Chapter 72: The Merit of Saving the Emperor
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Yu Zhi Yi cast a glance at Madam Yao, noticing that even his own mother showed no concern. In fact, she leaned out slightly to observe the battle unfolding outside.
He could only manage a silent, exasperated, “…”
Suddenly, Chancellor Du broke the silence. “Yi’er, does the jade pendant’s defensive ability activate once per strike or per day?”
Yu Zhi Yi replied, “It protects against a single fatal attack each time. The defensive shield it generates can disperse about a thousand pounds of force. In other words, it would take multiple strikes from an adult man to break through a single shield.”
Hearing this, Chancellor Du’s confidence surged as he surveyed the room full of assassins.
“Stay here. I will protect His Majesty.”
With that, he strode quickly toward the Emperor’s location.
Although there were no guards in the grand hall, the eunuchs by the Emperor’s side were far from ordinary. They couldn’t take on multiple opponents at once, but one-on-one, they were formidable. Their whisks, wielded with precision, served as their weapons.
Several assassins were blocked outside the dragon dais, unable to break through for the moment. However, whisks were no match for blades, and it was only a matter of time before they were overpowered.
Noticing Chancellor Du, the Emperor, who had been grasping the Empress’s hand, descended from the dais, meeting him halfway. Their decisive movements marked a mutual understanding.
In a flash, Chancellor Du grasped the Emperor’s intentions and escorted both the Emperor and Empress back to their hiding spot.
The small space behind the stone pillar grew cramped instantly.
Yu Zhi Yi stood frozen. “… …”
She felt a sinking premonition of disaster, much like the time her plans had been utterly ruined by Yu Jiao Jiao, her inept ally.
Indeed, the assassins, who had previously ignored them, soon directed their attention toward the corner where they were hiding. Once they dealt with the obstacles in their path, they charged forward with alarming speed.
Yu Zhi Yi’s heart sank. “… …”
Yu Jiao Jiao, on the other hand, was enraged.
Her chance to protect the Emperor! She couldn’t let it slip through her fingers, nor allow anyone else to claim the credit!
Shrieking, “Your Majesty, watch out!” she dashed toward the Emperor.
Her piercing cry caught not only Yu Zhi Yi’s group’s attention but also the assassins’. More of them turned toward the small corner, realizing that it housed defenseless civilians. Compared to the eunuchs with martial skills, targeting this group was both more convenient and effective.
On the roof beams, a masked man in a silver, form-fitting outfit observed the chaos below. His eyes sharpened as everyone’s focus shifted to Yu Jiao Jiao. With a graceful twist of his wrist, his sword traced a gleaming arc before he dove down like a hawk, aiming directly for the Emperor’s vital point.
His concealment had been perfect. No one, save for Yu Zhi Yi, noticed his presence.
Yu Zhi Yi instinctively moved to push the Emperor and Empress aside. But before she could act, an inexplicable force propelled her forward, landing her directly in front of the Emperor.
Thus, the assassin’s sword, poised to pierce the Emperor’s heart, stopped just shy of Yu Zhi Yi’s shoulder. It refused to budge forward or backward, as if frozen in place.
The assassin blinked in disbelief. “???”
Yu Zhi Yi stared at his aghast expression, speechless herself.
Just as the shield was about to repel the attacker, she had a split-second change of heart.
The assassin, unable to comprehend, watched helplessly as his sword veered off course and plunged into Yu Zhi Yi’s abdomen instead.
The assassin was stunned. “?!!!”
“Yi’er!”
“Zhi Yi!”
“Young Madam Du!”
Chaos erupted.
Madam Yao, shocked and furious, grabbed a hairpin from her head and lunged at the assassin.
“Mother!” Du Zi Heng tried to stop her but was too late.
Though the assassin, now doubting reality, was distracted, he still had the reflexes to fend off Madam Yao’s attack. Frowning in irritation, he struck out at her chest with a calculated blow.
Despite not intending to kill, his unmatched internal strength meant even a light touch could prove fatal to a common woman.
However…
Bang!
A figure was sent flying.
But it wasn’t Madam Yao—it was the assassin.
As the assassin hurtled through the air, he collided with a comrade poised to strike the Duchess of Duke Courage. Both toppled to the ground, their landing leaving one stunned and the other—impaled on his comrade’s blade—motionless.
Yu Zhi Yi, witnessing the surreal scene, was utterly lost for words. “… …”
Although she hadn’t experienced this chaotic event in her past life, she had heard the story afterward. According to rumors, a martial master had descended from the beams during the banquet. This master, leaping heroically to the Emperor’s defense, had intercepted the assassin mid-strike and exchanged a dozen blows before forcing the foe to retreat.
The master had supposedly vanished after wreaking havoc and killing several nobles and guards in their escape.
But this… this was it?
She now seriously doubted the accuracy of those tales.
All of this happened in mere seconds. Madam Yao and the others rushed over, finding Yu Zhi Yi clutching her bleeding abdomen. She weakly exclaimed, “Such powerful internal strength…” before dramatically rolling her eyes and “fainting.”
“Yi’er!” Madam Yao cried, her eyes red with worry.
The Emperor, shaken from his near-death experience, shouted, “Summon the imperial physician! Quickly!”
Du Zi Heng stared blankly at his hands, guilt and disbelief etched on his face.
Though unintentional, he had pushed Yu Zhi Yi toward the assassin’s sword.
Suddenly, he turned sharply to Yu Jiao Jiao, his usually gentle gaze now brimming with fury. Yet, his words were directed at Zhang Tian Shun. “Third Young Master Zhang, today’s events will not be forgiven.”
Zhang Tian Shun frowned but said nothing, casting another scornful glance at Yu Jiao Jiao.
If not for her clumsy interference, her skirt wouldn’t have tripped her, leading to the chain of events that pushed Du Zi Heng into Yu Zhi Yi.
Yu Jiao Jiao, now in a daze, stared at Yu Zhi Yi’s bloodstained figure and muttered under her breath.
Anyone nearby could hear her lament, “The merit of saving the Emperor… it should have been mine…”