The Princess's Dilemma

Bai Yi's heart immediately tensed.

Having waited so long... the opportunity had finally come!

She asked in a trembling voice: "Young Master, will the emperor also come to watch the fight?"

Fang Zheng glanced at her, looking her up and down: "Yes, why? What are you nervous about?"

Bai Yi forced a laugh: "No... I'm not nervous, I just haven't seen the emperor before."

"What are you getting excited about? I never said I'd take you along!"

"You..."

Bai Yi clenched her fists tightly, took two deep breaths and said softly: "Young Master, can I go watch... I want to see Brother Biao fight?"

Xiao Tao heard this and looked toward Fang Zheng, then blinked.

Fang Zheng understood and smiled: "Just joking! If outsiders can go watch, why can't our own people?"

"Everyone will go then, to cheer for Zhang Biao! If anyone cheers too quietly, don't blame me for being unpleasant!"

Bai Yi immediately breathed a sigh of relief... but her body remained tense.

Her gaze continually surveyed the hidden weapons on the table.

Fang Zheng casually glanced at her.

Then he looked toward Zhang Biao and said: "Look! Pick whichever hidden weapons on the table feel comfortable to you."

"You don't need to bring too many this time, they'll slow you down."

"Today in the palace, Chilie fought with someone using a spear! I saw the spear he used was at least ten feet long!"

Chilie already had an extremely long reach, and with the long spear, his attack range would probably cover a five-meter radius.

Against such an opponent, if Brother Biao weren't so skilled with hidden weapons, Fang Zheng would absolutely refuse to let them fight.

"Don't engage in close combat with him, just use poisoned hidden weapons..."

"That won't be necessary!"

Zhang Biao reached for the broadsword in the center of the round table!

"Young Master... I only need this sword, I don't need anything else. I want to fight him fair and square!"

"It's not often I find a worthy opponent. Using hidden weapons... would be too boring."

"No! This battle must guarantee safety! Otherwise, you should concede rather than fight!"

Fang Zheng hadn't expected Zhang Biao to have this kind of idea and immediately felt a headache coming on.

If we lose, I'll just get scolded by the emperor! Getting a wife later doesn't matter!

But you can't risk your life here!

Zhang Biao shook his head: "He's no match for me. Chilie has plenty of strength but lacks technique!"

"Are you sure!?" Fang Zheng stared intently at Zhang Biao.

The two men glared at each other, and Zhang Biao nodded firmly.

After a long while, Fang Zheng sighed dejectedly: "Fine, if you're so eager to fight him, I won't stop you."

"Rest well tonight, special training starts tomorrow. Alright, everyone can disperse now."

The crowd dispersed, and Zhang Biao happily took the sword back to his room.

Only Xiao Tao remained with Fang Zheng in the hall.

Looking at the table full of hidden weapons, Xiao Tao worriedly asked: "Young Master, are you really letting Brother Biao go up there to fight without anything?"

Fang Zheng looked at the hidden weapons, his face as calm as water: "It's rare for him to find an opponent."

"Since he wants to fight, let him fight to his heart's content, to avoid frustration."

"Send someone back to the county to summon some people for me. We absolutely cannot let anything happen to him during the match..."

"And Xiao Bai has been acting strangely lately, keep an eye on her!"

Xiao Tao hesitated: "She has been acting strange, always looking at those hidden weapons, but what could she do? Surely she wouldn't try to assassinate the emperor?"

Fang Zheng was also puzzled.

From the beginning when Bai Yi had desperately wanted to follow him, he thought it was strange.

Bai Yi's excuse had no problems, and it was logically sound.

But for a rich young lady to be so eager, even shamelessly wanting to be someone's servant, that was a big problem.

If she hadn't been so beautiful, he wouldn't have agreed so easily!

After all, having another beauty at home wasn't a bad thing.

How big of a problem could it really be?

Bai Yi's behavior in the household truly matched that of a rich young lady.

Especially that occasionally revealed commanding attitude.

But he had also been gaslighting her for a year.

Now she behaved much better than before, with none of that former arrogance.

She had learned to cook well and was becoming increasingly useful.

But Fang Zheng had never lowered his guard.

This was an old habit developed in Taoyuan County.

To survive in Taoyuan County and prevent information leaks, he had used every means at his disposal.

Almost all the important people in the county had suffered alongside him from the beginning.

Others came later but had high loyalty.

Even then, he still had to regularly give them two public lessons on loving their county and home.

Bai Yi was the first person to join his inner circle without having suffered with him or undergone training.

She would occasionally ask about court matters, and Fang Zheng hadn't thought much of it.

But today when she got so excited at the mention of the emperor, that was a big problem!

No one else was excited, so why was she?

How could a young lady from a rich family be so unable to contain herself?

After thinking for a moment, Fang Zheng said: "Regardless, keep a close eye on her these next few days."

"And that fabric shop she frequently visits, investigate it!"

"When the emperor leaves the palace, he'll be surrounded by countless guards. We can't let anything go wrong."

Xiao Tao nodded: "Alright, I'll have someone follow her closely."

"Good, clean up the things on the table and get some rest early."

...

In her room.

Bai Yi sat dazed on the edge of the bed.

After a long while, she pulled out a small wooden box from under the bed.

Opening the box, it contained a few items.

Besides jade hairpins, diamond rings and other trinkets, the most eye-catching was a dagger.

The dagger's sheath was adorned with gold and jade, identical in style to Fang Zheng's imperial sword!

This dagger had been obtained from Qian Desheng.

Bai Yi unsheathed the dagger. Even in the dim candlelight, the dagger still gleamed with sharpness.

She looked at her pretty face reflected in the cold light.

Bai Yi's heart filled with bitterness.

She had stayed at Fang's residence all this time, originally just to find an opportunity.

She hadn't expected this opportunity would take so long.

During the year, news of the Water God Sect being eradicated across the country reached her through Qian Desheng.

Her desire to restore the nation gradually faded, but her desire for revenge grew more intense.

Now, the opportunity had finally come!

With no one to help her, this opportunity had to be seized by her own hands!

However... the hope was too slim.

The emperor would be heavily guarded when he went out, she could only try to get close using Fang Zheng's identity.

But what would happen to Fang Zheng after a successful assassination?

And what about everyone in the Fang residence?

Although she was nominally a servant in the Fang residence, following Xiao Tao meant she had little actual work to do.

The monthly three taels of silver were pitiful, but she had nowhere to spend it anyway.

For food, clothing, and daily necessities, the Fang residence had special funds for servants, even for snacks.

And everyone treated her well, no one regarded her as a servant.

Especially Xiao Tao, who was genuinely good to her.

Taking her shopping, to shows, buying clothes.

How could she harm a group of people who had been good to her just for personal revenge?

The dagger returned to its sheath, resting on her knees. Bai Yi stared blankly at the candle flame.

For a moment, her heart twisted with sorrow, and tears streamed down her face...