191 – Assassination

Qin Mian was deeply surprised. If First Prince really colluded with the enemy, it was treason. But when one thought about it carefully, First Prince’s move was unsurprising because his status was too awkward. Since ancient times, the custom of establishing a Crown Prince of Great Xia was set to the eldest son of the emperor and the empress. First Prince was the eldest son of the empress. In the first place, he had the most advantage. But the problem was that the empress died before he was crowned. Even if his mother’s clan had the intention to support him, no one in the imperial harem wanted to cooperate with them, so First Prince’s journey was a struggle. Second Prince Chen Shan was different – he was the eldest son of the current empress. He had a much greater advantage than Chen Chuang and was Chen Chuang’s most powerful competitor. If Chen Chuang lacked patience, he could easily make the wrong choice.

“Don’t worry, I will protect myself and the children.”

Lei Tie released him. “It’s time to go.”

Qin Mian reluctantly loosened his arms. Although they met in the space from time to time, to be able to kiss was already luxurious, let alone do something they like.

Lei Tie understood what the tumbling emotion in his wife’s eyes meant. He kissed his wife’s eye in a passion and said in a hoarse voice, “Wife, wait for me to come home.”

He was afraid that if he didn’t go any time soon, he couldn’t refrain from pressing a certain someone.

Qin Mian was stupefied – the man had disappeared. Helpless, he curled his lips and left the space after dealing with all the remaining ingredients.

Time was like running water. In the blink of an eye, Zhangsun Hong’s birthday arrived.

After breakfast, Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin put on a new pair of clothes and asked the study-attendants – Paibing and Feiyue – to carry up the presents they prepared for Zhangsun Hong. Then, they got into the carriage together.

Four guards were divided into front and rear line-ups to protect the carriage.

Qin Mian mounted the horse and personally escorted his two sons to Weiyuan Marquis Establishment.

Although it was a sunny day, the sun was like being covered by a layer of yarn – obscure and no heat. The cold wind was dry and harsh; the pedestrians’ faces were flushed by the wind, so stiff that they had no other expression. They only kept their heads down and moved on. It snowed the second time in winter three days ago. Although only one day, a thick layer of snow had accumulated. The snow on the ground had been cleared, but the road seemed to be frozen so hard that the sound of horse’s hooves was crisp.

As soon as they got out of the State Defender Duke Establishment, Qin Mian noticed that there were several ill-intentioned glances in the obscure corners coming their way. A sneer filled his eyes.

“Dad.” Qin Ruiqi poked his head out of the window, to indicate something.

Qin Mian smiled, “Rest assured.”

Qin Ruiqi’s head shrunk back.

“I can display my skill to the full.” Lei Ruilin was ready to fight.

Qin Ruiqi said, “Don’t overdo it.”

“Don’t worry, Ge.” Lei Ruilin raised his head, “I’m not a three-year-old.”

Qin Ruilin, “……”

The carriage drove for about two quarters and arrived at Weiyuan Marquis Establishment. The steward greeted the guests at the door. Most of the guests were the children who had made friends with Zhangsun Hong; they took the chance to gather together on the holiday. After all, it was a child’s birthday, so most of the adults sent their children and left after greetings.

Two 8 to 9 years old children in fined clothes saw the coach of the State Defender Duke Establishment and came over to welcome them.

“Ruiqi and Ruilin are here.”

After the carriage stopped, Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin jumped from the left and right doors.

The steward trotted over, “Greetings to Lady of the State Defender Duke, Little Qin-gongzi, and Little Lei-gongzi.”

“Don’t stand on ceremony.” Qin Mian said with a smile, “This lady has something else to do; [I’ll] trouble your home to take care of my sons.”

The steward hurriedly said, “Please be at ease, Lady of the State Defender Duke.”

“Ruiqi and Ruilin, you are the guests at your friend’s house, so you aren’t allowed to be mischievous.” Qin Mian told his two sons.

Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin promised, “Please rest assured, Dad.”

“Dad will pick you up this afternoon.” Qin Mian spurred the horse and went away.

“Little gongzis, please come inside.”

Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin nodded, followed the steward into the house with the other two little guests.

Seven to eight guests were already in the main hall. As the little host, Zhangsun Hong chatted with them. Weiyuan Marquis, Zhangsun He, and Chen Mufeng sat by and looked at them with a smile, chatting about domestic trivia.

