Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne Chapter 1114 - 139: Prince Han Never Expected...

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Previously on Ministers Begging Me to Ascend the Throne...
Zhao Yao issued final instructions to Chu Huan, urging intensified patrols and sea military exercises to secure Swamp Prefecture after his departure. He voiced guilt over his subordinates' years away from family but received their steadfast reassurances of loyalty. After coordinating with officials, visiting farms and factories, and sharing an emotional farewell hot pot with He Lianfang—vowing to return—Zhao Yao departed incognito at dawn aboard a disguised merchant ship stocked with guards, weapons, and defenses. The voyage proceeded peacefully so far, though he sensed the calm before the storm.

At the stroke of midnight, the clamor of battle jolted Tong Xi awake, and he cursed inwardly: His Highness has truly jinxed everything.

Tong Xi felt no concern for Zhao Yao's safety, so he didn't dash to his side but focused on seizing the assassins first. Meanwhile, Zhao Yao slumbered deeply, totally oblivious to the uproar outside.

The instant an assassin neared Zhao Yao’s chamber, he collapsed to the ground, not even able to utter a cry.

Lu Guang, posted outside Zhao Yao’s room, peeked at the chaos beyond the window, perfectly composed. He let out a yawn, seeing no call for his involvement, and went back to sleep.

Zhao Yao stirred at the Chen hour. He’d rested splendidly the night before, wholly untouched by the assassins. Upon hearing of the murder bid against him, he displayed no shock whatsoever.

Tong Xi grumbled, "Your Highness, you really are a jinx."

Zhao Yao chuckled, "This is just the start; no calm lies ahead..."

Tong Xi cut Zhao Yao off before he finished, "My Lord, say no more." He desperately wanted to seal Zhao Yao’s mouth.

"No survivors at all?" Zhao Yao questioned, sipping his porridge.

"We nabbed a few at first, but they bit their tongues and took their own lives." In reality, they chewed on hidden poison. "I’ve failed you, Your Highness—punish me as you will."

Zhao Yao flicked his hand dismissively, "It’s not your uselessness; my Fifth Brother views me as important enough to dispatch a suicide squad specifically for my death."

"Suicide squad?" Tong Xi blinked in surprise, then remembered the brutal ferocity of last night’s killers and grasped the truth. "That’s why those assassins were so savage and unafraid." Tong Xi had never faced a suicide squad until then; it was his first brush, so failing to spot it was understandable.

Zhao Yao shot Tong Xi a smiling glance, "Expect wave after wave of suicide squads ahead, and maybe even Xiongnu ones. You’ll have your hands full."

Seeing Zhao Yao beam while uttering such dire words, Tong Xi’s lips twitched faintly, and he snapped irritably, "Your Highness, quit speaking like it doesn’t concern you." And what’s with that smug vibe? The suicide squads target you, not me.

"Assassins shadowing the journey aren’t so terrible; at least it stays lively."

Tong Xi: "..." Your Highness, your fearlessness is unreal.

True to Zhao Yao’s prediction, assassins surged in endless waves, unyielding. Worse still, each assault outdid the last in brutality. Without their forewarning preparations, enduring the nonstop kill attempts would have proven impossible.

Failing to reach Prince Han, the killers resorted to torching the ships outright. Unsure of his vessel, they set ablaze every boat in the Liang Family’s Trading Team fleet.

Zhao Yao swapped ships daily, refusing to stick to one.

Foreseeing arson attempts, the fleet had coated their hulls with fire-retardant substances—not fully impervious, but enough to hinder the flames’ advance.

Thus, when fires erupted, sailors had precious time to douse them before the vessels burned entirely.

The assassins never foresaw their blaze tactic failing, so they kept boarding for the kill.

Now, about the onboard guards: these sailors were ocean-hardened veterans who’d braved countless sea perils. They’d battled pirates deadlier than any assassins, arming them with plenty of savvy. What’s more, their ships were ruggedly refitted for watery threats, no mere trade tubs. Loaded with clever traps, the vessels claimed lives from boarding assassin packs.

With fires and boarding foiled, the killers schemed to sink the ships. Regrettably, they didn’t know Liang Family boats weren’t everyday craft; ordinary sabotage wouldn’t do without explosives—which they lacked.

In these days, assassins tried every ploy to end Zhao Yao. Success eluded them entirely; they hadn’t even caught a glimpse of him.

Far off in Youzhou, Prince Han fumed upon learning his sent assassins hadn’t pulled off the hit. If he could, he’d slay Zhao Yao with his own hands.

Yang Qi hadn’t imagined killing Prince Han would be this tough. Fortunately, Prince Han’s return to the capital lay ahead, leaving them shots to finish the job.

Prince Han refused to witness another fiasco like the botched assassination of Prince Chu, nor could he tolerate Zhao Yao's unhindered journey back to the capital. Zhao Yao needed to perish at sea, his remains hurled into the vast ocean, erasing every shred of evidence.