Too many female prisoners, a special forces soldier transmigrates and marries wildly.

"The princess has also given instructions regarding the defenses." A hint of appreciation flashed in Urna's eyes, clearly finding Lin Feng's considerations thorough.

"The garrison commander doesn't need to go as a border general. I can arrange for him to disguise himself as a skilled fighter I've found from the Central Plains, or an instructor secretly hired by the princess, and infiltrate my entourage to return to the Gray Fox tribe. As for Ironwall City..."

She paused for a moment, then said, "The princess also has some spies on the grasslands. Perhaps she can find a way to keep Yan Ying from having time to worry about the guards leaving."

"Oh? What good plan do you have, young lady?"

A glint of cunning and wildness flashed in Urna's eyes: "The grasslands have their own methods. Create some 'accidents' to make Yan Ying think that the jade pendant clues he's been investigating have suddenly appeared elsewhere, and are even more important. He'll naturally be drawn away. I'll arrange this. The guards just need to be prepared. They'll set off with me in three days."

Her tone was firm and confident, as if the grassland was her hunting ground and everything was under her control.

She is an extremely proud and extremely dangerous woman, but perhaps she is also the key to breaking the deadlock at this moment.

"Alright. As you say, young lady." Lin Feng no longer hesitated. "Three days from now, I will accompany you north. During this time, you may stay at the garrison commander's residence for safety."

"No need," Urna shook her head. "The inn is inconspicuous. The guards only need to be prepared. At midnight three days from now, ten miles outside the west gate, in the poplar forest, someone will meet you. Remember, travel light, only bring your most reliable and capable men, no more than five. On the grasslands, too many people are not necessarily a good thing."

"clear."

"Furthermore," Urna gave Lin Feng a deep look, then suddenly asked, "Does the garrison commander know why the princess is hailed as the 'Pearl of the Grasslands'?"

Lin Feng was taken aback: "I would like to hear the details."

"Not only because of her beauty and intelligence, but also because of her noble character, as pure as a pearl that cannot be tarnished." Urna's tone was filled with undisguised protectiveness and pride.

"When she entrusted the jade pendant to me, she said that although it was a relic of the previous dynasty and contained secrets, it was also a token, a token... concerning her future destiny. She did not want the jade to fall into the hands of wolves and tarnish its meaning. The garrison commander's assistance this time is a great favor to the princess and to the Gray Fox tribe."

Her words seemed to hold a deeper meaning, and her gaze was intense, which stirred something within Lin Feng.

"It is my duty as Lin Feng, and I dare not speak of gratitude. I only hope to live up to the princess's trust and resolve this crisis." Lin Feng clasped his hands in a fist salute.

Urna said no more, nodded, and with a swift movement, she disappeared silently into the shadows outside the stable, like a raccoon dog.

The three days passed quietly amidst the tense and stressful preparations.

Inside and outside the garrison headquarters, everything was operating as usual, except that the news that "Governor Lin has suddenly fallen ill and needs to rest" was strictly kept under wraps and kept within a very small circle.

Han Tao, Lei Bao, and Yan Qing each performed their duties, dealing with Yan Ying's subtle probing while secretly clearing obstacles and preparing an escape route for Lin Feng's departure.

On the third night, midnight was approaching.

In the silence, the west gate of Ironwall City quietly opened a crack, and several dark figures slid out silently, their hooves covered with thick cloth, making no sound as they trod.

The leader was Lin Feng. Behind him were Yan Qing and three other elites carefully selected from the Night Scouts, who were most skilled in infiltration, assassination, and fluent in the Di Rong language.

Ten miles outside the city, a grove of poplars stood silently in the cold night.

A moment later, a very faint whistle, like the flapping of an owl's wings, came from the forest. Lin Feng responded with three short chirps.

A tall and lithe figure emerged from behind an old white poplar tree ahead—it was Urna.

Behind her followed two well-dressed, taciturn men from the grasslands.

