Shen Rui woke before dawn. Not because he wanted to. Not because he had slept well. And certainly not because he had suddenly developed discipline. Someone was knocking on the temple door. “Young Master Shen! We’re leaving soon!” Shen Rui opened his eyes and stared at the ceiling. If I kill the person knocking, will that count as self-defense? The knocking continued. He pulled the blanket over his head. “Shen Rui!” Persistent. I respect the dedication, but I hate the person. He finally sat up, his hair disheveled and his expression murderous. Outside, the sky was still dark. Shen Rui stepped into the courtyard and found Minister Han already dressed, surrounded by guards and officials. The villagers stood nearby, watching as soldiers prepared the convoy. The little girl he had rescued was holding her mother’s hand. When she saw him, she hesitated before offering a small bow. “Thank you, big brother.” Shen Rui froze. Big brother? I’m fourteen. Why am I suddenly responsible for children? He crouched in front of her. “Stay close to your mother. Don’t follow strangers, even if they offer you sweets.” The girl nodded solemnly. Her mother bowed deeply. “Young master, our family will never forget your kindness.” Shen Rui straightened awkwardly. “You don’t have to remember it. Forgetting would be more convenient for me.” The woman stared at him, bewildered. Minister Han turned away, but his shoulders moved slightly. Shen Rui narrowed his eyes. Why does everyone keep laughing at things that aren’t funny? The convoy left Qinghe Village shortly after sunrise. The villagers had provided the investigation team with a small amount of food and fresh water. The village chief’s body had been prepared for burial, while Wang Tao remained under guard. The surviving officials were eager to return to the capital. Shen Rui was even more eager. He sat inside the carriage, wrapped in a thick cloak, with the ledger hidden beneath his clothing. Across from him, Minister Han reviewed the evidence. “Once we return, the ledger will be delivered directly to His Majesty.” Shen Rui yawned. “That sounds like a good plan.” “You should also report everything you observed.” “I observed that the road is uncomfortable, the food is cold, and people keep trying to kill us.” Minister Han lifted his eyes. “Anything else?” Shen Rui considered it. “The village has no warehouse, the grain was hidden underground, and someone connected to the Night Pavilion is involved.” The minister’s expression grew serious. “That is precisely what I meant.” “Then you should have said so from the beginning.” Minister Han pressed his lips together. This boy is impossible. Shen Rui closed his eyes. Finally, someone understands me. The carriage continued for nearly two hours before a guard shouted from outside. “Stop!” The convoy slowed. Minister Han immediately reached for the curtain. “What happened?” A soldier approached the carriage. “My lord, the prisoner in the rear wagon is unconscious.” Minister Han frowned. “He was conscious when we left.” “The guards say he began shaking a moment ago.” Shen Rui opened his eyes. Unconscious? Shaking? That sounds like poison. He sat up. Minister Han noticed. “Stay here.” Shen Rui looked offended. “I haven’t even done anything.” “Exactly. Keep it that way.” The minister stepped out. Shen Rui waited three breaths. Then he followed. If he wanted me to stay, he should have chained the door. The prisoner’s wagon stood at the rear of the convoy. Two guards were kneeling beside the captured assassin, who lay motionless on the wooden floor. His lips had turned blue. One guard looked up. “We haven’t given him anything. He suddenly collapsed.” Shen Rui crouched beside the prisoner. He did not touch the man immediately. Instead, he observed. The prisoner’s breathing was shallow. His fingers were curled tightly, and a faint black stain marked the corner of his mouth. Shen Rui leaned closer. There was a bitter smell. Almonds. Poison capsule. He looked toward the guard. “Open his mouth.” The guard hesitated. “Quickly!” The guard forced the prisoner’s jaw open. A tiny silver needle was lodged beneath the man’s tongue. Shen Rui’s eyes hardened. “Don’t pull it out.” Minister Han turned sharply. “Why?” “Because whoever placed it there expected someone to find it.” The guards exchanged uneasy glances. Shen Rui took a clean cloth from one of the supply boxes and used it to inspect the prisoner’s mouth without touching the needle. The needle was connected to a thin thread. The thread disappeared beneath the prisoner’s collar. Shen Rui reached for the fabric, then stopped. This is