This was called: the hero rescuing the beauty.

When Prince Zhongshan heard this, he laughed heartily.

“Son, you’re really too practiced at this,” he said. “This is the second and third time already.”

The first time they met, Xiao Xun had rescued a girl who fell into the water, though the girl hadn’t been grateful and moreover hadn’t thanked him.

The second time need not even be mentioned—because of this girl, Xiao Xun went into the water, but that girl watched the excitement from the shore.

This third time, the girl was kidnapped by remnants of the Zhao clan, followers of the Third Prince, remnants of the Yang clan, Western Liang spies, or whatever kind of bandits, and then Xiao Xun would rescue her—

Would it succeed?

Prince Zhongshan asked his son teasingly.

Tie Ying naturally wouldn’t mock the young master, but just felt it unnecessary.

“That Chu Zhao is cunning. How would she believe it?”

In fact, as soon as Xiao Xun appeared, Chu Zhao would be able to confirm that those people besieging her had been arranged by Xiao Xun.

However, before Xiao Xun could speak, Tie Ying thought again and said: “I understand now. The heir is rescuing her for all under heaven to see.”

……

……

Right now the court and Prince Zhongshan appeared quite normal on the surface, but actually the turbulent undercurrents could no longer be hidden. Troops continuously increased outside Zhongshan Commandery, and large numbers of soldiers were also moving over from the border commandery.

The entire Zhongshan Commandery was surrounded. Entry and exit were checked more strictly than before. At this time the pretext was still pursuing the Third Prince and Zhao clan remnants, but they believed it wouldn’t be long before Prince Zhongshan’s name appeared on the list of treasonous rebels and insurgents.

Of course, for Prince Zhongshan’s mansion this caused neither fear nor tension, and even less panic.

From the day Prince Zhongshan left the capital and came to Zhongshan Commandery, he had been waiting for the court to identify him as a treasonous rebel.

He was used to it and had long been prepared.

News from the capital court and Imperial City continuously arrived—from major court decisions to minor details like what kind of shoes the Empress wore at her grand ceremony, Xiao Xun knew everything.

When he heard that the Empress and the young Emperor ascended together at the enthronement ceremony and sat together in court to handle government affairs, Prince Zhongshan even applauded in praise: “Impressive, impressive! Truly the tiger father has no dog of a daughter.”

Xiao Xun smiled and corrected him: “Father King, you should say the student surpasses the master. Chu Ling wouldn’t dare, nor would he want to do such things.”

But Chu Zhao dared, and moreover wanted to.

That girl wasn’t anyone’s anyone, but herself—it had always been her own ideas.

Hearing Tie Ying’s words, Xiao Xun smiled. In the past it was indeed so—that girl in his eyes was the same as all under heaven. His smiling at her, being angry with her, whatever he did to her was all for others to see. But now—

He looked toward the distant night and smiled faintly: “No, this time, I’m doing it for her to see.”

He wanted her to see that he could save her, and he could also kill her.

He wasn’t afraid of the court’s troops, nor afraid of the crime of treason.

If she wanted to be Empress, he could also grant her wish.

“Go tell those people,” he instructed Tie Ying, “after capturing them, kill all the others in front of her.”

Tie Ying acknowledged and raised his eyebrows: “Then Miss Chu will be terrified, won’t she?”

This would also let her know that the world’s schemes weren’t just falling into water and being gifted a maidservant, but that people would die.

Xiao Xun smiled: “Her courage is great. She won’t be terrified, but she’ll certainly be very heartbroken.”

With a broken heart, it would be very hard for her to forget him.

……

……

Outside the mountains the night was peaceful. Inside the mountains flames soared.

The killing intent made the entire mountain forest tremble.

Chu Zhao stood behind mountain rocks, pressed tightly against the cliff wall, watching what seemed like torches everywhere in front.

“Earlier when they retreated, it wasn’t just to lure us to break through,” she said. “They went to wait for reinforcements.”

The troops attacking this time were much more numerous than before. They were determined to succeed.

Chu Zhao looked around again. The survivors were all already wounded, and most critically, they were low on arrows.

A’Le had already started throwing rocks down.

“Miss.” She looked back. “Don’t be afraid. As long as we endure through tonight—”

Those people wouldn’t let them endure through tonight. Chu Zhao nodded at A’Le: “I’m not afraid.”

She truly wasn’t afraid. Probably because she had no great regrets. Though she still couldn’t see Father one last time, but—A’Jiu would certainly convey her feelings to him.

Father would know how hard she tried to see him, would also understand her feelings for him—that in her heart he was always, forever, the most important.

Unlike that previous life, when she became Empress, she had only coldly sent Father a letter, instructing him to remember his position and not bring her trouble.

