Chapter 551 - 551: Night Attack
Ding Yi and the other secret guards waited outside the north city gate of the capital until dusk before seeing an ox cart. They slowly walked to the place where Old Lin had sent the news. A thin old man with white hair got out of the carriage and got into the cart to drive the ox away.
A shadow guard followed. An hour later, the old man entered a nearby village and was greeted by three children. The old man happily took out the sweets he had bought for the children from his backpack. The children climbed onto the ox cart and the grandfather and grandchildren entered the courtyard. The shadow guard found a place nearby and guarded it.
Ji Xiang and Old Lin drove the cart into the forest. Ji Xiang suddenly felt a murderous aura in the forest and quickly reined in to look around warily.
Seeing Ji Xiang rein in, Old Lin also became nervous. Suddenly, a few arrows shot out of the forest in front of him. Sharp arrows whistled over and headed straight for Old Lin and Ji Xiang. Old Lin fell.
Ji Xiang flipped down from the carriage. When the arrow brushed past, it left a blood groove on his arm and he hid under the carriage. He raised the crossbow and shot at the forest opposite. Seeing that his attack had succeeded, the person on the tree opposite fled quickly. Ji Xiang crawled under the carriage and saw that Old Lin had been shot in the throat and chest.
Ji Xiang carried Old Lin into the carriage and scattered Golden Injury Medicine on his legs before driving the cart towards the village.
At midnight, Ji Xiang rushed to the village and dragged Old Lin down to be with the dead people. Just as he drove the carriage to the entrance of the manor, the door opened from the inside. When Ji Xiang saw Li Yu holding the oil lamp. She smiled and asked, “You’ve been rushing all the way. You’re hungry, right?”
“It’s fine. I ate some dry food and I’m not very hungry yet.” Ji Xiang drove the carriage into the livestock shed.
Seeing that Ji Xiang was alone, Li Yu guessed that something had happened.
Ji Xiang looked at Li Yu and said in shame, “Madam, when we returned, we were attacked in the forest. Old Lin was shot to death.”
“Are you injured anyvvhere?” Li Yu looked at Ji Xiang worriedly.
Ji Xiang shook his head. “An arrow grazed my arm. I’ve already applied Golden
Injury Medicine.”
Li Yu was relieved. “That’s good. The food is warm in the pot. Go eat something and wash up first.”
“Yes, Madam.” After Ji Xiang agreed, he said to Li Yu, “I saw Ding Yi guarding the city gate. Madam, I think those bandits might already know that you wiped out Liang Village. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have sent someone to shoot Old Lin. ”
Li Yu didn’t expect the enemy to hear the news so quickly. From the looks of it, when Old Lin appeared outside the north city gate, someone was watching there. How did they know that Old Lin had been captured by her and even confessed? Since Chu Sihai had already sent people to guard the north city, the people sent to Liang Village should have arrived!
Li Yu nodded and said, “Yes! Someone might sneak up on us tonight. Go and eat and rest first.”
“Aye!” Ji Xiang agreed and entered the kitchen. He brought out the hot food from the pot and ate it in big mouthfuls. After dinner, he casually wiped his face and lay down in the house and clothes beside him.
Li Yu thought for a moment and went to the study again. She entered the secret room and took out some crossbows and arrows to put in the space. She closed the door of the secret room and came out with her weapon. She hid in the dark and guarded the manor.
Hu Cheng brought a few secret guards to Liang Village. It was already midnight. Under the cold moonlight, he sneaked into the village.
When he arrived at the manor, he saw a dim yellow light coming out of the courtyard. Hu Cheng asked the other secret guards to guard outside and jumped onto the wall.
Just as he flipped into the courtyard, before he could shout, he saw Li Yu aiming the crossbow at him.
Hu Cheng hurriedly raised his hands and said to Li Yu with a smile, “Madam Li, I’m Hu Cheng, under Head Shopkeeper Chu Sihai. I’m here to listen to your orders. I have a letter from Head Shopkeeper to you.” As he spoke, he took out Chu Sihai’s letter to Li Yu from his pocket.
Li Yu looked at him and nodded. “Bring it over.”
“Yes.” Hu Cheng bowed and handed the letter to Li Yu with both hands.
Li Yu took the letter and saw the meaning in Chu Sihai’s letter. “Madam Li, Sihai is under His Majesty’s orders to send someone to protect you. The leader of the team is called Hu Cheng. They’re all at your disposal.”
Li Yu felt that there were not enough people when she brought back the news of being intercepted from Ji Xiang. The people Chu Sihai sent happened to solve the problem of the lack of manpower.
“Alright, tell those brothers that I’ll get someone to prepare food in the kitchen. You can have it yourself. Also, my steward was intercepted in the forest tonight. I think those bandits already know what I discovered here. In my opinion, there’s no need for us to hide anymore. Send someone back to the capital immediately and get Shopkeeper Chu to report it. Send someone to transport the things in the manor. I’m worried that something will happen if we’re late.”
Hu Cheng bowed in agreement and blew the bamboo whistle. A secret guard in black jumped into the courtyard. Hu Cheng told him what Li Yu had said. After receiving the order, the secret guard turned around and climbed over the courtyard wall, disappearing into the night.
Hu Cheng said to Li Yu, “Madam Li, rest well. My brothers and I are guarding outside.”
Li Yu had rested during the day and didn’t feel tired. However, for some reason, she kept feeling that tonight wouldn’t be peaceful. When she heard this, she still nodded. “Alright, there’s boiling water and steamed buns in the kitchen.
You guys can do whatever you want.”
“Yes, Madam Li.” Hu Cheng nodded and left.
Li Yu greeted Ji Xiang and went to the study in the backyard. She lay down on
the couch in the study.
Hu Cheng and the secret guards guarded a few dark corners of the wall and quietly hid there.
An hour later, more than a dozen figures appeared on the road at the village entrance. They were dressed in black and were quickly rushing towards the manor under the cover of the night.
Hu Cheng and the secret guards stood on the wall and quickly raised their crossbows, preparing to shoot.
When these men in black were about to approach the manor, they suddenly scattered and ran towards the courtyard in front and behind the manor. As they ran, they pulled out torches soaked in kerosene from the leather bags on their backs and prepared to light them and throw them into the courtyard.
Suddenly, they heard a sharp whistle. “Not good. There’s an ambush. Hurry up and retreat,” one of them shouted.
The men in black were stunned for a moment before quickly retreating. How could he be faster than arrows? He only heard the sound of arrows tearing through the air. Dense arrows tore through the air, and then there was a muffled sound.
Seeing the men in black outside the front yard fall to the ground one by one, Hu Cheng flipped onto the roof and shot at them from above.
Ji Xiang also ran to the backyard with the crossbow and shouted anxiously,
“Madam.”
“Yes, don’t panic.” Li Yu leaned on the roof and replied. She aimed at the men in black who were rushing towards the backyard and pulled the trigger of the crossbow. There was the sound of the crossbow. A few more men in black fell in the field. Ji Xiang was relieved and climbed onto the roof to deal with the men in black..