The Third Prince, unwilling to be ignored by everyone, impatiently spoke up: “We cannot sit idle awaiting death. If they break in, won’t we be left without retreat?”

Xiaoying looked at the Third Prince: “Your Highness, haven’t you been constantly complaining that the Grand Prince stole military achievements that should have been yours? Now here’s your chance to show your abilities. See if you can emulate General Luo Zhen and treat this relay station as a fortress, defending it for a while!”

The Third Prince was momentarily stunned, looking blankly at the somewhat dilapidated relay station, unable to imagine how this two-story, broken building resembled a fortress in any way.

Xiaoying wasn’t mocking the Third Prince—this was truly her plan!

At the bridge, she had noticed something wrong with the break; it didn’t look like age-related deterioration but rather as if someone had cut through the main beam with a sharp tool.

When two or three people crossed, it could barely support them, but once the main convoy of horses and carriages got on and reached the middle, the bridge would collapse, taking lives with it.

However, the ambushers hadn’t anticipated that Feng Yuan and Mu Hanjiang would be at the front, clearing the path. With their agility, they had narrowly escaped.

Constrained by the apparent ambushers lurking in the surrounding forest, she had cleverly used the reference to “the bridge General Chen crossed” to warn Feng Yuan—this bridge, like the rope bridge Chen Nuo had deliberately cut years ago, had been sabotaged.

Feng Yuan would certainly understand and would mobilize help, though she didn’t know when they would be able to circle back.

As for this relay station, although she knew it was a trap, it was the only shelter for miles around.

Xiaoying wasn’t familiar with the surrounding forest terrain and didn’t know how many enemies were lying in ambush. She couldn’t expose the entire group to hidden enemies.

Given these circumstances, it was better to turn defense into offense, usurp the nest, occupy the relay station, and use it as a fortress to delay until Feng Yuan and the others returned.

Judging from the tone of the intruders, they seemed to want to capture the Third Prince alive but leave no other survivors.

Especially when their leader had said those in shackles shouldn’t be left alive—what did that mean?

If her suspicions were correct, these people weren’t just seeking revenge for the battle at Fengwei Slope; they wanted to silence Meng Zhun and his companions!

Who had dispatched these Wei Country people? What connection did they have with her adoptive father and the others? It was certainly intriguing!

Just then, a barrage of arrows was unleashed from outside, pounding against the wooden walls with a drumming sound. Soon, the arrow shafts’ fires encircled them, and the window paper caught fire.

At this rate, the relay station would eventually burn down.

The Third Prince drew his sword, anxiously pacing in circles, shouting at the young lady: “Woman’s perspective! Even if we hold out for a while, what use is it?”

Xiaoying couldn’t be bothered to respond, simply waving for Shen Jing and the others to use tables to block the gaps in the windows, preventing arrows from entering.

“They only have a limited number of arrows and can’t keep shooting for long. Relay stations are built according to wartime specifications; the houses are coated with lime mud. Without the assistance of straw and kindling, how quickly can it burn? After all this commotion, there’s less than two hours until dawn. This is a hub—horses pass through frequently at daybreak. If those bandits want to avoid further mishaps, they’ll need to end the battle quickly. Just wait—if the fire attack fails, it won’t be long before they storm in. We need to make preparations.”

The situation was indeed perilous, but the young lady’s voice, though not loud, was remarkably calm. Her bright eyes even showed barely suppressed excitement.

Feng Qiwu had battlefield experience. Though as a prince he wasn’t required to charge the front lines, he had seen this expression on seasoned soldiers—fearless of death, growing more valiant with each fight!

How could such a delicate young woman possess such an incongruous temperament?

While speaking, Xiaoying had already led her adoptive father and Shen Jing to quickly survey the available resources in the relay station.

The deceased stationmaster was indeed a gourmand who loved fine food. Not only did he have whole vats of lard, but also jars of rapeseed oil and peanut oil,

Vessels of various sizes containing ham and preserved foods, all neatly arranged in the cellar.

Although he had planned to burn the guests in the relay station, he had been too stingy to use precious oil to douse the firewood, specifically storing it in the cellar, hoping to use it for cooking later.

Xiaoying was delighted with this discovery and had everything brought out. She also ordered hemp ropes to be found, then hurried upstairs with a series of clanking sounds, keeping busy without pause.

The Third Prince wandered, feeling insignificant, unable to contribute or even speak up. Finally, he couldn’t help but ask: “What exactly are you all busy with?”

