Revenge of the First Daughter - Chapter 46
Chapter 046 Prince Killed
Cold sweat broke out on the governor’s forehead. “The county princess is joking. I just want to investigate this matter clearly. I hope the county princess will do me a favor.”
County princess Huining sneered, “I just brought my servant to the Xiangguo Temple to offer incense. I didn’t expect to see the corpse here just now. I noticed that it was the carriage of the Crown Prince’s cousin, so I got off the carriage to take a look.”
Right at this moment, the guard who was investigating had already returned to report, “Reporting to Sir, there is a troop of horse hoof marks and blood stains in the direction of the forest. Someone should have escaped. Should we go chase after them?”
“Go chase after him.” The Crown Prince’s assassination was a big deal. If he could find evidence, it would naturally be a good thing. If he couldn’t, then he, the governor of the capital, would be able to do it.
Before the governor could finish speaking, half of the guards from the Crown Prince’s Mansion had already rode their horses to the woods to chase after them. The other half of the guards were investigating the scene together with the others, and some of them were checking the carriage.
County princess Huining’s clear eyes were filled with anxiety when she saw someone chasing after her. Since there was no Third Prince here, she must have escaped. However, there were pursuers chasing after her. The danger was even more unknown. She immediately ordered her guards, “You guys help chase together.” He had to ensure Zhou Jingyan’s safety.
County Princess Hui Ning’s hand couldn’t help but tremble slightly. What she was most worried about was that something would happen. No matter what, she couldn’t let Zhou Jingyan and Yun Xiao meet.
“My lord, hurry up and take a look!”
The governor immediately took large strides forward. A guard had already pulled away the guards of the deceased Crown Prince’s Mansion, revealing the word “five” that had been hidden beneath his head.
“Five? What do you mean?”
County princess Hui Ning hurriedly walked over and saw a hint of doubt in her eyes.
The guards of the Crown Prince’s Mansion naturally saw this word as well, their eyes filled with killing intent. “Today, the Crown Prince has invited the Third Prince and the Fifth Prince to join him. Could this Fifth Prince be talking about the Fifth Prince?”
On the other side, the person who examined the corpse had also returned to report, “Your Excellency, His Highness the Crown Prince was stabbed to death by someone. His Highness the Crown Prince has martial arts skills and can be stabbed to death by someone with a single stab. This person must be extremely close.”
Hearing this, the governor’s face turned pale. He immediately remembered that this was a premeditated assassination. “This subordinate does not dare to make a rash decision on this matter. I want to report to His Majesty’s decision.” After saying that, he instructed the people to carry Zhou Jingchen’s body away.
The guards of the Crown Prince’s Mansion said directly, “We will bring back the corpse of His Highness the Crown Prince for His Majesty to examine. Your Excellency, it is better for us to investigate the murderer first.”
County princess Huining walked into the carriage while thinking about the problem, her eyes filled with killing intent.
…
At the entrance of Xiangguo Temple, a wupeng carriage slowly stopped. The carriage was simple and the decoration was extremely simple. However, the wall of the carriage was made of good yellow pear wood, so it must be rich and expensive.
A coachman had already gotten off the carriage and knelt down under the carriage. A rich young master stepped on the coachman and got off the carriage. The young master had his crown erected and the corners of his mouth curled into a smile. There was a hint of brilliance in his eyes. He wore a robe that was as clear as the rain. He smiled faintly and his temperament was like dust.
This scene attracted the attention of many people. However, many of the people who came to Xiangguo Temple to offer incense were the wives and young masters of wealthy families. Therefore, everyone only looked sideways and turned their gazes away.
Zhou Jingchen had just taken a few steps forward. A tender voice sounded not far away. ‘”Please save my father. My mother died of illness half a year ago, leaving me and my sick father to rely on each other. Now that I have sold the property and the deed of land, I still haven’t cured my father’s illness. The pharmacy manager chased us out. There’s really no money left to treat my father anymore. Please save my father with kindness.”
The child looked only seven years old. He looked thin and his face was scorched yellow. It was obvious that he was suffering from chronic malnutrition. His tears attracted many people to watch him cry.
Zhou Jingchen frowned. This world was the Zhou Clan’s world. As the Crown Prince, he naturally couldn’t ignore such a thing. Otherwise, if he was impeached by the jade stone, even if he wasn’t at fault, he would still have to say that he was at fault. “Let’s go take a look first.”
‘”Yes, Young Master,” the attendant naturally had no meaning, and the guards behind him also followed.
Zhou Jingyan took a few steps forward. The guards had already made way for the people in front of him. Zhou Jingyan glanced at the crying child. Behind him was a man dressed in tattered clothes. The man’s hair was half white, his face was wrinkled, his body was weak, and he looked as if he was breathing out more than he could breathe.
“Give him fifty taels of silver and send him to the infirmary for treatment.” Even if he was treated, he wouldn’t live long, but the child’s filial piety was finally fulfilled.
For ordinary people, even twenty taels of silver could last for a year. This person’s attack was fifty taels of silver, which immediately attracted the attention of many people.
The attendant placed the silver in front of the child. The child raised his head in surprise, and his face was filled with gratitude. He took a few steps forward and knelt down in front of Zhou Jingchen. “Thank you, kindhearted man. Thank you, kindhearted man.”