Also, Xiao Yu had been rescued, Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang had joined forces to sit in court. In this life, if Xiao Xun wanted to become Emperor he could only be a traitor.

Also, the Dragon Might Army had been entrusted to A’Jiu. She didn’t need to worry about Uncle Zhong and the others’ futures. A’Jiu wouldn’t disregard and consume their lives like Xiao Xun did.

Also, Uncle’s family—Chu Tang was a clever person who knew her backing was Chu Zhao. If she died, Chu Tang would immediately lead the whole family to retreat to the wilderness as she had previously instructed.

She could calmly go to her death now.

After dying, she’d first reunite with Mother, then wait for Father to arrive. The family of three could finally be together.

However, she had never seen Mother and didn’t even know what she looked like. When they met, would she even recognize her?

She actually didn’t really know how to interact with Mother either.

Chu Zhao felt somewhat nervous and forcefully pushed down a mountain rock.

……

……

It seemed all the fierce beasts of Falling Eagle Mountain had run here—tigers, wolves, wild boars, even wild chickens and mountain rabbits. The entire mountain forest was shaking, the ground flying with dirt and rocks.

Even Ding Dachui couldn’t help swallowing, gripping his repaired hunting bow, his palms sweating.

This job was quite substantial. The fighting was too intense.

The new boss had even directly told them that manpower was insufficient and had them drive out all the wild beasts from across the mountains.

“Boss.” The brothers following behind had trembling voices. “This, this—if we charge in, isn’t that seeking death?”

What was this new boss thinking? Even robbery required weighing and considering. Sometimes no matter how fat the sheep, not every one could be snatched.

With this commotion before their eyes, where was the fat sheep? This was a monster.

Sharp bird calls rang in his ears. Ding Dachui couldn’t help but shiver.

Bird call after bird call, urging.

In Ding Dachui’s ears also rang the words the new boss had just said when assembling everyone.

“At the gate of Chen County’s county office hangs portraits of you bandits.”

“That you’ve survived until now isn’t because the authorities can’t deal with you, but simply because they can’t be bothered.”

“Once the authorities need achievements, they’ll immediately eliminate you.”

“Do you people really think you can hunt in the mountains for a lifetime?”

“You’re not hunters. You’re the prey.”

“Do this big job with me today. Afterward, people, money, goods—you’ll have it all. Then, you’ll be true hunters.”

What hunters? They’d already said—they were bandits!

Ding Dachui’s feet trembled. He lifted his foot and stomped it hard on the ground, raised his hunting bow, nocked three arrows, and shouted.

“I opened this mountain—”

……

……

No matter the spear throws, rolling rocks, or even their own people’s corpses blocking, more than ten people still broke through the defense.

These dozen people were light as swallows, nimble as apes, getting closer and closer—close enough that Chu Zhao could see their ferocious smiles.

Old Bai was one step faster than them, gripping his long blade and leaping out. The blade light danced wildly, and the first five bandits to charge over rolled to the ground, heads separated from bodies.

Following Old Bai, more people rushed out—Dragon Might Army soldiers and people Xiao Man had left behind—using weapons and their own bodies to engage in battle. This was also the last line of defense.

A’Le gripped the blade in her hand and blocked Chu Zhao: “Now is not the time yet.”

Chu Zhao had been about to charge forward.

“Miss, if you charge forward and die, everyone will die even faster,” A’Le said seriously. “The longer you live, the longer everyone can live.”

All the desperate fighting was to protect Chu Zhao. If she died, everyone’s fighting spirit would also dissipate.

Chu Zhao naturally knew this, but watching people die for her one by one—it truly made life worse than death—

A bandit pounced from behind and with one blade severed both hands of a Dragon Might Army soldier. The soldier let out a painful wail but didn’t fall. Instead, using his handless arms, he tightly embraced the bandit and crashed toward another bandit raising a blade. The long blade pierced through both of them—

Chu Zhao wanted to close her eyes, but instead she stared wide, forcing herself to see clearly, to see clearly how these people died for her.

She couldn’t be like that previous life—in that life, so many people died for her and she didn’t even know about it.

“Miss.” A’Le called out, raising her blade and standing before her. “Even if they all die, there’s still me.”

Chu Zhao was just about to say something when suddenly she heard the sound of slaughter in the distance abruptly rise, mixed with “Enemy attack!” “Quickly go back!” “There’s an enemy attack!”

Enemy attack—this was what the bandits were shouting. The bandits’ enemies were naturally their reinforcements!

Reinforcements had arrived!

“Xiao Man called for reinforcements!” Chu Zhao shouted. “Xiao Man brought reinforcements!”

There was hope!

She shouted again and again “Reinforcements have arrived! Reinforcements have arrived!” sending hope outward.