Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Making a Move

However, the current Zhao Shu was already consumed by rage. Never mind that Ming Lingyi and her two wretched maids had been insolent to her earlier; now, arrows were being shot at her. If she were to flee in disgrace like this, how could she ever maintain her prestige among the noble ladies of Shangjing City in the future?

’I won’t accept this!’

"Why are you running?! I brought so many men with me—are you all useless? Who is it? Beat them to death for me! How dare they attack me? I’ll make sure they regret it! Also, send someone to deliver a message to my father. I want to see just who dares to oppose our Duke Jing Mansion!"

Although Zhao Shu was the second daughter of the Duke Jing Mansion, she had been doted on by her father since she was a child.

Her older sister was the biological daughter of her father’s first wife. That original lady of the Duke Jing Mansion had been in poor health—a beauty fated to a short life—and passed away early. Later, Zhao Shu’s mother was married in as the second wife. After Zhao Shu was born, this second daughter, protected by her own mother within the mansion, lived a life countless times better than the eldest daughter of the Duke Jing Mansion.

To this day, the eldest daughter of the Duke Jing Mansion was only engaged to a minor editor from the Hanlin Academy, a matter hardly worth mentioning.

Zhao Shu was long accustomed to getting whatever she wanted in the mansion; how could she possibly be persuaded to back down now? Besides, she had already retreated before Ming Lingyi once today. How could she possibly do it a second time? If word got out that the dignified second daughter of the Duke Jing Mansion had been forced to retreat twice by a mere merchant woman, wouldn’t she become a laughingstock?

The guards of the Duke Jing Mansion cried out in silent misery. Though they had sworn their lives to the State Duke Mansion, wasn’t every life precious? Why should they have to throw their lives away for their young mistress’s arrogance and competitiveness?

But they had no choice but to obey their young mistress’s orders, so they could only brace themselves and fight.

But how could these servants and guards from the Duke Jing Mansion possibly compare to the Eastern Palace guards of the Crown Prince? A large portion of these Eastern Palace guards, led by Cheng Yi, were former personal bodyguards who had fought on the battlefield with Emperor Jing’an. The swords at their waists had tasted the blood of countless men. Dealing with these flashy, for-show mansion guards would take but a moment.

When the last guard protecting Zhao Shu fell, she still hadn’t quite processed what had happened.

She watched everything unfold in shock, finally certain. ’This group of people I brought with me... they’re completely useless.’

So many people, yet in less than a moment, the other side had taken them all down.

Zhao Shu stood amidst the fallen guards, surrounded by a few maids who were scared out of their wits. Her long hair, pierced by Li Yan’s first arrow, was now disheveled, and she looked an absolute mess.

But what terrified Zhao Shu the most was that as far as she could see, the group of people opposite her all had their bows aimed right at her.

Her legs went weak, and she nearly collapsed to her knees.

"Who... who are you people? Don’t you know that assassinating the daughter... the daughter of a State Duke in broad daylight is a capital crime, punishable by beheading?!"

At that moment, Zhao Shu suddenly recalled what Ming Lingyi had said to her earlier. She had never paid any mind to the law, but now she couldn’t help but try to use it to intimidate this group of what looked like desperados and make them spare her.

Li Yan sat on his horse. Though he looked very young, the solemn expression on his face dared anyone to underestimate him.

He held the crossbow in his hands perfectly steady, without a hint of a tremor.

WHOOSH—

As the sharp twang of the crossbow’s iron arrow echoed, Zhao Shu let out a scream. Then, as if she had lost all control of her body, she collapsed to the ground, looking completely stupefied with fear.

The arrow, clearly unaffected by Zhao Shu’s earlier words, had accurately and ruthlessly pierced the hem of her skirt, pinning it to the ground.

Li Yan dismounted, his young face unable to conceal his anger. "The law? Weren’t you the one who didn’t give a damn about the law just a moment ago?"

He was small, but his presence was immense.

Ever since Ming Lingyi passed away in Kunning Palace, Li Yun had forbidden nearly all musical performances and banquets in the palace. He had even gone so far as to prohibit drinking and gatherings in Shangjing City on major holidays like New Year’s Eve. So how could he possibly have arranged for a palace banquet?

Thus, for the past five years, the noble families of Shangjing City had not had a single opportunity to enter the palace for any kind of banquet.

Because the master of the Dayan Dynasty had no intention of hosting any festivities whatsoever.

If Zhao Shu had ever had the chance to attend a palace banquet, she would have surely recognized the young boy now walking toward her.

Everyone knew that Empress Hui Ming had given birth to a son, the current Crown Prince. But unless the Crown Prince appeared with the group from the Imperial College, very few people could actually recognize him.

Zhao Shu could only see that the young boy before her had a piercing gaze, and her heart tightened with nervousness.

"N-no matter who you are, I am the second daughter of the Duke Jing Mansion! If you, if you dare to harm me, my father, my father will definitely not let you go!" Zhao Shu stammered, trying to suppress the fear in her heart.

Li Yan asked, "You just attacked innocent commoners. According to the law, what do you think your final outcome will be?"

"I am the daughter of a State Duke! She is just a lowly commoner, AH—"

Before Zhao Shu could finish speaking, a sharp sword pierced her calf.

Li Yan had drawn the jewel-encrusted sword from his waist and plunged it into Zhao Shu’s calf.

In that moment, his eyes became just like Li Yun’s—cold and merciless.

"In Our eyes, you are also nothing but a lowly commoner," Li Yan said in a low voice. "This sword strike is your lesson."

How could Zhao Shu have ever endured such pain?

Even the previous arrow from Li Yan had only severed a lock of her hair and pierced her head ornaments; she hadn’t actually suffered any physical injury.

But this was different. The sword strike had been clean and decisive, drawing blood immediately.

"Stop."

Just then, Ming Lingyi walked over from under the pear blossom tree, frowning at the scene before her.

Li Yan, who just a moment ago had a fierce and stony expression on his little face, immediately reined in his anger upon hearing her voice. He turned his head toward Ming Lingyi, his eyes turning red.

He pouted, seeming to hold back tears.

Li Yan knew he couldn’t call her Mother in front of so many people; otherwise, it would bring her a lot of trouble.

Ming Lingyi: "..."

She sighed, reached out her hand to Li Yan, and led him away from Zhao Shu’s side.

’How have I never noticed this Little Bun was so two-faced before?’