Chapter 17
**Chapter 17: She’s Quite the Actress!**
The Heng Wang directed his ire at Shen Wei.
To suppress Shen Wei was to suppress the Yan Wang.
As Heng Wang's words fell, curious gazes turned toward Shen Wei, filled with intrigue, sympathy, and a hint of pity.
Shen Wei paused mid-drink, realizing that trouble had come knocking at her door.
Her persona was that of a humble farmer's daughter, completely unversed in the arts of song and dance.
If she were to shine at the Spring Banquet today, it would surely spell disaster—Heng Wang would hold a grudge, Yan Wang would doubt her farmer's identity, and the aloof Wang Fei would regard her with suspicion.
Yet, if she refused to perform, Heng Wang would undoubtedly mock her lowly origins and ridicule Yan Wang's poor taste in women.
It seemed she was caught in a deadlock.
Having navigated the treacherous waters of the court for years, Shen Wei understood the principles of survival—**“Shine when it’s time to shine, and lay low when it’s time to lay low. If you can’t avoid it, find someone to take the heat.”**
Without much thought, Shen Wei quickly identified her shield.
She cast a nervous glance at Yan Wang, her expression anxious, her beautiful eyes brimming with unshed tears, resembling a girl who had been wronged.
Weak, pitiful, and helpless.
Heng Wang’s harassment of Shen Wei was, in essence, an affront to Yan Wang. As her husband, Yan Wang would never allow his woman to be humiliated.
Sure enough, Yan Wang, seated at the head of the table, narrowed his handsome eyes and spoke coldly, “My concubine is not a common courtesan; you overstep, Third Brother.”
Defending Shen Wei was also a matter of preserving his own dignity.
Heng Wang clicked his tongue, taking a sip of his cold wine. “Petty.”
The resentment in Heng Wang’s heart naturally shifted to Yan Wang, while Shen Wei remained beautifully hidden from the fray.
“Shen Wei, your second brother really dotes on you, defending you in front of everyone,” Zhao Yang remarked, a hint of envy in her voice.
If only Yan Yun Ting could treat her a little better, Zhao Yang wouldn’t have to suffer so much in love.
Sometimes, Zhao Yang couldn’t understand why, despite her noble birth, beauty, and a childhood friendship with Yan Yun Ting that seemed destined for romance, he would choose the plain Dan Tai Rou instead.
Frustrated, she downed several cups of wine.
Not far away, Yan Yun Ting noticed her incessant drinking and frowned slightly. He seemed inclined to offer comfort but ultimately held his tongue.
After a few rounds of drinks, the previously retired performance troupe returned to the stage. The pipa-playing singer donned a light pink dress, while the dancers wore matching long-sleeved gowns.
With spring flowers in full bloom, the music and dance resumed.
As Shen Wei enjoyed the performance, she secretly munched on the delicacies. The pastries at the Spring Banquet were exquisitely crafted, and she had already devoured several pieces.
Suddenly, her gaze froze. She spotted the masked pipa player, and in her wide pink sleeves, there seemed to glint a silver light.
Was that a dagger?
Shen Wei gasped in shock. A dagger at the Spring Banquet? Could it be the rumored assassin? Before she could process it, the pipa player suddenly hurled her instrument aside.
A flash of cold light!
The other dancers and musicians in the corners drew their swords.
“Assassin!”
“Assassin! Protect the Crown Prince!”
Screams erupted, and in the next moment, one was silenced by a blade, blood splattering everywhere. The pipa player gripped her dagger tightly, her toes poised on the stage as she lunged toward the Crown Prince. Other assassins targeted Yan Wang and Heng Wang.
Chaos ensued, with cries for protection and people scrambling for safety. Shen Wei, experiencing her first assassination attempt, found herself face-to-face with a bloody corpse, feeling exhilarated...
More thrilling than any horror game she had played.
But Shen Wei wasn’t worried; she knew Yan Wang had a fierce group of Tiger Guards, skilled in battle. Soon, the Tiger Guards arrived, swords drawn, engaging the assassins.
Zhao Yang was terrified, flitting about like a frightened bird.
She ducked for cover but couldn’t help glancing anxiously at Yan Yun Ting nearby. He had some martial skills and was calmly using a stick as a weapon, instinctively moving toward Zhao Yang.
