Chapter 52 Assassination I didn't expect him to be just a pretty face? ...
Yu Qing woke up the next day and felt deeply regretful. She didn't understand why she was so obsessed with running to Xie Jing.
Thinking of what happened last night, he couldn't help but hold his forehead. Before setting off, he pretended to be busy looking at the map, but he still couldn't stop Xie Jing from coming to him.
"Thank you for last night, General," Xie Jing said, "I have a humble request..."
Yu Qing put down the map and signaled him with his eyes to speak frankly.
"Will you ride in the carriage with me?"
Yu Qing asked, "Why?"
Xie Jing sighed, "That Lord Li talks too much. If you were here, you could have asked him to go somewhere else."
On the first day of his journey, Lord Li shamelessly asked Xie Jing if he could ride with him. From then on, he stayed in Xie Jing's car. It seemed that Xie Jing was annoyed by him, but he still listened to his courtesy in a friendly manner.
Yu Qing said: "Then just let him leave."
Xie Jing said sincerely, "...He also has good intentions, and he is also an official, so it is difficult to speak."
Yu Qing was helpless. He was just a small official. What was there to be afraid of?
She went straight to find the Minister surnamed Li and told him to go to the car at the back. Facing the stern prince, Lord Li dared not object and left without saying a word.
Now that the matter was resolved, she would of course ride her horse as usual. Xie Jing would probably be satisfied with having the carriage to himself.
...Of course, she couldn't see Xie Jing's resentful glance behind the curtain.
·
The first half of today's journey passed over a small hill and the road was a bit bumpy. It was no problem for Yu Qing and others riding horses, but the people riding in the carriages were all delicate and had to slow down, which delayed them for some time.
In early spring, the sun sets early. In the afternoon, Yu Qing looked at the time and felt that he might not be able to arrive before the city gate was locked. If he didn't hurry, he would have to stay at the post station.
"There are several paths through the forest," a Golden Feather Guard came over and asked. "Looking at the map, they're much closer than taking a detour. What do you think, General?"
Yu Qing responded and took a look. He saw that the shortcut was not a hidden path and could accommodate a carriage. He thought it was a route commonly used by people and merchants in the surrounding area, so he nodded.
When they reached the depths of the forest, it was getting dark and the trees were shady. She rode her horse to the front of the team and asked the guards to light torches to lead the way.
Following the flames, Yu Qing glanced forward and suddenly found a long straight shadow between two trees not far away.
She raised her hand cautiously: "Stop."
The horsemen obeyed the order and immediately pulled the reins.
A guard stepped forward to confirm, then turned around and said, "Tripping rope!"
Yu Qing's face darkened. In the distant woods, a group of flying birds were startled and flew over the treetops.
The curtain in the middle of the carriage was lifted, and Xie Jing asked, "What's wrong?"
Yu Qing's sword was half unsheathed. She raised her chin to Xie Jing and said loudly, "Sit down!"
She spoke with a calm aura, and besides her personal guards, the Golden Feathered Guards also subconsciously obeyed her orders. One of them asked, "But are they bandits?"
If there were tripwires, the enemy was usually lying in ambush not far away. However, this area had always been peaceful and prosperous, and bandits had never been heard of causing trouble.
The guards also held their breath and concentrated until a faint sound was heard from behind the bushes. Two well-trained personal soldiers under Yu Qing suddenly drew their bows and fired two arrows at the same time, shooting at that position.
However, what came after the sound of breaking wind was not the muffled sound of an arrow piercing flesh, but the clanging sound of iron clashing.
——It was cut off neatly by a sword!
Yu Qing immediately made a judgment: "They are not real bandits, be careful!"
At the same time, doubts arose in her mind.
Although she wanted to protect Xie Jing's safety, she always felt that the possibility of being assassinated was small. It was not that Xie Jing's life was worthless. After all, he was just a prince who had not been announced to the world and had no family power. Even if there were people in the capital who had long enough influence, it would not be worth starting a war to wipe out the roots, right?
I don’t know who is so restless that he doesn’t even want to see him enter the capital.
The people in ambush knew they were exposed, and after a whistle, they all jumped out. They were all masked and dressed in black, looking like bandits, but their body shapes and moves were obviously not something they could have trained by nature.
