The two sword-wielding assassins struck their targets and retreated like ghosts, silently disappearing into the shadows on either side of the hall.
It was as if he had simply brushed away the dust and done the most insignificant little thing.
Xu Shenzhi landed lightly, his wide sleeves fluttering slightly to extinguish a few sparks that had landed on him.
He glanced down at the scorch mark on the hem of his clothes, shook his head, and spoke with genuine regret:
"It's a pity that this newly arrived Yun brocade is wasted. The material is excellent."
He raised his eyes, his gaze slowly turning to Qin Jingheng, and took a step forward at a leisurely pace.
That face, which usually wore a humble and gentle smile, now only had a chilling calm and detachment, as if a carefully crafted mask had been torn off.
Qin Jingheng was consumed by rage, almost burning away all his reason.
He couldn't tolerate that this trusted advisor, who had followed him for many years, had dealt him such a fatal blow at the most crucial moment. The humiliation of being completely betrayed and manipulated was unbearable for him.
"you……"
He was about to reprimand him sternly when his gaze suddenly met Xu Shenzhi's unfathomable eyes, and his heart skipped a beat.
An invisible, immense pressure instantly gripped him, causing him to choke on his words.
Xu Shenzhi had already walked up to him and extended his hand.
Qin Jingheng instinctively took three steps back, his back almost hitting the cold wall, his face full of vigilance.
However, Xu Shenzhi did not reach out to him, but instead bent down and picked up the bright yellow scroll from the messy ground.
He then righted the overturned rosewood table.
With a casual wave of his wide sleeves, a gentle breeze arose out of nowhere, sweeping away all the remaining oil and wine stains on the table, leaving it spotless.
Only then did he gently place the document, which was sufficient to establish the crime of treason, on the table.
Qin Jingheng stared intently at his every move, his teeth grinding together.
"Who...who are you! A member of one of the four great families?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Shenzhi chuckled softly, a chuckle carrying an indescribable meaning:
"Your Highness flatters me. Shenzhi does not have such a noble background; he is merely a middleman who makes connections."
Ha, a middleman?
Without abundant resources and top-notch cultivation techniques, how could a broker quietly cultivate to the third-grade Divine Martial Realm?
This lie is so clumsy and ridiculous!
Xu Shenzhi stopped looking at him and turned his gaze to the four aristocratic family representatives who remained seated as still as mountains.
"Gentlemen, we've had enough of the show. It's time to show His Highness some real sincerity."
Wang Yun didn't say much, but simply raised his hand and clapped his hands lightly.
The crisp sound of clapping was exceptionally clear in the quiet hall.
The next moment, a sharp whistle suddenly rang out in the courtyard!
A specially made whistling arrow shot into the sky, trailing a dazzling tail of flame, and exploded in the night sky, bursting into a spectacular display of fireworks.
The moment the fireworks lit up the sky, countless figures suddenly appeared in the darkness surrounding the Protectorate's residence.
They were dressed in uniform armor, but were not part of a large military force. They swiftly broke through the weak defenses surrounding the official residence and poured directly into the mansion.
They act swiftly and coordinate perfectly, killing any guards or servants who try to resist or raise an alarm on the spot with a swift stroke of their blades.
Their steps never faltered, and they marched with a clear objective toward encircling the core area.
The whole process was so fast it was breathtaking; there were hardly any screams, only the dull thud of weapons cutting into bodies and the sound of corpses falling to the ground.
Qin Jingheng frowned, puzzled.
But just a moment later, he heard heavy footsteps and the sound of armor plates colliding outside.
The dining hall doors had already been shattered in the previous fight, and his gaze was unobstructed as he looked into the courtyard.
Under the moonlight, the courtyard was already filled with a dense array of armored soldiers.
It was a dark, silent mass, as still as a mountain.
Their armor reflected a cold, icy light, and a strong, menacing aura mixed with the damp, fishy smell unique to the south wafted towards us.
Qin Jingheng was deeply shaken!
He had been in southern Xinjiang for more than half a month and was not completely ignorant of military affairs.
These armored warriors... their faces were deep-set, their skin was mostly dark, and their hair was either braided into intricate plaits or adorned with unique feathered bone hairpins, which was certainly not the appearance of the people of Daqian.
And there was that wild, untamed, and defiant glint in their eyes...
These people are all tribal barbarians from the jungles of southern Xinjiang!
This is outrageous! It's truly outrageous!
It turns out that Xu Shenzhi and the four great families had long been colluding with the tribes of the Southern Frontier!
Qin Jingheng felt a chill run down his spine, and a bone-chilling cold shot from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
He felt like an innocent prey, stepping step by step into a trap that the hunter had meticulously woven over an unknown period of time.
How did so many soldiers from the southern border manage to infiltrate the core area of the Protectorate so quietly?
Their distinctive appearances made it impossible for them to operate in large numbers undetected, unless...
Unless one of the border generals has already plotted a rebellion!
"Xu Shenzhi! You...you really intend to rebel and treason?!"
Qin Jingheng's voice distorted with extreme anger and fear.
Xu Shenzhi shook his head, a look of almost pity on his face:
"At this point, Your Highness still refuses to face reality?"
However, this personality trait is also a good thing; once forced to accept the facts, His Highness can always quickly find reasons to convince himself.
He pointed to the document on the desk:
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