In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Shen Guilan was lying on Huo Wei's bed. Her hands and feet were tightly bound with hemp ropes, and a dirty handkerchief he had used was stuffed in her mouth.
Shen Guilan's eyes almost popped out as she struggled desperately on the bed.
Huo Wei wrapped the celestial silk waistband around his abdomen again. He wrapped it rather tightly to prevent the wound from splitting open.
When he mounted the horse by himself, his eyes rolled back in pain, and he almost fell off the horse.
He didn't have time to care about that. The great horse's snow - white hooves soared into the air, kicking up a cloud of yellow dust as it galloped down the mountain.
He never expected that Dugu Luanyue would come to save him. After all, he knew that even if a princess sent for a marriage alliance became the queen in the Northern Yan, life would be tough for her.
However, Huo Wei never thought that Dugu Luanyue would come in person.
When he saw her, Huo Wei pretended to be nonchalant, but in fact, his wavering heart leaned towards her at that moment and could never be pulled back.
The floating clouds in the mountains were like silk ribbons winding around the dark green forest. In the distance, the red setting sun had long disappeared among the mountains.
Only the gorgeous rosy clouds were lingering in the somewhat dim brocade - like clouds, gradually fading away.
Dugu Luanyue was dressed in a dark - colored robe, and her long hair was coiled up with an unassuming silver hairpin.
Aunt Mei Jiang was dressed in black. She spread out the map and said,
"According to the reports from Master Shen's men along the way, this batch of supplies disappeared in a town before reaching Danyang City."
The town before Danyang City was not very big. It was called Hanshui Town, and it was a must - pass place on the way to Danyang City.
Dugu Luanyue said in a deep voice,
"One hundred and forty thousand taels of silver, plus the supplies to save a city, can't be so easily hidden.
I estimate that these people are waiting for all the people in Danyang City to die, and then they will take these things for themselves.
But such a large amount of supplies must not be hidden in a conspicuous place in the city. Let's go to a high place in Hanshui Town to see the situation in the city first."
Everything in Hanshui Town seemed normal, but Dugu Luanyue carefully observed that the guards and inspections at the city gate were much stricter, which meant that Hanshui Town was on alert for no reason.
The supplies were missing, and there were no reports of bandits nearby. Who else could it be but the officials of Hanshui Town?
Aunt Mei Jiang looked down from the mountain with her head bowed and asked,
"Your Highness, do we need to reveal our identities and rush into Hanshui Town to question the local officials?"
Dugu Luanyue shook her head,
"It's not advisable to tip off the enemy now. I'm afraid that while we're delaying in the county yamen of Hanshui Town, these supplies and silver will be moved to another place.
These officials must not hide the things in the city. I'm sure they are on the nearby mountain at the city gate where the inspection is the strictest."
She looked around and said, "Inform the Phoenix Feather Guards to start a carpet - style search in the lush forest over there."
Aunt Mei Jiang turned around and told the small team of only thirty people to quickly disperse and start looking for the supplies hidden in the mountain.
The sky gradually darkened. A few dim stars were hanging in the inky sky, twinkling uncertainly.
Dugu Luanyue suddenly said,
"Aunt, as soon as we find the supplies, we must go and open the city gate of Danyang City. I'm worried that the officials on the Northern Yan side have already had the idea of opening the south - bound city gate."
Aunt Mei Jiang's eyebrows trembled,
"That's what I was thinking too. The Northern Yan people don't care about the lives of us Southern Chu people."
Suddenly, a secret guard of the Phoenix Feather Guards covered in blood came to report,
"Your Highness, retreat quickly! There are many experts and traps in the forest. We've fallen into an ambush!"
Dugu Luanyue was a little surprised. "This is just a mere Hanshui Town. How could there be so many experts gathered here? Who knew we were coming?"
The secret guard covered his bleeding arm and gritted his teeth,
"Your Highness, go quickly. I don't know either, but Your Highness's whereabouts must have been kept secret.
