Su Yan hastily threw on an inconspicuous dark blue cloak and went out to the stable to lead out his horse.
The night watch of imperial guards were startled; the captain hurriedly asked: “Lord, where are you going in the middle of the night?”
“Going to the West City,” Su Yan said. “Pick three or five people, change into plain clothes, and follow me quietly. Try not to attract attention.”
The captain of the guards wanted to persuade him to bring more men and was about to speak, but Su Yan leaned close to his ear and whispered a few instructions. The captain nodded after listening: “Everything will follow your orders, my lord.”
The night was deep and heavy, the streets empty. Hoofbeats splashed through puddles left on the stone slabs, sending up sprays of water.
Four cavalrymen rode, escorting a cloaked figure at the center, galloping westward.
Between Huanghua Lane and Xiaoshiyong Lane, separated by much of the Imperial City, no straight path was possible. They had to first head west, crossing Chengqing Lane and Nanxun Lane, then reach the Dongan Gate outside the Imperial City, follow along the Jade River turning toward Changan Gate on the city’s southern edge, bypass the walls of the Western Garden, before finally arriving at Xiaoshiyong Lane.
Usually, when the streets were bustling and carriages could only crawl along, Su Yan never felt impatient. But tonight, riding fast, the road to the Shen residence seemed unusually long.
After what felt like a long ride, Su Yan suddenly reined his horse to slow down and asked the nearby guards, “Why haven’t we arrived yet?”
One guard replied, “Almost there, my lord. On your left is Dashiyong Lane; on your right, within this palace wall, is the Taiye Pool of the Western Garden. A bit further ahead is Xiaoshiyong Lane.”
“Dashiyong Lane…” Su Yan pondered, “The assassination attempt on His Highness the Crown Prince happened in an alley in Dashiyong Lane, didn’t it?”
“Yes. My lord, why mention this suddenly? Is there any new discovery?”
Su Yan turned to look at the dark alleys weaving through the neighborhood, lost in the quiet night. He spoke softly, “The pimp’s testimony said there are several secret entrances to the underground ‘Mingtang’ within the capital, but he only knew two. After the public trial, some cult members had a change of heart and reported other underground meeting spots scattered across the five city wards.
“I’ve carefully reviewed the intelligence gathered by the Northern Surveillance Bureau, but Dashiyong Lane isn’t mentioned at all. Do you know why?”
The guard looked puzzled, seemingly not understanding the unspoken implication. “I am but a simple servant, my lord, please enlighten me.”
Su Yan sighed inwardly.
Sometimes his mind raced ahead too fast, causing his words to leap around. Those who couldn’t keep up found it confusing. But for Qilang, Ah Zhui, even Yu Wang, they understood his meaning instantly and could extrapolate further.
And with the Emperor, conversations felt like a game of chess — the Emperor always seemed a step ahead, hiding a move. So some things Su Yan didn’t even need to say aloud; the Emperor would grasp it immediately.
As for Crown Prince Zhu Helin, though young and unpredictable, his free-spirited nature was a rare treasure in the strictly ranked deep palace.
— In short, these few had spoiled Su Yan’s taste, making him picky about how well he connected with others. Indeed, it is easier to move from frugality to luxury than the other way around.
Su Yan asked himself, a bit listlessly, “Because it’s the one that slipped through the net. Dashiyong Lane must have a Void Sect stronghold, at a level ordinary believers and low-ranking leaders can’t reach, so it hasn’t been uncovered.”
The guard was startled. “If that’s so, this place is dangerous and we shouldn’t linger. My lord should return to the residence quickly and come back during the day — that would be safer.”
After the explosion, patrols in the capital were tightened — not only the five city military offices but even the capital army patrolled in teams. On their way just now, they were stopped and questioned four times, only passing after showing the Dali Temple’s official seal. If remnants of the Seven Kill Camp or Void Sect tried to run rampant, it would be very difficult.
Still, the four guards did not relax vigilance, their faces grave when they heard Su Yan say they were now treading the edge of a beast’s den.
“Keep going forward, to Xiaoshiyong Lane as well,” Su Yan smiled. “The meat is set before their mouths, yet they haven’t bared their fangs to pounce. They’re probably wondering if this is a trap. Let them wonder.”
He cracked his whip and spurred the horse westward; the guards had no choice but to follow.
Soon they passed the Imperial City and Western Garden and entered the alley between Dashiyong and Xiaoshiyong Lane. Ahead was a stone arch bridge. Su Yan was about to dismount and lead his horse across when a guard suddenly shouted “Watch out!” and threw himself down, tackling Su Yan—
A silent black arrow shot from beneath the bridge, its tip dark as ink, whizzing past Su Yan’s side. If not for the guard’s quick reflexes, this arrow might have pierced his throat.
The other three guards drew their swords, shielding Su Yan as they retreated. Then two or three dozen figures appeared like ghosts, leaping out from beneath the bridge, nearby rooftops, and trees along the road.
They all wore tight black outfits, black scarves covering their faces, swords emitting a cold killing intent, and charged at the guards.
The guards saw the attackers were numerous, their sword techniques cruel and sharp, their coordination seamless without a word spoken — clearly highly trained assassins. The guards felt a chill run down their spines.
