The Poison Plot Failed, the Dagger Was Revealed, and Xie Linyuan Suddenly Opened His Eyes

Eunuch Shuangxi's triangular eyes were fixed on Tuoba Mang's large, dark soles, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down, and the mental defense value on the panel dropped all the way to eighteen.

But as soon as Gu Moran finished speaking, "the young master of a temple in the suburbs of Beijing,"

Eunuch Shuangxi's eyes, which had been bulging with tears, froze.

Without the slightest hesitation, he plunged his left hand directly into the glowing red earthenware charcoal brazier in front of him, clenched his fingers, grabbed a piece of charcoal that had turned white, lifted the hem of his crimson robe, and slammed it hard onto the flesh of his thigh!

Sizzle--!

The burnt smell of flesh mixed with black smoke rose up, instantly drowning out the lingering stench of feet in the room.

Eunuch Shuangxi didn't utter a sound. Veins bulged on his forehead, and with the help of this excruciating pain, his mental energy level, which had been plummeting, soared back up to one hundred.

"Your Highness knows quite a lot!"

Eunuch Shuangxi let out a shrill laugh, and with a flick of his left hand, the piece of red-hot coal covered in charred flesh hurtled straight at Gu Moran's face.

"Unfortunately, the more you know, the faster you die!"

Gu Moran his neck to the left, and a piece of red charcoal flew past his temple, hitting the base of the screen behind him and sending up a trail of sparks.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Eunuch Shuangxi kicked over the table in front of him, and plates and bowls shattered all over the floor.

He retreated behind four imperial guards, twirling his charred, delicate fingers, and pointed at Gu Moran's right hand, laughing heartily:

" Gu Moran, do you really think we came all the way across the sea to deliver the Crown Prince's throne to you?"

"To tell you the truth, that Nine Dragons Jade Pendant you just received was soaked in the Western Regions ' 'Qianji Poison' for a full forty-nine days!"

Colorless and odorless, it seeps into your bones through your pores!

"When you received the imperial decree with both hands, the poison had already entered your palms!"

Within three hours, even if you are Second Rank martial artist, your true energy will reverse, your meridians will be severed, and you'll become a useless cripple who can only drool!

From behind the screen in the back hall came an uncontrollable gasp.

Kim Seon-a grabbed the openwork wood carving in front of her, while Gu Moli was so anxious that she tried to rush out, but Shen Ling'er grabbed her sleeve tightly.

In the front hall, Tuoba Mang had just pulled his foot back from the charcoal brazier when he heard this. His eyes widened, and he raised his bare, large black feet to fight back with a hammer.

"You castrated dog, I'll smash your mouth open!"

What's the rush?

Gu Moran remained seated in the armchair without moving, slowly raising his right hand and shaking his sleeve downwards.

Clatter

The white jade pendant, carved with nine coiled dragons, fell onto the remaining wooden planks of the table.

However, the jade pendant was tightly wrapped in a layer of translucent yellow oil paper—the very same candy wrapper he had casually slipped into his pocket when feeding Takaichi Nanako osmanthus candy in the backyard.

" The Qianji Poison' is indeed a good thing; it's a tribute from the Western Regions, and only three taels are produced annually."

Gu Moran pinched a corner of the oiled paper with two fingers, lifted the jade pendant, and waved it at Eunuch Shuangxi.

"If I, the king, dared to accept something handed to me by a eunuch with my bare hands..."

"He was poisoned to death in Chang'an eight hundred years ago, how come he's still alive and kicking here listening to your nonsense?"

The Eunuch Shuangxi's face froze.

He stared at the layer of oiled paper, his molars grinding together with a creaking sound.

You've been bluffing me from the very beginning!

"Otherwise what? Do you really think I care about the petty affairs of your palace?"

Gu Moran casually tossed the jade pendant, wrapped in oil paper, into the charcoal brazier, clapped his hands, and stood up.

"Tell me, the Empress has been deposed, but the Crown Prince's Faction hasn't completely disbanded. Did they help you with the fake official document?"

