Chapter 148: Assassination

The moon gradually climbed higher, and Lin Hao’s pace slowed down in sync with the person beside her.

At this rate, did the Prince of Jing's Heir intend to stay the night?

Lin Hao quietly patted her cheeks and cleared her throat to break the stagnant atmosphere, which was somewhat strange, somewhat anxious, and somewhat sweet: "If it was someone from within the Jinlin Guard who committed the murder to silence witnesses, does that mean the mastermind behind the kidnapping of my eldest sister has a complicated identity?"

Qi Shuo nodded.

The two exchanged a glance, both thinking of the same person.

"It's the Crown Prince, isn't it?" Lin Hao's voice was extremely low, but her tone was certain.

"It should be him, but we still need to investigate clearly."

Lin Hao walked forward, casually brushing aside a flowering branch that playfully poked into her path: "Since the Crown Prince has a problem with his left hand, he's targeting Prince Wei?"

She shook her head, unable to make sense of it: "But I still can't figure it out. What substantial harm could kidnapping my eldest sister cause to Prince Wei? If my sister's reputation is ruined, Prince Wei can at most just choose a new Princess Consort."

"That is why we must investigate thoroughly."

"If you receive any news, Heir, please tell me immediately."

Qi Shuo nodded with a smile: "Alright."

"My eldest brother won't be in trouble, will he?" Considering the methods and style of the Jinlin Guard, Lin Hao found it hard to feel at ease.

Qi Shuo fell silent for a moment before saying, "Perhaps a little. But with me here, do not worry."

"Then I shall trouble the Heir." Lin Hao noticed his footsteps suddenly slow down; following his gaze, she saw her mother looking on with a face full of shock.

It was Qi Shuo who reacted first, cupping his hands in a grand and polite greeting to Lady Lin.

Lady Lin rested her chin on her hand, her tone subtle: "Are you two... taking a stroll?"

She had waited at Jiaoyue Residence, waiting for Ah-Hao on the left and then on the right, and getting anxious, she had come out for a walk, only to stumble upon this pair.

*Bah, bah! What do you mean 'this pair'!*

Lady Lin shook off that terrible thought and stared at Qi Shuo with a scrutinizing gaze.

Qi Shuo suddenly felt nervous.

The evaluations Lady Lin had made of him echoed in his ears.

*"It's not easy, with such a sickly body, having to uphold such a massive Prince's Manor in the future."*

*"I really didn't expect the Prince of Jing's Heir to know how to ride a horse."*

Lin Hao hurriedly said, "Brother is drunk; I am seeing the Prince of Jing's Heir out."

Lady Lin found it strange: "Your brother has a good tolerance for alcohol; he actually got drunk?"

She couldn't help but look at Qi Shuo, thinking to herself: *The Prince of Jing's Heir's health is poor, but his alcohol tolerance is quite high; with a body like that, wouldn't his health be even worse?*

Had it been before, she wouldn't have been so meddlesome, but since the man had helped her nephew today, it was different.

"You should also drink less, Heir. Drinking too much harms the body."

If this were her own son, she would insist he quit drinking!

Qi Shuo: "..."

After a moment, he responded honestly: "Thank you for the reminder; your nephew will keep it in mind."

Lady Lin quite liked Qi Shuo's receptive attitude and smiled: "Heir, hurry home. It is already dark."

"Your nephew takes his leave."

Since Lady Lin was standing there, Lin Hao naturally could not see him to the door; instead, a servant accompanied Qi Shuo toward the main gate.

Once he was far away, Lady Lin immediately asked, "Quick, tell me, what exactly is the situation?"

Lady Lin's urgency made Lin Hao somewhat embarrassed, so she said vaguely, "It's nothing, I was just fulfilling my duties as a host for my brother and seeing the Prince of Jing's Heir out..."

Lady Lin looked at her with a strange expression: "Mother is asking you, what is the progress regarding those two prisoners?"

Lin Hao fell silent, feeling even more embarrassed.

