NOVEL WEB Chapter 156 - Hurry and Flee!
Chapter 156: Hurry and Flee!
The approaching person came forward and leaped off his horse before attacking those mountain bandits, protecting Su Jiu and the rest behind him.
Then, he knelt on one knee and said, “The Chief Guard of the Ji Manor’s Youzhou’s branch greets the Young Mistress!”
The Ji Manor conducted their business in different regions, and every branch had its storekeepers, chief managers, as well as guards to protect the people working under the Ji Manor.
Wei Tan was the chief guard in Youzhou.
Because Youzhou was a remote city, it was constantly plagued by matters of war. As such, Wei Tan also possessed the strongest skills in martial arts amongst the Ji Manor’s guards.
Su Jiu took a step back and scrutinized him cautiously. “How did you know I was…”
Wei Tan replied, “This subordinate has never met Young Mistress, it was Guard Jin who sent an urgent message to this subordinate. He described the Young Mistress’s facial features, and this subordinate sent his men to wait outside Youzhou City early this morning. When they saw the Young Mistress and her men ascend the mountain, they informed this subordinate!”
He paused, before continuing, “Guard Jin told this subordinate that I had to protect the Young Mistress well and ensure her safety!”
Su Jiu remained silent. Since Jin Feng had already known, then Ji Yuxian had certainly found out that she had traveled to Northern Xinjiang.
She wanted to tell Wei Tan that she was no longer the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor, but just as she was about to open her mouth, One Eye strode over and stared at Su Jiu, stupefied. He asked, “Chief Guard Wei… this… what’s going on?”
Wei Tan had addressed her as ‘Young Mistress’?
She was a woman?
When he recalled the girl’s ruthless attacks against him, he could not help but be dumbfounded.
Wei Tan introduced, “This is our Ji Manor’s Young Mistress!”
All those mountain bandits were shocked and hastily sheathed their weapons before retreating behind One Eye.
One Eye tossed away the knife in his hands and smiled goofily. “Look at us! We lost our bearings for a moment, such that we attempted to rob the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor. We have offended you!”
Su Jiu looked at Wei Tan in bewilderment. How did the mountain bandits know the people of the Ji Manor?
What she did not know was that due to Northern Xinjiang’s bitterly cold climate, the commoners were all poverty-stricken. Even though One Eye and his men were mountain bandits, it was hard to make ends meet, and they were often in dire straits. As such, they constantly had to rely on the Ji Manor’s shops for relief aid, and as a form of repayment, they would protect the Ji Manor’s merchants during the war.
After interacting with each other for so long, these people and Wei Tan could be considered familiar with each other.
Wei Tan explained, “It’s a long story. Even though Zhao Xiong and the rest are mountain bandits, they’re not evil people who have committed serious crimes. I implore the Young Mistress to spare their lives!”
Su Jiu, Ah Shu, and Chang Huan did not receive any injuries, and they did not investigate the matter any further. They nodded their heads, intending to continue their journey.
One Eye had been slashed by Su Jiu. His wrist bones were injured, while his entire body was covered in bloodstains.
The other mountain bandits, who had also received numerous wounds, hastily moved aside to pave a path for them.
Wei Tan stepped forward and said, “Young Mistress, where are you going? We will follow you!”
Su Jiu’s black pupils were like stars, radiant and clear. She answered nonchalantly, “Today, I must thank you for stepping forward to help us. But it’s already been one month since I was no longer the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor, and I no longer have any relationship with Ji Yuxian. You all should return!”
Wei Tan was astonished. She wasn’t the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor?
Why didn’t Jin Feng say that?
The matter had happened one month ago, and yet, he had just received Jin Feng’s urgent letter.
“Young Mistress!” Wei Tan blocked Su Jiu once again. “This subordinate is not clear on the Young Mistress’s and the Eldest Master’s matters, but this subordinate only complies with his orders. Guard Jin’s instructions are equivalent to the Eldest Master’s instructions. This subordinate has to protect the Young Mistress, and I dare not disobey!”
Chang Huan’s face became frosty as he shouted, “Have you all failed to understand? Our Boss is already no longer the Young Mistress of the Ji Manor, and she does not need your protection! We can protect her well ourselves!”
Wei Tan frowned. “Young Mistress, this is Youzhou’s Mount Hala. We are more familiar with the terrain of this area, and no matter what the Young Mistress wants to do, this subordinate will aid the Young Mistress. I implore you to reconsider, Young Mistress!”
Su Jiu refused firmly, not wanting to be tangled with Ji Yuxian in any other way. She flipped her body onto her horse.
