Chapter 13 — The General's Wild Daughter

Father fell silent for a moment, his gaze fixed upon me.

Because Ning recognized the shoes in the Imperial Study, and even pointed out the short dagger.

The person behind this was terrified that the child might notice something else as well.

I blinked.

"But I do not even know him."

Father squatted down so that we were at eye level.

"You have encountered his subordinates before."

"And perhaps you have seen his secret marks too."

I wracked my brain, searching my memory. The small blue seal. The short dagger. The red clay. The missing ear. Suddenly, a distant memory surfaced.

"Father, do you remember the day the Grand Princess of An'guo's wife came to visit?"

Mother froze in astonishment.

"Which day?"

"The day I smeared rouge all over your armor."

Father's eyelids twitched, and a blush crept up Mother's neck. I continued earnestly:

"One of the serving women brought pastries. Her sleeve had that exact small blue mark on it."

A heavy silence fell over the hall. Father immediately looked at Mother. She thought for a moment, and her expression shifted dramatically.

"That day there were many guests, and the An'guo estate indeed brought several serving maids along."

The Empress spoke up, her voice solemn:

"The An'guo estate has always been cautious; they might not have been aware of this."

Father nodded grimly.

"Yet their people served as the conduit for the infiltrators to slip through."

Mother's hands grew cold again.

"To think they had set their sights on Ning from such an early time."

I reached out and squeezed her hand.

"Mother, do not be afraid."

Father looked down at me.

"Ning, do you still remember what that serving woman looked like?"

I nodded vigorously.

"A black mole right above her right eyebrow, she walked without making a sound, and there was a white scar on the back of her left hand."

Father's gaze darkened instantly. The Empress immediately ordered her guards to investigate. At that very moment, the young prince's voice rang out from outside the hall.

"Mother Empress, I forgot to retrieve my bow."

The Empress furrowed her brows in displeasure.

"Who gave you permission to return?"

Yet there was no answer from outside the door. My heart skipped a beat. That voice belonged to the young prince indeed, but the tone was entirely wrong. A moment ago, he had clearly sounded aggrieved and upset, but now he was unnaturally calm. Without thinking, I screamed at the top of my lungs:

"Do not open the door!"

However, the young eunuch guarding the entrance had already reached for the latch. The very next instant, a billow of grey smoke seeped through the crack of the door.

Father reacted the fastest. He kicked over a basin of water beside the brazier, snatched up a cloth to wet it, and clamped it over Mother's mouth and nose, then mine. The senior serving woman at the Empress's side lunged toward the door, dragging the young eunuch back. The grey smoke was not dense, yet it made everyone's eyes smart and sting with tears. Mother pulled me back into the inner chambers in her arms. From beyond the door, I heard a low, mocking chuckle. That was never the young prince; someone had deliberately mimicked his voice. Enraged, I clenched my tiny fists.

"He tricked us."

Mother tightened her embrace.

"Hold your breath."

Father had already unhooked the bronze clasp from the screen and stationed himself before the door. Through the thick panels, the sudden, fierce clashing of weapons erupted outside. The imperial guards had engaged the intruders in battle. Surrounded by her attendants, the Empress maintained a look of chilling coldness.

"To think the palace could be infiltrated to this extent."

Her voice was not loud, but it sent a shiver straight down everyone's spine. As the grey smoke began to dissipate, the door took a heavy, brutal blow from the outside. The wooden latch emitted a harsh, splintering shriek. Mother shoved me behind her back. I obediently retreated half a step—only half a step. Mother glanced down at me, and I whispered:

"I am right behind you."

Her eyes held a frantic mix of panic and anger, but there was no time to lecture me now. The second strike against the door was even heavier than the first. Gripping the bronze clasp, Father suddenly turned his head to instruct Mother:

"If the door breaks, take Ning and escape through the back window."

Mother shook her head fiercely.

"I will not abandon you here."

Father's voice dropped to a low, stern register.

"This is not abandoning."

"Only if the two of you live can my heart remain steady."

Mother froze. For the very first time, I saw no tears in her eyes, only a terrifying, resolute gleam. Abruptly, she pulled the golden hairpin from her hair. It was slender and long, adorned with a carved jade orchid at the tip. Clutching the hairpin tightly in her palm, she stood resolutely before me.

"Then you had better listen closely to me."

"If you do not return alive, I will take Ning and remarry."

