Chapter 47: Assassination

In recent days, the Prime Minister’s Mansion seemed unusually busy. Nian Zhi’an could feel that the number of people surveilling her had decreased—from five to three, and then from three to one.

A Jiu, that fierce girl who showed up every day, hadn’t appeared for several days now, and Meng Congyun hadn’t come to bother her either. The already exceptionally quiet Prime Minister’s Mansion grew even more silent.

The person delivering Nian Zhi’an’s meals had changed, but the food remained the same: cabbage, tofu, and pickled vegetables. That was, until one day she dreamed of Mu Yixuan taking her to explore every corner of the world, sampling all sorts of delicacies. She woke up utterly famished by the vivid craving, and at that moment, she decided her plan could be moved up.

Outside, the sunlight was brilliant, with a few rays filtering in, accompanied by a clamor of noise.

Nian Zhi’an pulled her head under the covers to block out the racket, but her stomach growled insistently. After dawdling for a bit, she had no choice but to crawl out of bed.

“System, what’s with all the commotion outside?”

【Soldiers are escorting a prison cart past on the nearby road. No idea where they’re headed.】

Soldiers escorting prisoners? No wonder Meng Congyun had been too busy to deal with her lately. It seemed she really was occupied with something major.

“Don’t look, System. Careful you get so scared you shut down again.”

【Wh-what?! What now?!】

“Those people are all headed for execution. Heads will roll, blood splattering everywhere, skulls tumbling along the ground…”

【Stop! I’m not looking!】 The Little System still hadn’t recovered from the shadow of Meng Congyun and couldn’t handle even bigger scares.

【Those people about to be executed… they wouldn’t be Meng Congyun’s doing too, would they?】

Nian Zhi’an sat up in bed and stretched lazily before slowly swinging her legs over the side. “Share the images of those prisoners with me.”

Once the System sent over the pictures, she examined them closely. As expected, they were all familiar faces.

“These are all from the Pro-Emperor Faction. No doubt about it—it’s Meng Congyun’s handiwork.” After a quick wash-up, Nian Zhi’an eyed her breakfast with a sigh. Pickled vegetables and plain porridge again.

【Host, how did you survive her before? If I remember right, you made plenty of trouble too.】 Recalling the people in the dungeon and now these ones slated for execution, the Little System felt Meng Congyun had been oddly lenient with its host.

Was this its illusion?

【…Could Meng Congyun like you too?】 With Mu Yixuan as a precedent, the Little System couldn’t help but consider the possibility.

“Pfft!” Nian Zhi’an spat out her porridge, nearly choking herself to death.

“Cough cough cough… What the hell are you saying?”

【I just think it’s possible…】

“Yeah, right. Meng Congyun, liking someone? Hahaha! Oh man, I can’t even imagine what Meng Congyun in love would look like! Her partner would have to be a real hero—accomplished in both letters and arms. Literate enough to outwit her suitors without a curse word, martial enough to beat an assassin, and tolerant of her little quirks. Hahaha… Who’s gonna step up as that brave soul?!

Nian Zhi’an laughed so hard she shook, nearly spilling half her porridge.

“You have no idea. Meng Congyun’s the top literary talent in Liang Kingdom, later hailed as the foremost among scholars. Back then, just being tagged as her fiancée got me stabbed in the back by countless jealous literati who sneered behind my back without ever swearing. I’ve got good reason to suspect my reputation among the common folk back then was in the gutter because of those guys!” Nian Zhi’an laughed and laughed until she couldn’t anymore, because the sole victim in that story was herself. She was laughing at her own expense.

【…】 The System sensed something off but, after the events of the previous world, didn’t dare say more on the topic. It swallowed its doubts.

“Alright, alright, drop that baseless nonsense. Let’s plan our escape route properly instead. With Meng Congyun pulling off such a bold move, the Prime Minister’s Mansion won’t stay peaceful for long. This is our chance to slip away in the chaos.”

【Host, you’re really going to raid her Little Gold Stash?】

“What do you mean ‘raid’? Think about it—when my Princess Mansion was ransacked back then, where did all those treasures end up? Other than in Prime Minister Meng’s pockets, where else? So this is just me taking back what’s mine!” Nian Zhi’an figured as long as she had no shame, no one could shame her!

【…Whatever makes you happy.】 What more could the System say? It was just a heartless tool.

At high noon, the executioner raised his blade high. Several high ministers who once dominated the court met their ends, their heads hitting the ground as blood stained the earth red.

Though Prince Wu escaped with his life, he was stripped of his title, his home confiscated, and he was exiled.

