Xingfeng Eight Steeds
Her voice was deep, yet every word was exceptionally clear, as if she were speaking right next to everyone's ear.
Pei Yu asked, puzzled, "Why fifty-six?"
A Qiu replied, "Because the number of people required for 'Shao' and 'Wu' is sixty-four. I have already decided on eight candidates, and fifty-six of them will be selected from the Divine Hound Camp."
As Pei Yu said, what she wanted to bring back to the palace were not only the noble warriors of the Divine Hound Camp who were forced to enter the palace by imperial decree but were actually unruly, but also loyal people who were sincerely convinced and willing to rehearse this dance and music ritual for Dayan.
For the military, the most direct and simple way to win hearts and minds is to win by force and decide the outcome by life and death.
These fifty-six warriors, led by Pei Yu, who would fight her to the death, would be the ones she would bring into the Music Bureau to learn dance.
Pei Yu was usually decisive in his command, but at this moment he felt that he had completely lost control of the situation.
Even with the martial arts skills she had been personally trained in by her father, Pei Yuanli, since childhood, she was not confident that she could simultaneously face fifty-six Divine Hound Camp soldiers. Not to mention the possibility of her personally engaging in combat.
She glanced at Shangguan Yuqi, calculating in her mind that, given A Qiu's skill in catching her arrow at the city gate, it should be comparable to Shangguan Yuqi's. If it were Shangguan Yuqi in the other's shoes, leading fifty-six Divine Hound Camp soldiers, she didn't think she could escape unscathed.
Although she challenged A-Qiu to a duel, she did not intend to kill or seriously injure him when faced with other threats.
If it were a one-on-one fight between her and A Qiu, she could control the situation much better. But if all fifty-six people rushed at her at once, with swords and spears flying everywhere, she couldn't predict what might happen. Therefore, she hesitated.
Shangguan Yuqi said with great confidence, "Just as Lord Si Le said." He shouted to the Divine Hound Camp soldiers around him, "Anyone who is willing may enter the arena. I, Shangguan Yuqi, will witness this duel. But everyone should understand one thing: weapons have no eyes, and those who enter the arena will bear the consequences of their own death or injury."
When Shangguan Yuqi arrived on horseback with Aqiu and Pei Yu, some people guessed who she was from her white clothes and the "Ice Bamboo" she carried on her back. After all, in the Southern Dynasty, the name of Shangguan Yuqi, the number one swordsman of the powerful clans, was known to almost everyone.
However, since she personally admitted that she was Shangguan Yuqi, her influence was on a completely different level.
She deliberately emphasized the last sentence.
Sure enough, upon hearing the last sentence, most of the soldiers, who had been noisy and eager to try, suddenly fell silent.
The soldiers of the Divine Mastiff Battalion were certainly brave and fierce, but they were not fools.
Not to mention that A Qiu's imposing presence, wielding her sword and standing firmly in the center, already overwhelmed the entire scene. Just based on her title as the "successor of the young master" and her ability to catch Pei Yu's arrow with her bare hands, the soldiers of the Divine Hound Camp present knew very well that not only ordinary soldiers, but even the dozens of high-ranking military officers of the Divine Hound Camp would not be her match.
If everyone rushes in to stab her in the back to gain an advantage, it's a gamble. As long as you don't get targeted by her sharp edge and can dodge quickly, it's someone else who will die.
However, if only fifty-six people remain in the room, the probability of being stabbed by her increases significantly.
As Shangguan Yuqi said, swords and spears have no eyes, and one must bear the consequences of one's own life. Although A Qiu's release of Li Chongyu from the city was a provocation to the Divine Hound Camp and even the Jianzhang Army, and everyone in the Jianzhang Army had the right to kill him, if this mission of "killing him" were to fall specifically on one's own shoulders, requiring one to stake one's own life, then it would be somewhat not worth it.
They were all sons of powerful officials who swaggered around, but they weren't the street thugs who only cared about themselves; they still cherished their lives.
Therefore, upon hearing Shangguan Yuqi's words, almost all the ordinary soldiers took a step back.
