30 Turbulence (2/2)

The assassins' shadows flowed into every corner of Yanjing like electricity.

A graceful man in loose robe leaned on the couch, taking a sip of his fragrant tea and revealing a smile. He took out a gold watch that he had obtained from Poluo Nation in the western region and looked at the time.

”Go.”

...

Also 4:30 PM, in front of the Xin Palace...

The imperial guard took another suspicious sniff. He could faintly identify it as the smell of blood.

The moment he sniffed, Meng Fuyao jolted her head up and shot forward to walk in front of Yun Hen.

At the same time, the guard turned around to ask, ”What smell is that?”

His gaze landed on Yun Hen, who was carrying the tray with a lowered head, and his eyes turned cold. ”Bring the tray down,” he said slowly.

Cha–

The guns and swords that were pointed toward the sky instantly turned toward Yun Hen and Meng Fuyao.

The surroundings were deathly silent, and there was a metal-like smell that spread along with the wind.

Yun Hen's face turned pale, and he lowered his hands slowly after a long time.

The imperial guard kept his keen eyes on Yun Hen. He resembled a hawk, spiraling in the sky and awaiting its prey.

All his focus was on Yun Hen, and at the moment that Yun Hen brought the tray down, Meng Fuyao took the chance to jerk her sleeve and let a mini knife slid into her palm. With a swift turn of her palm, the knife slit opened her sleeve and penetrated her inner thigh.

Blood poured out instantly at the same time where Yun Hen's wound was exposed.

The imperial guard narrowed his eyes as if sensing a giant threat.

”Take–––” he uttered, but before he could finish, Meng Fuyao pounced on him and his pike.

”Sir! Sir! That blood... is mine...”

Shocked, the guard directed his gaze unto Meng Fuyao's red face, failing to notice Yun Hen's hand sliding up his sleeve in the process.

Yun Hen wrapped his fingers around an exquisite steel pin with a reckless, icy expression that revealed his willingness to sacrifice his life for the mission.

However, his murderous intent was quickly disrupted by Meng Fuyao. He looked up and saw a shameless woman clinging unabashedly onto the imperial guard while holding his shiny pike down. She was sobbing in grief.

”Sir... it's your humble servant... it's my fault. I had a private meeting with Little Hen earlier, in the Xuande Palace Hall... started menstruating... it came so suddenly... stained his robe... please do not misunderstand, Sir!”

The guard was struck dumb. He was aware that many palace maids, driven by loneliness would get ”fake-married” to eunuchs. He lowered his gaze and noticed that her lower garment was slightly messy and that there were spots of blood on it.

He then turned toward the old eunuch. Lao An, who had been paralyzed with fear, let out a snigger, which he then tried to cover with his sleeve. He leaned over to the guard and whispered a little something. Upon hearing his words, the guard gradually made an oddly vulgar expression.

As for the gifted actress, Meng Fuyao hurriedly lowered her head in shame, stabbing her toes into the mud and remaining quiet.

Yun Hen stared at her bashful expression and then at her bloodied garment before falling into a deep daze. All his anger and shock from before gradually transformed into bewilderment. The sight of her fresh blood had pierced not only his eyes but also his heart. It was like a red wave that washed over the ice screen, turning it into an indescribable wave of emotions.

In this turbulent journey that she had taken on with him, she hadn't merely risked her life but also her precious dignity and reputation as a woman.

To women, losing the latter two was worse than death.

She was willing to sacrifice so much for him despite the fact that they were but strangers before that night. Yun Hen lifted his head and let out a long breath as if attempting to release the boiling emotions from within. Unexpectedly, upon letting it out, he felt his heart sinking heavier.

His eyes gradually fell to the floor. There was a certain willful loneliness that lingered within them.

Meng Fuyao knew nothing about his heart-wrenching history, but she understood that nothing was more important than being alive. Plus, she had come from the future and naturally possessed a boldness that was absent in most girls. While what she had done was indeed embarrassing, it was nothing in relation to a life and death situation. However, if there was anything to complain about, it would have to be the pain that was currently eating into her inner thigh.

As such, she made the decision to demand medical compensation from this fellow upon escaping. Judging from the money sack he had handed to her earlier, she was confident of fleecing him.

If Yun Hen could read her mind at that point, he would probably have vomited blood.

The sky was dark and the forest filled with guns and swords. The imperial guard fixed his eyes on Meng Fuyao, who had covered her face with both hands and was sobbing in shame. Without blinking, his falcon-like eyes gradually softened, revealing a half-laughing and half-crying expression.