C14 She Was Just a Foster Daughter

"Eldest Miss! Watch out!" Xu Fu, a former soldier, swiftly leaped off the carriage, pressing down on one corner with force. "Eldest Miss, get off the carriage!"

As soon as he spoke, there was a sharp whistling sound. A dozen arrows sliced through the air, aiming straight for Wen Wan on the carriage.

Wen Wan lifted one side of the curtain, and for a moment, a flash of silver caught her eye. Her dark pupils captured only the fleeting shadow of a long arrow.

"Eldest Miss!" Xu Fu roared in anger!

Just then, another arrow came from a different direction, its feathers slicing through the air, piercing the head of the first arrow!

Wen Wan was taken aback!

She pulled back the curtain, looking towards where the arrow had come from. It was shot from inside the Golden Prosperity Building. Was someone from there trying to save her?

Soon, people from the South Control Marquis Mansion arrived. Two of the assassins targeting Wen Wan were dead, and one had escaped. There were no witnesses left.

"Eldest Miss, what should we do with these bodies?" Xu Fu approached, his voice low and serious.

Wen Wan looked around, her head tilted upward. She wasn't sure who these assassins were working for, as many things had changed since her rebirth.

"Hand them over to the authorities," Wen Wan said, taking a deep breath. "Keep this quiet, especially from Grandfather."

"But..." Xu Fu hesitated for a moment, then bowed. "Yes, Eldest Miss!"

"Go back!"

Wen Wan returned home, and her grandfather, Wen Yu, had already come back from court. Once back, he didn't see anyone and locked himself in his study. Wen Wan calculated that this was the time when the Emperor intended to arrange a marriage for her, dragging the Wen family into the Throne's Challenge. The Wen family held significant power, and whoever they supported could potentially win the struggle for the throne. Wen Wan felt helpless. Even with a second chance at life, neither the Marquis Mansion nor she could completely avoid the whirlpool of the Throne's Challenge. Since there was no escape, she decided to face it differently.

Meanwhile, Zhuo Yu returned from the Golden Prosperity Building and reported to Xiao Chen that Su Xuanjing indeed went to the Golden Prosperity Building. "He asked them to prepare a feast for him, promising that no matter who they offended in the future, he could ensure their safety," Zhuo Yu sneered. "What a boast! Who does Su Xuanjing think he is? Which of the capital's elites even acknowledges him?"

Xiao Chen didn't respond, but he knew that in the past life, Su Xuanjing did have such capabilities. After all, he supported the Crown Prince to ascend the throne, reaching the pinnacle of power, and indeed had that ability.

"Master, I heard the Emperor summoned the South Control Marquis to the palace today, intending to choose a husband for County Princess Wen from among the princes. The candidates include the Third Prince..."

Xiao Chen interrupted, "I know."

"Oh, and by the way, today the County Princess was attacked at the Golden Prosperity Building..."

Xiao Chen's grip on his teacup tightened, his lips pressed into a thin line. A few days ago, he had instructed Zhuo Yu not to report on the County Princess anymore, but Zhuo Yu, knowing his master's true feelings, couldn't help but start talking.

Xiao Chen neither told him to continue nor to stop.

In the previous life, Wen Wan married Su Xuanjing, and as a married woman, she naturally wasn't seen as a target by the princes. But in this life, Wen Wan rejected Su Xuanjing's proposal. Moreover, Consort De had included Wen Wan's name on the list of potential brides for the Third Prince, thrusting her into the spotlight among the royal family.

Gaining Wen Wan meant gaining the support of the South Control Marquis Mansion. So, it wasn't surprising that Wen Wan was targeted for assassination.

Xiao Chen took a sip of tea, then retrieved a purple porcelain bottle from a drawer. "Three days from now, at Consort De's birthday banquet, I'll bring the brocade my royal mother prepared. Once the brocade leaves my hands, find a chance to sprinkle the powder from this bottle onto it without anyone noticing."