Mei Qingxue just loved being in charge.
Since those people were not obedient, she had her own ways. Having lived several lifetimes, how could she not have any tricks up her sleeve? It was just a matter of whether she wanted to use them or not.
"Boss Long, why do you want to assassinate the emperor?" a young boy asked curiously.
"Get out of here. Who did you hear that nonsense from?" a bearded man shooed the boy away. He didn't know when the boy had overheard their conversation.
"But..." The boy was about to say something else when Boss Long chased him away. The boy mumbled something. A vicious glint flashed in Boss Long's eyes. While the child hadn't gone far and seeing that there was no one around, he raised his palm and slammed it down hard on the boy's skull.
The boy didn't even let out a grunt before his body went limp. He died without knowing why Boss Long, who had adopted him, would take his life.
Boss Long, that was his name. Now there was a man sitting in his secret chamber.
"Xiaolong, I've treated you well in the past," the man's voice was like a murmur. "I'm indignant. I'm aggrieved." Seeing the almost crazy look on his face, Boss Long let out a soft sigh. For an old favor, he had to repay this man with his life.
Well, so be it.
"But that man didn't do anything to you," Boss Long tried to persuade him.
"Stop talking. Are you going to help or not?" There was intense hatred in the man's eyes. "I can get you into the royal hunting ground. As long as you kill him, I guarantee the safety of your whole family."
"Let me think about it," Boss Long fell silent. He was a killer, but he was a killer with principles. If that child had leaked the secret, he would have been killed before he could act. Everyone knew that that man's wife might be the master of Qingya Snow Pavilion. If he agreed to this man, he would really be going to his death. He wasn't afraid of death.
But that man wasn't someone who deserved to die. It was just for a promise. He owed this man a favor before, and now it was time to repay it.
The man's eyes were full of red bloodshot. He stared fixedly at Boss Long as if he would keep staring until Boss Long agreed. "Okay," Boss Long nodded. The man stood up satisfactorily. The edge of a magnificent robe showed under his black cloak.
Boss Long didn't want to know his identity, nor did he want to ask. He only knew that he had to repay that favor.
So he nodded. "Brother Long, are you really going?" There were tears in the woman's eyes. The royal hunting ground was a place full of the rich and the noble. The man that person wanted him to kill must be extraordinary.
"Be careful."
"Don't worry. The royal hunting ground won't open until summer. It's not the time yet," Boss Long held his wife's hand and comforted her in a soft voice. "Don't worry. Maybe by then he'll change his mind." He knew that man. He always kept his word. He was just trying to comfort his wife.
He stroked the stubble on his chin. Since it wasn't the hunting season, he decided to scout around the hunting ground. It would be easier to carry out the task and he could also find an escape route.
"Don't go!" his wife's voice was full of pleading. "Ming'er, go and rest. The money I left is enough for you and the child to live on. If I really can't come back, find a man and marry again," Boss Long pushed his wife away. He picked up his sword and left the courtyard of his home.
He had already buried the boy's body. No one would find it. He was just a child he had adopted a few years ago. Dead was dead. No one would ask about it. The best thing was that except for that man, no one else knew his identity. Maybe this mission would fail, but he wouldn't regret it because he was a man of his word. After coming out of Boss Long's room, that man got into a carriage. He took off his black robe, revealing a vicious face. That face was so familiar.
"Even if you're soft - hearted towards me, so what, Du Guqing?" A ferocious look flashed across the man's face, which bore a slight resemblance to Du Guqing's. He was just taking back what was his.
In this dark night, it seemed that something had happened, yet also seemed that nothing had. Du Guqing hugged Mei Qingxue, and the two slept soundly as usual. At night, Mei Qingxue tossed and turned restlessly. She just couldn't sleep well. She vaguely felt that something was about to happen, but she couldn't grasp a single clue. In her dream, she always dreamed that she was being chased, but she didn't know who was behind her.
"What's wrong?" Sensing the restlessness of the woman in his arms, Du Guqing sat up. "I had a dream. I dreamed that I was being chased, but I don't know who was chasing me. I just kept running!" Mei Qingxue wasn't in a deep sleep. As soon as Du Guqing spoke, she woke up.
"It's just a dream. It's okay," Du Guqing laughed softly when he heard Mei Qingxue's words. It was just a dream. Why was she so bothered?
"But..." Mei Qingxue wanted to say something, but didn't know how to tell him. The purple butterfly on her chest was getting a bit hot. She didn't know what was going on. Since coming to this world, this was the first time the purple butterfly had gotten hot. It had never happened before. She had a bad premonition. If it was still vague just now, now it was clear.
