Chapter 18 – House Arrest (Part Two)

No matter what, she refused to kneel on the ground in front of everyone.

Cold sweat dripped drop by drop onto the floor beneath her feet as she staggered to her feet.

Ye Qingzhou couldn’t bear to watch any longer and walked over to help her up.

“Ye Qingzhou!” The Dragon King’s tone of warning was very clear.

“Sorry.” Ye Qingzhou let go of her and stepped back.

Ru Ye struggled to stand, doing her utmost to maintain her balance, her eyes fixed on the floor, her long hair covering most of her face.

“It seems Qingzhou has taken very good care of her,” the Dragon King said coldly.

Ye Qingzhou gave a dry laugh and said awkwardly, “I was merely doing my duty.”

The Dragon King stared at him expressionlessly. He had taken care of this woman as if she were his own master, even more diligently.

Ru Ye knew the trial was about to begin.

“What do you suggest we do?” the Dragon King finally spoke.

Wan Shoujing said, “According to our investigation, this woman is named Ru Ye, surname unknown. She is one of the bunker’s demon-class assassins. She infiltrated the opera troupe with her accomplice to assassinate the Palace Master and even succeeded in wounding him. Her intentions are treacherous, and she is indeed dangerous. According to the penal code, she should be imprisoned in a high-security dungeon, interrogated, and executed.”

Wei Bao had been waiting for this moment for a long time: “That would be only right. I humbly request to carry out the execution myself.”

Ye Qingzhou sighed inwardly. Of the two men present, one was rigid in his ways and the other was brave but reckless. If the master wanted her dead, why would he have spared her life?

Besides, this woman had great value. How could they let her die so easily?

He still had to play his role as the good person act, so he cleared his throat and said, “Although she wounded our master, she is also severely injured and can no longer use her internal energy. She poses no real threat. In my opinion…”

He stole a glance at the master, who still showed no expression, and could only brace himself and continue, “Against such a weak woman, there is no need to press charges. It would be better to spare her life.”

“No way!” Wei Bao reacted strongly. He glared fiercely at Ye Qingzhou, unable to understand why he was defending an assassin who had injured their master. “How can such a grave crime as attempted assassination and actually injuring our master be easily overlooked? If we let her go, how can we guarantee our master’s safety in the future? And what will become of the Dragon Palace’s dignity?”

Wan Shoujing also spoke up, “Every country has its laws, and every family has its rules. The palace’s regulations cannot be violated at will.”

Ye Qingzhou said, “While rules should not be violated at will, they must also adapt to circumstances. This woman is merely a pawn. The mastermind is the person behind her. If she is willing to cooperate with us, she can atone for her crimes.”

Wei Bao sneered, “That sounds nice, but with the master injured like this, you still speak for her. I think you have ulterior motives. As for cooperation, you’ve taken care of her for so long, has she cooperated with you?”

“You…” Ye Qingzhou waved his hand dismissively, refusing to argue with him.

He secretly glanced at his master and wondered if it was his imagination, but he felt the master’s expression had darkened a bit. He couldn’t help but curse Wei Bao for having well-developed limbs but no brain, speaking like that in front of the master. He was going to get him killed.

Ru Ye still stared at the floor, motionless, as if none of this had anything to do with her.

“I beg the Palace Master to handle this according to family rules and hand her over to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation and prosecution,” Wan Shoujing said.

“This humble servant begs to carry out the execution,” Wei Bao also said.

“She is just a weak woman now. She has already suffered physical pain. There is no need for execution,” said Ye Qingzhou, who was usually mild-mannered but now took a firm stance. “Moreover, our top priority is to find the mastermind behind this. Why bother with a pawn?”

The Dragon King narrowed his eyes, tapped his fingers lightly on the table for a moment, then stood up. He put his hands behind his back and walked towards Ru Ye.

Ru Ye suddenly became alert, feeling an intimidating and powerful force approaching her. Her heart tightened slightly.

She tried hard to control herself and stay calm.

But she could hear his footsteps so clearly, steady, powerful, yet silent. Each step made her more nervous.

A huge shadow loomed before her, and a pair of feet appeared in her line of sight.

He stood in front of her, not moving for a long while, making her feel as if needles were pricking her back.

Suddenly, he reached out and pinched her chin. She shuddered and slowly raised her head.

Her eyes met his.

His gaze was deep and sharp, his face calm. She could not read his emotions.

He could feel her slight trembling. A cold smile slowly curled at the corner of his lips. “Since it was you who injured me, from now on, you will be the one to attend to me.”

Ru Ye stiffened, swayed, and nearly collapsed.

The others exchanged glances, feeling at a loss. The master’s decision was truly unexpected.