Chapter 519: Is Xiuxiu Going to Succeed?

Chapter 519: Chapter 519: Is Xiuxiu Going to Succeed?

A few days after the boat banquet, news once again spread through the Capital that Shen Ningning and Qi Xiuwei had parted on bad terms.

Everyone knew that on the day of the boat banquet, Princess Funing had helped Su Zhirou, causing Qi Xiuwei to be utterly humiliated.

Therefore, even though the Crown Prince had intervened, the two had not reconciled.

Everyone lamented the situation.

Their mutual friends in particular, such as Ye Shangyi and Lu Shaoyuan, felt that their relationship had become far too strained.

Only Su Zhirou, upon hearing the news, had a good, hearty laugh with her maidservant in private.

She was feeling particularly smug.

Seeing that the time was ripe, Xiuxiu made a suggestion to Qi Xiuwei. ℴ

This was the moment when Shen Ningning’s mental defenses would be at their weakest.

"Tenth Princess, you must invite Princess Funing out under the pretext of reconciling, and trick the secret gunpowder formula out of her."

In the dead of night, Xiuxiu stood behind Qi Xiuwei in her room.

Watching Qi Xiuwei use the snowflake cream, which cost a thousand gold pieces for a single tael, made his heart bleed.

However, he remembered the mission from the Great Sun King, which was about to be successfully completed.

No amount of expense and sacrifice was too great.

Qi Xiuwei applied the snowflake cream with her delicate fingers, saying nonchalantly, "She’s not a fool. Do you think she’ll definitely talk just because I pressure her? I think we still need a backup plan."

Xiuxiu’s eyes lit up. "Please elaborate, Princess."

Qi Xiuwei chuckled coldly. Illuminated by a tall, crane-shaped lamp, her refined and proper face seemed all the more merciless.

As shadows pooled beneath her long lashes, she pursed her pink lips.

"When Shen Ningning helped Su Zhirou in front of everyone at the boat banquet, was that not a humiliation for me?"

"The very thought of putting on a false show of friendship with her makes me sick. Therefore, the day after tomorrow, I will invite her to the Peach Blossom Pavilion. Send all our men there. If I can’t get the gunpowder formula out of her no matter how hard I try, then you will kill her!"

Xiuxiu was taken aback. He had never expected the seemingly delicate Qi Xiuwei to be so bold and ruthless.

He stared at Qi Xiuwei for a long moment, his expression filled with alarm.

In the mirror, he could only see her cold, doe-like eyes, brimming with a dark hatred.

"Killing Princess Funing... will we be able to make a clean getaway?"

’This is Cangyun Country, after all.’

Qi Xiuwei sneered, looking back at him. "Are you afraid, Mr. Xiu Mu?"

"I wouldn’t dare. It’s just that, no matter what we do, we should think of a foolproof countermeasure."

"Don’t worry, I’ve already thought it through. On that day, the Qi Mansion servants I’ve arranged in advance will rush over, seemingly to protect me. But afterward, I’ll lie and say they were trying to avenge my father against Shen Ningning and accidentally killed her in the process."

A contemplative flame flickered deep in Xiuxiu’s eyes.

He was surprised by Qi Xiuwei’s performance.

There was, in fact, a group of guards in the Qi Mansion who were fiercely loyal to Mr. Qi.

To say they would attack Princess Funing for Mr. Qi’s sake was plausible enough.

Moreover, Qi Xiuwei had set the meeting place with Shen Ningning at the Peach Blossom Pavilion.

The pavilion was situated on Qingshan Mountain in the suburbs of the capital. The scenery was beautiful, and the forest was dense and deep, but the paths were a tangled maze.

It was the perfect place to commit murder and dispose of a body.

After a long while, Xiuxiu cupped his hands in a salute. "The Tenth Princess is truly a child of the Dragon and Phoenix. Your scheme is decisive, and I am in awe. I will go and make the arrangements at once."

He had just turned to leave when he suddenly remembered something and turned back around.

"By the way, Tenth Princess, there is something I must inform you of. Your adoptive mother, Mrs. Qi, is gravely ill. I heard she coughed up blood this morning and is now unconscious. She kept telling the doctor that she wants to see you."

"Do I need to arrange for you to see her? You must understand, once we make our move against Princess Funing, we will have to leave Cangyun Country as quickly as possible. You may never see her again."