But they themselves were the Emperor’s personal guards, skilled in martial arts and battle-hardened. Even outnumbered and caught off guard, they did not panic.
The guard who tackled Su Yan lifted him onto his horse without hesitation and galloped back the way they came. Once reaching Changan Gate near the Imperial City, there would surely be soldiers to call for help.
The other three guards fiercely fought to hold back the assassins, ready to risk injury or death to buy time for reinforcements.
This was not Su Yan’s first encounter with danger, but the feeling of death looming with the flash of a blade still made his chest tighten and heart pound wildly. He took a deep breath, pulled from his breast a special Embroidered Uniform Guard flare, and quickly lit it.
The flare emitted a sharp whistle, shooting straight into the sky, a red light glaring vividly in the night.
Black arrows came flying from behind. The guards ducked, pressing Su Yan low against the horse’s back, dodging the arrows. One shoved the reins into Su Yan’s hands and shouted over the roaring wind, “If I fall off, my lord, don’t panic! Just hold on like this and keep riding east. You’ll soon meet the guards!”
“—Listen!” Su Yan said.
The guards heard the sound of hooves—not only from the horses beneath them but countless overlapping hoofbeats, like the rumbling thunder rolling across the sky during the Awakening of Insects season, shaking even the stone-paved ground beneath their feet…
“Reinforcements!” a guard cried out joyfully.
“No, it’s an ambush,” Su Yan said, eyes shining like stars as he looked at the tidal wave of embroidered uniform cavalry surging ahead. “The enemy hides in darkness while we have the advantage of knowledge. Rather than constantly worrying about hidden poisoned arrows, it’s better to lure the snake out of its hole. Tonight you four have worked hard to be my bait.”
The guards were momentarily speechless, unsure whether to feel admiration or dread.
Su Yan feared they might misunderstand and think he was reckless with their lives, so he quickly explained, “It’s not that I purposely used you as bait; I was going out anyway and figured keeping a backup ready would help in an emergency.”
The guard sighed, “My lord, you only used yourself as bait—no need to feel guilty. When danger comes, we who bear martial skills will flee if we can’t fight. But have you considered if we were cowardly and ran away, leaving you behind? What would become of you then?”
Su Yan laughed, “I know you would never abandon me. You are all men of loyalty and righteousness—otherwise, why would His Highness assign you to protect me?”
As they spoke, the Embroidered Uniform Guards thundered past them, directly charging the black-clad assassins pursuing from behind.
The captain of the guards, who had been instructed by Su Yan before they left, rode forward anxiously to inspect him. Seeing him unharmed, he finally relaxed, cupped his fists and said, “I was fortunate to fulfill the order and arrange reinforcements in time. They are lying in ambush opposite Dashiyong Lane, near the treasure bureau beside the Western Garden. They will act as soon as you give the signal.”
Su Yan turned his horse to chase after the assassins with them, saying, “These black-clad men are likely killers from the Seven Kill Camp. We must capture some alive for questioning.”
The captain immediately issued orders.
Su Yan returned to the stone bridge where the attack had happened. The black-clad men were fighting as they retreated, trying to break through, but the embroidered guards kept blocking them, intent on capturing them alive.
A few of the black-clad assassins, cornered with no way out, bit through the wax covering the pills hidden in their mouths. Then, clutching their swords, they knelt and convulsed violently.
Su Yan shouted urgently, “Don’t let them commit suicide!”
The embroidered guards rushed forward to pry open their jaws, but saw their pupils gradually turn blood red as they let out pained roars. Their internal energy surged wildly, their powers rapidly rising.
“—Blood Pupils!” an embroidered guard shouted, “Do not make eye contact! Beware the Bewitching technique!”
Assassins in the blood pupil state were wildly ferocious and seemingly immune to pain. They could easily cast nightmarish illusions, making them extremely difficult to fight. In an instant, a guard too close was caught, his mind trapped in the illusion, attacking friend and foe alike. Chaos erupted.
The guards urged Su Yan repeatedly to leave.
Su Yan knew the situation was dire. Staying would only distract the others from protecting him. So, under their cover, he withdrew from the fight.
As they moved along the riverbank, suddenly a flying claw of a hundred-linked rope shot silently from beneath the dark water, snagging Su Yan’s shoulder and yanking him forcefully off the galloping horse into the river with a great splash.
The guards were shocked and immediately jumped into the water, fighting off enemies while searching for him amidst the waves.
But even after the water calmed, they still could not find Su Yan. Frustrated and unwilling to accept defeat, they guessed that the assassin who had dragged Lord Su into the river then took advantage of the current to escape downstream with him.
This person was an excellent swimmer with formidable skills. More frightening was his iron will and endurance—hidden in patience and stealth, seizing the fleeting moment. To snatch a man from under heavy protection and then vanish without lingering, balancing advance and retreat with exquisite precision.
The captain’s face darkened like iron. Gritting his teeth, he ordered, “Search! Split into two teams to thoroughly comb upstream and downstream, both river and banks. Lord Su must be rescued safely, or prepare to answer for it before the emperor!”
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