Chapter 198: The Regent Has Been Captured!

“Regent!” Master Wen cried out in shock.

Upon seeing the situation inside the carriage, his eyes widened in disbelief.

“Where… where is the Regent?” Master Li’s face turned pale as he stared at the empty carriage, which contained no one but him and Master Wen. Stunned, he murmured, “The Regent has been taken by bandits?”

Master Wen gritted his teeth, enduring the pain from the wound on his back. He looked at the longsword that had pierced into the carriage and was now lodged there, completely still-most likely, the assassin had already perished.

The clash of weapons outside filled the air, accompanied by deafening sounds of battle and gut-wrenching screams. Carefully, Master Wen lifted the curtain, only to see that the white mist had dispersed, revealing a chaotic melee.

The black-clad assassins were being overwhelmed by an elite force that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, crushing them with devastating precision.

The thick, metallic scent of blood hung in the air like a suffocating veil over Master Wen’s face. With every breath, the stench of blood assaulted his senses, making his stomach spasm violently, and he almost retched.

Forcing himself to endure, Master Wen shouted, “The Regent is missing! He’s been taken by bandits!”

Upon hearing this, the Regent’s elite soldiers immediately set off in pursuit.

Luo Cheng thrust his sword through the chest of an assassin, then withdrew the blade. The last black-clad man collapsed to the ground, and blood dripped from the tip of Luo Cheng’s sword. With a swift motion, Luo Cheng lifted the token from the assassin’s belt, catching it in his hand. His eyes gleamed with a sharp, murderous intent.

“The Crown Prince!”

Master Wen was stunned. “The C-Crown Prince?”

Luo Cheng approached the carriage and noticed a symbol etched on the carriage wall. He tossed the token through the window. Master Wen fumbled to catch it, his hands covered in fresh blood. His trembling hands couldn’t stop shaking, and he struggled to suppress the dizziness as he carefully examined the token—it was indeed the Crown Prince’s.

“Deputy General Luo, the Crown Prince has taken the Regent. What should we do? Should Master Li and I proceed with the journey to Xiliang, or should we return to the court for further deliberation?” Master Wen barely maintained his composure as he asked.

Luo Cheng said, “Master Wen, you are injured. You should return to the capital with Master Li first. There’s no urgency for the trip to Xiliang—your safety takes priority. A squad is already heading toward the capital in pursuit of the Regent. I will lead a group westward toward Xiliang to see if the assassins are taking the Regent in that direction. If I encounter them, I’ll proceed straight to Xiliang. If I don’t, I will deliver the tribute to the Empress of Xiliang and offer our apologies.”

Master Wen hesitated, glancing through the carriage window. The ground was littered with corpses lying in disarray, and several horses had been blown apart beyond recognition, their blood soaking the soil.

Luo Cheng stared at the narrow mountain path ahead, his expression grim. “There may be traps or explosives hidden up ahead.”

“Let’s return to the capital,” Master Li said, still shaken, his voice filled with anger. “The Crown Prince’s act of hunting down the Regent and attacking court officials must be reported to the court!”

Master Wen did not object.

Luo Cheng arranged for all the guards to escort Master Wen and Master Li back to the capital. Meanwhile, an elite squad from the Regent’s residence stayed with Luo Cheng to clear any hidden explosives along the path. With the tribute secured, they continued their journey westward.

—

Su Wan waited and waited, until the sun sank behind the western hills.

The setting sun stained the vast clouds a brilliant red.

While gazing at the splendid crimson sky, Su Wan felt a heavy weight settle in her chest, and her unease grew by the moment. She paced back and forth inside the room, anxiety building, until she suddenly yanked the door open and looked toward Mo Yuan, who stood guard outside.

“Can you go to assist them?” Su Wan asked, wanting to go herself but fearing she might become a burden. “I can guarantee my own safety.”

Mo Yuan remained unmoved and said, “My duty is to protect you.”

Su Wan’s expression turned cold and stern. “If you don’t want me to go myself, then follow my orders.”

A crease formed between Mo Yuan’s brows.

Su Wan shot him a cold glance, making it clear she meant every word. She stepped out of the room, heading straight for the door.