Wei Tan brought his men and knelt before the three people on one knee. He raised his head and said in a resounding voice, “Young Mistress, I have been ordered to protect the Young Mistress, and I will not allow the Young Mistress to enter the mountain alone. I plead with you to let us follow you, Young Mistress!”
The men who followed Wei Tan all pleaded in unison.
“Young Mistress, let us follow you!”
“Young Mistress, there is an ongoing battle right now. There is a chance that the enemy troops are on Mount Hala, and if you head up just like this, it will be dangerous!”
“I beg you, Young Mistress!”
…
Su Jiu’s clear eyes were cold. She clenched the reins tightly in her hands as she shouted, “Make way!”
“Chief!” Ah Shu suddenly spoke, “Why don’t we let them follow us? The Eldest Master is also worried for you, Chief! After all, with them around, we might be able to find Da Pao sooner!”
Chang Huan sneered, “Are we unable to find Da Pao without the help from the Ji Manor?”
“Chang Huan!” Ah Shu glared at him. He had no idea why Chang Huan treated the Ji Manor like a foe, and continued, “We will be able to find him ourselves, but we’re not familiar with Mount Hala. The road ahead is sure to be winding, but Da Pao is waiting for us with his life on the line!”
Su Jiu knitted her brows and lifted her head to look at Wei Tan. “Do you know where General Hu has been trapped by the enemy troops?”
“General Hu?” Wei Tan suddenly understood. “So it turns out that the Young Mistress is here to look for General Hu! Then, all the more this subordinate has to follow the Young Mistress. Although this subordinate does not know the exact coordinates where General Hu is being trapped, we will be able to help the Young Mistress find him!”
Su Jiu squinted her eyes. “Are you certain?”
“Yes, this subordinate is sure!”
“Alright, if you can lead us to the place where Da Pao is being held, I will be extremely grateful!” At that point, Su Jiu’s greatest worry was Hu Dapao’s safety. When she heard that Wei Tan and his men could be of help, she no longer bothered about her and Ji Yuxian’s matter.
“I don’t dare!” Wei Tan said. He brought his men in preparation to lead Su Jiu into the mountain, before turning back to look at Zhao Xiong and his men standing at the side.
Zhao Xiong and his men resided on the mountain every day, and could not possibly be more familiar with the situation on the mountain.
“Zhao Xiong, General Hu is Daliang’s Protection General, and he has been trapped by the enemy clan. Bring your men up with us to rescue General Hu!”
“Ah?” One Eye exclaimed. He turned to look at his brothers and contemplated carefully, before nodding his head. “Sure, we brothers will enter the mountain together with Chief Guard Wei!”
One of the mountain bandits chimed in, “Sirs, this lowly one hunted near Camelback Ridge yesterday. I think I saw some of the enemy’s troops there, but we were frightened and did not dare to approach any closer. General Hu is most likely being held back at Camelback Ridge!”
Su Jiu’s eyes gleamed. “Where is Camelback Ridge?”
“This lowly one will bring the Young Mistress over!” Zhao Xiong replied immediately.
“Alright!”
Su Jiu, Ah Shu, and Chang Huan exchanged glances, and could not help but feel emotional. They did not expect to receive news on Hu Dapao the moment they arrived at Mount Hala!
Fortunately, they did not kill One Eye just now!
Everyone set off, traveling towards Camelback Ridge at high speed.
Mount Hala occupied a vast territory. Its northern range breached the borders of the Qiang Clan’s Mazha Desert, while its southern range extended past Youzhou. Camelback Ridge was nearer to its northern end, and thus, even when Su Jiu and her entourage sped over at breakneck speed, they only managed to reach the bottom of Camelback Ridge within two days.
Camelback Ridge was formed by mountain cliffs on both the northern and eastern sides. Only the western and southern face of the ridge had paths that led up the mountain. At that time, there was indeed a swarm of enemy troops from the Naye Clan encircling and guarding the bottom of the mountain.
Looking from a distance, there were many traces of fire at the mountain peak, and it seemed as though the Naye Clan had tried to use fire attacks to force Hu Dapao down the mountain.
“Chief, Da Pao is still alive!” Ah Shu exclaimed in excitement.
Su Jiu’s eyes twinkled as she slowly nodded her head. Indeed, as long as those people from the Naye Clan did not disperse, it meant that Hu Dapao was still on the mountain.
“There doesn’t seem to be thirty thousand troops,” Chang Huan said in a low voice.
Su Jiu’s brows furrowed slightly. She had previously heard Qiao An mention that the foreign clan had taken two routes and that thirty thousand of the soldiers had surrounded the base of Mount Hala to trap Hu Dapao. However, by the look of things, there weren’t thirty thousand men here.
Where were the rest?
Was there some sort of conspiracy?
