I am the Holy Poisoner, the Empress advised me to calm down

Led by the guards, Lin Chen and others entered the princess's mansion. The interior decoration of the mansion was extremely luxurious and magnificent, showing the royal style everywhere.

"Mr. Lin, the princess has been waiting in the inner hall for a long time." The guard said respectfully.

Lin Chen nodded slightly, and with Zhang Xun and the others, he followed the guards through several corridors and into the inner hall. Princess Yun Yun sat in the main seat, her azure dress outlining her elegant and noble temperament, and her beauty was no less than that of any other imperial concubine in the palace.

"Mr. Lin is here." Yun Yun stood up to greet him, a hint of joy flashing in her eyes.

"Princess." Lin Chen bowed and the others also knelt to pay their respects.

Yun Yun waved her hand, signaling everyone to excuse themselves from the formalities. "We're all family, no need for formalities. This trip to the northwest is extremely dangerous. I've already made all the arrangements, and we can depart tomorrow."

"What's going on with the prince?" Lin Chen asked straight to the point.

"According to the spy, the prince has sent an elite team that has set off ahead of us. It seems that they have received some news." Yun Yun frowned slightly.

Lin Chen pondered for a moment, "This matter is indeed strange. The prince has always acted cautiously, but this time he is so anxious. He must have some ulterior motive."

"The bodyguard named Black Tiger beside the prince also went with them. He is a martial arts expert and ruthless. We need to be careful when dealing with him," Zhang Xun added.

Yun Yun nodded and said, "I have already ordered people to prepare enough supplies and manpower. If we encounter any danger during this trip, we can deal with it."

Just as everyone was discussing this, a maid hurried over and whispered something in Yun Yun's ear. Yun Yun's face suddenly changed, and she looked at Lin Chen, "Oh no! Someone has broken into my private courtyard, and it seems they're targeting you."

Lin Chen's eyes were stern, "The prince's men?"

"I don't know, but the opponent is very skilled and has injured several of my guards."

Lin Chen stood up and said, "I'll go take a look."

"Be careful." Yun Yun warned.

Lin Chen and Zhang Xun quickly came to the courtyard, only to see a man in black fighting with several guards. His movements were strange and his attacks were fierce, making it difficult for the guards to resist.

"Who is it?" Lin Chen shouted sternly.

Upon hearing this, the man in black turned to look at Lin Chen, a flash of surprise in his eyes, and then he sneered, "Lin Chen, I finally found you. The master invites you, I hope you will come."

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes slightly, "I wonder who your master is? You are so rude to break into the princess's mansion. Aren't you afraid of being beheaded?"

"My master has his own identity, and you can't question it." After the man in black said this, he suddenly took out a dart from his sleeve and shot it at Lin Chen.

Lin Chen dodged the blow with ease, then quickly stepped forward and struck the man in the chest. The man in black dodged sideways, but was caught in Lin Chen's kick. He stumbled, giving Lin Chen the opportunity to punch him in the stomach.

"Ugh!" The man in black groaned and took a few steps back.

"Tell me, who sent you here?" Lin Chen pressed.

The man in black didn't answer. He suddenly pulled out a smoke bomb from his pocket and smashed it on the ground. Thick smoke billowed out, and under the cover of the smoke, the man in black turned and fled.

Lin Chen remained calm, relying on his keen senses to give chase. The man in black was incredibly fast, leaping over several walls and courtyards before dashing towards the outskirts of the mansion. Lin Chen followed closely behind, intercepting him in a deserted corner.

"The monk can run away, but the temple cannot. Tell me, who sent you here?" Lin Chen said coldly.

Seeing no way to escape, the man in black suddenly grinned and said, "Master Lin, my master said you were extremely smart, but he didn't know that you can also be careless sometimes."

Lin Chen's heart was filled with alarm. Just as he was about to speak, he felt a gust of wind from behind. He quickly turned sideways, barely avoiding the vital part, but his shoulder was still cut.

Turning around, he saw another man in black appear behind him, holding a sharp blade and looking at him coldly.

"It turns out to be a plan to lure the tiger away from the mountain." Lin Chen sneered, without showing any panic.

"Clever." The second man in black said coldly, "It's a pity that you're using your cleverness in the wrong place. My master is very interested in you and has come here today to invite you."

Before he could finish his words, the two men in black attacked simultaneously. Lin Chen responded with ease, dodging and counterattacking. Although outnumbered, Lin Chen's skills were clearly superior, and he knocked one of them to the ground in no time.

Seeing this, the other man suddenly took out a small bottle and sprinkled it on Lin Chen's face. Although Lin Chen avoided most of it, he still inhaled a small amount of powder and immediately felt dizzy.

"Poison?" Lin Chen tried hard to support himself and stand firmly.

"It's not poison, it's just a medicine to keep you quiet for a while." The man in black sneered and stepped forward to subdue Lin Chen.

At this moment, a figure descended from the sky and stabbed the man in black in the back with a sword. The man in black was very sensitive and dodged sideways, but his arm was still scratched.

"Princess!" Lin Chen breathed a sigh of relief when he saw who it was.

Yun Yun stood with a sword in hand, a cold light flashing in her eyes. "How dare you harm my guests in my own residence?"

"Your Highness, this matter has nothing to do with you. Please don't interfere." The man in black said respectfully, his attitude suddenly changing.

"Mr. Lin is my guest of honor. What do you have to come to me for? " Yun Yun said coldly.

The man in black hesitated for a moment, as if weighing the pros and cons, and finally took a few steps back. "In that case, let's call it a day. But Mr. Lin, my master's invitation still stands. I hope you can visit as soon as possible."

"Who is your master?" Lin Chen asked.

The man in black raised a strange smile and said, "Mr. Lin must be familiar with the gangster boss of the South City Black Market."

After saying this, the man in black helped his companion up and left quickly before the guards of the princess's mansion arrived.

"Gangster?" Lin Chen frowned in thought.

Yun Yun supported the shaky Lin Chen and asked with concern, "Are you okay?"

"It's okay, I just got drugged. I'll be fine after a rest." Lin Chen said with difficulty.

Back in the inner hall, Lin Chen took the detoxification pill and rested for a while, the effects gradually wearing off. Yun Yun ordered the mansion's defenses to be strengthened, and everyone gathered again to discuss countermeasures.

"Why did the gang leader suddenly attack you?" Yun Yun asked.

Lin Chen shook his head. "I don't know this person at all. I don't know why he is targeting me."

Zhang Xun pondered for a moment and tentatively said, "Could it be the Crown Prince's instructions? As far as I know, the black market boss in the south of the city has some dealings with the Crown Prince."

"I can't rule out this possibility." Lin Chen nodded. "The prince knows I'm the princess's military advisor, so naturally he wants to get rid of me. But if he does it directly, it's bound to leave evidence. Using the gang boss is much cleaner."

"No matter who ordered this, if they dare to act so recklessly on my territory, I must teach them a lesson." A hint of murderous intent flashed in Yun Yun's eyes.

Lin Chen waved his hand. "There's no rush for this matter. Our most important priority right now is our trip to the northwest. We'll settle this account once we return."