Chapter Seventeen: The Consequences of Arrogance

The two assassins wore triumphant smiles, as if victory was already within their grasp. They completely disregarded the Crown Prince Zhao Hu and the captain of the guards, Yang Jigang, not to mention the surrounding guards. However, it didn’t take long before they sensed something was amiss.

Their hidden weapons suddenly dropped to the ground.

At the precise moment they prepared to strike, Yang Jigang’s arranged guards sprang into action. They had readied a massive iron plate, which suddenly appeared right before the assassins. Without exception, all the hidden weapons struck the iron plate.

This plate was specially forged; although it rang sharply upon impact, it did not scatter a single spark.

The two assassins were startled, instantly realizing they might have fallen into a trap. The leader gave a subtle signal to the fourth assassin, and both swiftly leapt upward, preparing to use their agility to escape once more. But this time, things did not go smoothly.

Just as they sprang up, a large net suddenly appeared overhead, instantly ensnaring them.

They were utterly shocked—after years of roaming the martial world, they never expected to be caught in a net like this. It was like weathering countless storms only to be undone by a small misstep.

Quickly, the two drew short blades from their waists and began slashing fiercely at the net.

“Creak!”

But the net did not budge one bit.

They were completely dumbfounded; the net was so sturdy that even their blades could not make a scratch. Panic set in. If they could not escape soon, today would be their end.

At that moment, a tile flew from the rooftop, hurtling toward the Crown Prince.

Yang Jigang quickly raised his broadsword to block it.

Simultaneously, several sacks of dust were thrown down, spreading wildly in the air.

Everyone’s eyes were blinded, thrown into disarray.

Yang Jigang knew this must be the work of the second assassin—no ordinary person would dare or be capable of such a move.

As the crowd hesitated, the assassin leapt down swiftly and charged toward the net. Moving rapidly, he reached the edge and raised his treasured sword, striking it fiercely.

“Crack!”

The net was sliced through instantly.

This assassin was none other than the fourth, wielding a specially forged sword—an artifact that could cut through iron like mud. Though the net was made of fine golden threads, it could not withstand this blade.

Seizing the opening, the assassins leapt upward, preparing to flee once again.

But Yang Jigang remained calm. He shouted fiercely, “Strike now! What are you waiting for?”

Suddenly, dozens of hidden guards hurled an even larger net.

With unerring precision, it enveloped all three assassins.

“Attack immediately! Kill them all—leave no survivors!” Yang Jigang commanded harshly, raising his broadsword. Together with the guards, he charged forward at great speed.

They had swapped their broadswords for long spears.

“Stab hard!” Yang Jigang bellowed, discarding his broadsword to seize a spear from a guard, leading the charge.

This thrust was deep and true—though it did not hit the leader, it pierced the second assassin’s body.

The leader dropped the second assassin’s lifeless form and raised the fourth assassin’s corpse as a human shield.

Realizing the confined space limited his movements, and faced with numerous guards wielding spears, the leader found it increasingly difficult to dodge their relentless attacks.

Despite this, he refused to admit defeat—his dictionary contained no such word. He would fight to his last breath.

More guards rushed forward, understanding how critical this battle was.

Only three assassins had come, and two were already down.

Even the elusive leader could not hold out much longer.

“Give up. Your third comrade has already surrendered,” Yang Jigang shouted, attempting a final plea.

The assassin leader merely smiled slyly and hurled another hidden weapon at the guards.

This enraged the soldiers, who continued stabbing as they prepared for his attacks.

They lowered themselves close to the ground, avoiding the poison needles which missed their marks.

Yang Jigang noticed an iron plate blocking several silver needles and conceived a brilliant idea.

He quickly donned gloves, collected a few silver needles, and flung them back at the leader.

“Whoosh!”

The leader, fully engaged in defending against the guards, was caught off guard.

One of the silver needles struck him.

The assassin leader cursed inwardly, reaching for an antidote.

He knew well the potency of his own poison; without the cure, even he would suffer.

At that critical moment, two guards thrust their spears into the leader’s waist.

“Pfft! Pfft!”

Both spears pierced deeply.

Blood spurted forth. Already poisoned, the leader struggled painfully, his face contorting in agony before he soon breathed his last.

The guards, exhausted from the fierce fight, panted heavily.

“Finish them off! Leave no chance for survival!” Yang Jigang ordered, stabbing several more times.

Other guards followed suit, quickly ensuring the assassins were dead.

They approached the bodies, turning them over and spitting disdainfully.

All harbored deep hatred for these assassins, who had brought unrest to the Crown Prince’s palace, sowing fear and chaos among its inhabitants.

Now, this malignant threat was eradicated.

“Lift their bodies and take them to Deputy Captain Lu Liangping to lighten his mood,” Yang Jigang ordered, kicking the leader’s corpse before giving the command.

“Yes, Captain Yang,” the guards responded, hastily carrying the bodies to the side hall where Lu Liangping and Crown Prince Li Chengqian were resting.

