Reborn, I am doing involution on Jinshan

As the two were talking, there was a sudden commotion. A dancer, seemingly accidentally falling from the rings, flung herself towards the Queen Mother. The maids around the Queen Mother cried out in surprise, and the scene was momentarily chaotic.

Xiao Ruiyue was quick-witted and quickly stood in front of the Queen Mother, holding the dancer steady. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The Queen Mother patted Xiao Ruiyue's hand and praised her, "Xiao Ruiyue is really smart."

At this moment, Dongfang Hao's eyes flashed. He realized that the dancer's fall, though seemingly accidental, actually held a hidden agenda. He quietly winked at Ji Guanyuan, who understood. Lowering his brows, he whispered something to the person beside him, who then left.

While Xiao Ruiyue appeared calm, she was secretly wondering if this was a conspiracy against the Queen Mother. And that mysterious woman, Caihong, still hadn't returned, and she couldn't help but worry about the maid, fearing something had happened to her.

Sima Xiaotao sensed her uneasiness, placed his hands lightly on her shoulders, and whispered, "Miss, the Crown Prince has sent guard Xiao Zhan to protect Caihong. His martial arts skills are superior to mine."

After hearing what Sima Xiaotao said, Ruiyue felt a little more at ease.

At this time, the dancer was surrounded by three secret guards. She apologized with a frightened face: "Your Majesty, it was my fault for disturbing you carelessly. Please forgive me."

The Queen Mother waved her hand and said, "Forget it, get up. Just be careful."

But Dongfang Hao did not let his guard down. He approached the dancer, carefully observing her expression, and suddenly said coldly, "Yinghong, come and search her body."

The female guard, named Yinghong, quickly stepped forward and began to search the dancer's body. Soon, Yinghong pulled out a small, poisoned dagger from a hidden spot around the dancer's waist. The dancer's face instantly turned pale, and her legs gave way, nearly collapsing to the ground.

Everyone was shocked, and the Queen Mother's expression turned grim. "How dare you, you rude slave, attempt to assassinate me in front of me!"

The Queen Mother's eyes widened in anger, her voice trembling. The dancer fell to her knees, crying, "Queen Mother, please spare me! Someone forced me to do this. I had no choice!"

Dongfang Hao's eyes were icy as he demanded, "Who ordered you to do this? Tell the truth, and perhaps I can spare your life."

The dancer hesitated for a moment, and just as she was about to speak, she suddenly vomited black blood and fell to the ground, dead. It turned out that she had hidden a deadly poison in her mouth, and she had been ordered not to reveal the mastermind behind the incident.

At this moment, Ruiyue felt even more uneasy. A deep and magnetic male voice sounded in her ears: "Don't look." At the same time, her eyes were covered by a big hand.

The dancer was so excited that she bit her tongue to commit suicide. The poison took effect instantly. A secret guard screamed: "Damn it, the poison is so fast."

After kicking it a few times and seeing that it was completely dead, the secret guards quickly took action and dragged the body away; a few palace servants took a large piece of cloth and quickly cleaned the ground, which only took a few minutes.

It seemed as if nothing had happened, yet it also seemed as if everything had been prepared in advance. The secret guards and the palace servants worked together in perfect harmony.

The emperor asked in a deep voice, "Why doesn't that old ghost from the Ministry of Justice come over here? They are all useless and are here to cheat Yin Xiang."

"Damn it, bad luck."

Guo Defu, who was beside the emperor, was so frightened when he heard this that he trembled all over. He quickly bowed and smiled apologetically, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Your Majesty, please calm down. Perhaps the Minister of Justice was delayed on the way. I will send someone to urge him right away." After that, he trotted out to arrange for someone to urge the Minister of Justice.

Dongfang Hao frowned, it seemed that the forces behind this were extremely ruthless.

The woman leading the dance team wanted to escape, but Sima Xiaotao noticed it with her sharp eyes, drew out her long sword and locked her throat, and with her other hand grabbed her scapula, and said coldly: "Don't move if you don't want to die." She was tall and strong, and the dancer was frightened and her neck was stiff.

