Chapter 51 Saving Him
Rong Si held her hand and guided her to slowly pull the bowstring all the way down.
Her sharp amber pupils were fixed on the figure being held hostage in the chaos of battle. From an angle that Yu Wanyin could not discern, she aimed the arrow at Chao Yue.
Yu Wanyin could only feel her body, along with the bowstring, being pulled back and held tightly to her chest by him.
The taut force of the longbow and the powerful strength of his outstretched arms trapped her in the middle, rendering her unable to move for a moment.
She heard Rong Si ask, "Why did you want to save him?"
Yu Wanyin keenly sensed a dangerous undertone in Rong Si's rough and hoarse words.
Yu Wanyin moved her lips, but couldn't say anything.
She discovered that no matter the reason, it couldn't escape the name Chu Yu.
But Rong Si asked directly, "Is it because of Chu Yu?"
yes.
That's what Yu Wanyin thought, but she couldn't say it like that.
"Chao Yue once saved me."
Rong Si said slowly, "Yaoyao is a good child who knows how to repay kindness."
But whose orders did Chao Yue take to rescue her?
Who was she thinking of when she looked at Chao Yue?
You can't think about it too much.
Yu Wanyin felt the bowstring in her hand being pulled tighter.
Rong Si tightened his grip, as if he were holding her in his palm as well.
Rong Si lowered his head and whispered in her ear, "The distance is too far, this arrow may not be able to reach it."
"If my hand goes astray, Yao Yao, don't blame me."
Yu Wanyin's heart skipped a beat.
In the next instant, Rong Si released his grip, and the arrow flew from the bowstring!
The arrow pierced through the treetops, its blade slicing through layers of branches and leaves, grazing Chao Yue's shoulder and striking the heart of the soldier behind him!
Yu Wanyin's heart skipped a beat, and her eyelashes trembled slightly, as if the panic and confusion from just now still lingered.
This arrow was like a sharp signal.
While the Daizhou soldiers were stunned, the bandits who had just laid down their weapons rose up in rebellion, catching them completely off guard!
The sounds of fierce fighting echoed through the mountains and fields, chasing after the remaining troops.
Yu Wanyin stepped forward and rushed to the city wall to check the situation there.
But the distance was still too far, and we couldn't see anything at all.
Yu Wanyin lifted her skirt again and hurriedly turned back down the city wall.
As Rong Si watched her retreating figure, his mind was still caught in a battle between evil and reason: whether to kill or save her.
Reason prevailed over the hostages she wanted to retain.
She was left with evil thoughts.
By the time she went down, the remaining enemy troops had already been suppressed.
The prisoners who had been held hostage were taken away and placed on straw mats nearby.
Yu Wanyin ran straight to where Chao Yue was.
Rong Si followed them down the city wall and saw Yu Wanyin squatting next to Chao Yue's straw mat, pinching his pulse to test if he was still alive.
The bandits stood by, tending to their wounded comrades; almost none of them had ever seen Chao Yue before.
Seeing how concerned Yu Wanyin was about that person, they couldn't help but ask, "Does Your Majesty know him?"
“I know him.” Yu Wanyin put down Chao Yue’s hand, hesitating not to mention Chu Yu in the bandit camp. “He is my… friend.”
A bandit standing nearby said matter-of-factly, "That's the Queen's friend, so she's our friend too."
Behind him, Rong Si heard her call him "friend" and slowly stepped forward.
As Rong Si approached, everyone immediately made way for him.
Yu Wanyin noticed that he had followed her, so she stood up and went forward. "Could you let him recuperate in the village for a while?"
Rong Si looked at her but did not answer immediately.
Yu Wanyin became uneasy.
She knew that this request seemed a bit out of line for Rong Si.
Rescue the enemy's entourage, keep them by your side, nurse them back to health, and then send them back.
Rong Si reached out and wiped the dust off Yu Wanyin's cheek. "You know I won't refuse you."
Taking advantage of this action, Rong Si cupped her cheek, leaned closer, and said, "But I have a request, Yao Yao."
You cannot see him.
Yu Wanyin looked closely into his eyes.
She knew what he meant, but this time, besides wanting to save Chao Yue, she also...
Another objective was to investigate Chu Yu's situation through Chao Yue.
Is Chu Yu still alive?
Rong Si's eyes were unfathomable as he watched her in the darkness, as if trying to trap her within his gaze.
You must never leave.
But her first response to him was silence.
This means that Yu Wanyin wants to see Chao Yue, or perhaps she wants to see someone else.
