Drinking together in a dark room, words like knives.

Bright candlelight reflected the gold hairpin light at the young girl’s temples like sword gleams, making her gaze also burn brightly and intensely, blazing like fire.

“Help me kill him!” She spoke urgently yet firmly. “Prince Chu is cunning and treacherous, a harm to the nation! You’ve already offended him now. He will never let you live. Rather than sitting trapped in a besieged city waiting for death, why not serve me and eliminate this great traitor!”

Feng Zhiwei raised her head, looking into the young girl’s eyes. That pool of clarity like a bright mirror, like jade-green water, clear enough to reflect specks of dust. The expression in these eyes was the only place that didn’t resemble her…

After a long while, she gently withdrew her hand and smiled: “Your Highness, I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

“You understand.” Having spoken her piece, Shaoning also calmed down. “You understand what he did. You understand what he wants to do. You understand—you should listen to me.”

Feng Zhiwei remained silent for a long while, then said: “Your Highness, that is your brother.”

“I only had one brother.” Shaoning poured and drank for herself, drinking very quickly. “He and I were born of the same mother. He was twelve years older than me. Our mother died early. I lived alone in one palace crying through the night. It was he who took me to his palace, getting up several times each night to check on me. When I was ill, he abandoned state affairs to stay by my side, for which Father punished him by making him kneel. When I wanted to leave the palace to play, he covered for me. When mistakes were made, he took responsibility. When I yearned for the freedom of Qingming, he spent several months persuading Father, even painstakingly arranging for Tenth Brother to accompany me… The world says he was frivolous and mediocre, unfit to be the nation’s heir. Yet regardless of whether he was a good heir, he was my only, forever irreplaceable, best elder brother.”

“My elder brother.” A thin flush surged onto Shaoning’s face. She set down her wine cup heavily, the wine splashing up onto the back of her hand. She raised her hand to suck it away. Her snow-white hand set off her eyes, black, bright, and compelling. “He died before my eyes. When he died, his chest was split open. After death, his ancestral succession wasn’t preserved—he couldn’t even be buried in the imperial family mausoleum. Born into the imperial family—is one destined to such a desolate end?”

Feng Zhiwei closed her eyes. Vague blood and fire flashed in her mind.

“I refused to poison Father Emperor for him, but I won’t refuse to avenge him.” Shaoning smiled bleakly. “Wei Zhi, even I know he died in Ning Yi’s interlocking trap. How could you not know? Do you think I’m frivolous, I’m ignorant, that my so-called revenge is just a child speaking in anger?”

Feng Zhiwei didn’t speak, thinking to herself that you’re at least somewhat clever now. Currently Prince Chu’s power is great—avoiding him is already too late, yet you still want to provoke him? You want to die—I won’t accompany you—

“I am the Tiansheng imperial dynasty’s most favored princess. These words ‘most favored’ are not said lightly.” Shaoning sneered coldly. “I’m similarly bestowed three guard units. Ordinary princes have three thousand guards—I have ten thousand, and all are the most elite masters from the Imperial Guard. Father Emperor, following ancient system, bestowed upon me a bathing settlement—Hejia County in Jianghuai, the wealthiest place in the world. Moreover… Father Emperor is advanced in years, yet under his knees it grows increasingly empty. Over these years, participating in understanding governmental affairs, he has not avoided me.”

The first few sentences were nothing much, but the last sentence made Feng Zhiwei’s brows jump. She hadn’t expected Emperor Tiansheng to dote on his daughter to such an extent. No wonder Ning Yi was determined to kill her.

“Your Highness, these words are not appropriate for a humble minor official like me to hear.” After a long while, Feng Zhiwei said earnestly, “Regardless, you and Prince Chu are imperial family blood, bone and flesh relatives. Fighting among yourselves—His Majesty will be heartbroken in the future.”

“Is he not heartbroken now?” Shaoning looked at her strangely. “You speak of bone and flesh relatives. I used to think so too, but Ning Yi may not think so. Those things he did before…”

Feng Zhiwei’s gaze turned over. Shaoning stopped speaking, her expression not very good.

