Just as the dancer’s steps brought her before Fu Yun Xi, a servant suddenly announced from outside: “Your Highness, there’s a young lady who wishes to see you.”

The dancing girl’s extended arm froze. Fu Yun Xi’s eyes flickered: “Let her in.”

“Didn’t know you had this side to you,” He Lian Yu teased. “Which family’s daughter comes seeking our Prince?” When the girl entered, they were all slightly startled, for they all knew her – she was Han Yan’s maid, Shu Hong.

“Little maid, why is it you?” He Lian Yu exclaimed first.

Shu Hong’s eyes flashed, and she suddenly fell to her knees, grabbing the purple-clothed dancer’s legs while wailing loudly: “Young Miss, wuu wuu wuu, Young Miss, Hong’er has finally found you! If you didn’t want to marry Young Master Li, that would have been fine – Master wouldn’t have forced you. But how could you go to such a place and degrade yourself? Young Miss, please come home with Hong’er!”

The purple-clothed dancer hadn’t expected this scene – a strange maid suddenly embracing her legs and crying. Her heart tightened as she saw the three men, who had been chatting and laughing moments ago, now watching her with meaningful expressions.

The dancer hesitated briefly before responding: “You’ve mistaken me for someone else.”

Shu Hong persisted, crying and shouting: “Young Miss, this servant knows you’re suffering, but you can’t stay away from home! Master is worried, and Madam cries all day…” Though usually calm and collected, rarely showing emotion, her current performance wasn’t stiff at all but rather naturally heart-wrenching. If Ji Lan were present, her eyes would have nearly popped out in shock.

Unable to shake free, the purple-clothed dancer angrily said: “I’m not your Young Miss. What are you trying to do?” She turned to Fu Yun Xi on the couch, tears glistening: “Your Highness, save me!”

Fu Yun Xi’s cold gaze swept over her. The dancer felt chilled to the bone – despite his incomparably handsome features, his imposing presence was naturally inviolable. Under those ink-black deep eyes, all her schemes seemed exposed. Gritting her teeth, she moved her foot, and Shu Hong felt a kick to her abdomen. While the kick appeared gentle to others, it carried full force, sending a sharp pain through Shu Hong. She released her grip, clutching her stomach as she fell backward. When she looked up again, the dancer had rushed toward Fu Yun Xi: “Your Highness!”

Tears still dotted her face, her body seemingly boneless. Even if someone harbored suspicions, any man would likely soften at the sight of such a pitiful beauty in tears. Fu Yun Xi merely stared at his wine cup, as if the wine alone could capture his full attention.

As the dancer neared Fu Yun Xi’s embrace, a cold glint suddenly flashed from her sleeve – a bright dagger emerged, thrusting straight toward his heart. Her expression twisted grotesquely, like a vengeful ghost. Though the target saw the blade cutting through the air, his brow didn’t even twitch. He merely pressed his lips together, his fingers tightening slightly on the jade wine cup, which instantly shattered into several pieces. The delicate white jade fragments scattered like flower petals, meeting the dagger with subtle force. The dancer felt a shock through her hand, as bone-chilling pain spread from her wrist. With a clear “clang,” the jade pieces had knocked the dagger from her hand, both falling to the floor.

She stared in horror: “You…” Her martial skills were excellent, yet this seemingly beautiful man had so easily deflected her assassination attempt. Moreover, he had done it playfully, clearly not using his full strength.

Before she could make another move, a massive explosion suddenly rang out from outside the window, followed by the sounds of crashing furniture and women’s screams. Then her spine chilled as dozens of masked men in black burst through the windows, drawing their sabers with a “swoosh” and attacking the room’s occupants without warning.

Fu Yun Xi’s eyes turned cold as he suddenly rose from the couch. A black-clothed man swung his saber at Fu Yun Xi’s back, but the next second his hand went numb. Looking down, he saw his right hand holding the saber had been cleanly severed, yet the wound showed no blood. In a flash of white robes, Fu Yun Xi had vanished, leaving only a flutter of light official silk embroidered with white plum blossoms and an ice-cold voice filled with killing intent: “Clean up.”

Meanwhile, in the adjacent room, Han Yan hid behind a large imperial porcelain vase, not daring to make a sound. After sending Shu Hong into Fu Yun Xi’s room, she waited in the neighboring chamber. The room was divided into outer and inner sections, with the inner section for guests’ feasting and conversation, and the outer section separated by a screen where maids waited for instructions. These guests hadn’t kept any maids in attendance, and Han Yan, not wanting to be seen, had hidden in the outer section. But within moments, sounds of sword fighting erupted from the inner chamber. Simultaneously, chaos broke out in the main hall, leaving her trapped with nowhere to go except behind the waist-high imperial vase.

She breathed softly but felt increasingly anxious. What was happening, and was Shu Hong safe? Han Yan grew more worried thinking about this. She silently cursed herself for meddling – if she hadn’t been concerned about the Seventh Prince plotting against Fu Yun Xi, why would she have come here? Now she was trapped and had dragged Shu Hong into it too.

Just then, women’s cries for mercy came from the inner chamber, accompanied by an infant’s wails. Han Yan’s heart froze, followed by the sound of blades tearing through flesh. Both the infant’s cries and the women’s screams abruptly ceased. Han Yan’s heart slowly sank as she clenched her fists. Shortly after, soft footsteps echoed through the silent room.

Those steps seemed to carry a murderous aura. Han Yan’s scalp tingled, her back drenched in cold sweat, her body trembling slightly behind the vase as she quietly gripped the plum blossom dagger at her waist.

“Tap, tap, tap” – the footsteps drew closer to Han Yan. Her palms felt scorching hot as her breathing became more suppressed.

As the footsteps passed by, Han Yan quietly sighed in relief at having escaped danger. But before she could fully exhale, a chill arose beside her as an icy wind struck from above.

Not good! Han Yan’s mind screamed. She had no martial arts training, while these black-clothed men were skilled fighters with exceptional hearing. Her careless sigh just now would likely bring about her death. In a flash, she drew her plum blossom dagger with all her might, thinking that even if she died today, she would take this person with her.

But unexpectedly, the cold wind stopped above her head, and a cool hand gently touched her head. Han Yan looked up with wide eyes to meet a pair of deep black eyes. Under the moonlight, his handsome features appeared even more otherworldly, like an immortal untouched by mortal concerns. He wore a snow-white fox fur robe, his figure tall and straight, holding a crystalline sword as he gazed at her quietly.

It was Fu Yun Xi.

Han Yan was momentarily dazed, and when she came to her senses, she realized she had been staring at him for quite some time. She unexpectedly stammered: “Your… Your Highness.”