Chapter 253: Extermination Order

A Zi was neither hurried nor slow, neither humble nor arrogant, she nodded at Pei Shangyan and took a seat to the side.

Pei Shangyan saw she wasn't speaking, without a trace of anxiety; the scenario he had imagined—waiting for her to urgently spill everything and then letting him set the terms—did not come to pass.

Now it was his turn to be unsettled: 'Miss A Zi, is what is written on this silk true?'

Pei Shangyan stared at A Zi, his eyes full of stern inquiry.

But she seemed not to be frightened by his gaze, remaining calm and unhurried, which instead made his deliberate pretense obvious.

It seemed as if he had nowhere to hide under her gaze.

A Zi lifted her eyes to look at Pei Shangyan: 'Naturally it's true; I wouldn't deceive the Crown Prince.'

'Do you realize this is a major matter!' Pei Shangyan's eyes remained stern, yet his voice sounded stern but inwardly feeble.

A Zi smiled and said: 'Crown Prince, everything I say is true; believe it or not, it's up to you. If Your Highness doesn't believe me, this humble girl will leave.'

She said this and was about to rise.

Pei Shangyan's anxious expression instantly showed: 'A Zi, wait; this palace does not disbelieve, but this matter is too shocking, this palace cannot digest it at once—you say there is actually a secret assassination unit in the court, truly…'

He had never even heard of it!

'Truly, unheard of.'

'The Crown Prince naturally hasn't heard of it, since even the Emperor is unaware—how would Your Highness know?'

'The Emperor doesn't know either?' Upon hearing this, Pei Shangyan's gaze shifted instantly: 'Miss A Zi, if you say this is a court assassination unit, how could the Emperor be unaware? Are you underestimating this palace too much?'

A Zi's expression unchanged: 'Your Highness, don't be anxious, because the authority for this assassination unit was solely with the late Emperor and then came to nothing.'

'Why is that?' Pei Shangyan obviously didn't believe her.

He wanted to see how this woman would quibble!

'An independent assassination unit passed down through generations—why was it lost? Crown Prince, where do you think the cause lies?' A Zi threw this counter-question at Pei Shangyan.

Pei Shangyan pondered briefly, then immediately shouted angrily: 'Bold! What are you implying?!'

Utterly unreasonable!

He actually would waste time listening to this woman of unknown origin spouting nonsense here!

Or perhaps this is Prince Jia sending her to spread rumors and unsettle him? Utterly childish!

A Zi still wasn't hurried: 'I merely came to seek cooperation with the Crown Prince; if Your Highness doesn't believe me, then I'll have to take my leave.'

'Wait a moment, this palace hasn't said you may leave.' Pei Shangyan looked at A Zi, trying to discern something from her eyes.

But this woman's gaze was too deep and unfathomable; he could not see through her at all.

A Zi feared no gaze from Pei Shangyan, openly letting him look, looking his fill.

She had plenty of time; if he refused, it didn't matter to her.

But she was certain he would agree.

'What evidence do you have to prove the existence of Frost Descent?' Pei Shangyan asked.

A Zi shook her head and said: 'Perhaps you could ask the Four Great Vassal Kings.'

'Hahaha!' Pei Shangyan laughed loudly: 'Haven't the Four Great Vassal Kings all rebelled? After all this, is it still your trick? Was it Gu Rongjin who sent you?'

A Zi: 'Since the Crown Prince doesn't believe me, I'll have to take my leave.'

Pei Shangyan's eyes narrowed: 'What do you think this place is? Allowing you to come and go as you please?'

As his words fell, A Zi flashed to his rear!

Pei Shangyan had no time to react; by the time he came to, a hand blade was already at his neck, and the woman behind him curled her lips in a smile: 'Crown Prince, if I had murderous intent, you would already be a corpse.'

What terrifying skill!

'Such skill is not rare among Frost Descent, and certainly not the strongest.'

Naturally the strongest is Gu Rongjin, and of course she wouldn't say more.

'As the court's secret weapon, we are the ghosts and monsters that move in the night—be careful.' A Zi smiled.

A drop of cold sweat fell from Pei Shangyan's forehead; his heart nearly stopped.

Just now it was indeed dangerous; this woman spoke truly—if she wished, he would already be beheaded!

Are all of Frost Descent this terrifyingly strong?

'Who do these people now obey?' Gu Rongjin?

A Zi smiled again: 'It doesn't matter who they obey; as long as I assist you, they can be used solely by the Crown Prince.'

'What basis do you have for saying that? According to your words, Gu Rongjin would be the leader, right?' Pei Shangyan asked.

A Zi: 'I naturally have my methods; if the Crown Prince cooperates, I will tell you.'

Pei Shangyan said nothing; he was thinking seriously.

If such a powerful group could be used solely by them, it would indeed be very tempting.

'Good, this palace will cooperate with you.'

'The Crown Prince is indeed a perceptive person.'

Meanwhile, Qilin also heard an unusual disturbance; his first reaction was to stand guard outside Mu Yuanzhi's room, although he knew Gu Rongjin must have heard it too, but just in case.

He'd better be careful.

Gu Rongjin sat up by turning over, moving quietly, worried about waking Mu Yuanzhi beside him, but Mu Yuanzhi had already awakened when he turned over.

She is not a deep sleeper; even the slightest sound can wake her, let alone the movements of the person sharing her pillow.

'What's wrong, Rongjin?'

'Nothing, my people came looking for me.' Gu Rongjin turned to smile at Mu Yuanzhi: 'Be a good girl and lie back in the blankets, wait for me.'

Hearing Gu Rongjin say that, Mu Yuanzhi stopped asking and went to sleep.

Gu Rongjin got off the bed, climbed out the window, didn't see the person who came looking for him, but instead saw Qilin.

'What a keen little dog, you already know someone broke in?' Gu Rongjin teased.

"You're the dog!" Qilin rolled its eyes, "This person sounds highly skilled in martial arts!"

Gu Rongjin: "Naturally, because they're my people, coming to find me."

"Who is it?"

"You don't know them either." On patrol?

Even his wife hasn't been checked!

Qilin: "Don't tell me it's another A Zi again?!"

They looked at Gu Rongjin with eyes full of wariness and distrust.

"It's not that, don't think wildly, alright I'm leaving—he's waiting for me up ahead." Gu Rongjin added while flashing away: "The one with the single-person radical."

Qilin nodded reluctantly.

Gu Rongjin landed in the front courtyard, and that person emerged from the shadows: "Young Master!"

"What happened? You actually came?" Gu Rongjin asked.

That person: "A Zi went to look for Pei Shangyan."

"Oh? You already have news of her so quickly—impressive." Gu Rongjin praised.

That person said in an unchanged tone: "Should we deploy the kill order?"

The kill order was originally a command only the emperor could issue, but they have been leaderless for a long time and have grown accustomed to following Gu Rongjin's orders in their actions.