“Wei Zhi, I want you to help me also to preserve your life.” Shaoning grabbed Feng Zhiwei’s hand again. “You’re already trapped in danger.”

“Your Highness, aren’t you the same?” Feng Zhiwei stared distractedly at the wine in her cup, then suddenly raised her head and smiled at her. “You’ve left the palace without permission. Do you know that in this troubled autumn of many matters, crises lurk everywhere? I hear that now ‘Crown Prince remnants are fleeing through the market,’ still being hunted. What if something happens—even if an incident occurs, there’d be no place to find the culprit.”

“It won’t happen.” Shaoning’s expression changed. “I brought many guards…”

“Are those guards all reliable?”

Shaoning’s expression changed again. Just as she opened her mouth, suddenly the candlelight on the table trembled!

In that tremor, the wall suddenly broke open silently. A long spear thrust through the wall like a venomous snake, stabbing straight at the back of Shaoning’s heart as she sat with her back to the wall on the couch!

The spear’s momentum was indescribably fast—rushing thunder and flashing lightning, cold light appearing and already at hand.

Feng Zhiwei’s hand resting on the small table on the couch smoothly slid forward, grabbing Shaoning’s sleeve and yanking fiercely!

Shaoning was pulled down, her face pressing heavily onto the fruit plate on the table—with a splat, she flattened several honey peaches, juice spattering everywhere.

The long spear whooshed past above Shaoning’s head. The fierce wind instantly extinguished the candle. In the darkness, the spear tip’s cold light flashed, continuing forward like thunder, heading straight for Feng Zhiwei’s face.

Feng Zhiwei swooshed flat down. The spear tip grazed past her nose tip, so close she could smell the iron’s cold bloody scent.

In an instant, sounds arose outside the room. Continuous sounds of robes and sleeves bringing wind. Yet Gu Nanyi didn’t appear at the first moment—clearly he too was being held up. The martial arts of the newcomers, like this person thrusting the spear through the wall, were extraordinary.

Someone was determined to put both of them to death.

In the quiet room, all lamps were extinguished. The sweet cloying scent of peach juice permeated the air. The venomous snake-like spear tip trembled slightly, bloodthirstily seeking prey.

A black shadow flashed. A guard rushed in, calling out lowly: “Your Highness! Your Highness, are you alright!”

Shaoning felt joy and was about to call out, but was suddenly gagged by an ice-cold hand.

That palm had delicate skin with a vaguely faint cool fragrance. Shaoning stared wide-eyed. In the midst of chaos, she actually had time to think: How is Wei Zhi’s hand so small, so delicate, so fragrant…

Feng Zhiwei blocked Shaoning’s mouth, moaning lowly. That guard rushed to the bedside. Feng Zhiwei immediately struck out like lightning, five fingers like steel, pinching his throat and pushing him toward the spear tip!

“Tsssk.”

The spear tip entered flesh, fresh blood sprayed. The guard’s throat made rattling sounds. His wide-open eyes’ light flashed for an instant, reflecting Shaoning’s equally shocked eyes, then that light gradually faded, like a candle flame trembling and swaying—extinguished.

The fierce spear that wouldn’t withdraw without seeing blood finally withdrew with satisfaction, flashing away through the spear hole pierced in the wall.

Feng Zhiwei immediately grabbed Shaoning, her face full of peach flesh, and rushed outward. Just reaching the doorway, a figure flashed and collided with someone. The breath beneath her nose was clean and pure—she knew Gu Nanyi had arrived.

“Send her back to the palace!” Feng Zhiwei stuffed Shaoning into Gu Nanyi’s arms. She couldn’t let Shaoning have an incident during their private meeting. If she must die, let her die somewhere else.

“Not going!” Young Master Gu straightforwardly lifted Shaoning to the side, habitually reaching for his little servant Feng.

“Be good, you must go.” Feng Zhiwei smiled falsely while stepping aside. “It’s necessary.”

“Why?” When Young Master Gu did things, he needed a reason.

“Because.” Feng Zhiwei supported his shoulder and pushed him outward, saying seriously: “You are my person.”