The Bad Guys: Everyone, let’s revive the Tang Dynasty together!

Chapter 438 Before the Battle, the King of Qin (Part Two)

The cold wind was like a knife, sweeping across the desolate mountains and fields of Yizhou, swirling up the remaining snow on the ground, forming patches of misty snow sand.

Bago lay on the back of a horse he had stolen along the way, and kept fleeing south.

The blood seeping from the arrow wound in her left arm and the knife wound under her ribs left intermittent, glaring dark red streaks on the pristine snow behind her. Every breath she took aggravated her wounds, bringing excruciating pain, and her lungs felt like they were on fire.

The pursuers behind her disappeared for a moment, and all she could see was a desolate wasteland, which allowed her tense nerves to relax slightly, but that was all. She had been running wildly for most of the day, traveling dozens of miles along narrow, deserted paths, without eating a single grain of rice, and was now at her last gasp.

Even so, she couldn't stop to catch her breath. While there were no pursuers behind her, it was only temporary. Although the three men had stopped Shang at the most critical moment, Li Siyuan had mobilized the garrison and the experienced Tongwen Hall. Thousands upon thousands were searching for her across the vast wilderness; it was only a matter of time before they caught up with her.

In a blur, Bago seemed to hallucinate, the sounds of her pursuers growing ever closer, like jackals drawn by the scent of blood. The cold shouts of the Jin cavalry, mixed with the sharp whistles unique to the Tongwen Pavilion, echoed like maggots clinging to her bones across the desolate wasteland, relentlessly squeezing out her remaining strength and will.

Her vision blurred, and her horse began to falter, staggering. Just as she was about to collapse from exhaustion, swallowed by the relentless snowstorm or, whether it was a hallucination or reality, the pursuers, several riders suddenly appeared on the snow-covered path behind her, chasing after her through the blizzard.

Bago subconsciously gripped the standard longsword beside his saddle. Looking back, he saw the worn leather armor commonly seen on lower-ranking officers in the Jin army, and his tense nerves suddenly relaxed.

But with this loss of energy, her exhausted body could no longer support her, and she slid off the equally exhausted horse.

Compared to the three who had just stopped Shang, the pursuing riders included several unfamiliar faces. Upon seeing this scene, the three riders in the lead immediately dismounted nimbly to help him up, while the riders behind them scattered without stopping, some keeping watch behind, others spurring their horses forward to clear the way. Their eyes were sharp as eagles, carrying a calm and vigilant air of someone who had been through many battles.

"Captain Ba!" the leader called out in a low voice. Fortunately, after catching his breath, Ba had regained much of his strength and asked in a hoarse voice, "Who are you all...?"

"We are all 'Life Gate' assassins planted by the Night Scouts within the Jin army. My code name is 'Rock,' and I am here on the orders of the King of Qin to escort Commandant Ba south when necessary." The leader spoke quickly and concisely. Knowing that pursuers were close behind, he helped Bago change to another horse while signaling someone to ride Bago's tired horse in another direction to draw away any possible pursuers.

"This way!" The leader, who called himself Rock, didn't hesitate and led several riders forward to protect the almost exhausted Bago. Two other riders brought up the rear, warily scanning the snow-covered path behind them, and swiftly disappeared into a more rugged and complex mountain valley with jagged rocks.

Their familiarity with the terrain far surpassed that of Bago. By winding their way through the area and utilizing natural barriers and the cover of wind and snow, they quickly escaped the region with its single-path roads, leaving behind only a jumble of hoofprints that were swiftly erased by the wind and snow.

"Hold on, Captain," Pan Shi said quickly, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible anxiety. "We have news from Yizhou. Based on the clues the Captain sent from Taiyuan, plus reports from our local informants, and after multiple confirmations, we have determined that the remnants of the Renzi Sect, along with the seriously injured Li Cunren, have moved and hidden in a remote village in a mountain valley on the border of Yizhou and Luzhou. It's only a few dozen miles to the southeast, and our men are heading there."

Bago's spirits lifted suddenly, as if a glimmer of life had been injected into him, but he immediately hissed, "The Tongwen Hall also knows the general news; we must hurry..."

The riders remained silent, simply protecting Bago and continuing their journey in quiet contemplation.

The journey of several dozen miles was neither short nor long, but it was only half a day's journey. However, traveling through wind and snow, the group did not arrive until it was almost dark.

The village truly lived up to its name, with broken walls and ruins standing silently in the wind and snow, like a forgotten wasteland. The few remaining mud houses, barely intact, were also on the verge of collapse, their roofs covered with a thick layer of snow.

