Aoyama

Chapter 474 Blood
evening.

The bell and drum official stood atop the Chongli Pass tower, holding a vermilion brush in one hand and the day and night register in the other, his eyes fixed on the water clock beside him.

A ray of orange sunlight shone through the intricately carved window, illuminating his profile and dividing his face into two halves, one bright and one dark, with his nose as the dividing line.

When the last drop of water fell from the water clock, he circled "戌时" (Xu Shi, the hour of the Dog) in the day and night record book with a vermilion pen, while a shirtless soldier next to him beat a drum.

The evening drum sounded its first beat, and there are still 799 more to come, not one more and not one less.

Outside the Ping'an Gate of Chongli Pass, soldiers who were building the city walls and watchtowers entered the barbican one after another, looking dusty and exhausted.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves sounded behind them.

The soldiers turned around and saw Hong Zu'er galloping towards them on the official road, leading the way. The soldiers immediately perked up: "Master Hong is back!"

Hong Zu'er did not respond, and even Ah Sheng, who usually responded to every word, remained silent on horseback with his lips pursed.

The soldiers consciously made way, watching Hong Zu'er, Gao Yuan, and the others speed past, the strong winds they created making their clothes stick to their bodies.

Passing through Ping'an Gate, before the warhorse had even come to a complete stop, Hong Zu'er had already jumped off and galloped south of the city: "Bai Zi, go and call our men, Gao Yuan, go and call the Wansui Army, I'll go and persuade Zhou Rang of the Fifth Army Camp, and A Sheng, you go and find Wu Yihang of the Shenji Camp. Ping'an Gate never waits for anyone, so you must return here before the evening drum sounds, otherwise none of us will be able to leave today."

As they were talking, Hong Zuer looked up and saw Zhang Lanjin, the general of Chongli Pass, standing in golden armor amidst the drumbeats, silently watching them.

There was neither support nor obstruction.

Hong Zuer lowered his head in disappointment. He knew that even General Zhang Lanjin could not arbitrarily mobilize troops to leave Chongli Pass; he needed a document from the Ministry of War.

Moreover, given the general's composed nature, he would never be involved in intercepting and killing the Jing Dynasty envoy.

Hong Zuer gave the others a wink, and they split up and disappeared into the brick alley.

At this moment, Qi Zhenzhuo, who had been guarding inside Chongli Pass, saw their hurried expressions and immediately ran back to the barracks where the Imperial Guards were located: "Commander!"

Inside the military barracks, Li Xuan was sitting on the stone steps, wiping his personal sword "Feibai" with a gray cloth soaked in palm oil.

The others were shirtless, watching Duo Bao wrestle with Zhou Li.

Hearing the commotion, Li Xuan looked up at Qi Zhenzhuo and asked, "Have you found out anything?"

All the Imperial Guards looked at Qi Zhenzhuo, who whispered, "The scouts of the Emperor's Army have returned, along with Hong Zu'er, the scout from Chongli Pass. They seem to be in a hurry to gather all the scouts and get out of Chongli Pass before the gate closes... I think it must be related to my master."

Duo Bao asked curiously, "How so?"

Qi pondered for a moment: "After we arrived at Chongli Pass, everyone treated us with hostility, as if we were criminals who had betrayed the country and colluded with the enemy. They don't want peace talks between the two dynasties. I heard that Hong Zu'er and my master went out to scout the enemy's situation together, but now only he has returned, while my master has not... Although my master was demoted to the position of Night Scout, with his abilities, it must be no simple matter for him to be sent to the position at this critical juncture. I suspect that he is the new Governor-General of the Capital Garrison and is on his way back with the Jing Dynasty envoy. These Night Scouts want to intercept and kill him."

Chen Ji received a secret imperial edict, so the Imperial Guards did not know his identity, only that they were to wait for the ceremonial envoy at Chongli Pass.

At this moment, Li Xuan stood up, sheathed the Fei Bai sword, and solemnly said, "You've made progress. Prepare the horse!"

……

……

At the three hundredth evening drumbeat, Zhang Baishi led sixteen night scouts from Chongli Pass, leading their horses to Ping'an Gate. Some of the night scouts were wearing belts, some were shoddy straw sandals, and some were wearing their six-cornered hats askew; they were in a sorry state, but they arrived the fastest.