Su Jiu and the few of them hide in a hollow within the mountains, facing the Camelback Ridge. Even after searching for half a day, they could not find a way to avoid enemy soldiers and ascend the mountain.
If they were confronted by the troops from the Naye Clan, the twenty of them would have to face an enemy of tens of thousands. It was obvious that there would be no way of getting out alive from that situation.
“Young Mistress, the sky is getting dark. Let us find a place to rest for the night. We can think of another plan tomorrow!” Wei Tan said.
“Alright then!” Su Jiu knew that there was no use panicking. At least they had already reached this place, and the knowledge that Da Pao was still alive was already a huge fortune at this time of crisis.
The group of them descend along the mountain hollow, intending to spend the night out in the mountains. Just then, they saw the glow of a fire ahead of them – It appeared that people were living on this mountain.
The group could not help but celebrate as they walked in the direction of the fire.
As they trod on, that fire appeared to be right before them, and yet, the group only reached after walking for over an hour.
On a portion of flat ground within the mountains, three thatched houses had been built. The area was cordoned off by fences, and the winding mountain path ended right in front of the wooden gate.
Within the pitch-black winter night deep within the mountains, the tiny trace of light from the fire emitting from the thatched hut caused those who were exhausted to brighten up.
They went forward and knocked on the gate. The light in the hut was extinguished with a ‘puff’, engulfing the area in darkness.
Wei Tan said, “The people in the house must have assumed that we were Naye soldiers encroaching on their territory!”
Zhao Xiong banged the gate and yelled, “Open the door, hurry and open the door! If you don’t open up, then we’ll barge in! If you make this old one angry, I will burn your house down!”
Wei Tan chided, “Don’t scare them!”
In the dimness of the dark, Zhao Xiong’s sinister face appeared even more frightening. He flashed a toothy smile. “It’s a habit! I don’t know how to converse properly!”
Perhaps his intimidation was effective, for the doors of the thatched hut opened and a man walked out and stammered, “You… Who are you all?”
Wei Tan immediately responded, “Don’t be scared, we are people from Daliang. We had to travel deep into the night and just so happened to pass by this area. We wish to stay over for the night!”
The man took two steps forward, and a girl seemed to follow behind him. He asked, “A war is currently ongoing. Who are you all, and why have you passed by this area?”
“We are really good people!” Wei Tan could only repeat himself.
Having already lost his patience, Zhao Xiong shouted coldly, “Why are you being so long-winded? If you still don’t open the door, this old one is going to break it down!”
“Don’t… Don’t!” The girl said. She held an oil lantern in her hand and walked out together with the man.
Once they opened the door, Zhao Xiong was about to lecture them again, but after recalling Wei Tan’s instructions, he could only swallow his words. He moved aside, allowing Su Jiu and Wei Tan to walk in first.
Su Jiu took the first step into the house and said faintly, “The two of you don’t have to be frightened. We are just people who are passing by.”
“Oh, oh!” The woman hastily nodded her head, “The weather is cold, please hurry and come in!”
The twenty men followed behind Su Jiu and walked into the house with a great hullabaloo.
The water dripping outside had already turned to ice. The house was heated by a charcoal stove, which slowly emanated warmth.
There was only a handcrafted table made out of poplar wood in the middle of the hut. A few bundles of firewood were stacked at the corner, and a few pieces of deerskin were patched on the wall.
Once Su Jiu and the rest entered, the small room was instantly packed.
Against the glow of the lanterns, Su Jiu could finally make out the appearance of the man and woman who allowed them into the house. Their features were good-looking, and they were about twenty years of age. Their eyes and eyebrows looked similar, implying that they were brother and sister.
The girl retrieved a worn-out teacup and poured a cup of tea, before smiling cautiously. “We’re mountain dwellers and don’t have any good tea. Please pardon us!”
Wei Tan used his sleeves to wipe the bench, before letting Su Jiu take a seat. She asked, “Do you have anything to eat? We can exchange it with some money!”
“We have… have!” The woman replied as she retrieved a pile of biscuits from the stove. “We only have this. Later on, I will boil some rice gruel for you all! It’s just bland tea and plain rice, so you don’t have to pay!”
As the woman said this, she secretly examined the people in the room. The youth sitting on the bench had a beautiful countenance, and his outfit seemed to be that from a wealthy family. The man behind him was dressed like a martial arts practitioner, while the rest were dressed shabbily with fierce expressions and seemed to be mountain bandits.
She could not help but secretly speculate what Su Jiu and her men were here for.
Su jiu pushed the dish out and said, “I’m not hungry! You guys eat!”
Chang Huan frowned. “Boss, you haven’t eaten anything for the whole day! Have something to eat!”
