Si Zhan, however, remained calm, saying, “That depends on your ability to take me.”
Di Jin paused, “The two sibling guards around you are the top experts in Qi Song, but they probably can’t rescue you without suffering my attacks!”
Si Zhan sneered, “Is that so?”
Ning Wanwan wondered what gave Si Zhan such confidence. Without Yuan Bi, she worried for Si Zhan’s safety.
Earlier, after entering first, she had heard conversations and footsteps next door, suggesting three people, with two having light, agile steps—clearly high-level experts. Nervousness washed over her as she thought of how to rescue Si Zhan if Di Jin resorted to force.
“Your Highness the Prince of Yi, I’ve been waiting for a long time. Where is my son?” Di Jin’s patience seemed exhausted, his tone sinister.
“What makes you certain my son is in Your Highness’s hands?”
Ning Wanwan heard the sound of a sword being drawn, followed by Di Jin demanding, “I’ll ask you again, where is my son Di Huan?”
From the sounds, Di Jin was likely pointing a sword at Si Zhan. Her heart raced; she never expected Di Jin would dare to attack a prince. Assassinating a prince could destroy an entire family, and Di Jin appeared willing to do anything for Di Huan.
She quickly scanned the room, her gaze settling on a Jun kiln plum vase on a three-legged stand in the corner. She grabbed the vase and was about to rush out when she suddenly heard Si Zhan softly laugh. “Do you really want to know where Di Huan is?”
Ning Wanwan’s footsteps abruptly stopped as Si Zhan spoke in a cold voice to Di Jin, “Then you can go find him underground.”
In that instant, Ning Wanwan felt that everything was under Si Zhan’s control. A suppressed groan escaped his lips.
Di Jin exclaimed in disbelief, “You?!!!”
Ning Wanwan kicked open the door, rushed out, and stood between the two private rooms. She raised a vase and smashed it on the floor—”Bang!” The sound drew attention from the entire building.
As she was about to shout for help, the private room door opened. Si Zhan knelt on a thin mat, his left hand gripping the sword embedded in Di Jin’s shoulder, his expression sharp and a cold smile at the corner of his mouth.
Seeing Ning Wanwan, Si Zhan froze for a moment, panic flashing in his eyes. He pulled out the sword, supported himself on the low table, and stumbled out, grabbing Ning Wanwan. “How did you get here?”
Before she could answer, Si Zhan quickly hid her behind him and pointed at the stunned Di Jin, shouting, “How dare you, Di Jin! Attempting to assassinate this prince!”
The guests who rushed over upon hearing the commotion saw Si Zhan was injured and didn’t dare to come close, instead standing far away and whispering among themselves.
Ning Wanwan sighed in relief, thinking that with so many witnesses, Di Jin wouldn’t dare to kill Si Zhan openly.
“Brother Zhan!” she exclaimed, seeing the blood flowing from his chest wound and feeling extremely anxious.
However, she underestimated Di Jin’s patience and rage. Trembling, Di Jin raised his sword and pointed it at Si Zhan, grinding out the words, “Si Zhan!”
Si Zhan pushed Ning Wanwan outward with a commanding tone, “Leave quickly! Immediately!”
“If we’re leaving, we’ll leave together,” she replied firmly. “I won’t leave you alone.”
“Kill them! Kill them!” Di Jin shouted with desperate ruthlessness. “You killed my son; I want you to accompany him in death!”
The two men behind Di Jin drew their swords and charged at Si Zhan and Ning Wanwan.
Injured and weakened, Si Zhan couldn’t push Ning Wanwan away. Instead, he stepped forward, shielding her with his body.
As the blades were about to strike, a white light suddenly flashed, and with a crisp “clang,” the blades were knocked away.
A mocking laugh rang out. “Lord Di, attempting to assassinate a prince and a county princess on the street. Aren’t you trying to rebel?”
