Chapter 512: Chapter 512: Turning the Tables

Soon, a knock came from outside. It was one of Shen Ningning’s Hidden Guards.

"Princess, they’ve all been taken care of. We left two of them alive."

Shen Ningning immediately opened the door and gave a stern command, "Send them to the Ministry of Justice. Let Second Brother interrogate them thoroughly."

Then, the young woman looked back. "I’ll take you back to Mr. Xiu Mu’s place first."

Tuo Ye snapped out of his overwhelming suspicion. "No! I can’t go back."

Shen Ningning was taken aback. "What do you mean? Don’t tell me the person who sent these assassins after you was Mr. Xiu Mu."

Tuo Ye pressed his pale lips together tightly. Blood pulsed from his wound, and a thin layer of sweat had beaded on his forehead.

He was now completely convinced. ’Xiu Mu wants to use the chaos to take my life.’

But, Tuo Ye couldn’t figure out Xiu Mu’s motive.

’Before we left Changliu Country, the Great Sun King had specifically called Xiu Mu over and earnestly instructed him to take good care of me.’

Tuo Ye felt the poison taking effect, and his vision went dark.

Before collapsing, he grabbed the hem of Shen Ningning’s dress. "Please... save me..."

「An unknown amount of time passed.」

When Tuo Ye woke again, the moonlight outside the window was a faint blue.

He looked around the room. It was a well-equipped cabin with tidy furnishings, lit by a single bright bean-oil lamp.

CREAK. Someone pushed the door open and entered.

His head snapped up, instantly on guard.

Seeing it was Shen Ningning carrying in a bowl of medicine, Tuo Ye relaxed.

"Where is this?"

"My home," Shen Ningning said, her voice crisp. "My home on Wolf Mountain. It’s very safe here; those assassins won’t dare to come looking. You can rest and recover in peace."

She handed the medicine bowl to him, and as Tuo Ye reached for it, he felt a tearing pain.

But he didn’t want to appear weak in front of Shen Ningning.

So he put on a stoic face, took the bowl, and drank the medicine in one gulp.

Shen Ningning pulled a stool over to the bedside and sat down. "Can you tell me now? You’re Xiu Mu’s guard. Why would he send people to assassinate you?"

Tuo Ye glanced at her with his deep, tiger-like eyes.

A long silence stretched between them.

Shen Ningning stood up abruptly and said coldly, "Fine, don’t say anything. I don’t really want to get involved in your business anyway."

"You’re his guard, yet he sent men to take your life. You must have either stolen some vital intelligence or committed a grave error. In that case, whether you live or die is no concern of mine. I’ll have to send you back to Mr. Xiu Mu."

With that, the young woman put her fingers to her lips and let out a sharp whistle.

A pack of wolves streamed in from outside, bit into Tuo Ye’s clothes, and began to drag him out.

The movement tore at Tuo Ye’s wound. He could no longer hide his agony and grimaced in pain.

"I’ll talk! I didn’t steal anything, and I’m not Xiu Mu’s guard! I am the Third Prince of Changliu Country, Ming Tuoye!"

The surname Ming was, indeed, the royal surname of Changliu Country.

Shen Ningning, however, just laughed. "Liar. You spin a good tale. Langlang, drag him out and get rid of him. I have no desire to get mixed up in the troubles of Changliu Country."

Panicked, Tuo Ye quickly pulled open the front of his robes, revealing his pale chest.

Shen Ningning shrieked and immediately covered her eyes.

"You dare to be so indecent!"

The Black Wolf King took the lead and snarled, scolding this ill-mannered boy.

Tuo Ye’s voice was urgent. "Look closely! The Plum Pattern Seal on my heart! You must have heard the legends of Changliu Country. When a prince comes of age, if he is acknowledged by his father the emperor, a plum seal is branded onto his chest. It signifies that he has a chance to contend for the throne."

Shen Ningning spread her slender fingers, and through the gaps, she did indeed see the red, plum-shaped scar on Tuo Ye’s chest.

She spun around, her back to him. "Fix your clothes!"

With a cold expression, Tuo Ye refastened his robes. Only then did Shen Ningning turn back around and sit down to speak with him again.

