Xun looked over, the direction the shadow was heading was the Emperor's sleeping quarters.
Upon seeing this, Ye Tingyan frowned and immediately gave chase.
He had been keeping Ye Tingzhu under house arrest in the Emperor's sleeping quarters for the past two days, looking for someone to take over his responsibilities. Officially, it was claimed that Ye Tingzhu had voluntarily requested to attend to the ailing Emperor.
The intruder's origins were unknown, and their appearance here most likely meant they were after Ye Tingzhu.
When Ye Tingyan tracked the shadow's trace to the sleeping quarters, the private guards posted outside were already lying on the ground, incapacitated. Inside, the flickering candlelight cast two figures onto the window.
Ye Tingyan burst through the door to find the intruder's figure completely concealed by a dark, close-fitting suit, making it impossible to tell if it was a man or a woman from outward appearance.
Ye Tingzhu, who had been being dragged along by the intruder holding his clothes, froze in shock.
Ye Tingyan sneered, his eyes fixed on the two figures, and shouted fiercely.
"How dare you trespass into Father Emperor's sleeping quarters, you have immense nerve!"
To try and rescue someone from under his nose was laughable!
The intruder said nothing, instead shoving Ye Tingzhu behind them and launching a palm strike directly towards Ye Tingyan's face.
Ye Tingyan met the attack nonchalantly, but the moment their palms collided, he was repelled. Astonished, he looked up.
This person's internal energy was superior to his. He was likely... not an opponent!
Startled by this realization, he dared not be careless any longer. As the intruder attacked again, a short dagger slid from his sleeve.
The dagger was sharp and concealed in his palm. Taking the intruder by surprise, he aimed directly for their left chest and thrust.
This unexpected move should have succeeded, but the intruder's reaction far exceeded his expectations. They caught the blade with their bare hand.
Ye Tingyan's eyes bulged in shock. Before he could react, the intruder grabbed his wrist and flung him away.
The dagger slipped from his grasp and clattered to the floor. To his astonishment, it was perfectly clean, with no trace of blood.
With such force, yet it hadn't even managed to cut the intruder's hand. How was this possible!
Before he could even process his surprise, the intruder delivered a heavy kick to his chest. Ye Tingyan grunted, feeling as though his internal organs were about to be crushed.
Not wanting to waste any more time, the intruder grabbed Ye Tingzhu again and moved to leave. Unexpectedly, a large number of soldiers began to flood the palace grounds.
The torchlight surrounded the sleeping quarters, and the intruder paused for a moment, forced to quickly drop Ye Tingzhu.
As Ye Tingyan chased out of the chamber, the intruder had already vanished into the air, leaving behind a terrified Ye Tingzhu, pale-faced and lying on the ground.
He narrowed his eyes, looking towards the direction the intruder had fled, then cast a cold glance at Ye Tingzhu.
"Elder Brother seems rather disappointed?"
That kick from earlier had drawn blood from his chest, with a trickle also appearing at the corner of his lips, making his words quite jarring.
Ye Tingzhu, who had always been well-protected by the Empress, had naturally never experienced such a situation.
Upon hearing Ye Tingyan's words, he could only shake his head frantically. "This Prince knew nothing of this. Second Brother, is there perhaps a misunderstanding?"
Ye Tingyan let out a mocking laugh, his gaze sharp and fierce.
"Do not rush, Elder Brother. Once that traitor Ye Tinglan is dealt with, you will naturally be next."
Ye Tingzhu's face contorted in horror. "What do you intend to do..."
His ambition was far too excessive. Harming Ye Tingyu and Ye Tinglan was not enough; he didn't intend to spare Ye Tingyun and himself either.
Ye Tingyan curved his lips into a cold, bloodless smile.
"Elder Brother, there is no need to be nervous. This Prince values filial piety and fraternal affection above all else, and naturally would not do anything to you, my brother."
