Chapter Sixteen: The Assassin... Far Too Arrogant

Laundry room—Yang Jiguang encountered an unexpected situation.

Inside the laundry room, chaos erupted. Yang Jiguang hurriedly led his men over.

Within moments, they arrived at the scene of the incident.

Upon arrival, Yang Jiguang froze in place, eyes wide with disbelief.

Two palace maids lay rigid on the ground.

The guards approached to check for signs of life—both were already dead. Yet their faces retained warmth, indicating they had just passed away.

“Commander Yang, they just died,” a guard reported.

Sighing, Yang Jiguang stomped his foot in frustration as anger surged within him.

“Commander Yang, no wounds on their bodies,” another guard reported after a careful inspection.

In an instant, Yang Jiguang understood—this was the same method of death as the assassin who had been killed earlier.

“It’s in the hair—a silver needle,” Yang Jiguang sighed, pointing at one maid’s hair. “But be careful, the silver needle is extremely poisonous.”

“Yes, Commander Yang,” the guard replied, donning gloves and carefully searching.

Sure enough, moments later, the guard found the tiny silver needle hidden among the strands of hair, its blackened bloodstains confirming its lethal poison.

Without a doubt, the needle’s owner must be the leader of the assassins that the third assassin had mentioned. This silver needle technique was nothing short of masterful.

“Commander Yang, you were right—it really is a silver needle. How did you know?” the guard asked in awe.

“Don’t ask too much now. Notify the others immediately to prepare the net. This reckless assassin will try to escape southeast,” Yang Jiguang said firmly, pointing in that direction.

“Commander Yang, that’s impossible! Southeast is where our defenses are the strongest. How could the assassin escape there?” the guard exclaimed in disbelief.

“It must be southeast! Notify everyone at once. I don’t have time to explain. Hurry,” Yang Jiguang insisted, dismissing the guard’s doubts.

“Yes, Commander Yang. Understood!” The guard hurried off.

Yang Jiguang sprang into action, urgently organizing his men.

Though prepared, this enemy was no ordinary foe—it was the top leader among assassins.

Such a foe demanded full effort, leaving no room for error or negligence.

Yet instead of heading directly southeast, Yang Jiguang returned to see the Crown Prince.

Upon meeting Li Chengqian, Yang Jiguang recounted the events, then looked him in the eye. “Your Highness, this assassin is too brazen. I will see to it that he is brought to justice.”

“Of course. You cannot go alone. Take Zhao Hu with you. Without Zhao Hu, he won’t show himself easily. Zhao Hu must appear openly and boldly before them. Only then will they take notice,” Li Chengqian instructed gravely.

“Yes, Your Highness. I understand,” Yang Jiguang replied hastily before departing.

He knew well that although this battle seemed calm on the surface and within the Crown Prince’s residence, it was fraught with peril. The burden rested solely on him.

He had to use Zhao Hu, the impersonator of the Crown Prince, to lure out the assassin leader, while also ensuring Zhao Hu’s safety and capturing the assassin.

Each step was challenging and complex.

A single misstep could cause chaos and upheaval within the Crown Prince’s mansion.

This was not what Yang Jiguang wished to see, but there was no choice. The situation demanded pushing forward, no matter the difficulty, until the very end.

This was his duty as the commander of the Crown Prince’s guards.

Yang Jiguang led his men, escorting “His Highness” Zhao Hu toward the laundry room.

Indeed, he knowingly ventured into danger, facing the tiger’s lair head-on.

This was deliberate—to confront the assassin directly, for only by closing in could they hope to capture or kill him.

Like a bird yearning for the sky and clouds, desire alone is not enough; only through determined effort and trial can one soar freely.

Yang Jiguang, now the guard commander, must seize the assassin without delay.

Within half an hour, Yang Jiguang and “His Highness” arrived at the laundry room.

According to plan, although “His Highness” was surrounded by skilled men, the laundry room’s defenses were slightly lacking—an intentional vulnerability Yang Jiguang had designed under Li Chengqian’s orders to bait the assassin leader.

If the assassin leader foolishly entered the trap, no matter how skilled he was, they had a strong chance to capture him.

This was a brilliant stratagem devised by Yang Jiguang and Li Chengqian specifically for this assassin leader.

From the tone of the third assassin, Li Chengqian gathered that the leader was very arrogant, wielding a single silver needle and boasting himself as invincible throughout the Tang Empire.

Such arrogance often leads to a downfall. Confidence is good, but excessive pride brings irreversible consequences.

With everything arranged, Yang Jiguang hid nearby, watching for any movement.

All preparations complete—they only awaited the bait to take it.

On the surface, Yang Jiguang and “His Highness” chatted casually, as if nothing had happened.

They chose a spot slightly away from the laundry room, giving the impression of a private discussion rather than targeting the assassin leader.

Yet, they waited long without any sign, as if the assassin leader had vanished.

But Yang Jiguang and Zhao Hu firmly believed the assassins remained within the mansion. They would not retreat lightly, especially not at such a rare opportunity.

“Commander Yang, bring the Go board. I want to play a game with you!” “His Highness” Zhao Hu suddenly said.

“Yes, Your Highness,” Yang Jiguang replied, quickly fetching the Go set.

Soon the board was laid out, and the match began.

