Chapter 72 Reunion, Passing By (Second Update)

Several torches were lit in the courtyard in an instant, illuminating the anxious expressions on everyone's faces.

Mingying insisted on going down the mountain with them to find Shu Niang. The night was cold, and the chill from the inside out made her shiver all over, freezing her heart and soul.

It was difficult to travel at night, and with a light drizzle falling, we relied entirely on torches for light.

They didn't see any trace of Shu Niang along the way, probably because she had gone down the mountain early in the morning and was already far away.

The night seemed exceptionally long; they lost track of time, and even after reaching the foot of the mountain, it was still dark.

Mingying, wearing a plain white cloak, her nose red from the cold, dismounted nimbly: "Shu Niang is a woman. Even if she reaches the foot of the mountain, she probably can't have gone far in the last few hours. Let's split up and look for her."

The city gates were already closed at night, so Shu Niang couldn't possibly have entered the city. She was probably wandering somewhere outside the city, or perhaps she had been captured.

They split into three groups to search for the person, and Mingying followed a group of five or six people to the area north of the city.

To the north lies a lake and several villas belonging to wealthy families.

The deep steps and high walls exuded grandeur, but now the courtyard was desolate and dilapidated, the locks were smashed, and many valuable antique vases were broken on the ground, having already been looted by thieves.

They planned to search through these villas, entering one after another, lighting torches to illuminate their surroundings. In the distance, a mournful scream pierced the long, silent night.

"Help! Help!"

The group of people all paled and became instantly alert, drawing their knives from their waists.

"Protect the girl, let's go take a look."

They subconsciously thought that the villa was safer than the outside, so four people went out, leaving only Mingying and the remaining man behind.

"Girl, it's too chaotic outside, come inside and take shelter."

Mingying was also frightened by the scream, her fingertips twitching rhythmically as she took small steps inside.

Upon entering the courtyard and pushing open the dusty, half-closed door, sobs could be heard.

She held her breath and tiptoed.

This is a human voice.

The two tiptoed, following the source of the sound, and pushed open the door of another cubicle. The faint light quickly spread to every corner of the room.

Many men and women were gagged, their hands and feet tied, and thrown to the ground. Some lay unconscious on their backs, while others sat against the wall. When they saw them coming, they shrank back in fear.

Judging from their clothes, Mingying thought they were ordinary people from Langzhou. They might be missing persons captured by the Wuhuan people, and they had hidden them in this secluded villa!

"Don't be afraid, we will save you."

The two of them immediately knelt down and untied everyone.

Among the bound group, one woman was particularly agitated, kicking up dust with her heels.

Mingying looked over and recognized that it was Shu Niang. Overjoyed, she ran to her and first untied the ropes binding her hands.

Shu Niang's eyes were filled with tears, but her mouth was blocked with something, so she could only keep shaking her head at her.

Mingying noticed something was wrong and removed the gag from her mouth.

Shu Niang gasped for air, then gasped twice, "Girl, run!"

Mingying felt a chill run down her spine, as if a cold, venomous snake was coiling around her neck from the soles of her feet. She trembled slightly all over, and before she could turn around, she felt a sharp pain in her shoulder.

Someone hit her from behind with a vase; it was dark all around, and the vase hit the back of her neck and right shoulder.

She felt dizzy and fell to her side.

—

Pei Xiaoyun marched towards Cangxi Valley and encountered troops waiting for Shen Mingshu's orders halfway there.

Upon seeing the imperial carriage, the soldiers all knelt down and kowtowed.

With the battle situation urgent, Pei Xiaoyun, upon learning of Shen Mingshu's plan, did not want to wait any longer and ordered an advance towards Cangxi Valley.

One of Shen Mingshu's lieutenants knelt down and said, "It is dangerous ahead. Your Majesty must not risk going deeper. When the general left, he instructed us to wait for his signal before we act."

While Pei Xiaoyun was anxious, a surge of anger spread through his chest. He sat high on his horse and snapped an arrow in two with a "crack".

Were these people truly worried about the dangers ahead, or were they simply following Shen Mingshu's orders and only taking their general seriously?

