At noon the following day, Dajiu returned with Mo Sigui’s letter.
The letter contained only a few words, requesting a favor from Chu Dingjiang, along with an address.
When he had saved An Jiu, Chu Dingjiang had also promised to rescue Lou Mingyue from Liao once.
The address in the letter was still within the Great Song territory, but Chu Dingjiang was troubled. With someone currently eyeing An Jiu, he was reluctant to leave her alone to fulfill his promise, especially since he wasn’t particularly honorable by nature.
An Jiu understood his concerns and said, “I’ll go with you. Even if we stay in Hexi County, we can’t escape if Xiao Che decides to make his move.”
Chu Dingjiang knew this reasoning well, but staying here at least allowed him to make some preparations. He disliked engaging in unpredictable situations.
“This place isn’t far from Hexi County, is it?” An Jiu murmured, holding the note.
“Give me half an hour to make arrangements,” Chu Dingjiang said. Seeing her furrowed brow, he reassured her, “Yelü Quancang needs something from Mo Sigui, so he won’t do anything drastic. At most, he might capture Lou Mingyue as leverage to ensure compliance. Don’t worry.”
Events unfolded as Chu Dingjiang had predicted, but no one anticipated that upon hearing she was to be captured to threaten Mo Sigui, Lou Mingyue, fearing she would burden him, immediately used Spring Wind Speaks No Words, leaving not even her remains behind.
Having wavered between life and death so many times, she had long forgotten to leave herself a lifeline. With Yelü Huangwu’s death, her entire spirit relaxed, and her heart solely focused on Mo Sigui. Naturally, she was unwilling for him to suffer even the slightest harm.
She couldn’t have known that leaving so decisively would become Mo Sigui’s deepest pain.
An Jiu felt she understood Lou Mingyue better than others. With such a fierce temperament, if she encountered an ambush before reuniting with Mo Sigui, the situation could turn dire. Thus, An Jiu didn’t want to waste a moment.
Mo Sigui was An Jiu’s first friend and, apart from Chu Dingjiang, the only person she could trust completely. She truly didn’t want to see him continue to wither away day by day in those drug-laced smokes.
Chu Dingjiang fell into deep thought. He was a cautious man; if there were spies in the self-defense army sending information out, it wouldn’t have escaped his notice. The most reasonable explanation now was that the spy might have infiltrated but hadn’t yet transmitted any information.
For the time being, he didn’t have time to catch the spy, so he found some trustworthy former subordinates to control the entire camp and began a round of closed brutal training. No one was allowed to leave.
After completing these arrangements, he rushed back to the city to instruct Wu Lingyuan on some matters before quietly setting out with An Jiu.
Dajiu was left to guard the door outside.
The two rode swiftly to the location mentioned in Mo Sigui’s letter, but they found they were too late.
The inn was silent, without a single person in sight.
Chu Dingjiang searched inside and out before finding a dying stableman covered in festering wounds. Upon questioning, they learned what had happened that night.
The inn wasn’t large; a single dose of Spring Wind Speaks No Words could kill twenty to thirty people. It was nighttime, and everyone was sleeping in their rooms. As long as they didn’t come out seeking death, they wouldn’t have been exposed to the poison gas.
“That scholarly-looking man with exceptionally beautiful peach blossom eyes asked the innkeeper a few questions and then took him away. He killed everyone else,” the stableman recalled, still terrified and with his head throbbing from the pain of his wounds. Regretfully, he continued, “I saw the inn was empty and had evil thoughts, so I went to the guest rooms to steal valuables. Who knew I would contract such a severe illness? It must be heaven’s punishment.”
He knelt on the ground, kowtowing incessantly despite the pain wracking his body.
An Jiu knew this wasn’t divine punishment but rather that he had inadvertently come into contact with residual Spring Wind Speaks No Words while attempting to steal.
Chu Dingjiang examined all the rooms and found piles of black ash in one, with the pile near the window seemingly carefully cleaned.
“Lou Mingyue is likely gone,” he said, staring at the traces on the ground. “According to the stableman, the situation was probably irreversible by the time Mo Sigui wrote to me. I just hope Mo Sigui didn’t witness her die from Spring Wind Speaks No Words. If we’re optimistic, perhaps Mo Sigui used this poison to kill the pursuers and took Lou Mingyue away.”
