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Chapter 268 Assassin's Tower?

Upon seeing Cao Zhengchun appear, the expressions of the figures on the high slope in the distance along the official road all changed.

They never expected that just as the masked assassin in black was about to kill King Zhou Zhan, a surprise attack would suddenly appear out of nowhere.

In particular, the imposing aura emanating from this unexpected Cheng Yaojin made them all feel a sense of lingering fear from afar.

"This person must be Cao Zhengchun, the Grand Supervisor of the Eastern Depot."

"It's probably him. I didn't expect the Eastern Depot to react so quickly, and Cao Zhengchun to arrive so soon. It seems that Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan, is not destined to die today!"

"Cao Zhengchun has a very strong presence. Shouldn't we take action and have a go at this Grand Supervisor of the Eastern Depot?"

"It's not time for us to step in yet. We can meet this Grand Supervisor of the Eastern Depot when the time comes."

"Let's go! Now that Cao Zhengchun is here, there's no point in watching any longer. Be careful that Cao Zhengchun doesn't notice us."

As they spoke, the figures turned and disappeared over the high slope.

……

And on the official road below.

Cao Zhengchun stood in mid-air, coldly surveying the black-clad, masked men; "You have some nerve, daring to assassinate the Prince of Taishan of my Great Zhou right under the nose of my Eastern Depot."

"You're all asking for it."

Cao Zhengchun's eyes revealed a chilling killing intent. Without saying a word, he directly attacked the black-clad, masked men.

As a half-step Celestial Realm expert with incredible combat power, Cao Zhengchun could easily deal with these black-clad, masked men, as easily as crushing a few ants.

With a casual strike, a large number of the black-clad, masked men fell to the ground.

In the blink of an eye, the masked man in black was killed by Cao Zhengchun.

Not a single one escaped.

However, Cao Zhengchun did not kill all the black-clad masked men; he spared a few.

After dealing with the masked man in black, Cao Zhengchun looked up at the high slope in the distance.

Just now, Cao Zhengchun keenly sensed that some kind of gaze was watching him, and the source of the gaze was the high slope in the distance.

But now, Cao Zhengchun can't feel anything anymore.

Cao Zhengchun frowned, withdrew his gaze, and approached Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan; "Your Highness, are you alright?"

Cao Zhengchun looked at Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan, and asked with concern.

Prince Zhou Zhan is a veteran official of three dynasties. If anything were to happen to him, it would be a real problem.

Prince Zhou Zhan, pale-faced, stood up. "I'm fine. Eunuch Cao arrived just in time, otherwise I might have died here today."

"I am here to express my gratitude to Eunuch Cao for saving my life."

King Zhou Zhan, who was known as the "King of the Mountain," said gratefully to Cao Zhengchun.

Zhou Zhan knew that if Cao Zhengchun hadn't arrived in time, he, the Prince who had supported the Three Dynasties, would probably have died at the hands of the masked man in black today.

"It's good that Your Highness is alright. This is all my duty."

"In Luoyang, right under the emperor's nose and right under the nose of our Eastern Depot, so many masked assassins in black have appeared, causing the prince to be attacked and killed. This can be considered a dereliction of duty on our part."

"I hope Your Highness will not blame me."

Cao Zhengchun breathed a sigh of relief; it was good that Prince Zhou Zhan was alright.

"puff."

However, no sooner had Cao Zhengchun finished speaking than Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan, spat out a mouthful of black blood and collapsed to the ground once again.

"Your Highness..."

Upon seeing this, Cao Zhengchun quickly helped Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan.

Seeing the black blood spurting out by Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan, Cao Zhengchun's expression changed.

Black blood?

These are clearly symptoms of poisoning.

Cao Zhengchun immediately tapped Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan, a few times, and said to Pan Feng, "General Pan, the Prince's injuries are quite serious. I will take the Prince back to Luoyang first."

"I'll leave this to General Pan. The Eastern Depot's guards will be here shortly."

After saying this, Cao Zhengchun left with Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan.

……

royal palace.

The Hall of Nourishing Heart.

Zhou Chen sat upright on the dragon throne, his face somewhat grim.

Cao Zhengchun is standing below.

After Cao Zhengchun brought Prince Zhou Zhan back to Luoyang, he sent Prince Zhou Zhan to receive medical treatment and then immediately rushed to the Hall of Mental Cultivation to report the matter.

Zhou Chen looked at Cao Zhengchun and said, "You mean, on the official road thirty miles outside Luoyang, Prince Kao Shan was attacked and killed by men in black and masked?"

Cao Zhengchun nodded; "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Upon receiving the news, this old servant rushed over immediately without even having time to report to His Majesty."

"But this old servant arrived too late. Prince Kao Shan is seriously injured, and this old servant has already asked the imperial physician to treat him."

Cao Zhengchun reported.

Within the Sili region of Luoyang, right under the nose of the Eastern Depot, lies its most powerful presence.

The attack on Prince Zhou Zhan by those masked men in black, thirty miles from Luoyang, was such a commotion that it couldn't be kept secret from the Eastern Depot.

