Chapter 131: The Assassination

The protagonist was soon to make an entrance. Emperor Yongchang and the Virtuous and Gentle Imperial Noble Consort, Yuan Chuxia, arrived one after the other.

Yuan Chuxia took her seat beside the Emperor. The Dayong Dynasty had never appointed an Empress; ever since the passing of the late Empress, various factions at court had frequently lobbied for the current sovereign to name a successor. Yet, despite countless petitions, the Emperor showed no intention of doing so. Gradually, it became clear to everyone that in the Emperor’s heart, Yuan Chuxia was the true Empress. However, the military power held in her hands instilled fear and awe in all present. It was a situation where the ultimate authority over the armed forces resided not with the Emperor, but with a woman.

As Emperor Yongchang sat upon the Dragon Throne, his gaze drifted downward and caught Lin Miaomiao smiling at Li Yanhe. The sight caused a momentary flicker of distraction in his eyes. Only moments before, his secret guards had reported on the amorous whispers exchanged between the two. Though the report left him somewhat displeased, the reality was that they had said nothing of consequence.

The officials rose in unison, their voices thundering through the hall: "Long live His Majesty, and may the Imperial Noble Consort live for a thousand years!" Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhe followed suit, mirroring the actions of the crowd. As she sat back down, Lin Miaomiao glanced up and noticed the Fifth Prince, Li Anping. He appeared vastly different from before, a change that stirred an inexplicable sense of unease within her, though she could not quite pinpoint what had shifted.

At that moment, the Seventh Prince, Li Yankang, knelt before the Emperor. "Father," he began, "I encountered exotic customs in the small Western lands and have specially brought these beauties to perform for you." The Emperor nodded, giving a wave of his hand. "Granted."

A smile touched the Seventh Prince’s lips. At the same time, the Crown Prince, Li Hanwen, cast a calm, indifferent glance at his brother before lifting his wine cup, concealing a triumphant smirk behind his wide sleeve.

As the music began, the dancers moved in rhythm. Lin Miaomiao watched, transfixed. In her past life, school galas had been tedious affairs of amateur singing and dancing, but she had always held a secret fondness for a well-executed performance. Seeing her so captivated, Li Yanhe, playing the role of the doting partner, busied himself by peeling fruit and feeding her.

Just as the dance neared its climax, Lin Miaomiao caught the glint of cold steel. Her scalp prickled, and she surged to her feet in a panic, crying out, "Your Majesty, watch out!"

At her scream, the Crown Prince, Li Hanwen, leapt forward to shield the Emperor. The Emperor, veins bulging, reached for his sword to strike down the Crown Prince, but in that split second, an assassin lunged with a soft blade. Li Hanwen took the blow, the assassin’s steel piercing him just inches from his heart.

The Emperor, his hand still gripped tightly around his sword, flew into a rage at the sight of the assassin and struck the attacker down. Li Yanhe also rose to his feet. Among the troupe of dancers, there was only one assassin; the rest knelt on the ground, trembling in terror.

Outside, the Imperial Guards, alerted by the commotion, charged into the hall. The chamber erupted with the shrieks of women and the stern shouts of the soldiers.

Emperor Yongchang narrowed his eyes. The Seventh Prince, Li Yankang, stood up and shouted to the guards, "Seize these assassins! You useless dogs, how could you let this happen? I only wanted to celebrate my father’s birthday, and yet assassins were hidden among these women!"

As Li Yankang ranted, the Crown Prince collapsed to the floor. The Emperor stood, his voice cold and sharp: "Enough, Seventh, be silent." He then turned to the royal physician and commanded, "Quickly, check the Crown Prince’s wounds."

Despite the command, the Seventh Prince persisted, his voice laced with feigned indignation. "They are truly bold, daring to plot at Father’s birthday banquet. I cannot stand for this!"

The Emperor’s rage boiled over, and he coughed up a spray of blood. As he swayed, the Imperial Noble Consort, Yuan Chuxia, caught him. She rose coldly, her gaze sweeping over the Imperial Guards. "All under heaven belongs to the King, and all within the borders are the King’s subjects. You servants, failing to heed the Emperor’s commands, dare to act on your own authority? Who gave you the courage?"

