Xie Zhui noticed Xiao Shan staring absentmindedly at the flickering flames and quickly asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?" He wondered if Xiao Shan was upset by Xiao Rong's words.

 

Although Xiao Shan didn't seem like someone who would easily get upset by others or events, one would never know. After all, everyone had feelings and couldn't always bear everything. Xie Zhui wasn't afraid of much, but he did fear the unexpected.

 

Xiao Shan snapped out of his thoughts and, holding Xie Zhui's hand, whispered, "It's nothing." After a brief pause, he added, "No matter what happens, you must always protect yourself."

 

Feeling uneasy was a rare occurrence for him, but since he couldn't pinpoint any specific issue, he could only remind the person beside him to take good care of himself.

 

Xie Zhui thought Xiao Shan was referring to the dangers of hunting on the grounds, where arrows could fly unpredictably and human intentions were uncertain. So he whispered, "I've already tested my skills today. I don't plan to participate in the hunts for the next few days."

 

Hunting on the grounds was an art in itself.

 

For instance, no matter how good his skills were, the game he hunted had to be slightly less than the Crown Prince's, but not too much less, to leave enough face for the Crown Prince. Perhaps the Crown Prince didn't care about such matters, but if Xie Zhui didn't handle it this way, it would inevitably be noted by those with ulterior motives, leading to gossip that could strain the relationship between Xiao Jin and Xiao Shan.

 

Given the Crown Prince's disposition, he naturally wouldn't believe such talk, and Xiao Shan even less so; these matters wouldn't concern him at all.

 

However, sometimes it was better to avoid unnecessary complications.

 

Moreover, his current identity was no longer that of the Grand General of the Northern Frontier but the Prince Consort of Prince Li. His every word and action represented the dignity of Prince Li's household. The reason he, a married ger, could participate in the hunt was because Xiao Shan allowed it.

 

So, while he could show respect to the Crown Prince, he couldn't extend that same level of deference to everyone else. Otherwise, unpleasant remarks would be directed at both him and Xiao Shan. He didn't mind harsh words aimed at himself, but he couldn't stand them being directed at Xiao Shan.

 

In the past, upon hearing such words, Xiao Shan would have surely advised Xie Zhui not to overthink and to be more relaxed. After all, while it was no longer possible for Xie Zhui to ride into battle, he could still enjoy some relative freedom on the hunting grounds.

 

However, this time, Xiao Shan remained silent for a moment before nodding and saying, "That's fine." Since he felt uneasy but couldn't find a reason, it was best to protect himself and those around him as much as possible.

 

With this thought in mind, Xiao Shan held onto Xie Zhui's hand and didn't let go.

 

Despite feeling anxious for a long time, nothing happened until the banquet ended.

 

Feeling dizzy, Xiao Shan lay down on the bed in the tent and unconsciously touched his chest. The sudden anxiety and unease had disappeared, and everything felt as peaceful as usual.

 

Xiao Shan thought to himself, could it be that there's something wrong with his heart?

 

The possibility made him quite worried. If that were the case, he would need to consult the imperial physician for a thorough examination and take care of himself diligently.

 

Seeing Xiao Shan's troubled expression as he lay down, Xie Zhui asked, "What's wrong?"

 

Xiao Shan lowered his hand and joked, "Nothing, I was just craving the piece of venison Father Emperor awarded to Eldest Brother." Today, the Emperor specially rewarded Xiao Rong with a piece of venison, a privilege not extended to the other princes.

 

Xie Zhui, feeling tired and sleepy, yawned and mumbled softly with his eyes closed, "No worries, I can hunt some for you next time."

 

Xiao Shan responded affirmatively, his mood instantly lifting.

 

With his anxiety gone and his spirits high, Xiao Shan watched Xie Zhui, who had already fallen asleep. He rested his head next to Xie Zhui's and soon fell asleep as well.

 

The next morning, Xiao Shan woke up feeling refreshed and in a great mood, with no trace of the previous day's unease.

 

However, he remained cautious throughout the day. He and Xie Zhui wandered around the edges of the hunting grounds, but nothing dangerous happened.

 

That evening, as everyone chatted, the Emperor sat among his ministers, under the pretense of enjoying the company of his subjects. The concubines the Emperor brought along were sitting with the wives and daughters of officials, chatting and laughing, creating an atmosphere of harmony.

 

The only one who seemed out of place was Xie Zhui, sitting beside Consort Lan. He neither spoke much nor smiled.

 

In such a setting, no one would deliberately cause trouble, so they simply ignored him.

 

Seeing this, Xiao Shan already decided to find an excuse to take Xie Zhui away.

 

Meanwhile, beside Xiao Shan, Xiao Jin, who won first place today, was being surrounded by people engaging in conversation and socializing, including Xiao Rong.

 

Not far away, on a temporary stage, a performance involving a large tiger was taking place.

