Qiu Huaixin hissed in pain, raising a hand to touch his neck. His fingertips came away stained with bright red blood. Fortunately, the knife had been deflected by a hidden weapon from the Jinlong Guard; otherwise, even with his armor, that blow to his back would have decapitated him.
"It's nothing, just a flesh wound." Despite the pain, Qiu Huaixin knew this was no time to dwell on his injuries. The fact that there was a traitor among his father's personal guards, and that the traitor had tried to kill him, was the real crisis.
Shi Song carefully examined the wound on Qiu Huaixin's neck. The blade had broken the skin and drawn a considerable amount of blood, but thankfully, it wasn't serious.
"Thank you for your assistance, Miss Zhan," Shi Song said, bowing respectfully to Zhan Feiyu. He had been so trusting of the master's personal guards that he hadn't been on guard at all.
The thought of his young master nearly being assassinated under his protection filled Shi Song with extreme gravity. He tightened his grip on his long sword. At this moment, he dared not trust anyone other than Zhan Feiyu's people.
"I have some styptic medicine here," Zhan Feiyu said, taking the medicine bottle from He Nuan and handing it to Qiu Huaixin. She then turned her gaze towards the fire-lit corridor, "Let's go inside to treat the wound. We don't know what's happening outside."
Shi Song watched He Sheng and He Nuan guard the doorway, and his tense heart relaxed slightly. Besides, Hesheng Xuan was quite a distance from the Qiu residence, and who knew what dangers lay on the way. His young master indeed needed to stop the bleeding.
After Qiu Huaixin and Shi Song entered the room, Zhan Feiyu casually closed the door from the outside. She then looked at the room designated 'Di Zi Number Six' and said, "We'll use the 'feint on one path, attack on another' strategy. Let's also take advantage of this chaos."
He Sheng and He Nuan both showed expressions of disapproval. Since the old master's people had made their move before the bidding began, it was clear they were targeting Miss. The box of items was secondary; Miss's safety was paramount.
"Don't worry, I have means to protect myself. Later, we'll go all out to snatch the box and place it in Di Zi Number Six's room." Zhan Feiyu smiled, her lips curving upwards. In the flickering firelight, her delicate, fair face took on a cunning glint of calculation.
Just as Zhan Feiyu finished speaking, Yuan Cheng, the captain of Lord Qiu's guards, had already apprehended the traitor. Unfortunately, their plan had a slight flaw, as the traitor bit into a poison sac in his mouth and died.
"Leader, he's no longer breathing," a personal guard, kneeling on the ground to examine the body, said with a grim expression. They were all the Lord's most trusted personal guards, which was why they had been assigned to protect the Third Young Master. Who would have thought there would be a traitor among them, and that he would attempt to assassinate the Third Young Master?
Yuan Cheng stared coldly at the traitor, whose mouth was oozing black blood, and spoke each word with chilling indifference, "Throw the body into an empty room. We'll deal with it after everything is over." A thorough investigation was certainly necessary, but not at this moment. With a traitor among his ranks, Yuan Cheng's primary concern was to ensure Qiu Huaixin was safely escorted back to the residence.
Another subordinate hesitated before speaking, "Leader, should we signal for reinforcements?"
Like the Jinlong Guards protecting Zhan Feiyu, Yuan Cheng's personal guards were divided, half in the open and half in the shadows. If something happened, they were supposed to notify those in hiding to provide backup. But who dared to do so now?
Glancing once more at the body being dragged away by his subordinates, Yuan Cheng strode towards Zhan Feiyu, his long sword still dripping blood.
He Sheng and He Nuan immediately became alert. He Sheng took a few steps forward, while He Nuan remained by Zhan Feiyu's side, guarding her. If the Qiu residence's personal guards dared to assassinate Qiu Huaixin, He Sheng and He Nuan equally didn't trust Yuan Cheng's arrival.
"Thank you for your timely assistance, Miss Zhan!" Yuan Cheng stopped about half a zhang away from Zhan Feiyu and clasped his fists in a respectful salute. Although the person who had attacked from the shadows had not revealed themselves, Yuan Cheng knew they must be the elite guards protecting Zhan Feiyu. "May I ask if Miss Zhan would accompany my young master back to the Qiu residence?"
Just as Shi Song didn't trust Yuan Cheng and his personal guards, Yuan Cheng at this moment also dared not risk Qiu Huaixin's safety. If another traitor appeared, or if the weapon was coated with a deadly poison that sealed the blood upon contact, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Zhan Feiyu glanced downstairs. Illuminated by the firelight, the spacious hall, capable of holding a hundred people, was now in utter chaos. Hesheng Xuan had suffered the most casualties. To protect the box, the guards of Hesheng Xuan had fought with their lives, while everyone else, regardless of their status, was after the box.
