Chapter 516: The Emperor's Petty Intentions
Xuan Tian Ming angrily gritted his teeth. What wife was he marrying? His wife was under his blanket. Who else could he marry?
But the sound of joyous music grew louder and louder outside, causing his head to swell more and more. He angrily got up and grabbed Feng Yu Heng. At the same time, he called out- "Bai Ze!"
There was no movement from the door.
He frowned and called once more: "Huang Quan!"
There was still no movement.
Feng Yu Heng got out of bed and put on an outer garment. While putting it on, she shouted- "Song Kang!"
Bang! The door was pushed open by someone from the outside.
Xuan Tian Ming felt that servants like Bai Ze and Huang Quan that were more interested in liveliness than their masters really could not be considered as useful as Song Kang! For Song Kang, as long as Feng Yu Heng was at the palace, unless he was sleeping or cutting up chickens and ducks, he would spend the rest of his time taking care of his master. When his master got up, that was his time to take care of her. When his master had not yet gotten up, he would need to wait outside the door to keep watch.
Also, this Song Kang had another problem- he viewed everyone as being beneath him.
It was not completely the case. It was just that as long as Feng Yu Heng was present, he could practically not see anyone else. There were clearly two people in the room. In any case, Xuan Tian Ming was a prince, right? But Song Kang, sir Song, only saluted his master. He did not pay any attention to the prince.
Feng Yu Heng nodded in satisfaction then asked Song Kang: "What is going on outside? Who is getting married?"
Song Kang shook his head like a pellet drum, "Master, this music was prepared for you and his Highness." After saying this, he finally looked at Xuan Tian Ming and said: "His Majesty's personal eunuch also came. His Majesty heard that master and your Highness would be returning to the military camp, thus he arranged for some music to send you off."
Xuan Tian Ming was so angry that he was speechless. Send them off? This was not the first time that the two were going to the military camp. What sort of mental illness had that old man come down with?
There was nothing he could do. Since it was arranged by the Emperor, he had to go out and take a look. The two sent Song Kang out before diving into the space to get cleaned up. When they came out after getting cleaned up and dressed, they were surprised to find that the music troupe had already arrived in front of the bedchamber's doors.
Feng Yu Heng smirked from hearing this. She tugged Xuan Tian Ming's sleeve and loudly shouted, asking him: "Say, what do you think father Emperor is doing? Why does this atmosphere seem like they are trying to perform an early wedding for us?" No wonder she had that weird dream.
Xuan Tian Ming spread his hands, "How could I know! That old man is most likely going insane."
The door opened, and the sound grew even louder. The two immediately saw Zhang Yuan standing there. Accompanying the music troupe, Zhang Yuan's ugly expression was truly too noticeable. Xuan Tian Ming coldly snorted and waved his hand, as he very impolitely said: "Everyone, stop!"
This was shouted using internal strength, and it scared the troupe members into nearly throwing away their instruments. They all looked at Xuan Tian Ming then at Zhang Yuan. The leader said: "Sir eunuch, didn't you say that this was arranged by his Majesty? Why is it..." Why was there someone that did not even give face to the Emperor?
Zhang Yuan had a bitter expression and waved his hand: "You can all leave. You will still be paid."
Upon hearing that they would still be paid, they did not insist. Carrying their instruments, they left. Zhang Yuan remained in place and looked at Xuan Tian Ming. Behind him were some other eunuchs that did not even dare to raise their heads.
Feng Yu Heng saw that Xuan Tian Ming's expression was truly very ugly and quickly tugged at him. She then glared at him before asking Zhang Yuan: "Eunuch Zhang, you said that this was arranged by father Emperor?"
When she asked this, her voice became much softer. Zhang Yuan expressed that he could accept this, thus he replied: "His Majesty said that imperial daughter and his Highness would be returning to the military camp. You are leaving in a rush, and he did not have a chance to personally say a few words. He could only use this method to express his feelings. Also, going to the military camp to produce steel weapons is a joyous matter. A joyous matter must be celebrated."
Feng Yu Heng blinked. Her train of thought became derailed, as an image of the Emperor with a thief-like smile appeared... Wait a moment, why was it a thief-like smile?
She looked at Zhang Yuan then at Xuan Tian Ming. The two exchanged a glance and immediately saw that the other had similar thoughts.
Xuan Tian Ming coldly said to Zhang Yuan: "Not to mention the old man's efforts to hide things. Why exactly was such a scene caused? Speak the truth!"
Zhang Yuan sighed bitterly, "Hah! In truth, the situation is very easy to explain. With the two of you leaving, there will be nobody to stop him drinking with lord Yao. His Majesty is celebrating for himself!"
Xuan Tian Ming was so angry that he could not even speak. Last night, he had said that Feng Yu Heng's father was no good. This morning, his father did not put in a good showing for him.
Wasn't this too unreliable? How could he be at peace with handing the country over to him?
While he was secretly complaining in his mind, he heard the girl at his side slowly say: "Xuan Tian Ming, your father really is great."
With just these words, Xuan Tian Ming immediately decided to forgive that unreliable old man. Thus he also nodded: "Un, he is also your father."
Feng Yu Heng smiled and said to Zhang Yuan: "Eunuch Zhang, thank father Emperor for me. Just say that his Highness and I have accepted his feelings. It's fine if he wants to drink with grandfather, but he must not get drunk. It's not good for his health. I hope that eunuch Zhang will help keep an eye on them for me."
Zhang Yuan quickly bowed: "What is imperial daughter saying. This servant should be taking care of his Majesty and lord Yao. Also, there is another matter that must be discussed with you two." Zhang Yuan looked up at Xuan Tian Ming: "It's the sixth princess from Zong Sui that is in prison. She seems to have gone insane. She spends every day yelling and cursing imperial daughter, saying that imperial daughter is a monster."
Xuan Tian Ming was startled and subconsciously went to hold Feng Yu Heng. He knew that Feng Yu Heng was indeed different from others. He also knew that she had sent some food over to scare Yu Qian Yin. After the matter with Yao shi yesterday, he felt even more than there was a bit of something there. Although this sort of thought was not very specific, after his experience with Yao shi, he knew that Feng Yu Heng would definitely be very sensitive to this subject.
This was intended to protect and comfort her. After all, when he had rushed into Yao shi's room, this girl's condition was truly frightening. He had known her for over a year, and he had never seen her with such a troubled and hurt appearance If it was not for him having good self-control, he really might have whipped to death the mother that bullied his wife. He held the girl that he doted on. On what basis could someone else say that of her?