He realized that Shen Mingshu had really been in the Northwest for too long. The people and soldiers in the Northwest only knew about the general, not the emperor.

"I will personally lead an expedition against the Wuhuan and recapture Langzhou City. Anyone who disobeys this order will be executed as a deserter."

During the stalemate, a dazzling firework burst open in the dark sky, signaling that Shen Mingshu had received the troops' arrival.

At this point, tens of thousands of troops set off towards Cangxi Valley.

When the Wuhuan people heard the sound of horses' hooves, they thought Shen Mingshu had walked right into their trap, but instead they saw the imperial court's battle flags flying high, signaling an endless stream of troops.

Seeing that things were going badly, they tried to retreat the way they came, but Shen Mingshu and his men blocked their retreat, leaving them with nowhere to go.

Shen Mingshu and Pei Xiaoyun each led two armies, cooperating seamlessly and giving the enemy no chance to catch their breath.

The enemy was caught off guard by the overwhelming force of the army. What surprised them even more was that Shen Mingshu had gone to Langzhou to ask for reinforcements, and the emperor of the Central Plains had personally led his troops to the Northwest.

Although their poisons were potent, they were no match for the imperial army's elite troops. Within a day, they were routed, fleeing in disarray or retreating back to Langzhou.

After a day of fierce fighting, Cangxi Valley was littered with corpses and the river was filled with blood.

The soldiers set up camp to rest and prepare to advance at dawn to recapture Langzhou City.

Pei Xiaoyun hadn't seen Shen Mingshu for two years. He hadn't changed in appearance; his heroic eyebrows and eyes exuded the uprightness of a military general. His armor was stained with blood, and he stood straight, wiping his sword in the setting sun.

Everyone bowed and knelt in worship, but he remained unmoved when he saw the king.

"Why did you not bow when you saw me?" Only after the war was temporarily over could Pei Xiaoyun have time to punish him for his unauthorized military action and disrespect for the emperor.

Although he was Mingying's elder brother, he was also a subject.

He bestowed upon him the highest honors and preferential treatment, second only to the emperor, yet he should not have refused to pay homage to him.

Upon hearing his words, Shen Mingshu couldn't help but sneer, his words carrying a chilling dagger: "I've forgotten that the dynasty has changed, and the one on the dragon throne is no longer surnamed Xiao. So, if I may be so bold as to ask Your Majesty, would there ever be a victim in this world who kneels before a murderer?"

He was clearly surprised that Pei Xiaoyun would come to the Northwest in person. This person's appearance completely shattered the peaceful two years that the brother and sister had enjoyed.

We must never let Pei Xiaoyun see Aying and learn the truth about what happened back then.

His outspokenness defied authority, and everyone around him fell silent.

The soldiers present were all terrified and broke out in a cold sweat. Some even knelt down and gently tugged at Shen Mingshu's robe, signaling him to be careful with his words.

To disrespect the emperor's authority is a grave offense. If Your Majesty is angered, punishing General Shen with death would not be a light punishment.

But this decisive and ruthless emperor remained silent for a long time, his expression showing no rage, but rather a hint of calm.

Pei Xiaoyun hadn't heard such harsh words in a long time.

In the past two years, he simply missed Mingying and didn't think deeply about how she died or why she jumped off the cliff.

Shen Mingshu said he was the murderer.

Who did he kill? He killed his own child and also caused Mingying's death?

In the past two years, no matter what he was doing, the thought of her would make him feel weak and powerless with guilt.

Shen Mingshu laid out his weakness, and he dared not face it directly. He could only turn away and leave with the words: "You may not bow to me, but I will only allow you to say these treasonous words once. There will be no next time."

Shen Mingshu watched his retreating figure, gripped the hilt of his knife tightly, and his eyes turned cold.

Now that the bandits in Cangxi Valley have been eliminated, travel to and from the valley is unimpeded.

He secretly instructed his subordinates to immediately go to Langzhou to bring back Mingying and send her back to the Northwest, or anywhere else, as long as they could get through this period.

After Langzhou was reclaimed, Pei Xiaoyun returned to the capital. With the Northwest at peace, she was also safe.