The eunuchs and civil officials in the carriage were all frightened, but they were secondary. Yu Qing directly guarded Xie Jing's carriage. There were more than a dozen assassins nearby, most of them rushed straight here. Yu Qing raised his sword and killed two of them first. When he turned around and saw them, he couldn't help frowning.
Those Golden Feather Guards were struggling with the enemy and it was obvious that they could not hold them off.
Although many of them are young soldiers, their skills are really not up to par.
Before he could resolve the current conflict, the sound of horse hooves came from afar and an arrow shot towards him. Yu Qing swung his sword to block it.
It sounds like there are quite a few of them, with horses and bows. This group of people must be lying in ambush on several roads, waiting for opportunities. If they hear any movement from anywhere, the rest of them will rush over as soon as possible.
They were outnumbered, not to mention the carriages that would delay things. Yu Qing said, "Separate first. You guys drive the carriages over there."
After being dispersed, they could be more flexible. Following her instructions, Jin Yuwei drove the other two carriages to change routes first, and she led her men and Xie Jing in another direction.
She hadn't been running for long when she realized that there were obviously more pursuers on her side, and their target was indeed clear.
The road ahead was narrow, bumpy, and full of gravel, making it difficult for the carriage to move forward. Furthermore, the carriage itself was a target. Yu Qing rode his horse level with the front of the carriage, lifted the front curtain with his sword from the front, and said, "Xie Jing, take the token with you."
Xie Jing leaned out, his face not looking good, perhaps because of the bumpy ride and shock.
“We…Ah!”
It happened that the wheel was shaken by a stone, and he almost lost his balance and fell forward. He subconsciously reached out to lean on the guardrail to maintain his balance, but Yu Qing leaned over and grabbed his arm, lifted it up hard, and pulled him out of the carriage.
Xie Jing: “…”
He didn't even have time to scream as he was thrown onto the horse's back in a thrilling manner. He felt like he was about to be dislocated by Yu Qing.
"Let's abandon the carriage," Yu Qing said. She tied the package Xie Jing was carrying to the front of the saddle, then gave the horse a kick, causing it to suddenly pick up speed. Her voice remained steady, "Thank you for your hard work, young master. Please ride with me for a while."
"Wait……"
Xie Jing was in a mess. First, he couldn't adapt to riding for a while. Second, the two of them were almost touching each other, one in front and one behind, and he didn't know where to put his hands.
Although Yu Qing's horse could run, the road ahead was not smooth and there were always obstacles. The pursuers behind knew the terrain better. The mixed sounds of horse hooves were not only chasing fast, but also hinted at an encirclement and attack from both sides.
Yu Qing asked, "You know martial arts, right? Can you block an arrow?"
Xie Jing: "No."
"?" Yu Qing subconsciously looked back and almost bumped into Xie Jing's jaw.
Most young masters in ordinary families know some martial arts, and Yu Qing tacitly assumed that Xie Jing knew it too. After all, this man was not like an ordinary cultivator in any way. She felt that Xie Jing must have some hidden tricks, which were definitely not ordinary.
Although his usual gestures didn't reveal much skill, Yu Qing assumed it was because he pursued a graceful demeanor and had corrected it to maintain his appearance, thus not revealing the habits of a martial artist. Who would have thought he was really just a pretty face?
Yu Qingqi asked, "But don't you still have your sword?"
Xie Jing would occasionally carry his sword at his waist. Yu Qing saw that the scabbard was spotless, and thought that he must have wiped it diligently every time he used it, so he thought it was a precious sword.
A gust of wind blew towards him, and Xie Jing said in despair, "It's just a decoration!"
Yu Qing: “…”
No wonder it's so clean.
She was also a little disheveled, so she could only say, "Hold on to me tight, don't get thrown off!"
It would be no problem for Yu Qing to kill all the enemies on his own, but it would be different if he brought someone with him. Protecting someone is always more difficult than hurting them, and he would inevitably be constrained everywhere.
Originally, she thought she could block most of the attacks by herself, and instruct Xie Jing to protect the blind spots that she couldn't reach. After hearing what he said, she felt unsure. She estimated that Xie Jing would not cooperate, so she decided not to let him do it on his own, otherwise they would hurt each other before the enemy caught up.
