Chapter 3: Offering Strategies for Protection

Song Yun said no more, and called over a personal guard, whispering a few instructions in his ear. The guard then approached and seized a palace maid, saying: "You hurry into the palanquin..."

The palace maid had already collapsed, her legs weak and unable to walk, so she was dragged onto the phoenix sedan and crawled in. At this moment, Hua Rui appeared again, saying, "Commander Song, bring another maid in..." Song Yun quickly responded, suddenly remembering that inside the phoenix sedan, there was not only Empress Zheng but also her sister, Lady Jingguo.

Watching An Jing stand tall and upright, with a serious expression on his face, there was not a trace of fear to be seen... A sense of pride involuntarily rose in An Zheng's heart

This is indeed the best strategy ... ... Song Yun nodded in agreement, not caring about An Jing's reprimand at that moment. An Zheng, standing nearby, looked somewhat dazed as he gazed at his son. This boy had always been timid; what had happened today? He actually stood covered in blood in the slaughterhouse. Could it be that my son has truly grown up?

Inside the palanquin, Empress Zheng, upon hearing the words of the two loyal ministers, could not help but be moved to tears, exclaiming: "Your loyal hearts, I shall remember, and if I can escape this calamity, I will ensure that you both enjoy wealth and honor for a lifetime... Where are Zheng Juzhong and Gao Qiu? Am I not surrounded here, and do they not know?"

At this moment, two constables supported An Zheng as he stepped down, "... Commander Song, I am An Zheng from Leshou County. The bandits are numerous; it is advisable to evacuate quickly..."

As for whether he is brave or not, he has not considered it. He has just witnessed the skills of the fake 'soldier' and now sees the bravery of Gao Chong. Even in the worst situation, he should be able to fight his way out, right? Especially since he is meticulous in thought. Just now, he threw off the wrist of the girl pretending to be a soldier, and she must have thought he was trying to escape, which led to her disdain. This act at this moment is also aimed at her psychological weakness. Even if he has the strength of a person who cannot tie a chicken, he must still adopt the posture of capturing dragons and wrestling tigers. This is a form of superior intimidation. Just wait and see, you will obediently serve this official. Gao Chong cannot escape either; he cannot be the one who is challenged by a gun and iron cart, can he? A fierce general!

In fact, this statement was a request for guidance to Empress Zheng through the curtain. Sure enough, a trembling female voice came from within the palanquin, "I am in a state of confusion, so I will follow Commander Song's instructions..."

Surrounding the phoenix carriage were nearly two hundred soldiers, each wielding knives and guns, their eyes bloodshot with rage, and none of them retreated even a single step. At that moment, a gap appeared in the front curtain of the golden carriage, revealing a pale and frightened beautiful face. After her enchanting eyes scanned the surroundings, she was even more horrified, "Commander Song..."

Hearing the shout, Song Yun hurriedly turned around. Upon seeing that beautiful and charming face, he quickly drew his long sword and bowed, saying: "I am Song Yun, I have met with the Flower Capital's knowledge..."

... ... The adults, the number of bandits is numerous, quickly protect Her Majesty the Queen and retreat, Gao Chong will cover the rear... ... As Gao Chong, who was stirred up by the killing, observed the situation, he found it quite unfavorable. The number of government troops around him was decreasing, while the encircling strong bandits and fierce robbers were increasing. If they did not retreat soon, they would inevitably exhaust their strength and die in battle.

Gao Doutu, have you noticed that among the strong bandits, there are quite a few Khitan and Xian people? It seems that the Liao state has long been aware of the Empress's visit to the river area, and this incident may cost the Empress her life. Alas..." An Zheng, filled with rage, gasped for breath and ground his teeth in hatred. After all, he was somewhat aged, with several wounds on his body.

