Chapter 56
Chapter 56
Once the city gates were closed, all the guards and civilians were trapped inside the city, leaving only a group of people chasing after the few people who had escaped.
Three people escaped during the chaos.
One of them was a warrior who instigated the people and then took the opportunity to open the city gate. The other two were the "old man" who was kneeling on the ground begging for mercy and his youngest son who was lying on the wooden board and "half dead".
Now everyone is full of energy.
The horses behind them were getting closer and closer, and the three of them ran forward desperately without even looking back.
No matter how fast a pair of legs is, it cannot match a fast horse. The guard in the front quickly caught up with the short-legged man who was at the end. He bent down, grabbed him by the back of the collar, lifted him up and put him on the horse's back. At the same time, the other two were grabbed by the arms by the team members and thrown onto the horses behind them, but they did not go back and continued to gallop forward.
The sound of horses' hooves flying, dust rising, and the sounds of pursuit on the official road gradually faded away.
The horses galloped along the official road for nearly two hours. They felt a drizzle on their faces, so the leader turned his horse around and went into the mountain road beside him. The people behind followed closely. A group of people and horses entered the dense forest and slowly stopped.
Everyone dismounted and took off their armor, only to see that the guard who had robbed people first was none other than Xie Shao.
Looking up, he saw that the 'fugitive' he had captured had collapsed on the horse's back. He lifted him off the horse by the waist. The 'fugitive' lay between his arms, his face pale, his legs so weak that he could not even stand.
Xie Shao helped her sit on the grass nearby, took out the water bag from his waist, and handed it to her mouth, "Drink some water slowly."
The first "fugitive" to be caught was Wen Shuse.
In the past, Wen Shuse would feel dizzy even when riding in a carriage. After this trip, she felt dizzy and felt like she was floating in the air. She rested her head on her lover's arms, unable to exert any strength. She obediently opened her mouth and swallowed two mouthfuls of water.
The cold water with ice cubes soaked into his lungs from his throat, and he finally regained consciousness, but he suddenly became depressed. "It's all my fault that I can't even ride a horse. My dear, you should go. This time I won't stop you, and I won't blame you..."
During the three hours in the inn, Xie Shaoben did not expect her to really learn how to ride a horse and rush out of the city gate by herself. The training in the stable was just to let her adapt first.
Now it seems that it is quite effective and has not affected her eloquence.
After Prince Jing and Pei Qing took off their armor, they also came over and looked at Wen Shuse. Prince Jing asked with concern, "Is Madam Wen okay?"
Fearing that he would hold everyone back, Wen Shuse quickly stood up from Xie Shao's arms and nodded with a smile, "Sorry to trouble you, Your Highness. I'm fine."
Prince Jing smiled and praised, "I didn't expect Madam Wen to be so courageous." After hearing Xie Shao's plan at first, he was still a little worried, fearing that Madam Wen would get scared and be unable to react.
Xie Shao assured him, "My wife is different from ordinary young ladies. Instead of riding a horse, it is better to choose something she is good at."
As expected, compared to riding a horse, Madam Wen ran away more efficiently.
The pursuers would not be able to react so quickly as it had already started to rain. If they continued to take the official road, they would inevitably leave horse hoof prints. They would go into the woods to avoid the rain for a while, then cross the mountain overnight to the town opposite, change their clothes, and rush to the next city, South City.
It would take two days of fast horseback ride to get from Weicheng to Nancheng, but once they passed Nancheng, they would be close to Dongdu. There was no need to rush for the moment. He turned around and told everyone, "Rest here for two minutes."
After sitting for a while, the raindrops above their heads became more and more dense, threatening to penetrate the dense forest. The trees were afraid that they could not block the rain, so the team set out again to find a place to shelter from the rain ahead.
Wen Shuse's expression had just recovered. Seeing everyone standing up, he did not delay, tied the bag back to his shoulders, and prepared to get on the horse.
The mountain road is narrow and bumpy, and if she gets on the horse, there is an 80% chance that she will pass out from the shake.
After taking a look at the young lady climbing onto the horse's back, Xie Shao handed the reins to Min Zhang, turned around, pulled her down, and squatted with his back to her, "Get on."
Wen Shu was stunned, staring at the broad back of the man in front of him, and soon understood what he meant. He shook his head and said, "I'm fine, don't worry..."
