Chapter 5, Companions in the Dark Night

Mo Yan caught sight of the carriage and was extremely anxious. Neither Ning Jin nor Bai Yingyu on the carriage knew any martial arts, and if they were caught by an assassin, it would spell trouble. Taking advantage of Xiao Chen's distraction of those few people, she leaped onto the carriage, snatched the reins from Ning Jin's hands, and struck the horse's hindquarters with force. The horse, feeling the pain, neighed and galloped forward wildly.

He is blind; where can he find such a long rope

Bai Yingyu hesitantly looked at Mo Yan, who remained motionless, scrutinizing the three individuals in front of her with suspicion

There might be snakes in the grass, she thought belatedly; upon this realization, she felt an overwhelming urge to immediately turn and run

In front of us, there is no need for several of you to continue pretending. This case has been suppressed by Lord Bao for so many days, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to contain. We are just afraid that you might encounter some unforeseen circumstances on the way, so it would be best for you to quickly accompany us to the capital.

You ... ...

Inside the inn, due to the position of Xiao Chen, it was inconvenient to guard the entrance. Two assassins managed to escape and pursued the carriage, leaving only one person to engage in a struggle with Xiao Chen.

Grandfather's remains are located just behind this city wall

"Are you sent by the Kaifeng Prefecture?" Bai Yingyu, being inexperienced in the ways of the world, felt delighted upon hearing their words

He has arrived

He suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned to face the direction of the sound: "Aren't you in the carriage?"

By the time we arrived in Kaifeng, the city gates had naturally been closed

Xiao Chen asked unnaturally, to be honest, leaving her alone down there is indeed somewhat risky; it would be troublesome if she encountered an assassin. However, at the moment, it is unclear how Xiao Qi and the others are doing, and the urgent task is to reach Kaifeng Prefecture first

Ning Jin stepped forward, sizing up the three individuals, and pretended not to understand: "We are merely passing merchants, and we have not committed any crimes. What does the Kaifeng Prefecture want with us?"

With only one person left, how could they possibly be a match for Xiao Chen

Taking advantage of the three being held up by Xiao Chen, Ning Jin chased after Mo Yan and the others to the backyard

What if he finds the wrong location of the city wall

"Hmm," Bai Yingyu walked over quickly, "His Highness Prince Ning hid me in the haystack, saying he would drive the carriage to draw those assassins away"

Xiao Chen leaped into the air, his toes kicking against the city wall, using the force to propel himself upward. With a few light taps, she saw him disappear at the top of the wall

At that moment, the assassin might be searching for her everywhere, so she could not move. Biting her lip, she gazed at the thick, cold city walls and suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to cry

At that moment, the sound of hooves echoed outside the inn, as Ning Jin drove his carriage past... It was not that he intentionally drove the carriage to show off, but rather that this small town was indeed too small, with only one road. He had to exit through the backyard and ended up having to go around to the front.

Xiao Chen nodded slightly: "Let us go to the Kaifeng Prefecture."

"Miss, please wait, I will call the person for you," said the shop assistant, and then he went upstairs.

Xiao Chen, Xiao Chen... why hasn't he arrived yet

Xiao Chen was so angry that he could not speak, he shook her hand off and took the reins back himself: "Alright, alright, I'll do it myself. When we get to the place where we need to turn, just let me know."

Oh. Bai Yingyu picked up the bundle and followed Mo Yan as they walked back

"How high is the city wall?" Xiao Chen asked

What a hassle, Xiao Chen frowned slightly, the hooves of the horse beneath him kicked up dust as he galloped into the night.

She was lost in her thoughts, feeling as if time was passing very slowly, as if a whole year had gone by, when a soft sound came from above her head—a long strip of cloth made of fabric descended towards her.

"The person they want to kill is you. Seeing that you are not in the carriage, they naturally will not be interested in wasting time on them." This point was something Xiao Chen could sense from the fight just now, hence he was not too worried.

