Fan Changyu, along with Xie Shiyi and others, galloped at full speed to the villa, but they were ultimately a step too late.
The entire villa was engulfed in flames. At the entrance, several corpses of the Blood-Clad Cavalry lay scattered in disarray, the blood on the steps appearing both desolate and eerily vivid under the firelight.
Holding onto a sliver of hope, Fan Changyu rushed into the villa, calling out, "Qianqian?"
She searched several rooms but found no one. Finally, at the kitchen door, she spotted the unconscious cook and carried her out of the courtyard.
While Xie Shiyi and his men were checking the bodies of the Blood-Clad Cavalry at the entrance, they discovered one man still clinging to life. Xie Shiyi quickly administered a life-saving pill.
The man weakly opened his eyes and, recognizing his comrades, hurriedly recounted what had happened: "Someone disguised as the Blood-Clad Cavalry launched a surprise attack on the villa. We couldn’t distinguish friend from foe and were quickly overwhelmed..."
Xie Shiyi asked, "Where are the imperial great-grandson and his mother?"
The man feebly pointed eastward. "They went... east..."
Xie Shiyi immediately reported this to Fan Changyu, who ordered a small group to stay behind and handle the aftermath while the rest continued the pursuit eastward.
The villa was located in the outskirts of the city, making it impossible to seal off the area for a thorough search. If they failed to catch up now, they might lose Yu Qianqian and her son for good.
Fan Changyu was frantic with worry. She mounted her horse and cracked the whip fiercely, charging eastward.
Every member of the Blood-Clad Cavalry was trained as a scout. Xie Shiyi noticed that the bandage on Fan Changyu’s hastily treated arm had already been soaked red with fresh blood. He tried to reassure her, "Commander, don’t worry too much. There are fresh wheel tracks on the road. They took the imperial great-grandson and his mother in a carriage—we can catch up."
Fan Changyu didn’t respond, her lips pressed tightly together.
Yu Qianqian was one of her few friends, and Bao'er was of immense importance to them all. Xie Zheng had already entered the capital—she couldn’t afford to let anything happen to Yu Qianqian and her son now.
After galloping relentlessly for over ten miles, a volley of arrows suddenly rained down from the dense forests flanking the official road ahead.
Fan Changyu swiftly raised her blade to block the arrows. Though the elite Blood-Clad Cavalry accompanying her remained unharmed, several of their warhorses were struck and collapsed.
Xie Shiyi cursed bitterly, "They must have heard our hoofbeats and left some men behind to ambush us!"
Fan Changyu glanced at the few dozen remaining Blood-Clad Cavalry and said to Xie Shiyi, "I’ll lead a group to continue the pursuit. You deal with those in the woods."
Xie Shiyi knew retrieving the imperial great-grandson and his mother was the top priority. He urged, "Then be careful, Commander!"
Fan Changyu and a contingent of the Blood-Clad Cavalry charged straight down the official road. Arrows whistled toward them from the forests on either side, but they only raised their swords lightly to deflect them.
Those unfortunate enough to be hit rolled to cover and joined Xie Shiyi in clearing out the enemies hidden in the woods.
Using this method, Fan Changyu finally broke through the arrow barrage with a portion of her forces.
Following the wheel tracks, they hadn’t gone far before spotting a dozen riders escorting a carriage speeding down the road.
Fan Changyu shouted, "Are there any skilled archers among you? Avoid the carriage and loose your arrows!"
She had read a few military manuals. Though she couldn’t recite them word for word, she had spent enough time in the army and fought in over a dozen battles, large and small.
In pursuits like this, momentum was often key. With enough force, they could shatter the enemy’s morale from a distance.Once they closed the distance, the pursuers began firing arrows while chasing—undoubtedly the best way to create momentum.
With arrows suppressing them, the carriage ahead couldn’t outrun the single-mounted warhorses. Only seven or eight riders were sent to intercept Fan Changyu and her group.
