Chapter 462 Failed Assassination

Chapter 462: The Assassination Failed

Meanwhile, at Wangjiang Tower.

Linchuan knelt on the ground, sweat soaking through his clothes, half his body covered in blood. His head hung low, yet he still reported to Luo Jingshen in a halting voice.

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, I failed you. I couldn't kill Prince Ye and Princess Ye. Please punish me."

Luo Jingshen frowned, his eyes filled with shock. "What happened? Didn't you bring two hundred assassins, and later send a signal for three hundred more?"

"With that many people, how could you fail to wipe out Prince Ye's entire mansion?"

Linchuan pressed his chest, his face pale as paper. He closed his eyes in grief. "Not one of the five hundred made it back alive."

Luo Jingshen was shaking with rage. He asked in disbelief, "What did you say? Of the five hundred assassins sent out, all died except you?"

How could this be possible?

Five hundred people couldn't take down a small Prince Ye's mansion—was it some kind of dragon's pool or tiger's den?

Luo Jingshen was full of doubts.

Linchuan then gave him a detailed account of what happened.

"Your Highness, when the first few waves of our men entered, the mansion seemed to be expecting them. They had set up an ambush with skilled archers, and all two hundred were cut down by their arrows."

"Later, I sent a signal for three hundred more. Following your orders, they attempted to burn down the mansion, and that part went off without a hitch. The servants inside panicked at the sight of the flames."

"We'd already fought our way inside, but at the critical moment, Prince Chen arrived with the patrol camp. They engaged our men, giving Princess Ye a moment to regroup."

"And that's not all. Later, General Dingyuan's second daughter also brought over a hundred people to reinforce them. Our men took heavy losses."

Linchuan added one more point, "But rest assured, Your Highness, Princess Ye didn't leave many of our men alive."

Luo Jingshen was practically beside himself with rage. Five hundred men with no survivors—he knew how much it had cost to train so many assassins.

He'd thought wiping out Prince Ye's little mansion would be a piece of cake, yet all those people had died!

Luo Jingshen had a nagging feeling something was wrong. His plan to wipe out the mansion was supposed to be top secret, known only to his own people.

How could Ji Yuntang possibly have gotten help?

With that thought, he roared, "How did Luo Sinian and General Dingyuan's second daughter get involved? How did they find out?"

"Find out! I want answers! Check if there's a traitor in our ranks who tipped them off. I will find that person."

Linchuan didn't hear what Luo Jingshen was saying. He passed out from blood loss, and Luo Jingshen had him taken away to be treated.

Liu Qingya chimed in, "Your Highness, I don't think there's necessarily a traitor."

"Prince Chen has recently been in charge of the patrol camp. It's routine for him to patrol the streets every day. He might've just happened to be passing by Prince Ye's mansion, spotted our men, and rushed in to help."

"As for Miss Pei of the Dingyuan General's estate, she has always been close to Princess Ye. It makes sense she'd come to help. It's just that the timing was too coincidental."

"Under the circumstances, Your Highness might want to wait a day. If there truly is a traitor among our men, then tomorrow Princess Ye will surely take this to the emperor and expose you."

Luo Jingshen: "..."

Luo Jingshen: "!!!"

His heart was pounding with fear. "Mr. Liu, isn't this too risky?"

If Ji Yuntang exposed him, he'd be in serious trouble.

Liu Qingya said, "Risky or not, the situation is already what it is. If there really is a traitor who told Princess Ye you ordered the hit, then she will definitely know it was you who sent the men tonight. With her vengeful nature, she'd never pass up a chance to drag you down."

"But on the flip side, if Princess Ye doesn't make a move tomorrow and doesn't expose you, then Prince Chen and that young lady showing up was just a coincidence."

Luo Jingshen's heart was thumping. He knew Liu Qingya's plan was a gamble, but it made sense.

With so many people in his Eastern Palace, rooting out the traitor wouldn't be easy.

At least not in one night.

Luo Jingshen took a deep breath, pushing down his anxiety.

"So, Mr. Liu, you're saying I should just wait and see?"

Liu Qingya shook his head. "No, Your Highness should strike first and prepare in advance, to guard against any changes if things go wrong, and protect yourself."

He already knew Luo Jingshen's true identity and understood the stakes.

Luo Jingshen was in a situation where one wrong move could ruin everything.

Liu Qingya said, "Just now, Protector Linchuan said someone pulled him out of Prince Ye's mansion. If I'm not mistaken, that person is likely one of Prince Nanxiao's men."

"Prince Nanxiao is probably also worried about Your Highness and has been keeping an eye on the Eastern Palace's movements. What you need to do now is take the initiative to go to Prince Nanxiao, confess this matter, and discuss with him the worst-case scenario for tomorrow."

"If Princess Ye truly exposes you, you can firmly deny it and claim someone is framing you. As long as your identity isn't revealed, things won't escalate to the worst."

"But for your safety, Your Highness should communicate well with Prince Nanxiao. It's best to have him station men outside the palace. If things take a turn for the worse, he can enter the palace in time to rescue you."

In this way, he would cling to Prince Nanxiao's support, binding Luo Jingshen tightly to him.

Luo Jingshen knew that, given the circumstances, this was his only option!

Because he needed Prince Nanxiao's backing.

"Alright, I'll follow Mr. Liu's advice."

Just as Luo Jingshen was about to send someone to find Prince Nanxiao, one of Prince Nanxiao's men came to him on his own.

It was Jifeng.

Luo Jingshen had seen him before. Now, seeing the other dressed in a shadow guard's night attire, face and head wrapped, leaving only a pair of eyes exposed, he quickly asked, "Was it you who saved Linchuan earlier?"

Jifeng knelt on the ground and respectfully replied, "Yes, Your Highness, it was your subordinate."

"Did Fourth Uncle arrange for you to come?" Luo Jingshen asked again.

"Yes." After speaking, fearing Luo Jingshen might be angry, Jifeng quickly explained, "The prince was also worried about Your Highness's safety. He didn't intend to spy on you."

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