Chapter 511: There’s Poison on the Assassin’s Blade
Chapter 511: Chapter 511: There’s Poison on the Assassin’s Blade
Early the next morning.
Shen Ningning’s carriage appeared outside the prison of the Ministry of Justice.
She went alone to see Qi Xiuwei in her cell.
No one knew what the two discussed, but the prison guards stationed nearby suddenly heard a sharp, argumentative voice.
"Shen Ningning! And to think I always considered you a friend! Not only did you harm me, but you also want to turn me into the despised princess of Changliu Country! What are you really after by doing this?!"
Qi Xiuwei was bound in chains, yet she struggled relentlessly.
Her usually delicate face was now filled with fury and hatred.
Shen Ningning stood outside the cell, looking at her with a heartbroken expression.
"Xiao Wei, if I didn’t do this, you would have been imprisoned for ten years, maybe even longer. Ten years! Do you have any idea how long that is?"
’Her entire life would be ruined!’
Qi Xiuwei’s eyes were bloodshot as she screamed, "I don’t need your hypocritical kindness! Get out! Get out!"
Wiping away her tears, Shen Ningning left. Inside the cell, Qi Xiuwei let out hysterical, painful sobs, as if desperately venting some overwhelming emotion.
Soon, the matter was jointly reviewed by the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Punishments.
Mr. Qi had poisoned his own mother, a heinous crime for which he was sentenced to death by slow slicing.
As for his daughter, Qi Xiuwei, she was originally supposed to be imprisoned for the crime of poisoning an elder.
However, not long ago, Shen Ningning had introduced Xiuxiu to the Emperor. After the two met, everyone learned that Qi Xiuwei was, in fact, the Tenth Princess of Changliu Country!
When her identity was announced, the entire Capital City was in an uproar.
The most stunned of all was Mrs. Qi. How could the daughter she had raised for over a decade be a person from Changliu Country?
It was also at this time that Mr. Qi committed suicide in prison by biting off his tongue. The prison guards found a letter written in blood beneath his body.
In the letter, he clearly confessed to the act of swapping the children.
It turned out that Mrs. Qi had a difficult childbirth back then and delivered a stillborn baby, which was taken away shortly after.
Mr. Qi, fearing she would be consumed by grief, adopted a baby girl of a similar age from outside.
That baby was Qi Xiuwei.
Unable to accept this reality, Mrs. Qi fell gravely ill and became bedridden.
When Xiuxiu came to escort Qi Xiuwei from the prison, the sun was shining brightly.
Her hair was a mess as she walked out of the dark cell with unsteady steps, emerging into the sunlight.
Qi Xiuwei raised a hand to shield her eyes from the glaring sun.
She looked up at the boundless sky; the sun was as brilliant as ever.
Xiuxiu stepped forward, only to see a cold, icy sneer in her eyes.
"Greetings, Tenth Princess," Xiuxiu said, bowing.
Behind him, Tuo Ye remained motionless, his suspicious gaze fixed on Qi Xiuwei.
’This girl doesn’t look like me at all. Is she really my sister?’
Seeing that he did not kneel, Qi Xiuwei narrowed her eyes and sized up Tuo Ye.
Xiuxiu tugged on his sleeve, forcing him to kneel.
’In that instant, Tuo Ye was secretly alarmed. Xiuxiu was becoming more and more disrespectful towards him.’
’He wondered if it was just his imagination, but ever since it was discovered that Qi Xiuwei was the Tenth Princess, Xiuxiu’s attitude toward him had been growing worse by the day!’
A vicious glint flashed in Tuo Ye’s eyes.
"Tenth Princess, it is wonderful that we have found you. You have suffered during your time in Cangyun Country. This humble servant has already written to the Great Sun King. After a while, you will be able to return with us to Changliu Country!"
Qi Xiuwei glanced at him, her gaze cold.
"Return to Changliu Country? What can you give me?"
Xiuxiu was taken aback. "Power and status, of course. Everything a princess should have will be yours."
Qi Xiuwei sneered, her dark eyes looking as if they were veiled in shadow.
"I was supposed to have a fulfilling life here in Cangyun Country, but Shen Ningning ruined it. Do you really think I care about Changliu Country? If she hadn’t pushed me into a corner, why would I have ever chosen you?"
With that, she started to walk away. "Don’t follow me. You disgust me."
But these words were exactly what Xiuxiu wanted to hear.
