3. Assassination

The assassin suddenly became enraged, spat, and said, "I do not bear the surname Yuan!"

Fang Xingzhou's spirit was invigorated as he declared, "Sound the alarm! The entire city is under martial law; we must capture the assassin!" The guards responded loudly, for this was their only opportunity to redeem themselves; how could they not give their all?

"Traitors and rebellious sons should be punished by all! The principles of heaven are clear, and you will face retribution!"

Injuries continue to occur, indicating that this assassin is not only skilled in archery but also possesses exceptional martial arts, managing to hold out for so long without falling behind. However, it is only a matter of time before he is captured; with over 1,000 guards, along with the dozen or so personal attendants who appear to be eunuchs but are actually experts, once his whereabouts are discovered, she does not believe anyone can escape. Since the assassin was able to wait until the imperial carriage was close before making a move, he has already trapped himself in a circle of encirclement; it is likely that the assassin never intended to escape. Qing Tong leaned back in her seat, gazing at the extra feathered arrows embedded in the inner wall of the imperial carriage. Since the assassin was able to wait until the imperial carriage was close before making a move, he has already trapped himself in a circle of encirclement; it is likely that the assassin never intended to escape. Qing Tong leaned back in her seat, gazing at the extra feathered arrows embedded in the inner wall of the imperial carriage.

The assassin was covered in blood, and although the distance was great, the curses were clear to Qing Tong. The assassin shouted angrily: "Yuan Huan! You are insidious and venomous, with a heart of a wolf and the lungs of a dog! You poisoned the Crown Prince and harmed the Emperor! You have lost all sense of humanity, and heaven will not tolerate you!" The sound of banging followed, likely the guards striking the assassin to silence him.

Qing Tong glared at him and said, "You! Your official rank has been demoted by three levels, and you are to remain in your position while bearing your punishment. Go back and speak to the Ministry of Internal Affairs yourself!"

The guards outside the royal carriage were all drenched in cold sweat. Suddenly, shouts of "Capture the assassin" echoed, followed by hurried footsteps. At least three hundred guards rushed over, tightly encircling the royal carriage in three layers inside and three layers outside, preventing any further sneak attacks.

Qing Tong was lost in thought inside the royal carriage, as it had been a long time since anyone mentioned her elder brother, the Crown Prince. It was as if this person had never existed in the world. Most people probably believed that she had poisoned the Crown Prince, which is why they remained so silent. Yet, who would have thought that the one who missed the Crown Prince the most was her?

Is your surname Yuan

The blue-eyed woman no longer wasted words with him, reached out to push open the car door, and stepped down. Staying safe in the car? Nonsense! What was it that almost made her truly come to her senses just now?

The streets were filled with the hurried sound of footsteps. Qing Tong sat inside the palanquin, unable to see the outside situation, nor did she have any interest in doing so. Suddenly, she heard a guard let out a terrible scream, "Ah!" The others shouted, "Over here!" Following that, the sound of weapons clashing came from a distant building, indicating that the whereabouts of the assassin had likely been discovered

Is it Zhang Qianqiu? Good, I remember you. Take him down, I have nothing to say to this fool. Qing Tong waved his hand, then suddenly leaned forward and coldly smiled, "Zhang Qianqiu, do not refer to yourself as my father again. Let me remind you, my father is already dead"

The assassin turned in astonishment and saw a long dress embroidered with golden dragons and colorful phoenixes, now just three feet in front of him. The empress's face was pale with a slight flush, her beauty striking, her figure slender with a hint of frailty, yet her lips glistened with a sheen, making her presence both inexplicably strange and irresistibly captivating

The guards surrounding them were all stunned, and soon each of them displayed expressions of wild joy. As martial artists, they could hardly dare to imagine the consequences of that arrow. Each person sensed that they would not survive, and even a complete extermination of their family would be entirely justified. Suddenly learning that the Emperor was unharmed truly filled them with unexpected delight, and many of them trembled as they gripped their weapons.

Assassin Pei said: "Your Highness, the Crown Prince is your elder brother. You poisoned him for the throne. How could the Emperor, in the prime of his life, suddenly pass away? Killing your father and brother, your treachery and cruelty cannot be adequately described!"

