Chen Qi was stunned.
Leaving the Jinnan Mansion in a dignified and upright manner?
He had previously heard from Fang Qingyi that You Yuji and Chen Anzhi had already signed the separation papers. Yet, wasn’t she still living in the Jinnan Mansion?
The marriage between You Yuji and Chen Anzhi was decreed by the emperor. For ordinary people, separation was difficult, let alone a politically charged marriage bestowed by the emperor.
Chen Qi suddenly recalled that You Heng of the You family had arrived in the capital. Last month, he had heard about some personnel changes, expecting You De, the eldest son of the You family, to come to the capital. But instead, it was You Heng, the second son of the You family, who arrived.
Unlike You De, You Heng was a…
Chen Qi’s thoughts were interrupted as You Yuji stood up. He immediately pulled himself together and looked up at You Yuji, involuntarily standing up as well.
You Yuji bowed slightly.
“Thank you for your kindness, Lord Qi.” You Yuji thanked him again. “It’s a busy time of the year, so I won’t disturb you further.”
You Yuji turned and walked out.
Chen Qi watched You Yuji’s slender back, unable to look away for a long time. Even after You Yuji had stepped outside, Chen Qi kept staring at the doorway, listening carefully to her footsteps going downstairs. Only when he could no longer hear her footsteps did he look away, sinking back into his seat with a low mood.
His eyes fell on the whip on the table, and Chen Qi was momentarily stunned.
He should have returned the whip to her.
Chen Qi grabbed the whip and immediately headed downstairs.
Opposite the Baizhen Building was another restaurant. Si Que stood at the window, coldly watching You Yuji walk out of the Baizhen Building and saw Chen Qi chasing after her.
Si Que had intended to follow Fang Qingyi, but upon seeing someone suspiciously trailing You Yuji at the gate of Wan’an Temple, he had followed them here.
Si Que glanced coldly at Chen Qi, who ran out of the Baizhen Building to chase You Yuji. He sneered, tossing a copper coin with a blank expression.
A faint silver light flashed, and Si Que didn’t even check whether the copper coin landed heads or tails before narrowing his eyes to stare at the corner of the street.
The silver light came from an arrow.
Si Que quickly realized that many places in this bustling street were hiding fully drawn bows, ready to shoot.
Si Que looked downstairs and saw that Chen Qi had already caught up to You Yuji’s carriage and was handing her the whip.
Those people were targeting Chen Qi.
Si Que’s expression changed dramatically.
The next moment, the long arrows that had been nocked for a long time shot towards Chen Qi.
Chen Qi was talking to You Yuji face to face, and those arrows aimed at Chen Qi didn’t have eyes and wouldn’t avoid You Yuji.
“Watch out!” Chen Qi’s face turned pale, and he instinctively spread his arms to shield You Yuji.
A long arrow struck Chen Qi’s back shoulder, piercing through his body.
You Yuji was startled and immediately said, “Get in the carriage!”
She and Chen Anzhi were already standing by her carriage, talking.
As soon as You Yuji finished speaking, another long arrow hit Chen Qi’s leg, causing him to grunt and lower his body. You Yuji quickly supported him, and with Zhuo Wen’s help, pushed him into the carriage.
A long arrow shot over, and You Yuji swiftly turned to narrowly avoid it. The arrow grazed her shoulder, cutting off a piece of white fur from her white fox fur cloak.
“Madam, be careful!” Lady Jing and Zhenxu shouted in unison.
Chen Qi, who had already sat in the carriage, turned pale. His dark lips trembled as he tried to speak but couldn’t make a sound.
Zhuo Wen, Zhuo Wu, and Chen Qi’s personal guards surrounded them, desperately fending off the dense arrows.
In an instant, the previously lively and joyous street was filled with screams. People fled in all directions, and the unlucky ones fell to the ground with arrows in them.
The two horses pulling the carriage stamped the ground nervously and let out long neighs.
You Yuji had just reached out her hand to Lady Jing to get into the carriage when a long arrow bypassed the guards’ defense and shot into the carriage. Both of them let go at the same time, and the arrow nearly grazed You Yuji’s hand.
You Yuji braced herself on the long wooden plank at the front of the carriage to climb in when she suddenly smelled a faint scent of iris.
The next moment, her vision was covered in blue.
Thick blue smoke enveloped them, obscuring their sight. The archers hidden in the shadows were stunned and paused their shooting because their vision was blocked.
The two horses pulling the carriage, already frightened, were further spooked by the blue smoke. They raised their front hooves and charged forward recklessly, causing the carriage to sway violently from side to side.
Even though You Yuji quickly pulled back her hand, the fast-moving carriage still scraped her hand on the wooden plank, causing a sharp pain in her palm.
She couldn’t help but hiss in pain.
The archers in hiding had their view obstructed and didn’t see that Chen Qi had already boarded the carriage and left. After a brief pause, they immediately drew more long arrows from their quivers and randomly shot in the original direction.
You Yuji ignored the pain in her palm. Even though her vision was blocked, she quickly ran in a certain direction. If she remembered correctly, there was a shop in that direction where she could take temporary refuge.
The scent of iris grew stronger. Beyond a short distance, You Yuji couldn’t see anything. Wounded citizens lay on the ground, crying out in pain and for help. In the midst of the blue smoke, You Yuji stumbled and almost tripped over something unknown.
She was skilled in archery, and though her vision was impaired, she could hear the sound of arrows flying.
“Over here,” a low, hoarse voice called out.
You Yuji wasn’t surprised by the sudden appearance of this voice. When the strange blue smoke appeared, she knew the master of the Poison Pavilion was nearby.
She reached out and groped forward, following the sound. Before she saw anyone, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.
