Her Majesty Chose Violence, They Chose Her

The Black Dragon Guards quickly formed a human wall to shield them, while half the men charged toward the source of the arrow.

Rong Yin tossed aside the arrow he had caught, pulling Xiao Yang with him to take cover behind a wall.

The numbness in Xiao Yang’s body slowly faded, replaced by a bone-chilling cold.

She had almost died. It had been so, so close.

’Even though I’ve died once before, this feeling of death isn’t wonderful at all.’

However, it was then that she realized Rong Yin was holding her tightly. He had drawn a sword from somewhere and was on high alert, yet the arm wrapped around her was trembling.

Xiao Yang took a deep breath and gently patted his arm. "Don’t put pressure on your hand if it hurts."

’Or you’ll end up crippling it.’

The assassin didn’t charge forward. Xiao Yang pried Rong Yin’s hand open. Two gashes cut across his palm, a bloody mess of torn flesh. It hurt just to look at it.

One of the guards was carrying wound medicine. Without a second thought, Xiao Yang took it, sprinkled the powder on the wound to stanch the bleeding, and then quickly wrapped it with gauze.

’The most important thing now is to stop the bleeding. This wound is going to need stitches.’

Xiao Yang wasn’t a professional medic, but she knew how to wrap a bandage. To keep it from coming loose, she tied it off with a perfect bow.

When she finished the wrapping and looked up, she was met unexpectedly by a pair of deep, dark eyes.

He was staring at her, his gaze dark and intense, swirling with some unknown emotion that made her heart feel heavy.

"What are you staring at? Has the pain made you stupid?"

Rong Yin closed his eyes. "My thanks, Your Majesty."

There was only one assassin. He had fired the arrow and fled. By the time the Black Dragon Guards gave chase over the hundred-meter distance, the man was long gone.

"Archers are different from other Martial Artists. A man this skilled will have more distinct tells. I have had checkpoints set up at all the city gates for rigorous screening. We will be sure to capture the assassin."

When Li Wei heard the Little Emperor had nearly been assassinated, he abandoned the home seizures and personally led a city-wide manhunt for the assassin.

「In the Imperial Study Room.」

Han Yang stitched up Rong Yin’s wound. Xiao Yang looked at the stack of memorials before her, then glanced at Rong Yin, and a terrifying thought struck her. ’Does this mean I’ll have to approve all these memorials by myself from now on?’

"Your Highness, this wound is quite deep. It’s crucial that you don’t get it wet. You cannot exert any force until it’s fully healed—not even make a fist..."

As Han Yang gave his detailed instructions, Xiao Yang leaned closer and asked in a desolate tone, "How long will it take for it to heal?"

Han Yang replied, "A month, if it heals well. If not, it could take two or three."

The light instantly drained from Xiao Yang’s eyes. Her world had just come crashing down.

Seeing her expression, a hint of amusement crept into Rong Yin’s eyes. "Is Your Majesty that worried about me?"

Xiao Yang pouted. ’I’m not worried about *him*,’ she thought. ’But he got hurt saving me. It would be heartless to say I’m not concerned at all.’

’Who could possibly understand?! I owe my life to the person I despise the most!’

’I’ve completely lost the moral high ground.’

After Han Yang packed his medical kit and left, Xiao Yang ground her teeth at Rong Yin. "Don’t think you’re so great just because you saved me! And don’t you dare use this to lecture me!"

With Grand Tutor Xu gone, Rong Yin was now the only one left to oversee her studies.

She feared neither heaven nor earth, but she was terrified that Rong Yin would use this to force her to study.

’I’d rather be dead!’

Her simultaneously fierce and adorable expression made Rong Yin’s heart soften, and he couldn’t resist reaching out to pat her head.

Xiao Yang instantly dodged away. "What are you doing?"

Rong Yin’s hand met empty air just as it made contact. He suppressed a flicker of regret and said, "Saving Your Majesty was something I did willingly, and it is also my duty. Your Majesty may rest assured, I will not use this to coerce you."

