Chapter 28
The night was as dark as ink, so thick that it could not be dissolved, shrouding the Prime Minister's residence in dead silence.
The wind, like an invisible hand, gently blows by, making the branches in the courtyard rustle, as if whispering unknown secrets.
A dark shadow, as light as a ghost, climbed over the high wall of the Prime Minister's Mansion.
The moment it landed, the black shadow bent its knees slightly to reduce the noise, and then disappeared into the shadow of the corner.
This person was none other than Weidao. He recalled the man's instructions in his mind, became distracted for a moment, and then forced himself to shift his attention back.
The main task today is to find the prime minister in order to find evidence of the injustice he suffered in the grain case that year.
Tonight is Mid-Autumn Festival, and everyone in the Prime Minister's Mansion should be celebrating. The defense is not as tight as before, so it is the best choice to sneak into this dangerous place under the cover of night.
Wei Dao was wearing a tight black suit and a mask, revealing only a pair of bright and sharp eyes.
He carried a long sword on his back and several sophisticated tools on his waist, which he had carefully prepared for this operation.
At this moment, his heart was beating violently in his chest, not because of fear, but because of a complex emotion of nervousness and excitement.
This concerns whether the grievances of countless people can be redressed, and he cannot afford to make any mistakes.
He crouched down and walked carefully along the wall, taking each step very lightly, trying not to make any sound.
The moonlight occasionally shines through the gaps in the clouds, sprinkling on the ground, forming patches of mottled light and shadow.
He skillfully used these lights and shadows, sometimes hiding and sometimes moving quickly.
Along the way, he avoided the sight of the patrolling guards and successfully approached the prime minister's study with his agility and extraordinary courage.
Finally, he came to the study window.
Weidao squatted down, took out a thin iron wire from his waist, gently inserted it into the gap of the window frame, and skillfully fiddled with the lock core.
After a while, there was a "click" sound. The extremely subtle sound seemed particularly clear in the silent night.
He held his breath and paused for a moment. After making sure that he had not disturbed anyone, he slowly pushed open the window and jumped into the study.
The study was filled with the scent of old books. In the faint moonlight, Weidao saw tall bookshelves all around, piled with various books and files.
He was extremely anxious, knowing that time was running out and he had to find the key evidence as soon as possible.
So he quickly walked to the desk and began to search through the drawers and piles of files.
However, just as he was concentrating on finding evidence, he suddenly heard light footsteps and voices coming from outside.
"Tonight is really strange. I always feel like something is wrong." A low voice said.
"Don't overthink it, the Prime Minister's Mansion is heavily guarded, what could possibly happen?
"But we still have to patrol carefully. If something goes wrong, our heads will be in danger." Another voice responded.
Wei Dao was startled and thought to himself, "Oh no!" He quickly stopped what he was doing and pricked up his ears to listen.
The footsteps were getting closer and closer, seemingly heading towards the study. He looked around, finding nowhere to hide, and beads of sweat broke out on his forehead.
Soon, the door was pushed open with a creaky sound, and two guards holding lanterns walked in.
The light from the lantern instantly illuminated the entire study, and Wei Dao had nowhere to hide and was caught red-handed.
"Who are you! How dare you trespass into the Prime Minister's residence!" The leading guard shouted loudly, drawing the long sword from his waist and assuming an attacking posture.
Wei Dao's heart sank, but he didn't panic. He quickly grabbed an inkstone from the table and threw it at the guard. While the two men were dodging, he drew his sword and rushed towards the door.
"Stop him!" another guard shouted, and two of them swung their long swords and slashed at Tail Dao.
Weidao flashed and easily avoided the attack. At the same time, the long sword in his hand stabbed out like a dragon, forcing the two men to retreat repeatedly.
For a moment, the study was filled with the flashing of swords and the shouting of killing.
The noise soon attracted more guards, who came from all directions and surrounded the study.
Weidao knew that he was in a desperate situation, but he was still unwilling to give up. He had only one thought in his mind: no matter what, he must find a way to escape and bring evidence to seek justice for those who were wrongly accused.
*
The two of them left the crowd and walked to the other end of the street.
Ji Zeming felt uneasy. Seeing Luo Sanrong's cold expression and the look of not wanting to talk more, he finally couldn't help but speak: "Well, what happened just now was a misunderstanding, although I'm not too worried about what you think of me."
Luo Sanrong did not stop, and a faint smile appeared on his face.
The smile didn't reach his eyes, as if it was just a perfunctory response out of habit. He said softly, "Sir, you are too kind. It was just an incident we met by chance on the street. How could I take it to heart?"
After a pause, he added, "I just know that you often go to brothels and have a very good relationship with them. What misunderstanding could there be?"
