So it turned out that the several chance encounters where he seemed familiar weren’t her imagination—it was because they had met before!

They had met as children.

Eight years ago, not far from the former Wen Manor, there lived an official family surnamed Liu. The household had one son and one daughter—the daughter was the elder sibling, sixteen or seventeen years old at the time, while the son was the younger, only seven or eight years old.

In the capital where high officials and nobles were as numerous as cow hairs, a fifth-rank official was utterly unremarkable and could hardly be called wealthy. But the master of the house was solid and generous, the mistress gentle and kind, the eldest daughter beautiful and sensible, the young son lively and clever—the family lived harmoniously.

The problem was that the eldest daughter was too beautiful.

While out enjoying the Qixi Festival, the eldest daughter vanished. She was only found the next day. Neighbors gossiped, saying unkind things about Miss Liu. On the very day she was found, Miss Liu hanged herself.

She had been young then and didn’t quite understand what the Liu family had suffered. She had already forgotten who she’d heard it from, but it seemed the Liu family had reported it to the authorities. Yet before the officials could investigate, Father Liu died of a sudden illness. The case was left unresolved, and Mother Liu left the capital with her young son.

The Liu family residence stood empty for quite a while. As new owners moved in, the four neighbors gradually forgot about the Liu family’s affairs.

In those first two years after the Liu family’s troubles, she would sometimes think of that boy who was about her age.

She was mute. Aside from her elder sister and sworn brother Cheng Shu, she had almost no playmates. One day, as she sat outside her door watching the comings and goings on the street to pass the time as usual, that boy passed by and suddenly held up his hand, asking if she wanted candied hawthorn.

Perhaps the boy’s smile was too bright, or perhaps the red candied hawthorn in his hand was too tempting. Though they only knew each other and had never played together, she inexplicably nodded.

She ate the candied hawthorn with her gap-toothed mouth, listening as the similarly gap-toothed boy talked nonstop.

After that, they would occasionally play together. It was always her listening silently while he talked endlessly.

Before long, the Liu family met with disaster, and they never saw each other again.

Lin Hao looked at the young man lying as peacefully as a water lily, tears welling in her eyes.

It was you.

Though they hadn’t shared deep feelings or much interaction, emotions of distress and regret overwhelmed her, assaulting her heart.

She suddenly thought of that wintersweet blossom delivered before her by the red ribbon.

At the time, she’d thought the young man had done it randomly, or perhaps remembered that she’d tipped him when he performed on the street. Now thinking back—had he recognized her early on, the girl who barely qualified as a playmate?

Lin Hao lowered her eyes to hide the tears within them, unaware that a pair of calm, clear eyes had been watching her all along.

“Does anyone know this young man’s background?” The questioner was a Jinlin Guard who had accompanied his superior, Jinlin Guard Commander Cheng Maoming, to the banquet.

With such a earth-shattering event as the assassination attempt on the Crown Prince, Cheng Maoming had hurried into the palace, leaving several capable subordinates to gather personnel and stabilize the scene.

The Jinlin Guard’s gaze was piercing as it swept over everyone present.

Everyone knew this young man was the assassin who had attempted to kill the Crown Prince. Hearing this question, they shook their heads like rattles.

The Jinlin Guard waved his hand: “First clear away the corpses. Lock up everyone from the Ruyi Troupe who’s still alive!”

People soon came to drag away the bodies.

Lin Hao watched as Xiao Feng was dragged away, leaving a long trail of blood on the ground.

The hall, already stuffy from too many people, grew even more saturated with the stench of blood.

Never mind the madams and young ladies—even some of the male guests couldn’t help retching.

The Jinlin Guard in charge maintained a cold expression, with no intention whatsoever of letting these people leave.

Under normal circumstances, the Jinlin Guard Commander himself wouldn’t want to offend anyone here, no matter who they were. But this was an assassination attempt on the Crown Prince. Anyone with even the slightest connection to it, regardless of status, would suffer the consequences.