Mo Sigui taking the innkeeper likely meant the innkeeper knew some inside information. Given Mo Sigui’s nature of avoiding unnecessary trouble, if Lou Mingyue were alive, he would have simply escaped back to Hexi County. Why take the innkeeper?
Looking at the cleaned traces by the window and the bloodstains in front of the chair, An Jiu knew in her heart that such an optimistic guess was impossible.
“He must have already guessed the truth,” An Jiu said, rubbing her head and looking at Chu Dingjiang with concern. “What should we do?”
“Mo Sigui witnessed Lou Mingyue die from Spring Wind Speaks No Words without being able to save her. What do you think he’ll do?”
“I don’t know,” An Jiu replied. She couldn’t see through Mo Sigui; he seemed deeply emotional yet also emotionless. She truly couldn’t guess how he would choose to face such a situation.
It was like when he had a deep relationship with Elder Qi. An Jiu thought he would seek revenge, but he acted as if nothing had happened, immersing himself in medicine daily, seemingly having forgotten Elder Qi’s tragic death.
When Lou Mingyue was trapped in vengeance and her life hung in the balance, he also pretended not to know, at most rushing to save her life in times of danger. How did his feelings for Lou Mingyue differ from those for Elder Qi?
Yet if he were to remain silent, how could the blood before them be explained?
“What should we do?” An Jiu wished she could drag Mo Sigui over and give him a good thrashing. He was too capricious in his actions, never consulting others.
“Each person has their fate…”
An Jiu suddenly widened her eyes and looked up at Chu Dingjiang, finding his brows also furrowed.
She held up four fingers and mouthed, “Forty, eighth, and ninth rank.”
There were forty-eighth and ninth-rank experts!
Chu Dingjiang glanced at the sky outside, then walked to the desk and wrote: You can’t fight now. Go southeast alone and return to Hexi to find Ling Ziyue.
An Jiu could fight now, but her body hadn’t fully recovered. Using her spiritual power would damage her internal organs, negating the purpose of her reconstruction. However, her exceptionally high spiritual power allowed her to naturally conceal herself, undetectable by these eighth and ninth-rank martial artists. Escaping from here wouldn’t be a problem, but Chu Dingjiang’s spiritual power was currently unstable and might be discovered. Staying together would only hinder her.
An Jiu took the brush and wrote: What about you?
He wrote back: Can’t fight them head-on. Can escape unscathed.
Together, they would hinder each other. An Jiu’s current advantage was concealment, but Chu Dingjiang lacked this advantage against ninth-rank enemies. Once their whereabouts were exposed, she would become his burden.
An Jiu believed that with Chu Dingjiang’s strength and intelligence, escaping unscathed shouldn’t be a problem without encumbrances. So she decided to follow his suggestion and separate.
Chu Dingjiang wrote: No matter what happens, don’t come back. I promise I will return.
He took out a pouch from his bosom and placed it in her hand, writing: Drop one item from the pouch every five li.
An Jiu didn’t ask further and nodded in agreement.
With everything decided, they both leaped out the window simultaneously, one heading east and the other west.
After running for several li, An Jiu noticed the pursuers getting farther and farther behind her, all chasing after Chu Dingjiang!
Her heart suddenly tightened. When they had just jumped down from the building, even if those people couldn’t sense her, they should have been able to see her, right? Why did none of them come after her?
As she pondered this, An Jiu’s feet didn’t stop. She still decided to trust Chu Dingjiang’s judgment. After running about five li, she opened the pouch and dropped one pill in a corner.
She continued southeast without stopping.
From noon until nightfall, An Jiu didn’t encounter a single pursuer.
She saw the walls of Hejian Prefecture in the distance, and her heart eased slightly. She was nearing the Hexi garrison…
“Mei Fourteen?” a voice called softly from behind.
An Jiu felt a chill run down her spine.
“An Jiu,” the person said again.
An Jiu’s body stiffened as she slowly turned around.
Under a sturdy old pine tree sat a man dressed entirely in black, wearing a half-silver mask. His entire being seemed part of the darkness, with only his white-gloved hands like a pair of butterfly wings, stark and eerie.