Xuan Tian Ming held Feng Yu Heng's shoulder and looked down to comfort her. However, he had underestimated his wife's ability to adjust her mood. After getting a night of sleep, the panic of the previous day had disappeared. What he saw was a strong, stubborn and quirky girl.
Feng Yu Heng looked up slightly then jutted out her small chin. In an instant, she recovered the arrogant look that Xuan Tian Ming liked the most. She said to Zhang Yuan: "It's fine if she goes insane. This imperial daughter can treat any illness. It just depends on if she is able to pay."
Zhang Yuan nearly cried upon hearing this, "His Majesty also said this. His Majesty even said that imperial daughter would definitely say this. He even made a bet with this servant. If you did not say this, he would give this servant five taels."
Xuan Tian Ming nearly laughed out of anger. Could that old man not be a little more proper? You as an emperor make a wager with someone and only bet five taels? He was truly too speechless.
The two managed to send Zhang Yuan off with great difficulty. Feng Yu Heng decided to return to the imperial daughter's manor first to prepare some clothes. Zi Rui and Song Kang also returned with her. She was returning to the military camp, and she wanted to send Zi Rui over to Xiao Zhou at the same time.
Zi Rui was very understanding, as he did not mention anything from yesterday, nor did he mention Yao shi. Although he still had feelings towards that mother, Yao shi's attitude toward Feng Yu Heng was truly too chilling.
Feng Yu Heng packed up her clothes and placed some more inside her space. Only then did she bring Zi Rui back to Xuan Tian Ming's imperial carriage. Xuan Tian Ming said: "Let's go toward the military camp first. When we get to the fork in the road, I will arrange some hidden guards to send Zi Rui over to Xiao Zhou." After saying this, he asked her: "Do you want to bid farewell to your grandfather?"
Feng Yu Heng waved her hand: "He is at the Feng family right now. I won't be going. I am only going to the military camp. It's not as though I won't be coming back. Also, I trust that with grandfather's train of thought, he will definitely come to see me in the military camp after a few days. When we get there, we will need to tell the soldiers. When the time comes, don't stop my grandfather outside."
Xuan Tian Ming smiled and nodded, giving an order to the outside. The imperial carriage then slowly began to move.
There were quite a few people inside the carriage. It was the two of them, Zi Rui, Song Kang, Huang Quan and Wang Chuan, who had just rushed back. All around the carriage, there were countless hidden guards accompanying them. Even if this was the case, Feng Yu Heng still felt a little bit flustered. The source of this fluster was unknown, and there was no ability for her to ignore these feelings. She could only hold Zi Rui's hand while telling him to study well in Xiao Zhou and learn more from his teacher.
The imperial carriage finally left the city, and Feng Yu Heng began speaking even more. She frankly did not stop, going from study well to train properly and get stronger. From there, she spoke about getting along well with his schoolmates. Zi Rui was truly helpless and could only try to ask his brother-in-law for help. Xuan Tian Ming, however, received his look and only shook his head, expressing that there was nothing that he could do.
Finally arriving at the fork in the road, the imperial carriage stopped, and Bai Ze entered the carriage to say: "A total of six hidden guards will accompany young master. Princess, don't worry!"
Feng Yu Heng frowned. It was clear that she was a little worried.
Xuan Tian Ming waved his hand, "Add another four. Have ten people protect him." He then looked at Feng Yu Heng, "Is this alright?"
She sighed, "If this was no good, even if I personally went, there would not be much purpose." She patted Zi Rui's head and handed the packed luggage to Bai Ze. She then advised Zi Rui: "No matter what happens on the way, you must maintain a clear mind. Do you understand?"
Zi Rui nodded, "Elder sister, don't worry. From the capital to Xiao Zhou, Zi Rui has made the trip there and back multiple times. Nothing will happen."
Speaking truthfully, she was still worried. But even if she was worried, there was nothing that she could do. It was as she had said. With ten hidden guards there, if something happened, even if she had gone too, there would be nothing that she could do.
"Go!" She gave Zi Rui a gentle pushed, sending the child out of the carriage. Watching him get into another carriage, she then waved to bid him farewell. Only after the carriage had gone far away did she turn and say to Xuan Tian Ming: "I have a bad premonition. I just hope that it's not accurate."
The two returned to the imperial carriage, and Bai Ze continued in the direction of the military camp.
Who knew whether it was because of Feng Yu Heng's premonition, but after the carriage had traveled for another four hours, even Xuan Tian Ming began to feel flustered.
The two looked at each other, and they saw the other's mood. After looking at each other for a while, they suddenly shouted in unison: "Bai Ze! Turn around and go toward Xiao Zhou!"
Chapter 517: In Danger
Xuan Tian Ming's imperial carriage rushed in pursuit of Zi Rui; however, the hidden guards escorting Zi Rui back to Xiao Zhou were also feeling a sense of urgency, thus they were moving extremely quickly. Because of this, they could not catch up even after the sun went down.
That night, the imperial carriage stopped in a small town. Bai Ze bought another carriage and decided to send two people to bring Song Kang over to the military camp. First, it was to reduce the amount of weight on the imperial carriage. Second, there was no point in having him stay with them, and someone would need to protect him.
The people of this small town slept early, and only the lantern in front of the inn remained lit. Xuan Tian Ming asked for Feng Yu Heng's opinion: "Will we rest for the night or continue chasing? If we continue chasing, we will need to get new horses. Having rushed about for an entire day, we may be fine, but the horses cannot continue."
Feng Yu Heng truly wanted to continue chasing. That feeling of uncertainty became even stronger, but Xuan Tian Ming was right. People may be fine, but horses would not be. The imperial carriage only needed two horses, but what about the hidden guards following along? When traveling for long periods of time, it would be impossible for a hidden guard to continue using qinggong the entire time. They would need to also ride horses. This small town was only so large. Where could they go to find these horses.
"Rest for a night." Her voice was rather helpless. Lifting the curtain, she looked at the inn with the lit lantern. She began to think about asking around the town in the morning to see if they had any good horses to sell.
Xuan Tian Ming helped her out of the carriage, while Huang Quan and Bai Ze went forward to knock on the inn's doors. Very quickly, the innkeeper came out. It was a young man not yet in his 20s. That person looked out, and when he saw them, he could not help but be startled. He then said, "Would you please wait."
With a thunk, the door was closed once more.
Xuan Tian Ming and Feng Yu Heng looked at each other, both feeling that something was not quite right.
Not long later, the door to the inn was opened and an old man came out to wave to them. Bai Ze walked in first then ran back out not long later. He said to Xuan Tian Ming: "Master, come in, quickly."
The others quickly entered the inn and followed the old man to the backyard. After arriving at the backyard, they found a carriage sitting there.
