The Empress's No.1 Lackey
Chapter 682 - 456. Continuous assassinations_3

Chapter 682: 456. Continuous assassinations_3

Every time he mentioned a possibility, the nerves of the courtesan pretending to sleep tightened a bit more.

Finally, she couldn’t withstand the invisible pressure, opened her eyes, and sobbed, covering her face:

"Just kill me, sir."

So she surrendered? Indeed, an obvious female assassin without martial arts training and no reason to be a master of Magic...

Except in the intimate moments when I’m least guarded, she might have a chance at a successful assassination. As someone of High Grade in the Divine Chapter, if I’m at all prepared, she has no chance of a sneak attack...

As Zhao Douan’s thoughts spun, he smiled and suddenly knocked the woman unconscious with a hand chop without any warning!

When the courtesan fell back in shock and let her hands drop from her face, it revealed a metal tube clamped in her teeth, ready to release poisonous gas.

"Unoriginal."

Zhao Douan muttered, stood up, pushed the door open, and walked out of the room, complaining to the Python Robed Old Eunuch standing guard at the door:

"Eunuch, you really are dutiful in watching me."

Eunuch Hai wrapped his sleeves around himself, snorted, and said:

"His Majesty said to watch over you, so you wouldn’t get devoured by that female demon."

Am I that kind of person? I am unwaveringly devoted to Zhenbao; heaven and earth can bear witness. I wouldn’t touch an old nun over fifty, let alone a random courtesan... Zhao Douan wore a hurt expression of distrust, then frowned and said:

"Eunuch, I feel something doesn’t add up."

"What’s wrong? Didn’t you anticipate they would try to assassinate you? You even guessed what methods they might use." Eunuch Hai asked curiously.

Zhao Douan said seriously:

"Don’t you think these two assassination attempts were too simple? Although it seemed like there were indeed chances to kill me, whether it was the poison capable of killing someone in the Divine Chapter Realm or this female assassin being used as a death warrior... these were heavily invested and only the top forces in Jianning Prefecture could arrange it so quickly... but... "

He corrected himself: "It was still too ’simple,’ wouldn’t the people making a move anticipate that I’d be extra vigilant these days? Why act so hastily? Couldn’t they wait even a day?"

Eunuch Hai thought for a moment and said: "Perhaps the other side predicted your thinking, so they went the opposite way, betting that you’d relax your mind today."

"No, it doesn’t make sense." Zhao Douan frowned and shook his head, saying: "I trust the other side isn’t stupid enough to believe this level of assassination can really harm me... I’m not Ning Zechen..." .

Suddenly, Zhao Douan froze, a flash of insight crossing his mind.

He suddenly lifted his head, his expression slightly changed: "No, I know who their target is now!"

...

...

In the dead of night, Ning Zechen, riding in a carriage, stopped outside the Cao Transport Office’s main entrance.

In the night, the two lonely lamps at the office’s entrance seemed somewhat desolate. The old doorkeeper of the office heard the disturbance, rubbed his eyes, got up to open the door, and exclaimed: "Governor, you’re back?"

"What do you mean, do I look like the kind who wouldn’t come back at night?" said Governor Ning, who was righteously filled and originally a son-in-law.

The old doorkeeper dared not utter a sound, thinking to himself that when the madam wasn’t in town, you didn’t talk so tough.

Opening the door, the carriage entered the courtyard, and the doorkeeper led it to the stable.

Ning Zechen walked into the back office, to his residence, finding the lamps inside still lit, a woman’s shadow faintly imprinted on the window.

Mrs. Ning heard the commotion, got up, and pushed the door open. The calm and dignified woman saw her husband return and silently breathed a sigh of relief: "You’re back?"

"Yes, I’m back."

"Mr. Zhao?"

"Staying over at Jing Garden... Has your daughter slept?"

"She’s asleep."

The couple spoke, and Mrs. Ning assisted the governor in removing his outer robe, fetched footwashing water, causing Ning Zechen to feel overwhelmed with favor.

After talking for a while, Ning Zechen, on the pretense of needing to review some documents, sent his wife off to bed alone in the bedroom, while he donned a single garment, contemplating in the study the events of the day:

Zhao Douan apprehending the Shen family... the arrival of Prince Jing’s son... the poisoning in tonight’s meal in Jing Garden...

"How could they be so bold? Isn’t this defying the heavens? His Majesty will soon visit Jiancheng Road... How dare they at such a crucial moment..."

Ning Zechen paced repeatedly, unable to fathom it.

Suddenly, he heard a faint sound of roof tiles breaking in the courtyard.

He paused, feeling a warning in his heart, swiftly drew an armored garment from the weapon rack, and pushed the door to leave the study.

In the courtyard, the night was as cool as water, stars, and moonlight scattered. Ning Zechen stood holding a sword in the courtyard, looked around, saw nothing unusual, and sighed, mocking himself: "Scaring myself..."

But just as he was about to turn and return indoors, four assassins, blending into the night, suddenly sprang from the shadows!

Silent and stealthy, like venomous snakes lying in wait for a long time, ready to deliver a fatal strike the moment the prey relaxed!

"Who goes there?" Ning Zechen suddenly turned, bringing down his sword overhead. The blade clashed with an assassin’s short knife with a clang, forcing them back.

However, another dagger "thudded," stabbing into his back.

Governor Ning only felt a heart-wrenching pain, as if all his strength deserted him at that moment. He widened his eyes, tried desperately to wield his sword, driving back another assassin on the side, retreating several steps, attempting to call out loudly.

"Assassins—"