“Come here,” he extended his hand towards her, his voice gentle.
An Jiu almost shed tears, from fear and hatred for those hands that destroyed all beauty before her. She didn’t run, that cold feeling like a bone-deep parasite making her acutely aware she couldn’t escape.
An Jiu drew her Subduing Dragon Bow.
Xiao Che smiled and said, “You’ve become disobedient.”
Then he chuckled to himself, “You were never obedient to begin with.”
At this moment, Xiao Che was puzzled by his own words, as if in his original impression, An Jiu was both obedient and rebellious. He hadn’t yet recovered his memories but was certain the girl before him was the one he sought.
An Jiu saw Xiao Che’s appearance. Moonlight filtered through the pine branches, leaving dappled light on his body. The part of his face not covered by the mask was extremely handsome as if every feature had been carefully measured by the creator, so perfect that not a single flaw could be found. His white inner garment wrapped around his long, powerful neck, the collar as neat as if freshly cut. From head to toe, every hair was impeccable.
Though the face and clothes were different, for an instant, An Jiu seemed to see that man. He had been a soldier before, always neat to the point of severity.
The atmosphere was tense, but Xiao Che seemed oblivious as he said gently, “Two hundred eighth and ninth-rank experts, though only stimulated by drugs, are enough to entangle Mr. Chu for two or three hours. Do you think he can escape? Look, dozens of experts are coming this way. He used all his subordinates to protect you.”
An Jiu’s mind exploded with realization.
In that moment of distraction, a whip in Xiao Che’s hand coiled around her wrist like lightning.
An Jiu’s delicate skin immediately bore bloody marks, and she simultaneously felt an immense spiritual force crushing down on her.
Spiritual power was a subtle thing. The gap between An Jiu and Xiao Che wasn’t insurmountable, but her fear of him suppressed her from the start.
An Jiu quickly realized this issue. Thinking of Chu Dingjiang’s situation, she suddenly felt a surge of vicious courage, wishing she could tear the man before her to pieces!
“You shouldn’t have appeared!” An Jiu’s spiritual power suddenly burst forth like a flood breaking through a dam, surging toward Xiao Che.
“Oh?” His spirit took the impact, and the whip loosened slightly, allowing An Jiu to break free.
“Why do you haunt me? I owe you nothing, not in this life or the last!” An Jiu spat out a mouthful of blood, drew her Subduing Dragon Bow, and shot an arrow imbued with overwhelming spiritual power.
So precise, better than any hunter under his command.
Xiao Che’s eyes narrowed slightly, his interest growing. His left hand raised, revealing a crossbow strapped to his arm. In an instant, he triggered the mechanism, and an arrow wrapped in immense spiritual power collided with the incoming arrow in mid-air.
A thunderous boom resounded as both arrows, unable to withstand the force, shattered into dust and scattered in all directions.
Through the faint smoke, Xiao Che vaguely saw the beautiful face of the woman opposite transform into another. That face was even more exquisite than the one he saw now, with skin as white as snow, a high bridge of the nose, slightly deep-set eyes, and light brown hair, giving a subtle exotic charm.
An Jiu noticed nearly a hundred martial artists rapidly approaching, some heading towards Xiao Che, others coming her way.
Before they could launch a second attack, reinforcements arrived on both sides.
Chu Dingjiang had indeed used all his forces to protect her… An Jiu closed her eyes briefly.
When she reopened them, her gaze was as sharp as before.
” I hadn’t planned to make a move now. I just happened to hear about your relationship with Mo Sigui and wondered if you might come, so I came personally,” Xiao Che smiled and said softly. “I’ve heard Chu Dingjiang is quite deep and composed. If you hadn’t pleaded, he surely wouldn’t have come to his death, right?”
An Jiu’s mind wavered slightly but quickly steadied.
Regardless of what happened before, she needed to leave alive now. Chu Dingjiang had never broken a promise! He must have a way.
An Jiu pressed her lips tightly and drew the Subduing Dragon Bow again.
Xiao Che sat in a wheelchair, his legs useless. He shouldn’t be that strong on his own; his most formidable weapons should be the crossbow and his spiritual power.
