Ji Zixiu’s successful enlistment was naturally due to her solving Ji Zizhao’s final riddle.
Since that was the case, Ji Zizhao had to keep her promise.
After all, this was what Ji Zizhao had agreed with Ji Zixiu.
As long as she could pass the three challenges she set, the Dragon Phoenix Whip would be given to Ji Zixiu.
Ji Zixiu opened the snakeskin bag and carefully wrapped the well-preserved Dragon Phoenix Whip around her waist.
Her entire being seemed to have become even more resilient.
Ji Zizhao pulled Ji Zixiu to the window and asked softly, "Did Major General Han convey anything to you?"
Ji Zixiu naturally understood that her visit to her elder sister was not just for catching up. She became serious and replied, "Major General Han has ordered the army to be on high alert, ready to receive orders from Elder Sister at any moment."
Receive orders…
Han Jingyu truly thought highly of her.
However, with power in hand, the rest of the matters would naturally be much easier to handle. "When you came, did you discover anything?"
Ji Zixiu carefully recalled, "On my way here, I observed the street corners. I found many sword marks on the walls and dried bloodstains in most corners. However, these things seemed to have been deliberately concealed, and it would be difficult to discover them without careful investigation."
Ji Zizhao nodded.
This was in complete agreement with her guess.
"It seems they have come with ill intentions."
If this were truly just a common bandit inn, they would not have acted so decisively.
Moreover, she had just heard the innkeeper speak. Although he was deliberately imitating the accent of a Yulin person, his pronunciation was inevitably stiff.
"If we were to have Major General Han bring his men here now, it would likely alert the enemy. No matter which group they belong to, we must catch them red-handed before we can negotiate."
Ji Zizhao looked at her second sister with great satisfaction. "You have indeed matured. You even understand how to analyze pros and cons."
Just then, Lian Ju and Qing Zhu entered the room together.
Qing Zhu recounted what she had investigated truthfully. "Miss's thoughts are correct. The innkeeper's accent does have a problem, but he has been deliberately hiding it. This subordinate cannot be certain of his origin. However, this subordinate did discover a cellar in the inn's kitchen."
A cellar was usually used by inns for storage.
But if it were a bandit inn, perhaps people were hidden below.
Ji Zizhao looked at Lian Ju again. "What about the Tenth Prince?"
Lian Ju said softly, "The Tenth Prince has not been crying. This subordinate has already hidden him beneath the bed."
Ji Zizhao thought carefully before looking at Ji Zixiu again and saying, "You go and meet Han Shaojiang immediately. Have him select some of his more skilled men and quietly ambush around the inn. There's no need to make a move prematurely, just ensure the safety of the princes at the critical moment."
Ji Zixiu understood that her elder sister had given these instructions in advance because she did not want to be caught off guard when a fight broke out.
However, thinking of leaving her elder sister in danger, Ji Zixiu could not rest easy. "Why don't Qing Zhu or Lian Ju go deliver the message? I'll stay here to accompany you..."
"Ji Zixiu!"
Before Ji Zixiu could finish speaking, Ji Zizhao interrupted her.
Ji Zizhao held Ji Zixiu's slightly cold and trembling hand, stared into her eyes, and said word by word, "In the face of a major situation, sentimentality has no place."
Ji Zixiu bit her lower lip tightly and finally nodded with difficulty. "Ji Zixiu understands."
Ji Zizhao wasted no more words and ordered Lian Ju to push open the window.
After Ji Zixiu jumped out the window, Ji Zizhao said, "Extinguish the candlelight."
It was late. As the candle in Ji Zizhao's room was blown out, the rooms of the Second Prince and Seventh Prince also fell into darkness.
Ji Zizhao, along with Qing Zhu and Lian Ju, waited in silence.
In the darkness, even their breathing was suppressed to an almost inaudible level.
After an unknown period, light footsteps were heard outside the door.
The visitor was clearly skilled in martial arts.
In the darkness, the person first knocked gently on the door. "Guest, guest..."
Seeing no answer from inside the room, they then inserted a bamboo tube, as thin as a little finger, through the gap under the door.
Soon, wisps of white smoke were blown into the room through the bamboo tube.
Ji Zizhao recognized it as a potent knockout gas.
However, unlike what she had seen in the black market of Yulin, this gas had a hint of bitter sweetness mixed in.
Ji Zizhao frowned slightly, already having an idea.
It was the scent of Andrographis.
Its taste was bitter and sweet, and its nature was cold. Inhaling a large amount could destroy the human lung structure.
In severe cases, it could lead to the erosion of the lungs.
It appeared these people had no intention of leaving any survivors.
Ji Zizhao flipped her wrist, and three pills appeared in her palm. She swallowed one and threw the others to Lian Ju and Qing Zhu, making a gesture to only hold them in their mouths and not swallow.
The room was gradually filled with white smoke, and visibility decreased.
Ji Zizhao's mind raced. She looked towards the window not far away and gestured to Lian Ju and Qing Zhu again.
Lian Ju and Qing Zhu nodded slightly.
At the same time, the tightly closed door was violently kicked open.
Three or four figures wearing black masks rushed in with murderous intent.
Lian Ju and Qing Zhu, who had been ready, immediately rose and charged at the intruders.
The intruders seemed surprised that there were still people awake in the room and were momentarily stunned.
By the time they reacted, Lian Ju and Qing Zhu had already reached them.
The belatedly reacting intruders quickly shouted towards the outside, "Come and help quickly!"
Those who had already entered the other princes' rooms rushed towards Ji Zizhao's room.
Inside the room, Qing Zhu and Lian Ju were already engaged in combat with the intruders.
Seeing that all the intruders had entered the room, Ji Zizhao got up and leaped out the window.
Now that everyone's attention was drawn here, the princes' side would naturally be less vigilant.
This was exactly what was meant by luring the tiger away from its mountain.
Seventh Prince Xie Jingqi, who was lying on the bed, clearly felt unwell. However, having inhaled too much of the knockout gas, his limbs felt weak and his vision was blurring.
Vaguely, he saw a masked man raising a broad axe towards him.
It was a weapon he had never seen before.
The sharp broad axe cut through the darkness with a cold glint, aimed directly at Xie Jingqi's crown.
Xie Jingqi watched as the axe blade, sharp as it was, bore down on his forehead. He was prepared for death but did not feel the expected pain.
The masked man suddenly swayed before his eyes and then fell to the ground.
Following this, another person slowly walked towards him.
Xie Jingqi tried to focus his rapidly dispersing pupils, and the blurred figure before him gradually became clearer…
When the person finally became clear, Xie Jingqi was surprised.
Ji…
Ji Zizhao?!