—

The horse-drawn carriage churned over the gravel road, the jolting so badly it hurt your very bones.

After being lifted onto the carriage, Mingying quietly opened her eyes. She had indeed been hit by a blunt object, but the injury was not to her head, and she was not unconscious at all.

As she lay on the ground, she heard disordered footsteps behind her, mixed with a foreign language she couldn't understand. Only then did she realize that the villa was not the place where the Wuhuan people would eventually imprison the people, but a trap, and they had fallen for it.

She planned to use a counter-strategy to infiltrate the enemy camp and discover their hiding place.

It was called a horse-drawn carriage, but it was actually just a wooden flatbed cart. People were tied up on it, some lying down and some sitting, with no space between them.

She held a sharp shard left from the broken vase in her palm and quietly loosened the rope in her hand. Because she and her brother had disguised themselves as spice merchants to pass through the Cangxi Valley checkpoint, she also had a packet of spices on her body to use for making Jade Complexion Cream when being questioned.

Before being made into a perfume balm, this fragrance was a white powder. In the past, in order to make the fragrance last longer, she and Shen Yao improved this perfume powder together. The fragrance and traces can last for up to three days, and it does not dissolve in water and will not dissipate for a long time.

The car bumped along, and she tried her best to steady herself, freeing one hand to sprinkle the face powder on the road.

The carriage passed several forks in the road and then several groves of reeds.

However, one packet of powder wasn't enough. When they reached the entrance to a mountain forest, she had to scatter the powder and quickly throw the paper packet off the car. She then used both hands to put the rope back on.

A sliver of light appeared on the horizon, signaling the end of the long night.

Several men in black, armed with knives, forced the people in the car to get off. Mingying mingled in the crowd and noticed that there were people everywhere in the woods, each carrying a sword or knife. She dared not make any rash moves and could only follow the crowd.

The group of people escorted them up the mountain, along a steep and muddy mountain path, where a few people came out from a dilapidated temple ahead to meet them.

Mingying looked around at the dilapidated temple. The temple had five or six rooms and was located deep in the mountains. It had not been repaired for a long time and was already in a state of disrepair.

Inside the dilapidated temple, many of the people who had been captured earlier were still lying in a circle.

No wonder we couldn't find the hiding place; they've been keeping people locked up here.

She walked slowly, looking around as she went.

"Hurry up and go in, don't dawdle!"

Upon hearing a violent roar, she and Shu Niang quickened their pace. Shu Niang's leg seemed to have been wounded by an arrow, and it bled with every step she took.

"Stop dawdling! Hurry up!"

The man grew impatient and lashed Shu Niang's leg with his whip. Shu Niang's mouth was gagged, so she couldn't make a sound. Tears welled up in her eyes from the pain, and she collapsed onto Ming Ying.

Mingying's eyes were slightly red. Suddenly, she gathered a great deal of strength and made her lean against her for a moment to catch her breath. Once her breathing had calmed down, she pushed her along with her body.

Like everyone else, the two sat down by a wall, unaware of what awaited them.

She only hoped that they could find this place by following the traces she left behind.

—

Pei Xiaoyun and Shen Mingshu led their troops straight into Langzhou City.

The Wuhuan army suffered heavy losses in the battle of Cangxi Valley, leaving the enemy forces in the city leaderless.

Seeing the army approaching, half of them fled in disarray, while the other half continued to put up a last-ditch resistance.

The enemy used poison needles and poison powder. In order to reduce troop losses, Pei Xiaoyun suggested that he and Shen Mingshu flank the two counties in Langzhou City and win a quick victory.

Shen Mingshu also approved of the plan and sent people to begin setting up defenses.

Just then, a fast horse suddenly galloped into Langzhou City. A man quickly dismounted, saw Shen Mingshu, leaned close to his ear, and whispered something.

Shen Mingshu's expression changed drastically, and his hand holding the sword trembled slightly.

He quickly considered the situation in the city. The city was full of a rabble, and with Pei Xiaoyun's skills, he would definitely be able to wipe out these enemy invaders.

Right now, his own sister is the priority.

Pei Xiaoyun must not know about this; if he knew she was still alive…

He pulled on the reins, turned his horse around, and rode alone out of the city.

