activa-t Chapter 39 Attack!
Chapter 39 Attack!
A morning breeze blew by, bringing the coolness of early summer, but he couldn't feel it.
Qin Mu's whispered words echoed repeatedly in my mind:
"I heard... your son, Meng Yi, got into some trouble at Zuixianlou three months ago?"
Cold sweat soaked through his inner shirt again.
His Majesty understands.
Not only did they know, they also pointed it out at this particular time.
This is a warning.
A stark warning.
Meng Fang closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
When she opened her eyes again, there was a look of resolute determination in them.
He turned and strode toward the palace.
My footsteps were heavy, each step feeling like it was pounding on my heart.
He knew that from this day forward, he had to make a choice.
Should he continue to serve the seemingly incompetent but unfathomable emperor, or... side with the prince of the North who promised him wealth and glory?
This choice concerns the life and death of his entire Meng family.
He no longer had much time to hesitate.
........
The convoy left the imperial city and headed north.
Qinglan Mountain is located in the northern part of Zhongzhou, about 500 li from the imperial city. At the speed of the caravan, it would take three days to travel there.
The first day was calm and peaceful.
The prefectures and counties along the route had already been notified, and the county magistrates led their people out of the city to welcome them, preparing food and lodging, and daring not to be negligent in the slightest.
Qin Mu rode his horse with the Imperial Guards during the day and stayed at the post station in the evening.
Su Wanqing and Lu Wanning chattered away the whole way, finding everything new and exciting, which added some liveliness to the otherwise dull trip.
Jiang Qingxue remained silent throughout, spending most of her time in the carriage. Occasionally, she would lift the curtain to look at the scenery outside, her eyes vacant, lost in thought.
The next day, in the afternoon.
The sky darkened again, with low-hanging leaden clouds and the air so stuffy it was hard to breathe.
Zhao Kuo, the commander of the Imperial Guards and General of the Tiger Guards, rode up to Qin Mu's carriage and bowed to report:
"Your Majesty, judging from the sky, it looks like it's going to rain again. There's a valley twenty miles ahead called Eagle's Fall Gorge, a strategically important and easily defended area. Should we hasten our advance and pass through before the rain?"
Zhao Kuonian was about thirty years old. He was the nephew of Wang Ben, the Minister of War. Born into a military family, his martial arts skills had reached the peak of the first-rank Vajra Realm, and he was a famous fierce general in the Imperial Guard.
Qin Mu lifted the carriage curtain, glanced at the sky, and nodded: "Granted."
"As you command!"
Zhao Kuo gave the order, and the convoy sped up.
The wheels rolled and the horses' hooves clattered, raising dust on the official road.
However, things did not go as planned.
As soon as the convoy entered the area of Luoyingjian, a torrential downpour began.
This rain was even heavier than the night before, with large raindrops hitting the ground and splashing water up to a foot high.
A fierce wind swept through the valley, carrying rain and mist, and visibility instantly dropped to less than ten feet.
"Protect His Majesty!"
Zhao Kuo shouted, and the three thousand imperial guards immediately contracted their formation, surrounding Qin Mu's gilded carriage in the center.
Rainwater streamed down their armor as the soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, their sharp eyes scanning their surroundings.
As its name suggests, Luoyingjian is a place with steep cliffs on both sides and a winding official road in the middle.
The cliffs are covered with jagged rocks and dense forests, making them an excellent location for an ambush.
Zhao Kuo, a veteran of many battles, naturally knew the dangers of this place.
He dispatched three scout teams, each with ten men, to scout ahead, the cliffs on both sides, and the route from behind.
"Your Majesty, this place is not safe to stay any longer."
Zhao Kuo rode up to the carriage, his voice coming through the rain, "This humble general suggests that we speed through the valley and set up camp in the open area ahead."
Qin Mu's voice came from inside the car: "As you wish."
"yes!"
The convoy accelerated again.
However, just as the convoy reached the narrowest point of the valley—
A sudden change has occurred!
"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—"
A piercing sound cut through the air!
Dozens of crossbow bolts came down from the cliffs on both sides, at tricky angles and with astonishing force. In an instant, seven or eight imperial guards were hit by arrows and fell to the ground!
"Enemy attack! Protect the Emperor!"
Zhao Kuo roared, drew his long sword, and with one stroke cleaved away two crossbow bolts that were aimed at the carriage.
"Form ranks! Shieldbearers, advance!"
The well-trained Imperial Guards reacted swiftly.
The soldiers in the front row raised steel shields as tall as a person, forming a shield wall to protect the carriage completely.
The crossbow bolts struck the shield, making a series of clanging sounds, but they couldn't penetrate it.
At the same time, shouts of battle came from the cliff.
Hundreds of dark figures rushed out of the dense forest and slid down the steep hillside at a speed as fast as ghosts.
These people were all dressed in black and masked, carrying steel knives, and their movements were agile, clearly indicating that they were all skilled martial artists.
What's even more terrifying is that they cooperated perfectly, forming groups of three and formations of five, and instantly engaged the Imperial Guards on the outer perimeter.
"They're from the martial arts world!" Zhao Kuo recognized their style at a glance.
The Imperial Guards were skilled in battle and were invincible in frontal charges.
However, when faced with these agile and unpredictable martial arts masters, they felt somewhat constrained.
In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen imperial guards fell.
"Protect His Majesty! Archers, fire upwards!"
