Youthful Glory

The guard was clearly stunned. Upon seeing the jade consort's token in Ming Tan's hand, he quickly bowed and said respectfully, "This subordinate failed to recognize the Consort. Please forgive this offense. Consort, please wait a moment—this subordinate will announce your arrival immediately."

Everyone in the room was trained in martial arts, so the conversation outside was heard clearly. Several generals who had once eavesdropped on private conversations in the secret chamber of Prince Dingbei's Manor couldn't help but glance at Jiang Xu. The Consort had actually come to Bieyu Tower...

Jiang Xu remained silent for a moment before the guard arrived at the door to announce her. He turned and said, "Let her in."

Soon after, Ming Tan followed the guard into the room. She stopped at the doorway, dressed in a servant's plain blue cloth garment, without a single hairpin or any makeup on her face. Jiang Xu looked at her and inexplicably thought that if she had ever appeared before so many people in such attire before, she would have been mortified enough to wish the ground would swallow her.

The surroundings were silent as the two locked eyes. Jiang Xu slightly raised his hand, and the generals in the room took the hint and withdrew. Master Zhou lingered at the back. As he passed Ming Tan, his steps paused briefly. Ming Tan glanced at him, but the look was too fleeting to discern any emotion.

Soon, only Jiang Xu and Ming Tan remained in the room. Ming Tan then stepped forward slowly but stopped when she was still a few paces away from him.

"Did you come through the secret passage?" Jiang Xu spoke first.

Ming Tan stared at him fixedly without responding.

"That passage isn't safe. It's collapsed before. Don't use it again."

"So it was because of the collapse that Master Zhou had no choice but to leave through the manor's back gate that night?"

Jiang Xu pressed his lips together, neither confirming nor denying. Master Zhou was indeed someone he had deliberately placed near Duke Changguo. However, most high-ranking officials had one or two such people around them—some loyal to Emperor Chengkang or himself, others to Empress Dowager Su. This was common in court affairs and hardly worth explaining.

He changed the subject. "This isn't the place to talk. I'll have the shadow guards escort you back to the manor first. Tomorrow, I'll return—"

"What can't be said now that must wait until tomorrow? Jiang Qizhi, look at me. Are you still going to tell me to trust you?" Ming Tan's eyes suddenly reddened as she interrupted him vehemently, nodding as she spoke. "I was willing to trust you, but now my father has been convicted of treason and colluding with the enemy! Do you know how grave those charges are? What can't you tell me now? Why must I wait? He's my father, my family! I don't even understand why you married me—how can you expect me to wait and trust you like this?!"

Jiang Xu moved to step forward, but Ming Tan instinctively retreated. He seemed lost in thought for a long moment before turning his back to her and suddenly ordering, "Someone, escort the Consort back to the manor. On my command, no one in Prince Dingbei's Manor is to enter or leave. All matters will be discussed after I return tomorrow."

As soon as he finished speaking, two shadow guards appeared, blocking Ming Tan's path. She stood there in a daze.

Before, he had merely been reluctant to speak proactively. But now, even when she asked, he refused to answer. Had there ever been a moment when he truly treated her as his wife?

"Consort, please."

Ming Tan retreated slowly, step by step. Just as she was about to turn around, several carved windows in the silent room suddenly burst open! Ming Tan looked up to see multiple arrows embedded in the window frames.

With the windows gone, the arrows shot through the night, whistling through the air as they flew straight toward Jiang Xu.It was unclear whether Jiang Xu had been prepared, but he casually drew the sword lying on the octagonal table. The blade reflected a dazzling white light as several metallic clashes rang out, scattering the arrows on the ground. He turned and commanded in a deep voice, "Escort the Consort away!"

"Watch out!" The hidden guards were about to respond when Ming Tan's gaze suddenly sharpened. She lunged forward toward Jiang Xu.

Jiang Xu reacted swiftly, instinctively pushing her aside while slightly turning his body. As the cold arrow grazed past him, he deftly flicked his sword, knocking it to the ground.