The servant girls went in and out with tea, fruit, and snacks.

Upon seeing Qin Ruiqi’s group of four little guests coming in, Zhangsun Hong quickly welcomed them.

“Ruiqi, Ruilin, Shifang, and Yueshan, here you are.”

“Happy birthday, Brother Zhangsun. Gege and I wish you to have this day every year and to have this present [day] every age.” Lei Ruilin cupped his hands to Zhangsun Hong.

The mischievous utterance made Weiyuan Marquis, Zhangsun He, and Chen Mufeng laugh.

“Those two are the two sons of the State Defender Duke?” Weiyuan Marquis was over sixty years old and a little plump. Although his hair was grey, he had a ruddy complexion and bright eyes. One might as well say that he was old but vigorous.

Zhangsun He spoke without flattery, “That’s right. The two boys are no more than six years old but can already distinguish themselves. Their conducts in society are quite like their fathers’.”

Weiyuan Marquis smiled but said nothing. He looked at his grandson and thought that his grandson was not bad either.

Zhangsun Hong took Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin to Weiyuan Marquis and introduced them to his grandfather.

Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin bent over and cupped their hands in obeisance. “Ruiqi/Ruilin greets Weiyuan Marquis, Commandery Prince Mu, and Young Marquis.”

“Come up, don’t stand on ceremony,” said Weiyuan Marquis with a kind smile.

“Many thanks, Weiyuan Marquis.”

Zhangsun Hong said, “Grandfather, I’ll take them to play.”

Weiyuan Marquis nodded, “Go and treat your friends well.”

“Yes.”

Weiyuan Marquis reminded Zhangsun He and Chen Mufeng in a low voice, “Now the situation is delicate. We must take good care of the two children of the State Defender Duke Establishment. We must not let them be harmed in our house.”

Zhangsun He said, “Father, don’t worry. We have made careful arrangements.”

“That’s good,” said Weiyuan Marquis.

Worried that some adults were overcautious with their children, Weiyuan Marquis, Zhangsun He, and Chen Mufeng let the little guests have a good time to their hearts’ content before leaving together.

Zhangsun Hong led Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin to other little guests.

“Ruiqi and Ruilin, let me introduce you. This is Chen Bonan, the second gongzi of the First Prince Establishment; Chen Peiwen, the legal wife’s eldest son of the Second Prince Establishment; Yang Jinxian, the legal wife’s eldest son of the Zhongyi Count Establishment……”

Only two of the ten little guests present were the sons of the common people, and the rest were the descendants of high officials and dignitaries.

Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin made no distinction of them and returned with a fist and palm salute.

They were, after all, young children. They soon got to know each other, played together, ate and drank, talked and laughed, and had a lot of fun.

Not a while, another eight servant girls continued to enter and presented purple-colored pastries.

Zhangsun Hong spoke as though he presented a treasure, “Try my home’s six-flavored purple cloud cake. It’s a unique craft of my family’s chef.”

“Why is it called ‘six-flavored purple cloud cake’?” asked Chen Peiwen curiously.

Zhangsun Hong said, “Because this kind of cake only tastes one flavor at first bite but six flavors if you savor it, leading a person to endless aftertastes.”

“Oh? Then I’ll try it.” Yang Jinxian waited for the servant girl to put down the plate and couldn’t wait to reach out.

Qin Ruiqi’s eyes flashed and he suddenly waved his hand. The small plate in Yang Jinxian’s hand fell to the ground, smashed to pieces, and the snacks scattered all over the ground.

“What are you doing?” Yang Jinxian furiously grabbed his lapel.

Zhangsun Hong was stunned. Then he rushed forward, “Jinxian, don’t be angry. There must be some misunderstanding.”

Lei Ruilin knocked Yang Jinxian’s hand away. “You should be glad that my Gege saved your life!”

Qin Ruiqi dully said, “The cake is poisoned.”

Everyone was shocked.

“What?”

Zhangsun Hong was shocked and speechless. He looked at the cakes on the ground suspiciously.

Zhangsun He’s bodyguard, who stayed outside, quickly went to report the matter to Zhangsun He. Zhangsun He and Chen Mufeng came in a hurry.

“What’s happened?”

Lei Ruilin raised his voice, “The cake is poisoned.”

Chen Mufeng squatted in front of Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin, and asked calmly, “How do you know, Ruilin?”