Seeing her draw the bow, but with her gaze slightly wandering, Xiao Che “thoughtfully” explained, “Are you looking for the explosive crossbows? The remaining ones are with the hunters I’ve raised. They’re currently surrounding and killing Chu Dingjiang.”
Every word he spoke was an attempt to shake her resolve. And in reality, he was succeeding.
Explosive crossbows, hunters, and those with forcibly awakened powers left by Yelü Huangwu were all sent to surround and kill one person—could that person still have a chance of survival? Now An Jiu could only repeatedly tell herself that Chu Dingjiang was omnipotent.
One advantage of having strong spiritual power was the ease of self-hypnosis. After repeating it several times, she firmly believed that Chu Dingjiang truly was omnipotent.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
One visible arrow, carrying two invisible arrows of spiritual power, flew toward Xiao Che.
Chu Dingjiang’s former subordinates were all battle-hardened individuals. They had long realized that the contest between An Jiu and Xiao Che was one of spiritual power, something they couldn’t help with. Now that they could no longer escape, their only breakthrough point was to attempt to assassinate Xiao Che while he was fully engaged in countering An Jiu.
So, as An Jiu’s arrow flew out, they also charged forward with their swords.
The people behind Xiao Che instantly surrounded him protectively.
Both sides, a hundred strong, were on the brink of conflict.
As An Jiu’s arrow approached, two men immediately stepped out from behind Xiao Che to intercept.
Xiao Che knew these two were overestimating themselves but didn’t speak. After piercing through them, the bowstring was significantly weakened. Xiao Che waved his sleeve, quietly dissipating it.
“An Jiu, I have no intention of troubling you. I just want to talk,” Xiao Che frowned.
An Jiu let out a cold laugh, “It’s too late!”
The moment he mentioned so many people surrounding and killing Chu Dingjiang, she had already begun to hate Xiao Che thoroughly. What was there to talk about? Moreover, Xiao Che’s initial demeanor clearly showed he wanted to control her, not just talk.
“I’m no longer that homeless child. I won’t be anxious and believe your lies!” An Jiu hatefully drew her bow again, her killing intent almost palpable.
Three arrows, wrapped in overwhelming hatred and resentment.
Xiao Che grabbed the bow and arrows beside him, instantly releasing three arrows to meet hers. His tone was excited, “You do know who I am!”
Hearing this, An Jiu understood. Xiao Che truly had no intention to kill her. He… had forgotten who he was!
“If you want to know, come over yourself,” An Jiu suddenly lowered the Subduing Dragon Bow.
Xiao Che looked at her across the melee, unmoving.
An Jiu raised an eyebrow, “Afraid?”
A faint smile spread across Xiao Che’s face. He discarded the bow and arrows in his hands and slowly wheeled towards her.
Seeing this, his subordinates exclaimed in alarm, “Imperial Tutor! You mustn’t!”
An Jiu was also somewhat surprised, not expecting him to abandon his bow and approach so easily. Having been with Chu Dingjiang for so long, she couldn’t help but view things with a conspiratorial eye. She cautiously took a step back.
Xiao Che, however, seemed to have no defenses at all as he slowly approached. His subordinates were almost all engaged, and he had left their protective circle.
With less than ten paces between them, a gentle breeze carried the faint scent of pine from his body.
The handsome face before her was extremely pale, the blood vessels and veins visible beneath the skin. He wore a constant, faint smile.
The moment he saw An Jiu, Xiao Che’s empty heart began to fill. Vague images flashed in his mind, all of a lithe, agile figure running towards him with weapons on her back.
In an instant, his heart felt at ease.
An Jiu slowly walked towards him. Her fingers, hanging by her side, seemingly inadvertently brushed against the dagger hidden at her thigh.
She didn’t often engage in close combat, not because she wasn’t skilled, but because the stimulation made it hard for her to control herself. However, she knew clearly that ever since his leg injury, he hadn’t allowed people to get close. Given his physical limitations, his strength should be inferior to hers.
“You were a devil before,” An Jiu stopped within half a zhang of him. “You killed whoever you wanted in this world, took whatever money you desired, came and went freely in the military intelligence department, and even once took on two assassination jobs targeting the leaders of two countries out of boredom.”
Xiao Che folded his hands, staring at her intently, listening carefully. “Who are you?”
