The Demon Prince

The rain was getting heavier and heavier.

Along the long street, blood was washed into dark red streaks, flowing down the cracks in the bluestone.

Li Shunhua stood in the rain, gun in hand, blood still dripping from the tip.

Xiao Xingyue held Shen Yan in his arms, pressing his palm against the wound. The bleeding wouldn't stop, and Shen Yan's blue robe was soaked through, indistinguishable between rainwater and blood.

"Xiao Xingyue? What are you doing here?" Li Shunhua pouted after recognizing Xiao Xingyue. "Hmph, looks like you're in luck. Tonight I happen to be accompanying my grandfather on his night patrol trial..."

"Stop talking nonsense, take them down first," Xiao Xingyue ordered.

Li Shunhua's expression was focused as she was about to deal with the other assassins, but she saw that they had already retreated.

"Grandpa!"

At the end of the street, a tall figure walked in through the rain.

Qin Zhenyue, dressed in a dark black martial robe, with broad shoulders and a wide back, his white hair soaked by the rain, exuded an aura even more domineering than the drizzling rain.

He didn't draw his sword; he simply stood still, his chest sinking.

"roar!"

A loud shout rang out, and the rain curtain seemed to be shattered as if by an invisible warhammer, with lanterns on both sides exploding simultaneously.

The assassins who were about to escape suddenly staggered, and blood instantly seeped from their ears and noses.

Some people knelt down, clutching their heads; some slammed into the wall; and one person, having just climbed onto the roof, lost their footing and fell into the mud.

The assassin's sternum collapsed so badly that he didn't even have time to scream.

The second assassin smashed through the door and then fell silent.

In just a few breaths, the long street quieted down, and the sound of rain once again drowned out everything.

Qin Zhenyue stood amidst the corpses, his eyes showing no emotion whatsoever.

Xiao Xingyue finally breathed a slight sigh of relief when he saw that Li Shunhua and Qin Zhenyue were both there.

He immediately looked down at Shen Yan, who was already delirious, muttering, "Young Master... hurry..."

Li Shunhua stepped forward and, upon seeing that the injured man was the newly appointed second-place scholar, immediately examined his wound. The more she looked at it, the more serious her expression became. "We need to find a doctor! Ordinary clinics can't save him."

She looked up at Xiao Xingyue, only to hear him say, "Go to the Beitang Mansion."

Li Shunhua asked in surprise, "You only started your feud with the Beitang gentry yesterday, are you really going now?"

Xiao Xingyue picked up Shen Yan, blood dripping down his wrist: "My man, his life is more important, what's face worth?"

Li Shunhua froze, raindrops sliding down her brow bone and splashing into her eyes.

Her eyes trembled. This scoundrel who usually spouted nonsense was now holding a newly recruited second-place scholar, his brows furrowed with anger, so sincere, so earnest.

Qin Zhenyue also gave Xiao Xingyue a deep look, as if through the rainy night, he saw the old man who stood on the border town with a gun many years ago.

"He's got a sense of responsibility! This kid has some of Xiao Junlin's style."

Xiao Xingyue carried Shen Yan into the carriage: "To Beitang Mansion, quick."

The guard who had been shot by an arrow struggled to his feet, immediately grabbed the reins with trembling hands, and the carriage rushed into the rain.

Li Shunhua mounted her horse, spear in hand, and led the way, with Qin Zhenyue following behind.

Only rain, blood, and a few corpses that could no longer speak remained on the long street.

……

The Beitang family was awakened in the middle of the night by a series of loud knocks, so loud they nearly smashed the door.

The gatekeeper came out wearing a coat, a fire rising in his throat:

"Who is it!"

As soon as the door opened, Li Shunhua stood in the rain with a gun in her hand, Qin Zhenyue stood beside her, and Xiao Xingyue held Shen Yan, who was covered in blood, in his arms.

The doorman's legs went weak, and he almost knelt down:

"Eighth Princess! General Qin! Prince Xiao?"

Xiao Xingyue said in a deep voice, "Open the door."

As the gatekeeper hurried to open the mansion gate, an untimely voice rang out from inside:

"etc."

Ning Jing strode over, wearing an outer robe. He glanced at Xiao Xingyue's anxious expression. He had seen that look many times before; it was the look of someone seeking medical help!

A look of pleasure flashed in Ning Jing's eyes. "Oh! It's Young Master Xiao? What, you've finally met your match?"