Long-handled weapons held the advantage on horseback. Fan Changyu swung her Horse-Cutting Sword in a sweeping arc, forcing the approaching Shadow Guard to veer aside before they could even get close.
The Blood-Clad Cavalry, rigorously selected elites, were far superior to the ordinary soldiers who had accompanied Changyu out of the city that day. Though their martial skills couldn’t match Xie Wu’s, they weren’t easily overpowered. Working together, a few of them could hold off a single Shadow Guard—a far better situation than when Changyu had faced over a dozen Shadow Guards alone.
Seizing the moment while most of the intercepting Shadow Guards were occupied by the Blood-Clad Cavalry, Changyu spurred her horse hard and charged toward the carriage ahead.
One of the Shadow Guards riding alongside the carriage suddenly drew his bow and loosed an arrow at Changyu. She cleaved one arrow with her Saber, then pressed herself low against her horse’s back as it galloped at full speed.
Seeing he couldn’t hit Changyu, the archer aimed for her horse instead.
When her steed was struck and collapsed, Changyu was barely two zhang away from Yu Qianqian’s carriage. Gritting her teeth, she hurled a rope that looped around the carriage’s eaves. As she leaped from her falling horse, she let the rope’s momentum pull her toward the carriage.
A Shadow Guard riding alongside swung his blade at her. Changyu rolled across the carriage roof to evade, and the spot where she had lain was split in half by the strike.
From inside the carriage came Yu Qianqian’s panicked cries for help. Changyu tightened her grip on the rope and slid down, kicking the driver—a Shadow Guard—off the carriage before yanking the curtain aside. “Don’t be afraid, Qianqian! It’s me!”
Inside, Yu Qianqian clutched the window frame with one hand and held Yu Bao’er tightly with the other, her voice trembling. “Changyu?”
Changyu had barely responded when another Shadow Guard riding parallel to the carriage slashed horizontally at her. She jerked backward just in time, and the blade struck the carriage door instead.
Changyu retaliated with a kick to the man’s armpit. Stunned, he felt as if half his ribs had shattered from the impact. Clutching his side in agony, he tumbled from his horse.
Changyu sat up, taking the reins to steer the carriage back while reassuring Yu Qianqian, “Don’t worry, I won’t let them take you!”
Yu Qianqian glanced through the window at the relentless Shadow Guards closing in and said calmly, “This won’t work. Changyu, take Bao’er and ride ahead!”
Before she could push Bao’er toward Changyu, one of the Shadow Guards shot an arrow into the lead horse’s foreleg.
The horse whinnied and stumbled forward, dragging the carriage with it until it overturned.
Yu Qianqian and her son were thrown from the carriage, but Changyu shielded them both with her own body. Her back slammed against the rocky cliffside lining the road, the pain draining the color from her face. For a moment, she couldn’t even stand.
The heavy carriage scraped along the ground, most of its weight teetering on the cliff’s edge before finally plunging over, dragging the arrow-stricken horse down with it.Yu Qianqian struggled to sit up and noticed that Fan Changyu's clothes had been torn to shreds against the rough rock surface, her back covered in wet blood. Panicked, tears streamed down Yu Qianqian's face as she cried, "Changyu, are you okay?"
Fan Changyu forced her eyes open with great effort. Seeing the Shadow Guards who had been protecting the carriage closing in, she propped herself up with her Horse-Cutting Sword and glared coldly at the nameless Shadow Guard now less than three zhang away. She ordered Yu Qianqian, "Run!"
The Blood-Clad Cavalry, engaged with the other nine Shadow Guards blocking the road, had gained a slight upper hand due to their numerical advantage. If they could reach them, there might still be a chance.
Yu Qianqian knew she had no martial skills—staying would only burden Fan Changyu. With tears in her eyes, she gave Fan Changyu one last desperate glance before grabbing Yu Bao'er's hand and dashing toward the Blood-Clad Cavalry.