Father's entire body stiffened in shock. The Empress nearly choked out a cough. I stared at Mother in absolute astonishment. Father glared at her, his expression far more terrifying than when he had first learned of the assassins.

"You dare."

Mother's eye rims were red, but her voice was unyielding.

"Just try me and see."

The third violent crash echoed from outside. The door latch cracked open, revealing a sliver of light. Father whirled around, the bronze clasp gripped horizontally in his palm. Yet a strange warmth bloomed in my chest. To think Mother knew how to threaten Father, and her threats were even more effective than mine. The final barrier shattered as the door was beaten down. The intruders were few in number—only three in total. Yet their movements were blindingly fast, and all of them lunged straight toward us. Father intercepted the first attacker, bringing the bronze clasp down hard against the man's wrist. A short dagger clattered to the floor. The second attacker skirted around, charging directly toward Mother's flank. Mother did not scream. Clutching me tightly, she rolled sideways, driving the golden hairpin viciously into the back of the man's hand. With a cry of pain, the assailant jerked his hand back. Seizing the opportunity, I grabbed a soft cushion from the daybed and hurled it with all my might into his face. Mother glared at me instantly, and I squeaked out in self-defense:

"It was just a soft pillow!"

She had no time to scold me. The third attacker was already closing in on the Empress. The senior serving woman used her own body as a shield, crashing heavily into the decorative screen. Through the chaos, I caught sight of the attacker's sleeve—the small blue seal was there. And right above the right eyebrow was that familiar black mole. I screamed out at the top of my lungs:

"It is her! That is the woman!"

The assassin's movements abruptly froze. It turned out to be a female killer disguised in men's clothing. She twisted her head to glare at me, her eyes resembling venomous serpents gliding through icy water.

"What sharp eyes you have."

Father tried to turn back to assist, but the other two men kept him relentlessly entangled. The palace maids beside the Empress were trembling uncontrollably. Out of nowhere, the young prince scrambled back through the side door, clutching his small wooden bow, his face as pale as a sheet of paper.

"Mother Empress!"

The female assassin instantly changed direction, clawing toward him. Panic surged in my chest, and Mother saw it too. She gave me a shove, though not to send me into danger.

"Ning, call for help!"

I drew in a deep breath and screamed with every ounce of strength I possessed:

"Imperial guards!"

"Over here!"

The shriek tore at my throat, leaving it raw and aching. Hearing the cry from outside, the imperial guards surged through the side door. But the assassin had already grabbed the young prince by the collar. Though the boy's lips trembled with terror, he tossed his wooden bow directly toward me.

"Take it!"

Mother reached out to stop me, but I had already caught the bow. Yet I did not immediately draw the string. I remembered Mother's teachings: true bravery did not mean blindly rushing forward; protecting oneself was the only way to protect Mother as well. I retreated another step behind Mother, dropping to one knee on the carpet while using the screen as cover. The assassin dragged the young prince backward toward the window, assuming I was paralyzed by fear. I was not afraid at all. I was merely waiting for her to expose her wrist. As she raised her short dagger to threaten the young prince, her wrist finally lifted into view. I drew the string. The wooden bow was light, and the blunt-headed training arrow weighed almost nothing. Yet my hands were steady as a rock. The arrow hissed through the air, striking squarely against the white scar on the back of her hand. The short dagger slipped from her numbed fingers and clattered to the floor. The young prince let out a loud wail, scrambling away on all fours. The imperial guards smashed through the window, pinning the female assassin heavily to the ground. Father quickly dispatched the remaining two attackers and strode swiftly to where Mother and I stood. Mother checked me over first. I instantly dropped the wooden bow and raised both hands defensively.

"I stayed behind."

"I called for help, too."

"And I hit her hand."

Mother looked down at me, and tears began to stream silently down her cheeks. I hurriedly reassured her:

"I did not rush ahead."

Suddenly, she pulled me tightly into her arms, holding me harder than she ever had before.

"Mother saw it."

"Ning has truly learned."

A wave of relief washed over me. But before the joy could even settle, the female assassin pinned to the floor suddenly burst into bitter laughter. Her mouth stained with blood, her voice raspy and cruel:

"What if she has learned?"

"Unless you surrender the old ledger, the Northern remnant troops will burn your general's manor to ashes tonight."

"Hidden within those flames is the silver bell you have concealed for three whole years."