Wen Yu still wanted to explain to him, but as he spurred his horse into a gallop, the surroundings filled entirely with the howling wind. Unless she raised her voice to speak with him, he could barely hear her.

But because of the injury to her abdomen from the impact, Wen Yu truly couldn’t summon the energy to shout loudly right now. Hearing the sharp whistle sounds of Zhaobai leading the Azure Cloud Guard in pursuit behind them, she could only use some strength to pinch Xiao Li’s hand clasped around her waist. When this drew his eyes downward to look at her, she struggled to say: “I’m fine, let me go with Zhaobai and them.”

But Xiao Li remained unmoved. The line of his jaw was drawn extremely tight. After raising his head he even jerked the reins harshly and shouted “Hya,” pulling away from the pursuing troops behind.

Wen Yu finally realized something was wrong—he didn’t seem to have come to help her, but had also come to kidnap her!

Those wooden carvings he gave her—didn’t they mean he had thought everything through and let go?

After a brief moment of stunned confusion, Wen Yu pinched his forearm again, wanting him to lower his head to hear her speak. But Xiao Li showed no further reaction.

Wen Yu couldn’t help but feel annoyed. The force she applied with her fingertips grew greater and greater. Finally her nails were almost digging into his flesh, yet he still didn’t lower his head and showed no intention of stopping.

With the muscles beneath the fabric tensed, they were as solid as iron lumps. Wen Yu herself could feel how utterly negligible the force with which she pinched him was to him.

His horsemanship was excellent, and there were people constantly creating obstacles for Zhaobai and her group, successfully making the pursuing party fall behind.

Wen Yu had schemed for so long, all for today. It was only because of that box of wooden carvings that she had let down her guard.

But his current actions undoubtedly made all her defenses bristle up again. Her complexion remained pale, yet disregarding her own injuries, she moved to grab the reins he was using to control the horse.

After Xiao Li discovered this, with one arm he encircled both her hands together and locked them tightly in his embrace. This position pressed Wen Yu’s back close against his chest, her head almost resting at his shoulder and neck. When he lowered his head slightly to speak, his exhaled hot breath sprayed entirely across her ear, yet his voice was cold and heavy: “Don’t move.”

As if knowing what she wanted to say, his jaw tightened as he said in a low voice: “I gave your people a chance.”

“They failed to take you away.”

Wen Yu’s brow and eyes had just turned cold, and she was about to pry at his hand locked around her shoulder and arm, when he struck the side of her neck with a hand chop delivered with reduced force. She finally lost consciousness.

Ahead happened to be a three-way fork in the road. Zhaobai’s group was still behind in the mountain bend and hadn’t caught up yet. Several riders burst out from the dense forest, calling to Xiao Li: “Lord Zhou!”

Xiao Li removed the cloak from Wen Yu’s body and tossed it to them, instead wrapping her tightly and completely in his own outer robe, saying: “Lead them away.”

Several people rode toward the three-way fork, leaving hoof prints on each path.

Xiao Li then retreated back into the woods with Wen Yu. That forest had hidden depths—cutting straight through led to another path, where personnel who had been lying in ambush all along had already prepared another carriage.

After Xiao Li carefully placed Wen Yu in the carriage, Song Qin, who had been responsible for holding off Zhaobai’s group, also brought people back. He said: “Tiger’s relief forces should reach Three-Ten-Li Pavilion soon.”

When Yuan Fang and the others were attacked midway, they would certainly send people back to the military camp for reinforcements. This was also why Zhang Huai had previously left Zheng Hu behind.

Xiao Li removed the black cloth covering his face, then took out a set of his own armor from the carriage. Before getting off the carriage, he looked back at Wen Yu. Even though she slept unconscious, her brow was still slightly furrowed as if with countless worries.

He pressed his lips tight, lowered the carriage curtain and jumped down from the carriage, then said: “I’ll immediately go join up with Tiger. Please, elder brother, take her to the nunnery for shelter, then immediately get a physician for her.”

Song Qin agreed.

After putting on his armor, Xiao Li spurred his horse toward the direction of Three-Ten-Li Pavilion.

