“Zhu Danchen, don’t go too far!” Seeing the blue-clothed woman lying unconscious on the ground, pale-faced and being roughly handled by several servants, Concubine Rou became furious and said sternly: “Concubine Lan has always avoided worldly conflicts. If you want to use underhanded methods, come at me directly. Why involve the innocent!”
“What are you saying, Sister Concubine Rou?” Concubine Dan raised her eyebrow, her lips curving in a light smile: “Male personal items were found privately hidden in Concubine Lan’s chambers. According to our Southern Chu calendar laws, this constitutes adultery. The Crown Prince ordered me to handle this matter with full authority. Where do these accusations of underhanded methods come from? Rather, you coming here making such a commotion—those unaware might think I’m abusing my authority and secretly harming Concubine Lan. What are your intentions in slandering me like this?”
Having said this, she addressed several nearby servants: “You few, support Concubine Rou properly. She just miscarried the dragon heir, and her body hasn’t recovered yet. If anything happens to her, all your heads together couldn’t compensate!”
“Yes!” The unified, resounding response immediately drowned out Concubine Rou’s angry shouts. Concubine Dan ignored Concubine Rou’s furious gaze and slowly walked toward Concubine Lan, who was still unconscious and supported by guards. She sneered: “So pitifully beautiful, even I feel sympathy, yet you chose to do such lowly, shameless things. Sister, why put yourself through this?” She then turned her head slightly, her eyes coldly looking at Concubine Rou, who was being tightly restrained by guards. Her lips curved up in a sinister smile: “Blame only that she associated too closely with you and was born so beautiful. How could I not worry?”
Concubine Rou’s eyes instantly widened. She saw Concubine Dan slowly raise her delicate hand—palm white, fingernails painted crimson—and between her fingers, a silver blade gleamed into view. Wind from the corridors on both sides of the great hall swept through, lifting a strand of hair at Concubine Dan’s temples, slightly brushing past her vermillion lips as they curved into an evil smile. A vicious gleam immediately flashed through Concubine Dan’s eyes. She snorted coldly, and her palm concealing the blade swung viciously toward Concubine Lan’s delicate face!
“Ah!” A terrified scream from Concubine Rou immediately rang out in Lanting Hall.
Concubine Dan’s delicate hand flew through the air, her eyebrows sharp and fierce, her lips curved in a cold smile, like a demon.
Everyone’s pupils dilated instantly. Concubine Chen couldn’t bear to watch and turned her head away. Concubine De’s expression remained calm, but her hand hanging at her side trembled slightly.
In the chaos, Concubine Lan’s eyelashes moved slightly, fluttering once.
Time roared past, crossing through life and death. All around was deathly silence, like a desolate wilderness filled with deadly stillness. Souls floated gently in the ghostly sky, surrounded by desperate spirits everywhere. All bodily strength was drained in an instant. Life or death? The pale-faced woman slowly opened her eyes.
A fierce palm wind arrived instantly. Eyes just emerging from darkness couldn’t adapt to such blinding sunlight. The pale-faced woman in blue frowned slightly, but her body reacted faster than her consciousness. She suddenly stepped back, her right palm striking down heavily, grabbing the opponent’s wrist and applying slight pressure. Only the crack of breaking bone suddenly rang out, followed instantly by a small grappling technique. Her ankle hooked, and Concubine Dan in her bright red robes cried out and fell to the ground!
“Ah!” Piercing screams immediately filled the great hall. Everyone stared dumbfounded at this shocking turn of events. Concubine Rou’s beautiful eyes widened, unable to speak.
“My Lady! My Lady!” Several servants rushed forward, frantically pulling up the wailing Concubine Dan from the ground. The scene became chaotic.
Seizing the opportunity, Concubine Rou shook off the restraints of two servants and hurried forward to take Concubine Lan’s hand: “Sister, how are you?”
“Who are you?” After brief confusion, Concubine Lan’s gaze suddenly became sharp and clear. She cautiously stepped back and looked coldly at Concubine Rou who had rushed to her side, saying gravely: “What is this place?”
Not only was Concubine Rou shocked by this, but even Concubine Dan, still lying on the ground, was greatly surprised. Facing Concubine Lan’s sharp, snow-like gaze that felt cutting like a blade, Concubine Rou said in panic: “Qing… Qingxia, I’m Roulan. You are… what’s wrong with you?”
“Qingxia?” Concubine Lan frowned. Her originally weak and pale face rarely showed such thoughtfulness and caution. Her gaze slowly moved to the surrounding people, full of investigation and vigilance. Finally, she fixed her gaze on Concubine Dan, who was being helped up, and said gravely: “Stop playing games. Call your boss over. I have something to say!”
“Boss?” Concubine Dan’s beautiful eyes immediately widened, then she suddenly understood: “You mean, His Majesty?”