If it was a child or a little girl, Yu Qing could hold them in her arms. But Xie Jing was behind her, so it was not easy to switch places. Even if they did, he was a tall man, and Yu Qing was blocked by him. How could she see the road?
There is no other way at this point, let's fight our way out of the siege.
Yu Qing's personal guards were all battle-hardened and would not lose in terms of martial arts skills. However, they were outnumbered, and there were always some who could not be stopped from behind. Yu Qing dealt with all the approaching assassins. She was ruthless on her horse, her sword flying and blood splattering everywhere. Xie Jing's heart was pounding wildly, and Yu Qing felt it. She said, "Hold on."
At present, half of the enemies have been eliminated and they have indeed made their way out. Yu Qing is about to rush out, but the killers naturally don't want them to escape. The people behind him, seeing that they can't catch up, start firing crossbows wildly. Sharp sounds of breaking wind can be heard one after another, and they are all accurately intercepted by Yu Qing.
But the enemies nearby were still fighting, and Yu Qing's whip was out of reach. He had just knocked one person off his horse when he heard a series of string sounds from behind. The direction was just an inch away, so he thought he was in danger.
In a flash, Yu Qing twisted his body, trying to switch the front and back positions of his body with Xie Jing.
I can break most of the arrows on one side, and I will block the ones that I can't stop for him.
This was her plan, but unexpectedly, Xie Jing, who had been playing the role of a pendant, seemed to realize her intention in an instant and exerted force to resist her.
Yu Qing didn't move aside. She was stunned and didn't have time to do anything else. She reacted quickly and swung her sword.
She covered most of the area, but she failed to stop an arrow. The sharp weapon pierced into the flesh with a hissing sound, and Xie Jing fell heavily on her back.
She realized that she had shot Xie Jing.
Yu Qing suddenly became anxious and didn't know what to say. If they had swapped just now, Xie Jing would have been fine.
Now that he, the person she was protecting, was injured, she felt like her reputation had been smashed.
"What are you moving around for?" Yu Qing couldn't help but scold.
Xie Jing remained silent, breathing rapidly.
Yu Qing said: "...Xie Jing? How are you? Can you still speak?"
She was also a little worried, afraid that Xie Jing might have hurt his heart and lungs. Finally, Xie Jing's trembling voice rang out, saying, "Can..."
"Just keep your breath steady," Yu Qing instructed, "don't move around!"
The moment Xie Jing was injured, his mind went blank. In fact, he only felt a chill on the back of his shoulder. After a few breaths, a piercing pain came up, and then his vision began to go black.
He took great effort to catch his breath and said weakly, "I didn't move. I can't... ask you to block the arrow for me..."
Yu Qing: “…”
She felt Xie Jing's forehead against her shoulder. She wanted to see what condition he was in, but she couldn't turn around. So she calmed down and drove ahead with Xie Jing in her arms.
Yu Qing was not selfless, it was just his duty.
This was the best choice she made after weighing the pros and cons. She had soft armor on her body, so even if she changed it, she might not get hurt; even if she was really hurt, she would never let herself get hurt in the vital parts.
It was no big deal if the same stray arrow was shot at her, but it was different if it was shot at Xie Jing.
He was a frail, fair-skinned young man. If he died or became disabled, everything would be over.
As a military general, she had protected countless people in the past, and Xie Jing was not the only one. Many people were afraid of death and hid behind trembling, wishing to push others out to block the knives and guns. She didn't expect that Xie Jing, who seemed indecisive, actually had some benevolence and righteousness. She couldn't help but look at him with admiration.
Xie Jing had been able to control his posture before, but now his left shoulder blade was in severe pain, his entire arm was weak, and he could only lean on her.
Several personal soldiers finally ended the fierce battle and caught up, dealing with those who shot the arrows. Yu Qing also attacked more and more fiercely, and finally the last man fell to the ground and could not get up.
Xie Jing couldn't help but be affected. He felt a warm and sticky wound on his back, and his hand dropped from Yu Qing's waist.
Yu Qing grabbed his wrist, and Xie Jing regained consciousness for a brief moment.
"I'm holding you," Yu Qing said, tilting his head, "save your energy."
Xie Jing finally relaxed the breath he had been holding and leaned softly against Yu Qing's back.
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