Chapter 388 Bloodstained Moat
Along the moat, flags were waving and gongs and drums were beating.
On the broad river, several brightly colored dragon boats decorated with majestic dragon heads raced like arrows from a bow, breaking through the green waves and chasing each other to the deafening sound of their horns.
There were huge crowds of people on both sides of the river, and the cheers, shouts and cheers were deafening, converging into a boiling and noisy ocean.
The emperor personally took to the stage, and the "Flying Dragon Team" composed of the elite imperial guards attracted everyone's attention and became the focus of the audience.
Yan Shixu stood proudly at the head of the dragon boat, his dark suit outlining his tall and straight pine-like figure, making him look even more heroic and extraordinary.
He held a specially made hardwood long oar in his hand, his eyes as sharp as an eagle's at the waterway ahead, and he shouted orders calmly and forcefully, directing the rhythm of the rowing.
Every time the oars are struck in unison, huge white splashes of water are stirred up. The dragon boat is like a real dragon emerging from the water, riding the wind and waves and moving forward swiftly.
However, just when the dragon boat reached the deepest part of the river and the most turbulent water, at the critical moment when it was still one-third of the way to the finish line, something strange happened.
“Crack!”
There was a dull and harsh sound, not the natural sound of rotten wood breaking, but more like the sound of some delicate mechanism being triggered.
The solid bottom of the dragon boat under Yan Shixu's feet suddenly cracked without any warning.
At the same time, the incredibly tough, specially made long oar in his hand suddenly broke apart! The broken part was incredibly smooth!
"Protect the Emperor!!"
Zhang Sicheng, who was protecting Yan Shixu behind him, reacted extremely quickly.
He shouted a warning loudly, and at the same time, his body moved like lightning, passing Yan Shixu's side and standing in front of him.
But it was too late.
Almost at the same time as the planks cracked and the oars broke, the originally clear water in the moat seemed to boil instantly.
“Crash—crash—!”
More than a hundred ghostly figures dressed in tight black clothes emerged from the water.
Water droplets splashed everywhere, and cold light flashed.
They held water-dividing spears, poison-tempered daggers, and fine steel crossbows in their hands. Their eyes were cold and bloodthirsty, filled with murderous intent. They had only one goal—
On the dragon boat, the Emperor of Dayan in black tights!
These assassins were extremely skilled in water skills and their movements were swift and silent, which clearly showed that they had planned it in advance.
They have been lying in ambush for a long time in the waters here with fast-flowing waters far away from the river bank, just waiting for the dragon boat to arrive here and launch this fatal attack!
"There's an assassin! Protect the emperor!!"
The guards on the dragon boat were all elite soldiers who had experienced many battles. Although they were shocked, they remained calm. They roared and drew their swords, and immediately engaged in a battle with the assassin who broke through the water.
For a moment, swords flashed, water and blood flew everywhere.
The harsh sound of weapons colliding violently, roars, screams mixed with the roar of the river, were endless.
There were also many generals and nobles with great martial arts skills on the other dragon boats that were slightly behind.
Seeing the emperor under attack, everyone screamed, "Quick! Paddle hard! Charge forward! Protect the emperor!!"
Su Muyang and Luo Yunzhen on the other boat simply abandoned their oars.
They tapped the boat plank with their toes, and their bodies spread their wings like a roc, stepping on the waves and flying towards the dragon boat where Yan Shixu was in distress.
The sudden bloody fight in the middle of the river instantly caused an uproar in the Linshui Hall, which was built along the flow line of the moat and used for viewing ceremonies.
The royal family, civil and military ministers and their families were all terrified and panicked by this horrifying scene.
Because the Queen had not come, in order to avoid criticism from the people, the Grand Empress Dowager and the Queen Mother personally sat in the Linshui Palace.
At this moment, seeing the dense crowd of assassins on the river besieging the emperor's boat, the Empress Dowager was so shocked that she stood up suddenly, her face pale.
She urgently ordered Zhou Jingtao, the commander of the city defense forces responsible for the security of the moat area today:
"Quick! Arrange the men and row the boats to the center of the river immediately! Protect the emperor!"
