Before long, they arrived at a house, which was the residence of the Shu King's subordinates. Inside, besides the manager, there were guards and the manager's concubines. When they saw Wei Tingsi walk in with a swagger, his face as terrifying as Yama, and when they saw that the newly arrived Shu King's confidant was tied up, they immediately dared not utter a sound.
Although Wei Tingsi brought soldiers here, they were all trusted confidants with excellent skills. Together with Xiao Guozi and the bearded man, the fifty men were quickly dealt with.
In early spring, Zhao Shu and a maid brought by Zhou Hanyan went to cook. Zhao Shu instructed Xiao Guozi to protect them, while Zhao Shu and the others discussed in the courtyard how to get the horses across before the weather changed. However, a problem arose: they were not sure if the soldiers who came later had arrived on the other side of the yellow sand. What if they got the horses across before the soldiers arrived?
This is a difficult problem.
If a storm hits, the signal will disappear, and they will have to lead their horses across themselves.
Wei Tingsi wanted to set off immediately, but the sky changed too quickly, as if dark clouds were about to descend. "Young Master Lin, when will the storm return?"
Lin Dongxue also secretly groaned. The sky looked better just now, but now it had changed drastically. The change was too fast, and he was no longer confident. Based on his many years of experience, the storm would definitely come within two hours. "Marshal, at the speed of the weather change, the storm may be coming soon, before it gets dark."
"Make sure the horses are safe, and we'll leave after the storm."
Soon, the storm came very quickly. Every household in the town closed their doors and stayed indoors. The horses seemed to be experienced as well, obediently staying in their stalls and not running around.
Zhao Shu looked on in amazement. She had heard that horses were spiritual beings. Could it be true?
Knowing her thoughts, Wei Tingsi couldn't help but chuckle, "Horses are indeed intelligent and are good companions to humans."
Zhao Shu knew that people who love horses would treat them as part of themselves, sometimes even better than they treat themselves.
In less than two hours, the sky turned dark and gloomy, as if the end of the world had arrived. A storm as large as a mountain raged around and above the oasis, with sand and stones flying everywhere, and the houses were shaken by the hurricane.
Wei Tingsi held Zhao Shu's hand tightly. "Are you scared?"
"With you here, I'm not afraid." Zhao Shu was telling the truth. Knowing that he would protect her made her feel incredibly secure. She didn't need to guess or scheme; she only needed to trust him.
Wei Tingsi hugged her, and the two stood in the house, quietly waiting for the storm to pass.
A storm forced them to stay in the oasis for four days, and all the coded messages they had used along the way were lost. Wei Tingsi knew his men well; they would definitely be waiting on the other side.
On the morning of the fifth day, a small group of people drove the horses out of the oasis. Fortunately, they were all skilled horse breeders who knew how to communicate with horses. Only experts could be brought here.
More than 30,000 horses—what a magnificent sight that must have been! Zhao Shu couldn't describe it. She could only imagine them densely packed together, with dust flying everywhere. The way the horses reared up was incredibly cool. Since ancient times, the image of horses galloping has been a favorite subject of painters. That indomitable spirit, with the earth beneath their feet and an unstoppable momentum, makes one's heroic spirit rise.
Overall, the process of leading the horses went quite smoothly. The 30,000 soldiers of the Weiting Division were waiting on the other side of the desert as originally planned. Once they crossed the river, soldiers came to greet them.
"Marshal." Zhang Chang, who was leading the way, breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Wei Tingsi was unharmed.
"Yes, is everyone here?" Wei Tingsi nodded and asked.
"It's all alright, Marshal, don't worry."
"Just in case, set off for Shu immediately." This storm has delayed us. If others get the news, he only has 30,000 men, and he will likely be caught in a fierce battle. Moreover, going deep into enemy territory, fighting alone is a major taboo.
Zhang Chang was well aware of this principle, so he immediately sent someone to fetch the horses, and led the extra horses along as well, not letting a single horse go.
Everything went smoothly. Zhou Hanyan should have gone home by now, but she only sent her maid away to report that she was safe and sound, while she stayed by Lin Dongxue's side and showed no intention of leaving.
Lin Dongxue had no choice but to comply with her. In addition, the terrain here was complicated. She claimed that she could lead the way. For some reason, Wei Tingsi felt that if she set an example, he could hug and hold hands with Shushu... so he acquiesced.
What a corrupt official who abuses his power and bends the law!
Five days later, they left Zhuzhou without incident and rode at a great speed until the group stopped in front of the checkpoint set up by the King of Shu.
The checkpoint was set up between two mountains, which was perfect for an ambush. Zhang Chang said, "Marshal, something's not right. The intelligence we received a few days ago said that there was no checkpoint here yet."
"Hahaha, Marshal Wei, I, Li, have been waiting here for a long time."
This storm ultimately brought losses, revealing their whereabouts. After the sound, a rider approached from the opposite direction. On horseback was a middle-aged man, a burly man with broad shoulders and a thick waist. His gaze toward Wei Tingsi was filled with murderous intent.
Wei Tingsi looked at the mountains on both sides. There were archers aiming at them. There were quite a few of them, definitely more than they were.
Wei Tingsi waved for the soldiers to retreat, but he didn't move an inch. Zhao Shu was protected among the soldiers, with Lin Dongxue and the others, and she was extremely anxious.
"Marshal Wei, what, are you going to come with me?" Clearly, the King of Shu had big ambitions, actually wanting to capture Wei Tingsi. Zhao Shu sneered, thinking that he was really too ignorant of his own capabilities.
Wei Tingsi looked at him coldly, "Want me to make a trip? We'll see if you have the ability."
As soon as he finished speaking, he raised his right hand, and a black ball flew out, heading straight for the person opposite him. Li Ti hurriedly dodged, but Wei Tingsi's strength was too great and the black ball was too fast. He couldn't dodge in time and could only block with his sword. With a "clang", his sword was broken in two, and he himself fell off his horse. His left shoulder was hit by the black ball, shattering his shoulder bone. His left hand was instantly useless and in excruciating pain.
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