Chapter 197: Underworld King Order!

Underworld King Order!

Yin Fengzhan spoke in a low voice, his tone heavy. Hearing this, Nie Jinxuan was stunned.

But Nie Jinxuan was clever. She immediately understood.

"... It's fine, I will be careful."

The Jin Qi case from years ago had far-reaching implications. Reversing the verdict now would not be easy! With Huang Boqi and Wang Tianhai having confessed, those hiding in the shadows would undoubtedly be driven to desperation! They would certainly prepare two plans: first, kill Huang Boqi and Wang Tianhai, thus eliminating the human witnesses. Second, kill her, Nie Jinxuan. As long as she died, no one would know the whereabouts of the account book, thus eliminating the physical evidence!

Even if she entrusted the account book to someone else before her death, as long as the person handing it over wasn't her, they would have a thousand excuses to claim the account book was fake!

And now, there was still no movement from Emperor Shuncheng. Therefore, until the day the Emperor summoned her to hand over the account book, she would be in great danger! This was exactly what Yin Fengzhan was worried about!

Understanding his meaning, Nie Jinxuan felt helpless. She responded softly with a faint smile and walked out of the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Days passed quickly, and three more days went by.

During these three days, every night, Nie Jinxuan could hear sounds of fighting. She knew these were Yin Fengzhan's secret guards protecting her. Otherwise, relying on the useless guards at the Nie residence, she would have crossed the Naihe Bridge many times over!

Clearly, the opponent's actions were becoming increasingly blatant!

At the same time, Shui Yun had set up a simple cot in the outer room of Nie Jinxuan's chamber, sleeping there every night in a state of high alert.

Thus, three days passed. Yin Fengzhan had finished his seven days of kneeling at the Imperial Ancestral Temple and returned to his residence. As for the injured Prince Rui, Yin Fengxiang, Nie Jinxuan naturally couldn't visit him again, lest any further trouble implicate him.

Day after day, one afternoon, someone finally came from the palace, saying the Emperor wanted her to enter the palace for the morning court in three days.

The messenger was a young eunuch. Nie Jinxuan didn't recognize him. After delivering the message, the eunuch left. Once he was gone, Xiao Xiu frowned.

"Miss, the Emperor wants you to enter the palace again? Miss, do you think something has happened again?"

Xiao Xiu didn't know the details, and since nothing good had come from her previous trips to the palace, she instinctively felt danger whenever she heard about it. Nie Jinxuan, sitting in her chair, looked up at her and laughed.

"You silly girl, look how scared you are! Well? What do you think will happen this time?"

"Uh... Miss, how would this servant know?! But you can't blame me; every time we enter the palace, nothing good happens, so naturally, I'm worried..."

"Hehe~, alright, whether something happens or not, the Emperor's oral decree has been issued. Do you think I can just not go?"

She raised an eyebrow, but as she finished, Nie Jinxuan pursed her lips and set aside the book in her hand.

Nie Jinxuan fell silent, her beautiful eyes looking through the window at the peonies and peonies blooming in the courtyard. Just then, a report came from outside the room.

"Third Miss, Minister Zuo of the Ministry of Punishments is here, saying he has an urgent matter to see you."

The messenger was Xiao Ju, a maid from the front courtyard, young but clever. Hearing that Zuo Wei had come, Nie Jinxuan immediately understood.

"Alright, I know. Please invite Minister Zuo to the front hall; I will be there immediately."

"Yes!"

Xiao Ju responded respectfully and left. Nie Jinxuan stood up, tidied her appearance, and hurried to the front hall. To her surprise, upon arriving, she found that not only Zuo Wei had come, but Mo Yujue and even Prince Qin, Yin Fenglian, were there too!

Mo Yujue was from the Ministry of Punishments and Zuo Wei's subordinate; they had worked together during the last investigation. So, Nie Jinxuan could understand Mo Yujue coming, but Prince Qin, Yin Fenglian...

Nie Jinxuan had some doubts, but she didn't show them. She walked into the front hall with grace and said with a gentle smile,

"Your Highness Prince Qin, Minister Zuo, Brother Mo, sorry to have kept you waiting."

Nie Jinxuan carried herself with the poise of a great family. Zuo Wei laughed, and after a few simple pleasantries, Mo Yujue spoke first.

"Third Miss, is there movement from the Emperor's side?"

Mo Yujue was always direct. Nie Jinxuan smiled, dismissed the servants in the room, and turned her gaze back to Mo Yujue.

"Brother Mo is right. Just now, word came from the palace for me to enter the palace in three days... and it will be during the morning court!"

"The morning court?!"

Hearing Nie Jinxuan mention the morning court, Mo Yujue and Zuo Wei were stunned. Yin Fenglian raised an eyebrow.

"It seems the old man intends to make his move during the morning court! Hehe~, that's his style!"

