Chapter 30: Injured

Xia Tong completely agreed with her words. Without thinking twice, the group rushed outside. However, as soon as they exited the private room, a swarm of men in black suddenly charged at them from down the corridor, brandishing knives!

“Ah! They’re killing people!”

“There are assassins!”

The hall descended into chaos, with everyone scrambling to escape amidst the loud commotion.

“Miss Xia, quickly get back inside!” Shen Xin immediately pulled her back toward the room.

Xia Tong had the same thought, but just as she retreated to the entrance, a flash of cold light caught her eye. A sharp pain shot through her left shoulder, the sensation ripping through her nerves. In the next moment, a group of men in black lunged toward them!

“Miss Xia!”

“Master!”

Fang Yu kicked one of the attackers away and pulled Xia Tong to roll to the side. Yet, the remaining assailants relentlessly pursued them.

Shen Xin had already sustained two knife wounds, her arms stained with blood, but her gaze remained fixed on Xia Tong. She didn’t mind her own injuries, what she truly feared was dragging innocent people into danger.

Just as a long knife sliced through the air toward her face, a figure suddenly blocked her path. Several black-clad men were knocked back several meters, howling in pain.

“What are you doing here?”

Seeing the newcomer, Shen Xin was startled but felt a wave of relief wash over her. However, as she moved slightly, the pain in her arm made her frown.

The man’s eyes swept over her wounds, and a hint of compassion crossed his face. He became more ruthless in his attacks, kicking one of the black-clad men straight out of the hall, smashing him into a thick wooden table.

“Miss Xia…” Shen Xin noticed something and stared intently at Xia Tong. “Quick, go save Miss Xia!”

Upon hearing this, the man casually glanced toward the struggling woman. Xia Tong was locked in a standoff with one of the assassins, a knife lodged in her right shoulder. He coldly turned away, pretending not to see her. It was already merciful of him not to kill her, why should he save her?

Seeing him unresponsive, Shen Xin tightened her grip on her wound and raised her voice, “Xiao Ming!”

Their eyes met, and there was a flicker of emotion in his gaze. Finally, he relented and tossed a wooden chopstick. It struck the assassin, who immediately collapsed.

“What happened here?!”

A group of patrolling soldiers rushed in, and the tavern owner slowly crawled out from under a table, sweating profusely. He pointed toward the second floor, his words a stammering mess of fear.

Xia Tong thought she was about to meet her end once again, but when she saw the assassins lying on the ground, she sat there, pale and terrified.

“Master, you’re injured!” Fang Yu exclaimed, rushing to her side to remove the knife.

Xia Tong hadn’t realized her injury until Fang Yu mentioned it. Looking down at her left shoulder, she saw a dagger embedded there, blood soaking her clothes. The pain felt like it was seeping into her bones, sending shivers through her nerves.

“Wait… wait… use anesthesia first before pulling it out…” She quickly stopped Fang Yu, her fair neck glistening with sweat.

Shen Xin approached with concern. Upon seeing Xia Tong’s wound, regret flashed in her eyes. “Miss Xia, I’m so sorry for dragging you into this. But you should treat your injury quickly to avoid excessive blood loss.”

Fang Yu remained silent, quietly sprinkling some coagulant powder on Xia Tong’s wound. She had initially overlooked the need for immediate care, knowing that carelessly pulling out the dagger could lead to further complications.

“What’s going on? Did you kill these people?!”

The patrolling guards suddenly stepped forward. Upon seeing the corpses scattered across the floor, they frowned deeply, this was no small matter!

Xia Tong’s face paled from the pain. Without a word, she handed over her token, slowly rising with Fang Yu’s help. Her body was covered in blood.

Looking at their attire, it was clear these people were not ordinary folks. However, upon seeing the waist token, the leading officer was immediately startled and quickly bowed, respectfully handing over the token. “We are late in coming to your rescue, please forgive us, Princess.”

“Miss Shen, there’s no need to blame yourself. Today was just an accident. Please take care of yourself,” Xia Tong said, glancing at the man who had just saved her, and politely nodded, “Thank you for your help.”

The man, clad in a black robe, exuded an extraordinary aura, but he also gave off a dangerous vibe. His handsome face showed no emotion, only a hint of darkness.

“Princess, please take care of yourself.” The man opened his lips slightly.

Xia Tong sneaked a glance at him, suddenly feeling a chill run down her back. She stopped speaking and helped Fang Yu walk down, with the city guards promptly surrounding them to escort them away.

Staying away from the heroine was Xia Tong’s only wish at that moment.

Once they were gone, Shen Xin couldn’t help but shoot an angry glare at the man, questioning, “You’re not the kind of person who would stand by and do nothing. Why do you have such malice toward Miss Xia?”

At her words, a trace of sarcasm flashed across the man’s face. He grabbed her arm tightly, his voice cold. “Remember, I wouldn’t let you die, not that I care about anyone else.”

After saying that, he tossed her a vial of medicine and turned away, his demeanor cold and indifferent.

Shen Xin’s wound wasn’t deep, but the pain was evident. She could only hold her wound, looking at the figure leaving with a complex expression. She didn’t understand what enmity existed between Xiao Ming and the regent, why he transformed every time the regent was involved, or why the regent repeatedly tried to kill her.

*

In the study, there was silence. As the door swung open, Xifeng hurried in and respectfully addressed the man at the desk. “Master, the Princess has been attacked.”

Upon hearing this, the man paused slightly with the brush in his hand, his eyes darkening, but he did not speak.

