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Chapter Fifty Eight Assassination?
It was not a secret that Cheng Wang had been wounded in the arm by the assassins. Even though the wound had healed, but the taiyi said there may be remaining symptoms. When it was winter, there would be unbearable pain. So the Imperial Doctors gave a suggestion that Cheng Wang soak in the hot springs whenever he was free. This would be of benefit to his bones.
But He Ming didn’t have many properties in the first place, and he didn’t have any hot springs. Just at that time, he coincidentally heard that er ge ad gong to his estate to soak in the hot springs. He instantly clapped his hands, and personally sent an invitation expressing that he wanted to go to the hot springs at Fu Lang Manor.
This move, in the eyes of others might have been a coincidence, but in the eyes of those using their heads, it held a different meaning. They understood that His Highness Cheng Wang had returned for a few days to Jing, but why didn’t anyone already suggest the hot springs earlier, but only at this sensitive time?
Suspicions could only remain suspicions. Cheng Wang wasn’t participating in the battle for the throne, he wasn’t usually a brave person. No one at the court cared about him, putting their focus on the rankings from the Spring Examinations and the criminal behind the assassination incident. As to the victim that had been nearly assassinated, because the Emperor didn’t place any importance, he was simultaneously overlooked.
He Heng had received He Ming’s missive at the palace gate. The characters that He Ming wrote on the paper were like him, proper, straightforward and regular. It didn’t have any style, but no one would dislike it. He Heng gave the missive to Ming He, “Go personally to Cheng Wang Fu, say that ben wang, as his elder brother, will always welcome his didi.”
Ming He nodded, turning and getting on a horse. He sped up as he made his way to Cheng Wang Fu.
He Heng looked in the direction that Ming He left in. He raised his head to look at the sky. Frowning, he said: “This sky doesn’t look very pleasant, the mist has come in so early. We should head back to the manor early.”
Qian Chang Xin came forward to put down the curtain of the carriage that He Heng was sitting in. Turning his head, he sent a look at the guard driving and indicated for him to leave quickly.
When the carriage trotted its way out of the city gates, the mist had already become thicker. Even the sky was dark and heavy. Occasionally, bursts of cold wind blew by. Qian Chang Xin rubbed his arms and inhaled a breath. This cold snap was too strong, today was much colder than the previous days.
He looked carefully at the road ahead, suddenly seeing the grass on the side of the road moving. He indicated for the carriage to stop. Before the carriage had completely stopped, he flipped off to stand in front of the entrance the carriage, shrieking: “Guards!”
This high piercing shout rang out in the mist and cause the guards to shudder. When they managed to react, they saw almost twenty men wielding large blades leaping out of the grass, heading straight and chopping at wang ye’s carriage.
Arrows flew out of the woods randomly. It was lucky that there was a layer of iron on inside the carriage. Qian Chang Xin had closed the door to the carriage in time so those arrows all dropped outside the carriage, but one arrow, taking advantage of that moment Qian Chang Xin was shutting the door, quickly pierced inside.
“Come protect wang ye,” Qian Chang Xin unsheathed the large blade that the driver had on his back, guarding against the assassins that were heading to the side of the carriage.
The guards knew very clearly if something did happen to wang ye, they didn’t need to live. They could only grit their teeth and fight. If they didn’t die, a good life awaited them, if they died, it was showing their loyalty to the very end.
Because no one had expected that someone would dare to assassinate a wang ye on the main road, He Heng hadn’t taken many guards with him. After a period of time, the situation turned for the worst.
Commander Sun felt that he had definitely offended the gods this year. He had just taken the Imperial Guards for a casual patrol in the Jing suburbs and he could encounter an assassination attempt. The target also had to be His Highness Duan Wang. When he saw the scene, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. He hurriedly sent his subordinates to help.
The assassins hadn’t expected that the Imperial Guards who preferred to patrol inside the city would appear here, quickly retreating. The only thing they left were a few corpses that had been killed by the guards.
“Wei chen was late in protecting. Has Your Highness Duan Wang been wounded?” Commander Sun saw the assassins retreat and waved his hand to let the subordinates give chase, he himself getting off the horse and kneeling on one knee in front of He Heng’s carriage.
Qian Chang Xin also got off the carriage, kneeling in front as well: “It was us that was useless, and startled wang ye.”
The door to the carriage slowly was pulled open. He Heng walked out under the worried and fearful looks of everyone present. Qian Chang Xin looked at the sleeve of his right hand which had been dyed crimson with blood. He was so afraid his legs were soft: “Wang ye, you were wounded?!”
When Commander Sun heard the words, the sweat on his forehead started to flow down. He raised his head to take a look and saw that the sleeve of Duan Wang’s left hand was completely drenched in red, his right hand holding an arrow speckled with blood.
“Just a graze, it didn’t reach the bones.” Finishing, he gave the arrow to Qian Chang Xin, “This arrow was left behind by the assassins that wounded ben wang, hopefully this will be helpful to Commander Sun.”
Commander Sun received the arrow from Qian Chang Xin. He found that it was a very normal arrow, the arrowhead made from normal iron, and there were no special attributes about the feathers at the end of the arrow.
“Wang ye, please do not worry. Wei chen will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly,” Finishing, Commander Sun let his subordinates take away the corpses on the ground. He picked up the remains of the blades and the scattered arrows, hoping to find a clue from those pieces.
By this time, Ming He had caught up from the city, and found that wang ye had nearly been assassinated and was wounded. He could only turn his head around to the Imperial Hospital to find a taiyi.
