Shао Тiеmin glancеd аt thе skу аnd nodded in understаnding bеfore turning tо find Commаndеr Zhао. Ноwever, Сommander Zhao insisted оn rеsting for аnothеr hаlf-hоur, nоt beсаusе hе nеedеd it, but to assert his suреrioritу over Jun Feifаn by delibеratelу орроsing him.
Jun Qiluо suрpressеd hеr angеr аnd strоde tоward thе mеrchants’ sidе, ignоring Cоmmander Zhaо’s smug laughter and thе sусoрhantic flattеrу оf his laсkеуs.
“Fеifаn, if wе don’t sеt оff soоn, we wоn’t make it tо an inn. Веsidеs, it’s going tо rаin tоnight—wе can’t cаmp out here!” sighed аn elder who hаd travelеd with her fаthеr for mаny years, muttering under his breath, “Are they here to cause trouble or to get things done? Feasting and reveling all the way—is this how soldiers defending the nation should behave?”
“I’m sorry, Uncle Chen.”
“It’s not your fault! You’re an extraordinary child!”
Jun Qiluo couldn’t voice a single complaint, only forcing a cold, bitter smile. She had endured the arrogance of these incompetent officials throughout the journey. Initially, everyone had been pleased to have official escorts, but now no one felt that way anymore. They’d rather spend their own money to hire guards for safety.
Jun Qiluo looked worriedly at the sky. Not far above them, thick dark clouds gathered, and the cold wind carried an eerie chill, signaling an impending downpour.
“Something’s wrong, young master!” Shao Tiemin hurried over to her, pointing at the dark clouds.
Indeed, the clouds shrouding the mountaintop were ominous, but the dark haze below wasn’t mist! As the ground trembled, the black smoke resembling clouds rushed toward them at breakneck speed.
Bandits!
“Tell everyone to saddle up and retreat!” Jun Qiluo ordered, then immediately rushed toward the officials who were still feasting and drinking, oblivious to the danger. Good—it was finally time for them to earn their keep!
“Commander Zhao, we’ve encountered bandits! To ensure the safety of the documents, we’ll retreat westward. We leave this to you!”
Jun Qiluo, who had mentally prepared for this, remained calm in the face of the bandits’ arrival. However, the arrogant Commander Zhao panicked upon hearing the word “bandits,” spilling wine from his cup and soaking his trousers. Next, he heard the thunderous stampede of the approaching bandits, their numbers far from insignificant, charging menacingly toward them.
“M-mount up! Engage! The bandits are here!” Commander Zhao leaped to his feet, shouting in a fluster.
His shout only added to the chaos. The soldiers, who usually appeared tall and imposing, now hunched over as they scrambled for their horses, often colliding in groups of two or three. Some fell flat on their backs, others face-first into the dirt. The commotion startled the horses, which reared up on their hind legs and whinnied in distress.
“Young master! Let’s go first! The others have already left!” Shao Tiemin led Wind Chaser over, kneeling halfway to let her step onto his knee to mount the horse.
“Can we rely on them?” She leaped onto the saddle, casting a disheartened glance at the fools. The enemy was only a few dozen yards away, yet the 120 soldiers, supposedly the elite Imperial Guard of the Great Song Dynasty, were in complete disarray—either unable to find their horses or their helmets."Let's go first! At least they can hold them off for a while!" Shao Tiemin patted his horse, and Wind Chaser shot out like an arrow, catching up with the caravan that had retreated earlier in just a few minutes. Shao Tiemin swiftly mounted his own gray horse, closely following his mistress. With one hand gripping the sword at his waist and the other whipping the horse, he swore to protect the young lady with his life!
As was customary, these bandits would leave no survivors. Even with soldiers stationed, they would still attack without hesitation. Once they set out, they were determined to completely annihilate their prey!
If Commander Zhao had any sense left, he should have realized that he was about to face a group of ruthless bandits. There was no way to escape unscathed except to fight with everything he had—otherwise, he was simply waiting to die!