Feng Yu Heng's heart went "thunk" as that "bad feeling" became even stronger.
The old man from the inn told them: "Before the sun went down, a group of people came by with a young master. They said that they were in a rush, and this carriage was too slow, thus they used this carriage and some more money to trade for some faster horses. Right before they left, a man informed us, saying that if two young people, one male and one female, came to this town in a very ornate carriage, I was to show them this carriage and tell them about what had happened. This old one sees that it should be the two of you that he spoke of. Take a look. Do you recognize this carriage?"
Bai Ze pointed at the carriage and said: "This is the one that we prepared for the Feng family's young master."
Feng Yu Heng urgently spoke up and asked the old man: "Did they leave behind another message?"
The old man said: "They did not mention anything else. They just said that they were going to Xiao Zhou, and they were in a bit of a rush. But this old one heard them say that something seemed to be too late. They were indeed in a great rush when leaving. It's currently dark outside. To rush from this town to the next, the soonest one could arrive by horse is dawn. Thinking about it, they must be traveling overnight."
The old man was only responsible for passing along the message. He had operated this inn for many years, and he had also seen many people. Although he felt that these people before him were quite extraordinary, he thought to himself that he had not done anything to feel guilty about. These people also did not seem to be evil, thus he was not very afraid.
Xuan Tian Ming dragged Feng Yu Heng over to the carriage. His gaze stopped on the wooden from of the carriage. Feng Yu Heng also looked over and saw that there was a small mark engraved on the frame. It looked a bit like a fully drawn bow.
Ban Zou also came forward. Upon seeing this, he could not help but feel shocked. He explained on his own to Feng Yu Heng: "This is a special mark used by his Highness' people to indicate... danger."
"Danger?" She repeated it and began to ponder.
What sort of danger could there be? There were ten hidden guards escorting him; however, it was dangerous enough for them to trade in a carriage for a horse. This made it clear that they were increasing their pace to escape. Exactly what sort of danger could cause ten hidden guards to become so panicked?
She cast an inquisitive glance toward Xuan Tian Ming; however, he was also furrowing his brow. He seemed to have absolutely no clue. But Xuan Tian Ming still made the decision: "We cannot rest. We will continue our pursuit." He immediately asked the innkeeper: "I will pay you triple the cost to prepare enough horses for all of us. Remember, we need good horses. The faster the better, understand?"
The old man had a bitter expression and helplessly spread his arms, saying: "My lord, even if you gave this old one ten times the amount, this old one would not be able to find any fast horses. Not to hide it from you, but after the group with the young master left, another ground arrived not one hour later. There was a total of 20 people. They bought every single fast horse in the town. There are still some other horses, but they are mostly old horses. They can pull some luggage, but it's impossible for them to carry people."
Feng Yu Heng screamed in exasperation: "All of the horses? Could it be that this town only has 20 fast horses?"
The old man shook his head: "Not at all, that group remained in the town for roughly two hours and bought 50 fast horses. That is indeed the limit for this town. You also saw it. Our town is too small. It's called a town, but it's really just a transit point between the capital and Xiao Zhou. To be able to get 50 horses together is already pretty good."
Xuan Tian Ming coldly snorted and pinched Feng Yu Heng's hand. At this time, they already understood that those 20 people would not be able to make use of 50 horses; however, they had successfully cut off their pursuit. Put plainly, this was their true goal.
Feng Yu Heng feared someone taking action against Zi Rui the most. Yao shi was already in her current state, and she hoped to not make any mistakes with Zi Rui. Otherwise, not only could she not face the body's original owner, she could not face her own conscience.
But it had to happen that whatever she feared most would happen. It was clear that Zi Rui was in danger, and even ten hidden guards were running away. Who exactly were the 20 people giving chase?
Xuan Tian Ming knew that she was worried, thus he made a prompt decision, informing Bai Ze: "Unharness the two horses pulling the carriage. Feed the horses. Feed all of the horses and have everyone rest here. We will leave after one hour." After saying this, he said to the old man: "I will trouble you with preparing some hay. Also, have someone prepare some food. We will only be staying for one hour. The faster the food can be prepared, the better. The payment will not be low."
This innkeeper had taken care of two odd groups in a row. Counting them, they were the third wave. His initial curiosity was smothered. After hearing Xuan Tian Ming's orders, he did not say a word and immediately brought the waiter back to the inn.
Xuan Tian Ming also brought Feng Yu Heng back into the inn to sit. The waiter poured some water for them, and Feng Yu Heng brought out some tea leaves from her space for to make some tea for everyone. She brought out two packs of instant coffee for herself. When pursuing others, she had to ensure that she would be able to remain fully conscious. She could not allow for both horse and person to be tired.
Xuan Tian Ming quietly analyzed the earlier happenings with her: "It's currently unknown what sort of people are chasing after Zi Rui, but it seems that it's possible for them to be from Qian Zhou or the northern provinces. In fact, the possibility that it is yet another group cannot be excluded. Right now, there is nothing that we can do aside from giving chase. Who knows how long these horses can endure, but thinking about it, they should be fine to endure until the next small town."
But Feng Yu Heng was still worried: "What if the horses in the next town are also bought out?"
Xuan Tian Ming said, "Then that at least means their group has not yet caught Zi Rui. We would still have a chance." He patted her shoulder: "Things will eventually sort themselves out."
Feng Yu Heng frowned while slowly sipping her coffee. Xuan Tian Ming then said to her: "The reason that the North and Qian Zhou do not dare to mobilize their soldiers is that they do not have any ability to win in an offensive to take our capital. They are all waiting for us to take the initiative and attack. Like that, they can make use of the cold to exhaust Da Shun's army. But not mobilizing the army does not mean that they will not use secret attacks. Heng Heng, I was thinking. Those ten hidden guards could each take on three experts of similar strength, but why did they seem to be in such a sore spot when running? WHy had they left behind a military mark indicating that they were in grave danger?"
Feng Yu Heng's heart sank, as she blankly said: "Could it be... that it's Qian Zhou's divine archery?"
"It's possible." Xuan Tian Ming said: "No matter how good a hidden guard's body is, Qian Zhou has its tracking arrow. Once that arrow is shot, who is able to avoid it?"
Feng Yu Heng wanted to say that she could, but there was no need for her to brag at a time like this. She just regretted that she did not teach those hidden guards the method to avoid those tracking arrows. If Qian Zhou had truly dispatched its divine archery team to chase Zi Rui, this would truly be a difficult matter.
"Don't worry." Xuan Tian Ming's hand rested on her shoulder and gently began to massage her, "Even if they get caught, Zi Rui's life will not be in danger. They should be using that child to negotiate with us. They will not try to do anything with his life at first. It's just... a pity for those comrades."