"It is simply that an assassin trespassed into Father Emperor's quarters tonight. Elder Brother, in accompanying His Majesty, might inadvertently harbor other thoughts... Given the matter concerns Father Emperor's safety, this Prince must handle it with caution. Therefore, Elder Brother must be inconvenienced for now."
"Guards, take him away."
The soldiers quickly stepped forward, hauled Ye Tingzhu up, and dragged him out of the palace.
Ye Tingyan stood behind, hands clasped behind his back, watching him leave with a gaze as cold and venomous as a snake.
After everyone had retreated, a figure emerged from the darkness, holding the dagger from earlier.
Ye Tingyan's expression darkened. "Did you see that just now?"
The person who came tonight was definitely not simple.
Fortunately, he had made arrangements beforehand, stationing enough private soldiers in the inner palace. Otherwise, he might have really let Ye Tingzhu escape.
The figure nodded, their gaze falling on the dagger in their hand, deep in thought.
Seeing that he remained silent, Ye Tingyan's eyes flickered. He decided to speak directly. "You must continue to help me."
The figure was unmoved.
"That was not mentioned in our cooperation."
Ye Tingyan's expression grew agitated.
"No, Ye Tinglan is not dead yet, and nothing is certain. Continue to help me eliminate the hidden dangers within the palace. As for Ye Tinglan, I will personally take his head for you."
The figure glanced at him and reminded him calmly, "This was agreed upon from the start. By killing him, you will also smoothly ascend the throne. In helping you eliminate the palace's hidden dangers, what do I gain?"
Ye Tingyan pondered for a moment, then said in a low voice, "I heard that Ye Tinglan sent someone to Luoyuan a few days ago..."
Upon hearing this, the figure's aura suddenly turned icy, and they said nothing further.
...
The next morning, Qin Rulian woke up.
Upon learning of her defilement after waking, she nearly threw herself against a pillar in Changle Palace. In the end, it was unclear what methods the Empress used to calm her down.
Ye Tingzhu's situation, however, was not as fortunate. Since being dragged into the prison by Ye Tingyan's men last night, he had already suffered considerable physical abuse.
The pampered prince could not endure such hardship. He had already fainted before dawn and was eventually carried back to the inner palace.
The matter was not concealed along the way. Loose lips among the subordinates inevitably reached the Empress's ears.
Ye Tingzhu was her darling. Naturally, she was filled with hatred for what had happened. It was at this moment that Ye Tingyan calmly paid a visit.
"Last night, an assassin entered Father Emperor's sleeping quarters. This Prince led men to pursue but was unsuccessful. Does Your Royal stepmother know of this matter?"
He cut straight to the chase, not mentioning Ye Tingzhu in the slightest. The Empress's face turned green with anger, but she dared not show it.
Her expression deepened, and she said coldly, "That assassin entered the Emperor's sleeping quarters, not my own. Second Prince, instead of leading men to capture them, comes to ask me. What is the reasoning behind this?"
Her heart was burning with anger, so her words were naturally impolite.
Ye Tingyan, however, raised an eyebrow slightly upon hearing this, showing no sign of irritation.
"Your Royal stepmother, please calm your anger. This Prince was merely asking casually, without any other intention."
He paused, then continued, "It is just that although the assassin was targeting Father Emperor, Elder Brother is also implicated. Elder Brother's companionship with His Majesty is indeed commendable, but if it leads to other thoughts..."
The Empress shot him a cold glance and interrupted.
"Zhu'er has a pure nature and has always been kind-hearted. He would never do anything detrimental to His Majesty. I fear someone with ulterior motives wishes to frame him and use a borrowed knife to kill!"
Her implication was clear, but Ye Tingyan remained unfazed. His gaze fell upon Qin Rulian behind her, a flicker of ruthlessness in his eyes.
"Miss Qin is now of lowly status. It is probably not appropriate for her to remain here. Guards, take her away."