“Second Miss, I am truly grateful from the bottom of my heart for your kindness toward Chunhong, but this old servant does not wish for you to act rashly. Madam, she…”
Zhong Shu thought of the deep bond between her and Chunhong. Though he was relieved for Chunhong, the thought of the mastermind behind the attack made him uneasy, and he felt compelled to warn her.
“Zhong Shu, do you suspect her too?”
Seeing the old man’s expression, Wanqing looked directly at him and asked.
“I…” Caught off guard by her question, the old man lowered his head in hesitation.
“Actually, I’ve suspected her for a long time. There’s something suspicious about Chunhong, Granny Liu, and even my mother’s death. But don’t worry—Qing’er is no longer the same as before. Whoever schemes against me will face my wrath. It’s getting late, you should rest early. And please keep my visit tonight a secret.”
Wanqing offered a reassuring smile, thinking of all she knew. She stood up to comfort the old man and reminded him once more.
“Second Miss, you need not worry. This old servant will not breathe a word.”
Though she meant well, the old man nervously gave his assurance.
“Honglian, we should go now.”
Wanqing noticed the old man’s unease and, though slightly exasperated, nodded calmly and called for Honglian behind her.
Just as the two stepped out of the old man’s hut, “Miss, be careful!” Before Wanqing could react, Honglian had already moved in front of her, her soft sword unsheathed, effortlessly deflecting a dagger aimed at Wanqing’s head.
“Damn it…” The dagger clattered to the ground. Wanqing glanced down at the weapon that had nearly struck her, then sharply turned to see a figure standing beside Zhong Shu.
A man clad in black, his face concealed by a dark cloth, his gaze icy. One hand gripped the old man’s shoulder, the other pressing a dagger to his throat.
“Let him go.”
Honglian’s voice was cold as she prepared to charge forward.
“Honglian, don’t act rashly. Who are you? If you have any grievances, take them up with me. Threatening an old man is hardly the act of a hero.”
Though Wanqing trusted Honglian’s skills, with the old man in the enemy’s grasp, she calmly raised a hand to stop her. She stepped forward, addressing the black-clad man.
“Second Miss Mu is indeed straightforward. Who I am doesn’t matter. If you want this old man to live, bring the token your mother left you to the Western Slope Pavilion outside the city walls by tomorrow at dusk. If you don’t show up, come at dawn the next day to collect his corpse.”
The man smirked coldly, tightening his grip on the old man’s shoulder as he stepped forward.
“You—” Honglian instinctively protested as he began to drag the old man away.
“Fine. Tomorrow at dusk, I will come alone. But you’d better ensure his safety until then, or I’ll destroy the token before handing it over.”
Wanqing cut off Honglian’s protest, accepting the challenge with icy resolve.
“One more thing—come alone. If I see anyone else with you, don’t blame me for breaking my word. Let’s go.”
With that, the black-clad man leaped away, taking Zhong Shu with him.
“Miss, are we really letting him take Zhong Shu like this? This—”
Honglian instinctively moved to pursue, but Wanqing stopped her. Though she didn’t understand what the man wanted from her mistress, the situation was precarious. Despite Wanqing’s medical skills, facing a skilled opponent alone filled her with worry.
“Don’t worry. I have a plan. And I believe he won’t harm Zhong Shu before I arrive. Let’s go check on Hongyan.”
Wanqing knew Honglian’s concern was for her sake. Thinking of those who had repeatedly demanded her mother’s token, she saw this as a chance to uncover the mastermind. She reassured Honglian calmly and headed toward her father’s quarters.
“Miss.”
At the entrance to her father’s courtyard, Hongyan greeted her in a low voice, then glanced toward the main hall behind her.
“What happened?”
Following her gaze, Wanqing saw her father seated in a chair, a physician bandaging a wound on his arm. She stepped past Hongyan and entered, her voice cool.
“A black-clad man attempted to assassinate the Marquis. Though I did my best to protect him, the Marquis was still injured on the arm. I apologize, Hongyan.”
Hongyan followed her inside, her head bowed in shame.
“You did your best. Thank you, Sister Hongyan. I’ll consider what you said earlier. Physician, how is my father?”
Though unsure of the details, Wanqing was grateful for Hongyan’s protection, which had come with conditions. She handed the physician a silver ingot, ignoring his polite refusal, and instructed Honglian to see him out.
“Father, is your arm alright?”
Alone with her father, Wanqing hesitated before speaking.
“Thanks to Miss Hongyan’s protection, or this old life of mine would be over. Qing’er, how did you know someone would attack me?”
Marquis Mu Zhenfeng looked up, puzzled by his daughter’s foresight yet lack of warning.
“I only suspected. I didn’t expect them to actually target you. Did you notice anything about the assassin?”
Wanqing sighed, her suspicions about Lady Liu growing stronger. She had sent Honglian on a mission earlier, and this attack only confirmed her doubts.
“The man was masked, so I couldn’t identify him. But I’m certain it was a man. During our struggle, I managed to tear this from him. Qing’er, have you seen this before?”
The Marquis studied his suddenly enigmatic daughter, then retrieved an item from the table.
“A woman’s belonging? And this scent… If I’m not mistaken, I think I know who it is.”
Wanqing took the embroidered sachet, sniffed it, and her brows furrowed in recognition.
“Who?”
Her father pressed urgently.
“I’m not certain yet. But if you allow me to stage a little act, I believe you’ll soon find out.”
Seeing the fury in his eyes, Wanqing smiled faintly. Though she held no affection for her father, she saw this as an opportunity to expose Lady Liu’s schemes—and perhaps, in the process, help him.
“An act?”
The Marquis frowned, confused.
“Yes, an act. If you’d rather not know who tried to kill you, forget I said anything.”
Seeing his bewilderment, Wanqing turned to leave with Honglian.
“Wait, Qing’er. I agree. But whoever it is, they will answer to me. I want to see who dares to strike at me.”
Though filled with doubts, the Marquis stopped her, his voice icy with anger.
“Very well. Then await my good news. And I hope you’ll mete out justice fairly when the time comes.”
Wanqing agreed readily, her words laced with hidden meaning as she left with Honglian.
“Who would want me dead? I, Mu Zhenfeng, have always been cautious in court, never making enemies. Yet someone seeks my life. Attendant!”
After Wanqing left, the Marquis sat deep in thought, his expression grave. Summoning a servant, he ordered, “Follow Second Miss discreetly. See what ‘act’ she’s staging. Do not alert her.”
As the servant departed, the Marquis remained seated, lost in troubled contemplation.
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