Chapter 8, Planning

The arrow had pierced through the thin chest of the man in black. Blood gradually seeped out, pooling into a small puddle on the ground. Mu Lan felt a bit uneasy. A single arrow was fatal; even if it were pulled out, it would not save him.

Hmm. Mu Lan felt a slight acidity in her nasal cavity as she gently held her in her arms, "It’s good to have avenged. You won’t feel sad anymore in the future"

Wake up Eunuch Xue and inform him that Lord Pu has left on official business. We have received news that an assassin intends to attack him. With Lord Pu absent, Eunuch Xue will surely propose to return to Suzhou overnight. This will conveniently create the illusion of our departure from Yangzhou and will not arouse the suspicions of the Jinyiwei

Long eyelashes languidly rested beneath the eyelids, and Ming Yan murmured: "I am sorry for you. I apologize, sir... The incense in the censer can make one feel weary and powerless. Mother Cui has used it on me; I secretly hid the unburned incense... Otherwise, I would not have been able to kill Park Yinying... If they find me, they will no longer suspect you... Young Master... He is very formidable, you must be cautious." If they find me, they will no longer suspect you... Young Master... He is very formidable, you must be cautious.

Ming Yan smiled sweetly and said, "Hmm, I am not afraid. I can finally be together with my parents and brothers."

My original surname is Jiang, from the Jiang family of Tiger Hill in Suzhou. My given name is Lanyi

Awakened from a drunken dream, Eunuch Xue heard that there were assassins plotting against him, and indeed, he was thrown into a panic. His interest in the Dragon Boat Festival was completely diminished, and he resolutely decided to leave. He hurriedly boarded the carriage. A group of people, holding the signed orders issued by the Ministry of Justice, called for the city gates to be opened overnight and boarded a boat heading to Suzhou.

What if the assassin was hit? Clearly, he could have been captured, but due to the delay in taking action, he escaped. Who can be held accountable

A commotion broke out in the room. One voice called for immediate action to signal a trap and capture the assassin to avenge the leader. Another voice, however, opposed making a big fuss about it.

The death of Park Eun-young completely caught the group by surprise. For a time, they were leaderless and at a loss.

The Linghua Pavilion remains tranquil. There is not a single movement in the direction of the Yishui Pavilion. It seems that the precious chess piece has temporarily intimidated those little minions from the Eastern Depot.

The room was enveloped in silence

He is quite formidable. Can he be more difficult to deal with than the Eastern Depot? Mu Lan reclined back on the short couch, pondering how to execute the old man's plan

The speed of sending people back to Beijing for reporting. What should we do next? We are waiting for instructions from above in Suzhou

The man in black entered the house to carry out the assassination and left in no more than a quarter of an hour

When the officer burst through the door upon hearing the commotion, he was taken aback to see Park Eun-young staring wide-eyed, lifeless amidst a pile of broken wood, with blood flowing from his chest staining half of his outer robe

"The dogs of the Eastern Factory must be punished by all. You have done perfectly well." Mu Lan gently comforted her, unable to bear to criticize her any further. It was he who had followed Ming Yan a step too late, which allowed her to be struck by a fatal arrow

The old man has an exceptionally accurate judgment of affairs in the court. Zhenlong is a thorn in the side of the Eastern Depot, and they wish to eliminate him as soon as possible. The Jinyiwei, who are vying for power and profit, watch from the sidelines, hoping that this thorn will dig in deeper, causing the Eastern Depot even more pain

A few of Park Yoon-young's trusted subordinates decided to temporarily conceal his death.

Mu Lan heard a weak voice, hesitated for a moment, then turned and lightly stepped onto the lotus leaf, leading the man in black into the painted boat docked by the lake.

... ... to the pleasure boat.

The search and capture must be conducted in secrecy. Our personnel stationed in various water areas of Lianhu will continue to lie in ambush. This way, the enemy is in the open while we remain in the shadows

It is only a matter of time before the body of Mingyan is found. However, Mingyan is with me tonight. I will certainly be subjected to questioning

Mu Lan recalled her appearance when they first met, resembling a proud swan, and her feelings of affection deepened even more

"It has been ten years, I miss my parents so much..." Ming Yan suddenly became agitated, "I killed him with my own hands. He struck my father dead with one blow, and I avenged him!"

This assassination is not part of the plan

The cold moonlight streamed in, and he saw the crossbow bolt deeply embedded in the back of the man in black.

When it comes to the blue attire, her voice resembles a sigh, particularly melodious. Mingyan's eyes glimmered with a hint of nostalgia. It was as if she recalled the time in her childhood when she wore a blue gauze dress at home to learn dance, and it was as if she could hear her family gently calling her name

No bloodstains were found near the window. It is evident that the crossbow bolt was shot by the big boss in a moment of crisis. What if it missed the assassin and ended up in the lake instead

The judgment of the supervisor is not incorrect. The assassin Zhenlong has appeared in Yangzhou

Tears gradually clouded Mingyan's eyes, and she said with a near-choking voice, "There was no assassination in the gentleman's plan. How could I implicate you"

The plan underwent a sudden change due to the tea smoke

The assassin Zhenlong was not caught, and instead, the life of the leader of the Twelve Flying Eagles was lost. If a large-scale hunt fails to capture the assassin, the Eastern Depot cannot afford to lose this person; if word gets out, it would be a source of ridicule for the Imperial Guards.