Just as he said this, the sound of a child crying was heard. The expressions of the man and the woman who was in the middle of preparing food instantly changed as they stared at Su Jiu and the rest with caution.
There seemed to be another woman in the house, hugging and pacifying the child gently.
The man realized that Su Jiu and her men did not barge inside that room, and breathed a sigh of relief.
Zhao Xiong was filled with utter boredom in the house, so he brought his men out to the courtyard.
“There is an ongoing war here, and the Naye troops are on the opposite side of the mountain. This Master does not appear to be someone from Youzhou, so why have you come here?” The woman probed as she adjusted the fire for boiling the rice gruel.
“We are here to find someone!” Su Jiu replied.
The woman nodded her head with a smile and said, ‘This is my little brother’s home. He used to live in Pingyang City but moved into the deep mountains to avoid the war. He makes a living by collecting firewood.”
The man who opened the door was most likely the woman’s little brother. He sat under the dark shadows and remained silent as he chopped wood with an ax.
Very soon, the fragrance of the rice gruel wafted from the pot. Su Jiu’s eyes turned and she looked at the man who was chopping wood. “May I ask, apart from the usual mountain paths at Camelback Ridge, is there any other route to ascend the mountain?”
That man froze, immediately lowering his head and saying, “No… I’m not sure!”
Su Jiu saw his eyes flash and knew that there was something he was hiding but was unwilling to share.
She exchanged glances with Ah Shu and Chang Huan. The three of them took note but did not question any further.
Very soon, the rice gruel was ready. The woman poured out a bowl for Su Jiu first and placed it on the table. “There isn’t anything else, we only have this white rice. I hope this Master will not dislike it!”
“Thank you!” Su Jiu smiled and nodded her head.
Ah Shu poured out a bowl and went out to pass it to Zhao Xiong. The moment he stepped out of the door, he saw him sitting on the ground leaning against a haystack, joking around with his brothers.
When he saw Ah Shu come out, Zhao Xiong grinned. “Brother Ah Shu, have a seat. We are already considered acquaintances after exchanging moves!”
Ah Shu sat down at the side and parted his lips. “Good! How’s the wound on your shoulder?”
“It’s not a big matter, such an injury will not kill me! But you all are very skillful at martial arts!” Zhao Xiong praised him sincerely.
Ah Shu chuckled. They had the guts to rob their Chief, and for his arm to remain intact, was indeed their Chief showing mercy for people who worked in the same line as them.
“Oh right, I heard the Young Mistress say that you all are mountain bandits. Are you guys not people from the Ji Manor? Why are you guys also mountain bandits?’ Zhao Xiong questioned.
From the beginning, he already had doubts, and at this point, he could not hold back his urge to ask.
Without concealing anything, Ah Shu replied, “We are indeed in the same line. In the past, our Dragon Conqueror Gang also blocked roads and robbed people at the base of Yuhu Mountain. Later, our Chief married into the Ji Manor, and so we entered the city together!”
Bobbing his head, Zhao Xiong seemed to understand, and at the same time, did not. He understood what was said on the surface, but he could not fathom how a mountain bandit could marry into the Ji Manor and become the Young Mistress.
Despite that, however, he did not ask any further and brought his fists together. “We are indeed people of the same line! What a fortunate meeting, how should I address your esteemed Chief?”
“Yuhu Mountain’s Master Su Jiu!” Ah Shu grinned.
“Good, this brother will remember. If we ever encounter Master Su Jiu in the future, we will bow and welcome her. Thank you for showing mercy and not killing us today!” Zhao Xiong said with a resounding voice.
Ah Shu laughed, raising his bowl of rice gruel and clinking it together with Zhao Xiong’s bowl. “Next time, let’s drink together!”
“Sure!”
The woman had just come out to get some water, and when she heard Ah Shu and Zhao Xiang conversing, she froze. Su Jiu?
That name had been engraved onto the mind for a long time, and she never expected to hear it again today.
Yuhu Mountain, Shengjing. It should be that person!
The woman turned back into the house and observed Su Jiu in a new light. She took two steps forward and smiled. “Master, are you from Shengjing?”
Su Jiu nodded her head. “Yes!”
“Then, do you know who Bai Sanjin is, Master?” The woman asked anxiously.
Su Jiu was stunned, as she had long forgotten the Bai Family. This woman lived so far south at Youzhou, so how would she know Bai Sanjin? Was she going to take revenge on her behalf?
Her eyes became cold. She looked at the woman and replied honestly, “I know her!”
The woman’s lips were quivering, and she immediately became emotional. “Master, you killed Bai Sanjin, right?”
Bai Sanjin was bedridden with a coma for three whole months before she died. Even though she did not die at the hands of Su Jiu, she had indeed died because she was heavily injured by her. Su Jiu did not deny this and replied, “You can say I killed her. What’s your relationship with the Bai Family?”
