Chapter 306 - 301: Death (Part 2)
"Take me to see."
He Mingyun’s tone brooked no argument.
A flicker of confusion crossed Sun Bingyi’s eyes, but seeing He Mingyun’s grave expression, he dared not ask any more questions. "Very well, brother-in-law, follow me."
The group rushed to the western granary.
In the open space outside the granary, more than twenty guards patrolled in groups. The light and shadows from their lanterns danced, and security was tight.
Although there was no top-tier master standing guard, their numbers were formidable. Moreover, located in a bustling part of the city, any disturbance would instantly alert the entire area.
He Mingyun carefully scanned the surroundings. Seeing the tight security, the taut string in his heart loosened slightly.
He immediately ordered someone to bring him a seat and settled down under the eaves in front of the granary, personally overseeing the situation.
The night deepened, and the cold air grew biting.
The night watchman’s clapper marked the passing of midnight, then the next watch.
Around the granary, there was no sound other than the watchman’s clapper and the footsteps of the patrolling Guards. The silence was so profound it made one’s heart tighten.
By 3:00 AM, with less than a two-hour watch left before dawn, everything was still utterly silent.
He Mingyun stood up, his confusion deepening.
’The granary is safe. So what is the Chen Family really after?’
’Could it be... that I was just being paranoid?’
His mind was filled with suspicion, and he was in no mood to talk. He said to Sun Bingyi, "Since there’s nothing unusual, I’ll be heading back. You stay on high alert."
"Rest assured, brother-in-law. I’ll be careful."
Sun Bingyi rose to see him off.
...
He Mingyun returned to the Governor’s Mansion, his mind filled with suspicion.
’If their target wasn’t me, and it wasn’t the grain, then what could it possibly be?’
As he stepped into the rear courtyard, his brow furrowed involuntarily.
Usually, even late at night, there would always be an attendant or servant on duty under the study’s covered walkway, keeping a lamp lit in case they were summoned.
But tonight, it was pitch black and deathly quiet. Not a single soul was in sight.
’These lazy servants!’
’I was only gone from the mansion for a few hours, and they dare to be this negligent?’
A nameless fire ignited in He Mingyun’s heart. He barked in a low voice, "Someone! Lights!"
However, the frantic responses and hurried footsteps of servants he expected never came.
The only thing that answered him was a deathly silence.
The feeling of unease in He Mingyun’s heart suddenly shot to its peak.
Even if the servants were slacking off, they would never dare to ignore his call like this.
Just as he was gripped by shock and uncertainty...
CREEAAK...
The study’s ajar, ornately carved wooden door swung open from the inside without a sound.
A figure dressed in a simple gray cloth robe emerged leisurely from within. He stood quietly in the sparse moonlight under the eaves, as if he had been waiting there for a long time.
"Who’s there?!"
He Mingyun’s pupils contracted as he demanded sharply.
Every muscle in his body tensed in an instant. The aura of a Void Transformation Grandmaster surged to its peak.
In the very instant the question left his lips, he saw the man’s face clearly by the faint moonlight filtering through the clouds.
Although he had never truly met this person before, that face... bore a striking resemblance to Chen Shouheng.
Add to that the strength and audacity to silently infiltrate the heavily guarded Governor’s Mansion and appear at the door of his own study...
A name—one belonging to a man he had never dealt with face-to-face but who had hung over his mind like a shadow for months—exploded in He Mingyun’s mind like a Thunder Shock.
Chen Li!
’He actually came for me?’
’In the middle of the Commandery City, how dare he?!’
In an instant, He Mingyun’s face changed, aghast. He was both shocked and furious.
He had been guessing their objective—an ambush outside the city, a ruse to lure him away—he had considered everything, but he had never imagined that the target was him, He Mingyun himself!
But he was, after all, a seasoned Governor who had weathered many storms. He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shock and fury that threatened to burst from his chest. His voice was as cold as winter ice. "You have some nerve. Barging into the Governor’s Mansion late at night—what do you want? Are you trying to start a rebellion?!"
Chen Li stood on the steps and chuckled softly. "That’s a heavy accusation, Governor. I’m afraid I can’t take responsibility for that. I just want to ask Lord He what exactly he’s trying to do. Time and time again, you’ve fabricated charges to drive my Chen Family to ruin. When... has the Chen Family ever offended you?"
He Mingyun stared at him intently, ignoring the question and going straight for the deepest thorn in his heart. "My son, Zhangqiu... was it you who killed him?"
Chen Li shook his head. "No."
He Mingyun sneered, but then he heard Chen Li add faintly, "However, if Lord He wishes to place the blame on my Chen Family, I won’t object."
"You..."
The nonchalant attitude thoroughly enraged He Mingyun.
He felt a rush of blood to his head. He was so angry he started to laugh, the killing intent in his eyes flaring. "You’re courting death!"
Chen Li sneered. "Who’s courting death? That remains to be seen."
He Mingyun, by contrast, calmed down. "You can’t kill me, and you don’t dare to."
"Oh?"
Chen Li raised an eyebrow. "And why is Lord He so certain?"
"You went to great lengths to set up this ruse to lure me away, and you probably even accounted for the County Captain who isn’t in the city. This is all because you fear us joining forces, meaning you aren’t certain of victory. From this, it’s clear your Cultivation is no higher than Void Transformation. Therefore, you cannot kill me!"
He Mingyun sneered. "I am a Fourth Grade Governor of the Court, in charge of an entire commandery. To assassinate an official appointed by the Court is tantamount to treason. At that point, it won’t be the State County coming for you, but the Court’s Garrison Command. Can you bear such a calamitous disaster? Therefore, you do not dare to kill me."
Chen Li listened quietly, an appreciative look on his face. "Lord He’s mind is meticulous, his logic is clear, and every sentence is reasonable. You are truly worthy of being the head of a commandery."
He Mingyun narrowed his eyes, feeling slightly more at ease. He said coolly, "Speak. What is the true purpose of your risky visit tonight?"
"To kill you."
Chen Li’s smile vanished. He slowly spat out three words, crystal clear and brimming with resolute killing intent.
He Mingyun was stunned for a moment, then he laughed in extreme anger. "Such arrogance! This official would like to see just how you plan to kill me!"
Before the words had even faded, the killing intent in his eyes surged.
He Mingyun knew very well that negotiations between them were now impossible.