Chapter 9: If you marry her, it's like adding wings to a tiger

The tip of the arrow pointed at the woman in front of the assassin.

Qin Zhen shouted, "Jing Ji!"

"Clang—"

The wine jug in her hand fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

In the blink of an eye, she swiftly turned and struck the assassin's abdomen, then swiftly moved away, seizing the assassin's wrist in mid-air. With a slight force, she disarmed the assassin's wrist strength, and with a flick of her sleeve, she caught the arrow with her bare hand.

Everyone who witnessed this was shocked. To intercept a swiftly flying arrow with such ease using only wrist strength was a rare skill, especially for a woman.

Qin Zhen took a deep breath and finally smiled. The women of the Wei Ping Marquis's mansion were truly talented.

The assassin was clearly stunned, staring blankly at the woman in front of him for a long time, playing with the arrow in his hand. "Next time, don't doubt a woman's abilities, even if she is unarmed."

If she hadn't intercepted the arrow, the assassin would have surely become a dead man under the arrow, just as she had said, she had saved his life.

"Of course," she said with a change in tone, "if I can save you, naturally, I can also kill you."

As she spoke, the arrow, which had been spinning on her fingertips, suddenly deviated without warning. With a skillful shift, the arrowhead turned—

In an instant, so fast that there was no trace, it pierced the heart of the black-clad assassin, who did not even have time to struggle, ending his life with a single blow.

In the blink of an eye, she took a life. Such archery skills were rare in the world.

Xiao Jing Ji of the Wei Ping Marquis's mansion, truly lived up to her reputation. The people on the bridge were unable to calm down for a long time, shocked by what they had witnessed. They saw the woman at the bridge turn around, smiling faintly, with a graceful and charming demeanor.

This was the Xiao Qi of the Wenguogong's mansion, controlling life and death with a flick of her hand.

Qin Zhen walked over, his steps somewhat unsteady, and carefully examined her before his gaze fell on Xiao Jing Ji's slightly bloodied neck. "Let me see your wound."

She acted as if nothing had happened, tightening her collar. "It's nothing."

Qin Zhen was not reassured and instructed Zhang Zhou to fetch medicine.

"I didn't expect Miss Xiao Qi to have such skills," Prince Jin Feng Yuqing said with a smile, observing her with a seemingly indifferent gaze.

Beside Feng Yuqing, the Crown Prince Feng Fuli also gazed at her intently, analyzing her.

Xiao Jing Ji spoke calmly, "I don't indiscriminately kill innocent people, nor will I allow myself to be at the mercy of others." She turned her head to look at Qin Zhen with some regret. "Qin Zhen, you've wasted the wine you gave me. I'll come to the general's mansion another day to ask for a few cups."

The jar of apricot blossom wine, which had been spilled, had now mixed with the blood of the assassin, forming a pool of blood.

Qin Zhen nodded. He leaned in and whispered in Xiao Jing Ji's ear, his voice audible only to the two of them, "Be careful in everything. That arrow just now was aimed at taking your life."

Xiao Jing Ji nodded.

Naturally, she knew that the arrow just now had been aimed at her heart, someone had intended to kill her with a single blow.

"Don't worry, I'll go back to the mansion first." Xiao Jing Ji bid farewell to the Crown Prince and Prince Jin Feng Yuqing and left first.

Hong Baode caught up and said, "Jing Ji, I'll go back with you." She took Xiao Jing Ji's hand, acting as if she were weak. "I'm a weak woman, it's not good to be alone late at night."

It seemed that Lord Xiang was worried about her being alone at night.

Xiao Jing Ji smiled wryly. "As you wish."

After a hundred steps from the bridge by the riverside, Hong Baode asked, "Have you offended someone recently?" She had also seen the mystery behind that arrow.

"I sent my name card to the Prince Zhou's mansion, and unexpectedly, there are too many people related to Prince Zhou. I'm too lazy to bother about it," she pondered for a moment.

Hong Baode couldn't help but feel frustrated. An arrow aimed at taking her life had found its way to her door, yet she was so nonchalant. She earnestly reminded Xiao Jing Ji, "Be careful. Although the Rongping Army has been incorporated under the command of Lord Zhongping, it is still surnamed Wei. There are many people who want to win you over, and there are also many who want to eradicate you."

The Emperor wanted to use the Rongping Army to balance several royal princes. Naturally, there were ambitious people who didn't want things to be so calm. Prince Jin? The Crown Prince? Or...

Xiao Jing Ji smiled. "Don't worry, I still have some wits about me."

In the twenty-fourth year of Daliang, the eldest daughter of the Hong family wrote a national policy, which became famous throughout the Four Chu. She entered the government because of this and was appointed as the Left Prime Minister in just five years. People only knew that Hong Xiang was remarkably talented, but they didn't know that the national policy, which was framed and hung in the Hanlin Academy, was just a casual essay by a young girl. That year, Xiao Jing Ji had just turned ten.

The court was turbulent and unpredictable. Hong Xiang, in order to restore the reputation of the Hong family, which had been executed in the past, rose to the top of the civil officials. It was all because of Xiao Jing Ji behind her.

Some wits? More than that, among all the women in the world, who could compare to her in playing politics?

With this in mind, Hong Baode felt relieved.

"Your Highness, it's time to return to the mansion."

At the bridge, a guard from the Prince Jin's mansion, Ling Su, spoke up.

Prince Jin Feng Yuqing turned around, shook his feather fan, and smiled, "My second brother is really lucky."

Ling Su didn't quite understand. How was Prince Zhou lucky? Feng Yuqing just smiled and didn't say anything.

After that, the crowd dispersed, and it started to rain again. The blood on the bridge was gradually washed away, and the boat from the General An Yuan's mansion drifted away.

Feng Fuli stood at the bridge, gazing into the distance, lost in thought for a long time.

Zhang Xian approached him. "Your Highness, a woman like this, if married, would be like adding wings to a tiger."

Feng Fuli furrowed his brow slightly. It seemed that he had no good intentions towards this Xiao Qi. He said, "If she can be a friend, that's good. If she becomes an enemy..."

A woman as intelligent and courageous as her, if she became an enemy, it would be a never-ending trouble.

At midnight, outside the Jinghe Courtyard of the Wenguogong's mansion, the light and shadow were mottled.

Zixiang pushed open the door and entered the main house. "Master," she handed over a delicate jade bottle, "General Qin's men have sent over the medicinal wine."

General An Yuan, Qin Zhen, was known to dote on his niece in name, and it was common knowledge that the medicinal wine sent by the general's mansion was of high quality.

Xiao Jingxi stood in front of the window, her fair fingers holding a pair of scissors as she carefully trimmed the apricot blossoms that had grown up to the window. "Put it down."

"Master, it's better not to leave any scars on the lady's body. Let Zixiang apply some medicine for you." Zixiang, feeling worried, brought the medicine bottle forward and carefully opened Xiao Jingxi's collar. She was suddenly shocked, "How is this possible?"

Her neck was fair and translucent, without a trace of injury, let alone a scar.

Zixiang was incredulous, "I clearly saw that you were injured." There were still bloodstains on the collar, and she had witnessed the assassin's dagger pierce the flesh, so how could there be no sign of injury at all?

Xiao Jingxi said, "Perhaps the assassin's blood stained the clothes."

No, there was clearly an injury. Zixiang wanted to ask again, but Xiao Jingxi suddenly asked, "Where is he?"