Rebirth: So what if my husband is a little crazy? He loves me.

Chapter 232 Assassination of the Emperor

Lianqiao couldn't understand again. "Miss, are you so understanding of feelings now?"

Shen Li also didn't sleep well. She ate a lot in the morning to replenish her energy before getting into the carriage to go to the imperial palace.

The palace was being packed up in preparation for moving back to the capital. Many files in the Hanlin Academy were put away, leaving Shen Li with even more free time, and she was going home earlier and earlier each day.

Since she had some free time, she brought her younger sister over. The two practiced martial arts together morning and evening. Shen Li practiced archery more because she realized that it suited her better, since she could draw any bow with a long range.

If one also has good accuracy, one can be invincible.

While others practice archery by using up targets, she uses up bows and arrows. If she doesn't control them properly, she can break a bow. In her eyes, these bows are like toys, easily broken.

While feeling sorry for the bow, Shen Yue also felt a pang of sympathy for the person her future sister was aiming at. Once they mastered the technique, the opponent would probably be shot right through.

Shen Li is indeed highly talented. She can hit the bullseye with just amateur practice. Although she can't hit it every time, she is at least not too far off and very close to the target.

Shen Yue even felt that this was enough. Others had to hit vital points, but as long as her sister hit the person, that person would almost certainly not survive.

The procession for the Emperor's return to the capital was very grand, including not only the Imperial Guards and soldiers from the three major battalions, but also numerous ministers, their families, guards, and servants.

The procession was enormous, numbering in the tens of thousands. Their pace was not fast, but fortunately the journey was short, so even so, they would arrive in about seven days.

Officials still had to handle official business on the road, and the time they stopped to rest replaced the court sessions, with officials from various departments going to report to the emperor.

As for the family members, they were quite idle. Shen Li was now much like the family members, not even wearing court robes. When she was free, she would chat with her mother, sister, and other familiar people from the household.

Of course, he would inevitably run into Zhou Zhen and Zhou Qianqian. Zhou Zhen remained calm and experienced, but there was a hint of sinister calculation in his eyes when he looked at Shen Li.

Perhaps due to the emotional fluctuations during her pregnancy, Zhou Qianqian's hostile attitude towards Shen Li had almost reached the point of no longer concealing it.

Shen Li didn't pay much attention to Zhou Qianqian, but her intuition told her that there was something wrong with the old man Zhou Zhen.

Although Zhou Zhen was being pushed around by everyone when he was down, his resistance was far too weak. Logically speaking, even if the chief minister of a dynasty was being purged by the emperor, he wouldn't just offer his neck for execution like this.

Shen Li felt that he was waiting for something, an opportunity or someone.

She privately shared her suspicions with her father and Gu Chang'an.

The father's view was to wait and see, while Gu Chang'an entrusted the task to the Flying Fish Guards and Shadow, to investigate privately.

The Flying Fish Guards had been monitoring Zhou Zhen for a long time, and they found it strange to hear the order to investigate again. Hadn't they been investigating all along? Indeed, they hadn't found anything unusual.

“Sister, the river here is clear, and there are fish,” Shen Yue said, standing by the river.

Shen Li has exceptional eyesight; she could only detect the slight ripples on the water, which are imperceptible to ordinary people. This must be caused by the earthquake.

Is a large force approaching?

She closed her eyes slightly, focusing her attention outwards, making the most of her ears.

A moment later, sure enough, there were footsteps coming from both sides, and there were many people.

It was dusk, and the troops were setting up camp and cooking. The soldiers were tired after a long day and were somewhat relaxed, some chatting and others yawning.

When Shen Li opened her eyes again, her expression had become extremely solemn. Such a large-scale operation could only have one purpose: to assassinate the emperor.

Her gaze fell upon the central military tent, the emperor's tent, where the cabinet and ministers of various departments were currently holding discussions.

Father and Gu Chang'an were both there.

"Yue'er, go to the tent and protect your mother. There are assassins." Shen Li whispered in Shen Yue's ear, then quickly walked towards the imperial tent.

Shen Yue was startled upon hearing this. She took a deep breath as she watched her sister leave and turned to walk towards the Shen family's tent in the opposite direction.

She didn't have time to make quick judgments; she just knew that listening to her sister was the right thing to do.

Shen Li was not far from the main tent, only a few princes' and concubines' tents away, but her way was blocked when she passed the East Palace tent.

"His Majesty is meeting with his ministers. Lord Shen's rank isn't high enough to warrant such an audience, is it?" Zhou Qianqian said coldly. "Is he rushing forward to curry favor again?"

Shen Li glanced at her indifferently: "The Empress gave me a Go set the other day, and I was just about to go to express my gratitude. Since the Crown Prince's concubine won't let me pass, I won't go."

She said she was about to leave.

“You…” Zhou Qianqian quickly stepped aside: “Come back here.”

She shouldn't offend the person her mother has been trying to win over. She had never thought of breaking ties with Shen Li before, but now that Shen Li wants to kill her and expects her to greet him with a smile, it's really hard for her to do.

"Your subject takes his leave," Shen Li said calmly, walking past the side of the path she had cleared, almost bumping into her shoulder. This wasn't exactly overstepping boundaries, but it was certainly ostentatious.

"You..." Zhou Qianqian had just convinced herself to consider the bigger picture when Shen Li's action caused her to collapse again.

She was furious, but Shen Li didn't take her seriously at all, and this feeling of being ignored was even more unbearable for her.

When did it become the duty of a mere court lady to ignore a mere concubine of the Crown Prince?

Shen Li had no time to talk to her, because she could hear the footsteps getting closer and closer. She didn't even have time to think about how such a group of people could appear in the Central Plains, right under the emperor's nose.

"There's an assassin!" a soldier shouted.

Chaos erupted in the camp, and at the same time, the sound of something cutting through the air rang out.

"Shhhhhh!"

Countless arrows rained down from the mountains on both sides, each aimed straight for the vital points, and many soldiers fell to the ground in an instant.

The Imperial Guard Commander and the three battalions immediately organized a counterattack. The well-trained soldiers also took up bows and arrows and muskets. However, despite their good intentions, the army suffered greater casualties on the other side.

"Protect the Emperor! Protect the Emperor!" More soldiers gathered outside the tent, taking up their shields to block the incoming arrows.

Shen Li had been standing in front of the main tent and was now under the protection of the shield.

"What happened?" The tent flap was lifted, and the emperor led his officials out.

"Your Majesty, there is an assassin." Shen Li said, bowing.

Shen Zizai and Gu Chang'an were both greatly surprised to see Shen Li. Gu Chang'an even stepped forward and asked, "Why has Madam come? Have you discovered something?"

“I was on my way to see Her Majesty the Empress, but I was trapped here by the Imperial Guards who had surrounded me,” Shen Li replied.

"It's alright, I want to see who has the audacity to attempt an assassination." Emperor Cheng snorted disdainfully and looked into the distance.