Seeing that the arrow barrage from outside seemed to be diminishing, wasn’t this the time to break out?

Xiaoying pulled him up to the second floor, then dragged a table from the room to use as a shield, whispering: “Shh, people are coming!” The sounds of furtive footsteps could already be heard outside. As the young lady had predicted, seeing they couldn’t quickly burn down the relay station, the attackers were now impatient and preparing to slaughter everyone inside.

When the first person charged through the door, Xiaoying, hiding behind a table on the second floor, took a bow and arrow handed to her by Shen Jing. In the darkness, as the firelight from outside illuminated the interior, she immediately shot the intruder in the throat.

She and her adoptive father had spent years fighting in the forests, and their skills with moving targets exceeded those of ordinary battlefield soldiers.

After shooting down four consecutive men, those entering afterward seemed more cautious, immediately raising shields.

Then, under the protection of these shields, a group of people entered the relay station.

At this moment, Xiaoying, standing on the second floor, shouted: “Pull the rope!”

Immediately, her adoptive father and the others on the second floor yanked a rope, causing jars of oil stacked on the ceiling to pour down, drenching those behind the shields.

“Tell your people outside to stop shooting arrows, or you oil-soaked men will be roasted into charcoal first!” Xiaoying called out loudly.

Just then, someone shouted to those outside in the Wei language, ordering them to stop shooting arrows and setting fires.

Then those men drew their weapons and, with extraordinary speed, charged toward the guards on the first floor. Among them, a silver-haired middle-aged man moved with exceptional ferocity and precision, immediately unleashing a curved blade that slit the throat of one of the Third Prince’s guards.

The scent of blood spread throughout the confined relay station.

Shen Jing was the first to lead people to confront them, engaging in close combat with the intruders.

Meanwhile, Meng Zhun and his companions poured the remaining oil on the stairs, instructing Xiaoying not to come down under any circumstances. Then Meng Zhun slid down the railing with his men to join Shen Jing in the battle.

These bandits were all skilled fighters. Xiaoying, being a woman, couldn’t match their physical strength in close combat. To avoid becoming a liability, she was safer remaining on the second floor. The same applied to the Third Prince—if he died here, Xiaoying’s adoptive father would likely face Emperor Chunde’s censure when he reached the capital. So Xiaoying also had to protect this stubborn ox of a prince.

Observing coldly from behind the upright table on the second floor, she noticed that these men were extraordinarily skilled, and their weapons were unique—crescent-shaped, short-handled curved blades.

Capable of both cutting and blocking, with tips that could disembowel, and fine chains connecting them, they could be thrown to slash throats as hidden weapons…

She had seen such weapons in the illustrated compendium of world weaponry in Ye Zhanxue’s study—they were the signature weapons of Wei Country’s peerless master, Chen Xifan!

“When the curved blade appears, even ghosts and spirits grieve!” This was the reputation Chen Xifan had earned through a bloody path, consecrated with the blood of master fighters!

It seemed that Feng Yuan’s killing of Wei Country’s great general Gu Zhi had truly struck a vulnerable point of Wei’s new emperor, Huo Buchen. He had gone so far as to send out Chen Xifan, allowing his top disciples to pursue and kill them deep within Dafeng territory!

Seeing the Third Prince roaring and about to charge down, Yan Xiaoying grabbed his collar and pulled him back.

“Don’t go, you’re not their match! You’ll only create more trouble for our people if you go!”

Feng Qiting had always been proud of his martial skills and glared at hearing this: “Nonsense! What are you talking about? Don’t you believe I can…”

Xiaoying quickly pressed her hand on his head, narrowly avoiding a flying curved blade from below that was aimed at decapitation.

The sliced corner of the table finally silenced the Third Prince’s bravado.

However, despite these men’s impressive skills, they couldn’t gain the upper hand.

This was because the inn floor was slippery with oil, causing them to lose their footing and stumble at every step.

In contrast, Shen Jing, Meng Zhun, and their companions had wrapped several layers of roughened hemp rope around their feet, embedded with shortened iron nails, allowing them to stand firmly even on the oil-slick floor.

It was this advantage that barely allowed Meng Zhun and his men to fight these stumbling Wei Country masters to a standstill.

However, the Third Prince’s guards, raised in the palace, though skilled in martial arts, were outmatched. Before long, they were cut and wounded all over by the curved blades. After three of them died, the rest frequently retreated.

