The Crown Prince, accompanied by a group of young eunuchs, galloped on horseback to the shallow grassy slopes west of the city. From across the stream, he spotted two strikingly familiar figures amidst the crowd on the stone steps leading to the gates of Lingguang Temple. Although both wore casual attire, he immediately recognized them as Su Yan and Yu Wang.
“Fourth Royal Uncle? What are he and Su Yan doing here… taking a stroll? Sightseeing? Or burning incense and praying for a match?” The Crown Prince scoffed inwardly, then spat in frustration, “Two grown men praying for a match—ridiculous! It must be Fourth Royal Uncle’s scheming, dragging Su Yan along for some ulterior motive. I must intercept them and get to the bottom of this.”
He cracked his whip, urging his horse across the stream and up the foothills, leaping off and sprinting up the temple steps. His eunuchs, unable to keep up, called after him anxiously, “Young master, slow down! Be careful!”
Zhu Helin raced up the steps to the gates of Lingguang Temple, panting as he scanned left and right for the two men. Losing sight of them, he headed toward the Hall of Heavenly Kings at the temple’s center.
***
Meanwhile, Su Yan and Yu Wang entered Lingguang Temple one after the other.
Their purpose was to assess the temple’s land usage and maintenance, not to burn incense or pray. They briefly glanced inside the Tianwang Hall, then circled the nearby bell and drum towers before heading toward the Mahavira Hall.
Yu Wang, attempting to ease the tension, walked beside Su Yan and initiated a conversation. “Did you notice the details of the Buddha statue inside the hall?”
Speaking so gently, Yu Wang softened Su Yan’s otherwise cold demeanor. Still, Su Yan’s tone remained distant. “Golden and dazzling—what of it?”
“I’ve heard that Lingguang Temple is rumored to have a living Buddha, one said to grant wishes. Believers, in their fervor, sell off their belongings to buy gold leaf, which they then stick to the Buddha’s body. They believe this ensures their wishes will come true,” Yu Wang explained.
Su Yan, whose previous life as a worldly internet user had given him a keen nose for scams cloaked in religious pretense, couldn’t help but mock, “A ‘living Buddha’? One that only manifests after taking gold? Sounds more like a xiuxiu than anything holy.”
“A xiuxiu?”
“Er… it’s a mythical creature, looks like a mole with black fur and a flat snout, and it loves hoarding gold. Some call it a gold-hungry mouse,” Su Yan said, half-joking.
Yu Wang seemed to take him seriously and chuckled. “Even the Classic of Mountains and Seas didn’t mention such a beast. Yet you know of it—impressive for a second-class scholar.”
“I read a lot of random books,” Su Yan replied.
Their casual conversation led them to the Hall of Great Strength, but they noticed fewer worshippers around. Outside the hall, seven or eight monks stood in a line, politely informing visitors that the hall was under repair and not open. However, those intent on applying gold leaf to the statues were allowed entry without much fuss.
Yu Wang slipped a gold leaf into the donation box and, with Su Yan in tow, walked into the hall unobstructed.
The dazzling gold Buddha statue inside nearly blinded Su Yan, who quickly averted his gaze. As he surveyed the hall, his attention was drawn to a well-dressed elder paying his respects before the shrine. Su Yan squinted and murmured in surprise, “Isn’t that Fengan Marquis?”
Yu Wang cast a glance and confirmed. “It is. I wasn’t expecting to bump into that old scoundrel. Ignore him.”
Su Yan smirked at Yu Wang’s blatant disregard for etiquette. “Fengan Marquis is your aunt’s younger brother. By seniority, you should call him Uncle.”
Yu Wang snorted in disdain. “As if he’s worthy of it. What a disgrace.”
“What’s this? Aren’t you two cut from the same cloth—equally indulgent in debauchery?” Su Yan teased, seeking revenge for Yu Wang’s earlier antics. “Since you’re here by chance, why not swap tips on your escapades? I’ll carry on with my inspection and leave you two to bond.”