Fang Xingzhou's soul flew out into the heavens, and only then did it return to its rightful place. The Emperor's safety is already a great joy, so who would still care about promotions or demotions? It is only right to hastily express gratitude and apologize. After lowering the curtain of the carriage, he called out loudly: "Heaven bless, Your Majesty is safe!" His voice trembled with overwhelming joy and tears.

Fang Xingzhou asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty, the assassin is spouting nonsense; should we take him away for further interrogation?" After a long while, there was still no response

What does this have to do with you

A wad of cloth was stuffed into his mouth, but unexpectedly, the assassin sprayed it out, along with a stream of curses. This time, the words were directed at the green-eyed woman, filled with accusations of indulgence and extreme extravagance. This part was heavily embellished with imagination, vividly expressed, clearly intended to provoke her and release the pent-up anger within. Many in the capital, both commoners and officials, speculated about the private life of a twenty-something empress, and there were even more scandalous versions circulating in private. However, these were merely whispered behind her back, and no one would let her hear them, so it was the first time the green-eyed woman had encountered such remarks. As she listened, her anger surged, and she suddenly said in a deep voice: "Open the car door!"

In a moment of distraction, the assassin saw her put something unknown from her hand into her mouth and start eating. Noticing that he was frozen in place, she asked again: "Is your surname Yuan?" Her voice was faint, carrying a hint of mockery.

Then why don't you wait for divine justice to take its course? Or do you think your surname is Justice and your given name is Divine?

How have I become so insidious and venomous

The imperial carriage sailed outside, and he quietly asked: "Your Majesty, do you intend to execute the assassin on the spot?"

Qing Tong let out a faint cold laugh, swallowed the pastry in her mouth, wiped her hands, and said: "Even if I were to usurp power, it would be the realm of the Yuan family that I would seize. Even if I do not usurp, the throne is not for you to occupy. My brothers, uncles, and cousins from the Yuan family have yet to speak; what kind of hero are you trying to be? Pitiful! Ridiculous!"

The assassin was taken aback, not expecting anyone to speak so boldly about usurpation. After a long pause, he said: "Although I do not share the surname Yuan, I still wish to eliminate you, this insidious and venomous woman!"

The assassin angrily declared: "I will not change my name or my surname; I am Zhang Qianqiu from the East Palace! I taught the Crown Prince archery for a year; if you do not remember me, I certainly remember you! Today, I am here to assassinate, unafraid of death. Do whatever you wish, but do not mock me! Even if I die, the people will not submit to you! You have no idea how many wish to kill you; you will eventually face retribution!"

Fang Xingzhou responded softly, signaling the guards to gag the assassin and take him away. The assassin struggled and shouted: "You treacherous person, usurping power with an ominous body and corrupting the court's principles, you will not have a good end!"

Fang Xingzhou was startled and quickly said: "It is chaotic outside, Your Majesty should remain in the carriage for safety"

The assassin was being held down and forced to have things stuffed into his mouth, still stammering curses, "You usurped the throne, you have so many brothers and uncles, and the Yuan family has so many men, how could it possibly be your turn to inherit? The fifteen previous emperors of the Great Yuan are watching you from above, you will surely face retribution!"

First, take him back to the Ministry of Justice for interrogation, as this person may have connections with the former Crown Prince

After a long time, the assassin was indeed captured. The guards used joint locks to dislocate his arm joints, yet still felt uneasy, stopping ten zhang away from the imperial carriage to report to Fang Xingzhou, who was stationed by the carriage door. This assassin had actually been working as a waiter in a tavern along the route of the imperial carriage for more than three months, rather than infiltrating temporarily, which is why no one had noticed him.

The curtain was suddenly lifted, and the chief guard Fang Xingzhou was drenched in cold sweat, trembling as he called out, "Your Majesty." When he saw that the Emperor was not lying in a pool of blood as he had anticipated, but instead was happily devouring food with grease all over his mouth, his initial fear turned into astonishment. In disbelief, he glanced at the still quivering arrow, then at the hole in the side wall, and finally at the Emperor's green eyes, which held a hint of terror. He managed to speak, "Your Majesty... are you... well?"