Yet, unexpectedly, another arrow followed a split second later, shot from the west through the carved window. Its target wasn't Jiang Xu—it was Ming Tan.

"A-Tan!" He rushed forward and caught her as she staggered with a muffled groan. His push had caused the arrow to veer slightly off course, striking only her shoulder. But the arrowhead was poisoned, gleaming with a sinister glow, staining the blood seeping from her shoulder a dark, ominous hue.

Jiang Xu's eyes darkened as he swiftly pressed several acupoints around the wound. "Summon Imperial Physician Feng."

The moment the arrow pierced her shoulder, Ming Tan felt as though all her senses had vanished. Only when she collapsed into Jiang Xu's arms and moved slightly did the excruciating pain, spreading rapidly through her limbs, hit her. Within moments, beads of sweat dotted her forehead, and her lips turned deathly pale.

Yet, despite the agony, she clenched her teeth, her eyes reddening as she trembled and whispered, "This arrow... was meant for you. It... missed. But I still took it for you. No matter what, spare Jing'an Marquis Manor, please?"

She knew his skills made dodging arrows trivial, but if she didn't claim this favor, how else could she leverage it for mercy? Whether it was manipulation or affection, their relationship had always been tangled in debts of gratitude.

Jiang Xu didn't answer. The restrained killing intent he usually kept hidden suddenly surged forth. With one arm holding Ming Tan, he wielded his sword with the other. Amidst the flashing blade, poisoned arrows were knocked down one after another. The last one, he caught mid-air with a reverse grip, slicing it cleanly in half before it fell to the ground.

The lurking Jin Yun Guards emerged fully under the cover of night. After two volleys of arrows, they surrounded Empress Dowager Su's most elite archers—her prized force, rarely deployed.

A signal was released.

Inside the room, the hidden guards slowly sheathed their swords, bowing to await Jiang Xu's orders.

Without even lifting his gaze, Jiang Xu uttered a single word: "Kill."

The hidden guard hesitated briefly. Earlier, when the Emperor and the Master had discussed this, there had been talk of recruiting these elite archers... But he didn't voice his thoughts. Accepting the order, he vanished into the dark night.

...

"The poison can be neutralized. I happen to have obtained a Snow Grass recently," Imperial Physician Feng said in a hushed, trembling voice. "But the arrow must be removed immediately, or the Consort risks excessive blood loss or infection. However, my strength is insufficient—I fear I may not pull it out in one go, causing her unnecessary pain."

Without further questions, Jiang Xu stepped forward and sat by the bed.

"I'll remove the arrow. Endure it."

At the mention of extraction, Ming Tan shook her head desperately, sweat pouring down her forehead. "No! I'm scared!"

"If the arrow isn't removed, you'll bleed to death."

At the word "death," Ming Tan flinched, but her resistance remained evident. Yet, even without removing it, the pain was unbearable—she already felt like she was dying.

She had never imagined herself in such a state. Tears fell in rapid drops, her eyes and nose red and swollen.

After a long silence, she weakly relented. "Then... if I let you remove it, promise me... spare Jing'an Marquis Manor. Please?""Spare Jing'an Marquis Manor?" Jiang Xu lowered his gaze to look at her, his voice icy. "Impossible."

Tears blurred Ming Tan's vision as she suddenly raised her head to meet his eyes. No matter how she had imagined it, she never thought that even in her current desperate state, begging him like this, he wouldn't relent or show the slightest mercy. So in his heart, she truly held no position at all, did she? So—

"Ah—!"

Still reeling from shock at Jiang Xu's heartless and utterly resolute rejection, Ming Tan suddenly felt an unbearable, excruciating pain shoot through her shoulder. She couldn't help but cry out. In the instant before the pain overwhelmed her senses and she lost consciousness, the last blurred images she saw were the bloodied arrowhead being pulled out and Jiang Xu's slightly softened expression.