Yu Wang’s face darkened as he fixed Su Yan with a sharp gaze. Beneath his expression lay a hint of humiliation as he gritted his teeth. “Is that truly how you see me?”
Su Yan didn’t actually lump the Yu Wang and Wei Jun into the same category in his heart. After all, one was a charming playboy who flirted with willing participants, while the other was a depraved beast who resorted to rape, kidnapping, and imprisonment. The difference between them was night and day. However, since he was still fuming, he chose not to respond and merely cast a sideways glance at Yu Wang, pouting with a haughty expression.
At that moment, Yu Wang felt an almost irrepressible urge to either strangle him or… resolve matters in a far more physical manner.
***
Wei Jun’s fingers trembled as he offered incense, stealing a glance toward the curtain behind him. Anxiety gnawed at him, and he silently cursed Master Ji Yao for concocting this harebrained scheme.
—-Something about how can you get the tiger cub without entering the tiger’s den?’ He wanted him to lay a trap, covering heaven and earth, using himself as bait to lure the assassin into attacking, so he could eliminate the threat at its root and ensure it never arises again.
Having lived under the constant shadow of this metaphorical sword hanging over his head, he could no longer endure the torment. Gritting his teeth and steeling his resolve, he agreed to the proposal. Using the actor framed as a scapegoat, he deliberately leaked the information, hoping to draw the assassin into the trap.
However, as the moment approached, unease gnawed at him. He feared the elite mercenaries he had hired at great cost might falter and fail to protect his life.
Jin Butan led his team to meticulously fortify the Hall of Great Strength, turning it into an impenetrable trap. They concealed themselves behind curtains, inside shrines, and atop beams, transforming the hall into a steel fortress with only one way in.
To narrow the targets, monks stationed outside the hall filtered visitors under the guise of renovations, turning away the irrelevant. Anyone insisting on entry had to be either a devout believer or the tenacious assassin.
After over half an hour of tense waiting, Jin Butan grew impatient. Suddenly, two figures entered the hall.
The first was a handsome young scholar whose unsteady gait betrayed his lack of martial training. The second was a taller, robust young man, exuding an aura of military precision and authority. His sharp features and commanding presence radiated the vigor of a seasoned warrior.
Jin Butan’s eyes immediately fixed on the man’s hands. The calluses and scars told of someone accustomed to wielding weapons. The suppressed, dense energy emanating from him made Jin Butan’s heart sink—this was a killer who had spilled blood countless times.
The taller man whispered something to the scholar, his expression darkening. His gaze at Wei Jun was filled with disdain and hostility, tinged with a faint but unmistakable murderous intent.
This trace of killing intent confirmed Jin Butan’s suspicion: this must be the assassin who had nearly taken Fengan Marquis’s life. Without hesitation, he sprang into action, aiming his concealed Zhuge crossbow at the man and releasing ten steel arrows in a single volley.
The initial barrage was a signal, followed by the activation of all crossbows within the hall. Hundreds of arrows rained down like a storm, their sharp whistles slicing through the air. At such close range, even the most formidable warrior would be riddled with arrows. Jin Butan’s infamous nickname, “Rain Piercing the Forest,” was well-earned.
***
The sharp twang of bowstrings reached Yu Wang’s ears. Before he could process the scene, his battle-honed instincts from years on the battlefield kicked in.
Without hesitation, he shielded Su Yan with one arm while snatching the gold-threaded velvet tablecloth from a nearby altar. Spinning it through the air, he created a golden barrier that deflected the oncoming arrows with a resounding force.
Realizing his target was no easy prey, Jin Butan retrieved a specially crafted “mother-and-child” arrow, loaded it into his crossbow, and aimed at the young scholar behind the warrior.
He knew the value of striking where it hurt—if the man turned to protect the scholar, he would expose a weakness in his defense.
The arrow flew through the air with a sharp hiss, splitting into three mid-flight, targeting the scholar from above, middle, and below.
