Report to the Empress and the Eldest Princess: They're using the system to poach your men.

Chapter 117 Fireworks Extravaganza: Shu Yan Blocks the Sword

Halfway through the banquet, Shuyan was slightly tipsy.

Feeling guilty, Shen Sangwan drank one glass after another to hide her panic. She was slightly drunk, but still quite lucid.

This came from somewhere unknown. After whispering a few words in Shen Sangwan's ear, Shuyun respectfully withdrew.

"Today is the Empress's birthday, and I have prepared fireworks. Would Your Majesty and the Empress do me the honor of stepping into the courtyard or corridor?"

She was a little unsteady when she got up, but fortunately Shuyi was there to help her.

"What my elder sister has prepared is extraordinary. Issue an imperial decree that all officials and their families should go to the corridor to admire it."

Shen Yucheng readily complied with Shen Sangwan's requests, took Wen Yuening's hand, and walked down the steps towards the outside of the hall.

As Shuyi helped Shen Sangwan pass by Shuyan, they were stopped by her.

“You’ve had too much to drink, just sit here.”

"Hey—, how can this be? Today is your birthday. Although the fireworks are said to be for the Empress, they were actually prepared for you. Come on, this is the eighteenth or nineteenth birthday I've spent with you. How can I be absent?"

As she spoke, she pulled Shuyan's arm and led her outside.

She couldn't persuade Shen Sangwan otherwise, so she had to compromise and lean on him on the other side as they left the Golden Palace together.

Shuyun received instructions from Shen Sangwan to order people to light the fireworks in an orderly manner.

"boom--"

The night sky and the ground seemed to be connected by a beam of white light.

Colorful fireworks burst open in the sky, creating a shower of petals that seemed to fall to earth.

The pitch-black night sky instantly became dazzling and colorful.

Shu Yan stood next to Shen Sangwan. As she looked up at the sky, the fireworks illuminated her face.

Slightly stunned, she subconsciously leaned closer to the other person and softly recited a line from Yinzhen's poem: "Fire trees brush the clouds as red phoenixes fly, and jade flowers cover the ground as fallen petals."

"I know this. Let me think. I really liked Xin Qiji's line before: 'The east wind releases a thousand trees of flowers at night, and blows down stars like rain.'"

Shen Sangwan chuckled and rested her head on Shuyan's shoulder, looking quite content.

Standing not far away, Wen Yuening took a small step back and saw this scene, feeling very uncomfortable.

No matter how beautiful the fireworks are, they lose their charm if you're not with someone you love by your side.

"Oh no! Oh no! The water's boiling over! The water's boiling over!"

Screams from eunuchs and palace maids came from somewhere.

Before the crowd, engrossed in watching the fireworks, could even catch their breath, flames were already shooting into the sky from the heated pavilion on the east side.

After being exposed to the autumn wind for a while, Shen Sangwan felt increasingly dizzy. When she heard someone shouting "Fire!", she immediately took a powerful hangover pill from her system.

"Ruoying, escort the princess to a safe place. You must protect her well."

"Subordinates take orders."

Shuyan wanted Shen Sangwan to leave with her, but was scolded by her and was eventually dragged away by Ruoying.

"Shuyun, take some men to assist the palace servants in putting out the fire."

"Your Highness..."

Shuyun hesitated for a moment, but Shen Sangwan interrupted her, "Ruoli and the others are here, I am fine, go and put out the fire quickly."

"Yes, my subordinate will go right away."

After speaking, she disappeared under the corridor. Shuyi helped the unsteady Shen Sangwan move to the side.

Cen Qingyu, leading the Imperial Guards, immediately surrounded and escorted the Empress Dowager, Shen Yuchen, and Wen Yuening away from the scene.

"The fire is heading this way. Your Highness, I urge you to leave this place immediately."

Shen Sangwan also wanted to leave, but she had just seen someone sneaking around from the direction of the fire. It was clear that this was someone who had deliberately set fire to the warm pavilion under the pretext of her setting off fireworks.

"Immediately send someone to find a eunuch. He is similar in stature to you, but half a head shorter. Unlike other eunuchs, he has a very fair complexion. Anyone suspicious should be detained. I suspect that someone deliberately set this fire."

"Yes, Your Highness, I will send someone to do so immediately. However, this place is dangerous, so please leave first."

"Xiaotong, what's wrong with this hangover medicine? My legs are getting weaker and weaker."

Shen Sangwan had just lifted her feet when she realized her legs were weak. If it weren't for Shuyi supporting her, she probably would have collapsed to the ground by now.

Master, all potent medicines have some side effects, more or less.

"Damn it, are you kidding me? What good is sobering up if all I want is to be conscious? If someone tries to kill me, wouldn't I just be hurting myself instead?"

And you know what? Ever since Shen Sangwan came to Nanjing, her mouth has been like it's been blessed.

If lottery tickets were available, she would definitely buy one.

Although she is not short of money.

No sooner had she finished scolding Xiaotong than an assassin came toward her.

Master, be careful.

Cen Qingyu drew her sword first to block a fatal blow for Shen Sangwan, and the other imperial guards, seeing this, began to engage the assassin in a stalemate.

Dozens of dark figures moved back and forth in the outer courtyard of the Golden Palace, which was engulfed in flames.

【Master, why don't you find somewhere to hide for a while? The effects of the medicine won't wear off for a bit longer.】

Shuyi didn't know martial arts, and this was the second time she had faced an assassin. Her legs were still a little weak, but fortunately she was able to keep her mind steady and helped Shen Sangwan dodge around.

"What a lousy system! The medicines it produces are more and more outrageous than the last. You get what you pay for, and these freebies are even worse."

"Hiss—" Damn it!

The main system gave Shen Sangwan a powerful "massage" that felt like it was going to crush her bones.

Fortunately, thanks to the main system's actions, Shen Sangwan regained some strength and pushed Shuyi through the nearest door, telling her to "find an exit and escape."

Shuyi was very worried, but she knew she didn't know martial arts and would only be a burden to His Highness if she went out. So she headed towards the window of the back hall as quickly as possible.

Shen Sangwan, outside the palace, drew her soft sword from her waist and began fighting with the assassin.

"What, has your buyer switched to a new organization to assassinate me again?"

The people who assassinated her this time didn't seem like assassins from the martial arts world; upon closer observation, they were more like the Dongrui army.

This realization gave Shen Sangwan a bad feeling. If it was true, there would probably be a bloodbath in Nanjing in the near future.

Because the path to put out the fire was blocked by assassins and imperial guards, the palace servants could only fetch water from the other side of the warm pavilion to fight the fire. The autumn wind was particularly strong tonight, and the fire quickly spread to the palace where Shen Sangwan was located.

"Damn it, are these people trying to kill each other?"

Shen Sangwan tried to escape, but was surrounded by three people who held her tightly.

Ruoli and Ruoxin were also entangled with the assassins and could not break free.

Just as Shen Sangwan was about to take out the poison powder from the system, the leader, who had been hiding in the shadows waiting for an opportunity to strike, drew his sword and thrust it straight at Shen Sangwan's back.

Wen Yuening and Shu Yan appeared at the same time from different places. Because Shu Yan was closer, she almost ran over with all her might and pounced on Shen Sangwan.

The sword pierced straight through her left chest, and Shen Sangwan's chest was also pierced.

"Ayan—!"