Zhou Jingchen only chuckled, “It’s just a simple matter of raising your hand. It’s rare for you to have such filial piety …”
As soon as he finished speaking, he saw the child who had been kneeling on the ground suddenly stand up. A sharp dagger stabbed at Zhou Jingchen in his hand, and he roared loudly, “Traitor, bring your life.”
As for the man who was lying on the ground, he suddenly jumped up and attacked Zhou Jingchen.
Zhou Jingchen was extremely close to the child. Seeing that the dagger had already stabbed towards him, he could only dodge the vital parts of his body in a hurry. The seven-year-old boy’s strength was extraordinarily great. The dagger stabbed into his shoulder and blood flowed out.
Zhou Jingchen immediately waved his hand and knocked the child aside. The attendants beside him had already reacted. The two of them stopped the man who was pretending to be sick, and two of them even went to kill the child.
However, when the child landed on the ground, his body suddenly changed. Everyone was shocked. This was not a seven-year-old child. He was clearly a sturdy man. His eyes shone brightly. While everyone was stunned, he raised his sword and charged towards the guards beside him again.
Zhou Jingchen took a step back and suddenly noticed that the blood flowing out of the wound on his shoulder was actually black. It was actually poisonous!
When the attendant saw that his face was pale, he immediately shouted, “Protect His Highness the Crown Prince. Quickly come and protect His Highness the Crown Prince.”
Zhou Jingchen glared at him fiercely, “Shut up!” At this moment, he shouted, obviously attracting everyone’s attention. Furthermore, he noticed that all the people who were originally selling things in front of the temple were rushing over with sharp swords in their hands.
Originally, he thought that a large group of people would attract the attention of others, but he didn’t expect that the person behind him would actually have such an arrangement. What a sinister scheme!
Zhou Jingchen immediately released the signal flare in his hand. The monks were so frightened that they ran into the Xiangguo Temple. The expressions of all the messengers also changed greatly. No one had expected such an assassination to occur in front of the temple. They all ran around in unison, causing the scene to be chaotic.
After a while, there were already many letters lying on the ground. Zhou Jingchen felt dizzy and shouted, “Don’t run around. Find a place to hide.”
However, just as he finished speaking, he spat out a mouthful of black blood. The attendant immediately supported Zhou Jingchen and walked towards the carriage. “Your Highness Prince, are you alright?”
Zhou Jingchen was speechless. The guards who had killed the father and son had already pulled out two of them to cover for Zhou Jingchen as he walked towards the carriage.
The man in ordinary clothes had also been pressing them tightly. The guard kept brandishing the sword in his hand. His eyes were killing people, and there were many wounds on his body.
Finally, one of the guards collapsed. He held the sword in his hand tightly and made an assassination gesture. However, he was quickly flattened by the people who rushed over.
Zhou Jingchen’s eyebrows trembled. He quickened his pace and walked towards the carriage. However, just as he reached the carriage, another guard collapsed. His body was split into two. Blood gushed out and landed on Zhou Jingchen’s rainy robe.
Zhou Jingchen’s eyes widened. At this time, the reinforcements finally arrived and charged over. However, the people chasing after them ignored the pursuers behind them and all their eyes turned red. They only wanted to kill Zhou Jingchen.
Zhou Jingchen and his attendants jumped onto their horses and glanced at the guards who had been trampled into bloody mud by the crowd. They set up the carriage and ran like there were fewer people.
Those assassins dressed in ordinary clothes also rushed up to chase after him, and a few assassins even snatched away the horses of the pilgrims on one side and chased after them.
Zhou Jingchen saw his attendant’s hands trembling as he grabbed the horse’s reins. The carriage became even more unstable. He grabbed the horse’s reins and fiercely whipped the horse. The horse’s speed immediately accelerated under the pain, but Zhou Jingchen’s gaze became colder and colder. His face was as pale as paper.
“Your Highness Prince, those people are catching up. This servant will drive.” The attendant stretched out his head and looked behind him. He was even more frightened, and his words were trembling.
The horses’ hooves were getting faster and faster. Just as Zhou Jingchen thought that he had finally escaped the assassination of those people, a group of black-clothed men appeared in front of them. Those black-clothed men were holding arrows and had already pulled their bows towards him.
Zhou Jingchen’s face turned pale. He immediately threw away the horse reins and got into the carriage.
The horse didn’t slow down in the slightest, but it wasn’t as fast as the arrow. The arrow fell like rain and shot straight at the carriage. In an instant, the horse had already turned into a hedgehog. The carriage body was also nailed full by the bow and arrow. The attendant who was just speaking was also covered in sharp arrows. He spat out a mouthful of blood and died in discomfort.
The carriage stopped not far away and there was no movement.
The leader of the black-clothed man winked at the left and right. The two black-clothed men immediately rode forward and opened the carriage curtain. They saw Zhou Jingchen spitting out a mouthful of black blood, nailed with four or five sharp arrows, lying in the bloody waves. There was a trace of fear in his eyes as he stared at the carriage entrance.
He didn’t expect that even though the soldiers were clearly divided into two groups, they were already very careful, yet they were still plotted and died on the spot!
“Reporting to Master, the Crown Prince is dead!”
The black-clothed man looked at Zhou Jingchen, his eyes only revealing a trace of coldness. He looked at the reinforcements that had already caught up to him and coldly snorted, “Mission completed, return!”
In the blink of an eye, the black-clothed man’s horse disappeared at the end.