 

The tiger was extremely docile, obeying commands to roll over and act cute, even catching the Emperor's attention.

 

The climax of the performance came when fireworks were set off on the stage, drawing everyone's gaze. Suddenly, the docile tiger stood up, and its skin fell away to reveal a beautiful woman standing amidst the fireworks, dancing.

 

The woman was dressed scantily, exuding wild charm. Her eyes sparkled with allure, and every smile and gesture was breathtakingly beautiful.

 

The Emperor didn't expect such a scene and was visibly stunned for a moment before clapping his hands in approval.

 

The ministers, seeing this, remained still, thinking that this performance was clearly intended for the Emperor. Even glancing at it too much could be seen as inappropriate.

 

The Empress and several concubines, though their expressions remained unchanged, felt various degrees of disdain in their hearts. A woman who used such means to enter the palace could only catch the Emperor's eye temporarily.

 

The Emperor's harem was like this: if the cultured beauty from Yangzhou left, there would be another beauty from Wang or Liu sent in her place. Over the years, they grew accustomed to it. However, the dancing woman’s scantily clad appearance seemed overly vulgar.

 

Naturally, no one would reveal their true thoughts, and the atmosphere remained harmonious and festive.

 

Xiao Shan was restless, his eyes wandering around. Calculating the time, he thought it was about right to go find Xie Zhui. At that moment, he noticed Chang An walking in from outside, standing not far away with a slightly anxious expression as he looked towards Xiao Jin. Whatever he remembered, he quickly composed his face.

 

It seemed like there was something urgent, but he couldn't speak to Xiao Jin about it in public.

 

Seeing this, Xiao Shan took a sip from his wine cup.

 

Then, as Xiao Rong raised his cup to Xiao Jin once more, Xiao Shan suddenly spoke up, "Eldest Brother, Second Brother, your faces are already red from drinking. If you keep drinking, you'll get drunk, and Father Emperor is watching from above."

 

As soon as he spoke, the courtiers, assessing the situation, began to disperse.

 

Xiao Rong's grip tightened. Recently, just hearing Xiao Shan's voice caused him physical discomfort, and his brow furrowed involuntarily.

 

Xiao Jin smiled slightly, "Third Brother is right; we shouldn't drink any more."

 

Xiao Rong, not wanting any interaction with Xiao Shan, not even to speak, quickly shifted his focus to Xiao Yi. "Fourth Brother, I didn't get a chance to celebrate your move last time. Today, let me toast to you."

 

Xiao Yi couldn't refuse Xiao Rong's enthusiasm and drank a cup.

 

Xiao Shan took the opportunity to approach Xiao Jin and said, "Second Brother, let Chang An help you down to have some sobering soup. Otherwise, if Father Emperor summons you for a conversation later and smells the alcohol on you, he won't be pleased."

 

Xiao Jin hadn't drunk much and was quite clear-headed.

 

Hearing Xiao Shan's words, he sensed something was off. Xiao Shan knew his tolerance for alcohol and would rarely intervene in such matters.

 

With a thought forming in his mind, Xiao Jin rubbed his forehead and said, "You're right, I have been a bit out of sorts today." He then gestured for Chang An.

 

Chang An quickly came over to support his arm.

 

Xiao Jin whispered, "I reek of alcohol. Take me back to change my clothes first."

 

Chang An held his arm tightly and replied, "Yes."

 

Seeing them leave, Xiao Shan also stood up. Before he could walk over, he noticed Xie Zhui frowning, his face a bit pale. He quickly approached Consort Lan, bowed to the Empress and Consort Lan, and then smiled at Consort Lan, saying, "Mother Consort, Xie Zhui is feeling unwell. I will take him to see an imperial physician."

 

Seeing this, others remarked on how considerate Xiao Shan was towards his husband.

 

Consort Lan, however, was not very pleased.

 

In truth, she didn't want Xie Zhui sitting beside her either. It was just that the Princess Consort of Rui was sitting there, chatting and laughing with everyone, appearing to get along well. If Xie Zhui didn't sit over, Consort Lan felt it would be a loss of face.

 

But now that Xiao Shan spoke up to take him away, Consort Lan was also displeased.

 

She wasn't a fool and naturally understood what Xiao Shan was thinking. He was just worried that Xie Zhui might be mistreated here. It was amusing to see Xiao Shan, with his bright eyes and rosy complexion, come up with such an excuse.

 

Consort Lan was dissatisfied no matter what.

 

Fortunately, the Empress, understanding her thoughts and sitting nearby, gave her a discreet nudge.

 

After being nudged by the Empress, Consort Lan came to her senses. She thought, regardless of the situation, since Xiao Shan spoke up, she couldn't let outsiders see them as a joke. So, she looked at Xie Zhui and said softly, "Go ahead. If you're not feeling well, you should have said so earlier. Otherwise, you'll only suffer."

 

Xie Zhui responded affirmatively, finally feeling relieved. Yesterday, the smell of roasted meat made him hungry, but today, for some reason, the same smell made him feel nauseous.