Di Jin’s blood-red eyes glinted with viciousness, knowing he had reached the end of his road. As the armored soldiers pressed towards him, he broke through the crowd and charged towards Si Zhan, shouting, “If we’re going to die, let’s die together!”
Behind Si Zhan was a six-story courtyard. Falling would mean certain death.
However, Si Zhan coldly stared at Di Jin’s approach, motionless. Ning Wan Wan wanted to pull Si Zhan back, but it was already too late. Si Zhan pressed her hand, signaling her to remain calm.
Just as Di Jin was about to grab Si Zhan’s shoulders, his momentum suddenly stopped, frozen like an ice sculpture.
In that instant, Si Zhan moved aside with Ning Wan Wan.
Di Jin, maintaining his forward-lunging posture, ended up falling headfirst into the courtyard.
A loud “bang” erupted, followed by screams.
Mu Rong leaned over the railing, shaking his head and muttering, “Why… this is…”
The Zhu Lian Bi Jie siblings arrived quickly and stood beside Si Zhan.
Yuan Bi stepped forward, whispering to Si Zhan, “Master, the person got away.”
Si Zhan nodded.
Ning Wan Wan glanced at Yuan Zhu, realizing he was skilled with hidden weapons. Di Jin’s earlier move was likely his doing.
“Cough, cough…” Si Zhan covered his chest and softly coughed.
“Zhan ge-ge,” Ning Wan Wan said, wanting to check his wound. But Si Zhan gently blocked her hand. “It’s nothing serious. I was measured with this sword strike.”
To frame Di Jin for attempting to assassinate a prince, Si Zhan had risked his life by deliberately stabbing himself. Ning Wan Wan felt a chill thinking about this.
Unbeknownst to her, after returning from Qingfeng Tower, Si Zhan had sent people to investigate how this information was leaked, tracing it to Lin Yutong from Luling. Lin Yutong had followed Ning Wan Wan, who had disguised herself as a man. She witnessed Ning Wan Wan visiting a medical clinic and a mysterious traveling physician.
Initially wanting to find the physician, Lin Yutong later discovered that Yuan Bi had taken him away. She sensed the physician had some unspeakable secret and intended to find him, but he disappeared after leaving the Yiwang Mansion.
It was only when Shaoyin sent someone to Luling to inquire about Ning Wanwan that the matter was revealed, as Shaoyin was close to the Di family’s third young lady.
Later, Lin Yutong “committed suicide by jumping into the river” with her wheelchair.
On the fifth day after Di Jin’s death, a message from the palace indicated that Si Suo was seriously ill.
In an unusual gesture, Si Zhan brought Ning Wanwan to the palace to visit Si Suo.
In the eastern bedchamber of Qingshou Palace, Si Suo lay weakly on a yellow brocade cushion, wearing a light yellow dragon-patterned garment. He glanced at Si Zhan and his wife, saying, “Fifteenth brother, it’s hard for you to come and visit me even while injured.”
Si Zhan replied, “Your Majesty is Huai Jin’s elder brother. Since the emperor is ill, Huai Jin is naturally concerned.”
Si Suo sighed with guilt, “Ah, I have been too harsh on you.”
Si Zhan humbly responded, “Your Majesty speaks too seriously. Huai Jin has always remembered the emperor’s kindness.”
Si Suo’s eyes flashed with contemplation before he turned to Ning Wanwan, smiling weakly, “Yunxiang, I have some private matters to discuss with my fifteenth brother alone.”
Ning Wanwan glanced at Si Zhan, who smiled and nodded at her. She bowed and retreated, saying, “Yunxiang takes her leave.”
The empress, Pure Concubine, and other concubines waited anxiously in the main hall. As soon as Ning Wanwan emerged, several approached her, asking, “Yiwang Fei, is His Majesty doing well?”
Ning Wanwan replied cautiously, “Ladies, Yunxiang is just an ordinary woman. If you want to know, you should ask the imperial physicians.”
Realizing they couldn’t get more information, the concubines dispersed.