In a slightly larger courtyard, the air was thick with the bitter smell of herbs and the stench of rotting wounds. Several disciples of the "Renzi" sect, equally wounded and exhausted, yet with fierce and wary eyes, stood guard in front of the only relatively intact earthen house, wielding broken swords.

Inside the room, on the earthen bed, Li Cunren lay with his eyes closed, his face deathly pale, his lips cracked and peeling, and his forehead burning hot. He was clearly unconscious from a high fever. The hemp bandages wrapped around his shoulders and ribs were soaked with dark red blood and yellow pus, emitting an ominous odor.

The scene looked too safe, which made it seem a bit eerie, but Bago and his group obviously couldn't care less about anything else. After Bago barely proved his identity and avoided a conflict, he immediately staggered into the house.

The disciples guarding the area were both surprised and delighted to learn that Bago and his group had come to protect Li Cunren, but when they saw that Bago himself was covered in blood and breathing erratically, their hearts sank.

Ignoring her own injuries, Bago reached out and touched Li Cunren's forehead. The burning heat made her frown and her voice was dry: "How is she?"

"The high fever won't break, the wound is festering... the sect leader remains unconscious, occasionally muttering incoherently, calling out 'traitors'..." The voices of several female disciples of the Renzi sect were filled with deep weariness and despair. "Our medicine is almost gone, and outside... outside are swarming with people from the Tongwen Hall, their spies are getting denser and denser..."

Bago's heart sank to the bottom, and he hurriedly looked at the rock beside him: "Where are your people?"

The rocky outstretched man said in a deep voice, “The situation is too urgent. Our people are separated by the Taihang Mountains, so it is not easy for them to get here... The most urgent task is to move as soon as possible. It is not safe here.”

Everyone understood this principle. The pursuers were relentless, and Tongwen Hall already knew the approximate activity range of the remnants of the Renzi Sect, so they were very likely to follow their trail there.

A group of people hurriedly packed up and prepared to carry Li Cunren eastward.

But before they could set off, a rapid and dense sound of hooves suddenly came from outside the village, like muffled thunder rolling across the earth, growing louder and louder as it approached. Immediately afterward, a series of sharp and piercing whistles and the distinctive whistles of Jin cavalrymen rang out simultaneously from three different directions, instantly shattering the deathly silence of the deserted village.

"The Tongwen Hall's Yizhou branch is here. Traitors Bago and Li Cunren, come out and face your deaths!"

"The Crow Army has surrounded the village! Those who surrender will not be killed!"

On horseback, the blind Li Cunyong was surrounded by his men, and he gave a hoarse order: "The order from the King of Taiyuan has arrived! There are Liang Dynasty spies in the village! Surround the village! Don't let a single bird out!"

A dark mass of figures surged in from three directions like a burst dam, the cold glint of swords mingling with the torchlight in the snowstorm, quickly surrounding the small, desolate village. The white uniforms of the Tongwen Hall resembled swirling snowballs, their leather armor, in the style of the Raven Army, reflecting a chilling luster in the firelight.

The murderous aura was so palpable that it instantly froze the desolate air of the village, even the wind and snow seemed to pause.

Several disciples of the "Endurance" sect were deathly pale, while the Life Guards protecting Bago wore solemn expressions. Bago, however, gritted her teeth, grabbed the Prince of Jin's tiger tally that Li Cunren had placed on her bosom, and, ignoring her injuries, strode to the crumbling courtyard gate, facing countless cold, greedy, and murderous gazes. She raised her right hand high, tightly clutching the blood-stained but highly recognizable Prince of Jin's tiger tally.

"Soldiers of Jin! Behold what this is!" Her voice, hoarse with pain and excitement, pierced through the howling wind and echoed over the desolate village with all her might.

"The will of the Prince of Jin is here. Li Siyuan murdered his father and brother, deceived the heir apparent by impersonating Li Cunren, and framed loyal officials! There is no way out in Taiyuan! Do you still want to serve this traitor and become sinners for all eternity?!"

Her gaze, sharp as a sword, swept over the surrounding soldiers, especially landing on the Crow Army soldiers carrying torches: "Although the Crown Prince is in Taiyuan, he is completely misled by Li Siyuan and the corrupt commander, unaware of the truth. Li Siyuan's perverse actions are intolerable to Heaven. The only way now is to head south and seek refuge with Prince Qin, Xiao Yan! With the Prince Qin's power, we can avenge Prince Jin and restore order to Jin! Only then will we not betray the swords in your hands, nor Prince Jin!"

These words were like pouring cold water into boiling oil. A noticeable commotion immediately arose among the surrounding soldiers. The Crow Army's formation was slightly disrupted, and their bewildered gazes darted between Tiger Tally and their comrades, as hushed whispers arose.

