The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 32: Tacit Cooperation to Escape Danger
Unfortunately, there were no high mountains around, so they could only run into the dense forest. The enemy chasing them had some special tracking method, and no matter how they turned, they could only gain distance for a short time before quickly catching up.

"They ride horses, and we have two legs. We have to find a way!" Shang Mingshu doesn't like being so passive.

Cheng She, who was holding her hand, suddenly let go and said, "Run separately."

Seeing Cheng She letting go of her and running to the other side, Shang Mingshu acted faster than she thought and ran to the other side subconsciously without thinking.

As she ran, Shang Mingshu felt that she had shaken off the person who was pursuing her and entered a bamboo forest. Shang Mingshu picked up a thick bamboo and climbed up.

Soon, the sound of horse hooves was heard. It sounded like there were not many people around. Looking at the direction, Shang Mingshu pressed down a stick and forced it to the side of the bamboo forest. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound of horse hooves getting closer, counting down silently in her heart.

The moment she opened her eyes, she let go of the bamboo, and the bent bamboo bounced back, wrapped in the sound of wind, and swept across towards the person on horseback.

Four people caught up, two of them were shot out by the bamboo bullets because they didn't have time to pull the reins, and the two behind them fell backwards quickly. The green bamboo swept across their vision looking up at the sky, and a black shadow followed closely. A long sword swept across, blood splattered, and one person died.

The remaining person quickly turned over and dismounted. Shang Mingshu landed on the ground and threw the blood-stained sword back with her backhand. The fleeing person seemed to have eyes on his back and turned around to use the iron knife in his hand to deflect the flying sword.

Then a strong punch came towards him, and he quickly retreated. His body was blocked by bamboo. With no way to escape, he raised his knife to meet the attack. Every one of his reactions was expected by Shang Mingshu. The iron knife in his hand was easily snatched away, and finally his throat was cut by his own weapon.

Shang Mingshu walked quickly towards the horses, drew her sword on the way, and found a flare on the sleeve of one of them. She took it out and released it, looted the bows and arrows carried by several people, rode a horse, and led the remaining three horses in the direction where Cheng She left.

If the two of them separated, it would be impossible for the pursuers to know their respective directions. At most, half of the people should be in one direction, but there were only four people here. These people were obviously coming for Cheng She and wanted to confirm Cheng She's direction, unless Cheng She turned back after she left and deliberately exposed himself.

She wanted to chase after him and see if she could help Cheng She. Cheng She was dead, and she would never know the truth of this matter. She also had no idea why the Shang family was involved. Would there be more hidden attacks in the future?
"boom!"

Shang Mingshu was halfway through her ride when she heard a familiar sound, followed by a series of bang bang sounds.

This is not a musket!
This is a musket army!

Shang Mingshu pulled the reins, the reins wrinkled in her palm, she was torn between the inner conflict: she wanted to know why Shang was involved this time and she wanted to turn the horse around and escape alone, the two were constantly pulling at each other.

While hesitating, there was another burst of dense gunfire. Shang Mingshu gritted her teeth and rode forward.

The sounds of fighting in her ears became more and more intense. She chose a hidden place, tied up her horse, and then sneaked into the battlefield where the two sides were fighting.

The enemy was numerous and powerful. Behind a row of archers was a row of people holding muskets, forming a semi-encirclement and besieging a place in a shrinking area. Behind them were many people riding tall horses.

Shang Mingshu couldn't see Cheng She, but based on the people surrounding him, she could roughly guess where he was hiding.

According to the location these people have locked on, Cheng She is doomed to die. Shang Mingshu believes that Cheng She will not be so stupid as to leave herself no way out.

She took another careful look ahead, forming a bold guess. She quickly turned back, gathered some dry branches, trimmed them according to the route they were going to run, doused the horses with strong liquor, tied them to the tails of the three horses, and slashed their hips with her sword. The horses neighed in pain and bolted uncontrollably. Shang Mingshu mounted the remaining horse, estimated the distance, hooked her foot in the stirrup, grasped the saddle with one hand, and hid herself against the horse's belly. She pulled out a tinder from her bosom, and when the time was right, she threw it at the dragging branch.

The group surrounding Cheng She heard the noise and turned, looking at the empty horses dragging branches with alarm and confusion. Archers and men with muskets were ahead, and the leader sent two horsemen to intercept them. As they approached, a huge fire suddenly ignited. The three frightened horses, sensing the heat and red light, suddenly lost control, charging forward as if trying to shake off the burning branches from their tails.

It knocked over the people who were trying to stop it, and fiercely rushed the remaining people on horseback, causing them to fall off their horses and run out of the way.

They crossed the first line of defense and caught those holding muskets and bows off guard.

Shang Mingshu took the opportunity to jump on her horse, and with her ruthless sword, she killed three enemies with firearms, then passed by and ran to the other side of the destination surrounded by enemies.

Cheng She, who was hiding in a tree, saw Shang Mingshu coming towards him without hesitation. He jumped down and landed steadily on Shang Mingshu's horse, then fled along the path here.

They both knew that it was impossible to escape completely this way. They turned a corner to block the sight of the enemy who had regrouped and was chasing them. Cheng She was about to speak when Shang Mingshu looked at the tree trunk in front of them and said, "Go up!"

Cheng She swallowed his words. His original intention was to let Shang Mingshu seize this opportunity to hide first. Now was not the time to argue. Neither of them needed protection. Holding the tree trunk with both arms, Cheng She climbed up swiftly and hid in the tree canopy.

Shang Mingshu rode her horse at full speed, and the pursuers were chasing her closely. She could no longer find a chance to escape from their sight.

Sharp arrows shot from behind. Shang Mingshu could only whip the horse as hard as she could to increase the distance between the two sides as much as possible. At the same time, she could not run in a straight line. She had never touched a musket, but she knew privately that it could accurately shoot within a hundred steps, and the farthest shooting could reach five hundred steps.

The distance she created was large enough that the pursuers behind her would not use their muskets easily.

On the other side, Cheng She watched a large number of pursuers chasing Shang Mingshu. When the last enemy on horseback passed under the tree, he quickly pounced down, landed on the horse, clamped the opponent, twisted his neck before the opponent could react, pushed the man off the horse, turned his horse's head and returned to the place where he had been hiding.

He picked up the three remaining muskets and then rode his horse to catch up.

"boom!"

When the sound of muskets rang out, Shang Mingshu's heart tightened. The situation she feared most happened.

She tried even harder to escape. Then came the sound of dense musketry. Shang Mingshu sensed something was amiss, and the number of arrows fired at her decreased sharply...

She quickly turned her horse around and found that most of the enemies had turned back, and a few were chasing her.

These people have no muskets!
Guessing that Cheng She was coming from behind again, she raised her lips and smiled, then charged back at the enemy.

It was a fierce battle. Shang Mingshu was injured and Cheng She was hit in the shoulder by a musket. The two of them fought their way out and escaped.

(End of this chapter)