novelhk Chapter 260: Assassination
Chapter 260: Assassination
Inside a side hall of the prefectural government office, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed as if water could drip from it.
Prefect Hao Ren hung his head, large beads of sweat rolling down his forehead, soaking his clothes. His eyes were filled with undisguised fear, and he trembled as if he were in an ice cellar.
Ever since he was released from prison, he has been standing straight like this, not daring to breathe loudly, and even his breathing has become very cautious.
And sitting peacefully at the large round table in front of him was a handsome man.
The man was dressed in plain blue robes, exuding a scholarly air, yet also subtly revealing an aura of authority that commanded respect.
The man was tapping his fingers lightly on the table, the rhythm sometimes fast and sometimes slow, as if he were pondering some profound question.
In this oppressive atmosphere, no one dared to utter a sound or cause any disturbance, as if the slightest movement would trigger an unpredictable storm.
The man tapping on the table was none other than Pei Changqing, the second prince of the Dayu Dynasty and an old friend of He Jinnian.
Pei Changqing stared intently at the trembling prefect before him for a long time before finally speaking.
"Prefect Hao, I really don't want to say anything more. As for the constable who brought the assassins into the prison without permission, you can handle that as you see fit!"
Pei Changqing's voice was cold and authoritative, as if carrying an invisible pressure.
"As for your situation, I have no need to say anything more. Just take care of yourself and don't disappoint me again!"
Upon hearing this, Prefect Hao Ren's legs suddenly went weak.
He knelt on the ground with a thud, looking like a child who had made a grave mistake and was begging for his parents' forgiveness. Tears streamed down his face as he sobbed.
"Second Prince, I know I was wrong. I shouldn't have lied to you and said I knew nothing. I shouldn't have blindly worked for the Ouyang family just to keep my official position!"
Hao Ren's voice was filled with endless regret and fear.
"I beg you to give me another chance. I will sever all ties with that thief and never work for them again. I swear to Heaven that if I break this vow, may I be struck by lightning!"
The main reason he is now so frankly admitting his connection with the Ouyang family is that he is well aware of the Second Prince's methods and understands that if he continues to conceal it, he will surely face an abyss of no return.
To demonstrate his loyalty, Prefect Hao Ren even beheaded Constable Li Buwei in front of the Second Prince, Pei Changqing.
Hao Ren's face was contorted with rage, his eyes were bloodshot, and he shouted loudly.
"Bring Li Buwei up here!"
Before long, Li Buwei, the constable who had brought the assassins into the prison without permission, was brought in bound hand and foot. Li Buwei was still shouting.
"Your Excellency, you can't treat me like this! Everything I've done was for you!"
Hao Ren glared angrily and said through gritted teeth.
"You ignorant fool, how dare you commit such a heinous crime behind my back! Today is your death day!"
With that, he suddenly drew his sword from his waist. With a flash of cold light, Li Buwei's head rolled to the ground, blood splattering everywhere and staining the side hall floor red.
The Second Prince, Pei Changqing, frowned slightly, a hint of disgust in his expression.
Hao Ren hurriedly threw away the blood-stained sword in his hand, knelt down in front of Pei Changqing again, and said in a trembling voice.
"Your Highness, I have executed this criminal on the spot to prove my loyalty. From now on, I will follow Your Highness's lead without hesitation and will never have any disloyal thoughts again."
Pei Changqing glanced coldly at Hao Ren and spoke slowly.
"Prefect Hao, I hope you remember what I said today. If you make any further mistakes, Li Buwei's fate will serve as a warning to you."
Hao Ren nodded repeatedly, his forehead sweat mixed with the blood splattered on his face, making him look extremely disheveled.
At this moment, dark clouds filled the sky outside the side hall, and a gust of wind howled past, seemingly indicating that this turmoil was far from over.
After leaving the Second Prince Pei Changqing's place, Hao Ren's fear did not dissipate. Instead, he became even more uneasy because of his ruthless killing of Li Buwei.
He knew that although he had temporarily appeased the second prince, he would still be walking on thin ice in the days to come.
Amid this anxiety, Hao Ren decided to conspire once again with Ouyang Han, the eldest son of the Ouyang family.
That night, Hao Ren secretly sneaked into the Ouyang residence and met with Ouyang Han in a secret room.
The dim candlelight flickered, illuminating the somber faces of the two men.
Hao Ren lowered his voice, his tone filled with fear and determination.
“Young Master Ouyang, the Second Prince is now suspicious of me. If we don’t get rid of him, we will all die without a burial place.”
Ouyang Han frowned, a ruthless glint flashing in his eyes.
"Lord Hao is absolutely right. Then let's plan an assassination to eliminate any future troubles."
They huddled together, carefully discussing every detail. Ouyang Han said.
"I have secretly trained a group of assassins, each of whom is highly skilled in martial arts. We are just waiting for the right time to make our move."
Hao Ren nodded slightly.
"The location for the operation needs to be chosen in a sparsely populated area to avoid causing too much of a commotion."
Ouyang Han pondered for a moment.
"We will choose the time when the Second Prince goes out of the city to hunt, as the mountain roads there are rugged and easy to ambush."
The two had reached an agreement and went to make their own preparations.
However, what they didn't know was that the Second Prince, Pei Changqing, had already taken precautions.
His informants had already relayed Hao Ren and Ouyang Han's conspiracy back to him.
Pei Changqing gave a cold laugh.
"You're being far too naive to think you can assassinate me." He began to deploy his men, preparing to turn the tables and eliminate this evil force in one fell swoop.
A thrilling contest is about to begin.
Pei Changqing thought he had everything under control, but he never expected to be betrayed by the servants around him.
What was originally a seemingly foolproof hunting trip outside the city instantly turned into a bloody massacre.
When assassins surged out from all directions, Pei Changqing realized he was in dire straits.
He fought back fiercely, but was outnumbered and, despite his agility, was seriously injured in the fierce battle.
Pei Changqing used his last bit of strength to escape the assassin's pursuit.
He was covered in blood, and his consciousness was gradually fading.
In this life-or-death situation, he could only run on instinct.
After running for an unknown amount of time, Pei Changqing accidentally stumbled upon the three tiled houses in the suburbs where Fang Xiaoxiao lived.
He mustered his last shred of consciousness and struggled to push open the simple wooden door.
Fang Xiaoxiao was doing needlework inside the room when she suddenly heard the door being pushed open. She looked up in surprise and saw a man covered in blood, swaying precariously.
She covered her mouth in terror, momentarily at a loss for what to do.
Pei Changqing said in a weak voice.
"Girl, save me..."