Chu Yi’s gaze fell on Yun Chu’s face.

The night was pitch black, yet her face seemed to glow in the darkness. Her two eyes were like black gemstones, making it impossible to look away.

Actually, this weapon could have been delivered at any time. If he truly couldn’t spare the time, he could have also had an attendant deliver it to the Xie manor.

But he had deliberately chosen this hour, chosen this place, and asked her to come late at night.

His intentions could no longer be hidden.

But he had to hide them well.

“Look, on the right side of the short sword—isn’t there a protruding round dot?”

By the moonlight, Yun Chu indeed saw that small round dot. It was made of a piece of red jade. She touched it—it seemed it could be pressed down.

She raised her head. “Your Highness, what happens if I press it?”

Chu Yi clearly saw his own reflection in her eyes.

This feeling pleased him.

His lips couldn’t help but curve into an arc.

He took two steps toward Yun Chu, then stood facing the same direction as her, toward the lake.

He reached out and placed his hand on the sword hilt.

When the man’s scorching large palm extended over, Yun Chu couldn’t help but startle.

She suddenly realized they were standing far too close to each other.

This was against propriety.

Before she could make a move, the man’s low, husky voice sounded by her ear. “In this direction, press.”

When he spoke, his burning breath fell on Yun Chu’s cheek. Her breathing hitched, and her thumb pressed down. With a whooshing sound, a silver hidden arrow about the length of a small finger suddenly shot from the tip of the short sword.

The short sword instantly pierced into the water. After a moment, a dead fish floated to the lake surface.

Yun Chu was utterly astonished. “How many times can it be pressed?”

Chu Yi said, “Three times.”

When he spoke, his breath sprayed by her ear, making Yun Chu feel uncomfortable all over.

She quickly walked several steps to the side, found an angle, and tried it. The tip of the short sword immediately shot out the second hidden arrow, embedding into a tree trunk not far away.

Yun Chu walked over, wanting to pull out the hidden arrow, but it had penetrated two-thirds of the way in—too deep. She couldn’t pull it out at all.

“I had someone forge a box of hidden arrows. They’ll be delivered to the Yun manor in a few days.” Chu Yi walked over, pulled out the hidden arrow from the tree trunk, then installed it back in slow motion and handed it to her. “I hope you’ll never need to use it.”

Yun Chu took it and couldn’t help thanking him again. “Thank you, Your Highness.”

She came from a military family and had been exposed to countless weapons since childhood, yet this was the first time she had seen such an exquisite short sword.

Generally speaking, short swords were used for self-defense, mainly for close combat. But Prince Pingxi had hidden a mechanism inside—in addition to close combat, it could engage in long-range attacks, focusing on catching opponents off guard, easily gaining the upper hand in a confrontation.

“I wonder if Your Highness lacks anything?”

She felt a bit regretful. She should have kept some of that raw jade last time—perhaps she could have made something to give him.

Chu Yi coughed and said, “If Miss Yun truly wants to express thanks, then I’ll trouble you to look after the two children these few days. If I haven’t guessed wrong, Yuge and Changsheng will come to your camp tent tonight.”

This matter didn’t surprise Yun Chu at all.

That boy Yuge had asked the Empress to invite her to Yan Mountain—he definitely wanted to cling to her every day.

It was only these few days anyway, and something bad would happen, so staying with her would provide more protection.

She was about to nod in agreement.

Suddenly, Chengxu and Qiutong both rushed over from the distance.

“Your Highness, there are assassins!”

“Madam, this servant will escort you back to the camp tent first!”

Yun Chu’s heart sank.

She hadn’t expected this incident from her previous life to occur on the very first night of the hunt.

“Chengxu, you escort Madam Xie.”

Chu Yi left his most capable guard behind, then swiftly headed in the direction of the assassins.

Chengxu and Qiutong protected Yun Chu as they quickly returned to the camp tent.

The camp tent area was already in chaos. Many noblewomen and young ladies were pale with fright. Important court officials surrounded the imperial family members, with a circle of Imperial Guards on the outer perimeter.

Yun Chu saw the two children huddled beside Imperial Consort Yin with nursemaids guarding them, and her heart settled.

“Chu’er, where did you go just now?” Lin Shi grabbed Yun Chu’s hand. “You scared me to death. I thought you’d been captured by assassins.”

“It was stuffy in the tent, so I went out for some air.” Yun Chu replied, “I’m sorry for worrying you, Mother.”

Everyone waited in terror in the darkness for about half an hour before the guards who had gone to pursue the assassins finally began returning in waves.

The one leading them was Prince Pingxi, Chu Yi.

His horse stopped before the crowd. He dismounted, walked to the Emperor, and said, “Your Majesty, your son has captured three assassins alive. Bring them up!”

The guards behind brought up three black-clothed assassins bound tightly and threw them on the ground.

“Audacious assassins, daring to assassinate the current Emperor!” The usually virtuous and dignified Empress flew into a rage, picked up a teacup, and smashed it on an assassin’s head. “Speak! Who instigated you!”

If not for a clever little eunuch who had heard the commotion in time, the Emperor would have nearly died at Yan Mountain.

Although his life was saved, his arm had been wounded by an assassin. For the Son of Heaven to shed blood was detrimental to the nation, which was why the Empress was so enraged.

The several assassins refused to speak no matter what.

Prince Gongxi stepped forward, felt around on the assassins’ bodies, and pulled out a token, presenting it with both hands. “Father Emperor, please look.”

Upon seeing that token, the Emperor’s expression changed dramatically. “Isn’t this Fourth Brother’s token? Where is he now?”

“Your Majesty, Fourth Brother also went with Prince Pingxi to pursue the assassins just now.” Imperial Consort De said incredulously, “How could Fourth Brother’s token end up in the assassins’ hands? Something must have happened to Fourth Brother! Your Majesty, quickly send people to find Fourth Brother!”

“Is that so?” Prince Gongxi said, “After nightfall, I haven’t seen Fourth Brother at all. Fourth Sister-in-law, do you know where Fourth Brother went?”

Xie Ping took a moment to realize that Prince Gongxi’s “fourth sister-in-law” referred to herself.

She quickly stepped out from the crowd and said without thinking, “After the hunt ended, the prince left the camp tent.”

She had also only learned from asking a maid that the prince had hastily left. She had no idea where he went or what he was doing. She was such a failure as a princess consort.

She raised her head slightly and met Imperial Consort De’s angry gaze.

She belatedly realized she seemed to have said the wrong thing.

Imperial Consort De said the prince had gone to pursue assassins, but she had said the prince had left long ago…

Prince Gongxi bowed to the person in the highest position. “Father Emperor, the urgent matter is to immediately find Fourth Brother.”

The Crown Prince said with a stern face, “Father Emperor, please allow your son to personally interrogate these assassins.”

The Emperor’s expression showed no excess emotion.

Only the Empress knew that the Emperor was furious to the extreme.

Since the Emperor had ascended to this position, for several decades now, he had never encountered assassination. If he hadn’t been injured it would be one thing, but having shed blood, this matter could not simply pass lightly.

Chu Yi led people to search the entire mountain for Prince An’jing’s whereabouts.

The Crown Prince and Prince Gongxi interrogated the three captured assassins before everyone’s eyes.

One assassin directly bit off his own tongue. If not for Prince Gongxi’s quick reaction, the remaining two would have also nearly committed suicide.

“You’ve committed capital crimes and of course must die, but not so easily.”

The Crown Prince clapped his hands, and an Eastern Palace eunuch stepped forward, awaiting instructions.