“I’m just a weapon in your hands. You enjoyed watching me perform death-defying feats over and over,” An Jiu said coldly.
Behind them was carnage, but Xiao Che remained calm and peaceful.
It seemed as if his memories were waiting for this woman to unlock them. Bits and pieces of things that had disappeared began to resurface slightly. Perhaps he could gradually recover them in the future.
An Jiu’s gaze flickered, and she suddenly drew her dagger and lunged at him.
The blade plunged into Xiao Che’s chest, but to An Jiu’s surprise, she heard him laugh.
The night wind suddenly rose, billowing their clothes. He suddenly spread his arms and embraced her.
An Jiu thought she had fallen into a trap. Steeling herself, she viciously twisted the dagger in her hand, stirring it around in his heart, then struggled to push him away! The violent struggle caused her to stumble back several steps and fall to the ground.
One of Xiao Che’s white gloves had fallen off, revealing a hand covered in burn scars.
“My dear An Jiu, do you know? In the past, I only dared to embrace you when you were unconscious,” Just as the knife pierced his body, memories burst forth like a wild beast escaping its cage, fierce and violent. He smiled brilliantly as if the injured person wasn’t him at all. “But I knew I was raising a venomous snake. If this snake were awake, it might bite me. I’ve finally waited for this day, and you truly haven’t disappointed me.”
The first embrace while she was awake, and she stabbed him.
An Jiu stared at him in shock, as if seeing him for the first time. She had never known that when she was injured and unconscious, this man would embrace her.
“Imperial Tutor!” Finally, two assassins broke through and rushed towards them.
Yelü Quancang had given a death order: the Imperial Tutor must be protected at all costs. If Xiao Che died, none of them would survive. Seeing him stabbed in the heart, all the Liao assassins’ eyes turned red, instantly erupting with a determination to fight to the death.
An Jiu snapped back to reality, quickly drawing her dual swords to meet the enemy. She hadn’t run because she wasn’t sure if Xiao Che was dead or alive. This man must die! It was either him or her in this world!
No matter what, if he hadn’t interfered, her life wouldn’t have deviated from its course.
Xiao Che watched An Jiu’s boiling killing intent, his brow slightly furrowed.
My girl, I once gave you everything. Why do you hate me so… And what has Chu Dingjiang given you to make you protect him like this?
“Miss, you go first!” Chu Dingjiang’s former subordinates fought their way over. “The master said survival is paramount!”
An Jiu’s heart skipped a beat. She had almost gotten entangled here!
If Xiao Che wasn’t a demon and didn’t have the aid of a divine doctor like Mo Sigui, that stab should have been fatal.
Under the cover of others, An Jiu quickly retreated.
After running several dozen zhangs, she couldn’t help but look back.
Amidst the crowd, Xiao Che was also watching her, the corner of his lips slightly raised, just like the many times before when he waited for her to complete a mission. An Jiu’s steps faltered, and she almost ran back without thinking.
“Miss, hurry!” Someone beside her pulled her along.
An Jiu quickly followed.
They ran to the Hexi camp in one breath as if they had run for a lifetime.
The sentry went in to report, while An Jiu stood dazed in front of the camp.
“Ajiu!” Lou Xiaowu bounced over to greet her, showing her token to the guards at the entrance, and pulled An Jiu inside. “I heard you were attacked?”
The Hexi camp was indeed a very safe place. Even the most skilled martial artists were few, and they couldn’t match tens of thousands of troops.
“He’s gathering the generals to discuss war matters. Why don’t you come with me to freshen up?” Lou Xiaowu said.
“War?” An Jiu asked, puzzled.
Lou Xiaowu pulled her into a tent and whispered close to her ear, “I’m just guessing. I saw that scruffy uncle looking at maps of the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun, drawing all over them. Maybe he’s planning to take advantage of Liao’s internal turmoil to recover lost territory.”
The scruffy uncle was undoubtedly Ling Ziyue.
As she relaxed slightly, An Jiu finally felt the surging blood and tearing pain in her chest. She must have injured her internal organs again. After the reconstruction, her body was temporarily much more fragile, but her spiritual power had advanced further. If not for this, she wouldn’t have been able to contend with Xiao Che today.