Pei Xiaoyun waited in vain for Shen Mingshu to appear. Sitting high on his horse, he slashed down an enemy soldier with his sword and turned back to ask, "Where is Shen Mingshu? Where did he go?"

The soldier beside him said, "Your Majesty, General Shen has left the city."

Pei Xiaoyun was deeply shocked. A surge of anger rose within him, rising in his throat. He vented all his resentment on the enemy soldiers, slaying several of them. The gushing blood splattered onto his face, both alluring and chilling.

This Shen Mingshu dares to defy the imperial decree time and time again; he probably doesn't even respect the emperor.

Just because he's Mingying's older brother, does he think he won't punish him?

Once bitten by a snake, twice shy.

Why did Shen Mingshu suddenly leave the city? He remembered that this man had joined forces with the Xiao family and their gang to oppose him two years ago during the battle in Hangzhou.

Could it be that he is colluding with foreign enemies and plotting a rebellion?

"Follow me to quell the enemy and retake Langzhou City."

His eyes held a deep, dark undercurrent as he issued the order: "Shen Mingshu has defied the imperial decree and deceived the emperor. After the war is over, search for him both inside and outside the city."

He led his men and spent a day wiping out all the enemy forces in the city. They captured several prisoners of war and learned from them that the civilians they had taken were hidden in a dilapidated temple on Xiling Mountain in the suburbs.

He ordered the troops left in the city to clean up the battlefield and appease the people, while he himself led his men to Xiling Mountain.

—

A few people sat scattered around in the dilapidated temple in the mountains.

Some people were so frightened that they cried out, and the guards came in and slapped them twice. The sound of the slaps was terrifying, and no one dared to shout anymore.

Shu Niang lost too much blood and was in so much pain that she was somewhat dizzy and could only lean on Ming Ying's shoulder.

Mingying dared not relax for a moment. With the help of the faint light shining in from all around, she could see that there were only a few offering tables and an old chair in the temple, and nothing else.

The tattered window paper fluttered in the wind, and she saw a row of men standing guard outside the door.

Those people have kept them locked up here, but haven't taken any further action. She guessed that this might not be their final hiding place, but just a temporary hideout.

Or perhaps they were waiting for someone's order before they attacked the people inside.

The long darkness and fear can undoubtedly crush the last hope in people's hearts.

After being locked up for a day, and as night fell, many people stopped struggling and lay down on the ground, fast asleep.

"Wake up, Shu Niang, don't sleep." Ming Ying saw that Shu Niang's pupils were unfocused and she was clinging to her, so she was so anxious that her voice changed.

She didn't know if they had discovered the clues she had left behind.

Shu Niang can't hold on much longer.

Just then, the sounds of clashing weapons came from the woods below the mountain. The tense people inside the house heard the noise, straightened up, and looked at each other.

Two orange-red fire shadows were occasionally reflected on the originally plain white window paper. This sliver of light, appearing and disappearing, cleaved through the endless darkness inside the room.

Mingying took a deep breath and gripped her sweaty hands.

She realized that perhaps the clues she had left behind had worked, and her brother's men had caught up with them.

The man who stayed outside to guard the door kicked it open and shouted at them, "You all better behave yourselves, or I'll kill you right now!"

No one dared to confront him directly; everyone hung their heads and remained silent.

Then the door closed, and a series of footsteps, starting heavy and then light, came from below; they had sent people down the mountain to provide support.

The opportunity has finally arrived; this is their last chance to escape.

What will happen next is still unknown.

Mingying loosened the knots on their hands and, to everyone's astonishment, untied them one by one, gesturing for them to be quiet.

Using the groans of the injured as cover, he said in a very low voice, "I'll help you untie yourself. There aren't many people at the door. We'll rush out and subdue them together. Everyone, attack together. If you back down, you won't have a chance. If you succeed, remember to run separately and don't look back."

A multitude of dark eyes stared at her, as if gathering a powerful force.

Everyone helped each other until everyone could move freely.

Even if they were unarmed, their hatred and desire to live gave them the confidence to win.

