and the other a warrior, immediately became his devoted followers, completely shedding their previous rebellious and disdainful attitude towards eunuchs.
Chu Chen's mood was wonderful on his way back.
"Considering their ages, if the Empress truly passes the throne to Princess Yue, when Princess Xin Yue takes charge, they will be a great asset."
"Heh heh~ To have two talents, at least of the Golden Legend level, become devoted followers."
"This feeling is truly exhilarating!"
Upon returning to the palace, Chu Chen first reported to the Empress about the work of finding replacements for the talent shortage.
"I trust you, Little Chenzi."
"Very well, as you say, we will promote some capable officials to serve as deputies for the vacant positions, assisting the ministers from the Hanlin Academy."
The Empress was reluctant to use those from the Hanlin Academy, but there was no other choice. She grudgingly agreed.
She then added with some relief, "Since Little Chenzi has discovered several talented individuals, I will entrust the arrangements to you. Ensure they gain sufficient experience in a short period to take up their posts."
"Yes!"
With the addition of these somewhat unreliable Hanlin Academy officials, the court could finally operate more efficiently.
With the Empress's renewed assurance and his own offer of a divine substitute, Chu Chen no longer held back.
He began to win over the surviving ministers in court. Simultaneously, utilizing the authority granted by the Empress, he personally promoted minor officials to serve as deputies for vacant positions, thus planting many of his own people in the court.
He also arranged for Zhang Chenzhu and An Xian to be placed, promoting them from the seventh rank to the fifth rank.
The army was also undergoing training in an orderly fashion.
Several days later, Prime Minister Chen Yuanliang was killed by a royal retainer, and his head was on its way back.
Princess Xin Yue heard that Shao Li Li, who had gone to a neighboring country on business, had returned!
Excitedly, she pulled Chu Chen out of the palace and headed outside the city, intending to see her good friend.
Due to a simulated assassination attempt in the Life Simulator, Chu Chen was very cautious and had Princess Xin Yue bring along two hundred and thirty personal guards.
At the Ten Mile Pavilion outside Shuangyue City, Princess Xin Yue eagerly awaited Shao Li Li's return, standing on her tiptoes.
After waiting for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, she grew impatient. "How much longer? They're so close, why are they taking so long?"
Chu Chen chuckled, defending Shao Li Li. "Miss Shao Li Li brought back quite a lot of things when she returned."
"With people pushing carts and pulling them, it's hard to go any faster."
"Hmph."
Princess Xin Yue paid no mind to this, only finding Shao Li Li and her entourage to be slow.
A quarter of an hour later, just as Princess Xin Yue was getting impatient and considering going to find her instead of waiting, a merchant caravan suddenly appeared in the distance.
"Miss Shao Li Li's caravan! I see the flag!"
"Mhm, mhm~"
Princess Xin Yue nodded happily.
Soon, Shao Li Li's caravan approached the Ten Mile Pavilion.
She had expected Shao Li Li, after not seeing Princess Xin Yue for so long, to be overjoyed.
However, her expression and eyes seemed off, her gaze frequently darting to the side.
"Hmm? Miss Shao Li Li's expression seems unusual. Could the assassination be happening today?"
Chu Chen's vigilance suddenly heightened, and he subtly gestured behind his back.
Wang Biao, seeing Chu Chen's movement, was startled and quietly instructed a few soldiers, assigning them a task.
A short while later, Shao Li Li's caravan arrived.
Shao Li Li walked over with a smile, seemingly about to embrace Princess Xin Yue, but tears suddenly streamed down her face.
At this point, even Princess Xin Yue realized something was wrong and moved forward, only to be grabbed by Chu Chen's arm.
"Little Chenzi, what are you doing? Didn't you see that Sister Shao Li Li looks like she's crying? I want to go comfort her."
Princess Xin Yue frowned, trying to shake off Chu Chen's hand with displeasure, but failed.
"You'll know in a moment, Your Highness."
Chu Chen offered no explanation, instead activating his Identification Skill and Insightful Eyes to scan Shao Li Li's caravan.
What he saw made him slightly startled.
The carriages, which should have been filled with goods, only had a layer of grain on top. Beneath the grain, they were hollow.
Each carriage concealed five or six individuals armed with weapons, hidden behind wooden planks.
The assassins hidden in the carriages waited for a while, but when they didn't hear Princess Xin Yue approach, they cautiously shifted some of the杂物 (miscellaneous items) to peek. To their surprise, they saw Chu Chen smirking at them.
They immediately realized they had been discovered.
Since they were exposed, there was no point in hiding any longer.
"Attack!"
"Kill!"
"The one in the silk robe is the target! Go, kill him!"
Suddenly, the goods on the carriages were overturned, and several hundred ferocious assassins rushed out. Wang Biao was so terrified his soul almost flew away.
He roared, "How dare you attack the Fifth Princess with weapons!"
"Guards, attack! Annihilate them all!"
"Yes!"
Two hundred and thirty personal guards immediately stepped forward, leaving only ten to protect Princess Xin Yue.
The well-equipped guards drew their crossbows from their backs and unleashed a volley of shots at the charging assassins, instantly eliminating more than half of the enemy.
But before they could celebrate, one assassin produced a whistle and blew a signal flare with a cloth strip into the sky.
"Not good! The rebels have more manpower!"
Wang Biao said urgently, "Eunuch Chu, please escort the Princess to retreat first. We will follow shortly."
"Alright, be careful yourself."
Chu Chen, seeing so many enemies, knew that despite being a martial cultivator, he didn't have many spells and couldn't guarantee Princess Xin Yue's complete safety.
He decisively grabbed Princess Xin Yue and prepared to leave.
"Little Chenzi! The enemies will take some time to arrive. Use this opportunity to rescue Shao Li Li."
"I have guards by my side, I'll be fine for now."
"This... alright."
Seeing Princess Xin Yue's pleading gaze, Chu Chen's heart softened, and he agreed.
He turned and used his spiritual energy to power his martial art, "Grass on Flying," quickly gliding across the ground at extreme speed.
"They're coming to me themselves! Kill him!"
"Damn it, these guys aren't targeting the Princess, they're really here to assassinate me? Is it that serious? Why would they kill me, a eunuch, instead of the Princess?"
Chu Chen was astonished and extremely confused.
Princess Xin Yue and her retinue, who were being protected by the guards behind him, now realized something was amiss.
The assassins' target seemed to be wrong; it wasn't the Princess!
"Since the target is not me, Wang Biao, quickly lead your men to support Little Chenzi."
"Yes!"
Wang Biao wanted to refuse, but Princess Xin Yue's stern gaze left him no choice but to comply.