The sounds of combat were not intense, but they could not escape the sharp ears of highly skilled individuals like Xiao Changfeng and Bu Shulin.
Xiao Changfeng swiftly turned and positioned himself in front of Shen Xihe—protecting her safety was his duty. Bu Shulin, Moyu, and others spurred their horses forward. Bu Shulin said to Xiao Changfeng, "I'll go check it out."
Xiao Changfeng nodded. Bu Shulin urged his horse toward the source of the noise, and Moyu, catching Shen Xihe's meaningful glance, quickly followed. Xiao Changfeng's gaze lingered on Moyu for a moment.
Not long after the two departed, a short, sharp whistle sounded. Shen Xihe immediately grew excited, cracking her whip as she charged forward. "It's Father!"
Zhenzhu swiftly followed, and Xiao Changfeng joined them.
By the time the three arrived, Moyu and Bu Shulin were each supporting a severely wounded man. The men hung their heads, hair disheveled, faces obscured, but their tall, imposing figures were unmistakable. Even in the dim light of night, Xiao Changfeng recognized Shen Yueshan at once.
"Father!" Shen Xihe cried out, rushing forward, but Xiao Changfeng swiftly intercepted her.
"Princess, this servant will rescue the prince," Zhenzhu declared, charging ahead.
Originally, five or six men had encircled Moyu and Bu Shulin. Zhenzhu's sudden charge disrupted their formation, but the narrow surroundings and the attackers' agility made the situation precarious. One swung a blade horizontally, while another coordinated seamlessly, aiming for the horses' legs.
As the two attackers moved, Moyu and Bu Shulin reacted, each pairing off against one opponent. Shen Yueshan collapsed to the ground, propping himself up with one hand, blood seeping from his wounds.
Just as Xiao Changfeng prepared to assist, the two who had forced Zhenzhu from her horse and slain it turned their attention toward them. One quickly scanned the area.
Though it was only a fleeting glance, Xiao Changfeng's sharp instincts told him their target was Shen Xihe. Observing their exchanges with Moyu and Bu Shulin, he noted their exceptional skill—far beyond ordinary fighters. If he joined the fray, someone might break free and attack Shen Xihe, who, lacking martial prowess, would surely fall into their hands.
Reluctantly, Xiao Changfeng held back. Instead, he drew a small horn from his waist and blew three short blasts—a signal to his subordinates waiting beyond the woods, summoning reinforcements.
Shen Xihe paid no attention to Xiao Changfeng, her eyes fixed intently on Shen Yueshan. Anxiety and worry were etched across her face. Several times she attempted to rush forward, but Xiao Changfeng, ever vigilant, subtly blocked her each time.
Xiao Changfeng's call for reinforcements visibly agitated the black-clad assailants entangled with Bu Shulin and the others. Their attacks grew fiercer and more ruthless.
They repeatedly used the defenseless Shen Yueshan as a decoy, forcing Bu Shulin and Moyu to divert their efforts to protect him. After several exchanges, even with their considerable skills, both sustained numerous blade wounds.
Xiao Changfeng watched the entire confrontation unfold, detecting no flaws in the assailants' tactics. While he was unfamiliar with Shen Xihe's maidservants' abilities, he knew Bu Shulin's prowess intimately. Bu Shulin was fighting with no room for restraint—this was a genuine, all-out struggle.His heart sank inch by inch. When he heard the sound of numerous hoofbeats approaching, he abruptly flipped over and joined the chaotic battle. Staying at the periphery, he both helped share Zhenzhu's burden and kept a path open to retreat and protect Shen Xihe.
The thunderous hoofbeats were unmistakable. Even amidst the clashing of blades, the black-clad men heard them and their expressions instantly changed. They swiftly withdrew, pulling out smoke bombs from their persons and smashing them one after another. Smoke filled the air, and by the time it dissipated, they had long vanished without a trace.
At this moment, Xiao Changfeng's subordinates arrived in force. Shen Xihe had already dismounted and rushed toward Shen Yueshan: "Father! Father!"
Her hands trembling, Shen Xihe supported Shen Yueshan. She knew everything was an act, yet Shen Yueshan had actually inflicted numerous wounds on himself to make the deception convincing. Her heart ached unbearably.
"Yo... yo..." Shen Yueshan didn't even manage to utter a complete sentence before collapsing.
Bu Shulin hurried to help support him. Xiao Changfeng immediately called several men to carry Shen Yueshan, place him on a horse, and swiftly transport him to the relay station. Shen Xihe and the others naturally followed Shen Yueshan, while Xiao Changfeng took a portion of the men to conduct a search.
After Shen Yueshan was rescued, both Zhenzhu and the accompanying physician took his pulse. The physician's face changed dramatically, not daring to speak.
Zhenzhu's eyes reddened further. Unaware of the underlying circumstances, her current medical skills led to a diagnosis that left her unable to devise any method to save Shen Yueshan, who was so severely injured.
"How is Father?" Shen Xihe seemed to sense something from their reactions, her voice filled with worry and fear as she pressed for answers.
The physician didn't dare speak. Zhenzhu held Shen Xihe's arm: "Crown Princess, let A Xi examine him first."
Sui Axi stepped forward to take Shen Yueshan's pulse. He hadn't been coached in this either, as pulse diagnosis wasn't his forte. The result he obtained was no different from the physician and Zhenzhu's, his face instantly paling.
"How is Father?" Shen Xihe asked again, her body tense as if a string within her might snap at any moment, causing her to collapse.
"Crown Princess..." Sui Axi's lips moved, but his voice caught in his throat.
Shen Xihe looked at them, tears welling in her eyes. Her face cold, she demanded, "Speak! How is Father, really?"
"Crown Princess, this subordinate is incompetent. The Prince's internal organs are severely injured, I fear..."
"A Xi!" Zhenzhu sharply cut him off.
It was at this moment that Xiao Changfeng returned. He had heard Shen Xihe's questioning from afar, and upon reaching the doorway, he took in Sui Axi and Zhenzhu's reactions, immediately sensing the gravity and direness of the situation.
Striding across the threshold, he saw the Northwest King, who had been cleaned up but lay pale and still. Though he possessed no medical knowledge, he could tell from the weakness and irregularity of the Northwest King's breathing that his condition was likely indeed critical.
"Fear what?" Shen Xihe took a deep breath, feigning composure, her face taut as she asked in a low voice.
Sui Axi didn't dare say more. Shen Xihe then looked at Zhenzhu, who had no choice but to say, "My lady, perhaps our medical skills are too shallow. Let us seek Doctor Qi, find Divine Doctor Linghu. The Prince will surely recover."
Upon hearing her words, Shen Xihe's vision went black, and she fainted on the spot.
Having reached this point, she didn't know how to react next, so she followed Xiao Huayong's advice: if the play couldn't go on, fainting was the way.Shen Xihe fainted, causing another flurry of panic. Xiao Changfeng dared not take this lightly at this moment; he couldn't even question whether there was anything amiss in the situation. He immediately dispatched people to summon all the doctors in the city. One by one, the doctors were forcibly dragged from their homes and brought to the post station by the officials, yet not a single one dared claim they had a cure.
This weighed even more heavily on Xiao Changfeng's heart.
OpenNovel