Another prince has joined the vie for the throne.
"Fifth Prince, congratulations." Dongfang Zhan stepped forward, raised his wine cup to the Fifth Prince, and smiled gently as warm as a spring breeze: "Fifth Prince's drought relief strategy is truly ingenious. I admire it to the fullest."
"You flatter me, Third Prince." The Fifth Prince smiled and replied, "My drought control plan was based on the flood control method of Princess Anjun, and it is not worth mentioning. Your talent and martial arts are superior to mine. If you go to Xiangxi, you will surely come up with a better solution."
With Shen Lixue's flood control strategy already known to all the court officials, it was obvious that the Fifth Prince's method was based on hers. If the Fifth Prince refused to admit it and deceived himself, the officials would laugh at him for being hypocritical. But if he openly admitted it, the officials would have nothing to say.
After all, the solution to control the flood was within reach, but they hadn't thought of a workaround. The Fifth Prince, on the other hand, had, which showed his intelligence.
The people didn't care whether it was a flood control strategy or a drought relief method; as long as it alleviated the drought, it was a good method. The drought relief method was proposed by the fifth prince, so he was naturally the one who deserved credit.
Shen Lixue smiled. She had made a great contribution, yet she remained humble and polite. The Fifth Prince was indeed no ordinary person. With two outstanding older brothers above him, all his brilliance had been overshadowed. His years of forbearance were just waiting for this moment to erupt.
"Congratulations, Fifth Brother..." The Crown Prince also stepped forward to toast the Fifth Prince, his gaze calm and his smile polite.
"Thank you, Your Majesty." The Fifth Prince's gentle smile revealed an almost imperceptible indifference and aloofness.
The banquet was a lively and harmonious affair.
Surrounded by the aroma of wine and food, Shen Lixue felt a little dizzy. After eating a simple meal, she took Qiuhe's hand and left the banquet hall early. She then boarded a carriage and hurried back to the Holy King's Mansion.
Thinking of the Fifth Prince's behavior at the banquet, she smiled silently. The Fifth Prince now had the demeanor of a contender for the throne, and there was no trace of his former naivety. He and the Crown Prince were brothers born of the same mother, and it would be cruel for them to fight for the throne again.
"Catch the assassin! Catch the assassin quickly..." A sharp cry of alarm rang out, instantly pulling Shen Lixue back from her reverie. She lifted the curtain and asked, "What happened?"
Zi Mo was driving the car. He looked around but didn't find anything unusual. "Your Highness, I don't know what happened either. I think I heard someone shouting to catch the assassin."
No sooner had he finished speaking than a tall, slender figure in black rushed out of the alley next to him and blocked the middle of the road.
Zi Mo was startled and quickly tightened the reins. The horse reared up, let out a long neigh, and came to a steady stop, bringing the carriage to a smooth stop as well.
Shen Lixue looked closely and saw a man blocking the middle of the road. He was dressed in black, with a black mask on his face. He was tall and slender, and there was a layer of cold sweat on his forehead. His peach-blossom eyes looked somewhat familiar.
The moment the carriage stopped, the man was already in front of it, grabbing the edge and trying to get on.
"Who goes there?" Zi Mo stepped forward and thrust his long sword at the man.
The man dodged Zi Mo's longsword and reached out to remove the black mask from his face: "It's me."
His eyes were like peach blossoms, sparkling and dazzling. His devilishly handsome face was so beautiful that it was impossible to look away. The corners of his mouth were slightly raised, exuding an annoying smile. If you ignored the wound on his arm, he would be a beautiful picture of a handsome man.
Shen Lixue raised an eyebrow and teased, "Nangong Xiao, where did you go to pick peach blossoms? You got beaten up like this."
"Catch the assassin! Catch the assassin!" The sound of hurried footsteps accompanied by sharp cries for help came from behind. Nangong Xiao's eyes narrowed, and he lifted the curtain to enter the carriage: "Let me hide for a while, and I'll tell you the truth later."
Shen Lixue reached out and grabbed his sleeve, her gaze serious: "The carriage is too small and the layout is simple. Everything is clearly visible. If they search the car, you will definitely be discovered."
The footsteps grew closer and closer, and it looked like they were about to rush out of the alley and come right in front of him. Nangong Xiao narrowed his sharp eyes slightly: "I'll go hide somewhere else."