This voice was tinged with a sobbing tone, suggesting that Empress Zheng had been crying in the palanquin for quite some time, likely lamenting her own unfortunate fate. However, at this moment, An Zheng spoke up: "Commander Song, it is not appropriate... the protection of the palanquin can be managed by me and a few men. Commander Song should lead the elite imperial guards to escort Her Highness to safety. I will sacrifice my life to cover your retreat"

However, An Jing, who had approached with Gao Yingmei, said: "Commander Song's words are misguided. The situation on the battlefield changes in an instant; what is the value of fighting to the death compared to fighting for survival? It would be better to take a palace maid into the carriage and exchange her attire with the princess. You can protect the false princess as we retreat southward, engaging the enemy's main force while we ensure the real princess escapes through a nearby path amidst the chaos. The dark moon and strong winds are perfect for confusing the enemy's eyes and ears, and can further disperse their forces. There is no need to show off by fighting to the death; as long as we preserve the green mountains, we need not fear the absence of firewood..."

"Inappropriate..." Song Yun resolutely refused, "Having supervised the battle for a long time, I have already drawn the attention of these bandits. If we let people escape at this moment, wouldn't it expose our strategy to the strong bandits? The situation for Her Highness would be even more perilous. It would be better for Lord An to lead your people to escort Her Highness away..." An Zheng suddenly realized, "I misspoke..."

Song Yun and An Zheng exchanged a glance and both smiled wryly. It was Song Yun who spoke first: "Your Majesty, it must be known that the bandits are numerous, and they initially scattered our ranks. Zheng Shu Mi and General Gao are likely trapped elsewhere..." Of course, he could not mention that these two had already fled, for to say so would mean that even if he escaped the robbery, he could not evade their persecution.

The flower's stamen, peering through the curtain's gap, saw An Zhen covered in blood, which frightened her to death. She waved her hand and said, "But it is County Magistrate An Zhen, please come forward and respond..."

In fact, he was all in; he had navigated the political arena for over a decade and, at the age of not yet forty, had fought his way to the position of Deputy Director-General and Executive Vice Mayor. This demonstrates the high level of his means and intellect. However, despite his flourishing career, he unexpectedly cast aside the young and promising Vice Mayor back to the Song Dynasty. After some contemplation, he realized that another historic opportunity lay before him. The current Empress Zheng was in peril, and this was precisely the moment for him to shine. If he failed to seize this once-in-a-lifetime chance, even surviving would not be easy. Heaven had granted him this opportunity; how could he not strive for it?

At such a time, Commander Song still had the leisure to be overly courteous, quickly stepping forward to answer Her Majesty the Empress's inquiries... Her voice trembled as she urgently beckoned with her hand

Ah... it is truly a labor for Commander Song..." The voice of Empress Zheng was noticeably hoarse, yet to An Jing's ears, it possessed a unique and melodious charm

... Father, the child has arrived... The phoenix carriage and the imperial entourage are too conspicuous; it is advisable to quickly request Her Majesty the Empress to change her attire and disguise herself, then withdraw the carriage. Additionally, we should send a detachment to feign protection of the carriage, drawing the main force of the bandits away, in order to cover Her Majesty's swift escape from danger... Under the protection of the beautiful Gao Ying, this filthy official has also come to kill.

Certainly, with the skills of the "Yanei," it is feared that before he could even raise his knife to confront, the heads would already be flying. However, behind him stands the unfathomable beauty of Gao Ying, protecting him. Let alone these two knives, even if five or seven more were to come, it would be futile. Clang, clang, clang, as the sword light flashed, the two knives shattered and scattered, two heads soared into the air, blood spraying forth, and the momentum of the two headless corpses continued unabated, with blood gushing from their necks, creating a remarkable spectacle. An Jing watched in horror, his stomach churning, yet his face showed not a trace of emotion. As the sword light flashed, the two knives shattered and scattered, two heads soared into the air, blood spraying forth, and the momentum of the two headless corpses continued unabated, with blood gushing from their necks, creating a remarkable spectacle. An Jing watched in horror, his stomach churning, yet his face showed not a trace of emotion.

As Zheng Sikun pondered that Gao Chong should be the skilled individual who wielded a spear to challenge the iron cart in the story of Yue, two strong bandits rushed over, shouting loudly, and struck down with a pair of knives.

Ah... Wengong, how come you are here? An Zheng was taken aback, fully aware that his son only understood the art of poetry and was delicate and fragile, how could he dare to appear in such a place? The flower-like eyes peering through the curtain also caught sight of the handsome young official, bloodied and wielding a simple knife, and even in such a moment, could not help but secretly praise: what a charming young man.

