"Aren’t you going to save Princess Consort Ying?"
The tall Hidden Guard glanced back at Qin Xiulian, who was being attacked by the assassins. His brow didn’t furrow, nor did his expression change. He answered Zhao Yao’s question very calmly.
"Your Highness, our duty is to protect you," meaning Princess Consort Ying wasn’t under their protection.
The assassins chasing Qin Xiulian were closing in step by step. Seeing this, the tall Hidden Guard quickly grabbed Zhao Yao from Tong Xi’s back.
Zhao Yao hadn’t reacted before being held by the Hidden Guard and carried down the mountain.
The other three Hidden Guards closely followed behind Zhao Yao and them.
After delivering Zhao Yao to a safe place, the four Hidden Guards vanished.
Zhao Yao was about to ask them some questions, but before he knew it, they had disappeared.
"Your Highness, this..." Tong Xi was shocked, "The Emperor actually sent Hidden Guards to protect you."
Zhao Yao was equally surprised: "This is the first I’ve heard of it." It made sense for his infamous father to send Hidden Guards to protect him, yet it was unexpected.
"Your Highness, what should we do next, go directly back to the capital?" They had been escorted to the foot of the mountain by the four Hidden Guards.
"Let’s wait for Xiao Heizi and the others; they got separated from us and must be very worried." The foot of the mountain was peaceful, unlike the chaos above.
"Then let’s wait here. It’s not safe to go up the mountain now." Tong Xi hesitated and then asked, "Your Highness, what about Princess Consort Ying..." As they descended the mountain, the situation with Princess Consort Ying was dire. Could something have already happened?
"I was just about to ask the four Hidden Guards to save Princess Consort Ying, but before I could speak, they vanished." Having encountered such a situation, he couldn’t stand by and do nothing. Zhao Yao thought for a moment and said, "Tong Xi, you go up the mountain to check."
"Your Highness, what will you do if I leave?"
"Since Father sent four Hidden Guards to protect me, they should be nearby, and they wouldn’t let anything happen to me. Quickly go and check on Princess Consort Ying."
Tong Xi thought it made sense; the Hidden Guards would surely be nearby, protecting the prince from the shadows.
"Your Highness, then I will go and take a look."
"If you encounter Xiao Heizi and the others, tell them I’m fine." Zhao Yao was concerned Xiao Heizi and the others would be looking for him on the mountain.
"Yes, Your Highness." Tong Xi did not hesitate and went up the mountain.
Once up there, he found out all the assassins had been eliminated, and Princess Consort Ying was unharmed. Tong Xi hurried to find Xiao Heizi and the others.
As Zhao Yao suspected, Xiao Heizi and the others were anxiously searching for him.
Seeing Tong Xi, they quickly asked how Zhao Yao was doing.
Tong Xi informed them that Zhao Yao was safe and had already gone down the mountain, waiting for them at the foot.
Knowing Zhao Yao was safe and unharmed, Zhang He and the others breathed a sigh of relief. If something had happened to Zhao Yao at Baihe Temple, they couldn’t bear the responsibility.
Song Jicai and the others didn’t dare delay any longer and hurriedly followed Tong Xi down the mountain.
Seeing Zhao Yao completely unharmed, Song Jicai and the others finally felt relieved.
"Boss, it’s great that you’re okay."
"Boss, you scared us to death."
"Boss, do you know how worried we were when we got separated from you?"
"Boss, thank goodness you’re alright."
Zhao Yao smiled at Chu Huan and the others: "I’m fine. Are you all okay?"
Zhang He said with a bitter face: "Boss, when we got separated, my mother and sister almost killed me."
"You reunited with your mother and the others?" Zhao Yao asked concernedly, "Are they okay, why didn’t they come down the mountain with you?"
Song Jicai said: "My mother, sister, and the others went to fight the assassins."
Upon learning about the assassins targeting Princess Consort Ying, Song Jicai, Zhang He, and their mothers and sisters hurried to rescue her.
Fortunately, Song Jicai and their mothers and sisters intervened, or else Princess Consort Ying would have been in grave danger today.
"They are currently protecting Princess Consort Ying on the mountain," Song Jicai said, "We worried about you, so we followed Tong Xi down to see you."
"Is your sister alright?"
"She’s fine. My mother and sister are highly skilled in martial arts; those assassins are no match for them."
Zhao Yao praised, "As expected from a general family."
"Boss, you’d better come up the mountain with us."
"Boss, the mountain is safe now; let’s go join my mom and the others."
"Boss, my family has already gone back to the capital to report the assassination attempt on Princess Consort Ying. My father and the others should arrive soon."
"Boss, it’s safer with us, otherwise we won’t be at ease about you."
"Alright, I’ll go up the mountain with you." Although it’s safe at the foot, there is no guarantee that the journey back to the capital will be safe. Besides, if he goes back to the capital with Tong Xi first, Xiao Heizi and the others won’t be reassured.