Xiao Chen then asked Mo Yan to take the bundle, nodding while casually saying: "Indeed, a strong general has no weak soldiers... By the way, how is my brother Wang doing? He had a rash on his face last month; is it any better?" He spoke leisurely, his demeanor extremely relaxed, as if it were merely casual conversation.

Ningjin Dao: "It is still better to be cautious."

Bai Yingyu looked up and hesitated, saying: "It's quite high, it should be more than three zhang..."

It has improved a lot

He led the horse from the backyard, mounted it himself, and then pulled Bai Yingyu onto the horse as well. The horse let out a long neigh and charged out of the town, heading towards Kaifeng, taking the exact opposite direction of Mo Yan's carriage.

At this moment, the horse was still running swiftly. She tried to pull it, but her strength was too weak, and the horse did not respond at all; thus, she pulled harder, but it was too forceful, causing the horse to stop abruptly, almost rearing up, nearly throwing both of them off.

Second brother, I am here to help you

How do you know

My relative? Bai Yingyu was puzzled

"Since it is Lord Bao who has sent someone to escort us, it could not be better," Xiao Chen said as he rose, speaking calmly. "With someone to escort us, it is ultimately safer." He seemed to realize that their identities had already been uncovered, and that it was impossible to keep it a secret, so he decided to stop being evasive. "Which lord do you serve, Brother Wang Chao or Brother Zhao Hu?"

The three of them saw the two of them walking away leisurely and hurriedly said: "Wait, you cannot leave!"

However, I have never ridden a horse before. She trembled as she held the reins, unsure of how to use them

Ningjin had something to say, but just as he was about to call her, she had already rushed back in.

"Are there still horses in the backyard?" he asked

Is everything alright

Xiao Chen was just about to leave, heading in the direction of the horse-drawn carriage, when he heard a timid voice from behind: "Hero Xiao, I am here."

Everyone was filled with doubts, and at that moment, three individuals indeed came down from the upper floor. Upon seeing Bai Yingyu and the others, they laughed heartily and said: "Lord Bao has inquired several times, and we have finally managed to wait for you! It is good that you have come, it is good that you have come"

Bai Yingyu inexplicably turned her head to look at Mo Yan, who frowned and said: "Could it be that Zhan Zhao has already arrived at Kaifeng Prefecture and specially sent someone here to fetch us"

In the front hall, Xiao Chen was locked in a fierce battle with the two men. However, all three were skilled fighters, and their attacks were particularly ruthless. Although Xiao Chen's martial arts were not weak, having lived in the mountains for many years, he had only sparred with his fellow disciples and lacked experience in actual combat. At this moment, he was facing three opponents simultaneously, firmly blocking the path to the backyard. The space was narrow, making it somewhat strenuous for him, and if this continued for too long, he feared he would fall into a disadvantage.

Since the moment the horse's hooves left the stone path, Xiao Chen could no longer discern the direction. He handed the reins to Bai Yingyu and said: "I cannot see the road, you take over!"

Because she was still worried about Mo Yan and Ning Jin, Bai Yingyu, after washing up, ate a few more bites of the soup noodles that had been brought to her. Although it was already late at night, she simply could not fall asleep.

Hurry up! The voice of Xiao Chen came from above, which, for her at that moment, was undoubtedly the most pleasant sound in the world

I can't take you up... In that case, I will go up first, and then find a rope to pull you up.

Mo Yan appeared behind him, drawing the silver sword from his waist, and like flying flowers, he consecutively thrust out more than twenty strikes. The silver light burst forth, forcing those few individuals back into the main hall.

What is going on? Bai Yingyu has not yet understood.

As they journeyed along, she had unknowingly come to regard Mo Yan as an excellent companion, and she truly did not wish for anything to happen to him because of her. Hearing him say this, Bai Yingyu quietly let out a sigh of relief, only then realizing... The horse's back jolted, and with almost every movement, her back would brush against the chest of the person behind her. Being so close to a man was a first for her. Moreover, Xiao Chen's hand had to encircle her waist in order to hold the reins, making it feel as though he was embracing her. Although the situation was special, she still felt extremely uncomfortable.

