fight
Dusk fell quickly, and the ruins of the dilapidated temple on the outskirts of the city looked like a giant beast curled up in the gloom.
He Mo stood outside the temple gate, sword in hand, his fingertips touching the cold doorposts. Just now, A Che's old subordinates said that "the people from the Shadow Pavilion will arrive at 7:40 PM," but now it was already past 7:45 PM, and the temple was so quiet that only the sound of wind rustling through leaves could be heard, not even the chirping of insects. Clearly, an ambush had been set up.
The bandage on his left wrist was wrapped in a brace, and although it was lined with soft cloth, it would still pull on the wound and cause pain if he moved too much.
He slowed his breathing, raised his sword in his right hand, and lightly leaped onto the broken beam inside the temple like a withered leaf.
In the open space in the center of the temple, there were several wooden boxes covered with black cloth. Dark stains seeped from the corners of the boxes, and a faint smell of gunpowder could be smelled when you got close—it was explosives.
"Young Master He has quite the nerve, daring to trespass on my Shadow Pavilion's territory alone."
A hoarse voice suddenly came from behind the Buddha statue. Immediately afterwards, more than a dozen dark figures darted out from behind the beams and pillars and under the altar, surrounding the open space.
The leader was a man dressed in black tight-fitting clothes, with half of his face covered by an iron mask. He held two short blades in his hands, the tips of which were bluish-green, clearly poisoned.
He Mo leaped down from the broken beam, his long sword hanging by his side, the tip of the sword touching the ground and leaving a shallow mark: "The Shadow Pavilion Master is hiding and dares not see anyone, only sending out some lackeys. It's laughable."
He deliberately provoked the other party, but his gaze quickly swept over the people who surrounded him—each of them was agile, and the way they gripped their blades carried the same ruthless edge; they were Shadow Pavilion assassins.
The stern-faced man sneered, twirling his short blade in a gleaming arc: "Take you down, and you'll see the Pavilion Master. Attack!"
As soon as he finished speaking, two assassins rushed forward with blades, attacking He Mo's shoulders and lower abdomen from the left and right respectively.
Instead of retreating, He Mo advanced, drawing his longsword with a fierce wind. The first move of the "Thirteen Swords of the Mo Clan," "Moon Reflected in the Cold Pool," was unleashed—the sword tip angled, first parrying the short blade of the assassin on the left, then using the momentum to turn and slam the spine of the sword heavily onto the wrist of the assassin on the right. With a clang, the short blade fell to the ground, and the assassin staggered back, clutching his wrist, black blood seeping from between his fingers—he had actually been cut by his own poisoned blade.
When the stern-faced man saw his subordinate fail, his eyes darkened, and he personally stepped forward with his blade.
His short blade was as fast as lightning, specifically targeting the weakness in He Mo's left arm. Every move was ruthless. "Double Snakes Spitting Tongues" aimed straight at He Mo's left shoulder, the blade wind carrying a pungent smell of poison. He Mo's left arm was injured, so he could only dodge to the side. He swept his right longsword horizontally, "Bamboo Shadow Sweeping the Steps," forcing his opponent to retreat two steps.
But in that brief moment, three assassins seized the opportunity to attack from behind, their short blades almost touching his back.
"careful!"
A soft shout suddenly came from outside the temple gate, followed by a copper coin flying through the air and striking the wrist of the assassin on the left with pinpoint accuracy. Taking advantage of the moment, He Mo spun around, his longsword flashing back, and with a "Stunning Shadow" strike, pierced the shoulder blade of the assassin on the right.
When he turned around, he saw Yinli standing at the temple gate with a food box in her hand. Her face was pale, and she was holding a few copper coins in her hand. She had borrowed them from the innkeeper and wanted to sneak over to see what was going on, but she didn't expect to see him in danger as soon as she arrived.
"Who let you come here!" He Mo's voice was urgent. He caught a glimpse of the iron-faced man attacking again out of the corner of his eye, and quickly drew his sword to meet him.
