Chapter 123
Cui Pei let out a soft sigh. He knew that before Pei Lingjun became the commander of the Xiaolong Guard, he had served as an official in the northern border of Dasheng for several years and had even been on the battlefield. He never expected that he would develop a chronic illness.
“Yes…” Cui Pei couldn’t help but worry, “Boss, Fourth Sister is skilled in medicine; perhaps she can cure you…”
Pei Lingjun waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to say anything more. He pulled out the letter paper covered by the book and said in a deep voice, "The Cai family is very restless in Jijing. Many people have submitted memorials to His Majesty, praising the Cai family's achievements and almost pushing all the blame onto his few confidants, and doing their best to defend Cai Hui."
Cui Pei frowned. "Is Grand Tutor Cai trying to sacrifice the pawn to save the king?"
The young man held the letter close to the candlestick, and seeing the flames engulf it, he let go and placed the half-burnt ashes into the porcelain jar. "He wanted to imitate the Empress Dowager and find someone to take the blame for him."
“However…” The young man twirled his fingers slightly, his eyes dark and filled with absolute certainty, “He underestimated His Majesty’s resolve. If His Majesty wants him dead, how can he live?”
Cui Peiding stood across the long table. For some reason, he felt that something about their boss had changed, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
Perhaps it was the increasingly intimidating aura emanating from him.
“When a rabbit is cornered, it will bite,” the young man said, glancing around. “I’m being more cautious these days because I’m afraid Cai Hui might do something desperate and try to fight to the death.”
Cui Pei was surprised and hurriedly said, "Should we send a few brothers over? We're far away in Shanzhou, and I'm afraid something might happen."
"No need. The guards Zhu Zijin brought are enough. I've already ordered people to guard the inn and this place, so it's safer that way."
Cui Pei retreated to the outer room and lay on the couch, tossing and turning, unable to sleep. As the second watch of the night approached, the darkness was eerie, with not a single star in the sky. It was as if someone had spilled a basin of thick ink, the color so dark that it could not be dissolved.
Just as I was starting to feel sleepy, in a half-asleep state, my mouth and nose were suddenly covered.
His years of experience with life and death immediately brought him to his senses. He opened his eyes and saw that in the hazy night, the young man patted his shoulder, signaling him to be quiet.
Cui Pei held his breath, his back almost soaked with sweat in the stuffy, unventilated space.
The rustling and pattering sounds were very faint, like raindrops hitting the roof tiles.
However, martial arts practitioners have sensitive hearing. Although the sound is soft, it is heavy. If you listen carefully, you can even hear a pattern in the chaos.
It was the sound of footsteps.
The room was pitch black, and several dark figures took advantage of the darkness to tumble down from the eaves, their movements so light they made almost no sound.
A dark figure slipped in through the window, moving across the wooden floor. A silver dagger was silently drawn, and a fleeting glint of silver light revealed a pair of sinister eyes.
The shadowy figure swiftly drew his sword and thrust it towards the bed in an instant.
The sharp dagger pierced the mattress, but there was no sense of murder as expected.
The assassin was startled and abruptly lifted the quilt on the bed, only to find a brocade pillow under the raised blankets.
"Oh no, he's not here!"
The several dark figures inside the room were startled. Before they could recover, the lights in the room blazed on. Before they could even squint to adjust, someone emerged from under the bed, flashed a silver blade, and instantly killed the assassin wielding a dagger.
"There it is!"
"Did Cai Gou only send a few useless trash like you?" Cui Pei held a silver knife, blood dripping from its blade. "He's truly reached the end of his rope; he can barely afford to hire a few assassins!"
Enraged, the men immediately lunged at Cui Pei.
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