Chapter 354 The Mastermind Behind It
Zhuiying and the other four formed a circle, protecting Yun Zhaoxue in the middle.
The men in black surrounded them, their swords clashing and sparks flying.
"Clang! Clang!"
The shadow that was protecting her was attacked by two men in black and couldn't break free.
Someone attacked her from behind, a knife aimed straight at her heart.
Yun Zhaoxue spun around to dodge, her two daggers drawn like fangs from their sheaths. Her left dagger parried the slashing blade, while her right dagger plunged into the ribs of the person in front.
She drew her sword, blood splattering everywhere, and another sword stabbed at her neck from the side.
She ducked to avoid it, and with a precise movement, severed the man's wrist with her dagger.
A group of men in black fell, but then they kept appearing from nowhere, as if they were endless.
The swords in Zhuiying's and Zhufeng's hands, as well as their faces and bodies, were stained red with blood. Zhufeng shouted, "Zhuiying, you escort the princess away first."
Zhuiying kicked aside a man in black and ran to Yun Zhaoxue's side, grabbing her arm.
Yun Zhaoxue shook her head at him, "Hold your breath!"
Yun Zhaoxue took out several smoke bombs from her sleeve and threw them to the ground, where they exploded into thick white smoke.
Before the man in black could react, the sleeping gas he inhaled penetrated his lungs.
"Clang!" The sounds of swords falling to the ground rang out one after another. Before the smoke had even cleared, the dark figures had already collapsed to the ground.
After a short while, the smoke dissipated, and Yun Zhaoxue and the others emerged from the bushes behind them.
Zhu Feng squatted down and pulled off the mask of one of the men in black. Judging from their appearance, they were from the south, and from their accents, they were clearly locals.
They checked them for anything that might indicate their identity, but found nothing.
"Princess, what should we do with these people?"
No sooner had he finished speaking than a dozen flaming arrows flew towards them, "Whoosh whoosh whoosh!!!"
Qiu Feng reacted quickly, drawing his sword to defend himself while protecting Yun Zhaoxue as they retreated. The arrows struck the black men on the ground, and their corpses were set ablaze.
The rocket's arrowhead, coated with tung oil, quickly burned to a crisp. Those still alive were awakened by the flames, writhing on the ground and screaming, "Ahhh, it hurts so much! It's on fire..."
Yun Zhaoxue casually picked up an arrow from the ground.
"Just who is this guy? How could he afford to go to such lengths? Sending out dozens of assassins, along with bows and arrows."
The Great Zhou Code stipulated that private ownership of crossbows, armor, spears, etc., was a serious crime.
She didn't know much about the bows and arrows of this era, but the arrowheads were sharp and the workmanship was exquisite, so it was clear that they came from a very important source.
"Take a look and see what kind of arrow this is?"
Zhu Fengjie went over to investigate and said, "These are specially made rockets, mostly found in the southeastern coastal areas. They are equipped by the imperial army and are specifically used to burn camps and boats."
Yun Zhaoxue said, "The only person in the imperial court who can mobilize so many people is probably the prefect."
"Go and investigate who that prefect is. Investigate the situation in Nanhai County as well."
She remembered that the original novel mentioned a rebellion in the south, but that happened more than ten years after Zhao Xuan ascended the throne. Now it happened more than ten years earlier. With the court in a state of emergency, the war in the north was intense, and now there was a rebellion in the south. It was like having a fire in the backyard.
A temporary ceasefire was reached in the north, but the promising situation was jeopardized by the war in the south, resulting in a missed opportunity to recover the Central Plains. Later, Xiao Xuance was executed, and the two countries made peace.
To ensure there are no worries about the future, we must first eliminate any potential problems.
"Does the princess doubt Prefect Pu? Prefect Pu is deeply loved by the people of Lingnan and governs effectively. Under his rule, the people of Panyu and Nanhai counties have lived a good life, and he has also influenced merchants and talents from all walks of life in the surrounding areas to gather in Lingnan."
It can be said that the entire Lingnan region was his territory. They had no roots, no soldiers, and no power in Lingnan. If they went against him, they might not even be able to save their lives.
“Princess, if it really is that Lord Pu, we have no chance of winning. The Crown Prince has ordered us to protect the safety of the Princess and the Queen. I will send you away first, and then we can discuss this further.”
“That’s what I think too. We can’t stay in Panyu County anymore. It’s probably not safe in the whole of Lingnan. Let’s head north first and meet up with the young master and the others.”
"The north isn't safe either, and if the south falls into chaos, there won't be a safe place anywhere on the continent. So we can't leave; we must stay and fight them to the end!"
“Princess, even if you don’t think about yourself, you should think about the two young masters.”
"No need to persuade me anymore. I've thought it through. To catch the thief, catch the leader first. Before they're on guard, kill a few to sacrifice to the flag."
Zhu Feng and the others still wanted to persuade them.
Yun Zhaoxue used Xiao Xuance to pressure them, saying, "Before you left, the Crown Prince told you all to listen to me."
They couldn't persuade her otherwise, so if there was any danger, they would have no choice but to protect her with their lives.
...
Pei Ming was locked in a prison cart, and the people threw rotten vegetable leaves at him and spat on him, shouting, "Traitor, traitor, corrupt official, murderer, may you die a horrible death..."
"Give me back my father's life! Give me back my mother's life! Give me back my son's life!"
“That murderous, corrupt official took our loved ones away to find doctors to treat them and prevent the spread of the epidemic, but instead he’s going to bury them alive. My son is only three years old! How could you be so cruel?”
"You're worse than an animal, you inhuman creature."
"May that beast die a horrible death..."
"Kill him! Kill him! Kill him!..."
He was then taken to the execution platform.
The sun rose directly overhead, and the executioner swiftly tossed the object down with a single stroke, yelling, "Execute!"
"Snap!"
His head fell to the ground and rolled a few times. He saw a headless corpse. He was terrified and broke out in a cold sweat. He kicked his legs and opened his eyes. Everything was pitch black. He was still alive. It was a dream.
Suddenly, something touched her neck, startling her so much that her eyes widened. Before she could even scream, the other person silenced her by pressing her pressure point.
"Don't make a sound! You'll have to answer whatever I ask, or I'll kill you all, you hear me?"
Pei Ming blinked repeatedly and nodded frantically.
Mother, he doesn't want to die, someone please save him!
Zhu Feng released his pressure points, "Who are you working for?"
Pei Ming shook his head; he couldn't say it, or he'd be killed.
Suddenly, a chill ran down her neck, followed by a burning pain. Startled, she cried out, "I'll talk, I'll talk! It was that Feng Zhang! He threatened to kill me if I didn't work for him! Everyone, I was forced into this! Please let me go! I won't do it again!"
"Anything else? Confess honestly, or I'll grant your wish."
"No, no, no, I'll tell you, but you have to promise me you won't say I told you."
"Speak quickly!"
"No, no, don't kill me! I'll talk about it, and about that Prefect Pu too."
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