Chapter 101 Assassination of the Northern Emperor

Inside Guanju Palace, Yuwen Che had moved almost all his official duties there, reviewing memorials while keeping Su Luoxue company.

"Xue'er, have another sip of this bird's nest porridge." He personally held the jade bowl and patiently coaxed her.

Su Luoxue frowned and shook her head: "I have no appetite..."

"Just one bite, for the baby, hmm?" Yuwen Che held the spoon to her lips. "You didn't eat much this morning."

Seeing the worry in his eyes, Su Luoxue forced herself to swallow. Yuwen Che immediately smiled and gently wiped her mouth: "Good girl."

He put down the bowl and then naturally massaged her swollen legs with practiced ease. Su Luoxue leaned against him, stroking her belly, feeling the tender care she received.

Meanwhile, in the capital of the Northern Kingdom.

In the darkness of night, a white figure sat leisurely on the eaves of the highest hall of the royal palace, holding a wine gourd and drinking alone under the moonlight.

The shadowy figure silently swooped onto the roof like a bat in the night. Upon seeing the person, the brows beneath the mask immediately furrowed: "Bai Xiao? What are you doing here?"

The white-clad youth glanced at him lazily, a haughty smile curving his lips: "Han Ying, you still need to work on your stealth skills. I could smell you from ten feet away."

He shook his wine gourd, his tone slightly mocking: "As for why I'm here? Of course, it's because your master thought you were too slow, so he brought me out here."

Han Ying's eyes turned cold: "You were sent by the master? What is your purpose?"

Bai Xiao tilted his head back and took a swig of wine, wiped his mouth with his sleeve, and said succinctly, "I'll help you out and send Helian Bobo on his way sooner. So he won't have to miss his wife giving birth."

Han Ying remained silent for a moment. Although she was displeased, she had to admit that with Bai Xiao's unpredictable skills, the chances of a successful assassination would indeed increase significantly.

"What are your plans?" Han Ying asked in a deep voice.

Bai Xiao stood up, dusted off his clothes, and looked down at the brightly lit palace below, a sharp glint in his eyes: "A plan? Do we need that thing? Why not just go and have a chat with him?"

Before he finished speaking, his figure flickered and, like a feather, drifted towards Helian Bobo's palace.

Han Ying looked in the direction he disappeared, her eyes filled with complex emotions, before she too disappeared into the darkness, following closely behind.

Inside the main hall of the Northern Kingdom's royal court, candlelight blazed brightly.

Helian Bobo was gathered around a sand table with several trusted ministers, anxiously discussing strategies for defending the city.

"We must reinforce the East Gate! Pei Zhongyuan's main force is all over there!"

"The provisions can last for another half month, but the arrows are being used up too quickly..."

Just then, a voice, tinged with languor and impatience, abruptly came from the highest point of the hall:

"Hey, are you guys done chatting?"

Everyone looked up in shock, only to see a young man in white sitting on the throne, the symbol of the highest power in the Northern Kingdom, with one foot casually resting on the armrest. He was propping his chin up and looking at them with an amused expression. Behind him, a figure in black stood like a silent shadow.

"Who goes there?!" Helian Bobo was both shocked and furious, and suddenly drew his sword. The guards outside the palace were completely unaware!

The guards then realized what was happening and rushed into the hall, brandishing their swords and surrounding the throne.

Bai Xiao ignored the swords and knives in front of him and yawned instead: "We've been talking for so long, but we haven't come to any conclusions. I'm getting sleepy."

His gaze fell on Helian Bobo, and a mocking smile curled at the corner of his lips: "You're Helian Bobo? You don't look like much."

Helian Bobo was enraged by his arrogant attitude, his face turning ashen: "Insolence! Seize them for me!"

The guards rushed forward.

The shadowy figure moved.

Everyone only saw a blur before their eyes as a dark shadow darted about like a ghost. With a few muffled thuds, the guards at the forefront fell to the ground, unable to even utter a scream.

Bai Xiao didn't even lift his eyelids, still looking at Helian Bobo, and said in a relaxed tone: "I advise you not to waste your energy. If we wanted to kill everyone here, you would have died ten times over by now."

He stood up, brushed off non-existent dust from his clothes, and walked down the steps, approaching Helian Bobo:

"I'm here to discuss a business deal with you."

Helian Bobo gripped the hilt of his knife, forcing himself to remain calm: "What kind of business?"

Bai Xiao stopped in front of him, his smile bright, but his words were icy cold:

"Your life will ensure the Northern Kingdom's line continues. Are you in or not?"