In the distance, the torches of the bandits illuminated the scene. Suddenly, two women adorned in splendid crowns appeared on the phoenix carriage. They then carried two soldiers back into the imperial guard. The strong bandits could see this clearly, and someone shouted, "Do not let Zhao Guanjia's wife escape; capturing her will bring a reward of ten thousand gold coins. Charge!"

Gao Yingmei was closely pressed against his right side, her long sword trembling as it reaped the lives of the bandits rushing forward. An Jing unexpectedly turned his head and asked, "Do you know my courtesy name?"

Uh, An Wengong? This name seems unfamiliar in history, probably just an unknown figure. An Wengong, hmm, not bad, why does it sound a bit familiar? Wengong, Wengong, it seems there is a Shi Wengong in the "Water Kettle Chronicles"? Whatever, in any case, the late Northern Song Dynasty is about to have another remarkable person whose name will be remembered through the ages.

Then another maid was brought in ... . ... An Jing and Gao Yingmei exchanged a glance, feeling silently in their hearts; at this moment, the palace maids could only be in a state of despair

Another armored man tightly guarding in front of the phoenix carriage wielded a long sword, commanding over a hundred soldiers to fight fiercely. "... Song Yun will do everything in his power to protect the Empress as long as he has a breath left. Those eunuchs, why aren't they helping the Empress down from the carriage? Are they just going to sit and wait for death?" Saying this, he stepped forward and kicked over several weeping eunuchs.

Um... the subordinate of Gao Yingmei, who heard the words, hesitated slightly. A spear pierced through the sword curtain, but she remained calm. Extending her bare left hand, she swiftly grasped the spear tip and with a shake, the bandit holding the spear felt his grip shatter. The spear shaft slipped from his hand, and before he could react, the spear was thrust through his throat and out the back of his neck.

The commander Song Yun, upon hearing An Jing's words, felt greatly impressed. He hurriedly spoke to the flower bud within the curtain: "The flowers all know to promptly report to Her Highness. This person's words are reasonable. The phoenix carriage has now become the target of many. Your Highness should change your appearance and abandon the carriage to escape. I am willing to lead a contingent of soldiers to protect the carriage and draw the main force of the strong bandits away. Your Highness must make a swift decision; delay may lead to dire consequences."

The individual known as "Hua Du Zhi" is a second-rank official in the Inner Court, specifically "Du Zhi" Hua Rui. Who in the palace does not know of the favored maid, Hua Rui, who serves beside Empress Zheng in the Forbidden City? At this moment, she is merely twenty-two years old, yet she is just one step away from the highest rank of the Inner Court, "Du Du Zhi." Positions in the Inner Court are typically conferred upon the eunuchs and palace maids, and it is rare for a palace maid to ascend to the second-rank "Du Zhi." Generally speaking, those palace maids who reach the rank of "Ya Ban" are considered close attendants within their respective courts, granting them more opportunities to approach the Emperor, especially those who serve beside favored concubines. It is highly likely that they have experienced "favor" on numerous occasions. As for a charming and delicate maid like Hua Rui, one cannot help but wonder how many times she has been favored.

The strong thieves shouted in unison and surged forward, causing the Imperial Guards to retreat. At this moment, the curtain behind the phoenix sedan was quietly lifted, and the "Three Maids" slipped down, escorted by a small group of soldiers as they fled.

An Jing's eyes widened in shock, while Gao Yingmei seemed to treat the matter as trivial. With a delicate gesture, she tossed the thief's corpse out, causing several other thieves behind to scream as they fell over. "... Have you truly forgotten the past? Your father is Lord An Zheng'an, the magistrate of Leshou County. Your surname is An, your given name is Jing, your courtesy name is Wengong, and you are nineteen years old this year, yet you remain unmarried..." At this point, Gao Yingmei could not help but pause, stealing a glance at An Jing before returning to her task of dispatching the enemies.

Your Highness, please rest assured. I vow to protect the imperial sedan chair with my life, in order to restrain the main force of the strong bandits here... At this moment, Song Yun truly displayed a determination to die in battle