Chapter 156 Rescuing Lu Zhaoruo
Wan Wanning stumbled and fell all the way back to the camp, bumping into Lu Bohong, who was resting after putting away his gun.
"Wan Ning?"
Lu Bohong steadied himself, his thick brows furrowed. "Why are you so flustered? You're covered in sweat... Where's your sister? Didn't she go looking for you?"
Wan Wanning's eyes darted around, she panted and lowered her head, twisting the hem of her clothes with her fingers: "Ah, my sister... she's behind us, she said she'll be back soon..."
His voice grew weaker and weaker as he spoke, almost as if it were muffled in his mouth.
Lu Bohong sensed something was amiss and was about to ask when Wan Wanning had already brushed past him and practically ran towards the side of the camp.
She immediately spotted Xiao Yeming sitting alone on a broken piece of wood in the distance, his head slightly lowered, his fingertips gently caressing two silk handkerchiefs in his palm, his expression one of focus and gentleness she had never seen before.
That handkerchief…she recognized it!
It was a gift from Lu Zhaoruo!
A decisive and ruthless general was actually lost in thought while looking at a woman's handkerchief.
So he was infatuated with her?
But.
She was a divorced woman who had her innocence violated and then sued her husband's entire family in court.
Such a person, with family wealth, even if someone admires him, should not be a general.
Xiao Yeming noticed everything.
He quickly tucked the handkerchief into his robes, and when he looked up, all warmth had vanished from his eyes, leaving only cold wariness: "Who goes there?"
Suppressing her turbulent emotions, Wan Wanning put on a panicked expression and stumbled towards him, crying out in a sob, "General Xiao! Something terrible has happened!"
Upon seeing that it was her, Xiao Yeming's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly, a hint of impatience flashing across his face as he asked in a deep, cold voice, "What is it?"
"Sister... Sister, she..."
Wan Wanning sobbed uncontrollably, "We've encountered villains! They've captured my sister! They... they said you're allowed to go to the cliff to the north alone! If they find you with anyone else, they'll... they'll cut off my sister's hands and feet immediately!"
Xiao Yeming's eyes suddenly flashed with cold light. He grabbed Wan Wanning's wrist tightly, almost crushing her bones, and asked in a deep, cold voice, "Where did the incident happen? How many people were there? What were their clothing and weapons like?"
Wan Wanning trembled with fright, tears streaming down her face as she sobbed, “There were probably eight people leading them, and there seemed to be quite a few more behind them... They were all carrying broadswords, wearing coarse linen clothes... straw sandals on their feet, and large bamboo hats on their heads.”
Xiao Yeming instantly saw through the other party's identity.
They are remnants of the Japanese pirates!
A group of Japanese pirates had always been lurking along the coast of Linhai, but they never went to sea with the main force.
These people were responsible for secretly relaying messages between their mastermind and Niu Xin'ou and Gu Chen, and for carrying out shady dealings. They were a group of secret agents hidden in the shadows.
Now that the mastermind has been executed, this group of desperate criminals has become like mad dogs without a master, and they are willing to take risks to ambush and take revenge here!
Wan Wanning cried out in pain, "General Xiao... it hurts..."
Xiao Yeming shook off her hand.
Wan Wanning gripped her wrist, looking timidly at Xiao Yeming.
Xiao Yeming didn't even glance at her, turning and striding towards the camp, shouting sharply, "Ban Ling! Wang Wu!"
"Your subordinate is here!"
The two men stepped forward in response, their expressions instantly turning solemn.
Banling keenly sensed that something was amiss and quickly put down the pancake in his hand.
Wang Wu gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, holding his breath and waiting for orders.
The general's sudden seriousness must mean something serious has happened.
Xiao Yeming spoke very quickly, his voice low, yet every word was like a military order: "Banling, immediately select seven personal guards, lightly armored and simply dressed, to take a long detour and sneak to the north side of the cliff; Wang Wu, take seven personal soldiers to sneak to the eastern mountain hollow and ambush. Neither of them are allowed to go up the mountain, and they must not show themselves without my signal!"
"Your subordinate obeys!"
Without hesitation, the two turned around and mobilized their troops.
Upon hearing the commotion, Sun Jing silently strode forward, his hand already resting on the hilt of his sword.