Among them, those bearing the greatest pressure were the people of Wuning Marquis Manor.

“Who engaged the Ruyi Troupe?”

Tang Hua’s face was ghastly pale. After quite a while, he finally spoke: “It was me…”

Countless gazes turned toward him. Tang Hua hastily defended himself: “I only engaged them because I’d seen the Ruyi Troupe perform well at another manor and wanted them to add to the festivities for Mother’s birthday. Who could have imagined they would be so audaciously treasonous!”

The Crown Princess struggled to maintain her composure as she spoke up for her younger brother: “The marquis manor is His Highness’s in-law family. No one cares more about His Highness’s safety than we do. Who could have imagined that a small acrobatic troupe would harbor traitors…”

These words prompted many to nod in agreement.

Who could have imagined? An refined-looking young man had actually dared to assassinate the Crown Prince. They had only come to a banquet—how had they gotten embroiled in such a life-threatening matter?

Please just let them leave.

Those handling the situation also knew they couldn’t keep so many noble personages here indefinitely. They had the marquis manor’s steward lead people in recording the identities of guests from each manor, whether anyone had left during the event, and other such details before allowing everyone to return home first.

As Lin Hao followed Lin Shi outside, she saw many people with spears and blades surrounding Wuning Marquis Manor in layers, moving about inside and out.

Snow had begun falling outside. Snow pellets wrapped in the cold wind, piercing as knives.

Lin Hao looked up at the overcast gray sky, and the drifting snow pellets took the opportunity to pour down her collar.

“Ah Hao, hurry and get in the carriage.” Seeing Lin Hao standing still, Lin Shi urged her on.

A voice came from nearby: “Madam Lin, let me escort you. It’s right on my way.”

Lin Shi looked over.

The young man on horseback had snow on his hair and the hem of his robe, his posture straight as a snow-covered pine.

But Lin Shi had no mind to notice the young man’s bearing. She waved her hand: “Heir, please hurry back to the manor. Take care not to catch cold.”

Qi Shuo fell silent.

In Madam Lin’s eyes, he seemed particularly frail and delicate.

He looked toward Lin Hao, only to find her distracted, lost in thought.

“Then please take care on the road, Madam and Second Miss Lin.” With a final glance at Lin Hao from the corner of his eye, Qi Shuo spurred his horse forward.

Lin Shi pulled Lin Hao into the carriage and stuffed a warming brazier into her hands: “Ah Hao, are you frightened?”

Warmth spread from her palms. Lin Hao’s pale lips recovered some color.

“A little.” Her thoughts were in turmoil. Having no energy for idle chat with her mother, she simply admitted it.

Though Lin Shi wasn’t afraid of corpses, thinking of the Crown Prince being assassinated at Wuning Marquis Manor inevitably alarmed her: “Even the Crown Prince can be attacked—the times are becoming increasingly unstable. I wonder how the Crown Prince’s condition is. This time quite a few people will probably suffer.”

“The Crown Prince should be fine.” Lin Hao murmured.

Lin Shi’s expression grew somewhat strange: “Ah Hao, how do you know the Crown Prince is fine?”

Lin Hao’s eyes regained their spirit, though they held melancholy: “The Crown Prince has so many expert protectors. At most it’s a superficial wound.”

In her previous life when she’d returned to the capital, the Crown Prince had been serving as regent. No one mentioned this assassination attempt. The most reasonable analysis was that this assassination had caused the Crown Prince minimal harm.

What a pity Xiao Feng had died in vain. She didn’t know what kind of grievance he had with the Crown Prince.

Lin Hao regretted that the dog Crown Prince was unharmed, while the imperial physician treating the Crown Prince at Wuning Marquis Manor didn’t think so at all.

“This is bad—the poison coating the throwing knife is too potent. We may need to scrape the bone to treat the poison.”

Another imperial physician’s face showed panic as he said in a low voice: “That will require enduring tremendous suffering. His Highness—”

The Crown Prince had already fallen unconscious, completely unaware of what he was about to endure.