Upon hearing Mu Jin's words, the assassin burst into laughter.
"We were just ordinary people, living a hard life like ants in this world."
"Back then, we were just ordinary members of the Heyang Canal Transport Gang. The imperial court only asked us to transport goods, and we didn't pay much attention to it. We only knew that the freight cost was much higher than before."
"Later we found out they were making us transport smuggled salt, so we quit. But once we got on this pirate ship, how could we get off easily? Those officials were too powerful. How could ordinary people fight against them? What could we use to fight them?"
“They saw that we were skilled in martial arts, so besides helping them sell salt, they would occasionally kill a few political enemies or people like that. They tattooed the words ‘serious criminal’ on our faces and held our families hostage. We had no choice but to do it, but all we did for them was to survive.”
When Mu Jin and Eleven heard the assassin say this, it was beyond their expectations. They had previously thought that the assassins were fugitives who had gone out to become assassins, but now it seemed that they were just ordinary people who had been taken in by corrupt officials and made into puppets.
"So, which official wanted my life, Mu Jin? And why did they want my life?"
The assassin laughed and said, "I hope that if I tell you, Miss Mu will give me a quick death. If I am caught and thrown into prison, I will eventually return to those people and die anyway. Between dying at their hands and dying at Miss Mu's hands, I would rather die at Miss Mu's hands."
"you say!"
“We lowly commoners are only fit to carry out orders. We don’t know the specific reasons for assassinating people. I only found out by chance this time.”
"Is the assassination target not only Miss Mu, but also this eleventh brother beside her?"
Upon hearing the assassin's words, the two exchanged a shocked glance.
Who is that person?
"Zhang Zheng, the historian of salt and iron in Heyang!"
Zhang Zheng, the Salt and Iron Commissioner? What rank is this Salt and Iron Commissioner? Does he oversee salt or iron? Mu Jin couldn't help but wonder.
"As far as I can remember, I have never offended Zhang Zheng, the Salt and Iron Commissioner."
The assassin said, "In recent years, Zhang Zhengzhong has been lining his own pockets and making a fortune. I'm afraid his health isn't good enough to enjoy the enormous wealth he's made through such unscrupulous means."
"He somehow learned that Emperor Nangong Shenzong gave the emperor a longevity pill every year, and he wanted a few of those pills that the emperor took. He wanted so many at once, so it's likely that he wasn't just taking them himself."
As soon as the name "Nangong Shenzong" was mentioned, Mu Jin and Eleven knew who was really after them. However, what they didn't know was that it also implicated corrupt officials.
"Zhang Zheng has been begging for the divine medicine from the Nangong Divine Sect, but even with piles of silver, he couldn't get a single pill. Recently, the people from the Nangong Divine Sect have relented and said that if Zhang Zheng finds a few experts to kill Miss Mu and the eleventh brother, then the Nangong Divine Sect will agree to sell Zhang Zheng two divine pills."
"I see, then my life and Eleven's life are really valuable." Mu Jin laughed, while Eleven stood beside her, clenching her hands tightly.
"At first, I didn't understand why the Nangong Shenzong would kill Miss Mu. Later, I learned that only the Nangong Shenzong could cure this plague. Now, Miss Mu has actually developed a medicine to counteract the plague and is distributing it to the people for free. It must have threatened the interests of the Nangong Shenzong, which is why they had Zhang Zheng find someone to kill you."
Mu Jin nodded.
The assassin said, "We know that Miss Mu is the Guanyin Bodhisattva who saves the people, yet we still try to assassinate you, you are worse than pigs and dogs. But the lives of our family members are in Zhang Zheng's hands. We only ask that Miss Mu give us a quick death and end our lives with one sword."
Mu Jin looked at the assassin, sneered, and stood up. She drew the sword from Eleven's hand. Upon seeing this, the assassin smiled and closed his eyes, as if being killed by Mu Jin was a very lucky thing.
A piercing sword cry rang out, and a flash of sword light appeared in the air as Mu Jin's sword swiftly and deftly sliced through the ropes binding the assassin.
"Go away. I hope you can take your family and find a new place to live. If I find out you are harming people, I will kill you no matter if you have no choice."
Upon hearing Mu Jin's words, the assassin was overjoyed and immediately knelt before Mu Jin, kowtowing three times deeply.
"I am grateful to Miss Mu for sparing my life. If there is an afterlife, I will repay Miss Mu by serving her like a cow or a horse."
Mu Jin sneered: "You should try to escape first. Judging by the time, the government officials will be here soon."
With red eyes, the assassin kowtowed deeply to Mu Jin once more, then, clutching his injured arm, leaped up and fled from the roof of the general's mansion.
Watching the assassin leave, Eleven slowly took the sword back from Mu Jin's hand. He gripped the sword tightly in his hand, paused for a moment, and then rushed out of the woodshed as if he were making some kind of decision.
Seeing Eleven like this, Mu Jin's heart skipped a beat, and as if by instinct, she rushed out after Eleven.
Where are you going for the National Day holiday?
Shiyi paused only briefly before continuing to walk briskly forward.
"Stop right there!" Mu Jin shouted at Eleven.
Mu Jin's reprimand was somewhat urgent and angry, but in the end, Eleven couldn't bear to see Mu Jin stop in her tracks because of him.
He slowly turned around and watched Mu Jin walk towards him step by step. He pursed his lips, his eyes unfathomable.
"I'm going back to the Nangong Divine Sect to kill Nangong Ce, so he won't come to harm Miss."
Mu Jin smiled at Eleven: "Come back, don't be impulsive."
Eleven stood still, gripping the sword in his hand tighter and tighter, his face full of struggle.
Mu Jin stood in front of Eleven, gently took Eleven's hands that were gripping the long sword, and slowly removed them from his grasp.
"It's not the right time yet. Once I've gathered enough food for Father and safely delivered it to the other side, I'll accompany you back to the Nangong Divine Sect and reclaim everything that Nangong Ce took from you."
“Since Nangong Ce sent people to assassinate you and me, it means he already knows that I still exist in this world. He will not let me go. If I stay by Miss’s side, it will only endanger Miss’s safety.”
Eleven forced a smile and said to Mu Jin, "Don't worry, ever since I regained my memories, I've been practicing the Heart-Questioning Sword technique that my father taught me whenever I have time. Although I've only reached the ninth level, it's more than enough to deal with Nangong Ce."
"But I'm worried about you going alone, and I need you right now."
The need for Eleven is secondary; the main concern is that Eleven shouldn't be allowed to return to Nangong Shenzong alone.
When Shiyi heard Mu Jin say she needed him, his tense expression relaxed slightly. He remained silent for a long time before finally smiling at Mu Jin: "I'll do whatever you say, Miss."
Just then, Qing'er ran in from the outer courtyard and handed Mu Jin a letter.
"Miss, Li Yansong from Heyang Prefecture requests an audience. He says he's here because of the assassins from last night."
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