The so-called comrades that he spoke of were the ten hidden guards escorting Zi Rui. Xuan Tian Ming never viewed those hidden guards as servants. To him, whether it was hidden guards or attendants like Bai Ze, he always considered them to be comrades. Their lives were just as valuable as his. He could never do something like use his comrades to block an arrow. Naturally, he could not do anything that would send his comrades to die.
But even if they were in a rush, there was nothing that they could do. Animals were different from people. If a horse was not given rest or food, it truly would not move.
The innkeeper very quickly finished preparing the food. The old man said to Xuan Tian Ming: "There are some dishes that were prepared during dinner and were not sold. It's all good to eat. There's no time to prepare anything else. Just eat a bit. This old one has prepared plenty of dried food for my lord to bring along. If you get hungry along the way, just eat it."
Xuan Tian Ming nodded and gave Bai Ze a glance, telling him to pay up. Bai Ze brought out two silver ingots and stuffed them into the old man's hands. The old man did not push back, receiving and putting them away.
One hour later, everyone got up to set out once more.
This pursuit lasted the entire night. When the sun came up, they were finally able to see the town up ahead. The group tentatively found a horse vendor and asked; however, they heard a shocking bit of news: "My lords, you arrived a little late. Right before dawn, a group of people came and bought all of the horses at my ranch. Not only did they buy my horses here, they also took away all of the good horses from the large families around here."
Chapter 518: The Method for Avoiding a Tracking Arrow
With the exhaustion of staying up overnight, Feng Yu Heng nearly fell from her horse upon hearing this.
Ban Zou supported her in a timely fashion. Upon seeing that she could not carry on, he simply helped her from her horse. When that horse was relieved of this weight, it immediately dropped to the ground and began to pant heavily.
Feng Yu Heng's heart sank even more. Her horse had become tired to this degree, and she was the person that weighed the least in the group. If her horse was like this, the other horses would definitely not be able to continue running. She and Xuan Tian Ming exchanged a glance and could see the helplessness in the other's eyes.
Xuan Tian Ming said: "Let us rest for a day."
She nodded, "Then we shall rest for one day."
Bai Ze handed all of the horses over to the ranch owner and had him bring them to be fed. He then found an inn near the ranch for them to rest in.
Rushing around on the road for a day and a night was nothing for these trained hidden guards. Unfortunately, what was lacking this time was preparation. Xuan Tian Ming had two sets of good horses. One set was in the military camp, and one was in the Yu Palace. If they had decided to go to Xiao Zhou when leaving the capital, he would have chosen to ride a horse, but they were set on going to the military camp. The military camp already had horses, and there was no need to bring more from the palace. Only then did they ride these middle-tier horses out.
It was already too late to regret it. Going back to the capital to fetch new horses would not allow them to make it in time. Xuan Tian Ming held Feng Yu Heng while leaning back in bed, advising her: "In any case, get some sleep. Improving your alertness is of the utmost importance. It must be known that as we advance, it will no longer just be a matter of traveling quickly. We also need to be prepared for an ambush at any time."
As soon as he mentioned an ambush, Feng Yu Heng immediately thought of the danger presented by the divine archery group from Qian Zhou, thus she quickly said: "There's no time to rest. Gather everyone together. I will teach you how to avoid the tracking arrow."
Xuan Tian Ming's eyes lit up and did not dare to believe it, saying: "The tracking arrow can be avoided?"
Feng Yu Heng nodded, "It can! Not only can it be avoided, but the concept is also very simple. The method is also very simple."
"That's good." Xuan Tian Ming immediately stood up and went to the door to inform the guard outside, "Gather everyone here, immediately."
He then turned around and saw that Feng Yu Heng also got up. He could not help but ask in concern: "How long will it take to learn? I still hope that you can get some sleep."
"Don't worry." She put on a smile, "I will only teach the concept once. It's very simple. Just a few words will make it clear. None of us knows when the enemy will arrive, thus it would be best to teach this method as soon as possible."
Xuan Tian Ming did not say anything else. Very quickly, all of the hidden guards, including Bai Ze, Huang Quan and Wang Chuan gathered in this room. This room was not very big, to begin with, and now it was filled to the brim. In fact, even some hidden guards went to hide in beams above.
Before they could understand why they had suddenly been called to gather, they saw their masters' expressions and knew that there would be some sort of instruction.
Xuan Tian Ming did not speak. He just nodded toward Feng Yu Heng and gestured for her to begin. Feng Yu Heng was not too polite and began to speak. Controlling her voice, she did her best to allow the people inside the room to hear, while ensuring that her voice did not transmit outside. She said: "Presently, our comrades that went in the direction of Xiao Zhou are in danger. This is something that everyone knows. His Highness the ninth prince and I have discussed this matter earlier. We have a good understanding of the abilities of our own hidden guards. To be able to force ten of these hidden guards to flee, we thought that the people pursuing are most likely Qian Zhou's divine archery team."
The words "Qian Zhou's divine archery team" caused everyone's hearts to sink. Following Xuan Tian Ming's battle in the Northwest, everyone knew what Qian Zhou's divine archery team implied. That was a tracking shot that even Xuan Tian Ming could not dodge. If the one attacking this time was the divine archery team, what was the survival rate of the people up ahead?
Everyone's expressions became a little ugly, especially Ban Zou. He had interacted a great deal with Zi Rui. He had also thought that the people chasing after them might be Qian Zhou's divine archery team, and his heart was so anxious that it was about to leap out of his throat. He could not help but rush to say: "Then what should be done?" After thinking a little, he added: "If the people from the Divine Intent Army are brought over, is there any chance of shooting back?"
In truth, this question was very unprofessional, but aside from asking this sort of thing as this time, nobody knew what they should say.
However, they saw Feng Yu Heng shake her head and say: "There's no point in shooting back. Both sides would end up losing. Moreover, there is absolutely no time to return to the military camp to fetch soldiers."
"Then what should be done?" Someone asked and said: "Is there no chance of victory for us?"
"There is." Feng Yu Heng's words caused everyone to become shaken, "You were called over to be taught about how to avoid the tracking arrow and how to avoid being hit by the tracking arrow."
At this moment, everyone's reaction was the same as Xuan Tian Ming had been earlier. None could believe that the tracking shot could be avoided.
But the person that had said this was Feng Yu Heng. She was also an expert capable of using the tracking shot. With her saying this, it was far more convincing. Some hope began to fill their hearts. With eyes opened wide, they looked at her in anticipation.
