The attitude of asking for help
Jiang Manyan's heart skipped a beat. The Eastern District? Seclusion? This news came too coincidentally, as if it had been sent specifically for him. He immediately dispatched his elite subordinates to verify it.
A few days later, news came back: the person did exist! Mr. Zhang Qiong, a direct descendant of the Zhang family, a family of architects in the former central district, was forced to move his entire family to Jiuqian Town in the eastern district to live in seclusion because he refused to design an over-the-top garden for a powerful person and offended that person.
This person is aloof and possesses exceptional skills. The city lord of Yancheng in the Eastern District visited him multiple times, offering him substantial rewards and a high position, but he politely declined each time, stating that his "ambitions lay elsewhere."
Jiang Manyan's heart warmed completely.
If we can persuade this person to come out of seclusion, the problem of defending Jincheng will be solved, and the overall construction level will be improved by several levels!
Upon learning of his thoughts, Jiang Zhong said with concern, "Young Master, even the City Lord of Yancheng's repeated invitations have been unsuccessful. It seems even more difficult for our newly established Jincheng to persuade this powerful figure to come."
"The eastern district is far away, the terrain is complex, and it's rife with bandits—it's too dangerous!" Jiang Zhong wholeheartedly disagreed.
Jiang Manyan smiled, her eyes gleaming with unwavering determination: "Where there's a will, there's a way. Besides,"
He winked playfully, "My charm is as easy as breathing. Maybe Mr. Zhang will fall for it? Don't worry, Brother Zhong."
Jiang Zhong hesitated for a moment, then said, "Why...why not ask Young Master Qin for help? He's in the central district; perhaps he can find a way..."
Jiang Manyan waved her hand, her smile fading, her tone calm yet firm: "The Qin, Liu, and Song families in the central district are all behemoths, the aristocrats among the powerful. To gain power, there's no telling how much bloodshed and turmoil lies behind the scenes. I can't let him be distracted by me any longer."
He knew that Qin Lingfeng was at a critical juncture in the struggle for power, and he absolutely could not allow him to be distracted by his own affairs, or even give others a handle to use against him.
Seeing that Jiang Manyan was determined, Jiang Zhong had no choice but to compromise and insist on going with her.
However, Jiang Manyan refused him: "Brother Zhong, Jincheng needs you. Only if you stay here to temporarily assume the position of city lord and handle all affairs can I leave with peace of mind."
He patted Jiang Zhong on the shoulder, his eyes full of trust, "Jincheng is our root. I trust you with my life."
Jiang Zhong had no choice but to do his best to prepare Jiang Manyan's luggage, and brought a large amount of cash for any eventuality.
He also dispatched the city's most elite and powerful team to escort them, led by his trusted subordinate, Hawthorn.
Hawthorn, true to his name, has a delicate appearance and a pair of adorable dimples when he smiles. He seems gentle, but in reality, he is agile and has a calm and alert personality, making him an excellent choice for a bodyguard.
As the group headed north, just as Jiang Zhong had predicted, the eastern region was mountainous and densely forested, with treacherous roads and frequent bandit activity.
Fortunately, Shanzha made proper arrangements, the team was well-trained, and Jiang Manyan was well-versed in the principle of "harmony brings wealth".
When encountering checkpoints controlled by local bullies, he would send his men to make preparations and smooth things over beforehand. Although there were some bumps along the way, they were all safe and sound, and no one was injured.
On this day, the journey was more than halfway complete, and the group came to a path flanked by dense mountain forests on both sides.
“Young master, we will reach Jiuqian Town, where Mr. Zhang Qiong lives in seclusion, in another half day’s journey.”
Hawthorn reported in a low voice outside the carriage, a rare hint of cheerfulness in his tone.
However, the moment he finished speaking, something unexpected happened!
A deafening roar erupted ahead as several large, sturdy trees were deliberately felled and crashed onto the road, completely blocking the way! At the same time—
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!"
Dense arrows shot out from the dense forest on both sides like venomous snakes, accurate and ruthless, instantly turning the guards at the front of the team into pincushions, and they fell to the ground dead before they could even scream!
"Enemy attack! Form ranks! Protect the young master!"
Hawthorn reacted quickly, shouting loudly as he slammed the carriage window shut. He then jumped off the carriage shaft, drew his sword, and directed the remaining guards to tighten their formation, attempting to protect the carriage in the center.
However, the attackers were clearly well-trained and ruthless. The rain of arrows was relentless, each one aimed straight for vital organs.
Unlike ordinary bandits seeking wealth, they seemed to be carrying out a professional military operation! One by one, the guards fell, their blood instantly staining the yellow dirt road.
Hawthorn was horrified. While wielding his knife to deflect the stray arrows, he tried to negotiate.
"Who are you, friends? We are just passing through and visiting a friend. We have no ill intentions. If we have offended you, you may take our gold and silver as you wish, but please be merciful!"
His response was met with an even fiercer offensive and men in black who emerged silently from the forest, closing in step by step.
Their eyes were cold, their movements were perfectly synchronized, and they carried pure killing intent, clearly intending not to leave any survivors.
Through the crack in the car window, Jiang Manyan saw the severely wounded and dead guards. Her heart ached as if it were being torn apart, yet she calmly observed the massacre outside.
He keenly observed that despite the dense barrage of arrows, not a single one struck the carriage itself. Their objective was to eliminate all the guards and capture him alive!
