Chapter 5
Edward Quan ·
Those bastards really dared to attack the Ninth Prince’s household!!!
My eyes darkened. I pulled Ta Chi Tu behind the altar and covered his mouth.
“A Tu, don’t make a sound.”
14
There was too little room between the altar and the wall for two people.
I could only awkwardly hold Ta Chi Tu close. Afraid he’d be frightened, I gently patted his back.
“Don’t be scared. It’ll be all right.”
The sounds of fighting outside the temple were mixed with the stench of blood, making my hands tremble slightly.
I’d never witnessed anything like this. My life and death seemed to depend on a single movement made by someone else.
The chaotic footsteps of many people charged into the temple, followed by a vicious shout.
“Capture the two people in brocade! Leave no survivors!”
“Yes, sir!”
The guards immediately clashed with the assassins.
Perhaps it was my imagination, but I felt Ta Chi Tu gently pat my back.
The next instant, a cold blade smashed the altar to pieces.
My arms suddenly felt empty. Someone grabbed my waist, and my body flew into the air.
The two assassins in front of me stared wide-eyed, then fell straight to the ground.
I landed in Ta Chi Tu’s arms and turned to look at them. The arrow that had just shot inside had killed them, piercing straight through both their necks like skewers through roasted meat.
Blood was everywhere…
A hand with long, distinct knuckles covered my eyes.
“Sorry. I scared you, Ningning.”
15
More assassins continued to pour in from outside.
Ta Chi Tu shielded me behind him and caught the sword a guard tossed his way. His swordsmanship was sharp and unstoppable, like a blade cleaving through bamboo.
The assassins were quickly dealt with.
Li Feng entered, covered in blood. He knelt on one knee and clasped his fist.
“Your Highness, please give your orders.”
“Find out who they are. Leave no trace.”
Ta Chi Tu waved his hand, his expression cool.
“Yes, Your Highness.”
Li Feng led the guards outside. Only Ta Chi Tu and I remained in the temple.
Looking at his handsome profile, cold and noble, I suddenly felt a little dazed.
No wonder I’d searched everywhere for renowned physicians and none could cure his foolishness. No wonder he was always able to save me from danger. No wonder he’d insisted on coming north with me to provide relief.
So…
He! Had never!! Been a fool!!!
Ta Chi Tu frowned, removed his bloodstained fox-fur coat, and turned to look straight into my eyes.
He shifted slightly, pouted, and came closer.
“That was so scary. This prince is frightened…”
His tone made it sound as if he’d suffered some terrible injustice.
The corner of my eye twitched.
“Ta Chi Tu, are you still pretending?”
16
The fire was lit again.
Ta Chi Tu picked up the rabbit leg. He took a jeweled dagger from inside his robe, scraped off the dusty outer layer, roasted it again, and handed it to me.
“Ningning, eat.”
The corner of my mouth twitched.
The bodies had been dragged out of the temple, but the blood on the floor hadn’t been cleaned.
Wasn’t it a little too much to eat in a scene like this?
My stomach growled twice, so I resigned myself to taking it and biting off a few pieces.
I glanced at Ta Chi Tu, then lowered my eyes.
He hadn’t become a fool after that accident.
The Fourth Prince had disappeared, the First Prince had died, and Ta Chi Tu had pretended to be a fool.
What had he been planning during these three years of hiding?
“My elder brother died right in front of me. He took a poisoned arrow meant for me.”
Ta Chi Tu’s expression was calm as he poked at the fire with a twig.
My hand stopped. I looked up at him.
He wasn’t looking at me, only at the flames.
“Ta Chi Run was too ruthless. I want him to pay with his life.”
Ta Chi Run was the damned Emperor.
Although Ta Chi Tu’s voice was calm, I could still sense the undercurrents churning inside him.
“Ningning, is there anything you want to ask me?”
I took a bite of rabbit meat.
“The Emperor’s decree arranging our marriage—were you behind that, too? Was it because you wanted my father to help you later?”
