Chapter 41 Chapter 41 Assassination

It was a dark night, and there were quite a few "assassins" outside the cabin. Lu Chen's personal guards were fighting with them. Some passengers were startled by the noise and ran away to avoid it. People were swaying around, shouting was chaotic, and the whole place was in chaos.

As if trapped in a chaotic dream, Zhe Rou's head was buzzing and her heart was pounding. She didn't care about anything else and just ran towards the deck with all her strength.

If nothing unexpected happens, Xie Yunzhou should arrange for someone to pick her up on board.

I hurried out of the cabin and ran onto the deck, and sure enough, I saw a familiar figure coming towards me against the flow of people.

"Mingqi!"

Zhe Rou fled all the way here, her heart beating so hard it was about to jump out of her throat, her legs so weak she could barely stand, and she forced herself to take a breath as she stumbled forward. The moment she saw Xie Yunzhou, she only trembled and called out to him, and then she couldn't shout out another word.

"Nine Lady!"

Xie Yunzhou rushed over, held her body, and whispered soothingly, "Don't be afraid, come with me."

Zhe Rou leaned over and took two quick breaths, nodded, and let him protect her as she walked towards the stern of the ship.

"Young Master." Zhou Xiao had already lowered the sampan at the stern of the boat. When he saw the two people coming, he waved and called out.

Xie Yunzhou nodded at him, jumped off the boat, turned around, raised his hand and caught Zhe Rou steadily.

Seeing that Zhe Rou had stood firmly, Xie Yunzhou leaned over to release the rope and told Zhou Xiao to paddle.

However, not long after the boat had sailed, the other end of the sampan suddenly sank slightly and shook.

Nan Heng had caught up with him without him noticing. His body was as agile as lightning. With a light leap, he jumped directly onto the boat and looked at Zhe Rou.

"Please follow me back, ma'am."

Zhe Rou hadn't recovered from the shock of running away. Suddenly, she saw Nan Heng, and her heart tightened. After a moment, she pinched her palms and forced herself to calm down. "Nan Heng, please tell Lu Bingyan that I don't want to turn back, and I will never turn back."

Nan Heng was anxious and couldn't help but take a step forward, "Madam!"

Seeing this, Xie Yunzhou protected Zhe Rou behind him, quickly drew the long sword from his waist, and said angrily in a deep voice: "Didn't you hear? She said she didn't want to go back!"

With Xie Yunzhou blocking the way, Nan Heng couldn't even touch Zhe Rou's clothes. He was also worried about the situation on the boat. After a few moves, Nan Heng's eyes turned red with anxiety. He gritted his teeth and hurriedly repeated, "Madam, please come back with me!"

Zhe Rou shook her head and said firmly, "I won't go back."

Hearing the cries of killing coming from the ship behind him, Nan Heng no longer cared about the rules of respect and etiquette. He suddenly raised his sword and attacked Xie Yunzhou. As the blades clashed, he angrily demanded, "What did the young prince do today? Are you trying to kill your brother and take his wife?!"

Xie Yunzhou was furious when he heard this. "What nonsense are you talking about? When did I ever touch a hair on Lu Bingyan's head?!"

"Who sent the assassin on that ship?!"

Xie Yunzhou was slightly startled, his two handsome eyebrows knitted together for a moment, "What assassin?"

Hearing him say this suddenly, Zhe Rou suddenly realized that something was wrong.

Judging from the tone, those "assassins" on the ship weren't dispatched by Xie Yunzhou? So, someone really wanted Lu Chen's life?!

Her head buzzed and a layer of cold sweat broke out on her back.

"Stop!" Not daring to think any further, Zhe Rou looked at Nan Heng and said urgently, "Stop fighting! Go back! Go back and save Lu Chen!"

Nan Heng paused for a moment, then tightened his grip on the hilt of his knife before striking at Xie Yunzhou again. His voice deepened, "My lord has ordered us to bring my wife back. I will never disobey your orders, even at the cost of my life!"