The dying wish of the King of Jin? Leaving aside the fact that Li Siyuan murdered his father—a fact known to everyone in Jin—where does the claim of him killing his brother come from? Furthermore, how can one expect the King of Qin to restore order to Jin? Isn't that laughable?
This accusation is truly appalling.

The leader of the Tongwen Pavilion's Yizhou branch was momentarily terrified. Turning around, he saw Li Cunzhong, disguised behind him, his face ashen. The leader immediately shouted, "That witch is spouting nonsense! She forged the imperial edict! Without any evidence, she dares to try and sow discord in the army with the stolen tiger tally? Kill her! Capture her, and the Prince of Jin will reward you with a thousand gold pieces!"

"Kill." Li Cunyong also gave the order in a cold voice at the same time, trying to suppress the remarks that were shaking the morale of the army.

The brief wavering was forcibly suppressed by the pressure from those in power and the lure of a great reward. Moreover, everyone knew that Li Cunren had indeed taken the tiger tally of the Prince of Jin under the pretext of the incident; this was no secret.

The black tide surged once more, with an even more ferocious momentum, rushing towards the small courtyard. The Tongwen Hall disciples at the forefront were particularly elite, their eyes fierce, their blades pointed directly at the breach in the courtyard wall.

"Hold on to the death!" Bago shouted sharply, drawing his standard longsword with a backhand. The remaining disciples of the Renzi sect immediately formed a small formation with their backs against the earthen wall, their swords pointing outwards. However, the few Shengmen warriors did not immediately confront the enemy in front of them. Panshi calmly said, "Commander Ba, please take Li Cunren and leave quickly. We can still delay them for a while."

Bago was panting heavily, but she just stared at the flickering torches outside without answering. Of course, she knew who had given them the orders, but now, with the pent-up frustration surging in her heart, she no longer wanted to escape.

Just as the first wave of Tongwen Hall's experts rushed to the breach in the courtyard wall, and the two sides were about to officially engage in battle.

"咻咻咻咻——"

A series of sharp, dense sounds, like the flapping of bees' wings, suddenly erupted from the sparse but sufficient pine forest on the flank of the deserted village.

Dozens of crossbow bolts, crafted from fine steel and imbued with terrifying kinetic energy, rained down like a black storm of death, precisely targeting the Tongwen Hall disciples charging at the forefront.

Puff puff!

The dull thuds of sharp weapons tearing flesh and piercing bones echoed throughout. The seven or eight Tongwen Hall disciples at the forefront, barely able to utter a scream, were pierced through the throats and chests by powerful crossbow bolts, collapsing to the ground like felled wheat, their blood instantly staining the snow red. At the edge of the pine forest, dozens of figures clad in dark, close-fitting clothes, their faces covered with iron masks, appeared silently like ghosts emerging from hell. Their movements were perfectly synchronized; after missing their targets, their steel crossbows, accompanied by a teeth-grinding scraping sound, were quickly drawn back into the chamber, their movements so fast that only afterimages remained.

The leader, with a slightly alluring figure, moved with ghostly speed. In the blink of an eye, several Tongwen Hall disciples fell, clutching their necks. Not far behind him, a wiry old man with white hair stood holding a bow, his cold eyes sweeping over the chaotic battlefield.

"Don't linger in battle." Gongyang Zuo's voice was particularly hoarse and short, carrying an undeniable air of killing intent.

"It's Liang the traitor!?" The leader of the Tongwen Hall's Yizhou branch was both shocked and furious. Looking at the elite troops who had fallen in an instant, his heart bled. His voice was sharp with anger, "Form ranks! Form ranks quickly! Archers, suppress them!"

However, the scouts appeared at the perfect moment. This sudden, precise, and efficient attack not only caused massive casualties instantly but also completely disrupted the Tongwen Hall's offensive rhythm, causing widespread chaos. The previously orderly encirclement suddenly developed a huge gap and a chaotic vortex. The Tongwen Hall disciples instinctively sought cover, and their formation began to crumble.

“They’re here.” Pan Shi’s tone finally relaxed.

Gongyang Zuo's gaze instantly locked onto the branch leader amidst the chaotic Tongwen Hall crowd, who was waving his arms and shouting hoarsely, trying to reorganize the men and stabilize the situation. He slightly raised his arm, nocked an arrow, and the bowstring twanged softly—the movement was fluid and seamless.

"Whoosh." The arrow left the bowstring, tearing through the air and flashing past in the gaps between the crowd.

"Ok?"

