For a moment, Consort Wei thought the Emperor knew about the matter of the eldest prince.
However, she quickly scanned the people around the Emperor and found no unfamiliar faces.
She breathed a sigh of relief.
She had been overly jumpy lately.
The Emperor’s intervention on behalf of Wang Qingyao was merely out of consideration for Xiao Yun.
And since the Emperor had always doted on Xiao Yun, this was not surprising.
Consort Wei looked at Wei Yu, her expression softening considerably. "You handled this matter very well. Now that Wang Qingyao is blind, she's like a grasshopper in autumn; she won't last long. As for that Concubine Lu, although the Emperor’s actions were deliberate, she is, after all, married to the Crown Prince. Doesn't she understand that her fortune is tied to his? The most important thing now is not to vie for favor, but to work together to consolidate the Crown Prince's position and ensure his smooth succession."
Wei Yu bowed her head respectfully. "Yes, this son understands."
The summer night was cool. Wang Qingyao, held tightly by Xiao Yun, soon felt too hot and pushed him away. "It's so hot, let's sleep separately."
Xiao Yun looked hurt. "Hmph, you're disgusted with me."
Wang Qingyao turned over, resting his palm under her head, and asked, "By the way, have you encountered Shun Feng during your visits to the palace to pay respects these past few times?"
"It's strange, I haven't. Did the Emperor deliberately send him away?"
"It's possible."
Xiao Yun had sent word ahead for his visits to the palace these past two times, so it was possible the Emperor had deliberately kept Shun Feng away.
However, as a martial arts master who was intent on killing Xiao Yun, why would Shun Feng obey orders so readily, without any hint of his intentions?
Wang Qingyao turned over again, lying on her back. Through the roof, she could see the vast expanse of stars, like countless diamonds scattered across a black velvet curtain, a breathtaking sight.
She gazed at them, lost in thought.
She suddenly became still. Xiao Yun, thinking she had fallen asleep, turned his head and saw her staring wide-eyed at the canopy, a faint smile on her face.
"What are you looking at?" Xiao Yun also looked up at the canopy. Of course, he saw nothing.
Just as Wang Qingyao was about to speak, her expression changed.
In the silent night, a masked figure in black silently landed on the roof of their room, carefully lifting a roof tile and peering inside.
Wang Qingyao flipped over and pressed herself onto Xiao Yun.
Xiao Yun chuckled softly. "Weren't you just disgusted with me? What's with the sudden interest?"
Wang Qingyao leaned down, her lips brushing his ear, and whispered, "There's someone on the roof. It's Shun Feng."
Xiao Yun's body stiffened. "Hmph, he really doesn't take our Ding'an Prince's mansion seriously! To be so brazen!"
Xiao Yun wanted to get out of bed and call for help, but Wang Qingyao gently said, "Don't move. He's just scouting today; he doesn't look like he intends to act. Besides, with me on top, he won't be able to aim accurately if he does."
Hearing this, Xiao Yun, fearing Shun Feng might accidentally injure her, forcefully flipped over, pinning Wang Qingyao beneath him.
Shun Feng was indeed just scouting. He glanced at the passionately entwined couple of Prince and Princess Ding'an, a look of indescribable emotion crossing his face. He then replaced the roof tile and silently disappeared into the night.
Wang Qingyao immediately sat up. "He's gone."
Xiao Yun sneered. "He'd better come back tomorrow night. I was just wondering how to deal with him."
Wang Qingyao pondered. "Regarding the curse, although Shun Feng made Eunuch Changshou a scapegoat, it's clear he intended to blame the curse even after killing you. Compared to the accidental deaths of his grandfather and father, his risky act of leaving the palace to find an opportunity seems rather crude."
A curse, a curse, the most important thing is its unexpectedness.
It's like the movie "Final Destination," you never know how Death will take you.
If everyone knew Prince Ding'an was assassinated, what would that have to do with a curse?
Xiao Yun mused, "Could it be that the Emperor has been protecting me, and since he couldn't find an opportunity to strike, he resorted to this desperate measure?"
Wang Qingyao frowned, recalling Shun Feng's transformation the last time she saw him, and reached a conclusion. "It looks like his time is running out."
Xiao Yun looked surprised.
"His time is running out?"
"Considering it, Shun Feng must be eighty or ninety years old. As a martial artist, he should live longer than ordinary people, but he practices this sinister art. Not only has he aged rapidly recently, but he's also taken the risk of leaving the palace to perpetuate the curse on the Xiao family. This strongly suggests he doesn't have much time left."
"His appearance just now was that of his youth, indicating that once he ages, he will lose his martial arts skills. If we are to deal with him, we must do so when he is old to have the best chance of winning!"
"But we don't know when he will age, and he won't come out and tell us."
"That's true." Wang Qingyao sighed, then quickly clenched her fist and encouraged herself. "So we must be prepared at all times. Once we detect any abnormality, we must strike without mercy."
Easier said than done.
The fact that Xiao Yun cannot enter the palace without a summons was already a significant obstacle.
Shun Feng wouldn't specifically inform them when he left the palace.
Xiao Yun suddenly burst into laughter. "There's another method: we outlive him!"
Wang Qingyao couldn't help but laugh too, the gloomy atmosphere of moments ago vanishing.
The next day, Xiao Yun had all his hidden guards ambushed around Kangping Courtyard. He also used Wang Qingyao's blindness as an excuse to send the two children to the Old Imperial Concubine's courtyard for their safety, lest they be implicated if something were to happen.
Shun Feng indeed returned that night.
Wang Qingyao's guess was correct. Shun Feng's time was indeed running out. His aging and transformation were becoming more frequent. When he could no longer revert to youth, that would be his end.
That was why he could no longer restrain himself, willing to take risks to fulfill his master's instructions.
However, what he didn't expect was that Xiao Yun had already set up an ambush in Kangping Courtyard.
The moment he appeared, he was pursued.
Even with his formidable martial arts, he was no match for many opponents.
Moreover, the ambush consisted entirely of masters.
His power was already diminished due to his approaching end, making him no match for so many people. In his panic, he fled, heavily wounded.
Jin Tiao apologized to Xiao Yun. "Your subordinate is incompetent. The assassin escaped despite so many of us."
Xiao Yun waved his hand. "The person was already exceptionally skilled. It's commendable that you managed to wound him."
Shun Feng, as expected of a martial arts master who had been active for three generations, was formidable. Jin Tiao and the others had prepared, yet they still couldn't capture him.
Wang Qingyao offered Xiao Yun a suggestion. "Tomorrow morning, request an audience with the Emperor. Try to trick him."
Xiao Yun's eyes lit up.
"Although Shun Feng didn't reveal his identity, you should act as if he has. From a public standpoint, Shun Feng is the Emperor's man. Tomorrow, whether you feign injury or throw a tantrum, you must force the Emperor to reveal the truth."
Shun Feng was severely injured and should be unable to cause trouble for a while.
Xiao Yun imagined himself throwing a tantrum and shuddered.