A flash of pain crossed Qi Xiuwei’s eyes.

It was fleeting, but Xiuxiu’s keen eyes did not miss it.

She collected herself, her expression becoming a blank mask.

"I’m not going to see her. Some things are best left as they are—as endings to be left behind. I don’t want anything else to cloud my mind before the plan succeeds, so don’t tell me anything more about her condition."

Xiuxiu understood. He cupped his hands. "Yes. I will take my leave."

The door closed.

Xiuxiu’s attendant, who was waiting outside, immediately fell in behind him.

The night was pitch-black and filled with the roar of the wind, which made the lanterns along the corridor sway gently.

Xiuxiu strode quickly along the corridor, an indescribable wariness in his eyes.

"Immediately send more men to find the Third Prince." As soon as he returned to his study, Xiuxiu gave the order to his attendant.

The attendant nodded. Noticing his strange expression, he asked, "Sir, what’s wrong? Did your talk with the Tenth Princess not go well?"

"No," Xiuxiu shook his head, frowning as he watched the flickering flame on the desk. "On the contrary, it went too smoothly. It gives me an uneasy feeling. We need to be wary of this Qi Xiuwei."

The attendant was confused, but he immediately went out to dispatch more men to find the Third Prince.

However, Tuo Ye seemed to have vanished from the city, nowhere to be found.

On the day Qi Xiuwei was to meet Shen Ningning at the Peach Blossom Pavilion, word came that Shen Ningning had received the invitation and readily agreed.

This made Xiuxiu even more uneasy. He arranged for all of his men for this operation to be stationed throughout Qingshan Mountain.

’Better safe than sorry.’

Xiuxiu stood deep within the dense forest, squinting as he watched the two figures conversing in the distant Peach Blossom Pavilion.

Qi Xiuwei was urging Shen Ningning to drink, which was part of their plan.

Shen Ningning was not a good drinker. After just a few cups, she slumped over the table. The maid she had brought with her, Wanchun, quickly tried to stop Qi Xiuwei.

Unexpectedly, Qi Xiuwei’s hand slipped, and she splashed wine all over Shen Ningning’s dress.

Wanchun grew anxious. "Miss Qi, please be more careful!"

A drunken blush appeared on her delicate face. With her dark hair slightly disheveled, she looked like a classic portrait of a drunken beauty.

She waved her hand, and the Jade Bracelet on her wrist slid down her arm.

"Sister Wanchun, go down the mountain to the carriage and bring me my outer robe."

Wanchun was thus sent away.

Xiuxiu kept his eyes fixed on Qi Xiuwei. He saw her seize the opportunity to take out a brush and paper, grinning as she urged Shen Ningning to write something.

At first, Shen Ningning refused, shaking her head repeatedly.

But in the end, she apparently gave in to Qi Xiuwei’s insistence and wrote several strokes.

Xiuxiu’s gaze darkened, and his heart began to pound uncontrollably.

’Could it really be this easy?’

Just at that moment, his attendant appeared behind him.

"Sir! Not only have we failed to find the Third Prince, but we’ve also lost contact with his group of Hidden Guards who were lying in ambush in the Capital, on standby for orders."

Xiuxiu whirled around. "How can that be? Continue the search!"

Failing to retrieve the secret gunpowder formula was a minor issue. The Great Sun King had only ordered them to take a desperate gamble, after all.

But losing the Third Prince would be a true disaster.

In his more than sixty years as an official, Xiuxiu had never made such a grave error.

While he was anxiously arranging his deployments, Qi Xiuwei returned to his side, holding the gunpowder formula.

"I got it." Qi Xiuwei held up the paper, which had a small wine stain on it.

Xiuxiu looked off into the distance. In the pavilion, Shen Ningning was still slumped over, apparently fast asleep.

He was overjoyed. "The Tenth Princess is truly a heroine! A warrior of Changliu Country!"

Xiuxiu reached out, just about to take it.

But to his surprise, Qi Xiuwei deftly pulled it away.

She stared at Xiuxiu with her dark eyes and asked, "Before I give this to you, you have to tell me the truth. My father, Mr. Qi... was he a spy you planted in Cangyun Country? Did he... abandon me? Or was he forced, having no choice but to complete his mission? You tell me, and I’ll give this to you."