They were tight on time, thus Feng Yu Heng did not waste it. She quickly said: "Truthfully, the concept behind avoiding the tracking arrow is very simple. If you want to avoid it, the first thing you need to do is not dodge."
"Don't dodge?" Everyone was puzzled, "If we don't dodge, how could we avoid them?"
Feng Yu Heng told them: "The so-called tracking arrow is just as the name implies. It just chases after its target. When this arrow is shot, its target is definitely something that is moving, and the trick behind the shot is for it to continue following any movements, and it will move many times faster than its target, eventually striking its target. When it comes to a stationary target, an arrow only needs to be shot out straight. I will say it more simply. A tracking arrow can only chase after a moving target. If you move, it moves. If you don't move, it loses its effectiveness."
The hidden guards needed some time to digest what was said; however, Xuan Tian Ming understood. He spoke up and said: "You mean to say that a tracking arrow can only be used against a moving target?" Seeing Feng Yu Heng nod, he continued to ask: "Then if you are moving beforehand and suddenly stop?"
Feng Yu Heng smiled, "This is the key to avoiding the tracking arrow." Seeing that the hidden guards were roughly able to understand, she continued: "But you need to calculate the distance carefully when suddenly stopping. You cannot stop too close. If you are too far, you won't be able to hear the arrow. That's why 30 steps should be considered a limit. As long as you can stop 30 steps away from where the arrow is shot, there is no need to do anything else. You just need to stand in place and not move. I can guarantee that the arrow will naturally fall to the ground. As for when the enemy shoots a normal shot, based on your abilities, there is no need for me to worry."
Everyone was suddenly able to see the light. Stop, and the tracking arrow will lose its effect. The concept was actually so simple. But if Feng Yu Heng did not say it, even if it was such a simple concept, not a single person would be able to think of it. Or even if someone had thought of it, nobody would dare try. Who could stop while knowing that there was an arrow behind them? And the tracking arrow preyed on this fear. In truth, the people that were struck were people that had run themselves to death.
Bai Ze stomped his foot, "If we knew about this beforehand, master would not have needed to suffer that much."
Xuan Tian Ming waved his hand, "It can't be helped. Just treat it as helping this prince meeting with the princess." With this joke, the atmosphere finally improved a little, but the concern was still present. He looked at Feng Yu Heng and quietly asked her: "Did you bring your bow?" This was a question that only the two of them would understand because Xuan Tian Ming meant to say: Is the bow in your space?
Feng Yu Heng nodded, understand what he had meant. She then loudly said: "Everyone should go back and rest first. Go over what I said in your mind a few times. When we depart once more, search for an empty piece of land. We can try it out a little."
Everyone nodded, feeling a little bit excited. To be able to avoid tracking arrows, if this method truly worked, they would just need to be a little more careful, and the divine archery team from Qian Zhou would be easy to handle.
The hidden guards once again returned to their own rooms to rest. Feng Yu Heng simply brought Xuan Tian Ming into her space to take a bath. She then got out and went to sleep. She slept until the sky was extremely dark before a knock came at the door. Immediately following this, Wang Chuan called to them: "Your Highness, imperial daughter, you can get up."
They would be traveling overnight once more. Fortunately, everyone had gotten a chance to rest. They would be much faster when traveling.
Two hours later, the clear moon was high in the sky, and a group of people appeared from the forest.
The horse gradually began to slow. After another two li, she saw Xuan Tian Ming raise his hand and stop his own horse first.
Feng Yu Heng also stopped her horse. Immediately following this, the hidden guards behind them came forward to the front. Everyone had an emotional expression. They knew that they were about to test avoiding tracking arrows.
Looking around at everyone, Feng Yu Heng could not help but secretly nod. The people trained by Xuan Tian Ming truly were brave. In regards to how to avoid tracking arrows, she had just given some instructions. As for whether or not they could truly avoid it, not a single person had seen it personally. But none of the people before her had backed down. Even Wang Chuan and Huang Quan were eager to try. In fact, even Ban Zou spoke up: "Let me have a try!"
With him taking the lead, the others also spoke up for themselves: "Let me have a go! Let me try!"
Ban Zou was a little annoyed and loudly said: "I am imperial daughter's personal bodyguard. It's natural that it should be me!"
Huang Quan was dissatisfied: "I am her personal maidservant. Is this not closer than you?"
For a while, everyone was arguing.
Xuan Tian Ming could not help but smile bitterly, "It has not yet been tested. It's unknown whether or not it works. It may be that this is a job that will take your life, yet you are still willing to do it."
But someone immediately replied: "Without trying, we really won't know if it works! If it really does take a life, this subordinate is willing to sacrifice my life for my comrades."
The others also said the same thing. For a while, it caused Feng Yu Heng's heart to warm up.
"Don't worry. Nobody will die." She spoke emotionally: "I will never do something that I do not have a grasp on, especially when it comes to something that may be life-threatening. His Highness and I both have similar thoughts. That is that subordinates are also people. Servants are also people. To the heavens, all human lives are equal. We cannot seek to protect someone's life using our own simply because they have a nobler background. That's why, for this matter," She looked at Xuan Tian Ming and saw his provocative smile, thus she raised her voice and said: "It will be you!"
Chapter 519: Bury Them Then Get Revenge
Having Xuan Tian Ming test this made it clear that Feng Yu Heng was willing to guarantee the success of her method. She had to make sure that everyone knew that the method that she taught was correct. Only when everyone trusted it could they avoid sacrifices.
She nodded at Xuan Tian Ming, and the two did not waste any time. Xuan Tian Ming immediately got off of his horse and ran forward before running back and forth.
Feng Yu Heng pulled out a bow and arrow from her sleeve, and everyone automatically ignored how she had pulled out such a large bow from her sleeve. She drew the bow and took a deep breath, taking aim at where Xuan Tian Ming was running.
Everyone steadied their breathing. Feng Yu Heng was going to show the tracking arrow. Although they had seen it before at the military camp, every time that they saw it was truly shocking. The tracking arrow would chase after any moving target, as the arrow would automatically correct its course. It sounded quite horrific, but there were people capable of doing it. In the past, they believe that this was something that only Qian Zhou knew, and this was enough to kill hidden guards. Now, however, they had imperial daughter Ji An. Not only did she know how to perform the tracking arrow, she even knew how to avoid it!
The hidden guards of Da Shun were filled with anticipation. If they could really learn this trick, those bastards in Qian Zhou would definitely need to pay for the blood that they had spilled!
Feng Yu Heng's bow was already drawn fully, and Xuan Tian Ming began running even faster. He even began using qinggong, as he flew quite a large distance! At the same time, the sound of a bow releasing an arrow came, as Feng Yu Heng loosed the arrow. The arrow soared through the air, whistling along the way.
