"Who is it?" A dozen yamen runners heard a sound different from the sound of wind and rustling leaves, and they drew their swords and surrounded Chu Pei and others to protect them.
Seeing that Chu Jie hadn't stood up yet, a yamen runner rushed forward and tried to pull her away, but he didn't expect that the enemy had already discovered Chu Jie's weakness, and dozens of people immediately attacked the yamen runner...
"Ah..." A miserable cry of pain instantly resounded throughout the entire forest, and a column of blood spurted into the sky. The yamen runner who wanted to rescue Chu Jie had his left arm, which was originally extended to Chu Jie, chopped off by a man in black, and fell to the ground and rolled around in pain.
However, the dozens of men in black who had been attacking him suddenly drew their swords at the same time, stabbing the yamen runner who was rolling on the ground into a hornet's nest. The strong smell of blood instantly spread throughout the forest, making people sick.
"Ah..." Chu Jie was closest to the yamen runner, so she saw the runner's miserable death clearly, especially the sticky and warm blood sprayed on her face and body. Her fair skin was instantly stained with bright red blood, which greatly stimulated Chu Jie's nerves and she screamed wildly.
She screamed as she quickly climbed up from the ground and stomped her feet hard on the ground, backing away continuously. She yelled in panic, "Don't come over here... Don't kill me... Don't come over here..."
"Catch her!" However, in stark contrast to the cruel attitude towards the yamen runners, a man in a gray tight robe simply ordered the men in black beside him to catch Chu Jie. It seemed that they would not take action against Chu Pei and others for the time being, but just wanted to use Chu Jie and others as hostages to deal with someone.
Chu Jie's eyes were filled with panic and fear. She watched the black-clad man holding a longsword approaching her step by step. She was so frightened that she froze. Especially when she saw the red liquid dripping from the cold sword in the darkness, Chu Jie suddenly fainted...
"Jie'er..." At this time, Xie was the most anxious. Seeing her daughter now in the hands of the other party, Xie cried and wanted to go forward to save Chu Jie with herself, but was stopped by several yamen runners. She was always protected in the encirclement and would not let Xie take any more risks.
Chu Pei looked at the bloody sword at Chu Jie's neck, but he didn't panic like Xie. After all, he had been through many storms, and after his initial shock and surprise, Chu Pei had regained his composure. He suddenly remembered what Chu Feiyang had said to him in the Ministry of Justice prison, and Chu Pei suddenly felt relieved.
The shock and anger in his eyes vanished instantly. Chu Pei calmly stared at the masked gray-clad figure before him, then quickly approached the sisters, Xie Wanwan and Xie Yuanyuan. However, with his hands bound by shackles, Chu Pei could only grab the sisters' hair. He coldly addressed the gray-clad figure, "Let your master come out, or I'll kill them both immediately! I think trading two lives for one is a very good deal!"
As the sinister and vicious words came out, the gray-clothed man's exposed eyes suddenly darkened, but he did not struggle much. He just made a move towards the black-clothed man who was holding Chu Jie hostage. The black-clothed man immediately retracted the long sword that was on Chu Jie's neck.
"Lord Chu, this is at least okay, right?" The man in gray looked at Chu Pei coldly, but when his gaze met Xie Wanwan's slightly frowned brows, a flash of anger crossed his cold eyes, but because of the cover of night, no one noticed it.
"Yes? Humph!" Chu Pei repeated the gray-clothed man's words, then snorted coldly. He pulled the hands that were pulling Xie Wanwan and Xie Yuanyuan's hair and exerted more force until the two of them fell to the ground due to the backlash. Chu Pei stared coldly at the two people who fell to the ground at his feet with his cold and cruel eyes. Then he raised his eyes and glared directly at the gray-clothed man, saying coldly: "Let Wan Wei get out. My patience is limited. I don't have time to play hide-and-seek with him."
From the conversation between Chu Pei and the man in gray, Chu Qingyang already knew that the master of these people was Prime Minister Nanxun Wan. He didn't expect Wan Wei to be so bold as to bring people to kidnap them just when they left the capital. Isn't he afraid of being discovered by King Chen's city defense army, or being seen by Chu Feiyang's subordinates?
