As the grand performance reached its climax, the soaring, passionate notes of the zither gradually softened into a gentle, flowing melody. The veiled young woman glided across the stage with featherlight grace, her emerald-green skirts swirling like drifting mist. The ethereal music intertwined perfectly with her elegant movements, leaving everyone in the pavilion utterly captivated.
“Excellent… truly magnificent!” the Emperor and the Empress Dowager exclaimed almost simultaneously, unable to conceal their admiration.
When the final note faded into the night, the dance came to a flawless conclusion.
The Emperor immediately beckoned the three performers to step forward. His usually dignified face was filled with delight as he looked at them.
“The three of you possess extraordinary talent. The music was exquisite, and the dance unparalleled. Tell Us, what rewards do you desire?”
Before anyone else could speak, Murong Xue gracefully stepped forward and offered a respectful bow.
“Your Majesty, being allowed to perform before Your Majesty, the Empress Dowager, and the esteemed members of the imperial family is already the greatest honor for the Murong family. This humble servant would never dare ask for additional rewards.”
“Your Majesty,” Xiao Ruochen said with a faint smile as he stepped forward, “Miss Qin only appeared on stage because of my impulsive invitation. Her dance was truly beyond compare. If rewards are to be given, this servant is more than willing to yield his share to Miss Qin.”
As he spoke, his gaze drifted toward Qin Man, and the corner of his lips lifted into a subtle, meaningful smile.
“Hahaha!” The Emperor burst into hearty laughter. “Today is a joyous occasion. Since everyone’s performance was exceptional, all shall be rewarded!”
He waved a hand toward the chief eunuch.
“Pass down Our decree. Every young master and noble lady who performed tonight shall receive one hundred taels of gold. Grand Preceptor Xiao, Miss Murong, and Miss Qin shall each receive two hundred taels of gold.”
Once the rewards had been announced, the three returned to their respective family seating areas.
The banquet continued as more young nobles demonstrated their poetry, painting, calligraphy, and other talents. Beneath the glittering canopy of stars, the imperial palace shone with the prosperity and splendor of a flourishing empire.
The moment Qin Man sat down, her Third Sister, Muchu, rushed over and threw her arms around her.
Her eyes sparkled with pure admiration.
“Big Sister! That dance was incredible! Starting today, you’re officially the person I admire most in the entire world!”
Muchu’s voice overflowed with excitement.
Although she was usually straightforward and somewhat proud, she possessed a simple heart and harbored no ill intentions.
Beside them, Second Sister Qin Muyao looked at Qin Man with an unusually complicated expression.
Her lips parted slightly, as though she wanted to say something, but in the end, she remained silent.
Minister Qin Hongli sat nearby, his heart filled with emotions he could hardly describe.
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that his rustic, scarred eldest daughter would bring such glory to the Qin family.
Looking at her now, his assessment of her had completely changed. His eyes held a respect that had never existed before.
Even the Second Concubine was stunned by Qin Man’s astonishing performance.
Earlier, she had enthusiastically joined the crowd in cheering for her.
Now that Qin Man had returned, she immediately began serving her food with unusual attentiveness.
The First Madam approached with a gentle smile.
“Alright, make some room. Muxi has worked hard tonight.”
She lovingly patted Qin Man’s shoulder.
“Quickly eat something, child. We can talk once we return home.”
The feast continued peacefully.
The guests immersed themselves in the festive atmosphere, enjoying the celebration without a care.
Then, without the slightest warning, disaster struck.
A dozen razor-sharp arrows suddenly tore through the darkness.
At the same moment, more than a dozen masked figures dressed entirely in black vaulted over the palace walls.
“Protect His Majesty!”
“Guard the Empress Dowager!”
The peaceful night instantly descended into chaos.
Terrified screams erupted from every direction as the unexpected attack sent the unarmed guests into panic.
The imperial princes and military commanders immediately drew their weapons and charged toward the assassins.
Xiao Ruochen leapt to his feet and rapidly issued orders for elite imperial guards to form a defensive barrier around the imperial dais.
Then, with a single swift movement, he crossed the distance and landed directly in front of Qin Man.
Before she could react, he pressed a cold dagger into her hand.
Although the sudden bloodshed had caught Qin Man off guard, years of modern emergency medical training immediately forced her mind into a state of icy calm.
As she comforted the frightened First Madam, she simultaneously assessed the entire courtyard, calculating possible escape routes in case the defensive line collapsed.
The dagger Xiao Ruochen had given her was exactly what she needed.
“Protect yourself,” he said curtly.
With those words, he turned and charged back into the battlefield.
At that exact moment, an arrow shot from a concealed location and streaked directly toward the Emperor’s chest.
Xiao Ruochen instantly recognized the danger.
His hand flashed downward.
He snatched a heavy porcelain teacup from a nearby table and hurled it forward with precise internal force.
The teacup struck the incoming arrowhead in midair.
Crash!
The cup shattered instantly, and the arrow was knocked off course before clattering harmlessly onto the stone floor.