"There are guards on all sides, and the roads are all blocked. You can't escape."
Shen Lixue stared intently at Nangong Xiao, looking him up and down. He had a high nose bridge, pink lips, black hair like satin, a handsome face, and smooth skin that would make any woman envious.
A playful smile curved his lips: "I've got a good idea."
She whispered a few words to Qiu He, and with Qiu He's wide eyes, she reached out and pushed Nangong Xiao into the carriage.
Just then, the guards rushed out of the alley and surrounded the carriage. The leader stepped forward, looked up at Zi Mo, and asked, "Did you see an assassin escape this way just now?"
"No." Zi Mo had been by Dongfang Heng's side for many years and had picked up his arrogance. Facing the guard's interrogation-like questioning, he frowned slightly and spoke in a cold voice.
"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh." Several groups of guards appeared, blocking the road completely. They exchanged glances, their cold gazes all falling on the only carriage that could conceal someone. Step by step, they slowly approached the carriage.
Zi Mo's face was frosty: "What are you doing? Look carefully, this is the carriage of the Holy King's Mansion, and the one riding in it is the Princess Consort of Anjun of the Holy King's Mansion."
The guards were startled. They looked up and saw the insignia of the Holy King's Mansion fluttering in the wind. Their steps suddenly stopped. They couldn't afford to offend the Princess Consort of the Holy King's Mansion. The guard at the back of the group frowned, turned around, and ran back quickly.
Shen Lixue sat behind the carriage curtain, listening to the low breathing of the guards outside. Her eyebrows furrowed slightly. The guards, mindful of the dignity of the Holy King's Mansion, did not force their way in, but they did not leave either.
Looking up at Nangong Xiao, I wondered who he had offended that he was being chased by so many highly skilled guards.
"Sister-in-law." Just as I was thinking this, light footsteps sounded, and a young man's slightly childish voice came from outside.
Shen Lixue was stunned. It was actually him!
Lifting the curtain to look at the person who had entered, Shen Lixue smiled politely and said, "Fifth Prince."
She knew that Nangong Xiao was highly skilled in martial arts, and that anyone who could hurt him was no ordinary person. The guards chasing him were not ordinary guards from the manor, but she never expected that the person she would antagonize would be the Fifth Prince.
"Sister-in-law, an assassin just ran this way. He's a ruthless killer, and the guards are doing their best to capture him. Could you please have the guards search the carriage?"
Dongfang Che smiled slightly, gentle and polite. Seeing Shen Lixue lower her head and remain silent, her eyes filled with displeasure, he quickly added, "It's not that I doubt my sister-in-law, but I want to ensure her safety... After all, that assassin was too ruthless. He was a great threat to both my sister-in-law and ordinary people..."
"Fifth Prince, you flatter me. The assassin fled here, and the Holy Prince's carriage just happened to pass by. It is indeed possible that the assassin took the opportunity to board the carriage and seek refuge. Searching the carriage is the right thing to do!" Shen Lixue smiled gently, helped Qiu He off the carriage, and slowly walked to the side.
Several guards were watching her intently. She didn't know the specifics of what had happened, but judging from the scene, she knew something big had occurred. The Fifth Prince suspected there were assassins in her carriage. Even if she didn't agree to the search, the Fifth Prince would find other ways to make her agree. It would be better if she got out of the carriage herself; that way, the Fifth Prince's suspicions would be somewhat dispelled.
"Thank you for your understanding, sister-in-law." The Fifth Prince smiled and waved his hand. Several guards stepped forward and lifted the carriage curtain...
The carriage was covered with soft blankets, and in the center was a small square table with a tea set on it. A white porcelain teacup was filled with clear tea, which was slowly steaming and had a pleasant aroma. There were some small hidden compartments on the carriage walls, which contained items such as musical instruments, chess pieces, calligraphy, and paintings. The compartments were too small to hide anyone.
The guards carefully examined the corners, rear, roof, and underside of the carriage, but found no assassin!
The Fifth Prince frowned slightly.
A guard standing in the carriage inadvertently pulled back the blanket, his eyes suddenly lighting up: "Fifth Prince, there's a large hidden compartment here."
Chapter 211 Lightning Strike the Dragon Throne, Siblings Kill Each Other