He took out the brocade box from his bosom, gently opened it, and took out the letter.
She took a deep breath, stared at the letter in her hand, and a resolute glint flashed in her eyes.
Then, without hesitation, it was torn to pieces.
The owl took the fragment, walked to the campfire that had been prepared, and threw it into the fire.
The flames greedily licked the paper, devouring it completely until it turned to ashes and scattered in the wind.
Princess Mingyue felt a weight lifted from her heart as she watched this scene unfold.
Night Owl then helped Princess Bright Moon onto her horse, and then mounted his own.
He turned to look at Shadow One and Shadow Two, and said in a deep voice:
"Let's go!" With that, he spurred his horse, and the steed galloped off, heading swiftly towards Shannan Prefecture.
Shadow One and Shadow Two followed closely behind, and the group disappeared into the night.
Meanwhile, the team responsible for "delivering gifts" also began their operation.
Following Lu Yan's instructions, they meticulously prepared a special "gift"—a powerful thunderbolt.
Under the cover of night, they moved through the streets and alleys of the capital like ghosts.
Avoid the patrolling soldiers and the night watchmen.
Finally, they arrived outside the Prime Minister's residence.
The tall mansion gates were tightly closed, and the vermilion doors, studded with copper nails, reflected a cold light under the moonlight.
Several guards, armed with spears, patrolled back and forth, vigilantly watching their surroundings.
One of the team members took out a blueprint from his pocket and carefully examined it by the dim moonlight.
He pointed to a courtyard on the west side of the mansion and said in a low voice:
"According to intelligence, Liu An's study is there; we'll start our operation from there."
After he finished speaking, he made a gesture, indicating that the team members should disperse.
Like geckos, they clung to the high walls and silently infiltrated the Prime Minister's residence.
Several team members were responsible for guarding the perimeter, while the rest followed Cheetah straight to Liu An's study.
A loud bang.
The deafening noise shattered the tranquility of the night.
Flames shot into the sky, illuminating the Prime Minister's residence as if it were daytime.
The shockwave from the explosion shook the surrounding houses, sending rubble flying everywhere.
Liu An was awakened from his sleep by the sudden loud noise.
He sat up abruptly in bed, his face filled with terror.
He hurriedly threw on his clothes, stumbled outside, and shouted:
"Guards! Guards! What's happening outside?"
A disheveled servant rushed in in a panic.
He knelt before Liu An, his voice trembling, and said:
"My lord, there's been a sudden, deafening explosion inside the manor, with flames and debris blasting away nearby buildings..."
"I don't know what happened..."
As he spoke, his face was filled with terror, and his body trembled uncontrollably.
Liu An, without bothering to reprimand his servants, strode into the courtyard.
He looked at the scene before him, and his face instantly turned ashen.
From the direction of the study, flames soared into the sky, and thick smoke billowed.
His heart sank, and an ominous premonition surged into his mind.
He certainly didn't believe in magic.
"Such a powerful weapon could only be found in Shannan Prefecture. It must have been done by that brat Lu Yan!"
"Damn it!"
Liu An clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug deep into his flesh, and his eyes flashed with furious flames.
"Lu Yan! How dare you be so audacious! I will never let you live under the same sky!"
He turned abruptly and shouted sternly at the servant beside him:
"Quickly! Send people to investigate immediately! We must find out exactly what happened!"
The Prime Minister's residence was in complete disarray, with flames shooting into the sky.
The once ornate and painted buildings are now just ruins.
Broken tiles and sawdust were scattered everywhere.
Several men who looked like servants carried buckets of water and frantically tried to extinguish the few remaining flames.
A man dressed as a guard ran quickly to Liu An, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in a fist and said:
"My lord, I found something in the backyard..."
The guard's face showed a hint of fear, and his eyes flickered.
Liu An pushed aside another servant blocking his way and strode towards the backyard.
In a corner of the backyard, a charred iron lump lay quietly.
Liu An squatted down and carefully examined the iron lump.
He reached out, gently pinched a small piece of the remaining fragment with two fingers, and sniffed it.
A pungent smell of gunpowder wafted towards us.
Liu An suddenly stood up, his face ashen.
"Thunderclap... It really was him!"
He clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his flesh.
Liu An suddenly threw the shard in his hand to the ground, and the shard fell to the ground.
It made a crisp sound, just like his angry mood at that moment.
"This is outrageous!"
He growled through gritted teeth, veins bulging on his forehead as if they were about to burst.
He paced back and forth, his hands behind his back, his fingers tapping incessantly on his back, restless and anxious.
"Someone come here!"
Liu An suddenly stopped and shouted loudly into the courtyard.
A guard rushed over from a distance, panting, and knelt on one knee.
"What are your orders, Your Excellency?"
"Immediately send someone to summon the commander of the city defense forces. Tell him that the Prime Minister's residence has been attacked by unknown assailants, and order him to bring his troops here immediately!"
The guard obeyed and quickly disappeared into the night.
Liu An stared at the burning study, a sinister glint in his eyes.
"Lu Yan, do you think you can scare me like this? You're wrong! I'll make you pay!"
After saying that, he turned and left, walking into the house that had not been affected by the thunderous roar.
The dim candlelight flickered, casting its light on Liu An's gloomy face.
He sat on a carved wooden chair, clutching a letter tightly in his hand, his knuckles turning white.
The ink on the letter was still wet, and his anger was evident between the lines.
"Colleagues, tonight, the Prime Minister's residence was suddenly attacked by villains."
"Important documents within the residence were severely damaged, and the number of casualties within the residence was also extremely high..."
In his letter, Liu An described last night's attack as a living hell.
He deliberately omitted the matter of the thunderclap, instead emphasizing the precious books and paintings lost in the mansion.
And the innocent servants who died or were injured, in order to incite the anger of the other ministers.
"All indications suggest that this attack was carried out by Lu Yan, the magistrate of Shannan County."
"This man is extremely arrogant, disregards the law, and treats the court's laws as nothing."
"Now they have become even more audacious, openly attacking the residence of the current prime minister. Their crime deserves death!"
"I earnestly request that all my colleagues join me in submitting a joint petition to His Majesty, ordering that this official be severely punished as a warning to others!"
After writing the last sentence, Liu An put down his pen heavily and rubbed his aching temples.
He carefully folded the letter, put it in an envelope, sealed it with sealing wax, and then summoned his trusted guard.
"Send these letters out immediately,"
Liu An gave the order in a deep voice.
"Remember, you must deliver this to the esteemed officials personally, without fail!"
The guard took the letter, bowed, accepted the order, and quickly disappeared into the night.
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