My Devil Emperor
Attempted Assassination

The atmosphere inside the horse carriage was silent. A woman looked up at the man beside her.

"Why suddenly ask that? I guess you really think of Princess Rong as your love rival."

"Omong empty! I'm just asking. If you don't answer, forget it!"

ZiXuan laughed and muttered, "My Empress is very grumpy. Who is the woman who can match you? He can't either."

Yuan narrowed his eyes. "really?"

ZiXuan simply nodded without looking at the girl beside him.

"Brother, but that Princess Liang seems to like you a lot. You're not interested in him?"

ZiXuan frowned and turned his head. "Xiao Li, you ask too many questions."

Yuan flicked his lips and snorted in annoyance. "Your brother is very strange. Sometimes good, sometimes cruel. I'm not talking to you anymore!"

***

"Why? You bored?"

Yuan took a long breath. He did not reply and still followed ZiXuan's footsteps in front of him.

It had been half an hour that he had only noticed the man who seemed to be focusing on aiming at the hunted animals.

"Your Majesty, your archery technique is excellent. Can you teach me?"

ZiXuan turned his head and found Liang Rong who was already beside him with sparkling eyes.

"You want to learn?"

Liang Rong nodded enthusiastically.

"All right."

Yuan snorted in annoyance. He stomped his feet and walked quickly between ZiXuan and Liang Rong, making a distance between the two.

"Where do you want to go?" zixuan asked while holding her wife's wrist.

"As you'd guess, I'm bored. Want to try to learn archery self-taught rather than asking people's husbands to teach me. After all a woman should have self-respect."

The insinuation was clearly indicated for Princess Liang.

"You already have a husband. Then just ask your husband to teach you," ZiXuan said with a grin restrained on his lips.

"Forget it. He was more interested in other flowers. All men are like that."

ZiXuan really could not help but laugh. It stunned everyone who was there, except Yuan.

"Your husband is not like that. Let me teach you."

Yuan shook his head. "no need. I'm used to trying first before asking someone to teach me. I'm not a spoiled woman. No trouble Your Majesty," he said with great emphasis. He released ZiXuan's hand and immediately left followed by Jingli and Yunniang behind him.

ZiXuan smiled faintly as he shook his head slowly. He turned to look back at Liang Rong. "Still want to learn?"

Although hesitant and with a slightly flushed face, Liang Rong replied, "If Your Majesty doesn't mind."

"I think I object. I also don't like other flowers. Just leave if you're just interrupting my concentration." After saying so, emotionlessly ZiXuan walked back to look for an animal he could aim at.

Being blatantly rejected obviously made Liang Rong hurt. But either because he loved this man in front of him too much or he was so obsessed with ZiXuan, making him only able to fall silent and go back to following the man's footsteps without a sound.

"Mr Princess, are you okay?" whispered An Hui.

Liang Rong turned his head and shook his head. "I'm fine."

"Your Majesty is too cruel. He agreed to it at the beginning."

"Don't talk about it again. By the way I just noticed, where is Ying'er?"

"Ah, I didn't see it either."

***

Yuan squinted his eyes with an arrow ready to be released.

"Ah, it almost hit," he said sighing in disappointment as the arrow he released missed.

"I thought, it's good enough for a beginner" Yunniang praised.

"Yunniang, everyone knows you're good at praising people! Shoot me is obviously very bad."

"I also agree with what Sister Niang said. Empress, you've done well."

Yuan laughed softly and said, "Alright. I've done well. Sister, please bring me the arrows."

"Good."

"Ah? That, I think I heard something," he replied softly.

Hearing that, Yuan also fell silent for a moment and sharpened his sense of hearing.

"Ah, that might be the sound of some animal running away."

"No. This— Your Majesty, be careful!"

Not yet understood what was happening, something that felt as cold as slicing his upper arm along with a powerful pull made his body fall down.

Jingli who heard the commotion immediately turned his head to confirm the situation behind him. He was wide-eyed and immediately ran over to Yuan and Yunniang who had already fallen on the ground.

"Sir, are you okay?" The question came out of Yunniang's lips.

Yuan grimaced at the wound on his arm then turned to look at Yunniang and was surprised. "Yunniang, how can you ask me if I'm okay? Look at you! You're hurt too!" yuan was worried.

In addition to saving Yuan from the arrow that came out of nowhere, he also restrained Yuan's head from the impact of a sharp stone. The stone stabbed his hand. This looked even worse than the injuries Yuan had gotten.

"Sir, are you okay?" Jingli was torn between Yuan and Yunniang.

"Don't worry about me. You quickly help me close the wound," Yuan said, giving her handkerchief to Jingli.

The girl immediately turned to look at Yunniang. He carefully bandaged the wound.

"Xiao Li!"

Yuan turned his head when he heard the familiar voice in his ears.

ZiXuan quickly walked over to Yuan. "Here, what's going on?"

"Someone wants to injure the Empress, Your Majesty," Jingli replied.

Li Wei immediately traced the scene while ZiXuan stared at Yuan's right arm in silence.

"Don't move!" he said upon seeing Yuan about to stand up.

Yuan looked at the confused man. Then he followed his point of view. "Ah, this is okay. Just a small wound. Your Majesty, can we go back first? Yunniang's injuries should be treated immediately, right? I'll also treat my wounds."

"Your Majesty," called Li Wei while handing over the arrow in his hand.

ZiXuan simply looked at him, then turned to look at Li Wei.

"Without exception, everything turned around!" said Li Wei who was instantly obeyed.

Yuan blinked his eyes. "This— Your Majesty, what do you want to do!" he cried out in surprise as without warning, the man held him back and lowered the shirt off his shoulder.

ZiXuan clucked in annoyance and stared intently at the girl. "I told you not to move" he said. He looked at the open wound and touched it.

Yuan grimaced and reflexed pulled himself. "Brother, don't touch it. That's sick!"

"What do you feel?" zixuan asked without caring about the grievances of the girl in front of her.

"sick! It's hot, too."

ZiXuan was silent for a while. He tidied up Yuan's clothes and turned to Li Wei. "Prepare train. I'll come back first," he said.

"Okay, Your Majesty."

ZiXuan placed one hand under Yuan's knee and the other hand on the girl's back.

"Your Majesty, this is unnecessary. I— I can walk alone. The only thing I hurt was my hand," Yuan refused softly.

"Then you stand up." ZiXuan retracted his hand and looked at Yuan, defiant.

Suddenly, her beautiful eyes opened perfectly. "I—I can't move?" said slowly.

"Empress— Your Highness, is the empress okay?" jingli asked worriedly.

ZiXuan crouched back in front of the girl. "The land's poisonous. That's why you can't move."

"I—" Yuan closed his eyes. His forehead was wrinkled with sweat that began to wet.

"Don't fall asleep!" ZiXuan immediately lifted the tiny body into his carriage.

"Brother, I'm tired. Can I fall asleep for a second?"

"You can't!"

ZiXuan felt the girl's breath getting heavier. He occasionally glanced at her without slowing down his steps.

"Xiao Li, if you fall asleep, I will knock you down!" said threat.

"Brother, you are so evil! But I like you."

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