Ran Yan silently thought, "Ladies, I entrust my child to you!"
With gritted teeth, she lifted her skirt and, crouching low, quietly backed away from the path, following the direction in which the n in black had taken Wu i Niang and Li Zhi.
Fearing that the two n in black might drag Wu i Niang and Li Zhi to a nearby corner, Ran Yan dared not pursue them too hastily, instead concealing herself while keeping watch over her surroundings.
Fortuitously, the palace grounds were swept of fallen leaves every few hours, so walking made no noise. Ran Yan looked down and saw that the stone path ahead had ended, giving way to a wooden bridge. She hesitated for a mont before cautiously stepping onto it.
Leaves in the water gently made ripples, and the quiet was as if there were no living creatures around.
"Stop right there!" suddenly ca Wu i Niang’s voice from inside, "I am under Prince Wu’s command! We want the Ninth Prince’s life, and no matter who sent you, opposing our Prince ans only a dead end!"
Ran Yan held her breath and continued moving forward at a slow pace, drawing closer.
Just as she was about to step onto the porch, Ran Yan halted midstep, thankful that just in ti she noticed two decaying wooden planks ahead. This secluded spot was evidently neglected, left unrepaired by anyone.
One step could definitely cross over these two planks, but she feared the nearby mortise and tenon joints were also rotten, which ant even if she crossed, a noise would be made all the sa.
Ran Yan frowned and pulled a small red porcelain bottle from her sleeve, ready for ergency use. She stepped over the two planks, making a faint sound. She quickly moved her other foot across as well.
However, she did not hurry forward but imdiately crouched down, lying low on the ground.
The people inside, hearing the noise, peered out through the gaps in the windows but saw no one.
The sound just now had been minimal and brief, so Ran Yan guessed that even a skilled person would not easily detect where it had co from. Lying under the porch, which was a blind spot from the inside, she would not be discovered as long as they did not open the door.
Ran Yan then took out another blue bottle from her sleeve and slowly poured the liquid inside along the bottom of the door, afterward swallowing a pill herself.
This sedative would take effect within less than half the ti it took to drink a cup of tea, having been used once before against Ran iyu. The effect was pretty good. This was a newer, improved version and should be stronger. But even then, considering the vast space inside, it might not be potent enough to knock out the two n.
Ran Yan lay on the ground, listening to the sounds inside.
"Since we’re all out to kill the Ninth Prince, does it make a difference who does it?" a hoarse voice inside murmured.
A whooshing sound alard Ran Yan’s heart, and she was about to rush in when she heard a thud and a muffled groan from Li Zhi.
Wu i Niang said, "We need to retrieve sothing from the Ninth Prince, and if you kill him before that, you are going against our Prince!"
"Brother, sothing’s not right," another voice said.
Ran Yan knew the sedative was taking effect but not yet at its peak. If she rushed out now, she likely wouldn’t be able to take on the two robust n.
"Help! Help!" Wu i Niang suddenly scread at the top of her lungs.
Ran Yan knew she couldn’t wait any longer; the two n must have sensed sothing and decided to kill to clean up loose ends. She hurriedly got up but was tripped by her skirt’s hem. In desperation, she quickly tore off layers of her outer clothing and kicked open the door.
The people inside were startled by the sudden loud noise and paused for a mont as dust floated all around. With her back to the light, Ran Yan could not distinguish male from female for a second.
Seizing this pause, Ran Yan drew a silver needle from her hair and clutched it in her hand while squinting to get a clear view of the indoor scene. Li Zhi was tightly bound and gagged, while Wu i Niang was bound at the hands and simply tied at the feet, positioned on top of Li Zhi, ready to shield him from the descending knife of one of the n in black.
The knife-wielding man in black, realizing what had happened, brandished his knife to strike. In the blink of an eye, Ran Yan fiercely pounced forward.
The man in black had just been drugged and, despite still having so strength, was taken by surprise by Ran Yan’s attack. His blade narrowly missed shaving off Wu i Niang’s hair.
Seeing this, the other man in black didn’t co to assist but continued trying to kill Li Zhi.
The man Ran Yan had pounced on staggered, and she seized the opportunity to thrust the silver needle forcefully into his upper left abdon, just below the ribs in the area of the spleen.
"Ugh!" the man in black grunted.
Ran Yan’s placent had been precise, but due to the thick clothing and the awkwardness of applying force, only a little of the needle penetrated, just piercing the skin, she feared. Without thinking further, she raised her knee and delivered a fierce blow to his groin. Before the man could cry out in pain, she grabbed him by the collar and pushed him toward his companion’s knife.
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