"What benefits did they promise you that made you come to Tsukushi City to your death with a fake tally?"

"It's still uncertain who will die!"

Eunuch Shuangxi snorted softly through his nose, then reached to his waist and pulled out two foot-long Emei daggers.

"That kick to the groin we just did was to unleash the ultimate secret of the Sunflower Great Art!"

"Get to work! Kill Gu Moran, and the Empress will reward you handsomely!"

Before he finished speaking, the four imperial guards standing at the four corners of the room simultaneously drew their embroidered spring knives.

Four sword lights intersected in mid-air, without any unnecessary flourishes, forming a tight plum blossom killing formation. Two swords slashed towards Gu Moran's neck, while the other two directly blocked Tuoba Mang's hammer swing path.

These four were all handpicked assassins from the palace, and their attack was aimed at mutual destruction.

Tuoba Mang, barefoot on the broken porcelain shards, oblivious to the blood seeping from his soles, roared and raised his double hammers to parry:

"Your Highness, please go first!"

Clang! Clang!

Two embroidered spring knives struck the iron hammer, sparks flying, while two other knives slid down the hammer handle, slicing straight at Tuoba Mang's wrist.

Just as Tuoba Mang was entangled by four guards, seeing that he couldn't gain any advantage, Eunuch Shuangxi...

His small eyes narrowed, and a plan formed in his mind.

He lightly touched the ground with his toes, activated the Sunflower Fragment, and his crimson python robe billowed out, transforming into an extremely fast red shadow. He bypassed Gu Moran in the main hall and rushed straight to the openwork screen in the back hall!

" Gu Moran, do you think only the palace wants your life?"

While still in mid-air, Eunuch Shuangxi pulled half a bronze talisman from his robes with his left hand, slammed it hard onto the blue brick ground, and screamed:

Open your dog eyes and look!

This is the personal keepsake of General Lin, the Grand Commandant of the current dynasty!

"Your good father-in-law has already reached an agreement with the Empress!"

In exchange for the three million taels of military pay from Iwami Silver Mine, we'll give you control of the three armies!

He said that if a son-in-law is gone, another can be found.

The Lin Clan's century-old wealth cannot be squandered overseas with you!

With a clang, the half of the bronze talisman spun a few times on the ground, and the four seal characters "Grand Commandant's Private Seal" clearly visible on it came to rest right next to the candlelight in the corridor.

This one is ten times more potent than the previous Qianji Poison.

At the entrance to the front hall, Lin Qingdai, who had just rushed in with her gun after hearing the commotion, paused, her gaze fixed on the half-copper talisman on the ground, her breath catching in her throat.

That was a keepsake her father always carried with him; she had touched it since she was a child and would never mistake it for something else.

What does that mean? What is that old man up to?!

Eunuch Shuangxi wanted was this momentary lapse in everyone's attention!

He used his voice to distract everyone, his body smashing through the wooden lattice of the openwork screen. His ten fingernails, painted with red nail polish, bent into hooks and went straight for Kim Seon-a's throat behind the screen!

"Take down this Goryeo woman, and let's see if you'll hesitate to act!"

Kim Seon-a- ah had been eavesdropping behind the screen, only three steps away from Eunuch Shuangxi.

Wood chips flew towards her face, her expression changed drastically, and she gripped the hilt of her sword with her right hand, ready to draw it and fight back.

However, her old injury to her heart meridian had not fully healed, and now that she had only raised her true energy halfway, a sudden dull pain shot through her chest, causing her to slow down her sword-drawing movement by half a beat!

Gu Moli, standing nearby, was so frightened that her legs trembled. Protected by Shen Ling'er, she took two steps back, watching helplessly as the charred, bloody ghost claw was less than three inches away from Kim Seon-a's neck.

Kim Seon-a could even smell the stench of burnt flesh emanating from Eunuch Shuangxi's body. Her jawline tightened, and she could only steel herself and raise her left arm to block it.

In that split second...

In the shadows at the corner of the screen, Xie Linyuan, who had been sitting cross-legged on a futon with his eyes closed, suddenly opened his eyes.