Chapter 771 Tearing the Crown Prince Apart (First Update)

Gu Changqing froze, staring in astonishment at the shadowy man in front of him.

The man was dressed in a black robe and a black cloak, his face hidden in the shadows, only revealing a pair of eyes that gleamed colder than a sword.

The man thrust his longsword in again, piercing right through Gu Changqing's chest.

The man then coldly drew his longsword, deflecting the splattering blood with a flick of his blade.

Gu Changqing collapsed to the ground, as if all her strength had been drained.

The little mute slave was so frightened that he dared not move.

The man didn't even glance at the mute slave girl, but only ordered the guards who rushed over behind him, "Dispose of the body."

"yes!"

The guards acknowledged.

One of them crouched down, reached out and touched Gu Changqing's neck, and found that he was indeed dead.

The Crown Prince's residence could not contain such an unlucky object as a corpse, so the group found an old trailer and threw Gu Changqing's body onto it.

A muffled clap of thunder sounded in the sweltering sky that had been scorching all day.

It looks like it's going to rain.

The guards covered the body with straw mats and left through the back gate of the Crown Prince's residence.

Lightning flashed and thunder roared across the sky. Along the way, I encountered many pedestrians hurrying by, all trying to find shelter from the rain in advance.

"Ugh, what bad luck, it's the two of us again?" one of the guards driving the carriage said.

Another guard, trying to make light of the situation, said, "It's not bad to go out for a stroll. Don't you get bored staying in the mansion all the time?"

"But we have to go to the mass grave in a while. It's full of rotting corpses, and sometimes you can even see severed hands and feet. If you're unlucky, you might even come back with a terrible disease."

"What you're saying is scaring me."

Half an hour later, the group arrived at a mass grave that reeked of death and decay. The bodies here were not buried on the spot, but mostly just thrown away.

The smell carried by the breeze was nauseating; the swaying shadows of the trees and the cawing of crows sent chills down one's spine.

"Throw it back right away! This place is fucking creepy!"

"Then let's stop here, but not too close."

The two stopped the carriage near the mass grave, and then jumped off the carriage to move Gu Changqing's body.

But when the two lifted the straw mat covering the body, they discovered that the body in the car had vanished!

The two men's expressions changed, and their first reaction was to search under the carriage.

The guard asked, "What's going on?"

There was nothing under the carriage.

The companion said fearfully, "N-I don't know, could it be a zombie?"

The guard frowned: "This is bad! Inform His Highness immediately!"

-

"He was hit by my sword and he's still alive." Upon hearing the report, the black-robed man glanced at the guard, put down his teacup, and said to the crown prince, "This man is interesting. I'll go and bring him back."

The Crown Prince stopped the man in black robes: "Wait, he has been struck by your sword, sir, and his injuries are serious. He probably can't have escaped far. Leave the search to the Embroidered Uniform Guard. Sir, you should not reveal your identity."

The man in black robes said slowly, "Very well, my sword strike damaged his foundation. Even if he manages to escape, he won't live past tonight."

The Crown Prince gazed intently and said, "I can only be at ease when I see him die with my own eyes."

-

"It's raining again." Gu Jiao pushed her wheelchair to the window, took the hanging rod to hook the window support, and was about to close the window when a wet figure fell from the sky, swayed twice, and fell to the ground with a thud.

The torrential rain drenched the pedestrians on the street.

Wearing straw raincoats and bamboo hats, the Imperial Guards of the Crown Prince's Palace ran wildly through the heavy rain.

"Whoa—"

When they reached the entrance of the Imperial Preceptor's Hall, the group tightened the reins and stopped their galloping horses.

The head of the Imperial Guards said coldly, "Are you sure this is the place?"

Another Imperial Guard said, "Yes, sir, I tracked him here and saw him climb over the wall and enter the Imperial Preceptor's Hall. Sir, shall we go in and search?"

The leader of the Imperial Guards looked at the imposing and solemn plaque of the Imperial Preceptor's Hall in the heavy rain and sneered, "Is the Imperial Preceptor's Hall a place that can be searched at will? Even Commander Guan himself was turned away when he came to search it. You and I are just a few Imperial Guards, we don't even have the qualifications to enter the Imperial Preceptor's Hall!"

The Imperial Guard asked, "Then what should we do?"

The head of the Imperial Guards frowned and said, "You few, guard all the entrances to the Imperial Preceptor's Hall, and keep a close watch on the walls. If he escapes, capture him immediately! I'll go inform His Highness!"

"yes!"

The leader of the Imperial Guards rode back to the Crown Prince's residence at top speed and reported to the Crown Prince the truth about Long Aotian's escape into the Imperial Preceptor's Hall.

The crown prince slammed his fist on the table in anger: "He certainly knows how to dodge!"

