Zheng Lide and Meng Zhi entered the courtyard awkwardly, with their faces red with shame.
Looking at the corpses lying on the ground and broken window, then seeing the people through the window, they knew they were in for it.
The three princesses were there. If the assassins succeeded, then the two of them need not apologize, they could just commit suicide, or risk the execution of their whole family.
When Xue Ningyu saw them, she plucked her skirt and came to the pedestal of the hall. She looked down upon them and coldly smiled, “Yo, Commander Zheng, Commander Meng, you’re still alive.”
Zheng Lide came forth and closed fist saluted. He responded with sincerity, “Princess Siao, Princess Song, Princess Xue. It is our negligence, … I didn’t think this group of people split into a few groups and had us running around. We didn’t think they charged into Princess Siao’s courtyard.”
“Didn’t think?” Xue Ningyu coldly smiled, “If you can’t even think, what do you need your brain for? Couldn’t see through a little divide and conquer strategy then what do we need you for?”
“Yes, it is my negligence!” Zheng Lide immediately nodded.
Meng Zhi lowered his head without saying a word.
He felt vexed and helpless. He just wanted to cut these assassins piece by piece!
Xue Ningyu coldly smiled, “If it weren’t for Chu Li being on guard here and resisted all he can, we would have been killed in one go. Oh, Commander Zheng, are you relieving His Royal Highness by having us killed so that he could marry the young and beautiful into the Imperial Residence?”
“Please calm down, Princess Xue!” Zheng Lide quickly called out.
He was aggrieving internally. Bumping into this Princess Xue was unlucky. She dared to say anything. She looked sweet and charming but bold and vigorous. She could reprimand to the point where people would end their lives themselves.
Xue Ningyu stood akimbo and continuously smiling coldly, “What do I have got to calm down for. I am too perplexed, too amazed on how amazing the protectors of our Imperial Residence are. Assassins could just barge in and kill whoever. This time, they wanted our lives, the next time it may be His Royal Highness. So His Royal Highness is supposed to fend for himself?”
Zheng Lide lowered his head and sighed helplessly.
Xue Ningyu scoffed, “Commander Zheng, Commander Meng, you’re all freeloaders. I’m complimenting you on the being freeloaders. You’re doing more harm than good. Taking the position yet not earning your keep. You people think you’re so great. So proud your noses are higher than roofs. Now the assassins came as they wish and take what they want. What do you take the Imperial Residence for, huh, what do you take it for?”
“Yes, yes.” Zheng Lide nodded in shame.
He peered at Chu Li.
Judging by the flying daggers poking Chu Li’s chest and back, he seemed to sustain some severe wounds. If it weren’t for his killing spree to have the Imperial Residence lost ten Grandmasters, the situation wouldn’t have been so failing.
However these words should not be said at this moment, Chu Li was currently the hero while he was the offender. If he was to say it out loud, he would be skinned alive.
The sounds of footsteps were heard as Prince An took large strides over. His face was gloomy that one could milk it.
The moment he entered the courtyard, everyone saluted.
Prince An waved his arm and did not even bother glancing at Zheng Lide and Meng Zhi. He directed his attention at Xue Ningyu, “You’re here?”
“Your Royal Highness, we’re here to visit Sister Siao but was attacked by the assassins here. If it weren’t for Chu Li battling to the death, we would end up dead!” Xue Ningyu unpleasantly explained, “I want to ask Your Royal Highness what’s up with the scribes of the Imperial Residence!”
Prince An frowned, “It’s hard to avoid with the lack of men. I will search for more men. Why don’t you return so that Siao Shi could rest.”
“Humph, if the assassins succeeded, Sister Siao need not rest, we three sisters could just accompany each other to hell!” Xue Ningyu unpleasantly added, “Frightened to death!”
Song Liuying exited the house and curtseyed. Grievance was written all over her face.
Prince An’s brows were tied up in a tighter knot. He impatiently waved his arm, “Right, justly return. Qiu Er, Qing Er, are you alright?”
When he asked his two daughters, his tone became gentle, so did his gaze.
The two daughters shook their heads.
“Daddy, the scribes in the Imperial Residence should be changed. All of them are too lax.” Leng Qing indifferently responded, and swept her glance over to Zheng Lide and Meng Zhi, “If this continues, I wouldn’t even dare to sleep.”
Leng Qiu nodded forcefully.
Prince An remarked with a low tone, “What do you know? Return now.”