She felt that something was going to happen, but Du Guqing didn't believe it. Didn't the ancients believe in ghosts and gods? They especially believed in the omens of dreams. Why didn't Du Guqing believe it?
"Go to sleep. You have to go to court early," Mei Qingxue turned over. But she couldn't fall asleep anymore. She was thinking about what might happen.
In her previous lifetimes, she had died miserably. In this lifetime, everything had been going smoothly. But the more peaceful and smooth things were, the more problems there might be.
Her thousand - year experience couldn't be wrong. What kind of thing hadn't she encountered? Kidnapping? There were all highly skilled people around her. It was absolutely impossible to kidnap her. Then it must be her family. Her father had no enemies. Mei Qingxue thought and thought and came up with the most clichéd plot in TV dramas: assassinating the emperor.
Thinking of this, her hand trembled. The purple butterfly on her chest seemed to get even hotter. Then how could she prevent it?
Right. Du Guqing had said that in summer, the royal hunting ground would open. There would be a hunting activity in it every year, and this year was no exception.
That was the place!
Mei Qingxue's eyes lit up. Tomorrow she would send people to check it out. She wouldn't let go of any possible place.
The thing that hadn't happened was probably this. Having figured out the key to the matter, Mei Qingxue closed her eyes. Du Guqing could feel the change in his wife's breathing and knew that she was still thinking about what had just happened.
"Xue, it's okay."
It was just a dream.
"Qing, if you believe me, strengthen your defenses. Be careful of someone trying to assassinate you," Mei Qingxue told Du Guqing what she had thought of. He hadn't died even after being poisoned so severely. A single killer or a few killers couldn't take his life.
"Don't think too much. Who would want to assassinate me now?" Du Guqing didn't know why Mei Qingxue would link it to this.
"I don't know either. It's just a hunch. You have to believe me," Mei Qingxue's eyes were as bright as stars even in the dark. Du Guqing was the most important person in her life. How could she let something happen to him?
Tossing and turning all night, Mei Qingxue thought of all the details carefully. "You go to court by yourself. I'll catch up on my sleep," Mei Qingxue said with her eyes closed. Du Guqing saw the dark circles under her eyes and knew that she hadn't slept well last night.
Du Guqing knew in his heart that Mei Qingxue really cared about him. She was afraid that something would happen to him.
As long as he went to court, this silly woman would definitely leave the palace.
If something really happened, she wouldn't be safe either. Why didn't this fool think about herself? After going out, "Han Zhao, follow the princess today and protect her closely."
"Yes."
After Du Guqing gave the order to Han Zhao, he went to court by himself. Sure enough, Mei Qingxue got up. Seeing Han Zhao outside the door, she knew that that man had predicted what she would do. "If you follow me, just watch and don't say a single word!"
"Yes, Your Highness!" Han Zhao and Han Jin responded. Although they didn't know why Mei Qingxue had given them such an order, they knew that the princess must have her reasons.
A figure flashed around the hunting ground. But since it wasn't the opening time, there wasn't even a single guard. That person sneaked into the hunting ground and chose a place to hide.
It was Boss Long.
Mei Qingxue left the palace now to mobilize the people from the Blue Sea Pavilion and Qingya Snow Pavilion to search the hunting ground carefully. She wanted to eliminate all the unsafe factors before she could feel at ease.
"Your Highness, where are we going?" Han Zhao followed Mei Qingxue as she walked around the imperial city. He couldn't help but ask. "Didn't you promise me not to say anything? Don't ask," Mei Qingxue turned around coldly. Her eyes were full of coldness.
She was in a really bad mood. She didn't know what was going to happen. Not being able to control the development of things, that sense of loss of control made her feel extremely uncomfortable and even helpless.
"Yes," Han Zhao replied. His doubts grew even stronger. Until they stopped in front of a garden. "Master, Pavilion Master!" There were several cold - looking people inside the door. They gave Han Zhao cold looks, but only showed respect and admiration when they saw Mei Qingxue.
Pavilion Master? Master? When did his princess have such titles? "I want you to search around the royal hunting ground carefully. See if there have been any human traces recently. Also, see if there are any suspicious people entering the area around the imperial city and the hunting ground," Mei Qingxue's eyes swept over the few people.
"Check if the suspicious people pose a threat. If so, kill them on the spot!"
It was the first time she had given such an order. Even An Ying gave her a strange look, but there was no doubt at all. All the people responded respectfully and then dispersed. Mei Qingxue seemed to have exhausted all her strength. She slumped weakly into the main seat in the middle.
The empty hall only had the two of them. After a while, Mei Qingxue said seriously, "You'll have to work a bit harder in the next few months."