Everyone stared wide-eyed in apprehension. They saw that the arrow chased straight after Xuan Tian Ming. It grew closer and closer with every step. It would chase in whatever direction Xuan Tian Ming ran regardless of whether it was a wide or sharp turn. It was as though the arrow had grown eyes.
Finally, when the arrow was 30 steps away, Xuan Tian Ming suddenly stopped moving. After carefully calculating the distance, the body that had been rushing at extremely high speeds suddenly stopped and became like a statue. He did not move in the slightest.
Everyone inhaled sharply, and some had already begun clutching their chest. This sort of nervousness was truly greater than when a crisis loomed over their heads. They practically did not dare imagine their general suffer from the tracking arrow once more. How could the Northwest army possibly continue.
But at this time, the arrow that had been chasing after Xuan Tian Ming continued for another ten steps before losing its power. Finally, it continued for a little longer before falling to the ground ten steps away.
The tracking arrow had failed
Hiss!
Everyone inhaled sharply once more, and they all looked at Feng Yu Heng. They were all truly shocked.
On the other side, Xuan Tian Ming had already brought back the fallen arrow. Arriving at the front, he loudly said: "Have you all seen how this prince did it?"
The hidden guards all nodded and said in unison: "We saw it!"
"Un." Xuan Tian Ming said: "Now that you have seen this prince avoid this attack, reality proves that it is definitely possible. This means that from this day forward, Qian Zhou's divine archery team is no longer a threat to us." He paused and looked at the hidden guards and added: "This time, we have speculated that our comrades ahead have most likely run into people from Qian Zhou. Right now, we cannot delay. We need to quickly give chase."
After he finished speaking, he got on his horse and was about to gesture for everyone to continue forward; however, at this time, they heard the sound of hooves coming from the forest ahead. Unfortunately, the horse's pace seemed a little unsteady. It just hurriedly grew closer from the direction that Xuan Tian Ming had just come from. It also brought a bloody atmosphere.
Ban Zou moved forward to investigate. When he returned, however, he was carrying a severely injured and unconscious person. Behind him was a lame horse.
Everyone was stunned and went forward to take a look. When they saw, they could not help but be extremely surprised! It turned out that an arrow had pierced through this person's chest. The tip of the arrow could even be seen from the front. Blood covered the back of the horse. It was not red, rather it was a little black.
A hidden guard shouted: "It's old sixth!"
Feng Yu Heng did not recognize him and looked at Xuan Tian Ming. She saw Xuan Tian Ming furrow his brow and reach out to touch the person's shoulder and called out: "Old sixth, wake up."
Ban Zou quietly said to her: "This is one of his Highness' hidden guards. He's one of the people responsible for protecting young master to Xiao Zhou."
Feng Yu Heng's heart went "thunk." Without another word, she quickly reached out to feel the person's pulse but found that it was so weak that it was almost not present. There was almost no difference from a dead person. She then looked at the arrow in his chest and the black blood that poured out. It was very clear that the arrow was poisoned.
Xuan Tian Ming asked her: "Can he be saved?"
Feng Yu Heng furrowed her brow and said: "I can try." She then reached into her sleeve and pulled out a pair of rubber medical gloves. After putting them on, she felt at the wound. After feeling it, even more black blood poured out. The injured person reflexively moved but still did not wake up. She helplessly said to Xuan Tian Ming: "I can remove the arrow and stop the bleeding, but I cannot do anything about the poison."
At this moment, Feng Yu Heng felt very powerless. 5000 years of history were not used in a proper manner. Instead, it was used in all kinds of devious ways. She had the most modern medical tools, and neither external nor internal wounds were of any concern to her; however, when it came to this poison, if she did not have the correct anti-venom, even if she was the Feng Yu Heng from modern times, she was completely powerless.
"Imperial daughter, is there really no hope?" A hidden guard that was familiar with old sixth expressed feelings.
There was nothing that Feng Yu Heng could do. She could only tell the truth: "Everything else is easy to handle. It's just this poison... It has already reached his heart."
Everyone let out a sigh. They could all see that this person's wounds were extremely severe. Not to mention the black blood pouring out, even the skin at his neck had changed color. It was clear that the poison had reached his heart. The small country of Qian Zhou was very proficient with poisons, and their land was to the North. There were snowy mountains all over. The people of Da Shun were completely unable to understand what sort of poisons could be produced in the snowy mountains. Imperial daughter said that she could get the arrow out, and this was already quite miraculous. For her to resolve a poison that had already reached the heart, even if it was a god, it was not possible.
Everyone looked at old sixth, who was already unconscious and breathing weakly. They were unable to voice their unhappiness, but they were still well-trained hidden guards. Long before they became hidden guards, they understood that their lives would be like this. They would live and die for their masters, and they could not even blink twice over it. To them, living and dying were already common occurrences to them. The sorrow that had suddenly appeared disappeared just as quickly. Someone said: "He rushed back with such heavy wounds. He must have some sort of message that he wanted to bring."
Xuan Tian Ming nodded and thought a bit, asking Feng Yu Heng: "Do you have any way of waking him up temporarily?"
Feng Yu Heng thought a bit and said: "There is a method, but his wounds are too severe. I fear that after this method is used, he will die immediately after the effect wears off."
"Use it!" Xuan Tian Ming did not hesitate in the slightest, but he looked at old sixth with a limitless distress. "We will remember this debt. There will come a day when we settle it with the creditor!"
Feng Yu Heng did not continue to hesitate. Reaching into her sleeve, she very quickly pulled out a needle. While doing this, she explained to everyone: "This is a shot that will strengthen his heart. It can allow someone on death's door to wake up, but the effectiveness is very short, and once the effect has worn off, the patient will immediately die." While she spoke, the needle had already been stuck into his flesh. She had begun to slowly inject the medicine.
Not long later, the contents had been injected into his body. Another short while later, the person that had been rendered unconscious by the poison suddenly opened his eyes. He looked in disbelief at Xuan Tian Ming and Feng Yu Heng. His eyes were blank.
Feng Yu Heng took the initiative to ask: "You are called old sixth, right? When we found you, you were unconscious on the back of a horse. The horse was running in the direction of the capital. Your injuries are too severe. I could only use a medicine to forcefully wake you up, but this medicine has a fatal side effect. The duration of the effect is short, and once it ends, you..."
