The prince is more stable

Chapter 762 Midnight Assassination
Wei Jie was on tenterhooks; he had already noticed that Zhao Xiaoqian's attitude towards him was different from before.

But people say that old friends are fickle.

Wei Jie couldn't explain anything, so he could only silently lower his eyelids.

Zhao Xiaoqian adopted a businesslike attitude and issued several instructions in succession, which Wei Jie respectfully complied with one by one.

“Prince Duan, Zhao Ji, and Prince Jian, Zhao Si, are the key targets. Has the Imperial City Guard planted spies in their residences beforehand?” Zhao Xiaoqian asked.

Wei Jie nodded: "It's been arranged. The Duan Prince's residence has two servants and a palace maid from the back courtyard, while the Jian Prince's residence has a chief clerk and two cooks."

Zhao Xiaoqian frowned: "Not enough. Apart from that chief secretary of the Prince's mansion, what kind of people are the others? What information could they possibly find out?"

Wei Jie said helplessly, "Please give your instructions, Your Highness."

"The funds from the Imperial City Guard were used to bribe and win over important figures in the two princely mansions, targeting the officials and staff of the mansions, or the servants who served the two princes closely."

After a pause, Zhao Xiaoqian asked again, "What about Zhang Dun's residence?"

"The Imperial City Guard had already planted spies six months ago, but... their status is still not high enough."

"As I said, the same thing was done to bribe important figures around Zhang Dun, as were several other important officials in the court. The matter that the Emperor is investigating has a wide scope, and the Imperial City Guard must find those unruly people and punish them severely."

Zhao Xiaoqian said coldly, "When the Emperor is unwell, those people can't help but stir up trouble. Whether it's a prince or a court official, the Imperial City Guard will investigate and severely punish each one they find."

Wei Jie clasped his hands and said, "Yes!"

Zhao Xiaoqian hummed in agreement and said, "You handle this matter. I'll go to Bingjingwu."

Wei Jie said with a smile, "This humble official will accompany you."

“No need, just do your own thing,” Zhao Xiaoqian refused.

Watching Zhao Xiaoqian's departing figure, Wei Jie felt lost and sat motionless in the room.

Things have truly changed. How compatible he and Zhao Xiaoqian were back then, and now...

It can only be said that the Imperial City Guard was always the Imperial City Guard of the Song Dynasty.

…………

Zhao Xiaoqian arrived at Bingjingwu at noon, just in time for lunch.

Stepping into Bingjingwu's courtyard, one immediately feels a chill throughout the body, and goosebumps involuntarily rise on one's skin.

Zhao Xiaoqian couldn't help but shiver and rubbed his arms vigorously.

This place is haunted by evil spirits. Every time I enter, I feel like I'm being haunted by a hundred ghosts, with vengeful spirits demanding my life. It's incredibly unlucky.

The prison in Bingjingwu still smelled damp and rotten. Zhao Xiaoqian covered his nose as he walked in and headed straight for the torture chamber.

From a distance, one could hear a series of sinister, cackling laughs—a laugh that was both familiar and perverse.

"Not going to talk? That's alright. I hope you won't either. Just wait it out. I haven't had enough fun yet. I've recently figured out a new gadget, and I'll test it on you. Hehehe..."

"Don't come over here—!"

"Hehehe... No one will save you even if you scream your lungs out."

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed. This pervert seems to have become even more perverted.

Standing at the door of the torture chamber, Zhao Xiaoqian coughed. Liu Dan, who was excitedly looking inside, turned his head unhappily and was surprised to find that it was Zhao Xiaoqian. He hurriedly threw down the strangely shaped torture instrument in his hand and trotted over.

"Oh my! Your Highness, it's been so long! This servant greets Your Highness!" Liu Dan was overjoyed and hurriedly bowed.

Zhao Xiaoqian revealed a genuine smile.

The moment they met, he knew that Liu Dan was still the same Liu Dan, unlike Wei Jie; he hadn't changed.

