"Today is the birthday banquet of the Prince of Cheng. Let's go there a bit later..."
Zhongli Mingye was lying on the bed, on his side.
His phoenix eyes were filled with a smile as he watched the charming woman dressing up. "That won't do! Can we always be late?" After she put on the pearl earrings, which set off her flawless skin, Zhongli Mingye felt a flutter in his heart. He rolled out of bed.
"What are you doing?"
"Don't move!" He picked up a vermilion brush and painted a magnolia flower on her smooth forehead. Her big eyes flashed with a hint of confusion,
rippling with water. She looked up at Zhongli Mingye. "Do I look good?"
"You're not as good-looking as this king..."
Humph! How narcissistic... What's so good-looking about a big man! Her red lips, just painted with lipstick, pouted slightly. Her lively eyes rolled. Just as she was about to say something more,
unfortunately, she couldn't say it. She was kissed by him.
"You've messed up my makeup..." She was dissatisfied with his sudden attack. The man who had succeeded laughed. "Put it on again!"
Today's birthday banquet was not on a large scale. All the guests were royal relatives.
Song Jinyu looked around but didn't see Rong Shuang'er. There was only the wife of the Duke of Rong. She felt a bit disappointed.
Princess Suoli saw Song Jinyu and rushed over excitedly. "Jinyu!"
They hadn't seen each other for a long time. Princess Suoli was even more charming. Her eyes fell on the hands that the two were holding. She laughed. "Fourth brother, this... Tsk tsk... Hurry up and give the girl to your sister."
Reminded by Suoli, Song Jinyu only then realized that she and Zhongli Mingye had been holding hands all the time. She quickly let go and went to the women's seats with Suoli. Yu Duanya got up to greet them. The young heir apparent was in a very good mood today. He was coaxing Princess Suoli's young princess to play together.
"When the young heir apparent of the Prince of Yu's mansion is born, we can often get together." Yu Duanya looked at Song Jinyu happily. Everyone in the capital knew that the Prince of Yu doted on his wife.
"Sisters are joking!"
Song Jinyu blushed inexplicably. Seeing her holding the young princess, Yu Duanya also handed over the young heir apparent. "Don't be partial. You should also hold our heir apparent."
"I hope you'll have a son and a daughter all at once. That would be great!" Yu Duanya and Princess Suoli laughed. They made Song Jinyu blush deeply.
Although Song Jinyu hoped for a child, she had never thought about whether it would be a boy or a girl. She decided to ask Zhongli Mingye tonight whether he wanted a boy or a girl.
Just as everyone was enjoying themselves at the banquet, suddenly a eunuch from the palace came to present a birthday gift.
The Prince of Cheng's mansion received it. Suddenly, there was a commotion at the door. Song Jinyu was a bit confused. How could someone cause trouble in a prince's mansion in broad daylight?
Before she could figure it out, there were already noble ladies screaming beside her! Zhongli Mingye had just raised his cup to congratulate the Prince of Cheng on his birthday.
He saw the Prince of Cheng's cup fall to the ground! There was a knife stuck in his chest. It was actually a maid behind him who had made the move. Zhongli Mingye was quick - witted. He threw his chopsticks at the assassin and killed her with one move! He prevented her from hurting the Prince of Cheng again.
For a moment, the banquet hall was in a complete mess,
and suddenly many black - clothed men poured in from the back door.
Song Jinyu was still holding the young heir apparent in her arms. She calmed down and pulled Yu Duanya and Suoli to run away quickly.
"My lord!" Yu Duanya was worried about the Prince of Cheng. "Don't worry about him for now!"
"Micui... Tell Qingfeng to protect the lord well!"
"Yes!"
Suoli hugged her daughter tightly and was trembling all over. "It's bad!"
The black - clothed men seemed to have a purpose. They directly chased after Song Jinyu and the others. Even though Micui and Niaoniao were highly skilled in martial arts, it was still a bit difficult for them to protect the three masters.
Song Jinyu hugged the young heir apparent tightly, while Yu Duanya realized that these black - clothed men were after her.