Yu Wang swung the velvet cloth, knocking down two of the arrows, but the last one sped toward Su Yan. At the critical moment, Yu Wang reached out, intercepting the arrow just inches from Su Yan’s face. With a twist of his wrist, he absorbed its force and stopped it dead.
The arrowhead, forged from meteoric iron, sliced deep into his palm, carving two bone-deep gashes. Blood poured freely from the wounds, dripping onto the ground in a steady rhythm.
Yu Wang flung the bloodied arrow to the ground and roared, “What manner of scoundrel dares attack an official of the imperial court?!”
As soon as Jin Butan launched his attack, Wei Jun instinctively ducked and scurried under the offering table in front of the shrine, rolling and crawling to hide behind one of the massive golden pillars in the hall. He didn’t dare reveal even a single hair. Hearing an angry shout, he suddenly found the voice extremely familiar. After a moment of stunned realization, he shouted, “Stop—!”
“—Stop! All of you, stop!” Wei Jun yelled hoarsely, poking half his head out from behind the pillar. He took a good look at the man now surrounded by his forces.
Wasn’t this man the Emperor’s younger brother, the Empress Dowager’s most beloved son, His Royal Highness Yu Wang? At this moment, Yu Wang’s left hand was bloodied, and his face was ashen with rage as he glared at him.
Wei Jun beat his chest and stomped his feet, furiously cursing Jin Butan and his men. He repeatedly apologized to Yu Wang, berating his subordinates for being so incompetent that they mistook His Highness for an assassin and even injured him. He declared that such a blunder was utterly unforgivable. Wei Jun admitted fault for his poor judgment and vowed to compensate Wangye fully, pleading for his magnanimity to avoid escalating the matter.
Yu Wang, already harboring no goodwill toward Wei Jun, was now injured and furious from this unwarranted attack. He bombarded Wei Jun with sharp reprimands, each word hitting like a hammer. Wei Jun could only lower his head in abject submission, nodding and bowing repeatedly, nearly dropping to his knees to apologize.
Su Yan, shaken but quickly regaining his composure, pieced together what had happened. Wei Jun’s trap was clearly set for Wu Ming. However, Wu Ming might have been delayed for some reason, leading to the mistaken assumption that Yu Wang was the assassin. Alternatively, Wu Ming could already be hiding somewhere in Lingguang Temple, waiting for the right moment to strike.
This fiasco had undoubtedly alerted the enemy. Su Yan found this turn of events somewhat amusing; Wei Jun’s meticulous scheme not only failed but also exposed all his cards to his opponent. Now, there might still be a chance for Su Yan to intercept Wu Ming and persuade him to reconsider, avoiding reckless actions.
That said, Yu Wang’s unwarranted suffering was undeniably unfortunate. To top it off, his injury was sustained while protecting Su Yan. Su Yan couldn’t simply stand by and do nothing.
With this thought, he pulled a clean handkerchief from his robe and began dressing Yu Wang’s wounded hand.
The two parallel cuts ran deep across the palm, with the flesh split open like crimson petals, faintly revealing the white of bone beneath. As Su Yan carefully wrapped the wound to staunch the bleeding, he frowned, worried about whether the injury might have severed tendons or ligaments. Such damage could impair the hand’s grip strength and dexterity.
Yu Wang furrowed his brows and coldly reprimanded Wei Jun before turning to soothe Su Yan: “It’s nothing—just a superficial wound. I’ll be fine after a few days of rest.”
Su Yan replied, “The wound is so deep; you mustn’t take it lightly, or you risk delaying proper treatment. Once you’re back, make sure to consult Doctor Ying Xu right away.”
Yu Wang smiled in agreement, then turned to Wei Jun with a sharp threat: “This isn’t over! When we return, you’d better come up with a convincing excuse for the Empress Dowager. Let’s see if she spares you!”
Deliberately, he took Su Yan’s hand in front of Wei Jun and strode away.
Su Yan instinctively tried to pull his hand back, but Yu Wang leaned closer and whispered, “Wei Jun is arrogant and vindictive. For what happened today, he’s sure to face severe punishment and will hold a grudge. He won’t dare act against me but could target you instead—unless he believes our relationship is particularly close. That might deter him.”