At the 517th evening drumbeat, Gao Yuan led 21 night scouts of the Wansui Army on horseback, each carrying a 90-pound hard bow wrapped with red rope, making the night scouts of Chongli Pass stare with envy.

A night watchman standing next to Zhang Baishi shouted, "Huang Ayue, it's a waste for you to carry such a fine bow. Why don't you lend it to me?"

The pretty Huang Ayue glanced at him sideways: "Your archery skills are still two Zhang Baishi behind mine. Get out of here."

At the 690th evening drumbeat, more than twenty night scouts from the Divine Machine Battalion arrived. They did not speak to the other night scouts and appeared arrogant.

Wu Yihang, the leader, sat upright on his warhorse and said coldly, "Who are you waiting for?"

Gao Yuan looked at him coldly: "Hong Zuer and the Fifth Army have not returned yet."

Wu Yihang asked the person next to him, "How many times has the evening drum sounded?"

The night watchman from the Divine Machine Battalion replied, "Seven hundred and thirty-eight sounds."

“The Ping’an Gate is about to close,” Wu Yihang said, turning his horse toward the city gate. “We won’t wait any longer. Those cowards from the Fifth Army Camp won’t go. We’ll go ahead first.”

Gao Yuan said in a deep voice, "Now is not the time for you to be arrogant. A female swordswoman at the Dao Seeking Realm has come to the mountains of Da Ma."

Without turning his head, Wu Yihang rode his horse into the sunset outside the city: "I've seen people in the Dao Seeking Realm before. Even if she is in the Dao Seeking Realm, her blade will dull after killing seven or eight people, and she will eventually run out of strength. I can't sleep if I have to be locked up in the city until tomorrow."

Gao Yuan ignored the night watchmen of the Shenji Camp and turned to look in the direction where Hong Zu'er had disappeared.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves grew louder as Li Xuan, clad in silver armor and wearing a white-tasseled helmet, led two hundred Imperial Guards past Yebushou and galloped towards Chongli Pass without a word.

The plateau's appearance changed.

Before he could speak, the 780th evening drum sounded, and the winch on the gate tower began to turn slowly. Seven or eight soldiers pushed the winch, slowly closing the Peace Gate.

Gaoyuan frowned: "It's too late."

The drumbeats were very fast.

Inside the gate tower, the bell and drum official held the day and night register in one hand, looking worriedly out the window as the Imperial Guards followed behind the Divine Machine Camp's night scouts and exited through the Peace Gate and the barbican.

Looking at the other side, Hong Zu'er was still nowhere to be seen.

The soldier beating the drum turned to look at him, as if seeking his opinion: "Slow down?"

The bell and drum officer said grimly, "Anyone who fails to strike the drum according to the hour will be punished with twenty strokes of the cane; anyone who obstructs the striking of the drum will also be punished with twenty strokes of the cane. Military law shows no mercy!"

However, at that moment, the sound of armor rattling came from outside.

General Zhang Lanjin, clad in golden armor, approached the soldier and grasped his wrist as he struck the drum. The drumming stopped abruptly, and the soldier, who was pulling the winch to lower the gate, slowly came to a halt.

The bell and drum official was taken aback: "General?"

Zhang Lanjin didn't speak, but turned to look inside the pass, where he saw Hong Zuer leading the way, followed by twelve night scouts from the Fifth Army Camp. Hong Zuer looked up and saw Zhang Lanjin in the window of the pass tower.

He clasped his hands in a gesture of greeting, then gathered dozens of night watchmen and sped away.

Once the night guards had all rushed out of Chongli Pass, Zhang Lanjin released the soldier's wrist, removed his armor, and casually said, "Knowing the law and breaking it, forty strokes of the cane."

The drumbeats resumed, finishing the last twenty strikes.

With a winch whirring, the heavy gate of Ping An Gate slammed to the ground.

……

……

In Yaozigou, the last rays of the setting sun dip behind the mountains.

Xiaoman carried Princess Liyang on her back and ran wildly. Behind them came dense footsteps, and birds were startled by the invisible killing intent and flew into the air to circle.

The Taotie carrying the little monk gradually dimmed. At first, it was as black as ink, but now it was so thin and transparent that it seemed as if it would shatter at the slightest touch.

Xiaoman was sweating profusely with anxiety. These hunters should have been lured away, but unexpectedly, they discovered the clues after only one exchange with Chen Ji and turned to chase after them.

The hunters will spread out in a fan shape, slowly closing the distance between themselves.

