Chapter 7: It's Actually Him

Chapter 007: It Was Actually Him

Everyone slowly and respectfully straightened their bodies; even when having an audience with the Emperor, they were likely not as cautious and careful as they were at this moment.

Qin Zi'er lingered at the back of the crowd, her gaze stealthily peeking forward. Although she knew this man was dangerous, she truly wanted to see what the person who had brought her such an overwhelming sense of dominance and power actually looked like.

He wore a black brocade robe devoid of any patterns, yet this simple garment perfectly outlined his physique. An invisible, sharp, and oppressive aura radiated from his entire being.

As her gaze moved upward and she clearly saw the face illuminated by the lamplight, Qin Zi'er froze completely. She even forgot to breathe, feeling a bone-chilling coldness seep into her hands and feet.

In the flickering light, a pair of pitch-black pupils appeared deep and dangerous. His long eyebrows slanted sharply toward his temples, his nose was proud and straight, and his thin lips were alluring. His entire face seemed like the most meticulous masterpiece carved by the heavens.

Qin Zi'er had only ever seen one man with such handsome features: the man from the neighboring residence whom she had intended to use as an antidote.

At this moment, Qin Zi'er understood why he had appeared here, and she understood the source of the cold, icy fury surrounding him.

Searching for an assassin was a pretext; his true purpose was to investigate whether that assassin was the person who had once stolen his bathtub and bathed face-to-face with him. He wanted to know if the assassin who had appeared in the Prime Minister's residence at this moment could be her.

After all, the Prime Minister's residence was only separated by a single wall. Having escaped from him, it was highly probable that she would end up in the Prime Minister's residence.

"Lord Qin, have you captured the assassin?"

A voice, cold enough to pierce the bone and laced with anger, reached everyone's ears. Those unaware of the truth all assumed the assassin must have provoked Prince Ding. Qin Mingzhu and Madam Zhang felt even more uneasy; if Prince Ding pursued the matter, everything they had done today would likely be impossible to hide.

"Replying to Prince Ding, this official has strengthened defenses and is searching with all our might. I believe the assassin is definitely still hiding within the estate. As long as the assassin is still in the estate, they certainly won't be able to escape." As the Prime Minister of the nation, Qin Guangze held significant power, yet even in front of the Emperor, he had never been as cautious as he was at this moment.

"Is that so?"

The frost-cold voice made it impossible for Qin Guangze to remain calm. He had long since witnessed Prince Ding’s volatile temper; if he were to displease him, it was not impossible for the Prince to kill him right then and there. And he would have no power to fight back. For the sake of the entire Qin family, if Prince Ding truly wanted his life, he would have to obediently stretch his neck out under Prince Ding’s sword.

"Replying to Prince Ding, this official will ensure the assassin cannot fly out of the Prime Minister's residence, even with wings."

Although he did not know why Prince Ding had come in person because of an assassin, Qin Guangze knew that if the assassin was not caught today, the consequences would be beyond anything he could predict.

"Has anyone seen what the assassin looks like?"

His cold, sharp gaze swept over everyone’s heads one by one. The entire courtyard was deathly silent; everyone felt uneasy and their hands trembled due to the gaze that landed upon them.

Qin Zi'er had long since regained her composure. She kept her gaze lowered, like a frail woman from the back courtyard, not daring to reveal the slightest anomaly.

She was absolutely certain that if she showed even a hint of something unusual, she would never escape this man's eyes.

And this casual question of his was merely to see if that assassin was the person he was looking for.

"Your Highness, my younger sister claims to have seen with her own eyes that the assassin entered my courtyard, but I truly did not see any assassin enter, and I certainly did not harbor any assassin."