Silence lingered for a long time. His throat moved slightly.
“Yes.”
I nodded. That explained everything.
When I didn’t erupt in anger, Ta Chi Tu turned toward me in surprise.
“Ningning… aren’t you angry with me?”
“Why would I be?”
He opened his mouth and rasped, “I schemed against you. I deceived you…”
“The times forced you into it. It wasn’t your choice.”
I gave him a puzzled glance.
“If I’m going to blame anyone, it should be that unscrupulous Emperor, shouldn’t it?”
He paused. Then his brows relaxed, and he leaned closer, filled with righteous indignation.
“Exactly! It’s all that damned Emperor’s fault!”
17
We rested for a night, while snow fell all through the night.
Li Feng and the others disposed of the bodies. They also got the name of the person behind the attack from a dying assassin—
Chancellor Li.
I took a new fox-fur coat from the carriage and draped it over Ta Chi Tu.
“Hmph. That old man is really bold, daring to attack people from the Ninth Prince’s household!”
“Not necessarily him.”
Ta Chi Tu lowered his eyes to look at me.
“Maybe he’s only a knife in someone else’s hand.”
I lowered my eyes. I understood why, too.
Even if Ta Chi Tu was pretending to be a fool, he was still a variable in the Emperor’s eyes. If the Emperor used Chancellor Li to eliminate him, then even if the truth came out, the Emperor could deny any connection.
Ta Chi Tu reached out and took my hand.
“Let’s set out for Zhiyang City.”
The snowy roads were difficult to travel, and we didn’t reach the city gates until noon. Governor Zhao Chun had opened them wide and was waiting to welcome us.
“May Your Highness the Prince and Your Highness the Princess Consort be well.”
Zhao Chun bowed respectfully.
“This subordinate has prepared a residence. Please, come with me.”
Ta Chi Tu pushed open the carriage door, wearing an expression of wonder.
“It’s snowing so hard! This prince has never seen such heavy snow!”
He nimbly jumped down and held out his hand to me.
“Ningning, come down and play in the snow!”
My brow twitched.
This man… was pretending again.
“We’re not going to the residence for now.”
I led Ta Chi Tu out of the carriage and nodded to Governor Zhao.
“It’s so desolate outside. After Zhiyang closed its gates, where did all the refugees go?”
The commandery lieutenant beside him smiled obsequiously.
“We can barely look after the people inside the city. How could we have time to worry about those outside? They probably went somewhere else…”
I caught the glance exchanged between the governor and the lieutenant, and frowned slightly.
Something was wrong!
“Prepare a light carriage. Take us to where the refugees have been settled.”
Zhao Chun froze, then hurriedly said, “The refugee camp is very crude, and the people there are mixed together. Perhaps Your Highness the Princess Consort should rest for a few days before going to inspect it.”
“I can wait, but can the people?”
I gave him a cool glance.
Li Feng cooperatively produced a token—it was clearly an imperial secret order.
I said flatly, “Or does this little city of Zhiyang think it can fool me?”
18
“I wouldn’t dare, I wouldn’t dare…”
Zhao Chun hurriedly knelt and immediately ordered someone to prepare a carriage.
The carriage rattled to a stop. Looking at the refugee settlement, my temples began to throb.
At last, I understood why Zhao Chun hadn’t wanted to bring us here…
West of the city stood newly erected grass huts. They didn’t even have enough to block the wind. Last night’s snowfall had collapsed several of them. Old people, women, and children huddled in the corners, crying. Some had even gone stiff and stopped breathing.
The thin porridge delivered that morning had been left outside, a thin layer of ice forming over it. No one was watching over it.
Seeing that the situation had turned against him, Zhao Chun immediately knelt and tried to shift the blame.
“Please forgive me, Your Highness. The main problem is that the relief provisions from the capital haven’t arrived. Zhiyang City has only so many resources. Giving these refugees somewhere to shelter and a little food to stave off hunger is already the best we can do.”