Yin Li's appearance distracted him, and his left arm was accidentally grazed by the other party's short blade. His wrist guard was instantly cut open, and blood seeped through the bandage, causing his fingertips to go numb with pain.
"I'm worried about you!" Yin Li bit her lip and took out the sachet containing rosemary from the food box—the one she used in the bamboo forest last time, which she has always carried with her.
She lit the sachet and threw it forcefully into the group of assassins. The thick smoke of rosemary instantly spread, choking several assassins who coughed repeatedly and slowed their movements.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, He Mo steadied himself and wielded his longsword with impenetrable speed. He knew that his left arm injury could not be delayed and that he had to finish the fight quickly.
Seeing the stern-faced man attack again with "Double Snakes Spitting Venom," he deliberately feigned an opening, letting his left arm droop slightly to lure the opponent closer. Then, he suddenly spun around, his long sword piercing from under his armpit, "Lone Star Chasing the Moon," aimed straight for the opponent's heart. The stern-faced man hadn't expected him to be so fast even when injured. He couldn't dodge in time and could only sidestep to avoid a vital spot, but the sword tip still sliced open his chest, instantly staining his dark-colored outfit crimson with blood.
"Retreat!" The stern-faced man, clutching his wound, knew he wouldn't get away with it today and shouted sternly.
Upon hearing this, the assassins helped their wounded comrade and quickly disappeared into the night, leaving behind only the wooden crates containing explosives.
He Mo watched the direction they fled in, but did not chase after them—the wound on his left arm was getting more and more painful, and blood had soaked through the wrist guard, dripping onto the ground from his fingertips.
Yin Li rushed over, took out hemostatic medicine from the food box, tore off his wristband and bandage, and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the wound was not deep, but her eyes still reddened: "I told you to be careful, how did you still get so badly injured?"
Her fingertips trembled as she carefully applied medicine to the wound, her movements as gentle as if she were afraid of breaking it.
He Mo let her bandage him, reaching out to wipe away the tears from the corners of her eyes: "Don't cry, I'm fine." He looked at the wooden boxes, his eyes darkening, "These explosives are what Shadow Pavilion is preparing to use in the sacrificial ceremony."
Yin Li paused, then looked up at him: "They want to... create chaos at the sacrificial ceremony?"
“Not only that.” He Mo walked to the wooden box and lifted the black cloth—inside, besides explosives, there were several sets of Imperial Guard armor. “They want to impersonate the Imperial Guards, take advantage of the chaos to kidnap the Emperor or the Crown Prince, and then use explosives to force the Emperor to abdicate.” He gripped his longsword tightly. “We have to go back to the palace immediately and tell the Empress Dowager and the Crown Prince about this.”
Yin Li nodded and supported his right arm: "I'll help you walk. You can't exert yourself anymore because of your injury."
As night deepened, the two supported each other as they emerged from the dilapidated temple. He Mo's left arm hung limply at his side, tightly bound with new bandages by Yin Li. Her hand remained firmly in his right arm, the warmth of her palm seeping through their clothes, making him forget the pain of his wound. The wind swirled fallen leaves past their feet, and in the distance, the lights of the capital city twinkled like stars scattered in the night—that was the place they were determined to protect. Even if more dangers lay ahead, as long as they were together, they dared to forge ahead.
“Once this matter is settled,” He Mo looked down at Yin Li beside him, his voice softer, “we will go to the plum garden outside the city. I heard that the plum blossoms bloomed early this year.”
Yin Li looked up and met his clear eyes, which reflected the night and her own figure.
She nodded vigorously and squeezed his hand tightly: "Okay, let's go see it together."
The night wind at the end of the Xu hour carried a chill, causing He Mo's wound on his left arm to throb with pain.
Supported by Yin Li, he walked steadily, but still needed to use his strength for each step—the wound from the poisoned blade during the battle at the ruined temple, though not deep, had seeped some residual poison, and his fingertips were now somewhat numb.