The Prime Minister’s thunderous and decisive move caught everyone off guard. Meng Congyun’s mild-mannered demeanor in recent years had made the court forget her former ruthlessness. Now, with this sudden strike, people couldn’t help but wonder…

Was the heavens of Liang Kingdom about to change?

As Meng Congyun set about purging the court, countless people came to hate her to the bone. Loyal ministers bent on removing her at any cost sprang into action, making the Prime Minister’s Mansion unusually lively these past few nights.

Nian Zhi’an’s quarters were in a remote courtyard, desolate and overgrown. She had thought this spot would keep her far from the storm’s center, but every night, the “clang-clang-bang” of fights kept her awake.

Fine, let them fight—but they always had to scamper across her rooftop. And with her sharp hearing, every back-and-forth trip ruined her sleep. She was so furious she wanted to grab two pots of cacti and hurl them up for the intruders to step on.

“Second…”

“Go… protect…”

Trekking across her roof was bad enough; now they were chattering openly, disturbing the peace.

Nian Zhi’an sat up, fuming. The last person surveilling her had just left. Something big must have gone down in the mansion.

Perfect timing—why wait? Today it was! Raid Meng Congyun’s Little Gold Stash and bolt!

As Nian Zhi’an opened her door, she keenly sensed a faint killing intent. The assailant was well-hidden—a true expert by this world’s standards.

【Host, careful! Assassin!】

Nian Zhi’an shifted slightly to the right. A fierce sword edge grazed her delicate cheek, sending a few strands of hair floating down.

The attacker seemed shocked that Nian Zhi’an had dodged the strike. Her thrust paused for a split second before launching the next assault.

Nian Zhi’an retreated outside. Unarmed, she appeared to be at a disadvantage, constantly evading. Yet no matter how sharp the opponent’s swordplay, aside from that first graze—limited by the tight space, which cost her two locks of hair—the assassin didn’t touch a single hair on her head afterward.

The assassin felt it even more acutely. Her foe slipped away like an eel, handling her proudest techniques with ease. No—she suspected the other was toying with her!

“This sword style… isn’t it from that sect out west? The Hidden something-or-other?” Nian Zhi’an asked amiably as she dodged the assassin’s blade.

Her identity exposed and dismissed so casually, the assassin’s sword hand trembled with rage.

Weren’t they saying Liang Kingdom’s Prime Minister was a frail scholar? Is this what you Liang people call frail? Then what was she, disabled?

The novice assassin—on her first hit and having mistaken her target—lost her temper. She snarled viciously, “If you’ve got the skills, stop dodging! Let’s have a fair fight!”

A trace of confusion flickered in Nian Zhi’an’s eyes. “You sure?”

The assassin girl halted her attacks, seemingly serious about a proper duel.

“Naturally.” The assassin girl knew her mission had failed. Those Liang people were liars! The Prime Minister was a peerless expert, yet they’d claimed she was a weak woman! She might not escape unscathed today, but losing to such a master hardly seemed a loss.

“Alright then.” Nian Zhi’an sighed. “Since you insist.”

“I see you’re unarmed. How about…” The assassin girl never finished. She found her opponent had ghosted right in front of her like a specter.

When?!

The assassin girl was certain she’d kept her eyes glued on Nian Zhi’an, yet she hadn’t seen how she’d moved!

Nian Zhi’an did have a weapon, but it belonged to a higher realm—using it would be like bullying a child.

With the enemy so close, her sword was useless. The assassin girl circulated her full inner energy to shield herself. She watched her foe raise a plain, pink, tender fist that looked utterly harmless.

Thud! The assassin girl took a punch square to the nose and crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

All that inner energy protection? Useless. Nian Zhi’an’s punch left the assassin girl with a ringing head that would spin for days even after waking.

“Who sent this assassin? So dumb? I’ve never seen anyone make that kind of request. Oh, right—didn’t this girl want to say something?” Nian Zhi’an’s punch had landed too fast; she couldn’t pull it.

【I don’t know about the others, but Host, the Antagonist’s Dark Guards are heading this way.】

【Your escape plan for tonight is foiled.】

Little Gold Stash!!!

Only then did Nian Zhi’an remember the important matter, but she had already sensed several auras rapidly approaching. It was too late. She glanced once more at the Assassin Girl on the ground and, gnashing her teeth, dragged her back into the room.

Before she could get her hands on the Little Gold Stash, she couldn’t let Meng Congyun notice Yu Ji’s abnormality.

She would also severely interrogate the assassin to find out who had sent her to kill Yu Ji. She absolutely had to make the culprit compensate for tonight’s losses!