When Ji Zeming heard this, his fingertips unconsciously stroked the winding pattern of the jade belt around his waist. He didn't say anything, but just smiled dotingly behind Luo Sanrong.
Luo Sanrong walked aimlessly behind, still thinking about Li Yin's departing figure, and said, "But, sir, you came so late. The lantern display is almost over. What else is there to see?"
Ji Zeming walked slowly in front and said nonchalantly, "Who said I wanted to release lanterns?"
Luo Sanrong: “….”
Ji Zeming walked in front with his hands behind his back, his moon-white brocade robe swaying slightly with his steps. Suddenly, he paused, his body staggered slightly, and his black hair tied with a black jade hairpin also trembled.
He lowered his eyes to look at his toes, his long eyelashes casting tiny shadows under his eyelids. Suddenly, his brows furrowed tightly, and his handsome face seemed to be stained with pain. "My feet... hurt. I really can't walk anymore."
Before he finished speaking, Luo Sanrong, who was walking behind him, had already stepped forward quickly, his plain sleeves picking up a wisp of wind, and he asked with concern: "Sir? Sir? How is your foot?"
Just at this moment, the corners of Ji Zeming's drooping eyes suddenly lifted up, and a cunning light flashed in those peach blossom eyes that usually contained a bit of nonchalance, just like a fox stealing food in the woods.
Instead of retreating, he took advantage of the momentum to lean forward, and his slender body approached Luo Sanying's side, with the tip of his nose almost brushing the other's ear.
The warm breath wrapped in the incense in his sleeves brushed against my neck unexpectedly. I heard him lower his voice and murmur with a triumphant smile: "This is the first time I've been this close to you."
Luo Sanrong didn't understand Ji Zeming's "seduction" and asked directly: "Sir, are you like this in the brothel?"
Ji Zeming's hand on her shoulder froze, his eyelashes trembled, and he didn't say anything, pretending nothing had happened. He walked side by side with Luo Sanrong without saying a word.
The dusk dyed the bluestone road dark blue. Ji Zeming suddenly grabbed Luo Sanrong's wrist, his knuckles as cold as if they had been dipped in ice water.
Luo Sanrong was about to shake him off, but he suddenly turned around and held her in his arms, and his robe fluttered up, bringing with it a gust of rusty wind.
The sound of breaking air passed by his ear, and Luo Sanying's pupils suddenly shrank - the eagle feather arrow was nailed into the mottled brick wall behind him, and the peacock blue feathers at the tail of the arrow were still trembling.
Dust rose from the alley in the distance. A dozen tall horses came galloping over. The spears in the hands of the armored guards gleamed coldly in the twilight.
"Someone from the Prime Minister's Mansion." Ji Zeming's breath swept across her hot earlobe, and the warm breath blew on Luo Sanrong's face.
Ji Zeming let go, lowered his head and asked with concern: "Are you okay?"
Luo Sanrong broke free from Ji Zeming's arms and said humbly in a low voice, "Sir, I'm fine." Then she looked at the man who was shot. If she guessed correctly, that was the "assassin" that these guards wanted to catch.
The figure half-knelt a few feet away from Luo Sanzhen, the arrow feathers on his shoulders trembling slightly with his rapid breathing.
Luo Sanrong wanted to go forward and take a closer look at the assassin's appearance, because the assassin gave her an inexplicable feeling of familiarity.
Unexpectedly, the assassin was so ruthless that he broke the arrow feathers. The pain made him turn his head immediately. Because Luo Sanrong was a little far away, she seemed to feel that the assassin glanced at her. Then, with a sudden effort, he dragged his injured body and jumped onto the alley wall.
By the time the prime minister's guards arrived, the "assassin" had already fled.
Luo Sanrong saw the "assassin"'s mask suddenly fall to the ground after being shot, so he stepped forward and picked it up.
The pure white mask was simple in style, barely covering the eyes. It even looked crudely made, with rough edges, like a mass-produced product.
The leading guard stepped forward and nodded to Ji Zeming, who was with Luo Sanrong. The angle of his head was just right, clearly indicating his familiarity with the young master's identity. Then, in an unquestionable tone, he said to Luo Sanrong, "Please give it to me."
Luo Sanrong was stunned for a moment and looked at Ji Zeming. Ji Zeming nodded and Luo Sanrong handed him the mask.
The guard took the mask, turned around and left, then stopped beside Ji Zeming, with a certain persuasion in his voice, "Sir, you are gone now. If the Prime Minister knew..."
He didn't continue with the rest of the conversation, but Ji Zeming understood what he meant and nodded to show that he understood.
A low roar broke the silence, and the black horse neighed loudly, and its front hooves turned half a circle in the air.
The guard rode away on horseback, his black cloak fluttering in the wind like a flag, and in an instant he disappeared into the shadows at the end of the alley.
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