not poison delivery. It’s a trigger. He looked around the wagon. The prisoner’s restraints were fastened to an iron ring in the floor. The chain had been recently replaced, and the metal clasp had a small opening. A mechanism. Shen Rui’s gaze moved toward the wagon’s wheels. Then the road. Then the guards. “Everyone move away from the wagon.” Minister Han’s expression darkened. “Why?” “Because something is about to happen.” The moment he finished speaking, the prisoner’s body jerked. A sharp metallic click sounded beneath the wagon. Shen Rui grabbed Minister Han’s sleeve and pulled him backward. An explosion tore through the rear of the convoy. Wood splintered. Horses screamed. Smoke swallowed the road. The wagon lifted from the ground and collapsed sideways. Several guards were thrown into the dirt. Shen Rui hit the ground hard, rolled, and immediately pushed himself upright. His ears rang. I hate traveling. Through the smoke, shadows moved among the trees. Not fleeing. Advancing. Shen Rui’s eyes narrowed. “There are more of them.” Minister Han drew his sword. “Guards! Protect the documents!” Arrows flew from the forest. The soldiers raised their shields as the convoy dissolved into battle. Shen Rui spotted three figures approaching the overturned wagon. Their movements were coordinated, and they ignored the injured guards. They were not here to kill everyone. They wanted the prisoner. That man is more important than we thought. One attacker reached the wreckage and grabbed the prisoner by his collar. Shen Rui picked up a broken wooden shaft. He threw it. The shaft struck the attacker’s wrist, forcing him to release the prisoner. The man turned toward Shen Rui. Their eyes met. The attacker smiled beneath his mask. “You again.” Shen Rui sighed. Why does everyone recognize me? I’m not even famous. The attacker rushed toward him. Shen Rui stepped aside, allowing the blade to pass. He grabbed the man’s arm and redirected his momentum toward the overturned wagon. The attacker struck the wood and staggered. Shen Rui kicked the back of his knee. The man fell. A second attacker appeared behind him. Shen Rui heard the movement before seeing it. He ducked. The blade sliced through a strand of his hair. That was my hair. Do you know how difficult it is to maintain this appearance without proper servants? He seized a handful of dust and threw it into the attacker’s face. Before the man could recover, Shen Rui drove his shoulder into his chest. Both of them crashed against a tree. The attacker grunted and tried to stab downward. Shen Rui caught his wrist. For a brief moment, his expression became utterly cold. The assassin felt it. The change in Shen Rui’s posture. The precision in his grip. The complete absence of panic. “You’re not a noble’s useless son,” the attacker whispered. Shen Rui’s eyes sharpened. Then he immediately loosened his grip and stumbled backward. “What are you talking about? I’m terrified!” The attacker stared at him. Shen Rui pointed toward the battlefield. “Look! Someone is attacking your friends!” The assassin instinctively glanced away. Shen Rui kicked him in the shin. The man cursed. Never underestimate the power of distraction. A guard rushed forward and struck the attacker unconscious. Shen Rui dusted off his sleeve. Minister Han approached, breathing heavily. “Are you injured?” “No.” “You fought two assassins.” “They were very rude.” Minister Han looked as though he wanted to argue, but a sudden shout interrupted him. “The prisoner is gone!” Everyone turned toward the wrecked wagon. The captured assassin had disappeared. Only his broken restraints remained. Shen Rui stared at the empty wagon. The attackers had used the explosion to create confusion, then taken the prisoner through the forest. But there was something else. The prisoner had not been unconscious. Not entirely. Shen Rui remembered the man’s fingers. They had moved just before the explosion. A signal. He was working with them from the beginning. Shen Rui looked toward the trees. The attackers had retreated, leaving behind two injured men and several discarded weapons. Minister Han stood beside the wreckage, his face dark with anger. “Search the forest!” The guards obeyed, but Shen Rui knew they would find nothing. The escape route had been prepared in advance. And whoever organized the ambush had known the convoy’s exact position. Someone had informed them. Someone within the investigation team. By midday, the convoy had regrouped. Four guards were injured, two attackers had been captured, and the prisoner remained missing. The original carriage had been