Han Xuanhao's Embarrassment

Darkness gradually filled the sky, countless stars breaking through the night curtain to peek out. The night’s moisture slowly permeated the air, spreading a melancholic atmosphere. Shang Wuxin stood by the window of the sleeping chamber, gazing up at the sky. The starry sky was exceptionally clear, the distant stars shining like scattered tears.

Suddenly, a commotion arose in the air. The guards of the Crown Prince’s residence engaged in a skirmish with some unknown men dressed in black. If it weren’t for these guards being Shang Wuxin’s subordinates, it was likely that these black-clad men would have entered the residence unnoticed tonight.

“Your Highness!” A voice full of concern but without fear came from outside the sleeping chamber. Recently, Wuwei had been busy training those guards and was not at the Crown Prince’s residence.

However, Wuwei had entrusted all the trivial matters of the Crown Prince’s taboo life to Wujue, who had gone from initially being unaccustomed to now skillfully managing the Crown Prince’s daily affairs.

"Mm…" A calm voice from Shang Wuxin came from the bedchamber, as if the fighting in the dark night posed no threat to her at all.

Wuji's previously uneasy heart quieted down like this, then he picked up his weapon and stood vigilantly at the entrance of the bedchamber, thinking about when Chief Hai would return. If Chief Hai came back, the Crown Prince's safety would be more assured.

Shang Wuxin listened and watched the fighting outside without a trace of emotion in her eyes.

Although these guards were well trained by Chief Hai, they had little real combat experience. Today’s casualties would be a good thing for them; it would make them more alert and diligent in the future, and help them understand the fragility of life.

The assassins who came were highly skilled and well-trained. Shang Wuxin somewhat admired them—what kind of assassin organization could cultivate such outstanding killers?

Just then, the sound of Wuji fighting someone came from outside the door.

Wuji looked at the man who suddenly appeared outside the bedchamber. Even though Wuji was usually very cold, he couldn’t help but be dazzled by the man’s appearance.

However, Wuji quickly regained his composure and, with a voice tinged with worry and fear, said, “Master of Hanxing Pavilion!”

Hanxing Pavilion is the world’s number one assassin organization. Rumor has it that Hanxing Pavilion kills without blinking. The master of Hanxing Pavilion is known for his preference for red clothing and a bewitchingly attractive appearance, but these are just rumors as few have ever seen him. Now, Wuji knew for sure that this man had to be the master of Hanxing Pavilion. Who else but him could so easily break into the Crown Prince’s residence and possess such formidable martial arts skills that Wuji couldn’t even withstand a few moves?

“Pfft!” Wuji was struck by the man’s palm from a distance and was sent flying into the door of the bedchamber. But Wuji immediately got up, trying to continue guarding the door.

However, the gap in strength was too great, and Wuji was struck again, this time knocked unconscious.

The man looked at the fallen Wuji with some interest. This useless Crown Prince actually had such loyal people by his side. No, even the guards outside the door were loyal. It seemed this Crown Prince was not as the rumors said. The recent rumors among the common people were not baseless after all.

When Shang Wuxin heard the fearless voice say

"Master of Hanxing Pavilion," he raised his eyebrows. It really was fate. He hadn't even gone to find this Han Xuanhao of Hanxing Pavilion yet, but it seemed this person had come to him instead. Moreover, after Shang Wuxin returned that day, he had already investigated some matters about Hanxing Pavilion.

Although the world did not know the name of the pavilion master of Hanxing Pavilion, Shang Wuxin was already certain that Han Xuanhao was definitely the master of Hanxing Pavilion. Someone like him could never be subordinate to others.

"You've come!" A voice with a hint of a smile, yet devoid of any warmth, reached the man's ears. The man looked at the prince standing there, and just one glance shocked him! By the window stood a youth dressed in black brocade robes with jade belts and golden edges, outlining his overly slender figure. On his head was a purple-gold crown inlaid with jewels, resembling a flawless jade statue forged into a living person. Even standing still, he exuded extraordinary grace and charm, giving off an aura of noble elegance.

"It's you!" Han Xuanhao exclaimed uncontrollably. He never expected that the young man he had been desperately searching for was actually the crown prince, the very person he was supposed to assassinate tonight. Thinking quickly, Han Xuanhao immediately sent a signal outside, and the assassins who had been fighting in the prince's mansion instantly retreated, disappearing into the night.

Shang Wuxin looked at Han Xuanhao, who had appeared in his bedchamber. Shang Wuxin realized that no other man could wear red clothing as handsomely as Han Xuanhao did. His face was exquisitely delicate, as beautiful as if carved from jade, like a work of art. His long hair draped over his shoulders; except for the strands tied up, a few elegant locks rested gracefully on his shoulders, falling smoothly. His hair reached his waist, with the ends bound by a white hair ribbon. If it weren't for the bloody aura surrounding him, Shang Wuxin would have thought he was a charming young nobleman.

"I haven't come looking for you, yet you have come to find me first!" Shang Wuxin looked at Han Xuanhao with a surprised expression and said coldly,

"I wonder if you have come to repay a favor or to take my life?"