He then turned to Chu Li, “Chu Li, you did alright. How are your wounds?”
Chu Li closed fist saluted, “Thank you for your concern, Your Royal Highness. It is just skin deep.”
“Uh huh, continue your watch here.” Prince An lifted his chin and swept his glance over to Zheng Lide and Meng Zhi.
Both of them lowered their heads further.
Prince An scoffed but still ignored them. He entered the house.
He noticed that Siao Shi was detached without an ounce of fear in here. He spoked a few words of comforts and found it dull. He hurriedly came out.
He knew this matter could not be blamed on Zheng Lide and Meng Zhi. One could not make silk purse out of a cow’s sow. There weren’t enough Grandmaster in the residence. Even with superhuman powers, they couldn’t make Grandmasters appear out of thin air, everything takes time.
In the end, the matter fell onto Chu Li. It was Chu Li who shook the Imperial Residence’s foundation and have the residence a joke of the town.
Thinking about this, he lightly side glanced at Chu Li as he was exiting, his gaze was filled with murderous intent.
Chu Li noticed it but pretended he wasn’t aware she he closed fist saluted away Prince An.
Everyone left the scene in a jiffy. The three corpses were dragged away and the scene was cleaned. There were only Chu Li and Siao Shi in the house while Yang Xu and Xue Ling were in the courtyard.
Siao Shi sized him up, “Are your wounds okay?”
Chu Li smiled, “I’m alright.”
“What’s going on?” Siao Shi looked at him, “Could it be another of your arrangements?”
Chu Li burst out laughing, “This really isn’t. Looks like everyone knows how to look for a golden opportunity to make a name for themselves.”
He knew the thoughts of these people. They had animosity towards the House of High Duke and if barging into the Imperial Residence of Prince An to assassinate was to go as planned, then they would be well known under the skies.
These factions or forces wanted this fame and were not afraid to go against the Imperial Court. Their only fear was become irrelevant.
This was a world where martial arts prospered. The trend was cultivating martial arts. The people did not fear nor respect the Imperial Court or else there wasn’t the need of the House of High Dukes.
Siao Shi said, “Go get your wounds treated!”
Just as she was saying this, a maid treaded into the courtyard, holding a jade bottle and handed to Xue Ling, “This is the Golden Wound Ointment that Princess had me send over.”
Xue Ling took it over and gave her thanks. She opened it up to sniff its smell before entering the house to pass to Chu Li.
Chu Li smiled as he received it.
Siao Shi continued, “Princess Xue came from a respectable family of general. The Golden Wound Ointment must be unique. Go and put it on your wounds.”
“Yes.” Chu Li closed fist saluted and flipped over the wall over to his courtyard in the West.
Xue Ling followed on and helped him to pull out the daggers and apply the ointment.
The two flying daggers were tightly clipped between his muscles. It seemingly penetrated too deep and sturdily. Plucking them out, a bit of blood started to spew out but it merely shallowly pierced through.
“Young master, why did you hold back?” Xue Ling asked.
She could distinctly tell Chu Li was hiding his cultivation level. He could have taken down the trio without breaking a sweat.
Chu Li shook his head, “It’s better not to be too much in the limelight.”
“The limelight would serve them a warning, wouldn’t that be great?” Xue Ling was puzzled.
Chu Li smiled, “The warning is there, … How do you see Princess Xue and Princess Song?”
Everyone in the Imperial Residence knew how powerful he was by taking down ten Grandmasters in one go. He needed not be in the limelight or it would do more harm than good.
“They…” Xue Ling shook her head, “I’ve just met them so I don’t really know them. It seems that Princess Xue is a straight bullet while Princess Song is a little soft.”
Chu Li laughed out loud.
Xue Ling immediately asked, “Young master, did I say something wrong?”
Chu Li said, “Soft… Don’t underestimate them.”
“They’re that good?” Xue Ling asked curiously, “I see them fighting over a chief position.”
Chu Li shook his head, “The chief in the Imperial Residence is not the same, it is a bigger authority than in the House of High Duke, …. You’ll find out soon enough.”
“Then is young master interested?”
“Of course I am.”
“Will Prince An agree to it?”
“I don’t think he would. He will figure out ways to strip me away.”
“What would young master do?”
“I can only take it as it goes. One step at a time.” Chu Li added, “There’s no rush. We’re in the Imperial Residence now. The days are still long ahead.”
“That’s right.” Xue Ling focused on applying ointment on him.