After Commander Sun left, He Heng allowed the servants to give a makeshift treatment to his wound. He announced to the people present: “Today, everyone here will be rewarded according to their deeds. The fact that ben wang could leave here safely is all due to your efforts.”
The guards bowed in thanks, their hearts beating faster. Wang ye hadn’t punished them because of being wounded from the assassination but had rewarded them. It didn’t waste their efforts in fighting with their lives.
After He Heng returned to sit inside the carriage, he covered his wound, his face not showing any of the fear and anger after being attacked by an assassin.
Climbing up from the hot spring, Qu Qing Ju put on new clothing and felt her back strangely become cold. She walked back into the inner room, asking Mu Jin and the others who had been standing guard outside: “Has wang ye returned to the manor?”
“Wang fei, there hasn’t been anyone who has reported so,” Mu Jin saw the hair of wang fei was loose, the strands still dripping water and took a piece of cotton to dry Qu Qing Ju’s hair for her. After just a few wipes, she saw Huang Yang rushing in. Seeing that she was drying her hair, he hesitated before reporting: “Wang fei, nucai has heard that wang ye was attacked. He’s coming back to the estate now.”
“Attacked?!” Qu Qing Ju’s voice rose. She stood, saying: “Follow me to take a look.” Finishing, she rushed out the door.
Mu Jin paused and then threw the cloth to one side. She grabbed a sandalwood hair comb before following. Wang fei’s hair was still dripping. It wouldn’t be good for the servants to see her hair down and loose.
Qu Qing Ju was very clear that a person like He Heng wouldn’t be easily wounded by others. But the road from the city gate to the manor was a major road. What person had the bravery and drive to stage an assassination attempt at that kind of place?
“Wang ye, wang fei is here.” Just as Qian Chang Xin’s voice sounded, He Heng saw Qu Qing Ju walk in from the outside. He saw that she was wearing a simple wide-sleeved blue girdled dress, her hair carelessly brushed behind her back. It looked like it wasn’t even dry.
“Wang ye, how are you?” Qu Qing Ju walked in front of He Heng. He was sitting in front of the desk, the light colored robe that he wore as he had left in the morning was changed for a blue soft silk robe, white muslin wrapped around his left arm.
“I’m fine, sit here,” he patted the spot beside him, motioning for Qu Qing Ju to side beside him.
As Qu Qing Ju sat down, her gaze still stayed at his wound but the white muslin covered the wound: “What’s going on, why did the assassins come, who has such daring?” Finishing, she furrowed her eyebrows, “How’s the wound, has the taiyi been summoned?”
“It didn’t reach the bone, just a graze from the arrowhead,” He Heng smiled, “the taiyi will arrive soon.”
Just as he said so, Ming He brought the taiyi in. Seeing wang fei’s hair flowing free, he paused before reacting with a bow, announcing: “Wang ye, wang fei, the head of the Imperial Hospital has arrived.”
“Wei chen greets wang ye, wang fei.” The head of the Imperial Hospital was over half a century old but still energetic. He saw that wang ye and wang fei were sitting extremely close and instantly understood. The outside always spoke of how good the relationship was between the Duan Wang couple. He had thought it was just a rumor, but today he saw that it did seem true.
“Please stand. Look at ben wang’s wound and stop wang fei from fretting so much,” He Heng extended his left arm. He gave a faint smile and teased, “Don’t purposefully make it too serious.”
“Yes,” The dean carefully untied the white muslin wrapped around the wound. He saw the wound on Duan Wang’s wrist was very long, it did seem like a graze from an arrow. The appearance was very frightening, but it hadn’t made any significant damage.
Qu Qing Ju inhaled sharply. She watched as the taiyi skilfully treat the bloodstains on the wound before putting a poultice on and wrapping the injury.
“Wang ye, your wound might not have reached the bone, but the wound is very large. It will take a few days of recovery and cannot touch the water in these next days.” Remembering that wang ye had come to this manor specially to soak in the hot springs, the dean felt sympathy for the injured person.
Why was Duan Wang get attacked, or who directed it, it wasn’t important to him. The most important was that he wouldn’t be dragged in. After the dean finished everything, he stood to bid farewell.
Ming He personally sent him off and presented a large amount of fees: “Dean daren, you say, with wang ye’s wound, should he rest peacefully for a few days?
Peacefully?
The dean ruminated for a second before smiling and assuring: “Naturally he should rest peacefully and recover. Wang ye might be busy usually, but he would have to make himself idle in the next little while.”
“This one understands. Thanks for your trouble, Dean daren. Da ren, this way.” Ming He gave a bow and smiled as he made a motion in the direction of exit.
“Ming gongong doesn’t have to be so courteous. No need to send me off, farewell.” The dean returned half a bow, smiling before he sat on the mule cart to leave the manor.
Ming He looked at the mule cart as it left, giving a bark of laughter before turning to return to Yu Yun Lou.
“Ah, how did I come out with my hair down?” Qu Qing Ju suddenly stood from her seat. She held her hair, hurriedly declaring, “Wang ye, I’m going back to the inner rooms.” Turning, she muttered, “So embarrassing.”
He Heng thought about her state just now and couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
In the inner room, Qu Qing Ju slightly frowned. This matter didn’t seem right somewhere.
But the finer details determined success and failure. She had been so worried she came out with wet hair to see He Heng. Such concern, did it count as coming from the heart?
Thinking about the fierce wound, Qu Qing Ju furrowed her brows. She then thought, these assassins were very stupid not to poison the arrows. They really wasted a very good opportunity.