Chapter 30: Be Good, Jiaojiao

The guests who had been watching the spectacle had not yet dispersed. Looking around in bewilderment, they barely had time to process the scene before a flash of steel swept through the air, followed by a succession of shrill screams.

Amidst the panic, two women dressed as dancing girls charged at Xiao Yuanchi. One wielded a blade, while the other brandished two long swords, her gaze fixed with murderous intent.

Yin Jiaojiao blinked once, then twice. Upon recognizing the woman with the dual swords as Luo Xiang, her heart soared with joy.

She leaped up instantly, moving faster than anyone else as she darted toward the side. While the other guests scattered like headless flies, she tucked her body away behind a table laden with delicacies, choosing a corner that was both safe and offered a perfect view of the entire ordeal.

Gu Xuezhi, suffering from the effects of poison, was slumped on the ground and slow to react. She cried out in terror, "Seventh Brother, save me!"

Alas, the Seventh Brother was far too occupied to pay her any mind. He grazed his toes against the floor to dodge a strike from the assassin, but before he could regain his footing, Luo Xiang’s dual swords were already upon him.

Beautifully done! A true heroine of the age! Punishing the wicked and aiding the weak!

Yin Jiaojiao watched with such relish she could barely resist cheering them on. It was a pity, however, that the two assassins lacked precision; they hadn't been able to land a single strike on Xiao Yuanchi, who hadn't even drawn his own weapon, relying solely on his lightness skills to evade them. Yin Jiaojiao grew impatient, sighing repeatedly.

"How did you miss again!"

The assassin with the blade faltered within a few moves and was tackled to the ground by a swarm of guards, leaving only Luo Xiang on the field.

It had been much the same in her previous life, though back then, Xiao Yuanchi hadn't toyed with them; he had dispatched the assassins with a few swift strikes. This time, however, he seemed to be circling them with inexplicable patience, showing no urgency to apprehend them.

Come to think of it, although guards had surrounded them in an instant, they were merely protecting the guests and made no move to join the fray. Yin Jiaojiao sensed something amiss. Could it be that Xiao Yuanchi had planned for this assassination attempt all along?

Luo Xiang’s skills were clearly superior to her companion’s. She moved with purpose, keeping pace with Xiao Yuanchi as they danced across the floor. In their latest exchange, she had come within a hair's breadth of his head.

Yin Jiaojiao slapped the ground in frustration. "So close!"

Captivated, she leaned further out. As Xiao Yuanchi dodged another blow, his movements bringing him right before her, Luo Xiang did not hesitate. She skirted past two lunging guards and brought her swords down once more.

Good girl, what drive! If you don't succeed, who will?

In a flash of inspiration, Yin Jiaojiao leaned forward just a fraction more and shouted, "My Lord, watch out!"

She certainly didn't mean for Xiao Yuanchi to be careful; she wanted to distract him. In a moment of crisis, the slightest lapse in focus would expose a weakness for the enemy to exploit.

The sudden, piercing scream worked perfectly. Xiao Yuanchi’s composed expression shifted, and his movements faltered for a heartbeat. Luo Xiang’s eyes lit up as she seized the opening. She spun her swords in a flourish and unleashed a strike with all her might.

At the very last second, Xiao Yuanchi dodged with impossible speed, but the tip of the sword was already committed and could not be stopped. Luo Xiang tried to pull back, but there was only a dull *thud*.

The blade sank into flesh.

Yin Jiaojiao stared in stunned silence at the sword now embedded in her own right shoulder. It was a beautiful longsword, shimmering with a chilling light; it was clearly the work of a master craftsman, exceptionally sharp.

But why, twice—it had happened twice now! Why did it never strike the person it was meant to?

"Princess Consort?!"

"Princess Consort!"

The first cry came from Luo Xiang, the second sounded like Qiu Ming.

"Seize them all!"

That voice belonged to Su Zhengqing.

Yin Jiaojiao didn't know why, in such a moment, her instinct was to identify people by their voices, as if she were waiting for something.

"Yin Jiaojiao!"

Finally, she heard it—it was Xiao Yuanchi.

Following this call, which was a mix of worry and irritation, Yin Jiaojiao fell into that familiar embrace. She had personally ironed and organized almost every piece of clothing Xiao Yuanchi owned. Today, to send him off to the afterlife, she had specially chosen a deep red robe embroidered with cranes and scented it with the *Guizhen* incense often used in Buddhist temples—it was practically dripping with funeral vibes.