“Constitutional monarchy?” Concubine Lan murmured, then stood up straight with dignity. Her eyes swept around and noticed a servant nearby wearing a saber at his waist. She suddenly moved forward agilely, her movements skilled and swift as wind, snatching the servant’s saber and drawing it with a sharp sound. The bright gleam immediately illuminated Concubine Lan’s pale face, and everyone around gasped in unison.
Concubine Rou stared wide-eyed, watching in disbelief as Concubine Lan swung the long blade and placed it against Concubine Dan’s neck, crying out in shock.
“I don’t care who you people are. Let’s make a deal. I have something on me that would interest you. Get someone with real authority out here. Otherwise, every three minutes I’ll kill one person here, starting with you!”
In the deathly silent great hall, everyone carefully controlled their breathing, afraid that any carelessness might anger this poor woman who, in their eyes, had gone mad.
Concubine Dan lay on the ground, her brilliant red phoenix robes contrasting with the golden luxurious floor, creating a striking and dazzling display of color. Even in such an embarrassing position, this ruthless woman still maintained her nobility and defiance. Concubine Dan straightened her back and held her head high. Her snow-white neck under the chilling blade possessed a breathtaking beauty. Her fractured wrist constantly sent waves of excruciating pain, and large beads of sweat slowly seeped from her forehead. Yet except for that initial moment, she hadn’t made another sound.
Watching Concubine Dan endure the pain, Concubine Rou’s gaze was complex, and she couldn’t help but admire her. But at this moment, everything seemed less important. Concubine Rou kept looking toward the corridor outside, then turning back to nervously watch that thin, frail figure in the great hall, worry immediately flooding her heart.
“His Highness the Crown Prince arrives!”
The eunuch’s shrill voice carried in from afar. Everyone’s expressions changed dramatically as they all knelt in unison, respectfully paying their respects. A path of vermillion brocade stretched out, with fragrant incense on both sides. Lanting Hall, usually the most peaceful place, was bustling today. Chaotic footsteps sounded at the entrance. Concubine Chen and Concubine De shed their previous dejected appearance, kneeling gracefully and charmingly on the ground with tearful eyes and slight panting, calling out in unison: “We respectfully welcome His Highness the Crown Prince!”
The woman called Qingxia, who was Concubine Lan, curved her lips in a cold smile. If you’re going to act, do it completely. She had to admit that regardless of who these people were, they had certainly set the scene well. If not for their idea being too absurd, she might actually have been fooled by them.
Indeed, the current Concubine Lan was none other than the international top agent who, on the streets of Tokyo, required the military to deploy Navy Marines for a collective assassination to succeed—Military Intelligence Division 9 super agent 003, Tang Xiaoshi.
She never would have expected her own country to turn against her. When she saw the large quantity of C4 high explosives installed in the vehicle’s lower compartment, she understood everything completely. Only Military Intelligence and the military could know her escape route and prepare explosives in her getaway car.
It couldn’t be Li Yang. Though he was a high-ranking leader in Division 9, his political experience was still shallow, and he wouldn’t have the heart to execute her like this. That left only one possibility: high-ranking military officials had intervened, gaining leadership over Division 9 and access to top-secret intelligence.
Thinking of this, Tang Xiaoshi couldn’t help but curve her lips in a bitter smile. After serving the country for so many years, she had seen plenty of cases where agents were abandoned by the government after such operations.
She remembered once executing a mission to kill a Division 6 agent whose identity had been exposed in Bangkok. When that agent saw Xiao Shi appear, he had the same expression, though he was more sensible than Xiao Shi—that person had shot himself. Unlike herself, who had actually opened fire on the Navy Marine team.
But when anything happens to oneself, it becomes an entirely different story.
The first rule of the agent code: Everything for national interests. This was actually easy to understand. Whatever the nation did was right, even if it meant taking your life. You shouldn’t furrow your brow or hesitate even slightly, but should generously face death and heroically sacrifice yourself without any complaints.
Unfortunately, everyone only has one life, and no one doesn’t cherish their own existence. Those iron-blooded soldiers willing to sacrifice everything for the country only exist as character performances in television and movies. In real society, no one isn’t afraid of death.
From this perspective, Xiao Shi was clearly not a qualified agent. But it was precisely this that gave her the courage to stand here now, giving her leverage to face this pretentious force behind the scenes. She firmly believed that as long as she could meet their leader, she would have a chance to negotiate terms and leave this place of trouble. Actually, if it hadn’t been the military’s group of emotionless, cold-blooded killing machines executing the mission in Tokyo, but rather people from Military Intelligence or the National Security Bureau, she definitely would have had a chance to escape. Because only people like them would understand what the things she possessed meant to a country.
Thick musk scent permeated the great hall, and blinding bright yellow immediately flashed into Xiao Shi’s vision. She looked sideways and immediately felt a sharp gaze shooting toward her, cold as ice and snow, filled with sinister chilling air that completely froze the tension in the room. The air seemed to solidify instantly, filled with oppressive pressure.