Chapter 80: Chapter 80: The Crime of Assassinating the Crown Prince

Ming Lingyi couldn’t just stand by and watch Li Yan kill someone in a fit of rage.

The earlier sword strike was lesson enough for Zhao Shu.

But if Li Yan were to get into serious trouble over someone like this, she, as his mother, would be the first to object.

There were many ways to punish someone; it wasn’t necessary to do it yourself every time and give people leverage against you.

Ming Lingyi had wanted to explain this reasoning to Li Yan, but when the Little Bun looked at her, his face was on the verge of tears, looking utterly pitiful.

At this sight, even though she had countless scolding words ready, she couldn’t bring herself to say a single one.

"Don’t cry, don’t cry." Ming Lingyi couldn’t help but speak when she saw Li Yan’s big, round eyes turning red. She really didn’t want the Little Bun to burst into tears; she had absolutely no experience with crying children.

"I’m not!" Li Yan mumbled sullenly.

Just then, the Eastern Palace guard Shi Tianyun, standing beside Cheng Yi, froze.

’If I’m not mistaken,’ he thought, ’isn’t the one holding our Crown Prince the young lady from that family Emperor Jing’an ordered us to silence?’

’This is...’

Not only had their captain stopped them from carrying out the order back then, but he had also never sought to settle accounts with this Mrs. Ming afterward. Now, their own Crown Prince was acting so intimately with this woman. Shi Tianyun truly couldn’t make sense of the situation.

Conversely, many of the personal guards who, like Cheng Yi, had once served Emperor Jing’an, felt a storm rage in their hearts the moment they saw Ming Lingyi.

’No wonder...’

’No wonder both our young master and the captain acted just now.’

Shi Tianyun leaned close to Cheng Yi and whispered, "Chief, what’s going on? This woman, back then..."

When Cheng Yi heard those words, his brow twitched violently.

’The events of that night are like a ticking time bomb for me.’

Although the order had come from the Emperor, it was an undeniable fact that they had nearly killed the Empress.

The Emperor clearly had no intention of pursuing the matter now, but who knew this big oaf, Shi Tianyun, would be so eager to serve up his own head?

’What an absolute moron!’

Cheng Yi shot the man beside him a cold glare. "Shut your mouth! You’d better take this to your grave, or else..."

Although Shi Tianyun was often dense, he was still sharp enough to understand when his life was on the line.

Hearing Cheng Yi’s warning, he didn’t dare ask another question, no matter how many he had.

When Zhao Shu saw Ming Lingyi restrain the child who looked like he genuinely wanted her dead, she breathed a sigh of relief.

’Looks like my life is safe for now.’

’I just need to stall for time. As soon as my father arrives, I’ll make every last one of them pay with their lives!’

Perhaps the heavens heard Zhao Shu’s inner cry. After receiving word from his guards, Duke Jing came rushing over at top speed.

Zhao Shu was the apple of his eye; how could he allow her to be bullied by just anyone?

However, the moment Duke Jing arrived, he spotted Cheng Yi and his men.

Others might not recognize the captain, but how could he fail to?

Sure enough, Duke Jing turned his head and immediately saw the Little Crown Prince standing beside Ming Lingyi.

He didn’t even dare to check on his daughter’s condition anymore.

"This humble subject greets Your Highness, the Crown Prince."

With a THUD, Duke Jing fell to his knees.

Zhao Shu had been eagerly awaiting her father’s arrival to take charge and stand up for her. But the instant she heard his words, her already weak legs seemed to turn to jelly, and every last bit of strength drained from her body.

’What?’

’What did I just hear?’

Earlier, when Li Yan had used the royal "I" to refer to himself, Zhao Shu had been so consumed by pain and fury that she hadn’t noticed the small but crucial detail. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

But now, no matter how much her ears might be playing tricks on her, she couldn’t possibly have misheard the words "Crown Prince" coming from her own father.

A loud BUZZ filled Zhao Shu’s head.

’How could he be the Crown Prince?’

’Why would the Crown Prince defend an ordinary, plainly dressed woman?’

’Why?’

’Could she have some other identity? If she were a noble from Shangjing City, how could I not know her? I’ve never seen Ming Lingyi’s face at any of the banquets held by the various mansions.’

Li Yan knew someone had arrived, but today, no matter who it was, he would make the person who had slandered his empress mother pay the price.

When he turned and saw Duke Jing kneeling on the ground, the spoiled, obedient expression he reserved only for Ming Lingyi vanished from his face.

He first patted his mother’s hand, as if to reassure her. Only then did he turn and walk toward the middle-aged man kneeling on the ground, already drenched in sweat.

As the Crown Prince who was already studying at the Imperial College, Li Yan naturally knew who Duke Jing was.

Years ago, Duke Jing’s father, the Old Duke Jing, had been a deputy general under Li Yan’s own grandfather.

The Old Duke Jing had slain countless enemies on the battlefield and was considered a formidable figure.

This current Duke Jing, however, was another story. Li Yan had heard he’d been coddled since childhood, unable to fight on the battlefield and prone to fainting at the sight of blood. If his imperial grandfather hadn’t taken the Old Duke Jing’s legacy into account, it was doubtful this man would have ever inherited the title.

This Duke Jing could neither fight nor write; he was the epitome of the saying, "good for neither civil nor military pursuits."

"Duke Jing, you may rise," Li Yan said, his hands clasped behind his back.

He had gone out riding today and was dressed in a sharp, round-collared robe of gold brocade, its collar densely embroidered with silver-thread grapevines. A nine-ringed white jade belt carved with auspicious clouds was fastened at his waist, making him look both spirited and regal.

How could Duke Jing, Zhao Xulei, dare to rise? "My young daughter was unaware of Your Highness’s identity. If she has offended you, I beg Your Highness to be magnanimous. Please allow this humble subject to take this unfilial girl home to be strictly disciplined. I will be sure to give Your Highness a satisfactory account of the matter."

Duke Jing only knew that his guards had gotten into a fight with outsiders, but he was unclear on the cause.

Seeing his own men being thrashed by the Eastern Palace guards with no ability to fight back, he had subconsciously assumed that Zhao Shu had clashed with the Crown Prince.

Fortunately, the Crown Prince did not appear to be injured, which allowed him to breathe a small sigh of relief.

This second daughter of his was truly lawless.

Thankfully, the Crown Prince had an excellent reputation throughout the court. Unlike the cold and ruthless Emperor Jing’an, everyone from the officials and his tutors to his classmates at the Imperial College spoke highly of him.

Gentle, courteous, and brilliant, he was the future hope of the Dayan Dynasty.

Therefore, Duke Jing believed that even if his daughter had unintentionally offended the Crown Prince, the matter could be resolved amicably.

But—

"The second young lady of the Duke Jing Mansion attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince and murder the heir apparent." Li Yan’s voice, though still tinged with the sound of a child, was devoid of emotion and exceptionally cold. "Does Duke Jing still think this is a matter that can be resolved by taking her home for a lecture?"

He would not spare or forgive anyone who harmed his empress mother.

This was the mother he had lost and found again. No one was permitted to disrespect her.