Mingying helped Shu Niang up with difficulty. No matter what, as long as she could walk, she would take Shu Niang with her.

There were scattered wooden sticks and broken table and chair legs on the ground. Several men picked up sticks, their eyes full of fierceness.

"three."

"two."

"one."

As soon as the sound faded, a group of people filed out, kicking down the swaying wooden door, and some young people even jumped out of the window.

The four guards were dozing off, leaning against the steps. When they came to their senses and tried to seize the knife, they were hit in the face with a stick.

Instantly, the sounds of grappling and tearing echoed through the courtyard. A dozen men easily subdued the four men. Although two of them were injured, they were fortunately able to walk.

Mingying helped the limping Shu Niang out and shouted, "Everyone, split up and run! We don't know if the city is safe or where to go, so just hide in the woods and don't come out."

Having found their destination, the group hurried down the mountain, not daring to delay any longer.

Shu Niang was too weak to walk, so Ming Ying carried her on her back. They walked slowly, and by the time they reached the foot of the mountain, it was already broad daylight.

The forest was littered with corpses, and the swamp and streams were stained red with blood.

The sound of horses' hooves grew louder as a group of people approached. Mingying became alert and immediately put the person down, dragging him into the weeds.

Pushing aside the tall grass and trees, she realized that this group of people were not the ones her brother had left behind.

The group of people were dressed in black armor, with high noses and deep-set eyes, and their bodies were covered in wounds and blood, so they were probably deserters who had broken away from their route.

She was filled with apprehension, fearing that she might encounter enemy deserters on the way there. She dared not return the way she came, so she carried Shu Niang on her back and headed towards a fork in the road.

When they brought her here, she vaguely remembered that there were many winding paths in the area, and she hoped that the path she was on would lead her out of the area.

When Shen Mingshu arrived at the dilapidated temple, there was no one alive inside, only the corpses of four thieves lying there.

“General, we followed the marks left by the girl with her perfume powder and found our way here. After some effort, we finally found this temple and discovered only these few corpses.”

Shen Mingshu was on edge, his eyes darting around, but no matter how he looked, he couldn't see the person he wanted to see.

Could it be that the Wuhuan people, having been defeated and fleeing, returned to this hideout and, out of spite, captured Aying and the others...?

He dared not think about it, clenched his fists tightly, and his lips turned pale.

"Come with me down the mountain to find someone."

By noon, under the blazing sun, Mingying felt dizzy and her steps were unsteady.

She carried Shu Niang on her back, occasionally reaching out to check if she was breathing. When she found a faint breath, she felt relieved, mustered her strength, and carried her for a while.

Finally, the road opened up, the trees no longer providing cover, and daylight began to appear.

She forced a smile, beads of sweat dripping onto her nose and rolling into the mud.

We've reached the outskirts of the city.

A group of people were gathered outside the city. They had just won a battle, and the people were spreading the news with joy.

"Langzhou has been taken back! The barbarians have been driven away!"

"Langzhou has been recovered!"

Mingying was slightly out of breath, a huge weight lifted from her heart.

It must be that my brother won a battle and led his troops to recapture Langzhou City.

The city was at peace, but Shu Niang remained unconscious. Knowing that she could not delay any longer, she wanted to carry her to a clinic in the city to treat her injuries.

She gradually lost the ability to walk, her back hunched over, too weak to lift her head, her blurred vision barely able to make out the path beneath her feet.

Pei Xiaoyun rode out of the city, intending to go to the enemy's stronghold in Xiling Mountain to quell the rebellion. Just as he left the city gate, he saw a woman carrying someone on her back, walking slowly and laboriously, one step at a time.

Pei Xiaoyun glanced at them out of the corner of his eye, naturally not taking these ordinary passersby seriously, and prepared to ride away.

Just then, a gentle breeze swept by, causing the woman's hair to flutter and revealing her forehead and half of her fair face.

His heart sank suddenly, his heartbeat skipped a beat, and he was pulled back sharply by a powerful force.

-----------------------

Author's Note: Two chapters were updated today. Please check if you missed any of the previous 71 chapters, otherwise it will cause the plot to become disjointed. I need extra chapters! [crying emoji] [crying emoji]