"Why does Xiu Mu want you dead? Since you’re a Prince, isn’t he afraid the Great Sun King will punish him upon his return?"

Tuo Ye’s eyes were dark, filled with a bleak, cold hatred.

"Xiu Mu must have been bought by my eldest brother."

The Eldest Prince had long been vying with him for power. ’I always thought my eldest brother lacked cunning, and even a bit of courage,’ Tuo Ye thought. ’I never took him seriously.’

’But I never expected that his first move would be to buy off Xiu Mu, my own father’s most trusted adviser.’

Shen Ningning thought about what he said for a moment, her brow furrowing.

"So you’re saying that if you died from an assassination in Cangyun Country, we would be unable to clear our names? He would be the one who killed you, but he’d shift the blame onto our Cangyun Country!"

Upon hearing Shen Ningning’s analysis, the motive that had eluded Tuo Ye suddenly became clear.

"How outrageous!" He gritted his teeth, throwing back the covers to get out of bed. "I’m going to kill that old bastard right now!"

However, the moment he moved, pain shot through him, and he collapsed to his knees.

Shen Ningning shook her head with a click of her tongue. "In your condition, going now would just be suicide. I advise you to rest properly. It was hard enough just to neutralize that poison; don’t make things worse and end up crippled."

Tuo Ye felt utterly humiliated.

’The plan Xiu Mu devised for Qi Xiuwei was the ’self-inflicted injury’ ploy.’

’They had originally agreed that I, injured, would appear before Shen Ningning, tell her Qi Xiuwei had been hurt, and ask for her help.’

’Once Shen Ningning walked into their trap, we would both be captured and locked in a hidden cellar.’

’Then, Qi Xiuwei would pretend to make up with her, vowing to live or die together with Shen Ningning. After they escaped, she would have naturally earned Shen Ningning’s trust and guilt.’

’But I never, ever imagined that this plan, which seemed to target Shen Ningning, was actually aimed at me.’

’The assassins claimed it was all for show, but they had coated their blades with poison!’

Tuo Ye struggled back to his feet, lay back down on the bed, and slammed his fist hard against the bedframe.

"Once I’ve recovered, I swear I’ll make that old bastard Xiu Mu regret this."

Seeing his teeth-grinding fury, Shen Ningning’s dark, luminous gaze faltered for a moment.

"I heard you all picked Xiao Wei up after she was released from prison. Her mood... is she doing okay?"

Tuo Ye fell silent.

He didn’t know how to answer her.

Qi Xiuwei was not only plotting against Shen Ningning with Xiu Mu, but she was also filled with resentment for her.

Seeing his silence, Shen Ningning could only shake her head with a resigned sigh.

"She must still resent me. Well, so be it." With that, she turned and left.

Tuo Ye remained alone in the room, lost in silent thought.

’Even though I hate Xiu Mu, I didn’t reveal the entire plan.’

’Qi Xiuwei will soon come and pretend to seek Shen Ningning’s forgiveness, all so she can find a way to steal the secret formula for gunpowder.’

’This will benefit Changliu Country. No matter how much I hate Xiu Mu, I would never gamble with the future of my country.’

’We’ve been planning this for so long. I can’t let it all fall apart at the final moment.’

’So... I can only do Shen Ningning wrong!’

「The night grew deep.」

Shen Ningning rode the Black Wolf King into the forest.

A large contingent of soldiers lay in ambush on the mountain, like a dense, dark fog.

A man emerged from their midst, his sharp eyes deep and radiating a chilling intensity.

When he saw Shen Ningning, Mo Lingwei stepped forward. "Can we go in and capture him now?"

Shen Ningning shook her head. "Wait a little longer. The time isn’t right."

Mo Lingwei’s brows drew together as he looked up at the great house deep in the mountains, nestled under the moonlight.

His one point of dissatisfaction with this whole affair was this: ’On what grounds does that thing, Tuo Ye, get to stay in Shen Ningning’s house on Wolf Mountain?!’

’Once I get my hands on Tuo Ye, he shouldn’t blame me for what comes next.’

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