“Ah, help!”

“You, you don’t come over here!”

“You damned woman, I won’t let you go even if I become a ghost!”

“……”

The screams and pleas for mercy rose and fell, accompanied by flying flesh and limbs, turning the originally quiet courtyard into hell.

In just a few breaths, a large number of assassins had their limbs severed and fell to the ground in misery.

At this moment, in their eyes, Jing Yue's cold and beautiful face was more terrifying than a Rakshasa demon.

Finally, someone was frightened out of their wits and shouted, “Retreat, everyone retreat!”

As soon as the words were spoken, the remaining dozen or so assassins decisively abandoned their opponents and fled.

Jing Yue looked at their dog-like backs and coldly ordered, “Capture them all alive. Those who resist will be killed on the spot!”

“Yes!”

The Imperial Guards and Shadow Guards who came to support roared loudly.

At the same time, the sound of a large number of cavalry hooves echoed in the distance. These were the elite soldiers stationed near the Imperial Capital, who had rushed to the courtyard immediately upon seeing the signal.

Half a cup of tea later.

Jing Yue carried the sturdy man who had led the attack into the room.

The man's bleeding had been stopped by the accompanying imperial physician, and his wounds had been bandaged. His life was no longer in danger.

*Bang!*

He was casually thrown on the ground by Jing Yue, his knees almost shattered.

Jing Yue didn’t even look at him. She knelt down directly and said with guilt, “Young Master, this subordinate was late. Please forgive me.”

Jiang Chen quickly stepped forward, personally helping her up, and said with a hearty laugh, “What do you mean late? I think you arrived just in time!”

Then, he turned his gaze to the assassin leader on the ground and said condescendingly, “You, are you an accomplice of Zhao Minghe?”

“Confess everything you know, and We may consider sparing your life!”

For Jiang Chen, finding the real mastermind was the most important thing. Everything else could be discussed.

Even if the person in front of him harbored ill intentions towards him, he would compromise as long as they were willing to cooperate.

The sturdy man’s mask had been removed, revealing a face full of橫肉 (héng ròu – excessive flesh), filled with disdain.

He sneered, “Haha, you dog em…”

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Chen’s expression instantly changed, and he used ten percent of his inner force to slap him fiercely.

“Impudent! You’re about to die, yet you still dare to be fierce!”

The man's eyes flashed with stars from the slap, and he rolled on the ground several times. Blood seeped from his nose and mouth, and he was no longer able to speak.

But Jiang Chen was still not at ease and directly ordered, “Take this assassin back and interrogate him strictly!”

Jing Yue understood what he was worried about and immediately had people drag the sturdy man away.

Only after the man was taken away did Jiang Chen inconspicuously breathe a sigh of relief.

If he hadn't reacted quickly just now, he probably would have lost his life to Yang Muxi this night!

At this time.

Yang Muxi, who had been sitting at the table, suddenly leaned closer, her pretty face wearing a hint of doubt, “That assassin, what did he call you just now?”

Jiang Chen’s face stiffened, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

He quickly came up with an idea, “He, he called me a dog prince, what's wrong?”

“Hmm?” Yang Muxi’s beautiful eyes flickered, staring at Jiang Chen without blinking, unsure, “Is that really what he wanted to say?”

Jiang Chen looked back righteously, “Otherwise? What else could it be?”

“These rebels scold us members of the royal family with just a few phrases, you can ask around if you don’t believe me.”

Yang Muxi frowned, seeing that Jiang Chen’s performance was so frank, she gradually dismissed her doubts, “Alright, maybe I was overthinking it.”

“It’s getting late, you should go back quickly, lest there be any more accidents.”

Jiang Chen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, he finally got through it!

Immediately he asked, “I’m really sorry about what happened today.”

“I’ll have someone clean up the courtyard, and the damaged items will be repaired to their original state… also, should I leave some more people to protect you?”

Yang Muxi chuckled, curling up the corners of her lips, “Leave people behind? Do you think it’s more likely that I’ll protect them, or they’ll protect me?”

Jiang Chen was stunned by the question, and then he remembered that this otherworldly beauty in front of him was also a ruthless character, so he dismissed the idea.

“Then We shall take our leave. We’ll come to see you again in a couple of days. Wait for me!”

After speaking, he strode away, his back tall and proud, especially endearing.

Jing Yue and the other guards followed behind him, leaving together.

Yang Muxi stood at the door, watching Jiang Chen leave, wanting to say something but stopped, and ultimately didn’t speak.

At this time, outside the courtyard.

The fighting had long ended, with only the remaining bloodstains and broken courtyard walls showing what had happened a moment ago.

Yang Muxi took in the mess in the courtyard, but she didn’t care.

Jiang Chen’s eyes and words before he left still echoed in her mind.

Wait for me!

Thinking of these words, a blush spread across Yang Muxi’s pretty face, and she trotted to the boudoir on the top floor, pushed open the window, and looked out at Jiang Chen’s departing team.

After a long while, until her sight was completely empty, she lowered the wooden window and carefully took out a wooden box from her arms.

Opening the lid,

A jade hairpin, pure white and engraved with cloud patterns, instantly caught her eye, emitting a warm glow under the candlelight, extremely beautiful.

Yang Muxi couldn’t help but pick it up and examine it carefully.

But then she felt it was inappropriate, and put the jade hairpin back into the box and threw it into the deepest part of the closet.

Then she sat cross-legged and recited the Heart-Clearing Mantra, forcing herself not to think about it, not to look at it.

She hypnotized herself, “I, I am the Dao Master of the Taiping Dao, I must relieve the suffering of the people, I cannot be hindered by these romantic feelings!”

“Jiang Yan, this kind of glib-tongued aristocratic son, is not a good person, I cannot be deceived by his little tricks…”

At the same time, several dozen miles away in the Imperial Capital.

Jiang Chen and the others had smoothly returned to the palace, and the more than twenty captured assassins had also been thrown into the Imperial Prison (zhao yu).

“Your Majesty, this subordinate has completed the investigation and confirmed that Head Yang did not follow.”

Jiang Chen nodded, “Okay, We know. Clean up and go to the Imperial Prison with Us.”

“We want to interrogate these assassins urgently!”

“Yes!”

Half an hour later, Jiang Chen, who had changed out of his casual clothes, arrived at the Imperial Prison surrounded by Jing Yue and other Shadow Guards.

During this period, the Imperial Prison and the Ministry of Justice urgently transferred the best executioners.

Before long, they turned the Imperial Prison into a living hell.

Even those assassins with hearts of iron, who disregarded life and death, were now nearly崩溃 (bēng kuì – broken down).

“Don’t, don’t scrape anymore… I, I confess!”

One assassin couldn’t bear it anymore and begged for mercy weakly.

Seeing this, a hint of joy appeared on everyone’s faces, and they quickly sent this person in front of Jiang Chen.

Looking at the assassin's calf, which had been almost scraped to the bone, Jiang Chen stroked his chin and said, “We heard that you are willing to confess?”

The assassin nodded weakly.

Although a physician had treated him before the interrogation, the severe injuries still made it difficult for him to speak.

Seeing this, although Jiang Chen was anxious, he ultimately did not urge him.

He said lightly, “Report your name, and as long as everything you say is true, We may spare your life.”

The assassin’s eyes burst with the light of survival, and he struggled to say, “Your Majesty, this little one doesn’t know much, but this little one will definitely not hide anything, and will definitely confess everything…”