The cavalry quickly retreated and found a relatively high point in the muddy and slippery terrain.
These were all things they were used to doing, and the camp quickly took shape. Qin Zhaoqiong gripped the hilt of her sword and inspected the camp area.
Occasionally, warhorses would shake their heads restlessly, exhaling wisps of white mist, and impatiently treading on the muddy ground beneath their hooves.
The soldiers worked silently and efficiently, much more so than when they had just left Fengjing.
They set up tents and lit a campfire to boil water.
Being soaked in water at this time of year makes it easy to catch a cold, especially since most of the Imperial Guards are from the surrounding areas of Fengjing and are not used to the climate of the northern border.
After making his rounds, Qin Zhaoqiong returned to the main tent on her own.
He wiped the rain off his face, but did not remove his armor. He immediately sent a telepathic message: "Is there anything amiss?"
The hidden flames frowned, lost in thought and remained silent.
Throughout the day, their more than a thousand riders encountered many troubles.
First, Qin Zhaoqiong's saddle broke;
More than ten horseshoes fell off later;
While resting briefly in the woods in the afternoon, we encountered thousands of horseflies in a patch of low bushes.
Now that we've reached the ferry crossing, we're suddenly caught in a downpour, the stone bridge has collapsed, and we have no choice but to change course.
None of these incidents were major issues, and no staff reductions occurred.
It's rather strange that one troublesome thing after another happens frequently on the same day.
Most people exclaimed that they were unlucky, after all, these were all unpredictable accidents, but Qin Zhaoqiong and Liu Yan both felt that something was wrong.
Isn't this a bit too much of a coincidence? Or rather, it's unlucky beyond belief.
The two men shared a similar suspicion that someone might have secretly sabotaged the operation.
When it comes to something so mysterious, the first thing that comes to mind is the methods of sorcerers.
They clashed twice during the disaster relief efforts, making it hard not to have doubts.
Previously, they were all big-scale operations aimed at building momentum. What's with this kind of insignificant harassment now? It shouldn't be like this.
Qin Zhaoqiong pondered for a long time and could only think of one possibility: the other party was using this method to slow down the team's progress.
That's when they made the decision to continue marching into the night, hoping to reach the northern barracks as quickly as possible.
As luck would have it, a torrential downpour struck, which "just happened" to wash away the stone bridge, blocking the way and forcing them to change course.
Scouts have already scouted upstream and downstream along the river, searching for the nearest way to cross it.
Qin Zhaoqiong had already secretly decided that if the delay was too long, they would simply wade across the river.
Liu Yan stayed by Qin Zhaoqiong's side today, not daring to leave her side for even a moment.
Upon hearing the question, he took two deep breaths and suddenly expanded his "momentum" to its limit.
The soldiers in the temporary camp each performed their duties: setting up camp and keeping watch, making fires and boiling water, and leading and calming the horses.
The team didn't have much firewood, so when it burned, it produced a thick cloud of smoke.
Raindrops pattered against the armor, while in the distance, the river surged furiously and the bridge collapsed...
This wasn't the first time Liu Yan had quietly unleashed his "power" today; everything around him was now crystal clear in his mind.
But just like every time before, no abnormalities were found.
After about twenty breaths, he stopped what he was doing and informed the Crown Prince of the situation.
If there really was a sorcerer lurking nearby, it would be impossible for Liu Yan, who was already on guard, not to notice it at all.
Moreover, judging from the spiritual feedback of the Divine Martial Realm, there was no sense of unease or panic.
If that's the case, there are only two possibilities:
Either the opponent's strength is far superior to his, such as being at the second rank;
Either there was no enemy lurking in the shadows at all, and their misfortune that day was simply pure bad luck.
After repeated unsuccessful investigations, Liu Yan leaned more towards the latter.
If it were a second-grade sorcerer making a move, why would they make such a petty fuss, acting as if they could stop the opponent from attacking?
After much deliberation, he transmitted his voice, saying, "Your Highness, there's nothing unusual. It's probably just bad luck."
Qin Zhaoqiong remained silent. She trusted Liu Yan's judgment, but she also sensed a hint of uncertainty in his tone.
The candlelight inside the tent was dim, and my gaze fell on the deep darkness at the entrance.
His thumb rubbed against the cold, hard hilt of the sword at his waist, and he finally spoke to his personal guard, his voice low and hoarse:
"We also sent people to search the surrounding area for any trees."
If the rain continues for half an hour, or the detour is too long, prepare to build a pontoon bridge to cross the river.
It's not difficult for people to cross the river, but it's difficult for more than a thousand warhorses.
Fortunately, they were all light cavalry, and they resupplied along the way, so there were no baggage trains in the camp.
"Yes!" The guard accepted the order and left.
Fifty paces from the temporary camp, Jiang Wuyai, the sect leader of Tianyan Sect, hunched over slightly, his hands clasped behind his back as he gazed at the campfire not far away.
The wind and rain passed over me, as if I had completely merged into this world.
He was standing right in the rain, but you couldn't see him at all.
Even when the "momentum" of the flowing flames swept over, no problem could be detected.
This is the suppression of third-rank by second-rank, coupled with the fact that sorcerers themselves have a strong advantage in concealing their whereabouts.
So Liu Yan tried many times after a day, but still couldn't find any clues.
After receiving the news from Yan Wujiu, Jiang Wuyai immediately set off north and relentlessly searched for the eldest princess and her entourage.
In fact, Qin Zhaoqiong and Liu Yan's first impression was correct. The broken saddle, the missing horseshoe, the swarming horseflies, and the broken stone bridge were all his doing.
Jiang Wuyai simply did it discreetly, or rather, he took advantage of the opportune time and place.
For example, the horseshoe came off when the group was crossing a scree field;
The horsefly was encountered in a low thicket of bushes;
For example, it is also reasonable for a sudden downpour and surging river to wash away a bridge that has been in disrepair for many years.
Jiang Wuyai had always made a successful move, but now he had a bitter expression on his face and his brows were furrowed.
That's not right...
According to Yan Wujiu, both of his elaborate schemes were thwarted, and the failures were so glaring that the cause of the problem could not be found afterward.
This kid has quite a bit of talent. Back in the sect, when he was in the Qi Martial Realm, he was one of the few people in his realm who were most skilled at strategizing and planning.
Now that he has reached the third rank, his strength has made a qualitative leap, so it is unreasonable for him to fail twice in a row.
Throughout the entire day, Jiang Wuyai used various methods and did not fail even once.
Among the three plates of the Tianyan Sect, the Heavenly Plate is the most mysterious and unpredictable. Those who do not recognize its master are unaware of its mysteries, but there is a general consensus that those who possess the Heavenly Plate often have great fortune.
If the Heavenly Plate were on the Great Princess, she wouldn't need to be at any cultivation level to quietly resolve these petty schemes.
Jiang Wuyai actually hoped that all his methods would fail, which would save him trouble.
He had considered the matter repeatedly and concluded that Yan Wujiu should not be lying.
So, the Heavenly Plate isn't on the eldest princess?
Jiang Wuyai picked at his teeth, and that area was quite large.
There are also two imperial heirs, several officials from the Three Departments, and four or five thousand imperial guards. Just thinking about it gives me a headache!
The next moment, his figure vanished, disappearing on his own...
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