When Sima Ray was attacked, Wanyan Su and Qin Yunuan were exactly behind the shooting range. If Qin Yunuan could stand out to bear witness….
Wanyan Su squinted and had thought about all of the possible results of the issue. Now the clues included North Di language, North Di machete, and besides, the only person who knew his fighting preference was Wanyan Zun, his elder brother who was in the distant North Di Land. It seemed that his elder brother not only wanted to transfer him out of the capital but also planned to kill him secretly when he went to Qi as an emissary.
It was such an excellent strategy to achieve two things with one price. It could not only cause the hurt to the most competitive Grand Prince, but also impute the hurt to Wanyan Su. If he couldn’t show the evident evidence in time, he would trap into trouble. The emperor of North Di, Khan, would not help him or would sacrifice him to quiet down the anger of Qi if a war should burst out again due to him.
To Wanyan Zun’s surprise, a witness could prove that he was absent at that time. Wanyan Su must investigate the person who disguised him quickly by his means as long as he passed this trouble.
As for the witness, Wan Yansu looked at Qin Yunuan silently. He knew that girls in Qi thought highly of reputation. If he dragged Qin Yunuan into the mire on purpose, if the emperor believed him, there would be only one path for him, namely marrying the daughter of the concubine. But if the emperor did not believe him….
Wanyan Su looked the gloomier Sima Xiu. Now he was helpless and could not think much more.
“Emperor, I have the witness to prove that the man everybody had seen was not me,” Wanyan Su said very intensely, “Because when the Third Prince was stabbed to death, I stayed with a maiden. The maiden can prove it for me that I had no time to assassinate the Third Prince.”
“Wait, a maiden?” Imperial Concubien Yun who had kept silent for a long time raised her voice, “The Seventh Prince of Wanyan Family, you are so idle and I want to know which maiden can be chosen by you? You dated her at midnight. Speak it out, you can ask for a marriage bestowed by the emperor.”
Wanyan Su seemed to have predicted the situation. He glimpsed at Qin Yunuan and said confidently, “She is the Third Miss, the daughter of the concubine of Qin Family.”
Suddenly all attention was paid to the slim and elegant Qin Yunuan. Those noble maidens beside Qin Yunuan could not help but step backward. Now Qin Yunuan stood there singly and was more conspicuous.
Sima Xiu also turned his eyes on her. At the same time, Leng Changxi stared at her with his angry eyes.
Qin Yunuan raised her eyes slowly. Her bushy eyes blinked and she walked forward to give a salute to Sima Xiu. She said gently, “I don’t know what the Seventh Prince from Wanyan Family is talking about.”
Wanyan Su smiled coldly. He had predicted that such a cunning girl would not be at the mercy of him. He took out a pendant accessory from his sleeve, “All I said just now is true. You can see this. The ear pendant of the left ear of Miss Qin lacked a string of slivery pendant, right?”
Wanyan Su was such a shrewd and agile man. Qin Yunuan glimpsed at the pendant and then saw the Eunuch You showed it to Sima Xiu. She said initially, “It was from my ear pendant, but the string of pendant was left in the shooting range. I think the prince must pick it out there. It can’t explain anything.”
Qin Yunuan said with her quiet face. People could not perceive anything from her face but she had cursed him in her heart hundreds of times. He was seeking death to drag her into the mire to save himself temporarily.
She turned to Leng Changxi unconsciously but found that he was silent and seemed to wait for a fantastic show. She could find his jealousy from his slightly rising corner of his mouth.
Li Weijun now could not tolerate the intense situation and said bravely, “I can prove that only Miss Qin did not come back after the feast was over and everybody came to their tents. She came back in a hurry after the accident had happened. Besides, my maidservant, Dongxiang said that she saw a person who looked very similar to Qin Yunuan went to the back hillside behind the shooting range with a strange man. So it is clear that the man was the Seventh Prince of Wanyan Family.”
The corner of Leng Changxi’s mouth twitched again. He looked at Wanyan Su like a ferocious lion that had conquered other’s land.
“Since the person was just very similar to me, it was not me possibly. Sister Li, your maidservant said it was a strange man, but why do you believe that man is the prince?” Qin Yunuan turned to ask her. Li Weijun now could not think about any word to retort her.
