Chapter 280: Chapter 278: Guard Her for a Lifetime_1 Chapter 280: Chapter 278: Guard Her for a Lifetime_1 “It’s all right! It’s all right, I won’t let anything happen to you…” Li Tianfu held Lu Tianzhuo tightly, screaming madly, “Li Zhijie! Call a doctor! Hurry! If anything happens to him… I’ll make sure all of you are buried with him!”

Lu Tianzhuo opened his mouth, blood gushing out…

He wanted to tell Li Tianfu that if there was an afterlife, he would still stay by her side. But in the next life… he didn’t want to be a eunuch anymore. He wanted to be Li Tianfu’s man, to be her husband, to protect her all his life.

But before he could say a word, Lu Tianzhuo’s pupils dilated, and his grip on Li Tianfu’s fingers slowly loosened.

“Lu Tianzhuo! Lu Tianzhuo!” Li Tianfu shouted with heartbreak, crying, “Don’t leave me! Lu Tianzhuo… you promised to stay with me! Lu Tianzhuo, get up! Get up!”

Bai Qingyan stood behind Li Zhijie, watching Li Tianfu, whose clothes were stained red with blood, desperate and collapsing. Only now did she realize that Li Tianfu and Lu Tianzhuo’s relationship was unusual.

At this moment, she understood why Lu Tianzhuo was determined to kill her. This Lu Tianzhuo… was the adopted son of Pang Pingguo.

Back then, after she beheaded Pang Pingguo and destroyed Shu, the Emperor ordered the extermination of Pang Pingguo’s Nine Clans. Her grandfather advised the Emperor of Jin to spare Pang Pingguo’s family, saying it was unnecessary to create more bloodshed.

Unexpectedly, it left such a hidden danger.

Li Zhijie feared that the Crown Prince of the Jin Kingdom would see the princess they sent for marriage holding a eunuch’s corpse and become displeased. Before the Prince entered, he ordered someone to separate Lu Tianzhuo and Li Tianfu.

“Let go of me! You bastards dare to touch me! Give A Zhuo back to me! Li Zhijie, you’re tired of living!” Li Tianfu trembled all over, screaming hoarsely, like a mad beast about to go berserk, “I am the Princess of Xiliang! Who dares to touch me, I’ll kill your Nine Clans!”

“The Empress Dowager ordered that all matters of this peace negotiation and marriage be managed by me, giving me absolute authority!” Li Zhijie, his face stern, looked at the guards and maids pushed away by the mad Li Tianfu, gritting his teeth, “Send the Princess back to her quarters now. Without my orders, she is not allowed to take a single step out. Otherwise… I’ll take your heads!”

Li Tianfu struggled, screamed, and cried out in despair, calling Lu Tianzhuo’s name but was still carried into her room by the strong guards.

When the Crown Prince and Xiao Rongyan, along with the Crown Prince’s soldiers and the Bai family guards, rushed in, they saw Lu Tianzhuo’s death and Li Zhijie’s severe injuries.

Earlier, Xiao Rongyan was at the Crown Prince’s residence, discussing accompanying Emperor Yan and his younger legitimate brother Murong Li on a lake excursion, mentioning that the grand eunuch Feng Yao, who had business dealings with him, invited him to join them after learning about his painting boat.

Who knew that just after they finished talking, the guards from the Bai Mansion arrived with a brocade box.

Upon hearing that Bai Qingyan had taken the Sun-shooting Bow to the posthouse to confront Li Zhijie, Xiao Rongyan, worried, hurried over with the Crown Prince.

At this moment, Bai Qingyan was unharmed. Xiao Rongyan’s deep, gloomy gaze turned to Li Zhijie.

“Eldest Young Lady!” Bai Jinzhi saw Bai Qingyan behind Li Zhijie, drew his sword, and pointed it at Li Zhijie, his eyes red, “Li Zhijie, where is my second brother! Hand over my second brother!”

Not only did Bai Jinzhi want Bai Qingqiong, but even the citizens outside were agitated… shouting for Xiliang to hand over the second young master of the Bai family.

“What is going on?” The Crown Prince’s face darkened.

Bai Qingyan put away the Sun-shooting Bow and bowed to the Crown Prince, “Your Highness, a gift from King Yan to the Bai Mansion today contained my second brother’s archery thumb ring and a letter, inviting me alone to the posthouse! When I arrived, Li Zhijie said he would propose to marry my fourth sister at the Emperor’s birthday banquet tomorrow. If I helped him achieve his wish, he would return my second brother to me!”

Bai Qingyan heavily kowtowed to the Crown Prince, “Please, Crown Prince, seek justice for the Bai family and return my second brother.”

Li Zhijie’s face turned pale. This Bai Qingyan was surely too honest with the Crown Prince!

Xiao Rongyan looked at the kneeling woman with a determined expression, the smile in his eyes deepening. The more honest Bai Qingyan was with the Crown Prince, the more the Crown Prince trusted her.

Bai Qingyan had apparently figured out what kind of minister the Crown Prince wanted.

As long as the Crown Prince believed Bai Qingyan was loyal, she would be protected by him, even if she caused major trouble.

Li Zhijie didn’t have time to think much. He hastily spoke, “Crown Prince, that day outside Youhua Road, I fell in love with the Lord of Gaoyi at first sight. Upon learning that Emperor Yan intended to marry her to the Ninth Prince of Yan, I resorted to this!”

“I don’t care what you resorted to. Since you used my second brother to threaten me, either you return my second brother now, or I will kill you and then storm into Yunjing to slaughter your entire family!” Bai Jinzhi’s voice was violent and firm, gripping the sword hilt, his hand veins bulging.

Bai Jinzhi’s voice was fierce but determined. Li Zhijie looked at the Crown Prince, who stared at him sternly, and knew it was not good. He closed his eyes, covered the wound on his shoulder, and, imitating Bai Qingyan, confessed to the Crown Prince in a resigned tone…

“Crown Prince, I swear, in my hand, there is only this thumb ring. The idea was given by that already dead servant who handed me the thumb ring. He said this method would not only help me marry the Lord of Gaoyi but also make the Emperor of Jin and the Crown Prince suspicious of the Princess of Zhen. If the Princess of Zhen no longer led troops, Xiliang could finally breathe a sigh of relief. But… I didn’t expect he wanted to kill the Princess of Zhen!”

Bai Qingyan’s brow furrowed deeply, her eyes filled with intense killing intent.

From the first time she met Li Zhijie, she knew he was exceptionally intelligent. But she hadn’t expected he would have such a desperate spirit, daring to reveal a half-truth plan, unafraid of Jin and the Crown Prince’s blame.

“King Yan wants to place all the blame on a dead man and think it’s over? My second brother’s thumb ring was delivered to my mansion by you! Today, either you hand over my second brother, or your life will compensate!”

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Every word from Bai Qingyan was cold, chilling to the bone.

The Crown Prince’s brow furrowed. Bai Qingyan had a reputation for keeping her word. But as the Crown Prince, he couldn’t let King Yan die in the capital of Jin. He hurriedly spoke, “Princess of Zhen… if you trust me, leave this matter to me. You and the Lord of Gaoyi are both emotionally involved and may be biased.”

Bai Qingyan tightly gripped the Sun-shooting Bow, silent for a moment before speaking, “I trust the Crown Prince!”

The Crown Prince sighed in relief.

“But…” Bai Qingyan looked at Li Zhijie, “I want King Yan to swear to the God to ensure my second brother’s safety. If anything happens to my second brother, King Yan’s whole clan will die a miserable death!”