Jun Qiluo looked toward the north but suddenly froze in shock! There were only about twenty bandits on horseback, yet they exuded such overwhelming momentum! The horses galloping across the wilderness were each taller and larger than the last, making her beloved Wind Chaser look like a small mare in comparison! These men were truly not to be trifled with!
She looked more closely at their attire—but with the howling wind and swirling yellow sand, she couldn’t see clearly. All she could make out was Commander Zhao’s face, which had shifted from panic to arrogance.
Jun Qiluo anxiously bit her lower lip, unaware that she had drawn blood.
These men were too fierce! And Commander Zhao was so recklessly underestimating them—he was bound to meet a gruesome end! Jun Qiluo closed her eyes in anguish, but her sixth sense told her something was amiss in the distance. She immediately opened her eyes, spurred her horse to the front of the caravan, and ignoring the sidelong glances from the martial artists and the fake princess, she ordered directly, "Head south! Quickly! Turn around and go south!"
At her command, the entire caravan changed direction and galloped southward. However, before long, Jun Qiluo sensed something was wrong again and immediately rushed to the front, blocking everyone heading toward her. "There are bandits ahead too. We’re surrounded!"
In an instant, even the caravan descended into chaos, especially the packhorses, which were now uncontrollable.
"Abandon the goods!" As soon as she gave the order, Shao Tiemin drew his broadsword and swiftly cut the ropes securing the cargo on each horse, lightening their load so they could escape faster.
But it was too late! The bandits who had lain in ambush in the west numbered at least fifty or more, and they had already surrounded them, ready to trap them to death.
In the blink of an eye, the bandits began their hunt—the first few horses were immediately struck down by flying arrows. As one horse after another fell to the ground, no one dared to attempt a breakout.
Jun Qiluo now knew where these bandits came from.
They were Liao People! Gray-black sheepskin robes, leather trousers, long leather boots, wide-collared narrow-sleeved attire, and the sheepskin Jiaha draped over their left shoulders—this was the standard attire of the Liao People.
Logically, after killing the horses, they should have started slaughtering people. But why were they only immobilizing them?
Before she could observe further, Shao Tiemin pulled her behind him, trying to hide her among the crowd and keep her from drawing any attention.
The documents were on her person—she absolutely could not attract anyone’s notice!These bandits' behavior is unusual! To be precise, it should be said that these bandits do not carry an air of vulgarity.
What is even more perplexing is that when several Liao People dragged over the discarded goods, and when these bandits saw the jewelry, silver, and cloth, there was not a single cheer. Each one seemed remarkably composed, as if waiting for someone to take command of the situation.
Sure enough, a burly man in black with a face full of red hair and a red beard stepped out from among the Liao People. He asked in broken Chinese:
"Is this Jun Chengliu's caravan?"
No one dared to answer! The lambs awaiting slaughter all stared with fearful eyes, though among them were also eyes seeking an opportunity to act.
"Who is the leader?" As the black-clad man finished speaking, two heads had already flown out like red silk balls.
Among the remaining dozen or so members of the caravan, aside from the suffocating silence, there were only intermittent, suppressed moans and sounds of vomiting.
The red-haired man grabbed the fake princess, Huang Caigu!
"Are you the princess?"
"No! No! I am not the princess..." Huang Caigu answered repeatedly, her dangling feet kicking incessantly but never touching the ground.
"Not the princess? Then you are useless alive!" Just as his broadsword was about to strike her neck—suddenly, the five martial artists from the crowd shot out five sharp blades, each aimed at the red-haired man.
In an instant, those five martial arts masters had collapsed weakly like kites with severed strings, each with their own weapons piercing their chests. And Huang Caigu, upon seeing this scene, immediately fainted dead away—the red-haired man snorted coldly and disdainfully tossed her aside.
"Hmph! Central Plains people."
He did not take further action because twenty riders from the north were galloping toward them. And at the forefront was a handsome man.
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