Chapter 661 - 495: Assassination at the Same Place (Part 2)

"Yes, Young Master." Lianxin and Liansuo were always obedient.

Upon hearing this, Situ Wan did not object either. After all, her cultivation had been restored quite well. With Lin Miao’s efforts, she had recovered at least sixty to seventy percent of her past combat power. Even if they encountered a Perfect Meridian Passage Realm expert, they would still have the power to fight.

Lianxin and Liansuo also had not low cultivation, both reaching the Middle Grade Meridian Passage Realm. In terms of combined combat power, they were not inferior to ordinary Upper Grade Meridian Passage Realm practitioners.

With the three of them together, even if they encountered a Tianyuan expert, they could escape with their lives.

"Then let’s go back and prepare now, and set off early tomorrow morning."

"Alright. On this trip, you two must listen to Wan’Er. She has much more experience in the martial world than the two of you, so don’t act impulsively." Lin Miao instructed.

"Got it. Xiaosuo and I will both listen to Sister Wan."

This address of "Sister Wan" made Situ Wan blush again.

Lianxin and Liansuo were both True Disciples of the Snow Mountain Sect. In terms of status and seniority, they were indeed quite similar to Situ Wan, so calling her Sister Wan or Senior Sister Wan was appropriate.

"Sister Wan, what did it feel like just now under the water with Young Master? My sister and I have never tried it..." Liansuo, very naturally, grabbed Situ Wan’s arm and asked.

Lianxin massaged her forehead, utterly defeated by her heartless sister. How could she ask such a question face-to-face?

If she wanted to ask, she should find a suitable opportunity. Actually, she hadn’t tried it either and was very curious.

Situ Wan was embarrassed and blushed red. After tonight, her reputation as the "Rose Fairy" for thirty-six years was utterly ruined.

"Sister Wan, can you teach me how to hold my breath? Next time, I also want to try it with Young Master. How did you do it..."

"Xiaosuo, shut up." Lianxin couldn’t stand it any longer and directly covered her sister’s mouth. If she continued asking, who knows what nonsense this girl would say.

Situ Wan’s face turned even redder, blaming this little scoundrel for leading her into this.

...

"Here’s some information my spies in Qingping Town found out. Young Master, this Shenxiao Dao is not simple; there’s likely a significant force supporting it." Back in her room, Yue Mei’er was already waiting there.

"What’s the background of this Lingxiao?" Lin Miao, after skimming through the information, looked up and asked Yue Mei’er.

"I don’t know, quite mysterious, as if he appeared suddenly. But he has many experts under him, all being new faces."

"Can we arrange someone to infiltrate?"

"It’s possible to try with the peripheral believers, but not the core members. They’re very vigilant, not giving outsiders a chance. But this kind of organization doesn’t feel like a good crowd." Yue Mei’er said, "Young Master, actually, we have no enmity with them, and there’s no need for confrontation, is there?"

"I hope so too," Lin Miao chuckled, "But haven’t you thought about it? If this ’plague’ was man-made, why did it happen in Erli Village? All source points near us point to Mr. Cen, and that mona civet fur in Mr. Cen’s house was the source. But the source wouldn’t move to the village temple where Mr. Cen lived by itself. Who sent that civet infected with ’plague’ to Mr. Cen?"

"You mean, the source of the ’plague’ was brought to the tenant village of our manor, to infect our manor with plague, a plan for extermination?" Yue Mei’er, not being foolish, instantly realized the key point.

"Whether it’s a ’plan for extermination,’ we still don’t know. But in other places, it’s sporadic outbreaks, whereas here, it’s massive. Doesn’t that indicate a problem?"

"I’ll investigate." Yue Mei’er’s face changed, knowing well how the colorless glass workshop and the refinement technique of crystal sugar had brought Lin Miao enormous profits over the past year.

If wealth could not be protected by force, it ultimately becomes meat in others’ bowls.

Neither the secret of colorless glass nor the refinement of crystal sugar can be kept forever. Once someone notices the clues, they will be targeted.

