After saving the Empress, I became the top scholar in the imperial examination.

The Siamese embassy was also located in Dongjiangmi Lane, diagonally opposite the South Korean embassy. Although its area was much smaller than that of the South Korean embassy, ​​it was more than enough to accommodate the group of South Korean envoys in distress.

Upon hearing this, the guards of the Sticky Rod Office straightened their faces and immediately shouted:

"Your subordinate obeys, sir!"

That's all.

At the young age of twenty-five, Yue Le, who was praised by the emperor as having "unparalleled talent" and "bravery surpassing even that of a warrior," and was promoted to the rank of second-class imperial guard of the fourth grade, suppressed his unease and let out a cold laugh.

He felt that no matter who was behind this tonight's mischief, once he caught them, he would personally skin them alive as a warning to others!

"Come with me!"

Holding his knife, Yue Le strode through the side door into the Southern Kingdom embassy, ​​which was now a sea of ​​fire, followed closely by four stern-faced guards in black jackets.

…………

The fire was raging.

Many of the roof tiles were blown off and smashed to pieces on the ground.

Entering through the north gate, you arrive at the fifth courtyard. A room directly opposite is already on fire, and the flames are climbing up the main beam and then up the crossbeam.

The sounds of explosions and shouts of killing came from the west wing on the right, and were approaching the main courtyard.

The envoys of the delegation mostly stayed in the main courtyard. Shouts of "Help!", "Thieves are attacking!", and "Protect King Jing!" came from the front of the main courtyard, and footsteps and shouts could be heard converging towards the east side courtyard.

The Zishui Pavilion, where Prince Jing resides, and the Qingfeng Pavilion, where Vice Envoy Ning resides, are both located in front of the east courtyard.

Mo Dan, a sixth-rank military officer, wore armor and frowned as he moved through the corridors and courtyards, trying to determine his location.

He led twenty men, closely following behind a group of Imperial Guards wearing cloaks.

Mo Dan had a square face, and as he ran in his armor, he began to pant heavily.

From the fifth courtyard, pass through a main hall to reach the fourth courtyard.

The fire in the west courtyard had spread to the side rooms of the fourth courtyard.

Shortly after entering the embassy, ​​he heard a loud shout and battle cries coming from behind him; the officer had already led his men in and stormed in.

The shouts of battle quickly turned to the right. Mo Dan recalled the location and guessed that the commander had probably gone through the octagonal gate on the right and gone directly to the west courtyard to attack the bandits. He felt slightly relieved.

The smell of burning grew stronger, the air became increasingly scorching, and the shouts of battle grew closer.

The figure in the moonlit robe at the front led the Imperial Guards at breakneck speed, shouting as they ran: "Protect Prince Jing!", "Evacuate the embassy!", "To Zishui Pavilion immediately!"

Mo Dan was slightly out of breath as he gripped his waist knife tightly.

After passing through a narrow path through the four courtyards, the Imperial Guards at the front turned left and entered a side corridor, at the end of which was an octagonal gate.

Behind him, his brothers followed closely, panting heavily, their footsteps echoing on the veranda like the resounding of war drums.

Mo Dan's eyes narrowed slightly, and a ruthless look appeared on his face.

Judging from the shouts of the bandits, there were at most fifty of them. Although it was unknown whether they were armored, given the fighting strength of the guard camp, even if they were armored, and even if the captain failed to stop the bandits, their twenty men alone would be enough to kill them all.

The only concern is that the other side has gunpowder, which could have caused such an explosion; it's just unknown whether they have a musket.

If they had muskets… Mo Dan’s heart sank slightly… then these bandits… were truly not simple.

As a sixth-rank military officer, Mo Dan quickly made a decision in his mind.

There is a main gate and two side gates on the south side. To prevent the envoy from escaping, the thieves would surely send people to guard the south gate.

To prevent the enemy from having firearms, after they and the Imperial Guards at the front met Prince Jing and the envoys from the Southern Dynasty, they should quickly exit through the east gate to avoid a direct confrontation with the rebels...

The figures of the Imperial Guards passed through the octagonal gate and went to the east courtyard.

They were seven or eight zhang behind their opponents, still on the veranda. To their left was a row of rooms with their doors and windows tightly closed.

"Thump!"

When passing by this row of side rooms.

Mo Dan keenly noticed that his footsteps and the footsteps of his brothers behind him had become a bit muffled, or rather, sometimes muffled and sometimes crisp.

As if by some strange impulse, Mo Dan lowered her eyes and glanced at the ground, where she saw a pile of burlap sacks lying haphazardly. She suddenly realized that they had stepped on the burlap sacks.

He sniffed and smelled some flour.

"Flour? Is this the kitchen?"

Mo Dan was slightly taken aback when she saw a cloud of white powder floating and drifting in the moonlight.

While running ahead, he was also thinking about these things.

Suddenly, a glint of fire appeared in the corner of his eye!

"Enemy attack!"

Mo Dan's reaction was remarkably swift.

When he caught a glimpse of fire in the corner of his eye, he immediately roared and raised his hand. The brothers behind him, well-trained, stopped in their tracks. With a twist of their feet, the shield bearers instinctively raised their shields, and the archers immediately retreated behind them, drawing their bows and nocking their arrows.

Mo Dan quickly retreated behind the shield bearers, staring intently at the sudden flash of fire on the opposite rooftop... It was a rocket.

"call out!"

The rocket was launched from the opposite rooftop, and the person who launched it suddenly lowered their head.

Upon seeing the rocket, in a split second, Mo Dan felt a sense of relief... there was only one rocket.

With ten shields raised on my side, it would naturally be enough to defend against the attack.

After securing the position, do not linger in battle. Immediately proceed to the East Courtyard to escort the Southern Kingdom delegation away... in less than a fraction of a breath of time.

That's what Mo Dan thought.

The rocket grew larger and closer in his pupils.

With a soft thud, the rocket, its arrowhead coated with pine resin, did not strike any of them, but instead flew towards the side room behind them, piercing through the paper window.

"Bang!!!"

The room exploded before the rocket had even entered!

"This guy's archery skills are really bad..." This thought made Mo Dan and the others breathe a sigh of relief.

The deafening roar, loud enough to shatter their eardrums, rang out behind them. A massive shockwave, emanating from the room, slammed into the backs of Mo Dan and the others with tremendous force!

"Bang bang bang bang!"

"Aaaaaah!...Aaaaah!!!"

Almost instantly, Mo Dan and his twenty soldiers were blasted away by the explosion! They were all blown into the courtyard on the right, falling to the ground, some crying and screaming, others unsure of their fate.

"Squeak, squeak, squeak... thump, thump, thump!"

Following the explosion, a chilling sound echoed through the side rooms and corridors—creaking and groaning—followed by a series of loud bangs.

The beams and pillars collapsed, the roof caved in, rubble flew everywhere, and a huge cloud of dust rose up and spread in all directions.

The barrels of pine resin in front of the octagonal gate were all smashed by the collapsed beams, and the pine resin gushed out and flowed onto the ground.

"call out!"

Another rocket flew through the smoke and dust, igniting the pine resin on the ground. Suddenly, a huge fire broke out!

The four courtyards were bathed in a bright red light!

…………

When the explosion occurred, Yue Le and the others were seven or eight feet behind Mo Dan. The five of them watched as Mo Dan and the others were blown away, lying haphazardly, crying and screaming. Some of them even lost an arm.

The five men's hearts stopped beating in shock, and their faces turned deathly pale.

"Gunpowder?!" exclaimed a hook-nosed guard behind Yue Le.