Let the fighting begin!
The flames burned in the sky, turning into a rain of blood that fell to the ground.
Looking out, the mountaintop and the surrounding area were a deep, dark red, blood-red color.
Lin Huaiyin and the others were halfway up the mountain, far away, but the raging fire was unstoppable, burning her skin and flesh, leaving her teetering on the verge of collapse.
Her inner garment was instantly soaked through, and the air was suffocated by the flames. Lin Huaiyin felt like she was suffocating.
The stench of roasted meat filled her nostrils. The imperial prison and the blood-red clouds were equally red. Shen Congyun and Xiao Zhian had different faces. The scenes kept flashing and changing, but only her back was getting burned more and more.
The hillside was steep, and Lin Huaiyin could not stand steadily. Her legs became weaker and weaker, and her eyelids became heavier and heavier. Just like last night, she was in a daze and tried to escape the burning pain.
But this is not last night; she cannot collapse.
Lin Huaiyin held the jujube wood bow in one hand and the jade pendant in the other, gripping them tightly, her heart filled with regret.
I was careless!
In her previous life, there was no arson incident, and she never thought that something could happen on the mountain. But she should have thought of it. Times have changed, and Princess Pingyang is ruthless and will certainly adapt to changing circumstances. Shen Congyun's list eventually came in handy. Princess Pingyang's arson could both eliminate dissidents and restrain her elder brother's troops. The White Lotus Rebels would definitely move at the first sign of trouble!
One move off guard.
Princess Pingyang gained the upper hand.
Lin Huaiyin recognized the situation—the fire on the mountain wouldn't make a difference if she were gone; Xiao Zhian and her older brother could handle it without any problem. What she needed to do now was deal with the attack from down the mountain and prevent her older brother from being attacked from both sides!
The captain and the Imperial Guards were unaware of the cause of the fire, but Lin Cuiyue had already notified the entire army to be wary of the White Lotus Sect. Lin Huaiyin led them to patrol the mountains and set up traps, which meant that the battle had already begun.
Their military discipline allowed them to quickly climb the rocks and turn their attention down the mountain.
Sure enough, deep in the forest at the foot of the mountain, the tree canopies were shaking abnormally.
The three instantly understood—the White Lotus Rebels had attacked.
"Third Miss, be careful."
The captain's expression was stern, and his voice was firm.
Although he knew that Lin Huaiyin was pregnant, he did not try to persuade her to leave. The Lin family members were born into the Imperial Guard, and besides, Lin Huaiyin was kidnapped by the White Lotus Sect last year. If they did not avenge this, when would they?
He now holds the highest military rank, and all matters on-site are under his jurisdiction.
"Everyone, come here."
With a wave of his hand, the captain summoned Lin Huaiyin, two imperial guards, and twelve snake catchers, who all surrounded him.
Seeing the snake catchers arrive, their eyes gleaming, the captain's heart stirred. He considered recruiting on the spot, and clasped his hands in greeting, saying, "You—"
"Let's do it!"
The snake catchers were extremely excited and shouted in unison, "We don't want any money! We just want to do it!"
Seeing their agreement, Lin Huaiyin and the others were overjoyed—snake catchers were familiar with the terrain and knew how to avoid danger and cover themselves. Their willingness to join was like the mountain god bestowing its power, as if divine assistance was coming their way!
"Alright! Then we're brothers now!"
The captain was overjoyed and immediately checked the weapons and arranged the troops in formation.
One group consisted of trappers: two Imperial Guards, each leading three snake catchers, were responsible for setting the traps at the appropriate time.
The second group consists of snipers: Lin Huaiyin and two snake catchers will find the best position to kill enemies from a distance with bows and arrows, while the snake catchers can find poisonous herbs to smear the arrows.
The third group is the liaison team: a snake catcher who carries his talisman, catches several snakes and takes them up the mountain, and helps those on the mountain to get out of trouble as needed and informs those below about the situation.
The fourth group consists of a captain and three snake catchers. They are to find a squad of heavily armored soldiers guarding a nearby water source. The snake catchers are responsible for collecting herbs along the way to treat the wounded, while the captain leads the team to find an opportunity to penetrate the enemy lines and ambush them.
With everything arranged, the tree canopies at the foot of the mountain were already spreading out and shaking.
Time was of the essence, and the captain gave his final instructions: "The red clouds in the sky are a good sign. We are on high ground, with a clear and far-reaching view. Everyone, please perform your duties, and we will surely win this battle!"
"action!"
"yes!!!"
At the captain's command, everyone was divided into groups and paired up.
Lin Huaiyin secretly told the snake catcher who went up the mountain to tell Lin Cuiyue to come down and find them.
