His words were laced with mockery, but Hua Jing detected the underlying sharpness in them, a subtle but unmistakable edge that revealed his true intent.
Her eyes flitted once more over the n who surrounded her. Their stances were not that of re guards, nor even common assassins.
No—these were trained killers. Their patience, their silence, the way they barely shifted even as the Pri Minister spoke—it all pointed to sothing far more disciplined. A faction, a secret force under his control.
Her lips curled into a smirk, one that did not reach her eyes. "My Lord Pri Minister, I was under the impression that you were a man of dignity, one who engaged in politics with words rather than blades."
She tilted her head slightly. "Yet here I stand, and here you are, surrounding a lone woman with ard n. A rather unsightly image for a man of your stature, don’t you think?"
The Pri Minister rely smiled, as if her taunt was nothing more than a passing breeze. "Oh, Lady Hua Jing, do not mistake this for crude intimidation." He gestured vaguely toward his n. "This is rely a precaution. After all, you have already proven yourself quite capable of... surprises."
Hua Jing’s gaze did not waver, but inwardly, her mind worked swiftly. She had expected sothing like this, but even she had to admit—he had prepared well. He had deliberately drawn her out, isolated her, and ensured that she was surrounded before she had even realized it.
A dangerous man indeed.
But danger was nothing new to her.
She exhaled slowly, the tension in her shoulders easing as if she were completely unbothered by the trap closing around her. "Then tell , My Lord," she said, her tone light, almost playful. "What exactly do you wish to confirm?"
The Pri Minister studied Hua Jing with a smirk, his sharp eyes glinting with dark amusent. "Forgive , dear Lady Hua," he murmured, his voice dripping with feigned politeness. "But it will only take a short while, not even long. When I have confird what I want to confirm, I will definitely let you go."
Hua Jing let out a quiet chuckle, the sound sharp and mocking. "You will let go?" Her lips curled into a slow, nacing smile, eyes locked onto his with a deadly glint.
The Pri Minister simply nodded, and with a flick of his wrist, the shadows stirred. The figures that had been waiting in the darkness suddenly moved, their speed blinding as they surged forward. The only thing Hua Jing could clearly see was the silver gleam of their swords, flashing dangerously under the pale moonlight. They closed in swiftly, their presence suffocating, their intent clear. Death.
Yet, despite the overwhelming odds, Hua Jing remained still, watching them with calculating eyes. And beyond them, through the blur of movent, she saw the Pri Minister’s face. The man looked utterly ecstatic, his features twisted into an expression of manic delight. There was sothing deeply disturbing about the way he observed the unfolding scene, as if he found a perverse pleasure in watching people fight for their lives.
A dark smile ghosted across Hua Jing’s lips. She had always known he was a madman. A lunatic who thought he could usurp the throne. The very sa lunatic who had orchestrated the ambush that had nearly killed Zhao Yan. And now, watching his unhinged excitent as he tried to have her butchered, she realized sothing else—he was a fool.
The Pri Minister’s smirk faltered when he saw her expression change. It was a slow transformation, like a predator that had just spotted prey. The hunger in her gaze was unnerving.
Hua Jing had co unard. She had not expected such theatrics. But no matter—she did not need a weapon to dismantle these fools.
The assassins lunged.
In the very instant their blades neared her skin, she moved.
Hua Jing twisted her body to the side, her silk robes swirling around her like a storm. The first blade sliced through air, missing her by re inches. She seized the mont, grabbing the wrist of the nearest attacker and twisting it violently. A sickening snap echoed through the night, followed by a sharp cry as his weapon clattered to the ground.
She did not hesitate. Spinning on her heel, she kicked the fallen sword upward, catching the hilt in a fluid motion. The assassin barely had ti to react before she drove the blade into his gut, twisting it with practiced precision. He choked, staggering backward before collapsing.
Hua Jing looked up, her gaze locking with the pri ministers, she then flashed him and eerie smile making the man’s own smile twist.
He wanted a spectacle?
She was going to show him what spectacle ant!
The remaining assassins hesitated for a fraction of a second—an unforgivable mistake. Hua Jing capitalized on their brief uncertainty, charging forward with the stolen sword in hand. Her movents were sharp, ruthless, and efficient. She fought not with the grace of a noblewoman but with the lethal precision of soone who had long abandoned the notion of rcy.
Two assassins ca at her from opposite sides. She ducked at the last mont, the twin blades whizzing past her head. In the sa breath, she spun low, sweeping her leg under them. One fell, and before he could recover, she drove the sword into his chest.
The other attempted to counter, swinging his blade downward, but Hua Jing caught his wrist mid-air. With a fierce yank, she pulled him off balance and ramd her knee into his stomach. The wind was knocked out of him as he staggered, and she swiftly finished him with a clean slash across the throat.
Only three remained.
The Pri Minister, still watching from the shadows, clapped his hands slowly, a delighted laugh slipping past his lips. "Magnificent! You truly are a marvel, Lady Hua. It is no wonder that Zhao Yan cherishes you so dearly."
Hua Jing, standing amidst the fallen bodies, turned to him with a smirk, her lips stained with flecks of blood. "If you knew that, then you were a fool to challenge ."
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