An Jiu forced herself to clean up, apply medicine, and change into clean clothes before lying down on a soft couch to rest.
Seeing her pale complexion, Lou Xiaowu tactfully didn’t disturb her.
An Jiu didn’t know how long she had slept when she suddenly thought of Chu Dingjiang in her dream and woke up with a start.
“You’re awake. I’ll go tell that old man,” Lou Xiaowu darted out like a rabbit.
After one sleep, Ling Ziyue had become “that old man” in Lou Xiaowu’s mouth. If An Jiu didn’t know Lou Xiaowu well, she would have thought she had slept for over a decade.
Moments later, Ling Ziyue, in full military attire, walked in. “Miss Fourteen.”
“General Ling.”
An Jiu tried to get up but was stopped by Ling Ziyue. “Miss, you’re injured. No need for formalities. Mr. Chu had Magistrate Wu send me a message saying that the Liao Imperial Tutor had left the capital, the Northern Court King had been arrested for rebellion, and all of Liao’s Ghost Shadows had been sent out on missions. Is this true?”
So he had anticipated everything. An Jiu felt greatly relieved. “It’s all true. My injuries are from encountering Xiao Che. I stabbed him once, but I don’t know if he’s dead or alive.”
“Excellent!” Ling Ziyue clapped his hands. “Miss, please rest easy in the camp while I reclaim the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun!”
An Jiu wasn’t particularly interested in this. “If there’s any news of Chu Dingjiang, please inform me first, General.”
“Certainly!” Ling Ziyue stood up. “I’ll have someone prepare a meal for you. Please rest after eating.”
Ling Ziyue’s tall figure and the steady demeanor in his words and actions, somewhat similar to Chu Dingjiang’s, made An Jiu feel quite at ease. “Alright.”
After Ling Ziyue left, Lou Xiaowu wrinkled her nose. “What’s this? He didn’t even look at me once. I’m hungry too!”
An Jiu tugged at the corner of her mouth. “You haven’t won him over yet.”
Lou Xiaowu folded her arms and huffed, “His mind is full of nothing but the Sixteen Prefectures of Yan and Yun. He won’t even give me a proper glance!”
After a moment, she realized what she had said and blushed furiously. “H-how did you know I…”
The food was brought in, and An Jiu sat at the table and began eating.
“Tell me!” Lou Xiaowu had always thought she had hidden it well.
An Jiu said, “Even a fool could see it.”
“No way!” Lou Xiaowu’s mouth gaped open. After a while, she said, “They all figured it out?”
An Jiu bit into a steamed bun. “There’s nothing shameful about it. General Ling is a good man.”
She paused. Lou Xiaowu probably didn’t know her second sister was dead yet.
Thinking of all that had happened these past two days, and with no news from Chu Dingjiang, An Jiu suddenly lost her appetite. But she still forced herself to eat a lot. Only by recovering her strength could she be of help.
Seeing her sudden low mood, Lou Xiaowu thought she was just worried about Chu Dingjiang. “I’ve heard Mr. Chu is very capable. He’ll be fine for sure.”
“Mm,” An Jiu responded dully.
After staying in the military camp for three days, the army hadn’t moved, but supplies had already been sent ahead. There was an atmosphere of tense preparation everywhere. Lou Xiaowu had also become busy. She had set up a weapons manufacturing site in the nearby mountains to provide some weapons for the army, with Zhu Pianpian as the behind-the-scenes supporter.
Zhu Pianpian was working for Chu Dingjiang, so her intentions were essentially Chu Dingjiang’s intentions.
Chu Dingjiang had always seemed to be at home watching flowers, and birds, training hawks, and walking tigers, but it turned out he had been doing so much behind the scenes.
An Jiu watched the soldiers coming and going hurriedly, feeling increasingly anxious.
The moon was bright, and the stars were sparse.
An Jiu lay wide-eyed, unable to sleep. It wasn’t until near dawn that she felt a bit drowsy.
As she dozed off on the bed, she fell into a world of blades and swords. Hundreds of black-clad figures were surrounding and attacking one person. That person dressed all in black, stood like a monument, each sword strike carrying the momentum to sweep away thousands of troops. However, those hundreds of black-clad figures were also experts. Though they couldn’t kill him immediately, they prevented him from escaping.