Mo Yuan moved first, pressing his hand against the door. His face remained tense as he reluctantly relented. “I’ll go.”

Su Wan stepped aside.

Mo Yuan opened the door, and the rapid sound of hooves echoed in the air. Several dark figures approached swiftly, prompting Mo Yuan to draw his sword.

“Master Mo, the Regent is waiting up ahead and sent us to assist,” the leader of the black-clad men said, giving the secret signal and presenting a token. “The Regent instructed that only Qingyuan and you are needed to escort the young lady. The others will act separately.”

Mo Yuan glanced at the token to confirm its authenticity. Then he looked toward the courtyard, where Su Wan was hurrying over, carrying a bundle on her back.

“Let’s go,” Su Wan said, as she and Qingyuan boarded a carriage and set off.

After an unknown amount of time, the carriage came to a stop, and someone climbed aboard.

“Father!” Su Wan exclaimed in relief when she saw the newcomer.

The Regent smiled faintly and sat across from her. “Were you getting anxious?”

“This whole situation had me worried.” Su Wan’s brows relaxed, and a smile spread across her face. Suddenly, her nose twitched as she caught a faint scent of blood. “You’re hurt?” she asked abruptly.

“I’m not injured,” the Regent sighed helplessly and raised his hand to take a sniff. “I even changed my clothes. Does the scent still linger?”

Su Wan’s expression grew serious. “You were ambushed?”

“It’s nothing,” the Regent said, raising a hand to gently ruffle Su Wan’s hair. “I didn’t mean to frighten you.”

This incident had been within his calculations. He knew that the Crown Prince would act against him, and this was the perfect opportunity—one the Crown Prince wouldn’t pass up.

Thus, he had arranged for Su Wan to be sent away in advance, ensuring that any uncontrollable events wouldn’t place her in harm’s way.

He had used himself as bait, deliberately appointing two court officials as envoys to accompany him on the mission to Xiliang, intending for them to serve as “witnesses” who could later testify against the Crown Prince for attempting to assassinate him.

In addition to the openly traveling entourage, he had arranged for an elite force to remain hidden in the shadows, setting a trap akin to the saying: “While the mantis stalks the cicada, the oriole waits behind.”

However, when Luo Cheng mentioned that the Crown Prince’s armory had been dismantled and the firearms moved elsewhere, the Regent suspected that the Crown Prince might have laid explosives along the route. As expected, the Crown Prince had buried explosives at the narrow mountain pass, intending to blow him to pieces.

Though the explosion failed to kill him, the blast sent thick white smoke billowing through the air. Under its cover, the Crown Prince’s men launched their ambush. But the Regent’s hidden elite soldiers countered from behind, encircling and annihilating the Crown Prince’s forces.

He had made a last-minute change of plans, taking advantage of the white smoke to slip away from the carriage and travel by water to reunite with Su Wan.

Before departing the capital, he had devised several contingency plans. He left a symbol in the carriage, which Luo Cheng would naturally understand as a signal that he was safe.

Luo Cheng would then spread the news that the Crown Prince’s men had captured him. This would prompt the court to launch a large-scale search for his whereabouts, making it difficult for those lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to take his life, to act rashly. Meanwhile, this plan would ensure that he and Su Wan could travel more peacefully along the way.

“You shouldn’t have sent me away. I’m not as weak as you think,” Su Wan said, her worry evident as she carefully inspected him from head to toe. Confirming that he wasn’t injured, her heart finally settled a bit. “I can protect you too.”

The Regent chuckled softly, the coldness in his eyes melting away as he spoke gently. “Please understand a father’s heart the first time he becomes one. Even if I was ninety percent certain of success, I couldn’t take the risk of that remaining ten percent. I had to make sure you were completely safe.”

A warm feeling surged in Su Wan’s heart. She rummaged through her bundle and pulled out a scented bead bracelet, fastening it around the Regent’s wrist. “This will help mask the scent.”

Seeing that the Regent’s face looked a bit pale, Su Wan hurriedly tidied up the carriage. “You should rest for a while.”

The Regent was indeed exhausted and leaned against the side of the carriage, closing his eyes to recuperate.

Su Wan draped a thin blanket over him, silently hoping that the rest of their journey would be smooth and without any more assassins.