If the ’plague’ in Erli Village was aimed at Miao Manor, it means the secrets inside the manor have been leaked.

This, it’s being watched.

Of course, the person probably didn’t just target Miao Manor but had other purposes, or else the ’plague’ in Dongshan City wouldn’t have erupted so quickly.

If the secret is leaked, it means there is an insider; if this insider is not rooted out, it’s a huge threat.

"Mei’Er, the insider is not important; what’s important is the person behind them."

"I understand, Mei’Er."

...

As dusk approached.

"Crown Prince, ahead is Cloud-Riding Ridge. How about we rest for the night and cross over tomorrow?" The leader from the Royal Family’s Honored Guest Hall suggested, while escorting Crown Prince Zhao Yuanze.

"Yes, Crown Prince, look at the dark clouds on the horizon. It’s likely to rain, making the road difficult to travel..." Leng Qingfeng panted and echoed.

"This rain won’t come down anytime soon. If we move quickly, we can pass through Cloud-Riding Ridge and reach Jishi Posthouse by nightfall. From there, one more day’s journey will take us to Dongshan." Crown Prince Zhao Yuanze said, having traveled this route before and being very familiar with it.

"Crown Prince..." Someone beside him started to persuade but was immediately refused by Zhao Yuanze, "I said we’ll rest at Jishi Posthouse; it’s enough time."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The Crown Prince wanted to proceed, and no one could argue otherwise. After the Crown Prince’s previous assassination, the authorities had thoroughly cleared Cloud-Riding Ridge.

The once bandit-infested area was now very clean. Even passing black market leaders dared not linger, lest they be mistaken for wrongdoers by the government patrol.

"Yah!"

Crown Prince Zhao Yuanze led the way on horseback, followed closely by his elite Eastern Palace guards. Behind them, six experts from the Royal Court and spies from the Imperial City Department also hurriedly followed.

Lastly, there was Mr. Leng, who, with two servants, could only desperately keep up. Falling behind in the wilderness would indeed mean trouble if they encountered bandits.

"Your Highness, a message transmitted by carrier pigeon!"

"Bring it over."

"Pei Jian is truly cautious to have even sent someone to receive me. Is it really necessary?" Reading the message, Zhao Yuanze muttered to himself.

This time, he was accompanied by numerous experts, even a Tianyuan expert would have no chance.

But Pei Jian sending someone to meet him indicated that the ’epidemic’ in Dongshan Prefecture was still under control.

Continue!

As they pressed on for about half an hour, Crown Prince Zhao Yuanze suddenly pulled on the reins, raising his hand to signal the convoy to halt.

"Your Highness..."

The crowd was puzzled as to why the Crown Prince suddenly stopped after traveling smoothly.

"Rest for a while." Zhao Yuanze recognized this place as where he had been ambushed before; a place he would never forget.

He and the Crown Princess Consort almost died here.

Since they were passing through, he naturally didn’t want to miss the chance to stop and commemorate.

"This is where I was ambushed. Beneath your feet, there should still be traces of blood left by my guards who sacrificed themselves for me," Zhao Yuanze explained as he dismounted from his horse.

"Your Highness, this terrain is treacherous, and it’s getting late. We should continue on; the looming dark clouds might bring rain soon."

"Mm, let’s rest for a moment, drink some water, eat something, and we will proceed!"

"Your Highness, have some water." The guard offered a waterskin.

"You all should have some too." Nodding, Zhao Yuanze took the waterskin, suddenly sensing a chill before him. It wasn’t the wind, but a killing intent.

Alert, Zhao Yuanze immediately stood up.

By this time, the Eastern Palace guards and experts from the Huang Family’s Honored Guest Hall also sensed something amiss, rising to their feet, with some even drawing their weapons.

"Something’s wrong. Quickly, protect His Highness and evacuate!" Mr. Sheng, the expert sent by the Royal Family’s Honored Guest Hall to protect the Crown Prince, sharply ordered.

"Yes."

Zhao Yuanze, quick to respond, immediately turned, mounted his horse, and all instantly ceased resting, mounted their steeds, and surrounded him to swiftly depart.