The woman plonked on the ground and knelt. “I’ve finally met my benefactor! I’m not from the Bai Family, I am an enemy of their family. Bai Sanjin snatched my husband away and left me with serious injuries after beating me up. I hate the fact that I am a woman and had no power to take my revenge! When I was in the Bai Family’s manor, I heard my benefactor beat up Bai Sanjin, which could be considered taking revenge on my behalf. I have always remembered the benefactor’s name and always hoped to repay the favor one day. I never expected the heavens to show such grace and allow me to meet my benefactor today!”
When Su Jiu heard the whole story from beginning to end, she sat there in a daze. She never expected there to be such a story behind the situation back then.
Chang Huan chortled. “Bai Sanjin is already dead!”
“The heavens are just. That slut had finally received her retribution thanks to my benefactor!” The woman became even more emotional as she brought her head to the ground before Su Jiu.
Su Jiu hurriedly held her up and said, “No need to thank me. I did not know about your grudges with the Bai Family, and the fact that I beat Bai Sanjin up had nothing to do with you!”
“I know!” The woman wiped her tears and continued, “Bai Sanjin shamed and hurt me, not to mention she destroyed my home, and I wholeheartedly wished to peel her skin and break her bones. Unfortunately, the Bai Family was powerful, and I was only a weak and ordinary commoner who could do nothing! Regardless of the reason my benefactor killed her, you have aided me in my revenge!”
Su Jiu supported her up and asked, “Since this is the case, then you are also from Shengjing. Why have you come here?”
The woman wiped her tears and explained, “My original family name was ‘Wang’, and I used to reside at Shuimo village at the borders of Pingyang City in Youzhou. Three years ago, Chen Lin went to Youzhou to look for a wife, and he passed by my house. He stayed the night at my home, and at that time, my heart was bewitched and I fell for Chen Lin, that fool. I refused to marry anyone else, and I completely ignored my family members who tried to stop me and followed him to Shengjing. I never expected that not long after, Chen Lin would be attracted by the wealth of the Bai Family and be willing to listen to the orders of Bai Sanjin, that slut. When I knocked on the doors to look for him, I was beaten up by Bai Sanjin and sustained serious injuries. After my wounds healed, I returned to Youzhou dejectedly.”
Su Jiu understood. “That kind of man, it’s fine to do without!”
“Yes!” The woman sobbed while nodding her head.
When the man who was chopping wood heard Su Jiu conversing with his older sister, he got up, walked over, and said slowly, “Older Sister… What happened?”
The woman dabbed her tears with her sleeves and quickly replied, “Wen Gong, come here quickly! Do you still remember your sister telling you about her benefactor who helped her deliver her revenge? This Master is the one! Hurry and pay your respects!”
The man stared at Su Jiu in shock and quickly said, “Paying respects to our benefactor!”
Su Jiu smiled lightly. “No need to be so courteous. I had beaten Bai Sanjin up for my reasons!”
“My benefactor does not need to elaborate! It’s my fate that I met my benefactor today. Where are you heading to?” The woman asked.
No longer hiding anything, Su Jiu replied, “Since both of you reside here, you should know that General Hu who was stationed at Youzhou was trapped by the foreign clans at Camelback Ridge. I’ve journeyed here to rescue him!”
The faces of the brother and sister pair instantly flashed with realization. They recalled Su Jiu asking about the road to Camelback Ridge, finally understanding why.
Under the meager rays of light in the dimly lit room, the girl’s eyes glowed as she smiled at Su Jiu. “Benefactor, please hold on for a moment!”
After she said that, she pulled her little brother into the adjoining room.
After closing the cloth curtains, the girl immediately suggested, “Wen Gong, why not bring them to Camelback Ridge? I know that you are familiar with a route that no one else knows! A route that will lead directly towards the mountain!”
Wang Wengong’s brows furrowed as he glanced in the direction of the living room. He whispered, “Older Sister, that path is extremely steep, and most people would have no means of walking through! Furthermore, the Naye soldiers are stationed at the base of the mountain right now, so even if that path is remote, it will still be difficult to remain undiscovered. At that time, I might just lose my life!”
“Your older sister is begging you! I previously vowed that I will repay that person called Su Jiu. Now that I’m here in Youzhou, which is thousands of miles away from Shengjing, the fact that I was able to meet him meant that this was arranged by the heavens. How could I swallow my words and not follow through with what I vowed?”
“Older Sister!” Wang Wengong turned his back and said with reluctance, “It’s not that I’m willing to help you, but if I die, what will happen to my wife and my child? There’s a war going on, and if anything happens, who will protect you all?”