At this point, they began to split up, with each pair led by a snake catcher. Without them, Lin Huaiyin and the others would be no different from blind people in the blood-red forest.
After climbing for a while, the snake catcher, familiar with the route, led Lin Huaiyin to a strange cave.
The mountain wall outside the cave is like a scroll, curving back to completely cover the cave entrance. There is also a mysterious depression in the mountain wall, which is like a natural fortification, making it easy to shoot arrows.
Lin Huaiyin had an excellent view through the crenellations.
The treetops trembled and drew closer; the White Lotus rebels were right in front of them. The snake catchers and the Imperial Guards worked together to launch a huge log. The first attack had begun!
The log, which took five people to encircle, was three zhang long, thick and heavy, with its branches deliberately sharpened. As it rolled down the mountain, it swept across the land with tremendous force, causing the entire Crane Cry Mountain to tremble.
Birds took flight in fright, a red light flashed through the forest, and screams echoed from the dense woods. The screams and wails grew louder and louder, until they were crying out for their parents. The screams came crashing down from the mountainside, crushing countless White Lotus rebels and sending debris flying everywhere!
A resounding victory in the first battle!
The giant rock followed closely behind, and then birds flew and beasts ran, causing the earth to shake.
Lin Huaiyin secretly exclaimed "Wonderful!" She drew her bow, nocked an arrow, and aimed at the chaotic forest, especially at the rebels carrying the banner. As soon as one of them appeared, she would target them and pin them down, preventing them from getting up.
Lin Huaiyin was familiar with military affairs and knew how to march and fight. He believed that flags were the command and that only when someone issued orders could the army be organized to fight the enemy and orders be obeyed.
Therefore, to capture the enemy, you must first capture the leader and eliminate the command system. Once the military orders are not obeyed, the enemy is like a headless fly or an ant without a nest. Lin Huaiyin focuses on the commanders and the order-givers who carry drums and rhinoceros horns. He kills them one by one!
"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"
She fired repeatedly.
At a distance of about five hundred paces, amidst the chaotic dense forest, Lin Huaiyin remained sharp-eyed and steady-handed, blasting arrows with explosive force, each arrow reaping a head. The two snake catchers were amazed, flanking her on the left and right, their eyes gradually widening in astonishment—this girl is rich and capable, she's a good match!
Logs and rocks pierced through the trees, and the White Lotus Sect gradually revealed itself. The rebels were densely packed all over the mountain, and it was impossible to count them all at once. The two snake catchers looked at each other and went to look at Lin Huaiyin's arrow box at the same time.
The small quiver only had a dozen or so arrows left. The snake catcher thought this wouldn't do and hurriedly asked Lin Huaiyin, "Girl, we're almost out of arrows, what should we do?"
Lin Huaiyin shot an arrow and replied, "We can do it now!"
"That's great! Tell me how to do it!"
"Okay, listen to me!"
Lin Huaiyin, with her bell-like figure, taught them while fighting the enemy.
So hazelnuts, birches, and masters, straight trunks with left arrow shafts.
Sharp stone flakes were used as arrowheads.
Broad leaves serve as arrow fletching.
Finally, the arrow fletching was engraved, and Lin Huaiyin's arrows would be endless.
She adapted to one or two weapons, quickly mastered the techniques, and continued to annihilate the enemy.
In the dense forest, the White Lotus rebels who had gone up the mountain were suffering terribly.
At first, they received orders to attack the mountain when it caught fire. The Imperial Guards were busy fighting the fire, but they had a defense map to guide them. They could launch a sudden attack and advance unimpeded all the way to the top, leaving no survivors on the mountain.
However, reality was completely different from what was promised!
As soon as they entered the mountain, they were overturned by rolling logs, followed by huge rocks. They rolled back and forth between the two, with no way to avoid them. Before they even reached the mountainside, most of them were dead or injured.
As for the snake pits and bamboo skewer pits, there is a trail of smelly, rotten meat and eggs. Snakes flutter down from the trees and fall all over the mountains. They crawl into your pants legs and wrap around your neck. They can bite people to death and scare them out of their wits!
The four thousand members of the White Lotus Sect, who were originally full of vigor and confident of victory, are now in complete chaos. They have no orders, no bugles, no idea how to advance or retreat, and have no way to deal with the situation. They have become fish on a chopping board.
Just then, the captain also led his heavy armored troops to the scene. He saw Lin Huaiyin shoot and kill the commander from afar and knew that Lin Huaiyin's move was incredibly powerful—it completely cut off the enemy's lifeline and turned them from a rebel army into a disorganized mess.
The captain was overjoyed.
