"Xiaoqiu, you and Nong Yue take Hao'er and flee east after leaving the city. Keep going east until you reach Dongchuang. I'll have someone escort you. Only stop when you're sure it's safe. Regardless of whether His Highness lives or dies, wins or loses, I hope Hao'er survives."
"Lady Wang, Jiaojiao, your families are in Yan Prefecture. If the city falls, return to your families immediately. For your husbands' sake, keep quiet about their identities. Whether it's the imperial army or the Beidi army, as long as they don't know you are wives of Wu Wang's former subordinates, they won't deliberately trouble you."
"Lüping, there's one very important thing I hope you can help me with."
Zhong Lüping smiled charmingly, full of the boldness unique to warrior women: "Just tell me, sister, what's the need for formality?"
Changsun Chiying's gaze fell on her young daughter's face. Little Cui Xian was biting her fingers, her eyes clear, unaware of the hardships of the world.
"In case anyone invades Yan Prefecture, please take Xian'er and leave the pass to find the Buxia people. If His Highness wins, I'll send someone to fetch you. If he loses…" Changsun Chi Ying lowered her eyes, her voice muffled, "the Zhong family will be implicated. Stay outside the pass, and Bo Muer and Sang Duo will treat you well for mine and Xian'er's sakes."
Nong Yue asked anxiously, "Madam, what about yourself?"
Changsun Chiying smiled faintly and said loudly, "I naturally have plans, which I won't mention for now. In short, everyone must live well."
Nian Jiaojiao blinked and said, "Your Highness, you too."
Changsun Chiying nodded with a smile, "I will. That's all I have to say. Everyone, go back and continue with your daily routines. Good days are not far off."
All the women dispersed, except Zhong Lüping, who didn't rush to leave. She handed Little Cui Xian to the nanny to play with and approached Changsun Chiying, asking softly, "Sister, you're not thinking of staying behind and perishing with Yan Prefecture, are you?"
Changsun Chiying was silent for a moment, finally smiling helplessly, "If Yan Prefecture falls, His Highness will surely lose. Whether he falls into Hu Erhana's hands or the emperor's, there's only death. Our fate in this life was shallow, hoping to meet again in the next life as husband and wife."
Zhong Lüping looked sad, and Changsun Chiying smiled again, patting her shoulder, "Don't worry. If everything goes smoothly, that day won't come. Prepare for the best and worst, do our best, and leave the rest to fate."
"Hmm…" Zhong Lüping nodded gloomily.
At this moment, the Northern Expeditionary Army was six days away from reaching the ruins of Maquan Pass.
Cui Yi was one day away from entering the ambush terrain.
The siege of Xuanzhou Prefecture was two hours away.
The rebellion initiated by Changsun Chiying's reincarnation would soon see its outcome.
A sea eagle circled in the sky.
Yang Qiong stumbled along the ground in pursuit. His horse had died from exhaustion, and with no village nearby, he had to walk. Fortunately, it was the rainy season in Bogige Grassland in July, with clouds often covering the sky and small streams in the grasslands providing water. It wasn't hot, and there was no lack of water.
His leather boots were torn, his socks were worn out, and his calloused feet were covered in blisters. He wrapped them in cloth strips and kept walking.
Nayangaga cawed incessantly, and Yang Qiong, drenched in sweat, ran clumsily through the swamp.
Dark clouds loomed overhead, ready to pour rain at any moment. He checked the map and knew he was close to the ruins of Maquan Pass, but the sea eagle was leading him north instead of straight to the meeting point.
A bolt of lightning tore through the sky, followed by thunder and heavy rain. Nayangaga had to land immediately. Yang Qiong picked it up and ran toward a hill nearby.
At the foot of the hill was a cave. Yang Qiong rushed inside with the eagle, panting heavily.
Before he could catch his breath, a short knife pressed against his throat: "Who are you?"
Someone brought a torch closer, and Sang Duo recognized the intruder, quickly lowering her knife: "Benefactor! You've finally arrived. Come in and take shelter from the rain." She gestured for him to move deeper into the cave.
Yang Qiong handed Nayangaga back to her, wiped the water from his face, and collapsed onto the ground.
There were seven or eight people in the cave, besides Sang Duo, all young men. A quick glance told Yang Qiong they were skilled fighters, likely here to kill Hu Erhana.
The rain continued all day. When the sky cleared, the sea eagle went out to scout and returned with accurate information—Hu Erhana's party was less than half a day's journey from their hiding place.
Sang Duo gave the order: "Move out!" Everyone slipped into the grass under the cover of dusk.
It was the rainy season in Bogige Grassland, and the grass was waist-high. The Buxia people were adept with knives, each carrying two—one long and one short—perfect for offense and defense. They moved swiftly through the grass, leaving Yang Qiong in awe.
Led by Sang Duo, ten people moved like snakes through the grass, with Nayangaga guiding them. Soon, they found Hu Erhana's party.
To their astonishment, the party consisted of only about ten people! Among them, a man in the uniform of the royal guard of Beidi, with a beard, was Bo Muer. He saw the circling sea eagle but remained still, continuing forward.
Yang Qiong didn't understand the meaning, but Sang Duo whispered, "There must be an ambush ahead. We need to eliminate the ambush first. Let's go!"