Yu Bao'er kept looking back at Fan Changyu. His young face was streaked with blood from scrapes, his pupils reflecting Fan Changyu's silhouette as she struggled to stand with the support of her long blade under the setting sun. The hand not held by Yu Qianqian clenched into a tight fist.
Back in Lucheng, Fan Changyu had fought sixteen Shadow Guards outside the city walls. Only because they had held back, intending to capture her alive, had she lasted so long.
Now, injured and facing five Shadow Guards fighting at full strength, the battle was grueling.
One of the Shadow Guards, seeing Fan Changyu occupied by his four companions, broke away to pursue Yu Qianqian and her son.
The mountain path was steep, and Yu Qianqian's elaborate robes hindered her movement. Tripping over her own skirts, she frantically pushed Yu Bao'er away, urging, "Bao'er, run!"
But Yu Bao'er refused to leave her behind. His small frame acted as a human crutch as he tried to help her up.
In that brief moment, the Shadow Guard caught up.
A furious roar erupted from the Blood-Clad Cavalry: "Captain!"
Xie Wu and Xie Qi had somehow received word and arrived on horseback.
Realizing he couldn't take both mother and son back today, the Shadow Guard's eyes turned ruthless. Without warning, he swung his saber at Yu Bao'er.
Fan Changyu, still entangled with the four Shadow Guards, couldn't break free. But maternal instinct took over—Yu Qianqian threw herself in front of Yu Bao'er the instant she saw the blade.
The saber struck her back, blood splattering across Yu Bao'er's face.
"R-run...!" Yu Qianqian gasped in agony, barely managing those two words.
Yu Bao'er stared at his mother lying in a pool of blood, frozen in shock.
Were they really trying to kill him and his mother?
The Shadow Guard hesitated briefly upon seeing Yu Qianqian take the blow, then recalled Qi Min's orders. His expression darkened as he hastily pulled out a bottle of hemostatic powder and poured it over the wound on Yu Qianqian's back.
When Fan Changyu saw Yu Qianqian struck down, she let out a furious cry. With a series of slashes, she forced back the four Shadow Guards surrounding her, then used her momentum to swing her saber and send the attacker flying.
Exhausted, she still tried to carry Yu Qianqian to safety.
But Yu Qianqian weakly grasped Fan Changyu's hand, her tear-filled eyes pleading. "Take Bao'er... take him away. They won't kill me... but they'll kill him..."Fan Changyu looked at the травма medicine spilled all over her back. Though she didn't know exactly what had happened, she understood Yu Qianqian's words were true. Summoning her last ounce of strength, she picked up the seemingly terrified Yu Bao'er beside her and ran toward the direction where Xie Wu and Xie Qi were galloping on horseback.
The four Shadow Guards who had been fighting with Fan Changyu gave chase. Two of them helped Yu Qianqian retreat while the other two raised their sleeves and shot several sleeve arrows at Yu Bao'er in Fan Changyu's arms.
Without hesitation, Fan Changyu shielded Yu Bao'er with her own body.
"Commandant!"
Fortunately, Xie Wu and Xie Qi had caught up. Xie Wu, with one arm disabled, leapt off his horse and single-handedly swung his blade to deflect the incoming arrows. Xie Seven responded by nocking arrows and returning fire at the Shadow Guards.
The thunder of hoofbeats came from the end of the official road—Xie Shiyi and others who had finished clearing the Shadow Guards in the woods were arriving. Seeing reinforcements approach, the remaining Shadow Guards being pursued by the Blood-Clad Cavalry no longer lingered in battle. They pulled out smoke bombs and hurled them forcefully to the ground, instantly filling the road with billowing dust.
By the time the smoke cleared, the Shadow Guards had vanished without a trace.
Xie Shiyi rushed over excitedly upon seeing Xie Wu and Xie Qi. "Fifth Brother! Seventh Brother!" But his expression changed drastically when he noticed Fan Changyu's blood-soaked back. "Commandant, you're injured?"