She had misunderstood!

"Those two prisoners are dead."

These words gave Lady Lin a fright, and her voice involuntarily rose: "Dead? How did they die?"

After listening to Lin Hao finish, Lady Lin said solemnly, "Ah-Hao, you did the right thing. Your brother has a careless personality; it is better to rely on the Prince of Jing's Heir to ask more questions."

"Ah, okay."

That night, Lin Hao suffered from insomnia.

She tossed and turned from time to time, staring blankly at the incense ball hanging from the canopy in the hazy darkness.

She did not dislike being with the Prince of Jing's Heir, nor did she even dislike that he had revealed his feelings, but why could she not stop thinking about the person who had died alongside her in her previous life?

Perhaps, she had to find that person before she could understand her true feelings, rather than being like a swaying scale as she was now.

*Don't think about it, don't think about it. Find the person first, then talk.*

Lin Hao hugged her embroidered soft pillow, turned over, and forced herself to sleep.

In contrast to Lin Hao's tossing and turning, Qi Shuo went back, gave some instructions to his subordinates, performed a simple wash, and fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow. He slept until an unknown hour before suddenly sitting up.

Although he had some tolerance for alcohol, he rarely touched it in his daily life. A throbbing headache made him rub his temples as he began to recall the events of yesterday.

He had confessed his feelings to Ah-Hao!

Recalling every detail clearly, Qi Shuo felt his head was no longer aching so much.

This was something that had escaped his control, and also something that made him happy.

Hearing the movement, Chang Shun climbed up and rubbed his eyes while looking at the Heir, who was already washing up: "Heir, the sun isn't even up yet, and you are already awake."

The corners of Qi Shuo's lips curled up: "There is business. Tell Xuan Lai to come see me."

Chang Shun rubbed his eyes again.

What had happened? Why was the Heir smiling so widely he couldn't close his mouth?

Seeing him standing there motionless, Qi Shuo lowered his brows: "What is it?"

"Ah, this lowly one will go immediately." Chang Shun ran off in a flash.

Cheng Shu was also waking up early.

It was his turn to be on duty today, which happened to be the morning shift.

Thinking about the deceased high-profile prisoner, Cheng Shu was distracted while dressing, only noticing when a servant reminded him he had forgotten to tie his belt.

The servant carried a lantern to escort him outside the manor: "Young Master, please be careful on the road."

Cheng Shu took the lantern and strode forward.

He had walked this path many times and was extremely familiar with it. Although it was still dark, there were already many figures hurrying along the road.

Among these people were commoners busy with their livelihoods and officials like Cheng Shu going to work. Everyone was focused on their journey, with no intention of noticing others.

Cheng Shu was the same, his mind preoccupied with matters, as he turned into a small alley.

It was the shortcut he took every time.

Compared to the wide streets, the narrow alley was somewhat darker and eerily quiet.

Cheng Shu did not mind and raised the lantern a little higher.

A mass of darkness leaning against the wall on his left side caused a sense of unease to rise in his heart.

He didn't remember seeing a protrusion here before—not good!

By the time he realized something was wrong, the dark shadow pressed tightly against the wall had already moved.

A bright flash of a blade sliced through the darkness, slashing toward Cheng Shu's neck.

Without a doubt, this was an attempt on his life.

Cheng Shu dodged clumsily, barely avoiding the blade. Almost by instinct, he threw the lantern in that direction and bolted back the way he came.

The sound of clashing weapons came from behind him. Just as Cheng Shu was about to run out of the alley, he turned back.

That wasn't right; he had already run away, so why was there still the sound of fighting?

Approaching cautiously, he used the flickering light from the lantern dropped on the ground to see clearly that two people were fighting.

Both were dressed in black; one wore a black cloth mask, while the other's face was uncovered.

Just then, the lantern went out. Using the afterglow of the light as it vanished like a falling star, Cheng Shu saw one person being subdued by the other.

He couldn't tell which one was the person who had just ambushed him, so he bolted again.