Hearing this, Su Yan hesitated for a moment and then allowed Yu Wang to lead him out of the main hall.
Yu Wang brought Su Yan to a guest room beside the dining hall. He sat down, exhaled deeply, and said, “Pour me some water.”
Su Yan poured him a cup of tea and quietly said, “Thank you, Wangye, for protecting me. Otherwise, I couldn’t have avoided that arrow.”
Yu Wang drank the tea and chuckled. “Consider it an apology for my previous offenses.”
Su Yan thought that if Yu Wang could always be this reasonable, their relationship wouldn’t be so tense. Unfortunately, Yu Wang was unpredictable when it came to his frivolous behavior. There was no telling when he’d relapse.
It was best to keep a respectful distance.
With a neutral tone, Su Yan said, “Wangye should return to your residence. Finding a physician to treat your wound is the priority.”
Yu Wang’s expression cooled with Su Yan’s distant attitude. His smile took on a sharp edge. “If it were the Emperor who was injured, I’m sure you wouldn’t act so indifferent.”
Su Yan froze. Why bring up the Emperor again? This was the second time today. It was unsettling.
Yu Wang continued with a cold smile: “You two are certainly harmonious. One thriving in power, the other rejuvenated like an old tree blossoming anew.”
The more Su Yan listened, the more wrong it felt. Frowning, he asked, “What exactly are you trying to say, Wangye? Can’t you just speak plainly? What’s the point of these insinuations?”
Yu Wang abruptly stood, startling Su Yan, who found himself grabbed by the collar, his upper body pressed back against the table. Yu Wang leaned in, his shadow looming over Su Yan like a storm cloud, enveloping his face.
“You and—”
He had just uttered two words when a blood-curdling scream erupted from outside, piercing and beast-like.
Both froze. Su Yan, his back aching from the table edge, patted Yu Wang’s arm pressing against his chest. “Something’s happened outside. Let go for now; we’ll talk later.”
Yu Wang stared at Su Yan’s face, his expression shifting as if weighing something crucial. His gaze held a fierce edge, yet there was a hint of hesitation. At last, the tension melted away like ice sinking beneath water, leaving behind a cold stillness.
He straightened Su Yan’s posture but did so slowly, smoothing out the wrinkles in his collar. A lazy smile returned to his lips. “You’re right—why beat around the bush? Let’s talk openly another time. For now, let’s see what’s going on outside.”
Relieved, Su Yan adjusted his collar and left the room.
***
Wei Jun’s elaborate trap not only failed but also offended Yu Wang deeply. Furious, he lashed out at his hired mercenaries, berating them to the point of exhaustion. Jin Butan glared at him with resentment but suppressed it, unwilling to jeopardize his commission or confront Wei Jun’s authority.
After venting, Wei Jun decided to abandon his plans of “luring snakes out of their dens.” It was better to face problems as they arose than to orchestrate such failures.
As he left the main hall with his entourage, a flash of a figure in a vibrant pink gown caught his eye.
—A beauty!
Wei Jun shivered with excitement, his spirits instantly lifted. The silhouette, with its curvaceous waist and alluring stride, promised both beauty and charm.
His earlier anger vanished, replaced by an intense desire as he hurried after the enchanting figure.
His guards, confused by his behavior, called out, “Marquis? Marquis?”
Wei Jun waved them off. “That woman in the pink dress—do you see her? Go! Block her path! Tonight, I’ll make her my bride!”
In his haste, he bumped shoulders with a passing youth. Preoccupied, he let the incident slide and continued pursuing the beauty.
Zhu Helin, the youth in question, turned to glare at Wei Jun’s retreating figure. The more he watched, the more certain he became—it was Wei Jun, Fengan Marquis!
What was that old fox so frantic about? Could it involve Su Yan? Driven by suspicion, Zhu Helin changed direction and followed.