Seeing that he seemed to be oblivious to her words, Zhe Rou gritted her teeth and trembled, "Nan Heng, go back! He drank the medicinal tea I brewed, and the effects of the drug have taken effect, leaving him paralyzed and unable to move. If he falls into the hands of an assassin, he will die!"

Hearing this, Nan Heng was suddenly startled and stopped immediately, "What did my wife say?"

In the cabin, Lu Chen leaned against the wooden wall, breathing rapidly, listening to the shouts and screams of iron clashing not far away. Following his instinct from years of fighting on the battlefield, he felt that the attackers of this night raid were not friendly and must be coming for him, so he should not stay here for long.

Gritting his teeth, Lu Chen held onto the cabin wall with one hand, staggered to his feet, panted for a few breaths, and struggled to draw the sword from his waist. He was about to retreat out of the cabin in the direction Zhe Rou escaped, when he suddenly noticed something strange around his waist.

A soft cloth purse originally tied to the belt was missing.

Inside was also the silver bracelet left to her by her mother.

My heart suddenly panicked.

Coming back to his senses, Lu Chen couldn't help but sneer at himself, his chest aching with pain.

That was her mother's relic. Although it was not worth much money, she had always treasured it very much and had never touched it with even a drop of water. Only on the day of her wedding did she carefully take it out and wear it on her wrist for the night as her only dowry.

It is even more difficult to get something back after losing it, but now she has even given up this thing in order to abandon him.

Lu Chen closed his eyes, and a faint sweet taste rose in his throat.

Although she was cruel enough to give them up, he could not let the pair of silver bracelets be lost.

What's more... What's more, how could she just leave the things Xie Yunzhou found for her in his hands?

The effects of the drug became more and more severe, and his hands and feet were numb and stiff. Lu Chen barely supported his body with his long sword, and searched the ground while panting.

The sound of fighting behind him was getting closer. He knew it was dangerous here and if an assassin found a loophole and broke in, he would almost certainly die. However, he seemed to be possessed, and was determined to get her things back.

It seems that only in this way can I feel at ease.

The veins on his forehead were throbbing and throbbing, and his vision was becoming increasingly blurred. Lu Chen dragged his feet with difficulty, turned around the table, lowered his brows, and searched around for a long time. Finally, he saw a corner of his purse vaguely exposed under the broken porcelain pieces in front of the couch.

He felt dizzy and didn't care about the broken porcelain on the ground. He half-knelt down with his body stiff. He pulled out his purse with trembling hands, groped and pressed with his long fingers, and touched a slightly hard arc. The bracelet was still there.

My heart suddenly relaxed.

Just as he was about to stand up and leave, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching from behind, as if someone had jumped into the cabin.

"My dear, be careful!!"

Some of the personal guards staggered and chased after them, shouting and warning loudly.

However, before Lu Chen could turn around, the man behind him attacked swiftly and fiercely, leaving him no room for maneuver, and stabbed his weapon straight into his back.

Lu Chen felt a chill on his back and heard the sound of a sword passing behind him. He wanted to stand up and dodge, but the blood in his chest was surging, his limbs were stiff and paralyzed, and he couldn't use even an ounce of strength in his body.

The next moment, the sword blade had pierced into his back, and sharp pain suddenly swept through his whole body.

It was almost an instinctive survival reaction. His muscles contracted and spasmed for a moment, and Lu Chen used all his strength to turn over and get up, holding the knife in his backhand, barely blocking the attack.

The swords collided, sparking a burst of sparks.

Seeing this, the assassin wanted to attack again, but Lu Chen was no longer able to block him. He could only watch as a flash of cold white light flashed before his eyes and rushed straight towards his face.

"My dear!"

At this moment, Nan Heng rushed over and pounced forward. The sword made a sharp sound, and in an instant he raised the blade and chopped it down at the assassin!

I never thought that I would see Nan Heng suddenly come back.