This is also why Cao Zhengchun was able to arrive in time to save Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan.

"Asshole."

"These assassins dared to attack the Prince of Kao Shan of my Great Zhou right under my nose. They have some serious audacity."

"This is a provocation against me, a provocation against the imperial court."

Zhou Chen said with a grim expression.

Thirty miles outside Luoyang, Prince Kao Shan was attacked by assassins.

Isn't this equivalent to King Zhou Zhan being assassinated at his own doorstep?
Isn't this those assassins provoking the dignity of the imperial court and Emperor Zhou Chen?
Who are those masked men in black?

"How dare they so blatantly assassinate the Prince of Kao Shan of my Great Zhou Dynasty and provoke the majesty of my court."

Zhou Chen looked at Cao Zhengchun and asked.

Cao Zhengchun bowed and said, "Your Majesty, this old servant does not know who those black-clad, masked men are."

"However, this old servant can tell that those masked men in black are a group of well-trained assassins."

"This old servant spared a few survivors, and the Imperial Guards have already taken them back to the Eastern Depot for interrogation. We should be able to find out their background soon."

Cao Zhengchun left a few people alive in order to pry them open and find out their background.

Let's see who these masked men in black are, that they have such audacity to attack the Prince of Kao Shan right under their noses.

"A well-trained assassin?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen raised an eyebrow.

If these masked men in black were just assassins, then why would they attack and kill the Prince of Kao Shan for no reason?
"Find out all the details about these masked men in black. I don't care who they are."

“Anyone who dares to attack and kill the Prince of Kao Shan of my Great Zhou and challenge the majesty of the court shall die.”

"Once you find out, have them all wiped out by me."

Zhou Chen said coldly.

"Old slave obeys the order."

Cao Zhengchun bowed and said.

"How badly is the Prince of Kao Shan injured?"

Zhou Chen looked at Cao Zhengchun and asked again.

Cao Zhengchun immediately bowed and replied, "Your Majesty, the Prince of Kao Shan is seriously injured. He was wounded by those masked assassins in black with hidden weapons and poisoned..."

Cao Zhengchun explained the extent of Prince Kaoshan's injuries. Upon hearing this, Zhou Chen sternly told Cao Zhengchun, "Tell the imperial physicians to treat Prince Kaoshan properly and ensure he doesn't suffer any lasting health problems."

"What medicinal herbs are needed? Have the imperial physician fetch them from the royal treasury."

Prince Zhou Zhan is now one of the few remaining meritorious veterans of the royal family, and Zhou Chen absolutely cannot allow anything to happen to him.

As the saying goes, "Having an elder in the family is like having a treasure."

Although these veteran officials were somewhat stubborn, they still played a significant role.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Cao Zhengchun bowed and said.

"correct."

Zhou Chen seemed to remember something, and looked at Cao Zhengchun, saying, "You can ask the Eighth Prince about those masked men in black at the Imperial Clan Court."

Zhou Chen suddenly remembered that in the memorial that the Eighth Prince had given him about Consort Zhen's affairs more than twenty years ago, there seemed to be a mention of a black-clad, masked assassin.

However, no specific details were provided.

Zhou Chen didn't know if the two were related.

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Cao Zhengchun's eyes flashed with surprise, wondering why Zhou Chen had asked him to go to the Imperial Clan Court to inquire about the black-clad, masked men of the Eighth Prince.

Could it be that the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian knew the secrets of those masked men in black?

However, Cao Zhengchun did not think much of it and turned to leave the Hall of Mental Cultivation, going directly to the Imperial Clan Court.

……

Zongren Mansion.

The Eighth Prince Zhou Xian welcomed Cao Zhengchun into the main hall.

"Eunuch Cao, what brings you to the Imperial Clan Court?"

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, looked at Cao Zhengchun and asked.

Previously, Cao Zhengchun came to the Imperial Clan Court to inquire about news of those who had entered the world. It is unknown what Cao Zhengchun came to the Imperial Clan Court for this time.
Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, was thinking to himself.

"Your Highness, just now, Prince Kao Shan was attacked by a group of masked men in black on his way back to Luoyang, about thirty miles outside of Luoyang."

"His Majesty has sent me to the Imperial Clan Court to inquire with the Prince whether he knows anything about the black-clad, masked men."

Cao Zhengchun didn't hesitate and went straight to the point.

what?
Was the Imperial Uncle assassinated?

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, immediately changed his expression.

The royal family is now depleted of talent. With the death of the ancestor Zhou Rushan, only the Prince of Kaoshan and the Eighth Prince are left to support the entire royal family.

If something were to happen to the Prince of Kao Shan, then only he, the Eighth Prince, would be left, unable to hold the line alone.

"Eunuch Cao, is the Imperial Uncle alright? Is he injured?"

"Eighth Prince Zhou Xian asked urgently."

Cao Zhengchun shook his head and said, "Your Highness, please rest assured. Although Prince Kaoshan is seriously injured, his life is not in danger."

"His Majesty has already had the imperial physicians treat him, so Prince Kaoshan will be fine," Cao Zhengchun said.

