The first time in history

Qian Ming wanted to change his clothes from last night, which were covered with blood. But he was really worried about Zheng Dan's safety, so he hurried to Zheng Dan's residence.

Outside Zheng Dan's palace, Qian Mingduo saw Xiao Wuzi standing outside the door, so he slowly walked behind Xiao Wuzi.

"Yes, Lord Ling was injured. His left shoulder was wounded by the assassin's sword." Xiao Wuzi bowed and said.

"Her Majesty asked whether the sword wound of the Lord was serious?" Qian Mingduo recognized that it was Zhen'er's voice.

Just as he was about to report, Xiao Wuzi felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw that it was Qian Mingduo, so he quickly bowed and said, "Sir, you are here."

"Yeah." Qian Mingduo smiled and said, "You didn't sleep last night either. Go back and get some sleep. I'll go back to tell the queen what she said."

"This..." Xiao Wuzi said, "My Lord, you have been wounded by the sword, you should go back and recuperate!"

"I'm not in the way." Qian Mingduo raised his head toward the outside and said, "You can go back."

Xiao Wuzi looked up at Qian Mingduo, seeming to want to say something but stopping himself.

"Her Majesty asks, is that Lord Ling of the Ling Palace outside the palace?" Zhen'er asked softly.

"Please go back to the Queen." Qian Mingduo turned around and sat on the doorstep. "It's Ling Fei who is here."

Two maids lifted the veil of the palace door, and Zheng Dan, who had already been inside the palace door, stepped over the threshold barefoot, but did not see Qian Mingduo.

"Where is Lord Ling?" Zheng Dan turned around and asked the maid at the door, but found that the gauze curtain lifted by the maid blocked Qian Mingduo's upper body, leaving only his two crossed legs exposed.

Zheng Dan gestured to lower the veil, and saw Qian Mingduo leaning against the pillar of the palace gate, tilting his head and swinging his legs.

"The sword wound is not serious, right?" Zheng Dan also sat on the doorstep and asked softly.

"Apart from the severe pain, everything else is fine." Qian Mingduo winked at Zheng Dan.

"It's hard to recover after being injured." Zheng Dan walked to Qian Mingduo's side and wanted to check his wound. Seeing that it was bandaged tightly, and afraid of hurting him, she said coquettishly: "Why did you come to my deserted place?"

"Didn't Xiao Wuzi report to the Empress just now?" Qian Mingduo asked in confusion.

"He said someone wanted to assassinate me." Zheng Dan said calmly: "It would be better to just kill him."

"Is your Majesty thinking about returning to your hometown again?" Qian Mingduo said jokingly.

Zheng Dan nodded indifferently.

Qian Mingduo sighed and looked at Zheng Dan from the side. He thought: Why does this beautiful lady Zheng take her life so lightly? How much hardship does she have in her heart?

"Zhen'er." Qian Mingduo glanced inside the palace and said, "Please come out and answer my question."

"Sir." Zhen'er stood in front of Qian Mingduo and she glanced at Zheng Dan quickly.

"How many guards are on duty in the queen's bedroom?" Qian Mingduo followed Zhen'er's gaze and quickly glanced at Zheng Dan.

"Your Excellency," Zhen'er said softly, "There are no special guards on duty in the queen's bedroom. There are only a few eunuchs waiting outside the palace gate."

"My place is not like Guanwa Palace." Zheng Dan smiled and said, "The king has sent a whole team of guards to protect Sister Xishi. And... Lord Ling is a loyal man who is willing to risk his life for her."

Qian Mingduo could tell there was something else behind Zheng Dan's words. He looked at Zheng Dan, put one foot on the threshold, and said leisurely, "Your Majesty has already put life and death aside, why do you need guards to protect you?"

"Are you just trying to comfort me, my Lord?" Zheng Dan signaled Zhen'er to leave with her eyes. "I would like someone like you to protect me. But Sister Xi Shi will definitely not be willing to let you come, right?"

"I'm afraid Miss Xishi can't make the decision. I guess it will take the king's approval, right?"

"Why don't you speak up for your sister?" Zheng Dan glared at Qian Mingduo coquettishly.

"Ouch!" Qian Mingduo deliberately made an expression of unbearable pain.

"What's wrong?" Zheng Dan quickly stood up, sat next to Qian Mingduo, and asked with concern: "Is your wound hurting?"

“It hurts a bit”

"Why do you work so hard?" Zheng Dan asked softly, "Is it worth it?"

"If someone came to assassinate you last night," Qian Mingduo quietly took Zheng Dan's hand and said, "I would also risk my life to protect you.

"Why?" Zheng Dan asked shyly, turning her head away.

"Because..." Qian Mingduo gently stroked Zheng Dan's delicate fingers, "This is my duty, and also because... This is the first time I see someone wearing a gauze gown from head to toe."

"Is that me you met?" Zheng Dan looked at Qian Mingduo affectionately.

"It must be you." Qian Mingduo leaned close to Zheng Dan's ear and whispered, "The peony flower on your hook is so beautiful. But..."

"Just what?" Zheng Dan gently pinched Qian Mingduo's hand.

"Sir." Just then, Xiao Wuzi hurried into the palace gate and said loudly, "Sir, the chief steward asks Sir Ling to go to the hall to discuss matters as soon as possible."

Zheng Dan quickly returned to the palace as soon as Xiao Wuzi entered the palace.

Qian Mingduo looked at Zhen'er standing at the palace gate. Although he and Zheng Dan had already understood each other tacitly, the voice outside his door that night was clearly Zhen'er's.

He wanted to ask Zhen'er, but now was not the right time, so he sighed and went to the guard hall with Xiao Wuzi.

"I have sent someone to report what happened last night to the king." Zhou Bin looked at Qian Mingduo's wound that was still bleeding and said, "You were wounded by the sword and should have rested for a few days. But Madam Shi has to go to Shihu today to worship the lake god on behalf of the king."

"Alas!" Zhou Bin sighed and said, "Her maid just came to tell her that you must go with her. You will have to go through the hardship."

"This is my job, I dare not say it is hard work." Qian Mingduo bowed and said: "I wonder how you will deal with the assassin?"

"We have no right to deal with such a major matter. Let's wait for the king's order!"

"Yes." Qian Mingduo was about to leave.

"Ling Fei, please stay." Zhou Bin called him again and said, "You did a great job last night. I have also reported it to the king and asked for a reward for you."

"Thank you, sir." Qian Mingduo bowed and left.

Looking at Qian Mingduo's back, Zhou Bin thought to himself: When interrogating the assassin last night, Ling Fei used a completely different approach from others. According to the guard who reported to him, Ling Fei is a sinister and cunning person with many tricks. Everyone who participated in the interrogation last night was impressed by him.

Zhou Bin's own opinion of Ling Fei was: he was extremely cunning and scheming. It seemed that he would have to be more cautious about this person in the future.

But he is also a young talent. If he can be used by me, I can make use of him while being wary of him.

Shihu is located ten miles south of Gusu City. A sedan chair carried by four people, a dozen palace guards, more than twenty imperial guards and Xi Shi's maids formed a long procession. Several priests walked at the front of the procession.

At the back of the procession, Qian Mingduo rode a horse without a saddle. Two miles out of the city, his butt began to hurt.