"Where are the assassins?"
Dead or alive, they had to catch some.
The commander of the Jiyang Army lowered his head, not daring to meet the enraged gaze of the dragon. By the time the Jiyang Army arrived, the assassins had already escaped. Not to mention people, even traces of them were erased. But these excuses were not enough to appease the king's wrath.
There was no other way but to beg for punishment.
"This subject failed to arrive in time, this subject deserves death!"
He kowtowed forcefully, his forehead hitting the ground with a "dong dong" sound. In just an instant, his forehead became bloody and blurry, the blood stained with mud flowing down his brow, dripping onto the ground. "Pat, pat," the silent tent was filled only with the sound of blood hitting the ground, slowly flowing.
Ji Hong looked at him furiously, but at this moment, he did not punish him immediately. The assassins were still nowhere to be found. If he were to punish him now, it would give the assassins an opportunity.
He took a deep breath, and it took a long time for him to suppress the anger in his heart. His face was cold and dark, and the suppressed killing intent did not bring any relief to the crowd, but rather like a giant mountain, pressing heavily on everyone's hearts.
"I will give you another chance to redeem yourself."
"From now on, I don't care what method you use, find the assassins for me. And also... investigate all the people in Yangcheng County for me. I want to see who has the audacity to participate in this assassination."
Everyone's heart trembled upon hearing this.
Your Majesty had directly accused the people of Yangcheng County.
What if it was an accident?
Did His Majesty truly believe this was not an accident, or... the crowd dared not think further, only feeling that Linyuan was about to face great trouble.
"Yes, this humble subject obeys the order!"
Having saved his life, the commander of the Jiyang Army dared not hesitate. If he couldn't find the assassins this time and couldn't clarify the whole story, then his head would truly be lost. If he really couldn't find them, then... the people of Yangcheng County would have to fend for themselves.
It's better for others to die than for oneself to die!
He got up, not bothering to wipe the blood from his face, and let it flow as he retreated from the tent.
...
Outside the camp, cries echoed.
No one expected that the hunting ground would finally turn into a slaughterhouse.
Nan Shiying squatted beside the tiger's corpse, dipped her finger in the tiger's blood, and sniffed it. She didn't smell anything special. She frowned and was about to lick it when her wrist was grabbed fiercely, and a displeased voice pressed down from above: "What are you putting in your mouth?"
Just by the sound of the voice, Nan Shiying knew who it was. She didn't even lift her head and retorted, "Shennong tested a hundred herbs, what's wrong with me tasting blood?"
Ji Jinmo's face instantly darkened, and he reprimanded with a voice filled with anger: "You still have the nerve to talk back? Do you not know how Shennong died?"
Nan Shiying looked up at him with surprise. If there was real danger, could she test the poison with her own body? Obviously not, she cherished her life!
"No poison!"
"Well... that's not quite right. It should be said that there is no strong poison."
She said, couldn't help but roll her eyes: "Sir, does my face say 'idiot'?"
Ji Jinmo choked, and then pulled her up from the ground: "Your face doesn't say it, it's all written on your forehead."
Nan Shiying's eyes immediately widened upon hearing this: "Ji Jinmo, you..."
"Alright, let's talk business."
Ji Jinmo interrupted Nan Shiying's outburst seriously, as if she was being ignorant of the gravity of the situation if she continued to fuss.
Nan Shiying was so angry that she wished she could kill him with her eyes.
Ji Jinmo took Nan Shiying's hand, subtly wiped the blood from her fingers, and a trace of heaviness appeared in his brows: "The envoy from Dali is dead."
"I heard."
The chief envoy of Dali, Qin, died in this assassination. It was said that he died protecting the princess of Dali.
"He didn't die from an arrow."
Ji Jinmo had just gone to check. The chief envoy Qin's main cause of death was being pierced through the heart by a dagger: "The dagger was stabbed from the back, from bottom to top, piercing the heart in one go."
"Princess Huian?"
"Or perhaps..."
Nan Shiying looked around. Among the officials and their families of Linyuan, there were spies from Xiliang or Miaojiang.
"It's possible!"
To return to Dali, Princess Huian had a motive to do so. As for the officials of Linyuan, a cold glint flashed in Ji Jinmo's eyes. Even the wife of the Marquis of Xunyang could be connected to Miaojiang, so why couldn't others?
"Sir, let Thirteen take some tiger blood back."
This tiger only showed red eyes and ferocity when it saw Mu Baiyu and Ji Jinmo. It was likely due to the蠱虫 (gu worms) in their bodies. However, whether the蛊虫 itself attracted these carnivorous beasts, or if it was drugged, needed to be investigated carefully.
"Sir, about Yangcheng County..."
"I've already asked the shadow guards to investigate, but it might be difficult to find anything."
Nan Shiying nodded noncommittally. The Jiyang Army couldn't even find a trace of the assassins, suggesting that the other party was very experienced. This tiger had been transported into the capital for some time, and the other party had likely erased all clues.
Wait, when was this tiger transported into the capital?
"Half a month ago."
"That is, after Ji Hong announced the hunting date, Yangcheng County presented a tiger a few days later? Heh, is that a coincidence?"
So, after the hunting date was set, a tiger appeared in Yangcheng County?
This tiger is too cooperative!
While the officials in the tent were still wondering how Ji Hong concluded that people from Yangcheng County were involved in this incident, Nan Shiying and Ji Jinmo had already reached the same conclusion as Ji Hong. It could only be said that some people were foolish to the bone.
"Over there..."
Nan Shiying gestured towards the tent, meaning, should they inform him?
Ji Jinmo shook his head: "Ji Hong is not so foolish as to not realize this."
Nan Shiying glanced at Ji Jinmo and didn't say anything more. However, the envoy from Dali died in Linyuan, and now they had to see Dali's reaction.
...
Wei Yuan held his feather fan and subtly swept his gaze over Mu Baiyu.
It wasn't that he suspected him, but the previous incident was too coincidental. Logically speaking, with his skills, he shouldn't have been forced into a corner by that tiger. Even if, for the sake of argument, he was forced back by the tiger, in such a large hunting ground, how did he retreat to the Emperor and Jinmo? Was it a coincidence, or...
Wei Yuan frowned, unwilling to think further. He could only hope that he was overthinking. After all, his mother and sister were in the stands at the time. Even if he was controlled by the love蛊 (gu worm) and was not himself, he should not disregard the lives of his own close relatives, right?
Mu Baiyu sensed Wei Yuan's gaze and frowned slightly.
What did this person mean? Suspecting him?