Chapter 161 Extermination of the Clan

"Yaner..." Chu Junhan walked on the way back to the manor, repeating these two names constantly, her face masked with deep confusion.

From the white-robed youth's expression just moments ago, she had concluded that he was a decisive man who killed without hesitation. Why, then, would he spare her simply because of Liu Yaner's name, leaving behind potential future trouble for himself?

Tang Chen also wore a puzzled look. "Perhaps the name Yaner holds an extraordinary significance to Lord Jiuling."

Just as the three of them were utterly baffled, pedestrians on the street suddenly began running in one direction, and noisy discussions reached their ears.

"Prime Minister Liu has been assassinated right at the Crown Prince's estate gates!"

"Who would dare assassinate a high-ranking court official in broad daylight?"

"Who knows? The body is lying not far from the Crown Prince's consort."

Tang Chen's eyes turned horrified, and he blurted out toward the direction the crowd was rushing, "What a resolute person!"

"Let's go, back to the manor!" Chu Junhan's face turned slightly pale; she had an ominous premonition.

First Shuangjiang was captured, followed immediately by the annihilation of the Liu family. Even Liu Shuming, who was outside, had not escaped this fate, and she had happened to be present at the scene. It seemed the white-robed youth was coming straight for her!

The three of them exchanged glances and quickened their pace toward the General's Manor.

The moment Chu Junhan stepped through the main gates, a soldier hurried forward to report, "General, Wei Ziyuan is gone!"

"I know," Chu Junhan acknowledged, heading straight for the study.

Wei Ziyuan's disappearance was already within her expectations. Since he could wipe out the Prime Minister's estate in the blink of an eye, how could her secret agents possibly keep track of him?

Inside the study of the General's Manor, Chu Junhan pulled out *The Ode to the Fallen Gods*. This was the secret code she had left with Fang Meng the last time she departed from the brothel, instructing him to investigate the Crown Prince's plot against Du Yong.

After Tang Chen instructed Yunyi to keep watch outside, he cautiously closed the study door, standing guard beside her with bated breath and a tense expression.

She saw the youth seated before the desk, writing swiftly with a brush in her right hand.

A moment later, the youth finished writing, let out a long breath, and stared blankly at the paper on the desk, murmuring under her breath, "It really is the exact same trick!"

According to the information sent by Fang Meng, Xiao Shengjie intended to send a batch of rations under the guise of public consolation to the military camp guarded by Du Yong on March the seventeenth. The carts would be packed with silver to frame Du Yong for corruption and bribery, thereby stripping him of his military authority as the Prefect of Pingzhou.

"Junhan, what is the exact same?" Tang Chen approached with a puzzled look, gazing at the information on the paper. "It's only early February now; we still have over a month left. What should we do next?"

Chu Junhan stared intently at the paper, biting her lower lip thoughtfully. "This entire incident was masterminded by Xiao Shengjie and Liu Shuming. Now the Liu family has been slaughtered, Liu Shuming has been assassinated, and I happened to be right there..."

"The destruction of the Liu family is simply meant to make Xiao Shengjie wary of us, and perhaps he will even pin the massacre on our heads," Tang Chen said with a solemn expression, tapping his finger against the paper.

The youth nodded in agreement, making a move to head outside. "We can't wait any longer. We are going to meet Du Yong right now."

Seeing this, Tang Chen stepped forward to block her path. "Junhan, if we go to Du Yong at a time like this, doesn't it confirm that we knew about his framing all along? Be careful that Xiao Shengjie doesn't become desperate and do something reckless!"

Panic was written all over his face. Ever since Chu Junhan crossed paths with Wei Ziyuan, she had hit walls everywhere. He was genuinely terrified that Chu Junhan would act on impulse out of a surge of hot blood.

The youth met Tang Chen's gaze resolutely. Naturally, she understood his intentions, but she merely pressed her lips together, patted his shoulder, and walked past him toward the door.

"No matter what their ultimate goal is, I will get what I want first!"

Those words echoed leisurely in Tang Chen's ears, leaving him standing frozen in place. "What is it that Junhan wants?"