"We'll pass through several dangerous areas along the way. We might encounter cavalry from the Burtet or the Black Wolf tribe, or we might run into wolf packs or bandits. Follow my orders. If you encounter the enemy, do not linger in battle; prioritize escape. Understand?" Urna mounted a chestnut horse and said in a deep voice.

"Understood," Lin Feng and the other four responded in unison.

"Go!" Without another word, Urna spurred her horse and charged out of the poplar forest, galloping towards the vast darkness to the north. Lin Feng and the others followed closely behind.

The first night was spent in silent, high-speed driving.

The following evening, light snow began to fall. Urna found an abandoned, half-collapsed herder's winter shelter and decided to spend the night there.

The group started a small fire, heated the dry rations, and melted the snow.

Urna loosened her ponytail and ran her hands through her long hair, which was damp from the wind and snow. The firelight cast a soft golden glow on her honey-colored profile, and her deep, three-dimensional features, in the interplay of light and shadow, possessed a breathtaking, wild beauty.

"At this rate, we should be able to reach the edge of the Gray Fox tribe's traditional ranch by tomorrow evening." Urna took a bite of the hot jerky. "But that's also where Börte's power is relatively strong. His ranch guards and the bandits he's bribed often appear there."

"What is the extent of Burte's influence in the royal court? How many reliable people does the princess have around her?" Lin Feng asked.

Urna's eyes dimmed: "Berte is the eldest son, and his mother comes from a powerful clan. The princess... although she is the Khan's most beloved youngest daughter, she is still a woman. The Khan is old and has been ill in recent years, and he is no longer able to do many things."

She paused, her eyes blazing with anger: "After that traitor Feng Kun escaped, he immediately joined forces with Burte. The princess is now in the royal court, seemingly noble, but in reality, she is walking on thin ice."

She looked at Lin Feng, "Berte and Feng Kun believed that the jade pendant contained a great secret or wealth, and they were determined to seize it. The princess had no choice but to risk asking the garrison for help in order to protect the jade pendant and to protect herself."

Lin Feng's doubts deepened. This coiled dragon jade pendant seemed to be more than just a key to a secret treasure from the previous dynasty; it was also connected to the secrets of the Gray Fox royal family and might even be related to Prince Jing's northern hunt years ago.

On the third day, before dawn, everyone got up.

In the afternoon, as they rounded a small lake and were about to enter a hilly area, the grassland man who was scouting ahead suddenly lowered his body and made a hand gesture—something was going on!

The group immediately dismounted and disappeared into a patch of withered reeds.

On the hillside ahead, about twenty Di-Rong cavalrymen were slowly patrolling. Their clothing was mixed, unlike that of a regular tribal army; they looked more like bandits or the private soldiers of a nobleman.

The leader was a burly man with a face full of scars and a hideous scar on his left cheek. He was shouting something loudly, while the riders behind him laughed.

"He's one of 'Vulture' Batu's men!" Urna whispered, her eyes flashing coldly. "He's a vicious dog that Burte bought off."

"Can we get around it?" Lin Feng asked.

"There's no way around it; these hills are the only route, and there are swamps on both sides. They've blocked the entrance to the valley."

Urna gripped the hilt of her knife tightly. "We can only either force our way through or wait for them to pass. But they're patrolling very slowly, like they're searching for something."

Just then, the scarred leader Batu seemed to have discovered something. He pointed in the direction of the reeds where Lin Feng and the others were hiding and shouted a word in Di Rong language.

Immediately, seven or eight riders shouted and galloped towards them!

"We've been exposed! Prepare for battle!" Urna shouted, leaping onto her horse and simultaneously taking the horn bow from beside the saddle, nocking an arrow and stringing it.

Lin Feng, Yan Qing, and the others also mounted their horses instantly, drew their swords, and nocked their crossbows.

"Charge! Don't linger, target the valley entrance!"

Urna took the lead, and as the bowstring twanged, an arrow shot out like lightning, aiming straight for the throat of the rider at the front! The rider screamed and fell from his horse.

"Kill!" Lin Feng brandished his sword, following closely behind Urna, and charged into the enemy ranks! Yan Qing and the others fired crossbow bolts in quick succession, instantly felling three more people.