Zhou Bowen immediately nodded and bowed: "Don't worry, sir! I guarantee that she won't live to see tomorrow! As long as I can help you secure the throne, I only ask to become a prefect and serve you in the future!"
Li Xiu and Wang Qing echoed, "We are also willing to risk our lives for you, sir! Just give the word, and we'll immediately arrange our men!"
The man in purple sneered and began to paint a rosy picture for them: "As long as you obey, once I overthrow the current emperor, Magistrate Zhou, you will not only become a prefect, but you will also be promoted another rank. Assistant Magistrate Li and Registrar Wang will also be transferred to the capital to become officials in the capital!"
Zhou Bowen and the other two's eyes lit up when they heard this. They quickly kowtowed to express their gratitude and turned around to prepare to arrange manpower.
I didn't notice at all.
Shen Qingtang's mental power had already allowed her to hear their conversation clearly.
After nightfall, Pei Wuwang, carrying Pei Nian'an, knocked on Shen Qingtang's door.
As soon as the door opened, Pei Wuwang's gaze stopped on Shen Qingtang, who was wearing a silk nightgown that she had modified herself, with the neckline slightly open, revealing her fair and slender swan neck.
Barefoot on the carpet, her ankles were slender, and her skin shone with a delicate luster under the light.
His ears turned red instantly, and his Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily before he steadied his voice: "My men are already lying in ambush near the inn. Zhou Bowen and his group are acting strangely; they'll most likely make their move tonight."
Shen Qingtang raised an eyebrow and stepped aside to let them in: "Okay, come in."
Pei Nian'an jumped down from Pei Wuwang's arms, ran to Shen Qingtang's side, tightly gripped the hem of her clothes with her little hands, and looked up at her earnestly, saying, "Auntie, I will protect you and not let bad people hurt you!"
Shen Qingtang gently patted his head, her eyes full of tenderness: "Okay, Nian'an is the bravest."
Pei Wuwang followed him in, and seeing the warm scene inside, his cheeks flushed even more.
His gaze softened unconsciously.
This was a sense of security he had never experienced before; he felt at ease whenever he was with Shen Qingtang and Nian'an.
And this scene.
Lin Peirou, who was hiding around the corner of the corridor, happened to see it. She immediately ran to find Lu Jin.
They added fuel to the fire, saying, "Pei Wuwang went into Shen Qingtang's room! They were alone together in a room, who knows what kind of dirty things they were doing!"
Lu Jin never accepted the fact that he was divorced from Shen Qingtang, and always felt that Shen Qingtang was his wife and his possession.
Upon hearing this, his eyes instantly reddened, and he trembled with rage. He rushed to Shen Qingtang's door and roared inside, "Shen Qingtang! You slut! You just divorced me and you're already hooking up with Pei Wuwang! Have you no shame?!"
Hearing the commotion, Lu Jiaojiao in the next room curled her lips into a malicious smile.
He leaned close to Lu Jin and said, "What's the rush? Tonight is her death day. She won't live past tomorrow!"
Lu Jin and Lin Peirou were both stunned and quickly asked her why she said that.
Lu Jiaojiao lowered her voice and said mysteriously, "I can sense things that others don't know. Magistrate Zhou and his men are going to kill Shen Qingtang tonight, and they're sure they'll succeed!"
She also told Lu's mother, who had just finished washing up, about her "golden finger" ability to "sense danger".
After washing off her heavy makeup, Lu's mother reverted to her old lady appearance, but in her heart, she perversely longed for the feeling of being watched by others when Shen Qingtang dressed her up as an "18-year-old beauty" during the day.
It actually made her somewhat addicted.
But the thought of being humiliated by the people of the Northern Desert immediately made him grit his teeth in hatred.
He praised Lu Jiaojiao repeatedly, "My Jiaojiao is amazing! Once Shen Qingtang is dead, we'll never have to put up with her again!"
Lu Jiaojiao pulled her parents and mother into her room.
After closing the door, he said smugly, "It's safest to stay here. Even if a fight breaks out outside, we'll definitely be fine!"
Mother Lu nodded hurriedly, eagerly anticipating the elimination of Shen Qingtang.
On the other side, Shen Qingtang went to the rooms of her father, mother, and grandfather first.
They then went to Qin Wanqing and Su Lingwei's room, where the two shared a room.
They were sitting at the table chatting quietly.
They were just friends before, nothing more. But after going through so much together on the road to exile, their relationship had become much closer.
"When Brother Shen shielded me from the arrow, my heart was pounding so fast..." Qin Wanqing said, her cheeks flushing. Thinking of Brother Shen Minglan's strong physique and firm abs, her ears turned even redder.
Su Lingwei nodded in agreement, her eyes gleaming with shyness: "Second Brother Shen always saves the best food for me, and he speaks so gently, I..."
Before she could finish speaking, tears welled up in her eyes, her face flushed with the shyness of a young girl in the throes of first love.
As the two were talking, Shen Qingtang pushed open the door and came in, laughing and teasing, "Oh, which young man are you talking about? Your face is as red as an apple."
Qin Wanqing and Su Lingwei panicked instantly, waving their hands hastily, their faces turning even redder.
Shen Qingtang took out several bottles of antidote and handed them to them: "Don't be shy. There will be a fierce battle tonight. Zhou Bowen's men will most likely use sleeping pills. You should prepare these antidotes in advance."
"We've been ready for a long time!" Qin Wanqing immediately straightened her back; she was by no means a weak woman.
Su Lingwei nodded in agreement, her eyes filled with determination that they would not hold Shen Qingtang back.
Shen Qingtang went to deliver the antidote to Qin Xian again, and everyone was prepared to deal with it.
As night fell, wisps of mist drifted in from outside the inn, carrying a faint scent of sleeping potions.
A group of men dressed in black, wielding curved knives, crept in silently.
Shen Qingtang observed coldly and discovered that the inn's waiter and owner were pretending not to see anything, clearly having been bribed by Zhou Bowen long ago.
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