Yu Wanyin couldn't look directly into his penetrating gaze and turned her head slightly to avoid it.
Rong Si used more force with his fingers to turn her around.
Yu Wanyin's eyelashes trembled, and her voice was very soft, "I won't see him."
The light and shadow in Rong Si's eyes were obscured by his thick, drooping eyelashes, which also concealed the slowly churning, unpredictable emotions within. "So elusive."
He held her cheek and lowered his head, about to touch her lips, but Yu Wanyin dodged away.
It wasn't until she dodged away that Yu Wanyin realized she had actually avoided him.
She couldn't figure out why she was subconsciously avoiding getting close to him.
But her mind was in complete turmoil.
Like a tangled mess, two men were pulling at her heart, impossible to unravel.
Long-buried emotions suddenly resurfaced.
All the relationships that she had suppressed and deliberately ignored after being abducted to the mountain stronghold surged up again.
Scenes from the past kept flooding back into my mind.
Chao Yue is still alive; Chao Yue has appeared here.
This shows that he did not die in the unexpected incident where the Hu people blocked his way.
If he's not dead, then whose orders is he taking now?
He was arrested by the Daizhou soldiers on whose orders.
As far as she knew, Chao Yue and Wu Zhou were both Chu Yu's loyal and devoted followers.
What about Chu Yu?
Yu Wanyin calmed herself down and said something cryptic, "I'm sorry."
Rong Si watched her reaction, his eyes swirling with unspoken emotions.
He wasn't annoyed. He soothingly touched her cheek, straightened up, and ordered his men to take away the enemy prisoners.
He temporarily placed Yu Wanyin in a carriage where she could rest, and asked, "Are you hungry?"
"fine."
Rong Si still had someone prepare some nourishing food and send it in.
"You must be tired today, you should rest first."
He said that he would go back to clean up the remaining mess in the village.
Before he got out of the car, Yu Wanyin couldn't help but grab Rong Si's hand.
Rong Si turned to look at her.
He had thought she was finally going to ask him how he had been these past few days.
Or perhaps she'd complain about the perilous situation she'd encountered that day, or even grumble about why he hadn't come back sooner.
But seeing the unease in Yu Wanyin's eyes, he heard her say, "I won't see him, but you promise me."
"Don't hurt him."
Rong Si stared at her for a long time, then took a deep breath.
He turned around and walked towards her, pressing down on the back of her hand and supporting himself with both hands on either side of her.
The overwhelming sense of oppression made Yu Wanyin feel suffocated for a moment.
His deep gaze traveled from her eyes to her lips.
A few somber words: "Yaoyao, kiss me."
Yu Wanyin knew that he was bothered by the way she had dodged him earlier.
She tilted her head back and took the initiative to touch his slightly cool, thin lips.
As they were leaving, Rong Si, who had been supporting himself on the side, suddenly grabbed her waist and pressed her against him!
Yu Wanyin was suddenly pressed down onto the man's burning hot body.
He relentlessly deepened what was originally a kiss that was about to end.
The sandalwood mouth was pried open, and it was taken away like a whirlwind.
Rong Si gripped her arm tightly, the veins throbbing and snaking upwards.
This reveals what he didn't say aloud—
envy.
She's being more proactive right now.
The more jealous he became.
The fire in his heart burned ever brighter.
Yao Yao was willing to give a kiss to one of his close attendants.
Is it because of Chu Yu that she's willing to endure any amount of abuse from him?
So long.
She couldn't forget Chu Yu at all.
How come Chu Yu didn't die?
Why doesn't he die?
Yao Yao is about to accept him.
Rong Siqin's position was more important than ever before, making Yu Wanyin feel like she was about to be swallowed up.
When she was released, Yu Wanyin was panting heavily, and the root of her tongue felt numb.
Rong Si wiped the moisture from her lips and said in a rare gentle tone, "Wait for me to come back."
But Yu Wanyin found this gentleness somewhat frightening.
Or perhaps she felt guilty.
What will happen when he comes back?
This is the unspoken consensus between them at this moment.
The situation in the mountain stronghold is still good.
The melee at the main camp was quickly contained, and Qing Song was intercepted halfway.
Ah Zheng couldn't hide any longer and ran out to start using the stone rope in the courtyard to chase people away.
Few enemies remained after breaking in, and even those who managed to escape in the chaos could not be avoided.
The number of soldiers does not appear to be large.
According to the captured subordinates, Helen's military power has been suppressed by the King of Dai, who sent his brother to keep watch on him.
