Chapter 88

Seeing him enter, the woman who had been lying on the bed slowly sat up, her disheveled hair barely covering half of her face. Her voice was hoarse, as if she were unwell, and she murmured, “Your Highness…”

Feng Liwu placed the steam cake on the table and walked over. As soon as he reached the bedside, he caught a strong whiff of medicine, which completely masked her natural scent. He twitched his nose, thinking, ‘What has she been taking? The medicine smells so strong!’

However, when he looked at her face, her fair skin and straight nose remained unchanged, showing no significant signs of illness.

He couldn’t help but feel a pang of heartache. When she had left, she had been full of life, but now she was too ill to even get out of bed. Feng Liwu sat down on the edge of the bed, reached out to touch her back, and then pulled her into his embrace.

The woman, seemingly too weak to lift her head, weakly pounded his chest and said, “I’ve been thinking of you these past few days. Ever since I fell into the water, I keep dreaming of Qian’er crying to me… Go, pour me a cup of water. I just took some medicine, and my throat is so dry…”

Seeing that Feng Liwu remained motionless, the woman lightly tapped his chest and said, “Why are you being so disobedient after just a few days apart? Hurry up! If you’re slow, I’ll spank you!”

Feng Liwu paused, then stood up and went to the table to pour a cup of water. He also adjusted the candlelight to make it brighter.

The woman, however, whispered from the bed, “It’s too bright. It hurts my eyes.”

But Feng Liwu acted as if he hadn’t heard her. He carried the candle and the cup of water over, handed her the cup, and then held the candle close to examine her face carefully…

The shadow woman disguised as Jiang Xiurun was one of Feng Wu’s most experienced operatives. She was confident that even in broad daylight, her appearance would be flawless. However, to be cautious, she had dimmed the lights in the room.

She didn’t know what was wrong with Feng Liwu, but he had brought the candle closer to inspect her. In the flickering light, Feng Liwu’s eyes were hidden in the shadows, his thin lips pressed tightly together, showing none of the usual ease he displayed when facing his beloved concubine.

The shadow woman, being a seasoned operative, tilted her face slightly, allowing her delicate features to emerge from her long hair. She gave Feng Liwu a charming smile, her eyes filled with a hint of melancholy, and said, “After being apart for so long, do you not miss me, Your Highness?”

As she spoke, she loosened her robe and tugged at Feng Liwu’s clothes, pulling him closer. But Feng Liwu suddenly grabbed her wrist, his thumb rubbing against her skin as he said, “Are you feeling itchy? Do you want me to help you with that?”

The shadow woman, having practiced her seductive smile in front of a mirror countless times, replied with a coquettish grin, “It’s been so long… I need Your Highness to quench my thirst…”

As she spoke, she leaned closer to him, waiting for him to be overcome with desire so she could pull out the hairpin hidden under the pillow and stab him.

But before she could even touch Feng Liwu’s chest, the man suddenly grabbed her hair and slammed her down onto the bed. His voice was icy as he demanded, “Who… are you really?”

The shadow woman was terrified but still tried to maintain her act. “Your Highness, what’s wrong? I’m Jiang Xiurun! Have you forgotten me after just a few days apart?”

But Feng Liwu had already lost all patience. He grabbed her, intending to throw her to the ground and interrogate her thoroughly.

At that moment, the woman suddenly reached under the pillow, pulled out a long hairpin, and lunged at Feng Liwu with it. However, Feng Liwu had been on guard all along and easily disarmed her, dislocating her arm in the process. He then threw her to the ground and called for his guards to tie her up. To prevent her from biting her tongue to commit suicide, he stuffed a rag into her mouth.

Feng Liwu’s face was dark as he slowly walked over to the woman and examined her closely. He could see that her face was covered in makeup, with some dark powder applied to her nose and cheeks to alter her appearance.

The guards brought a bucket of well water and splashed it on the woman’s face, but the makeup was stubborn and didn’t wash off easily. They then poured rapeseed oil onto a coarse cloth and roughly scrubbed her face.

As the makeup was finally removed, the woman’s true features began to emerge. Although she had undergone bone-altering surgery under Feng Wu’s direction, under the bright candlelight, it was clear that she was not Jiang Xiurun.

Feng Liwu felt a chill run through his body. He walked over, pulled the rag from the woman’s mouth, and gripped her cheeks tightly as he coldly demanded, “Tell me, where is the real Jiang Xiurun?”

The shadow woman never expected that Feng Liwu would see through her disguise so quickly. With her cheeks gripped tightly, she couldn’t bite her tongue and could only mumble, “How… did you see through me?”

Feng Liwu’s eyes were filled with disgust as he said, “Did you think the smell of medicine could cover your stench? I was barely holding back from vomiting earlier. Stop wasting my time and tell me, where is Jiang Xiurun? Who sent you?”

What Feng Liwu didn’t say was that the female assassin was full of flaws!

