Night Shocking
As the night grew dim, Mu Zhao noticed that the little girl's eyes were surprisingly bright.
The fire in Liang Palace raged fiercely, yet the girl remained eerily calm, standing still amidst the chaos.
That strange feeling emerged again.
It was as if nothing in this world could stir even a trace of emotion in her.
The Water Dragon Team struggled to put out the fire.
Upon hearing the news, civilians from nearby streets rushed in, carrying buckets and basins filled with water to help.
The flames roared, greedily consuming the wooden beams of the palace. Without realizing it, Prince Mu found himself walking toward Yu Linlang.
"Miss Yu, you're here too," he said.
Yu Linlang bowed in a formal manner. "I greet the prince."
Her gaze was fixed downward, expressionless, her posture rigid and composed. He almost wanted to laugh.
After all, wasn't this the same girl who had once demanded five hundred taels of silver from the governor without hesitation?
On the surface, she appeared obedient—gentle and quiet—but beneath that exterior lay something sharp, something that could wound anyone who got too close.
"The night is cold, and it's getting late. The governor calling Miss Yu here is rather unexpected," Mu Zhao remarked.
Yu Linlang nodded slightly. "This humble girl finds it puzzling as well. A weak woman like myself, who can neither lift heavy loads nor wield a weapon, can hardly be of much help in a fire."
At that moment, from the corner of her eye, she spotted a figure moving swiftly. Someone who had just been rescued now rushed toward them, carrying a copper basin.
The moonlight glinted off the metal, and from beneath it, a cold streak of silver slowly emerged.
Mu Zhao reacted instantly. Without hesitation, he pulled Yu Linlang behind him.
In the next breath, a gleaming, three-foot-long blade shot out from the basin, barely missing his left arm.
"Assassin!"
The copper basin clattered to the ground with a loud clang, and in an instant, the Ming Guards from Mu Mansion swarmed in from all directions.
The attack had come so swiftly, so unexpectedly, that even Prince Mu was momentarily stunned.
Seeing the enemy's sword about to slash toward his neck, Yu Linlang grabbed his wrist and spun him half a circle, pulling him behind the stone lion at the palace gates.
The assassin's blade struck the stone lion instead, carving a fine crack into it as bits of stone flew everywhere.
Mu Zhao looked down at Yu Linlang, who was nestled beside him. "Miss Yu, don't be afraid, they—"
Before he could finish, more than a dozen assassins burst out from the crowd, their swords gleaming as they lunged toward them.
The Ming Guards had arrived by now, but two assassins slipped in from behind.
Governor Yu staggered back in fear, nearly tumbling down the steps. "Protect the prince!" he cried out.
The Water Dragon Team and the civilian volunteers were thrown into chaos. Some, gripped by fear, dropped their buckets and basins, retreating in haste.
Chen Buyu, clutching the palace wall for support, nearly shouted in desperation. "Wei Ling! Wei Ling!"
In response, Wei Ling leaped down from the palace rooftop, drawing her sword in one swift motion. With a resounding clang, she deflected the assassins' strike.
Mu Zhao had just kicked away an attacker wielding a steel blade when a Qingfeng sword came stabbing toward him.
Sensing danger, he prepared to counter, his fingers tensing, but before he could unleash his inner strength, Yu Linlang gripped his pulse tightly. The energy he had gathered dissipated in an instant.
No time to think—Yu Linlang grabbed his wrist again and pulled him into another evasive turn.
As the enemy's sword slashed downward, Yu Linlang suddenly pulled a hairpin from her hair. With a quick flick of her wrist, the slender bamboo piece pierced the assassin's neck artery without hesitation.
Blood sprayed into the air.
The girl's black hair cascaded down, brushing against her cold, expressionless face.
For a brief moment, Mu Zhao was stunned.
The assassin's Qingfeng sword, which had been aimed directly at them, halted midair as if time had frozen.
The entire courtyard fell silent, so still that even the sound of a pin dropping could be heard.
The Ming Guards, who had rushed over, were momentarily paralyzed before regaining their senses and shouting, "Assassin!"
"Protect the prince!"
Mu Zhao reached out and shoved his assailant away. The assassin, his face twisted in pain, crumpled to the ground.
The two of them emerged from behind the stone lion—one with disheveled hair, the other with blood staining the sleeve of her blue dress. Both were in a sorry state.
"Huaizhi! Huaizhi!" Lu Qian hurried over, then froze, his gaze landing on their hands.
Or rather, on the fact that Yu Linlang was still gripping Prince Mu's wrist tightly.
Yu Linlang, finally realizing this, quickly let go. She took a step back, her face once again calm and unreadable.
With measured movements, she picked up her fallen jade-green hairpin and secured her hair again as if nothing had happened.
The entire scene had left a deep impression on everyone present.
Under the pale moonlight, the girl stood in plain clothes, her cold eyes sharp and unwavering, as if she had just stepped out of a dream.
Governor Yu was stunned.
Had it not been for the assassin's lifeless body on the ground—his throat still bubbling with blood—one might have thought the entire incident had been an illusion.
Wei Changqing, of the Hou Mansion, stepped forward and bowed with a guilty expression. "Your Highness, these were Xichuan assassins. They have all been eliminated."
Mu Zhao nodded, but his gaze lingered on Yu Linlang.
She, however, had already turned away, calmly walking toward her carriage.
Chen Buyu, still leaning against the wall, let out a deep sigh. "Those Xichuan assassins are cunning. Hiding among the volunteers fighting the fire—it was impossible to anticipate."
Prince Mu's expression remained neutral. Having faced countless assassination attempts from Xichuan over the years, he had long grown used to such dangers.
"Governor Yu, I must thank your daughter for her assistance today," Mu Zhao said quietly.
"Yes, yes!" Governor Yu stammered, still in shock.
Chen Buyu chuckled. "Governor Yu, your delicate and weak-looking daughter is surprisingly quick and ruthless in a fight!"
If not for Miss Yu's precise strike, the prince might have ended up with a gaping wound. The very thought was chilling.
"Ah… yes… well, she has always been…" Governor Yu laughed awkwardly.
At that moment, the sound of carriage wheels echoed through Liang Palace as a servant hurriedly pushed out the young prince of Liang Palace.
Ye Wuchen greeted them with a faint smile. "Thanks to all of you, the fire has been mostly controlled. Only a few scattered flames remain, which my servants can handle. Prince Mu, were you injured? My deepest apologies for the ordeal you've endured tonight."
"No harm done," Mu Zhao replied calmly. "The assassin used the chaos to commit a crime. The city must remain locked down while the search continues."
"Of course, of course!" Governor Yu nodded, wiping the sweat from his brow. "Little Prince, since the assassin targeted Liang Palace, is everything in the manor safe?"
"Everything is fine." Ye Wuchen smiled. "The assassin was detected by the guards the moment he entered. He set the fire to escape when they surrounded him. While the palace suffered damage, thankfully, there were no casualties."
"And the old prince?" Governor Yu asked anxiously.
"He's fine." Ye Wuchen shook his head with a chuckle. "He sleeps deeply. Even with all this commotion, he never stirred."