Shang Ruoyi directly walked out from behind the pillar and picked up the scalpels on the ground one by one.

  Although there were plenty of these in the space, to avoid making that man, He Jingheng, suspicious, it was better for her to collect them all. As far as she knew, there seemed to be no steel - making technology in Tian Shun yet.

  "Where is it? I remember clearly that I took out fourteen. Why are there only thirteen left?" She didn't notice that one of the scalpels was in He Jingheng's hand.

  When she was aiming at the medicine bag, He Jingheng had used his internal force to suck the scalpel into his hand.

  He Jingheng opened the door and watched the retreating figures of the black - clothed people. His fingers twitched slightly, and the tree shadows swayed. The next moment, several figures disappeared from the trees not far away.

  "What are you looking for?" He Jingheng sized her up. Seeing that she had no wounds, he finally felt relieved.

  Shang Ruoyi shook her head and smiled. "Nothing, nothing."

  He Yunyi and Qin rushed out of the room.

  Shang Ruoyi spread out her palm, and a jade pendant lay quietly on it.

  "Here you are. I didn't let you down!"

  "Sister - in - law!" He Yunyi ignored the jade pendant and hugged Shang Ruoyi tightly, her voice already tinged with sobs. "You scared me to death. What if something happened to you?"

  Qin also wiped her tears. "That's right. It's just a broken jade pendant. Even if it's lost or broken, so what? How can it be more important than you?"

  Shang Ruoyi was stunned. In two lifetimes, this was the first time she had felt the warmth brought by family. In her previous life, everyone told her that as long as she could complete the mission, sacrificing her life was a small price to pay. So when her teammates died, although she was sad, if one person's death could bring greater benefits and allow more people to survive, then that sacrifice was worth it.

  But now someone told her that her life was more important than anything else. How could she not be touched?

  "Jingheng, do you know who came today?" The old princess walked out, looking worried. "These assassins were able to find this place. What will we do in the future?"

  He Jingheng shook his head, his tone low and a bit helpless. "Grandson can't determine who the attackers are. The Dingguo Prince's Mansion has made many enemies. There are many people both inside and outside the pass who want my life."

  Shang Ruoyi turned her gaze towards the dense forest. It seemed that she had to do something there.

  Before long, Wu Wenhan arrived late with a group of people. "What's going on?" Wu Wenhan looked at the arrows on the ground and asked in a deep voice.

  Shang Ruoyi gave a general account of what had happened. Wu Wenhan's brows furrowed deeper and deeper. "I didn't expect that there would be people daring to cause trouble here. I will definitely investigate this strictly."

  "Then thank you, sir."

  Seeing that they had no casualties, Wu Wenhan led the people away again.

  Shang Ruoyi watched their retreating figures and couldn't help but sneer. How could it be such a coincidence that they arrived only after the black - clothed people left? The village was so small. With such a big commotion, how could he have just found out? He just deliberately came late. It seemed that the people behind this assassination were related to the court.

  That afternoon, Shang Ruoyi took Old Man Wu to the town to purchase raw materials for building the house.

  Today's incident made her deeply realize how important it was to have a sturdy house.

  She could leave all the matters related to the building materials to Old Man Wu alone. Shang Ruoyi found a blacksmith and handed him part of the drawings she had drawn. "Master, can you make the items on this drawing?"

  Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

  The blacksmith looked at it and nodded. "Yes." He looked at it for a long time but still couldn't figure out what it was. But as long as there was a drawing, he could make it.

  She then went to another blacksmith shop and gave the remaining drawings to the blacksmith there to make.

  The two of them didn't return to the village until it was almost dark.

  He Yunyi was pacing anxiously at home. "Brother, why don't you go and look for them? It's almost dark, and sister - in - law hasn't come back yet. What if something happened to her?"

  "Yes, Jingheng. Why don't I ask your third - uncle to go and meet them?"

  He Jingheng shook his head and said indifferently, "No need."

  "But..."

  Just then, there was a noise at the door, and Shang Ruoyi's figure appeared in everyone's sight.

  "Sister - in - law!"

  Shang Ruoyi smiled and handed over the oil - paper bag in her hand. "Here, your favorite buns." Since she came in, she hadn't looked at He Jingheng directly or said a word to him. At first, he didn't notice anything different. It was not until she was distributing the buns and didn't give him any that He Jingheng realized that she seemed to be angry. When Shang Ruoyi came to the yard to hang the clothes, he slowly walked up to her and asked in a low voice, "What's wrong?"

  "Nothing." Shang Ruoyi smiled. "Prince, I think we should talk about the divorce."

  As soon as Shang Ruoyi finished speaking, He Jingheng's brows furrowed imperceptibly.

  "Do you really want a divorce that much?"

  "Otherwise?" Shang Ruoyi had a smile on her face, but it didn't reach her eyes at all. "We don't love each other. I was forced on you by Shang Nian and the emperor. I said on the way of exile that once we arrived at the exile site, we would get a divorce, didn't I?" She had heard their conversation at the door. Everyone was worried about her safety, but he looked indifferent.

  He Jingheng looked at her, and her expression didn't seem like she was joking. A chill couldn't help but well up in his eyes.

  Was it because she had the finger - guard and didn't want to play this game with him anymore?

  For some reason, once this guess appeared in his mind, he felt as if a ball of fire was burning in his chest. He sneered. "As you wish."

  Shang Ruoyi's hand, which was hanging the clothes, paused for a moment and then immediately returned to normal.

  "Once this place is built, we'll get a divorce. You promised me this yourself, Prince." With that, she took out the finger - guard from her bosom and handed it to him. "Here, this is yours."

  The moment the finger - guard appeared, He Jingheng was stunned. This finger - guard...

  He looked at Shang Ruoyi. "Wasn't this finger - guard sold?"

  "When you took out the finger - guard that day, grandmother's expression wasn't good. I guessed that this finger - guard was probably very valuable, so I didn't pawn it. I wanted to give it back to you when we came back, but I never found the opportunity."

  Just these words instantly warmed his heart, which had been as cold as ice.

  He took the finger - guard, and a smile curled up on his lips. It seemed that in this big bet, he had finally won.

  No, it should be said that he won the bet but lost his heart.

  Seeing that he took the finger - guard, Shang Ruoyi said indifferently, "Don't forget about the divorce, Prince."

  "Let's talk about it later!" He Jingheng turned and left.

  Talk about it later?

  What did he mean by that?

  Didn't he just agree?

  The news of the assassination in the exile site soon spread to the Eastern Palace.

  "What did you say?" He Lingsheng slapped the book on the table and said angrily. "Who is it? How dare they be so bold as to ruin my plan!"

  "It's... it's the Noble Consort."