The Third Prince became subdued, realizing the young lady was right—his skills indeed weren’t enough to feed these masters below.

Feng Qiwu finally understood his limitations. He looked at the composed young lady beside him, bit his lip, and said to Xiaoying: “By the looks of it, these men won’t be easy to kill. If we can’t hold them off and they reach the second floor, I’ll cover you so you can escape first!”

Xiaoying looked at him with some surprise—this Third Prince had always seemed to look down on her, even calling her a vixen.

Unexpectedly, at this life-or-death juncture, he could speak such generous words.

The Third Prince didn’t find this unusual: “As a proud man, how could I let a woman cover my retreat! Besides… you look like my Fourth Brother, and if he were here, as his elder brother, I would protect him too!”

Xiaoying gave him a thumbs-up: “For these words alone, you’re better than half the men in the world! Truly worthy of being a son of the Feng family, with a sense of responsibility!”

Even in this moment of flashing blades and blood, the Third Prince, praised by this young lady who resembled his fourth brother, straightened his chest with inexplicable pride.

However, relying solely on pride to face death calmly was a bit too rash.

According to her earlier calculations, if they could hold out for just one more hour, even if Feng Yuan and the others couldn’t arrive in time, other travelers would reach the relay station.

By then, with daylight and crowds, there might be a chance for a turn of events.

Unfortunately, for all her calculations, she hadn’t anticipated that they would encounter a group of Wei Country’s elite fighters.

Feng Yuan’s men were indeed strong, but they were facing Chen Xifan’s top disciples.

Chen Xifan was the master who had mortally wounded Swordmaster Xiao Jiumu, leading to his death from grievous injuries.

Given this, their original plan to delay for an hour was impossible.

Xiaoying silently picked up her bow and arrows, hiding behind the table and coordinating with Shen Jing and her adoptive father by shooting cold arrows.

The young lady with rolled-up sleeves, shooting arrows decisively, presented a valiant and impressive sight. Her perfect accuracy once again astonished the Third Prince.

He had been wrong—how could this gallant and dashing young lady… resemble the soft and meek Crown Prince in any way?

The Third Prince stared for a while, also feeling inspired, and grabbed a bow nearby, emulating the young lady, ready to help.

But the scene of shifting figures before him was nothing like the palace archery range; it required being in the midst of battle with rich combat experience to anticipate each person’s movements.

The Third Prince’s archery skills were decent, but he lacked such practical combat experience. Once, he nearly shot Shen Jing in the head, after which he yielded in admiration and stopped adding to the chaos.

Xiaoying’s shooting was too accurate, taking down many men. Such deadly sniping from high ground quickly drew the attention of the bandits.

A large man with facial tattoos exchanged a glance with someone nearby, and they began circling from two sides, preparing to climb the stairs and attack the young lady and the Third Prince.

Unfortunately for them, the stairs were too slippery with oil, and they only made it a few steps before sliding back down.

The tattooed man was formidable, though. Instead of trying the stairs, he grabbed a table and, with a leap, seized the bottom of the second-floor railing. In a few moves, he climbed to the second floor, his fierce face intent on eliminating this sniper.

Xiaoying remained calm, telling the Third Prince to cover his nose and mouth as she waved her sleeve, releasing a smoke screen. In moments, she had incapacitated the large man. The Third Prince moved swiftly, rushing forward to slit the man’s throat with his sword, and Xiaoying asked him to help drag the body behind the table.

“Help me search his body!”

Somehow, the Third Prince now readily obeyed the young lady’s words, immediately thoroughly searching the large man, but unfortunately finding no proof of identity.

However, Yan Xiaoying saw something telling in the overlapping patterns of the tattooed man’s arm.

She felt that although the layered tattoos seemed intent on covering the old pattern, one could still faintly discern half of the character “Yong” through the different layers of color!

He had once been a Dragon Scale Shadow Guard! And not just any guard, but one with a rank in the Yong class! How had a member of the Dragon Scale Shadow Guards become entangled with Wei Country people?

Xiaoying signaled Feng Qiwu to handle this man further, cutting off his arm. Given the uncertain situation, they might not be able to carry the entire body, but this arm was irrefutable evidence and must be taken!

Just as she was preparing to pick up her bow and shoot again, the table shielding them was split by a blade.

The silver-haired leader had finally freed himself from Shen Jing’s iron palm entanglement and, emulating the previous attacker, used a table to leap to the second floor.

He planned to capture the Third Prince first, then use him to force the guards to surrender.