"That's good."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, breathed a sigh of relief.

It's good that the Prince of Kao Shan is alright.

King Zhou Xian of the Eighth Prince truly never expected that someone would dare to openly assassinate the Prince of Kao Shan thirty miles outside Luoyang City. It was truly outrageous.

"Eunuch Cao, are you saying that the one who attacked the Imperial Uncle was the masked man in black?"

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, looked at Cao Zhengchun and asked for confirmation.

Cao Zhengchun nodded; "Yes, Your Highness."

"Those who attacked and killed the Prince of Kao Shan were all dressed in black and had ghost masks covering their faces."

"Furthermore, judging from their methods, they are a group of well-trained assassins."

Cao Zhengchun gave a general description of the black-clad, masked men.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, frowned deeply. "Eunuch Cao, if nothing unexpected happens, these masked men in black should be from the Assassin's Guild."

Assassin's Den?

Cao Zhengchun raised an eyebrow.

To be honest, Cao Zhengchun didn't seem to have heard of the existence of the Assassin's Tower in the Great Zhou Dynasty.

Could these people also be from the 'Tianshan Mountains'?
The Eighth Prince Zhou Xian nodded and said, "That's right. The 'Assassin's Tower' was a well-known assassin organization in the martial arts world more than 20 years ago. As long as you pay them, they dare to kill anyone, even princes, nobles, or even the emperor. As long as the money is enough, they will kill."

"And once they accept a mission, they're committed to it until they die."

"In other words, once they accept a target for assassination, they will not stop until the target is killed."

"More than 20 years ago, the mere mention of the words 'Assassin's Tower' was enough to send shivers down people's spines; it represented the existence of death."

"The Eighth Prince Zhou Xian said with a look of reminiscence."

"Eunuch Cao has been secretly investigating some matters under imperial orders, hasn't he? Then you should also know something about Consort Zhen's affairs more than 20 years ago!"

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, looked at Cao Zhengchun.

Cao Zhengchun's eyes flashed; "What? Is this assassin's den connected to what happened more than twenty years ago?"

The Eighth Prince Zhou Xian nodded in agreement; "To be precise, it's not just a connection, but the Assassin's Guild was involved in that incident more than twenty years ago."

"More than 20 years ago, some people were unable to take action themselves, so they used the assassins from the Assassin's Guild to do it. The Grand Tutor's Mansion suffered heavy damage, which was the work of the Assassin's Guild."

"Later, after those who had entered the world left, the late emperor ordered that the 'Assassin's Tower' be besieged at all costs."

"At that time, Ancestor Zhou Rushan also made a move. Under the vigorous siege of the imperial court, the Assassin's Tower was almost completely wiped out, with only a few people escaping."

"I never expected that after more than twenty years, these rats would actually rise from the ashes and even dare to attack my royal uncle."

The Eighth Prince Zhou Xian, devoid of his usual gentle demeanor, spoke with a stern expression.

Upon hearing Zhou Xian's words, the Eighth Prince, Cao Zhengchun raised an eyebrow and said, "Oh, so you mean these masked men in black are all assassins from the 'Assassin's Tower'?"

The Eighth Prince, Zhou Xian, shook his head uncertainly. "Based on Eunuch Cao's description, I am only guessing. The most obvious characteristic of the people from the Assassin's Tower is that they all wear ghost masks."

"However, we cannot guarantee that these masked men in black are necessarily from the 'Assassin's Tower' that was besieged more than 20 years ago."

"The Imperial Uncle is very familiar with the people of the Assassin's Tower. Eunuch Cao can ask the Imperial Uncle."

"This is what the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian suggested."

More than 20 years ago, Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, was still young and did not know much about the Assassin's Tower.

However, Zhou Zhan, the Prince of Kao Shan, personally participated in the siege of the Assassin Tower more than 20 years ago.

When it comes to familiarity with the people of the Assassin's Tower, Zhou Zhan, the King of the Mountain, is undoubtedly the most familiar with them.

"Thank you for informing me, Your Highness. I will take my leave now."

Having obtained the information he wanted from Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, Cao Zhengchun decided not to linger any longer.

With the information provided by Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, Cao Zhengchun had a clue.

If these masked men in black are indeed from the Assassin's Guild, then Cao Zhengchun can investigate based on the information provided by Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince.
Cao Zhengchun rose to take his leave and departed from the Imperial Clan Court.

Watching Cao Zhengchun's departing figure, the Eighth Prince Zhou Xian's expression was extremely solemn.

"This assassin's den has resurfaced and dared to openly attack the Imperial Uncle. Could it be related to those people?"

King Zhou Xian of the Eighth Prince was making his own guesses.

Otherwise, how could it be such a coincidence?

As soon as those people entered the world, the members of the Assassin's Tower emerged and attacked the Mountain King.

If it really is related to those people, then it's troublesome.

Based on Cao Zhengchun's description of the masked men in black, Zhou Xian, the Eighth Prince, had already basically concluded that those masked men in black were assassins from the Assassin's Tower.

(End of this chapter)