His young tutor was not only sweet-smelling but also had soft, smooth skin that felt almost boneless. But when he touched this woman’s wrist, he could immediately tell something was off.

Moreover, the woman’s tone was incredibly arrogant, ordering him to pour tea and water, and she had initiated intimacy without even being drunk. This was completely unlike Jiang Xiurun’s usual behavior.

When he held the candle closer to examine her face, he noticed that her eyes were not the bright, spirited ones he remembered. Instead, they sent a chill down his spine.

At that moment, he was certain—Jiang Xiurun had been replaced!

The shadow woman had been meticulously trained, and her family was under Feng Wu’s control. Even if she died, she couldn’t betray her master. So, after being exposed, she remained silent, refusing to speak no matter how much she was tortured.

The long hairpin she had used to attack was also found to be coated with a deadly poison. If it had pierced Feng Liwu, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

But Feng Liwu had no time to dwell on what could have happened. His heart was burning with anxiety as he interrogated the guards who had been tasked with protecting Jiang Xiurun.

The guards’ loyalty was unquestionable, but under their watch, such a mistake had occurred. They were undoubtedly at fault.

The captain of the guards, realizing that his negligence had nearly cost the Crown Prince his life, wept in shame and tried to recall where things had gone wrong.

Upon reflection, it became clear that after the incident in Wei where Jiang Xiurun had fallen into the water, she had become reclusive, claiming to have caught a cold and rarely showing herself.

Even when she bid farewell to Master Mufeng, she did so from behind the carriage curtains.

After interrogating several guards, Feng Liwu became increasingly convinced that Jiang Xiurun had been under tight security at all times. The only moment she had been out of the guards’ sight was during the chaos of the fall into the water.

Moreover, the sudden disappearance of Qian’er and someone named Xu Ying was highly suspicious.

Feng Liwu concluded that the switch must have happened during the fall into the water.

But he couldn’t figure out what role Jiang Xiurun had played in all this. Had she been kidnapped and used by the conspirators, or had she willingly cooperated with them to escape?

The thought of the latter possibility made Feng Liwu’s heart feel as if it had been twisted.

However, upon closer consideration, he realized that Jiang Xiurun couldn’t have been involved. The female assassin was clearly well-trained, and her mannerisms and subtle movements were identical to Jiang Xiurun’s. If Jiang Xiu Run had been involved, she would have informed the assassin of their usual interactions. The assassin wouldn’t have acted so brazenly, like a courtesan, nor would she have shown such a lack of respect.

The thought that Jiang Xiurun might have fallen into the hands of conspirators and was now in mortal danger made Feng Liwu feel as if he couldn’t breathe.

Having grown up in the cold palace, Feng Liwu had seen life and death, experienced the fickleness of human relationships, and navigated the treacherous waters of court politics. He had always remained calm in the face of life’s ups and downs, treating joy and sorrow with equanimity.

Jiang Xiurun, in his eyes, was just a little plaything he kept for amusement. She was of little use but harmless and obedient.

But now, realizing that she was missing and possibly in grave danger, he felt as if his entire body had been torn apart.

The torture chamber echoed with screams all night, but Feng Liwu sat in silence, not even drinking a drop of water.

As the sky began to lighten, he finally spoke, “Summon Qin Zhao to the prefect’s mansion.”

If Jiang Xiurun and Qian’er had gone missing after the fall into the water, what role did Qin Zhao’s suddenly appearing brother-in-law play?

…

When Qin Zhao arrived at the prefect’s mansion, he saw the prefect and the Crown Prince’s personal guards discussing something in a panic. Upon seeing him, they immediately waved him over and said, “General Qin, something terrible has happened!”

Qin Zhao remained calm, but when he saw the shadow woman, beaten and unconscious, his heart sank, unsure whether her assassination attempt had succeeded.

The captain of the guards said grimly, “General Qin, someone disguised as the young tutor attempted to assassinate the Crown Prince last night.”

Qin Zhao’s thick eyebrows twitched slightly as he asked urgently, “How is the Crown Prince?”

The prefect, who had turned pale and looked as if he had been struck by frost, slumped in his chair and said with a trembling voice, “I know nothing about this! The Crown Prince’s danger has nothing to do with me!”

The guards also looked fearful, hesitating to reveal the Crown Prince’s condition.

Qin Zhao grew impatient and pressed, “Speak! How is the Crown Prince?”

The guard, realizing he couldn’t keep it hidden any longer, took a deep breath and said, “The poison was extremely potent. As soon as it touched the Crown Prince, his entire body turned purple, and he stopped breathing. The physicians we called tried bloodletting and antidotes, but nothing worked… We’re finished. The Crown Prince is dead. We’ll be executed, and our families will be wiped out…”

By the end, even the burly guard was weeping.

Qin Zhao felt a surge of joy inside, but his face showed only shock.

“Is this true? Where is the Crown Prince? I must see him!”