Her eyes turned red. "Jinyu, please take good care of my son for me."
"What are you doing!"
Yu Duanya wanted to rush out, but was grabbed by Song Jinyu. "If you go out, you'll die!"
From time to time, maids and royal relatives fell to the ground. For a moment, there were countless wails. Zhongli Mingye rushed to the women's seats but didn't see Song Jinyu and the others.
Ming Ruyi watched the tragedy in front of her coldly, unmoved. She just kept using a fan to block the attacks of the black - clothed men.
The most highly - skilled black - clothed man saw that the Prince of Cheng was dead. Then he went to look for the female relatives and chased after Song Jinyu and the others all the way.
The Prince of Cheng's mansion covered a large area. Because of the grand banquet in the mansion today, the black - clothed men had mixed in with the purchasing servants, which was why they had succeeded in the assassination.
As they chased, the black - clothed men suffered heavy losses.
After all, the maids beside the princesses all knew some martial arts. Especially Micui and Niaoniao, who came from the martial arts world, were more than capable of dealing with the black - clothed men.
But when the leader of the black - clothed men arrived, the situation changed.
He aimed at people's vital parts with every strike. Yu Duanya was physically weak and was soon left alone. Song Jinyu held the heir apparent in one hand and pulled Yu Duanya with the other. "Jinyu, let go of me!"
These black - clothed men were all after the Prince of Cheng's mansion.
Niaoniao and Micui joined forces to attack the leader of the black - clothed men, but they were still losing ground. The leader of the black - clothed men finally got rid of their siege. Just as he was about to kill Yu Duanya with a single blow, he met a pair of familiar eyes.
The knife in his hand was stained with a lot of blood. His dark hand tightened a bit. In that instant, he missed the opportunity.
Qingfeng rushed over and stabbed the leader of the black - clothed men with a sword.
Although the leader of the black - clothed men had covered his face, Song Jinyu felt that he was a bit familiar. But this was not the time to reminisce. She hugged the heir apparent, pulled the two princesses, and got away from the battlefield.
Zhongli Mingye got rid of the black - clothed men around him and rushed over. "Jinyu!"
She came to her senses and handed the heir apparent to Yu Duanya. Then she was pulled into Zhongli Mingye's arms. "Thank goodness you're not hurt!"
God knows, when he saw the black - clothed man's knife pointed at Song Jinyu, his heart almost jumped out of his chest.
Fortunately, Qingfeng had saved her in time.
"The imperial guards have come. All the black - clothed men have been captured. A small number have escaped!" Zhongli Mingye looked Song Jinyu up and down. Seeing that she was unharmed, he was relieved.
They never expected that on such a day, someone would dare to enter a prince's mansion to assassinate... And the most strange thing was that the personal soldiers of the Prince of Cheng's mansion had come so late.
"The Prince of Cheng is dead..."
Song Jinyu opened her eyes wide. She could hardly believe it. "What about Yu Duanya and her son..."
There was no emotion on Zhongli Mingye's handsome face. He only cared about Song Jinyu's safety.
Looking at Zhongli Shuoyi lying on the ground, Yu Duanya trembled and stepped forward. There was still a short dagger stuck in his chest. The ground was full of blood.
How much pain must he have endured?
Yu Duanya vaguely remembered the day when she had asked to leave the mansion on her own initiative. That man had coldly refused and had confined her.
She understood, and had always understood.
He had never given up on her even in a critical moment. She had originally thought that she was just a pawn to him, but now she finally understood. As husband and wife, they had always loved each other.
Otherwise...
She slumped to the ground, covering her chest. Tears couldn't stop flowing down. She finally discovered his goodness, but unfortunately, she would never have the chance to tell Zhongli Shuoyi.
The young heir apparent seemed to understand. He burst into crying.
Suoli picked him up and raised him together with the young princess.
The assassination of the Prince of Cheng shocked the whole court. The emperor was extremely angry and executed a group of officials including the magistrate of the capital. Such a murder had happened right under the emperor's nose.