Lu Chen's face turned pale, his mind was shaken in an instant, and the blood in his body seemed to run cold in an instant.

The assassin fought with Nan Heng for a few moves, and several guards outside the cabin finally broke free and chased in, surrounding the man.

Swords flashed and shadows clashed. Seeing that he was no match for his opponent, the assassin, who had just struck with his sword, considered himself successful. He immediately gave up the fight, feinted an opportunity, and gave a deep order to his companions outside the cabin: "Retreat!"

Nan Heng didn't bother to chase him anymore. He quickly turned around and walked forward to check on Lu Chen's injuries.

"My dear!"

"General!"

Several personal guards hurriedly gathered around and helped Lu Chen half-up. Nan Heng reached out to touch the wound on his back, moved his hand away and took a look. The blood between his fingertips was dark red and black, obviously poisoned.

Seeing this, everyone's heart sank. In a hurry, they tore off a piece of their martial arts robe and wrapped it tightly around his wound.

Lu Chen was still conscious, but he could no longer speak. His eyes were bloodshot, as red as blood. He looked at no one but only at Nan Heng, his breathing becoming heavy, sweat pouring down his temples, his handsome face twisted and ferocious.

Nan Heng naturally understood what he meant. His throat rolled over and he lowered his head in shame, not daring to look him in the eye.

"I am incompetent and have failed to bring my wife back... It was the young prince..."

The whole body was in excruciating pain, the veins on the forehead were throbbing, the heart contracted violently for a moment, and suddenly there was a sweetness in the throat, and a trace of fishy heat surged up from the cavity.

Unable to suppress it any longer, Lu Chen subconsciously closed his palm pouch, and in the midst of his breath, he suddenly choked and vomited a large mouthful of blood.

Everyone's face turned pale with panic, "My dear!"

He almost exhausted all his strength, raised his hand, and pinched the arm in front of him fiercely. His throat spasmed, and he squeezed out a few broken breaths with difficulty, as if they were also soaked in the fishy and sweet smell of blood: "Take... cough, cough... take... me..."

Nan Heng knew what he was thinking, his eyes turned red for a moment, he clenched his jaw, half carried and half supported Lu Chen out of the cabin and onto the deck.

As he walked, drops of blood dripped from his robe and fingertips onto the ground, forming a long, hideous line of blood behind him.

A thin mist was rising faintly on the surface of the river. Nan Heng choked with sobs and raised his hand to point to the direction where Zhe Rou had left by boat.

Stars hang low over the plain, the moon rises over the river, and a dim light on the small boat has drifted away with the wind, half visible and half hidden on the dark river surface.

However, at just one glance, Lu Chen saw Zhe Rou standing at the bow of the boat.

She was wearing a robe that was obviously a man's style. The river breeze blew into the wide sleeves of the robe, blowing up the hem of her sky-blue gauze skirt, making it flutter in the night, as if she was about to ride on the wind and go away, never to be touched again.

The boat went away without her even glancing back.

In an instant, the piercing pain and resentment mixed with all kinds of bitterness rushed straight to my throat, and it felt as if someone had used a blunt knife to cut a piece of flesh off my chest. I could no longer tell where the pain was while I was gasping for breath.

Lu Chen's eyes were red, and he stared at the slender figure as if in self-torture.

She could be so cruel that she left him again and again. It turned out that all these days, she was so gentle and kind, with smiles all the time, but she was just deceiving him.

It turned out that she had been thinking about how to abandon him completely from the beginning to the end.

To this end, they even poisoned him and attacked him.

Excellent, really excellent.

Thousands of arrows piercing the heart, gouging out bones and flesh, it's nothing more than this.

The purse containing the silver bracelet was still held in her hand, and the fine lines of the gold embroidery caused a slight sting in the injured part of her palm.

Lu Chen closed his eyes and tried to laugh at himself, but the corners of his lips felt as heavy as a thousand pounds and he couldn't move them at all. Only the corners of his eyes became moist for a moment.