Seeing this, Xifeng continued, “The Princess was injured, and the royal physician has already arrived.”

Only then did the man gradually put down the brush, slowly standing up with a hint of impatience. What a troublesome woman.

“I’ve heard the Princess was attacked while meeting with Shen Xin. The assassin left no clues, and it’s still unclear if the attack was aimed at the Princess or if Shen Xin caused the trouble. Currently, it’s still under investigation by the Shuntian Prefecture,” Xifeng said, following him, his expression serious. However, he thought the officials at Shuntian were just going through the motions.

The corridor was empty, and the autumn wind was chilly. The man walked at a steady pace, slightly tilting his head upon hearing Xifeng’s words. “Why is she associating with that woman?”

Xifeng shook his head slightly. He too was curious about what the Princess was thinking, knowing full well that the master disliked that woman, yet she still approached her.

Upon reaching her courtyard, he saw basin after basin of blood, a sight that was particularly striking. Those present saw the prince arrive and immediately stopped to pay their respects.

However, as Gu Qin stepped into the doorway, he frowned at the scene before him.

“What are you doing?!”

Instantly, the physician by the bed fell to his knees, not daring to raise his head, trembling as he reported, “Replying to the prince, although the Princess’s wound isn’t deep, the dagger needs to be removed quickly, or it may lead to complications.”

The woman’s shoulder was bare, her pale skin stained red with blood, a dagger embedded at the joint of her arm, and indeed, the wound wasn’t deep.

“Get out!” The man’s brows were tinged with anger.

In an instant, the physician, terrified, scrambled to grab his medicine box and retreated, while the maids, scared, did not dare to linger. Only Fangyu stood there hesitantly. After all, her master’s injury could not be delayed any longer.

Though in pain, Xia Tong was still conscious. Seeing him drive everyone out, panic gripped her heart. Was the villain finally going to take action against her?

“Your Highness, the Princess’s wound…” Fang Yu knelt, trying to say something, but upon meeting the man’s icy gaze, she lowered her head and slowly retreated.

“I… I…” Xia Tong struggled to sit up from the bed.

Gu Qin stood at the bedside, looking at her pale face, his frown deepening. Without a word, he grasped the dagger and suddenly pulled it out.

“Ah—”

Xia Tong’s eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at the seemingly “cold-hearted” man before her. Before she could speak, she was overwhelmed by pain and fainted.

Blood soaked her clothing, trickling down in a gruesome sight. The man furrowed his brow, his gaze lingering on the dagger in his hand.

Looking back at the woman on the bed, her small face was devoid of color, her lips tightly pressed together, and her shoulder was still exposed. How could she have let a physician see her in such a state? What happened to her sense of propriety?

His lips pressed into a thin line. He lowered his gaze and strode out of the room, his attention falling on Fang Yu. His voice was cold. “You go in.”

After that, he walked away with his hands clasped behind him, and Fang Yu, not daring to hesitate, rushed into the room.

There was no sunlight today, and the sky was a dull gray. Xifeng followed behind, keeping his head down and not daring to speak. Since the master had left the princess’s side, his aura had grown significantly darker, and Xifeng wondered why.

Watching the birds perched on the nearby rockery, Gu Qin paused for a moment, gently rubbing the jade ring on his finger. “That old fool is becoming bolder. Does he not want his son anymore?”

His cold tone sent chills down Xifeng’s spine. He lowered his head and asked with some confusion, “Master, do you think…”

Gu Qin slowly turned his head, his gaze icy, and the jade ring in his palm suddenly turned to dust.

“Only I have the right to destroy what belongs to me.”

Xifeng dared not speak, swallowing hard as he watched the jade ring, which had accompanied his master for years, turn to dust, gradually dissipating in the autumn wind.

*

Night arrived as expected. When Xia Tong woke up, the pain from her wound had subsided. Fang Yu told her that she had applied a pain-relieving powder and that her injury wasn’t deep; with proper rest, it would scab over in about ten days.

Despite this reassurance, Xia Tong resolved to stay far away from the heroine in the future. She felt she was unworthy of being in the same circle as her. If she guessed correctly, the man from earlier was probably the second male lead, Xiao Ming. It was clear that he had malicious intentions toward her. Was this the treatment that a mere supporting character had to endure?

What was even more terrifying was the actions of the villain today. He seemed intent on making her suffer to the point of death—such a cruel heart!

“Actually, the prince is quite concerned about you. He probably felt that having a male physician present was inappropriate, which is why he treated you himself. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have allowed me to come in to give you medicine,” Fang Yu explained as she fed her the medicine.

Xia Tong leaned against the headboard, scoffing at this. She believed the villain wanted her to suffer!

Seeing her disbelief, Fang Yu sighed, knowing her master held a very negative opinion of the prince.

“But what if I really do die from the pain?” Xia Tong pouted, her face filled with indignation as the candlelight flickered. “He’s clearly torturing me on purpose! How could he possibly be kind enough to let me go? He’s just waiting to continue his torment!”

A faint metallic scent of blood still lingered in the air. The moonlight was heavy, and even with the window open, it couldn’t dissipate. Xia Tong frowned as she drank the bitter medicine, finding it so distasteful that she almost lost her sense of taste.

Fang Yu shook her head helplessly, puzzled by the strange thoughts of the princess. Ultimately, it was just her discontent with the prince.

“What about the candied fruit?” Xia Tong grimaced at the bitter taste that contorted her small face.

The candle flickered, and the room fell into silence. Fang Yu suddenly looked down, avoiding eye contact, and stammered, “The… the prince said… you are not allowed to eat anything today.”