You Yuji turned and saw the blood-red mask. In the thick blue smoke, the blood-red mask of the Poison Pavilion master appeared even more eerie and sinister.
Si Que pulled You Yuji towards him with a strong tug.
Up close, You Yuji could no longer smell the iris scent of the blue smoke; instead, she smelled the medicinal scent on him.
The thick blue smoke obscured everything; the only thing she could see was him in his dark clothes.
Despite his notorious and fearsome reputation, in the midst of the danger with arrows flying everywhere, the first word that came to You Yuji’s mind was—safety.
Si Que glanced down at the scratch on You Yuji’s palm, then led her through the dense blue smoke.
“Watch out!” You Yuji cried out.
Si Que quickly turned his face to dodge.
A long arrow shot through the vast blue smoke, passing between them and grazing Si Que’s temple. A strand of his black hair was cut.
At the same time that strand of black hair was cut, so was the strap of his blood-red mask.
“Are you okay…” You Yuji turned to look at the Poison Pavilion master, but was stunned by what she saw.
The blood-red, terrifying mask fell, caught by the black-gloved hand of the Poison Pavilion master.
You Yuji looked at the face of the Poison Pavilion master and slowly blinked.
“Ah Que…”
Si Que looked back at her, his eyes still shadowed with anger.
You Yuji stared into Si Que’s eyes, feeling extremely conflicted.
No, this wasn’t her Ah Que.
Her Ah Que was obedient, quiet, gentle, sensitive, kind-hearted, and delicate…
Her Ah Que would look at her with clean eyes, showing her the purest, most innocent smile. Her Ah Que would gently nuzzle her face and call her sister in a sweet, soft voice.
Her Ah Que’s voice was so pleasant, like the thawing of thin ice over a stream in the spring sunshine, clear and refreshing.
Her Ah Que’s smile was so beautiful that it always made her heart melt.
Her Ah Que had such clean eyes.
No, her Ah Que could never be like the person in front of her, the master of the Poison Pavilion. This person’s gaze was sinister and frightening, his voice hoarse and eerie, cruel and merciless, taking pleasure in killing…
No, this absolutely wasn’t her Ah Que…
Si Que turned his head towards the direction from which the arrows came, a look of annoyance flashing in his eyes.
Feeling his hand empty, he realized You Yuji had pushed his hand away. Si Que turned back and saw the panic in You Yuji’s eyes. He curled one side of his lips into a cold smile.
He glanced at You Yuji indifferently and suddenly grabbed her by the neck. In a hoarse and sinister voice, he warned, “You are the first person to know that the master of the Poison Pavilion and the Crown Prince of Si are the same person. If you tell anyone, I will throw you into the poison pool.”
You Yuji furrowed her brows, staring into the cold eyes in front of her. Thousands of doubts and confusions arose in her mind. She tried to discern something from his words, but it took a moment before she processed what he had said.
The master of the Poison Pavilion and the Crown Prince of Si are the same person?
Was he saying that he is… Si Lang?
Is that really it?
You Yuji frowned, letting Si Que pull her by the wrist through the dense blue smoke. Occasionally, she could hear Zhuo Wen and Zhuo Wu calling for her, but it was as if her senses were wrapped in a thick web, making everything feel dull.
Si Que pulled You Yuji into a narrow alley.
After a while, the noise around them gradually faded. The hand holding You Yuji’s wrist also loosened.
You Yuji lifted her eyes and watched the master of the Poison Pavilion walking away. His form-fitting dark clothes slowly disappeared into the blue smoke. You Yuji stood quietly, watching him disappear completely.
The pain from the scratch on her palm pulled You Yuji back from her chaotic thoughts. She frowned, looking down at her injured palm. The long cut ran across her palm, smeared with dirty blood.
She stared at the bloodstain on her palm, falling back into deep thought.
Not long after, Zhuo Wen found You Yuji.
“Madam, it’s such a relief that you’re alright!” Zhuo Wen let out a heavy sigh of relief.
He couldn’t help but complain, “This is so strange. Not only did we get caught up in an assassination attempt on Lord Qi, but we also encountered this bizarre blue smoke. Isn’t this the same strange thing the master of the Poison Pavilion used to escape after setting fire in the emperor’s palace? I wonder who wants to kill Lord Qi and how they’re involved with the master of the Poison Pavilion…”
Zhuo Wen rambled on, but You Yuji barely listened. She followed Zhuo Wen out of the alley, where officials were finally arriving.
An assassination attempt on the prince’s heir under the emperor’s nose, especially so close to the New Year, caused panic among the capital’s officials. No one dared to delay, and they hurried over to handle the situation.
Lady Jing had also arranged for a carriage to pick up You Yuji. She and Zhenxu insisted on coming along and, upon seeing You Yuji safe but with a scratched palm, they repeatedly said, “Thank heavens.”
The cries of the innocent injured citizens occasionally reached the carriage.
“What bad luck!” Zhenxu complained.
Lady Jing also mentioned that they should pray to Buddha when they returned.
You Yuji sat quietly in the carriage, not saying a word. Lady Jing and Zhenxu assumed she was shaken and fell silent as well.
You Yuji kept her eyes lowered, her heart still shrouded in the metaphorical smoke that had enveloped them.
She alternated between recalling the recent days spent with Si Que, remembering the tenderness and gentleness, the intimacy shared behind the drawn bed curtains. His obedient smile and the clean, clear eyes that seemed washed by water kept flashing in her mind.
Then she would think of her encounters with the master of the Poison Pavilion.
Finally, You Yuji remembered the few occasions when she had seen Si Lang, the elegant Crown Prince of Si, in Si Kingdom.
Was the master of the Poison Pavilion really Si Lang? Is that how it was?