Though called rest, they could hardly relax amid the tense atmosphere.

Li Chengqian seized the moment to contemplate the next step.

He had carefully planned this operation, confident that these assassins would be completely captured or killed.

To eliminate them, Li Chengqian had invested heavily, deploying two iron nets specifically for these stubborn foes.

Without their capture or death, he would not consider his mission complete.

According to his plan, once the assassins were dealt with, the steam engine’s raw materials would be secured, leaving only assembly.

With materials in hand, assembly would be straightforward.

Li Chengqian pondered every detail meticulously, determined to leave no room for error.

He summoned Lu Liangping for paper and pen and began to sketch.

Within half an hour, he had drafted numerous detailed steps.

The steam engine was an intricate creation; every detail mattered.

Any mistake could cause the entire project to fail.

Lu Liangping stood by attentively, guarding the prince.

Despite Yang Jigang’s deployment of many guards to capture assassins, caution remained paramount.

Inside the room, guards heightened their vigilance, unwilling to slacken for fear of catastrophe.

Lu Liangping, as deputy captain, felt the weight of responsibility keenly.

No one dared to show the slightest negligence; all prepared according to his orders.

This was their most important task; all else must be secondary.

At that moment, Yang Jigang and his guards arrived.

“Deputy Captain Lu, I have returned,” Yang Jigang announced loudly before entering.

“Captain Yang, please come in,” Lu Liangping greeted urgently, ushering Yang and Crown Prince Zhao Hu inside and closing the door.

Sensitive matters required discretion; the fewer who knew, the better.

“How did it go, Captain Yang?” Lu Liangping asked anxiously.

“Reporting to Your Highness, I have captured all three assassins. Unfortunately, they are all dead,” Yang Jigang replied with a faint smile, regaining his usual composure.

This was a feat of unparalleled merit—not everyone could accomplish such a task.

Although few in number, the assassins were masters, their skills transcendent.

The effort invested by Yang Jigang and his men was evident.

“Well done, Captain Yang. You have not disappointed me,” Li Chengqian said, lifting his head with a look of deep satisfaction.

This was the best news he had heard; with the assassins eliminated, the Crown Prince’s residence could now return to order.

“Thank you, Your Highness. It is thanks to your strategic foresight that we succeeded,” Yang Jigang said with a broad smile.

He was genuinely pleased, scarcely believing the perfect outcome—as if in a dream.

“If I am not mistaken, these assassins were arrogant and reckless, approaching us deliberately and falling into our trap, where you all combined to kill them,” Li Chengqian said calmly, as if everything had been under control.

Indeed, he had anticipated their moves in advance.

Especially the third assassin, whose earlier words allowed Li Chengqian to deduce their traits quickly.

Understanding their nature, he devised the perfect plan to bring the last assassins to justice.

“Your Highness, you are truly remarkable. Just as you predicted, these assassins were brazen, especially the leader—arrogant, ruthless, even killing his own,” Yang Jigang said, still shaken.

“That was expected. Still, I sense there is one more assassin in the Crown Prince’s residence—the most formidable one,” Li Chengqian said thoughtfully.

“But Your Highness, haven’t all the assassins been captured? How could there be another?” Yang Jigang was stunned.

“It’s normal. Anyone would keep a backup plan. If Li Tai truly wants to assassinate me, he wouldn’t send just one group; he would have double insurance,” Li Chengqian explained flatly.

“Could the Prince of Wei really do that?” Yang Jigang asked, eyes wide in disbelief.

“This is only my speculation. There is likely one more assassin, the most skilled, who is unrelated to the others we killed,” Li Chengqian said, his expression somber as he assumed the role of detective.

“Your Highness, you are truly divine. With your plan, we defeated the leader and the others. What shall we do now?” Yang Jigang asked, bewildered.

Everyone was at a loss, unable to grasp the true meaning behind Li Chengqian’s words.

They had just finished celebrating the capture or death of the assassins, and suddenly another appeared—terrifying news that shook them to their core.

Li Chengqian smiled faintly and said, “It’s simple—loosen the outside, tighten the inside.”

He set down his pen, sipped water gently, then continued, “This last assassin is no ordinary man. If I’m right, he is the soul of assassins in the Great Tang Empire. Given Li Tai’s character, he would spare no expense to bring him out. His name is Gouhun.”

A stunned silence fell.

Gouhun was no ordinary assassin. According to martial world legends, whenever Gouhun struck, it was as certain as the Grim Reaper.

Anyone targeted by Gouhun was doomed to die before midnight—no one ever survived past the fourth watch.

For years, Gouhun’s reputation had spread throughout the Tang Empire.

Even children were frightened into silence by his name.

Everyone’s expressions grew tense, especially Yang Jigang and Lu Liangping, who had long heard of Gouhun. Their faces darkened under immense pressure.

“Your Highness, what shall we do? How do we deal with Gouhun?” both Lu Liangping and Yang Jigang asked simultaneously, bowing respectfully to Li Chengqian.