"Will die immediately, right!" Old sixth was still awake and immediately shook his head, "It's fine. This subordinate rushed back with heavy injuries. The goal was to meet with my masters. I will keep it short. The group escorting the Feng family's young master ran into a chasing party. The enemy is from Qian Zhou, and they are skilled with bows. Their bow techniques are very horrific. They are the same as the ones that shot his Highness. All ten of us hidden guards were struck by the arrows, and nine of them died immediately. I had more fortune and was left barely living. After that group left, I rode one of the horses that they did not need and return to report. The Feng family's young master was taken away by them toward the North... They have gone toward the North."
When he reached this point, his eyes suddenly grew wide. An immense pain came from inside his body that he could not endure. His eyes bulged out, as though they were about to pop out.
Feng Yu Heng grabbed his hand and loudly said: "Old sixth, thank you. Thank all of you. Don't worry. I, Feng Yu Heng, will definitely make up for the ten lives!"
She could feel the hand that she held was beginning to tremble. An unwillingness appeared in his eyes. He looked around at everyone and used the last of his strength to say: "Comrades... are still, still ahead!" With this, he passed away.
For a while, the atmosphere was at the lowest extreme. Even Xuan Tian Ming's face had turned red. His fury was continuing to spill out.
Feng Yu Heng forced herself to calm down then quickly began to take care of the corpse. While using a large cotton swab covered in alcohol to clean the wounds, she said: "Everyone, immediately prepare to dig ten graves. We cannot abandon our comrades in the wilderness."
Everyone heard this order and immediately began digging. Feng Yu Heng was very professional in her handling of the corpse. She even removed the arrow from his chest. It was just that after she removed the arrow, she did not throw it away. Instead, she placed it inside her space. Huang Quan asked: "Young miss, what are you keeping it for?"
She coldly snorted: "I am keeping it for when I meet with the enemy. Then I can return it to him!"
When she spoke, her voice was fierce. Such a fierce hatred filled the forest and infected everyone around her. The hidden guards were already accustomed to her pulling things from her sleeve. Everyone was waiting for the day to come when they could get revenge for this comrade.
Finally, the graves had been dug. Feng Yu heng pulled out a white cloth from her space and wrapped up the corpse, which was carried down into the grave personally by Xuan Tian Ming. They then filled the grave together. Ban Zou brought a piece of wood over, and Xuan Tian Ming engraved that person's name and stuck it into the grave.
Everyone bowed toward the prince. They then got on their horses, and Xuan Tian Ming pointed forward, saying: "There are still nine comrades waiting for us. After we have buried them, we will go get revenge!"
Chapter 520: Finally Arriving in Xiao Zhou
As for the other nine corpses, they were found ten li ahead. The same thing was repeated for them, as graves were dug, a plaque was inserted, and they bowed.
When Xuan Tian Ming's group set out once more, Feng Yu Heng faced the wind, and tears began to trickle out.
Xuan Tian Ming rode alongside her and reached out to wipe her tears, loudly saying: "Don't cry! Just remember this hatred. People who oppose me will definitely be repaid!"
Another day and night passed, as they passed by another town. The horses had once again been bought out. Xuan Tian Ming was about to laugh out of anger. Sitting at a tea shop on the side of the road, he ate and said: "I believed that they had some ability. They're just slowing down our speed."
Feng Yu Heng's expression was dark. After she finished eating, she began to clean her bow. The bow was not the Hou Yi bow that she had kept inside her space. It was the bow that Xuan Tian Ming had given her at the military camp. It had a good toughness and a moderate weight.
Zi Rui being kidnapped was something that had caused a knot in her heart. It was so painful that she could not breathe at times. All of her movements when cleaning the bow were unconscious. The final scene that these hidden guards saw before dying replayed before her eyes again and again. Although she did not personally see it, she understood the tracking arrow all too well. She knew that aside from the pain of dying, the horror and despair from the tracking arrow were the worst. These people with amazing qinggong abilities were still unable to get away from these tracking arrows that grew closer and closer. She was able to feel the same way because she had also received similar psychological training when she was learning about the tracking arrow.
Feng Yu Heng stared at the horses that were eating. Some of the horseshoes were falling off, and some of the horses hooves had become torn, but they did not have any other horses that they could switch to. They could only grit their teeth and continue on the backs of these horses until they collapsed and could no longer continue. She just hated that she did not know about this transmigration thing; otherwise, she would have placed an off-road vehicle inside her pharmacy.
Unfortunately, how could there be so many "if only" situations! She poured some more tea for Xuan Tian Ming and gently sighed. She quietly said: "I keep feeling that this situation is not so simple. Why would Qian Zhou kidnap Zi Rui? Is it to deal with me? To delay the production of steel weapons? But steel production is progressing without me being there. Even without me, Da Shun is currently able to produce steel forever."
Xuan Tian Ming furrowed his brow and said: "National enmity is one matter, and a more personal hatred is another. Ru Jia's debt and the debt of those other people from Qian Zhou, they have resolved themselves to settle it with us. It's just that the enemy has such a clear grasp on Zi Rui's movements, and they were able to get rid of all of the horses along the way so cleanly. It should not be something that just one group can accomplish. They must have help somewhere."
She thought a bit and said: "Feng Jin Yuan has hidden guards from Qian Zhou at his side, but there should not be many. Looking at it now, there must be quite a few people from Qian Zhou hiding inside Da Shun's borders."
Xuan Tian Ming coldly snorted and said: "It's also possible that they are not people from Qian Zhou. After all, Da Shun has been quite strict with its protection of the border for the past 100 years. It's not easy for them to sneak into the country."
"Hm?" She was stunned and immediately reacted, "You mean to say... the North? It's the Duan Mu family?"
Xuan Tian Ming nodded and was about to continue explaining. At this time, he saw a group of fast horses suddenly appeared on the main road from the North. The horses rushed toward them, their hooves kicking up a cloud of dust behind them. The sound caused the birds in the forest to fly away.
Huang Quan had sharp eyes and immediately recognized the rider. She could not help but point at the person and urgently say: "It's an official! That is an official from the courier station!"
With her shouting like this, Ban Zou did not say another word and rushed forward, stopping the person and horse.
The official on the horse was given a fright and rushed to say: "Impudent! I am a courier of the court and have to deliver something urgently to the capital from 800 li away. Not a single person is permitted to stop me!" This person was a little bit courageous. Ban Zou had good martial abilities and was able to easily stop a horse that was in a rush. If it was a normal person, they would be scared witless, but he subconsciously announced his own status, and he even looked toward the tea stall where Xuan Tian Ming was.
The couple that operated this tea stall had already run off to the side to hide. That person looked around and very quickly turned his attention back on Xuan Tian Ming.
"You are..." He was clearly startled then said in surprise: "Your Highness the ninth prince?"
"Oh!" Huang Quan asked him: "You recognize his Highness?"