Herren is not allowed to mobilize large numbers of troops without authorization.
Helen was furious and determined to get revenge and turn the situation around.
This attack was sudden, and they didn't even scout the location beforehand.
Having only learned of the location of the bandit camp from the surrounding area, and believing that his troops were brave enough to deal with a group of bandits, he charged straight in.
The location of the bandit stronghold is no secret nowadays; a little inquiry will reveal where they are.
In addition, the spies were also captured.
Therefore, when Herren sneaked over, the bandit camp was unable to detect him at first.
The bandit stronghold had some experience in dealing with such sudden attacks.
Moreover, "It's fortunate that the Queen is here, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to proceed so smoothly."
Su Fang told Rong Si everything that had happened that night, “Otherwise, we would have lost something, more or less.”
"So far, only some tents have been destroyed and some houses have been damaged."
These are the cheapest things in the village.
Someone chimed in, "Yes, it's all thanks to the Queen."
"It's good that there's less grass outside; it'll save us from burning dry grass to protect our crops in winter."
"Moreover, the soil is more fertile in areas that have been burned."
Rong Si listened silently.
All he could think about was the scene when he rushed back and saw her leading the enemy into the most advantageous barracks.
She wore a white dress that fluttered in the wind, her crimson silk robes swaying gently.
It's as if they could soothe all the world's troubles with just a flick of their fingers.
He could stir up a tidal wave of emotions in his heart with just a few words.
Rong Si felt that she must have feelings for him.
But why should Chu Yu also be included?
Rong Si subtly sensed the darkness in Chu Yu's eyes towards her at times.
The malice that arises from her often exists when she cares about others.
At times like this.
She makes people want her like crazy.
I want to hide her away.
This prevented her from being distracted by anything in the world, and also prevented the world from seeing the allure of her captivating charm.
*
The scattered remnants of the soldiers escaped from Jiangling and only blew their bone whistles when they reached a remote mountain field.
Several loud whistles echoed across the sky, and soon a dark shadow appeared on the horizon, flying towards them.
As the shadowy figure drew closer, it gradually grew larger, taking on the shape of an eagle.
It landed on the wounded soldier's arm, its folded wings creating a powerful gust of wind.
The remaining soldiers hurriedly wrote down the details of Jiangling's defeat on a slip of paper, stuffed it into the letterbox on the eagle's claw, and sent it out.
The eagle flapped its wings again, soaring and disappearing into the clouds high in the sky.
It swiftly passed through layers of clouds and flew away from Jiangling.
After an unknown amount of time, it slowed down outside a city and began to circle.
The city was garrisoned inside and out.
A banner with the character "蚩" was planted on the city wall.
The plaque above the entrance to the city wall bears the inscription "Shang'an" in a dilapidated state.
The eagle circled and soon found its master's tent, landing by the tent window.
When the wings flapped and folded, they also lifted the tent curtains.
The figures of the attendants who were obediently serving beside the tent and the man who was writing inside the room were revealed.
When the eagle's subordinates saw it return, they went forward and took the letter from under the eagle's claws.
Presented to the monarch on the throne.
The King of the North sat upright to the side, his hands never stopping, his brushstrokes vigorous and powerful.
He said in a deep voice, "Speak."
A powerful voice echoed through the tent.
It carried an undeniable aura of power.
The subordinate obeyed the order, bowed, took the letter from the side, opened it, read its contents, and reported, "The offensive against Daizhou has been halted. Their former commander, Helun, died in the battle to suppress bandits in Jiangling."
“Now that Daizhou needs to redeploy its generals, I’m afraid they won’t be able to join us immediately.”
The King of the North was still writing a letter, and there was a moment of silence in the room.
The subordinate glanced at the king's letter, then had to look away.
It was a parchment letter, and it looked like a casual letter.
But for the emperor, he had no family at all.
The Northern Chi King ascended the throne by killing all his brothers.
The Northern Chi people and Daizhou share the same lineage, and there are more men than women among them.
The King of Bei Chi has been fighting on all sides for over thirty years, but has yet to marry a queen.
His intention was to wait until the Northern Chi tribes took control of the Central Plains before making a final decision.
The Northern Chi tribe launched a two-pronged attack on the Central Plains.
They marched straight in from Yingzhou, while another group started their attack from Yanzhou.
The Northern Chi have now successfully occupied Shang'an in Yingzhou.
They camped outside Shang'an City for a period of time, and the Northern Chi troops were settled inside and outside Shang'an City.