 

If it weren't for his strong self-control, he would have lost his composure long ago.

 

Xiao Shan whispered to Xie Zhui, "You go back to the tent first; I'll find the imperial physician."

 

Xie Zhui nodded, and Xiao Shan watched him leave before heading to find the physician. However, after taking just a few steps, he saw Xiao Jin walking towards him.

 

Xiao Jin's pace seemed unhurried, but he hadn't changed his clothes. Despite his efforts to conceal it, his expression was still somewhat unpleasant, and his eyes betrayed a hint of anger. Chang Le, beside him, also looked uneasy.

 

Seeing Xiao Shan, Xiao Jin forced a smile, though it was far from convincing. He then adjusted his expression, trying to appear as normal as possible.

 

Xiao Shan instantly realized that something happened beyond Xiao Jin's control. He thought for a moment and then called Ji An to fetch the imperial physician, while he himself stood aside, waiting for Xiao Jin.

 

He stood there, watching as Xiao Jin paid his respects to the Empress. When Xiao Jin rose, he smiled and said, "Mother Empress, news has just come from the Eastern Palace. The Crown Princess, Lady Liu, gave birth to a daughter at the hour of the ox today. Both mother and daughter are safe."

 

The Empress and everyone else were momentarily stunned by this news, and Consort Lan looked surprised and doubtful.

 

Calculating the months, Liu Jingyi was supposed to give birth next month. The imperial physicians always said she was in good health, so how could she have given birth early?

 

Moreover, if Liu Jingyi gave birth to a daughter at the hour of the ox today, she must have gone into labor last night. Why had Xiao Jin only received the news now?

 

What happened in the Eastern Palace?

 

The Empress quickly reacted, smiling and saying, "Good, there will be rewards when we return to the capital."

 

Seeing this, Consort Lan also adjusted her expression.

 

The others present were no fools. The officials' wives congratulated the Empress and Xiao Jin, then found excuses to leave.

 

The concubines also couldn't sit there watching the spectacle. They knew that whatever needed to be known would be revealed once they returned to the capital. Xiao Jin wouldn't be able to keep it a secret; otherwise, he wouldn't have announced it publicly.

 

The Emperor noticed the commotion and heard words of congratulations, so he approached with the dancing beauty and the ministers, thinking that if there was indeed something to celebrate, it should be announced and shared publicly.

 

Xiao Shan thought to himself, could his recent unease be related to this?

 

Logically, it shouldn't be. This was a matter concerning Xiao Jin's household; why would he feel uneasy about it?

 

Before he could figure it out, he heard Consort Lan let out a sharp scream.

 

He suddenly looked up and saw a young eunuch who somehow got close to the distracted Xiao Jin. One of them already thrust a dagger towards Xiao Jin's back.

 

The Emperor cried out in alarm, and the surrounding guards rushed forward to protect him.

 

Xiao Jin was abruptly pulled by Chang An, causing him to stagger, and the dagger struck his waist.

 

Seeing the guards approaching, the young eunuch adopted a stance as if he intended to perish together with Xiao Jin.

 

It was unclear what kind of grudge existed between the two.

 

The Empress and others surged towards Xiao Jin to protect him, while the palace maids and eunuchs, startled and screaming, ran about chaotically. The scene became instantly disordered as cries of an assassin rang out.

 

Xiao Shan, seeing Xiao Jin wounded, tried to move forward to pull Xiao Jin, who was just a few steps away from him, to safety.

 

In the end, amidst the confusion, Xiao Shan felt a strong push from someone. He involuntarily rushed in front of Xiao Jin, knocking him to the ground, and then a hairpin plunged into his chest.

 

Xiao Shan fell to the ground, clutching the hairpin that was thrust into his heart, while Xiao Jin lay on the ground, his eyes filled with disbelief, completely stunned.

 

Hearing the commotion, Xie Zhui rushed back and saw the scene. He swiftly drew a sword from the waist of a passing guard and, with the fastest speed, slashed at the hand holding the hairpin.

 

He didn't hear the agonized scream of the woman, nor did he look to see who it was. All his attention was focused on Xiao Shan. At this moment, Xie Zhui appeared exceptionally calm. He laid Xiao Shan on the ground, but his hands trembled, unsure of what to do.

 

Xiao Shan clutched his hand tightly, his lips moving.

 

Xie Zhui knelt on one knee and leaned in, hearing Xiao Shan whisper in a very faint voice, "Xie Zhui, it hurts."

 

Whether from excessive blood loss or sheer terror, Xiao Shan felt his head spinning, and his vision blurred until he could see nothing clearly.

 

Hearing those words, smelling the blood wafting from Xiao Shan, and seeing him close his eyes, Xie Zhui felt as if his heart was being gripped tightly by an unseen hand, the pain indescribable.

 

He turned his head and vomited violently.