With Wen Yu kidnapped, if he wanted Wei Qishan not to suspect him, he had to personally lead the relief forces and make an appearance before Yuan Fang and Wei Ang.

—

Yuan Fang sat on the damaged half of a carriage shaft, his upper arm bare as he allowed his personal guards to apply wound medicine and stop the bleeding.

Not far away, Pei Fifteen’s corpse had blood all over his face, eyes still staring wide with fury. His garment front had been torn open, revealing an eagle mark branded on his chest with a red-hot iron.

The slash Wei Ang took to his foot had been truly vicious, severing a tendon. Now he could no longer stand.

Wei Pinjin had shrunk into the only intact carriage and no longer dared get off. Dozens of elite soldiers holding halberds and bearing shields surrounded him.

The soldiers below were digging pits in the nearby wild lands, burying on the spot the deceased Wei army soldiers and the refugees who had been killed by mistake.

Looking at those wounds at tricky angles on Yuan Fang’s body, then at his own calf wrapped in cloth strips, Wei Ang couldn’t help but shake his head: “These eagle hounds under Pei Song are skilled in the art of killing.”

Quite a few of the dead people dressed as refugees had their upper garments torn open.

Yuan Fang and Wei Ang had only recognized their identities by virtue of the eagle hound brands on their bodies.

Only Pei Fifteen bore an eagle brand; the others all bore dog brands.

Yuan Fang moved his arm and put on his felt garment, saying: “After Grand Commandant Ao fell, where do you think those death warriors that the Ao family trained using condemned prisoners from the jail under the Ministry of Justice’s convenience went?”

In those years Grand Commandant Ao had controlled both the Ministry of Justice and Ministry of War, and in the court could be said to have covered the sky with one hand.

Those condemned prisoners in the Ministry of Justice’s death row who had exceptional qualities—whether notorious bandits or murderous outlaws—were all replaced and removed by the Ao family, trained to become death warriors who would give their lives for the Ao clan.

Before Pei Song defected from the Ao faction, he had bowed and scraped under Grand Commandant Ao for many years, and had also served in the Ministry of Justice.

The answer was self-evident.

Wei Ang shook his head and said “No wonder,” then added: “Since they’re such vicious desperadoes, having betrayed Ao Qing in the past, isn’t Pei Song afraid that one day this blade will ultimately fall upon his own neck as well?”

Yuan Fang’s expression seemed somewhat cryptic. Looking toward Pei Fifteen who had died by his hand not far away, he said: “I’ve heard that in earlier years, the Ao family used poison to control those death warriors. Pei Song was personally brought up by Ao Qing—he must have learned the Ao family’s methods of keeping dogs to perfection.”

Wei Ang said nothing. Although Wei Qishan rarely left the northern border, during the previous years when disputes in court and country were constant, he too had heard talk of Grand Commandant Ao having a most ferociously trained dog named Pei Song.

A cavalry troop came riding forward on horseback. The two men temporarily ended this topic.

When the group arrived before them and they saw the leader was Xiao Li, Yuan Fang stood up from the carriage shaft: “How shameful that we troubled you, benefactor, to personally come to our aid despite your injuries.”

Dressed in black armor with a cloak bound at his shoulders, Xiao Li dismounted and strode toward the two men with large steps. Seeing Yuan Fang’s body wrapped in multiple cloth strips torn from inner garments, he quickly gestured for him to sit back down, his expression particularly cold and heavy: “I arrived too late.”

He then asked: “How is the situation?”

Rushing from Three-Ten-Li Pavilion back to camp to report, then the camp dispatching reinforcements—even riding without stopping would take nearly half a shichen. Xiao Li’s arrival couldn’t be considered late.

Yuan Fang quickly said: “We were derelict in our duty, not anticipating that band of bandits would incite refugees to come along, using the refugees as cover while actually attempting to kill both Jiang Yu’s concubine and the young lord.”

Xiao Li’s gaze swept toward the carriage still being guarded tightly and completely by a crowd of Wei army soldiers. Falling back on Yuan Fang and the others sitting on the broken wood, he asked: “Were the young lord and Jiang Yu’s concubine injured at all?”