“Then tell your older sister where that road is! I will bring them there!”
“Older Sister, you are a woman! How can you head to Camelback Ridge? No, it’s too dangerous!”
“Wen Gong, please let me go. This time, if I don’t help my benefactor, then I will not be able to rest easy for the remainder of my life!” The woman pleaded.
Wang Wengong knitted his brows, and the features on his thin face seemed to scrunch up together, wrought with difficulty. After a pause, he clenched his teeth and said begrudgingly, “Alright, I will bring them into the Camelback Ridge!”
“Wen Gong…” The woman stared at him in shock.
“If I do not return, I will leave Chen Hui and Zhuo’er in your care, Older Sister!”
“No, Wen Gong! You must return in one piece! Older Sister will be waiting at home for you!”
Wang Wengong put on a solemn expression and did not speak any further. He parted the cloth curtain and said, “If you all want to go to Camelback Ridge, I know a route to go up!”
Su Jiu and Chang Huan stood up in unison. “Really?”
Wang Wengong nodded his head. “When I ascended the mountain to gather firewood last year, I was trapped on Camelback Ridge due to a heavy downpour. I chanced upon that road, which is at the eastern face of the ridge, near one of the broken cliffs. However, it is very steep, and back then when I descended, I fractured my leg!”
“It’s fine as long as there’s a route! We’ll set off early tomorrow morning!” Su Jiu was immensely moved, and she did not expect that her grudge with the Bai Family would create such opportunities.
Suddenly, the door was opened, and Zhao Xiong and Ah Shu walked into the room together. Zhao Xiong said, “Master Wei, Master Jiu, my brothers saw a huge batch of Naye soldiers head in the direction of River Gugu just now!”
Wei Tan’s face became serious. “River Gugu? Are they planning to take a detour around Youzhou and make a sneak attack on Yanyun Pass?”
Su Jiu nodded her head slowly. “No wonder there are so few Naye soldiers at the base of the Camelback Ridge!”
The Naye troops had already waited at the base of Camelback Ridge for many days, looking for an opportunity to make a sneak attack on Youzhou. After failing to meet any success, they had guessed that Nangong Shu was about to arrive, so they probably took the risk to bypass Youzhou and join forces with the Qiang Clan to surround the Yanyun Pass. Once the defenses at Yanyun Pass were broken, Youzhou would have lost its biggest line of defense.
The order that Wei Tan received was to protect Su Jiu, so at that moment, he started to panic, though he was powerless to do anything. After all, the movement of tens of thousands of soldiers could not be blocked by them.
Su Jiu contemplated for a while, and a plan formed in her mind. Her crisp voice commanded, “Chief Guard Wei, go and report to Youzhou City now, and inform the soldiers at Youzhou to go and intercept the Naye troops. I will bring Ah Shu and Chang Huan to overtake those Naye soldiers and come up with a plan to delay them. Zhao Xiong, hide your men and secretly survey the movements of the Naye troops! We must keep in touch!”
Wei Tan instantly followed, “That’s impossible! The Young Mistress only has the two of them, how will you intercept the army? This subordinate’s orders were to protect the Young Mistress, so I can’t leave your side!”
“Nonsense!” The girl retorted with a clear voice. Her eyes became cold as she rebutted, “In front of the enemy, how can we still talk about a single person’s safety! If Youzhou’s defenses are broken and Daliang’s land is thrown into the chaos of war, all of us will no longer be able to live our days in peace!”
Although that girl was young, her exquisite face was extremely solemn, and her entire being eluded a form of charisma that would make others subconsciously submit to her.
His reddened eyes, Wei Tan said in a loud voice, “Then, Young Mistress should send the message to Youzhou. I will bring my men to intercept the Naye army!”
Su Jiu shook her head. “That won’t work. I do not recognize the head of the Youzhou city guard, and I’m not familiar with the Chief Guard either. They might not believe me, so it would be best if you go! There’s no need to discuss any further, time is tight. Let us split ways and take action now!”
Zhao Xiong gaped at Su Jiu with admiration. He had previously doubted how a girl like Su Jiu would become the chief of the mountain bandits. After listening to her decisions, however, he was sincerely convinced.
“I, Zhao Xiong, admire Chief Su’s virtue and will be willing to listen to Master Jiu’s instructions!”
Su Jiu’s eyes turned and she asked, “Today, on the mountain, what secret weapon did you use against us? Do you have any more?”
Once Zhao Xiong heard this, he immediately took out all the grenades from his body. Each of them was as big as a chicken egg and were black all over.
The regions up north were always plagued by war. Zhao Xiong was once a soldier and therefore had experience on the battlefield. He became extremely interested when he saw that cannons had devastating effects when besieging a city. As a result, he researched on his own and produced such a secret weapon.
