The careless whisper. .

Though these assassins were all amateurs base on their kungfu. But if they're going to attacked her at the same time, it would be difficult for her to defend and counter their attack.

Mr. Xin's guardsmen were still fighting with the bandits. Not only their groups were divided but also their attention.

She was panting heavily, her body was slowly becomes exhausted. This is her first time fighting in real combat,after all. Though her sifu worth ten of them, but this time she had to add Mr. Xin in the picture.

"This won't do, I need to do something!"

Her sifu always reminded her to conceal her kung fu. Not today! She thought, Disperate time always calls for a disperate measures.

"I'm fired up!"

She took her fan from her back and open it and fan herself like a real gōngzǐ.

"Don't open it casually like that!"

Her sifu scolded her when she snatched it away from his hands and open it. 

This fan looks ordinary outside but it has a secret mechanism that could turn into a weapon, there's sharp and poisonous blade inside on it. She doesn't want to kill, but these assassins were meant to kill them.

The fact that, they were sent to die makes her heart breaks, but what she can do? She stood on her guard and clenched her fist behind her back. 

"If you want to kill him—"

She pointed Mr. Xin that makes his guardsmen react even the old man was taken a back.

"You!"

The guardsmen said in chorus, She smiled and ignored them. "First, you have to passed through me!"

She gives a signal to Mr. Xin's guardsmen to come and protect him.

"We don't have business with you! why bother sticking yourself on someones else business?"

She snorts. Indeed this is what we always get if we stick our nose on someones else butt, but she already had no choice.

"Since I'm already here, why not?" She said calmly.

If my father knew, he would gladly take me into the temple and make me a nun!

Then they all come towards her.

She step forward, bend her knees and give the first one she reached a quick and slight cut in his neck. As soon as she stood up, the man was already holding his neck that make the others stop in their track. They slightly panicked when they saw his blood, squirt through his finger and fall before he could even reached Mr. Xin. 

When you kill a man never look into the eyes, for eyes is the soul, they're going to haunt you! her sifu was correct, she did not even dare to look the man, for he is her first kill.

The others who see it, stepped back but decided to advance again.

"This people were realy stupid!"

She gritted her teeth and kicked one man in his sword hand by surprised. The blade flew up, she quickly grabbed him by the shoulder and knocked him out, while she catch the sword in her right hand. 

She run like a win and give them a slight cut in their legs, the cut is not fatal but enough to stop them from moving. .

Five more!

She already reached her limits and her body seems to slowed her down. Ye'er gathered all her strength and run through the trunk of the tree in a straight position, like the one walking in the wire at the circus. 

When she reached at the vintage point she slightly flip her body and stretched her hands to release five golden needles. Those needles wont get through inside but enough to kiss their skin and make them numb.

She back flip. "Don't move! the poison will goes faster into your heart."

She warned them as soon as her feet touches the ground. 

They were frightened when they heard it. She slowly come to get back those needles.

"This needles were more expensive that your life."

She said and knocked them one by one after she took it back from them. Her master told her once how precious it is for him, She could not imagine how he would going to react if he knew she stole it.

"Don't worry my master knows how to cure you if not, better dig up your own grave."

She laughed. 

Her sifu had known as "Doctor Quack" for his nonsensical abilities and a refined sense of humor. Before giving his treatment to a patient he'll asked them first to either dig up their own grave or killed him first.

Dispite of his character her sifu were known not only as top kung fu master but also for his poison skills through out the martial world.

She thought everything was over. Those bandits that either wounded or surrenderees will be held as captives. While the other assassins were all gathered together, except the five.

She commanded, not to touch them after sometimes so the poison would not penetrate inside but who would have known that those people were really meant to die.

As the arrows swooped fast where she stood, Ye'er just realized that it comes from the woods. She managed to grab one of the assassin and forget her own safety. 

Luckily Mr. Xin pushed her at the back and the blind arrows hit the top knot of her hair, and one slightly scratch her right shoulder. Her hair went loose revelling her real identity before she fell into the ground.

Most of them gasp in awe. who would have known she was actually a girl?

Mr. Xin guardsmen went to search the woods. She sat down on the ground while her visions was starting to become unclear. Ye'er tried hard to pressed her shoulder to make the blood out, but the cut was barely open. 

The more the wound were smaller the more its dangerous. She had to cut her flesh open so atleast the blood will drip.

"I'm poison!"

She was sweating, she felt that her body is burning inside but she's freezing outside.

"I need a knife!" She even barely speak as she felt her body begun to numb.

"Give her a knife!"

Mr. Xin commanded them, there is a trace of panic in his voice. "Call the doctor!"

But no doctor can attained her, he was also wounded. When the guardsmen give her the knife she cut her flesh open like nothing.

Though her body becomes numb but its not enough to numb her senses, the pain she felt was still unbearable. .

She wanted to scream but only groaned came out from her mouth.

"Tell me what I can do for you!"

She heard him asked. Through her delirious state she smiled and jokingly said.

"Marry me to one of your son!"

She whisper. Mr. Xin suddenly froze unable to speak a words out of his shocked.  But as he asked her and so to speak, a gentleman's words is always unbroken.

"Your wish is my command!"

He said, looking at the girl as if he was just looking to her late sister.

Present time. .

She open her eyes and look arround "What happened?"

Ye'er realized that she passed out.

"You're awake now?" 

She nodded but when she realized who she is talking, she suddenly stood up and greet him.

"Greetings You Majesty!" 

"No need for such formalities, we are families after all. You are still my niece and beside I awe you big time"  

"I'm sorry I did not recognized you from before!"

"Do you remember now?"

His voice suddenly becomes serious.

"By chance did you remember why you got an accident?" 

His Majesty's question gives her a little shiver. She did not realized that she step back a little, she holds Xin'er hands tightly. She then shook her head while looking on her foot.

She had to lie otherwise His Majesty will surely put her elder sister's life at stake. She's still alive and thats what matter most, her sister will have her own karma in the future and she's going to make sure of it.

His Majesty realized that Princess Ye'er had the same mannerism with her late mother The grand princess in terms of lying, and not only with her, but also with the Crown Prince.

It's like looking at the three of them standing infront of him while telling their lies under his nose.

Xiexie beaux. .