Yuan Fang sighed and said: “The young lord was frightened. I had people take Jiang Yu’s concubine away to divert that band of bandits’ attention. I’ve just sent people to pursue them, but no news has come back yet.”

Xiao Li then said: “You two are both injured. Rest and reorganize here first, then set out tomorrow.”

Yuan Fang quickly clasped his hands and thanked Xiao Li.

After Xiao Li led the troops away, Wei Ang, who was collapsed to the side, asked: “What do you think?”

Yuan Fang and he were old friends, so naturally he understood what Wei Ang was asking. He said: “The benefactor seemed unaware of this unexpected incident.”

Wei Ang felt thoroughly uncomfortable: “This old man didn’t even anticipate there would be such a vicious scheme!”

On this journey they had brought three thousand troops to escort Wei Pinjin and one of Jiang Yu’s concubines. With no large-scale Pei forces remaining in the territory, the manpower was more than sufficient no matter what.

When leaving the military camp, he had thought at most they would be ambushed midway.

Who could have expected so many refugees to appear? And for eagle hounds to use the refugees as cover, firing arrows indiscriminately at those carriages, even nearly injuring Wei Pinjin.

He sighed and said: “Now we don’t even know whether that band came to kidnap Jiang Yu’s concubine or to kill the young lord, or perhaps both.”

Both Zhaobai’s Liang Battalion forces and those eagle hounds under Pei Song had all disguised themselves as refugees.

They had recognized Pei Song’s people by the eagle hound brands, but quite a few refugees had also died in the chaos. They truly had no way to distinguish which were refugees and which were Liang Battalion forces.

Yuan Fang said: “If that woman is kidnapped this time, setting aside the fact that the marquis’s side cannot have people confirm her identity and thoroughly dispel suspicions, just the fact that envoys from both Liang and Chen Battalions are still demanding this person means you and I will have difficulty accounting for this trip.”

The two men sighed in unison.

—

After Zhaobai led people in urgent pursuit for over ten li without success, she turned back to find Tongque.

After Tongque had fallen from the carriage earlier with that eagle hound, she had relied on her remaining strength to strangle the other to death with the eagle claw hook’s steel cable.

But she was severely injured and her strength exhausted, so for a long while she couldn’t climb back up.

When Zhaobai arrived, she left part of her people there to treat the injured Azure Cloud Guards while she herself led people to pursue Xiao Li.

When she returned, Tongque had already been moved to sit beneath a large tree by the roadside, her shoulder sprinkled with medicine and roughly wrapped with cloth strips.

“Did you catch up?” Tongque couldn’t help but ask upon seeing Zhaobai.

Zhaobai shook her head. Her refined and beautiful face was somewhat cold. Gripping in her hand the white fur cloak Wen Yu had worn earlier, her voice was muffled: “We were played.”

She dismounted and asked: “How are your injuries?”

Tongque glanced at her shoulder where the arrow wound had barely healed before new injuries were added, and smiled: “Still okay, won’t die.”

Zhaobai removed the copper flask from her waist and tossed it to her: “This is medicinal liquor. Drink two mouthfuls to dull the pain.”

Tongque then uncorked the flask and without ceremony downed two large gulps.

Zhaobai noticed a long box still placed beside her hand and asked: “What’s this?”

Tongque opened the box lid to show her: “I found this in the Princess’s carriage. On the road to Southern Chen I saw the Princess use a pouch to hold similar wooden carvings, so I figured it should be the Princess’s things and collected it.”

Hearing the word “pouch,” Zhaobai suddenly remembered that when Wen Yu was in Pingzhou, she seemed to have also looked for a sachet.

Anything Wen Yu would carry on her person all the way to Southern Chen must be extremely important items.

When Zhaobai looked at that box of wooden carvings again, her expression couldn’t help but show a few traces of strangeness and complexity.

She noticed there was also a small brocade box in the case and took it out.

Tongque had obviously seen what was inside. She seemed to want to speak in warning, but was still a step too slow. Zhaobai had already opened the brocade box, saw the white jade lock inside, and also saw that paper that Wen Yu had crumpled beyond recognition.