“I will pass these all to you, Master Jiu! They will explode if you throw them with enough force!”
Su Jiu thanked him and stuffed them into her clothes. She turned back and looked at Wang Wengong and his sister. “We will return early tomorrow morning. At that time, I must trouble the both of you to make thorough preparations, and lead us into the Camelback Ridge!”
The brother-sister pair were citizens of Daliang, and now that they were confronted with invading enemies, they also felt hatred for their country’s enemies, as feelings of patriotism filled their hearts. When they heard this, they solemnly nodded their heads. “Benefactor, leave as you please! We will wait here for our benefactor!”
Su Jiu nodded her head slightly and turned around before striding out of the hut. The others hurried out behind her.
The twenty of them split into three groups, each going their separate way. Su Jiu brought Chang Huan and Ah Shu to rush along the path of River Gugu, Wei Tan went to send a report to Youzhou, and Zhao Xiang brought his brothers to gather news on the enemy troops.
The Naye soldiers had already set off, so Su Jiu and the rest had to be even faster to overtake them.
Fortunately, they all were adept at martial arts, and their bodies were as lithe as swallows. Streaks of black shadows shot out of the mountain forest like gusts of wind, piercing through the night at breakneck speed in three different directions.
Su Jiu, Chang Huan, and Ah Shu traveled on, and finally caught sight of the Naye contingent after one hour. At a glance, there seemed to be around twenty thousand men, each of their horses had fur covering their hooves such that no sound would be produced when they moved. In the darkness, the group was akin to a humongous wild beast, its bloody mouth ajar as it pounced towards Yanyun Pass.
The three of them concealed themselves in the darkness like ghosts, as they left the Naye army behind them.
Su Jiu followed in the same direction that River Gugu flowed towards, looking for possible places to set up an ambush along the way.
But the enemy army had thirty thousand people, while they only had three people. There was a difference of ten thousand times. Even if they managed to set an ambush, it was impossible to block the Naye army.
At that point, it was only possible to come up with a plan to delay them, until the reinforcements arrived from Youzhou.
After traveling for another half an hour, they reached an area where a portion of the mountain jutted out, such that there was only a narrow path along the bank of the river.
Su Jiu’s eyes lit up, and Ah Shu and Chang Huan also stopped in their steps. After observing their surroundings, they tacitly nodded their heads. It was here!
“How will we set up the ambush?” Ah Shu asked.
Even though the terrain there was narrow and difficult to pass through, and although it was suitable for ambushing, there were only three of them. How could they block a thirty thousand strong army? Even if they destroyed the road, a thick layer of ice covered the river, and it wouldn’t be a problem for the soldiers to pass by.
In the darkness, Su Jiu’s eyes were radiant. She raised her head and looked in all directions before her eyes settled on the tall trees that flanked both sides of the path. Her eyes lit up.
…
The Naye troops moved swiftly, the thirty thousand soldiers arranging themselves in a snaking line. As they trod on, particles of dust and grass were left flying in their wake.
They were all well-trained horsemen, and had experience in desert combat, perfecting their riding skills and developing sturdy figures. Their night vision was comparable to that of a wild beast, looking straight ahead with greedy eyes, as though they would soon trample over Yanyun Pass with their iron hooves.
Suddenly, the general leading at the front intuitively felt that something was wrong. Before he could instruct the army behind him to stop, he heard something whizz by his ear, before colliding onto the tree branch at the side of the road.
Just as he was about to stop his horse, he heard a loud ‘bang’ resonate. All of a sudden, the tree beside him exploded successively.
“Bang!”
“Bang!”
The trees behind completely exploded, and the towering trees smashed onto the approaching troops. Cries of agony resounded, and the horses neighed, mixed with the screams of the soldiers who had been squished between the trunks of the trees.
“There is an ambush! Retreat!”
“Retreat!”
As the giant trees fell, it brought them people and horses, rendering them unable to get up. The cavalry behind them had no way of stopping in time, as the hooves of the horses were trapped, causing a chain reaction where they knocked into one another. In that instant, chaos ensued.
“There is an ambush! The Daliang soldiers are approaching!”
Within the cries of panic, their fear was palpable.
Su Jiu and the other two hid on a large tree and watched the Naye soldiers get frightened out of their wits, their lips hooking into a cold smile.
General He Da, the leader of the Naye Army, calmed down and realized that there wasn’t a single Daliang troop in front of them. He got the soldiers behind him to support the injured and count the casualties.
Apart from the groans of agony from the Naye soldiers, the surroundings were silent, which He Da found increasingly strange. Someone had set up an ambush here, but why didn’t he spot any Daliang soldiers attacking them? When he observed the terrain around him, it didn’t seem to be able to conceal enemy soldiers either.