Just when the situation was at a stalemate, Xiao Zhan's voice came from a distance: "Prince, I caught someone!

It turned out to be Xiao Zhan who had brought Caihong and the captured woman. The woman's face turned pale when she saw the dancer's assassination attempt had been exposed. It turned out that the woman was sent by the mastermind to gather information, and the dancer was the assassin.

A dozen or so constables from the Ministry of Justice also arrived. Dongfang Hao said coldly, "Captain Cao, take them away for interrogation. We must get to the bottom of this."

Captain Cao received the order and waved his hand. A dozen or so captains behind him sprang into action like wolves and tigers, quickly apprehending the relevant individuals. Their methods were skillful, and they brooked no resistance. In the blink of an eye, they had escorted everyone out of the scene.

The emperor turned to look at a confidant beside him and whispered, "You follow him quietly to the Ministry of Justice's prison and pay close attention to the interrogation. If there is anything unusual, report it immediately. Remember, never reveal your whereabouts." The confidant nodded and left quietly.

A crisis was temporarily resolved. The Queen Mother looked at everyone and said with relief, "Thanks to you today, I am relieved that you are protecting this imperial city."

"No one has ever died in the Imperial City. Life and death are determined by heaven. Don't be afraid or panic. This is a close call."

Looking at the frightened female relatives and the pale-faced little Ruiyue, it was probably the first time for this girl to see someone die in front of her. Also, there was a large group of burly men from the Ministry of Justice who came in large numbers, and they were all scared.

She lowered her head and discussed with the emperor and empress, preparing to disband early.

The Third Prince, Dongfang Yan, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly stood up, holding his zither, and walked over to Little Ruiyue. He bowed and said, "Princess Ruiyue's flute skills are superb, and I admire you deeply. Could you play a duet with her? It might help calm everyone down."

Xiao Ruiyue was slightly stunned. Dongfang Hao stood up and smiled: "Yanyan, brother is happy to accompany you."

"Prince, are you sure? Then what instrument would you choose?"

If it were in private, this sharp-tongued person would probably say, I can only brag.

"I'll play the flute too. Yue'er isn't feeling well."

Dongfang Yan's mouth twitched slightly...

It is indeed a good reason. You should choose the same one to show your talent.

People who are in love are a little cute.

Dongfang Hao glared at him provocatively, with an arrogant look as if he was the best in the world: "Come on, come and see my show."

Dongfang Hao reached out and took his beloved jade flute from a nearby confidant. It seemed he had already prepared for the performance. The jade flute had a soft, smooth texture and shone softly in the candlelight, making it clear at first glance that it was a rare and fine piece.

His movements were graceful and steady, as if he were reuniting with an old friend. He placed the flute to his lips and tested the sound; it was clear and melodious, like a mountain spring.

A nobleman in finery said with a smile, "Today we are in for a treat! I heard that both the Princess and the Prince of Dongfang are masters of the flute. I wonder who will come out on top in this contest."

Everyone nodded in agreement and whispered to each other, full of curiosity and speculation about this competition.

The palace maids swiftly cleared two tables at the place where the dance troupe was performing, and the two brothers sat down elegantly.

Dongfang Yan was the first to move. The sound of the zither flowed gracefully, like a plaintive lament, as if telling a moving story. As his fingers moved nimbly, the music sometimes moved like a spring breeze through a sea of ​​flowers, gentle and delicate; sometimes like a rushing river, majestic and powerful. Everyone, listening to this beautiful music, could not help but be immersed in it, as if they were in a dreamlike world.

Dongfang Hao listened intently. When Dongfang Yan's piano music paused, he immediately played the flute in his hand. His flute sound was even more heroic and free-spirited, as if incorporating all his lofty ambitions and passions. The flute's sound swirled and reverberated in the air, intertwining with Dongfang Yan's piano, forming a wonderful harmony.

The whole audience was silent, afraid of missing a single note.

"My two cousins ​​have worked hard, and I can't just be lazy and not contribute." It was the crisp and soft voice of little Ruiyue.

Sima Xiaotao felt sorry for her and gently advised, "Miss, if you're not feeling well, don't force yourself."