"Hold on a little longer, the palace gates are just ahead." Yin Li's voice trembled slightly as she took out a clean handkerchief from her bosom and gently wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
She held his right arm tightly with her other hand, the warmth of her palm seeping through his coarse clothes like a warm fire, barely suppressing the chill on his body.
They hadn't gone far when they suddenly heard the rapid sound of hooves behind them. He Mo abruptly stopped and pulled Yin Li into the bushes by the roadside—in the moonlight, a dozen or so black-clad knights galloped towards them, the short blades hanging beside their saddles gleaming coldly; they were the pursuers from the Shadow Pavilion.
"Hide well, don't come out." He Mo whispered, drawing his long sword from his waist. Just as he was about to take a step, Yin Li grabbed his wrist.
She took out a small porcelain bottle from the bottom of the food box, poured out three dark brown pills, and put them into his palm: "These are antidote pills left by my mother. Take them first to guard against the residual poison from the poisoned blade."
He Mo held the pill in his hand, a warmth spreading through his heart, and swallowed it. The pill tasted slightly bitter, but carried a hint of herbal fragrance, something Yin Li had always kept close to her.
He had just held his longsword horizontally in front of him when the black-clad knights were already upon him. The leader, upon seeing him, shouted sternly, "Kill them! Don't let the news reach the palace!"
Two knights charged forward on horseback, their spears aimed straight for He Mo's heart. He Mo dodged to the side, his longsword flashing out in a "Bamboo Shadow Slash" motion, the blade grazing the spear shaft and slicing straight at the knight's wrist. The knight hastily withdrew his spear, but He Mo used the momentum to pull him away, causing him to tumble and fall from his horse.
Seeing this, another knight swung his sword, the wind from which was fierce, aiming straight for He Mo's face.
With his left arm injured, He Mo could only take a half step back, his right hand holding his longsword vertically to block. With a crisp "clang," the blade made his hand go numb. Just then, Yin Li suddenly rushed out from behind the bushes, throwing the copper coins in her hand with force—three coins in a line, hitting the knight's horse's eye precisely.
The horse neighed in pain, reared up on its front hooves, and threw the rider to the ground.
"Hurry!" He Mo pulled Yin Li along and turned to run towards the palace gate.
Although the black-clad knights behind them were thrown into disarray, they continued to pursue relentlessly, their hooves clattering on the night road like a death knell.
At the palace gate, armor clanged, and imperial guards stood guard with halberds in hand. The glow of palace lanterns cast dappled shadows on the vermilion palace walls.
He Mo had just rushed to the palace gate when he was stopped by the imperial guards: "Unauthorized trespassing at night is punishable by death according to the law!"
"I have urgent news to report to the Empress Dowager!" He Mo took out the jade pendant from the Mo Wang Mansion from his bosom—a token given to him by the Empress Dowager earlier. "The Shadow Pavilion intends to cause trouble with explosives during the sacrificial ceremony. It will be too late if we wait any longer!"
Upon seeing the jade pendant, the commander of the Imperial Guards' expression changed drastically, and he quickly waved for them to pass: "Quickly, come with me to the Cining Palace!"
The Cining Palace was brightly lit with candles. The Empress Dowager was sitting in the Buddhist hall, fiddling with prayer beads, while the Crown Prince stood by her side.
Both of them were shocked to see He Mo covered in blood and being helped in by Yin Li.
"Your Majesty the Empress Dowager!" He Mo knelt on one knee, his voice urgent, "The Shadow Pavilion has hidden a large amount of explosives in a dilapidated temple on the outskirts of the city, and has also prepared fake Imperial Guard armor, intending to impersonate the Imperial Guard during the sacrificial ceremony, kidnap the Emperor, and create chaos!"
The Empress Dowager paused abruptly, her face darkening. "Is this really the case?" She stood up and walked to He Mo, noticing the blood seeping from the bandage on his left arm. She then glanced at Yin Li, whose face was pale, before softening her tone. "Let the imperial physician treat your wound first. We can discuss this matter later."
