Chapter 10: It is better to arrive at the right time than to arrive early

Lu Xiangsheng was also confused by the appearance of Chongzhen, saying: "Little brother... do you recognize me?" He felt that the young man before him looked very unfamiliar, yet it was quite strange that the other party knew about his childhood interests

The human body has a limit to physical exertion. I feel that I have reached this so-called limit, as I no longer have any energy left. My legs now seem to belong to someone else; while running, I collapsed to the ground, feeling utterly weak and unable to move at all.

I do not know whether this is what the fortune teller referred to as having noble people to assist me, or if I, a counterfeit Chongzhen, have inadvertently absorbed a bit of the true dragon's luck. In any case, to put it simply, I am still alive

Opening my eyes, I realized that things had changed. The two bastards who were just about to stab me with a knife were now lying on the ground, with two arrows sticking out of their heads. No, they were sharp arrows.

Ah! This... which... Lu Xiangsheng, known as Jiandou, is broadcast in Hebei, who doesn't know! I remember Lu Xiangsheng's courtesy name is Jiandou, and at this time he should be the governor of Daming Prefecture. As for the rest, I can only guess blindly, because history has changed. However, I am quite puzzled; an imperial decree had long been issued for Lu Xiangsheng to come to the capital, so why has he only just arrived now? Nevertheless, it is better to arrive late than to arrive early; otherwise, wouldn't I be in danger of losing my life?

It is truly embarrassing to say, when I saw two to three hundred people rushing over, my first reaction was to turn and run. This is unavoidable; not to mention that revealing my identity as the emperor would be of no use, even if the Jade Emperor himself were to come, he would have to flee.

I currently have no strength at all, my legs feel as if they are filled with lead, yet my mind is still intact, rapidly working to devise a way to navigate through the present crisis

After I felt faint, I was quite puzzled as to why that knife had not yet fallen. Could it be that I am truly being given a chance to start over? Was that scream just now not emitted by me?

Little brother, are you alright

"Damn your grandmother!" A soldier searched Emperor Chongzhen and found nothing. Furious, he drew his waist knife and said fiercely, "Are you playing with me? I'll deal with you first..." As he spoke, he swung his knife towards Emperor Chongzhen.

On this journey, I have encountered at least five such incidents, all involving officials and soldiers oppressing the common people. The young brother was unarmed and fell to the ground, yet the soldiers did not spare him. This clearly shows that the fault lies with them. Although it may be somewhat inappropriate to eliminate them under the arrows, it is also a case of them bringing it upon themselves

Several military officers are going to be disappointed. I ran too fast just now and lost all my valuables. Look, I don't even have one of my shoes left! In the future... I will ensure to compensate the esteemed military officers. I increasingly feel that the situation is not looking good, as the expressions of the soldiers are becoming increasingly unfriendly.

"The hero truly is a hero." I flatteringly remarked, asking, "May I ask how the hero is addressed?"

While Emperor Chongzhen was in a daze, a person approached him, extended a hand to help him up, and asked with concern whether he was injured

Several military gentlemen, it is all my fault, seeing how tired you all are. Therefore, I will make sure to reward you properly later.

Whether in my past life or this life, I have never had to run for survival. The most challenging experience was during military training in college, but compared to the struggle for survival, military training in college is simply child's play

The nose first felt difficulty in inhaling, and then the entire lungs felt as if they were on fire, causing great discomfort. The most intense pressure was psychological, as I was being pursued by a dozen or twenty "bandits," compelling me to run. It was truly terrifying; I even lost one of my shoes while running.

I let out a sound of surprise, staring blankly at the person in front of me. "You... you are Lu Xiangsheng? The Lu Xiangsheng who loved reading military books and enjoyed learning archery as a child?" Lu Xiangsheng is a character I greatly admired while studying the historical materials of the late Ming Dynasty, so hearing that the person before me was Lu Xiangsheng made me feel somewhat excited.

With a swift motion, I grabbed two handfuls of dry mud from the ground and threw them out. Caught off guard, it had a significant effect, as two soldiers immediately crouched down, covering their eyes with expressions of pain. I seized this opportunity to leap up and continue running for my life

"Damn you! You sure know how to talk! Hand over everything you have on you, quickly." After a brief rest, the soldiers fixed their gaze on Emperor Chongzhen.

Ah!

You... run... I told you to run...! The two soldiers chasing after him were not much stronger than Emperor Chongzhen, preparing to strike him with their swords. However, judging by their stance with the blades, one could truly doubt whether that strike could even cut through the clothes on Emperor Chongzhen's body.

At this critical moment, the Jinyiwei played a decisive role. Twenty individuals faced two to three hundred adversaries without flinching. Instead, they quickly startled the horses, scattering the incoming soldiers and creating a brief moment of respite, allowing Emperor Chongzhen and others to make a few quick steps to avoid being engulfed by the crowd. Should they be captured by these unidentified soldiers and bandits, the consequences would undoubtedly be severe.

They ran nearly 6 miles before catching up with Chongzhen, their faces flushed and breathing rapid, with one of them even starting to retch

"Hero... are you not afraid of saving the wrong person? They... are all imperial troops!" After catching my breath for a moment, I increasingly felt that the person before me was quite remarkable, truly remarkable. Just based on the fact that he saved the Emperor, he should be greatly promoted. Of course, I cannot let him know my identity now, lest complications arise.

Running barefoot is extremely arduous; I was caught off guard and stepped on a stone, causing my body to uncontrollably lurch forward, resulting in a classic "dog eating excrement" posture, with half a mouthful of dirt entering my mouth

"Damn you... you run so fast... I'm exhausted..." A soldier, holding a waist knife, ran in front of Emperor Chongzhen and the Book Emperor, panting heavily.

"Where is the great hero? I am Lu Xiangsheng from Yixing. May I ask how to address you, young brother?" Lu Xiangsheng also found the young man before him quite interesting, as he immediately asked whether he had rescued the right person, which was very different from the common folk he had saved before.

I commanded you to run... you wait... I will catch you and skewer you...! The remaining two soldiers, upon seeing that Emperor Chongzhen had fled again, immediately gave chase, shouting as they ran. Little did they know that this would only stimulate Chongzhen's potential, prompting him to run for his life.

Looking back, I saw that the number of people chasing me had now decreased to four, which gave me a slight sense of relief. However, I quickly tensed up again, as all four of them were wielding waist knives and exuded an aggressive demeanor

As soon as I closed my eyes, I thought to myself that this was the end, I am truly a worthless person, what kind of model worker emperor am I! ... If I hadn't left the city, how could I have encountered this situation? If heaven could give me another chance, I would definitely ... ! ... Huh? Why does this phrase sound so familiar?

After looking at the savior, I realized that the ancient saying about the white-clad hero truly has its basis in reality. The person before me is under thirty, and his white attire makes him appear exceptionally elegant. With thick eyebrows and large eyes, a straight nose and wide mouth, holding a bow and arrow in his hand, he is undeniably striking.