Han Xuanhao's cheek showed an embarrassed expression under the night sky. Since returning from the mountains that day, he had been investigating and searching for the boy who saved him. Even though he knew the boy would definitely come looking for him—because he was still missing three conditions, and the boy wouldn’t let go of the benefits—he didn’t know how long it would take for the boy to find him. What if it was decades later? So, he sent the intelligence agents of Hanxing Pavilion to carefully search for the boy, but they found nothing, almost making him think it was all a dream.

As day after day passed with no results in his search, he grew increasingly anxious—a feeling he had never experienced before. He thought to himself that he must have found that young man pleasing to the eye and simply wanted to make a friend.

Just then, Hanxing Pavilion received a contract to kill the current crown prince. In the past, he would never have taken such a job. But at this time, there were many rumors about the crown prince, most of them praising him, and since he was in a bad mood and needed someone to vent on, he decided to take the job himself. He never expected that the crown prince of Shangguo was actually the young man who had saved him that day.

Han Xuanhao was pleasantly surprised to finally meet this young man in person during his visit.

However, thinking about the purpose of his visit and the injured and dead guards outside made him hesitate. He feared that his actions might have made the young man dislike him even more.

"Sorry!" This was Han Xuanhao's first apology since he was eighteen.

"I didn't know you were the crown prince of the current dynasty. The losses today will be covered by Hanxing Pavilion, and I will also do my best to compensate the crown prince's residence for the injured and deceased guards!"

Shang Wuxin didn’t really mind; if she did, she would have left long ago to prevent the Crown Prince’s guards from getting hurt. Or, from another perspective, today’s attack would only make the Crown Prince’s residence stronger in the future—this is a necessary price for growth.

“I wonder who wanted my life today?” Shang Wuxin’s cheeks looked somewhat eerie under the moonlight, and even her words became ambiguous.

Seeing that Shang Wuxin wasn’t blaming him much, Han Xuanhao felt relieved. Then, thinking about the considerable silver spent to have Shang Wuxin killed, a more enchanting smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

“Although palace maids were sent, the one who wants you dead this time should be Consort Qin from the imperial palace! Do you need me to help you deal with her?”

Shang Wuxin was somewhat surprised by Han Xuanhao's decision. After all, no matter how bright the smile on Han Xuanhao's lips was, as an assassin and the master of Hanxing Pavilion, Han Xuanhao had never been a kind person, let alone someone who meddled in others' affairs.

"Within three conditions?" Shang Wuxin asked with a half-smile.

Seeing Shang Wuxin's heavy guard, Han Xuanhao felt a surge of frustration in his heart. Why was it so difficult for him to be good to someone?

"Of course not!" Han Xuanhao said helplessly.

"I won't deny those three conditions!"

Although she didn’t understand why Han Xuanhao acted this way, Shang Wuxin didn’t care. The people around her were divided into two types: those who posed no threat to her, like Han Xuanhao now, whom she wouldn’t pay attention to, and those who blocked her path and threatened her—in which case, such people had no reason to exist.

“No need, troubling Your Majesty over such a trivial matter would be my fault!” Shang Wuxin said indifferently. A mere Qin Guifei was not yet worth her attention, and now was not the time to deal with Qin Guifei.

After speaking, Shang Wuxin walked behind the screen to rest, while Han Xuanhao, who was standing outside, lingered for a moment before leaving the bedchamber in frustration.

Inside, Shang Wuxin’s lips curled slightly as she heard Han Xuanhao’s footsteps fade away.

After Han Xuanhao left the Crown Prince's residence, he saw his subordinates waiting there.

"My lord!"

"From now on, any matters concerning the Crown Prince's residence must be reported to me immediately. If anyone attempts to assassinate Crown Prince Shang Wuxin with silver again, you must also report to me at once. If I find out you have forgotten, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Han Xuanhao glared coldly at his black-clad subordinates, no longer showing the charming demeanor he had in front of Shang Wuxin.

"Yes!" the numerous assassins said fearfully.

Although their lord had a handsome face, he was the most ruthless, and countless subordinates had died in Hanxing Pavilion.

Han Xuanhao glanced at the distant Crown Prince's residence with a surge of pride in his heart. He finally knew who the young man was—it was none other than Shang Wuxin, the Crown Prince of the Shang Kingdom. Heh, from now on, he could come to find Wuxin. Wuxin, Wuxin, Xin'er… Han Xuanhao kept pondering silently, completely unaware that his current gentle smile was making the assassins tremble with fear.

At this moment in the Taizu Mansion, without hesitation, someone rushed towards the Crown Prince's chamber, but before passing the screen, they heard the Crown Prince's voice from inside: "If you're injured, go rest!"

Fearless felt a sense of relief knowing the Crown Prince was unharmed, but she couldn't understand what exactly had happened between the Crown Prince and the master of Hanxing Pavilion. Had the Crown Prince actually won?

However, she also knew this was not something she should be pondering, so she quietly left the bedchamber and happened to run into Chief Steward Hai rushing this way.

"Is the Crown Prince alright?" Chief Steward Hai asked as he prepared to rush into the bedchamber but was stopped by Fearless.

"Chief Hai, the Crown Prince is resting since he is fine, it’s still inappropriate to disturb him!" Wu Ju was really afraid that if Chief Hai rushed in like this, it would anger the Crown Prince.

"That's good, that's good!" The steward said as he went to handle the affairs of the residence. After all, there were still some injured guards who needed medical treatment, and he would not be resting tonight.