043
In the desolate wilderness, the howls of wolves rose one after another.
The crowd held their torches, holding their breath, until pairs of menacing, green eyes drew near. Surrounded by wolves, they had almost nowhere to escape.
Fortunately, the people her father assigned were all top-notch; they didn't talk much, but they were efficient in their actions.
Moson left two men to protect the young lady and went alone to slash at the alpha wolf that was charging at him.
Wang Zhiyan was not idle either; she protected her two maids behind her to guard against a wolf pack attack.
Wolves are very intelligent animals, skilled in using cunning and working in perfect harmony.
But wild beasts are naturally afraid of fire, so this was clearly a battle between humans and beasts that was a foregone conclusion.
However, accidents always happen unexpectedly.
The alpha wolf seemed to realize they wouldn't get much benefit, but they hadn't eaten for days. Normally, wolves rarely provoke humans, but now, for the sake of their cubs, the alpha wolf had to take the risk.
From a distance came clusters of dim firelight, accompanied by shouts and noise from the crowd.
This was not good news for the wolf pack that had failed in their hunt, nor was it good news for Wang Zhiyan and her group.
The large, organized group that appeared in the desolate wilderness could only be... bandits, if not government troops.
"What bad luck!"
One of the guards cursed under his breath, but before he could finish, a dense rain of arrows fell from the sky.
The wolf pack, disregarding the casualties, scattered in panic, howling all the way.
Wang Zhiyan and her group also struggled to resist, trying to block arrows while searching for a way to escape.
"Miss, you go first." Mo Song blocked her way with a hard face.
Now we don't care about marriage alliances or how fast we're moving; escaping is the most important thing.
Without the slightest hesitation, Wang Zhiyan stepped back and mounted a horse: "Qiushui, take Chunya and get on the horse!"
Qiu Shui was skilled at riding, so she naturally couldn't hold her young mistress back at this moment.
Clutching his injured arm, he pulled the trembling Chun Ya onto a horse and spurred it on to follow.
"Boss, someone's escaped!"
On a low hill not far away, a short, one-eyed man, about thirty or forty years old, pointed in the direction Wang Zhiyan had fled: "Shouldn't we chase after her?"
"I've been secretly observing this group of people all the way. Although their clothes and appearance are quite ordinary, their words and actions clearly indicate that they're not from an ordinary family. If we capture them, we should make a good profit off them!"
"Send a group of people, you... send the second brother to chase after them."
"Huh?" One-Eyed tapped his back teeth. "Okay, I'll go get him!"
But as soon as he turned around, his face fell. Second son, second son, it's always the second son. All the good things go to the second son.
He's just a pretty boy, what's so special about him?
Even with their superior martial arts skills, the twenty-odd guards couldn't withstand the overwhelming numbers of the opposing side, not to mention the several who had already been killed dealing with the wolf pack.
Mersson broke through the encirclement and immediately ordered a retreat. A group of men had pursued the young lady in the direction she had fled; they had to go and provide support first.
"drive--"
The horse came to a sudden stop; ahead lay a cliff.
Just as that guard said, what bad luck!
Why are all these ridiculous stories from the novels being dumped on her? Wang Zhiyan frowned, dismounted, and drew the crossbow she was carrying.
“Miss, let’s go and lure them away.” Qiu Shui stood in front of her. “You should quickly find a place to hide.”
The two maids were loyal, which surprised Qiu Shui. However, Chun Ya was clearly used to big scenes and looked terrified, but she still mustered up her courage and nodded when Qiu Shui made the suggestion.
"Do you trust me?" Wang Zhiyan's heart leaped into her throat as she listened to the increasingly close sound.
Even with her martial arts skills, she couldn't guarantee her safety if she were captured, let alone Qiu Shui and Chun Ya.
"We believe you, Miss. We'll believe whatever you say."
"Then jump."
In just a few moments, when a group of bandits rushed to the cliff, they found that both men and horses had vanished without a trace.
"Damn it!" The one-eyed man stomped his foot and pointed at the tall, thin man beside him, cursing, "Wait, wait! I told you following this bastard would never end well! Look, he's run away!"
The man ignored him, took a few steps closer, and walked to the edge of the cliff to look down. The momentum wasn't particularly rapid, but it was still quite dangerous. If someone fell, they would either hit a rock and die or drown.
"Take the men and go downstream to search." The man glanced at the one-eyed man beside him: "Are you going or should I go?"
"Is it necessary? The person is already dead, what's the point of all this chatter?"
“These people are no ordinary individuals; they are of vital importance to my Azure Dragon Stronghold.” The man’s expression was enigmatic. “I want to see them alive or dead.”
“Muttering to yourself,” One-Eye spat at him, “If you want to find me, go find me yourself. I’m not playing with you anymore.”
“Alright,” the man raised an eyebrow, “then we’ll have to call upon some of Third Brother’s men.”
"Use my ass!" Before One-Eye could finish cursing, he saw those deadpan eyes again. So annoying!
"I don't care whether she uses it or not. Zhang Hu, come back to the mountain stronghold with me!"
"Yes, Third Master!"
"Damn it, I've been busy all this time and haven't caught a single one. What a waste of time!"
Even after people have walked a long way, they can still hear his veiled insults.
"Second-in-command and third-in-command have gone too far. We have to complain to the leader."
The man raised his hand, not taking it seriously: "That's just how Third Brother is. It's more important to get down to business first. Go downstream and search for people."
"Yes, Second Master."
On the border between Cangwu Prefecture and Yangzhou, Yu Baizhou's army has officially clashed with the King of Qi.
Winter was approaching soon, which was certainly not a season for war.
Now that news of His Majesty's serious illness has spread from Luoyang, various regions are stirring with ambition. The Second Prince's limited power alone is unlikely to be enough to quell the unrest.
The late emperor had many sons, but only a few survived the struggle for the throne. Although the current emperor is old, he is still intolerant of any dissent.
There was no reason for his son to be such a magnanimous prince. The Second Prince possessed a gentle and refined demeanor, like a clear breeze and a bright moon. However, Yu Baizhou had once glimpsed another side of him during his trip to the capital to report on his duties.
The two states are still in the negotiation stage, but the Second Prince has already issued five imperial edicts to him in the name of the court.
It's all just one command.
The troops retreated and proceeded to the capital.
It's unclear whether it's his narrow-mindedness or the Second Prince's stupidity. Yu Baizhou, a rough man with little education, naturally understood the principle that if you don't advance, you retreat, and if you retreat, there's nowhere left to retreat to.
Once the southwestern army retreats, the King of Qi will surely conquer and advance south. And if he, as the commander-in-chief, enters the capital, the court may certainly fear him and kill him, but by then, before the newly appointed general has even taken office, this vast territory in the south will probably have already been seized by the King of Qi or other forces.
"General, urgent order!" Lieutenant Li delivered the order with a dark face: "Damn it, does this Second Prince have nothing better to do than keep an eye on us?"
Yu Baizhou opened the door, and as expected, it was time to call it a day.
"What about that messenger?" Lieutenant Li said indignantly, "Is he still locked up? If you ask me, it would be better to kill him than to waste the grain that the strategist and the others worked so hard to collect."
"Let's just end it all and break ties with the imperial court."
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