damaged, so Shen Rui was forced to share another one with Minister Han. He considered protesting. Then he remembered that walking would be worse. He sat down. I have lost my carriage, my sleep, and half my patience. At this rate, I’ll return to the capital as a beggar. Minister Han held the ledger close to his chest. “Someone among us betrayed our route.” Shen Rui looked at him. “Probably.” The minister frowned. “You say that too easily.” “Because it’s obvious.” “Who do you suspect?” Shen Rui glanced at the carriage curtain. Outside, the soldiers marched in silence. “The person who knew where the prisoner was being kept.” “That includes every guard assigned to him.” “Then investigate all of them.” Minister Han studied him carefully. “And what about the captured assassins?” Shen Rui leaned back. “They weren’t trying to kill the prisoner.” “What do you mean?” “They could have killed him when they reached the wagon. Instead, they rescued him.” Minister Han’s expression changed. Shen Rui continued, “That means he knows something they need. Or he carries something they need.” The minister lowered his gaze to the ledger. “Perhaps he knows who is behind the grain theft.” “Perhaps.” “And you think he was deliberately captured?” Shen Rui shrugged. “I think people who plan this carefully don’t leave important things to chance.” Minister Han fell silent. The carriage rolled onward. After a while, Shen Rui noticed that Minister Han’s hands were trembling slightly. Not from fear. From exhaustion. Shen Rui looked at the minister’s pale face. “You haven’t eaten.” Minister Han blinked. “What?” “You haven’t eaten since morning.” “I’m not hungry.” Shen Rui pulled a wrapped bun from his sleeve and held it out. “Eat.” Minister Han stared at the bun. “Where did you get that?” “I stole it.” The minister’s eyebrows rose. Shen Rui sighed. “I received it from a soldier.” Minister Han accepted it slowly. Shen Rui turned toward the window. If he collapses, I’ll have to walk. I’m only preventing an inconvenience. Minister Han lowered his head, concealing his expression. Outside the carriage, one of the guards riding beside them heard the thought and nearly dropped his spear. That evening, the convoy stopped near an abandoned watchtower. The soldiers established a defensive perimeter, while the captured attackers were tied securely beneath the tower. Shen Rui was given a new cloak and a bowl of rice. It was cold. He ate it anyway. At this point, I would eat tree bark if someone added enough salt. A sudden commotion came from the prisoners. One of the captured assassins began laughing. Minister Han approached him. “What are you laughing at?” The man raised his head. “You think finding the ledger will save you?” Minister Han’s gaze hardened. “Who ordered the attacks?” The assassin smiled. “You should ask the emperor why he allowed the Night Pavilion to return.” The surrounding guards exchanged glances. Shen Rui stopped eating. The assassin continued. “Your emperor knows what is happening. He knows which families are involved. He knows the grain was never meant to reach the villages.” Minister Han stepped forward. “Explain yourself.” The assassin’s smile widened. “Ask him what happened in the northern campaign seven years ago.” Before anyone could respond, the man bit down. A thin line of blood appeared at the corner of his mouth. He slumped forward. A guard checked his pulse. “Dead.” The courtyard fell silent. Shen Rui stared at the corpse. Another poison capsule. He looked toward the dark road leading to the capital. Seven years ago. The northern campaign. The Night Pavilion. And the missing grain. The pieces were beginning to connect, but the picture was far more dangerous than he wanted. In the imperial palace, Xiao Jingyuan received another report. The prisoner had escaped. The convoy had been attacked. And the assassin had mentioned the northern campaign. The emperor stood motionless beside his desk. For the first time that night, his expression revealed something other than calm. Anger. “Prepare the Black Guard,” he ordered. The eunuch beside him lowered his head. “Your Majesty, are you sending them to Qinghe?” Xiao Jingyuan looked toward the distant darkness. “No.” His voice was cold. “Find out who has begun digging up the past.” Far away, Shen Rui lay awake beneath the watchtower. He pulled the blanket over his head. Tomorrow, I’m going to sleep until noon. A pause. Even if the emperor himself comes to drag me out of bed. He closed his eyes. Unaware that, in the capital, the emperor had already begun preparing to do exactly that.

The Assassin in the Prisoners Wagon