Thinking of this, Chu Qingyang had already guessed the reason why Wan Wei was so anxious to send people to act. Apart from asking for that half gold medal, there was probably nothing else in the world that could make Wan Wei act so urgently.
Chu Qingyang dodged and came to Chu Pei's side. He stepped hard on Xie Yuanyuan's calf and said coldly, "Let Wan Wei come out, otherwise I will kill Xie Yuanyuan immediately!"
Xie Yuanyuan felt a sharp pain in her calf, and she felt that her bones were about to be crushed by Chu Qingyang. Her eyes were suddenly filled with tears of pain. She raised her head and looked at Chu Qingyang to beg for mercy, but she didn't expect that his handsome face was covered with gloom. The bright and cheerful boy had long since become the black-faced Grim Reaper.
Chu Qingyang's face was grim and filled with murderous intent. Xie Yuanyuan shuddered, swallowing her last plea for mercy. She gritted her teeth and endured the excruciating pain in her leg, lest she anger Chu Qingyang again. However, Xie Yuanyuan's heart was filled with disappointment and distress. Her half-lidded eyes concealed the expression in them, but they couldn't hide the despair that permeated her.
"Don't..." Unexpectedly, Chu Qingyang's action immediately made the man in gray very nervous. He took a step forward and stretched out one hand to stop Chu Qingyang's violence, but in an instant a black shadow appeared in front of him, and a strong big hand held his hand, stopping his anxiety.
"He really is the Prime Minister of Nanxun. He is so arrogant that he only shows up after we have invited him three times." Looking at the Prime Minister Wan who was not wearing a mask, Chu Qingyang sneered.
After hearing Chu Qingyang's words, the dozen or so yamen runners were all immediately worried. Nanxun? Prime Minister Wan?
What was going on? Wasn't Nanxun already a vassal state of Western Chu? Why was the Nanxun prime minister in Western Chu? And given the situation, it was clear that the Chu family and the prime minister were staring at each other. Had they overheard something they shouldn't have?
Everyone felt a chill run down their foreheads and backs, and the night wind from the woods blew the chill right down to their very core. A wave of despair slowly rose from their feet to their hearts...
Seeing Chu Qingyang tell the whole story, Chu Pei swept his sharp eyes over the dozen or so yamen runners who were protecting him. Now that they knew things they shouldn't have known, they couldn't blame him for being cruel and ruthless later.
"Chu Qingyang, don't think that I can't do anything to you just because you have held Yuanyuan and Wanwan hostage! Don't forget, you are all useless people. How can you be compared with my people?" When Prime Minister Wan saw that Chu Qingyang was stepping hard on his daughter's calf, and Yuanyuan looked depressed and painful, he felt a sharp pain in his heart and spoke to Chu Qingyang in a very cold voice.
"Hmph, as long as those two are in my hands, I don't believe you dare to act rashly! Wan Wei, hand over that half gold medal if you know what's good for you, otherwise don't blame me for killing your daughter!" Little did he know that Chu Qingyang actually took the initiative and put forward his own demands first.
Not only was Prime Minister Wan's heart trembled, but even Chu Pei, standing beside him, glanced sideways at Chu Qingyang with a strange look. Who could have imagined that Qingyang's grasp on power was even stronger than his father's? Seeing the fierceness in Chu Qingyang's face and eyes at this moment, Chu Pei was even more certain of his thoughts.
"Chu Qingyang, you are still too naive. Do you think that just because you have held my daughter hostage, I will obey you? Don't you think that I have crossed more bridges than you have walked? How dare you act so arrogantly in front of me? Consider your own weight before you speak!" After saying this, Prime Minister Wan drew his sword and pointed the tip of the sword at Chu Jie's slender neck. The cold and sharp sword tip instantly cut through Chu Jie's skin, leaving a very thin streak of red blood on her flawless white skin...
"Chu Pei, are you going to hand it over or not? If you do, I promise to spare your family's life and send you to a deserted place to enjoy your old age! If you insist on not obeying, don't blame me for being rude. It's extremely easy for hundreds of people to deal with a mere dozen of you! Don't test my patience. I haven't taken action now because I am showing leniency because of the friendship we have had for many years!"