It's just that his personality and mentality seem more twisted and abnormal.

At this moment, Liu Dan still wore that familiar fawning smile, a genuine and heartfelt flattery that was absolutely not an act.

Zhao Xiaoqian glanced into the torture chamber and saw a naked man strapped to the ground. The man was on the verge of death, his body covered in wounds, and his head drooped limply, like Jesus.

"Commander Liu, it's been a long time. How have you been?" Zhao Xiaoqian greeted him with a smile.

Liu Dan laughed and said, "I'm fine, I'm perfectly fine. I drink a little wine and eat some snacks every day. When I encounter a prisoner with delicate skin, I occasionally cut off a small piece to roast and enjoy with my wine. The taste is... hehehe..."

Zhao Xiaoqian felt a chill run down his spine: "You fucking...you've gone too far!"

Liu Dan smiled ingratiatingly: "Methods, Your Highness, they are all methods of interrogating prisoners."

Zhao Xiaoqian sighed: "You haven't been back to the capital for more than half a year, and you're still an official in charge of eunuchs?"

"Uh, I'm so useless. I've been an official for almost ten years."

"You really are hopeless... Just wait, I'll pull some strings for you when I get the chance. You'll probably never leave Bingjingwu for the rest of your life. Only you can do this dirty work, but you can get a promotion."

Liu Dan was stunned, then her eyes quickly welled up with tears, and soon tears and snot streamed down her face.

She knelt down before him with a thud, sobbing uncontrollably, "Thank you for your guidance, Your Highness. Every bit of progress I have made in this life is thanks to you. From now on, I will be Your Highness's most loyal dog. Whoever Your Highness wants me to bite, I will bite."

Zhao Xiaoqian frowned and said, "Take it easy, you look terrible. I didn't ask you to be a dog, so at least be a human being first."

Looking at the horribly mutilated prisoners in the torture chamber and the various instruments of torture scattered on the floor, Zhao Xiaoqian sighed and turned to leave. He had no other reason for seeing Liu Dan today; he simply wanted to confirm who was still the same person and who was no longer.

Of course, a single meeting cannot determine anything, but the feelings between people are very subtle, and Zhao Xiaoqian could basically sense that Liu Dan had not changed.

This is an expert-level figure, somewhat like the eccentric scientist from my previous life. He is only obsessed with his own research, busy every day inventing torture devices and interrogating prisoners, striving for perfection. Liu Dan probably has no interest in the changes in the court or the shifts in people's hearts.

The topic of Zhang Dun and the selection of the crown prince had already become the talk of the town in Bianjing. Zhao Xiaoqian, walking the streets of Bianjing, heard many arguments about the selection of the crown prince.

A satisfied smile appeared on Zhao Xiaoqian's lips.

That's right, he did it, using the shady forces under his father's command.

First, roast the scallion over a fire until it's about half-cooked, then add some other seasonings.

Seeing the scene of people discussing it all over the city, Zhao Xiaoqian felt that the time was right and it was time to move on to the next step.

After leaving Bingjingwu, Zhao Xiaoqian did not return to the Prince's Mansion, but went to a secluded residence in the west of the city, a hideout of Huodie and his gang.

"Chen Shou, go back and tell my father personally to summon all those talents from last time. I have something to instruct him."

Chen Shou followed the order and left in a hurry.

…………

At midnight, Zhang Dun walked out of Yanfu Palace.

The Hall of State Affairs was located within Yanfu Palace. As the prime minister, it was common for Zhang Dun to handle state affairs until late at night every day.

Especially recently, with the emperor suspending court, all the affairs of state have fallen on the shoulders of Zhang Dun and the prime ministers of the Council of State Affairs. The colleagues in the Council of State Affairs are working harder and harder, sometimes working through the night and only getting one or two hours of sleep a day.

For a man in his early sixties, this is practically mortgaging his life.

Today's handling of state affairs went relatively smoothly, and it was midnight when Zhang Dun left Yanfu Palace.

