If Chu Zhao had known that Xie Yanlai was thinking this way on the city wall as she left the capital, she would certainly have cursed him as a “jinx.”
When flames rose fiercely in the valley and arrows flew overhead like rain, Chu Zhao wanted to curse someone, but didn’t know who.
Curse herself? She knew that leaving the capital now would be dangerous, but would she avoid going just because of danger? No matter how she thought about it, she would still go, so there was no point in cursing herself.
Curse the bandits? Right now, she didn’t even know who these bandits were.
The journey had been smooth until now.
Chu Zhao’s party wasn’t large. Xiao Man brought ten people, while women and children remained in the capital—though these women were far from weak; in fact, being underestimated gave them more lethal potential. As for the Dragon Guard, Xie Yanlai had offered to provide half; Chu Zhao had been embarrassed; she wanted to travel secretly, not roll through places like thunder and clouds.
In the end, Chu Zhao took only ten guards.
Twenty people traveling light and fast, not stopping to change horses or rest, quickly left the Central Plains. Along the way, they passed Bei Caozhen postal station again.
Looking at the station, A-Le enthusiastically introduced it to Xiao Man: “We deceived many people here before.”
But this time, they didn’t need to stop. They merely glanced at it as they passed. The fat postal clerk picking his teeth outside the door didn’t even notice them.
Chu Zhao deliberately avoided Zhongshan Commandery, so they didn’t have to cross the great river again. Instead, they climbed over a large mountain.
However, the unexpected still happened.
Just as they entered a valley, a group of riders suddenly appeared, shouting and blocking the road to rob them. Their speech and dress were typical of mountain bandits.
But no one believed they were real bandits.
Xiao Man sneered: “They don’t look like mountain bandits at all.”
The leader of the Dragon Guard escorts, surnamed Bai, who called himself Old Bai—though he was only middle-aged—carried a long sword on his back. Usually taciturn, he only said: “Their aura isn’t that of mountain bandits.”
The bandits clearly couldn’t be bothered to keep up pretenses. They didn’t waste time with the usual “your money or your life” nonsense, but charged forward directly with weapons raised.
And not just them. Behind them, more hoofbeats echoed through the valley, accompanied by high-pitched shouts: “Kill—”
…
…
These people were indeed not mountain bandits. Even as they fell dead under the Dragon Guard’s counterattack, not one of them retreated.
At first, Xiao Man and her ten guards stayed close to Chu Zhao, but soon Xiao Man sent people to provide support. Eventually, even Chu Zhao and A-Le were wielding weapons, their faces and bodies splattered with blood.
Prolonged fighting wasn’t a good strategy.
“Into the mountains!” Xiao Man shouted. “These people aren’t from here; they don’t know the mountains well.”
At that moment, Chu Zhao had a thought, but they weren’t from here either and didn’t know the mountains any better.
However, this didn’t affect her actions. Old Bai didn’t question the command either. The group immediately fled into the forest.
The dense forest and rocky terrain formed a natural barrier. Chu Zhao’s group quickly concealed their tracks after entering.
But the pursuit didn’t stop.
…
…
The “bandits” fired arrows like rain.
An arrow grazed Chu Zhao’s head as it flew past. Xiao Man reached out to push her down.
“I know my limits,” Chu Zhao quickly whispered to her. “You focus on what you need to do.”
Though she had ridden horseback and fought with a sword during that night of chaos in the capital, she couldn’t compare to Xiao Man. Xiao Man was about the same age, but far more skilled.
Chu Zhao knew her limitations and wouldn’t act rashly to avoid causing trouble.
Xiao Man vigilantly scanned the surroundings and pointed in a direction to a man standing in a tree. The man immediately leaped to the edge of a cliff, drew his bow, and fired arrows. Several screams echoed from below—
The rain of arrows from below temporarily ceased.
“These people have military training,” Old Bai moved over from another side and said quietly.
Even without him saying so, Chu Zhao had guessed as much. These bandits advanced and retreated in formation, with archers, swordsmen, and men carrying shields and armor—
“Can you identify their origin?” Xiao Man asked.
