Chapter 62: The Attack

The imperial post road leading from Jinyong City to Fengxi County resembled the ancient Qin Empire's straight military highway, functioning much like an ancient version of an expressway. During times of war, the imperial road served as the primary route for troop movements and logistical supply transport. In times of peace, it was open for civilian use, though the most frequent travelers were merchant caravans. The reason was quite simple: the imperial road not only boasted superior road conditions, but most importantly, it offered safety.

Chu Yunyan and her entourage chose the imperial road for their journey to Fengxi County for two main reasons. First, the baggage train carrying a massive quantity of supplies could not possibly travel at a rapid speed. Second, even if anyone harbored malicious intentions against them, they would have to account for the dense crowds traveling along the highway and the patrolling imperial court soldiers. In short, a certain level of security was guaranteed.

However, Chu Yunyan did not underestimate the extent of the desperation of the Northern Qi deep-cover agents. This time, Northern Qi had mobilized its entire nation's strength to attack the northern frontier, carrying the unmistakable posture of breaking through the northern border in a single, decisive stroke. Under such circumstances, employing any means whatsoever to pave the way for the northern frontier campaign was entirely within expectations.

Moreover, Chu Yunyan was indeed capable of disrupting the plans of the Northern Qi underground agents, making her elimination as soon as possible an absolute imperative that Northern Qi agents would go to any lengths to achieve.

"Miss, it will still take another full day to reach Fengxi County. We have been riding hard for a day and a night; we really need to rest!" Zhu'er said with a terribly pale complexion. She had never traveled far from home, let alone endured the bone-shaking bumps of riding a horse for an entire day. Chu Yunyan's physical state was scarcely any better than Zhu'er's. Yet, no one could tell whether this day-long rush had truly guaranteed absolute safety.

"Zhu'er is right. If the young miss's constitution breaks down, it will do no good even if we manage to reach Fengxi County. Besides, this is the imperial road; even if the Northern Qi agents wish to strike, they must consider the consequences," Chu Xinian chimed in with persuasion. In truth, Chu Yunyan's worries seemed to many like nothing more than scaring oneself. The Northern Qi agents she mentioned were, up to this point, mere guesswork. What if the Northern Qi agents did not even exist, yet they exhausted themselves to the bone? That would truly be a loss outweighing the gain.

"Very well. Then let us rest for a while before moving on!" Chu Yunyan was indeed utterly exhausted. Even so, she still trusted her own judgment. Even while resting, she never relaxed her vigilance.

However, exactly as she had envisioned from the very beginning, Northern Qi's valuation of this northern frontier campaign was far more intense than many people imagined. So much so that for someone like Chu Yunyan, who was highly likely to generate massive variables in the northern frontier war, the actions of the Northern Qi operatives would only grow increasingly frantic.

Having paused for merely a moment, those merchant caravans that had originally been traveling back and forth along the imperial road suddenly transformed into cutthroats wielding sharp blades. And the ones bearing the brunt of the disaster were the innocent passersby!

"Murder!"

The screams of the passersby instantly threw the scene into turmoil. One by one, the cutthroats with ferocious expressions completely tore off their disguises, surrounding Chu Yunyan and her party tightly.

"They are committing murder brazenly on the imperial road?" Chu Xinian was utterly shocked. Although he was the martial arts instructor of the Chu estate, he had lived a life of pampered ease in the bustling capital of Jinyong City for far too many years. Evidently, he possessed very little awareness of the outside world's perils.

"Miss!" Zhu'er felt boundless regret. Had she known such an event would occur, she would have rather ridden herself to death on horseback.

"Do not blame yourself. These Northern Qi people never intended to leave alive once they dared to make a move on the imperial road. They are genuine suicide squads. Even if we had arrived safely in Fengxi County, I am afraid we could not have avoided this catastrophe!" Chu Yunyan remained calm. Yet, given the current situation, no matter how clear her mind was, even a clever housewife could not cook a meal without rice.