Just as he reached for her sleeve, Dan Tai Rou suddenly screamed, collapsing to the ground, clearly fainted from fear.
Yan Yun Ting couldn’t spare a moment for Zhao Yang; he quickly bent down to scoop up the unconscious Dan Tai Rou and fled.
Zhao Yang stood frozen, surrounded by flashing blades, yet she felt no fear; her eyes were only on Yan Yun Ting’s retreating figure.
A pain like a needle pierced her heart.
“Princess!” Shen Wei, who had intended to flee, rushed forward and grabbed Zhao Yang.
With a thud, an assassin’s blade barely missed, slicing off a lock of Zhao Yang’s hair. If Shen Wei hadn’t pulled her back, Zhao Yang would have surely met her end.
“Protect the princess!” Shen Wei shouted to the palace maids beside Zhao Yang. The maids, trembling with fear, helped the dazed Zhao Yang escape.
Cai Lian’s face turned pale as she clutched Shen Wei’s arm. “Mistress, we should hide too!”
Shen Wei stood firm.
She “deeply loved” Yan Wang; how could she, as his favored concubine, flee while he was in danger? Shen Wei quickly scanned the chaotic scene, where the Tiger Guards were gaining the upper hand against the assassins.
At the head table, Yan Wang wielded his sword to protect the Crown Prince, his gaze sharp.
The Wang Fei had fainted from fright; Zhang Miao Yu was huddled under the table, trembling while clutching a piece of braised pork; Liu Qiao Er had scurried behind a large tree.
Only Liu Ru Yan sat calmly in her seat, unperturbed. Her maid, Xue Mei, had fainted from fear, yet Liu Ru Yan remained composed and serene.
Shen Wei told Cai Lian, “You hide first; I need to protect the Wang Ye.”
Cai Lian was stunned, watching helplessly as Shen Wei dashed toward the head table.
In her urgency, Shen Wei didn’t even notice when her golden hairpin fell to the ground; her eyes seemed to focus solely on Yan Wang. Running too fast, she accidentally collided with Heng Wang, who was trying to evade the assassins.
Shen Wei didn’t recognize him and kicked Heng Wang aside. In the chaos, aside from Heng Wang, the victim, no one else noticed.
Heng Wang was left bewildered, staring in shock at Shen Wei as she rushed past him, then looking down at the small footprint on his robe.
This little concubine actually kicked me!
She seemed so gentle and demure; how could she be so wild?
Heng Wang retreated to a safe corner, curious to see what Shen Wei would do next.
“Wang Ye!” Shen Wei sprinted toward Yan Wang.
Just then, the pipa player lunged at Yan Wang’s heart with her dagger. Shen Wei’s mind, sharp as a computer, quickly assessed the situation—Yan Wang was highly skilled; with just a flick of his wrist, he could easily kill the pipa player.
He didn’t need her protection.
But Shen Wei had to protect Yan Wang; that was the attitude of a favored concubine.
“Wang Ye, be careful!” Shen Wei quickened her pace, fearing that if she was too slow, the assassin would be dispatched by Yan Wang before she could intervene.
Yan Wang was unafraid of the assassination; his hidden guards could easily eliminate the assassins. He held his sword, ready to strike down the pipa player.
But suddenly, he heard Shen Wei’s anxious call.
In the next moment, the delicate Shen Wei bravely threw herself in front of Yan Wang, closing her eyes in fear, wanting to shield him from the assassin’s blade.
Shen Wei calculated the angle; the dagger would strike her left arm, inflicting only a minor wound.
With a thrust—
Her left arm was pierced by the sharp dagger.
Shen Wei: Damn! That hurts!
Yan Wang: Oh my! She actually threw herself in front of me!
Heng Wang, watching from the corner: Damn! This woman is acting!
In that instant, Yan Wang’s heart was stirred, his nose tingling. He knew Shen Wei loved him, but he had no idea she would go so far as to risk her life for him.
In the most dangerous moment, a person’s instinctive reaction cannot be faked; Shen Wei instinctively ran to save him...
Moved, Yan Wang’s hand fell, and with one swift stroke, he killed the pipa player. Shen Wei’s body went limp, pitifully collapsing into Yan Wang’s embrace.
With her eyes closed, she feigned unconsciousness.
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