Fang Gu had no time to mourn the dead assassins, only asking, "Where are they now?"
"Ten in total, seven severely injured, ran, ran away... and three dead, dead."
"Bang bang..." Without looking, Ouyang Baobao had already destroyed two small cabinets.
This time, even the bronze mirror Fang Gu used for her makeup was smashed.
A flicker of heartache crossed Fang Gu's face, but she quickly frowned. She found an excuse to call a little maid to serve her, and then quietly slipped out.
She went down from the attic and entered an inconspicuous small door in the backyard.
After walking through a winding path for a while, she knocked on the door of a tightly closed courtyard and found the seven assassins lying there in disarray.
Their wounds had already been bandaged, and they were recuperating.
However, Fang Gu let out a stern reprimand.
"Who told you to come back?"
"Ah... Fang Gu, Miss Fang." A dark-skinned burly man was startled. Seeing that it was her, he immediately knelt down, touching his wound, with a subservient expression.
"Our mission failed, and we are seriously injured. We dared not go to the stronghold, and we truly had nowhere else to go, so this, this..."
"Hmph, foolish. If they could injure all of you and capture three, it means they could have captured all ten.
Yet, you managed to escape.
Did you ever think about why that might be?"
Fang Gu sternly reprimanded them.
There was no trace of the seductive and weak demeanor she had in front of Ouyang Baobao.
She was clearly the boss of this area.
"Then, then we will leave now."
"Shut up, it's probably too late." Fang Gu's brow furrowed tightly.
After careful consideration.
She suddenly regretted it.
After knowing they were back, she shouldn't have come in to confirm the information.
Now, not only would they not be able to escape, but she herself would also be implicated.
She regretted it, but it was probably useless.
If she were Shen Yun, since they were allowed to return, he would have likely sent people to monitor this place.
This was a common tactic used by their organization.
"This place is probably being watched. The only way out for you is death." Fang Gu said, waving her hand. The seven looked up at her, all with terrified expressions.
They didn't want to die.
But they had to die.
If they didn't die now, they would face even more severe punishment.
"Escape from here and die outside." Fang Gu coldly ordered.
She didn't worry about whether they would obey her.
After all, they couldn't escape.
In the capital, no one could escape their organization's pursuit.
After letting the people out, Fang Gu decisively struck herself and fainted.
Soon, the people in the room dispersed.
They scattered like bees.
There weren't enough guards outside, so they could only focus on pursuing a few key targets.
However, they discovered that all of them died after running away.
This baffled Zhang Lei and his group.
They hadn't encountered this situation and had to quickly return to report.
Fortunately, Shen Yun was officially off duty today and was at home.
When Zhang Lei explained the situation, Shen Yun understood, "Hmph, cutting off the tail to survive, a very capable person."
Su Xiaoqi said, "Fang Gu was present throughout this incident. Could she be the mastermind?"
She still remembered Fang Gu. She had seen Shen Yun by chance at a restaurant a while ago and had cried and begged to enter the establishment.
But Shen Yun had directly refused.
She didn't expect that she had such great influence behind her.
She could serve Ouyang Baobao in bed and command assassins out of bed.
Su Xiaoqi couldn't help but admire her.
"Unfortunately, there's no evidence." Shen Yun had heard Zhang Lei's full report and learned that with the deaths of those seven, all clues led to Yan Yu Tower.
"Yan Yu Tower, Yan Yu Pavilion, these two names are so similar. Is there any significance or connection?"
Shen Yun pondered, "On the surface, there is nothing. If investigated closely, perhaps there is."
In any case, he had set his sights on Yan Yu Tower.
Unless they remained dormant, any slight disturbance would be known to him.
"I think this matter can be simplified by asking Xiao Hong.
He was the former young master of Yan Yu Pavilion and must know more than us."
This was a good idea, saving time, effort, and energy.
More importantly, it would give Xiao Hong an opportunity to repay their favor.
Shen Yun agreed and left alone, bidding farewell to Su Xiaoqi.
Su Xiaoqi did not ask to go along.
This was because Xiao Hong was currently in a fierce competition with his illegitimate elder brother, Xiao Xin.
His hiding place was a secret.
It was not suitable for everyone to know.
Moreover, Su Xiaoqi had her own matters today.
She had received an invitation from the He family.
It was a letter from Wen Ruohua, the wife of He Qiu Miao, who had an appointment with her a few days ago.
She said that Madam Li had helped her arrange for Master Kong Shan, and a ceremony to bless them with children would be held today.
Su Xiaoqi was a little surprised that something Madam Li had said was so difficult had been resolved so quickly.
However, since she had promised Wen Ruohua, she naturally had to go.
Moreover, she was very curious about how human efforts could control childbirth.
At the end of the Chen hour, she met Wen Ruohua at the parking lot outside Huangjue Temple in the western part of the city.
As the carriage stopped, Su Xiaoqi subconsciously looked around. Opposite was a tea house with open latticed windows on the second floor. Su Xiaoqi casually glanced and seemed to spot a familiar face.
Thinking of his mission today, she did not call out his name.
She merely left Zi Cao to guard there, so that he would know she was here.
As the temple had a rule that only one maidservant could be brought in, she brought Zhang Yu.
Wen Ruohua received her and praised her with joy.
"You are still so clever. Look at me, I brought a lot of old women and maids. Madam Li said to bring too many.
I didn't believe it, but the monk in charge said that to show sincerity, only one close maidservant could be brought in."
Su Xiaoqi did not take these rules to heart.
Anyway, she only had Zhang Yu by her side, so there was nothing to simplify.
Huangjue Temple had very abundant incense.
The clay statues of the Golden Buddha in the Great Hall were solemn and dignified, making people involuntarily want to kneel and worship.
Many people knelt and worshipped there devoutly.
Su Xiaoqi did the same as she passed by.
In her modern life, although she was not very devout,
She would still pay respects when passing by.
Especially now, it was different from before.
She had such a miraculous encounter; even if she didn't believe it, she wouldn't dare not to believe it.
So, she paid respects all the way in.
Upon reaching the innermost courtyard, it was built very elegantly and exquisitely.
There were small bridges, flowing water, and houses. Reeds grew in clusters along the riverbank, and a few ducks played in the water, adding a touch of wild beauty.
The group walked in good spirits, chatting and laughing.
Facing the lake was a large hall.
Inside, there was a large character "Zen," with a circle of futons placed below it.
When Su Xiaoqi and her group arrived, seven young women were already kneeling inside.
Only three positions were left in the middle.
She, Wen Ruohua, and Madam Li each knelt in one.
At the head of the hall, a kind-faced old monk was striking a wooden fish and chanting.
Buddhist chants filled the air, and incense smoke wafted.
Su Xiaoqi frowned, feeling a sudden headache. She glanced at the incense smoke and her heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding arising.