Xie Ming

With the assassination mission imminent, the two leaders of the team had a secret talk on the roof ridge of the main house in the deserted courtyard in the northwest corner of the Chen residence.

These two, knowing that this journey was fraught with peril, sighed and joked with a deep sense of despair.

While they were eating cakes and drinking wine to bolster their courage, the masked man asked for a favor.

Upon hearing this, the skinny man who had accepted the cake responded.

"Go ahead!" the skinny man said without hesitation.

"Hoo—" Ghost Face exhaled a breath of air, then recited.

"Now that it's out, there's no point in hiding it anymore."

"Brother, my surname is Lu, and my name is Lu Bao."

"They are definitely not from the south."

"My home is in Zhen Ding Prefecture, Beizhili."

"I joined the army a few years ago, but I was just a lowly guard at the barn."

"Later, he gained the appreciation of his superiors and was personally brought south, where he was given some respectable duties."

"Just this"

"Sigh, I can only blame my bad luck. Let's not talk about it anymore."

"Brother, our whole family, young and old, parents and children, there's no need to worry. The higher-ups are taking good care of us, there's nothing to complain about."

"The reason I'm asking today is... because the actual reason is a girl."

Lu Bao, the ghost-faced man, blushed with shame. His face was disfigured, and his facial muscles were disproportionate. He looked simple-minded, but he also had a creepy air about him.

Observing his hesitant and stammering manner, the thin man understood the meaning.

"Heh, do you mean to pass on a message or to send money?" he asked.

Upon hearing this, Ghost Face Lu Bao paused, glanced at him, and quickly replied.

"Uh, forget about the words, but let me send you some money instead."

Thinking of this, Ghost Face reached into his pocket and quickly pulled out a small bag of loose silver.

When he received the silver bag, he shook his hand with satisfaction and weighed it in his hand twice.

Completed, and solemnly handed it to the skinny man.

"This, this bag of silver, it's not much, but it's all what I've painstakingly saved up over the years."

"In Nanjing, in Shouku Lane, there's a tailor shop. There's a young woman there who cuts fabric; her name is Xia."

"This money, if you can get out of here safely, please find a chance to run a errand for me, please."

Lu Baoxiang's request was very sincere and earnest.

After smelling it, the skinny man glanced at it and felt a mix of emotions.

"Hey, Lu, I'm telling you, Brother Lu."

"If you give me the money now, you really think highly of me."

"What if I end up stuck in this house and can't get out?"

The skinny man grabbed the silver packet in his hand, but instead of putting it away immediately, he poured a bucket of cold water on it first.

Seeing the ghostly face, Lu Bao was speechless, so he spoke again.

"Oh, you."

"If you really have this heart, then live well and don't wish for death."

"Besides, it's hard to say what Nanjing is really like right now."

"This task is not easy for you to take on, brother. You'd better handle it yourself."

After the skinny man finished speaking, without saying another word, he threw the money bag back again.

The reason for doing this is actually to give the ghost face a reason to struggle and survive.

If it were someone else delivering a message of peace, then that would be fine.

It's obvious that Xiaoxia and that young lady are involved in a relationship.

Since such a person has these ordinary human thoughts, then perhaps he can still find a way out.

That's why the skinny guy who accepted the cakes did it this way.

In reality, even the ghost-faced Lu Bao could tell that it was well-intentioned, but...
After his attempts to entrust the matter failed, he remained silent, feeling frustrated and unable to say anything more.

The skinny man continued speaking on his own.

"Alright, fine."

"As for me, I'll repay you in kind."

"I can't help you with matters of the heart, brother."

"However, since you've explained your situation, we can't let you suffer a loss."

"I'll say a few words too, so I won't die without anything to look forward to." "Brother Lu, listen carefully."

"I am from Changshu, Suzhou, and my full name is Ning Ji."

"Last year, I got into trouble with the villagers and went to jail, which affected my family."

"If it weren't for... ah, without the guarantee from above."

As the skinny Ning Ji finished speaking, he pointed to the sky. Regardless of anything else, he subconsciously concealed Xiao Jingchuan's name and identity, fearing that making things up would bring trouble upon him.

"Hehehe, if it weren't for this bail."

"By now, who knows what kind of reincarnation they've been born into."

"How can I talk to you like this? Humph." Ning Ji sneered self-deprecatingly.

"I'm a stubborn person, and I've never been one to be easily controlled."

"I'm fucking willing to do this."

"Just like you, the people above me are nice, and they take care of my family."

"So, even if this job means certain death, we can't be a burden to others, don't you think?"

"What kind of person you are, what kind of fate you will have."

"Brother, this is our fate."

The thin Ning Ji's words seemed to be addressed to others, but in reality, weren't they also a way of comforting himself?
The ghostly face, listening to the sound, originally wanted to try to discern something more.

But, just at this very moment.

It's midnight.

The men in the team below, arriving precisely on time, sneaked up from the flank in the dark to report the time to each other.

"Boss, it's time." The subordinate in black bowed and approached cautiously.

Seeing this, Ghost Face and Skinny also quickly composed themselves, abandoning their previous serious attitudes and adopting a menacing demeanor.

"Good. Once midnight has passed, the guards at Chen's residence will be exhausted and their defenses will be weak, making it the best time to strike."

"Go and call the brothers to assemble on one side of the courtyard wall, prepare to scale the wall, and catch them off guard."

"In addition, please remember this."

"Mission accomplished. Quickly disperse and break out."

"Remember, there are clear instructions from above: follow the predetermined route and wait at the designated assembly point on the riverbank. Tonight, everyone will escape by boat."

"Did you hear me?!" the masked man commanded hastily.

"Yes, understand!"

The subordinate in black received the order without hesitation, turning around and leaving the room to prepare.

For a time, only Lu Bao and Ning Ji remained on the roof.

Just as Ning Ji was about to set off, ready to make his move.

Ghost Face Lu Bao grabbed his arm and forcibly stuffed the bag of silver into the other man's hand.

"Brother, I'm... neither human nor ghost, it doesn't matter if I'm dead or alive."

Please help me this time.

Please, please.

Having said that, he didn't stop for long. With a flick of his body, he leaped down from the corner of the house and prepared in the courtyard.

The skinny Ning Ji frowned and stared at the silver pouch in his hand. Having no other choice, he simply put it in his pocket for now, figuring he could deal with it later.

Blades flash like frost as night falls, imperial edicts with secret messages shake the stars.

My body follows ghosts and demons through vermilion doors, my blood stains dragons and snakes as I test their purple scales.

The cold light startled the roosting birds, yet left no trace to inform others.

In the Ming Dynasty, people in the streets and alleys boasted of auspicious omens, but who could tell whether the attire belonged to ghosts or gods?

On the night of the 14th of the eighth month in the second year of the Hongguang reign, at midnight.

The assassination operation officially began.

In the sweltering darkness, suddenly, from the end of the shadowy alley, several dark figures abruptly leaped over the courtyard wall.

At the northwest corner of the Chen residence, a fight broke out immediately.

To ensure complete secrecy, Lu Bao and Ning Ji led a well-equipped black-clad secret team.

In an instant, four or five crossbows fired, and short arrows shot out in rapid succession.

Puff puff--

Before the arrows could be fired, the guards stationed at the end of the alley fell to the ground, their throats pierced by the arrows, without even having time to utter a single word.

(End of this chapter)