"Wan Wei, I promise you a life of wealth and glory as long as you hand over half of the gold medal!" How could Chu Pei give up the half of the gold medal in his hand? He immediately blocked Prime Minister Wan's mouth with his condition, leaving Prime Minister Wan speechless for a moment.
"It seems that you won't cry until you see the coffin! Go ahead, show no mercy and kill them all!" Prime Minister Wan retreated, leaving a small group of men in black to protect himself, and let everyone else go forward to kill Chu Pei's family.
The dozen or so yamen runners knew that they had no way to escape today, but if they just abandoned the prisoners and went back to the capital on their own, they were afraid that the emperor would not forgive them. It would be better for them to fight to the death, perhaps there would be a chance of survival.
A dozen people immediately raised their swords and rushed towards the black-clad man...
However, the disparity in strength between the enemy and ours was too great. In the blink of an eye, the yamen runners who had been blocking Chu Pei and his men were all killed by the men in black. The horrific deaths and the cruelty of the men's methods made Xie Shi, Xie Yuanyuan, and Xie Wanwan all retching. They stared at the ground, not daring to look at the shattered bodies in the dark night. Even so, the stench of blood still filled their noses, making them retch and tremble with fear.
For a moment, hundreds of men in black surrounded Chu Pei and others. The long swords in their hands emitted a cold light in the dim light, and the steps of the men in black gradually approached Chu Pei and others. Their dark eyes emitted a fierce and bloodthirsty light like a beast.
At this time, a very thin flute sound rang out in the woods. When Prime Minister Wan heard the flute sound, his eyes were instantly filled with vigilance. The long sword in his hand instantly cut off the shackles on Chu Jie's shoulders. He grabbed Chu Jie from the ground with one hand and pulled her to his chest as a shield, but his eyes were still watching every move in the woods.
Chu Qingyang was a little puzzled when he heard the flute sound. His eyes then fell on Chu Pei, as if asking Chu Pei if reinforcements had arrived.
Chu Pei was also full of doubts, but after thinking about the whole thing, his doubts were instantly resolved. A complicated look appeared in his eyes. He pursed his lips tightly and did not speak, nor did he look at Chu Qingyang. Instead, he listened attentively to the subtle sounds around him and paid attention to the changes in the surrounding environment.
Just when everyone stopped what they were doing and paid attention to the movement in the woods, another group of men in black suddenly descended from the sky. Before Prime Minister Wan's men could react, they had already stabbed out with their swords.
In the blink of an eye, half of Prime Minister Wan's men were wiped out before they could even react. When the other half came to their senses, corpses were scattered all around them. Only then did everyone raise their swords to resist the enemy's attack.
At the same time, the remaining half of the people gradually gave up the plan to besiege Chu Pei and others, and moved closer to Prime Minister Wan in an orderly manner, protecting him in an instant.
This group of men in black who suddenly appeared did not pursue the victory and kill Prime Minister Wan and others immediately. Instead, they protected Chu Pei and others in the middle. Apart from that, they did not take any other actions.
"You bunch of idiots, why don't you kill Wan Wei for me quickly? I want to dismember his body!" Chu Qingyang yelled at the man in black who was protecting him. His angry voice sounded extremely harsh in the silent woods.
But apart from protecting them from any leaks, the men in black paid no attention to Chu Qingyang.
Chu Pei looked at the guards of Prime Minister Wan who were killed. All of them were killed with a single sword. Their methods were extremely skillful and experienced. Their movements were crisp and clear without any dragging. It was obvious that they had been honed through long-term marching and fighting.
However, Qing Yang did not observe these people carefully and thought that they were his guards hidden in the capital. This was so embarrassing that it really annoyed Chu Pei.
"When will it be my second brother's turn to assign my men? If they were stupid, I would have been killed long ago. How could it be my second brother's turn to jump up and down and shout here?" A light sound of footsteps could be heard in the dark night, accompanied by a sneer of ridicule.
Upon hearing this, everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a figure walking out from the woods. This person was tall and slender, wrapped in a black brocade robe, and his hair was fixed with a jade hairpin. Even in the dark night, the jade hairpin emitted a lustrous luster. But the most eye-catching thing was the person's pair of eyes that were as bright as stars, like a pearl in the dark night, emitting a dazzling light. Who else could this person be but Chu Feiyang?