Seeing the danger, the Second Prince and Third Prince also joined the battle.
Meanwhile, Prince Mo Xuan cut his way through the fighting and rushed toward the palace gates to summon reinforcements.
However, these assassins had clearly prepared extensively.
The fact that they had managed to penetrate multiple layers of palace security suggested inside assistance.
Furthermore, their martial arts skills were exceptionally ruthless and disciplined, far beyond those of ordinary hired killers.
The court officials and their families were quickly gathered together in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by a protective ring of imperial soldiers.
Standing among the crowd, Qin Man’s eyes remained fixed on Xiao Ruochen.
His longsword danced in his right hand like a silver dragon soaring through storm clouds.
Dressed in flowing black robes, he moved through the battlefield with astonishing speed.
His handsome face was covered in a layer of icy indifference.
Qin Man had always known he possessed martial arts skills.
What she had never expected was that the elegant scholar, refined as flawless jade, possessed combat abilities so terrifyingly powerful.
Suddenly, while Xiao Ruochen was engaged with two skilled assassins, another killer slipped through a gap in the defensive line and charged directly toward the imperial dais.
The Emperor’s personal guards were currently occupied by a coordinated assault, creating a fatal opening.
Seizing the opportunity, the assassin raised a concealed wrist crossbow.
A poisoned bolt shot straight toward the Emperor’s throat.
The Emperor froze.
Death was only an instant away.
In that split second, Xiao Ruochen launched himself forward with a desperate leap.
He threw his own body between the Emperor and the incoming bolt.
The distance was too great.
There was no time to intercept it with his sword.
Thud!
The black bolt buried itself deeply into the right side of Xiao Ruochen’s chest.
Agonizing pain exploded through his body.
His face twisted violently.
Gathering every last trace of internal energy he possessed, he struck forward with his left palm.
A powerful burst of force slammed directly into the assassin’s chest.
The killer was hurled across the courtyard before crashing into a marble pillar.
He died instantly.
But Xiao Ruochen had exhausted the last of his strength.
His knees buckled.
The Emperor finally snapped out of his shock and rushed forward, catching him before he collapsed completely.
“Imperial Guards!”
The Emperor’s voice trembled with panic.
“Protect the Empress Dowager!”
His eyes widened as he stared at the blood pouring from Xiao Ruochen’s wound.
“Grand Preceptor Xiao has been struck! Summon the imperial physicians immediately! Hurry!”
At that moment, Prince Mo Xuan returned through the gates at the head of a massive force from the Imperial Capital Garrison.
Faced with fully armed soldiers, the remaining assassins were quickly subdued.
Their weapons were confiscated, and they were dragged away to the dungeons for interrogation.
Soon, the courtyard was cleared of corpses and bloodstains.
Yet the guests remained pale and trembling, still haunted by the terror of what had happened.
The moment Qin Man saw Xiao Ruochen take the bolt for the Emperor, a strange tightness gripped her chest.
The feeling was irrational, but she had no time to dwell on it.
Using the confusion around her as cover, she focused inward and entered her private medical space.
Her modern medical instincts warned her that assassins would never use a clean weapon.
The bolt was almost certainly coated with a deadly poison.
Moving swiftly through the sterile shelves, she gathered everything she might need.
Surgical scalpels.
Hemostatic forceps.
Sterile gauze.
Antiseptics.
Broad-spectrum antitoxins.
She packed them all into a compact emergency medical case.
The instant her consciousness returned to reality, the Emperor’s furious roar echoed across the courtyard.
“Grand Preceptor Xiao shielded Us with his own body!”
The Emperor’s voice shook with rage and fear.
“You will save him tonight, or your entire families will answer for it!”
The imperial physicians knelt trembling on the stone floor.
“No matter what, save him!”
Qin Man immediately pushed through the crowd and rushed toward the imperial dais.
Xiao Ruochen lay on a thick silk cushion.
His face was completely pale.
The blood around the wound on the right side of his chest had already turned into a horrifying black crust.
As expected.
The bolt was heavily poisoned.
“Your Majesty…”
The Chief Imperial Physician knelt with his forehead pressed firmly against the ground.
Several other physicians trembled beside him.
“The poison coating this weapon is exceptionally vicious. This humble servant has never encountered anything similar in all my years of study.”
Cold sweat poured down his face.
“There is no known treatment recorded in our medical texts.”
“Useless fools!”
The Emperor erupted in fury.
His chest rose and fell violently.
“We command that Grand Preceptor Xiao be saved tonight!”
His eyes swept across the crowd.
“Whoever can save him shall receive boundless rewards and supreme honors!”
For years, the Emperor had felt an inexplicable closeness toward Xiao Ruochen.
It was as though an invisible bond connected them.
Watching the young man sacrifice himself to save his life tore at the Emperor’s heart.
Now, hearing the physicians declare him beyond saving, genuine fear seized him for the first time in decades.
The assembled nobles sat frozen in terror.
They feared not only the assassination attempt but also the Emperor’s growing fury.
No one knew what consequences would follow this night.