Xie Wu and Xie Qi's faces also turned grave. Before Xie Zheng left, he had instructed that after his departure, the Blood-Clad Cavalry would follow Fan Changyu's lead in all matters. Yet barely two days after he left, Fan Changyu was already wounded like this.
Fan Changyu herself seemed unfazed. "Just superficial wounds, nothing serious," she said. Looking down at Yu Bao'er, whom she had shielded—now silent and seemingly in shock—she frowned and comforted, "Don't be afraid, Bao'er. I'll find a way to save your mother."
Yu Bao'er buried his face in Fan Changyu's shoulder. Though no sobs were heard, his small frame trembled, his teeth clenched tightly.
Without the carriage, they had to ride back on horseback. Yu Bao'er, still frightened, clung tightly to Fan Changyu's clothes, refusing to let go, so Fan Changyu carried him on her horse.
Despite the heavily fortified villa, Qi Min's men had still found a way in. After much deliberation, Fan Changyu decided to hide Yu Bao'er in the military camp. No matter how capable Qi Min was, he couldn't possibly move through the army as if it were nothing.
No sooner had she settled Yu Bao'er in the camp than Tang Peiyi sent a messenger, summoning Fan Changyu for a discussion. She knew the day's large-scale movement of the Blood-Clad Cavalry outside the city wouldn't escape Tang Peiyi's notice.
Before leaving, Xie Zheng had said that if pushed to the brink, they could persuade Tang Peiyi to support Yu Bao'er's claim. But clearly, they weren't at that point yet. Fan Changyu was at a loss, unsure whether to reveal Yu Bao'er's identity to Tang Peiyi. Using the excuse of tending to her wounds first, she dismissed Tang Peiyi's personal guard and called for the medic Ahuang to treat the injuries on her back.
Ahuang applied medicine while shedding tears the entire time, making Fan Changyu rather embarrassed. She kept reassuring her that it didn't hurt. But Ahuang said, "The Commandant is a woman of steel who sheds no tears lightly. But these wounds—even I feel the pain looking at them. I'm crying for you, Commandant."Fan Changyu was both amused and exasperated. However, since A Hui had bandaged her with such meticulous care, the layers of gauze wrapped around her upper body made her look almost half-paralyzed. Thinking about meeting Tang Peiyi soon, she didn’t ask to be rebandaged.
When Fan Changyu was carried on a stretcher by two personal guards to see Tang Peiyi, it gave him quite a shock.
He couldn’t even sit still and immediately walked over to the stretcher to check on her. “What happened to you, Captain Fan?”
Fan Changyu looked utterly drained. “The bandits outside the city are rampant. I went out to suppress them but accidentally fell off a cliff.”
Tang Peiyi had summoned Fan Changyu to ask what she’d been doing outside the city. Now that she’d volunteered an explanation—even if it was a blatant lie—with her injuries so severe, he couldn’t interrogate her like a criminal. He merely said, “Jizhou already cleared out the bandits before the New Year. Are there really still such formidable outlaws who could injure you like this?”
Fan Changyu, her face pale, replied, “The terrain on the mountain was complicated… I just slipped and fell…”
She then broke into a fit of violent coughing.
Tang Peiyi could only wave his hand dismissively. “Alright, alright, go back and rest! You stubborn brat—if you were seriously injured, you could’ve just sent word! Instead, you had yourself carried here. Now the whole army will gossip about how I mistreated you!”
Fan Changyu weakly clasped her hands on the stretcher. “This subordinate takes her leave…”
She wasn’t good at lying, and guilt kept her from meeting Tang Peiyi’s eyes.
Tang Peiyi huffed in annoyance. “Enough with the formalities! Get back to your own tent and lie down!”
Only after being carried out of the central military tent did Fan Changyu quietly let out a sigh of relief. She had managed to muddle through today.
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