The Third Prince finally had another opportunity to fight enemies and immediately charged forward with bulging eyes, but after just a few moves, he was seized by the throat, unable to move.

Xiaoying knew this was bad and immediately shot sleeve arrows at the man.

The silver-haired man, having gauged the Third Prince’s capabilities, contemptuously tossed him aside, calmly evaded the sleeve arrows, and approached Xiaoying, determined to kill this troublesome woman.

It was this damned woman who had taken down so many of his men! He would soon use his sharp knife to gut her and throw her down from the second floor!

Xiaoying saw him approaching with his curved blade and steeled herself to defend with her dagger.

Before leaving Jiangzhe, she had been practicing hand-to-hand combat with Feng Yuan.

During those days, Feng Yuan had shown no mercy in their sparring, making her movements instinctive.

To the extent that in this life-or-death moment, Xiaoying unconsciously used the techniques Feng Yuan had taught her,

Except now she was using a short blade instead of her palms, calmly blocking the attacks of the curved blade.

Originally, Xiaoying had complained that Feng Yuan’s teaching was too rough and simplified. Yet facing this fancy curved blade, her unchanging technique effectively countered the myriad variations, skillfully blocking over a dozen of the attacker’s elaborate attacks.

It was as if… the ancient, unadorned technique Feng Yuan had taught her was specifically designed to counter Chen Xifan’s signature curved blade!

The silver-haired man hadn’t expected to be delayed so long in this small relay station, which greatly angered him.

What should have been a simple climb up a two-story staircase had turned into an arduous assault on a mountaintop.

He didn’t want to waste any more time. Having finally fought his way to the second floor, he had thought that capturing people would be easy.

Unexpectedly, this young lady could use a strange technique he had never seen before to barely block his blade techniques.

Master Chen Xifan’s exquisite blade techniques seemed to be casually neutralized by the young lady’s seemingly clumsy but ancient moves.

This young lady was too mysterious and absolutely could not be left alive!

In his astonishment, the killing intent in the silver-haired man’s eyes intensified. The acupuncture points on his head bulged, filled with true force, as he flung his curved blade, causing the chain to vibrate and sending the dual blades toward Xiaoying from two directions.

Xiaoying inwardly exclaimed in alarm! Feng Yuan hadn’t taught her how to block such a two-pronged attack.

Moreover, the curved blade vibrated with inner force, making a rattling sound. As someone trained only in external martial arts, if she tried to meet the attack head-on, wouldn’t her internal organs be shattered?

In that split second of thought, Xiaoying nimbly threw herself to the ground. As the flying blade approached, she employed a comical yet practical technique of rolling like a donkey, tumbling into a nearby room.

A mule at its wits’ end!

The silver-haired man coldly laughed, preparing to follow her into the room.

But at that moment, accompanied by the sounds of fighting, a tall, handsome man in black led a group of people charging in. After efficiently breaking the neck of a bandit blocking the door, he shouted: “Xiaoying! Where are you?”

Xiaoying recognized Feng Yuan’s voice and, with delight in her heart, quickly called out: “I’m on the second floor!”

Hearing her, Feng Yuan rushed straight toward the stairs.

Xiaoying hastily shouted again: “Careful, there’s oil on the stairs!”

Feng Yuan urgently halted his steps, quickly surveying the terrain.

The silver-haired man, seeing reinforcements arrive, knew the situation was dire and needed to make them stop. He grabbed the Third Prince and held his curved blade against Feng Qiwu’s throat.

“Everyone, stop! Or I’ll kill him!”

But despite his threat, no one below ceased fighting. Especially the tall, cold-looking gentleman who had just entered—from the moment he came in, with reddened eyes, he had been efficiently breaking necks.

It’s worth noting that those dispatched to raid Dafeng territory were all renowned fighters under Chen Xifan. Even if defeated, they shouldn’t fall to such simple, brutal techniques that seemed more suited for dispatching rabid dogs.

Yet this gentleman, without even shifting his stance, was precisely and mercilessly crushing necks.

Besides his natural strength, it was his extraordinary speed that allowed him to strike in the gaps between attacks and withdraw smoothly.

Next, the gentleman didn’t even use a table; with a kick of his long legs, he leaped up, grabbing the stair railing. A black shadow flashed by, like a hawk swooping on a rabbit, landing on the second floor.

Before master fighters engage, they can sense the opponent’s pressure from their aura.