The elite guards who stayed on the shore to organize order and the city defense soldiers responsible for outer security had already taken action.
They jumped onto the speedboat and paddled rapidly towards the center of the river where the sounds of killing were deafening.
On the colorful tents and stands built across the river from the Linshui Palace, the people were all terrified as they watched this assassination scene that only happened in operas.
Screams were heard everywhere and the crowd began to riot.
While Zhou Jingtao was directing order in the hall, he urgently ordered his men, "Quick! Evacuate the civilians! Escort the women and civilians to evacuate in an orderly manner!"
The Empress Dowager was supported by the palace maids, but she refused to leave.
"I am an old man, what am I afraid of?"
Her old but sharp eyes were fixed on the dark figure in the middle of the river, not daring to blink.
His dry fingers gripped the dragon-headed cane tightly, his knuckles turning white.
Wen Tingkuan and Liang Yuhe, as the Queen's family, lived in the same pavilion with the Grand Empress Dowager and the Queen Mother.
The emperor was in danger, and they were extremely anxious and refused to leave.
Wen Tingkuan's face turned pale, Liang Yuhe tightly grasped the handkerchief in her hand, and prayed in her heart.
They couldn't imagine how Li'er would bear it if something happened to the emperor!
Liang Yuhe forced herself to remain calm and said to her nieces Liang Qingyou and Liang Qingning, as well as Yunzhi, who had been staying at the Wen Mansion for over a month:
"It's too dangerous here. You three girls, quickly follow the servants of the Wen Mansion back to the mansion! Go!"
Seeing that their aunt and uncle refused to leave, Liang Qingyou and Liang Qingning shook their heads stubbornly.
"Aunt, we won't leave. We'll stay here with you and uncle!"
Yun Zhi followed Liang Qingyou, with her eyes lowered, and did not leave.
Her gaze was cast heavily towards the chaotic battle group in the middle of the river, and there was a darkness in the depths of her eyes.
Just as the fighting in the middle of the river seemed to be gradually under control, the guards and city defense soldiers who arrived later surrounded the remaining assassins.
The assassins were greatly outnumbered and were about to be completely annihilated.
Luo Yunzhen's eyes suddenly became distracted without any warning.
His pupils suddenly dilated and lost focus, and the hand holding the knife trembled violently, as if he was fighting against an invisible terrifying force.
He shook his head violently, almost roughly, and pressed his temples tightly with one hand. His knuckles turned white from excessive force, and the veins on his forehead bulged like earthworms.
When he raised his eyes again, those eyes that had been calm and loyal had turned red.
The crimson color was not bloodshot, but a strange, eerie color that seemed to be dripping with blood, filled with madness and violence.
In a flash!
The steel knife in his hand, with a tremendous force, stabbed at the back of Yan Shixu who was so close to him at lightning speed!
“Get out of the way—!!!”
Luo Yunzhen let out a wild roar of fear and despair, but he couldn't control the movements of his hands no matter what.
This change was too sudden and too unbelievable.
Yan Shixu had no guard against Luo Yunzhen, and the distance between them was too close.
When he heard the roar, his body instinctively tried to dodge sideways, but he was a moment too slow.
At the last moment, Luo Yunzhen almost used up the last bit of clarity in his soul.
He controlled his arm, which was completely driven by terrifying power, and forcibly moved the deadly tip of the knife about an inch away from the side of Yan Shixu's heart!
But this is the limit!
“Puff!”
The dull sound of a sharp weapon piercing flesh suddenly broke the brief silence.
The cold blade penetrated the dark suit without any hindrance and pierced through Yan Shixu's chest!
The hot blood gushed out instantly!
Yan Shixu's body suddenly stiffened. He turned his head very slowly and looked at the face behind him that was familiar to him, but was now distorted by pain and astonishment.
He opened his mouth and a large mouthful of boiling blood gushed out, splashing onto Luo Yunzhen's equally horrified and blood-stained face.
"Lao Luo! What are you doing!!!"
Su Muyang's voice was filled with boundless horror.
His eyes were bloodshot, and he pushed Luo Yunzhen away and caught Yan Shixu's body as he fell backwards.
…
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