Chapter 52: Bathed in Moonlight and Lamplight, Handsome as Hell
Xiao Li was still enjoying the show when an arrow suddenly whistled through the air, piercing straight through the lion’s skull.
She snapped her head toward the high platform. The one holding the longbow was none other than Lou Yan.
His hand held the longbow, his posture proud. The night wind whipped his robes about as moonlight and lantern fire bathed him in their glow. He looked ridiculously handsome.
’What’s a eunuch doing, stealing the male lead’s spotlight?’
"ROAR!" The enraged lion let out a final, mournful cry. It gathered the last of its strength into a single swipe, sending Prince Chen flying.
He spat blood and propped himself up with his sword—a perfect pose.
If the occasion weren’t so inappropriate, Xiao Li would have applauded.
THUD. The lion collapsed, blood streaming from its body. It wasn’t dead yet, but its wounds were too severe for it to attack. A group of Imperial Army guards swarmed forward to finish it off.
"The Empress Dowager!!"
A sudden shriek came from the high platform. The guest of honor for the day had fainted from fright.
"Imperial Physician! Summon the Imperial Physician!"
The Empress Dowager was hastily carried away. The Emperor and Empress bickered about something, but none of that mattered.
The danger passed. Some celebrated their survival, others whimpered in pain from their injuries, and still others mourned loved ones they had lost.
"Hello there. Could I borrow your sword for a moment?"
The soldier stared at Princess Xuanyang, who had suddenly approached him. With her snow-white skin and crimson lips, she was stunningly beautiful. She smiled, her eyes filled with a dazzling light that outshone the surrounding lanterns.
"Of course..."
The soldier dazedly handed over his sword. He then watched as the Princess hefted it, turned, and swung it at the Prince Consort and the Princess Consort.
"Ah!"
Chen Pingting stood nearby, still shaken. Her eyes were vacant as she stared in this direction, but a sudden flash of a sword jolted her back to her senses. The scene that followed nearly scared the soul out of her.
"Princess!"
"Princess Consort, watch out!"
"Heavens!"
The crowd’s frayed nerves had just begun to settle when this sudden turn of events shocked them taut again.
No one had expected Princess Xuanyang to suddenly grab a sword and start hacking at people—and at her own Prince Consort, no less! Oh, and Princess Chen, too.
"Princess, stop! What are you doing?" an official in the crowd demanded.
But Xiao Li only had eyes for Liu Xueyin and Lu Yanzhi. She held the sword casually, but her killing intent was palpable.
She was smiling. Despite her magnificent beauty, her smile held an inexplicable chill that was utterly horrifying to behold.
"Don’t dodge. You’re making this very difficult for me."
Only then did the crowd notice that the Prince Consort and Princess Chen were still clinging desperately to each other.
Everyone’s expressions instantly turned... complicated.
No wonder the Princess was going crazy. Who wouldn’t, after seeing that?
But going crazy was no excuse to start hacking at people, was it?
Lu Yanzhi and Liu Xueyin finally realized they were still holding each other and hastily separated.
"Princess, it was just a moment of panic," Lu Yanzhi said, trying to explain himself as he stepped forward to take Xiao Li’s hand.
Xiao Li lifted a foot and mercilessly kicked him to the ground. "Don’t you touch me with your filthy hands."
With that, she swung the sword at Liu Xueyin again.
"AHHH!!"
Liu Xueyin shrieked and scrambled backward, barely dodging Xiao Li’s first strike, only for a second to follow immediately.
"Stop! Don’t come any closer! No..."
Liu Xueyin cried out uselessly as she stumbled and fell.
’The perfect position for a beheading.’
CLANG!
The downward strike was blocked by another sword.
Prince Chen’s face was pale and grim, his gaze stern and menacing as he roared, "What is the meaning of this madness?"
Xiao Li wasn’t afraid of his domineering aura in the slightest; she just found his whole act ridiculous. "No wonder our Brother loves to wear black. It’s the only color that can hide all the green you’re wearing."
Seeing Prince Chen’s expression crack, she let out a triumphant laugh and swung at him again.
Xiao Li knew some Sword Skill, but right now, she was just flailing wildly.
Taking advantage of the fact that Prince Chen wouldn’t dare kill her, she went all out, trying to stab him.
SQUELCH.
’Oops.’
Xiao Li was quite surprised to see she’d actually struck Prince Chen’s arm. She had only been testing her luck, not expecting to actually injure the male lead.
Prince Chen was already injured to begin with. Being chased and hacked at by Xiao Li had only worsened his condition, and now he had a new cut. It was a good thing he was wearing black; otherwise, he’d be a bloody mess.
"Have you had enough?" Even injured, Prince Chen’s expression didn’t change. But the look he gave Xiao Li was cold and chilling, as if he was finally about to get serious.
Xiao Li got her answer and didn’t press the attack. After all, she couldn’t actually kill the male lead here.
"Oh, my. I was just playing around with my dear Brother. How did I actually manage to cut you? Does it hurt, Brother?"
Her tone was light and playful, as if it were all just a game, but she had clearly struck Prince Chen’s arm. Blood was spurting out.
The onlookers unconsciously took two steps back. This princess was terrifying—just as savage and insane as the rumors claimed.
Prince Chen turned away coldly, but his body staggered uncontrollably.
"My Prince!"
Liu Xueyin finally remembered to feel sorry for her husband and rushed over to support him.
"SOB, SOB... My Prince, how did you get hurt so badly?"
Everyone: "..." ’So, were you blind until just now?’
Instead of quickly helping him away, Liu Xueyin supported him and turned back to condemn Xiao Li. "The Prince Consort was only trying to save me! He lost his composure in a moment of panic. How could you be so savage and cruel, Princess? And now you’ve injured the Prince..."
Xiao Li couldn’t be bothered with her yapping. Without a second thought, she swung her sword again, only to have it caught once more.
It wasn’t Prince Chen, but Lou Yan, who had appeared at some point without anyone noticing.
He snatched the sword from her hand, tossed it aside, and bowed, offering his arm. "Princess, you mustn’t hurt your hand. This servant will escort you back to your residence."
Xiao Li had been causing a scene for some time, but she wasn’t angry. In fact, after landing a blow on the male lead, she felt exceptionally pleased.
Feigning anger, she let out a cold huff and placed her hand on his elbow. Under the crowd’s awed and terrified gazes, she sauntered away without sparing a glance for the brain-dead Liu Xueyin or her own Prince Consort.
With the lion attack and the Empress Dowager’s collapse, the birthday banquet naturally couldn’t continue.
Those who could leave were quickly packing up to do so. ’But wait,’ she thought, ’so many people were leaving... how come the path is suddenly deserted?’
She glanced at the man beside her, who was now standing perfectly straight, without a hint of a eunuch’s subservience in his posture.
"Where are you taking me?"
Lou Yan replied, "To escort the Princess back to her residence, of course."
As he spoke, he removed the large golden bangle from Xiao Li’s wrist, revealing the red, swollen skin underneath.
"Does the Princess no longer want this hand?"
Xiao Li’s hand was already sore from copying books, and clashing swords with Prince Chen so many times had multiplied the damage. Now, it looked like it had swollen to twice its size.
"Hiss... Don’t press on it! It hurts like hell!"
Xiao Li sucked in a sharp breath from the pain, but Lou Yan wouldn’t let her pull her hand away. Instead, he produced a medicinal balm from somewhere and gently applied it.
The cool, soothing balm brought instant relief.
Xiao Li thought he would be finished after applying the balm, but just as he was about to let go, his hand suddenly opened, enveloping hers completely within his palm.