Seeing the rain getting heavier, Langjun became a little impatient, "If you really didn't want me to worry, you shouldn't have followed me. You're already halfway here, do you think I would abandon you?"
Knowing that she couldn't ride a horse and would cause trouble for everyone, she was already trying her best. In fact, she felt a tightness in her chest at the moment, but she didn't dare to say it for fear of being despised.
Being scolded by her husband for no reason, her heart suddenly ached and she became even more depressed. She didn't dare to say another word and just cooperated by lying on his back.
The mountain road was winding and the horses were moving slowly. Xie Shao carried Wen Shuse on his back and walked at the end with Min Zhang and Pei Qing. They walked quietly all the way and no one spoke.
I felt a little uncomfortable without the noisy voice of the young lady. Later I realized that maybe what I said was a little too much.
Thinking about it carefully, she didn't cause any trouble to anyone along the way, and he didn't dislike her.
God knows why he said that, and it was too late to take it back, so Xie Shao had to turn his head and wink at Pei Qing who was holding a torch on horseback.
When he said that just now, Pei Qing was beside him. He had long known that he was looking for trouble. He understood what he meant and moistened his voice before talking to Wen Shuse: "Sister-in-law's reaction is really quick tonight."
Wen Shuse was in a state of annoyance and self-blame, unable to muster up the energy. Suddenly, Pei Qing spoke to him, and he regained some energy, "Really?"
Pei Qing nodded, "I thought Min Zhang would be the first one to come out, but I didn't expect it to be my sister-in-law."
That's true.
After Pei Qing opened the city gate, the guards were blocked by the wooden bolt he threw. Before they could catch up, Wen Shuse suddenly squeezed out from the gap between the people behind him and ran out.
Then it was Min Zhang.
Min Zhang also noticed and cooperated in time, "My slave is stupid, not as smart as Third Madam."
The two of them sang in unison, and their praise and recognition gave her a little hope. She turned her head and secretly looked at the back of the man in front of her, waiting for his response with nervousness and expectation.
After a while, the man said, "Well, my lady is smart and clever, and she is as good as any man."
Finally getting the affirmation from her husband, she was overwhelmed with joy, the corners of her lips raised, but also mixed with a hint of grievance. She pursed her lips, and although she still didn't say anything, the pair of arms around her husband's neck were obviously tighter than before.
Xie Shao also breathed a sigh of relief. Master Wen was right. This young lady was indeed easy to coax. He couldn't help but hug her on his back.
As soon as he moved, the young lady's chin rubbed against his hair, and a clear and faint fragrance came to his nose. She forgot to avoid it for a moment, and her forehead accidentally hit his silver hair crown.
Before she could apologize, Langjun turned his head and asked her in a low voice, "Does it hurt?"
The deep voice was full of concern. My heart suddenly throbbed, and a strange feeling passed through me, warm and sweet. The young lady blushed and shook her head, "It doesn't hurt."
The man carried her on his back and continued forward.
After walking for a while, he noticed that the raindrops above his head seemed to have decreased a lot. When he looked up, he saw that the young lady's hands had covered his head at some point, shielding him from the rain.
A warm current suddenly surged through my heart, and the person on my back instantly felt much lighter.
Just as he was about to let her take care of herself, the young lady gently leaned her head on his shoulder and whispered, "My dear, if you are tired, just tell me, I can walk."
He was not tired at all, he had plenty of energy, "He covered his head with his hands."
The summer rain is not severe; it comes and goes quickly. Before the group found a place to shelter from the rain, the raindrops above their heads had stopped.
It had rained, the forest was wet and slippery, and visibility was obstructed at night, so it was not safe to go any further. After finding a cliff ahead, Prince Jing asked everyone to stop and rest for an hour.
The raindrops were not heavy, so the young lady was not very wet. She asked Min Zhang to take a towel from her bag and wipe the water droplets off her head.
Looking back, he saw that everyone was leaning against the stone wall to recuperate, so he chose a dry spot and let the young lady lean on his shoulder. "Sleep for a while, we will be tired tomorrow."
Everyone was in a hurry to leave the city last night and had no time to sleep, so they were all a little tired.