Mu Lan removed the veil from the face of the man in black. Ming Yan tugged at the corner of her mouth and smiled slightly at him: "I am sorry"

Ten years ago, the late emperor passed away, causing a shock in the court. Officials from the capital to the localities underwent a significant reshuffle. Many prominent families vanished without a trace. The Jiang family, once related by marriage to the imperial clan, was raided by the Eastern Depot. At that time, Jiang Lanyi was probably only seven or eight years old, and she survived but was sold into a brothel

Time was running out for him. Mu Lan sighed and resolutely departed

A bolt was missing from the crossbow of the big boss! It must have hit the assassin!" The guard inspecting the body exclaimed with joy, "The assassin is injured! He can't swim far in the lake. Signal to surround the lake and search!"

Fishing and catching are two completely different actions

Some people are quite skeptical: "Can it be kept a secret?"

At this moment, the lack of activity indicates that the people from the Eastern Depot have chosen to conduct a covert search. This is a good thing for Mu Lan. However, the death of the head of the Eastern Depot on the Lin family's territory implicates the Lin family innocently, and their pursuit of the assassin will only be more vigorous than that of the Eastern Depot

Mu Lan tightened her arms, tears falling into her hair: "Sleep now, I will hold you."

Everyone gasped in shock. They all knew the skill of Park Eun-young. To be pierced through the heart by someone, how high must the opponent's skill be

A tear rolled down from the corner of her eye. Mu Lan carefully wiped it away with her finger and said, "You should tell me. I can help you"

"I will ensure that you are buried with your family," Mu Lan solemnly promised her. After the Eastern Factory discovered her corpse, fulfilling this promise was not an easy task. Mu Lan thought to himself that he would definitely accomplish this, sending this poor girl back to her family.

One person finally spoke up: "Brothers, stop arguing and listen to me. Zhenlong has already killed seven people from the Eastern Factory. The Jinyiwei have long been mocking the Eastern Factory for its incompetence, both openly and secretly. This time, even Chief Park has died at his hands. The commotion from the manhunt is too great; what if we fail to capture Zhenlong? If we do manage to catch him, it would indeed be a remarkable achievement. But if we cannot, it is likely that the supervisor will send us to the border for garrison duty."

A man patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile: "The big boss died on the Lin family's territory. The Lin family will not only help us cover it up thoroughly, but they will also provide us with a generous transportation fee"

If the Eastern Factory's officers determine that Ming Yan is the assassin Zhen Long and present her corpse as evidence, then he only needs to deal with Lin Yichuan, the eldest son of the Lin family

A faint smile blossomed at the corners of Mingyan's lips as she gently closed her eyes

"The chess piece! Embedded in the adult's body." The coroner pried a black Go piece from the chest of Park Eun-young. Under the light, the characters 'Zhenlong' were clearly visible

This is a noble young lady who can address the late Empress as "Aunt." The Jiang family's reputation remains intact, and the courtesan Mingyan, whose beauty was marred by the destruction of the Ninghua Tower, is still a distinguished daughter of a prominent family

You are the first person who does not despise my appearance. Mingyan took a breath, her face weakly pressed against his chest, "When I was a child, my parents would always hold me and lull me to sleep. Here, there are no family members, no friends. There isn't even anyone willing to hold me like this. The gentleman said he could help me take revenge, and I have waited year after year, waiting until I am utterly exhausted."

My family is buried in the outskirts of Suzhou, at the foot of Qizi Mountain. Mingyan opened her eyes, gripping Mu Lan's collar tightly. Her lips moved slightly, and her large eyes looked at him with eager anticipation

It is indeed a death at the hands of Zhenlong

Suzhou Tiger Hill Jiang Family? Mu Lan rummaged through his memories. He quickly recalled that the old man had mentioned the Jiang family of Tiger Hill. The Jiang family was related by marriage to the maternal family of the late emperor.

She gazed at him. The moonlight cast a layer of clarity over Mu Lan's face. ... His gaze was so gentle ... . ... Ming Yan raised her head with determination, her cool lips gently landing a kiss on Mu Lan's lips

Which young master of the Lin family? I have heard that his business acumen is quite remarkable. By the age of sixteen, he was already in charge of the Lin family's sixteen trades in the north and south. Mu Lan pondered for a moment and gently said, "Good girl, you can rest assured. I can even distinguish the incense you burn, so how could there be any danger?"

Park Yinying did not initiate any arrangements regarding the entire layout of the Zhenlong. The Ninghua Tower appears to be tranquil.

Our journey south was to capture the assassin Zhenlong. Not only did the operation fail, but we also lost the life of a high-ranking official. Zhenlong killed seven people from the Eastern Depot, and we didn't even catch a glimpse of him. If this gets out, how will the supervisor save face? Does the Eastern Depot still care about its reputation?

Mu Lan could not bear to deceive her, took a deep breath, and smiled at her: "You will not be alone; they are all waiting for you. Do not be afraid to walk the path to the underworld alone; there will be loved ones accompanying you along the way"

Mu Lan's ostentatious move to reside in the Ninghua Building was intended to attract the attention of Lin Yichuan, the eldest son of the Lin family, in hopes of making his acquaintance. He could not genuinely call upon a young lady to accompany him for the night. It was the old man who would inform him to seek out the lady in blue.

No one dares to voice this question in their heart

The surroundings were exceptionally quiet, occasionally interrupted by the croaking of frogs. Mingyan lay beneath the azure moonlight, as if she were asleep

However, the same doubts as those of Park Eun-young swept through the minds of the subordinates. Since the supervisor was able to predict that Zhenlong would appear in Yangzhou, why was his target not Gonggong Xue, but rather Park Eun-young

I am about to die, am I not

The leader of the operation has died. They are merely the pawns below. If there is no certainty in capturing the assassin Zhenlong, then do not add fuel to the fire and create an even bigger mess

Mu Lan was instantly stunned

A person crouched down carefully to examine the corpse of Park Eun-young: "The sharp blade pierced the heart. It is a slender, thin dagger with a blade groove. One stab was fatal"