Zhao Kuo remained calm and composed in the face of danger, and his command was decisive.
The imperial guards in the rear row drew their powerful bows, and a rain of arrows poured down on the cliffs on both sides.
Although the heavy rain affected accuracy, it also suppressed the enemy's crossbow barrage.
Meanwhile, the Imperial Guards in the front row engaged in close combat with the men in black.
Swords clashed and blood rained down.
Rainwater washed away the blood, forming scarlet streams along the official road.
The battle was intense from the very beginning.
These men in black were clearly well-prepared; their martial arts skills were all quite good, with the weakest being a third-rank martial artist and the leaders even reaching the first-rank Vajra realm.
They did not linger in battle; their objective was clear—towards the gilded carriage in the central government!
"Stop them!" Zhao Kuo took the lead, his long sword flashing like a dragon, instantly cutting down three men in black.
But as soon as he fought off one wave, another wave came in quick succession.
These men in black seemed endless, constantly rushing down the cliff.
Although the Imperial Guards were elite, they only numbered three thousand, and they also had to spare time to protect the carriages, so they gradually became stretched thin.
"His Majesty……"
Su Wanqing and Lu Wanning sat in the carriage behind, listening to the deafening shouts and clashing weapons outside. Terrified, they turned pale and clung to each other tightly.
Tears welled up in Lu Wanning's eyes: "Your Majesty... Will Your Majesty be alright...?"
Although Su Wanqing's face was also pale, she remained calm and gritted her teeth, saying, "No! His Majesty is protected by the True Dragon; these petty villains cannot harm His Majesty!"
Even so, her hands were trembling slightly.
In the other carriage, Jiang Qingxue lifted a corner of the curtain and coldly watched the battle outside.
Her gaze did not linger on the men in black, but instead swept across the cliffs on both sides.
She is looking for it.
Find that figure that might be hiding in the shadows.
Xu Longxiang...
Did you send them?
If so, what is your goal?
Kill Qin Mu?
Or... save me?
she does not know.
be terribly upset.
Meanwhile, inside the gilded carriage.
Qin Mu sat alone, toying with a white jade thumb ring in his hand, his expression calm, as if the earth-shattering battle outside had nothing to do with him.
He even had the leisure to lift the carriage curtain and take a look at the battle situation.
"Tsk, quite a few people," he muttered to himself. "Looks like someone doesn't want me to go to Qinglan Mountain."
The words had barely left his mouth—
"boom!"
A dark shadow fell from the sky like a meteorite, crashing heavily three zhang in front of the carriage!
The ground was smashed into a deep crater, and debris flew everywhere.
As the smoke and dust cleared, a burly figure was revealed.
This person was also dressed in black and masked, but he was much taller than the ordinary men in black, standing at least nine feet tall with broad shoulders and a thick back, looking like an iron tower.
He carried a massive sword as wide as a door panel, its blade dark and its edge gleaming coldly.
His eyes are the most striking feature.
The eyes exposed outside the black cloth had eerily dark red pupils, and they were staring intently at the carriage, their eyes flashing with a bloodthirsty light.
"Celestial Realm..." Zhao Kuo's pupils shrank suddenly, and cold sweat instantly seeped from his hand gripping the knife.
He could sense that the giant's aura was far stronger than his own!
That's the unique pressure of a Celestial Realm expert!
"Protect His Majesty!" Zhao Kuo gritted his teeth and stood in front of the carriage with his sword drawn.
Although he knew he was no match for His Majesty, it was his duty to die before him!
The giant moved.
His step caused the ground to tremble.
He swung his greatsword, without any fancy moves, and just slashed straight down!
Simple, brutal, yet possessing unparalleled power!
The air was torn apart, emitting a sharp whistling sound. Raindrops were blasted into mist before the sword's edge; the power of this strike seemed capable of cleaving mountains in two!
Zhao Kuo gritted his teeth, channeled his inner energy into his longsword, and charged forward with all his might!
"clang--!!!"
The deafening clang of metal clashing was deafening!
Zhao Kuo was struck as if by a heavy hammer. He flew backward, spitting out blood, and crashed heavily onto the shield formation before rolling to the ground.
He struggled to get up, but his arm was in excruciating pain, his hand was split open, and the long sword had already flown out of his hand.
One strike!
With just one strike, he severely injured Zhao Kuo, who was at the peak of the First Grade Vajra Realm!
"Commander!" the Imperial Guards exclaimed.
The giant didn't even glance at Zhao Kuo, and strode towards the carriage.
His steps were slow and heavy, each step feeling like it was treading on people's hearts.
The imperial guards blocking his way tried to stop him, but before they could get close, they were swept away by a casual sword.
Wherever the giant sword passed, men and horses fell, and no one could withstand a single blow from it!
In the blink of an eye, he had arrived three steps in front of the carriage.
"Your Majesty, be careful!" The imperial guards cried out in alarm, but were powerless to help.
The giant raised his greatsword, a cruel smile flashing in his dark red eyes.
He could almost see the magnificent carriage shattered into pieces by his sword, and the so-called emperor inside reduced to a pile of minced meat.
Then--
"It's so noisy."
A languid voice came from inside the carriage.
It was very light and faint, yet it clearly pierced through the rain and the shouts of battle, reaching everyone's ears.
The giant paused.
The carriage curtain was lifted.
Qin Mu slowly walked out and stood on the carriage shaft.