Watching Emperor Mingxi's somewhat resentful and hesitant retreating figure, looking like he wanted to urge for an update but didn't dare, Yue Fuguang couldn't help but laugh unkindly!
Yue Fuguang lay back in the carriage. Having seen off the emperor, she could finally go home!
Seeing her smug look, the system couldn't help but say, [Host, stopping the update here, aren't we courting too much hatred?]
Yue Fuguang replied carelessly, 'Don't worry, would they dare to retaliate against us? At most, they'll just hint around to urge for updates!'
Before her "at most" had fully landed, she heard the alarm blaring in her mind from the system. [Enemy attack! Protective shield activated!]
As the system's words fell, Yue Fuguang heard a thud-thud-thud sound by her ears, followed immediately by the carriage beginning to shake.
At the same time, the voices of Wei Shouyi, Huo Ying, and others sounded from outside. "Protect the Junior Mentor!"
Yue Fuguang remained relatively calm, mainly because the system gave her courage.
She even had the mind to ask, 'System, was that thudding sound just now arrows hitting the carriage?'
[Yes, why?]
'Their aim seems a bit off, how come no arrows came in through the windows? But thankfully, Second Sister and the others didn't ride back in the same carriage as me. Otherwise, they would have become targets too!'
[The windows are covered by my rain shield, of course they can't shoot in. Since we're pretending to be ordinary people and still fishing, we can't reveal our strength too early. That's why I intentionally let some arrows hit the sturdier parts of the carriage body.]
Yue Fuguang praised generously, 'You really think of everything, System!'
The system continued, [Host, guess who sent this group?]
'Could it be the people from that Four-Nation Alliance 'Pluck the Moon' organization that got away last time?' she said, while preparing to get out of the carriage.
She could already see her grandfather, father, and others tightly surrounding her carriage, forming a protective formation.
Speaking of this alliance, Yue Fuguang felt frustrated. Last time, after she gave Wei Ping the Truth Elixir, he did use it to make those people talk.
Due to their low status, the truths they revealed weren't much.
But it was enough for Wei Ping and the others to deduce the general picture.
That assassination attempt did involve three groups: one group of death warriors from the Prince of Qi's mansion, one group of assassins from the 'Night-Blooming Cereus' organization, and another group of spies and assassins sent by the four nations.
They even gave this organization a temporary name: the 'Pluck the Moon Alliance'. Their assassination operation against her was called the 'New Moon' operation.
Because on the 'New Moon', the moon rises and sets almost with the sun, making it hard to see at night. She was that moon.
No moon meant her non-existence. The meaning was both metaphorical and clear. Yue Fuguang had to praise the person who came up with the name as a talent!
According to those two captives, nearly a hundred assassins from their organization participated in the operation. Including those two, their losses in that action were only about sixteen or seventeen people.
That meant there were still seventy or eighty people eyeing her life covetously, so Yue Fuguang's first guess was the Pluck the Moon Alliance.
The situation outside was chaotic, especially near Yue Fuguang's carriage, where several dozen people were fighting to the death.
The carriages of the other officials seemed relatively fine. This alone proved the assassins were indeed targeting her.
The assassins had also chosen an excellent location, somewhat far from the palace city. Even if the emperor received news and sent reinforcements, it would take the time of two or three cups of tea to arrive.
They were in the middle of East Street, with both ends guarded by the assassins' crossbowmen. They wanted to catch a turtle in a jar!
For this trip, their guards were almost all the emperor's Imperial Forest Guards, who withdrew once they entered the imperial city. No one expected that among over a dozen civil and military officials here, someone would dare to stage an assassination in front of so many people!
Assassins: We're banking on your 'unexpected'! The leader said this is called striking where the enemy least expects it!
Yue Fuguang: Your leader is quite the cultured one!
Seeing the situation outside, Yue Fuguang instantly transformed into a drama queen. 'Little Pearl, judging by the looks of it, they're after me?'
At that moment, the numbers on both sides in the field were roughly equal, about seventy or eighty each. Coupled with over a dozen carriages, they blocked the otherwise fairly wide street completely.
The innermost circle was the Yu family father and son, primarily responsible for blocking crossbow bolts and arrows. The outer layer consisted of Wei Ping, Cai Xian, and other civil officials.
At the very front, the martial powerhouses were Huo Ying, Wei Shouyi, and other military officers... among whom was mixed in a censor, Feng Tang!
[Master, they are indeed after you. Master, guess who sent them this time?] The system smoothly replied, picking up their previous topic.
'The Four-Nation Alliance or the Night-Blooming Cereus organization?'
[Nope!]
'No? Do I have a new enemy already? Who is it?'
It couldn't be the recently eliminated four great families, could it? But aside from those who could hear thoughts, no one knew this matter was related to Yue Fuguang!
Those people had been carefully selected. Even if they had some issues themselves, they wouldn't collude with foreign states. Their favorability values towards her also indicated they wouldn't betray her.
Most importantly, even if they wanted to talk, they couldn't say much.
Wei Ping, Huo Ying, and others at the front, though unaware of the favorability values, shared the same basic line of thought as Yue Fuguang.
Wei Ping said to Huo Ying and the rest, "Minister Huo, General Wei, try to take one alive!"
Although Feng Tang was a Censor, his martial skills were no less formidable; he was a fierce man strong in both combat and debate.
With a swift raise and fall of his blade, he specifically targeted the limbs of his opponent. In just a few moves, he kicked the man flying, sending him straight to the feet of Wei Ping within the inner circle.
"Lord Wei, a live captive!"
Seeing his efficient prowess, Yue Fuguang did not hesitate to praise her devoted fan: "Lord Feng, what impressive skill!"
The system also remarked, [Master, this Feng Tang is quite good. He is usually respectful towards you and could be taken on as a subordinate!]
Yue Fuguang said, "We'll discuss that later. First, tell me how I guessed wrong!"
Hearing their words, Feng Tang flushed with excitement, and now, as if injected with adrenaline, his combat power instantly skyrocketed.
If there were a meme to describe him at this moment, the most fitting would be "It's huntin' time!"
The mediocre Wu Yong watched, his eyes red with envy and jealousy.
This Feng Tang first competed with his own father, and later competed with him for the position of the number one person in the Young Master's esteem.
Now these two were praising him, almost accepting him on the spot!
Wu Yong looked down at his own portly figure. Although he prided himself on being an agile fat man, his combat power truly couldn't match the other's.
Then he could only find another path!
[Master, these assassins are from Prince Qi!]
"Prince Qi? Isn't he dead? Could he have risen from the dead?"
[Not risen from the dead. Is it possible that Prince Qi never actually died?]
"No, he died from poison. Wei Ping and the others personally went to examine the body. Could they have mistaken the person?"
[This is where we must mention Prince Qi's good fortune. Ten years ago, he encountered a man who looked so much like him they could have been twins, though they weren't.
The two looked extremely alike; even Prince Qi's own consort might not be able to tell them apart face to face.
To maintain consistency, Prince Qi had the distinctive moles on his own body and the other man's body removed. So, it's not strange that Wei Ping and the others could mistake the identity.]