The closer they got to Dongdu, the harder the road would become. Wen Shuse was the weakest person in the team, so she didn't dare to waste the opportunity. She leaned on Langjun's shoulder and quickly closed her eyes.
I don’t know how much time had passed before I was woken up by my husband. When I opened my eyes, it was already dawn. The stuffiness in my chest was gone, and I felt much more energetic.
The team didn't delay any longer and got on their horses together. Wen Shuse and Xie Shao still rode on the same horse. After daybreak, the horses ran faster and faster. After the previous bumpy ride, they were much more used to it when running again.
Around 9:00 p.m., the group crossed the mountains and arrived at the town opposite.
The team split up again, pretending to be two caravans going to the countryside to collect goods, and entered the town one after another. This time, Prince Jing and the people from the palace were the rear guard, while Xie Shao, Wen Shuse and Pei Qing went first.
Xie Shao led the horse and Wen Shuse followed beside him. It was just a small town and the things sold on the streets were nothing new. Almost no one was interested in buying them and passers-by were just busy getting on with their journey.
From the beginning to the end of the town, everything was normal.
Looking up, you can see the town's plaque. The news from Weicheng should not have reached us yet, and there is no defense checkpoint in the town.
His pace quickened. He was only two steps away from the exit when he heard the urgent sound of horse hooves behind him. "Dongzhou Prefecture has issued an order. Everyone stop leaving the town immediately!"
After Weicheng in the rear was blocked, not many people passed through the town, and the few people were too conspicuous. Xie Shao's heart sank, and he quickly helped Wen Shuse onto the horse's back and climbed on top himself.
Prince Jing was still behind, and Pei Qing stayed behind to cover their retreat.
Min Zhang followed Xie Shao, holding the horse's belly tightly, and rushed out of the town without looking back. The horses had not gone far when they heard the sound of fighting behind them.
Wen Shu shrank into Xie Shao's arms, not daring to move.
The horses galloped all the way without stopping for a moment.
After running for half an hour, they suddenly heard the sound of horse hooves chasing them. Wen Shuse's face changed. He mustered up the courage to look back from Xie Shao's arms. Seeing that the people coming were Pei Qing, Prince Jing and the people from the palace, he finally let out a sigh of relief.
Prince Jing chased forward and said, "Abandon the horse and go into the woods." After saying this, he jumped off the horse first and rolled into the slope next to him. The horse he was sitting on was still running forward.
Next is Pei Qing.
Wen Shuse had never experienced such a thrilling moment before. He was stunned and didn't know whether he could survive this jump.
Most likely he is half dead.
When it really came to a life-and-death moment, it would be a lie to say that I wasn't afraid. Just when I was panicking, I heard Xie Shao say, "Don't panic, turn around slowly."
The horse was still running, and it was shaking violently when sitting down. Wen Shuse held his breath and moved his butt carefully. After a while, his legs finally adjusted their position.
Without waiting for him to say anything, she immediately threw herself into his arms and hugged his waist tightly.
Before turning the corner, Xie Shao loosened the reins in time, hugged her and fell off the horse, and they fell into the haystack beside them together.
Wen Shuse didn't feel any pain the moment he landed. After rolling a few times, he felt a little breathless due to the pressure from the person on him.
I just heard a muffled groan from my husband below, and realized that he had fallen to the ground first, so I hurriedly got up to pull him up, "My husband..."
Xie Shao gritted his teeth and said, "I'm fine, go in first."
Min Zhang also jumped off the horse and came over to help in time. The three of them hurriedly disappeared into the woods.
There is only this one way to get to the Eastern Capital. Once you enter Zhongzhou, you will be trapped in the prince's jar, and such an encounter is inevitable.
In the first battle, the royal palace lost three men. One stayed in the town to cover their retreat, and the other two did not jump off their horses and led the pursuers away.
Without horses, their whereabouts were exposed and they could only travel by water.
Zhongzhou was the territory that King Jing had conquered personally, so he was very familiar with the terrain there. After the team made some adjustments, they followed the forest to a village at daybreak.
There is a narrow river to the south of the village that leads to a nearby ferry.
But this place is remote and few outsiders come in. When the villagers suddenly see strangers, they are a little wary and dare not talk to them.
Until Prince Jing asked with a smile: "Is the crooked ginkgo tree on the millstone still there?"
