AWB Chapter 194: Capturing the Assassin Group
Chapter 194: Capturing the Assassin Group
Over the next few days, Cen Jiexiao pretended to be calm, but secretly began to make intensive arrangements to prepare for the coming storm. She first approached Li Chan, a shrewd and capable middle-aged man who was in charge of printing newspapers at Moyuan Pavilion.
She revealed to him the "truth" about Mo Lei's arrest and hinted that he should spread the news so that it would spread quickly throughout the entire Linkang City as if it had wings.
The next day, in Moyuan Pavilion, inside the printing house.
"What? Mo Lei was captured by Princess Jue Ling? Is there such a thing?" Li Chan, the person in charge of printing newspapers and periodicals of Zhaoyin Academy at Moyuan Pavilion, stopped holding the teacup in mid-air with his eyes wide open as if what Cen Jiexiao said was some kind of fairy tale. "How, how is this possible? How is Princess Jue Ling related to Mo Lei? Mo Lei is the deputy envoy of Liaodan Kingdom. How could he be captured? And he was captured by Princess Jue Ling?" A series of questions popped out of his mouth like a machine gun, showing his inner shock and disbelief at the moment.
Cen Jiexiao feigned a mysterious smile and lowered her voice, saying, "It's a long story. In short, Mo Lei's true identity is not simple. He lurked in the Liaodan envoys for other purposes. Princess Jue Ling was wise and decisive. She saw through his plot and personally captured him. Mo Lei is now imprisoned in the Linkang Prefecture's prison."
"Oh my God!" Li Chan gasped, nearly dropping the teacup in his hand. "This, this is a shocking secret! Dean, where did you get this information? Is it reliable?"
"Of course I learned this from a reliable source." Cen Jiexiao smiled pretentiously. "This matter is of great importance. You must keep it secret. Just say that you got this information from a reliable source within the Linkang Prefecture. Do you understand?"
Li Chan nodded quickly, "I understand! Don't worry, Dean, I'm very tight-lipped and won't say anything nonsense!" He rubbed his hands excitedly, "This is big news! I have to go back and make arrangements. I'll have my brothers spread the news tomorrow morning!"
For those in the news and media department, nothing is more exciting than uncovering a breaking news story. Furthermore, this "truth" involves the current princess and an assassination organization; it's simply explosive news!
As expected, the news of Mo Lei's arrest quickly spread throughout Linkang City and quickly fermented, becoming a hot topic of discussion on the streets.
"Have you heard? The Liaodan Kingdom's Deputy Envoy, Mo Lei, was actually captured by Princess Jue Ling herself!"
"Is this true? Isn't Princess Jue Ling known for her unruly and willful nature? Could she possibly be capable of this?"
"You don't know this, right? I heard that Princess Jue Ling has been learning Qimen Dunjia from the palace masters since she was a child. Her skills are really amazing!"
"Tsk tsk tsk, I didn't expect that Princess Jue Ling is such a hidden talent!"
Listening to the chatter of the people on the street, a sneer curled up Cen Jiexiao's lips. Their voices rose and fell, echoing in his ears like a farce. Some marveled, some questioned, and some fabricated bizarre rumors, portraying Princess Jue Ling as a hidden and extraordinary woman. Cen Jiexiao listened coldly, her heart devoid of emotion, only mockery. The power of public opinion is formidable. Now that the "truth" of Mo Lei's capture has been deeply rooted in people's minds, it's time for the assassins to take the stage.
To lure the enemy out of their lair, Cen Jiexiao deliberately spread the rumor that Princess Jue Ling would be visiting the Huguo Temple outside the city in the near future to burn incense. Huguo Temple was the most famous temple near Linkang City, and Princess Jue Ling would undoubtedly travel with a small entourage, which was undoubtedly a perfect opportunity for the assassins.
When the news reached the assassin group, it immediately attracted their attention.
"What did you say? Princess Jue Ling wants to go to Huguo Temple to burn incense?" A burly assassin stood up suddenly. His face was covered with scars and he looked ferocious.
"Is the information reliable?" another assassin asked in a low voice, with a glint of doubt in his eyes.
"It's absolutely true! Our people heard it from Princess Jue Ling's maid!" The assassin who brought the news said with confidence, "It is said that Princess Jue Ling went to the Huguo Temple to burn incense and pray for peace and prosperity for the country and the people. She only brought a few guards and maids with her. There is no doubt about it!"