Yin Fenglian smiled as brightly as ever, then turned his gaze to Nie Jinxuan.

"However, it seems the old man trusts Third Miss quite a bit, so you can rest assured. But I must warn you: the old man is no Bodhisattva; he is ruthless when he acts, so Third Miss, don't be frightened when the time comes~!"

Yin Fenglian's words were clearly teasing and mocking, but they also revealed Emperor Shuncheng's true nature. Nie Jinxuan pursed her lips.

"Rewards and punishments are the Emperor's decision. All I need to do now is reveal the truth."

"Hehe~, good! If that's the case, that would be wonderful!"

Yin Fenglian was quite satisfied with Nie Jinxuan's answer, even showing clear admiration. Mo Yujue frowned.

"Third Miss, the Emperor ordering you to enter the palace in three days means the Jin case is almost solved. Minister Zuo and I came today to remind you to be careful these next few days."

Mo Yujue's concerns were the same as Yin Fengzhan's. Once he finished, Zuo Wei added,

"Yes, Third Miss. In fact, the capital has not been peaceful lately. I have inquired from many sources and heard that some in the court can no longer sit still. It is inevitable that they will be driven to desperation, so please, take care of yourself!"

Both Zuo Wei and Mo Yujue expressed their concern. Nie Jinxuan was naturally moved, but before she could speak, Yin Fenglian suddenly spoke up.

"Third Miss, do you know why I specifically came over with Old Mo today?"

Yin Fenglian's words drew everyone's attention, and then the usually smiling Prince Qin, Yin Fenglian, turned unexpectedly grave.

"Actually, I have been paying attention to the movements of some martial artists in the capital these days. Although many have gathered, their skills are generally average, so Third Miss has been safe and sound! But early this morning, I went to a tavern and heard that the bounty on Third Miss has reached fifty thousand taels of gold!"

"What?! Fifty thousand... taels of... gold?!"

Yin Fenglian's voice was calm, but once he finished, Zuo Wei's eyes widened in disbelief! Even Mo Yujue frowned in shock.

Goodness... fifty thousand taels?! And in gold?!

Even as a Minister of the Court, his annual salary was only a mere hundred taels of silver. Fifty thousand taels...

Zuo Wei felt dizzy. Seeing their reactions, Yin Fenglian curled his lip.

"What's wrong with fifty thousand taels? In this world, if a problem can be solved with money, it's not a problem!"

"... What does this mean? Could there be something even more serious?"

Sensing that Yin Fenglian had more to say, Mo Yujue asked in a deep voice. Yin Fenglian glanced at him and smiled.

"Hehe~, Old Mo understands me! That's right. If it were just a matter of fifty thousand taels of gold, it wouldn't be a big deal. After all, those martial artists coming for the bounty are just a rabble. Even if many experts are eager to try, they ultimately want money! So, as long as we offer a higher amount than fifty thousand taels, they naturally won't act!"

"Uh... a higher amount than fifty thousand taels of gold... Your Highness Prince Qin, it's not that I'm trying to oppose you, but where would that money come from?"

It wasn't that Zuo Wei was intentionally being difficult; it was just that for someone like Zuo Wei, who had grown up poor and struggled in the bureaucracy his whole life without saving much, let alone fifty thousand taels of gold, he couldn't even produce five hundred taels!

And even if he tried to borrow it... fifty thousand taels of gold... who would he ask?!

Zuo Wei was bewildered. Yin Fenglian chuckled.

"Who else? Naturally, our richest man in the world~! Besides, I heard that our richest man has been asking Third Miss for help quite a bit lately, so it's only right for him to bleed a little~! And, thinking back, he was the one who handled the Jin Qi case. Now that this has happened, it's only reasonable for him to make amends!"

Yin Fenglian spoke lightly, but Zuo Wei was stunned, his head full of black lines...

This, this is clearly extortion!

But my dear Prince, you are digging a hole behind someone's back—does your respected father, the Emperor, know about this?!

Zuo Wei couldn't help but complain inwardly. Mo Yujue's expression darkened.

"Didn't you just say it wasn't just a matter of spending money? Why are you still thinking about Pei Yaoguang?! Let's talk about serious matters; what is more serious?"

Mo Yujue was a serious man. Hearing this, Zuo Wei recovered from his bewilderment, and Yin Fenglian raised his gaze to look at Mo Yujue.

"The more serious matter is that someone has used the Underworld King Order!"

"Underworld King Order? What is that?"

"The most terrifying thing in the martial arts world, according to legend!"

His voice grew deeper, and for the first time, a cold, indescribable solemnity appeared on Yin Fenglian's face.

"More than twenty years ago, there was a very mysterious sect in the Central Plains martial arts world called the Underworld Night Palace. Within this palace, there was a group of people specifically responsible for killing—the Shadow Group! Legend has it that anyone targeted by the Shadow Group is guaranteed to die! It is a terrifying group of assassins! Even after twenty years, the Underworld Night Palace remains a terrifying existence; even the most fearsome villains in the martial arts world fear them by three points!"

