Chapter 378 The Key Piece Lost His Sanity

Chapter 378: The Key Piece, Delirious

Leaving the Duke of Wei's mansion, the night was deep, and the cold wind carried a biting chill that stung one's face.

Jiang Yaozhen pulled her fox-fur cloak tighter, but her gaze was colder than the winter night.

She did not return to her residence. Instead, she ordered the carriage to take a winding route, eventually stopping at a secluded alleyway in the western part of the city.

Alighting alone, she walked with practiced ease and entered an unremarkable restaurant.

The eatery was already closed, with only a single waiter yawning as he cleaned up.

Upon seeing her, his eyes immediately sharpened. He bowed and gestured for her to follow, leading her through the main hall into a dim, secluded room at the back of the yard.

A single lamp was lit inside, casting a dim yellow glow. A man dressed in black stood with his back to the door, wiping down a long knife.

The blade was narrow, reflecting the lamplight with an icy gleam.

Hearing footsteps, the man did not turn around. His voice was as cold as the blade in his hand: "Third Prince's Consort... oh no, I should now address you as Lady Wei. I remember telling you before that I would no longer cooperate with you. Did you forget?"

This man was none other than Han Ying, the head of the Night Shadow Pavilion.

Jiang Yaozhen ignored the sarcasm and distance in his tone. She walked straight to the table and sat down, pouring herself a cup of tea that had long gone cold.

"Han Ying, you don't want to cooperate with me because, back on that painted boat, I concealed the fact that Xiao Lingchuan was also present, leading him to be stabbed while shielding Jiang Shuning. He is the Southern Yue prince, of noble birth and high status, while I am merely the daughter of a spy. Your Night Shadow Pavilion thinks it's not worth offending a future master for someone as insignificant as me, right?"

Han Ying finally turned around slowly.

"Since Lady Wei sees everything so clearly, why come knocking again?"

Jiang Yaozhen lifted her teacup, a mocking smile curling on her lips.

"What if I said that the person I want you to save is none other than your master, the Southern Yue Chief Grand Secretary?"

Han Ying's pupils constricted sharply. The veins on the back of his hand gripping the knife bulged, his expression shifting drastically. "What has happened to Lord Zhao?"

"He has been captured by the prince you hold in such high regard—Xiao Lingchuan—and is now locked in Prince Jing's dungeon, being tortured every day." Jiang Yaozhen set down her teacup. "If you don't go to rescue him soon, he won't last long!"

"How can that be?!" Han Ying blurted out, his face full of disbelief. "The prince... how could he... does he not know that he and Lord Zhao are related by blood?"

The smile at the corner of Jiang Yaozhen's mouth deepened.

Perfect. The more people who mistakenly believe that Xiao Lingchuan is Zhao Qian's flesh and blood, the greater her chances of toppling him.

"You don't understand Prince Jing well enough," she said contemptuously. "He's now the all-powerful regent of Great Yue, second only to the Emperor. How could he let the truth that he isn't of Great Yue's royal blood come out? The best way is to kill everyone who knew the truth back then!"

Each word hit Han Ying like a sledgehammer.

What Jiang Yaozhen said left no room for argument.

Given Xiao Lingchuan's position now, hiding his origins was inevitable.

"Lord Zhao is his real father!" Han Ying gritted his teeth, his chest heaving angrily. The shock and confusion in his eyes eventually turned into immense fury. "Such a poisonous prince—I refuse to serve him anymore! Don't worry, Lady Wei, I'll get Lord Zhao out no matter what."

"Perfect!" Jiang Yaozhen stood up, a cold glint of satisfaction flashing in her eyes.

The bait was taken.

The Night Shadow Pavilion's efficiency didn't let Jiang Yaozhen down.

Just past midnight, several dark figures glided over Prince Jing's high walls like ghosts, silently slipping into the heavily guarded inner courtyard.

Han Ying led a few of his trusted men, moving as agilely as cats. Several poisoned daggers cut through the night air without a sound. The guards didn't even have time to gasp before collapsing silently.

The heavy iron door to the dungeon was forced open, and a thick, foul stench rushed out, almost making them vomit.

They found Zhao Qian in the innermost cell.

Once the once-proud Southern Yue Grand Secretary, he now lay curled up in a filthy pile of straw, his clothes torn and covered in dark bloodstains and sticky fluids.

His limbs were bound with thick iron chains, and every exposed patch of skin was covered in dense, uneven bite marks, some spots torn open to the bone.

He was barely alive, only a faint breath left.

"Lord Zhao!" one of the Night Shadow Pavilion assassins couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice.

Han Ying's face was as dark as a storm cloud.

He hurried over and checked Zhao Qian's breathing—weak, but there.

He immediately gestured for his men to break the chains.

As they were leaving, they passed by another cell. From the corner of his eye, Han Ying noticed that there seemed to be another person locked inside.

That person was leaning against the wall. Though his clothes were also disheveled, his posture was straight, and his eyes shone brightly in the darkness, staring coldly at them.