Those who remained were all high-ranking officers, but none of them were willing to make a move, as they were all weighing their own strength and the combined capabilities of their respective sides.
With a single, succinct remark, Shangguan Yuqi turned the entire situation around. This also demonstrates the prowess of the sword immortals of this dynasty.
Pei Yu hadn't expected that her few words would turn the situation around so drastically that he almost laughed in exasperation.
She coldly retorted, "What's there to be afraid of! Since it's a duel, life and death are irrelevant; let fate decide!"
After saying this, she lifted her armor, leaped off her horse, and landed steadily five zhang in front of A Qiu, holding her "Returning Dragon Spear" upside down.
She removed her armor, revealing her warrior attire underneath, to ensure fairness: since A Qiu was not wearing armor, she would not wear it either, in response to Shangguan Yuqi's agreement that "swords and spears have no eyes, and those who fall will bear the consequences of their own deaths and injuries."
Seeing that their commander-in-chief had personally taken to the field, the soldiers of the Divine Hound Battalion began to stir with excitement once again.
But they only looked eager to try, and no one actually dared to make a move.
At this moment, A Qiu finally understood why Pei Yu insisted on sending her to the Divine Hound Camp.
It's not just about revenge; the Divine Hound Camp today is roughly equivalent to a microcosm of the Jianzhang Masters.
When facing weaker opponents, the Divine Hound Battalion can launch a coordinated and powerful attack. Due to their stubborn, reckless, and impulsive nature, they are bound to be filled with arrogance and self-importance when facing weaker opponents.
Just like when she first appeared in the Divine Mastiff camp, there was an overwhelming hostility and provocation.
But when faced with a terrifyingly powerful enemy, once the Divine Hound Battalion calmed down, their bureaucratic habits and style became fully apparent. Everyone wanted to reap the rewards of victory, yet no one dared or wanted to be the first to die.
This is what military strategy refers to as "an arrogant army".
In past wars to quell internal rebellions, the Jianzhang Army may have been invincible, but that was when they had a clear advantage in equipment and numbers, were a regular army, and the enemy was just a ragtag mob that had temporarily risen up.
However, if they were to face the brutal and rampant Northern Qiang cavalry that swept across the Central Plains head-on, they would likely end up in a state of disarray, just like they are now.
These thoughts flashed through A Qiu's mind quickly, but no conclusion had been reached yet.
She was amazed that even though she was on the training ground, holding the "Luoyue" sword, she still possessed such a detached and clear mind, overlooking the whole situation.
Just then, among the senior officers of the Divine Mastiff Camp, a tall and strong man with high cheekbones walked silently behind Pei Yu, clasped his hands in a fist salute to A Qiu, and smiled, saying, "Pei Ao, the deputy commander of the Divine Mastiff Camp, is willing to follow in Commander Pei's footsteps and seek guidance from Lord Si Le."
Upon closer inspection, this person's features and demeanor bore a resemblance to Pei Yu's, though he lacked Pei Yu's striking and flamboyant nature. Although he spoke directly to A Qiu, his gaze darted left and right, clearly indicating that he was quite preoccupied.
Since this person is the deputy commander, he has no choice but to follow up when Pei Yu, the commander-in-chief, is about to fall.
Pei Yu, however, remained expressionless and said, "This is a member of my Pei clan, my cousin. Therefore, the weapon he uses is also the Pei family's Returning Dragon Spear. Lord Si Yue, please be careful."
Ah Qiu suddenly realized. The Divine Hound Camp was Pei Yuanli's personal guard, so it was perfectly normal for a member of the Pei family to be appointed as its commander. However, judging from Pei Yu's expression, he didn't seem to have a good relationship with this cousin, and even specifically warned her that Pei Ao's weapon was also a Returning Dragon Spear.
In reality, Pei Ao was probably the second best fighter after Pei Yu in the Pei family and even the Divine Hound Camp. This is why he met the second fate.