Who could have guessed that she would be the one to usher herself into the afterlife first?

Heaven is cruel!

The embrace was tight, as if he feared she might fly away, giving the illusion that he was deeply panicked.

That was the infuriating thing about Xiao Yuanchi. Just when she hated him most, he would make her like him again—tugging and pulling, pulling and tugging—until she couldn't tell if her hate was stronger or her love was deeper.

Never mind. It was her own miscalculation.

"Jiaojiao!"

Xiao Yuanchi called out again. The woman in his arms fluttered her eyelids before losing consciousness. Fortunately, though her breathing was ragged, it remained steady; it seemed no vital organs were hit. However, his expression was chillingly cold. Su Zhengqing felt a chill run down his own spine and could only whisper a reminder, "My Lord, the assassins and Xia Lan have all been dealt with. Should we have Physician Ji examine the Princess Consort first?"

Xiao Yuanchi glanced at Physician Ji.

"Old Zhang, I leave this to you."

Master Zhang nodded in acknowledgement.

"Zhengqing, set up the command tent and summon Elder Dong."

Su Zhengqing stiffened and immediately complied.

"Setting up the command tent" was military jargon. On campaign, generals had to be ready to pitch tents for rest at any time. Since Yin Jiaojiao had been pierced by a longsword, she could not be moved and had to be treated on the spot. At Su Zhengqing’s command, a small, gray, four-cornered tent rose in an instant, enclosing Xiao Yuanchi and Yin Jiaojiao within.

With such a major incident, the birthday banquet was abruptly terminated. The assassins and the two maids were taken away, while Master Zhang busied himself cleaning up the aftermath. Consort Ji, worried, hovered nearby, only pausing to give Gu Xuezhi a single instruction.

"Return home early."

Gu Xuezhi had been helped to the side. Physician Ji handed her an emergency antidote pill and urged her to go back to her room to rest, but she refused.

She stared blankly at the military tent.

Consort Gu urged, "Listen to me, Xuezhi. It’s cold out here and you’ve been poisoned. Take this medicine and go rest. I’ll have Physician Ji brew a proper decoction and send it to you later."

Gu Xuezhi gave a faint nod.

"Xuezhi, I must return to the palace immediately. How can I be at ease leaving you like this?"

Gu Xuezhi turned her gaze.

"Aunt, why is Yin Jiaojiao’s luck always so good? Every time I am about to win, she finds a way. This time, too—she blocked the sword for him, and I’ve lost again."

"What kind of 'winning' is that? For the past two years, this eldest Miss Yin has only known how to use brute force; she’s an utter fool. If the Prince could have been moved by her, he would have been long ago. Rest easy."

Gu Xuezhi could not rest easy. She thought of how, just moments ago, she had cried out for help in panic and Xiao Yuanchi had turned a deaf ear, yet at Yin Jiaojiao’s ill-timed, chaotic shout, he had reacted immediately.

Although it was fleeting, she had seen it.

He wanted to find her.

It seemed to mean something, yet it seemed to mean nothing at all. Gu Xuezhi stared at the tent, thinking that the sword had struck so accurately and so deeply—this time, surely, Yin Jiaojiao would die.

...

Inside the tent, Xiao Yuanchi calmly removed Yin Jiaojiao’s outer garment and carefully peeled away her inner robe. The wound was deeper than he had expected, but fortunately, it was off-center and some distance from her heart. He had managed to seal several major acupoints in time, so she hadn't lost too much blood. He pulled a white jade porcelain bottle from his robes and sprinkled the powder onto the wound.

"Mm!" Yin Jiaojiao’s brows furrowed as she let out a trembling cry. "It hurts..."

Xiao Yuanchi said testily, "Endure it!"

Yin Jiaojiao was not fully conscious and naturally could not hear his command to endure. She instinctively tried to curl up to escape the stinging powder, but the movement tugged at her wound, and tears spilled from the corners of her eyes.

She pouted. "It hurts so much..."

Xiao Yuanchi froze for a moment. A moment later, he helplessly pulled her closer and leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead. The kiss was light, like a breeze brushing over the surface of a pond, sweeping across her brow and the tip of her nose.

He whispered soothingly, "Be good, Jiaojiao."