The only place in the capital that cannot be searched arbitrarily is the Imperial Preceptor's Hall. Even if Long Aotian hid in the palace, it wouldn't be this troublesome. After all, it's easy to find a reason to search the palace, but there are far too few reasons to search the Imperial Preceptor's Hall.

Did an assassin infiltrate?

The Imperial Advisor said that they would find the assassin themselves, and that His Highness the Crown Prince did not need to worry about it.

The Crown Prince gritted his teeth and said, "He knows too many secrets; we can't let him fall into the hands of the Imperial Advisor. Men! Prepare the carriage! I'm going to the Imperial Advisor's palace!"

Two quarters of an hour later, the Crown Prince's carriage arrived at the Imperial Preceptor's Hall.

"Your Highness," a disciple from the Imperial Preceptor's Hall stepped forward and greeted him.

The crown prince pushed open the carriage window and said to the disciples of the Imperial Preceptor Hall, "I wish to see your Imperial Preceptor."

The disciples of the Imperial Preceptor Hall hurriedly went to inform them.

Before long, the Grand Preceptor calmly walked out, with Ye Qing holding an umbrella for him beside him.

"Your Highness," the Grand Preceptor greeted him casually.

The Crown Prince remained seated in the carriage, his gaze fixed on the Grand Preceptor's cold and handsome face. He had seen the Grand Preceptor in his youth, a man whose beauty was no less than that of the Duke of Anguo.

Time flies, and years slip by.

The Grand Preceptor's face showed wrinkles and signs of age.

Rainy days always make people sentimental; look what he's thinking.

The Crown Prince composed himself and said to the Grand Preceptor, "To be honest, there is a traitor in my residence. My Imperial Guards saw him escape into your Grand Preceptor's Hall."

The Grand Preceptor said, "Is that so? Ye Qing, take some men and search the Grand Preceptor's Palace to see if there are any assassins that His Highness the Crown Prince mentioned."

Ye Qing: "Yes."

"Wait!" His Highness the Crown Prince said in a deep voice, "I want to search myself!"

Ye Qing said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Your Highness, this is the Imperial Preceptor's Hall, not the Crown Prince's Residence."

The implication is that you have no right to search this place.

The Crown Prince didn't look at Ye Qing, but stared intently at the Grand Preceptor: "What if I insist on searching today?"

Their eyes met, and a powerful killing intent flashed in the prince's eyes.

His attitude was firm: he would search whether he wanted to or not!

Even if it means a complete falling out and he gets scolded by his father for disrespecting the Imperial Advisor, he still has to find Long Aotian!

In the end, the Imperial Advisor relented and said, "Ye Qing, take His Highness the Crown Prince to search."

The crown prince arrogantly replied, "No need, my men will search themselves!"

The prince stepped down from the carriage.

A guard opened an umbrella for him.

The Grand Preceptor and Ye Qing stepped aside, and the Crown Prince, accompanied by the Imperial Guards, walked past the master and disciple with great pomp and circumstance.

Gu Changqing was seriously injured, and in theory, there should have been bloodstains along the way. However, the rain was too heavy, and the traces on the ground had long been washed away by the rain.

The Crown Prince's Imperial Guards were everywhere, turning the Imperial Preceptor's Hall upside down, and even going to the Purple Bamboo Grove and the third floor of the Library.

The Imperial Advisor asked, "Has Your Highness gained anything?"

The crown prince frowned and asked the head of the Imperial Guard beside him in a low voice, "Have they really entered the Imperial Preceptor's Hall?"

"We're in," said the leader of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

At this moment, an older and more experienced member of the Imperial Guard said, "Your Highness, there is still one place we haven't searched."

The prince responded with an "Oh," and asked, "Where?"

He said, "The Qilin Palace!"

...

"You can't go in!"

At the entrance of the Qilin Hall, two Imperial Guards were stopped by the disciples of the Imperial Preceptor's Hall on duty.

The Imperial Guards said coldly, "We are here on the orders of the Crown Prince to search for the assassin!"

The disciple of the Imperial Preceptor Hall said, "There are no assassins here. His Highness the Grand Prince and the Commander-in-Chief have already rested. Please do not disturb their rest."

The Imperial Guard sneered, "How laughable! A mere eldest grandson of the Emperor dares to stop the Crown Prince's men!"

"How dare a mere dog from the Crown Prince's residence criticize the eldest grandson of the Emperor?"

Shangguan Yan's voice came slowly and deliberately from the back of the main hall.

Although she was leaning on a cane, her eyes were sharp, her aura was imposing, and she exuded a powerful royal air.

The candlelight inside the main hall was dim, illuminating only her slender and upright figure. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the entire Imperial Preceptor Hall clearly.

In that instant, everyone saw Shangguan Yan's majestic face clearly.

Everyone's hearts skipped a beat.

They seemed to see the powerful Crown Princess who once dominated the capital return—

With her cane in hand, Shangguan Yan strode out the steps of the coronation ceremony. As she arrived at the door, her powerful aura as the Crown Princess instantly exerted a pressure on everyone's very soul.