The hall fell silent under her icy rebuke. The Emperor, leaning on her for support, gasped for air until his vision cleared. Seeing his state, Yuan Chuxia sighed heavily and turned to the Seventh Prince. "The matter of the assassination is not yet settled, and the Crown Prince is wounded. Seventh Prince, I suggest you restrain yourself and wait."

The Emperor, having regained his composure, let out a chilling laugh. "Investigate," he commanded, gesturing to the hall. "Find out how these assassins gained entry." He then turned his gaze to the commander of the Imperial Guards. "How was this handled? They entered in plain sight with weapons. You are dismissed from your post, effective immediately."

The officials responsible for the banquet turned pale. The Emperor looked toward the Imperial Household Department with a sneer. "That is enough. Strip them of their ranks and dismiss those who must be dismissed. Check the women, and if there is nothing suspicious, let them go. There is no need to overcrowd my palace; it is an annoyance."

The Seventh Prince stood bewildered as the Emperor punished everyone except him—the host of the event. Soon, the halls were filled with the pleas and wails of officials being stripped of their official caps and robes.

The Emperor swept out of the hall. Yuan Chuxia glanced at the guards. "Once the screening is complete, clear the palace." With that, she too departed. The royals having left, the servants had no reason to linger.

As Lin Miaomiao and Li Yanhe left the palace in their carriage, she looked at him, bewildered. "Why didn't the Emperor investigate further?"

Li Yanhe sighed heavily. "They were the Seventh Prince’s people, but the assassin may not have been sent by him. The Imperial Guards also contain his men. If Father were to move against him now, and the Seventh Prince chose to rebel, Father would be caught off guard. Furthermore, Father has long been wary of him; he has no intention of a thorough investigation yet. He is playing a long game—casting a line to catch a bigger fish."

Lin Miaomiao suddenly understood why the guards had moved to isolate the dancers immediately after the attack, and why the Seventh Prince had been so quick to step forward and issue commands. If the Emperor had lashed out at him then, the Seventh Prince would have had the perfect excuse to launch a coup. In the middle of a state banquet, where no one was supposed to be armed, it was a perfectly staged trap; had it succeeded, the entire palace would have become a purgatory.

Lin Miaomiao shivered. Li Yanhe covered her cold hand with his own. "Do not worry. These are minor matters. You need not take them to heart."

"But what happens next? Will we be in danger? And I... I am the primary witness. Will I..." Her voice choked with fear. Li Yanhe pulled her close. "It is fine. The New Year is approaching; there will certainly be other events to distract from this. Do not worry."

Despite his words, a deep chill settled in Lin Miaomiao’s bones, one she could not explain.

The Crown Prince survived, though he remained in a coma. The Emperor, overcome with rage, missed the next morning’s court session. Yuan Chuxia looked at the Emperor, who lay on his bed, and sighed. "This is the last time I will help you." Without another word, she produced an exquisite tiger tally from her robes. The Emperor’s eyes brightened at the sight.

Yuan Chuxia penned a long, detailed letter, which was soon dispatched outside the palace. Shortly after, a purge swept through the military ranks; the Seventh Prince’s supporters were stripped of their positions and replaced.

Li Yankang stared at the letters piling up on his desk, shivering. "My Prince, the air is cold. Shall I get you a cloak?" his wife asked. She was the daughter of the Minister of War, a man who had once been a general at the border strongholds.

Li Yankang looked at her, his voice raspy and hollow. "It is over for us." He set fire to the letters, the flickering flames casting dancing shadows across his face.

Yuan Chuxia handed the letter to the Emperor and tucked the tiger tally back into her bosom. The Emperor looked at the woman before him and sighed heavily, the atmosphere in the study so suffocating that no one dared to breathe.

Soon, the Seventh Prince’s faction began clamoring for an investigation into the "true culprit," but the Emperor rebuked Li Yankang during the morning audience. The Seventh Prince was stripped of all his remaining authority. While the Emperor did not issue a decree for his confinement, his agents began a meticulous audit of everything the Seventh Prince had done over the years.

The Crown Prince, having taken his medicine from the Crown Princess, drank it without changing his expression. He then glanced at the eunuch behind him. "See that everyone who needs to be dealt with is dealt with—thoroughly."