Suddenly, an arrow shot from behind. Xiaoman shouted sharply, "Little monk, lie down!"

The young monk crouched low on the Taotie's back, and the Taotie suddenly swerved, narrowly avoiding the trajectory of the arrows.

Princess Liyang, clinging to Xiaoman's back, hesitated and asked, "Your young master and that Miss Zhang Er wouldn't have abandoned you and run away, would they?"

Xiaoman flew into a rage: "Bullshit, they're not that kind of people!"

Princess Liyang smiled and said, "It's possible that something else went wrong, but in any case, the three of us are going to die here."

Xiaoman said impatiently, "If you say less, no one will think you're mute."

Princess Liyang ignored her impatience and instead said, "Put me down and you can escape. But tell your young master that I did this to save you. Please ask him to protect my brother if he ever escapes to Ningchao."

Xiaoman became even more impatient: "Stop talking nonsense, who among you still has food on them?"

The young monk stammered, "I still have half a cake in my arms..."

Xiaoman disagreed, "No, half a pancake won't do... Little monk, stretch out your hand!"

She urged the Taotie to come closer, and the little monk, not understanding why, raised his arm.

As Xiaoman ran wildly, she suddenly bit down on the little monk's wrist and greedily sucked his blood.

Princess Liyang was astonished to find that the blackness on Taotie's body was becoming denser and denser, and Xiaoman's breathing was becoming more even and steady as she ran.

The little monk suddenly felt a sharp pain, but he didn't cry out. He just stared blankly at Xiaoman's profile.

A few breaths later, the little monk's face turned pale, and his lips turned pale purple.

Xiaoman released her mouth and looked at the little monk in surprise: "Your blood smells so good! I usually have to eat hundreds of pounds of meat to replenish it, but a few sips of your blood will do the trick... Come here and let me have a couple more sips!"

The young monk clutched his wrist warily and said, "Benefactor, you mustn't."

"Stingy!"

However, at that moment, the hunters had already surrounded them from both sides. The centurion took the horn bow off his back, drew arrows from his quiver, and drew the bowstring taut.

The centurion's bow was a size larger than the others'; it was a hard bow weighing over a hundred pounds, and ordinary people couldn't even pull the bowstring.

He wore a black iron thumb ring on his right thumb so that he could pull the bowstring without hurting his finger.

Princess Liyang, perched on Xiaoman's back, looked back and quickly reminded her, "That centurion is a monk from the Kujue Temple. He has practiced asceticism for ten years, carrying a copper bowl to beg for alms and never touching money. Yet he possesses immense strength and can lie down on an elephant with his bare hands!"

The next moment, the centurion released his thumb from the bowstring, and the bowstring vibrated and popped in the air.

The iron-tipped arrow came whistling through the air. Xiaoman twisted her body to dodge, but the arrow was too fast and pierced through her left shoulder.

Xiaoman groaned, her left hand involuntarily letting go of Princess Liyang, and she could only barely support Princess Liyang's thigh with her right hand to prevent her from falling to the ground.

The young monk was very anxious and stretched out his arm, shouting, "Take a few more breaths!"

Xiaoman angrily cursed, "Save it, it won't heal the injury anyway... wait."

As she spoke, she looked up and saw a man and a woman dressed in black on the hilltop ahead. The woman was sitting cross-legged, and the man had his hands tucked into his sleeves. The two of them were smiling and looking down the mountain.

The bright rabbit.

Cloud sheep.

The bright rabbit scratched its brow with its fingernails and closed its eyes.

A plume of thick black smoke emerged from the wound between her eyebrows, revealing the shadowy figure of Jiao Tu clad in black armor, holding a crescent-shaped broadsword upside down.

Princess Liyang said in a low voice, "The Great Dao of Yang God? I haven't cultivated the Yang God yet, I only have the Yin God."

The centurion nocked another arrow from afar, but the Divine Rabbit leaped up from the mountain, its body floating lightly for dozens of feet, as if flying from the sky to the front of everyone, and cleaved the iron-boned arrow in two with a single stroke.

The Moon Goddess Jiao Tu smiled and said, "Miss Xiao Man, I didn't mean to wait until you were in trouble before I made my move. We're just more powerful at night, so please don't tell your young master."

Princess Liyang sized up Jiao Tu: "Who are you?"

Jiao Tu laughed heartily: "Us? We are Lord Chen's most loyal subordinates."

(End of this chapter)