He hurried after her.
"Tenth Princess! This humble servant knows the resentment in your heart. Please forgive this humble servant for being blunt, but Princess Funing may seem to treat you as a friend and act in your best interest, but she is the one responsible for the tragic state you are in today."
Qi Xiuwei abruptly stopped and stared at him with icy eyes.
"Even you think so?"
"If she hadn’t meddled and brought the Minister of the Ministry of Justice, Xie Ming’an, to the Qi Mansion, would you have been separated from your family by life and death?"
After Xiuxiu finished, Qi Xiuwei gritted her teeth and nodded. "It’s one thing that the old madam died—she didn’t deserve to live anyway. But Shen Ningning cost me my parents, turned me into a person of Changliu Country, and forced me to leave the home where I’ve lived for over a decade."
"If I don’t avenge this hatred, I swear I’m not even human!"
Xiuxiu cupped his hands in a salute. "This humble servant is willing to lend you a hand, Princess! We can eliminate Funing and vent your anger!"
Qi Xiuwei sneered, not taking him seriously.
"With just you? This is Cangyun Country. She’s the most favored princess. The Emperor, the Crown Prince, and the Prime Minister all dote on her. What can you possibly do?"
"It’s quite simple," Xiuxiu said, lowering his voice as if he had a plan prepared all along. "I hear Princess Funing is feeling guilty over your situation. All you have to do is pretend to reconcile with her, then demand she give you the secret formula for gunpowder. If she refuses, threaten to cut ties with her for good."
"Exploit Princess Funing’s guilt and sympathy, Tenth Princess. Your success is guaranteed. Once we get that gunpowder formula and bring it back to Changliu Country, Princess Funing will naturally become a traitor to Cangyun Country."
His tone held a hint of a smile, so vicious it was chilling.
"By then, you can imagine that everything you’re suffering now will be returned to Princess Funing a hundred, even a thousand times over. Tenth Princess, this is a golden opportunity. An opportunity like this won’t come again!"
Qi Xiuwei’s face turned cold. "I’ve already cut all ties with her. Do you think she’ll believe me if I go to her now?"
Xiuxiu glanced at Tuo Ye beside him.
He narrowed his eyes and smiled, his gaze sinister, the very picture of a cunning schemer.
"There is a certain ’flesh wound’ stratagem we could use... I just don’t know if the Tenth Princess is willing to cooperate with this humble servant."
Qi Xiuwei took two steps forward. "Let’s hear it."
*
「Five days later.」
Shen Ningning sat alone on the spacious second floor of a tavern, watching the people come and go on the street below.
The young girl rested her chin in her hand, her face etched with sorrow.
She had been downcast for days, and her friends all knew she was feeling guilty about what had happened to Qi Xiuwei.
Shen Ningning couldn’t just stand by and watch Qi Xiuwei be imprisoned for ten years, and the Emperor certainly wasn’t going to make an exception for her.
Therefore, she had chosen to have Qi Xiuwei reclaim her identity as the Tenth Princess of Changliu Country.
But in doing so, she had also effectively ruined Qi Xiuwei’s future, as she could no longer remain in Cangyun Country.
Just as Shen Ningning was sighing, a blood-soaked figure suddenly fell from the roof, smashing through the tiles and crashing down right beside her table.
Shen Ningning paled in fright. After getting a clear look at the person, she exclaimed, "Tuo Ye? Why is it you?"
Clutching the wound on his arm, Tuo Ye staggered to his feet.
"Princess, save me! Someone is trying to kill me!"
Before Shen Ningning could even process what was happening, black-clad assassins leaped down from the roof after him.
The Princess’s Hidden Guards, who were concealed nearby, immediately swarmed forward to engage them in a deadly fight.
Seizing the opportunity, Shen Ningning shielded Tuo Ye and ducked into a private room to the side, pressing her body firmly against the door to hold it shut.
Tuo Ye was bleeding profusely, his lips pale.
Shen Ningning quickly took out the waterskin she carried with her and began to clean his wound.
Tuo Ye gritted his teeth in pain.
"Oh no!" Shen Ningning pointed at his wound. "The assassins’ blades are poisoned! Look, your wound is turning black and blue."
Tuo Ye looked down and saw that, sure enough, the edges of his wound were taking on a dark, bluish-black hue.
He trembled, a sense of unease washing over him.
’Xiuxiu never told him the hired assassins would have poison on their blades!’