The heavily armored soldiers were well aware of their advantage. Originally, seeing the dense forest teeming with countless enemies, they were on high alert, ready to die for their cause. But now, seeing the enemy in disarray, they immediately charged into the enemy ranks with overwhelming momentum, following their captain.
They attacked from the side, catching the White Lotus Sect off guard, beheading their way through, and then turned their spears to thrust again.
Lin Huaiyin, seeing their attack from above, fired arrows in quick succession to provide cover.
After the two imperial guards and the snake catcher finished setting the trap, they looked down from their high vantage point, wondering what else they could do, while the rebels began to flee.
We must not let them escape!
Beneath the crimson sky, Lin Huaiyin's arrows flew overhead repeatedly, each piercing the air a cry of revenge!
The six snake catchers were thrilled. They never imagined that after living most of their lives, they would be able to participate in such an important event. They thought they could tell their grandchildren about it for the rest of their lives!
The flames of revenge burned in the chests of the two Imperial Guards—the White Lotus Sect was not only a traitor to the empire, but also the enemy of the Lin family and themselves. This hatred was irreconcilable, and they would be unworthy of being called the Imperial Guards if they did not wipe them out completely!
Their pupils reflected a crimson hue, and their faces were also a dark red. Without any prompting, their feet ran naturally as they chased down the mountain. Unexpectedly, Lin Cuiyue and the snake catcher came looking for them and called out to them.
When Lin Cuiyue heard that Lin Huaiyin was looking for him, he ran around looking for her, and was so shocked that his eyes almost popped out. He adjusted the defenses, but due to limited manpower, he could only set up layers of defenses at waist-high positions. He never expected that without any deployment, Lin Huaiyin and her less than a hundred people had actually driven away several thousand people?!
What an unbelievable development!
Lin Cuiyue's gaze swept around, wanting to know where Lin Huaiyin was and what important matter she wanted to ask him to come down.
Standing at the highest point, Lin Huaiyin had the entire battle unfolding before her eyes. Before she could even look at Lin Cuiyue, she saw the rebels fleeing. She gripped her jujube wood bow tightly, her heart pounding with anxiety—what if the rebels broke into the town and looted along the way, harming the innocent? Wouldn't that be an undeserved disaster for the people below the mountain?
What a miscalculation!
Lin Huaiyin was filled with regret. She had only thought of intercepting and ambushing the enemy to ensure the safety of the mountain. However, while the mountain could still be fought, the foot of the mountain was full of unarmed civilians who were most vulnerable to attack.
Traitors are like stray dogs; if they disturb the people, the consequences will be dire!
what to do?
How can we remedy this?
Lin Huaiyin's face was ashen, her fingers constantly drawing and firing arrows. Countless arrows shot out, the rough bark rubbing against her fingers, her hands already raw and bleeding, but she was oblivious to it, her mind now filled with struggle, trying to find a solution.
The White Lotus Sect has scattered like birds and beasts, its influence spreading more and more rapidly, and it is almost disappearing from sight.
The captain led the armored troops in repeated attacks, and wherever they went, the White Lotus Sect completely gave up resistance and knelt down to surrender.
The scattered bandits on the outskirts gradually retreated, numbering no less than a thousand. The yamen soldiers and patrolmen who rushed to the scene from the small town and post station at the foot of the mountain only numbered about two hundred.
Caught off guard, the two sides clashed suddenly. The White Lotus Sect, cornered and desperate, resorted to desperate measures and revealed its claws.
Outnumbered and outgunned, the postmaster was drenched in cold sweat.
The White Lotus rebels' eyes gleamed with greed. They raised their weapons again, ready to kill them, loot the city, and then flee with the girls, money, and provisions.
However, at this terrifying moment, the earth began to tremble.
The crowd swayed and lost their footing.
In an instant, the sound of hooves broke through the air, and cavalrymen galloped forward. Countless tall cavalrymen came with an aura that seemed to shake the heavens and the earth.
Behind the sparse yamen soldiers and patrolmen, a dark wall immediately rose up, surrounding the White Lotus rebels so tightly that there was no way to get through.
Under the daylight, Lin Shifeng rode out of the ranks, his cloak fluttering, his horse's hooves menacing, almost crushing the hearts of thieves.
Their imposing presence was so overwhelming that even the White Lotus rebels dared not look at them.
Lin Shifeng, gripping the reins, his armor stained crimson with blood as if he had just been pulled from a river of blood, donned it and went straight into battle. His sharp, cold eyes swept across the area, and he raised his hand to give the order—"Leave no one alive!"
"yes!"
The roar of the cavalry was deafening.
Crab Claw, on the back of another horse, covered his ears, wanting to curse.
As if by telepathy, at this moment, all the Imperial Guards on Crane Cry Mountain knew that reinforcements had arrived, and all the guards were greatly encouraged.
