The carriage shook violently, and Jin Fengluan inside was tossed up and down. Although she had placed her hand on the crown, it was still teetering on the verge of falling. The shaking was so severe that Jin Fengluan felt nauseous and her chest tightened.
But at this moment, she was powerless to criticize, after all, things were different now, the enemy was chasing behind, and once they caught up, it would all be over.
She only hoped to get out of the city as soon as possible. Once she was out of Nanze, there would always be a place for her to hide. But what she feared most came true. Just as she was leaning against the carriage railing, feeling dizzy and disoriented, Jin Xuan's voice came again from outside the tightly closed curtains.
"Your Majesty, I'm afraid you'll have to switch to horseback riding." The voice was so solemn that it instantly made Jin Fengluan's heart leap into her throat.
"Has the traitor led his men to attack?" Jin Fengluan asked in a trembling voice.
"We haven't seen anyone yet, but the sounds of fighting we just heard aren't too far away. They outnumber us, and the Imperial Guards can't stop them. At most, they can only buy us a little time."
"The carriage is too slow. You need to switch to warhorses. I will do my best to escort you out of the city." Jin Xuan's forehead was covered in sweat, and he was holding a set of clothes in his hand, which he had previously asked a guard to take off.
"However, Your Majesty, it would be best if you changed into this outfit. If the rebels do catch up, we will do our best to hold them off."
After saying that, he lifted the carriage curtain and threw the clothes inside.
Looking at the clothes in her arms, Jin Fengluan never imagined that she would be in such a state. As the ruler of a country, she could not only not ride in a carriage, but also had to change into a soldier's clothes. Anger and a strong sense of humiliation almost suffocated her.
With a "snap," the heavy crown finally rolled to the ground because the stiff hand unconsciously loosened its grip. The crown landed at her feet, and Jin Fengluan reached out to pick it up.
"Your Majesty, we must hurry! We don't have much time left!"
"I'm afraid we'll have to split up now!" Jin Xuan urged urgently from outside the car.
Jin Fengluan's hand stopped just before it touched the crown. The next instant, a surge of anger erupted from her chest, and she roared:
"What's with the rush? Do I need you to tell me?!"
"Beware of the rebels!"
Despite her cursing, Jin Fengluan stopped dwelling on it, quickly took off her imperial robe, then hurriedly put on her clothes and helmet.
During this time, Jin Fengluan almost burst into tears, but after she had loosely dressed herself, she took a deep breath to calm her grief before saying, "All done!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the carriage curtain was suddenly lifted, the coachman pulled on the reins, and Jin Xuan reached out and took Jin Fengluan, who stepped out of the carriage.
At this moment, Jin Fengluan was dressed in the uniform of the Imperial Guard, with a helmet on her head. Her pale face appeared particularly petite under the helmet, making her look like a young man.
However, the clothes were still too big, after all, she was a woman and the Imperial Guards were all big men. In her haste, Jin Xuan could not find clothes that fit properly, but at least this outfit was much better than that conspicuous imperial robe.
"Your Majesty... in this time of crisis, we have no other choice."
"Your Majesty, please ride my horse. It's a fine steed." Seeing Jin Fengluan's dejected expression, Jin Xuan offered a muffled word of comfort and immediately dismounted.
Jin Fengluan remained silent, only burying her head and biting her lip, not daring to meet the eyes of the other imperial guards. After all, in her opinion, her current appearance was too shameful.
But she was quick on her feet; as soon as she grabbed the reins and mounted the horse, Jin Fengluan slammed her knee into the horse's belly.
"drive!"
The group continued their frantic run forward, but they had already left the city. Fields and farmland gradually came into view, and there were no more wide roads on the ground, only crisscrossing, potholed roads.
Jin Fengluan, who had been jostled in the carriage for more than an hour, was on the verge of vomiting. She was weak and exhausted, filled with worry and panic, and her face was deathly pale.
Now, he only had seven or eight people left with him. After changing into warhorses, Jin Xuan had most of his men take the horse along the main road, leaving only a few people to lead him along the side road.
Jin Fengluan only hoped that when the rebels really came after her, they would chase after that carriage instead of targeting her.
But a moment later, the sound from behind her sent a chill down her spine.
The rapid sound of horses' hooves filled the air, and countless shouts of battle echoed behind her. Without turning around, she knew that the pursuers were closing in.
As expected, Jin Xuan's urgent voice came over:
"Your Majesty, just keep running west, don't look back!"
"Just keep running!" Jin Xuan's voice grew increasingly urgent, which made Jin Fengluan's face grow even more unsightly.
But at this moment, she really didn't dare to look back and see how many rebels were chasing after her.
"drive!"
Jin Fengluan was terrified. She kicked the horse's belly repeatedly, and the warhorse panted heavily, galloping wildly along the country path.
Under the blazing sun and a clear blue sky, with fluffy clouds drifting by, the well-arranged farmland divides the land into two distinct areas. The rice seedlings growing in the paddy fields are lush and vibrant. If it weren't for the shouts and the sound of horses' hooves behind them, this scene would be exceptionally pleasing to the eye.
"Giddy up! Giddy up!" The shouts behind her grew closer and closer, and the sound of hooves became frighteningly loud. Jin Fengluan became increasingly panicked, pulling on the reins and rushing forward without caring which road she was taking, just running straight west.
In her panic, Jin Fengluan pulled her warhorse off the paddy field and galloped wildly through the water. Mud and water splashed as she trampled the rice seedlings, leaving them deeply embedded in the mud. Covered in mud, Jin Fengluan still kept screaming in a low voice, "Quick! Run!"
——
Can they escape?
On the distant road, Qin Ze stopped his warhorse, placed his hand on his brow, and gazed into the distance.
What came into view were the routed soldiers scattering and fleeing in all directions along the field path. Behind these dozen or so soldiers were the cavalrymen he had sent to surround and intercept them, who had already encircled them from all sides.
They should have captured Jin Fengluan long ago, but she used far too many tricks. Fortunately, they had enough troops, so it only took them a little more effort.
News has just come that Jin Fengluan was not found in the carriage. Therefore, Qin Ze guessed that Jin Fengluan must have mixed in with the soldiers. At present, the fastest running soldiers and the closest to the west gate are this group.
Without a doubt, Jin Fengluan was among them. Qin Ze had specifically instructed that every person captured now must be captured alive, as he did not want Jin Fengluan to die in the chaos of battle.
And at this moment—
Someone ahead had already been captured. Qin Ze smirked and led his cavalrymen forward at a leisurely pace.
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