Lei Ruilin raised his wrist and also pulled up Qin Ruiqi’s wrist. “These are the bracelets that Old Dad gave us. When there is poison nearby, they will turn black.”

Chen Mufeng had seen this pair of bracelets. His impression of them was milky white, but at this time, with a clear look, the bracelets had become slightly black.

Zhangsun He took out a silver needle and inserted it into the cake on the ground. Sure enough, the silver needle quickly turned black. His expression greatly changed.

The servant girls were so scared that they knelt on the ground.

Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin looked at each other and realized that they were most likely the targets.

Yang Jinxian’s bottom hit on the ground.

After all, they were children. It was unknown who was the first to cry. Soon, all the little guests cried.

“Mufeng, you take care of them.”

Zhangsun He flashed out.

Chen Mufeng quickly comforted the guests; he frowned. The identity of the little guests was not common – no matter which one got harm, it wouldn’t be a small problem.

Weiyuan Marquis came over upon hearing about the incident and saw the little guests crying. Even his eldest grandson looked very pale. Only Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin sat down on the chairs with a straight face. He couldn’t help admiring them.

Zhangsun He soon returned and whispered in the ear of Weiyuan Marquis, “A kitchen maid in the kitchen is missing. It’s likely a disguise.”

Weiyuan Marquis nodded and told the servant girls to take the rest of the little guests out to comfort them, leaving only Zhangsun Hong, Qin Ruiqi, and Lei Ruilin.

“Little Qin-gongzi, it’s said that you noticed the cake was poisoned first?” asked Weiyuan Marquis to Qin Ruiqi with gentleness.

Qin Ruiqi nodded.

Weiyuan Marquis looked at his wrist. Perhaps because the child was too calm, he could not help but treat him as an adult as he probed, “It’s the first time this marquis has heard that there is a marvelous item that can detect poison without touching the poison.” In a disrespectful word, even the emperor had no such treasure.

Qin Ruiqi said in a low voice, “Dad said that any poison has a smell, but some smells are beyond the human sense of smell. This bracelet contains a special material that can sensitively detect poisons. It’s like the sound of a dog whistle. People can’t hear it, but dogs can hear it.”

“So that’s what it is.” Weiyuan Marquis smiled.

Chen Mufeng frowned to himself. Now is not the time to look into the bracelet.

Weiyuan Marquis praised, “You two little boys are not afraid at all?”

Lei Ruilin said with pride, “Why should we be afraid? Dad said that no matter who dares to bully Gege and me, he and Old Dad will avenge us.”

Weiyuan Marquis laughed, hollowly.

Zhangsun He had tried all the cakes with the silver needle, “It’s all poisoned.”

“That is to say, it’s not aimed at Little Yang-gongzi. Is it aimed at our Weiyuan Marquis Establishment?” Weiyuan Marquis frowned.

Qin Ruiqi pulled his Didi to his feet and said, “Lord Marquis, it’s time for Ruiqi and Ruilin to leave.”

Zhangsun He said, “Father, I’ll send them back.”

Weiyuan Marquis nodded. The Weiyuan Marquis Establishment ought to go to people’s homes to apologize and thank them for today’s incident.

Chen Mufeng followed.

Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin got on the carriage of the State Defender Duke Establishment. Not long after the carriage started moving, Qin Ruiqi and Lei Ruilin noticed several lines of sight in the obscure corner again.

From Weiyuan Marquis Establishment to State Defender Duke Establishment, there was an old alley. Because of the Capital’s expansion a few years ago, many residents of this old alley had moved away, so there were very few pedestrians in the alley.

When the carriage reached the middle of the old alley, Zhangsun He felt a sense of impending danger in his heart and quickly said, “Not good! Mufeng!”

Almost at the same time, more than twenty people, dressed in white attire and wrapped in white headcloth, sprang out from behind the roofs on both sides with knives and swords in hands. It was because they were all white that they could perfectly hide on the roof and behind the snow. Zhangsun He was the first to notice their murderous aura.

“Protect the children!” Chen Mufeng dropped a sentence to the four guards of the State Defender Duke Establishment before he pulled out his double-edged sword and flew to fight.

However, Zhangsun He and Chen Mufeng were both mediocre in martial arts because they took precaution against Emperor Xiaohui. They were driven farther and farther away from the carriage by four of the white-dressed men.