"So... someone hired the Shadow Group?"

"Correct!"

Yin Fenglian narrowed his eyes.

"And it is said that if one simply wants to hire the Shadow Group to kill someone, one only needs to use the Underworld Order. But what has been issued now is the Underworld King Order..."

"... Is it the leader of the Shadow Group?!"

"Yes!"

In the vast front hall of the Nie residence, there was silence. Everyone's face was grave, and a strange, tense atmosphere swirled around them, so oppressive that it was hard to breathe!

After an unknown amount of time, Mo Yujue pursed his lips and broke the silence in a low voice.

"Does the Prince know how the leader of the Shadow Group's martial arts are?"

"I don't know! Because no one has ever survived after fighting him!"

"Then... how can the Underworld King Order be lifted? Is it impossible even if we spend a huge amount of money?"

"Impossible!"

The two simple words directly denied Zuo Wei's expectations. Yin Fenglian looked at Nie Jinxuan, who had remained silent.

"Therefore, Third Miss, you must be extremely careful these next three days! I will enter the palace in a while to persuade my father to send troops... no, the Imperial Guards would be better. Otherwise, if the other party makes a move, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Someone who could make Yin Fenglian this nervous must be truly capable! The group didn't waste words; after reminding Nie Jinxuan to be careful, they left.

Nie Jinxuan had been nervous about the Underworld King Order at first. But since things had reached this point, there was no turning back, so she calmed down.

The day passed slowly, and night fell. Nie Jinxuan had no appetite and didn't eat much. After reading for a while, she bathed, cleansed herself, and went to bed.

It was late at night. Vaguely, sounds of fighting came from outside the room, but they soon returned to silence. A moment later, Nie Jinxuan, lying in bed, suddenly felt someone walking toward the bed.

The feeling was subtle. Nie Jinxuan, half-asleep, couldn't tell if she was dreaming or awake. But then, she felt the person get closer, sit on the edge of the bed, and reach out to touch her face...

Once.

Twice.

Nie Jinxuan felt a sense of horror that made her tremble all over, and she suddenly opened her eyes... But just as she reflexively pushed the person away, she froze.

"... Fengzhan?!"

It was indeed Yin Fengzhan.

Seeing him sitting beside her bed, Nie Jinxuan was surprised, but at the same time, her previously tense mood calmed down instantly.

Nie Jinxuan breathed a sigh of relief. Yin Fengzhan sat silently and reached out with a silk handkerchief to wipe her forehead.

His movements weren't gentle, but they were light, even a bit clumsy. Being touched by him, Nie Jinxuan realized she had been sweating. Her heart stirred, but she reflexively shrank back.

Seeing this, Yin Fengzhan frowned but pulled his hand back without a word.

The room was extremely quiet. After a long while, Nie Jinxuan pursed her lips and asked in a low voice,

"You... why are you here? Did something happen?"

"No."

"Uh, then..."

Nie Jinxuan was confused and looked up. Yin Fengzhan said in a low voice,

"To take you away."

"... What?!"

Startled by Yin Fengzhan's words, before Nie Jinxuan could figure out what was happening, Yin Fengzhan pulled her into his arms and flew away like lightning!

In the dark night, Yin Fengzhan was as fast as a ghost, as swift as lightning. Nie Jinxuan, in his arms, could only hold onto him tightly and close her eyes, but her heart was unexpectedly calm.

After an unknown amount of time, long enough for Nie Jinxuan to almost fall asleep, Yin Fengzhan suddenly stopped and set her down.

"We're here."

Yin Fengzhan's deep, familiar voice sounded in her ear. Nie Jinxuan slowly opened her eyes, and the moment she did, she froze.

Red!

Red everywhere!

A red bed, red curtains, even the table not far away was covered with bright red silk...

Nie Jinxuan's mind stalled for a moment. Then she remembered.

"This... this is what Second Sister decorated before..."

Yes, this was the bridal chamber Nie Jinhui had decorated. Having gone mad for love, she had decorated it this way, fantasizing about being with her beloved.

Nie Jinhui was mad. But looking at everything around her, Nie Jinxuan didn't understand why Yin Fengzhan had brought her here again. Yin Fengzhan said in a low voice,

"It's safe here."

Without extra sweet words, Yin Fengzhan gave a simple explanation. He turned, walked to the table, poured a cup of water, and brought it to Nie Jinxuan.

"Drink."

"Hmm..."

Not knowing what to say, Nie Jinxuan nodded and took the cup.

Clearly, Nie Jinxuan was still a bit bewildered. After a while, she drank some water and calmed down. She looked up at Yin Fengzhan.

"Do I have to stay here for these three days?"

One update today, see you tomorrow. ===== CHAPTER 198 =====