The assassination attempt on the princess was a major incident, and the news was immediately reported to the Emperor who had just been about to retire for the night.
The Emperor was shocked, but what shocked him even more was the identity of the assassin. Then he became furious: "How dare they!"
"How is the princess?" At this moment, he didn't forget to show concern for Xiao Li.
"Your Majesty, the princess is unharmed, but the assassin was injured and escaped."
The Emperor breathed a sigh of relief, then turned his attention to Pingnan Marquis Manor.
"Someone! Pass down the order: surround Pingnan Marquis Manor and capture Gu Ling alive!"
This night was destined to be a sleepless one for the Gu family.
Pingnan Hou was actually innocent, as they had no idea what Gu Ling had done. After being surrounded by the Imperial Guards, they were nearly scared to death.
It was rather amusing that Liu Xueyin, despite being a Princess Consort, didn't live with Chen Wang but resided in the most remote courtyard of the manor.
"You all chat first, I have matters to discuss with Imperial Sister-in-law. I'll head over now."
The problem was she couldn't lead people to capture Gu Ling herself. Chen Wang wasn't dead, and since he hadn't committed any crime, how could he allow anyone to search his manor under false pretenses?
When she arrived, the Emperor was still receiving ministers and couldn't be disturbed for the time being.
This scene hadn't occurred in the original plot, but since Xiao Li had publicly humiliated Liu Xueyin that day, it was only natural for him to kill a princess for his beloved.
Lou Yan's eyelashes fluttered slightly, his calm eyes slowly lowering to glance at her.
He had rushed to Xuan Yang Princess overnight, dismembered Lan Yue right before her eyes, and told her: "You should be grateful you're pregnant, otherwise I would have dismembered you too!" It was truly adding insult to injury! The original host had been so frightened by him that she went into premature labor and ultimately died from hemorrhaging.
Xiao Jingyu's gaze darkened slightly, but he still received them.
The entire Pingnan Hou family was imprisoned, and a city-wide manhunt for Gu Ling was launched.—Xiao Li rarely took the initiative to enter the palace. She made a visit to the Empress Dowager, who, of course, didn't give her a warm welcome. Then she turned around and went to see the Emperor.
Just as she finished speaking, the people inside emerged, and Xiao Li immediately left Lou Yan behind.
It wasn't until the Imperial Guards came to arrest Gu Ling, only to find he wasn't home, that they realized Gu Ling had caused trouble.
Lou Yan watched her for a long time without moving, while Xiao Li looked back at him, her smile unwavering.
Was Gu Ling hiding in Chen Wang Manor? What was Xuan Yang Princess trying to do? Xiao Li waited for two days without hearing any news, but she wasn't discouraged. That Lou Yan clearly didn't look easy to fool, so it was natural he wouldn't take the bait.
Lou Yan stood in place watching her enter, still somewhat affected by her words.
"Lou Yan."
The usually cold and unfeeling Chen Wang Manor unexpectedly welcomed two visitors.
Hearing the call, Lou Yan looked up, his icy, impassive eyes reflecting the image of the purple-clad figure smiling charmingly.
The knife slash on her quilt and pillow was no fake. If she had been slightly unluckier, she would be dead by now. Of course, she hadn't planned to let him live from the beginning—this was just moving up the timeline.
He must die!—"Your Highness, Xuan Yang Princess and Prince Wei are here to visit."
Liu Xueyin's maid tried to stop them, but Hong Yue and the others firmly restrained her, leaving her no choice but to watch helplessly as Xiao Li barged in recklessly.
There was a row of eunuchs and guards, but this person stood out the most—and was undoubtedly the most terrifying.
Xiao Li understood and felt quite dejected: "Ah, that Gu Ling wants to kill me, but I can't catch him. It's infuriating that he's now hiding in Fifth Imperial Brother's residence. If I weren't afraid of making a mistake and offending Imperial Brother, I'd definitely go search the place thoroughly."
Xiao Jingyu looked at his younger brother and sister, his usually frosty expression softening slightly.
Leaving such a person at large was utterly unsettling, especially since she had already made a move against him. Based on the lingering connection between Gu Ling and Liu Xueyin, Xiao Li was eighty percent certain Gu Ling would be hiding in Liu Xueyin's quarters—after all, he had hidden there before when injured.
This Gu Ling was no good fellow. The original host, unable to terminate her pregnancy, later grew suspicious of the relationship between Lu Yanzhi and Liu Xueyin and vengefully targeted Liu Xueyin, even hiring assassins to kill her.
Xiao Li pondered this extensively. Aside from someone like Lou Yan who engaged in unsavory work, she truly couldn't think of anyone else capable of dealing with Gu Ling at the moment.
Just when success seemed imminent, Gu Ling ended up saving Liu Xueyin. Upon learning it was Xuan Yang Princess who sent the assassins, he was eager to kill her immediately, but Liu Xueyin stopped him, saying the princess was pregnant and even if guilty, the child should not be harmed.
"Imperial Brother!" Xiao Li approached gracefully, dressed in a red gown adorned with golden hairpins, her noble beauty adding a splash of vibrant color to the solemn Chen Wang Manor.
"Princess, you cannot enter, you mustn't—"
After Gu Ling attempted to kill her, all she wanted was to have him eliminated.
If their encounter on the street that day had merely made Xiao Li dislike Gu Ling's attitude, leading her to report him to the Emperor for a warning…
After speaking, Xiao Li grabbed a maid and had her lead the way to Liu Xueyin's courtyard.
Xiao Li barged in with ill intentions, loudly proclaiming as she walked: "Imperial Sister-in-law, it's me, the princess! I've come to chat. Why haven't you come out to greet me?"
Xiao Jingyi laughed: "Elder Sister came to see Imperial Sister-in-law. I'm just tagging along. Imperial Brother, you wouldn't turn us away, would you?"
Xiao Li waved cheerfully: "Come here, come here!"
But it was precisely because Liu Xueyin was neglected that she could hide someone in her room undetected. "Imperial Sister-in-law, are you home?"
Moreover, Gu Ling was slippery. Even if he were hiding there now, by the time anyone actually went looking, he'd have long vanished.
If you said their relationship was poor, Chen Wang frequently visited Liu Xueyin to share her bed, and not platonically; yet if you said it was good, Liu Xueyin's treatment resembled that of a concubine in other households—Chen Wang paid her no mind, and even the manor servants dared to disrespect this Princess Consort.
Finally, Lou Yan stepped forward: "What does the Princess command?"
"What brings you here?"
Panicked voices came from inside the room, accompanied by the sound of something being knocked over.
Xiao Li leaned closer but maintained a distance, whispering mysteriously: "I heard from Prince Wei that you're quite skilled at killing. Do you take private jobs?"
Xiao Li's gaze shifted to Lou Yan standing at the doorway.
Daring to ask him such a thing—was this princess truly foolish or did she have an ulterior motive? "The Princess jests. This servant acts solely on Bixia's orders."
"Who—who's there?"
This was a refusal.
Xiao Jingyi followed closely, treating Chen Wang with neither courtesy nor distance: "Imperial Brother, what are you doing?"
Since Imperial Brother was helping her, she ought to show gratitude.
Xiao Li had no sense of being a guest, arrogantly pushing the door open and entering.
Even though the original Xuan Yang Princess was wicked, she was forced into that position by others' schemes. But what about Gu Ling? He is truly evil! For Liu Xueyin's sake, he would kill anyone—utterly a lovesick mad dog.
Finally, Xiao Li was cornered by Liu Xueyin behind a screen.
Liu Xueyin glared at her with a hostile expression: "What are you doing here?"