I don't know who sowed the seeds under the millstone. As soon as the ginkgo seedlings grew out, they were crushed by the millstone and became crooked. Only people who have been to the village know this.
An old man asked him in surprise: "Has the distinguished guest been here before?"
Prince Jing nodded, "I've been here before." He raised his head and pointed to a farmer's house, "It used to be a temple. I lived there for two months."
Only then did everyone let down their guard.
"So we are from the same hometown." The old man greeted them with a smile and invited them into the house. After chatting with them, they found out that he was the village chief.
When he heard that several people wanted to cross the river, the village chief agreed without hesitation.
After exchanging some food, the group continued their journey. As there were too many people, they hired two boats.
Prince Jing and his guards were in one boat, and were personally seen off by the village chief.
Xie Shao, Wen Shuse, Min Zhang, and Pei Qing sat in a boat at the back. The rower was a young man who seemed very shy. He didn't even raise his head and didn't speak a word along the way.
The village chief was quite talkative. He asked Prince Jing where he came from. When he heard that he was a merchant who came to collect cotton, he kindly recommended a few places.
Prince Jing responded politely for a few words, but he had no intention of continuing the conversation. Instead, Xie Shao, who was on the boat behind him, started a conversation with him, "Hasn't anyone come to the village before?"
"Our place is remote and few people come here. These distinguished guests are the first batch after the beginning of the year..."
Xie Shao didn't ask any more questions.
After jumping off the horse, Xie Shao had a cut on his forehead, perhaps by a branch or a stone. Wen Shuse asked the villagers for salt water, wet a silk handkerchief with it, and asked him to cover the cut.
After covering it for a while, he suddenly pulled it off impatiently and threw it to Wen Shuse beside him, "It's just a small wound, what's the point of covering it?"
Wen Shuse was originally sitting quietly beside him, but his eyes widened immediately after he shouted at him.
"What's wrong? Are you not convinced? If it weren't for you, would I have been hurt? Next time, you should see clearly who is your master."
He spoke quite loudly and Prince Jing on the boat ahead also heard it. His eyes moved slightly but his expression remained expressionless.
Pei Qing advised: "I am just a servant. If you are not satisfied, you can just leave this place and sell it. Why get angry..."
His behavior was so abnormal that Wen Shuse quickly reacted. He stood up and knelt in front of him, lowering his eyes to listen to his instructions, "Master, calm down."
Xie Shao: ...
Pei Qing took a deep breath, knowing that someone was about to die again, so he turned his head and looked into the water, secretly staring at his reflection on the water.
When the quarrel broke out, the village chief just laughed dryly twice and said nothing more, concentrating on rowing the boat.
After two incense sticks, the river gradually became wider and the bustling sounds from the ferry outside could be vaguely heard.
This section of the river is not completely connected to the ferry outside. There is a waterfall at the intersection, so you can't pass it and have to get off the boat in advance.
The village chief propped the pole in his hand against the wooden bridge in front of him for disembarking, turned around and said with a smile: "Dear guests, we have arrived."
"Thank you for seeing me off, village chief." Prince Jing stood up first. The village chief politely stood aside and made way for him. When someone passed by him, he suddenly took out a dagger from his sleeve and stabbed towards Prince Jing.
Prince Jing was prepared. His eyes flashed coldly and he grabbed his wrist with his backhand and twisted it upwards. As someone who had fought on the battlefield for decades, one can imagine how strong his hand was.
With a "click" sound, the village chief's wrist was broken on the spot and he screamed in pain.
At the same time, the young man on the boat behind him also began to move. He threw the pole in his hand to the other side and was about to board the boat with force, intending to push the boat and the people under the fault of the waterfall. Unexpectedly, before he jumped out, Xie Shao grabbed his ankle and pulled him back to the boat. Min Zhang immediately grabbed the pole to stabilize the boat, while Pei Qing and Xie Shao captured the man together. The boat was not big to begin with, and after a few actions, the boat shook violently, and the splashing water fell on Wen Shuse's body and face. A pair of hands held the edge of the boat tightly, without saying a word, and did not dare to let go.
I wanted to finish writing this part, but time didn’t allow and I got stuck for a while, so I’ll just post it here first. I’ll finish it tomorrow~
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