AUBTN -Chapter 18 The Murderer

“This isn’t news! Of course I know it’s a trap!” Yu Qing panicked.

“The problem now is… it seems we’ve already fallen in, and the shovels are raised to bury us!”

Before her words even finished, the surrounding dark thicket suddenly lit up as bright as day.

Countless torches flared to life, turning the shadowy corners of the rock garden into a real iron cage.

“Audacious palace maid! How dare you meet secretly with a consort in the middle of the night, plotting immorality!”

A sharp command exploded like thunder.

The crowd parted, and Prince Ning appeared especially fierce and imposing in the torchlight.

He stood with his hands behind his back, a cruel smile tugging at the corner of his lips, his gaze locking like a hawk’s on the three trapped figures in the center.

“Ah, so this explains the recent rumors in the palace. Turns out the Jinyiwei’s reach is so long—they collude with the consorts, scheming to frame me!”

With this accusation, Prince Ning wasn’t just planning to bury the two palace maids in this imperial garden—he was throwing all the dirt of treason straight onto Lu Yan.

【Damn! This old fox is ruthless! This isn’t just catching a scandal—it’s a political purge!】

Yu Qing’s legs went weak with fright. Just as the guards drew their swords to advance…

A shadow cut in from the side, radiating a chilling aura.

The Embroidered Spring Blade slid out half an inch; its cold flash forced back the two guards at the front.

Lu Yan stood tall like a pine, positioning himself in front of Yu Qing and Su Hewan.

His expression was as calm as still water, and the flying-fish-patterned armor glimmered with a cold metallic sheen in the torchlight.

“Quite the spectacle, Your Highness.”

Lu Yan’s voice was low, yet every word carried the weight of iron and stone, an unshakable firmness.

“My men were only out for some fresh air—how does that turn into plotting immorality in Your Highness’s mouth?”

“Master Lu!”

Seeing the strongest protector in the world, Yu Qing no longer cared about dignity—she slithered behind Lu Yan in an instant.

She gripped the back of his armor with both hands, curling herself into a trembling quail.

Only half her head peeked out, shivering against Lu Yan’s broad back.

【Waaah… scared to death! Lu Yan… Lu Daddy! From now on, if you tell me east, I won’t go west. If you tell me to hit the dog, I won’t chase the chicken!】

Lu Yan felt the trembling warmth behind him, and the noisy yet dependent thoughts in her mind.

The corners of his normally cold mouth twitched imperceptibly.

This woman—just now daring to splash wine on Prince Ning, now shrinks like a rabbit.

Pathetic!

Yet he didn’t push her away; instead, he slammed the sheath on the ground, fully displaying a protective stance.

Seeing Lu Yan appear, Prince Ning’s eyes flickered with a gleam of triumph. “Commander Lu, caught red-handed—are you going to protect them?”

The tension between the two sides reached its peak.

Then, a lazy, soft, almost feminine chuckle abruptly broke the standoff.

“Oh my, it’s lively here tonight.”

The voice carried a teasing nonchalance, as if strolling through one’s own backyard, enjoying flowers and birds.

The crowd turned toward the sound.

Shen Jue appeared, draped in a black cloak, casually playing with a string of nanmu prayer beads, stepping out of the shadows.

A smile, neither fully friendly nor hostile, played across his face. His narrow phoenix eyes scanned everyone present before finally resting lightly on Prince Ning.

“From afar, we thought the Imperial Garden troupe was rehearsing a new play. So, Your Highness enjoys some culture as well, bringing all these people to accompany a few little maids singing in the middle of the night?”

With Shen Jue’s words, the originally deadly political confrontation instantly shifted in tone.

Prince Ning’s face darkened. “Supervisor Shen, this matter has nothing to do with the Eastern Depot.”

“How could it not?” Shen Jue chuckled lightly, his gaze passing over the crowd to land precisely on Su Hewan, who hadn’t yet taken cover behind Lu Yan.

He raised an eyebrow slightly, as if looking at a mischievous little cat running wild.

“Still not coming over?”

Su Hewan took a deep breath, realizing that this was Shen Jue giving her a way out while also asserting his authority.

【This damned eunuch may be sarcastic and weird, but his timing this time is just perfect.】

She quickly calculated in her mind, then lowered her head, looking meek and obedient, and briskly walked to stand beside Shen Jue.

With that, the previously one-sided situation instantly turned into a three-way standoff.

Prince Ning hadn’t expected that, over just two minor palace maids, the two most formidable rivals in the court would appear simultaneously to defend them.

“Good! Very good!” Prince Ning laughed bitterly in rage, pointing at Concubine Chen, still convulsing on the ground.

“Since both of you insist on protecting her, let’s hear what the person involved has to say! Guards, have Concubine Chen repeat what she just said, in front of Lord Lu and Supervisor Shen!”

All eyes immediately focused on Concubine Chen.

Yu Qing’s hand gripping Lu Yan’s clothing tightened suddenly.

【This is bad! If that crazy old woman bites at random, Lu Yan will be in trouble too!】

Just as the guards were about to pull Concubine Chen along, the woman, who had been trembling on the ground, suddenly changed expression.

Her eyes shot wide open, her eyeballs bulging, and then white foam mixed with black blood gushed from her mouth.

“Ugh… uh…”

Concubine Chen convulsed violently a few times and then fell straight backward.

But in her final moment, her frail, claw-like hand stretched out with all its remaining strength, trembling, and pointed directly toward Yu Qing’s direction!

“It’s you… it’s you who…”

Her words died unfinished.

Her eyes, refusing to close in death, stared unblinkingly at Yu Qing hiding behind Lu Yan.

The entire hall fell into deathly silence.

Su Hewan’s pupils shrank in shock.

Yu Qing stared at the finger pointing at her, feeling an icy chill shoot from her feet to her skull—her whole body went numb.

【Holy crap? I’m a murderer now?!】

The next second, this corner of the Imperial Garden erupted.

“Bold witch! How dare you commit murder in public and attempt to harm a palace consort!”

Prince Ning’s shout was full of force and authority.

The shock and grief on his face—if this were the modern era—would deserve a small Oscar statuette.

He suddenly swung his sleeve, pointing at Yu Qing crouching behind Lu Yan, voice stern:

“Commander Lu, what do you have to say now? Everyone clearly saw Concubine Chen’s final finger-pointing before she died! This is the person you’re protecting? She is clearly an assassin who infiltrated the palace to kill and cover up her crime!”

“It’s not me! I didn’t do it!”

Yu Qing felt like she was about to split apart.

She was just a performing arts college student. She had acted as corpses, as extras, but she had never been accused of being a murderer on the spot!

This was so unfair—worse than Dou E!

“She spat blood and died on her own! What does that have to do with me? I didn’t even touch her!” Yu Qing cried, clutching Lu Yan’s flying-fish robe tightly.

【Lord Lu, Daddy Lu, believe me, I really didn’t do it! This is just a setup!】

Lu Yan’s face was dark enough to drip water.

He of course knew it wasn’t Yu Qing.

But Concubine Chen’s death was too strange, and that last pointing gesture pierced right into their hearts.

“Seize her!” Prince Ning gave Lu Yan no chance to argue, waving his hand.

“This woman committed murder, the evidence is irrefutable. If the Jinyiwei still try to protect her, they are accomplices! Guards, execute this witch on the spot to appease Concubine Chen’s spirit!”

“I’d like to see who dares!”