But after unfolding it, the six traces of characters “Gift for your heir, first birthday present” remained clearly discernible, though it was unknown who had written them.

Zhaobai’s expression suddenly grew even colder, clearly having guessed the identity of the handwriting’s owner.

She said coldly: “It really was him who kidnapped the Princess!”

—

Xiao Li led the camp cavalry following Wei Battalion’s people in a circuit, searching one by one the carriages that had separated to travel from various fork roads. Naturally they found nothing.

Yuan Fang and Wei Ang seemed to have long since prepared themselves to accept this reality.

Xiao Li invited them to return to the garrison to rest and reorganize for one night before setting out tomorrow, but Yuan Fang politely declined on the grounds that they needed to quickly return to Weizhou to explain the true situation to Wei Qishan, and that Wei Pinjin’s wedding was also imminent.

Wei Ang had injured his leg tendon and couldn’t move well, so he could recuperate in the military camp first.

Thus that night only Wei Ang followed Xiao Li back to the camp.

With such a major incident occurring, Xiao Li naturally also had to write a letter to Wei Qishan to clarify the situation.

Leaving Wei Ang as Wei Qishan’s eyes in the camp could to a certain degree dispel Wei Qishan’s suspicions, but Xiao Li’s conduct in the camp also needed to be even more cautious.

By the time the camp’s various trivial matters were handled, it was already the hour of the Rat.

When the candles in the central military tent were extinguished, apart from the patrolling soldiers moving about, it was difficult to see any other figures within the garrison.

After a troop of soldiers on routine patrol to inspect the areas around the garrison rode away, one rider then left the group and galloped into the boundless night.

—

Firelight burned inside the abandoned nunnery hall, but the doors, windows and beams held no spider webs. Clearly this place had not been abandoned for too long.

“This place was originally where the Prefect of Lu Commandery kept his household entertainers. Later when the war chaos erupted, this place was abandoned and the household entertainers who had shaved their heads inside all ran away long ago. Because its location is secluded, it was occupied by us greenwood folk.”

The woman speaking while leaning against the doorframe was about thirty-some years old, with fine wrinkles at the corners of her eyes. Her height was nearly eight chi, far taller and larger than ordinary men. She carried two large sabers on her back—one narrow, one broad—both looking quite heavy.

Song Qin said to Xiao Li: “This is Third Lady Gongsun whom I mentioned to you before. With her here protecting that young lady, you can rest assured.”

Before Xiao Li could speak, Third Lady Gongsun had already picked up the conversation: “I’m an escort. For this trip’s escort to just protect a person on the spot—it’s a good deal. As long as the money’s enough, everything’s negotiable.”

Her gaze swept Xiao Li up and down, then she suddenly joked: “This younger brother looks so handsome, and his build is quite solid too. If the escort fee isn’t enough, this elder sister can make an exception and let you pay on credit.”

Song Qin said seriously: “Third Lady, you must not be rude.”

Because of rushing through the night in wind and snow, the frost in Xiao Li’s brow and eyes hadn’t yet faded. He tossed the pouch filled with broken gold to Song Qin, only saying “Give it to that lady warrior,” then went directly to the rear courtyard to find Wen Yu.

After Third Lady Gongsun snatched the pouch from Song Qin’s hand and opened it for a look, she was delighted. Calling out to him: “Well done, Old Song, you’re being generous—you found me a big client.”

Song Qin said helplessly: “Restrain that nature of yours somewhat.”

Third Lady Gongsun directly sat cross-legged by the fire: “That girl lying in the room looks like a heavenly immortal. As soon as he arrived he only asked you about her injuries. You think I can’t see that young lord’s thoughts are entirely on that girl?”

She pursed her lips: “This old lady has been abstinent for how long now? With this war going on, theater troupes can’t continue, the South Wind Halls have mostly collapsed, all those delicate darlings I kept have run away. The men I encounter on the road are either filthy or stinking. I finally get to see a handsome young lord—I can’t even indulge in verbal teasing?”