She huddled her shoulders and curled her body as much as possible, listening to the unknown insects chirping in the nearby grass.

Xiao Chen's self-preservation was not difficult, yet he remained concerned about Mo Yan. By freeing up his hands to assist her, he allowed them to exploit the gap, and one person seized the opportunity, evading Xiao Chen and swiftly retreating to the back courtyard.

The two individuals in front are not sent by the Kaifeng Prefecture at all

"That's good. I also brought some facial ointment from Suzhou for him, but it seems it won't be of any use now." He turned to Mo Yan, "The carriage is still tied up in the backyard, and we won't be staying overnight. You and A Bi should move the bundles onto the carriage and then bring the carriage to the front."

Mo Yan lowered her head in agreement, her expression hidden from view. Accidentally, one of her bundles fell down, and she called out to Bai Yingyu: "Could you hold this for me? This bundle is heavy."

"You stay down there, crouching and waiting, do not move around, do not make a sound," he instructed simply

Upon arriving at Kaifeng Prefecture, knowing that Mo Yan and Ning Jing had not yet returned, Xiao Chen and Zhan Zhao immediately led their men out of the city to search for them, while Bai Yingyu was properly arranged to rest in a side room

There is.

What should Miss Mo and the others do? The assassin is chasing after them! Bai Yingyu asked anxiously

He first sought a secluded spot along the city wall, overgrown with weeds, where the sounds of various insects could be heard from time to time

Above the head, layers upon layers of clouds obscure the moon, and the light that occasionally breaks through is exceedingly dim, while the stars are completely invisible. The night wind swirls in gusts, sweeping past the body; although it is still autumn, the chill penetrates to the bone

The person who caused my father's death is also behind these city walls

Ignoring her surprise, she tightly grasped the cloth strip with both hands, and immediately felt her body as if it were soaring through the clouds, flying upwards. When she landed, Xiao Chen happened to catch her

However, after a moment, he returned, angrily saying: "They have run away! Hurry and chase them!"

Turn left and pull to the left; turn right and pull to the right

After practicing with the xiao for a while, not only did it become increasingly effortless, but I also became familiar with the surrounding objects, ensuring that I would not bump into tables and chairs when I played.

Yet she is trapped here, unable to enter or leave

Bai Yingyu shook her head, suddenly realizing that he could not see, and hurriedly stammered, "It's... it's nothing."

Hmm. Although Bai Yingyu felt scared in her heart, she still nodded.

Go

I had some doubts to begin with, and just now, Second Brother tested them by asking if the rash on their face had improved. They said it was much better, but I saw him in Kaifeng, and he never had a rash on his face at all. Mo Yan quickly harnessed the horse and said, "You all hurry and leave! I will go help Second Brother."

The two replied, "Under the command of the dynasty's chief constable."

The few individuals, anxious to leave Bai Yingyu behind, did not wish to become entangled with them. However, at that moment, they found it difficult to extricate themselves. They exchanged glances and simultaneously unleashed powerful lethal moves.

Oh," Bai Yingyu said softly, then fixed her gaze on the path, "A little to the left... just a bit..."

Bai Yingyu wanted to ask what to do, but after glancing at Xiao Chen's expression, she hesitated and did not dare to voice her question

This call was not urgent, but upon hearing it, Mo Yansuo simply abandoned her bundle and grabbed Bai Yingyu to run. Meanwhile, Xiao Chen picked up the chopsticks beside him and swiftly shot them towards the direction of the three who had spoken, while simultaneously drawing out the bamboo flute from his bosom and pushing Ning Jin aside: "Hurry up!"

Xiao Chen has already understood that this is indeed a good idea

Thus, after just over twenty moves, the assassin was struck in the acupoint by Xiao Chenzhu's bamboo flute, rendering him unable to move