Fortunately, the constables from Qianzhong Prefecture were currently helping to fend off the attackers. However, judging by the situation, the constables wouldn't be able to hold out for much longer. It all depended on when the reinforcements from the Three Divisions would arrive.
"This fire probably won't last much longer. If you're worried about ambushes along the way, it might be better to stay here," Zhan Feiyu said, her meaning clear. While she could indeed escort Qiu Huaixin back if she were unharmed, Zhan Feiyu was also contemplating taking advantage of the situation.
Yuan Cheng did not insist. His Lord was currently at the prefectural office and had likely received the news and was on his way. Even if the fire didn't extinguish immediately, as long as they could hold out for another fifteen minutes or so, they would be safe. In that case, attempting a risky breakthrough was indeed less safe than staying at Hesheng Xuan.
"Brother Yuan, I'll stay here," Qiu Huaixin said, opening the door and stepping out. The wound on his neck had been treated and bandaged with strips torn from Shi Song's inner garment. Qiu Huaixin trusted Yuan Cheng completely, unlike others. Looking at the personal guards standing not far away, he continued, "This place is easily defended. As long as I don't come out, I won't be in any danger."
After a moment.
"What is she trying to do?" Qiu Huaixin frowned slightly, watching Zhan Feiyu being escorted away from the entrance. He had just intended to ask Zhan Feiyu to stay with him, and they would both be safe once his father arrived with reinforcements. Who knew Zhan Feiyu would decide to leave?
The corridor was narrow and indeed easy to defend. Yuan Cheng instructed his subordinates to pair up, with Di Zi Number Five's room as the center, and two guards stationed every zhang in front and behind. He himself stood guard at the entrance.
Hearing Qiu Huaixin's words, Yuan Cheng's sharp gaze fell upon Zhan Feiyu and her group, who had already reached the top of the stairs. Besides the He siblings, four hidden figures had now revealed themselves. These four individuals had ordinary features, easily lost in a crowd, but the cold, murderous aura emanating from them shocked even Yuan Cheng. These four were undoubtedly masters, no less skilled than himself. Regardless of whether they hailed from the Academy or the Jinlong Guard, their presence indicated the immense value of Miss Zhan's identity.
"Miss Zhan might be after that box," Yuan Cheng mused. He was also aware that the box might contain a token. However, the hall was in complete disarray, and whoever made a move to snatch the box would become the target of everyone's attack.
"The box has been opened..."
Suddenly, a shout rang out. The box had originally been secured with three locks, but now the third lock had been chopped off with a knife. Instantly, the gazes of dozens of people fell upon the box on the raised platform. Without the locks, whoever opened the box could take its contents.
"Everyone, you may be able to snatch the goods, but can you leave Hesheng Xuan?" Shopkeeper Jia wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth. Despite his disheveled appearance, he still seemed capable of fighting, suggesting that others hadn't expected the shopkeeper of Hesheng Xuan to be a master.
Standing in a corner on the first floor, Zhan Feiyu watched from afar. Shopkeeper Jia's words were not wrong. It was likely that the outside was already a net waiting to be sprung. Lord Qiu would definitely not allow anyone to escape amidst the chaos. Therefore, even if they managed to snatch something, it would be useless; they would be trapped like fish in a jar.
"Lord Qiu is indeed a step ahead," Zhan Feiyu finally understood and couldn't help but look up at the second floor. It was likely that the Third Young Master was also being used by Lord Qiu without his knowledge.
He Nuan looked confused. Zhan Feiyu explained in a low voice, "I initially thought Lord Qiu didn't want to bother with Lord Tao, so he let him act with impunity in Qianzhong Prefecture." At first, Zhan Feiyu had indeed thought so. Although Lord Tao was only a minor official in the Ministry of Revenue, he had the backing of a prince in the palace. Lord Qiu would naturally want to avoid his influence. Moreover, with the Qiu family's third branch previously engaging in treason, Lord Qiu would want to keep a low profile at this time.
But now Zhan Feiyu understood. Both Lord Tao and this box of items were bait. The forces in Qianzhong Prefecture, including the spies from other families lurking there, were all making their move, drawn by the token.
"Lord Qiu intends to capture them all in one fell swoop." Zhan Feiyu couldn't help but admire Lord Qiu's methods of eliminating his rivals, and he used an open strategy that wouldn't fear impeachment from the Censorate even if the news reached the capital.
He Sheng and He Nuan looked at the group of people locked in a stalemate in the hall. They were all elite trained assassins from various families. If they were all annihilated, the major powers would suffer severe losses, and Qianzhong Prefecture would once again become dominated by the Qiu family. Cultivating an assassin took at least several decades. Lord Qiu's purge of Qianzhong Prefecture also cleared the obstacles for Qiu Bingde to inherit the Qiu family in the future.