They turned north and soon found a hill. A young man scouted and discovered five thousand Beidi cavalry lying in wait. The grassland was flat, and it was almost dark. Once Hu Erhana's party encountered an attack and signaled, the cavalry would flood in and tear apart any attackers.
Hu Erhana, though arrogant, wasn't stupid. Knowing he was hated, he wouldn't risk his life carelessly.
"There are too many. We can't fight them, and we can't afford to delay," Sang Duo fretted. Ten people couldn't possibly defeat five thousand.
Nayangaga flapped its wings incessantly, cawing. Yang Qiong asked, "What is it saying?"
A Buxia tribesman who understood Mandarin but couldn't speak it muttered something. Sang Duo explained, "Eagles don't talk, but Nayangaga understands humans. Maybe it has a purpose. Let's follow it."
Following the eagle through the night, they reached a sparsely grassed area. A young man examined the ground and exclaimed. Sang Duo immediately ordered, "Dig it up!"
Loose soil was unearthed, revealing several small signal rockets wrapped in thick oil paper. Bo Muer must have anticipated Hu Erhana's plan and buried these en route.
"Should we split up to divert the ambushing troops?" Yang Qiong frowned, "But if we don't escape in time, we might be caught by the Beidi."
A young Buxia tribesman grinned awkwardly in broken Mandarin, "We Buxia people aren't afraid of death when avenging or repaying kindness."
Sang Duo added, "Don't worry. We Buxia people live with the grasslands; escaping is easy."
Sang Duo assigned tasks. Four Buxia youths carried rockets to different directions to create distractions. The rest would attack Hu Erhana's party, ensuring his death before the cavalry could react.
By the time they caught up with Hu Erhana's party, it was pitch dark. Under the new moon and countless stars, visibility was low, with only a few torches moving across the grassland, making perfect targets.
At 9 PM, the first rocket soared into the sky, illuminating the darkness. Hu Erhana's carriage party panicked. Bo Muer guarded Lady Cheng's carriage while the royal guards reported to Hu Erhana, who roared orders to speed up.
But it was too late. Sang Duo led six assassins leaping from the grass, killing most of the guards silently. Hu Erhana jumped out of his carriage, wielding a nine-ring golden-backed saber in one hand and igniting a signal rocket with the other.
Signal rockets shot up from different locations. Hu Erhana's eyes bulged in rage, roaring like a trapped beast in his final struggle.
"Today is your death day!" Yang Qiong roared, his spear entangling Hu Erhana's saber, using inner strength to snatch it away.
Without a weapon, Hu Erhana grabbed a dead guard's blade, but Yang Qiong flicked his silver spear, cutting off four fingers on his right hand. Hu Erhana screamed in pain, clutching his wrist and falling to the ground.
Sang Duo and her team had already finished off the guards. Bo Muer slashed the carriage driver in two and lifted the curtain: "Lady Cheng, please get out."
Lady Cheng was stunned. Yang Qiong, still facing away, said coldly, "Don't come near!"
Lady Cheng hesitated, recognizing the voice.
Yang Qiong continued, "This subordinate is sent by Wu Wangfei to rescue you and take you back to the capital to reunite with your family."
Lady Cheng instantly relaxed, "Wu Wangfei… Changying?! Is she okay? Is she well? The dog said he wanted to capture her but wouldn't let us see her. I thought…"
"Please rest assured, Your Highness and Lady are both safe. Less than two hundred miles away, Yan Prefecture troops are waiting to assist. Please sit tight in the carriage, and we'll leave immediately."
Lady Cheng nodded, "Alright, I'll follow your instructions. The dog has thousands of troops in ambush behind us. If we're late, they might catch up."
Sang Duo drove the carriage, and the others mounted the guards' horses, rushing toward the upper reaches of Selun River under the cover of darkness.
"Miss…" Lady Cheng called out to Sang Duo.
"Call me Sang Duo," Sang Duo smiled, "Lady Cheng and I are friends. The Beidi and Buxia tribes have blood feuds, so this is both revenge and rescue. Don't worry about it."
Lady Cheng knelt gratefully at the carriage door, bowing deeply, "Though I say this, your life-saving grace is something I can never repay. Please accept my gratitude!"
Sang Duo didn't help her up but said, "If I don't accept it, you won't feel relieved. So, I'll accept it on behalf of them. According to Lady Changying, you're a disciple of a divine doctor. My brother was injured last time and seems to have some lingering issues. Could you check on him and prescribe medicine? Consider it repayment for the 'grace'?"
"This is no problem at all! Not just treating your brother, but I'm willing to serve your entire tribe for life!"
Bo Muer, riding ahead, clearly heard the conversation in the carriage and asked Yang Qiong, who appeared indifferent, "Are you not going to tell her the real reason you came to save her?"
Yang Qiong stared straight ahead, his voice hoarse, "What's the point of telling her? Just adding another person to worry. Why bother?"
Bo Muer smiled, "In your Central Plains, women are married, but on our grasslands, women are taken by force."
Yang Qiong glanced at him, wanting to retort but refrained, considering the favor they had done for him. Instead, he said, "A woman taken by force may submit to your power but won't truly love you. Such a woman will eventually leave."
"One who doesn't love you, even if taken by force, what's the point?"
Bo Muer's brows twitched, but he said nothing further.