HomeAfter I Bloom Hundred Flowers DieChapter 593: Who Is in Whose Trap?

Chapter 593: Who Is in Whose Trap?

The prayer ceremony schedule had long been arranged – originally, after completing prayers today, they would depart from Xiangguo Temple directly to the temporary palace early tomorrow morning after preparations. Who could have known His Majesty’s prayers would go awry, outside rumors would intensify, and His Majesty would be unwilling to leave Xiangguo Temple at this time?

Firstly, leaving would humiliate Master Xu Qing and affect Xiangguo Temple’s reputation and patronage – departing in anger would be beneath imperial dignity. Secondly, His Majesty couldn’t leave in embarrassment, truly appearing as if Heaven didn’t bless him. There had just been rumors about His Majesty killing his brother to seize power; he absolutely wouldn’t allow anyone to connect these two matters.

All this was within Shen Xihe’s expectations since she and her husband were behind the incense trick. However, it wasn’t within Noble Consort Rong’s predictions. She only knew they would depart early tomorrow morning, so her arranged plot would certainly take action tonight.

Missing tonight would mean missing the best opportunity to strike at Shen Xihe regarding palace authority. During this Huguo Temple visit, all female matters were under Shen Xihe’s purview, including not just these arrangements but also everyone’s lodging, meals, and safety.

There were too many places to interfere. Shen Xihe didn’t want to deploy too many people to watch Noble Consort Rong’s people, as this would expose her network of eyes in the palace. They shouldn’t forget that Noble Consort Rong had His Majesty backing her – His Majesty wanted to see how many cards Shen Xihe held, ready to swiftly clip her wings.

Shen Xihe disliked being passive; she preferred controlling the initiative. When dealing with direct competitors, she preferred defeating them in one move rather than getting entangled in prolonged conflicts.

She lowered her head, stroking Duanming’s fur. She wasn’t a cat – she didn’t enjoy the meaningless pleasure cats got from toying with mice.

Since Noble Consort Rong had made her move, they needed to be ready to counter it.

The moon rose above the willow tips, and Xiangguo Temple was bathed in candlelight and moonlight, filled with the sound of cicadas.

The lights in Shen Xihe’s room were extinguished. Being in a Buddhist temple, even she and Xiao Huayong as husband and wife stayed in separate rooms. The courtyard housed not just them but also Li Yanyan and her husband. With meditation rooms scarce, the ministers had found lodging outside.

Seeing the lights go out in Shen Xihe’s room, the spy hidden in darkness immediately reported back. Noble Consort Rong sat with loose hair in a dim room, half her face reflected in a bronze mirror under the moonlight, her eyes dark: “Proceed as planned.”

This was Shen Xihe’s first time managing palace authority. Many important locations needed her trusted people watching over them, like the temple kitchen. From today through tomorrow’s breakfast, including the vegetarian meals and snacks in between, everything would enter noble mouths and be naturally crucial. Since Shen Xihe couldn’t expose her palace plants, she assigned Ziyu to watch the kitchen.

Ziyu had originally managed the Eastern Palace kitchen. Anyone investigating Shen Xihe’s attendants thoroughly would discover that her maids were all cunning and skilled, not easily schemed against or taken down – except Ziyu, who seemed the easiest to deal with.

While Ziyu was diligently controlling the kitchen, she suddenly heard a familiar call. Turning her head, she saw “Duanming’s” figure. She called out “Duanming,” and it bounded toward her. The kitchen happened to have some fish crackers, and she took some to feed “Duanming.” Just as she offered them, a sudden whistle caught her attention. In that moment of distraction, the “Duanming” before her suddenly revealed sharp claws, scratching Ziyu’s arm viciously.

“Ah!” Ziyu cried in pain as “Duanming” quickly fled.

She moved to chase but remembered Shen Xihe’s instructions and returned to guard the kitchen. She caught a fire-watching eunuch and ordered: “Go find the Crown Princess’s female official Zhenzhu and tell her Duanming is acting strange.”

The cat looked identical to Duanming, and Ziyu didn’t realize it was fake, assuming someone had done something to Duanming. She hoped the Crown Princess would be vigilant and not let Duanming near.

The eunuch left with the message, and Ziyu sat down.

On a midsummer night in the capital, even the wind was hot and dry. This sultriness invaded Ziyu’s body, making her feel uncomfortable. Fine sweat broke out over her body, and the scratched area began to itch. Looking down, she saw it was red and swollen.

She stood to call the guard at the door but became dizzy upon rising. Her vision grew increasingly blurred until she collapsed. Though fallen, she hadn’t lost consciousness – like a fish thrown on the beach, she was powerless and parched, her mouth moving but making no sound.

Soon, a figure silently appeared and lifted her without a sound. When the messenger eunuch returned with Zhenzhu, neither saw Ziyu.

Ziyu was carried to a woodshed where a thin monk sat eating greedily. The person who brought her set her down: “A gift from Her Highness. Since you’ve tasted meat, why not taste a woman’s flavor too?”

Tears welled in the powerless Ziyu’s eyes as she heard her bearer leave and the woodshed door close.

Just as the thin monk crouched beside Ziyu, about to touch her clothes, something struck his back, freezing him in place. Two figures lightly jumped down from the roof, carrying a black sack.

Inside the sack was an unconscious woman. The arrivals were none other than Xiao Huayong’s subordinate Jiuzhang. Jiuzhang dragged out a palace maid from the black sack – Noble Consort Rong’s female official.

This wasn’t like the palace – the consorts’ maids couldn’t all stay by their sides to serve. They were arranged to stay in one room together. Shen Xihe had deliberately arranged for Moyu to stay with them, easily making everyone fall asleep, kidnapping Noble Consort Rong’s female official to replace Ziyu.

Simultaneously, an assassin mysteriously infiltrated His Majesty’s meditation chamber, somehow evading the heavy guard to silently enter and strike a lethal blow at His Majesty. Even though Emperor Youning woke alertly and quickly dodged, his shoulder was still cut, blood spattering the curtains.

“Guards!” Emperor Youning shouted, quickly dodging the assassin’s second strike.

The guards on rotation and palace servants outside were all startled awake, quickly kicking in the door and rushing in. Liu Sanzhi especially rushed toward Emperor Youning, barely blocking a sword that had nearly reached His Majesty’s brow, just two inches away. His whisk rose and wrapped around the assassin’s sword, forcing them to retreat, immediately surrounded by the rushing guards.

“Take them alive!” Emperor Youning commanded deeply.

With His Majesty’s order, the guards dared not strike to kill. The masked figure in black was highly skilled, proving difficult to capture. They deliberately threw themselves at a guard’s blade aimed at a vital point. The guard, following imperial orders, immediately pulled back, allowing the assassin to kick them away, creating an opening to break through and disappear into the night with a leap.

This wasn’t the palace – Shen Xihe and Xiao Huayong weren’t far from Emperor Youning and rushed over upon hearing of the assassination attempt.

As they left their courtyard, a dark shadow slipped in.

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