Chapter 3, Doubts arise both within and outside the dream
Certainly, he did not wish to become entangled in these troublesome disputes any further. He glanced at the "coachman" beside Wang Bing, but did not approach to exchange pleasantries. Instead, he shared a horse with Xu Xinan and followed Xu Wujiang and others towards Huaiyuan Town.
What a fast arrow
Who is your elder brother? Since you anticipated that we would take action against Wang Bing here, you must know who sent us, right
He knew that in this mountain path with no room for maneuver, without the young man holding back the assassin, even if he had the determination to sacrifice himself for righteousness, it would be impossible for him to protect Wang Bingzu and his descendants completely
What do those mostly forgotten memories, the occasional fleeting fragments, and the sudden inexplicable emotions really amount to
... ...
Xu Huai suddenly felt that figuring out who the mastermind was would not bring him any benefits; he only hoped that this matter could be quickly brushed aside.
Three assassins stopped about sixty or seventy paces away from the cliff, with the leader staring at the edge of the cliff, his face dark and solemn as he asked
Moreover, at the Eagle's Beak Cliff, given the considerable distance at that time, the likelihood of the assassin clearly seeing his face was indeed quite low. He should have escaped directly from the back cliff. Upon further reflection, it was still that inexplicable and intense emotion that ultimately compelled him to decide to assist Wang Bing and the others in their escape first
I am actually a wisp of a lonely soul from the future, having occupied this body since childhood, and then growing aimlessly for sixteen years
He is skilled in combat, but Wang Bingzu, his grandson, and the wet nurse are unarmed
Huaiyuan Town is under the jurisdiction of Biyang County, yet it is located approximately 130 to 140 li away from the county seat of Biyang.
Deng Gui, the inspector representing the government stationed in Huaiyuan Town, is indeed the highest-ranking official in the Tongbai Mountains. Xu Huai naturally recognizes this short and stout fellow with a face full of flesh.
These scoundrels dare to run wild in Huaiyuan; we will capture them and skin them alive! A young soldier, barely older than Xu Huai by a year or two, with only a hint of fuzz on his upper lip, could still see the figures of those 'bookish horse bandits' at that moment. He shouted angrily, wanting to draw his knife and spur his horse to chase after them.
Although the sky is somewhat overcast, it is just past noon; to say that it is getting dark is truly a ridiculous statement that even the blind would not dare to make
As Xu Huai cautiously climbed down from the eagle's beak, he saw that the boy appeared to be only about fifteen or sixteen years old, which left Lu Xiong even more astonished
As the car passed by the Eagle's Beak, the girl who, in a fleeting glance, gave Xu Huai a sense of astonishment, was now sitting at the front of the car, looking over with concern
Do not pursue a desperate enemy; besides, it is almost dark. Today, these bandits are fortunate, and we shall not hold them accountable.
Xu Wujiang, however, reached out to stop the impulsive young soldier and said
"Your murderous intentions have been uncovered, yet you still have the audacity to ask questions here and there. Truly, you are bold beyond measure. Are you not afraid that the soldiers from the military camp will come to capture you?" Xu Huai shouted in a coarse voice.
He is now clear-minded, and it is not difficult to understand why Wang Bing and the others are like this
Could it be that Lu Xiong has allied with the remnants of the Jing Sheng Army to protect Wang Bing, intending to overturn the events of that year?" Another person, aware of the past, gasped and asked
He just quickly tore off a piece of cloth to cover his face, his eyes still fixed on the few assassins. Even if he was slightly distracted, it was for a very brief moment, yet the leading assassin seized the opportunity to shoot an arrow.
Lu Xiong was filled with confusion and doubt, yet at this moment, he chose to remain silent and not ask further questions. However, his gaze towards the young man was still filled with gratitude.
Apart from the approximately one zhang wide opening in the middle of the Eagle's Beak, the southern ridge is steep and difficult to traverse even on foot, let alone on horseback; to the north, there is a canyon nearly thirty zhang deep, through which the Huai River flows.
Xu Huai, you rascal, haven't those bandits harmed you?
It is quite strange how these memories of images have emerged out of nowhere
Not long after they escaped from the Eagle's Mouth, they encountered this group of armed soldiers. In a hurry, they claimed that they had encountered horse bandits on the way and asked them to come and rescue the villagers trapped on the cliffs of Eagle's Mouth. Now that this group of armed soldiers has rushed over and scared off the assassins, they are grateful to heaven and earth; what more could they hope for?