Xiao Yang’s expression turned grave. ’It’s not that I’m ungrateful, but I’ll keep it to myself. I can’t give him an opening to push his luck.’

The assassination attempt that nearly killed the Emperor greatly infuriated military generals like Li Wei.

The Emperor had paid them their silver coins and was now taking down corrupt officials, proving that this Emperor was generous, had a clear sense of justice, and knew how to make money.

Daring to kill such an Emperor was a blatant provocation to every last one of them.

Li Wei’s call to action was met with a huge response. All city gates were locked down, and everyone passing through was inspected.

A dragnet was cast over the city, with searches conducted far and wide.

His hard work paid off, and he actually caught the man.

By the time he was brought before Xiao Yang, his arms and legs had been broken, giving him no opportunity to harm the Emperor.

Xiao Yang gave him one glance before ordering him to be taken away.

"Hand him over to the Regent King to be dealt with."

’He was the one who got hurt, after all.’

The group that stormed the execution grounds was fast, but they underestimated the army’s current fervor. They were eventually caught and summarily executed.

As for the two criminals, there was no need to execute them. They died not long after being broken out of custody.

They had already been beaten black and blue, barely clinging to life for their public execution. All the jostling during the escape literally shook them to death.

The two men’s movement techniques were nothing special, but the fact that someone was willing to sacrifice so many people to save them meant there was definitely more to the story.

Xiao Yang assigned the matter to Xu Xingchen to investigate slowly. She was in no hurry.

-------

This year, the Ministry of Revenue had brought in a great deal of wealth, so the palace’s year-end banquet could be held without any issues.

On the twenty-eighth of the twelfth lunar month, the official brushes were sealed for the holidays, and the palace held its year-end banquet.

Xiao Yang was absolutely thrilled. ’Ten days! No memorials, no studying, just pure, unadulterated joy~~~~’

"His Majesty arrives."

Everyone rose and bowed. "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Xiao Yang raised a hand. "Rise."

"Our thanks, Your Majesty!"

Xiao Yang had just taken her seat when the Empress Dowager arrived.

This time, she had to join the crowd in greeting her.

"We respectfully welcome Her Majesty, the Empress Dowager."

Dressed in magnificent robes, the Empress Dowager sauntered in. She wore a phoenix crown with hairpins of golden branches and jade, her face was exquisitely made up, and her entire being radiated an arrogant air of untouchable superiority.

She walked all the way to her seat without sparing Xiao Yang a single glance.

"You may dispense with the formalities. Be seated."

The corner of Xiao Yang’s mouth twitched, but she did nothing to stop the Empress Dowager from asserting her presence.

The Empress Dowager seized the moment when the Emperor was supposed to speak, singling out various courtiers and titled court ladies for praise.

The praised courtiers had no choice but to plaster on smiles, but their expressions looked undeniably stiff.

It had been less than two months since the Emperor had seized power from the Empress Dowager.

The relationship between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager was currently strained. Now, with the Empress Dowager praising courtiers over the Emperor’s head, there was no guarantee the Emperor wouldn’t brand them as part of the Empress Dowager Faction. The subsequent "home seizure package" was a prospect that filled them with despair.

Unfortunately, the Empress Dowager seemed completely unaware that she was not welcome. In fact, she grew more animated as she spoke, desperate to prove her authority as the Empress Dowager.

Without saying a word, Xiao Yang simply raised her hand. The banquet commenced, and servants streamed in with fine wine and delicious food. The Empress Dowager was forced to fall silent, her expression frighteningly ugly.

Rong Yin, however, was unaffected by the atmosphere. After taking a sip from a wine cup that held only plain water, his gaze fell gently upon Xiao Yang.

She was wearing a golden brocade robe embroidered with dragon medallions tonight. Because of the cold, a collar of white fox fur had been added at the neck.

The fluffy fur framed her delicate face. Her eyes reflected the brilliant lanterns, making them appear bright and vivid. A hint of cunning would occasionally surface in them, giving her a roguish sort of beauty that made one’s hands itch.

As he thought this, he suddenly let out a self-deprecating laugh. ’I’m a lost cause,’ he thought.