When Chu Pei saw that it was Chu Feiyang who came, some strange feelings slowly grew in his heart, and the look in his eyes became more and more complicated.
However, Chu Qingyang's face was filled with hatred, his eyes emitting beast-like anger in the dark night, and he wished he could pounce on Chu Feiyang and tear him to pieces.
"We didn't even ask the prince to come and rescue us. The prince is really meddling in other people's business!" Chu Qingyang taunted Chu Feiyang. His attention had already shifted to Chu Feiyang, just like Prime Minister Wan. He always felt a step behind Chu Feiyang, but they were both legitimate grandchildren of the Chu family. Why did Chu Feiyang have everything while he couldn't even get a scrap of the soup? He wasn't willing to accept this, so how could he be made to accept this? How could he be made to accept this?
Only one person between him and Chu Feiyang must survive. Since Chu Feiyang cannot tolerate him, he naturally does not need to show mercy.
Thinking of this, Chu Qingyang immediately looked at Chu Pei, but found that Chu Pei was staring at Chu Feiyang who was slowly approaching with complicated eyes. There was less hostility in his eyes, but instead some other emotions were spawned.
This discovery immediately made Chu Qingyang's heart tighten. He watched the changes in Chu Pei's expression with his eyes, and his hands, which were locked in the shackles, clenched into fists...
Chu Feiyang certainly didn't notice the changes in Chu Qingyang and the others' expressions, but he didn't have the extra energy to pay attention to their changes. Chu Feiyang raised his hand, and the guards standing beside Chu Pei and the others immediately raised their swords...
"Dang..." The shackles on Chu Pei and others' shoulders were all removed.
"Prime Minister Wan, I haven't seen you for a long time. I didn't expect you to be hiding in my Xi Chu. Why don't you come to the palace as a guest? After all, when we were in Nanxun, Prime Minister Wan was a hospitable person!" Chu Feiyang approached the crowd, stopped and stood in front of Chu Pei and others, greeting Prime Minister Wan with a smile on his face.
Wan Wei held his sword to Chu Jie's throat, staring at the sudden appearance of Chu Feiyang. A sinister glint flashed in his half-closed eyes, and he sneered, "Chu Feiyang, this matter has nothing to do with you. Stop meddling in other people's business. Don't you think that if you saved Chu Pei and the others, they will thank you? How about we join forces? I only want the world of Nanxun, and I will help you gain the kingdom of Xichu. How about that?"
"Wan Wei, you scoundrel!" Chu Feiyang hadn't even begun to speak when Chu Qingyang, unable to contain his anger, began to curse. He had thought Wan Wei would restrain himself after seeing Chu Feiyang, but he hadn't expected him to be so brazen as to demand Chu Feiyang side with him. Although Chu Qingyang loathed Chu Feiyang, he also knew that Chu Feiyang was their protective shield. If he defected, this would be their demise. How could he, Chu Qingyang, be defeated so easily? He would never resign himself to death until he had taken everything back from Chu Feiyang!
"Villain? A man of small mind is not a gentleman, and a man without cruelty is not a man! Humph, how can you accomplish great things in this world without being ruthless? Chu Qingyang, I'm afraid your heart is even crueler than mine, why bother pretending to be a good person again?" Unexpectedly, Wan Wei didn't give Chu Qingyang any face at all, and sneered at Chu Qingyang's false benevolence.
But compared to Chu Qingyang, Prime Minister Wan cared more about Chu Feiyang. After he finished ridiculing Chu Qingyang, he turned his gaze back to Chu Feiyang, waiting for Chu Feiyang's decision.
"I didn't seek external aid in Nanxun back then. Now that I'm standing on my own land, do I really need the support of a defeated general like you? Besides, Western Chu isn't what I want. I'm afraid Prime Minister Wan has made a wrong bet!" Dark clouds drifted by, and the bright white moonlight illuminated the earth, shining on Chu Feiyang's face. He raised his thin lips, a beautiful smile appeared on his face, but his eyes were filled with disdain, which immediately made Prime Minister Wan angry. He felt that he had been tricked by Chu Feiyang...
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