Old Bai shook his head, his face showing some shame. After all, he had been stationed in the capital and wasn’t familiar with troops from commanderies outside the capital.
“It’s not surprising that we can’t identify them,” Chu Zhao said softly. “Since they’re targeting me, they would naturally conceal their identity.”
It was either the Prince of Zhongshan’s men, or remnants of the Third Prince’s Zhao faction, or—there was no one else.
There might be more in the future.
Chu Zhao smiled to herself, but for now, only these two parties wanted her dead.
The Prince of Zhongshan was the most likely.
The greatest danger on this journey was the Prince of Zhongshan.
Currently, the Prince of Zhongshan and the court maintained an eerie calm. The court hadn’t moved against the Prince of Zhongshan, and the Prince maintained his silence, neither attending the funeral of the Late Emperor and Crown Prince, nor expressing congratulations to the new Emperor. It was as if he had disappeared.
Of course, the Prince of Zhongshan hadn’t disappeared, nor was there true peace between the court and him. First, the court troops and Xie Yanfang’s men had been pursuing Xiao Xun, then troops were dispatched to surround Zhongshan Commandery. After Deputy General Zhong returned to the border commandery, he had also mobilized troops toward Zhongshan Commandery, forming a pincer movement with the court forces—
The Prince of Zhongshan was naturally aware of these troop movements.
But so far, neither side had made a move. Both seemed to be waiting, waiting for an opportune moment—
That’s why Chu Zhao had deliberately avoided Zhongshan Commandery, to avoid becoming that opportunity.
But now it seemed the Prince of Zhongshan hadn’t let the opportunity pass.
She had concealed her movements from the entire court and the world, but not necessarily from the Prince of Zhongshan. Although the Imperial City had been purged several times, the Prince had been operating for many years; his informants couldn’t be easily eliminated.
Would she die at Xiao Xun’s hands again this time?
“Your Majesty,” Old Bai looked at Chu Zhao and said quietly, “They also seem afraid of being discovered, so their forces aren’t large. We’ve managed to secure an advantageous position, so there’s no immediate danger. If we can alert the local garrison, we can certainly repel these bandits.”
The position Xiao Man and the others had chosen was indeed good. The bandits had started by setting fires, but failed to cause damage. Now their arrows were largely ineffective due to the terrain.
Chu Zhao surveyed the surroundings. Behind them was the highest cliff; in front was an open space without trees, only jagged rocks forming a natural protective wall. From their elevated position, standing behind the rocks was like being atop high city walls.
But how long could this temporary safety last?
“Whatever arrangements we can make, they will naturally guard against,” Chu Zhao said softly, looking toward the forest ahead. The quiet area where the bandits had been showed some movement, suggesting they had left. This wasn’t normal.
She looked around again. They had too few people. After the earlier fighting, five of their twenty had fallen, and another seven or eight were wounded.
No matter how good their position was, these few people couldn’t hold out.
Old Bai naturally knew this too. He said solemnly: “Your Majesty, let this young woman take you away. Even if it costs our lives, we will ensure you safely leave this place.”
Once they left this area, there would be a chance to seek help.
A-Le, standing nearby, gripped her weapon tightly and nodded: “Miss, you should go quickly with Xiao Man.”
She wouldn’t go. Xiao Man could only take one person, and she didn’t want to be a burden. She was willing to die fighting to hold off the bandits for her mistress.
Chu Zhao shook her head, looking at the undulating forest: “We don’t know the situation beyond the forest. Without cover, it’s also dangerous.”
Xiao Man, who had been silent until now, suddenly stood up when she heard this.
“I’ll go find reinforcements!”
She dropped these words and, without waiting for Chu Zhao or Old Bai to react, gripped her long sword and rushed forward in just a few steps.
“Cover her!”
Chu Zhao only had time to shout these words.
With this sound, Old Bai and the others drew their bows and fired arrows, while the forest across from them once again erupted with shouts.
Arrows rained down again, covering the sky.