Clouds and Moon Shadow

Chapter 323: Dark Night Assassination

Gu Qingyue sent the carriage back early; she preferred to walk more.

Zhuque Street is really not far from the Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion. It would probably take less than half an hour to get there by taking the main road, and even faster if you took the shortcut through the alley.

Jiang Wan followed Gu Qingyue at a leisurely pace, her bright eyes fixed on Gu Qingyue's back.

She had no idea that her master could even design and decorate a shop; he was simply too versatile!

'Whoosh------'

Suddenly, an arrow carrying a sharp killing intent shot towards Gu Qingyue's back.

Jiang Wan immediately drew her long sword from her waist to block, but it was too late.

"master!!"

The moment the arrow flew, Gu Qingyue nimbly turned to the side, so even though Jiang Wan couldn't block it, she couldn't be hurt.

As soon as the two turned around, more than a dozen assassins in black appeared on the rooftops around them.

Gu Qingyue's lips curled into a mocking smile. They arrived so quickly!

Of course she knew that at this spring banquet, she had offended not only Princess Chaoyue, but also Princess Qing'an, who had been sent back to the capital on the first afternoon. She wondered if Princess Qing'an was able to get up now.

Pshaw! It's better if there isn't one.

So, whose people are these men in black?

Of course, it's not impossible that she might have other enemies she doesn't yet know about.

In a flash, the men in black jumped off the roof and surrounded the two of them. Gu Qingyue did not make a move, but stood still. Jiang Wan, however, had already drawn her sword and charged forward.

A man in black saw an opportunity, thinking that Gu Qingyue must be frozen in place with fear. This was simply the best chance for him to assassinate and make a name for himself.

He thrust his sword forward, only to be stopped halfway by a sword that suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

In the next instant, Yue Ran, Yu Mo, and Jiang Luo appeared out of nowhere.

In this dark corner, the sounds of weapons clashing instantly filled the air.

Gu Qingyue calmly surveyed her surroundings. The location they had chosen for the ambush was excellent, right at the intersection of a small alley and a main road, with a corner nearby.

However, the mastermind must be nearby!

Gu Qingyue released her mental energy to investigate the area.

really!

In a teahouse not far from this street corner, a man and a woman sat upright in a private room on the second floor.

The woman wore a strange and sinister smile. Who else could it be but Princess Qing'an?

The man was someone she never expected, Yue Zhiqi.

How did they get involved together?

"Your Highness, have you seen enough? The men below can't hold on much longer. If you don't intervene soon, our deal is off."

"You really want the people from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion to suffer? They helped you, after all. With something like this happening to you, you might not have to go through with the marriage alliance, right?"

Yue Zhiqi calmly observed the ferocious expression on the woman's face.

"Your Highness is talking too much nonsense. Whether or not to arrange a marriage alliance is up to the Emperor. Could it be that Your Highness is hesitating to take action because you want to be gentle with the lady?"

Princess Qing'an placed the teacup heavily on the table.

Yue Zhiqi raised an eyebrow, his smile becoming even more devilish.

A murderous glint flashed in his eyes. "What good would it do me to kill someone from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion?"

If the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion could be destroyed, it would naturally be a good thing for Nanzhao.

But he had his own plans on how to destroy it. He knew what had happened to the foolish woman at the Spring Festival banquet, but to think that he, the dignified third prince of Nanzhao, would become a pawn in her hands was truly incredibly stupid.

"Heh, doesn't Your Highness know that the third young master of the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion is a general in the Lizhou camp? Do you think he'll want to chop off your head the next time he sees you? Isn't it our wish to make him suffer unbearable pain?" Princess Qing'an's expression became even more sinister.

When she returned to the capital that day, her father ordered an investigation into the whole story.

They naturally knew who was involved, and they also knew about Princess Chaoyue and Princess Lianfu's scheme against Gu Qingyue.

If she could also drag the prince and princess of Nanzhao into the mess, her chances of winning would be much greater.

Isn't the enemy of my enemy my friend?

She has completely given up on Gu Yuanming now; all she wants is for him to suffer, preferably to the point of wishing she were dead!

Yue Zhiqi tapped the table: "I mean, what's the point of killing a little girl? Does that mean Gu Yuanming won't go to the battlefield without his sister?"

Princess Qing'an narrowed her eyes, her expression turning cold. "You weren't also bewitched by that vixen's face, were you? Making it sound so high and mighty?"

Yue Zhiqi frowned in disgust. "I'm leaving now. You'd better take care of yourself. As for the deal, I don't want to know."

The woman's vulgarity and ruthlessness made him very uncomfortable; she was a disgrace to the Great Chu royal family!

Although he was from Nanzhao, he really didn't want to do business with such a person.

He returned to the capital today and received a message from this woman this afternoon.

He said he would give him a surprise and that there was cooperation to discuss. He only came on a whim. He wants to deal with Da Chu and the Duke's Mansion. He will make his own moves. He will not be anyone's pawn.

Watching the man storm off, Princess Qing'an could no longer contain herself. With a flick of her wrist, she swept the teapot and cups off the table, shattering them on the floor with a clatter.

Gu Qingyue snapped out of her daze, a slight smile playing on her lips. This woman is something else!

After suffering such a serious injury, how come you were able to get out of bed and jump around so quickly?

Very well, it seems they really don't care about their lives.

"Jiang Wan".

Jiang Wan pierced the chest of a man in black with her sword and immediately retreated to Gu Qingyue's side.

"master".

Gu Qingyue whispered a few words in Jiang Wan's ear, and Jiang Wan nodded and immediately flew away.

Fifteen minutes later, all the men in black were lying on the ground.

"Master, we didn't leave any survivors. Those we had already captured committed suicide."

Yue Ran was quite helpless. He had just subdued a man in black, but before he could tie him up, the man bit his tongue and committed suicide.

"It's alright, I know who sent them, no need to interrogate them."

After Gu Qingyue finished speaking, she turned around and walked forward again.

There were very few people on this road, not only because it was already late at night, but also because curfew was approaching.

Furthermore, because this is the inner city, it is inhabited by noble families and dignitaries, and there are not as many common people as in the outer city.

So, after fighting for so long, no one came over. Of course, someone must have seen it.

Gu Qingyue didn't care; she was thinking about other things.

Seeing Gu Qingyue walk away, Yue Ran and the other two immediately concealed themselves and disappeared into the darkness.

Therefore, the people who had just been terrified finally dared to peek through the crack in the door.

Then a young girl was seen walking alone on the empty street, making the scene even more eerie.

Which woman wouldn't scream or cry for her parents in this situation? How come this little girl looks so calm and composed?

Seeing Gu Qingyue walk away, Princess Qing'an in the teahouse once again swept away the teacup that had just been served, trembling with anger. She refused to believe that she couldn't kill the people from the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion!

So what if they have a few secret guards? Doesn't the Prince An's mansion have any?