Discovering Song Qin was looking at her, she quickly said: “Mudan and I are also close friends. I know about your feelings for Mudan. Don’t worry, don’t worry—I wouldn’t be interested in a mild-mannered man like you who can’t beat out even one silent fart with eight sticks!”

Before Song Qin could speak, she seemed to remember something and stretched her neck toward the rear courtyard wing room to shout: “That girl has bruises on her waist and abdomen. There’s medicinal oil on the table—young lord, you rub it on her!”

Hearing that Wen Yu’s waist and abdomen had been struck hard enough to leave bruises, Song Qin remembered the pulse that physician had taken earlier and furrowed his brow: “She struck her waist and abdomen, yet the pregnancy pulse remains?”

Third Lady Gongsun also seemed to suddenly realize this point. The motion of putting roasted sweet potato into her mouth paused, and she said in confusion: “Could it be that physician’s medical skills weren’t precise?”

After all, they had initially all thought that girl had miscarried. It was only when Third Lady Gongsun examined the injuries on her body that she discovered it was the calf that had been cut by a sharp implement, and the flowing blood had stained her skirt hem.

Song Qin thought for a moment and said: “You said Crazy Old Nine is also in the northern border?”

Third Lady Gongsun half-joked: “Of course! Everyone knows you’ve risen to prominence in Northern Wei. Friends from the greenwood all want to come seek refuge with you!”

In earlier years Song Qin had traveled far and wide, accumulating quite a network of contacts in the greenwood.

He glanced at Third Lady Gongsun and said: “If you want to rise to prominence, control that mouth of yours.”

Third Lady Gongsun covered her mouth and her eyeballs rolled in a circle. Suddenly she smiled: “That handsome young lord is Wei Qishan’s only son Wei Pinjin, isn’t he?”

Song Qin looked at her without speaking, only saying: “Send word to Crazy Old Nine to come make a trip here.”

Third Lady Gongsun hadn’t puzzled out a definite answer herself, but clearly she had restrained herself considerably, saying: “Alright. Though Crazy Old Nine is crazy, that medical skill of his has never erred.”

—

Inside the wing room, Xiao Li sat on a stool before the bed, borrowing the dim light of candles on the high table to silently observe Wen Yu, who still slept unconscious.

Perhaps because the candlelight was warm and yellow, her complexion looked much better than in the afternoon. Her long lashes rested lightly beneath her eyes, the shadows cast by the candlelight clearly showing each individual lash.

Song Qin said the physician had taken her pulse. The child in her belly was fine. The blood on her skirt hem was from her calf being cut by a sharp implement. Apart from some scrapes and bruises on her body, there was nothing seriously wrong.

The heart Xiao Li had held suspended for half a day finally settled when he heard these words.

He thought, when she woke, he could tell her this good news.

The carp wooden carving she had left behind was gripped in his hand. The attached cord had wound around those long fingers marked with thin calluses and scab injuries countless times, just like his tangled emotions that couldn’t be unraveled.

He still wanted to ask her many things.

About the wooden carvings. About that affection she had once denied and trampled to nothing.

Hadn’t she thrown them away? Hadn’t she said to treat it as if they’d never been recovered?

Why did she bring this wooden carving to the northern border? And through another’s mouth tell him she didn’t want it anymore?

Xiao Li gripped the wooden carving in his hand even tighter. The tightened red cord bound his fingertips painfully, yet he still only stared silently at Wen Yu. Those eyes of his had shed their usual ferocity, soaking in a layer of not-quite-obvious thin red in the candlelight.

But for some unknown reason, they slowly became fierce again.

He said: “Wen Yu, I find this so unfair.”

Why is it that when you started to like me, and when you decided to abandon these feelings—

I knew nothing at all?

No one answered him.

Wen Yu still slept quietly unconscious, only the candle on the high table flickering briefly.

Xiao Li seemed to take a deep breath and lower his head, wanting to calm his emotions.

But suddenly the greenwood woman’s voice came from the front nunnery: “That girl has bruises on her waist and abdomen. There’s medicinal oil on the table—young lord, you rub it on her!”

The person who had been in unconscious sleep on the bed—her long lashes trembled almost imperceptibly in that moment.