Xu Huai instinctively shifted his neck to the side by several inches, only to feel a strong gust of wind brush past his face. Shortly thereafter, he heard a sound as an arrow struck the pine tree behind him, the arrow shaft still vibrating with a buzzing sound.
Xu Huai kicked down the rock as a warning to the assassin not to attempt to forcefully breach the opening
Lu Xiong remained silent; having experienced the vicissitudes of life for half a lifetime, he understood what the current local soldiers and militia were like
Of course, Xu Huai has not yet understood his own situation, nor does he know whether the sudden appearance of these images carries any warning significance
Xu Huai dared not be negligent any longer and grasped the axe behind his waist
To speak frankly, Xu Huai did not know what kind of person Wang Bing was, but he was aware that the position of Deputy Censor-in-Chief, which Wang Bing held before his demotion, was not to be underestimated. It was one of the few high-ranking officials in the court who could be respectfully addressed as "Xiang Gong," while ordinary officials were only qualified to be called "Lang Jun"
Seeing the assassin act so recklessly, Xu Huai felt a surge of alarm within
More than twenty years ago, Wang Xiaocheng was aware of Tangzhou and vigorously suppressed the bandits in Tongbai Mountain. Later, he was appointed as the commander of the Jing Sheng Army, incorporating many bandits into the army. After Wang Xiaocheng's death, some of the old soldiers of the Jing Sheng Army were disbanded and returned to their hometowns. It is not surprising that there are remnants of the Jing Sheng Army in Tongbai Mountain. However, Lu Xiong, also a remnant of the Jing Sheng Army, chose this route to escort Wang Bing to Biyang, indicating that the situation may be more complicated than we imagine. The scar-faced assassin furrowed his brow and pondered.
As he was struck by this scene, Xu Huai's mind flashed through dozens of beautiful faces, likely some women deeply etched in his memory from later times, yet none could compare to the exquisite and radiant beauty of the girl before him
Even after he regained his senses, those deeply buried unfamiliar memories did not enable his skills to undergo a transformative enhancement. However, aside from his sharper and more perceptive thinking, his vision was also markedly different from before
"Whether it is or not, this matter is of great importance and someone must immediately return to Bianjing to inform the Lord..." said the scar-faced assassin
Certainly, revealing the matter of the assassin will not bring any other benefits, except for inciting Cai Ting, this villain, to become even more ruthless in sending people to persecute others
A tattered short shirt, with several tears on the collar and sleeves caused by branches and rocks; a grass rope tied around the waist, with a hatchet inserted at the back, showing signs of rust!
At this moment, there was a sound of hooves like a sudden downpour coming from the west, rushing towards this side. The expressions of the three assassins changed drastically, and after a moment of hesitation, they ultimately turned their horses' heads and galloped eastward
"No— they ran east!" At this moment, Xu Huai truly breathed a sigh of relief, greeted his Uncle Xu Wujiang, and carefully looked for a place to land as he slid down the cliff.
When Xu Huai was about four or five li away from Huaiyuan Town, he saw the dilapidated horse-drawn cart that Wang Bing was riding, parked by the roadside
"I approached from behind," said the slender-faced assassin on the right.
What he did not expect was that the leader of this group of military soldiers was actually acquainted with the young man from the cliff top
... ...
Hearing that Xu Wujiang and Xu Xinan had rushed over and treated those people as "bandits," Xu Huai realized that Wang Bing and the others had not told the truth when they encountered Xu Wujiang and Xu Xinan.
Under the bright sun, what wrongdoing have we committed that the officials from the inspection army are coming to arrest us? Is it solely based on Wang Bing's one-sided statement?" The leader laughed heartily and said, "Wang Bing has been punished and demoted. Not to mention that he is still safe and sound now, even if he were to meet his end here in Tongbai Mountain, which county office would dare to investigate this case thoroughly?
Xu Huai sat on the horse, his mind in turmoil, completely forgetting to dismount. The girl, however, thought he was staring at her foolishly and shyly turned her face away.
You foolish person, yet you know to keep an eye on girls at m.hetushu.com! Xu Wujiang felt somewhat embarrassed, poked Xu Huai with the handle of the riding whip, and after dismounting, threw the reins into his hand, saying, "Hold the horse for me."
