Chapter 258: Pincer Attack
And this was only the beginning.
The Chao Li Tribe launched wave after wave of fierce assaults, each time retreating after leaving behind dozens of corpses, only to return half an hour or an hour later.
After repelling the enemy once more, Gu Yanxi gazed at the faintly bright horizon for a moment before turning back. Chen Qing was directing his men to pile the bodies of the Chao Li tribesmen together, while their own fallen comrades were carefully carried and laid to rest on the side. Others were digging pits by the roadside—these would serve as temporary resting places for the deceased members of the Seven Constellation Bureau.
The Seven Constellation Bureau had suffered heavy losses, their numbers dwindling from thirty-seven to a mere sixteen. Twenty-one lives had been lost, and it would take the bureau nearly a decade to cultivate another group of such caliber.
The sound of hoofbeats echoed again, and everyone sprang to their feet, alert and ready. No matter how exhausted or injured they were, they had to endure.
Gu Yanxi’s ears twitched, and he let out a long, relieved sigh. Reinforcements had arrived, earlier than expected.
Some of the men immediately slumped back to the ground, clearly unable to stand again anytime soon.
Before his horse had even come to a stop, the leader dismounted in a swift leap—it was Wang Rong.
Wang Rong knelt and bowed. "Greetings, Chief."
Gu Yanxi motioned for him to rise. "How many have you brought? Did you encounter Yuan Shifang on the way?"
"Yes, I have already arranged for Yuan Shifang to be escorted to the capital. We have brought two hundred men this time."
Two hundred men—likely the maximum number the Seven Constellation Bureau could spare from the capital. Gu Yanxi cast a cold, sharp gaze toward Yuzhou. "You’ve arrived just in time. Take your men and set up an ambush on the other side. The Chao Li Tribe will likely charge again. We’ll trap them in a pincer attack—not a single one escapes!"
"Yes, sir!" Wang Rong’s eyes stung as he looked at the lifeless bodies of his comrades. Clenching his jaw, he turned away and strode off to make arrangements. If he let even one enemy slip through his fingers, he’d offer his own head in recompense!
Just as Gu Yanxi had predicted, it wasn’t long before the Chao Li Tribe launched another assault. Though their losses had been severe, their original numbers had far exceeded those of the Seven Constellation Bureau. Even now, they still had over fifty men. Having gauged their opponents’ strength in previous attacks, they knew the bureau had fewer than twenty men left. How could they pass up such an opportunity?
Their target was clear: five men charged straight at Gu Yanxi, while the others focused on the wounded. They were determined to succeed.
But this time, fortune was not on their side. No sooner had they arrived than Wang Rong and his men surrounded them tightly. Their long blades were swiftly seized, and they were thrown into disarray.
Fifty-four men—none escaped. Fifty were killed on the spot. Gu Yanxi spared only four, dislocating their jaws. The Chao Li Tribe was known for their ferocity and brutality, and he intended to hand these captives over to Shaoyao. In such matters, she had never disappointed him.
"Chen Qing, arrange for our men to be found and brought back along the route. Then, take my official seal and seek out the local authorities. Have them dispose of the Chao Li tribesmen’s bodies."
"Yes, sir."
"Wang Rong, take fifty men to Yuzhou. Scour the place thoroughly and follow the trail starting from Yuan Shifang. I suspect there are more Chao Li tribesmen hiding their identities in Yuzhou besides him."
"Yes, sir."
"Chief!" A man rushed over, the fabric on his shoulder torn open, revealing a raw, red wound. He seemed impervious to the pain as he handed over a piece of silk cloth. "We found this on one of the Chao Li tribesmen."Gu Yanxi unfolded it and was unsurprised to find a map—an extremely detailed one, showing at least three routes from Yuzhou to the capital.
Having previously familiarized himself with Yuan Shifang's handwriting, he confirmed this wasn't his. He brought the silk cloth to his nose and sniffed it, then handed it to Wang Rong. "Find this person. They shall suffer death by a thousand cuts."
"This subordinate will make sure they are properly entertained." Wang Rong gritted his teeth in fury. If this person were from the Chao Li Tribe, it would be one thing, but if they were a citizen of the Great Qing Dynasty, he would make them regret ever being born!
"Stay vigilant. The hidden enemies may not be limited to these, and they might attack again."
"Yes."
By now, the horizon was tinged with dawn's glow, dyeing a small portion of the sky red. It looked like a vibrant curtain, waiting to backdrop the sun that would soon illuminate the entire world.
If A Zhi were here, she'd probably laugh—a laugh that would start from her heart, reach her eyes, and then spread across her entire face. Just seeing her smile made any problem seem insignificant.
Soon, they would meet again.
Hua Zhi slept straight through until the next day. When she woke from her deep slumber, her first sensation was pain—far worse than what she had experienced at the estate.
"Young mistress, you're awake?" Bao Xia was nearly moved to tears. "Are you thirsty? Hungry? I'll fetch you something to eat!"
After her rapid-fire speech, Bao Xia jumped up and dashed off. Shaoyao, continuing to apply medicine to the wound without pause, rolled her eyes and kept working. What was there to get so excited about? She was holding back her own emotions!
Her body ached, she was thirsty, and she was hungry, but none of these sensations could overpower the overwhelming fatigue. For a moment, Hua Zhi felt as if everything below her neck didn't belong to her. If only the pain would disappear along with it.
"What time is it?"
"It's the next day. I paid a deposit for the boat, so it won't leave without us. I had them delay for a day, and they didn't dare complain. Everyone in Zhenyang knows we're not to be trifled with."
"..." What was there to be proud of? Hua Zhi weakly felt like closing her eyes again.
"Don't sleep, don't sleep! Hua Hua, hang in there a little longer. Eat something before you sleep."
"Fine, I won't sleep." Hua Zhi forced her eyes open again. "How is everyone else's condition?"
"Don't worry, you're the most severely injured. I'll prepare a prescription for you later. Once you're back, take daily medicinal baths. They'll help build up your strength. Hua Hua, your stamina is seriously lacking."
"..." She didn't need that kind of stamina, thank you. Hua Zhi amused herself with a dirty thought, a smile tugging at her lips. "Practicing that boxing for over half a year has already helped a lot. If it were back when I was at the estate, I wouldn't have lasted this long."
"Of course it's good—I fought to get that boxing manual." Just as she said this, Bao Xia returned carrying a wooden tray. Before the aroma of food could reach them, the scent of medicine did.
"You'll need to eat Medicinal Cuisine for a while. I've already bought the herbs and had them sent to the boat. Hua Hua, you're a woman. You can't keep losing qi and blood like this—it's too damaging to your body. If you don't replenish it properly, you'll suffer later."
"Alright, alright, I'll listen to you."
Pleased by her obedient response, Shaoyao beamed. "Don't worry, it'll taste good. It might smell a little medicinal, but you won't taste it when you eat."
Hua Zhi chatted with her, teasing her until she grew even happier, as if the Shaoyao who had seemed ready to devour someone yesterday had never existed.Hua Zhi was not someone who clung stubbornly to things or people. She possessed remarkable clarity—no matter how precious something was, if it couldn't belong to her, she wouldn't dwell on it for even a moment. Yet this never stopped her from respecting those with steadfast principles, like Shaoyao. Though Shaoyao might forget all her relatives, the convictions she once held remained unforgotten in her heart. Even if she could no longer become a female general, certain principles had become instinctive to her, forming her bottom line. She disciplined herself by them and expected the same from others. Hua Zhi admired people like that.
PS: Why is this so hard to write...
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