“Emperor,” Qin Yunuan said sincerely, “We all feel so sad about the hurt of Third Prince, but I am still a single maiden, so I could not date with a foreign prince secretly who had met me for less than one day. However, I think what the prince said is a little bit reasonable. There are so many talents who can play peculiar tricks in this world. I have heard that there was a kind of Shape-shifting Art in the southwest region and people can disguise any person by the mask similar to a certain person. If the Seventh Prince from Wanyan Family had done that, he would not have stayed at the camping ground and waited for the emperor to dispatch bodyguards to find him when that man’s real face was revealed. Besides, he could assassinate the Third Prince in the feast or on the way the prince came to the hunting ground, but he assassinated the prince in the camping ground, which was equipped with strict bodyguard-protection. Emperor, was it so strange?”
Qin Yunuan’s words were reasonable but those stubborn officials did not believe her.
A young general stood up and said, “Maybe people from North Di utilized our thoughts to disguise themselves. Actually, people from North Di broke their words and plotted to hurt the imperial vein of Qi.”
“Humph, Official Chang, if people from North Di could have such subtle thoughts, the Seventh Prince from Wanyan Family would not be forced to drag me out to be his shield.” Qin Yunuan queried smartly. She not only defused the crisis of Wanyan Su, but also got away from this issue tactfully. She only called herself the shield of Wanyan Su.
At the moment, someone reported outside that a skin mask was found half a mile away from our camping ground. The mask skin was identical with the face of Wanyan Su.
Things got clearer. Those gossiping young generals kept silent and just waiting for the words of Sima Xiu.
“So, a stranger intruded the camping ground?” Sima Xiu said seriously, “Investigate the whole thing radically. Contrast the lists of hunting one by one. I want to know who dared to be so unscrupulous to let strangers in.”
“And so,” Li Weijun suddenly said in the crowds in a low voice, “If the person who stayed with Sister Qin was not the Seventh Prince from Wanyan Family, the person would be the man who was not in the list. Uh! That man must be the assassinator.” Although her voice was so low, her words did cause a great sensation in those timid and gossiping noble maidens. Qin Yunuan heard their words clearly.
She raised her head slowly to look at Li Weijun. This trouble maker now was laughing proudly.
Sima Xiu frowned slightly, looking at Qin Yunuan doubtfully.
“Don’t doubt, maidens.” Suddenly, Leng Changxi aside who kept silent for a long time stepped forward, passing Wanyan Su straightly beside Qin Yunuan. Now he looked at Qin Yunuan so affectionately and the girdling long purple robe gave out sounds when he took big strides, which were like strong heartbeats in this very quiet phenomenon.
Qin Yunuan stunned for a while. She thought Leng Changxi would stay away from this issue. Suddenly she found her tender hands were held by big hands. Soft and gentle breath came overwhelmingly. The unique aroma of green grass made his following words much brighter and warmer.
“Actually the unique woman I said before is her,” Leng Changxi turned back to look at Qin Yunuan with his mouth opening slightly, “The Third Miss from Qin Family, Qin Yunuan. After the feast, I could not help but date with her secretly. I am sorry to cause so many misunderstandings. It’s my fault.”
Leng Changxi held the hands of Qin Yunuan, kneeling half on the ground. Qin Yunuan seemed to be confused still, only to hear those surprising gossiping and the sounds of maidens gritting their handkerchiefs.
Sima Xiu softened his frowning eyebrows temporarily, “Really?”
Leng Changxi took out the flower sachet Qin Yunuan gave him when he was still Su Chenghai. He held it carefully, “We have been decided to be a couple. Emperor, please bless us.”
Sima Xiu had been planning the marriage of Leng Changxi for a long time. He admired Leng Changxi’s supreme ability and besides, he always felt deep sorry to Leng Changxi for some reasons.
“OK, General Leng, you have won numerous feats for Qi but are still single. I have planned your marriage for a long time and will discuss it with Qin Zhi. The Third Miss Qin Yunuan, you are so smart and beautiful. It is your good marriage and fortune to serve General Leng.”
“Serve” made Qin Yunuan stun. The word meant she would be only a concubine of Leng Changxi, who should be under the rule and guide of his legal wife. She was just one of his concubines.
Unconsciously, Qin Yunuan tried to get rid of the mighty hands of Leng Changxi but he dragged back and held tightly.
“Emperor, I mean I want to marry Qin Yunuan as my legal wife. The matchmaker, betrothal presents, martial fortune-teller would all be well prepared. I want her to be my only wife in my whole life. Nothing can change my mind.”
Sima Xiu was about to say something but Leng Changxi added quickly, “Emperor, you have promised to accede one request of mine. Now my request is so simple: marry a woman I like.”