“Your Highness, you have made an excellent move,” Yang Jiguang complimented, placing his white stone close to Zhao Hu’s black one.

They chatted and laughed, immersed in the game as if detached from their surroundings.

All guards concealed themselves nearby, ready to spring the trap.

This time, Yang Jiguang resolved to make a decisive move.

Yet outwardly, both he and Zhao Hu remained composed—calm on the surface, tense within.

Everything was proceeding according to plan; externally relaxed but internally vigilant.

Over half an hour passed, several pots of tea brewed and drained, but no assassin appeared—as if vanished into thin air.

Many guards grew tired, some even nodding off.

Suddenly, a piercing scream shattered the calm—a guard was shot dead by a crossbow bolt, collapsing instantly.

The sleeping guards snapped to attention and rushed to the rooftop.

Sure enough, two figures dressed in black with veiled faces appeared, their identities obscured.

One held a crossbow; the other was unarmed.

Curiously, the crossbow wielder repeatedly nodded and bowed submissively to the unarmed one.

Though too far to hear their words, the scene was clear.

Yang Jiguang quickly deduced these to be the assassin leader and the fourth assassin.

The second assassin had always challenged the leader and would not display such submissiveness. Recent events reinforced this conclusion.

Thus, it could not be the second and the leader—it had to be the leader and the fourth.

Only three assassins remained within the mansion; others were outside or already captured or killed.

Among the five who entered, only the leader, second, and fourth remained at large.

“‘Your Highness,’ those two must be the assassins. How prepared are we? Can they escape?” Zhao Hu placed a stone and asked quietly.

“Reporting, Your Highness, I see them too. They are indeed assassins, but they’re too arrogant,” Yang Jiguang answered.

“How long will their arrogance last? Can they break through your trap?”

“Your Highness, their end is near. We have paid dearly for this, and our sole goal is to eliminate them—to teach them the true meaning of fear,” Yang Jiguang said, eyes fixed on the rooftop assailants.

“Don’t be careless. We must kill both,” Zhao Hu said quietly, rising suddenly.

At that moment, the two on the roof spotted “Li Chengqian” and, using lightness skill, began rushing toward “His Highness.”

What audacity—to charge recklessly at the Crown Prince at such a time!

Especially the unarmed one, whose lightness skill was exceptional, descending swiftly to the ground and sprinting forward.

The other followed closely, wielding the carved bow and crossbow, also charging toward “His Highness.”

Yang Jiguang immediately realized they were gambling everything.

If he guessed right, the third assassin lurked nearby, watching.

Today’s events were truly lively—these three assassins focused entirely on “His Highness.”

This was a calculated assassination attempt, not a mere random strike.

Their goal was clear: to kill Li Chengqian.

Of course, they had few encounters with him and were not familiar with his appearance. Zhao Hu’s impersonation was flawless.

Had it not been so, they would not have dared attack; only when certain would they act.

Yang Jiguang waved his hand, and the guards quickly closed in to block the two rushing assassins.

The situation instantly grew chaotic. All guards took the matter seriously, surrounding the two assassins.

Yet disappointment soon followed—the assassins were highly skilled and daring, having detected the trap early, but still came.

Many skilled fighters thrive on challenge; the more dangerous, the more enticing.

This was their nature—they never followed the beaten path, preferring to defy norms until the last moment.

Cornered, the two assassins exchanged a grim smile, eyes darkening.

“Show them what we’re made of, Fourth,” the unarmed assassin ordered.

“Don’t worry, Big Brother,” the fourth assassin replied, drawing several crossbow bolts from his back and firing at the guards.

“Crack! Crack!”

Four bolts flew, all striking their targets.

Four guards fell dead instantly—clearly, the fourth assassin was formidable.

The leader arrogantly raised his hands, seemingly casting something.

In an instant, five or six guards were struck down, dying before they could even see what hit them.

No one expected the assassins’ prowess to be so extraordinary.

Within two minutes, ten guards lay dead.

Before the guards could recover, the assassins struck again.

The leader sharply raised his hand, unleashing a volley of hidden weapons toward the guards.

But this time, the guards were prepared.

They formed a tight circle, pulling a rope and retreating swiftly.

The assassins, more arrogant than ever, used lightness skill to pursue rapidly.

Thanks to their preparation, guard casualties were minimal as they withdrew quickly.

Yet the assassins persisted, refusing to relent.

Their target was not the guards but “His Highness.”

Their killing of guards was mere distraction.

They knew the art of war well—strike the leader to capture the bandit.

Having found their target, they acted instantly.

Their speed was like arrows released from a bow, rushing toward “His Highness” Zhao Hu.

But all this was expected by Zhao Hu and Yang Jiguang.

They had long prepared defenses against the assassins.

The two assassins acted with utter arrogance, disdainful of the guards.

To them, the guards were mere insects, unworthy of notice.

In moments, they appeared before “His Highness.”

Suddenly, the unarmed leader raised both hands, firing hidden weapons at the Crown Prince.

Almost simultaneously, the fourth assassin aimed his carved feathered arrow at Yang Jiguang.

They planned to catch them both in one net, acting swiftly and decisively.

“His Highness” Zhao Hu and Guard Commander Yang Jiguang faced extreme peril...