Chapter XI - An Assassin in the Capital
The wind changed after those words.
Even the falling snow seemed sharper.
Liang Wenxuan immediately stood from the stone table, his drunken haze disappearing almost entirely. “An assassin?”
Prince Rui’s guard nodded grimly. “One infiltrated the eastern district an hour ago. Two palace informants are already dead.”
Shen Li felt Qingyu tense beside her instantly.
The guard continued: “His Highness ordered this subordinate to escort Miss Shen back immediately.”
Liang Wenxuan frowned deeply. “If the assassin’s target is Uncle, why involve Shen Li?”
The guard’s expression remained cold. “Because harming Miss Shen before the wedding would damage Prince Rui politically.”
Silence followed.
Everyone understood.
An assassination attempt against Prince Rui might fail.
But targeting his future bride?
Far easier.
Far crueler.
And devastating enough to create scandal before the imperial marriage.
Shen Li’s fingers tightened slightly beneath her sleeves.
This marriage truly had become more dangerous than she imagined.
Before she could speak, Liang Wenxuan suddenly stepped forward. “I’ll escort her myself.”
The guard looked unimpressed immediately. “His Highness did not request Young Master Liang.”
Liang Wenxuan’s jaw tightened. “I don’t care what he requested.”
The atmosphere chilled instantly.
For one dangerous moment, the silver wolf guards behind the man subtly shifted hands toward sword hilts.
Shen Li noticed immediately.
So did Liang Wenxuan.
Only then did he fully realize something terrifying:
Prince Rui’s people viewed Shen Li as belonging to Prince Rui already.
Anyone approaching her carelessly—including him—was now treated as potential threat.
The realization struck bitterly.
Shen Li stepped forward before tension could worsen. “There is no need for argument.”
Then she turned calmly toward Liang Wenxuan. “You should rest.”
The distance in her tone returned again.
Liang Wenxuan laughed bitterly. “You really trust him that much now?”
Shen Li paused.
Then answered honestly:
“Yes.”
The single word silenced him completely.
Because deep down—
he understood why.
Prince Rui protected her.
Listened to her.
Respected her.
Everything Liang Wenxuan once assumed he had endless time to do later.
Now another man was doing it naturally.
And Shen Li no longer looked back.
—
The journey through the capital felt eerily quiet.
Prince Rui’s carriage waited outside Liang Manor surrounded by mounted guards in black armor. Snow swirled around torchlight while civilians hurried indoors at the sight of military patrols.
The atmosphere carried unmistakable tension.
Inside the carriage, Shen Li finally asked: “Has the assassin been caught?”
The guard riding outside answered through the curtain. “Not yet.”
Qingyu nearly fainted. “Not yet?!”
“He injured three guards escaping the eastern checkpoint.”
Shen Li lowered her gaze thoughtfully.
Someone capable of slipping through Prince Rui’s military surveillance could not be ordinary.
And if the target truly involved the wedding—
then tonight was only the beginning.
Suddenly the carriage slowed.
The guards outside became alert instantly.
Shen Li noticed it too.
Hands tightening on sword hilts. Horse movements changing. Silence deepening unnaturally.
Then—
one sharp whistle split the night.
The next second, arrows exploded from the rooftops.
“Protect the carriage!”
Chaos erupted instantly.
Steel clashed violently outside while horses screamed against the snow-covered streets.
Qingyu shrieked.
Shen Li grabbed her instinctively as an arrow pierced through the carriage wall inches from them.
The silver wolf guards reacted terrifyingly fast.
Several arrows were struck down midair before reaching the carriage.
But the attack came from multiple directions.
Professional.
Calculated.
A voice shouted outside: “Three assassins on the western roof!”
Then another: “No—five!”
The carriage lurched violently.
Shen Li steadied herself immediately despite the chaos.
This was no random attack.
Someone truly intended to kill her before the wedding.
Suddenly—
the carriage door burst open.
Qingyu screamed again.
But instead of assassins—
Prince Rui himself appeared.
Snow clung to his dark robes while blood stained one sleeve lightly, though it clearly did not belong to him.
His expression upon seeing the arrow lodged beside Shen Li turned terrifyingly cold.
“Are you hurt?”
The question came immediately.
Not about the attack. Not about the assassins.
Only her.
Shen Li shook her head quickly. “No.”
Prince Rui’s shoulders loosened almost imperceptibly.
Then another whistle cut through the air.
Prince Rui’s eyes sharpened instantly.
“Down.”
He pulled Shen Li toward him just as several arrows shattered through the opposite carriage wall.
Wood exploded everywhere.
One arrow sliced directly through Prince Rui’s sleeve instead.
Qingyu nearly stopped breathing.
Prince Rui didn’t even react.
Instead, he wrapped one arm firmly around Shen Li’s waist and drew his sword with the other.
The blade flashed silver beneath torchlight.
Terrifyingly beautiful.
Then he stepped back out into the snow-covered street while keeping Shen Li shielded behind him.
The entire scene descended into blood and chaos.
Black-clad assassins dropped from rooftops while silver wolf guards engaged them instantly.
Prince Rui moved through the fight like something inhuman.
Fast. Precise. Merciless.
One assassin lunged toward Shen Li—
Prince Rui killed him before the man completed a single step.
Another attacked from behind.
Prince Rui never even turned fully before his sword pierced straight through the attacker’s throat.
Warm blood splattered across white snow.
Shen Li’s breath caught faintly.
Not from fear.
But from realization.
This was the true Prince Rui.
The war god feared across kingdoms.
And yet—
despite the carnage surrounding them, the hand holding her waist remained impossibly careful.
As though he feared hurting her more than enemy blades.
Suddenly Prince Rui’s expression changed sharply.
“Move!”
He dragged Shen Li sideways an instant before a hidden blade flew from the rooftop.
Too late to dodge completely.
The blade sliced across Prince Rui’s shoulder.
Blood spread instantly through black fabric.
Shen Li’s face lost color. “Your Highness!”
Prince Rui ignored the wound entirely.
Instead, he looked up toward the rooftop with terrifying calm.
Then threw his sword.
The blade crossed the snowy street like lightning.
A scream followed immediately.
The hidden assassin fell from the roof dead before hitting the ground.
Silence spread slowly afterward.
The remaining attackers fled almost instantly.
The silver wolf guards pursued immediately through the snow-covered alleys.
Meanwhile Prince Rui finally lowered his arm slightly.
Blood dripped steadily from his shoulder now.
Shen Li stared at the wound in shock. “You’re injured.”
“It is minor.”
Minor?
The sleeve was nearly soaked red already.
Prince Rui looked down toward her face suddenly.
Then frowned faintly. “You’re pale.”
Shen Li almost laughed from disbelief.
He was bleeding heavily—
yet worried she looked frightened.
Before she could answer, Prince Rui’s expression shifted subtly.
His gloved hand rose slowly toward her cheek.
Shen Li froze.
Prince Rui brushed something away gently.
Blood.
A streak of blood from the battle had splashed against her skin.
The touch lasted only a second.
But somehow the world became very quiet afterward.
Snow drifted silently around them.
Torchlight flickered across Prince Rui’s sharp features while his dark eyes remained fixed on her face.
Then he asked quietly:
“Did they frighten you?”