Lin Cuiyue was in the dense forest on the mountainside, unable to see anything, yet he could clearly feel his second brother's presence.
The two Lin brothers, one guarding the capital and leading the Imperial Guard, and the other a hero on the battlefield, were both renowned for their fighting prowess. Only the troops led by Lin Shifeng possessed a murderous aura, which Lin Cuiyue could sense even from afar.
Mountainside.
Lin Huaiyin, having gained the upper hand, recognized the approaching cavalry.
She immediately understood—the crab claw arrived just in time, and none of the White Lotus Sect rebels down the mountain would escape!
It was a false alarm, and she was overjoyed. She immediately told the two snake catchers that they could go out.
Under the blood-red light, she carried her quiver of arrows and held up her bow, running wildly and dealing with the remaining White Lotus Sect soldiers who were hiding along the way.
Two snake catchers followed behind her.
Xiao Zhian and Xuan Ge also gave chase at top speed.
He wanted to see her.
Under the blood-red moon, this was the first time Xiao Zhian had seen Lin Huaiyin draw her bow and arrow, ready to fight the enemy.
At the Shen family banquet, after personally peeling off the thin membrane from Lin Huaiyin's fingertip, Xiao Zhian caressed her arrow, fantasizing about it countless times.
He couldn't imagine that Lin Huaiyin, so slender and delicate, could stand alone atop the Iron Buddha Temple Pagoda, drawing her bow and arrow amidst the fierce winds, and piercing Zhao Changji's throat with a single shot.
What an iron will that was.
That was such superb archery skill.
That must be an unparalleled spectacle—a woman soaring through the heavens and diving into the earth, free and unrestrained, proud and beautiful, dazzling and radiant!
Once upon a time, Xiao Zhian could only fantasize about her, but now, she is right in front of him, truly killing one enemy with one arrow, taking one life with one arrow, killing without hesitation, cold-blooded and cruel. Her back view makes Xiao Zhian fall in love. Every arrow she shoots hits Xiao Zhian's heart, making it beat, making it die, making it live, driving the owner of this heart mad.
His voice was heroic and spirited, a woman who was just as capable as any man.
Xiao Zhian loves her just the way she is. He knows why she married someone else; she already felt guilty about it.
She didn't need his protection at all. She was a daughter of a military family, capable of fighting on the battlefield with a bow and arrow. She should have been shining brightly, but because of his incompetence, she fell into Shen Congyun's hands, was trapped in the inner quarters, played the role of a stupid woman, and suffered all kinds of grievances.
It was all his fault; he will spend his whole life making amends and cherishing her.
Xiao Zhian pursues Lin Huaiyin.
Lin Huaiyin ran towards Lin Cuiyue.
Big brother's here! Perfect timing, I can get the most important thing done!
Overjoyed, she ran past Lin Cuiyue without stopping, instead drawing his arrow and charging forward.
In front of Lin Cuiyue and the others, Xiao Zhian could not pursue the matter any further.
Lin Cuiyue was startled to see him arrive. He clasped his hands in greeting, but before he could, Lin Huaiyin burst into tears behind him—"Big brother, how did your leg get broken? You're so pitiful!!!"
She cried her heart out.
Xiao Zhian, Lin Cuiyue, Xuan Ge, the Imperial Guards, and the snake catchers all turned to look and saw Lin Huaiyin hugging a bleeding leg, grinning in a chilling way.
In all honesty, Lin Huaiyin was focused on doing her job when she looked up and saw Xiao Zhian standing there.
He not only came, but he also looked at her with eyes that seemed to radiate heat.
He really loved gazing at her like this, even though her hands were covered in blood, and she had just cut off a human leg. His gaze passed through the crowd, fixed on her, his eyes seeing only her.
Lin Huaiyin felt the burning passion in her heart, and her ears suddenly felt hot, which she could no longer ignore as she had in the past.
To be fair, she didn't dislike him.
Objectively speaking, he was a good prince, intelligent and wise, loved his people like his own children, and was also good-looking. She liked to kiss him and sleep in his arms.
She still liked him a little.
She was originally his Crown Princess, and her soul had long been marked by him. When he called her Yinyin, she would respond.
Lin Huaiyin's eyes were like water as she looked back at Xiao Zhian.
A single glance across the distance, yet two hearts beat as one.
Her heart fluttered for a fleeting moment. Lin Huaiyin looked up in a daze and found that the red clouds above were still everywhere. Her mind returned to normal, and she ran to Xiao Zhian, asking, "Your Highness, what is the fire on the mountain?"
Xiao Zhian was speechless when he saw the girl holding the bloodied thigh.
"Tell me first what this leg is for?"
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