"No!" He Mo looked up, his eyes filled with urgency. "The Heaven Worship Ceremony is only two days away. The Shadow Pavilion has made meticulous arrangements. If we don't take precautions in advance, we may not be able to cope!"
The Crown Prince stepped forward and helped He Mo up: "Brother, please heal your wounds first. I will discuss the precautions with the Empress Dowager." He looked at Yin Li and said, "Miss Yin Li, you have also worked hard. Go to the side hall to rest first. I will have someone send some refreshments over."
Yin Li shook her head and walked to He Mo's side: "I'll stay and keep you company. His wound hurts, and I can help change his dressing." Her voice was soft, but it carried an unyielding firmness—the danger from the dilapidated temple was still fresh in her mind, and she dared not let He Mo face it alone again.
The Empress Dowager glanced at the two of them, a knowing look flashing in her eyes, and finally nodded: "Very well. Zhang Mama, take Young Master He to the side hall to heal his wounds. Miss Yinli will stay and take care of him. Commander of the Imperial Guards, immediately dispatch three thousand Imperial Guards to seal off the dilapidated temple on the outskirts of the city, collect the explosives, and send people to keep a close eye on Minister Jin and the Prime Minister's residence. If there is any unusual activity, report it immediately!"
"Yes!" everyone responded in unison, and each went to carry out their orders.
Inside the side hall, the imperial physician was cleaning He Mo's wounds. Yin Li stood to the side, watching the physician use silver needles to remove the poison. He Mo's forehead was covered in cold sweat, but he didn't utter a sound. Yin Li's heart clenched with worry. After the physician finished bandaging the wounds and left, she stepped forward and handed him a cup of warm water: "Drink some water. The physician said you've been poisoned and need to rest more."
He Mo took the water glass, his fingertips touching her hand, which was still cold—she must have caught a cold outside the palace.
He took her hand and warmed it in his palm: "I've made you suffer."
Yin Li shook her head and sat down beside him. "As long as you're safe, that's all that matters." Looking at his pale face, and remembering the explosives in the dilapidated temple, she asked softly, "Are you still going to the sacrificial ceremony?"
He Mo tightened his grip on her hand, a resolute glint in his eyes: "As long as the Shadow Pavilion Master is not eliminated, the hidden danger will not be eradicated. I must go, not only for the injustice done to the Mo Prince's Mansion, but also... to protect you and the Crown Prince."
Moonlight streamed through the window, falling on their clasped hands. Yin Li looked into his clear eyes, knowing she couldn't dissuade him, and could only nod gently: "Then I'll go with you. Although I don't know martial arts, I can help you keep an eye out for any movements in the shadows and use a sleeping potion on you."
Looking into her determined eyes, He Mo felt a slight stirring in his heart. He leaned down and gently touched her forehead: "Okay, let's do it together."
Inside the Buddhist hall of Cining Palace, the Empress Dowager's hand, which was holding prayer beads, stopped. Zhang Mama, standing to the side, whispered, "Your Majesty, the secret guards have reported that someone from Minister Jin's residence went out late at night to an abandoned house in the west of the city, seemingly to meet with people from Yingge."
A cold glint flashed in the Empress Dowager's eyes as she twirled the prayer beads on her fingertips. "Understood. Have the guards keep a close watch. We'll settle accounts on the day of the sacrificial ceremony."
The glow of the Buddhist lamp flickered on her face, making the calculation in her eyes seem unfathomable. Meanwhile, inside the abandoned house in the west of the city, a dark figure whispered to the stern-faced man, his voice hoarse beneath the mask: "The Empress Dowager is already prepared. On the day of the sacrificial ceremony, proceed with the second plan—start with the Crown Prince."
The stern-faced man bowed in agreement. The shadowy figure gazed at the moonlight outside the window, a sinister smile playing on his lips: "The two sons of the Mo Prince's Mansion are quite affectionate. It's good to send them to see Mo Yi together."
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