133. Assassination

"Master, this Xingzhou governor Zhou Haiyi is Lou Kui's eldest son-in-law." Song Yan rode forward and whispered beside Liang Shenyu, "I don't believe what they said about hosting a banquet to welcome us. They definitely have bad intentions."

"We have to take this route." Liang Shenyu glanced at him calmly, "Besides, I have to go through this route today."

Song Yan looked puzzled, "Why?"

"Let me ask you." Liang Shenyu smiled, "Does Zhou Haiyi dare to do anything to me?"

Song Yan shook his head repeatedly, "Looking at the imperial court, who dares to touch our Dingbei Marquis Mansion!"

"Then what are you worried about?" Liang Shenyu said, his eyes suddenly became deep, and he chuckled to himself: "Who knows, there may be people who overestimate their own abilities."

As Jinbei arrived at the city gate, a man dressed as a servant came forward and saluted, saying, "Who is the Marquis of Dingbei?"

"It is me," Liang Shenyu said.

The servant smiled and said, "My master heard that the Marquis of Dingbei was passing through here, so he is holding a banquet in his mansion and is waiting for the Marquis."

Liang Shenyu said amiably, "That's not necessary. I have military duties to attend to and cannot delay. I would like to ask you to give me a passage so that I can return to Qiangzhou as soon as possible."

The servant hesitated and said, "It is because you and your brothers who are on the Jinbei Iron Cavalry have been tired from the march. My master has prepared food and drink for you brothers. You don't have to worry. Stay for a while and have a simple meal. Then you and your brothers will set off again."

"Mr. Zhou is thoughtful. Then lead the way." Liang Shenyu nodded gently, turned around and said to Wu Jie in a pointed way, "Control the generals and don't act recklessly."

Wu Jie nodded in understanding: "I understand."

Liang Shenyu was brought into the Zhou residence, and indeed saw that the Zhou family had set up a banquet. Zhou Haiyi was over forty years old, and had been a military officer, so even though his hair and beard were gray, he was still tall and strong. When he saw Liang Shenyu coming, he immediately came forward to greet him with a smile on his face.

"My Lord! My Lord, your presence in my humble abode is truly a great honor to me!" Zhou Haiyi said as he made a "please" gesture and said warmly, "My Lord, you have traveled a long way and must have been very tired. Please take a seat."

"You're welcome, sir." Liang Shenyu was wearing armor and no longer had a casual attitude. He was as handsome and upright as a spear.

After taking their seats, Zhou Haiyi clapped his hands, and immediately beautiful dancers came forward to dance, all holding long swords. Silks fluttered, music sounded, and sword dances were performed.

Liang Shenyu raised his eyebrows slightly when he saw this scene. This was not the simple meal that had been agreed upon at the beginning.

As expected, as soon as the table was opened, Zhou Haiyi began to persuade Liang Shenyu to drink, but Liang Shenyu did not touch the glass and declined, saying, "I am busy with military duties and cannot drink. I am afraid that I will let you down."

"Hey, that's nothing." Zhou Haiyi said with a smile, "We haven't even reached the battlefield yet, and there are only you and me here. If the Marquis has a drink, naturally no one will know!"

Liang Shenyu sat as still as a pine tree, unmoved. "No need. The border troops are pressing in, and the capital has been hit by an earthquake. I have no mood for drinking and having fun. I'm afraid that your Excellency has not intended to have such a feast today."

Zhou Haiyi didn't look angry, but just said slowly, "My Lord, why are you doing this? It's time to enjoy yourself, don't you know how to have fun?"

"Oh?" Liang Shenyu sat alone in the hall, with no one around him, but he was calm. He raised the wine glass but did not drink it. He said slowly: "I don't know what you mean by this, sir?"

Zhou Haiyi's wine glass knocked on the table with a muffled sound. The dancers stopped one after another, and a cold light flashed between the fluttering silk and satin. As soon as the music stopped, the murderous intent suddenly surged and filled the air.

"Why bother, Lord?" Zhou Haiyi raised his head and smiled, "If we had eaten this meal of wine and meat, we could have gone peacefully. But now, you have to see bloodshed."

Liang Shenyu did not touch the food and wine, so Zhou Haiyi knew that he was on guard. He shook his head and sighed, "It's a pity that I treat you with such courtesy, so why not - take action!"

The servants in the room all pulled out their blades from under the tables and chairs and attacked immediately. Liang Shenyu's expression remained the same. He stood up abruptly, hooked his toes on Xiaoji and kicked out, blocking all the approaching people. During this gap, he unsheathed his sword, and the sharp thin blade was immediately stained with scarlet blood. His sword was to take people's lives as soon as it was unsheathed, and it was so fast that only a silver light was left, and he had already pierced the dancer's heart with the sword.

Zhou Haiyi sneered in a deep voice: "He is the only one here, kill him quickly!"

Liang Shenyu, seemingly imprisoned, was calm and composed. Wherever his sword swept, someone would fall down, and no one could get close to him. It was dusk, and the remaining sunlight came in through the window, illuminating the blood-red ground.

"Bang--"

The tightly closed door was kicked open. Song Yan was about to withdraw his foot with his sword in hand. When he saw the situation in the room, he immediately rushed into the battle circle. He grew up with Liang Shenyu when he was young, so naturally they studied martial arts together. Although his martial arts were not as good as those of Dingbei Marquis and Wu Jie, and he did not know how to use troops, he was at least Dingbei Marquis's trusted guard and had some boxing skills. He easily killed his way into the battle, and scolded him relentlessly: "Old bastard, I knew you had bad intentions! We brothers dare not touch the wine and meat you prepared. Look carefully, who said that our master is the only one here?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Jie had led the Jinbei cavalry into the courtyard of the Zhou Mansion. Wu Jie, dressed in armor and holding a heavy sword, was full of murderous intent. He was unaware of the blood on his face. The scar on his face made him look even more ferocious, like a murderous wolf.

