Arrows flew through the air, slicing through the air and whistling sharply.

Bao Zihui and the others parried with their swords, not retreating an inch.

When the enemy realized that their initial barrage of arrows had failed to achieve their goal, they immediately changed tactics and engaged in hand-to-hand combat.

Assassins are not suicide squads. Facing an enemy force several times their size, even though they pride themselves on their skills and daring, a group of twenty-odd men charging into a fully armed guard of over a hundred risking being killed.

At this moment, the butler brought another group of people to provide support. "Men! Take them down!" the butler shouted hoarsely as he gave the order.

More guards poured in, forming a defensive formation that divided and surrounded the assassins.

In the midst of the chaos, the leader in black, seeing that the situation was hopeless, took a deep look at the bride who had been protected to the core, and a complex emotion that was hard to describe flashed in his eyes.

"Silver Seven, make your move!"

Suddenly, one of the guards who had sworn to protect the bride turned against her and grabbed her arm, about to leap into the air with her.

Moonlight, watching from atop the wall, clicked his tongue in amazement. "Is this some kind of Infernal Affairs game?"

The prince beside him listened, slightly puzzled. Infernal Affairs? The path to the deepest hell—these assassins were indeed courting death.

But that guard was clearly You Tan's spy in the Bao family. If the Bao family has one, do other families have one too? Does the Bao family only have this one?

No one knew, which made them even more worried.

While worrying about the spies, the bride, whose arm was being held by a guard, remained unmoved as the guard leaped up, even pulling the guard down with her.

Before the guard could even stand still, while he was still holding the bride's hand, someone suddenly twisted his shoulder behind his back in an extremely bizarre manner.

The black-clad leader's face, hidden behind a black veil, turned deathly pale instantly. The bride was not skilled in martial arts; this was clearly stated in the information provided by their buyer.

Who exactly is under that veil?

He looked at the hundred-plus people again. The Bao family had obviously been prepared and had set a trap for them to jump into!

Thinking of this, he broke out in a cold sweat and fought while searching for a way out.

Finally, he spotted a spot and immediately let out a sharp whistle.

"withdraw!"

Upon receiving the order, the remaining assassins immediately threw out several smoke pellets. With a "whoosh," pungent white smoke instantly filled the air, obscuring their vision.

Yue Fuguang said in a moderate tone, "Your Highness, that person's information was indeed correct."

The crown prince looked puzzled, but immediately replied in the same tone, "The information he provided is certainly accurate."

The two men's ambiguous and rambling words deepened the suspicions in the black-clad leader's mind, who hadn't yet run far.

Was there a mole within the organization, or was someone trying to use this mission to kill him?

Suspects flashed through his mind one by one, and he became even more ruthless in the face of obstruction!

He had to go back and find out who in the organization wanted to harm him!

Once the smoke was dispersed by the palm wind, half of the twenty-odd men in black had vanished like ghosts.

Those who remained were the slowest to run and were caught by the guards.

More than a dozen people were quickly apprehended, including the traitorous guard who was taken away.

Faced with the mess and the onlookers, as well as several injured and fallen guards, Yue Fuguang was taken to the ground by the Crown Prince.

She asked, "Your Highness, shouldn't we check these people's mouths? What if they have poison sacs and they're trying to commit suicide?"

The Crown Prince smiled and said, "Young Master, where did you hear this? Assassins are not death warriors; they generally don't carry poison sacs."

If these people truly wanted to die, they had plenty of opportunities to slit their own throats just now. The fact that they didn't choose to do so means they weren't ready to die.

If they're unwilling to die, there's a chance to get them to talk.

Inside the bridal chamber, red silk was torn, and cups and plates were scattered all over the floor. Yue Fuguang did not go in; he only glanced at the doorway and saw the 'bride' with her veil suddenly lift it herself.

A face without makeup was revealed. "Isn't this the bride's own dowry maid?"

As the prince led her away, he said, "The bride's maids are also her guards; they are all skilled in martial arts."

That means that, like Cuizhu beside her, in the original timeline, the bride was kidnapped, and this maid was most likely killed while protecting her mistress.

Bao Zihui rushed into the next room and found the bride hiding there. He held her hand tightly and asked urgently, "A-Yue, are you alright?"

His chest rose and fell slightly, his wedding robe had a tear in the sleeve, and his hair was a little messy, but his eyes remained sharp as he warily scanned his surroundings, afraid that another disloyal guard might appear.

The bride, still shaken and pale, firmly grasped his hand and shook her head. "Fortunately, we had a benefactor's help. A-Yue is alright. Brother Hui, are you hurt?"

The two were filled with gratitude for Yue Fuguang. If it weren't for her advance warning, the newlyweds might have been forced to separate, given the people who came today.

The red silk under the eaves still fluttered gently in the wind, and the dragon and phoenix wedding candles burned brightly, slowly dripping candle wax.

Seeing that his grandson and granddaughter-in-law were alright, Master Bao hurried to the front to greet the guests.

When Yue Fuguang left the Bao residence, she had already received a great many words of thanks from the Bao family's masters.

When she got up for breakfast and lunch the next day, she heard from Cuizhu that the Bao family had arrived early in the morning and her warehouse had a lot more good stuff.

“Miss, the Bao family is strange. It’s not like they’re doing anything shameful to come to express their gratitude. Why would they come at the crack of dawn?”

Instead of using the main gate, they insisted on using the side gate at the back of the mansion, the most secluded place, which was rarely used by anyone in the mansion.

Cuiyu told her about the strange things she had seen that morning.

Yue Fuguang smiled knowingly, "Just keep it to yourself, don't go around telling others. The Bao family has their reasons for doing this."

Cuiyu said crisply, "This is only something the maids say in our courtyard. Once we're outside, I won't reveal a single word to anyone who asks."

As Yue Fuguang drank the porridge in her bowl, she wondered to herself whether her provocative remark last night would be effective.

The next few days were filled with the festive atmosphere of the New Year, and the Yu family mansion was filled with joy. Zhang Shi was also busier than ever.

The funniest thing is that at this time, several new games quietly became popular among the aristocratic circles of the capital, some for young masters and ladies, and others for wives and concubines.

The most popular game is a card game suitable for both men and women, called Mahjong.

Although many people don't understand why this game is called Mahjong, it doesn't stop most people from not wanting to put it down once they start playing.

Mahjong originated from the Yu family and later quickly spread among high-ranking officials and noble families. Even His Majesty had a set of exquisite white jade mahjong tiles specially sent to the palace by Yu Chongshan, especially the one-treasure tile, which was carved with exceptional lifelike detail.

Yu Chongshan proved to be a shrewd businessman with a keen business sense. He took advantage of the opportunity to send New Year's gifts and included mahjong sets made of different materials, such as bamboo, wood, or bone, in the gifts he sent to various households.

They even thoughtfully included a guide to the game. After that, the gentlemen who had left the yamen stopped sneaking into their concubines' rooms. Touching a concubine's hand was nothing compared to playing mahjong.

This positive phenomenon is naturally welcomed by housewives.