"Zhu Chengjie, I'll kill you!"
Thunder rumbled, lightning split the night sky, and the heavy rain poured down. Zhou Kou's clothes were soaked in an instant, but he had no time to care about it. All he could see and think about now was the man just a few meters ahead.
Zhu Chengjie!
Hatred welled up in him. His eyes were bloodshot and bulging as he quickly drew out his silver blade. The blade flashed a cold light in the darkness. The next moment, bright red splashed onto his face, warm and with a fishy smell.
One strike, one life!
The blatant killing intent rushed towards him. Zhu Chengjie almost thought it was himself whose throat had been slit.
"You, all of you, stop him! Stop him!"
He took hasty steps backward until he was completely hidden behind the mansion guards. Only then did the famous Mingwei General, who had countless military achievements, feel at ease.
At this moment, he finally understood why the Assistant - Regent was so eager to recruit this man.
The general's order had been given, but the guards were very unsure in their hearts. However, they had no way to retreat, so they could only grip their weapons tightly as if they had regained endless courage.
"Charge!"
Someone shouted first, and then a chorus of shouts pierced the sky.
Looking at the approaching enemies, Zhou Kou didn't back down. He changed his attacking stance.
Raindrops pattered on his cheeks. Blades whistled past his ears. Spear tips pierced into bodies. Blood mixed with the rain, staining it a thin red like rouge, gorgeous and alluring.
One after another, the soldiers spat out blood and fell beside him. Finally, it was Zhou Kou's turn.
"Cough... cough..."
Blood gushed out and splashed on the ground. Zhou Kou had to prop himself up on his blade and kneel on one knee. There was a circle of corpses around him, and outside that circle, there were an endless stream of mansion guards. But now he was about to collapse.
"Yo, aren't you so capable? Get up and fight some more?"
Seeing Zhou Kou gasping for breath, Zhu Chengjie immediately regained his confidence. He resumed his arrogant look and walked over to Zhou Kou complacently.
"Zhu Chengjie!"
The man on his knees tried to muster the strength to stand up, but every wound was bleeding, and he had completely lost the ability to resist.
"Presumptuous!"
Zhu Chengjie kicked him hard in the chest. Zhou Kou fell to the ground, and then Zhu Chengjie stepped on his head and crushed it with all his might. "Do you think you can just call me by my name?"
"Zhu! Cheng! Jie!"
"I still remember a few years ago, the prince said you were highly skilled in martial arts and more capable than me. But now? This is all you've got?"
Those words had used up the last bit of Zhou Kou's strength. Bright red liquid gurgled out, and his life was slowly fading away with the blood. Zhou Kou had completely lost the chance to resist.
"Tsk, you look so pitiful. How about I send you to see your family myself?"
A malicious smile spread across his face. Thunder roared and lightning flashed, briefly illuminating the large general's mansion. In a corner that no one noticed, the tip of an arrow glinted faintly.
The blade was only an inch away from his throat. A wave of pleasure welled up in Zhu Chengjie. As long as Zhou Kou died, he would never have to worry about this man overtaking him again. Never again!
Just as the blade was about to fall, a silver arrow pierced through the rain and came flying!
"Clang!" Zhu Chengjie felt a numbness in his wrist, and the next moment, the hilt of the knife slipped out of his hand.
"Who? Who dares to attack this general secretly?!"
The fear of death descended on him again. Without hesitation, Zhu Chengjie immediately summoned the mansion guards to surround him.
Almost at the same time, a shower of arrows rained down like the rain tonight, flying in from outside the mansion. The outer - ring guards fell one by one, and soon it would be Zhu Chengjie's turn. Helplessly, he could only order a retreat.
"Retreat! Retreat quickly!"
It was really rare to hear someone shouting for a retreat in their own mansion!
The rain gradually subsided, and the arrows stopped. Only the corpses and water stains on the ground told the world that a battle had taken place that night.
"How is he?"
The candlelight flickered dimly. After a spring rain, the capital city had become even cooler. Shang Luoshu was standing by the window at the moment. The morning moisture had dampened the hair on his shoulders.
He hadn't slept all night because of Zhou Kou.
Chen Guang replied, "Your Highness, Doctor Wu is treating him, but the situation doesn't look good."
Shang Luoshu said, "Get the best medicine and tell Doctor Wu that he must save Zhou Kou's life."
After learning that the Zhou family was missing yesterday afternoon, Shang Luoshu immediately thought of Zhu Chengjie.
Then, Lin Zihan found a secret passage in the Zhou family's wood - shed. The other end of the passage led to a civilian house, but it was only a hundred steps away from Zhu Chengjie's Mingwei General's Mansion.
The whereabouts of the Zhou family were self - evident.
After that, Shang Luoshu received news that Zhou Kou had been sent to the outskirts of the city. So he and Lin Zihan split up. He planned to rescue the Zhou family, while Lin Zihan was responsible for finding Zhou Kou.
However, no one had expected that Zhu Chengjie was truly inhumane.
He had long sent a message by pigeon to call Zhou Kou back from his mission on the outskirts of the city. Then he took the Zhou family in advance, defiled Zhou Kou's younger sister, and then killed them all.
Finally, he used their lives to lure Zhou Kou here!
No one had expected Zhu Chengjie to be so cruel. Chen Guang and Lin Zihan had taken many detours. In the end, they could only secretly dispatch archers to rescue the seriously injured Zhou Kou.
The morning moisture had dissipated, and the sun had once again taken over the sky. But there was still no good news about Zhou Kou.
"Someone, help me send a message out."
Compared with Shang Luoshu, Lu Yinxi had slept quite well that night. She woke up the next day with the morning light on her pillow.
She had said she would help Fang Qinhu, but in fact, she didn't need to worry about this case at all. After all, she believed that Shang Luoshu would do his best for the ledger.
After having breakfast with Mrs. Lu, the young girl was about to go out to cause some trouble for the second wife when she caught sight of a very strange paper ball on the dressing table.
If she remembered correctly, this thing had just appeared.
She carefully observed the surroundings. It didn't seem like anyone had sneaked in. Only then did Lu Yinxi carefully pick up the paper ball and unfold it.
"Zhou Kou's life is in danger! Jing"
The handwriting was sharp and powerful.
With just one glance, Lu Yinxi knew where this paper ball came from.
She immediately abandoned all her original plans and decided to go to the Jing Prince's Mansion.
"Hongmei, tell mother that I'm going out with Hongrui."
She hailed a carriage, and the two of them rushed to the Jing Prince's Mansion.
"Fourth Miss, this way please."
As if he was sure she would come, Shang Luoshu had sent someone to guard the door early in the morning. When he saw the young girl, he immediately led her into the mansion.
"How is Zhou Kou?"
When she saw the man, Lu Yinxi didn't exchange any pleasantries. She went straight to the point.
Shang Luoshu didn't mind either. He just said in a heavy tone, "He lost too much blood. We can only keep him alive with ginseng. But the doctor said that he has the will to die."
No one could bear the blow of the whole family dying because of themselves.
Lu Yinxi was about to say something but swallowed the words back.
Shang Luoshu noticed that she seemed to be hiding something. Just as he was about to ask, the gatekeeper came running over.
"Your Highness, General Zhu is here. He said he's here by the order of the Assistant - Regent to arrest the criminals!"