The young man's features bore a certain resemblance to Xiao Lingchuan.

A chill ran through Han Ying's heart, and murderous intent arose.

Better to avoid extra trouble. Tonight, there must be no survivors.

Just as he was about to move to silence him, the young man spoke first, his voice clear and cold, carrying a composure beyond his years: "You're from the Night Shadow Pavilion?"

Han Ying looked at him warily, tightening his grip on the knife handle. "How do you know?"

The young man lifted his chin, pointing at the knives in their hands. "Only the Night Shadow Pavilion uses blades engraved with the Southern Yue auspicious patterns."

Such sharp observation.

Han Ying approached him, stopping outside the iron bars, his killing intent growing stronger.

The young man seemed oblivious to the threat, speaking only coldly: "Doesn't the Night Shadow Pavilion claim to assist all Southern Yue people stranded in Great Yue? I am the Crown Prince of Southern Yue, Jiang Tianze. I need to get out of here now."

The Crown Prince of Southern Yue?!

Han Ying trembled, scrutinizing the young man carefully.

Only then did he realize that the young man's features indeed bore some similarity to the late Southern Yue Emperor, Hua Liancheng.

And Hua Liancheng was Xiao Lingchuan's maternal uncle.

They were cousins, so some resemblance in their features was understandable.

In a flash, Han Ying made his decision.

Without any hesitation, he swung his knife backward. With a thunderous crash, the iron lock as thick as a bowl's rim snapped cleanly.

Saving an extra Southern Yue royal bloodline could never hurt.

Upon regaining his freedom, Jiang Tianze curled into a sinister smile at the corners of his lips.

He seemed to leave the dungeon with the others, but the moment he stepped out of Prince Jing’s mansion, he turned and ducked into a completely different alley without hesitation.

By the time the surviving guards stumbled and scrambled to Xiao Lingchuan’s study to report the night raid on the dungeon, those who had been taken from the dungeon had long disappeared into the vast darkness.

The guard knelt on the ground, trembling all over like a sieve, his face full of worry: “Your Highness, those men were of unknown origin. I saw them take the Nanyue Chief Grand Secretary—it seems they have some other motive. If their treacherous scheme succeeds, what shall we do?”

Behind the desk, Xiao Lingchuan’s expression remained calm and unruffled; he didn’t even lift his eyelids at the report.

“It’s fine,” he said flatly. “I know what they’re trying to do. But I’m afraid they won’t achieve their goal so easily.”

After the Night Shadow Pavilion rescued Zhao Qian and brought him to their secret stronghold, they realized the situation was far worse than expected.

His body was covered with marks left by repeated bites from poisonous snakes and insects.

These venoms were not lethal, but they could make a person suffer day and night from the pain of a million ants gnawing at one’s heart, until their spirit broke.

Han Ying looked at Zhao Qian’s bloodied, mangled face, and a chill ran through his heart.

If Xiao Lingchuan truly wanted to kill someone to silence them, he had ten thousand cleaner and more efficient methods. Why use such a sinister means of torture?

This wasn’t murder to cover up—it was venting anger, revenge.

But what was he avenging?

No sooner had they gotten Zhao Qian settled than Jiang Yaozhen arrived.

The moment she stepped into the room, taking in the heavy mix of blood and medicinal herbs, her heart sank.

When she saw Zhao Qian lying on the bed, wrapped entirely in bandages, unconscious, her heart sank to rock bottom.

Such a crucial figure for overthrowing Xiao Lingchuan, now in this miserable state—what could be done?

She immediately summoned the best physician in the capital to treat Zhao Qian.

After a thorough examination, the physician looked troubled.

“Madam, this patient’s external wounds are severe, but with proper care, they will heal in time. However… it seems he’s suffered immense shock and fright, damaging his mind and leaving him delirious. This psychological trauma is harder to cure than physical wounds. I can only prescribe some calming medicine. As for when—or if—he’ll come to, that’ll have to be left to fate.”

Jiang Yaozhen’s nails dug deep into her palms, nearly piercing the skin.

She ground her teeth so hard they nearly broke.

If Zhao Qian remained mad and became a complete wreck, how would he identify Xiao Lingchuan as his own flesh and blood before the emperor and the civil and military officials?

Even if he managed a garbled accusation, who’d believe a madman’s words?

All the schemes she’d painstakingly set up would be for nothing!

No! Absolutely not!

She had to make him regain his senses—even if only for a moment, long enough to speak that one sentence in public!

In a flash, an idea struck her: the Nanyue Poison Master.

Her mastery of poisons was unparalleled; she could both kill without a trace and bring the dying back to life.

With her help, Zhao Qian might recover his wits and serve our purpose!

Jiang Yaozhen turned to Han Ying and asked urgently, “Do you know the whereabouts of the Nanyue Poison Master?”

Han Ying shook his head. “The Poison Master’s movements are mysterious. Our people only learned that she was last seen in the Nanshuo area. But she is extremely skilled at disguise; even if we send people to N