64: This old man... Xie Qingfeng

After nightfall, the capital was illuminated by lanterns, and the streets had not yet quieted down.

Tomorrow was the wedding of the Legitimate Princess, and at this moment, the Imperial Palace had dispatched not only eunuchs but also the Imperial Guard to help decorate the streets.

Although the etiquette had been simplified significantly, that did not mean the grandeur was simplified as well.

Just looking at the decorations on the streets, it was likely that since the founding of the Daxing Dynasty, no princess had ever had a more lavish display than Luo Yongan and Luo Yongning.

There were miles of red wedding finery, and even cartloads of fresh flowers, all waiting for tomorrow when Mo Yingqi would ride his horse into the palace, to be scattered along the way by the palace maids.

Yet beneath this seemingly peaceful facade, murderous intent lay hidden...

"The Young Marquis's intention is to launch a surprise attack on the way back to the princess's residence."

In an inconspicuous courtyard, several men holding steel blades gathered around a table, listening to a middle-aged man giving orders: "The gunpowder is already prepared. As soon as the explosion sounds here, you will each lead your men and strike according to the pre-deployed routes."

"For the princess's wedding, pedestrians have not been strictly forbidden, but the merchants along the route must temporarily close their businesses."

"You do not need to worry about these things; the Marquis has already made preparations in advance. Several shops are properties of the Marquis's estate. Although we cannot let you ambush there and draw fire onto the Marquis's estate, we will arrange for people to keep watch along the way."

"You better keep your eyes peeled. This mission must succeed. Also, the Imperial Guard is not to be trifled with, and the elites from the Northern Division of the Pacification Bureau will also be deployed."

"Most importantly, The Two Highnesses and the Imperial Son-in-Law are all extraordinary people, especially that Imperial Son-in-Law... But it does not matter; he will not be carrying weapons that day. He will be unarmed, and you will have gunpowder. Even if he really is a Yaksha, he must leave his life behind!"

After speaking, he looked at the few people in front of him, his gaze becoming extremely cold: "You all came from the Marquis's estate. Although this mission requires you to risk your lives, I will say it again: if you mess things up, you should know how to deal with yourselves!"

The men looked at each other, only nodding without speaking. Although they were bodyguards of the Marquis's estate, they were different from ordinary bodyguards. Since his youth, the Marquis of Anding had kept a group of thugs and had not reported them to the imperial court.

This man had always hated the Shen Family intensely. In the officialdom and on the battlefield, the Xu Family had been firmly suppressed by the Shen Family. From Emperor Chengzhong until now, three generations of emperors had relied heavily on the Shen Family.

Nowadays, whether in military power or political power, the Shen Family had left the Marquis of Anding far behind. The Marquis of Anding had been secretly competing with the Shen Family since he was young, and he had even raised thugs, harboring thoughts he should not have.

It was just that there had never been an opportunity. Moreover, the soldiers of the Shen Family were brave and fierce; even their bodyguards' standards were far superior to those of his Xu Family. These people, who were called bodyguards but were actually assassins, had become shadows specifically for doing the Xu Family's dirty work.

But this time, these men were unwilling—ten thousand times unwilling—to take on this mission. What a joke. Being a thug for your family was one thing, but they hadn't sold themselves to the Xu Family. Doing evil deeds for Xu Fengzhang on ordinary days was one thing, but what was this now? How was this any different from treason?

After all, they were not death soldiers raised from childhood. It was just that their lives and their families' lives were in the grip of the Marquis's estate. They had to sell their lives whether they wanted to or not. But having no choice was one thing, and being unwilling was another; the two did not conflict.

"What, you are unwilling?" The middle-aged man sneered. "I understand, I understand. The sisters of the Legitimate Princess are the apples of The Emperor's eye; even The Two Highnesses have to yield to them. Killing them is no different from treason... But don't forget, your families still rely on the Marquis's estate to survive. Without the Marquis, would you have today?"

"You misunderstand. After all, this is such a big matter; you must allow us some time to digest it." One of them quickly explained with a fawning smile. "This is, after all, an assassination of the Legitimate Princess and the Imperial Son-in-Law. It's such a huge matter that the brothers are scared; this is just unavoidable, isn't it?"

"I know. Therefore, the Marquis's intention is that if the mission succeeds and you do not survive, each of your families will receive thirty thousand taels of silver!" The middle-aged man directly pulled out a stack of silver notes. "This is a portion of it. Divide it among the brothers below. You know better than anyone that the Marquis has always been generous!"

Only tangible benefits could make people risk their lives, not to mention that thirty thousand taels was truly a huge sum for them. The middle-aged man did not stop and continued: "Not only that, your hometowns are in the countryside. The Marquis will also provide them with land and livestock, ensuring that whether you die or end up in prison, your descendants will be under the protection of the Marquis's estate..."

"Oh? In that case, you might as well give this money to this old man. At the very least, I can truly guarantee that you won't live past tonight."

An old, mocking voice suddenly sounded behind them. The door had been opened at some unknown moment. Mo Yingqi's master held that cane in his left hand and gently rested his right hand on a wooden horse.

The old man had white hair and a youthful complexion, with the aura of an immortal. But at this moment, a profound smile hung on his face, and his body exuded an unsettling chill. He was clearly just an ordinary old man, yet when these men saw him, they subconsciously gripped their weapons, and their faces became extremely ugly.

It was as if a wild rabbit in the mountains had suddenly turned around to find a fierce tiger silently approaching it. This old man looked extremely ordinary, but the murderous intent emanating from him made these men realize one thing: he was definitely not a benevolent person, and was even... extremely dangerous!

"Old sir, I wonder which path of immortals you hail from? As a master of your stature, please don't lower yourself to the level of us juniors, okay?" The middle-aged man forced a smile. "If you are short on filial offerings, you can take these silver notes. How about that?"

"That makes sense, that makes sense. People should avoid taking lives when they can just seek wealth..." The old man nodded. "But isn't it a coincidence? I am the type of person who only takes lives, not wealth... Once you are dead, these silver notes will naturally be mine. Don't you agree with that logic?"

As soon as his voice fell, the old man suddenly gripped his cane upside down with his right hand. His figure moved like a ghost, cold light flashed, and in an instant, before those men could even react, their heads fell one after another!

"I actually don't want to care what you do. Even if you kill those two crazy girls, it has nothing to do with this old man... provided that my senior sister doesn't care, and you are actually capable of killing them."

The old man slowly sheathed his blade into the scabbard that looked just like a cane. His voice was cold, and his eyes were fixed on the surviving middle-aged man: "But if you want to kill my Disciple, then I'm sorry. I have only taken in this one precious gem in my entire life. If you dare to cut off my lineage and heritage, why wouldn't I kill you? Should I keep you for the New Year?"

"Rest assured, young man. This old man has always killed with only one strike, because no one has ever been able to receive a second strike from me. In a moment, you will be just like them, dying without any pain."

"Oh, that's right. To let you be a knowledgeable ghost: this old man is Xie Qingfeng. If you become a ghost and want to seek revenge, just don't... find the wrong person!"