"Charge! Leave no one alive!"

The objective of this group of thugs was exceptionally clear: as long as they eliminated Chu Yunyan and her party, the secrets of the underground network could be preserved. And dealing fatal blows was often the simplest task.

"Protect the young miss!" Chu Xinian attempted to use the strength of fifty men to fend off several hundred adversaries. Unfortunately, the Chu family guards were not regular soldiers, nor did they even possess armor. How could they possibly fight ten men each?

"Brother Xinian, gather all the estate guards together into a tight formation! Although we cannot completely fend off these thugs, it can buy us some time. This is all we can manage right now. Let us hope the imperial patrol troops on the imperial road receive word early and arrive here!" Among all the solutions Chu Yunyan could conceive, this was already the optimal plan. However, when hope had to be pinned entirely on others, it was already destined to be the worst possible strategy. All that remained was to await a miracle!

"The Qingwu Guard is here! Northern Qi barbarians, prepare to meet your doom!" At that very moment, a resounding shout echoed from afar.

Did a miracle actually happen? And the ones who arrived were none other than the Qingwu Guard!

A surge of joy rose in Chu Yunyan's heart, but it was quickly replaced by a storm of questions. Why would the Qingwu Guard appear here, and why did the one shouting the warning know the identity of the thugs so clearly?

It was as if they had anticipated in advance that Chu Yunyan would be ambushed by the Northern Qi thugs and had come specifically to rescue her.

"The Qingwu Guard has arrived! Brothers, hold on!" Chu Xinian swung his saber with all his might, guarding Chu Yunyan fiercely behind him. Within a mere moment of engagement, Chu Xinian had already sustained several saber wounds, though fortunately none were fatal. However, not everyone among the Chu estate guards was so fortunate. Hundreds of thugs hacked and slashed wildly in what amounted to a completely one-sided suppression. If Chu Yunyan had not organized everyone into a tight formation, they would have long been scattered by the thugs, and the casualties would have been even greater.

In the end, twenty of the Chu estate guards died, and those who survived were all bearing injuries. Even Chu Yunyan had been slashed by two blades.

"I had intended to leave a few alive, but these thugs are all suicide assets; they consumed poison and killed themselves before they could be captured," Zheng Yi walked forward and sighed. Only then did he cup his fists and bow to Chu Yunyan: "I am Zheng Yi, Commander of the Qingwu Guard, acting under the orders of Lang Qingzao to rescue Miss Chu."

Zheng Yi was remarkably candid. Previously, he had not understood the exact nature of the relationship between Chu Yunyan and Gao Changsheng. But the moment he laid eyes on Chu Yunyan in person, he could almost conclude that this woman must hold an extraordinary place in Gao Changsheng's eyes. A woman of such striking appearance and sharp intellect—which man would not want to make her his own, unless he swung the other way? After all, plenty of eunuchs sought women to form paired households, even if that particular implement could no longer be put to use!

"Lang Qingzao?" Hearing this, Chu Yunyan felt an even deeper shock ripple through her heart. As the superintendent of the Qingwu Guard, Lang Qingzao's actions could arguably represent the absolute will of the Emperor. Yet, Zheng Yi was dispatched by Lang Qingzao to rescue Chu Yunyan and her entourage. This completely contradicted Chu Yunyan's previous conjectures! Indeed, she had previously suspected that the mastermind manipulating all of this—including the northern frontier war—was none other than the Emperor of Shenwu. However, Zheng Yi's appearance shattered all of Chu Yunyan's hypotheses.

"Could it be that my guess was wrong?" At this moment, Chu Yunyan's thoughts were in utter turmoil. It was the first time she had ever experienced such a profound sense of defeat. She had to admit that the person pulling the strings behind the scenes was far more formidable than she had ever imagined.

"Lord Zheng, can you escort this humble woman to the northern frontier? I must see His Highness as soon as possible!"