Ning Jing glanced at the person Xiao Xingyue was holding. He didn't care who it was; as long as it was someone Xiao Xingyue wanted to save, Ning Jing was unwilling to save them!

After pushing the gatekeeper's door open, Ning Jing said slowly and deliberately, "My Beitang Mansion is not a charity. In the middle of the night, you can't just carry all sorts of people in."

Besides, aren't you being pretentious?

"What, there's a time when you have to beg the Beitang Mansion for help?"

Behind Xiao Xingyue, Li Shunhua's eyes turned cold, and Qin Zhenyue's brows also furrowed.

Xiao Xingyue held Shen Yan without moving, but lowered his voice and said, "Move aside."

Ning Jing sneered, enjoying seeing those who had bullied him suffer. "I won't give in, what can you do about it?"

Snapped--

A slap came from behind Ning Jing and landed on his face instantly!

Ning Jing was spun around halfway by the blow and crashed into a doorpost!

His head was buzzing because it wasn't Xiao Xingyue who slapped him!

Behind him, Beitang Jimin, dressed in a dark robe, strode quickly from the inner courtyard, his hair not yet tied up, his face unusually somber.

He looked at the person Xiao Xingyue was holding in his arms. It was Shen Yan, the newly appointed second-place scholar in the imperial examination, who was personally appointed as a fourth-rank official by the Consort Shu. Qin Zhenyue and Li Shunhua were also following behind him!

He even considered killing Ning Jing!

There are two great figures, the General Who Guards the West and the Eighth Princess.

Add to that a prince and a fourth-rank scholar... If word gets out tonight that the Beitang Manor refused to help someone in distress, what will become of the Physician King's reputation?

Ning Jing covered his face, completely stunned: "Master..."

Beitang Jimin shouted angrily, "Get out!"

Ning Jing's lips moved, but she dared not say anything more.

Beitang Jimin looked at Xiao Xingyue, and his tone immediately changed: "A doctor should have a benevolent heart. Although there is a grudge between the young master and my Beitang family, a life is at stake. There is no old grudge. Bring him in."

Qin Zhenyue and Li Shunhua's expressions improved somewhat.

Xiao Xingyue didn't stand on ceremony and carried Shen Yan into the mansion.

The pharmacy was soon lit up, and several doctors from the North Hall were dragged out of their sleep. Some were brewing medicine, some were preparing needles, and some were heating knives.

Shen Yan was placed on the medicine bed. The wound on his abdomen was black, the skin and flesh were turned outward, and the blood was poisonous.

Beitang Jimin only glanced at it before his brows furrowed.

"The knife was poisoned; if we had waited another half an hour, the person would have been crippled."

Xiao Xingyue stood to the side, his sleeves still dripping wet: "Can it be saved?"

Beitang Jimin sneered:

"With me here, he has no right to die."

The silver needles fell, one to seal the heart meridian, one to cut off the path of poison, and one to stop the bleeding.

Beitang Jimin's old fingers gripped the fine needle, moving quickly and steadily.

The sound of medicine being simmered in the pharmacy filled the air, bubbling and steaming, carrying the aroma of bitter herbs.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps came from outside. Li Miaoqing rushed in, lifting her skirt, her hairpin askew.

Before the man arrived, his voice preceded him: "Grandpa! Please spare Xiao Xingyue's life!"

Everyone in the pharmacy paused for a moment, and Xiao Xingyue also turned to look at her.

Li Miaoqing also saw Shen Yan on the medicine bed, and then saw Beitang Jimin saving people, and her expression froze.

She received news that Xiao Xingyue had broken into the Beitang residence at night and assumed that Xiao Xingyue was there to cause trouble, fearing that he would die at the hands of her grandfather.

She froze, completely stunned: "You guys...aren't you fighting?"

No one paid any attention to her after she finished speaking, making Li Miaoqing even more embarrassed. Li Shunhua coughed lightly, "Seventh Sister, please wait a moment."

Li Shunhua walked to Xiao Xingyue's side and asked in a low voice, "Do you have any clues about the assassin's origins?"

Upon hearing this, Li Miaoqing's eyes widened, and she immediately asked gossipily, "You were assassinated? Who tried to assassinate you?"

Xiao Xingyue didn't speak, but just stared coldly at Li Shunhua and Li Miaoqing... for one second... two seconds... three seconds... still watching.

The two princesses were both stunned...