Chapter 007: Interception

We should hurry up! Sima Dekan said, at this time the moon was already rising high in the sky.

One by one, silhouettes emerged from behind the trees, some clad in white leather armor like that woman, while others wore black leather armor. Upon closer inspection, those in white leather armor were all young women, just like that woman, with veils covering their faces and leather armor fitted to their bodies. In contrast, those in black were all robust men, exuding a fierce aura as if they had crawled out from a pile of corpses.

At that moment, a sudden sound of a horn echoed through the forest, followed by the sound of galloping hooves. Yang Wei felt a surge of joy, for this was the signal used by the guards of the royal residence to communicate.

A weary voice from Sima Dekan came from beside, "Do not pursue!"

Their numbers exceeded those of the guards, as Yang Wei wielded his sword to attack. The two rushed forward, their dual swords clashing, producing a sound akin to metal striking metal, sharp and piercing.

Where is Ji Yao, and where is Yi Feng

As dusk deepens, the sky hangs low, gradually turning into a leaden gray gloom, and then it sinks into darkness

The group of black and white ambushers, who had the upper hand on the field, immediately responded with several whistles upon hearing the signal and the sound of hooves. Following that, they quickly retreated, arriving swiftly and departing even faster

After a long day of travel, perhaps we should take a break first. The horses and people are exhausted, and it is too much for everyone to bear. " proposed Yang Wei

"How did it come to a halt?" Sima Dekan expressed his dissatisfaction with Yang Wei's unilateral decision. Although the two had been comrades for many years, at this moment, he was the Grand Commander, while Yang Wei held the position of Commander, and he should obey his orders

Not only did Pei Li come, but also the ten who remained have arrived, and behind them followed a large group of over a hundred guards

Yang Wei added, "The person I just fought was a young woman, approximately around the age of twenty, with exceptional swordsmanship. She kept asking me one question, wanting me to reveal the whereabouts of Ji Yao and Yi Feng."

The title of the Jin Wangfu did not intimidate the woman; her sword was incredibly swift, and he quickly sustained several more wounds. He was already struggling to hold on, and it seemed he was about to perish beneath her blade

The sword of the woman in white was exceedingly swift; Yang Wei was unable to block in time with a single move and had already been struck in the abdomen by a sword.

"Ji Yao, Yi Feng? Are you sure?" Yu Wen Gai asked with a look of confusion

Who exactly are Yi Feng and Ji Yao? Has anyone heard of these two individuals?

Everyone present shook their heads in indication of their ignorance, except for Pei Li in the darkness, whose expression changed drastically upon hearing the name Yi Feng. However, he quickly regained his composure and also shook his head, claiming he had not heard of it. Yet inside, he was already in a state of turmoil, thinking, how could it be Yi Feng!

Moments later, within the mountains and forests, apart from a group of injured royal guards, there were no ambushers left in the wooded area beneath the trees

During the reign of Emperor Wen of the Sui Dynasty, the basic military organization in the army was generally composed of teams of fifty men, battalions of one hundred men, and regiments of two hundred men. The corresponding military commanders were known as Dudu, Shuaidudu, and Dadudu. In addition to being the basic official titles of the army, these three Dudu ranks also represented the three lowest ranks in the Sui Dynasty's meritocratic official system

The Duke of Jin, upon noticing that you have been away for several days without returning, dispatched us to search for you. We happened to encounter Commander Pei. Fortunately, we arrived just in time. What exactly has happened? Who is so audacious as to ambush the guards of the Duke of Jin's residence?" The Grand Commander Yuwen Gai, upon seeing the dire state of the two, could not help but ask in astonishment

Something seems off!" Yang Wei gazed into the distance, his expression serious, murmuring to himself.

"Who is there!" Yang Wei exclaimed in a low voice

After several barrages of arrows, there was not much damage inflicted on this group of formidable palace guards. Led by the two, the forty guards charged forward.

Sima Dekan also came to a halt, believing in Yang Wei's instincts. In the past, outside the Great Wall, they had fought side by side countless times, relying on mutual trust.

"I don't know what you are talking about, but daring to ambush the guards of Prince Jin is a path to certain death!" Yang Wei gritted his teeth and shouted angrily. At this moment, he was filled with terror; he had never encountered such a formidable woman before. Although she appeared delicate, her swordsmanship was extraordinary, far surpassing many he had seen. At this point, he had already come to believe that these individuals were the ones who had killed the eighteen men in black, yet he was unaware of their true origins.

Leaving behind Pei Li and the other eleven individuals, Yang Wei took the lead, riding his black warhorse, forging ahead through the woods to scout the way. Si Ma De Kan followed closely behind, and behind them were forty royal guards.