On horseback, Li Cunyong, who had been focused and calm, subtly twitched his ears. Almost at the same instant the bowstring twanged, he turned his head and locked onto the trajectory of the arrow. Without the slightest hesitation, the blind Twelfth Protector leaped from his horse, his longbow already fully drawn in mid-air. He didn't need to aim at all; relying solely on his astonishing perception of sound and killing intent, he released his grip.

"laugh--"

Another arrow, like a black lightning bolt, arrived first despite being launched later. In the blink of an eye, it struck Gongyang Zuo's deadly arrow with perfect accuracy, less than three feet in front of the branch leader.

A sharp clang rang out.

The two arrows collided violently, sparks flying everywhere. Gongyang Zuo's arrow, which was extremely powerful, was actually deflected and pierced deeply into the shoulder of a Tongwen Hall disciple next to the branch leader with a "thud." The disciple fell to the ground with a scream.

The branch leader, who was still giving orders, was completely unaware that he had inexplicably escaped death. He was so shocked that his soul almost left his body, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back. A look of relief at surviving a disaster appeared on his face.

However, a figure colder than the wind and faster than the shadows had already slid into the chaos like a ghost, skimming along the ground.

His movements were so swift that he left only a faint afterimage in his original position before closing in on the still-shaken branch leader. A flash of light appeared, like a bolt of cold lightning striking the snow, devoid of any frills, only pure speed and killing intent.

"puff."

Before the branch leader's relief could even turn into terror, a head shot into the sky, accompanied by a plume of scalding blood. The headless corpse stood upright for a moment before collapsing heavily into the snow and mud. Shangguan Yunque's figure didn't linger; having landed a successful blow, he immediately retreated like a wisp of smoke, merging into the wind, snow, and chaos, as if he had never existed.

"Protect the branch leader!" Only then did the branch leader's guards cry out in horror, but it was too late. Li Cunyong landed, his brow furrowed. Although he had missed the fatal arrow, he had failed to stop this lightning-fast assassination. The Tongwen Hall members were even more stunned by this swift and perfectly coordinated sniping and decapitation. Just when Li Cunyong's divine marksmanship had given them a slight chance to regain their composure, the instantaneous death of their leader plunged them into even greater panic and chaos.

"Damn Liang!" Li Cunyong's hoarse voice was filled with suppressed anger. Although he was blind, he could clearly sense the violent wavering of his own side's morale.

"Go!" Gongyang saw the Crow Army's formation change and their warhorses begin to move slowly. Knowing that they could not stay any longer, he immediately shouted, his voice echoing across the field.

As he spoke, he suddenly untied two dark iron lumps from his waist and threw them forcefully toward the direction where the most densely packed people were at the village entrance, where the vanguard of the Crow Army was about to launch their charge.

boom! boom!
Two deafening explosions erupted almost simultaneously, with flames, thick smoke, and debris scattering violently. The massive shockwaves instantly knocked over a dozen or so Crow Army soldiers at the forefront, along with their horses, to the ground; even their screams were swallowed by the explosions.

The pungent smell of sulfurous fumes mixed with swirling snowflakes, instantly spreading out like a thick, grayish-white curtain, completely obscuring a large area.

Shangguan Yunque had already swept into the courtyard like a gust of wind. Two night scouts followed closely behind, quickly wrapping the unconscious Li Cunren tightly in a thick blanket and carrying him on their backs.

Gongyang Zuoze drew his sword and held it horizontally in front of Bago, his firm and unyielding stance brooking no refusal: "Leave quickly, do not linger in battle."

Taking advantage of the chaos and smoke created by the explosion, the group sped out of the deserted village like arrows, heading east towards the Taihang Mountains. Their objective was clear, their movements swift and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

"Chase them! Don't let the thieves escape!" Li Cunyong's deep command pierced through the thick smoke, tinged with exasperation. Li Cunzhong was even more frantic, jumping up and down, disregarding the need to reveal his identity, and immediately screamed, "Fire arrows! Fire arrows now! Shoot them dead!"

Scattered arrows came in pursuit, but most of them ended up futilely embedded in the snow dust raised behind the Night Watchman, or deeply embedded in the cold mountain rocks.

Led by Gongyang Zuo and Shangguan Yunque, the scouts moved swiftly through the rugged mountains like slippery fish, using jagged rocks and sparse trees to evade their pursuers. However, as they approached a fork in the road leading south to Luzhou, Gongyang Zuo decisively waved his hand: "Turn east! To Zhenzhou!"

"Zhenzhou?" Bago asked breathlessly, enduring the excruciating pain from his wounds, his eyes filled with surprise and doubt. Luzhou was a shortcut south to Liang territory, while Zhenzhou required crossing the vast Taihang Mountains, a more treacherous and difficult journey.

