Chapter 130 Drama
Beyond the Sixteen Prefectures of Yanyun lies a vast grassland, boundless and endless. The grassland is not entirely flat, but has hills, valleys, swamps, and winding rivers.
Under the moonlight, the grass left no trace. Four or five assassins ran ahead, the leader holding Yelu Anduan halfway in his arm. Wen Yao followed closely behind, Qianying and the others lagging behind her, led by the assassins into a hilly valley.
This mountain area belongs to the same land vein as the previous Tianshui Army base. Although the trees are not dense, the terrain is complex and people can run and hide.
As if driven to panic by Wen Yao's pursuit, these assassins stumbled upon a mountain plain. The surrounding trees were sparse, with steep slopes a hundred meters high. Below, the grasslands and rivers were tranquil and vast.
There was nowhere to run. The leading assassin suddenly stopped, reached out and pushed Yelu Anduan aside, then drew his sword and attacked Wen Yao! He was also a master, with powerful abilities and ruthless moves. Wen Yao rested his fingers on the Xingyi Sword, not even sheathing it, and casually blocked, his eyes slanting to the rapidly approaching Qianying and others.
There are more people coming this way.
Footsteps echoed through the woods. Zhao Xuanxu, half hidden in the moonlight, emerged from the forest with great strides. His hair was slightly disheveled, his breathing was a little rapid, his black sleeves drooping at his sides. His otherwise handsome face now wore a grim expression, and he still held the longsword in his hand, a strange sight.
Following behind him were Zhongli He, Gao Shaoshan and a group of other secret guards.
Qianying's spine instantly relaxed at this, the slight feeling of uncertainty in his heart completely forgotten. He felt alright, all was well. The situation was now clear. The assassin's accomplice had been executed, and the remaining hostage of Yelu Anduan was no longer a threat. Once Wen Yao had subdued him, he immediately led his men to re-detain Yelu Anduan and re-inspect the camp's patrol status.
But Qianying waited for a while, and was not killed by Wen Yao at this moment. She only waited until Zhao Xuanxu took two steps forward. The expression between his brows was like the spring flowers frozen on the branches, with a layer of weird and evil aura.
Gao Shaoshan and Zhong Lihe also had strange expressions on their faces, standing still. Instead, the other secret guard who had followed them silently drew his sword and stepped forward, surrounding Wen Yao and the assassin who were fighting.
……this?
Qianying was stunned. Her usually quick-witted mind couldn't react and she looked up at Wen Yao.
Wen Yao held the assassin's sword firmly in his hand, turned his head to meet Zhao Xuanxu's gaze, and blinked slowly.
Her eyes felt a little sore. Yelu Duhan was so intent on revenge that he had even ordered the Tianshui camp to be set on fire. She had just glanced at it, and she was dazed by the fire, so conspicuous in the dark night, that it stung her eyes. The corners of her eyes were swollen and painful.
The assassin opposite her began to lose strength and internal energy, and his hands were shaking as he wrestled with Wen Yao. The gaze he gave her from behind his companions was intense, even questioning.
what to do?
What can I do? What else can I do? I have to act it out.
"Ah Yao." In the strange silence, Zhao Xuanxu finally spoke. His gaze was cold and lingering, like a vine that tightly bound Wen Yao. A smile played on his face as he whispered, "Why don't you kill him?"
Wen Yao said nothing, raising her hand to wave away the assassin. With one palm, she sent Yelu Anduan, who was lying on the ground, flying towards Qianying. Then she raised her sword, and the sword energy swept up the assassin's longsword. She leaned forward and rushed forward, seemingly caught off guard and exposed, and was pierced through the heart by the sword!
Her movements were continuous and swift, almost flowing. Warm blood splattered, and Zhao Xuanxu's expression suddenly changed as he strode forward.
While everyone was stunned, the assassin reacted quickly, grabbing Wen Yao's neck and pulling her back, taking a few steps closer to the steep cliff. His companions, having recovered from their shock, drew their swords and rushed forward to block the surrounding secret guards. The two who were farther away were twisted away by Zhao Xuanxu, who approached. The remaining two, having gained the opportunity to approach the cliff, followed the assassin with the sword at Wen Yao's neck and pushed her off the cliff.
"Commander Wen!" Gao Shaoshan's eyebrows jumped, and he couldn't help but shout out. Then he closed his mouth and watched in fear as Zhao Xuanxu walked to the edge of the cliff and jumped down without hesitation.
Cliff, cliff, cliff! It’s a cliff after all!
Zhong Li He's drunkenness, which hadn't been washed away by the cold water, was blown away by the chill of late autumn. Even though he had already seen the hidden agenda behind this inexplicable kidnapping and cliff fall, he still twitched at the group's actions.
"Go!" He suddenly turned around and shouted, "Hurry down the cliff and search!"
At night, the water in the grassland river was icy cold and biting. Grassland rivers are usually not deep, but they are wide and winding like a viper. The river is not very fast, but the problem is that it is full of broken rocks and wood, and covered with lush green weeds. If you fall from a height and bump into something or get entangled in the weeds, you will die.
Several assassins climbed out of the river and looked down at the high and shallow stones under their feet. They all felt that they were very lucky. Moreover, they came to rescue Yelu Anduan on Bale's orders. Although they didn't rescue him now, they had a surprise: they actually tied Wen Yao back.
Wen Yao, the Xingyi Sword. This Tianshui woman was incredibly famous, even to many in Northern Liao. She also held a special relationship with the Prince of Yan, making her an excellent hostage and bargaining chip in negotiations.
