The fact that such a large number of assassins could appear in Fucheng under these circumstances, and that the target of the assassination was Yu Nanqing, made the prefect sweat profusely.
"Investigate." Yu Nanqing didn't say much, only uttering a single word in a deep voice.
"Yes!" The prefect dared not disobey and hurriedly replied, "This humble official will immediately send someone to investigate!"
For a moment, the entire temple was engrossed in fighting the fire. Su Wanyan looked left and right, then took Yu Nanqing's arm and walked towards a corner: "Come with me."
Once everyone was alone, Su Wanyan asked, "Didn't you know there were assassins?"
Yu Nanqing raised an eyebrow slightly: "Why does Yan'er ask that?"
Su Wanyan pinched his waist: "Don't play dumb. You can fool others, but you can't fool me."
She leaned closer to Yu Nanqing, almost pressing her entire body against his chest: "You've been so carefree these past few days, did you already foresee that something would happen tonight?"
After saying that, she narrowed her eyes again: "No wonder you insisted on inviting me out today. If I didn't come out, wouldn't those assassins have no chance?"
Yu Nanqing is not the kind of person who ignores the bigger picture; he would never neglect the safety of Fucheng because of what is happening in the capital.
Yu Nanqing became anxious: "No."
He lowered his eyes and took Su Wanyan's hand: "I really wanted to prepare a surprise for Yan'er, it just happens to be the Mid-Autumn Festival."
On the fifteenth of August, a day of folk celebrations, crowds gather and people flock to the streets. Even those who don't usually go out will come out to join the festivities, making it the perfect day for an assassin to commit a crime.
However, Yu Nanqing had prepared a surprise for Su Wanyan early this morning, and naturally did not want to miss the festival with his beloved.
Yu Nanqing said, "The Empress Dowager had already placed her people in the city long ago. I originally thought this was just a gathering of information, but I didn't expect..."
I didn't expect them to take action directly.
This was unexpected for Yu Nanqing.
Yu Nanqing's words left Su Wanyan skeptical: "Did you really not expect this, or did you already think of it but choose not to stop it?"
"..."
Seeing this, Su Wanyan pinched him again: "I told you it was the latter. The only thing you didn't expect was that they would choose to assassinate him on the Mid-Autumn Festival! After all, the bigger the incident, the harder it would be for them to escape! But unfortunately, such a festive occasion is the best time to make their move."
"The surprise is real!" Yu Nanqing's body stiffened from being pinched, and he grasped her mischievous little hand: "I really wanted to spend the Mid-Autumn Festival with Yan'er today..."
This is also why he was so angry.
“I didn’t say you weren’t,” Su Wanyan said with a glance.
Yu Nanqing lowered his eyes and pursed his lips, looking a bit like a child who had done something wrong. He pinched the ribbon on Su Wanyan's dress with his index finger and thumb, seemingly pondering it with great grievance.
Seeing him like this, Su Wanyan couldn't help but laugh and took his hand: "Don't just stand there, let's go."
"Back to the manor?" Yu Nanqing asked cautiously.
Su Wanyan picked up the butterfly lantern that had just fallen and gently brushed off the dust: "There are still lanterns to release. Let's release the lanterns before going back."
Yu Nanqing's eyes brightened slightly: "The wishing lantern was burned just now, Yan'er, would you like to write another one?"
Yu Nanqing's tone was expectant, which Su Wanyan noticed. She turned around and smiled, "I'll do the reading, and you do the writing?"
"good!"
Su Wanyan didn't pay much attention to the assassination attempt during the Mid-Autumn Festival; she focused her attention on her personal weapon.
Yu Nanqing did not leave his home the day after the assassination attempt. The information gathered by the household was not deliberately kept from Su Wanyan. Luo Xue was ordered to report back to Su Wanyan.
As for the prefect, if the other party is indeed the Empress Dowager's person, the cleanup work will definitely be done flawlessly, and the probability of finding the person behind it is zero. Not to mention having no hope at all, it is common for such cases to drag on for a year or two.
In early September, the weather in Fuzhou was pleasantly clear.
One day, Su Wanyan and Yu Nanqing were chatting in the pavilion in the front yard when Wang Zhang hurriedly entered from the gate and handed over a secret letter: "Your Highness, a secret letter from General Lü."
Su Wanyan and Yu Nanqing both looked at the small note in Wang Zhang's hand, then exchanged a glance before Yu Nanqing slowly reached out and took the secret letter.
Su Wanyan wisely lowered her eyes, picked up the teacup on the table, and took a small sip.
Yu Nanqing glanced at it, then handed the secret letter to Su Wanyan, who put down her teacup and accepted it.
"Yan'er, you don't need to be so cautious. What I know, Yan'er also knows."
Su Wanyan smiled and said, "I knew you would say that. I was just putting on an act."
She knew that Yu Nanqing had no intention of deliberately hiding anything from her, and she also knew that if she wanted to know, Yu Nanqing would try his best to explain things to Su Wanyan, even if it was difficult for him to explain clearly.
But one thing is one thing. Just because Yu Nanqing is willing to pamper her doesn't mean she can really do whatever she wants. She still needs to have basic self-awareness.
As if knowing Su Wanyan's thoughts, Yu Nanqing smiled helplessly and shook his head.
He glanced at the secret letter and fell silent for a moment.
The Empress Dowager mobilized the troops within the territory, and they are now moving around Fuzhou as the center. Specifically, the garrison troops of several cities around Fuzhou have been assembled, and the military deployment between cities and cities has also changed.
Su Wanyan returned the note to Yu Nanqing: "Is the Empress Dowager trying to encircle and suppress you?"
"It wasn't explicitly stated."
Su Wanyan nodded: "Understood."
Ultimately, the grudge between the Empress Dowager and Yu Nanqing has not been made public. Even if they guessed correctly, the Empress Dowager could use the excuse of military sparring to brush it off.
Of course, such a thing could not be openly discussed. If that day truly came, it would be the day the two armies went to war.
“The Empress Dowager needs a reason to take action against us.” Otherwise, given the Empress Dowager’s temperament, she would have already lost her temper, Su Wanyan said.
Yu Nanqing destroyed the Bai family of Fucheng a few days ago, but the interests and collusion involved have already been reported to the court, and the Empress Dowager should not use this as an excuse.
Thinking of the assassination attempt on Mid-Autumn Festival, Su Wanyan asked again, "Did the Empress Dowager discover that you were deploying military forces behind the scenes?"
Yu Nanqing remained noncommittal: "A single hair can affect the whole situation; the Empress Dowager is not one to wait passively for something to happen."
She was already extremely wary of Yu Nanqing, and she saw everything he did, so it wasn't surprising that she could sense his intentions.
At this point, the die is cast and the situation is likely beyond repair.
Su Wanyan lowered her eyes and took another sip of tea: "It's already September, and winter will be here soon."
Yu Nanqing knew what Su Wanyan was talking about, and couldn't help but get up and go behind Su Wanyan, gently stroking her hair with both hands, wanting to re-style her hair.
A soft, deep voice drifted from his lips: "I'll leave the city in the middle of the month. Yan'er, wait for me."
Su Wanyan drank the tea in her hand in one gulp: "I understand."
There was something she had never asked Yu Nanqing: if he really seized power from the Empress Dowager, who would ultimately be in power?
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