His gaze swept quickly across the battlefield, assessing the situation: the road ahead was blocked, and the carriage was trapped. The dense forest on both sides was the enemy's domain. The only chance…
His gaze locked onto the right front! The enemy there seemed relatively sparse, perhaps because they thought it was a steep slope and difficult to break through?
We can't wait any longer!
"hawthorn!"
Jiang Manyan flung open the car door, her voice icy cold, "Abandon the car! Everyone, follow me to the right front to break through! That's our only chance!"
Before he finished speaking, he had already jumped off the carriage! His plain-colored outfit stood out like a bullseye on the bloody battlefield.
His action instantly attracted the attention of all the attackers! In the forest, a tall, slender figure hidden in the shadows paused slightly, seemingly not expecting that this cautious prey would willingly walk into the trap.
"Protect the young master!"
Hawthorn's eyes were bloodshot with rage. He immediately led the remaining assassins to protect Jiang Manyan closely and launched a desperate charge towards the right front!
Amidst the flashing blades and flying blood, Jiang Manyan, though lacking in martial arts skills, moved with extraordinary agility, dodging the barrage of blades and arrows like a fish. She gripped her short sword tightly to parry, her eyes sharp as an eagle's, constantly shouting commands: "Left flank cover! Right flank spread out! Use that broken tree for cover!"
His decisiveness and unexpected breakout direction, combined with the guards' desperate fighting, actually temporarily disrupted the attackers' formation, tearing a small gap in the seemingly impenetrable encirclement!
However, the enemy's reaction was faster than expected.
More men in black emerged from the forest like ghosts, quickly closing in and threatening to extinguish the nascent hope once again.
At this critical moment, Jiang Manyan's gaze swept rapidly across the entire area, finally settling on the depths of the dense forest to her left rear—there, an exceptionally tall ancient tree with lush branches cast a large, heavy shadow. An intuitive chill emanated from that place.
He made a bold, almost insane decision in an instant.
"hawthorn!"
He shouted sternly, his voice carrying an unquestionable command.
"Take the brothers who can still move and break out from the right front slope! That's an order! Hurry!"
Having said that, without giving Hawthorn any time to react or object, he suddenly turned around and instead of rushing towards the gap in the forest, he flew headlong like a moth drawn to a flame towards the depths of the dense forest that exuded a dangerous aura—towards the ancient tree!
His movements were astonishingly fast, as if his potential had been unleashed. He nimbly dodged two slashing blades, and even used his shoulder to smash through a black-clad man blocking his way. His target was extremely clear!
His seemingly self-defeating act caused all the men in black to hesitate and become confused for a moment, and their offensive slowed down.
And at this very moment—
Under the dense shadow of that tall, ancient tree, a figure slowly took a step forward, revealing itself completely.
The man was dressed in a dark brocade robe with subtle patterns. The fabric shimmered with a dull luster in the dim forest. His posture was as upright as a pine tree. Just by standing there, he exuded an imposing aura of nobility and a chilling pressure.
He wore an exquisite silver mask that covered the upper half of his face, with intricate and bizarre patterns. The lower half of his face, which was exposed, had lines so perfect that they seemed to have been sculpted by a god, with a sharp jaw and a pale complexion that had not seen the sun for a long time.
His thin lips pursed slightly, then curved into a cold and playful smile, as if he had seen something extremely interesting.
Even without seeing the whole face, the fleeting glimpse of the outline, the temperament, and the lower half of the face is breathtakingly handsome, even frightening.
He seemed not to be there to participate in this bloody ambush, but rather to stroll leisurely, enjoying the struggles of the ants beneath his feet, waiting for his prey to walk into the cage on its own.
Seeing Jiang Manyan rushing towards him recklessly, the curve of her arm became more pronounced, carrying a lazy malice of having everything under control.
The men in black seemed startled by Jiang Manyan's direct approach to her "master," and became hesitant to act, making their offensive even more restrained. They tried to stop her but dared not use their true killing moves, for fear of hurting her.
This created a bizarre situation—Jiang Manyan charged forward desperately, while a group of elite black-clad assassins could only surround her, like clumsily trying to catch a very easily startled butterfly.
The man in the brocade robe's gaze, like cold spider silk, pierced through the chaotic crowd, precisely, greedily, and with a hint of cat-and-mouse playfulness, locking onto the plain-colored figure struggling in the crowd, trying to draw all the fire for his teammates.
He gently raised his hand and made an extremely subtle gesture.
The black-clad men who had been surrounding Jiang Manyan suddenly split up, their offensive changed drastically, and they no longer held back, each move deadly, attacking Shanzha and the others who were about to break through the encirclement like a storm!
"No--!"
Jiang Manyan saw two more guards fall to the ground with screams of agony, letting out desperate cries.
He abruptly stopped his futile advance and looked up at the aloof man in brocade robes. The man's cold and possessive gaze made him feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
Five years seemed to be compressed in this moment. Fear, humiliation, and a strong will to protect his comrades were intertwined wildly in his eyes.
He took a deep breath, his voice no longer calm, carrying a faint, imperceptible tremor from a distant memory, which was forcibly suppressed by the young man's clear voice.
"Brother...brother! Let them go! I'll go with you!"
silence……
Only the sound of wind and the smell of blood filled the air.
The man's lips curved deeper beneath the mask, a cruel pleasure in them. His voice, deep and magnetic yet icy cold, finally came through the mask after a long pause: "Oh? Is this how you beg?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