After Pei Ao left the stage, several lower-ranking officers behind him also awkwardly stepped out of the crowd and came to stand behind Pei Ao and Pei Yu respectively.
A Qiu thought to himself that this round had effortlessly sifted out the core officers of the Divine Hound Camp. He wondered if any of these people were among those who had demanded Zhang Exu and Cui Luzhu from the Music Bureau. If so, today would truly be a day of revenge.
The senior officers stepped forward. Then another person emerged from the crowd, with a slender waist and long arms, carrying a curved sword. Judging from his uniform, he was a junior officer, but his imposing and fierce aura left a deep impression on everyone who saw him.
The man said humbly in a very soft voice, "Yin Shang, the captain of the Divine Hound Camp, wishes to seek guidance from Lord Siyue."
As soon as he moved, more than a dozen people followed behind him. However, these people were of different ranks. Some were captains of the same rank as him, some were of lower rank, and some were ordinary soldiers. They all remained silent and dispersed to different places, but they surrounded A Qiu in the center without making a sound.
At first glance, it seems to be targeting a specific enemy. However, from another perspective, once the attack is launched, it can also be found anywhere, providing her with a location and escape route.
At this moment, A Qiu felt a shock greater than ever before.
She remembered the name. Yin Shang, the captain of the Divine Mastiff Battalion.
That happened the night she attempted to assassinate Huang Chaoan.
Huang Chaoan forced Sun Neiren to see him late at night, intending to use the power of the Divine Hound Camp to completely eliminate Sun Neiren, who had been resisting his clutches from penetrating the Music Bureau.
If he were alone, and something were to happen to his wife, Lord An would surely hold him accountable.
However, if the people from the Divine Hound Camp were to handle the matter, then no matter what reason they gave—such as falling off a horse and dying on the way to the Divine Hound Camp, or falling into a well due to excessive drinking—An Daoling, given his authority, would not be able to question the people from the Divine Hound Camp, let alone verify the truth.
The person who came to the Divine Hound Camp that night was this Yin Shang.
Yin Shang was completely taken aback that the dancer Huang Chaoan had summoned would be her. Bewildered, he immediately sent her the communication signal for Xingfeng Hall.
Thus, A Qiu learned that he was not only the man of his second senior brother, Mo Yimingyue, but also one of Xing Feng's "Eight Steeds".
Ah Qiu responded with a gesture, telling him not to interfere and to simply observe how things develop.
Then, in front of him, A Qiu stabbed Huang Chao'an in the chest with candle scissors and shouted loudly, causing all the dancers to rush in and report to the music bureau officials that Huang Chao'an had attempted to commit indecent acts and had been accidentally stabbed to death by them during the struggle.
Throughout the entire process, Yin Shang, just as she had instructed, remained silent and observed from the sidelines, without involving the Divine Hound Camp.
Therefore, the final outcome of this matter was that the geisha, dissatisfied with the constant bullying and coercion of the geisha, rose up in resistance, accidentally lost control, and no one else was involved.
As for Yin Shang, whether he arrived too early or too late when A Qiu made the assassination attempt, he simply couldn't stop it. The people of Xingfeng Hall naturally had ways to handle Madam Pei's questions. And since this outcome didn't implicate the Divine Hound Camp, it was already a testament to his diligence and good handling of the situation.
But A-Qiu never expected to see him here again.
The dozen or so people who followed him must have been the agents that Xingfengtang had infiltrated into the Divine Hound Camp over the years.
Gu Yi once told A Qiu that the power that dominated Jianzhang West Market was divided into two halves. The half that was in the open belonged to the Jianzhang Masters; while the half that was in the shadows belonged to her senior brother Mo Yimingyue's Xingfeng Hall.
Mo Yimingyue would never fail to plant spies and undercover agents when facing competing forces.
The locations where these people were scattered corresponded to the "Near Death and Back to Life" formation used by Xingfeng Hall in their group attack.
It was a sure-kill situation, but it was also a situation that could turn death into life.
These people used this formation to show Ah Qiu their determination to do everything in their power to help her escape.
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