The two Imperial Guards unconsciously took a step back.

"Third sister, it's been a long time. How have you been?"

The Crown Prince walked in from behind with a cold expression, followed by more than a dozen Imperial Guards. His entourage was enormous, unlike Shangguan Yan who came alone.

Even so, there was not a trace of fear in Shangguan Yan's eyes: "Father is not here, there is no need to put on any act of sibling affection."

The Crown Prince gave a mocking smile: "Third Sister, so you're admitting it? Your amnesia was fake."

Shangguan Yan said confidently, "If you have evidence, go and report me to the king."

The Crown Prince laughed and said, "My third sister and I are like sisters. How could I do something so heartless? Actually, there's no need for my third sister to go through all this trouble to return to Shengdu. She only needs to tell me, and I will bring her back myself."

Shangguan Yan sighed, "Ah, you still love eating sweet potatoes so much."

The prince frowned.

Before he could react to what that sentence was about, he noticed the Imperial Guard next to him trying to suppress a laugh.

"What are you laughing at?" the crown prince asked, frowning.

The Imperial Guard whispered, "Your Highness, eating too many sweet potatoes can cause farts. She's saying you like to fart randomly."

Crown Prince: "...!!"

"So many years have passed, but Third Sister really hasn't changed at all!"

Still so infuriating!

Shangguan Yan spread her hands: "It's a pity you've changed. You've aged a lot. People who know you would say you're my younger brother, but people who don't would think you're my uncle."

The crown prince was so angry he nearly fell backward!

Over the years, he has indeed aged considerably while managing state affairs. Unlike Shangguan Yan, who lives a carefree life in the imperial mausoleum, he is exactly the same as he was more than ten years ago!

The Crown Prince clenched his fists tightly: "Third Sister, there's no need to beat around the bush. I'm here today to capture the assassin. Why are you obstructing me? Could it be that you're harboring the assassin?"

Yes, if Long Aotian had nothing to do with the Crown Princess, why would he hide in the Imperial Preceptor's Hall for refuge in a time of crisis?

So it was you, Shangguan Yan!

Shangguan Yan's eyes flashed, and she said in a bluffing manner, "Do you have any evidence? If you don't have any evidence, don't make baseless accusations here!"

The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes. Was he feeling guilty, Shangguan Yan?

He said coldly, "I'm here to capture the assassin today, I don't have time to argue with you! If you don't want to get hurt, you'd better get out of my way!"

Shangguan Yan said, "What if I don't allow it?"

The Crown Prince gave a cold laugh: "Then I have no choice but to offend you! Guards! Pull my third sister away!"

"stop!"

Xiao Heng shouted sternly.

He walked out of the corridor, through the lobby to the door, and his tall figure blocked Shangguan Yan's way.

A disciple from the Imperial Preceptor's Hall pushed Gu Jiao out behind him.

The Crown Prince glanced at Xiao Heng, then at Gu Jiao in the wheelchair, his eyes gradually turning cold.

Wang Xu has tested the waters; the one who moved into the Imperial Preceptor's Hall is indeed the eldest grandson of the emperor.

But why did he always feel that something was off?

Xiao Heng glanced at the crowd indifferently and said to the Crown Prince in a nonchalant tone, "Isn't the Crown Prince overstepping his bounds? My mother was ordered to recuperate at the Imperial Preceptor's Palace. If you dare to let those servants touch my mother with their dirty hands, aren't you afraid that the Emperor will blame you?"

The Crown Prince said sternly, "Shangguan Qing, don't try to intimidate me with the Emperor's name! As the Crown Prince, it is my duty to capture assassins. Even the Imperial Advisor has agreed. If you know what's good for you, get out of the way. Otherwise, I'll arrest you too!"

Xiao Heng showed no fear: "Then try it!"

The Crown Prince narrowed his eyes: "Make your move!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a member of the Imperial Guard lunged at Xiao Heng's collar and grabbed him hard.

Gu Jiao's eyes turned cold as she sat in the wheelchair. She quickly removed the gauze from her right hand, braced herself on the armrest, and leaped forward, crashing into the Imperial Guard like a small cannon!

She grabbed the Imperial Guard by the neck, shoved him out of the Qilin Hall, and threw him hard onto the rain-soaked bluestone ground!

With a loud bang, rainwater splashed up three feet high, and water droplets were clearly visible!

The man had no chance to fight back; he spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted on the spot!

Everyone was stunned.

The heavy rain pattered down on her, soaking her black hair. Her slender figure, dressed in a boy's long robe, exuded a terrifying power.

She turned around in the pouring rain, her eyes, as fierce as a blood wolf's, fixed on the Crown Prince and the group of Imperial Guards: "Let's see who dares to touch him?"

Do you have more monthly passes already?

(End of this chapter)