Shen Moping looked at the dark broken arrow, uneasily saying: “This servant is now more worried about Master’s wound. What should we do?”

Yunyi looked down at it and said: “Help me pull it out!”

Shen Moping hurriedly said: “No, this arrow is shot very deep. Once pulled out, there might be mortal danger. It’s better to wait until this servant finds a way to get hemostatic medicine, then remove it. Moreover…” He glanced at the pitch-black sky outside and gritted his teeth: “Once dawn breaks, this servant will leave the mansion to buy medicine. Please endure a little longer.”

“They’ve already sealed the Governor’s mansion inside and out, they won’t let you go out at all. And… they’ll eventually discover the relationship between you and me. We can’t stay here much longer.” Saying this, Yunyi urged: “Hurry up and do it. I can endure it!”

Seeing her say this, Shen Moping could only agree. He tore open the clothing on her shoulder, inserted his fingers into the flesh full of fresh blood to grasp that section of arrow shaft. Before he even exerted force, Yunyi was already sweating continuously from the pain.

Shen Moping steeled his heart, turned his head away and pulled the broken arrow with force. Because the arrow shaft was extremely short and stuck against the shoulder blade, it was extremely difficult to pull out. Yunyi gritted her teeth enduring the piercing pain. Just when she almost bit through her silver teeth, Shen Moping finally pulled out the arrowhead that was deeply embedded in bone and flesh.

Almost immediately after pulling it out, fresh blood gushed out like spring water non-stop. Shen Moping panicked and hurriedly wrapped the wound tightly, but the fresh blood still kept gushing, seeping through the cloth strips and continuously spreading.

As the fresh blood continued gushing out, Yunyi’s body became increasingly cold, her eyelids also kept drooping. Shen Moping knew that if she fell asleep now, she would never wake up again. He hurriedly said: “Master, please hold on, absolutely don’t fall asleep. We still need to return to Luoyang. This time you killed Li Yuan, His Majesty will definitely look upon you with new eyes, won’t be indifferent to you and the Empress like before. Isn’t this your long-cherished wish for many years?”

His words made Yunyi’s eyes open a bit, but due to weakness they closed again. Seeing this, Shen Moping became so anxious that tears fell directly, choking up: “You clearly said you could hold on, how can you not keep your word? Wake up, don’t scare this servant. If you leave, how will this servant explain to the Empress? Wuu…”

Just when Shen Moping was sad and distressed, a faint voice reached his ears: “You’re so noisy. Can’t you let me rest properly for a while?”

Hearing this, Shen Moping was both shocked and delighted, urgently saying: “Master, you’re not dead?”

Yunyi closed her eyes and weakly said: “What, do you really want me to die?”

Shen Moping hurriedly said: “Of course not, this servant wishes you would live forever, a thousand years and more thousands of years.”

Yunyi slightly curved her lips, saying almost inaudibly: “A thousand years… wouldn’t that make me an old monster?” After this sentence, she made no more sound, but the faint breathing from her nostrils made Shen Moping feel much more at ease. After carefully placing Yunyi on the ground, he brought water to carefully wipe away the blood traces on the floor.

Speaking of the guards’ side, having searched through the entire Governor’s mansion without finding Yunyi, Li Jiancheng said with a cold expression: “How is it possible there’s nothing? Could she vanish into thin air?”

The guard leader knelt on one knee, fearfully saying: “This subordinate is incompetent, please forgive me, eldest young master!”

Li Jiancheng snorted coldly: “Go search again immediately. If you can’t find that lowly woman, none of you should expect to have it easy!”

“This subordinate obeys.”

After the guards withdrew, Li Jiancheng walked toward Songtao Residence. Li Shimin and Wan Shi and others were anxiously waiting outside. Upon seeing Li Jiancheng approach, they hurriedly said: “Big brother, was the assassin caught?”

“No, I’ve already ordered them to search again. We must catch the assassin!” As soon as he finished speaking, he heard Wan Shi say: “I hope we really can find them, otherwise if word spreads, the entire Honghua Commandery will laugh at our Governor’s mansion for being useless, unable to even catch a small assassin.”

Li Jiancheng raised his sword-like eyebrows, coldly saying: “Second Mother needn’t worry about this.” Saying this, he nervously asked: “How are father and third brother? Has the poison been neutralized?”

Li Shimin said worriedly: “We don’t know. Uncle Xiahou hasn’t come out yet. I hope father and third brother can be safe and sound, otherwise…”

He didn’t continue, but Li Jiancheng certainly understood the meaning behind it, and could only wait there anxiously. After a while, Steward Lin walked over quickly, bowed in greeting, then said to Li Shimin: “Second Young Master, this humble one has brought Nanny Yang from the dance workshop according to your instructions.”

Nanny Yang had already heard about Yunyi’s assassination attempt at the banquet. Without waiting for Li Shimin to question her, she hurriedly knelt down, fearfully saying: “This servant has no relationship whatsoever with this matter, and didn’t know that Shen Yunyi was an assassin. Please see clearly, Second Young Master!”

“You don’t know?” Li Shimin’s face turned cold: “I’ve investigated. Shen Yunyi was arranged by you to go to Songtao Residence. You still dare say you’re not involved?”

Nanny Yang hurriedly said: “It was this servant who arranged it, but that was at Meixue’s request. At that time she came to find this servant, saying she was somewhat worried about going to perform the dance alone, and wanted Shen Yunyi to accompany her. This servant thought it wasn’t a big deal so agreed. Who knew it would cause such a big incident.” Saying this, she added urgently: “Second Young Master, this servant truly knew nothing beforehand, otherwise even if you gave this servant the greatest courage, she would absolutely never dare let her go to Songtao Residence to harm the Governor and Third Young Master.”

Wan Shi stepped forward and asked: “Meixue… is she the dancing girl who performed today?”

Nanny Yang nodded repeatedly: “In reply to Madam, it’s her.”

Wan Shi turned to look at Li Shimin: “If I remember correctly, this time Wu Meixue’s dance performance was suggested by you to the Governor, right Second Young Master?”

Before Li Shimin could speak, Li Jiancheng already stepped forward first: “What does Second Mother mean by this? Are you suspecting that the assassination has something to do with second brother?”

Wan Shi glanced at him coolly: “Second Young Master is the Governor’s biological son, how could I think that way? However, regarding this assassination attempt on the Governor, Second Young Master probably cannot escape responsibility.”

Li Jiancheng said indifferently: “Is Second Mother forgetting something? Whether it’s Wu Meixue or Shen Yunyi, both were recruited into the mansion by Second Mother. If Second Mother had been more careful initially and thoroughly investigated their backgrounds, why would today’s disaster have occurred? So if we’re to pursue responsibility, the first person responsible would be… Second Mother!”

Wan Shi’s face changed, her expression turning cold: “Are you blaming me? I know you’ve never been convinced by me as your second mother, and are unwilling to accept my discipline. But no matter what, I am your elder, and you have no right to be disrespectful!”

Li Shimin, fearing that if they continued arguing it would be difficult to resolve, took over the conversation: “Second Mother’s criticism is correct. For this incident, I indeed must bear responsibility. After father awakens, I will naturally ask his forgiveness.”

Seeing him say this, Wan Shi said no more, instead asking: “Where is Wu Meixue now?”