Wen Yao's heart was pierced by a sword, her face pale, her black hair plastered to the side of her face, her whole body soaked and in disarray. But what impressed these assassins was that despite such serious injuries and the fall from the cliff, an ordinary person would have died the moment they hit the water, but she was able to stand up, and not only did she stand, but she also held the sword firmly in her hand, without a single sway.
This perseverance and patience is beyond the imagination of ordinary people
"Don't delay." The assassin who had previously held Wen Yao hostage looked at Wen Yao with a complicated expression. He swung his sword and said in a deep voice, "Capture her and bring her back to see the Lord."
God knows, he was also shocked just now. Originally, they had just agreed to make a show of jumping off the cliff to escape in front of everyone, but he didn't expect Wen Yao to be so cruel to him and actually stabbed him in the chest with his sword.
At that moment, he also thought of the many rumors about the Xingyi Sword, but they were not about Tianshui Yan Wang, but about their Xianyin Division. He couldn't help shivering after thinking about it - this sword was not within the scope of the prior discussion. Wen Yao controlled him to stab it, and he couldn't be blamed if anything happened.
The assassin thought for a moment, then touched the sealed bamboo tube in his sleeve, confirming it was intact, and walked towards Wen Yao. As their eyes met, Wen Yao lifted her hair and smiled at the group. The Xingyi Sword, which had been unsheathed, suddenly flashed out, striking them with lightning speed. Aside from the large pool of blood on her chest, her movements betrayed no sign of injury.
The leading assassin froze, and the other two were also bewildered, unsure if this was Wen Yao's desperate counterattack. They immediately drew their swords and engaged Wen Yao, then quickly confirmed that Wen Yao's hand was indeed seriously injured. His inner voice was chaotic, and every move seemed a struggle. With a quick detour, Wen Yao slapped the assassin's shoulder, then retreated, quietly grasping a slender, sealed bamboo tube.
She looked up at the assassins, no longer wanting to fight, and ran away from them in three or two steps. Seeing this, the two assassins ran after her, but they still couldn't stop Wen Yao, and could only watch her walk away over the dead branches and weeds.
Oh no.
The two assassins sent by Dabal paused and stared at each other, their faces grim. They hadn't been able to rescue Yelu Anduan, and the Xingyi Sword they'd secured had been lost. They'd failed miserably, and if they returned like this, Dabal would probably tear their heads off first.
The assassin, having surrendered the bamboo tube, felt a stark contrast to them. After the long scene concluded, and the two men beside him seemingly unsuspecting, he breathed a sigh of relief, a look of genuine relief. With a glance, he said coldly, "At least I've severely injured Xingyi Sword, and that counts as revenge for Master Xianyinsi. Now, follow me back to the city to report without delay."
*
Wen Yao slid for dozens of miles in one breath before stopping. The first thing he did when he stopped was to take out the medicine that was half soaked in river water from his arms and stuff it into his mouth.
In order to achieve the best effect, she showed no mercy in that sword strike. Although she aimed at the target and didn't injure the vital part, she was still in pain after jumping off the cliff and soaking in the water. She tore off her clothes to bandage her eyelids and they were twitching.
After briefly treating her wound, Wen Yao found a random tree branch to sit on, propped up the Xingyi Sword, and closed her eyes to recuperate. Unfortunately, her mind was in a mess. Zhao Xuanxu's face kept flashing before her eyes. She couldn't help but wonder if she hadn't noticed when she jumped off the cliff just now. Did Zhao Xuanxu jump down with her?
Oh, it’s difficult, it’s difficult, it’s difficult this time.
Wen Yao exhaled a turbid breath and couldn't calm down no matter what. He simply opened his eyes and opened the bamboo tube that Yelu Duhan had sent him. He poured out a narrow piece of parchment from it, held it in the palm of his hand, and looked at it carefully in the moonlight.
The parchment was covered in swirling text and crisscrossing patterns, detailing the layout of the Shangjing Palace and the Crown Prince's residence. The writing was in Tianshui script, a familiar, sharp, and overbearing hand.
Yelu Duhan told a lot of secrets on the paper and also revealed two strongholds so that Wen Yao could dispatch them whenever he needed them.
Wen Yao raised an eyebrow and stuffed the parchment back.
Not bad, it’s okay.
After tonight, as planned, news of the Northern Liao's failed attempt to rescue Yelu Anduan would spread rapidly throughout the region. She had also left a secret letter in her tent, fearing Zhao Xuanxu might misbehave, and had two copies sent to Zhongli He and Gao Shaoshan. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the news that she had escaped with serious injuries and returned to Tianshui to recuperate would also spread widely.
At this point, the good show she and Yelu Duhan had discussed had finally begun smoothly. It was very troublesome and tortuous, but there was no other way; it really had to go through so much trouble.
The war situation is tense, and everyone in Northern Liao is watching Yelu Duhan. Even if Yelu Duhan wants Yelu Andan dead, he can't really not save him. Wen Yao wants to kill the emperor and empress to stop the war, but she can't really kill people openly with her status. The reputation of the family and the country is at stake. If Tianshui Xingyi Sword kills the Northern Liao emperor and empress, Northern Liao will have to grit its teeth and continue to fight Tianshui.
In short, the Northern Liao emperor and empress must die, but they must remain unrelated to Tianshui, at least not on the surface. Yelu Duhan had to make a show of his own, rescuing Yelu Anduan. This would appease the Shangjing court while simultaneously diverting the conflict, stalling time and gradually forcing both sides into a negotiation. Through deliberate planning, Dabale's men were among the assassins. Dabale's men were the empress's men, and having these witnesses personally would make Wen Yao's serious injury more convincing.
One assassination solved the concerns of many parties, killing three birds with one stone, and was extremely efficient.
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