At the critical moment, Mu Yan had somehow taken the crossbow from Vermilion Bird's hands. With a bang, he shot through Si Jun's hand, which was holding the dagger.
"Ah!" Si Jun let out a miserable cry, and the Crown Prince seized the opportunity to escape.
Zhan Beicang, Yang Wu, and Vermilion Bird moved swiftly, and within mere breaths, over a dozen traitorous soldiers of the Imperial Army were subdued.
Si Jun was pressed firmly to the ground by Zhan Beicang.
Zhan Lan's gaze fell on Mu Yan's hand. The composure and precision he displayed while handling the crossbow a moment ago were truly impressive.
Although the shooting distance had been relatively close, it was no easy feat to accurately hit Si Jun's hand at the very moment he attacked.
Realizing that his archery skills might have been exposed, Mu Yan took a step closer to Zhan Lan and said in a low voice, tinged with amusement, "Master, aren't you going to praise me?"