Standing outside the palace gate, Zhang Dun stretched out his arms and yawned. Although he looked tired, there was a hint of a smile on his lips.

Since I finished my business trip early today, I asked my wife to prepare a basin of boiling water for me to soak my feet when I got home. Then I had a few sips of wine, drank until I was half-drunk, and then went to sleep. I figured I would get a good night's rest.

Thinking of this, Zhang Dun walked towards his own carriage.

The carriage in the Zhang residence was very simple; it was an old blue-canopied carriage pulled by a single horse, and even the horse was old and frail.

As prime minister, Zhang Dun received the highest salary among all officials in the Song Dynasty, yet he lived a very simple life. He rarely acquired luxurious items, partly because they were unnecessary, and partly because they would easily give others grounds for criticism and impeachment.

A dozen or so imperial guards stood beside the carriage. They belonged to the Palace Guard Division, a perk of the prime minister, who was assigned by the court to protect him.

Zhang Dun boarded the carriage, sat cross-legged inside, and the carriage slowly set off, heading towards the Zhang residence.

The Imperial Street in Bianjing was quiet late at night. Although Bianjing was a city that never slept and its night market was very bustling, the flow of people in Bianjing was mainly concentrated in the area around Zhouqiao, Jiaomen, and the East and West Second Streets.

As the power center of the Song Dynasty, the Imperial Street housed all government offices and the residences of princes and nobles, and ordinary people usually did not go there.

This night was no different from any other night.

The moon was dim and the stars were few. A cold wind was blowing. The carriage traveled on the bluestone road of the Imperial Street, and the old axle made a creaking and unpleasant noise.

Zhang Dun sat in the carriage with his eyes closed. He had gotten used to the sound of the carriage and even found it a bit sleepy. After traveling for a while, he started to feel drowsy.

A dozen or so imperial guards followed the carriage, walking listlessly.

Their vigilance had long since been completely lowered. After all, they were protecting the prime minister of the current dynasty, and it was in the well-maintained capital of the Song Dynasty. Who would be so blind as to offend the prime minister's carriage?

On the quiet Imperial Street, only the lazy sound of the night watchman's clapper and the barking of dogs coming from the mansions along the roadside could be heard.

Occasionally, you can hear orderly footsteps; that's the Imperial Guards on night patrol passing by.

The imperial guards at the front of the carriage carried lanterns, because there were no streetlights in this era, and the carriage could easily have veered into a ditch without any lighting.

Unexpected events often occur at the most ordinary times.

Zhang Dun's carriage suddenly shook violently. Zhang Dun, who was sitting cross-legged in the carriage, opened his eyes, lifted the curtain with displeasure, and was about to ask a question.

Suddenly, a whooshing sound was heard all around, and countless sharp arrows seemed to be shooting from all directions. In just one exchange, more than half of the dozen or so imperial guards were taken down.

In the pitch-black night, it wasn't until most of the Imperial Guards fell to the ground screaming in agony that the rest realized something was wrong and immediately shouted.

"Assassins! Protect Master Zhang!"

The remaining imperial guards drew their swords and surrounded the carriage. One of the guards climbed onto the carriage, forcefully pulled the bewildered Zhang Dun off, then took off his outer robe and covered Zhang Dun's head, dragging him backward in a disheveled state.

As they retreated, the Imperial Guards shouted that there were assassins and tried to summon the patrolling guards.

Zhang Dun's face was pale, and his frail body was dragged along by the Imperial Guards, staggering as he involuntarily followed them into a dark alley.

After disappearing into the dark alley, the group dared not make a sound. They were unsure how many assassins there were or what methods they would use to kill them. At this moment, silent disappearance was the best course of action.

Zhang Dun's heart was pounding, and his mind was racing as he tried to figure out who had tried to assassinate him.

To dare to assassinate the prime minister of the court is a huge scandal; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it the biggest case of the Shaosheng era.

(End of this chapter)