But unexpectedly, things went wrong in Daizhou.
"Even a sword will wear down eventually," the Northern Chi King said indifferently. "I told them long ago not to be careless. Yet they were still so reckless. They're dead now."
He put down his pen and ink as he spoke.
"Tell the Prince of Dai to be careful in employing people. Don't think that just because you've gained some advantages by relying on brute force, it will work everywhere."
"I'll soon meet a smart man. Even the best knife is just a piece of scrap metal if you don't use it properly."
"Yes." The subordinate accepted the order and went to reply.
King Bei Chi looked at the letter he had just written and sat alone for a moment.
He only reacted again when someone came in from outside.
The King of Bei Chi looked at the newcomer and asked, "How is it?"
"We have searched all around the city, and most of the residents around the south post station have already left Shang'an."
"We have carefully examined the remaining women of marriageable age, and none of them are the one that the King is looking for."
“But there’s good news,” the subordinate said, pulling a secret letter from his person, “there are new letters arriving.”
*
It was late at night when everything in the mountain stronghold calmed down.
Yu Wanyin sat in the temporarily placed carriage, listening to the outside gradually quiet down.
Only the sound of the wind whistling through the mountains and forests remained; the outside was so quiet that it seemed as if no one had been seen.
But as soon as you lift the curtain, you can still see rows of bandits stationed on the side.
Their clothing and discipline were no less than those of soldiers.
Their constant exposure to the mountains and forests made them even more disciplined and austere than those in the military.
The sight of someone holding a long spear standing nearby sends chills down one's spine.
Yu Wanyin lowered the curtain and sat there restlessly for a while.
This carriage belongs to Rong Si himself, and it is considered the highest-spec carriage in the mountain stronghold.
The interior is spacious and divided into two parts: a tea table and commonly used cabinets at the front, and a soft couch inside that is large enough to fit him and two other people.
Perhaps it was prepared in advance for her to rest temporarily, as the utensils and things in the carriage had been taken care of.
The mattress smelled of floral perfume powder, which Rong Si had been using for the past few months.
Even so, Yu Wanyin could still smell the unique scent of grass and dew on him through the fragrance of flowers.
Mixed with the wildness of the jungle, it relentlessly enveloped her within its own territory.
Its powerful aura seemed to bury her as well.
Make her your own flavor too.
This wasn't the first time Yu Wanyin had ridden in this carriage.
The last time she sat there was when he rescued her from the Hu people.
She used it quite a few times.
So everywhere still bears his habits and traces, and the furnishings are made of animal hides.
The blanket was made of snow wool, which I don't know which animal it came from, but it was very well maintained.
There were ropes, whips, swords, and some animal bones hanging nearby.
The most conspicuous thing is the wolf skull, with its gaping maw, standing quietly to one side.
They are all things that are almost dangerous yet beautiful.
Yu Wanyin gently clenched the snowflakes beneath her.
Late at night, he heard someone bowing to him outside.
After each cry of "My Lord," the front of the carriage swayed slightly.
Rong Si strode into the car.
As soon as he entered, the originally spacious carriage became much more cramped.
Rong Si took a package filled with her clothes and placed it beside him.
When Yu Wanyin saw him return, the first thing she wanted to ask was about Chao Yue's injuries.
She moved her lips, but swallowed her words back.
Seeing that she hesitated to speak, Rong Si already knew what she wanted to ask.
His brows and eyes grew even darker and more somber.
Yu Wanyin changed her question and asked, "Why did you bring these over?"
Rong Si did not soften his tone when she changed the subject. "A lot of things were burned at the headquarters, and we still have to clean up. We can't stay there tonight, and it's noisy."
"Shall we make do in the car?"
Yu Wanyin agreed, "Okay."
A carriage of this size is just as comfortable as a house; its size is comparable to that of a small dwelling.
Rong Si put his things down and got out of the carriage. "Then we'll have to find another place to park."
Rong Si took over the job of coachman and led the horse and carriage into the depths of the rarely visited forest.
The further the carriage went, the more deserted the area became.
Although it is still in the village, it is deep in the dense forest, completely isolated from all other human habitation.
There were no houses, no courtyards, no fields, and not even guards.
The quieter it was around her, the more nervous she became.
This made her vaguely aware that she was in a dangerous, uninhabited place.
The only person she could rely on was this man.
Yu Wanyin couldn't help but walk to the front, lift the curtain, and ask him, "Where are we going?"
He said, "Let's go somewhere where there's no one."
Then, their carriages stopped in a deep mountain area.
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