The vice general stepped forward and said, “General He, the path has been blocked. We need to clear a path!”
Those trees had been targeted by them. They had all collapsed onto the road, completely sealing the path such that the cavalry had no way to pass through.
If they needed to clear a path, it would take at least one hour!
They did not have time to waste, and since the enemy’s intentions were still unknown, no one knew when the Daliang army would charge over.
When He Da saw the frozen river at the side, he commanded, “Cross via the river! After you make it over, immediately step onto the bank! No one is to idle on the river surface!”
“Yes!”
The vice general acknowledged the command and passed down the orders. The injured were to remain behind, while the rest was to cross the frozen river and march onward.
Gradually, all the troops had stepped onto the icy surface, which was exceedingly slippery. The Naye soldiers could not employ the same riding skills on their home grounds and had to walk slowly and cautiously.
He Da watched the bank on both sides of the river with vigilance. He instructed his soldiers to pick up their bows and arrows to prepare against another ambush by the Daliang soldiers so that they were ready to engage in combat anytime.
Just as they were crossing the river with the utmost caution, one of the foot soldiers slipped onto the ground, and his bottom landed onto a stone. He cried out in agony and extended his arm to toss that ‘stone’ to the side.
A ‘bang’ resonated, and the Naye soldiers who were in the middle of crossing the river were blasted once again. Following that, grenades that were placed in other areas detonated one by one. Numerous explosions were heard in succession, and countless Naye soldiers fell. Their tragic wails pierced their ears, disturbing the quiet winter night.
The Naye soldiers were scared out of their wits by the consecutive explosions, and many horses slipped and fell, piling up on the surface of the ice.
He Da was shocked and despaired. He shouted in a loud voice, “Get up! Hurry and get up!”
However, the group of soldiers was already in such a mess that they no longer heard his cry. The most frightening thing was that cracks had started to form in the thick ice, and with the addition of the weight from the horses and soldiers, the fissures started to branch out. The sound of the cracking ice caused their hairs to stand, even more so than the explosions.
He Da’s complexion changed subconsciously. He bellowed furiously, “Hurry and stand up! Hurry and stand up!”
“Retreat, everyone! Retreat onto the banks!”
But before he could finish his sentence, he heard a loud ‘crack’, and the ice finally split apart. The icy cold water rose slowly, and the Naye soldiers who were still standing on the surface could only struggle fruitlessly as they sank beneath its surface.
He Da’s complexion changed drastically. He stood up and lifted out a few Naye soldiers who were about to sink right at his feet. He could only watch helplessly as his soldiers and horses began to sink like dumplings.
The surface of the river seemed to be boiling, the tragic cries, screams, and pleas for help all melded into one. At that instance, the originally peaceful River Gugu had become a human purgatory, as the turbulent river water drowned this group of invaders.
The climate in Northern Xinjiang had always been frigid, and it just so happened to be one of the coldest days that winter. The river water was more than capable of freezing a person’s bones, and even those soldiers who knew how to swim were subjected to the bone-biting chill, causing their bodies to stiffen. Moreover, with the struggling people around them, they couldn’t swim back to the safety of the banks.
There was still a portion of soldiers who had not made it onto the river surface. At this moment, they were so frightened that they started to retreat with wide eyes, watching their comrades tussle and sink in horror.
Several vice generals commanded the rest of them to immediately attempt to rescue them from the bank of the rivers, but the more they struggled to reach the bank, the faster they died.
He Da’s complexion became ashen, and he became so anxious and frustrated, to the point that his body began to tremble.
They were originally on their way to make a sneak attack on the Yanyun Pass, but now, they had received such a heavy blow before they even arrived. Their losses were great and the morale of the army was low. How would it be possible to besiege a city in this state?
Most importantly, half of their soldiers and soldiers had sustained casualties, but not a shadow of their enemy could be seen.
Who was it?
Who had set an ambush here?
He Da’s eagle eyes scrutinized his surroundings with extreme hatred. Suddenly, he narrowed his eyes viciously and extended his hand to point towards a large poplar tree on the opposite bank. He gritted his teeth and roared, “Over there! Shoot!”
The Naye soldiers on the bank, who had not yet recovered from the shock, immediately raised their bows and shot straight towards that poplar tree that he had pointed out.
In that instance, the arrows were akin to a swarm of locusts!
On the tree, Chang Huan said, “Boss, we have been discovered!”
Su Jiu shrugged her shoulders. She had already noticed the pointed arrows approaching them, each reflecting the winter glow. She extended her hand and grabbed Ah Shu and Chang Huan, before leaping up.
“Then we must hurry and flee now!”