The silver-haired man felt completely suppressed by this tall, black-clad gentleman and could only glare at him, asking: “Who… are you?”

The black-clad gentleman looked at his silver hair and coldly said, “Are you Chen Xifan’s disciple, Sui Yin?”

The silver-haired man hadn’t expected such a young gentleman to recognize him immediately. He laughed coldly: “Indeed. I’ve been in seclusion with my master for a long time, yet someone as young as you knows me?”

The Third Prince, impatient with their conversation—after all, a blade was still at his throat—shouted: “Elder Royal Brother, save me quickly!”

This shout was consequential, changing Sui Yin’s expression: “You are… the Feng family’s eldest? That Feng Yuan who brutally killed Gu Zhi? If so, stand back! Or I’ll kill your brother!”

“They’re not biological brothers, they’re half-brothers with different mothers! They’ve never gotten along well. If you kill the Third Prince for him, he’ll have one less competitor for the throne. The Grand Prince would burn incense yearly in your memory!”

The young lady suddenly poked her head out from the room, coolly adding to the conversation.

She didn’t forget to remind Feng Yuan: “With so many people here, we can all testify that the Third Prince’s death had nothing to do with you!”

Feng Qiwu was nearly beside himself with anger, feeling that this woman was truly a bewitching vixen!

To think that he had been bewildered enough earlier to consider covering her retreat! Yet she sold him out so ruthlessly, heartless as a wolf!

Thinking of this, Feng Qiwu couldn’t help but retaliate, pointing at the young lady: “What use is it to capture me? Capture that young lady instead—she’s Feng Yuan’s beloved concubine, his treasured darling!”

The silver-haired man was tired of listening to their back-and-forth. Seeing that Feng Yuan truly didn’t seem to value Feng Qiwu’s life, he immediately prepared to cut the Third Prince’s throat.

But at that moment, the young lady suddenly raised her hand and shot a sleeve arrow at Sui Yin.

To dodge it, Sui Yin had to swing his blade to cut the arrow.

In that brief moment, Feng Yuan also lunged forward, but not to save the Third Prince—rather to shield the young lady.

Sui Yin inwardly rejoiced, realizing the Third Prince’s words were true! Damn, the imperial family of Dafeng truly had thin blood ties!

In that flash of thought, he no longer cared about the Third Prince, but flew forward, attempting to seize the young lady first.

But before either man could reach her, the young lady, not waiting for them to approach, screamed and ran back into the room, backing away with her hands waving: “No, don’t come near me!”

Sui Yin had no time for words. Taking advantage of his position, he rushed forward, then slipped on a pool of oil and fell heavily.

Strangely, the floorboard gave way at his impact, and Sui Yin plunged through.

Feng Yuan, rushing in afterward, nearly slipped down as well, but Xiaoying quickly grabbed a nearby pole to support him, preventing him from falling through.

Xiaoying brought the pole to the edge of the hole and looked down—seven or eight upward-pointing arrows were embedded in the first-floor ceiling.

The Wei Country master Sui Yin had truly lived up to his name, “broken silver.”

His chest, abdomen, and even thighs had been pierced by arrowheads. Blood gushed from his mouth as he died, perhaps because he had never imagined dying so ingloriously, with all his martial prowess, perishing like a wild boar in a trap. So he died with his eyes wide open, staring at the young lady watching the spectacle.

“Master Sui, my apologies! We borrowed your bridge-cutting idea. It works quite well, quite well indeed!”

The young lady was courteous enough to bow with clasped hands in appreciation.

Amidst these praises, Sui Yin spat his final mouthful of blood, and with a tilt of his neck, breathed his last.

The Third Prince approached, touching his neck with lingering fear, finally understanding what Meng Zhun and the others had been clanking about on the second floor earlier.

However, he still wanted to settle accounts with the young lady for her earlier words.

But before he could say much, Xiaoying unceremoniously slapped the back of his head: “If I hadn’t said that, should I have said you were the Grand Prince’s precious brother? It was to relax and deceive the enemy, Your Highness!”

This slap seemed to knock some sense into the bull-headed prince.

Just as the Third Prince was having his moment of realization, Feng Yuan had already walked over, scooped up Xiaoying, and coldly said to the Third Prince: “Quickly get downstairs, but don’t use the stairs—jump down!”

Feng Yuan’s arm strength was astonishing. Holding Xiaoying protectively in his embrace, he leaped to the floor below, landing steadily like a pair of butterflies in flight.

Following this was a thud as the bull also landed on the ground.