The sound of fighting shook heaven and earth.
From all directions, the entire mountain forest seemed to have fallen into chaotic battle. There were people everywhere, killing shouts everywhere. Here arrows fell like rain, there rocks tumbled like thunder, and there were even wild boars charging wildly through it all.
The charging wild boars had thick hides and tough flesh—even with bodies full of arrows they could charge forward and knock over seven or eight people.
The mountain forest in the darkness was like an ocean raising wild waves.
Tie Ying, who had not yet approached, reined in his horse. He naturally had no fear of such scenes, but he was very shocked.
“What’s going on?” he said. “Where did reinforcements come from?”
A person ahead was also shocked: “We’ve been guarding the road entrance the whole time and haven’t seen any government troops.”
True or false? A bluff? Tie Ying spurred his horse to turn in place, pressing the long blade at his waist, his expression grave: “I don’t believe they can have many reinforcements. Even if they do, I can still capture her alone—”
He was about to spur his horse forward when a shout came from behind.
“The garrison troops from Chen County have assembled and seem to be coming this way.”
The nearest garrison troops nearby were in Chen County. Tie Ying was alarmed. Chen County was some distance from here.
“How could news have leaked so quickly?” he asked in shock. “Didn’t you say not a single person was allowed to escape?”
“Absolutely certain—not one person escaped from here,” that person reaffirmed. “And even if someone had escaped to report, in such a short time it wouldn’t be enough to go back and forth.”
That meant the nearby garrison troops were also watching Chu Zhao’s movements?
If the garrison army also rushed over—
It wasn’t that he feared these government soldiers. What he feared was exposing the heir.
Right now the court and Prince Zhongshan hadn’t torn off their masks yet—they were waiting for an opportunity, or rather, evidence—
After all, previously when the heir had instigated Chu Lan to kill the Imperial Grandson, there had been no evidence. Chu Zhao also couldn’t push out her uncle to his death.
If at this time Xiao Xun was caught surrounding and attacking Chu Zhao, then the court could immediately proclaim to all under heaven that Prince Zhongshan was treasonous and dispatch troops to punish him.
Perhaps this was also a trap deliberately set by Chu Zhao and the court, using herself as bait to lure Prince Zhongshan—wasn’t the last time falling into water at Chu Garden also this tactic?
Horse hooves scraped the ground and turned.
“Let’s go!” Tie Ying said.
Those around him acknowledged, waving the torches in their hands. After a moment, the men and horses rolled away like black clouds, following Tie Ying as they disappeared.
……
……
When hazy blue light enveloped the mountain forest, the sounds of slaughter had already disappeared. Only the mountain fires still crackled and burned.
Chu Zhao and A’Le moved among the wounded, doing their utmost to provide aid. Every life they could save meant one more. Their bodies and faces were covered in blood.
When Xiao Man ran over, she almost didn’t recognize them.
Chu Zhao had already seen her and opened her arms, throwing herself forward: “Xiao Man, I’m so glad you’re alright.”
Caught off guard, Xiao Man was embraced fully. Though they’d been together day and night for some time now, they didn’t talk much and weren’t familiar!
“You, you—” Xiao Man reached out to push her, looking at the smile on the girl’s blood-stained face. The words at her lips turned into a mutter: “How could anything happen to me!”
She snorted and turned her head away.
“This is nothing, just a small matter.”
Chu Zhao shook her head while nodding repeatedly: “Yes, yes, Xiao Man is too amazing.” As she spoke, tears fell.
She must have been terrified. It truly had been very dangerous. Where had Chu Zhao ever experienced such fright? Though that night of chaos in the capital had also been perilous, compared to this time, it really wasn’t much.
She must have been terrified, so scared that she was hugging her and crying—she could only hug her and cry. Actually…
Xiao Man couldn’t help looking back.
Chu Zhao noticed and asked: “What are you looking for?”
She followed Xiao Man’s line of sight. In the mountain forest where torches burned and night still flickered, many people walked about in disorder—some familiar, some unfamiliar.
But Chu Zhao’s gaze inexplicably fell on one particular figure.
Not too far away, that person stood beside a large tree. The flickering firelight made the person appear and disappear, seeming real yet illusory.
Although, but—this seemed to be a woman?
Besides Xiao Man, A’Le, and herself, another woman had come?
“That is—” Chu Zhao couldn’t help asking.
Who?
But the instant she spoke, the firelight wavered and that figure disappeared, as if turning to busy themselves, blinking and mixing into the crowd moving chaotically through the mountain forest, no longer visible.
“What?” Xiao Man asked from beside her, her voice seeming impatient.
Chu Zhao withdrew her gaze and looked at her, asking: “Where did you find these people?”
Xiao Man said “Oh”: “These are people I encountered in the mountain forest—hunters.”
……