Chapter 352: Killing Two Birds with One Stone
Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
However, the middle-aged man and the young man exhibited formidable martial arts skills. Working in tandem, they skillfully dispatched their adversaries, leaving more than 20 men in black either incapacitated or deceased.
The duo fought their way back, steadily retreating from the confrontation.
From the shouts of the men in black, it became evident that these assailants were indeed bandits hailing from the Flying Cloud Tribe.
Their mission had been to track down the middle-aged man and the young man because the two had inadvertently crossed paths with the eldest daughter of the Flying Cloud Tribe.
Uninformed onlookers, however, erroneously believed the middle-aged man and the young man to be assailants of a different nature.
Qin Zhenzhen, however, refused to entertain such a notion.
If the young man was indeed Chu Tiansheng, then the one behind their attempted assassination could only be the Crown Prince.
The entire narrative of rape and the Flying Cloud Fortress Leader’s daughter was baseless and absurd.
It was inconceivable that the daughter of the Flying Cloud Fortress Leader could have been assaulted by a rapist. Such an incident could never be made public.
The sudden commotion had brought government officials swarming into the streets of the provincial capital. Their objectives extended beyond tracking down the middle-aged man and the young man to apprehending the group of men in black.
Furthermore, they needed to address the casualties among the innocent bystanders, providing both consolation and restitution.
Given the chaotic state of affairs, Qin Zhenzhen and Su Ning found it impossible to return by carriage. Instead, they remained at the governor’s residence, awaiting further updates.
Word had it that the newly minted High Scholars had congregated in the Gong Courtyard to ensure their safety.
Qin Zhenzhen did not have to worry about Su Bin being in danger.
In the afternoon, the governor and Su Bin returned to the residence.
Although the governor was already aware of the incident, he requested a detailed account from Su Ning, seeking every available detail of what had transpired.
He listened carefully as Su Ning described the young man’s appearance, and his countenance darkened noticeably.
Afterward, he summoned Su Bin and retreated to his study for a private conversation, leaving Qin Zhenzhen in the dark regarding the nature of their discussion.
One official report after another arrived at the residence, each failing to yield any information regarding the middle-aged man and the young man. Tragically, there were no survivors beyond the lifeless bodies, effectively severing any potential leads.
As night descended, the streets of the provincial capital gradually returned to tranquility. Twelve corpses dressed in black and five civilian casualties who had been accidentally killed were transported to the morgue within the yamen.
The governor was now faced with a daunting task. Initially, he would need to initiate an investigation into the identities of the middle-aged man and the young man. Simultaneously, he had to ascertain that the men in black were indeed bandits affiliated with the Flying Cloud Tribe.
Following dinner at the governor’s residence, Su Bin, Qin Zhenzhen, and Su Ning returned home under the protection of six appointed officials.
In truth, neither Qin Zhenzhen nor Su Bin harbored any significant fears. Su Bin was already accompanied by two formidable covert bodyguards, and Qin Zhenzhen possessed substantial self-defense skills herself.
Upon their return home, Su Bin led Qin Zhenzhen into the study, sensing her eagerness for information.
Qin Zhenzhen had been eagerly anticipating this conversation, as the governor’s residence had not been the ideal location to inquire about these matters. The carriage ride had also proven to be inconvenient for such discussions.
Certain secrets were too confidential to be divulged to Su Ning, and it was imperative to be cautious, especially in the presence of government officials who might inadvertently overhear.
Anxiously, Qin Zhenzhen inquired, “Have you received confirmation that the injured young man is His Highness the Third Prince?”
Su Bin nodded affirmatively. “Indeed, he is.”
“And those men in black are agents of His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“They assumed the guise of the Flying Cloud Tribe and not only pursued the Third Prince but also orchestrated the killing of innocent bystanders, making it a major incident. His Highness the Crown Prince aims to achieve multiple objectives.”
Perplexed, Qin Zhenzhen sought clarification, “How is he trying to achieve multiple objectives?”
Given her recent focus on her business endeavors and her efforts to generate income, she had remained unaware of the classified information Su Bin had gathered, and thus, he had refrained from sharing any details with her..
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