Wei Jun, consumed by lust, arrived breathlessly at a guest room near the dining hall. He spotted the pink-clad woman again and, overjoyed, ordered his men to block her from the front while he rushed forward to seize her from behind.
Jin Butan caught a glimpse of the woman in the pink dress—her face heavily painted, as artificial as a portrait. Yet the piercing cold light emanating from her eyes seized his senses. His reaction lagged by a fraction of a second as he shouted, “Watch out—!”
At the same time, he mustered his full strength and hurled the iron and sandalwood arm-mounted crossbow case, knocking the lightning-fast sword strike slightly off course.
The blade’s trajectory shifted, slicing upward from Wei Jun’s side and sending a spray of blood mist into the air. Wei Jun’s right arm was severed cleanly at the base and flew off. The bright crimson spattered everywhere, carried by the wind, covering the approaching Crown Prince’s face and hair.
“AAAAHHHH!” Wei Jun clutched the gushing wound, unleashing a gut-wrenching howl like a wounded beast.
Zhu Helin wiped his face with a trembling hand, standing frozen amidst the overwhelming scent of blood.
From behind, Fu Bao stumbled and fell in shock. The moment he regained his wits, he screamed in a shrill voice, “The young master has encountered an assassin! Guards! Guards, protect him! Protect him!”
The guest room door opened to reveal a flash of swordlight, its technique both intricate and menacing. Yu Wang’s heart tensed, and he called out in a deep voice, “He Lin, come here!”
The crown prince, jolted as if waking from a dream, hurried to Yu Wang’s side. When he saw Su Yan emerging from the room, his mind went blank, and he instinctively reached out to block him from stepping outside.
The woman in the pink dress, having only severed Wei Jun’s right arm with her first strike, launched a second, more precise thrust. Wei Jun’s guards closed ranks around her, frantically attempting to suppress her attacks. Meanwhile, several stewards from the Marquis household rushed to carry the wailing and blood-soaked Wei Jun toward the guest room, pleading, “Wangye, please assist us in capturing the assassin!”
Yu Wang was disinclined to meddle in the affair, but with the crown prince splattered in blood and present at the scene, he couldn’t leave without repercussions, should the emperor later inquire.
Zhu Helin, now fully alert, urged enthusiastically, “Fourth Royal Uncle, go! Go! Catch her! I’ve never seen an assassin before—let’s see who she really is!”
Yu Wang cast him a complicated glance but prepared to intervene. Just as he was about to move, Su Yan grabbed his arm firmly, clutching Wangye’s sleeve with one hand and the crown prince’s belt with the other. His expression was unreadable as he stared at the “female” assassin in the midst of battle, looking as though he was on the verge of a heart attack.
Yu Wang was taken aback. “What is it?”
With a faint and labored voice, Su Yan replied, “Let it go. Let him go.”
The crown prince protested, “That’s an assassin! A real one! We should capture her and interrogate her. What if she had injured me with that sword earlier? Wouldn’t you feel bad for me?”
“….Of course I’d feel bad,” Su Yan ground out through clenched teeth. “But her target was Wei Jun. Your involvement was incidental. Let her go.”
“I refuse!” The crown prince glared at him. “Unless you give me a reason. Why are you so protective of this female assassin? Have you fallen for her beauty or something?”
Yu Wang smirked in amusement. “I’m curious as well—what’s your reason?”
Feeling as though his chest was about to burst, Su Yan murmured in near despair, “She’s… my family’s concubine.”
The crown prince was utterly dumbfounded.
The smirk froze on Yu Wang’s face.
The “female” assassin, mid-movement, nearly slipped and collided with Jin Butan’s flying dagger. She spun her sword in a defensive arc to create a burst of energy, then seized the opportunity to leap away. Her feet tapped lightly across eaves and walls like a fierce and nimble night owl before disappearing into the distance.
Wei Jun, his wound staunched with hurried hands, was in agonizing pain and barely conscious. Just before he blacked out, he thought venomously, Su Yan, you’re dead!