Sima Dekan lay under a tree several zhang away, with blood continuously gushing from the wound on his leg, his complexion extremely pale. Yang Wei dragged his injured body to his side and leaned against the tree behind him. The two exchanged bitter smiles, reminiscing about the many storms they had weathered on the grasslands beyond the Great Wall, yet they never expected to find themselves capsized in this small ditch in Jiangnan.

The sound of hooves, like a violent storm, finally drew near, and to the surprise of both Sima and Yang Wei, it was Pei Li who rode at the forefront.

Yang Wei let out a furious roar, drawing the sword from his abdomen with one hand while gripping his own sword tightly with the other, exerting all his strength to swing wildly.

The wind blows increasingly fiercely, causing the leaves to rustle loudly.

One did not know, caught off guard. These individuals are highly skilled, and there are over a hundred of them, all tough opponents. Sima Dekan pressed his hand against the wound on his leg, responding weakly. "It seems that the black-clad individuals whom King Jin sent us to investigate were indeed killed by them."

After Yang Guang ascended to the throne, in the third year of the Daye era, he changed the titles of the military positions of Du Du, Shuai Du Du, and Da Du Du to Dui Zheng, Lü Shuai, and Xiao Wei. He also merged the ranks of San Jie and Xun Guan, replacing the three Du with the new titles.

Pei Li, upon hearing this arrangement, did not mind the fact that Sima Dekan had no authority to make such a designation. He nodded slightly, as he had no desire to linger any longer and only wished to return to Yangzhou immediately

Sima Dekan also engaged in a handshake with a tall man, while the other guards sought out their opponents one after another. In an instant, the forest was filled with the clashing of swords and iron, the sound of ringing metal echoing continuously, and shouts resounding without cease

Just when everyone thought it was merely a false alarm, Yang Wei suddenly spotted a white figure passing through the woods. He turned his head and saw a white shadow in the darkness, which quickly vanished from sight

Yang Weilema came to a stop and then dismounted.

"Who dares to fight me!" He raised his sword overhead, his tone laced with provocation. In the face of the enemy's ambush, he did not retreat, but instead, just as he had done years ago on the grasslands, bravely advanced forward.

The white figure appeared again. This time, Yang Wei saw clearly that it was a young woman dressed in white leather armor and wearing a white veil. When Yang Wei looked at the eyes revealed beneath the veil, he saw a pair of cold and profound eyes, evoking the sensation of burning ice. The woman exuded an aura of danger, her gaze fixed on the sword she held aloft, a large sword adorned with jade decorations, now gripped in the hands of a ruthless woman

Accompanied by the sound of the wind, countless piercing sounds suddenly erupted from all directions within the forest. Yang Wei and Sima Dekan both gasped in shock at the same time, "Enemy attack!" As they shouted loudly, they simultaneously raised their shields and swung their swords.

But all that responded to him was the rustling of the leaves, along with the distant call of an owl taking flight from the treetops.

How did you come here

"Speak of the whereabouts of Ji Yao and Yi Feng, and I will give you a swift end!" The woman in white blocked his fierce attack and asked again.

That was a deep-seated hatred

He listened carefully, yet only heard the rustling of leaves in the wind. Nevertheless, he waved for the people behind him to dismount. Then, he drew his saber, which, although not the treasured blade personally forged by Master Yuwen, was still an imperial sword from the Imperial Armory's Guard Division, a sword personally bestowed by the Emperor during his time as a palace guard. The moonlight reflected brilliantly off the gleaming straight blade.

With one hand holding a shield and the other wielding a sword, Sima Dekan bravely charged forward against the rain of arrows

... ...

She asked twice; had it not been for her probing into this matter, he would have likely perished under her sword long ago. At this point, Yang Wei still felt a lingering fear. To truly die at the hands of a woman would indeed be a great humiliation.

The moon slowly emerges from the pitch-black sky, resting on the treetops, casting down a sprinkle of silver.

A few stars hung sparsely in the sky, and then a half-moon also rose, which provided them with much convenience

The guards of the Jin Wangfu are meticulously selected, each one a valiant warrior. At this moment, they swiftly dismount, draw their swords, nock their bows, and assume a combat stance

The woman in white did not take the opportunity to kill him, but instead suddenly asked him a perplexing question

"Commander Pei, I have left a group of people for you. You should take these corpses along with their personal belongings and weapons back to Yangzhou. Commander Yang, you will accompany them and take the others with you. The ones who killed these people may not have gone far; let us go meet them and see who they are."