The official struggled a bit, trying to get out of Ban Zou's hold. Unfortunately, he did not succeed. He helplessly said: "Since you are with his Highness the ninth prince, there is no need to continue holding onto me. I truly am a court official that handles carrying messages. I have never met his Highness the ninth prince before, but the mask and the purple lotus, I do have some understanding of."
Xuan Tian Ming waved his hand to Ban Zou, gesturing for him to let the person go. When Ban Zou let go, the official immediately rushed to kneel in front of Xuan Tian Ming. Without another word, he looked at Xuan Tian Ming and looked him over.
Wang Chuan looked at this person's cautious actions and knew that this person had a request. To have rushed for 800 li, unless there was some sort of urgent matter, there would be no need for him to rush this distance. Thinking of this, she spoke up and said to the official: "Don't worry. The person before you is indeed Da Shun's ninth prince. The person at his Highness' side is imperial daughter Ji An."
When she mentioned imperial daughter Ji An, that person let out an "ah" sound and turned to look at Feng Yu Heng. Upon seeing her, he could not help but rejoice: "Indeed, indeed! Although I knew about his Highness the ninth prince's gold mask and purple lotus, it was only through rumors. This lowly official had never seen them before. But this subordinate does recognize imperial daughter. Back then, imperial daughter was still county princess. During the Winter disaster, you were standing in front of Hundred Herb Hall and giving out hot tea. This lowly official managed to get a cup."
Wang Chuan continued: "Since you have confirmed their identities, speak quickly. What is the matter that required you to rush 800 li?"
The official let out a long sigh before saying: "This lowly official is a messenger stationed in Yu Zhou. This urgent message came from the North and was reported to Yu Zhou. This message was brought by an official that risked his life to deliver. If the contents of this urgent message could not be delivered to his Majesty, it must be delivered in some way to your Highness the ninth prince or his Highness the seventh prince. In the worst-case scenario, I was to find imperial daughter Ji An. Your Highness," The person stared at Xuan Tian Ming with a bitter expression: "The three northernmost provinces have rebelled."
"What?" Feng Yu Heng subconsciously spoke then looked at Xuan Tian Ming: "So quickly?"
Xuan Tian Ming furrowed his brow tightly. Very clearly, this news was too unexpected for him. The official continued: "The three northernmost provinces have followed leader Duan Mu An Guo in joining Qian Zhou. Qian Zhou has promised the three provinces that their status will not change, with the Duan Mu family remaining in charge. At the same time, Qian Zhou will no longer supply Da Shun and will also be stationing troops. The person from the courier office said that the three northernmost provinces belonging to Qian Zhou is a matter that occurred at least two months ago, but the news had always been kept secret; however, quite a few people from Qian Zhou were let in. They had sent messages toward the capital a few times, but the messengers were always killed en route." He wiped away some sweat from his forehead and said: "It's this lowly official that has good fortune and was able to run into your Highness and imperial daughter here." While saying this, he pulled out a letter that had been sealed with wax and handed it to Xuan Tian Ming.
Xuan Tian Ming received the letter and opened it up to look. He then handed it to Feng Yu Heng, and the two began to contemplate after reading it.
The contents of the letter were exactly as the messenger had said. The Duan Mu family had rebelled then kept this news under wraps. Presently, it was unknown just how many people from Qian Zhou were let in. The matter of them joining Qian Zhou was something that happened a few months prior. That meant that things had already started before old third, Xuan Tian Ye, caused trouble. The Duan Mu family truly had fierce ambitions.
"Continue toward the capital." Xuan Tian Ming ordered the messenger. At the same time, removed one of his own jade pieces, "Bring this into the palace. Just tell the Emperor that you have already seen this prince. This prince is currently going toward the North. Tell the Emperor that there is no need to worry."
The messenger also knew that the situation was urgent. Quickly drinking a mouthful of tea, he got on his horse to continue on his way. Feng Yu Heng got up and looked at the exhausted horses that were still eating. She felt a little concerned.
"How much longer can we ride for?" She asked Xuan Tian Ming, "When the time comes that we no longer have horses, what should we do?"
Xuan Tian Ming calculated the distances and said to her: "From here to Xiao Zhou, it will take at most one day. Those people were able to buy out all of the horses from small towns; however, it's impossible for them to clear out the entirety of Xiao Zhou. As long as we can get to Xiao Zhou, there is still hope."
Ban Zou also nodded and said: "We will get as far as we can. If the horses are truly unable to continue running, we will run on our own. Master, don't worry. With so many comrades, someone will be able to give you a ride."
"Good." Feng Yu Heng did not continue to feel tangled, frankly saying: "Then let's quickly get moving. We will go as far as we can."
By the time the day turned to night, all 17 horses collapsed to the ground, unable to get up. Seeing the horses that had struggled to bring this far, Feng Yu Heng began to feel choked up. Xuan Tian Ming made a prompt decision and carried her on his back, telling everyone: "Abandon the horses!" He then took the lead and continue to rush forward using qinggong.
Feng Yu Heng's qinggong was still lacking. Although she had already improved greatly from last year, being able to leap from roof to roof, she was still unable to use qinggong to increase her speed. She could only accept her fate and lean on Xuan Tian Ming's back while being carried. Feeling the wind blow past her ears, a feeling of awkwardness filled her heart once more.
She leaned close to Xuan Tian Ming's ear and quietly said: "I will definitely save Zi Rui. I must ensure his safety. Xuan Tian Ming, if I lose Zi Rui, it's impossible for mother to forgive me."
Xuan Tian Ming was startled, and he wanted to ask, what wrong did you commit that you need to be forgiven? But the words that had reached his lips were swallowed back down. He could see the love that Feng Yu Heng had for Yao shi. Although that mother was not very likable, Feng Yu Heng still called her mother. Forget it, if she liked her, he would do his best to support her.
"Don't worry." Xuan Tian Ming said, "Wherever he is taken, we will chase them there. Even if they run all the way to a den of danger like the center of Qian Zhou, husband will rush in there with you!"
When the sun came up, this group of 17 people finally stood outside Xiao Zhou. This was the first large province that they would be passing through on their way to the North. Although Xiao Zhou did not prosper any less than the capital, because it was not as closely guarded as the capital, it seemed to be even more lively.
After Xuan Tian Ming's group entered the city, they immediately looked for a stable. As expected, the enemies ahead did not dare to take action against a large province. The resources of Xiao Zhou's stables were very sufficient, and there was more than enough for them to use.
But just as everyone was focusing on choosing horses, the owner of the stables stared at Feng Yu Heng for a long time. Finally finding the courage to walk over, he probed: "May I ask this young miss, is your surname Feng?"