Helian Bobo trembled with rage, pointing at Bai Xiao: "You...you've gone too far!"

Bai Xiao shrugged nonchalantly: "So what if I bullied you? Who told you to provoke the wrong person first?"

Han Ying frowned and glared at Bai Xiao, interrupting him coldly: "Bai Xiao, the Lord's order is—in the Northern Kingdom's court, men, women, children, and even chickens and dogs will be killed without exception."

These words were like ice water poured over their heads; Helian Bobo and several ministers instantly turned pale.

"Yuwen Che...is he really so ruthless as to destroy our capital and exterminate our ancestral temple?!" Helian Bobo's voice was hoarse.

Bai Xiao glanced back at Han Ying and said, "Tsk, you're really boring." He then turned to Helian Bobo and spread his hands, saying, "Look, I originally wanted to give you a chance to negotiate, but my colleague here insists on doing things the way they are."

He strolled slowly, his gaze sweeping over the pale-faced ministers and trembling guards: "However, I am sometimes not so fond of following the rules."

He stopped in front of Helian Bobo, leaned forward slightly, and lowered his voice, as if whispering a demon:

"It's not too late to change your mind. You take your own life, and I guarantee you'll leave a bloodline for the Helian family. Otherwise..."

He straightened up, looked around the magnificent palace, and said in a light, airy tone:

"When the sun rises tomorrow, there won't be a single living thing here. You choose."

Han Ying stood behind with his arms crossed. Although he did not voice any further objection, the murderous aura emanating from him spoke volumes.

Helian Bobo's forehead veins bulged, and his hand gripping the knife trembled violently. He looked at the unfathomable white-clad youth before him, then at the black-clad man behind him who seemed like the embodiment of death, and then at the 300,000 Great Zhou troops outside the city, a wave of utter despair washed over him.

He stared intently at Bai Xiao: "You...you keep your word?"

Bai Xiao raised an eyebrow: "I, Bai Xiao, always keep my word."

Helian Bobo closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and when he opened them again, his eyes were deathly still. He slowly turned the tip of his knife, aiming it at his own heart.

"Your Majesty!" the ministers exclaimed, trying to rush forward.

Han Ying drew his sword, and several flashes of cold light appeared. The minister who was at the forefront fell to the ground instantly.

Helian Bobo gave a bitter laugh and looked at Bai Xiao: "Remember your promise!"

A flash of light, and blood splattered onto the throne.

Bai Xiao looked at the fallen Helian Bobo and curled his lip: "It would have been better if it had ended this quickly earlier."

He turned to Han Ying and said, "I'll leave the rest to you. Remember to leave a seed; I promised."

A white shadow flashed, and the person disappeared from the main hall.

Han Ying looked at the hall full of corpses and began to carry out the cleaning order without expression.

Ten dark figures appeared silently behind Han Ying like ghosts, kneeling on one knee: "Boss."

Han Ying coldly swept his gaze over the corpse of Helian Bobo Shangwen in the hall, as well as the terrified and trembling ministers and guards of the Northern Kingdom, his voice devoid of any emotion:

"Five men go to control the city gates and open a passage for the Marquis of Zhenbei."

“The remaining five, come with me to clean up the palace.” He paused, then added, his tone icy cold, “The Lord’s order is—in the Northern Kingdom’s court, men, women, children, and even chickens and dogs, leave no one alive.”

One of the shadow guards hesitated slightly before whispering, "Boss, Lord Bai Xiao just promised..."

Han Ying interrupted him, her eyes sharp as knives: "What Bai Xiao agreed to is his business. We, the Shadow Pavilion, only carry out our master's orders. Do you understand?"

All the shadow guards felt a chill run down their spines and replied in unison, "Yes! We understand!"

"action."

At the command, ten dark figures instantly dispersed, sweeping across the palace like shadows of death. Screams, pleas for mercy, and the clash of weapons rang out in the silent night, only to quickly fade into silence.

Han Ying, carrying a blood-dripping longsword, walked step by step into the depths of the Northern Kingdom's palace, the residence of the royal family. Behind him, only the spreading crimson and deathly silence remained.

Under the control of the shadow guards, the city gate slowly opened. Seeing the open gate and the signal from the shadow guards on the city wall, Marquis Pei Zhongyuan, though somewhat surprised by the swift action, immediately drew his sword and gave the order:

"All troops, listen to my command! Enter the city!"

The Great Zhou army surged into the capital of the Northern Kingdom like a tidal wave, only to find it a dead city that had been cleared out in advance and was filled with the heavy stench of blood.