The people around me said that this batch of supplies must be strictly guarded by special people. They noticed our movements when we were searching the mountain, so they started to attack us mercilessly.
They are highly skilled in martial arts and don't seem to be the officers and soldiers of Hanshui Town."
Dugu Luanyue mounted her horse and said coldly,
"We don't have enough manpower. Don't act rashly, but we're right about one thing. The supplies are hidden here!"
Aunt Mei Jiang was the leader of the Phoenix Feather Guards. Her martial arts skills were not bad, but she often pretended to be an ordinary palace maid.
She was riding a tall horse, leading the way in the front. Suddenly, the horse neighed in fear.
She grabbed the whip in her hand and became vigilant. "Your Highness, this place is no longer safe. I'll lead you out of here."
In the dense dark - green pine forest, black - clothed men kept jumping down from the trees.
Dugu Luanyue looked up and narrowed her jade - like eyes,
"These people obviously can't be the killers that the officials of Hanshui Town can afford to raise.
It seems that we underestimated the scheme behind this plague."
She felt something was wrong in her heart. Who could have hidden the supplies and sent people whom even the Phoenix Feather Guards regarded as experts to guard them here?
Aunt Mei Jiang slapped the horse and rushed out.
All the Phoenix Feather Guards following and protecting her scattered and fought with the attacking black - clothed men.
For a moment, blood splashed everywhere, bodies flew, and the battle was extremely tragic.
Dugu Luanyue slapped the tree trunk with her palm and slowly clenched her fist. She stared intently at the battle in front. In the fight between the two sides, the Phoenix Feather Guards were gradually losing because of their small number.
Aunt Mei Jiang shouted, "Bold villains! Do you know who is coming? Put down your swords quickly, and I'll spare your lives!"
The black - clothed man said, "Humph, we don't recognize anyone. We're only responsible for guarding this thing. We'll kill anyone who comes!"
Another black - clothed man said, "Our hiding place has been exposed. None of these people can be left alive!"
Dugu Luanyue knew very well that in such a moment and environment, revealing her identity would be of no use at all.
Who would believe that the queen of the Northern Yan would appear in the mountains in a plain - patterned long robe? No one would believe it.
Aunt Mei Jiang led the people to retreat continuously. She gasped and walked to Dugu Luanyue's side,
"Your Highness, our people are getting fewer and fewer. We're probably no match for them.
I'll fight a bloody path for you. You ride your horse down the mountain first, enter Hanshui Town with the queen's seal, and quickly seize the supplies!"
Dugu Luanyue grabbed her arm. "Aunt, you must come with me!"
Aunt Mei Jiang said anxiously,
"Your Highness, go quickly! I can't hold on for long!
You've exhausted yourself for Southern Chu. It's not easy for the Prince of Yuzhang to stand on our side, but he often goes back on his word.
You can't have anything happen to you. If you do, the plague in Danyang City will definitely spread to Southern Chu. By then, these Northern Yan people won't feel the slightest bit of pity for us Southern Chu people."
The blood streaks in Dugu Luanyue's eyes became more prominent. Aunt Mei Jiang had been a very important confidant beside her mother.
Her mother was a general of Southern Chu, and Aunt Mei Jiang was her mother's deputy general.
She was the one who had held her since she was born and protected her from childhood to adulthood.
She had hidden her military uniform and become a humble palace maid to accompany her on the marriage alliance to the Northern Yan. How could she just leave Aunt Mei Jiang behind?
In her heart, Aunt Mei Jiang had never been a servant but a family member.
Dugu Luanyue held her hand and refused to leave. "Aunt, if we go, we go together. I can't leave you behind!"
Aunt Mei Jiang didn't have time to say more to her. She grabbed Dugu Luanyue's waist and threw her onto the horse, then slapped the horse's butt hard,
"Grab the reins and go!"
Then she turned around and rushed into the bloody battlefield with the Phoenix Feather Guards. Their fates were unknown.