His slightly rough face was full of worry.
He had already noticed that it was late, but Master Lu had not yet returned, and he was feeling uneasy. He was already planning to take the initiative to go and look for him.
The sudden tension in the camp made his heart sink.
At this moment, Lu Bohong rushed over, spear in hand, sweat beading on his forehead, and asked urgently, "What happened? Is it my little sister...?"
Xiao Yeming met his anxious gaze and said in a deep voice, "Madam Lu was taken to the North Cliff by villains. They threatened her safety and ordered me to go alone."
Lu Bohong's eyes suddenly reddened, and he slammed the tip of his gun to the ground: "Where are they? I'm going to chop those bastards to pieces right now!"
Although Sun Jing did not speak, he had already gripped the hilt of his knife tightly, his eyes sharp as knives as he swept over Wan Wanning beside him.
When Wan Wanning met his gaze, she immediately lowered her head guiltily, not daring to meet his eyes.
Sun Jing knew perfectly well that her master had gone to the riverbank alone to look for her, and had sent her away!
Now, she's back, but her employer has been arrested.
Xiao Yeming pressed down on Lu Bohong's trembling arm, his strength steady: "Brother Lu! Calm down! If you rush in, the villains might immediately endanger Madam Lu's life if they see a stranger!"
His tone carried the authority of a commander: "You stay here and lead the remaining four guards to protect everyone in the camp."
Besides Wan Wanning, Dong Rou, and A Bao, the camp also had a military doctor and four servants.
Lu Bohong felt his blood surging and his killing intent boiling; he wished he could immediately grab his gun and rush up the cliff.
However, his younger sister's parting words suddenly rang in his ears: "Brother, you are going to the capital. You must be calm and composed in everything you do. You must not act impulsively as you used to."
He took a deep breath, suppressing his overwhelming anxiety and anger, and turned his gaze to Xiao Yeming, who was calm and composed, with a composed demeanor.
Yes, General Xiao is the commander-in-chief of the three armies and is well-versed in strategy. At this moment, only by trusting him can we save my little sister!
He clasped his hands in a deep fist salute: "General Xiao, rest assured! I, Lu, will guard the camp and ensure the safety of everyone!"
Xiao Yeming stared into his eyes and said again, "Brother Lu, hand her over to me."
He spoke with remorse: "She was in danger because of me this time. I, Xiao Yeming, swear on my life—I will bring her back safe and sound!"
Only after hearing General Xiao's words did Lu Bohong feel somewhat at ease.
He had always held this young general in high esteem.
Interestingly, as far as he knew, Xiao Yeming was actually a little younger than him.
At such a young age, he had already risen to the rank of general, repeatedly achieved great feats, and become a commander who commanded great respect in the region.
Thinking of this, Lu Bohong felt a surge of admiration and longing.
This trip to Beijing is a must to strive for fame and success!
He made up his mind and gripped the spear tightly in his hand.
I hope to soon be able to fight on the battlefield and truly defend our country!
Xiao Yeming turned to Sun Jing, who was silently waiting for orders.
Before Sun Jing could speak, Xiao Yeming looked directly at him and said, "Sun Jing! You have the best lightness skill and the most agile movements. You must follow me closely from a distance, like a shadow, but you must never reveal your whereabouts! While I am dealing with the other party, you should act according to the situation and find the best opportunity to rescue them. Understand?"
"clear!"
Sun Jing clasped his hands in acceptance of the order, and with a swift movement, he silently slipped into the forest path like a ghost, taking the lead in setting off.
Xiao Yeming said nothing more, turned around abruptly, and walked towards the horse that had been prepared.
He flipped himself onto the horse, flicked the reins, and with a neigh, the horse shot off like an arrow toward the northern cliff.
The night wind whistled past my ears, carrying a biting chill.
He forced himself to calm down, his mind racing as he calculated the terrain, the enemy situation, and the time it would take for Sun Jing and Ban Ling to get into position.
At this moment, he was no longer the Xiao Yeming who would blush and be at a loss for words in front of her.
He was a naval commander who had fought his way out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, and who struck fear into the hearts of Japanese pirates.
He had only one thought in his mind.
"Sister Lu, wait for me."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