However, in Xu Wujiang's view, as long as Xu Huai and others are fine, that is all that matters
A person of a certain rank, even if stripped of all titles, must never be regarded as a commoner. He met a violent death in the mountains of Tongbai, yet the local government offices dared not investigate the cause of death. Who, then, is the mysterious figure behind this?
He was actually saved today by such a young man, along with Lord Wang Bing
Such astonishing rapid-fire and precision, perhaps even Uncle Seventeen would not compare
He practiced martial arts from a young age, but before his mind fully recovered, he was somewhat clumsy in everything he did. Aside from his extraordinary strength, he could not master complex boxing techniques or swordsmanship, and his skills in horseback riding and archery were also quite average
No matter how formidable these assassins are, anyone struck by a boulder the size of a washbasin from a height would not fare well
... ...
Wang Bing, dressed in a blue robe, was standing beside a carriage speaking with Deng Gui, the inspector of Huaiyuan, surrounded by a group of soldiers.
Three assassins, their faces covered with unkempt beards that appeared hastily glued on, among them the leader had a prominent scar on his left cheek. From a considerable distance, the man squinted his triangular eyes, fixating on the cliff's edge like a hawk, leaving one to wonder what thoughts occupied his mind
He did not immediately draw the machete from behind him, as this would reveal his fear too soon in front of this group of assassins
... ...
Xu Huai was drenched in cold sweat
Indeed, it bears some resemblance to the knife-wielding stance described by Jing Shengjun. Despite being momentarily distracted just now, he was still able to instinctively evade Lord Jin's arrow. His skills are not lacking, and he is quite tall and strong as well..." The thin-faced assassin pondered, somewhat hesitant.
They only receive a small amount of pay after a month in the military camp, is it worth risking their lives to confront these bandits who live on the edge of a knife?
Xu Huai remained silent, one foot resting on a rock, his right hand firmly gripping the hilt of the dagger at his waist, presenting an air of disdain as if he were in no hurry to draw his weapon, yet he exuded a strong sense of pressure towards the assassin.
Ah! Xu Huai came back to his senses, watching Xu Wujiang and the "coachman" walk towards the patrol inspector Deng Gui and Wang Bing...
In addition to being quite robust in stature, standing half a head taller than most soldiers of average height, he is essentially a country boy, and even his movements while climbing down the cliff are somewhat stiff and lack agility
Xu Huai was unaware of the past events concerning Jing Shengjun. Upon seeing Lu Xiong swiftly arrive with several mounted soldiers at Yingzi Mouth, he mistakenly believed that the assassin had been frightened away by them
Regardless of whether they had clearly seen their own faces just now, Xu Huai at this moment still tore off a piece of his cloth shirt to cover his face. However, just as his hand reached behind his head to tie the cloth shirt, a sharp arrow shot towards his face with a whoosh sound.
A few days ago, a brief passage flashed through my mind, stating that Wang Bing died at the hands of bandits on Eagle's Mouth Road in Tongbai Mountain. However, upon reflection, it seems that this may not merely be a case of the assassin's good concealment. The deeper reason likely lies in the overwhelming power of the forces behind the scenes, which intimidates the local government offices into not daring to investigate further, ultimately leading to the case being closed as an encounter with bandits.
The three assassins did not succeed, and of course, they would not leave easily
Xu Huai then raised his foot and kicked a rock the size of a washbasin, which made a clattering sound as it rolled down against the cliff wall.
Among the soldiers who rushed over, the leader was around thirty years old, wearing brown leather armor, with a strong build, thick eyebrows, and sharp eyes. His appearance was rugged, and he held a sabre in his hand. He pulled the reins to stop his horse at the edge of the cliff, looked up, and saw Xu Huai standing intact at the top of the cliff, and asked:
Lu Xiong observed that the leader of the soldiers did not know their identities, so who was the "big brother" that the young man had just mentioned, and how did he know that they would pass through the mouth of the eagle, arranging for this young man to wait here?
"Do you find his posture of bending down to hold the knife somewhat familiar?" The scar-faced assassin's expression darkened as he asked the other two.
In a moment of haste, they were uncertain whether there was an ambush behind the eagle's beak and did not dare to pursue Wang Bing. They immediately positioned their longbows in front of them and urged their horses to slowly approach the cliff.