The empress dowager had planned to use Yao Saner long ago. Thinking of this, Ning Wanwan felt a chill down her spine. She steadied herself and said, “Tell the empress dowager that the child-parasite needs at least a year to mature before it can connect with the mother-parasite.”
Yao Saner thought for a moment and nodded, “…Okay.”
Ning Wanwan took a deep breath, calming her previous panic.
“How do you usually send messages into the palace?”
“The empress dowager knows you don’t trust me, so she hasn’t let me act rashly. To obtain a new child-parasite, Huan Pi made me take several cold baths and pretend to be sick, sending a message when the palace doctor came.”
She understood that the empress dowager would have other ways to communicate.
“When you return to the mansion, pretend to be frightened and bedridden. I’ll invite the palace doctor, and you just need to pass the false message to him.”
Yao Saner nodded but hesitated, “But Huan Pi…”
Suddenly, Huan Pi’s corpse fell from the sky, landing at Yao Saner’s feet. Her lifeless eyes stared up at Yao Saner, who screamed and fell back.
Ning Wanwan looked up to see Yuan Zhu on the roof, holding a candied hawthorn stick and smiling innocently.
Yao Saner paled, stammering, “Huan Pi was the empress dowager’s confidante. Her death will surely raise suspicions.”
Sihan coldly responded, “If you can’t handle a maid’s death, what use are you?”
The Shenbaoguan had caught fire, but being in a remote meditation room, it didn’t affect the pilgrims.
Old Madam Ning woke up confused about what had happened.
Ning Wanwan, wanting to spare her any worry, explained that the fire was caused by a knocked-over candle. Old Madam Ning clasped her hands in gratitude to the second-rank god’s statue, lit an incense stick, and left at dawn.
Ning Wanwan and Sihan first sent Old Madam Ning home and then returned to the Prince’s mansion.
Throughout the journey, Sihan’s face remained dark and silent.
“Brother Sihan, what are you thinking?” Ning Wanwan asked.
Sihan looked at her, “Do you trust her?”
Ning Wanwan replied, “I don’t trust her but see this as an excellent opportunity. Although risky, it can help us avoid many troubles before going to Qianan.”
Sihan said coldly, “I only trust the dead.” He had long wanted to eliminate Yao Saner, viewing her as a potential threat. However, Ning Wanwan explained, “If the empress dowager learns about Yao Saner’s failures, she won’t let her live. Yao Saner is likely being coerced. If we promise to save her and her lover, she might cooperate.”
Sihan remained silent, worried.
“If you’re still uneasy, let’s make a deal. If we can’t turn Yao Saner, the empress dowager will find out that the parasite failed; we can eliminate her then.”
Sihan shook his head, “I’m not worried about Yao Saner. She’s no longer a threat.”
“Then what are you worried about?” Ning Wanwan asked, puzzled.
Sihan looked at her, “I’m worried about you.”
Si Zhan anxiously hugged Ning Wanwan, “Fool, how could I not want you? I mean I want you to go to Qian Nan first.”
Chapter 54: Wishing
Ning Wanwan nestled in Si Zhan’s arms and said patiently, “If the Empress Dowager wants to target me, she won’t let me go even if I escape to Qian Nan. Moreover, if I go to Qian Nan first, she’ll only be more wary of you.”
“But it’s no longer safe for you to stay by my side.”
“Brother Zhan, Wanwan is not afraid of death. I just want to be with you, to live and die together. Please don’t think about sending me away.” She tilted her head, resting her chin on his chest, gazing at him.
“…Okay.” Si Zhan held her tighter.
After a moment, Si Zhan spoke resolutely: “Don’t worry, we will definitely go to Qian Nan. If Ling Ziru doesn’t want me to leave, then I’ll stay and turn Biandu upside down.”
Ning Wanwan pushed Si Zhan away, looking anxious. “No, we must have other ways.”
Si Zhan frowned, murmuring, “What did I do in my previous life that makes you so afraid?”
The blood light of the Purple Gold Palace seemed to flash in Ning Wanwan’s eyes: “In your previous life, you burned down the Eastern Palace, killed the Crown Prince, forced the Empress Dowager to death, and ultimately forced the Emperor to his death by anger, ascending the throne.”
However, your illegitimate position led to neglect in state affairs, resulting in widespread dissent. Ultimately, you committed suicide in the Golden Hall…”
Si Zhan mocked himself: “Hmm… that does sound like me.”
Ning Wanwan replied seriously: “I don’t want you to repeat the mistakes of your past. We need a different way to leave Biandu.”
Si Zhan comforted her, stroking the back of her head: “Don’t worry, I promise I won’t resort to such measures unless absolutely necessary.”
Suddenly, water splashed as seven or eight masked men in black emerged, attacking Si Zhan from all directions with long swords.
“Master! Be careful!” Yuan Bi pulled Ning Wanwan behind him, glaring at the assassins.
Seeing the threat, the boatman jumped into the river and fled.
Si Zhan had thought the Empress Dowager had given up on them, but she made an unexpected move, sending assassins in broad daylight, which was uncharacteristic of her.
As the cold sword approached, Si Zhan remained motionless, meeting the blade with fierce composure.
Only Ning Wanwan knew how tightly he was gripping her hand.
They were on the river, unarmed, with no way to escape and potential ambushes hidden underwater. Si Zhan, physically weak, couldn’t fight back, making direct confrontation impossible.
Yuan Bi, however, quickly demonstrated his prowess as the number one master in the martial world. Ning Wanwan, unfamiliar with martial arts, was awed as Yuan Bi spun his sword, deflecting incoming strikes and swiftly dispatching several attackers.
Taking advantage of the moment, Yuan Bi leaped into the air, grasping the sword hilt and engaging the remaining black-clothed men, quickly felling three more.
Yet, additional ambushes surfaced, as five more men emerged from the water, surrounding Yuan Bi instead of targeting Si Zhan.
Si Zhan’s eyes darkened as he pulled Ning Wanwan towards the bow of the boat, urgently saying, “Hurry and go!” His rare panic indicated the extreme danger of their situation.
Ning Wanwan noticed that the black-clothed men were only attacking Yuan Bi, seemingly drawing him away, which reminded her of the strategy of “luring the tiger away from the mountain.”
They reached the boat’s bow, and Si Zhan picked up an oar to row. Their position was not far from the shore, and once they landed, they would have a place to hide.
As Ning Wanwan grabbed another oar and prepared to row, she felt a chill run down her back. Instinctively, she looked towards the shore and saw a man in luxurious clothing perched in a tree, holding a three-bolt crossbow aimed at Si Zhan with a sinister smile.
Di Huan!
When Si Zhan sensed something amiss and turned to Ning Wanwan, she instinctively threw herself over him just as the arrow was released. He lost his balance and fell into the river, witnessing a short arrow pierce Ning Wanwan’s chest.
“Wanwan!” His scream was drowned by the water.
They fell into the river one after another.
Yuan Bi, hearing the commotion, was shocked and used a mutually destructive technique to eliminate the assassins, but was severely wounded in the process.
He fired a signal flare into the sky and dove into the water to search for them.
Massive suffocation and bone-chilling cold enveloped Ning Wanwan. She could no longer distinguish her surroundings, only seeing a light ahead. Following the light, the darkness lifted, revealing the daylight.
Xiao Ning Wan Wan gritted her teeth and walked towards Xiao Si Zhan, shouting, “No, I won’t let you die. My grandmother said we must cherish our lives. If you die, your parents will be heartbroken.”