Song Yan was more confident and said leisurely, "Wu Jie, there's blood on your face! Can you be more careful?"

"Okay." Wu Jie agreed, and immediately reached out to wipe off the drop of blood, and then said loudly: "My Lord, how is it?"

Liang Shenyu had already gotten out of the way and was walking towards Zhou Haiyi calmly, smiling as he said, "Nothing."

Zhou Haiyi realized at this moment that a disaster was about to happen. He stood up and tried to escape. However, before he could take a few steps, he was kicked hard in the knee. He immediately collapsed to the ground screaming in pain.

"Lord Zhou still doesn't know me well enough to use such a crude killing plan." Liang Shenyu smiled gently, "Back then, the Xiongnu set up a trap to kill me, and at least mobilized hundreds of elite soldiers. How can a few useless people in this room who can only show off their skills want to take my life?"

He was wearing armor, and the sword in his hand was still dripping with blood. Even if his smile was kind at the moment, in Zhou Haiyi's eyes he was no different from a deadly evil spirit.

“You…you…”

Zhou Haiyi squirmed and shrank back, knowing that he had stumbled today. He said in a trembling voice: "You and the Regent King have been in collusion, disrupting the government and controlling the government. You... are treacherous ministers and thieves! Everyone should punish you! Marquis Dingbei! If you can turn back from your mistakes, there is still a way to retreat! I tell you, the Regent King will not be able to be arrogant for much longer!"

Liang Shenyu was not angry, but smiled and nodded slowly.

"Yes, I am indeed..." Liang Shenyu raised his sword with a smile, and in the horrified eyes of Zhou Haiyi, he said softly: "Rebel, minister."

The sword flashed and blood spurted out.

Liang Shenyu put away his sword unmoved, snorted and sneered, and ordered coldly: "Don't spare any of them, arrest Zhou Haiyi's family."

He was originally a traitor, so what? The emperor can be unjust, and the ministers can be disloyal.

After a while, Wu Jie came forward and reported in a deep voice: "My Lord, the assassins have been executed." He paused and asked again: "My Lord, why didn't you leave them alive?"

"No need." Liang Shenyu glanced at Zhou Haiyi's body and narrowed his eyes slightly. "Have you done what I asked you to do?"

Wu Jie nodded and said, "Don't worry, my Lord. The person has been escorted to the capital. Please hurry up and send him to the capital before the New Year."

"Well then." Liang Shenyu's smile was icy cold, without a trace of warmth. "Then send another great gift to His Majesty on my behalf!"

.

Near the end of the year, it snowed again in Jinjing, and the glazed tiles were covered with snow. The disaster victims in Tong County had been resettled, and people in the streets almost spread the rumor that the Regent was the reincarnation of a Bodhisattva.

More than ten days had passed since Liang Shenyu left Beijing, and Rongse had no news of him. Nearing dinner time, Rongse was cooking soup in the kitchen, stirring the pot slowly with a wooden spoon.

Lan Ying, who was standing not far away, hugged her shoulders, her mouth twitching slightly. Finally, she turned away, unable to bear to look directly at the scene, and whispered to Yun Chu beside her: "...Can we still eat this dinner?"

Yun Chu looked deeply at the prince's pot of soup which was already disgusting. He could even smell the burnt smell of the dry pot and could only shake his head.

The brother and sister sighed silently at the same time.

The first two days after Dingbei Hou left the capital were fine, but within two days, the prince was not in a good state. He went to court and handled state affairs normally, but the food in the palace...

It's really hard to swallow.

After the brother and sister looked at each other, they both smelled a burnt smell. They hurriedly looked back and saw flames suddenly appearing in the pot. Rong Se seemed to have just come to his senses and was frightened, and the wooden spoon fell to the ground.

"My Lord!"

"master!"

The brother and sister immediately rushed over one after the other. Rong Se, who was still confused, was pushed out of the stove room. Yun Chu put out the fire before it burned the roof.

Rong Se stood at the door with a complicated expression. After the brother and sister came out covered in dust, he lowered his eyes and said, "I was careless."

"...It's not a big deal." Lan Ying tried to understand, "How about, Your Majesty, you go back and rest first? I'll call you after dinner is ready."

Rong Se almost burned the stove in the room, so he nodded gently in silence. Just as he was about to leave, a servant came running over.

"My Lord! A letter from Marquis Dingbei!"

Rong Se turned his head sharply and said, "Bring it here."

This was the first time Rong Se heard from Liang Shenyu since he left Beijing. When he took the letter, his fingertips trembled unconsciously and he couldn't wait to open it. He was already very familiar with Liang Shenyu's handwriting, which was just like him, vigorous and unrestrained. When he saw the familiar pen strokes, Rong Se's heart, which had been in a state of anxiety for the past few days, seemed to settle down instantly.

There was no mention of official business in the letter, only Liang Shenyu's busy marching day and night in the past few days, and his thoughts when he had no free time. As Rong Se read it, she could imagine Liang Shenyu's gentle and soft tone. As the wind blew by, she seemed to hear his whispered thoughts in a trance.

Along with this letter, there was also a memorial to the emperor.

Unlike the affectionate and lonely feelings in the letter, the tone of the memorial was official and it was obvious that it was not just for Rongse to see.

After Rong Se opened it and took a look, his expression suddenly turned gloomy. The coldness that was rarely seen in the mansion spread over his gentle eyebrows and eyes, as if covered with a layer of white frost.