Just as the battle reached a stalemate, An Jiu saw several archers hidden quietly in the surrounding trees, their focus as sharp as a hunting leopard’s, seemingly able to deliver a fatal blow to their target at any moment.
She didn’t see clearly why many of the assassins in the field suddenly retreated, leaving an excellent opening for those in ambush.
A dazzling blue light flashed.
An Jiu woke up in a cold sweat!
“Chu Dingjiang…” she hugged her quilt and muttered to herself, “You mustn’t deceive me.”
…
An Jiu patiently stayed in the Hebei camp for ten days before she finally couldn’t bear it anymore.
She was used to following orders, especially Chu Dingjiang’s words. If not for that unsettling dream, she would have had the patience to wait even a lifetime.
But now she couldn’t.
The wounds on An Jiu’s body had long since healed, and her reconstructed body had become robust. She felt her agility had increased several times over, and her movements were even faster than those who practiced internal cultivation.
On the eve of the great battle, Ling Ziyue was overwhelmingly busy. An Jiu left a letter and quietly departed from the Hebei camp, returning to Hexi.
The self-defense force’s trial had ended, and the original force of over 500 had been sharply reduced to just over 300. However, these remaining soldiers were different in overall temperament from before.
Upon discovering An Jiu’s return, Xuesa immediately came to report, “Master, we found two suspicious individuals during the trial who might be spies.”
An Jiu pushed away Dajiu, who was trying to nuzzle her affectionately, and asked, “How so?”
“Most of the people you recruited have some martial arts skills, but these two performed exceptionally well in the trial. They don’t seem to be jianghu heroes, but rather more like assassins from the Crane-Controlling Army. However, we’ve kept records of everyone from the Crane-Controlling Army and the bounty list.”
Assassins and ordinary people, especially when killing for the first time, would behave differently.
“What rank are they?”
“Both are fourth rank.”
“Keep observing them for now. If they try to send any messages, intercept them secretly.”
“Yes!”
Dajiu’s enormous tiger head was almost pushing An Jiu off the bench. An Jiu finally found it strange; it hadn’t been this clingy before!
Thinking this, An Jiu reached out to feel its belly, which was indeed flat, indicating it hadn’t eaten for days.
Dajiu had always liked to eat poisonous things, especially the poison concocted by Mo Sigui. Usually, if there wasn’t any, it would go hunting in the mountains on its own. This time, Chu Dingjiang had instructed it to guard the door, and it had obediently stayed here without eating or drinking.
Impossible!
An Jiu noticed it constantly rubbing the bamboo tube on its neck against her, and she realized there must be poison pills from Mo Sigui inside. Usually, if there were any, it would rather eat just one pill than go hunting.
The bamboo tube was so small, almost hidden in the tiger’s folds of flesh, no wonder it couldn’t reach it.
An Jiu untied the tube and struggled to unscrew it. Inside, apart from the poison pills, there was also a rolled-up piece of paper.
Dajiu trembled with excitement, burying its head to pick up the pills on the ground.
An Jiu opened the note, and it was in Chu Dingjiang’s handwriting!
It turned out that Dajiu usually needed to eat once every fifteen days and absolutely wouldn’t let unfamiliar people get close. He had deliberately put the medicine where Dajiu could smell but not reach it, so it would have to find someone familiar if it wanted to eat. As a tracking tiger specifically used to track An Jiu, it would naturally seek her out first.
Moreover, he didn’t believe at all that she would obediently stay in the Hebei camp.
In his letter, Chu Dingjiang said that this time he would help Ling Ziyue attack Liao, but Yelü Quancang wasn’t someone who would leave loose ends. Although this seemed like a good opportunity, there might be many unexpected changes. He instructed her to lead 200 trusted self-defense troops to guard the rear camp of the main army.
Additionally, the spies in the guard might be from the Piaomiao Mountain Villa.
“He can barely protect himself, yet he still has the mind to plan all this!” An Jiu was so angry that her internal organs ached faintly.
Turning around, she saw Dajiu squeezing its tiger face between the bed leg and a box, trying hard to reach the pills that had fallen inside.
“You fool, don’t you know to use your paw to reach it?” An Jiu didn’t help, letting it struggle on its own.