"Great! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!" A gleam flashed in the scarred assassin's eyes. He slammed the table vigorously and said excitedly, "As long as we kill Princess Jue Ling, we will have completed the mission assigned to us by the organization. Then, we will enjoy endless wealth and glory!"
"The leader is wise!" The other assassins echoed, with excitement on their faces.
The leader of the assassin group was a short, middle-aged man with a sinister look. He was silent for a moment, then a cold glint flashed in his eyes. He said in a stern voice, "Pass the order down. Everyone, ambush near the Huguo Temple. As soon as Princess Jue Ling appears, take action immediately and make sure to capture her..."
"and many more!"
At that moment, the door to the meeting hall creaked open, and a murderous man in black rushed in. He stumbled to the leader of the assassin group. He opened his cracked lips and stammered a few words: "Report... Report..."
"You're so flustered! How disgraceful!" The assassin leader frowned impatiently. He hated it most when his subordinates didn't do their job efficiently. "If you have something to say, please speak slowly. Are you expecting the sky to fall?"
"The sky... the sky didn't fall..." The man in black gasped for breath and spoke intermittently, "But... but..."
"But what? Hurry up and tell me!" The assassin leader's patience was running out. He slammed the table and shouted, "If you keep hesitating, I'll cut off your tongue!"
The man in black was so frightened that his entire body trembled. He suppressed his fear and said with all his strength, "We... our spies planted in Zhaoyin Academy... have sent us news... Princess Jue Ling... she... she..."
"What happened to her? Tell me quickly!" the leader of the assassin group asked impatiently, with a vague ominous premonition in his heart.
"She...she didn't go to Huguo Temple at all!" The man in black finally finished the whole sentence in a halting manner.
"What?!" The assassin leader's face suddenly changed. He stood up suddenly, grabbed the black-clad man by the collar, and asked sternly, "Tell me again, where did Princess Jue Ling go?"
"Chief... Chief..." The man in black was strangled and couldn't breathe. He stretched out his hand with difficulty and pointed at his chest, indicating that he needed to take a breath.
The assassin leader then realized he had gone too far, so he let go of her hand, suppressed his anger, and said coldly, "Tell me, where did Princess Jue Ling go?"
The man in black covered his painfully strangled neck and coughed violently a few times before speaking incoherently, "The spies sent word...that Princess Jue Ling...she...she went outside the city...outside the city..."
"Where outside the city? Tell me quickly!" The patience of the assassin leader was completely exhausted. He grabbed the collar of the man in black and lifted him up from the ground.
"City...outside the city...Qingfeng Villa..." The man in black was frightened out of his wits and stammered.
"What?!" The assassin leader was struck by lightning, and the teacup in his hand fell to the ground with a "crack", shattering into pieces. He never expected that his carefully planned plan would fail at the last moment.
"Damn it! We've been tricked!" the assassin leader roared in frustration, kicking over the chair beside him, his eyes filled with blazing rage. He had never imagined that he would be tricked by a little girl.
Qingfeng Villa, nestled between mountains and water, boasts beautiful scenery. The usually tranquil and peaceful villa was now shrouded in a tense atmosphere. The setting sun streamed in through the carved window lattices, casting a faint golden hue on everything in the room. Cen Jiexiao wore a lavender dress, delicately embroidered with orchid patterns, which swayed gently with her movements. She sat upright on a soft couch by the window, holding an ancient, thread-bound book. The setting sun's rays filtered down the pages, illuminating the delicate, neatly written calligraphy. She seemed completely immersed in the world of the book, oblivious to the impending danger. Outside the window, the sun was setting, painting half the sky a brilliant crimson, like a blazing flame, tinging the clouds on the horizon with vibrant colors. In the distance, the rolling hills, illuminated by the setting sun, took on varying shades of blue, like a rich, vibrant ink painting.
"Boom boom boom!"
A sudden, rapid knock on the door broke the tranquility of the villa and startled Sister Cen from her book. She frowned slightly, placed the book on the table beside her, and then slowly said, "Come in."
The door opened, and Yu Lan hurried in. Normally, Yu Lan maintained a composed demeanor, but at this moment, her face paled, beads of sweat etched on her forehead. She hurried over to Cen Jiexiao and spoke anxiously, "Dean, the assassins...they're on their way here as fast as you could have guessed."