“The border of Luzhou will surely be heavily guarded by Jin troops; that’s a dead end.” Gongyang Zuo didn’t turn his head. His slightly aged voice was unusually calm in the biting cold wind, carrying a touch of the ruthlessness he had before battle. “Zhenzhou is Zhao territory. Although Wang Rong is weak, he may not dare to openly allow the Jin army to cross the border and launch a large-scale pursuit. Our people are there to meet us.”

Behind them, the pursuers led by Li Cunyong and Li Cunzhong joined forces with the remnants of the Tongwenguan, clinging to them like leeches. The sounds of horses' hooves, shouts, and arrows piercing the air intertwined in the foothills of the Taihang Mountains, creating a deathly hunting symphony that relentlessly pursued the Night Scouts who were turning eastward.

------

At the Luzhou post station, the fire in the stove burned brightly, the pine wood crackling, yet it couldn't dispel the solemnity between Li Cunli's brows. Weary from his journey, he had just dismounted, intending to rest briefly and drink some hot soup to warm his frozen body. Suddenly, a sharp, urgent cry pierced the howling snow, and a streak of iron-gray light shot down like an arrow, tearing through the chaotic snow curtain.

A falcon specially trained by the Tongwen Hall landed steadily on the arm of the guard, which was already raised and wrapped in a heavy leather sheath. The raptor's sharp eyes swept across the eaves of the post station, carrying a wild ferocity and the weariness of a long journey, and ice crystals were condensed on its iron-gray wings.

The guard, with a solemn expression, quickly and carefully untied the thin copper tube that was firmly bound to the falcon's strong talons and respectfully presented it to Li Cunli.

“My dear brother Cunli: Bago has rebelled and is carrying a forged edict to deceive the Prince of Jin. You have failed to manage your subordinates properly, and your crime is inescapable! Return to Taiyuan immediately to wipe out the remaining rebels and prove your innocence! I am attaching evidence of the rebellion.”

At the end of the letter was a rubbing of the blood-written letter that had been taken from Bago. Even though the ink was blurred, the outline of the seal and the mottled bloodstains were enough to make Li Cunli's pupils shrink.

Li Cunli felt a chill creep up from the soles of his feet, instantly permeating his entire body. His fingers, gripping the letter, were icy and stiff, trembling slightly uncontrollably. Cold sweat silently soaked through his inner shirt, clinging to his skin and bringing a bone-chilling cold.

"He who fails to manage his subordinates properly is guilty and cannot escape punishment; this serves as proof of his innocence." These few words carried a weight heavier than a thousand pounds, pressing heavily on his heart and sending chills down his spine.

He knew his elder brother all too well. Once suspicion arose, he had no choice but to offer a pledge of loyalty. Bago's survival was a double-edged sword hanging over Li Cunli's head.

He abruptly closed his eyes, taking a deep breath of the inn's air thick with the smell of burning charcoal and damp cold. When he opened his eyes again, the gentle, refined light in his eyes had completely vanished, leaving only a cold, almost frozen killing intent.

Without the slightest hesitation, and with no way out, the choice made by his elder brother was clear. If he hesitated even for a moment, he, Li Cunli, would be the next to be branded a traitor.

"Issue the order!" Li Cunli's voice was unusually deep, with a rare sharpness. "Assemble the guards immediately, prepare fast horses, and bring three days' worth of rations." He paused, emphasizing each word. "Pursue Bago and Li Cunren along the Zhenzhou direction. Find them alive or dead!"

"Lord Xue," Zhang Chengye finally couldn't help but speak, his voice filled with worry, "about Taiyuan..."

He was clearly referring to the fact that this mission would require him to submit to Xiao Yan, even though the news had already been presented to Li Cunxu.

Li Cunli glanced at Zhang Chengye, a faint, bitter smile playing on his lips, before slowly shaking his head without a word. Without pausing for even a moment, he personally led his most elite guards, charging out of the Luzhou post station like arrows released from a bow, their hooves crushing the unmelted snow at the entrance.

But he had barely left the city outskirts when he ran into a group of menacing followers of the Li Zi sect, led by Li Siyuan's confidants, amidst the wind and snow.

Li Cunli reined in his horses, his face expressionless. His gaze lingered briefly on his confidant's face, but he remained silent. The leader of the Li family's entourage opposite him merely nodded slightly. The two groups of men silently merged in the howling snowstorm, exchanging no further words. Like two suddenly converging iron torrents, they changed direction and sped off along the official road leading to Zhenzhou, quickly disappearing into the vast snowfield.

(End of this chapter)